Best of 2010 Survey

Finally – my Best of 2010 list!! Thanks to Jamie over at The Perpetual Page-Turner for putting this together :)

Best book of 2010?

Yeah, this is a tough one. I read so many amazing books this year, but I think my favorite was The Hunger Games. I think I liked it so much because I expected to absolutely hate it and was completely wrong.

Least favorite book of 2010?

This is easy for me (is that bad?). Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert was a true struggle for me to get through. I seriously just wanted to slap a… well, you know.

Most disappointing book of 2010?

The Duff by Kody Keplinger. I know this is a “love it or hate it” book and I unfortunately fall into the latter. 

Most surprising (in a good way) book of 2010?

A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler. I didn’t know how a book about a mental disease would sit with me (my adopted brother is bi-polar) but this book was so beautifully written that it became one of my fave books this year.

Book you recommended to people most in 2010?

Hmm….I can’t really remember what I recommended. Maybe I need to be more pushy…just kidding :) But really.

Best series you discovered in 2010?

The Hunger Games and the Caster Chronicles.

Favorite new authors you discovered in 2010?

Suzanne Collins, Andrea Cremer, and Sarah Dessen. I know, I should have read some of these authors way before this year, but I am now completely in love with all of them.

Most hilarious read of 2010?

Will Grayson, Will Grayson and Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares are a tie. I literally laughed out loud in public places while reading both of these books!

Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2010?

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I simply could not pry it out of my hands once I started.

Book you most anticipated in 2010?

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen. I can’t get enough historical fiction and flappers!!

Favorite cover of a book you read in 2010?

Easy peasy – Nightshade by a landslide. It is simply gorgeous and I still pull it out of my bookshelf periodically and just look at it. That’s not weird, right?

Most memorable character in 2010?

Yep, most definitely Katniss from The Hunger Games. I’m really anxious to see how she is portrayed on the big screen when the movie comes out because that will be one tough character to get right.

Most beautifully written book in 2010?

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Hands down.

Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2010?

Burned by Ellen Hopkins. It left me completely breathless and shocked at the end, and I literally couldn’t speak for a few minutes. The hurt and the pain that was portrayed in the book was so profound that I can’t count how many times I cried.

Book you can't believe you waited until 2010 to finally read?

Oh, this list could be a mile long. But I’ll go with City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I got the first three books in this series for Christmas so I will be diving into those shortly!

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases you are eagerly anticipating.

Title: Trapped

Author: Michael Northrop

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: January 1, 2011

From Goodreads:

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive...

Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision....

This book comes out on Saturday - woohoo!! It sounds like a perfect January read with a mysterious twist, and I can only hope that it storms out while I'm reading it (adds to the effect, right?)

Today is...

MY BIRTHDAY!!

Yes, this is a shameless plug for my birthday. Usually, my birthday gets rolled into Christmas and my uncle's birthday (he's a Christmas baby) so I try and do everything I can to separate the two. And now you lucky blog followers get to be a part of that :)

I have decided that next year I want a Harry Potter cake. Yes, perhaps I am getting a little old for this but I don't care. I want THIS cake and I want the cast to give it to me. That's a reasonable request, right? :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

To all of you who celebrate - MERRY CHRISTMAS!! This is my favorite holiday of the year because I get to see all of the family I don't get to see very often and of course, the food and gifts :) I hope you all have a fantabulous holiday and that Santa brings you everything you wanted!

Here are a few scenes from my favorite holiday movies:

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Body Finder

Author: Kimberly Derting

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: March 16, 2010

Pages: 336

From Goodreads:

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

***

What an amazing idea for a book! From the moment I read the synopsis I knew I had to read The Body Finder. The premise of a young girl with the ability to “sense” dead bodies completely and totally intrigued me. I had high hopes for this book and it certainly delivered.

The underlying tone of The Body Finder is CREEPY. I mean the kind of creepy where you don’t want to read this book alone in the dark – you need to have all of the lights on and at least one person around so you don’t completely freak out. But then mixed in with all the scariness is the underlying development of Jay and Violet’s relationship, which kept things fresh and added a lightness to the story. I fell in love with Jay immediately. He is that guy “friend” that all girls wish they had growing up. He is so sweet and attentive to Violet and I hope we see more of him in the next book.

My one and only complaint about the book was the final reveal of the killer. I was hoping for more of a dramatic ending since the rest of the book was totally captivating and mysterious. But alas, a bit anti-climactic.

I am super excited for Desires of the Dead to be released early next year and to see how Violet continues to deal with her special gift. Bring on the creepiness!

Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases you are eagerly anticipating.

Title: These Things Hidden

Author: Heather Gudenkauf

Publisher: Mira

Release Date: March 1, 2011

From Goodreads:

Allison Glenn tried to hide what happened that night...and failed. The consequence? Five years in prison. Now she's free. But secrets have a way of keeping you caged...

When Allison is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult in her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces the whispered rumours every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn - shy, quiet Brynn - who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her. But then Allison is released, and is more determined than ever to speak with her sister. Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.

This. Sounds. Amazing. 

I think the synopsis completely speaks for itself. What did Allison do that was so terrible to put her in jail? And why is Brynn the only one that knows what's going on? Needless to say, I cannot wait for this book to come out!

My Holiday Reading List

Today is my last day of work until January 4 - WOOHOO!!! With this much needed time off, I have put together my "wish list" of what I hope to read through the end of the year. There are some AMAZING books in this pile and I am really excited to get started. I realize that it is an ambitious list, but I'm hoping I can at least read a few and put a good dent in my TBR pile.  

The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson (ARC tour)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Wither by Lauren DeStefano (mini-ARC tour)

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Matched by Allie Condie

In My Mailbox (19)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi at The Story Siren that gives readers the chance to share the books they bought/received/swapped/rented over the past week. 

Bought:

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Matched by Allie Condie

Secret Santa:

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Thank you Cynthia!!

Mini-ARC Tour:

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Thank you Tara @ Hobbitsies!!

My goal is to read ALL of these books in the next few weeks while I have some time off. Wish me luck!!

Book Blogger Hop (7) and Follow Friday (4)

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jennifer over at Crazy for Books. Each week, bloggers answer a question posted by Jennifer and then "hop" over to other blogs to socialize, make new friends, and find great blogs to follow!

This week's question is:

"What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot or the characters?"

Wow, tough question! My first instinct was that both are equally important, but then I realized for me, that's not the case. I think the plot is more important because when I am deciding whether or not to read a book, it's the plot that either draws me in or turns me off. Then, once I start reading the book, the characters are what develop the plot into the story.

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View. Basically, help spread the follow love!

This week's question is:

"What did you study in college, or are currently studying and did it lead to your current 9 to 5 or are you doing something totally different?"

I have a Bachelor's degree in Marketing with a minor in Special Event & Meeting Planning. I guess you could say it led to my current job, but in an indirect sort of way. My first job out of college was a meeting planner, and I organized conferences and committee meetings for a diabetes association. When the economy started really tanking and people were getting laid off, I ended up with tasks related to web content and writing. Long story short, after I started working with the web, I decided that was the direction I wanted to go. Now, I am a web content coordinator for a hotel marketing company. Not exactly what I went to college for, but I love it anyways :)

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Friday!

YA Historical Fiction Challenge

I came across this challenge the other day and could not have been more excited!  I love historical fiction like whoa so this challenge is perfect for me - plus, I'm hoping it will help me clear out some of my TBR pile...

Click on the image for more details and to check out Sabrina's awesome blog, YA Bliss.

Choose your level:

Level 1: 5 YA HF books in 2011

 Level 2: 10 YA HF books in 2011

 Level 3: 15 YA HF books in 2011 - Go big or go home, right?!

Rules:

• All Historical Fiction books must be YA or MG
• Books don't have to be 2011 releases.
• Anyone can join. Please link to a public (web) place I can find you.
• You can join at anytime.
• The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011



Here is my starter list but plan on adding as we go along:

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Rumors by Anna Godbersen

Envy by Anna Godbersen

Splendor by Anna Godbersen

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson

The Season by Sarah MacLean

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases you are eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: The Lover's Dictionary

Author: David Levithan

Release Date: January 31, 2011

From Goodreads:

A sweet and touching modern love story, told through dictionary entries

basis, n.

There has to be a moment at the beginning when you wonder whether you're in love with the person or in love with the feeling of love itself.

If the moment doesn't pass, that's it--you're done. And if the moment does pass, it never goes that far. It stands in the distance, ready for whenever you want it back. Sometimes it's even there when you thought you were searching for something else, like an escape route, or your lover's face.

How does one talk about love? Do we even have the right words to describe something that can be both utterly mundane and completely transcendent, pulling us out of our everyday lives and making us feel a part of something greater than ourselves? Taking a unique approach to this problem, the nameless narrator of David Levithan's The Lover's Dictionary has constructed the story of his relationship as a dictionary. Through these short entries, he provides an intimate window into the great events and quotidian trifles of being within a couple, giving us an indelible and deeply moving portrait of love in our time. 

This concept of writing a book in a dictionary style is AWESOME. As someone who regularly uses a dictionary and thesaurus at my job, this book competely intrigues me. And we only have to wait a month for it to be released - even better!

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Bones

Author: Cassandra Clare

Series: The Mortal Instruments #1

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Publication Date: March 27, 2005

Pages: 485

From Goodreads:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

***

Why, oh why do I wait so long to read books that come so highly recommended? You would think I would learn after reading so many awesome books, but no – I still put it off for forever and then eventually end up getting to it. City of Bones is a PRIME example of this ongoing debacle I have with myself.

The first thing that captured me while reading this book was the extraordinary fantasy world the author created. Even though this book was mostly set in NYC, the characters and the other worlds were so captivating and well detailed. I found myself re-reading certain sections just to make sure I kept all of the different weapons/runes/worlds/spells in line because I wanted to fully grasp every single thing. It’s not often I take the time to re-read, but this book was definitely worth it!

I LOVE JACE. He certainly has his flaws, but I love him just the same. He is so incredibly mysterious that I just want to learn every possible thing I can about him. He is elusive, cocky, rude at times, and a complete PITA - and yet, I still love him. I also loved Clary and all of her issues she has to deal with throughout the book. I like how the author portrays her as a BA but still shows her vulnerability and weaknesses.

I think the last 100 pages were the very best part of the book. I breezed through them because I just HAD to know what was going to happen next. And that twist at the end….HOLY COW!! I obviously can’t say any more without spoilers, but that pretty much sums it up – HOLY COW.

I hope that we learn more about some of the characters in the next books. After finishing, I really craved more information on the back stories and lives of certain characters, which I’m sure was on purpose and will be delved into during the rest of the series.

This book is perfect for those who enjoy fantasy and sci-fi with some paranormal and romance thrown into the mix. If you decide to read City of Bones (which you definitely should) you will seriously be on the edge of your seat the entire time. I would suggest reading it in longer sittings though, because there is so much detail and a lot to take in. It’s a little hard to read for short bursts of time and be able to fully grasp everything going on.

I can’t wait to read City of Ashes, City of Glass, AND Clockwork Angel!

Rating:



The Most Random Post Ever

I'm going to start off by saying how COMPLETELY random this is. I was going through my phone this morning and realized I take all these pictures and never do anything with them. So my friends, here is a random collection of my life in pictures over the past few months...enjoy :)

Because it's so freaking cold here right now, let's start off with a picture of semi-sun and WARMTH! This is from Dripping Springs, TX where my bf and I visited his family for vacation.

No matter how many times I look at it, I always love staring at the Chicago skyline. This view is from the Field Museum.

Have I ever mentioned how fascinated I am with Egypt and mummies? This is from my favorite exhibit ever in the Field Museum.

And now for my kids...of the feline kind that is! Molly and Kingsley were stalking pigeons that were chilling on my balcony.



Kingsley appearing to be the king of the world (or at least the household)

The BEST movie of the year.

And last (and certainly least) - the first snowfall of the year in Chicago that actually stuck!



Hope you enjoyed my totally and completely random pictures today!



Signed ARC Nightshade Winner!

Random.org chose #30 and the lucky winner is...

Ginger @ GReads!!!

You have 48 hours to respond to my email (that I will send shortly) to claim your prize.

Congratulations :)

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases you are eagerly anticipating.

Title: But I Love Him

Author: Amanda Grace

Published by: Flux

Release Date: May 8, 2011

From Goodreads:

Tonight was so much worse than anything before it.

Tonight he didn't stop after the first slap.

At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved-and needed. Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrendered everything to be with him, but by graduation, her life has become a dangerous high wire act. Just one mistake could trigger Connor's rage, a senseless storm of cruel words and violence damaging everything-and everyone-in its path.

This evocative slideshow of flashbacks reveals a heartbreaking story of love gone terribly wrong.

Talk about an emotional, powerful topic that unfortunately happens to teens everyday. I think this book definitely has the potential to be an inspiration to young girls and I can't wait for it to be released!

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Title: The Lying Game
Author: Sara Shepard
Series: The Lying Game #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: December 7, 2010
Pages: 307

From Goodreads:
I had a life anyone would kill for.

Then someone did.

The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.

Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?

***

When I heard Sara Shepard was coming out with a new series, I was super excited. I am a HUGE fan of the Pretty Little Liars TV show and enjoyed the books as well. They both are total guilty pleasures – rich, mean girls who have such “awful” lives and have nothing better to do than gossip, cheat, lie, steal, etc. And with the first book in the new series, The Lying Game, Shepard completely delivered on those topics.

I devoured this book in four hours flat. It was such a fast read and I was kind of shocked I breezed through it so fast. I did struggle at the beginning with the narration as I couldn’t figure out who exactly was speaking – Sutton or Emma. But once I got that down, it was smooth sailing from there.

A couple of themes were running through my head while I read the book. The first, and most pronounced, was how totally similar it was to Pretty Little Liars. Not even just a few things – a lot of things. This isn’t necessarily negative or bad, just something I noticed. And the second was how MEAN these girls were!! They go way beyond teasing or name-calling and are just flat-out vindictive, rude, awful girls. One of the pranks they pull in the book was just so incredibly awful that it made me physically cringe.

One issue I had with the characters was how Emma just jumped into Sutton’s life and no one realizes she’s an imposter. I would hope that my parents would be quick enough to realize if someone started impersonating me. Perhaps in the second book, Never Have I Ever, people who were close to Sutton will wake up and realize what’s going on.

Despite the huge similarities between this book and PLL, I still enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next one in the series that will be released in April 2011.

I received a digital ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and HarperTeen.

Rating:

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Title: Boy Meets Boy

Author: David Levithan

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: May 10, 2005

Pages: 285

From Goodreads:

This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance.

When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it.

The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right.

This is a happy, meaningful romantic comedy about finding love, losing love, and doing what it takes to get love back in a crazy, wonderful world.

***

Hhmmm…so I have been reading a lot of really awesome books lately. I figured I was on a hot streak and the good books would just keep coming. Unfortunately, Boy Meets Boy did not live up to my expectations. Now don’t get me wrong – I definitely enjoyed certain aspects of the book, but I just couldn’t get into it as much as others.

To start off, the setting was really hard for me to grasp. A high school where the star quarterback is also the homecoming queen? Cheerleaders that ride Harleys and jump ramps in the gymnasium? While it would be amazing if a high school like this actually existed, I found it hard to actually believe it.

I also had a really rough time figuring out where the location of the book was. Are they in New York, New Jersey, or the UK? The characters would throw around these random words and phrases used more commonly overseas but then they would mention a landmark in the US. I was totally confused – does anyone know the actual location??

As unbelievable as the star quarterback/homecoming queen was, I totally loved Infinite Darlene. I wish she had played a bigger role in the book because she was fantastic. She reminded me so much of Tiny Cooper in Will Grayson, Will Grayson (and who doesn’t love some Tiny Cooper?!) and I found myself laughing out loud whenever she spoke.

While this wasn’t my favorite book, I am glad I read it and I plan to read more of David Levithan’s books in the future. I do enjoy his writing style and his characterization, even if I can’t completely believe the storyline.

Rating:

In My Mailbox (18)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi at The Story Siren that gives readers the chance to share the books they bought/received/swapped/rented over the past week. 

Bought:

The complete Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris (thank you Princess Bookie!)

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Traded:

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr (thank you Jen @ Makeshift Bookmark!)

I had been renting the Sookie Stackhouse series one at a time from my library and it was taking FOREVER to get through the series (i'm on #6). So when I saw Princess Bookie was having a book sale, I jumped all over that! I am also SUPER excited for Wicked Lovely & Anna and the French Kiss. I plan on doing a lot of reading over the holidays (I have 14 days off!!!) so these will definitely be seeing the love.

What about you - what's in your mailbox this week?