13 Most Anticipated of 2013

After having discussed some of my favorite books of 2012 yesterday I am taking advantage of the fact that today is the first day of the new year to discuss which 2013 books I am most looking forward to reading. So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are the top 13 books of 2013 I am the most excited about.

Goddess by Josephine Angelini

Considering Dreamless was one of my favorites of 2012, it shouldn't come as a surprise that I am past the point of eagerly awaiting when it comes to Goddess. I just can't wait to see how everything will work out for everyone.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

In case it wasn't obvious already, I'm a big fan of Cassandra Clare. And The Infernal Devices is an amazing series and after all the events of Clockwork Prince, I can't wait to see how it will all come together in Clockwork Princess.

Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

After everything that happened in Deity, I am just dying to read Apollyon to find out what happens next and how everything will work out for certain characters. And I can already tell that it will be majorly intense. And it will probably break my hear a couple times.

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

How could I not be anticipating this one. I have loved both of Stephanie Perkins' previous books so I can't wait to be taken back to Paris in another one of her stories.

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen is one of the YA authors I have been reading for the longest and so far, none of her books have managed to disappoint me. So as you can guess, I am incredibly excited at the prospect of reading her next book come the spring.

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

With everything that happened in The Evolution of Mara Dyer how can I not be excited and eagerly awaiting the next and final book in this series. This story messes with my mind so much but I just can't help but love it. Even if it will slowly drive me insane.

Just One Year by Gayle Forman

Because I've been lucky enough to already have read Just One Day, I am dying to be able to read Just One Year. After reading Allyson's story, I can't wait to experience it all from Willem's perspective. Be on the lookout for my full thoughts on Just One Day very soon.

Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally

Miranda Kenneally has quickly become one of those authors whose books are "must reads". And I can't wait to read the next one because her stories just end up finding a way to break my heart and then proceed to help me put it back together.

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

You can bet I will be at my bookstore first thing in the morning on the day The Indigo Spell releases. And while I'm beyond excited about this book, I'm also a little scared because Richelle Mead is known for just breaking your hear in the third book of her series.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep

In the past year I have come to love Jennifer Estep's Mythos Academy series. And with every installment things just always seem to get better so I can't wait to see what happens next in Midnight Frost.

Every Never After by Lesley Livingston

I absolutely loved Once Every Never when I first read it so I was excited when it was announced it would go from being a standalone to being part of a series. And now I can't wait to go back into that world with Every Never After when it comes out.

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Though a year later I still haven't really made up my mind about Pandemonium, that doesn't stop me from being excited about Requiem. Despite everything, I have come to love this story and this world so I can't wait to see how it will all come together.

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith 

I loved reading The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight last year so I can't wait to read more Jennifer E. Smith. I'm hoping for the same kind of romance I got in her other book, but either way I don't think it will be possible for this book to disappoint me.

So these are the 13 books I am most looking forward to reading in 2013. And there are plenty more that I just want to get my hands on. By the looks of it, 2013 will be a fantastic year for books.

Top 12 of 2012

As today is the last day of the year, I am taking this opportunity to look back on all of the amazing books I've had the chance to read this year. And there were so many really great books this year, that narrowing it down to a manageable list is quite difficult. But I've managed to bring it to a list a of 12 with a few honorable mentions. So, in no particular order, here are my 12 (and a few more) favorite books of 2012.

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

It should come as no surprise that I have become such a huge fan of the Starcrossed series by Josephine Angelini. This second installment was absolutely fantastic and I can't wait to see how it will all end.

Anything by Jennifer L. Armentrout

And I mean literally any of Jennifer L. Armentrout's books. This year alone I've read Obsidian, Onyx, Pure and Deity and none of them disappointed me. And I can't wait for more next year.

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

This was one of those books that I just wanted to hug to myself once I finished reading it. What I love about this book is that not only is it a fun and light contemporary read but it has this whole other deeper layer that makes it even better.

Black Heart by Holly Black

I'm always a little worried with the last book in a series but Black Heart simply did not disappoint. This was the perfect conclusion to this trilogy and it got me to discover that some of the characters were not who I thought and it made them simply amazing at the end.

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

I was a little weary of City of Lost Souls because City of Fallen Angels hadn't completely lived up to my expectations. But that wasn't the case with City of Lost Souls and now it's got me really excited for the final book.

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

The ending of The Golden Lily may have just broken me. Just thinking about how things ended makes my heart ache for certain characters. So if you have yet to read anything by Richelle Mead you are seriously missing out.

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger 

This book. I had so many emotions while reading it. I've loved all of Kody Keplinger's books so far but this one just has to be my favorite. I don't really know how to explain it, you just have to read it for yourself.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I'm always a little scared with the second in a series, but I shouldn't have worried about Insurgent. It was absolutely fantastic and action packed from start to finish. And now I just want the final book.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

This book honestly had me when I found out that it was a retelling of Cinderella with cyborgs. That's really all I needed to know. But it was also a fantastic story and you are missing out if you haven't read it yet.

 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

This book seriously broke me. By the time I finished reading The Fault in Our Stars I was a sobbing mess. Ugly tears and all. I just couldn't hold it together. But that's not to say that this book wasn't simply amazing. Because it was. 

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

This book took me by surprise to an extent. I just didn't expect for it to be so intense and have so much to it. And despite all the vampire books already out there, this one didn't sound like anything I had ever read before.

 

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

This was one of the rare books this year that kept me up until the early hours of the morning. And it also made me cry like a baby. But I loved it for it, because it was such a great and intense story.

Honorable Mentions:

- The Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep - Because they are mythological warriors and some intense stuff happens to them. And because of Logan Quinn.

- The Elemental series by Brigid Kemmerer - Because it's a series about 4 hot brothers who can control the elements.

- Fever by Lauren DeStefano - Because this story is just amazing. As is Lauren DeStefano's writing.

- Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson - Because this story made me cry like a baby and completely broke my heart. Then put it back together.

- Last Rite by Lisa Desrochers - Because this was a fantastic conclusion to this underrated series. And it has a hot ex-demon and hot angel.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the 13 books I am looking forward to the most in 2013!

Blog Tour: Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Title: Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1)

Author: Morgan Rhodes

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: December 11, 2012

Source: Borrowed from fellow blogger

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined.

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword…

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

Though I tend to enjoy it when I read it, I don't actually read all that much high fantasy. There's not real reason why, it's just not something that I will go and pick up on my own. But with how much I had heard about Morgan Rhodes' Falling Kingdoms, I figured I should probably read it. And I turned out to be just as good as everything I had heard about it.

For thousands of years, the three kingdoms of Auranos, Paelsia and Limeros have lived side by side without much conflict. But that doesn't mean that everyone is happy with the way things are. The Auranians have had no shortage of riches while the Paelsians are struggling to put food on the table and the Limerians are in the cold lands in the north. But things are about to change. Jonas wants to avenge his brother's death and take back what Auranos has been taking from Paelsia for hundreds of years. Prince Magnus has been trained to fight and wants nothing more than to help his father take over Auranos. And through it all Princess Cleo has to find a way to escape an arrange marriage all the while helping protect the fate of Auranos.

LIke I've said, high fantasy doesn't really tend to be my cup of tea. Typically it's not something I will pick up on my own but when it's recommended to me enough times I will pick up a high fantasy book. And Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes had come highly recommended by a number of people. And so I started reading, and it didn't take too long for me to get wrapped up in the story. Fantasy stories rely heavily on world building, and with Falling Kingdoms I could see it. All the time while reading, I could picture the world Morgan Rhodes was describing, whether it was the trend lawns of Auranos, the dry lands of Paelsia or the frozen ones of Limeros. The focus of the story itself was war but it felt like there was a lot more to it. There was also a strong focus on family and loyalty, even a little bit of romance, no matter how disturbing that romance could be at times. But primarily, this story was about the characters.

Like I've said this story was primarily about all the characters. At least those who didn't get killed. Because let me warn you if you plan on reading Falling Kingdoms there are characters dying left, right and center. Usually right as I started getting attached to a character, it got killed off, it almost got to the point where I started expecting characters to die. But for the characters that actually stayed alive for the duration of the book. They all had something that they were willing to fight for, whether it was their family, love or just something bigger and that was what kind of brought them all together in my mind. Though there were no clear alliances and the main characters by far did not all like each other, they were still all connected by what they were going through, and each of them was more than they let on. Jonas was more than just a young man trying to avenge his brother's death. Cleo was more than just a princess looking for love, and Magnus was more than the fighter his father had trained him to be. But no one really realized there was more to the people they were so dead set on hating and that just made the story more interesting for me.

Overall, Morgan Rhodes' Falling Kingdoms ended up being a fantastic read. Though I am not typically a big fantasy reader, you can be sure that I will be picking up the sequel, if only to see what happens to everyone after the major events of this first installment. 

Waiting on Wednesday (69)

For those who don't know, Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers showcase books they are particularly looking for to. For the next few weeks, I'm going to be doing this a little differently. Like I did last year, each week I will be talking about books that are coming out early next year from different publishers. Up this week are the last of the January 2013 releases coming from Amulet Books, Bloomsbury & Egmont USA.

Splintered by A.G. Howard
January 1, 2013
Amulet Books

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl's pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers--precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretched back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother's mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice's tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice's mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

I remember seeing this book popping up everywhere for quite some time, but never really paid attention to what it was really about. All I really knew was that it had a pretty cover. But once I looked into it more, I realized that this was a story that I was really interested in reading and all the positive reviews I've been seing are only adding to this want. So yeah, I really want to read Splintered.

Doomed by Tracy Deebs

January 8, 2013

Bloomsbury

Beat the game. Save the world.

Pandora's just your average teen, glued to her cell phone and laptop, surfing Facebook and e-mailing with her friends, until the day her long-lost father sends her a link to a mysterious site featuring twelve photos of her as a child. Unable to contain her curiosity, Pandora enters the site, where she is prompted to play her favorite virtual-reality game, Zero Day. This unleashes a global computer virus that plunges the whole world into panic: suddenly, there is no Internet. No cell phones. No utilities, traffic lights, hospitals, law enforcement. Pandora teams up with handsome stepbrothers Eli and Theo to enter the virtual world of Zero Day. Simultaneously, she continues to follow the photographs from her childhood in an attempt to beat the game and track down her father, her one key to saving the world as we know it. 

Part The Matrix, part retelling of the Pandora myth, Doomed has something for gaming fans, dystopian fans and romance fans alike.

There are plenty of retellings out there but this is the first I heard of a retelling of the Pandora myth so it definitely piqued my curiosity. And the whole concept of it also sounds really interesting, and to an extent almost realistic. Who knows what would happen if the world were to go completely dark? All I know is that I'm definitely looking forward to reading Doomed. 

Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

January 22, 2013

EgmontUSA

There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them .They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away.

That's why they make the perfect assassins.

The Institute finds these people when they're young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.

Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute's monitoring. But now they've ID'ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can't make the hit. It's as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are--because no one else ever notices them.

I absolutely love Jennifer Lynn Barnes' Raised by Wolves series so I get excited any time I hear she has a new book coming out. And as we all know by now, I am a sucker for anything that vaguely resembles a thriller. So this book just sounds perfect for me. I can't wait to be able to read Nobody.

So that's the last of the January 2013 books I'm waiting on. If I want to make it to February I may have to finally get around to renewing my library card because I don't know how I'm going to be able to afford all these books. Or even how I'm possibly going to even be able to read all the books I'm looking forward to.

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

Title: Stealing Parker (Hundred Oaks #2)

Author: Miranda Kenneally

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: October 1st, 2012

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She's on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she's made the all-start softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother's scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.

Now Parker wants a new life.

So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball cache seems especially flirty?

But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?

I pretty much adored Miranda Kenneally's debut Catching Jordan so I was very excited at the prospect of finally being able to read Stealing Parker. And once again Miranda Kenneally completely captured my heart with the story she wrote in this book. 

Parker always thought she would go on to being the valedictorian of her class, and as star of the softball team she was sure she would be able to play in college. But when her mom's secret comes out and causes a scandal in their small town, Parker turns her back on softball for fear of being told she's just like her mom. And to prove she's not like her mom, Parker decides the best way to do so if by kissing boys. Lots of boys. But that doesn't mean she doesn't want a relationship. So when the new baseball coach comes into town, Parker things that maybe he will finally be the one she's been looking for and the one she'll fall far. But what if it means losing herself in the process?

I started reading Stealing Parker one relaxing Saturday afternoon. The next thing I knew it was a few hours later and I was hugging the book to myself. Because that's exactly the kind of story it is. Right from the start you'll find yourself getting immersed in the story, picturing the characters as real people you are just spending time with. But I'll get to the characters later. On the surface, the story Miranda Kenneally wrote in this book sounds like a nice, fun, light story but it ends up being so much more than that. This is a story about a girl trying to find a place in a small town where everyone is judging her for things she hasn't done. It's also a story about faith, and figuring out when not to give up faith even when it seems like there isn't much to hold on to. And of course it's a story about friendship and romance. And that's what makes Stealing Parker so amazing. It's this mix of all these different stories and how they have been woven together perfectly by Miranda Kenneally.

Oh Parker. I feel for you, I really do. But sometimes you made some truly questionable decisions. Like the baseball coach for instance. But it's not really something I can hold against you in the grand scheme of things. But seriously, Parker from now on holds a place in my heart. It was great being able to see her growth over the course of the book, especially when it came to her faith and her relationship with others, in particular with her mom. And with Corndog/Will. This book has made me realize that I need Will Whitfield in my life. I just do. He is possibly the sweetest person ever and just seeing him with his little brother made my heart melt. And though he wasn't a main character in Stealing Parker I may just love Sam Henry even more than I did after reading Catching Jordan. For no reason in particular other than just because he is who he is. So moral of the story, I want Will Whitfield and Sam Henry in my life. That's really all I need to say about these two characters. 

Miranda Kenneally's Stealing Parker simply stole my heart, there's no other way to really explain how I feel about this book. From start to finish it was amazing and it truly felt like I was living it all with the characters at my side. I simply cannot wait for Miranda Kenneally's next book, Things I Can't Forget.