My favourite reads of 2012

2012 has been a fantastic year for young-adult books with some incredible titles storming onto bookshelves around the world.  I've put together my top ten list of favourite books I've read (although not necessarily published) this year.  These are in no particular order because I loved them all equally!

1. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

 

Stephanie Perkins is one of my favourite YA writers.  Her writing style is fresh and original and I've adored both of her books so far.  I simply can't wait for 'Isla and the Happily Ever After' which will finally be published in 2013.  I loved the characters in 'Lola and the Boy Next Door' and I fell hook, line and sinker for the adorable Cricket Bell.

 

2. Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

 

This is the second book in the Unearthly series by Cynthia Hand which is a contender for one of my all-time favourite series of YA books.  The story was gripping and engrossing and I loved reading about Clara and the two boys in her life, Tucker and Christian.  I'm on tenterhooks waiting to find out which boy she'll eventually choose (I'm secretly hoping for Tucker!).  

 

 

 

3. Everneath by Brodi Ashton

 

One of the best debuts of 2012.  This was a five star read which blew me away.

 

 

 

4. Legend by Marie Lu

 

An incredible debut by Marie Lu loosely based on the plot of Les Miserables.  In my review I described it as a book which 'delivers the goods in spades'.  Dystopian fiction is one of my favourite genres and 'Legend' is one of the most thrilling stories I've ever come across.      

 

 

 

5. The Demon Trappers: Foretold by Jana Oliver

 

I had high hopes for the last book in The Demon Trappers series and Jana Oliver did not disappoint.  A truly fitting end to what has been an incredible ride. 

 

 

 

6. We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

 

Yet another marvellous end to a series.  Readers finally got to find out if Belly would choose Conrad or Jeremiah, a question everyone has been pondering over since the series started.  I adored this book which gave me everything I wanted and more! 

 

 

 

7. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

 

I'm a huge Robin Hood fan so I thought this retelling from the point of view of Scarlet was fantastic.  I'm looking forward immensely to more from this extremely talented author.

 

 

 

8. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

 

There have been so many incredible debut novels in 2012 and this is another of the best.  Ten years in the making, 'Throne of Glass' is an epic fantasy adventure with wonderful characters and a fast paced and innovative plot. 

 

 

 

9. A Witch in Love by Ruth Warburton

 

Second books in a series can sometimes be a let down but not 'A Witch in Love'.  I described it as 'combining excitement, sadness, sorrow and hope' and it's one which left me begging for more.  The final book entitled 'A Witch Alone' is due out in 2013.

 

 

 

10. Revived by Cat Patrick

 

I count Cat Patrick among my favourite authors and her debut novel 'Forgotten' was one of my top reads of last year.  She's done it again with 'Revived' which yet again ticks all my boxes.  Gripping, engrossing and exciting, I absolutely loved it.

 

Hotly Anticipated Reads 2013: Simon and Schuster

Simon and Schuster never fail to disappoint with their stunning book releases and 2013 is no exception with lots of amazing titles being published.  Here are just a few of the ones that I'm hotly anticipating (January - June).

All links go to Goodreads where you can add them to your wishlist!

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff, published 1st January

The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record. The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor's peaceful suburban community is killing girls.

For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one. Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian's ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders? Hannah's just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn't there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.

With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets. She realises that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life - and it's up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again.

Burning Bright by Sophie McKenzie, published 5th January

Four months have passed and River and Flynn are still going strong. But things are not perfect. Flynn continues to fly into unprovoked rages, and when River tells her mum, she is banned from seeing him. Fighting to stay together, they end up being torn apart. Is it all over for River and Flynn?

Everbound by Brodi Ashton, published 14th February

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

Everafter by Elizabeth Chandler, published 11th April

It seems the odds are forever against Ivy and her fallen angel. Tristan is still trapped in the body of an accused murderer, and as the two star-crossed lovers try to clear his name, they must battle the dark forces that would keep them apart and destroy them both. The danger is especially great for Tristan since, as a fallen angel, death would mean losing his soul. It’s up to Ivy to save the one she loves and, hopefully, find a way for the two of the them to be together…for all eternity.

The Prey by Andrew Fukuda, published 1st May

For Gene and the remaining humans—or hepers—death is just a heartbeat away. On the run and hunted by society, they must find a way to survive in The Vast... and avoid the hungry predators tracking them in the dark. But they’re not the only things following Gene. He’s haunted by the girl he left behind and his burgeoning feelings for Sissy, the human girl at his side.

When they discover a refuge of exiled humans living high in the mountains, Gene and his friends think they’re finally safe. Led by a group of intensely secretive elders, the civilisation begins to raise more questions than answers. A strict code of behaviour is the rule, harsh punishments are meted out, young men are nowhere to be found—and Gene begins to wonder if the world they’ve entered is just as evil as the one they left behind. As life at the refuge grows more perilous, he and Sissy only grow closer. In an increasingly violent world, all they have is each other... if they can only stay alive.

As well as all of these, there's also the sequel to Kathleen Peacock's 'Deadly Hemlock' and Rebecca Serle's 'When You Were Mine' to look forward to, along with a whole host of New Adult titles.

Comment and let me know which books you're most looking forward to in 2013!

Trailer: Everbound - Brodi Ashton

One of the books I'm most looking forward to next year is 'Everbound' by Brodi Ashton, the long-awaited sequel to her incredible debut novel 'Everneath'. It's being published in the UK by Simon and Schuster on 1st February 2013.

It’s been two months since Nikki’s boyfriend Jack sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the underworld. She’d do anything to bring him back, including making a deal with Cole, the sinful immortal who tempted her to give up her soul in the first place and who still wants to make her his queen. Together, they will journey to the very heart of the Everneath, a more dangerous place than either of them could possibly have imagined. Is Nikki willing to risk it all for Jack?

You can now watch the trailer exclusively on Entertainment Weekly

Review: Everneath - Brodi Ashton

Everneath by Brodi Ashton, published by Simon and Schuster on 2nd February 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

Review:
It would be remiss of me not to start this review by mentioning the exquisite and very beautiful cover for this book.  I'd kill for that red dress which is beyond gorgeous!  I've wanted to read 'Everneath' ever since laying my eyes on the cover for the first time. 

This is Brodi Ashton's debut novel and it's addictively good.  I absolutely loved it!  It made me think about how precious life is.  How we shouldn't let anything stand in the way of being with the ones we love. This is a story with real heart that made me cry, made me smile and made me believe that nothing is more important than having friends and family around. 

I adored the story.  I loved the characters.  I got sucked in by the romance between the main character Nicki and Jack and I never wanted the book to end.  I forgot about everything else going on around me and became totally immersed and absorbed in this stunning read.  Nicki has returned to her old life after spending a century in the Everneath with Cole - an Everliving.  She chose to be his forfeit so that he can continue to live as an immortal.  She was supposed to forget everything about who she was and the life she lived but there's one face she can't forget - her old boyfriend Jack.  Back in the real world, Nicki has 6 months with her family and friends to put things right before she has to return but she's followed by Cole who wants her as his Queen. 

One of the things that made this book for me was the romance between Nicki and Jack which was beautifully told.  I loved the way their history together was gradually unravelled and laid bare and how they only had to be near each other for sparks to fly off the page.  I believed in them.  I rooted for them.  And they made my heart thud uncontrollably.  Their romance is substantial and real and even when they're not together I never gave up hope that they were going to find a way back to each other. 

The other aspect of 'Everneath' that impressed me was the interweaving of an ancient myth and the retelling (with a unique twist) of the story of Eurydice and Orpheus.  I wasn't familiar with this prior to reading the book but I found it really interesting and I enjoyed the parallels it created with the main plot. 

I'm desperate to read more about Nicki and Jack and I can't wait for the next book by Brodi Ashton - the new Queen of the paranormal romance.  I'm going to be recommending 'Everneath' to everyone as it was a magical, amazing and emotional book that made me believe in true love.