(Cross-posted from my Tumblr--apologies to the five people who read both my GoodReads and my Tumblr.) 
 A.S. King's Please Ignore Vera Dietz is one I discovered via the awesome Book Smugglers blog, who rated it as "Damn Near Perfection." I agree wholeheartedly. I have such a deep, profound and undying affection for quality, creative, contemporary young adult lit (I must have read Judy Blume's Tiger Eyes 25 times as kid), and this is another one that fits that description. (Bonus points if someone drops dead in the first chapter, or immediately prior to the book's opening--clearly I'm a messed up person.) 
 The book is ridiculously sad, heartbreaking really, as the secrets and pain related to Vera's childhood friend's death eat away at her. But, it's not all doom and gloom as the story unfolds, there's a bit of humor and wildly creative writing, especially in the brief chapters which shift perspective from Vera's first-person narration to that of her father, her dead friend and even a pagoda in her hometown. The narration also shifts timeframes, so it's a challenge to piece together all the circumstances (and this is a good thing)--as a reader, I felt Vera's confusion with her. 
 Here are a few of my favorite highlighted passages: 
 Let me tell you--if you think your best friend dying is a bitch, try your best friend dying after he screws you over. It's a bitch like no other. 
 He putters around the den, tidying, and I read the brochures. Stuff I learned in grade school, when the D.A.R.E. cops used to come around and teach us about the so-called war on drugs. Alcohol kills brain cells. Alcohol causes depression. Alcohol causes memory loss. Nowhere does it say, "Alcohol causes your dead friend to show up in the form of inflatable two-dimensional aliens." Nowhere does it say, "Alcohol numbs the pain." But I know it does. 
 A BRIEF WORD FROM THE DEAD KID: What Vera doesn't know is: I'd kill to be a pickle on her Big Mac--ground to relish between her perfect white teeth. I'd kill to be a bug she squishes with her holey Army-issue combat boot. But she's too good for me. She always was. 
 See what I mean? It's really, really different, and in a good way. So many authors (especially in YA) try to be creative, but it still feels like a contrived "I'm going to be EDGY!" and Vera doesn't. It's just strong and authentic. And, with that said, I'm kind of miffed that Shipbreaker beat out Vera for the Printz Award. I've read both and Vera is a far, far stronger book in both writing and plot. While, Shipbreaker's storyline fits with what's trendy right now in YA (dystopia) and probably feels more "important" to adults, it was nowhere near the level of Please Ignore Vera Dietz. 
 Once again, shout-out to the incredibly awesome Multnomah County Library ebook collection for this outstanding read!