End of the Year Wrap Up / 2011 Reading

This year was full of so many amazing times. I survived my first semester at college, and still managed to post everyday, which I found to probably be my biggest blogging accomplishment this year. I also managed to read 156 books and 15 rereads (unless I read more during the day today!), which is most definitely a record for me! I am a bit amazed I was able to read so much, with everything that happened this year.

Here are all the books I read this year:

1. Head Games by Keri Mikulski
2. Impulse by Ellen Hopkins
3. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
4. Sinful by Sara Dailey and Staci Weber
5. Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell
6. The Opposite of Amber by Gillian Philip
7. Clarity by Kim Harrington
8. Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting
9. Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors
10. Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley
11. Language of Love by Deborah Reber
12. Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin
13. Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann
14. Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang
15. Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt
16. Sleepless by Cyn Balog
17. Wither by Lauren Destefano
18. Jealousy by Lili St Crow
19. Encalve by Ann Aguirre
20. Suspicion by Kate Brian
21. Scandal by Kate Brian
22. Vanished by Kate Brian
23. Ominous by Kate Brian
24. Secrets and Shadows by Shannon Delany
25. Scars by Cheryl Rainfeld
26. 50/50 Monologues for Student Actors by Mary Depner
27. Defiance by Lili St Crow
28. A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford
29. So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti
30. Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson
31. Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer
32. Rise by Stefne Miler
33. Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
34. Flawless by Lara Chapman
35. Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
36. The A Circuit by Georgina Bloomberg and Catherine Hapka
37. Exposed by Kimberly Marcus
38. Intertwined by Gena Showalter
39. Abandon by Meg Cabot
40. Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
41. Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby
42. A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
43. Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
44. John Belushi Is Dead by Kathy Charles
45. How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain
46. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
47.. Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
48. Breath of Angel by Karyn Henley
49. The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
50. The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
51. Spinning Out by David Stahler Jr
52. Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley
53. Stealing Bases by Keri Mikulski
54. Blood Ties by Mari Mancusi
55. The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison
56. Fakie by Tony Varrato
57. Love Story by Jennifer Echols
58. The Survivors by Amanda Havard
59. Foiled by Taylor Morris
60. Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa
61. The School For Dangerous Girls by Eliot Schrefer
62. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
63. From Willa, With Love by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
64. Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston
65. Between by Jessica Warman
66. Misfit by Jon Skovron
67. Michael Vey by Richard Paul Evans
68. Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
69. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
70. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
71. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
72. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
73. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
74. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
75. All Together dead by Charlaine Harris
76. Blowout by Taylor Morris
77. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
78. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
79. Tunnel Vision by Susan Shaw
80. Dead in the Family by Susan Shaw
81. Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison
82. Bargains and Betrayals by Shannon Delany
83. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
84. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
85. Vintage Veronica by Erica S Perl
86. Stay With Me by Paul Griffin
87. Skyship Academy by Nick James
88. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
89. Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey
90. Fantasy: An Artist's Realm by Ben Boos
91. Swords: An Artist's Devotion by Ben Boos
92. The Postmortal by Drew Magary
93. Isle of Night by Veronica Wolff
94. Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen
95. My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher
96. Legend by Marie Lu
97. Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker
98. The Espressologist by Kristina Springer
99. Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik
100. After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel
101. Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs
102. Fateful by Claudia Gray
103. Supernaturally by Kiersten White
104. Arcadia by Tom Stoppard
104.5 Dubliners by James Joyce (I only read about half of it for class, as that was all I was required)
105. Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov
106. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
107. Translations by Brian Friel
108. Disgrace by JM Coetzee
109. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
110. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
111. The Radleys by Matt Haig
112. Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
113. The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
114. Audition by Stasia Ward Kahoe
115. Ashfall by Mike Mullin
116. Dark Companion by Marta Acosta
117. Past Perfect by Leila Sales
118. Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
119. Prized by Caragh O'Brien
120. The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
121. Eon by Alison Goodman
122. The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees
123. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by AS King
124. In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton
125. Nightspell by Leah Cypess
126. A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford
127. If On a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
128. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
129. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
130. Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
131. Saving June by Hannah Harrington
132. Firelight by Sophie Jordan
133. Revealing Eden by Victoria Foyt
134. Dark Mirror by MJ Putney
135. Witch's Brew by Heidi R Kling
136. Arcania by Liz Maverick
137. The Rites and Wrongs of Janice Wills by Joanna Pearson
138. Austerlitz by WG Sebald
139. Scored by Lauren McLaughlin
140. A Flight of Angels by Rebecca Guay
141. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
142. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
143. Fury by Elizabeth Miles
144. Mercy Lily by Lisa Albert
145. The Vampire Stalker by Allison Van Diepen
146. Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne
147. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
148. Cupidity by Caroline Goode
149. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
150. Purge by Sarah Darer Littman
151. The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
152. Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
153. First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci
154. The Orange Houses by Paul Griffin
155. Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
156. The Edumacation of Jay Clark by Jay Baker

ReReads:
1. Private by Kate Brian
2. Invitation Only by Kate Brian
3. Untouchable by Kate Brian
4. Confessions by Kate Brian
5. Inner Circle by Kate Brian
6. Legacy by Kate Brian
7. Ambition by Kate Brian
8. Revelation by Kate Brian
9. Paradise Lost by Kate Brian
10. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
11. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
12. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
13. If On a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
14. Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
15. Sea by Heidi R Kling

Because I can, I wanted to talk about some of my favorite blogging moments of the year and reading challenges and all that fun stuff :)

Favorite Author Moments:

Sara, Katie, Me, Courtney, Shanyn, Tirzah

I had some fabulous times at author events. My favorite was definitely Courtney Allison Moulton's launch party. I had a scholarship interview half way there, so I drove up to her launch after that. I not only got to meet Courtney, but also I got to see the fabulous Chelsea again and meet Scott Tracey and Leah Clifford! A bunch of bloggers and I, along with Courtney, Leah, and Scott I went out to eat beforehand. Then at Courtney's launch I also met Aimee Carter! I stayed at Courtney's apartment, and we ended up snowed in. Scott, Leah, Chelsea, and the rest of the people with them tried to leave but the roads were too bad. So basically, we ended up with like 9 people in Courtney's apartment and it was an interesting night.

Courtney's Launch again - I'm the dork who forgot to take off
her nametag.

Another time that was a lot of fun was the Unlucky / Lucky Panel that happened on Friday, May 13! There were a ton of authors there - Sarah Rees Brennan, Christine Johnson, Saundra Mitchell, Leah Clifford, Courtney Allison Moulton, Sara Bennett Wealer, and Lisa and Laura Roecker. Scott Tracey was also there, but not signing since his book wasn't out yet. But regardless, this event was a total blast!


I also got to go to Book Expo America, which was fabulous. I got to see everyone (or almost everyone, I didn't get to see the wonderful Cat this year) which was super awesome! I attended Book Blogger Con which was super fabulous as well. I love being able to see everyone, experience an awesome city, and meet authors. A week of talking just books = awesome.


Another SUPER awesome moment was the fact that LEILA SALES came to Boston! I was so excited to meet her, as I adore her books. I definitely competed with a passage from her book, Mostly Good Girls, my senior year for forensics, which was a ton of fun.

Reading Challenges:

I participated in the Debut Author Challenge, the YA Historical Fiction, and The Dystopian Challenge (which is still ongoing until next June).

Debut Author Challenge: I ended up reading 32 debuts, which is less than I hoped, but I did acquire 40 other debuts that I didn't read, which should count for something, ha.

YA Historical Fiction Challenge: I was shooting for Level 3 which is 15 books, but I only read the amount for Level 2 which was 10 books. But it's still all good :) I read 12/15 I was originally shooting for.

Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian Challenge: This one is on going until next June, but I've read 7/15 so far.

Next  year I'm participating in the YA Historical Fiction Challenge and the Debut Author Challenge once again, but I am also adding the Sophomore Challenge and I am hosting the YA/MG Fantasy Reading Challenge in 2012 :)

I think next year I want to try to read at least 35 debuts. Both this year and last year I acquired like 60+ debuts, but only read around half.

I just feel this year has been so great. I feel my blog grew a lot, I made a ton of new blogging friends, while still remaining friends with people I already knew, and I read a ton of great books. It is those things that make blogging so special, and despite the drama and everything else that happens, it is the good times that make everything worth it :)

Happy last day of 2011 everyone :) Did you have any awesome author moments this year? Or did you succeed in your reading challenges? See you all in the new year!

On a Dark Wing Tour: Guest Post from Jordan Dane

I am super excited to have Jordan Dane by the blog today on her On a Dark Wing blog tour with a guest post! Jordan Dane is the author of In the Arms of Stone Angels and On a Dark Wing for young adults, and many books such as Reckoning for the Dead and The Echo of Violence, for adults.


Lyrics That Make Your Heart Bleed

I don’t think I could write a YA book without thinking of music. Lyrics really grounds me in a character’s world. They can be powerful. One of my favorite research things to do is discovering music for the book I’m working on. Maybe you can help inspire me for future books by sharing your favorite song and share why you LOVE it.

Sometimes an inspiration is only one song that triggers something in me about a character or feeling. Listening to certain songs can stir my creative juices and entice my characters to come out and play with me. When I know I’ll be writing a scene for a specific character, I often will listen to the song that reminds me of them before I start. That gets me in the mood. I love how lyrics can connect us all. Books are like that too.

I’d actually love to hear from readers when they find good songs with lyrics that make your heart bleed. Yeah, I tip the scales toward Emo when I write.

Two songs played a part in the writing of ON A DARK WING. Abbey Chandler has a crush on a boy she thinks is perfect, Nate Holden. He’s a great guy, but reminds her of all the things she’s not. Abbey doesn’t feel worthy, but that doesn’t stop her from fantasizing about the guy. The lyrics to the song “Not Meant to Be” by Theory of a Deadman became a melancholy reminder to her that she was never going to “get” the guy, but those same lyrics told a different story for another character. Her best friend, Tanner Lange, knew this song reminded Abbey of Nate, but Tanner had his own crush on his BFF, Abbey. Those lyrics worked him over, hard. When he heard that song, which Abbey played often, he knew she was thinking of someone else—someone with two good legs and not in a wheelchair. Here are a few lyrics that inspired me from “Not Meant to Be” by Theory of a Deadman and an excerpt from ON A DARK WING from Tanner.

“Not meant to be” by Theory of a Deadman (Inspiration Lyrics)

“Baby, I’m starting to see

Maybe we’re not meant to be.”

“It’s never enough to say I love you.

No, it’s never enough to say I try.

It’s hard to believe,

That there’s no way out for you and me

And it seems to be the story of our lives.”

Excerpt from ON A DARK WING – Tanner

            The sun had already gone down by the time Tanner got home from Anchorage. For the last hour, he’d been sitting in his wheelchair, looking out his bedroom window with only one lamp burning. As he listened to the song “Not Meant to Be”, one of Abbey’s favorite songs, he thought about her. The lyrics put him into an epic tailspin, but they seemed to make her happy, so he played the song because it reminded him of her.

            He imagined her skulking through the woods on her way to see him. Sometimes she’d come to his front door, but the times he liked best was when she climbed the tree and came through his bedroom window. He knew that wasn’t going to happen tonight, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to see her.

            Guess he missed his best friend—and not just a little bit.

Another song that I thought was very haunting for this story is “Gravity” by Sara Bareilles. The lyrics can make anyone long for love, the kind that doesn’t hurt. But in ON A DARK WING, Abbey comes face to face with the grief and guilt she feels for the part she played in her mother’s death and also must come to grips with the reality of her fantasy boy and what love truly is. Here is a beautiful YouTube video of the song with the lyrics and an excerpt from the book—from Abbey.

“Gravity” by Sara Bareilles (Video with Lyrics)

Excerpt from ON A DARK WING – Abbey

By the time my dad got done with his ax, freaking me out like he was Jason on Friday the 13^th (so not funny), he came in breathing a little heavy and got a fire going in our stove. I smelled the wood burning and heard the crackling as I shut the door to my room. The place was always real quiet, which drove me crazier than usual. I had to have music in my ears and snag alone time behind closed doors, scarfing on a Kit Kat bar. Lying on my bed, I got completely wrapped in my tunes.

            When one of my favorite Sara Bareilles’ songs came on my iPod—“Gravity”—it reminded me of Nate. Listening to her sing about wanting to drown in love and being fragile always made me cry. I imagined Nate looking at me, really seeing me. In my dreams, I looked thin and smelled really good too, like chocolate. Nate’s blue eyes were the color of new denim and they always made it hard for me to breathe. Even in my daydreams, it was the same. I wanted to know what it would be like to touch a boy, for real.

            The lyrics made me ache to kiss him…and hold him…and know what it felt like to really be in love. When my throat tightened, tears rolled down my cheeks and my room turned into a major blur, making it easy to cuddle up in Nateworld. I would never even come close to having someone like him and he sure didn’t need me. He had a real life ahead of him. I could totally see him saving lives and doing real stuff, but that didn’t stop me from fantasizing. I closed my eyes and blocked out the cabin to picture him with me now.

            That would’ve worked too—except for Dad.

            He barged into my bedroom and ruined everything. I jumped off my pillows and wiped a hand over my face as I pulled the music from my ears.

            “Come on, Dad. Knock.” I couldn’t look at him or else he’d know I’d been crying.

So for future reference in books to come, please share a song that you LOVE and share the reason it makes your heart bleed. Who knows? You could inspire me. 

Something extra special is happening here - Whoever suggests a song that inspires me for Joirdan's current book INDIGO WARRIOR (Crystal Child series),Jordan may use their name in the book (in some fashion--in a scene or as a character), but she reserves the right NOT to pick a song (therefore no name) if nothing inspires her. How cool is that?! I know I'll be suggesting a song :)

Make sure to check out the rest of the tour - the schedule is here. Also, Jordan is giving away a Kindle Fire to one lucky winner and 10 blogs will be hosting giving away copies of the books. Find all this information and how to enter HERE. All the winners from the tour will be announced during her LIVE CHAT on JANUARY 5.  

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Fury
Elizabeth Miles
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: August 30, 2011
Pages: 370

Rating: 4.5 stars

Sometimes sorry isn't enough.... 

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed. 

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay. 

Em and Chase have been chosen.

I love the mythology behind The Furies - they've appeared in books I've read before, but this was by far the best story I've read that involved them! I had a few issues with it, but overall all it was a stellar read and a fabulous debut.

I thought the plot was super creative. My biggest issue was how soon Em was "marked". She had barely done anything, and while she had gone on to do slightly worse things, I still didn't quite get why she was picked. Especially when her partner in crime was the one who actually did the cheating. Besides that, I really enjoyed the book. I loved seeing what would happen next and what characters would get drawn into what. I also would have loved to see more of an appearance from the Furies more towards the beginning of the book, they showed up more towards the middle to the end, and mainly in the case of Chase.

I also loved that the book is told in alternating perspectives - between Em and Chase. Books that do this are my absolute favorite, and it really worked well for Fury.

The characters were such a fun mix. I loved JD - he was such a fun character, and I hope to see more of him in the future books in the trilogy. Em and Chase were my other 2 favorites. Both were just great characters, and while they were very different from one another, I liked them both for their differences. All the characters had some sort of flaw, which made them that much more real.

I would really recommend this one! Fury takes such curious mythology and spins it into a haunting modern day tale! It was a great debut, and I simply cannot wait to hear more from Elizabeth Miles!

My Top 10 Covers of 2011

I am such a cover whore, so I figured it was only fitting I make a top covers of the year post. I am notorious for picking up books randomly by their covers. Later of course I'll be like what is this book? 2011 had some gorgeous covers, so here are my top 10.

Wither by Lauren Stefano

Abandon by Meg Cabot

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston

Between by Jessica Warman

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Fateful by Claudia Gray

Past Perfect by Leila Sales

So what are you top covers of the year?

Best Books in 2011 You May Have Missed

There are so many great books out there, and there are a ton that I don't feel get enough attention.

Head Games by Keri Mikulski / Stealing Bases by Keri Mikulski

Both of these books are great - they have a super fun story and great characters. I feel they definitely don't get the attention they deserve!

Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby

This book was so darn cute. It was my first read by Amanda Ashby, and made me fall in love with her works. I haven't read anything else by her yet, but it's a goal to do so soon.

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Mysteries are great, but good mysteries are hard to find. Clarity was that perfect mystery novel AND there are two charming boys that I could not choose between.

Breath of Angel by Karyn Henley

This is a delightful high fantasy, and I thought it was great. It think it was a promising start to the series.

Nightspell by Leah Cypess

This is another super awesome fantasy with a very unique story to tell. I read straight through this one, and cannot believe how great it was.

Stay With Me by Paul Griffin

This was a book I read in February, and I am still thinking about it. It was such a powerful read and was really raw and real.

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

This book was so delightful, and I really enjoyed it. I loved Scott Tracey's take on witches and plot was just a ton of fun!

Past Perfect by Leila Sales

This book is so wonderful. I loved Leila Sales debut, and this was just another great book by her. It is charming, funny, and has such a great plot. I couldn't put this one down.

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

This one definitely didn't get the attention it deserved. It's a brilliant read and a great start to a trilogy! It was a really unique read, and I loved that Leah Clifford made everything her own, with the siders and even with the angels that do appear. A great read!

Mercy Lily by Lisa Albert

Mercy Lily
Lisa Albert
Publisher: Flux
Release Date: October 8, 2011
Pages: 240

Rating: 4 stars

Mom has slowly been losing herself to MS. After traditional treatment fails, she takes bee sting therapy, administered by Lily, to alleviate her pain. Lily is trained as a veterinary assistant, so she can easily handle the treatments. What she can't handle is what happens when the bee sting therapy fails and it becomes clear that Mom wants to die.
One beautiful spring day, Lily's mother asks her for the most impossible thing of all—mercy. They live in Oregon, where the Death with Dignity Act allows a patient to make the decision to end their own life.
While navigating first love, friendship, and the other normal worries faced by high school sophomores, Lily also has to choose: grant Mom's request, or cling to Mom's fading life for all it's worth.

I should warn you all now that this was a really hard review for me to write and was a very emotional read for me. This book hit really close to home for me - my mom was diagnosed with MS when I was 8 years old, and my entire life since that has had me living in the same fear Lily has for a lot of the book. While my mom is lucky and is no where near as severe as Lily's mom in this book, it still was a very emotional read for me. I heard about Mercy Lily, and I wanted to read it, to see if I was strong enough. I really liked Mercy Lily, I thought it was a really strong debut.

I cried so much throughout this book. I would say for nearly 200 pages I was crying on and off, and I do not cry easily in books. Mercy Lily was so realistic - so much of what happens seriously is what I fear every day could happen. Between the emotional, heart wrenching moments there are a lot of lighter, fun moments between Lily and her friends. I wish this had been fleshed out a bit more, I didn't feel like they were quite developed enough.

The characters were great. I definitely wish I had gotten to spend more time with a few of the characters, as I loved them so much. Gretchen was an awesome character, and I loved the scenes she was in. Shauna and Trent were another pair of awesome characters. Shauna had so much spunk and Trent had a great sense of humor.

Mercy Lily was an interesting read for me, it was one of those books that tells a really hard story, but also a story of growth and finding strength. It is a really touching story, and I am very curious to see more from Lisa Albert!

The Best of 2011

I read so many great books this year, and I wanted to highlight them all in more than simply having a Top 10 of 2011 list. So here are my sort of "superlatives" for this years releases. My Top 10 of 2011 list will be going up soon, but I thought I would start with my superlatives for books.

Best Debut:

This one goes to Miranda Kenneally with Catching Jordan. It seriously was just an amazing book. The writing was great, I loved all the characters, and the story was so fun to read.

Best Writing:

This one goes to Victoria Schwab with The Near Witch. This book was just beautifully written and I loved every page. I am very excited to see more from her!

Best Cast of Characters:

This one again is going to Miranda Kenneally with Catching Jordan. I just loved the characters and I never wanted their story to end. I was so sad when I finished. I can only hope that some of them make an appearance in the future companion novels, as that would just be awesome.

Best Action:

This one goes to Courtney Allison Moulton with Angelfire. This book had some epic action and fighting. Ellie was awesome, and when you pair her with Will....ya. The reapers were so cool and different from the typical guy in the cloak with a scythe, and they really upped the action.

Best Audiobook:

The audio of Please Ignore Vera Dietz by AS King was simply ah-mazing. I could listen to this one over and over, and never get bored.

Best 2012 Release That I Read In 2011:

Witch's Brew by Heidi R Kling - This book is BRILLIANT, brilliant I tell you. And when it comes out in the new year, you all definitely want to read it. I loved every page - and I'll tell you a secret, I loved it even more than Sea! (A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford is a close second - it is FANTASTIC. I loved A Touch Mortal, but A Touch Morbid is even snazzier. Everything is bigger and better. Leah Clifford really outdid herself with that book)

Best Book With Humor:

Past Perfect by Leila Sales - Leila Sales is just a genius. The entire premise of this book was kind of funny - two historical reannactment camps teen workers duking it out in 'war'? Plus, there were so many things that went down that I couldn't stop laughing about. If you are looking for a funny book, check out this one or Leila's other book, Mostly Good Girls!

Best New Series: 

The Mythos Academy Series by Jennifer Estep will have to take this one home. I fell in love with Touch of Frost and fell even more in love with Kiss of Frost. Jennifer Estep has crafted this amazing world that I just love.

Best Book With No Romance:

Nightspell by Leah Cypess - I love romance as much as anyone, but those books that have none at all are always a breath of fresh air. Nightspell not only didn't have the element of romance, but it also was just a great story. On a side note, this is definitely one of the best fantasies of the year! Absolutely wonderful.

Best Middle Grade of the Year: 

Middle Grade is something I branched out more this year and read more of. I have found that I absolutely adore middle grade fantasy, so it should come as no surprise that my best middle grade of the year is a fantasy with The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann. This book had a great world and I can't wait to see what happens with the characters in book 2.


Best Heroine:

This is going to Ellie from Courtney Allison Moulton's Angelfire. I loved Ellie - she does pretty well for being thrown into this new life. I loved her character and her spunk.


Best Couple:

Riley and Attie from Stefne Miller's Rise. These two are just adorable, and no matter what happens, they always work through it <3.

Best Bad Boy:

This one goes to Luke from A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford. He gets even better in book 2, A Touch Morbid. Luke is just the perfect bad boy, and I will fight off all y'all for him.

So those are my "bests" of the year. I'll be posting another few lists about my bests of 2011, but I thought this was a great start. So now I am curious - what are your "bests" of the year?

Waiting on Wednesday (132) - Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

Waiting on Wednesday is a topic brought to life by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. With Waiting On Wednesday you get to introduce to everyone upcoming books you're excited about!

Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould
Coming March 13th 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Venice, 1585.

When 16-year-old Laura della Scala learns that her older sister, Beatrice, has drowned, she is given no time to grieve. Instead, Laura's father removes her from the convent where he forcibly sent her years earlier and orders her to marry Beatrice's fiancé, a repulsive old merchant named Vincenzo. Panicked, Laura betrays a powerful man to earn her way into the Segreta, a shadowy society of women who deal in only one currency—secrets. The Segreta seems like the answer to Laura's prayers. The day after she joins their ranks, Vincenzo is publicly humiliated and conveniently exiled. Soon, however, Laura begins to suspect that her sister's death was not a tragic accident but a cold-blooded murder—one that might involve the Segreta and the women she has come to trust.

Oh my gosh, I need this book! This sounds like my kind of read. I absolutely LOVE historical fiction, and this sounds like one heck of a historical read. I so love the scene of the city in her dress, that is brilliant.

What are you guys waiting on?

Blog Tour: Interview with Emma Carlson Berne

I am super excited to have Emma Carlson Berne by the blog today for an interview! Emma is the author of Still Waters and Closer. She lives and writes in Cincinnati. You can find her on the web at her website and blog.

Hannah and Colin sneak off for a trip to the lake house. Do you have a vacation that has been a favorite?

My grandfather was in the Air Force, and they were stationed in Colorado Springs when I was growing up, so all of my favorite vacation memories are linked up with red mountain dirt, the smell of sagebrush, and Mexican food—all of the things I associate with the many trips we spent in the Rockies. We’d often go fishing with my grandmother at the lake on the Air Force Base—there were two good things about this trip, as a child. The first was that Grandma usually had some kind of cracker or candy in her tackle box. The second was that within a couple hours, Grandma would catch a dozen or so lake trout, take them home, gut them, and fry them in cornmeal and bacon grease for dinner.

If the characters from Still Waters got stuck on a deserted island, who would fare the best? The worst? and who would get them off the island?

Colin’s mother would probably fare the worst. She’s pretty messed up and wouldn’t do too well in stressful situations. Hannah would do the best. She’s terribly practical, to her dismay sometimes, but she’s the one I’d want on my team. And who would get them off the island. . .um. . .Hannah’s mother seems like she’d be the one to exhaust all resources to get them back.

Say you co-wrote a book, what author would you want to co-write a book with?

Such a fun question. I’ve heard Joyce Carol Oates is a very organized, calm writer, so she would probably be the easiest to write a book with. But Roald Dahl, one of my favorites, would be the most entertaining. He seems like the type to have an endless supply of good, possibly inappropriate, stories.

Since you like coffee, what is your favorite drink at Starbucks?

I have one of those embarrassingly long, Starbucks-specific drinks that people make fun of. My dad, for instance, is the type to go into Starbucks and defiantly order a “small coffee.” My drink, on the other hand, is a tall nonfat one-pump peppermint two-Splenda latte. I even know how to order it in Starbucks-speak.

So what is next for you?

Things are already moving ahead for my next thriller, CLOSER, which will be out in Fall 2012. This is about a twisted love triangle, and is a little darker and more gory than STILL WATERS. My editor has told me I’ll get a look at the cover sometime after the holidays – always an exciting moment.

Thanks so much for stopping by Emma! Make sure to check out my review of Still Waters, which went up today as well. You can check out the rest of the schedule of the blog tour here. Also, check out Still Waters on the web on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N and The Book Depository.

Tour: Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

Still Waters
Emma Carlson Berne
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: December 20, 2011
Pages: 215

Rating: 3 stars

Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget. 

But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn’t seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety. 

Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.

Still Waters was a read I was pretty neutral on. I didn't love it, but I didn't dislike it either. The plot was cool; it just didn't develop to the level I was hoping for. The ending was great, and was definitely my favorite part of the book.

One of the big things that had me on edge at first was the fact that the main character first stole this file from her boyfriend’s house - it was just really odd. Then she lies to her mom to go on this trip. It was just very different from how I was expecting the story to begin. From there, I thought the plot was interesting. I liked the aspect of the fact that this cabin was in the middle of nowhere and it felt like everything was almost stuck in time. I had heard that this one was quite creepy, but I didn't get that aspect until happenings in the last few chapters. The last few chapters were intense!

The ending was great. It built up quite a lot, and then it ended. I am sitting here playing all the possible endings in my head and questioning everything that happened. Things happened earlier in the book, but it was much slower until the last chunk of the book. Once that hit, it was like bam bam bam and so much was happening. The creep factor succeeded here and it was great.

The characters overall were great. I really liked David - he was just adorable. Hannah was a great character overall, but I didn't get her overall fixation on those three words. I get if you don't want to say it because you don't feel that way, but it was almost like she had a one track mind. I really did like Colin, I thought he was a great character.

Still Waters was a book that was good, but definitely could have grown to be something bigger. It was a book that was a fast read and had some really great aspects to do. I am very curious to see what Emma Carlson Berne comes up with next.

E-Book Deals

I have seen such fabulous e-book deals around lately, that I simply needed to make a post. I don't believe you'll be able to read this post in a reader, because of the widgets, so to see all the books, read the post on my site. I've been informed that this post isn't working properly in Chrome (which is odd, as it shows up fine in my chrome) but works fine in IE - I'm trying to figure out how to fix that. *Note Again* Apparently, if you have an adblocker on, and you turn it off you will be able to see all the books.

The Free Ones

The .99-ers












The 1.99-ers



2.99-ers

Giveaway: Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

I have an ARC for one lucky winner. Fill out the rafflecopter form to enter. This is open to US only and ends January 11. Comments on this post are not required, but are appreciated :)

Read more »

End of the Year Survey

I found this one Jamie at Perpetual Page Turner's blog, and am stealing it :)

1. Best Book You Read In 2011?

Hands down, Witch's Brew by Heidi R Kling - Heidi really outdid herself with Witch's Brew. I can't wait to see more from this series. After my #1 pick is where it gets all sorts of tricky for me to decide an order of which were the best.

2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?

Ashfall by Mike Mullin - Everyone and their mother loves this book, and I want to read the book they are reading. I did finish Ashfall, but I did not really enjoy it at all, so when I see everyone else raving I am simply baffled.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan - I kept telling myself I wouldn't like these books. I thought zombies were weird. I read all 3 of these books in the matter of a few days. And now am a huge fan of Carrie Ryan and cannot wait for another book from her!

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally - This is a book that I feel everyone will like, regardless of your "usual" genres or anything like that. It was just so charming and I absolutely adored it.

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?

The Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep - it is this marvelous series of mythology :)

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?

So many!  It was primarily debut authors I discovered, but I also discovered awesome authors like Carrie Ryan and Amanda Ashby.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan - I was not comfortable with the whole zombie thing, I thought it was weird, but Carrie Ryan presented it in such a cool way, that I couldn't help but to love it.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

I'd have to say the Sookie Stackhouse series. I read ALL of these books in a matter of like 5 days, it was madness. I couldn't put them down.

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?

I most anticipated The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa I'd have to say. I LOVE that series.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

I don't know if I can just choose one - but for today I'll go with Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma. It is just GORGEOUS.

11. Most memorable character in 2011?

Will from Angelfire - he is such a great character and there were so many quirky things about him.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab - this book had the most beautiful prose,  I just loved it.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?

Mercy Lily by Lisa Albert - this was a SUPER hard book for me to read and was so emotional for me.

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?

John Belushi is Dead by Kathy Charles - SUCH an amazing book.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011?

My favorite passage is actually from A Touch Morbid, but my copy is on lend, so I can't remember the exact wording. But A Touch Mortal has some great lines, my favorites from Mortal are more along the lines of sarcastic and funny, whereas the one from Morbid is more serious, but regardless.

"The water's not even blue, jackass"

16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012?

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally - I finished this one and I instantly wanted to go reread!

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

A TOUCH MORBID (Have you read it yet? We need to discuss)


Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2011

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2011?

Definitely Lost in the Pages! Nina runs a super awesome blog, and you should definitely check it out :)

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2010?

My favorite review from 2010 is a toss up between Sea, The Iron King, and Forget You

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

Courtney Allison Moulton's launch party in February was quite awesome and was a total adventure.

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2011?

There are way too many, that there is not way I can pick one!

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

This would be my guest post from Ash on The Iron Queen blog tour.

Looking Ahead...

1. One Book You Didn't Get To In 2011 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2012?

Delirium by Lauren Oliver. Everyone speaks of its brilliance, so I really need to read it.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2012?

THE DARKEST MINDS BY ALEXANDRA BRACKEN < All caps indeed, ha. I am SO excited for this book.

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2012?

I hope to be able to read 150 books in 2012 again.

What YA release this week are you most excited for? (12)

Still Waters was the favorite last week. I've heard a ton of great things about the books coming out this week. I am quite excited for Jennifer Lynn Barnes' new book, as all of her books are quite fabulous.

Which are you most excited for? Vote in the poll and weigh in in the comments :)

Wrapping Up Read-a-thon

I just heard about this one - and I am so doing it! It runs until January 1st - more information can be found here.

Since it goes until January 1st, I think my goal is going to be 10 books (I don't know if I'll hit it, but I sure as heck can try!)

Books I've Finished:

Day 1 (12/25)

Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta 

Day 2 (12/26)

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Purge by Sarah Darer Littman

Day 3 (12/27)

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci

Day 4 (12/28)

The Orange Houses by Paul Griffin

Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

Day 5 (12/29)

Reread Going too Far by Jennifer Echols

Happy Holidays + In My Mailbox (130)

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren! In My Mailbox is a way to share the books you received each week.

Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas to everyone! This is a vlog in which Freedom (my bunny) makes an appearance and wishes y'all a happy holiday!

This week I got:

From Alexa:
Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

From Cat:
The Unbidden Magic Series by Merilee Brothers

From Heidi:
Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

Won:
Reckoning by Lili St Crow (From Mari)
The Survivors by Amanda Havard
Trapped by Michael Northrop

From Random Buzzers:
Vroengard Academy Mug
The Other Countess by Eve Edwards
The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier

Bought:
Storm Glass by Maria V Snyder (UK Edition)
Graceling by Kristin Cashore (UK Edition)
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (UK Edition)

For Review:
Vampire's Kiss by Veronica Wolff
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton
Fever by Lauren Destefano (2nd copy)
Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey

What did you guys get?

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Catching Jordan
Miranda Kenneally
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: December 1, 2011
Pages: 288

Rating: 5 stars

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

Books that star girls who play sports are my favorite sort of contemporaries. Catching Jordan was phenomenal debut, and I am already eagerly anticipating Miranda Kenneally's next book that comes out next year. I seriously just loved everything about this one, and am sitting here gushing as I'm typing up this review. Miranda Kenneally is the next big thing!

The characters were probably my favorite thing about this book. I loved them all - Henry, JJ, Carter, Jordan, Marie, Carrie - they were all just such great characters. I found myself very easily being able to connect with the different characters. All the guys just hilarious - they were always up to something.

The story was so easy to get caught up in - while I did not play varsity football, it was still very easy to connect with Jordan and get so caught up in her story. I loved that there were so many side stories with all the different characters as well, yet they all connected in the end.

This is a book that is among my favorites of the year and was a stunning debut. It's a book that I will be telling everyone about, and how they need to read it now, as it is that good. Words really cannot capture how much I loved this book. It has a brilliant story worth telling, and sends a great message: to work for your dreams no matter what others tell you.

*side note* If you love Keri Mikulski's books (Pretty Tough series) you will adore this one as well!

This review is cross-posted from YA Books Central where it was originally posted.

In Which I Am Airing My Grievances

I love blogging and most people in it the community. But I’m taking a leaf out of April’s book, and airing all my grievances (don’t get me wrong, there is WAY more things I love about this online corner of the world). I don’t usually say anything, except occasionally on twitter, but I figure why not just get everything out into the open. I have lots of super awesome things to say as well, but those are all for my end of the year post that will go up next week.


The Picture Takers
You know the people who stack all their packages and take pictures of it and go OMG LOOK WHAT I GOT? Ya, them. That’s great you are excited for your mail, but instead of trying to appear cool for getting so many packages, tell us WHAT you actually got. When you stack packages, how can I tell what is it?

Goodreads Event Invites
Please do not invite me to your event. I will go to your blog if I want to, but spamming me with emails won’t help. I will actually go out of my way to not go to your blog if you invite me and I will delete you off Goodreads.

Twitter Calls For Followers
I see WAY too many “OMG. I’m ____ followers from ______. Please follow me? It would mean so much” OR “OMG. I’m _____ followers from _____. I’ll host a contest when I hit that!” Both are so unnecessary and are spam in my twitter stream. I never understand it. Why would you want someone to follow you simply to help you reach a certain number. Wouldn’t you rather someone follow you from your content?

Requiring Following When Someone Else Sponsors Your Giveaway
This is probably my biggest thing. It just baffles me. If someone else is sponsoring your giveaway, why should I have to follow YOU? Wouldn’t it be much more beneficial to support the author or book, instead of you, especially if you didn’t even sponsor the giveaway? It is just tacky. I don’t support making people follow for giveaways in any situation, but this situation bothers me even more.

Series
I feel like everything is a series lately. I read some books and I’m like THIS IS SO GREAT. I get to the last few chapters and it’s like Oh, well I better make something happen so I can write a sequel or a series. Really? Just make it a stand alone. If a series works, then great, but please don’t force it.

Not Nice People
So many people can get snotty and rude in the blogging world sometimes, and it makes me sad. I just want to be happy and sit around and talk about books and be happy and talk books, ha. All the negativity some people have is just so unnecessary and I honestly don't know why you even bother tweeting or blogging or whatever, if you hate it so much, why spend time on it?


Bloggers Who Exist Only To Suck-Up
There are those bloggers who I see in every chat or just on twitter who over and over press the matter that they are a blogger and that they can help promote their book. And they love EVERY book and just gush about it over and over. It is so evidently fake. They want to be every author's best friend, and their means of doing so drive me crazy. I cannot stand when people act fake.

Now that I've aired all my grievances, do y'all have any to air that you've been holding in? Leave them in the comments :)