Friday 30 December 2011

My Top Ten Books of 2011

So I'm new at this blogging thing. Well, the book reviewing; I have another blog elsewhere and I've just been quietly observing how book reviewing blogs operate (for lack of a better word) for the past two years and I seem to be doing okay. So here goes; I'm going to attempt to show my top ten books I read in 2011.

10.  Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
I loved this series so much and I was sad to see it end. It will always be one of my favourite series ever, and the books will always hold a place on my favourites shelf. This conclusion was everything I could ever have expected for a finale to a great series like this one. The writing was beautiful, the romance was great and I loved all the interactions the characters had with one another. The action also kept me on the edge of my seat, to the point where I actually cried (which is a hard thing to do). I was sad to see such a breathtaking romance like Sam and Grace's end, but I will definitely be revisiting their story some time in the future.

9.  Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson
This book was my surprise of the year. I had bought a full four months or so before I finally had the courage to pick it up because I had that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that it would disappoint me. Plus, the blurb was virtually non-existent and this is before I had Goodreads. But boy, was I wrong. This book was unusual; at first I didn't understand the concept but Anderson managed to explain it really well and that made for a really intriguing story. I didn't expect any of the twists and turns and what they built up to mean. Faraday, the main love interest, is also one of my favourites for the year. I had never read a book where the protagonist is a mental patient, so that also made it interesting for me. I loved loved loved the romance in this book and how it was built up and I felt that the protagonist was really likeable. I was thrilled to see that Anderson is writing a sequel for release in 2013. This lands Ultraviolet a spot in my top ten. 


8. Die For Me by Amy Plum
Die For Me made me want to visit Paris again so bad. I haven't been since I was five years old and I had kind of forgotten how beautiful a city Paris is. But Amy Plum brought the beauty of Paris to life through pages of her debut book and I love her for that. The romance is also killer; one of the best I've read about this year. I hadn't come across the type of "otherworldly beings" that the book revolves around before, which are revenants and I loved how I was reading something supernatural but slightly different for a change. I have some major cover love for this book; definitely one of my favourite covers of the year too. It's also the only book my sister took an interest in this year, which is a pretty big thing for her because she doesn't read! Really looking forward to the sequel!

7. Death Bringer by Derek Landy
Oh my god. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I got my sister to check if it had been released yet in our local WHSmith's yet (I didn't go with her because I wasn't sure) and yes they did have it in the back, so I got it one day before official release! I actually did a happy dance with the music turned up really loud in the house since I was home alone. Aah, definitely a highlight of the year. I had come to expect certain things from Mr. Landy (a.k.a the Golden God). Lots of humour, mainly sarcasm, kick-ass herione and hero, nail-biting cliffhangers, lots of action and gore. And he did not disappoint in the slightest. All of us minions got all of that and more, and he even managed to poke fun at Twilight, which I loved. I was lucky enough to meet Derek Landy this September at Waterstone's Bluewater for a signing, and that was a great experience. Looking forward to the next book, and Derek Landy is actually my second favourite author, losing out by a small margin to John Green.


6. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
I had seen mixed reviews for this book, but I gave it a chance because the premise sounded interesting. And as said in my Goddess Test review, I have quite the love of Greek Mythology. I completely devoted myself to this book; I couldn't put it down. I didn't want to sleep or eat until it was finished and I couldn't read fast enough. I also like the cover for this book. The action in it was great, and I think that Angelini did a great job weaving the Greek mythology into the story. I am impatiently waiting for the sequel.

5. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
The hype over this book was enormous because this series is fabulous beyond belief, and it's made Cassie Clare my third favourite author. As always, Jace and Clary's romance was amazing, breathtaking, etc. I also loved Alec and Magnus's relationship in this book. I love to immerse myself in the world of Shadowhunters whenever I can because the writing is amazing, the characters are also flawed and there's always a lot going on. This series will no doubt continue to be mega awesome; I can't wait for the next book and I look forward to seeing where Miss Clare will take the story next.

4. Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson
I love the simplicity of this book's cover. If the cover's great, then the story inside it is... awesome x10. I didn't expect such a great story when I read the synopsis for this book and it was a big surprise. I loved all the characters; I found Lila really relatable, despite the fact that she has special telekinetic powers. And I had a great time imagining what Alex would look like in real life in my head. I did a lot of swooning while reading this book, and I loved every minute of it. I am greatly looking forward to the next book and I'll be counting down the days until its release.

3. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Yes, there are two Cassie Clare books in my top ten and that's because she is awesome. I love The Infernal Devices possibly more than The Mortal Instruments because Clare manages to describe Victorian London in such a breathtaking way, and I never once got bored with the descriptions. I also liked comparing the descriptions of Victorian London with modern day London. The teen angst and romance was back in full force in this second instalment. I felt conflicted throughout the book when having to choose between Will and Jem, just as Tessa did and I really sympathised with her. The story was great and I really loved it. I like Tessa as a main character, and I enjoyed her even more in this book. She was fierce and determined; she had her own voice and she really came into her own. As of now, I've decided I am Team Will, although I love Jem as well. I love The Infernal Devices and while I'm going crazy waiting for the sequel, I'm really really sad that it's coming to an end.


2. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Never have I loved a book that revolves around angels so much. I think it's the romance that really got me with this one. It was sweet, innocent and passionate all at the same time. And that's the point. It was sweet and innocent, not all dark and twisty which I had come to expect from angel novels. It was like a new lease of life on angel novels for me. I have to admit that this book had been sitting under my desk on my to-read pile for quite a few months before I picked it up. I finished it in two days, and when I finished it, I asked myself, "Why the fuck did I hold this off?!?!!!!!" (please excuse the French). So yes, it has earned the number two spot in my top ten and I will be reading Hallowed once I've finished Glow and Heist Society.

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth
I know, I know, this one is on everybody's lists. And it has every right to be. I loved the idea of factions and I think it's actually quite a great idea. I really loved Tris as a heroine; determined, rebellious but also kind and caring. She was everything a great heroine should be. And Four. Four. He was my ultimate favourite love interest this year. I loved finding out the meaning behind his name. The action in this book and the journey Tris takes is insane. Yes, there were some tears at various points because this book seems to radiate its own power. It's a powerful book with an awesome cover. Insurgent is my most anticipated book of 2012.

So there you have it: my top ten of 2011. There is absolutely no doubt that there will be even more amazing books that will release in 2012; I already know of 65 that I'm planning to read during the coming year. 2011 was an amazing year full of even more amazing books and I enjoyed all the books I managed to read this year. Here's to another great year for books in 2012! :D

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