The Horn Book Fanfare has been announced for 2006. It includes the best picture books, fiction and nonfiction of the year.
There are several fiction books that I haven't read yet and that I have seen on other lists. Plus I am trying to get through as many Cybil YA Long List titles as I can before January. AND I have been completely distracted by the new Tamora Pierce novel... Ah well. So many books...
Is it Beka Cooper that has been distracting you? I found that one hard to put down, too. Luckily, it is on the fantasy and science fiction longlist, so I had a good excuse for reading it!