Goodbye 2011

Today is the last day of 2011 and I thought I would take the opportunity to look back on the year, and look to what's coming in the future in 2012. While I've been blogging for over a year already, 2011 was my first full calendar year of blogging. Let me just say that I never would have thought blogging would be such an important part of my life. I admit that sometimes my roommates get sick of hearing me talk about blogging and books and in those moments I am happy that there is this whole online community of people I can talk to about this stuff. Overall, 2011 was a great year and I am sad to see it go, but at the same time I am really looking forward to 2012 and all that it will bring.

I've read many books in 2011--I don't know the exact number, but it was A LOT. It's always hard for me to pick favorites and I've tried to narrow it down. So here are my Top 11 books of 2011 (and a few honorable mentions).

In no particular order:

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

I only read Catching Jordan recently and haven't reviewed it yet but it was awesome. It was a perfect fun and light read that also had a deeper layer to it. It was a lot of fun to spend a day reading this book.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

If I thought that Clockwork Angel was good when I read it last year, Clockwork Prince was even better. How I'm going to wait until Clockwork Princess next year is a total mystery to me.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

With Delirium, Lauren Oliver became one of my favorite authors. This book was absolutely incredible and it totally broke my heart. I loved every moment of it and can't wait for more in the new year.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

What was there not to love about this book? Stephanie Perkins is a genius when it comes to writing romances and I can't wait to be able to read more of them and get a glimpse of the characters I already love.

Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston

I don't know how to put into words how much I loved this book. It was such a great story and the present and past blended together seamlessly. And when Lesley Livingston announced there were going to be more I was ecstatic.

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

It's not secret that I'm a huge Cassandra Clare fan. I love pretty much everything she writes, and City of Fallen Angels was no exception. I was happy to be back with characters I loved and I can't wait for the next two books.

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This is another book I only just read recently. And despite having to study for exams, I just couldn't put it down. I loved it and the way mythology played in to the story. I can't wait for the next installment.

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Kody Keplinger and her books are absolute genius. I loved Shut Out, it was the perfect read for me at the time when I read it. Plus Kody Keplinger is pretty good at creating yummy boys like Cash.

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

I loved the Vampire Academy series, and while I was Team Dimitri for Rose, I still loved Adrian. I was very happy with Bloodlines and a greater focus on Adrian and other VA characters. Now I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld

I absolutely adore this series and I loved the conclusion that was Goliath. Scott Westerfeld recreated an incredible world and I found myself believing every aspect of it. Except I'm a little sad that it's over.

Wildefire by Karsten Knight

At first I really didn't think much of the book. And then I read it and couldn't put it down. And that ending, oh that ending. Basically this book was all kinds of awesome and I absolutely loved it.

So those were my Top 11 of 2011 but there are some other books I would also like to mention. These didn't make the list but they were great books nonetheless.

- Abandon by Meg Cabot
- Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
- Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
- Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
- Divergent by Veronica Roth
- Hereafter by Tara Hudson
- Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
- Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the Top 12 books of 2012 I am looking forward to. And if you haven't already, check out my post about some of my favorite debut books of 2011.

2011 Debut Author Challenge Wrap-Up

This year was my first year participating in the Debut Author Challenge and I have to say that I quite enjoyed it. At the end of last year I had set myself the goal of reading at least 15 books by debut authors and I am proud to say that I have met that goal. In the process I discovered some fantastic new authors and books, and since this is the end of the year I though I would showcase a few of my favorites. So here are some of my favorite 2011 books by debut authors, in no particular order.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly was definitely one of my favorite debut books, if not one of my favorite books this year in general. I loved the premise and the way Cynthia Hand made the angel story her own. It was definitely a great read and if you haven't read it yet I really recommend that you do so as soon as possible.

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley

I did not expect to enjoy Witchlanders nearly as much as I did which is why I'm including it on this list. High fantasy stories don't tend to be my cup of tea but with this one I found myself being drawn into the story and loving every minute of if. It was a truly fantastic read.

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Everyone kept saying how good Angelfire was but I didn't end up reading it until quite a while after it released. And then I was kicking myself for having waited so long. I loved Ellie's story and everything about the world Courtney Allison Moulton created. This is definitely another book you want to read.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

When I first heard about Wither, I wasn't really sure how I would feel about a story that involves polygamy. But then I started reading and couldn't put it down. And the dystopian world that Lauren DeStefano created felt completely realistic and her writing had me captivated the whole way through.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I couldn't not include Divergent on this list. It was by far one of the best debuts and one of the best books I read this year. Despite its length, I read this one pretty much in one sitting because it was impossible to put it down. If you haven't read this yet, you absolutely need to because you are seriously missing out.

So these are some of my favorite 2011 debuts. There are many more that I enjoyed quite a lot as well, but none quite as much as I did these ones. And now I can't wait to read the sequels to many of these and find out what happens next.