FAVORITE NOVELS READ IN 2011 {Top Ten of the Moment}

GOODBYE 2011!  And HELLO 2012!

As 2011 comes to an end, I thought it would be appropriate to share my list of top ten favorite novels I read in 2011! Enjoy!

Here's my list of favorites read this year...
10. FIRELIGHT and VANISH by Sophie Jordan --I'm lumping these two together since I read them back to back.  Loved the story of the shape-shifting pride of dragons.  Very cool.  Loved the romance and all the twists these novels offered. 
9. DEMONGLASS by Rachel Hawkins --An unlikely addition to this year's list.  I never would have guess this one would make the list, but it did for me.  I liked HEX HALL.  It was decent book.  But I loved DEMONGLASS! 

8. VAMPIRE ACADEMY by Rachelle Mead --Perhaps the greatness of this series was old news to many YA readers out there.  But they were new to me this year!  And I devoured each greedily.  Love this series!  Move over Twilight. 
7. ILLUSION by Aprilynne Pike --Book #3 in the WINGS series.  And all my wishes came true with Tamine this year!  :)  SO good!  I so can't wait for #4 in 2012!
6. TIGER'S CURSE by Colleen Houck --The uniqueness of this story can't be beat.  A 300-year old Indian prince whose stuck in the form of a great white tiger.  I was in awe by this story and how it played out.  Loved Ren!! 
5. ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD by Kendare Blake --By far the spookiest YA novel I've ever read and that's what make it so great.  The mystery, the suspense, the gore.  Such a surprising read and find!
4. UNEARTHLY by Cynthia Hand --Such a unique twist on angels.  Love the un-seen romance and the story.  It was slower paced, but had this very tender feel to it.  Amazing. 
3. CLOCKWORK ANGEL by Cassandra Clare--Possibly one of Cassandra Clare's best novels yet.  Jem and Will were polar opposites and yet I loved them both.  It had all the greatness of Cassandra Clare's MORTAL INSTRUMENTS series, but with a new twist.  Loved it! 
2. DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum --The romance in DIE FOR ME was sizzling hot!!!  Vincent is one of the most romantic/swoon-worth literary guys around!  And the paranormal was so unique in this novel.  Loved it!
1. NEVERMORE by Kelly Creagh --I still can't get this novel out of my head.  The forbidden romance, the story, the creepiness.  It just blew me away and it was probably the best thing I've read in a couple years!  So good!!!  If you haven't read it yet, you're missing a good one and I can't recommend it more!

And a few that just almost made my list:  

MATCHED by Ally Condie

MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

Which YA novels were your favorites this year?

{Top Ten of the Moment is an adaptation from a meme Swimmer @ Breaking the Bookshelf created.  I miss it, so once a month I do a post of my own.  If you make a similar post please feel free to link it in the comments bellow.  In addition, this post will be shared on the blog Broke and Bookish where a similar post was run this week.}

Next months top ten post: LOVE TRIANGLES
Check on my favorites from last year: Favorite Novels Read in 2010

Wannabe Writers #72

Wannabe Writers is my weekly writing updates. My posts consist of my weekly writing progress, my problems, and any questions I need help answering. 

Where I am in the writing process: I've been tackling this writing thing for three years now.  I have one completed draft, several WIPs I've put on the back burner, and a new novel I've recently started.  Although, that was my status about a month ago.  As of today I haven't been doing much of anything related to writing.  I've barely even been reading. 

My current problem(s): I'm currently on a writing break.  Not really feeling very motivated to do much of anything.  (Even my reading has decreased to about 1 book per month.)  I'm not sure how long this break will last. 

My question for today: What do you do when you feel like your writing has grown stale?  What can I do to recharge all my lost energy?

WoW: Dead to You by Lisa McMann

'Waiting on Wednesday' is a weekly event--hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine--that spotlights upcoming books that are eagerly being anticipated. My can't-wait-to-read choice for this time around is...

 DEAD TO YOU by Lisa McMann

It's the story of a boy who was kidnapped and now finally returned to his family.  Only he remembers nothing.  --That story line doesn't blow me away, but I sure do love Lisa McMann.  I adored the WAKE Trilogy by her.  There's just something about her writing.  SO sharp and direct.  Anyway, I'm excited for this one too.  It's due out February 7, 2012.

What do you think?  Will you read this one?

Book Review: GRACELING

Title: GRACELING
Author: Kristin Cashore
Release Date: 2008
My Rating: 5/5--Incredible! Loved it!
Plot in One Word: Fantasy
Good if...you want something magical, romantic, and kick-butt

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.
When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po's friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.
With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

My thoughts... 
An oldie but a goodie.  After the TWILIGHT craze got me addicted to reading young adult novels, GRACELING was one of the very next novels I read in the genre.  It's remained one of my favorites as others just come and go.  And so I decided to re-read it and see how it still compared.
And I'm happy to say it's was just as amazing the 2nd time around.  It's kind of like this great little package, filled with everything one would want in the ultimate YA.  You have the kick-butt heroine who reminds me of Katniss from HUNGER GAMES.  The mystical world with one of the coolest paranormal twists ever.  The action.  The mystery.  The danger.  One creepy bad guy.  And, of course, Po who remains one of my top literary crushes.  SO all in all it's a fantastic book and I couldn't recommend it more.
The one little thing I think that might turn some people off is the fantasy aspect to this novel.  I tend not to read novels based in anything but the real world.  This is like a mix between middle-earth and the middle-ages.  However, it didn't stop me from loving this book.  I typically hate fantasy, so if I liked it I'm sure most others would too.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Emma Carlson Berne

 Emma Carlson Berne is the author of the upcoming novel STILL WATERS.  Due out in two days!!!  I'm so excited for this one!

Here's what it's all about: 

Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget. But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn’t seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety.
Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.

I was very lucky to get an interview with Emma.  :)  Check it out and be sure to check out her website for more information.  http://emmacarlsonberne.com/ 

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Writing is hard work and I don’t think there’s any way around that. It’s hard to force yourself to write when you don’t feel like it. It’s hard to write when you’re stuck in the middle of a long, difficult scene that keeps wandering all over the place. It’s hard to write when you’re facing a daily quota of 3,500 words and you have to pick your toddler up from preschool in three hours. My best advice is don’t sugar coat the process. It’s easy to imagine yourself only writing in a garret by the light of a candle, with the luminous words pouring across the page. It’s a lot less glamorous at 8:30 on a rainy Monday morning when you have a cold. If you can write then, on that rainy Monday  morning, and meet your word quota for the day—or whatever your self-imposed deadline is—you’ll be signaling you have what it takes to stick with this job for a long, long time.  

What’s your favorite/least favorite part about writing?

My favorite part is easy—when the book’s finished. Getting the printed galleys from my editor, getting a first look at the cover, and seeing that beautiful heavy box with the publisher’s name on my doorstep. Those are the glorious parts. Running a close second would be getting that phone call from my agent that the publisher has bought a new book concept.  
My least favorite part? Drafting. This seems wrong to say somehow, but it’s true. I know a lot of writers love drafting. But not me. In fact, I agonize through every word of a rough draft. I count the words until I can be done for the day. I moan, I drag around the house, I get grumpy. Drafting for me feels like a long, dry desert. My agent doesn’t want to talk to me. My editor doesn’t want to talk to me. No one does—they just want me to sit at my desk and type until the blasted draft is finished. Then they want to talk. 

Now that you’re published, how has your life changed (or your writing changed)?

I really wish I could say that I’ve been covered with glory since being published and that I’m living The Life of a Famous Author. I’m not sure exactly what that would be, but it’s not my life. Actually, little has changed. I still write and agonize about selling another book. I still fret neurotically over the eternal question Am I Good Enough? (Good Enough for what, I’m not sure, but that doesn’t end the fretting.) I have some street cred now, as a writer, which is good for parties when people ask, “And what do you do?” At least I no longer feel like a fraud when I mumble, “I’m a writer.”   

What books inspired you most as a writer?

Oh, so many. But they’re all the same books that inspire me as a reader. I’ve never “studied” writing except that I am a passionate and endless reader. Reading, I can honestly say, is the thing I do and have always done that brings me the most pleasure in life. I never would have made it through an agonizing adolescence without it. Some books I particularly admire: Lolita, Jane Eyre, Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood, A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley.

Can you describe the basics to your writing process?

As far the daily process, I’ve discovered the importance of putting on clothes when you work at home. This is opposed to wearing pjs all day. So no matter what, I force myself to put my hair back, wash my face, put on jeans and a sweatshirt. The jeans can be dirty, no shower is necessary, but these are the basics. Otherwise, I just feel depressed. Then, make coffee—such a cliché—check Facebook and random web sites for the required half-hour of procrastination, then actually begin typing,  with much groaning. Must have frequent breaks to wander aimlessly around the house and stare out the windows.
I find I do much better if I write in the morning (I’m sure this is not unique to just me), and that I really can’t do more than about four hours maximum of drafting per day, and about six hours maximum of revising. So I’m basically useless after about one o’clock. That’s when I turn into a mom/housewife again and start cooking, cleaning up piles of random stuff, and cajoling reluctant little people into snowsuits.

 

WoW: Fracture by Megan Miranda

'Waiting on Wednesday' is a weekly event--hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine--that spotlights upcoming books that are eagerly being anticipated. My can't-wait-to-read choice for this time around is...

 FRACTURE by Megan Miranda

My pick this week is FRACTURE.  It's about a girl who falls under the ice, dies for 11 minutes, and comes back to life but with...abilities.  She meets a boy who was in a coma and finds he's having similar issues.  The concept to this one sounds so cool and that's why I can't wait to read this one.  :)

What do you think?  Will you be reading FRACTURE?

Back from Vacation

Sorry I've been kind of absent from my blog lately.  I just came home from visiting my dad in Bahrain...only to be leaving in a few days to go to VA for the holidays.  I thought I'd share a couple photos from my trip.  And after this week I'll be back to blogging around the start of the New Year.  :)

The Grand Mosque in Bahrain

New Indian Rug I got :)

View inside the Mosque

The King of Bahrain

Wannabe Writers #71 (Vacation #2)

Wannabe Writers is my weekly writing updates. My posts consist of my weekly writing progress, my problems, and any questions I need help answering. 

Where I am in the writing process: I've been tackling this writing thing for three years now.  I have one completed draft, several WIPs I've put on the back burner, and a new novel I've recently started.  Although, I've been really slow to start it so far. 

My current problem(s): I'm still out of the country visiting my father in Bahrain.  (He's in the Navy and stationed over there right now.)  Bahrain is in the middle east so hopefully everything is going well over there.  :)  (This post was pre-recorded since I knew I wouldn't be around for a couple weeks.) 

My question for today: When you get back from a long vacation, how do you get back into your normal routine? 

WoW: Endlessly by Kiersten White

'Waiting on Wednesday' is a weekly event--hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine--that spotlights upcoming books that are eagerly being anticipated. My can't-wait-to-read choice for this time around is...

 ENDLESSLY by Kiersten White

So, I've read the first in this series PARANORMALCY but I still really need to read SUPERNATURALLY.  I have time.  This third novel of the series isn't out until 07/24/2012.  Wow, that's a long time to wait.  :) 

That's what I'm waiting on.  Are you planning on reading this one?

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Molly Cochran

Molly Cochran is the author of the upcoming novel (due out: 12/20/2011) LEGACY.

 Here's what the novel is all about:   

When her widowed father dumps 16-year-old Katy Jessevar in a boarding school in Whitfield, Massachusetts, she has no idea that fate has just opened the door to both her future and her past. Nearly everyone in Whitfield is a witch, as is Katy herself, although she has struggled all her life to hide her unusual talents. Stuck at a boarding school where her fellow students seem to despise her, Katy soon discovers that Whitfield is the place where her mother committed suicide under mysterious circumstances when Katy was just a small child. With dark forces converging on Whitfield, it’s up to Katy to unravel her family’s many secrets to save the boy she loves and the town itself from destruction.

I was very lucky to get an interview with Molly :)  And I'm very excited to share this with you!

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
I have lots of advice for aspiring writers, but most of it can be summarized thus: FINISH THE FIRST DRAFT. You can't do anything with a book -- even talk about it -- until you've at least finished the first go-through. Writing a book is all about fear, and conquering that fear. Finish the first draft, and you prove yourself worthy. Then the journey can begin.

What’s your favorite/least favorite part about writing?

My favorite part of writing is the writing. That is, the laying down of words. I like plotting less, although I recognize it as necessary, and I try to make plotting more fun by discussing my plots with certain friends who, although they're not writers themselves, actually enjoy plotting. My very least favorite aspect of this business is promotion. I hate trying to convince people to read my work. I hate showing off. I just want to stay in my office and write.

Now that you’re published, how has your life changed (or your writing changed)?

You may not know this, but I've been published for a long time. The books I co-authored with Warren Murphy have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and won a number of awards.The reasons why I ended that collaboration might seem like a novel in themselves, so I won't go into them here, but these days I'm writing YA. It gives me an opportunity to use my own voice and explore emotional and spiritual aspects of myself that I wasn't able to do writing thrillers. And so yes, my writing has changed, but my life hasn't. I'm still focused. I believe that in another life I wanted so much to be a writer but wasn't able to achieve that goal. So this life is a gift. I get to write. That's what I think every morning: Hey, I get to write today! Lucky me.

What books inspired you most as a writer?

One book has inspired me all my life, to such a degree that no other book even comes close. That book was Anne Frank's DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL. I was 12 years old when I read it. It set me afire. From the moment I set the book down, I wanted nothing more than to write, to be a writer. At that time I asked myself this question: "If you never achieve any success through your writing, ever, in your whole life, would you still spend that life writing?" I thought about that question for three days. In the end, I answered it. The answer was yes. So whenever I get discouraged, I think about that decision. The answer is still yes.

Can you describe the basics to your writing process?

The basics of my process. Hmm. That sounds like a complicated question, but I don't really think it is. First, I have an outline. When I lecture, I always stress the importance of working from an outline. And there is always someone who either argues with  me or walks out, so maybe it only works for me, but I truly believe that an outline is a life line. You don't always feel inspired. But if you don't write every day, you lose your flow. So you have to write, whether you want to or not. An outline makes this possible. Second, I am willing to write badly. Books are never written; they are rewritten. Having something bad on the page is a lot better than having nothing at all. Everything can be fixed. Third, I write every day. This isn't so hard once you make it a habit. When I don't feel like writing, I tell myself that I can't call myself a writer if I don't write, right? But these days I almost never  feel like I don't want to write. It does get easier with practice.

For more information on Molly Cochran be sure to check out her author website:  http://mollycochran.com/#

DECEMBER 2011 {Upcoming Releases}

CATCHING JORDAN by Miranda Kenneally
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.
Release Date: 12/01/2011

CLOCKWORK PRINCE by Cassandra Clare
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Release Date: 12/06/2011

OBSIDIAN by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something unexpected happens.
Release Date: 12/06/2011

SHATTERED SOULS by Mary Lindsey
Lenzi hears voices. She also sees visions--gravestones, floods, a gorgeous guy with steel gray eyes. She knows she must be going crazy, just like her dad did. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't do anything to help, and the voices just keep getting louder, the visions more intense. But when Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, everything makes sense. Sort of. He tells Lenzi that she's a reincarnated Speaker--someone who can talk to lost souls and help them move on--and that he has been her Protector for centuries. But instead of embracing her abilities, Lenzi struggles between her life as the girlfriend of a sexy musician and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. Yet time is running out; a malevolent spirit has been trying to destroy Lenzi for ages, and he will surely kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon. Her choices are clear: Destiny or normalcy. Alden or Zak. Life or death.
Release Date: 12/08/2011

LEGACY by Molly Cochran
When her widowed father dumps 16-year-old Katy Jessevar in a boarding school in Whitfield, Massachusetts, she has no idea that fate has just opened the door to both her future and her past. Nearly everyone in Whitfield is a witch, as is Katy herself, although she has struggled all her life to hide her unusual talents. Stuck at a boarding school where her fellow studens seem to despise her, Katy soon discovers that Whitfield is the place where her mother commited suicide under mysterious circumstances when Katy was just a small child. With dark forces converging on Whitfield, it’s up to Katy to unravel her family’s many secrets to save the boy she loves and the town itself from destruction.
Release Date: 12/20/2011

STILL WATERS by Emma Carlson Berne
Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget. But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn’t seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety.
Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.
Release Date: 12/20/2011

Wannabe Writers #70 (Vacation)

Wannabe Writers is my weekly writing updates. My posts consist of my weekly writing progress, my problems, and any questions I need help answering. 

Where I am in the writing process: I've been tackling this writing thing for three years now.  I have one completed draft, several WIPs I've put on the back burner, and a new novel I've recently started.

My current problem(s): I'm out of the country this week (and next).  I'm actually visiting my father in Bahrain.  I'm on a plane as we speak!  (I wrote this before I left!)  Anyway.  My blog posts will keep coming, but I won't really be back until around the 12th.  

My question for today: Do you write on vacation?