Favorite Books and Music of 2012 Thus Far

It's hard to believe that 2012 is more than half over. It seems like I was just getting used to writing 2012 down for the date instead of 2011. 2013 will be here before I know it. Like all years, there has been tons of good books released in early 2012. Authors never fail to thrill me with books that somehow manages to differentiate themselves from the millions of books published before them.

Top Ten Young Adult Books of 2012 Thus Far:

2011 Book Lists Pt. 7: Top Tens

*Back to Introductory Post; Pt. 1; Pt. 2; Pt 3; Pt. 4; Pt. 5; Pt. 6
*Books are linked to my reviews, if available. They're also linked to Amazon. I have read all of these books and written reviews for most, but haven't posted many of them yet. As I do, I will update this page.

Top Ten Books Read in 2011
-Most but not all were published in 2011

 1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Stunning. A book equally about romance, family, and personal discovery. Even better, it's set in Prague. Karou is a regular girl who was raised by chimaera, half-animal/half-human creatures who live in a different world. Karou runs errands for her foster-father Brimstone who grants wishes. Akiva is an angel who hates chimaera more than words can describe. When Akiva and Karou meet, their souls collide. Karou is a strong, brave, funny, loving character who doesn't take guff from anyone. Heart-stopping romance. Shocking twists. Complex yet understandable. You'll re-read portions of the book after you finish and realize that there are so many important little things throughout the book. (Amazon)

2. The Greyfriar by Clay and Susan Griffith
Fabulous, unique vampire story. A mixture of suspenseful action scenes with a slow-building romance will satisfy readers of multiple genres. The vampires are intensely violent creatures more like animals than humans. Lots of political intrigue, steampunk elements, as well as sci fi/fantasy tie-ins. The romance is subtle but so sweet that I repeatedly re-read my favorite "Aww..." inducing moments. (Amazon)

3. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Heartbreaking, depressing, beautiful. Revolution is the tale of modern Andi who is horribly depressed after the death of her brother. Her father drags her to France where she finds the journal of Alexandrine who was an actress and special friend to little Louis XVII in the French Revolution. Stark, clean language. Very readable. Don't read the book if you need to be cheered up, but definitely pick it up on another day. (Amazon)

4. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Another winner from Stephanie. Just as fun and sweet a romance as Anna and the French Kiss. Lola is a vivacious character. She spends her life creating and dressing up in costumes, which make her personality shine while also masking a deep-seeded insecurity. She is also stubborn, self-righteous, and quick to jump to conclusions. Cricket is as nice as can be. Awkward and nerdy. A little insecure. Very patient. Kinda "boyish," in a cool way. A highlight are Lola's dads Andy and Nathan. So nice to see well-developed, caring parents. And the romance! Super sweet. Nice build-up - feels like something that could actually happen. Love the Anna and the French Kiss tie-in too. (Amazon)

5. Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater 
Water horses are beautiful equine creatures that reside in the sea and are wild, vicious killers. Every year, islanders race these horses in the Scorpio Races. Every year, people die. Sean and Puck (aka Kate) enter the races for different races. The characters' emotions and actions are reserved, but this somehow makes the reader's emotions all the stronger. A quiet story that you'll want to re-read over and over to truly sink in. One of the best slow building relationships that feels real. (Amazon)

6. Die for Me by Amy Plum
Fabulous new series. A bit Twilighty but in a good way. Even better, it's set in Paris. Unique paranormal element with great history and world building. Kate and Vincent have some insta-love, but Vincent is such a great guy that I don't mind. Well developed side characters make book a joy to read. (Amazon)

7. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The idea of getting shipped off to Siberia is something I'd heard about most of my life. It's almost a cliche, a joke. In Between Shades of Gray, we are reminded that the horrors of the Stalin regime were no joke. They were raw, senseless, and beyond cruel. An exceptionally dark and powerful book. You will love all the characters, especially Lina. They are all wonderful yet flawed, realistic people going through unimaginable torture. (Amazon)

8. Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta
Piper's Son is about the love and pain of a close family and the camaraderie and anger of friends.  A great companion to Saving Francesca. Witty, smart dialogue is the key feature of this story. Melina is a master of creating an enticing story with a relatively barebones plot. The characters and dialogue make this novel. (Amazon)

9. Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John
One of the rare YA books that is of literary quality, but is also easy and fun to read. On the surface, the book is about a deaf girl taking a crap band from obscurity to something resembling success. But at its heart, this book is a character story. A tale of self-discovery. Of family. Of friends. And even a little romance. (Amazon)

10. Nightspell by Leah Cypess
Complex high fantasy with incredible world building. Nightspell is set in Ghostland, a kingdom where ghosts and the living reside together. Loved how well the ghosts were described. A character driven novel. At various times in the book, I hated, feared, cared for, and pitied the characters, both ghost and living. The pace is slow but steady. If you like character-driven novels, family relationships, fabulous world-building, and nearly romance-less book, you'll love Nightspell. (Amazon)

Top Ten Albums

1. "Bon Iver" by Bon Iver
*Calgary (possibly the most beautiful song ever)
*Holocene
*Towers

2. "A Creature I Don't Know" by Laura Marling
*Sophia
*All My Rage
*Salinas

3. "Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes
*Montezuma
*Helplessness Blues
*Blue Spotted Tail

4. "Kiss Each Other Clean" by Iron & Wine
*Walking Far From Home
*Tree By the River
*Your Fake Name is Good Enough for Me

5. "The King Is Dead" by The Decemberists
*Don't Carry It All
*Rox in the Box
*Down by the Water

6. "The Harrow & The Harvest" by Gillian Welch
*Scarlet Town
*The Way It Goes
*Six White Horses

7. "Barton Hollow" by The Civil Wars
*Poison and Wine
*Barton Hollow
*20 Years

8. "Codes and Keys" by Death Cab for Cutie
*You are a Tourist
*Monday Morning
*Some Boys

9. "City of Refuge" by Abigail Washburn
*City of Refuge

*Devine Bell

10. "Ceremonials" by Florence & the Matchine
*Shake It Out
*What the Water Gave Me
*Only If For A Night

Top Ten Songs (Not on Top Ten Albums)

1. "A Girl, A Boy and a Graveyard" by Jeremy Messersmith (The Reluctant Graveyard) - A great Minnesota singer/songwriter

2. "Dystopia (The Earth is on Fire)" by Yacht

3. "Go Outside" by Cults (Go Outside)

4. "Cradle" by The Joy Formidable (Big Roar)

5. "One Day" by Sharon van Etten (Epic)

6. "Sin" by The Carter Brothers (The Road to Roosky)

7. "Cold" by Aqualung and Lucy Schwartz (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn)

8. "Young Blood" by The Naked and the Famous (Passive Me, Aggressive You)

9. "Blow" by Ke$ha (Cannibal) - Gotta have guilty pleasures)

10. "Love You Like a Love Song" by Selena Gomez (When The Sun Goes Down) - This one is embarrassing. I blame my friend for introducing it to me. It's so freaking catchy and cheery. I just can't help myself.

2011 Book Lists Pt. 6: Gossipy; Best Romance; Non-US Settings; Tear-Jerker

*Back to Introductory Post; Pt. 1; Pt. 2; Pt 3; Pt. 4; Pt. 5; Pt. 7
*Books are linked to my reviews, if available. They're also linked to Amazon. I have read all of these books and written reviews for most, but haven't posted many of them yet. As I do, I will update this page.

Gossipy
-There's something about shallow girls with great clothes and lots of money. And it's even better if they somehow manage not to be shallow.

The Daughters Take The Stage (Daughters #3) and The Daughters Join The Party (Daughters #4) - Joanna Philbin
Gossip Girl light. In Book 3, Hudson wants to be a jazz singer who performs in little smoky nightclubs. Hudson's mom, mega superstar Holla Jones envisions Hudson's career more on the trajectory of Willow Smith. Hudson has to grow a backbone and rely on the support of her friends to thwart her mom's plans. In Book 4, Emma is the daughter of a presidential candidate. Reckless, brave, and outspoken, she gets in over her head and gains national notoriety for it. She has to rely on her friends and inner character to stay true to herself. Nice characters, strong friendships, some romance, and uplifting messages. Fame, fashion, and wealth. (Amazon 1; Amazon 2)

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik
Pride and Prejudice meets high school. Derek is the son of uber celebrities. Elise is the daughter of the dorky, social-climbing school principal. The book has all the elements of Pride and Prejudice but doesn't follow the original book's plot so closely that it gets bogged down. Features uber-wealth, celebrities, and fashion. Another Gossip Girl nice. Cute light read. (Amazon)

The Season by Sarah MacLean
A mixture of romance, friendship, and mystery all set in aristocratic Regency-era London. Our heroine Alex was born into great wealth. Her role in life is to socialize and quickly marry well. Alex doesn't want any of it. Our hero Gavin grew up with Alex and her brothers. He is like an older brother to her, treating her at times like a child and at times like an attractive young woman. The dialogue between them was fabulous. Witty, somewhat daring, and sarcastic. A fluffy fun book. (Amazon)

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
Adorable, fun, light-hearted romance. A must for any Pride and Prejudice fan and a great introduction for those who haven't read Austen yet. While Prom and Prejudice doesn't have the complex social satire as Pride and Prejudice, it still incorporates the key elements of  the original. It was great seeing Elizabeth and Darcy able to get to know one another without the limits if proper 19th century societal expectations. (Amazon)

There's No Place Like Home (Secrets of My Hollywood Life #6) by Jen Calonita
The final installment of Secrets of My Hollywood Life, one of my favorite light, chick lit series. Kaitlin has tons of things on her plate. Her pushy mom only makes things worse, encouraging Kaitlin to do too much and making her seem like she's attention-hungry. Kaitlin's friends (which now includes her former rival Sky) want her to put her foot down and set some limits. But Kaitlin just can't say no. Enter Stage Right...a head-on collision and an It's A Wonderful Life alternate universe. Kaitlin is now from a poor family, in a fancy school, and hated by everyone except her star-crazy friend Liz. (Amazon)

Best Squeal Inducing Romance

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Another winner from Stephanie. Just as fun and sweet a romance as Anna and the French Kiss. Lola is a vivacious character. She spends her life creating and dressing up in costumes, which make her personality shine while also masking a deep-seeded insecurity. She is also stubborn, self-righteous, and quick to jump to conclusions. Cricket is as nice as can be. Awkward and nerdy. A little insecure. Very patient. Kinda "boyish," in a cool way. A highlight are Lola's dads Andy and Nathan. So nice to see well-developed, caring parents. And the romance! Super sweet. Nice build-up - feels like something that could actually happen. Love the Anna and the French Kiss tie-in too. (Amazon)

The Greyfriar and The Rift Walker by Clay and Susan Griffith
Fabulous, unique vampire story. A mixture of suspenseful action scenes with a slow-building romance will satisfy readers of multiple genres. The vampires are intensely violent creatures more like animals than humans. Lots of political intrigue, steampunk elements, as well as sci fi/fantasy tie-ins. The romance is subtle but so sweet that I repeatedly re-read my favorite "Aww..." inducing moments. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2)

Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent by Lisa Bergren
Time travel/historical fiction. Gabi and her sister accidentally travel back in time to 14th century Italy. Gabi runs into handsome, wealthy, brave, and kind Marcello and they quickly fall in love. No time to bask in happiness, because they have a multitude of enemies to fight. Great world-building. Lots of sword wielding girl power. Takes a bit of time to get into, but once the characters and story get their claws into you, you won't put the book down. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2, Amazon 3)

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
Truth. You can whittle the theme of Just Listen down to that one word. The importance of being truthful to your friends and family. But most of all, the importance of being true to yourself. Super sweet romance. Owen is the nicest boy even though he seems sullen at first. Annabel's family is an important subplot, which is refreshing. Just Listen also succeeded by never feeling fake or contrived. Lovely. (Amazon)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Stunning. A book equally about romance, family, and personal discovery. Even better, it's set in Prague. Karou is a regular girl who was raised by chimaera, half-animal/half-human creatures who live in a different world. Karou runs errands for her foster-father Brimstone who grants wishes. Akiva is an angel who hates chimaera more than words can describe. When Akiva and Karou meet, their souls collide. Karou is a strong, brave, funny, loving character who doesn't take guff from anyone. Heart-stopping romance. Shocking twists. Complex yet understandable. You'll re-read portions of the book after you finish and realize that there are so many important little things throughout the book. (Amazon)

Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead
Perfect ending to a fabulous series. There's less action in this installment since Rose is on the run and has to learn the value of accepting help rather than giving it. Meanwhile, Lissa is waging a political battle at court to acquit Rose and maybe change the future of the royals. Don't forget about romance. Dimitri and Adrian will both make you squeal, yell, and cry in this book. (Amazon)

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Bloodlines lives up to Vampire Academy, but I think it may be even better! Sydney is easier to relate to than Rose - Cautious, thoughtful, ambitious, responsible, subdued, self-conscious. And there's Adrian! I loved him in VA, but he comes into his own here. Not a huge amount of action - mostly set-up for the series - but the plot flows quickly and enjoyably. Also not much romance, but what's there is perfectly done. Heart-stopping! Don't read this unless you've read the entire Vampire Academy series. (Amazon)

Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta
Piper's Son is about the love and pain of a close family and the camaraderie and anger of friends.  A great companion to Saving Francesca. Witty, smart dialogue is the key feature of this story. Melina is a master of creating an enticing story with a relatively barebones plot. The characters and dialogue make this novel. (Amazon)

Sean Griswold’s Head by Lindsey Leavitt
When Type-A perfectionist Payton's world falls apart after her dad is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, Payton's counselor tells her to choose a focus object to help manage her stress. She chooses Sean Griswold's head. This turns into a great friendship and slow romance. Sean is a fabulous character who pushes Payton to break out of her angry shell. Also a wonderful, realistic portrayal of a loving family going through a hard time. (Amazon)

Books With Non-US Settings
-A surprising number of books are set outside of the US. I love armchair travel.

Italy (Medieval): Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent by Lisa Bergren
Time travel/historical fiction. Gabi and her sister accidentally travel back in time to 14th century Italy. Gabi runs into handsome, wealthy, brave, and kind Marcello and they quickly fall in love. No time to bask in happiness, because they have a multitude of enemies to fight. Great world-building. Lots of sword wielding girl power. Takes a bit of time to get into, but once the characters and story get their claws into you, you won't put the book down. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2, Amazon 3)

Spanish (Fantasy but obvious Latin culture): Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
A book where the main character does a complete 180 throughout the course of the plot, in looks and personality. A book that emphasizes the characters' faith in a way that fits seemlessly with the plot and is never preachy. A book that starts out weak and grows stronger and stronger. A book that incorporates Spanish language, culture, food, architecture, and more. A book where romance is present but not nearly as important as the protagonist. A book with major plot twists. Highly unusual, but highly enjoyable. (Amazon)

Japan: The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz
Starting in post-war Japan, The Commoner tells the story of the first non-aristocratic woman to marry a future emperor of Japan. The book begins with Haruko as a teenager and goes until she watches her own son marry a commoner. Haruko has a difficult life in the claustrophobic world of the monarchy. The book is rich with elements of Japanese culture and history that I loved. (Amazon)

England: Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
Reminiscent of classic children's stories. Set in Victorian era England, Liesl & Po is a book of friendship and loneliness, of greed and generosity, of death and life. Liesl, Po, and Will are all lonely and suffering characters. We watch as all three lives collide and then travel together in an exciting and heartwarming adventure. Oliver's prose is magical. It flows so smoothly that I felt like I was flying while reading the novel. Love the simple yet haunting sweetness of the book. (Amazon)

Ireland: There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
Normal (well, actually, filthy rich) girl meets teen vampire super-star Beckett Rush on a plane. They end up staying at the same B&B in Ireland. Finley hates Beckett for being famous, seemingly arrogant, and a supposed player. Beckett doesn't take anything seriously, constantly teases Finley, and won't leave her alone. What a surprise that they fall in love. A very predictable plot, but an utterly adorable, Christian romance. (Amazon)

England: The Season by Sarah MacLean
A mixture of romance, friendship, and mystery all set in aristocratic Regency-era London. Our heroine Alex was born into great wealth. Her role in life is to socialize and quickly marry well. Alex doesn't want any of it. Our hero Gavin grew up with Alex and her brothers. He is like an older brother to her, treating her at times like a child and at times like an attractive young woman. The dialogue between them was fabulous. Witty, somewhat daring, and sarcastic. A fluffy fun book. (Amazon)

England: The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
The perfect combination of historical fiction and fantasy. The Faerie Ring is set in Victorian England. You get to see the extremes of wealth and poverty in this novel since Tiki, the main character, lives on the streets while Leo, another main character is the son of Queen Victoria and lives in Buckingham Palace. Add to that a stolen ring that establishes peace between mankind and the fey and you have a story that will totally carry you away. (Amazon)

Australia: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
A story of friendship and family. Francesca is starting Year 11 as one of the few girls in a former boys' school. And her mother has sunk into a deep depression, bringing her family down with her. Francesca is miserable until she finds a loyal group of friends who build her back up. The highlight of this book is the banter between the characters. The dialogue is worth reading regardless of the plot. You'll fall in love with Francesca, her family, and all her friends. You can enjoy them again in Piper's Son. (Amazon)

Ireland: Carrier of the Mark by Carry Fallon
Megan is the new American girl who moves to Ireland with her dad and is instantly drawn to dark, mysterious Adam who doesn't like any of the other girls at school but is also drawn to Megan. Sound familiar? This book is very Twilighty by still delightful. Unique paranormal element. Unlike Twilight, Megan is equally powerful as Adam, if not moreso. Forbidden romance. Great family side characters, especially Aine - who is almost as cute as Alice. (Amazon)

Hasidic Jewish Area of Brooklyn (Feels very foreign): Hush by Eishes Chayil
Powerful, heartbreaking story of child molestation in the Hasidic Jewish community of New York City. Witness the devastation that can destroy multiple families when crimes are kept secret for years. Aside from the plot, this is a great cultural exploration of a close-knit religious community that lives as if it were 100 years ago. (Amazon)

Paris: Die for Me by Amy Plum
Fabulous new series. A bit Twilighty but in a good way. Even better, it's set in Paris. Unique paranormal element with great history and world building. Kate and Vincent have some insta-love, but Vincent is such a great guy that I don't mind. Well developed side characters make book a joy to read. (Amazon)

Fictional Island Near England: A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
A book that manages to be both simple and complex at the same time. It is the story of a girl living a mundane life in a poor, isolated island with her family and a few friends. But it is also a story filled with vibrant personalities, from Sophie's intellectual cousin Veronica to her tomboy little sister Henry. It is also the story of a pivotal time in history, at the eve of World War II where the Nazis are already starting to meet their mark. Beautiful, atmospheric setting. Great characters. A little dull. (Amazon)

England: Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
A middle grade historical fantasy set in early 19th century England and centers on a family that is just outside the cusp of wealth. Since the family is desperate for money (to pay off Kat's brother's gambling arrears), Elissa the oldest sister is going to marry the horrible (but rich) Sir Neville. Kat is bound and determined to stop this. In a parallel plot line, Kat finds her deceased mother's magic book and ends up being thrust into a world of magic that she couldn't have imagined. The two plot arcs intertwine as Kat has to get her sister away from Sir Neville while also juggling magical powers and magical politics. (Amazon)

France: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Heartbreaking, depressing, beautiful. Revolution is the tale of modern Andi who is horribly depressed after the death of her brother. Her father drags her to France where she finds the journal of Alexandrine who was an actress and special friend to little Louis XVII in the French Revolution. Stark, clean language. Very readable. Don't read the book if you need to be cheered up, but definitely pick it up on another day. (Amazon)

Poland: Walk the Wild Road by Nigel Hinton
12 year old boy in 1870 Poland is trying to flee to America. Encounters tons of adventure and danger, good friends and enemies, happiness and sadness. Classic boy's adventure story. (Amazon)

England/Scotland/France/Egypt/Northern Africa: The Greyfriar and The Rift Walker by Clay and Susan Griffith
Fabulous, unique vampire story. A mixture of suspenseful action scenes with a slow-building romance will satisfy readers of multiple genres. The vampires are intensely violent creatures more like animals than humans. Lots of political intrigue, steampunk elements, as well as sci fi/fantasy tie-ins. The romance is subtle but so sweet that I repeatedly re-read my favorite "Aww..." inducing moments. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2)

Lithuania/Siberia: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The idea of getting shipped off to Siberia is something I'd heard about most of my life. It's almost a cliche, a joke. In Between Shades of Gray, we are reminded that the horrors of the Stalin regime were no joke. They were raw, senseless, and beyond cruel. An exceptionally dark and powerful book. You will love all the characters, especially Lina. They are all wonderful yet flawed, realistic people going through unimaginable torture. (Amazon)

England: Shadowspell and Sirensong (Faeriewalker #2 and 3) by Jenna Black
Dana the Faeriewalker is wanted by everyone for her powers. Especially the dangerous Erlking, the faerie hunter who Dana meets when he is on the loose in Avalon. A love rectangle (or square) between Dana, Ethan, Keane, and the Erlking. There are now three hot, sex guys in this series. Of course, one of them is out to kill her...but little details. Shadowspell takes awhile to get into, but once you do, you won't put it down. Somewhat stereotypical plot and romance but hooks you regardless. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2)

England: A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
Fun mystery series set in post-war England. Features an 11-year-old girl named Flavia who is obsessed with chemistry and with thwarting her two older sisters. She runs into some odd situations and solves mysteries using her chemistry knowledge and sheer nosiness.

Russia: The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller
The Lost Crown covers the last four years of the Russian imperial family's life. It starts out at the beginning of World War I, when things are basically fine, with just an undercurrent of problems to come up to the very end of their horrific deaths. Told from alternating perspectives of the four girls: Olga, Maria, Tatiana, and Anastasia. The girls are sweet, innocent, and very sheltered. They try to keep their lives as normal and upbeat as possible. The book is very depressing, because you'll grow to love the characters but their deaths are pre-determined. (Amazon)

Italy: Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson
The perfect book for the armchair traveler. Jessa is on a school trip to Italy with her jerk ex-boyfriend and "the other woman." Instructions for a Broken Heart is as much a journey of break-up recovery as it is through Italy. Jessa follows her friends instructions to get revenge on the boy and have fun. Hilarious antic. The book drags a bit, but overall is a create story of a girl rebuilding and rediscovering herself. (Amazon)

Australia: Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta
Piper's Son is about the love and pain of a close family and the camaraderie and anger of friends.  A great companion to Saving Francesca. Witty, smart dialogue is the key feature of this story. Melina is a master of creating an enticing story with a relatively barebones plot. The characters and dialogue make this novel. (Amazon)

Spain (Post WW2): Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafon
Daniel finds a book called "Shadow of the Wind" at age ten. The rare book haunts and fascinates him and others throughout this book. Moreover, someone wants to destroy all copies of the book and Daniel gets involved in a dangerous attempt to save the book and uncover the author's past. Features a fascinating, quirky set of characters. A little hard to get into, but it ultimately becomes un-put-downable and highly rewarding. (Amazon)

China: Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
Drawing heavily on Chinese folk tales, history, and culture, Silver Phoenix is an adventure story full of evil spirits with a good dose of friendship and a little romance thrown in. By far, the best part of the book is the rich description of every meal and snack that characters ate. Fabulous, strong characters; somewhat odd plot. (Amazon)

China/Japan: Eon by Alison Goodman
Eon's entire life is dedicated to becoming a Dragoneye. His entire life is a lie. He is a 16 year old girl masquerading as a 12 year old boy. Eon's attempt to become a Dragoneye carries her farther than she ever imagined. The book draws on Chinese and Japanese legends. Constant action, great food scenes, and a strong, capable girl main character. It is high fantasy but it feels more like historical fantasy, because the Asian setting feels so real. (Amazon)

Prague: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Stunning. A book equally about romance, family, and personal discovery. Even better, it's set in Prague. Karou is a regular girl who was raised by chimaera, half-animal/half-human creatures who live in a different world. Karou runs errands for her foster-father Brimstone who grants wishes. Akiva is an angel who hates chimaera more than words can describe. When Akiva and Karou meet, their souls collide. Karou is a strong, brave, funny, loving character who doesn't take guff from anyone. Heart-stopping romance. Shocking twists. Complex yet understandable. You'll re-read portions of the book after you finish and realize that there are so many important little things throughout the book. (Amazon)

Tear-Jerker
-I'd recommend buying stock in Kleenex for these. Interesting that I didn't read as many cry-inducing books this year as I often do.

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Conclusion to Wolves of Mercy Falls series. The helicopter shoot is on and Isabel, Cole, Sam, and Grace had to race to save the wolves. It wasn't a page turner, but there was a definable plot and finally some action. New characters become important. We revisited old ones. Relationships improved. Relationships broke down. The book dragged a lot at the beginning. As always, beautiful, cold, stark writing. Controversial ending that I loved, but many people didn't. (Amazon)

Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
My favorite book of the entire Iron Fey series! Ash is determined to trade his fairy sold for that of a mortal, so he can reside with Meghan in the Iron Kingdom. Reminiscent of Homer's The Odyssey, Ash sets off on a long journey of dangerous adventures to reach the place where he might become mortal, joined by his friend/enemy Puck. Full of what Julie Kagawa does best - great action and well developed characters. Plus lots of Grim! (Amazon)

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Heartbreaking, depressing, beautiful. Revolution is the tale of modern Andi who is horribly depressed after the death of her brother. Her father drags her to France where she finds the journal of Alexandrine who was an actress and special friend to little Louis XVII in the French Revolution. Stark, clean language. Very readable. Don't read the book if you need to be cheered up, but definitely pick it up on another day. (Amazon)

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The idea of getting shipped off to Siberia is something I'd heard about most of my life. It's almost a cliche, a joke. In Between Shades of Gray, we are reminded that the horrors of the Stalin regime were no joke. They were raw, senseless, and beyond cruel. An exceptionally dark and powerful book. You will love all the characters, especially Lina. They are all wonderful yet flawed, realistic people going through unimaginable torture. (Amazon)

Shine by Lauren Myracle
A whodunnit mystery disguised as a novel. Cat's childhood friend Patrick, who is openly gay, was savagely beaten and is in a coma barely holding onto life. Cat sets out to find his attacker. In doing so, she has to confront her past and all the people in her community that she has labeled as ignorant, cruel, or addicts, be they friends or family. A somewhat slow, serious book that makes you think. (Amazon)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Stunning. A book equally about romance, family, and personal discovery. Even better, it's set in Prague. Karou is a regular girl who was raised by chimaera, half-animal/half-human creatures who live in a different world. Karou runs errands for her foster-father Brimstone who grants wishes. Akiva is an angel who hates chimaera more than words can describe. When Akiva and Karou meet, their souls collide. Karou is a strong, brave, funny, loving character who doesn't take guff from anyone. Heart-stopping romance. Shocking twists. Complex yet understandable. You'll re-read portions of the book after you finish and realize that there are so many important little things throughout the book. (Amazon)

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
A beautiful, powerful book. The Mockingbirds takes Alex Patrick on a journey from one of the lowest, most terrifying, humiliating points imaginable to a slow, gradual recovery and a possibility of empowerment. A victim of date rape, her friends convince her to go to The Mockingbirds, the underground school disciplinary squad, and put her classmate on trial. Through Daisy's skillful prose, words fly off the page and the reader lives, breathes, and feels Alex's ordeal. (Amazon)

Best of 2011: Interview with Clay and Susan Griffith

As part of my end of the year round-up, I am posting interviews with a few of authors of my favorite books of 2011. Today I'm featuring Clay and Susan Griffith, authors of the fabulous Vampire Empire series, thus far comprising of The Greyfriar and The Rift Walker. Clay and Susan have been married more than fifteen years. They have written many comic books over the years including The Tick, The Man-Eating Cow and, more recently, Allan Quatermain and the Lord of Locusts. They also script and contribute to the tv/web show Monster Creature Feature.

Both The Greyfriar and The Rift Walker are wonderful, but I ultimately chose The Greyfriar to be amongst my Top Ten for the 2011. Each book stands out in a different way, but I particularly love the romance in the first book.

More about The Greyfriar:

Vampire predators run wild in this exciting steampunk adventure, the first in an alternate history trilogy that is already attracting attention. In 1870, monsters rise up and conquer the northern lands, As great cities are swallowed up by carnage and disease, landowners and other elite flee south to escape their blood-thirsty wrath. One hundred fifty years later, the great divide still exists; fangs on one side of the border, worried defenders on the other. This fragile equilibrium is threatened, then crumbles after a single young princess becomes almost hopelessly lost in the hostile territory. At first, she has only one defender: a mysterious Greyfriar who roams freely in dangerous vampire regions. A trade paperback original; buyer's choice. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Please welcome Clay and Susan to Alison Can Read!

1. How would you describe Greyfriar and Adele's personalities?

The thing that separates them the most is that Greyfriar lives in the now. He reacts instinctively and immediately, no matter the situation. He lives by his actions, eager to react and protect what he feels is important. It’s not that he damns the consequences; he just doesn’t think about them at great length. It’s what makes him a poor politician, but a stalwart hero.

Adele on the other hand is developing into a person who is always thinking about four or five moves ahead of everyone else. She’d make a terrific opponent at chess. She considers consequences because so many people are impacted by her actions. It is rare that she does anything on the spur of the moment. And if she does, she’ll pause to rethink the implications of her actions. She may hate politics but she is damn good at it.

2. One of the things that impressed me with The Rift Walker was that it avoided so many of the stereotypes of a "second book." Specifically - happy couple starts off together, some conflict separates happy couple, third wheel enters the picture threatening the renewal of happy couple's happiness, happy couple reunites and all is well leading into the third book. Was that something you consciously tried to avoid?

We definitely wanted The Rift Walker to be an Empire Strikes Back-type sequel, meaning just as good if not better than the first book. We’ve been working hard to make this series something new and different from the start, whether it’s turning the vampire myth on its ear or mixing up the genres. The romance element to the story isn’t typical either. In fact, the romance between Adele and Greyfriar is pretty slow boil. In The Rift Walker they’re just becoming a “couple”, so there’s no real point in breaking them up with a third wheel. There’s too much to discover yet between the two of them. Also, our third wheel (Senator Clark) could never turn Adele from Greyfriar! In truth, the only third wheel they will have to contend with is the war itself, and the fundamental conflict of their natures. All other conflicts seem pale in comparison.

3. Vampires are so common now that they seem passe. The Vampire Empire vampires are definitely a different breed. Still, did you have trouble convincing publishers to look at a vampire series when werewolves and zombies seem to be the "hip" paranormal creatures?

We’ve been working on this series for quite some time, and the vampire craze came and went at least twice since its conception. But the beauty of the vampire is that they are timeless. Frenzies may rise and fall (Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, Buffy, Twilight, to name just a few most recent), but vampires will always rise again (no pun intended!) There will always be an interest, and publishers were still interested in vampires too.

Actually, we saw publishers on both sides of the fence regarding vampire trends. Some said our books were not similar enough to other bestselling vampire series, while others said it was exactly like them, and they needed no more. But our series isn’t just a vampire story. It’s about relationships, politics, war, and high adventure, and we are thankful that Lou Anders, our editor at Pyr Books, saw a narrative than wasn’t just another rehash of an old monster.

4. If I worked with my husband, I would kill him - probably in less than a day. How do you balance your work lives and your personal lives?

Sometimes working together as a married couple is hard. Other times it is a blessing. The initial creation and then the final editing are usually the most difficult segments of the collaboration. That is when we are fighting the hardest to keep something personal in the story. Arguments can get loud, though rarely dangerous, unless one of us grabs a frying pan or the cat. But the rest of the writing process is fairly solitary. We both have separate offices and we work at different coffee shops sometimes. Updates are given when we get together over dinner or on the weekends. Bottom line, collaboration is hard, but we both know the final work is better for it. We both trust and admire what the other brings to the table, so at the end of the day, when we kiss and make up, we realize that what we are creating is something folks will love as much as we do.

5. The Steampunk genre is fairly new to me. Can you recommend some other Steampunk books?

Currently, we’re reading George Mann’s Newbury and Hobbs series. We love the flawed characters as well as the unique neo-Victorian world. The standard setters these days are Gail Carriger’s Soulless series and Cherie Priest’s Clockwork Century series. There’s also The Society of Steam novels by Andrew Mayer and Mark Hodder’s Burton and Swineburne series, as well as the young adult series by Philip Reeve called Mortal Engines. And although steampunk seems relatively new, there are classics in the genre, like The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers, which has a great cast of eccentric characters.

6. What advice would you give to an aspiring writer, aside from the obligatory "Read a lot and Write a lot"?

Read a lot and write a lot. Yes, it is obligatory, but it’s still true. Okay, beyond that, we tell aspiring writers not to get discouraged, and learn to invite and interpret criticism. Aspiring writers will receive a great deal of criticism along the way from readers, editors, reviewers, even friends and family. Never hear the criticism as saying “you’re a bad writer.” Never let that criticism make you stop writing. Use it instead to learn and hone your craft to the next level. Negative comments can come for a variety of reasons. Genuine issues can be anything from confusing grammar to a lack of focus on themes to a change in character that seems unlikely, or your reader might be having a bad day or your story could be outside their comfort zone. The trick is to discover if the criticism is something you can control and correct, or whether it is something beyond your control. Never turn a blind eye to criticism out of arrogance or anger, but embrace it and explore the reasons behind it in order to discover if it is something important that can make you a better writer.

2011 Book Lists Pt. 5: Genre Day: Cross-Over Adult; Fantasy; Historical Fiction; Historical Fantasy; Dystopia

*Back to Introductory Post; Pt. 1; Pt. 2; Pt 3; Pt. 4; Pt. 6; Pt. 7
*Books are linked to my reviews, if available. They're also linked to Amazon. I have read all of these books and written reviews for most, but haven't posted many of them yet. As I do, I will update this page.

Genre Day
-Genres are both good and bad. On the plus side, there are a lot of books out there and separating books into genres gives readers an idea of whether or not they'd like the book. On the negative side, separating books into black and white categories steer readers away from books they might like.

Cross-Over Adult
People shouldn't limit themselves to adult books, but lovers of young adult fiction shouldn't be wary of adult books either.

The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz
Starting in post-war Japan, The Commoner tells the story of the first non-aristocratic woman to marry a future emperor of Japan. The book begins with Haruko as a teenager and goes until she watches her own son marry a commoner. Haruko has a difficult life in the claustrophobic world of the monarchy. The book is rich with elements of Japanese culture and history that I loved. (Amazon)


The Greyfriar and The Rift Walker by Clay and Susan Griffith
Fabulous, unique vampire story. A mixture of suspenseful action scenes with a slow-building romance will satisfy readers of multiple genres. The vampires are intensely violent creatures more like animals than humans. Lots of political intrigue, steampunk elements, as well as sci fi/fantasy tie-ins. The romance is subtle but so sweet that I repeatedly re-read my favorite "Aww..." inducing moments. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2)

Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins
Shows how teenagers' quirks that result in ostracism in high school can positively impact their lives later. Follows seven teens through a year in high school, each of whom have different roles on the social hierarchy from a loner to a popular girl. No extraordinary revelations about psychology or personality in here, but it's always interesting to read accounts of teenagers' daily lives. (Amazon)

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
If you're a fan of zombie books, Warm Bodies is definitely something to pick up. If you're not a fan of zombie books, don't pass this by. While the book doesn't skimp on the violence of zombie appetites, its most prominent features are beautiful prose, thought-provoking philosophical questions, and a subtle, sweet love story. (Amazon)

Exposure by Therese Fowler
Exposure is a harrowing tale of teenage sexting and the legal system. It shows the horrible consequences that can occur when normal teenagers in love act like teenagers in love, but their actions run afoul of overzealous parents and prosecutors. Definitely a page turner. (Amazon)

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafon
Daniel finds a book called "Shadow of the Wind" at age ten. The rare book haunts and fascinates him and others throughout this book. Moreover, someone wants to destroy all copies of the book and Daniel gets involved in a dangerous attempt to save the book and uncover the author's past. Features a fascinating, quirky set of characters. A little hard to get into, but it ultimately becomes un-put-downable and highly rewarding. (Amazon)

Friday Night Bites (Chicagoland Vampires #2) by Chloe Neill
27-year-old Merit is changed into a vampire against her will. She's sucked into an impending vampire war. Merit must accept her new life as an immortal and also help protect her vampire house from those that threaten them. Heart-stopping, romantic, love triangle tension between Merit, master vampire Ethan, and rival house vampire Morgan. Merit has a fabulously snarky voice that will make you want to read more and more. (Amazon)

A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
Fun mystery series set in post-war England. Features an 11-year-old girl named Flavia who is obsessed with chemistry and with thwarting her two older sisters. She runs into some odd situations and solves mysteries using her chemistry knowledge and sheer nosiness.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
One of those books that you finish and want to immediately re-start to immerse yourself in the magic and beauty and also to understand its complexity. Two twists magicians create a circus as the framework to pit their proteges against one another. This results in an ensemble book that tells the stories of multiple characters. The book is a romance between Celia and Marco, but it is just as much the story of Poppet and Widget, Bailey, Tsukiko, Isabel, and more. The circus is incredibly described; I'd pay great amounts of money to attend this circus. (Amazon)



Fantasy

Nightspell by Leah Cypess
Complex high fantasy with incredible world building. Nightspell is set in Ghostland, a kingdom where ghosts and the living reside together. Loved how well the ghosts were described. A character driven novel. At various times in the book, I hated, feared, cared for, and pitied the characters, both ghost and living. The pace is slow but steady. If you like character-driven novels, family relationships, fabulous world-building, and nearly romance-less book, you'll love Nightspell. (Amazon)

Eon by Alison Goodman
Eon's entire life is dedicated to becoming a Dragoneye. His entire life is a lie. He is a 16 year old girl masquerading as a 12 year old boy. Eon's attempt to become a Dragoneye carries her farther than she ever imagined. The book draws on Chinese and Japanese legends. Constant action, great food scenes, and a strong, capable girl main character. It is high fantasy but it feels more like historical fantasy, because the Asian setting feels so real. (Amazon)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Stunning. A book equally about romance, family, and personal discovery. Even better, it's set in Prague. Karou is a regular girl who was raised by chimaera, half-animal/half-human creatures who live in a different world. Karou runs errands for her foster-father Brimstone who grants wishes. Akiva is an angel who hates chimaera more than words can describe. When Akiva and Karou meet, their souls collide. Karou is a strong, brave, funny, loving character who doesn't take guff from anyone. Heart-stopping romance. Shocking twists. Complex yet understandable. You'll re-read portions of the book after you finish and realize that there are so many important little things throughout the book. (Amazon)

Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
A book where the main character does a complete 180 throughout the course of the plot, in looks and personality. A book that emphasizes the characters' faith in a way that fits seemlessly with the plot and is never preachy. A book that starts out weak and grows stronger and stronger. A book that incorporates Spanish language, culture, food, architecture, and more. A book where romance is present but not nearly as important as the protagonist. A book with major plot twists. Highly unusual, but highly enjoyable. (Amazon)

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley
A quietly enticing novel. A high fantasy that feels foreign yet familiar. The Baens and the Witchlanders have been enemies forever. Each culture has its own myth stories decrying the evils of the other. This is a tale about a Baen boy and Witchlander boy whose lives intertwine unexpectedly. Very interesting, if a little confusing world-building, because of the two very different groups. Easy to read prose that is smooth and welcoming. (Amazon)

Wildwood by Colin Meloy
Wildwood is an incredible concept and a good book, but it fails to reach its full potential. The idea behind it is fascinating. A secret world exists within the city of Portland. The Impassible Wilderness is full of talking animals and humans and it has its own politics, history, and culture. As you'd expect from Colin Meloy (lead singer of The Decemberists), the vocabulary is incredibly sophisticated. Perhaps too much so. Unfortunately, the book drags and is way too long. Still fun to read, but a bit of a chore. (Amazon)

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
Marvelously rich, complex story that bridges dystopia, high fantasy, and science fiction. Alternates between four unlikeable, but always relatable characters. Oftentimes the book is too complex, making it hard to follow, but I admire the author for not dumbing down the series. Strong themes of politics, religion, friendship, and betrayal. No romance - quite refreshing. (Amazon)

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
Drawing heavily on Chinese folk tales, history, and culture, Silver Phoenix is an adventure story full of evil spirits with a good dose of friendship and a little romance thrown in. By far, the best part of the book is the rich description of every meal and snack that characters ate. Fabulous, strong characters; somewhat odd plot. (Amazon)

Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Combination of high fantasy set long ago, traditional folk tale, family love and strife, burgeoning romance, and small town narrow-mindedness. When an unknown boy arrives in the town of Near, tongues start wagging. A new person is a cause for fear not celebration in this narrow minded, easily frightened community. These fears seem well-founded when local children begin disappearing in the night soon after the boy arrives. Lexi and said unknown boy dubbed Cole join together to search for the true Near Witch. Beautiful prose. (Amazon)

Chime by Franny Billingsley
Briony is convinced that she's an evil witch who hurts everyone around her; she despises herself. She holds everyone back, so she can't hurt them. Eldric, the new lion-boy, refuses to stay away. Beautiful, lyrical, stream of consciousness prose that is sure to garner this book awards. Well-developed characters and complex plot. The emphasis on "pretty" writing kept me from ever feeling truly attached to the plot and characters though. (Amazon)

Historical Fiction
*One of my all time favorite genres. History was my favorite subject in school and I love reading books about history, real or fictional.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Heartbreaking, depressing, beautiful. Revolution is the tale of modern Andi who is horribly depressed after the death of her brother. Her father drags her to France where she finds the journal of Alexandrine who was an actress and special friend to little Louis XVII in the French Revolution. Stark, clean language. Very readable. Don't read the book if you need to be cheered up, but definitely pick it up on another day. (Amazon)

A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
A book that manages to be both simple and complex at the same time. It is the story of a girl living a mundane life in a poor, isolated island with her family and a few friends. But it is also a story filled with vibrant personalities, from Sophie's intellectual cousin Veronica to her tomboy little sister Henry. It is also the story of a pivotal time in history, at the eve of World War II where the Nazis are already starting to meet their mark. Beautiful, atmospheric setting. Great characters. A little dull. (Amazon)

The Season by Sarah MacLean
A mixture of romance, friendship, and mystery all set in aristocratic Regency-era London. Our heroine Alex was born into great wealth. Her role in life is to socialize and quickly marry well. Alex doesn't want any of it. Our hero Gavin grew up with Alex and her brothers. He is like an older brother to her, treating her at times like a child and at times like an attractive young woman. The dialogue between them was fabulous. Witty, somewhat daring, and sarcastic. A fluffy fun book. (Amazon)

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
A stark, haunting, beautiful novel. Set in 1906 at an upstate New York resort. Mattie works at a resort where a guest was murdered. But the book is more about Mattie than the murder. She is an avid-booklover and wordsmith. She desperately wants to go to college, get out of her small town, and become a writer. Yet with her mother's death, her father's embitterment, and her family's poverty, the chief burdens of care-taking have fallen upon Mattie. Beautifully written character story. (Amazon)

Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer
Rollicking adventure story. Mary, aka Jack, pretends to be a boy and gets a job as a ship's boy on a navy ship. Mary and her fellow ship boys get themselves into one dangerous situation after another. Mary always manages to save the day. The book is told in Mary's cockney accent which is somewhat irritating, but does set the atmosphere. Great book for younger teens. (Amazon)

Walk the Wild Road by Nigel Hinton
12 year old boy in 1870 Poland is trying to flee to America. Encounters tons of adventure and danger, good friends and enemies, happiness and sadness. Classic boy's adventure story. (Amazon)

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The idea of getting shipped off to Siberia is something I'd heard about most of my life. It's almost a cliche, a joke. In Between Shades of Gray, we are reminded that the horrors of the Stalin regime were no joke. They were raw, senseless, and beyond cruel. An exceptionally dark and powerful book. You will love all the characters, especially Lina. They are all wonderful yet flawed, realistic people going through unimaginable torture. (Amazon)

The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller
The Lost Crown covers the last four years of the Russian imperial family's life. It starts out at the beginning of World War I, when things are basically fine, with just an undercurrent of problems to come up to the very end of their horrific deaths. Told from alternating perspectives of the four girls: Olga, Maria, Tatiana, and Anastasia. The girls are sweet, innocent, and very sheltered. They try to keep their lives as normal and upbeat as possible. The book is very depressing, because you'll grow to love the characters but their deaths are pre-determined. (Amazon)

Historical Fantasy
*One of my favorite new genres - the combination of historical fiction and high fantasy. I love the infusion of magical elements into the real past.

Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent by Lisa Bergren
Time travel/historical fiction. Gabi and her sister accidentally travel back in time to 14th century Italy. Gabi runs into handsome, wealthy, brave, and kind Marcello and they quickly fall in love. No time to bask in happiness, because they have a multitude of enemies to fight. Great world-building. Lots of sword wielding girl power. Takes a bit of time to get into, but once the characters and story get their claws into you, you won't put the book down. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2, Amazon 3)

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
Reminiscent of classic children's stories. Set in Victorian era England, Liesl & Po is a book of friendship and loneliness, of greed and generosity, of death and life. Liesl, Po, and Will are all lonely and suffering characters. We watch as all three lives collide and then travel together in an exciting and heartwarming adventure. Oliver's prose is magical. It flows so smoothly that I felt like I was flying while reading the novel. Love the simple yet haunting sweetness of the book. (Amazon)

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
The perfect combination of historical fiction and fantasy. The Faerie Ring is set in Victorian England. You get to see the extremes of wealth and poverty in this novel since Tiki, the main character, lives on the streets while Leo, another main character is the son of Queen Victoria and lives in Buckingham Palace. Add to that a stolen ring that establishes peace between mankind and the fey and you have a story that will totally carry you away. (Amazon)

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
A middle grade historical fantasy set in early 19th century England and centers on a family that is just outside the cusp of wealth. Since the family is desperate for money (to pay off Kat's brother's gambling arrears), Elissa the oldest sister is going to marry the horrible (but rich) Sir Neville. Kat is bound and determined to stop this. In a parallel plot line, Kat finds her deceased mother's magic book and ends up being thrust into a world of magic that she couldn't have imagined. The two plot arcs intertwine as Kat has to get her sister away from Sir Neville while also juggling magical powers and magical politics. (Amazon)

Always A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
Sequel to Once a Witch. Combination of witchcraft and time travel. Tamsin Greene is no longer Talentless. She is an incredibly powerful witch and will need all her powers to rescue her past and present family from Alistair Knight. Great, headstrong female lead complemented by cute romance. (Amazon)

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
Set at the turn of the 20th century in Baltimore, this book blends historical fiction and paranormal. Amelia discovers that she is psychic. She and her cousin use her talent to climb the local social circle, but eventually foretelling the future has negative consequences. Ultimately, this is a romance with a handsome, mysterious painter named Nathaniel. An otherworldly, true love book. (Amazon)





Dystopia
*Dystopia is not one of my favorite genres, but I do read it when a book sounds particularly good. I didn't read many this year, although there were quite a few that sounded interesting enough to overcome my distaste for dystopia.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Dark, dark. Depressing, depressing. Glimpses of hope. Life is horrible for all but the privileged few in Wither. A disease kills off every human in their early twenties. Reproduction is valued above all else. Rhine was kidnapped and forced to become one of a wealthy son's wives. Touching story about the relationship between the sister wives. Rhine's fast romance with a servant boy Gabriel is good but will probably be better in later books. (Amazon)

Matched by Ally Condie
Cassia is happily ensconced in a utopian society where the government makes all decisions for a person. She is thrilled to be "matched" with her best friend for a future husband but then devastated to learn that she was supposed to be with someone else. When she gets to know her true intended, the walls of her perfect society begin to crumble. Book flows quickly; incredibly easy and enjoyable to read, even if not wholly original. (Amazon)