Saturday, January 3, 2009

Top 12 List Archives

POSTED BY IRISH IN TOP 12 LIST • 5 COMMENTS

There are 12 months in the year and so I thought that I would try to highlight my reading year by choosing that one memorable book from each month. This is an archive of my Top 12 List. The most current year will always be on the sidebar.

2008

Jan – Cursor’s Fury by Jim Butcher
Feb – The Translator by Daoud Hari
Mar – Kira, Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
Apr – The Book Thief by Markus Zasuk
May – The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Jun – I Have Lived a Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson
Jul – Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Aug – Last Night I Dreamed of Peace: The Diary of Dang Thuy Tram
Sept – The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner
Oct – The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
Nov – The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen
Dec – The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Best of the best 2008 = The Book Thief by Markus ZasukThis book evoked really strong feelings in me as I read it. I sobbed…hard. I also cried with other books I read during the year (Kira, Kira being one) but not as much as with The Book Thief.

2009

JAN – The Myth of Me & You by Leah Stewart
FEB – Graceling by Kristin Cashore
MAR – Evermore by Alyson Noel
APR – Willow by Julia Hoban
MAY – Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
JUN – Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
JUL – I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
AUG – Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
SEP – Hate List by Jennifer Brown
OCT – Hold Still by Nina LaCour
NOV – Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
DEC – The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Best of the best 2009 = Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers.

I can’t even begin to tell you how much this book affected me. Summers is an amazingly talented writer and I am honored to be able to read her words. She holds nothing back and brings to light issues that we’d all like to forget. This was a tough choice to pick one of these 12 wonderful books and highly recommend all them.

2010

JAN – The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell
FEB – Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
MAR – The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
APR – The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride
MAY – One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare
JUN – Soulless by Gail Carriger
JUL – Forget You by Jennifer Echols
AUG – Stolen by Lucy Christopher
SEP – Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord by Sarah MacLean
OCT – Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
NOV – Room by Emma Donaghue
DEC – NONE

Best of the Best 2010: The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

This book was just so lyrical and raw. I loved Lennie’s voice and being able to follow her on her journey through grief. There was also the added bonus of the Fontaine brothers. Loved them! Sky was just such an excellent book in so many ways that I really can’t recommend it highly enough.

2011

JAN – Sean Griswold’s Head by Lindsey Leavitt

FEB – Hourglass by Myra McEntire

MAR – Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon

APR – Hounded by Kevin Hearne

MAY – Ruby Red by Kirsten Gier

JUN – The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

JUL – The Demon’s Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

AUG – Devil’s Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

SEP – A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley

OCT – Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

NOV – Blood Song by Rhiannan Hart

DEC – Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

Best of the Best 2011: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

If you have not read this book yet then drop what you are doing and go read it now! Its filled with snark and adventure and has one of my favorite book couples of 2011 in it. Em is a such a strong and amazing character I dare you not to love her. There are also references to Doctor Who in this book….so seriously….what more could you ask for? Other than my review which I STILL haven’t written…and I think that is in part because I REALLY don’t have enough words to proclaim just how super duper amazingly wonderful this book is.

2012

JAN – Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

FEB – Timepiece by Myra McEntire
MAR – Dark Road to Darjeeling by Deanna Raybourn
APR – Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
MAY – I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga
JUN – Song of the Red Cloak by Chantel Acevedo
JUL – Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
AUG – Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
SEP – Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
OCT – The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab
NOV – Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
DEC – Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones

Best of the Best 2012: Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta AND Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

This is my first ever tie for a Top 12 Pick since I started keeping track in 2008. I really tried to narrow this down to one book but I could not. Both of these books shattered me in one way or another and I’m really luck to have made it out of the reading experience alive. There are no words to say just how amazing these two books were. So run out and grab them today because you are really missing on on these two series.

2013

JAN – Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta
FEB – Monster in my Closet by R.L. Naquin
MAR – Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
APR – The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima
MAY – Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
JUN – The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
JUL – Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller
AUG – Bright Before Sunrise by Tiffany Schmidt
SEP – Wicked Thing by Angeline Kace
OCT – Pivot Point by Kasie West
NOV – Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda
DEC – Blood Phantom by Rhiannon Hart