Looking Back: Best Books of 2012

It's been a long year and it hasn't always gone according to plan. But despite its many ups and downs, 2012 hasn't been that bad for me. I got to attend two blog related events, have now completed two drafts on my first novel and have a cover for it and did read some very good books--even if I admittedly suck at keeping this place as up to date as I'd like. (I'm working on it--I have a WoW list ranging from the start of January up to July 18th...) Anyway, here are my picks for best books read in 2012. These are in no particular order, excluding my favorite book read in 2012, which I will post last.

BZRK  

by Michael Grant

Why It's Great: I got this book as part of Bookurious, so it's not something I naturally picked up off a shelf for myself. Because of this, I had no idea what to expect. What I discovered was a book that I found so deeply compelling that I literally carried it in the car with me because I refused to put it down. (Fortunately, I don't drive.) I would strongly recommend this for anyone looking for a fast paced read with great characters and a fascinating plot that will make you ask a lot of questions.

The Fault In Our Stars 

by John Green

Why It's Great: I had wanted to read this for a while, and right after my grandma was diagnosed with multiple myeloma I decided the time had come. This was my first book written soley by John Green (I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson last year and liked it a lot.) and it definitely did not disappoint. I think what I said in my review was that The Fault in Our Stars is the kind of book that will break your heart in order to put it back together. I'd recommend that anyone who hasn't read this yet bring tissues.

Critical Failures 

by Robert Bevan

Why It's Great: If I were giving out actual awards, Critical Failures would get one for being the funniest book I've read all year. As an avid gamer, especially back in my early to mid twenties, I felt very able to relate to the characters in this novel, who are sucked into a Dungeons & Dragons like game called Caverns and Creatures. I'd recommend that anyone looking to get this also grab Robert's two short stories, Cave of the Kobolds and Zombies Attack . (This is NOT YA.)

Wicked As They Come 

by Delilah S. Dawson

Why It's Great: Yet again with those imaginary awards: if I was giving them out, Wicked As They Come would receive one for best world building this year. I absolutely loved how Delilah set up her world and the creatures in it. Everything had such a fresh, unique take that exploring the world with the characters was just as much fun as getting to know them. Add to this that the characterization was excellent, the romance was paced well and the cover is gorgeous and you have a recipe for greatness. So glad I read this! (This is NOT YA.)

Throne of Glass 

by Sarah J. Maas

Why It's Great: A kick-ass heroine who has surprising vulnerability and depth, a love triangle that actually works (read: I like both guys), terrific world building and great writing combine to make Throne of Glass one of the most compulsively readable books of 2012. I absolutely loved this and if you haven't read it my one recommendation would be to go and buy it. Now!

Dark Horizons 

by Krystle Jones

Why It's Great: This is an extremely high energy book--it's full of action and emotion, love and betrayal, hope and despair. Yes, I realize how vague that sounds. But I don't want to spoil what goes on here, and this is the middle of a trilogy so that could happen very easily. I can tell you that the plot moves quick and the characters are memorable. If you haven't started reading The Red Sector Chronicles, and you like vampires and dystopia, you really should give it a go.

Dragonswood 

by Janet Lee Carey

Why It's Great: I have a love hate relationship with fantasy novels. I do love them, and I want to love them, but they don't always *let* me love them. Dragonswood is one of the fantasy novels I bought and read this year that seemed willing to go out of its way to make me like it: an interesting and complex heroine, a beautifully drawn world, great myth / lore and a hero I totally adored combine to make this an easy recommendation. I could not put Dragonswood down and if I had to pick a book to re-read next year, this would be it.

Legend 

by Marie Lu

Why It's Great: I read this roughly a year ago and I can still remember recording my first IMM video and telling people "Run, don't walk!" in relation to whether they should pick this book up. I really liked a lot about Legend--the fast pace, the dual narratives, the main characters' personalities, the connection that forms between them... It is just all around awesome. Who wants to bet Prodigy is on my must read list for 2013? You'd be right.

The Game Changer 

by Marie Landry

Why It's Great: As with her debut, Blue Sky Days, The Game Changer shows two things about its author: Marie Landry clearly loves contemporary fiction, and she writes it well. Her characters are believable yet dynamic, she has a way of describing the places she creates for her stories so that they come to life and have an almost magical charm and the romance and chemistry between Melody and Julian was totally awesome. Look for my review very soon--the only reason it isn't up yet is because I was writing it when my hands were messed up. If you haven't read this yet, what's keeping you? (This is NOT YA.)

Under the Never Sky 

by Veronica Rossi

Why It's Great: Sometimes it's fun to be surprised, and at other times its fun to have high hopes for a book ... and have them not only met completely, but also to be utterly blown away. Under the Never Sky had a kind of gamer feel to it when I read the description and I knew I had to read it. I actually got this for my kindle and paid something like $13 for it (I *never* do that, people. Like, ever.) because I wanted to read it so bad. I loved everything here: the romance between Perry and Aria, the friendship between these two and Roar (and Roar's great sense of humor!), the world building... You name it.

Devoured  

by Emily Snow

Why It's Great: This is one of those books that pretty much screamed at me to read it and I am so glad that I did. Remember those awards I was pretending to hand out a ways up? Well, this book would likely get one for hottest chemistry / sexual tension in a novel. Ever. Oh my God I loved reading about Lucas and Sienna together. They had this whole underlying tension because of their current situation and they had chemistry built up from their past. In short, I could not put this down. I was totally obsessed. If you haven't read it... you get the idea. (This is NOT YA.)

And my FAVORITE book of 2012 is... 

You just had to see this coming. Anyone who knows me must have been scrolling down and thinking "Where is it?" "Where is it?" "It has to be here!". 

This was my most anticipated new book for 2012 and it gave me everything I wanted from it and more:

-- I absolutely LOVE America, despite her ridiculous name.

-- Both Aspen and Maxom are great love interests, although I must confess that Maxom has my heart and, in addition to being one of the LI's in my favorite book this year, is also likely my favorite new book boy this year.

-- The world was designed well enough that I got a decent feel for it, but it didn't bog the story down or take away from the important things going on. It did a great job of setting up danger via the rebels, the rules of The Selection, the choices America must make, etc. and yet balanced this with not making things so perilous that I wanted to scream at America to run for her life. This is not a "trapped" character and I think Kiera walked a good balance in making sure it made sense for America to stay.

-- The ending drove me totally batty, yet made me want to read the next book rather then toss the one I held in my hands. I hate this type of ending normally, yet The Elite is at the top of my must read list for 2013. Nice work.

So, what is your favorite book of 2013? Feel free to let me know in the comments! 

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

I've wanted to read this book since the first time I heard about it. That said, I knew that there was a fifty fifty chance on this book for me. This would either be something I totally loved or totally hated. Why? Because the premise both compelled and repulsed me at the same time.

Claimed to be The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor, The Selection actually drew me in because of it's reality TV attitude. I was there for the tension and intrigue among the contestants, as well as the developing romance between America and Maxom vs. America and Aspen. As someone who went and auditioned for Canadian Idol, I've had a bit of experience with the whole competitive aspect of reality TV and when romance was mixed with that I couldn't look away.

So, are you curious what I thought of The Selection? Did it live up to my expectations? Leave me deliriously giddy or completely ticked off? Read on and find out.

The Plot: (Summary from GoodReads)

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Okay, first let me cover my one tremendous beef with The Selection. (Or rather, its marketing...)

If you are looking for another dose of The Hunger Games, I'll tell you what you need to know right now: please look somewhere else. I don't know who came up with the idea for the whole 'peanut butter and chocolate' marketing plan this book went through. I just know it was a really, really bad idea. There are a lot of things that I really loved about The Selection. There are a lot of things I think it did really well. But any aspects that could be paralleled to The Hunger Games are, without question, the weakest elements in this book.

The rebel threat is interesting, the caste system adds a unique layer that will hopefully be explored more vividly in future books and the fact that history is being kept from being recorded is a very scary thought. But these things were not the forefront of the story, and it's not fair to have people coming to this thinking they are.

My biggest issue among these three topics is by far the rebel situation. It was done in a way that is completely passive -- as was pretty much every violent or threatening situation covered in the book. I did not dislike our leading lady America for this passivity. I didn't come to The Selection expecting to find a warrior princess. But when the worst thing that directly threatened her was another contestant ripping the sleeve off one of her dresses, comparisons to The Hunger Games are not a smart move.

Okay, now that I've got that out of the way, let's talk about what was great. And there was a LOT of great...

What The Selection lacked in dystopian danger and physical jeopardy to the main character, it made up for in a somewhat twisted fairy tale type charm, filled with internal conflicts, fascinating characters and an intriguing premise that (rebels aside) succeeded admirably. The love triangle, although I picked a team easy here, is set up in a way that I'm sure will up the danger quota down the road. The relationships between America and the other girls competing for Maxom's hand, as well as those between America and her maids, were extremely well developed, considering the size of the cast. 

Despite the fireballs I threw at the book a minute ago, allow me to grant it the praise it deserves. Of all the books I have read in the last (roughly) year or so I've been blogging, none has allowed me to recapture and experience the loss of first love and the hopeful thrill of discovering new love in the last place one would expect it the way that The Selection has managed to do. 

The Characters: 

The reason I felt this incredible connection has to be The Selection's totally awesome heroine, America. Is her name totally cheesy? Yes. That was one of the things that had me a little hesitant. But who really gets to pick their own name? Cheesy name or not, America seemed like the kind of girl I could easily be friends with. And because of her honest and real narrative, this book really made me feel. I went through everything America went through with her. The friendships, the homesickness, the confusion, the love, all of it. 

This was what I'd call an "active" reading experience. I've talked about being frustrated when a book doesn't make me leave my chair -- when my imagination does not kick in to let me forget that I am turning pages. This was the opposite. Not only did I pretty much forget about the book in my hands, but I felt it along with America. I laughed. I cried. I blushed. I cringed. I had moments when I had to stop reading because I was terrified or mortified about what could or would happen next. This is the absolutely most awesome sense of connection I can have with a book. This is the holy grail for me as a reader. I'm very glad I found it here. 

If I could use a quote to try and clearly explain why America won my respect by the end of the book, I'd draw your attention to this:

"So, you're choosing him over me?" he asked miseribly.

"No. I'm not choosing you or him. I'm choosing me." 

(The Selection, pg. 325)

The two love interests, Aspen and Maxom, were both interesting, too. Neither of them was actually what I expected which lead me to wind up feeling differently then I thought I would feel by the end of the book. I liked that. It's always fun, to me, when an author does things that go beyond my expectations.

We meet Aspen first, and honestly, I just thought he was alright. He has this very "I'm the Man" attitude going on that really irritated me. I get it: he's poor, his family needs stuff and he has a strong need to prove himself. But really ... he just wasn't my type. And I really, really hate what he did near the end of the novel. I'll save talking about that for a book chat or something, since I don't want to spoil it. I guess my other big issue with Aspen is that we really don't get to see the relationship between him and America grow. We enter it en media res and personally, I just wasn't impressed.

Maxom, on the other hand? Oh my God I loved him. Sign me up, sign me up! Here's the thing, guys: I was totally ready to hate his guts, just like America was. But he was absolutely nothing I figured he would be. He's in the same class as only one other book boy I've read about who left this kind of impression on me: Linden from Wither. This is a really, really hard thing for an author to pull off, in my opinion. A lot of times when a reader decides they're gonna hate somebody, it sticks. But Maxom had this very sweet and innocent quality that is very unusual for a YA love interest, a vulnerability and honesty that actually made me stop going, "Oh, God. I feel so sorry for America, having to go and meet this twit who has girls brought to him that he can pick between." and instead think, "Gee, this guy is actually pretty neat. I'd love to see America and Maxom get together. I'm still kinda eh on the Selection itself, but at least the prince is worth fighting for," That is huge.

The other really great characters here were some of the girls that America is competing against for Maxom's hand. There were a lot of characters here, and of course there was no way Kiera could really flesh them all out in vivid detail. But I really loved Marlee and I look forward to finding out what her deal actually is in the next book. Something has been set up around her, I have *no* idea what that is, and it's killing me. Celeste, who could be considered the book's "villain" was decently done, although I wish we'd seen a few more layers about her. I suppose that would be hard to pull off in first person POV though.

The Romance: 

The first thing I want to touch on, and I have a little already, is the parallel between Aspen and America vs. Mxom and America. I understand that Aspen and America needed to already be together to make the plot work, but it really put his character at a disadvantage and (to some extent) made him feel like a plot device to me. Whereas with Maxom, we actually get to know him as America does and so (at least for me) I felt my attachment to him growing as hers did.

There is also the parallel of the things Aspen does to get America to go into the competition, in comparison to how Maxom behaves at every turn where she pretty much tells him she does not want to be there. Does this work in Maxom's favor? Is it likely what helped make his character into more then I assumed it would be? Yes. But it also poses a problem: As far as The Selection is concerned, the love triangle is weak. The fact that I had such an easy time picking which guy I want the heroine to be with, that it felt almost painfully obvious to me, is an issue. I am curious to see whether Kiera will address that down the road, or whether she meant for it to be that way.

One of the things I really liked about the book is that it didn't just make all 35 of the girls competing for Maxom turn into simpering piles of goo the moment they got to the palace. I'm sure there are some who are naturally growing to care about him, as with America. But at the same time, there are those who are discovering they don't feel anything for him and still others who are plain out to win a crown. Maxom's situation is not as simple as it might seem. Consider the idea that for him there really aren't "plenty of fish in the sea". When coupled with the fact that he seems genuinely concerned about picking someone who will want to be with him, the idea of the Selection becomes a little more easy to swallow.

The last thing I want to say is that I loved the growth we see between America and Maxom in this book. We see her go from having perceptions about him, to becoming his friend, to beginning to have feelings for him. It's truly beautiful, still isn't "flawless" by the end and actually feels like it has a certain sense of naturalness behind it. It's rare to find well paced romance in YA when you step outside of the confines of contemporary, so this was a very welcome change.

In General:

The Selection was everything I hoped it would be, nothing I really feared it would be (personally) and many things I never expected it to be. I cannot possibly sing the praises of this book loudly enough, or express how bad I want the next book "NOW!" without fearing my enthusiasm will be seen as pure impatience. I do realize it takes time to write a good book, and based on her debut, I think I am safe in saying Kiera Cass is destined for great things. The Selection was an absolute joy to read from start to finish.

Is it as fluffy and frilly as the dresses on the front cover? Absolutely. But I wouldn't have it any other way. This is the kind of book that can make a person fall in love with love again. There are books, and they are different for every person, that are truly treasures for our hearts, minds and spirits. Sometimes its because they have a message we need to hear. At others, a place we long to go. Or perhaps its when an author has told a story we might have thought of ourselves. I'll leave you to consider which and whether these apply to me about The Selection. What I will tell you is that it's possibly my favorite thing I have read all year.

If you like pretty dresses, romance and memorable characters, The Selection is not to be missed!

So, have you read The Selection? What did you think? Are you team Aspen, team Maxom or are you staying neutral? If you haven't read The Selection, do you want to? I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to leave a comment! :)

Waiting On Wednesday (April 18th)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication can't-wait-to-read selections are:

Love Sucks

by Sage Collins

Mailee Jones is about to answer the age old question: "How much love would a love sucker suck if a love sucker fell in love?"

Mailee is a Haustrix, an otherwise normal girl with a demon gene that causes her to consume love from any human she touches. Afraid of draining anyone completely, she's been leading an isolated life, relying on Eric, a hunky lust-draining Haustor and the only person she can safely touch. She's content to avoid humans for all but the quickest possible hand-brushes with the dreaded cheerleaders to keep from starving.

Until she meets Logan, a diabetic who is the first human to understand Mailee's anguish over her diet. But growing close to him means risking his love for her. Mailee's convinced it's time to do something--anything--to become human. But the only antidote requires her to release and be systematically infected by demons representing each of the Seven Deadly Sins. Sloth and Pride? Okay, fine, but sins like Wrath and Envy aren't so easy, as proven when possessed-Mailee punches the cheerleader who's making eyes at Eric. Can she honestly get through all the sins?

Not to mention this new issue--is she interested in Eric instead? Because if she turns human, she'll lose him. Forever.

Premise. I talk about that word a lot here at I Write, I Read, I Review. I talk about that word, because it's important. It's like the worm on the hook that catches a fish, it's what makes the deal so that when I read something I will either feel I got what I came for, or I will think the author "broke" it. The other half of the whole premise discussion is obviously execution. But here's the thing: if the premise of a book does not grab me, I'm probably not going to be taking to you about the book in question. Premise is to enticing me to read a book what customers should be to those who are working at providing a product or service: King.

Now that I've said that, I will say this: Oh. My. God. This book sounds totally, epicly, knots in the pit of my stomach and hairs standing up on the back of my neck amazing. Y'know that feeling I talked about when I reviewed Wicked As They Come? Yeah, this is like that. The "I must read this NOW." feeling. The feeling where something about a book gets under the skin like the itch of a bug bite and you can't stop scratching.

Lets see... Girl with a demon gene who has good reasons not to fall in love? Boy who makes her want to be able to do that so she is actually willing to sacrifice the demon aspect of herself? (As opposed to a fantasy or paranormal creature wanting to change someone -- I like that but it's far more common.) And needing to deal with being infected with the seven deadly sins? (Yikes and wow.)

This book definitely has my attention and I will be counting down the days until I can read it.

The Selection

by Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

I've been excited about The Selection for ages and it has gotten a lot of attention from what I've seen. I know I've visited a lot of blogs talking about the book / reviewing it, and I've heard a wide variety of opinions, which makes me all the more eager to read it. If people are seeing it in various ways it means there is something there that is drawing them in or driving them away, and that's far better then blending into the woodwork if you ask me. 

I never got into The Bachelor, but I did audition for Canadian Idol and I can tell you that trying to get involved with reality TV of any sort is grueling, exhausting work. Tying this together with the fact that America already loves someone, a Caste system, a prince who gets to choose between 35 girls to be his (how is Kiera not going to make this guy an asshat, I am eager to see. Seems like it'll be a challenge in my opinion... ;) ) ... These things all combine to create something that I know I need to weigh in on.

Plus, isn't that cover totally gorgeous? That's never a serious consideration about whether I'll read a book or not -- it moreso decides if I a want hard or eBok copy -- but I'd have to be blind to stay mum about it. 

So, what has you totally excited this week? Are you looking forward to Love Sucks or The Selection? Feel free to link me to your post and I'll do my best to drop by and say hi! 

P.S. Sorry I've been a bit off the last few days, guys. My grandma was rushed to the hospital via ambulance on the 8th, she's still there now and life is a little hectic. She's doing *far* better then she was when she got there, but they still aren't sure what *exactly* is the matter and they are doing a lot of testing. Prayers and well wishes for Kathleen "Kaye" Perry are both deeply appreciated. Thank you.