Re-Reads of 2011

Books I Re-Read in 2011

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
I re-read it twice this year, actually. It's pretty much my go-to if I'm sad and need something to make me feel better.

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
A very funny book, and there seemed to be a resurgence of people reading it this year.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
This book is so incredibly smart and funny. One of my favourites.

The Princess Diaries 1 - 5 by Meg Cabot
I finally bought the last few PD books, and I was attempting to read them all through. Um yah, that didn't happen.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
I wanted to read my pretty finished copy! Really enjoyed this one.

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
The first time I read it I was up until like 3 in the morning just flying through the pages. I wanted to read it at a more leisurely pace. So freaking gorgeous.

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison
This book is so cute and fun, and I was just in the mood for it.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Absolutely adored this book, and I loved it just as much the 2nd time around.

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison
Wanted to re-read this one before My Unfair Godmother, even though they're technically just companion books.

Bloom by Elizabeth Scott
After reading Between Here and Forever and knowing there was a connection between the two books I had to re-read this one to find out what that connection was.

Heist Society by Ally Carter
Re-read this one before reading Uncommon Criminals. So much fun!

The Body Finder & Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting
I wrote a post for Jay as part of The YA Bachelor event that Amber hosted earlier in the year, so I re-read the books to get quotes and details.

Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park
I had read it for review and lovedddd it (which you will obviously know if you read my blog, haha), so once I had bought my own copy I really wanted to experience it again. So great!

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
Really loved this one, and I wanted it fresh in my mind when I read 'The Rivals'

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Re-read before that emotional trauma also known as Clockwork Prince, and I'm really glad I did because it left the events of the book and the characters fresh in my mind.

Faves of 2011 (The Random)

Nomes over at Ink Crush is hosting a "Faves of 2011" event with five different categories of awards for books we've read in 2011. You can find out more details here. Here are my favourites for "The Random".

1. fave first sentence
"My father took one hundred and thirty-two minutes to die. I counted." (had to include that 2nd sentence) from Jellicoe Road. I'm sure there are other great first sentences, but that one completely sticks out in my mind.

2. fave book title
I think I could end up listing a gazillion, so I'll go with Hold Me Closer, Necromancer for the awesome Elton John pun. Yes, I love me some Elton John!

3. fave reading experience (ie: created a great reading memory)
I'm not sure about a favourite reading memory, but I do really remember reading Wither because I was all "omigosh.. this book is insane... why am I liking a book about polygamy? omigosh... it's so good... what the heck... ahhh, gotta keep reading!" And I read it back in January so it was obviously freezing, and I just remember being wrapped up in a blanket on the futon flipping the pages on my eReader like mad.

4. book with the best food in it (made you so crazy-envious-hungry)
The ones that stand out the most right away are Sixteenth Summer because Anna's family runs the local ice cream parlour (so many amazing flavours mentioned!!), and The Scorpio Races for the November cakes.

5. book with the most sensual weather (made you shiver/sweat)
The dust & dry of Blood Red Road and the wet and cold stormy beaches of The Scorpio Races,

6. most embarrassing book cover (feeling sheepish in public or just plain ugly)
This isn't necessarily embarrassing or ugly, but it made me think of the 10 Things We Did... cover. Am I the only one who thinks it looks like two girls?? I mean, there's nothing wrong with that, except... it's supposed to be a guy and girl. So yah, that's a little awkward. Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that?

Anyway, the ugliest cover for a book I read is easily Silky. Thankfully that was on an eReader so I didn't have to look at it that much.

Also, see answer below, re: the VA books.

7. can’t believe you waited this long to read the book (!)
Jellicoe Road because I adore it so much and I could have re-read it multiple times by now if I had read it when it came out, and the Vampire Academy series because I completely mocked those books for years (A: I'm not generally a fan of vampires, and, really, how stupid does 'Vampire Academy' sound?! and B: have you seen those covers?! omigosh they're so ugly), yet they are SO GOOD.

8. book you'd give your mum/sister to read
Well, pretty much any book I love I shove at my Mom and go "You HAVE to read this!" and she does so because I am the boss (ha! I know she's reading this right now, shaking her head)... no, really, because I'm assuming she trusts my taste by now, since most of the time when I say something is awesome she tends to agree. The last one I said that about was Cinder, and right now she's reading Last Breath because I recommended the Morganville Vampire books to her earlier in the year.

9. book you'd give your dad/brother to read
I don't have any siblings and my Dad reads finance textbooks for fun. Omigosh, I know, don't even ask. So hmm... let's pretend I have a really cool older brother (I used to ask my Mom for an older brother when I was little. True facts.).... I would recommend the Chaos Walking trilogy & Blood Red Road.

10. book you'd like to give your past-self to read (ie, me, when I was 15)
Hmmm tough question. I'd maybe give Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature and Sean Griswold's Head to me when I was in gr. 9, because I could have related to the characters and situations and felt less alone.

11. book that lived up to (or superseded the hype)
There were a few that did, but I'm going to go with Shatter Me, because I was soooo excited for it, and people had been going on for months about how good it was, and I was super scared since most books with such hype absolutely DON'T live up to it. But Shatter Me did, which was super exciting.

12. book you stayed the latest to finish (confess!!!)
Well, I've stayed up late for a LOT of books this year, so that's a tough one. The most recent one I can think of is Clockwork Prince, and the emotional trauma made me pick up another book and read a chapter or two before I went to sleep because I needed to get my mind off it. I still woke up the next morning with my stomach in knots feeling like I could cry for those characters.

13. book you were *dying* to get your hands on the most
What Happened to Goodbye (Sarah Dessen fangirl here!), Bloodlines (Adrian fangirl here!), Lola and the Boy Next Door (Steph Perkins/Anna&Etienne fangirl here!). Basically, me = fangirl.

14. fattest brick of a book you read (by page count)
Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card; 672 pages and still left me hanging. *bangs head against wall*

15. killer cliffhanger award
Well Bloodlines definitely left off on a "omigosh, ahhh!" type of note, and Clockwork Prince is not so much a huge cliffhanger as it is emotional turmoil. I'm not sure how I can survive until CP2. Like, my heart aches whenever I think about it. Cinder! That is pretty much a cliffhanger, and makes me want the next book pronto (and it's not even technically released yet!). Probably others as well, but I try and block out cliffhangers or else they would drive me crazy.

Faves of 2011 (The Covers)

Nomes over at Ink Crush is hosting a "Faves of 2011" event with five different categories of awards for books we've read in 2011. You can find out more details here. Here are my Top 10 covers for books released in 2011 (of ones I've read).

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

I never thought that much of this cover until I saw it in person. It has such a pretty sheen to it! Absolutely love the colouring, and the font details are pretty great too.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

It's just... stunning, really. The colour, the hair, the dress, the symbolism. Every aspect of it is quite appealing.

Back When You Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith

I just really like this one for some reason. Perhaps the library stool & bookshelves?? I just think it's so cute, and the mixture of photo and illustration is so cool, and the bubble around the title is just so cute.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

It's just so interesting! The massive Dauntless symbol (that, yes, totally reminds me of the Eye of Sauron, but whatever), Chicago in the background... I even like the UK version with the people on the bottom (plus the UK version is all super shiny which is pretty! yes, I somehow own the UK paperback edition of this one).

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury

You don't see many YA covers that are only illustrations, but I think Wrapped is a perfect example of how illustrations can work for YA. I love the lines, and I'm partial to brown, so I think the colours on this cover are gorgeous.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

The tone of this cover is just perfect for the book! So sparse and dusty, with the lone figure. And the font?! Holy moly, it's all just so... atmospheric.

The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

I seem to really like purple covers, so there is that, but also the crown and the mountains. Plus I just like the design of this trilogy in general, with the author and title written sideways. It's just very different from most books, and they stand out because of it.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

It just makes you stop and stare, doesn't it? The water, the pose, the colours, the font... the pictures from this photo shoot are gorgeous, and they make a very eye catching cover.

Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien

There's just something so cool about this one! The way the font curlicues up and around is so awesome. And then the elements on the cover, such as the smoke/fog and the glass are actually important in the book, which makes it even more cool.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

I know this one got a lot of cover hate, and I agree that the puffy dress thing is a bit over done (though it is textually accurate in this case, which is cool)... however, I do think it shows how strong Juliette is, I loveeee the title font, AND most of all I adore that the effect in the background is all part of the photograph, not added in afterwards.

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

Release Date: September 27, 2011
Publisher: Tor Teen
Pages: 352
Series: The Faerie Ring #1
Review Source: ARC from Raincoast Books

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger.

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

My Thoughts:
So first of all, the setting for this one is fabulous! I’m a total Anglophile and I adore London, so that made me happy, and I was also a history major, so I do enjoy me some historicals from time to time. Add in some amazing characters and faerie lore and I’m sold!

Tiki is a lovely main character. She shows such loyalty to her street family, and I also really enjoyed reading about her emerging feelings for Rieker. You really grew to care about the characters. I mean, how can you not care about these teens and kids who are trying desperately to take care of each other and survive? Especially when they care so much about little Clara who is sick.

The whole book is a big run around figuring out that the ring Tiki has stolen actually keeps a truce between humans and faeries. So how can Tiki return the ring without getting caught, and how can they get a reward for the ring (desperately needing the money to survive) while still putting it back in royal hands to keep everyone safe? So much for these characters to figure out, and let me tell you that it's so much fun to read about.

I liked the faerie aspect of this book because it was there and it was interesting without being overwhelming. I’m actually not a huge fan of faerie books, but this one was great. I know we’ll get into more of the faerie aspect in future books, but I can tell it’s going to be done in a fresh and interesting way that doesn’t overwhelm us mere mortals who haven’t read every faerie book out there.

Kiki Hamilton’s writing flows and keeps you wanting to read more. ‘The Faerie Ring’ has characters you will totally fall for (ranging from street beggars to the monarchies), an awesome setting, and features secret family histories and secret identities. One thing I especially appreciated was how you couldn’t tell if the book was a standalone or a series. This book could stand by itself and you would be totally satisfied, but the fact that it’s a series leaves you to wonder about the little threads of information that were left untouched and the little hints of where character relationships will go. Overall, I really liked this one, and I will definitely be reading on in the series.

The Cover:
I like it, especially the font and treatment for the title (gorgeous!).

Rating:
[4/5]

Find The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

'Some Girls Bite' Read-Along

I'm super excited to be taking part in my first read-along since starting Book Labyrinth. Jenny, Tina, Rummanah, & Missie are all hosting a read-along for Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill.

I've heard great things about the Chicagoland Vampires series, so I'm psyched to check out the first book as part of this read-along. You can sign up for the read-along (which runs from January 3 - 31) here.

Top Ten Contemporary YA Guest Post

Today is an exciting day! We have the interview and giveaway from Melissa Pearl, it's solstice, it's my Papa's 82nd birthday, it's only 4 days until Christmas, anddddd I also have a guest post today at Esther's Ever After.

Brenna has a whole awesome Christmas event planned, and I'm one of her first visitors, listing my Top Ten Contemporary YA of 2011.

You can check out my post here.

Be sure to visit Brenna's Kick Off Post for a schedule of events and a chance to win some great prizes.

Interview & Giveaway with Melissa Pearl

I'm so happy to welcome author Melissa Pearl to Book Labyrinth today. The second book of her Time Spirit trilogy, Black Blood, was released only a week ago, and you may recall that I reviewed the first book, Golden Blood, yesterday.

About Melissa:
I used to be a full time teacher (11-13 year olds) then I became a full time mother. During that time I also found my total passion for writing. Over the last ten years I have been studying the craft and putting myself out there.

My first trilogy is being self-published through Smashwords. First book to be released in November 2011.

I live in New Zealand with my husband and two sons.

Interview

If you had to describe the premise of Golden Blood in a tweet (140 characters or less), what would you say?
A time traveling teenager can't resist forbidden love, but her decision could be fatal. She must now fight for both her love and her life.

What was your biggest inspiration when writing Golden Blood?
I was initially inspired after reading the Twilight series. I really wanted to write a paranormal romance. I loved the idea of forbidden love, and a love that was made up of 'soul mate' material. I do believe that happens for some, that there is only one person they are ever meant to be with. Gemma and Harrison are just like that. I have always loved the idea of time travel and I really wanted to write something that didn't involve vampires, demons or angels. I hadn't seen anything to do with time travel and wanted to put something out there with a magical element like that.

Did you always know you wanted to write a trilogy (versus a standalone book) about Gemma and her family?
All my previous manuscripts have been stand alone books, so the idea of writing a trilogy was really fun for me. I wanted to try it. I like trilogies or series that are quite interwoven so I actually wrote this trilogy all in one go... like one massive book. After I had finished my initial drafts, I was able to go back and flesh out the stories a little more... make them three complete books with one huge story arc that covered the trilogy. My beta readers gave me so much awesome feedback that I actually went back and rewrote the first book entirely. It brought the whole trilogy to life and made the second two books even better... in my humble opinion :)

If you could go back in time and control where you were going, what place and time period would you go to and why?
That's a hard question. There are SO many to choose from. History fascinates me and the idea of seeing some of what's happened in the world unfold before my very eyes would be amazing. Here are a few quick ones though... Ancient Eygpt fascinates me. To see some of those amazing structures when they were new would be awesome. I love the idea of stepping into an old western and seeing what life was like for the pioneers who journeyed from the east coast over to the west. Imagine seeing those amazing plains in the middle of America - totally unpopulated. I know it was a really hard life, which is why I'd only just want to stop by for a visit :) I'd also love to skip through the 50s. I love the cars in that era and the cool clothes.. and I love the music! I think it'd be really fun to attend a high school in that era for a day... well Grease made it look interesting anyway :) Last, but not least - I'd love to visit some of those old castles in the middle ages and to go hunting on horseback with a bow and arrow. That'd be super cool.

Ooh nice answers! I'd love to come along to Egypt and Medieval times with you. ;)

Are you a fan of any other books, movies, or TV shows that involve time travel? If so, which ones?
I really enjoyed that movie, Timeline, when it came out and I LOVED the first three books of the Outlander series. There used to be a show on TV years ago, that I sometimes watched as a kid called Quantum Leap - I thought that was pretty cool. Also - the Narnia books. I know that's not exactly time travel, but it is stepping in and out of another world. I like that concept.

What are some of your favourite recent YA novels?
I just read Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini and loved it. Having to wait until next year for the second book is torture!
What else? Forbidden by Megan Curd was really good. Die For Me by Amy Plum was an enjoyable read. I love anything by Simone Elkeles and I just recently stumbled across Ally Carter and her book Heist Society - it was like reading a teenage version of Oceans 11. Very fun. I'm looking forward to reading her second book in the series, Uncommon Criminals, when I can find the time :)

Giveaway!

Details:
- 3 winners will receive Smashwords codes from Melissa to download 'Golden Blood' in the format of their choice
- Open internationally
- Ends January 4, 2012 at midnight EST
- Winner will be chosen using random.org and then informed by email

To enter to win, please fill out this form.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions, Melissa!

Comments are very much appreciated.

You can visit Melissa at http://melissapearl.blogspot.com.

Golden Blood by Melissa Pearl

Release Date: November 4, 2011
Publisher: Self-published
Pages: 219
Series: Time Spirit Trilogy #1
Review Source: eBook from author for review

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Gemma Hart never knows when her father is going to whisk her back in time. Her toes start tingling and she has a few minutes to find a secret haven where she can disintegrate and appear in another time and place. While “across the line,” her training and skills are put to the test as she completes a mission that will change history for the lucky few her father has selected.

Gemma's parents are adamant that secrecy is paramount to her family’s safety. If people knew what they were capable of, they could be "used and abused", as her mother always says. Afraid she might accidentally utter the truth and break the ancient oath of her people, Gemma spends her school days as a loner. Only one thing can throw her sheltered life askew... Harrison Granger.

Harrison never expected to talk to the strange Hart girl, but after a brief encounter he can't stop thinking about her. He begins a campaign to chisel away her icy veneer and is met with unexpected consequences. As he slowly wins this girl over, he enters a surreal world that has him fighting to keep his newfound love and his life.

My Thoughts:
To begin with, the concept of ‘Golden Blood’ is very cool. Gemma and her whole family can travel through time. It’s a part of their DNA, in their “golden blood” … but the catch? Gemma’s dad controls when and where the family goes back. Gemma and her siblings have absolutely no say in the matter. I felt bad for Gemma with having this ability and not being able to control it and also having to keep it secret. She takes it all pretty seriously, not having friends and even getting a reputation at school for being a weirdo.

Gemma’s life really changes when Harrison decides he wants to be her friend and possibly more. I liked seeing Gemma come out of her shell, and I liked how strong she became once she realized she had something to fight for. I liked how her relationship made her happy and it became something that was her decision alone, rather than her family making the decision for her. It was interesting because it was all about a boy, but I think it signified something bigger for Gemma, in that she began to realize she was missing out on having a life of her own.

In the relationship corner Gemma and Harrison go from zero to love pretty quickly. I could have done with a few less dramatic true love declarations. That being said, I do like the two of them together, and how willing they are to stand by each other.

This is a good beginning to the trilogy: it completed the story without leaving you totally hanging. At the same time you can tell it’s just setting you up for future books by hinting at the mythology of the time travellers, and a mysterious family background for perhaps both our main characters. This was a good first effort that I enjoyed overall.

The Cover:
I really like it!!

Rating:
[3.5/5]

Find Golden Blood by Melissa Pearl on Goodreads, Smashwords, & Amazon. (Only 99¢!)

Flyaway by Helen Landalf

Release Date: December 20, 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 182
Series: n/a
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Fifteen-year-old Stevie Calhoun is used to taking care of herself. But one night, her mom, who works as an exotic dancer in a downtown Seattle nightclub, never comes home.

That’s the night Stevie’s life turns upside down.

It’s the night that kicks off an extraordinary summer: the summer Stevie has to stay with her annoyingly perfect Aunt Mindy; the summer she learns to care for injured and abandoned birds; the summer she gets to know Alan, the meanest guy in high school.

But most of all, it’s the summer she finds out the truth about Mom.

FLYAWAY is the story of a teen girl’s struggle to hold on to what she’s always believed, even as her world spins out of control.

My Thoughts:
I think the thing that stands out the most for me about this book is how I felt for the main character, Stevie. I think she was a very realistic character and she acted just like I would expect a scared, young teenager to act. She loved her mom and wanted to protect her, even though her mom wasn’t being a good parent or taking care of herself, let alone her daughter. Because of how Stevie acts I think you’ll either love her or hate her, but I personally found her behaviour completely realistic, even when she was being a bit of a brat. I liked the journey that Stevie took in her way of thinking and how she was going to live her life. The journey was incredibly tough, but I think Stevie became very strong because of it.

Now how about Aunt Mindy?? She was the sweetest! I’m glad there was someone in Stevie’s life taking care of her, and it was really touching how she was always there for her and how she kept trying even when Stevie was difficult and pushed her away.

Where the book lacked, I think, was the romantic angle. One guy just ended up being someone completely different from who we were introduced to. His character did a total 180; it was so strange. The other guy had a ton of issues, with a very shady past with acting out. I could actually see the start of chemistry between him and Stevie, but I didn’t really think it was necessary or very well developed. Really this is more of a book about Stevie and her Mom, so I didn’t think it needed the romance.

The book has a “caged bird becoming free” metaphor, and while I think it was a bit overdone, it was still sweet. I enjoyed reading this one overall, probably because the writing style was very flowing and easy to get through. In the end, though, I don’t think it’s the most compelling book on the topic. I expected it to be more powerful with showing the effects of drugs on a person, but it didn’t really go as deep as it could have. This is one of those "take it or leave it" books, where I don't really have strong feelings either way whether it's worth a read or not.

The Cover:
I really like how creative it is; it totally stands out from most other covers.

Rating:
[3/5]

Find Flyaway by Helen Landalf on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.

End of 2011 Book Survey

I have always been a sucker for surveys. Like you know those email surveys that you used to get back in elementary school, or the ones to post on livejournal? Yeah, I was all over those. So I *think* I'll be posting a few different end of the year book surveys. This first one comes from the lovely Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner.

1. Best Book You Read In 2011?

I think it's gotta be Divergent. It had so much hype, yet it completely lived up to it. I was totally enthralled, and I've been dying to re-read it ever since I first picked it up. [My Review]

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

Probably Beautiful Creatures. It seems like everyone is so in love with this series, but it bored me so badly. I got about a 1/4 of the way through and couldn't do it anymore.

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

Ooh, it's gotta be The Scorpio Races! I was not really a fan of Shiver at all, so even though this book was everywhere I wasn't really planning on reading it. Then I got a copy at the Ontario Book Blogger Meet up, so I read it and it blew me away. It's just... completely enchanting. [My review = still to come]

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?

Probably Flat-Out Love. I tried to promote it like crazy since it's by a self-pubbed author, and I know it's harder to get interest. Well thankfully a lot of people fell in love with this one, and at one point I believe it was at #6 or 7 in the paid Kindle store. Like, it was keeping company with The Hunger Games and Nora Roberts books and stuff. Awesome! [My Review]

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?

This is an insane question, because I read a lot of series this year that I discovered because of book blogging. Here are some ones I fell in love with:

• Vampire Academy [My Review]
• The Seven Realms [My Review of Book 3]
• Secret Society Girl
• The Morganville Vampires [My Review]
• Darkest Powers

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?

• Melina Marchetta, for making me feel more emotion than any other author I've ever read.
• Jeri Smith-Ready, for writing unique paranormal stories with characters you will fall in love with (oh and she's also one of the coolest people ever, who truly appreciates all her readers and is so generous with her time and resources)
• Janet Gurtler, for having an awesome contemporary voice similar to Sarah Dessen and Elizabeth Scott (who I am both a huge fangirl of)... oh and she's also Canadian, so yay for that!

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

Threads & Flames, no question. Having been a history major, you would think I would read a lot of historical novels. But no, I totally don't. Most historicals I read tend to be historical fantasy or historical paranormal or something like that. Well this one is strictly historical, and when I read the description I was like "meh". But omigosh, it made me CRY. And I pretty much never cry for books. It was so emotionally intense and beautiful. [My Book Battle Review]

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

There were so many books that were unputdownable, but when I think of "thrilling" I think of crazy action. And when it comes to crazy action it's hard to beat The Book of Blood and Shadow. Think crazy historical treasure hunt like The Da Vinci code, except really good. But this one doesn't come out until next April (!), so another choice would be...

Wither. It seems like you either love or hate this book, and I really loved it. I remember sitting on my futon just reading and reading and reading until I was done, because I was so into the story and I was dying to find out what would happen next. [My Review]

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?

Ooh, tough one. Probably Divergent, Last Breath, Bloodlines, What Happened to Goodbye, Lola and the Boy Next Door, & The Name of the Star [My Review].

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

When I started to think about favourite covers I very quickly had a massive list, so I decided to just stick to one book. After I read it I was disappointed with The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, but that cover? Still totally gorgeous. It's so interesting/thought provoking, and I just love everything from the watery feel to the colours to the font.



11. Most memorable character in 2011?

Do you know how tough this is?! I don't think I can just pick one. No, in fact I'm picking 15:

Rose, Jonah Griggs, Jace, Pajamie (aka Poe/Jamie), Manchee (omigawsshhhh!), Logan, Tessa/Will/Jem (they go together), Tris, Jordan, Saba, Cinder, Derek, Tucker, Gabi, & Tod.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?

Jellicoe Road [My Review] and Where She Went [My Review]. Gorgeous, gorgeous, beyond gorgeoussssss.

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

Gotta be Jellicoe Road. I mean, it's not every day that you can call a book life changing.

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

Can I have the same answer 3 times in a row?? Jellicoe Road came out in North America in 2008, so that was three years of missing Taylor and Jonah (and everyone else!) in my life. So glad I read it!!

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

When it's right, it's simple.
-- Stephanie Perkins, Lola and the Boy Next Door

To say you have no choice is to relieve yourself of responsibility.
-- Patrick Ness, Monsters of Men

"If you weren't driving, I'd kiss you senseless," I tell him.

He swerves to the side of the road and stops the car abruptly. "Not driving any more."
-- Melina Marchetta, Jellicoe Road

"I can't forget you, any more than I can forget my own name." He kissed me then, and the world which no longer mattered, completely fell away.
-- Jeri Smith-Ready, Shift

Yer in my blood, Saba, he says. Yer in my head. Yer in my breath, yer in my bones...gawd help me, yer everywhere. You have bin since the first moment I set eyes on you.
-- Moira Young, Blood Red Road

"It's my turn to see you through," she whispers, coming back to me and wrapping me in her blanket as I lose my shit all over again. She holds me until I recover my Y chromosone.
-- Gayle Forman, Where She Went

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

Jellicoe Road, Graffiti Moon, Divergent, Catching Jordan, Cinder.

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!

Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm not very good at remembering very specific moments in books. If I really thought about it I could probably come up with a few, but they would definitely all be spoiler-y. Recently, though, I know I wanted to squee about Catching Jordan and Cinder after I finished them.

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

Probably The Death Cure. I've been looking forward to it for sooo long, but I've had so many review books for the past couple of months that I just haven't got around to it. I really want to re-read the first two books and then read that one.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2012?

I started off making a list, but that's dangerous, because soon it would be like 20 books. So I'll just leave you with this: Bitterblue. Oh-my-GOSH, I can't wait!

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

I want to start a few new series that people have been raving about, as well as some older titles and some books that are physically on my bookshelves.

I'd also really like to create some kind of "favourites" page on the blog, where I list my favourite authors, series, books... you know, the things that I fangirl and squee for, so hopefully more people might pick them up.

So!! That's it for this list. Phew, you have no idea how long this took to put together. It was so much fun, though, to look back at all the titles I've read in 2011, and to pick my favourites for each category.