Fave Reads of 2011 (So Far) -- The Books

inkcrush is hosting these awesome little awards. I love lists, so I thought I would join in. Unfortunately I was too lazy for covers, but hopefully you'll enjoy my picks anyway. =)

1. favourite book read so far in 2011
I would probably have to say Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta because it easily makes my Top Favourite Books EVER list.

2. most powerful book
Gotta go with Jellicoe again -- I found myself describing it as "life changing". So, yah.

Also If I Stay by Gayle Forman -- wowza. This one certainly packs an emotional punch.

3. brilliantly funny
Past Perfect by Leila Sales -- loveeeee almost everything about this book, but especially how much it made me laugh.

4. best ache-y, heart-breaking, tear-jerker read
Where She Went by Gayle Forman -- oh Adam. You're so emo and broken and sad. I dare you to not feel weepy during this one, even if you don't actually cry.

5. most beautiful story
Hmm, possibly a lot of contenders, but I'll go with one I just finished and have not yet reviewed -- The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle. I can't believe this one is a debut! The story is heart wrenching, but lovely, I think, in its explorations of grief.

6. delicious rainy day comfort read
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong -- or the whole 'Darkest Powers' trilogy, really. I'm not sure why this is comforting to me, but delicious? Definitely. Just a really fun action-packed book with great characters.

7. adrenaline-fueled, unputdownable award
Divergent by Veronica Roth -- it absolutely lives up to the hype, and I could not put it down! tons of action

8. the beautiful prose award
Stay by Deb Caletti -- one of the reasons I gave this book 5 Stars is because I loved the writing so much. I swear my reaction throughout the whole book was "ugh" but not in a bad way. In an "ugh, that is so freaking beautiful" "ugh that sentence is amazing" type of way.

9. most atmospheric and vivid setting
Wither by Lauren DeStefano -- the manor house is so gothic, and even though the grounds are huge the book has such a stifling atmosphere. And then there's the mysterious basement. Dun dun dun.

10. i-so-want-to-go-there award
Waterfall (and Cascade) by Lisa T. Bergren -- so I don't want people continually trying to murder me like they are to poor Gabi, and I don't exactly want all the disease, but medieval Italy? C'mon. It would be worth a short trip to check out the countryside and all the amazing castles.

11. most original and imaginative
Blood Red Road by Moira Young -- partially because of the dialect it's written in, but it just felt like something new. It's not a typical dystopian/post-apocalyptic, or at least it didn't feel like one to me.

12. best under-appreciated, hidden gem book
Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park -- an example of why big publishers are stupid for turning down amazing books just because they don't fit into a particular box.

13. i-had-no-idea-i-would-love this-so award
Vampire Academy (series) by Richelle Mead -- I was completely giddy when I first read VA. I wasn't a fan of paranormals for the longest time, and I am not a vampire fan at all, so I was so so so (etc) psyched when I loved this series.

14. most haunting story
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan -- I suppose the 3rd book is probably the most haunting of the three, but this one, the 1st, was my favourite. Either way, crazy scary. The paranoid feeling from trying to stay away from the Unconsecrated definitely stays with you. *shivers*

15. outside my comfort zone but gosh how i loved it
The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta -- male POV, pretty slow paced. It just doesn't seem like a typical book I would read. I never would have read it except that I loved 'Jellicoe Road' so much. But after reading it? Holy crap. You can check out my Goodreads review here.

16. series that i’m loving
I wanted to go with a series that isn't finished yet, so: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready -- love Jeri's writing, love the plot, love Aura's voice, and loveeee (!) Zachary.

17. most memorable voice award
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White -- how cute is Evie?? I absolutely ADORE her! She loves pink, is excited by things that are totally normal to us (like lockers), and she loves watching teen soaps on TV. Something about her is just so energetic and awesome, and because her voice is so unique for the genre it definitely makes it memorable.

18. completely awesome premise award
The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney -- this one tackles very serious topics (date rape and justice), but where the awesome premise comes in is the student run justice committee. Oh yah, and it's named/based after 'To Kill A Mockingbird'. Yah, pretty awesome.

19. would make the best movie
I'm sure there are tons, but my #1 vote goes to Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter. I did, after all, go on about how movie-like this book is in my review.

20. want to re-read already
Divergent -- I basically wanted to re-read this as soon as I finished it, so yah. Definitely this one.