My Favorite Books of The Year! Have You Read Them All?
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke & the Bookish.
Note that the list is based on everything I read in 2011, not books published in 2011! Definitely not an easy list to put together, y’all…but I think I even managed to (more or less) count down my top ten in order…
10. The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood. Definitely the best romantic suspense book I read all year – and in my opinion, Julie Garwood’s best. The characters and plot were both great…between a crazy stalker and someone out to eliminate a witness, these MCs have their hands full.
9. Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder. The first book of hers that I loved just as much as Poison Study! Really great adult (YA crossover) fantasy.
8. Saving June by Hannah Harrington. A definite stand-out in all the other YA books about loss.
7. Divergent by Veronica Roth. It lived up to the hype, y’all. And that is saying a lot.
6. Moorehawke Trilogy by Celine Kiernan. You knew I’d cheat and throw in a series somewhere, right? These were actually the first books I read in January (thanks to a recommendation from The Book Smugglers). Awesome fantasy with great characters and a lot of dark plot twists. I want to reread just thinking about them!
5. Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick. I love the mixture of dystopian and horror. Mixes a dose of The Stand by Stephen King with the best of the YA dystopian genre.
4. The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss. Since The Name of the Wind is my favorite book of all time, it should come as no surprise that the sequel makes the list. This adult fantasy series is absolutely the best-of-the-best.
3. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. One of the most powerful and emotional books I have ever read.
2. You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me by Sarra Manning. I would have never heard of this one if not for some fellow bloggers – I’m so glad I read it! Really well written contemporary romance. The characters are very realistic (and addicting!).
1. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. Definitely my favorite book of the year. One of the most atmospheric and well-written books I’ve ever read. It definitely came as a surprise since I’m not so much a fan of the Shiver series.
And…Honorable Mentions (because I can’t help myself):
Shifting by Bethany Wiggins / Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta / The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley / The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern / A Crimson Warning by Tasha Alexander / The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn / Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase / What I Did For a Duke by Julie Anne Long
26 Comments
I’ve only read three of these books. That’s so sad, but MOST are on my TBR and I have a few copies, like Saving June and Scorpio Races and Ashes and The Poison Throne.
Hope 2012 brings even BETTER books!
April Books & Wine recently posted..Top 10 Books Of 2011 According To Good Books And Good Wine
I’m a huge fan of Divergent! I’m so glad it made your top 10 list this week, as it’s definitely worthy! (At least in my humble opinion).
I just finished Touch of Power today – and my goodness, did I fall head over heels for this book. I haven’t read any others by her, but I’m now convinced I must!
And yes, yes, yes, The Scorpio Races were brilliant! I love Maggie Stiefvater so much.
Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books recently posted..Top Ten Tuesday (14): 10 Favorite Books I Read in 2011
i have read a few and have a few in my TBR list…great list
kimba88 recently posted..Kat Richardson and the Greywalker Series
I loved The Wise Man’s Fear too, as well as Divergent! Can’t wait to read Monster Calls!
Toni recently posted..top ten tuesday: 2011 favourites
The Scorpio Races is my top favorite too! Such an incredible book. And hello — Sean Kendrick! Great list.
~Nikki
Check out my Top ten. Plus my top two giveaway!
The Scorpio Races is on my list as well…such a beautiful book!! I’m going to definitely look into You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me…totally fell in love with Contemporary Romance this year and am always on the look out for good recs. Great list!!
Jess @ Gone with the Words
My TTT post!
Jess @ Gone with the Words recently posted..Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books I Read in 2011
Oh man. I want to read all the books on your list, especially Scorpio Races. I have that book in my library but will have to stand in line behind students.
Happy New Year.
Anne@Headfullofbooks
Anne Bennett recently posted..Top Books of 2011
I’ve not read any of them – I’ll have to check some of those out!
Here’s my Top Ten Tuesday post.
Kell Smurthwaite recently posted..Top Ten Tuesday – Favorite Books I Read in 2011
The Scorpio Races is on my list, too. Awesome book. I hated for it to be over!
hmmm., the ideal man looks interesting too!
RachelKiwi recently posted..Top Ten Favorite Books of 2011
Fantastic list! Ashes is on mine too! That book was just O.O I also really loved The Scorpio Races.
Loti recently posted..My Top Ten Favorite Books of 2011!!
OK, I’ve seen The Scorpio Races on SO many lists! I’ve been debating if I should buy it or not. I’m on the fence. But, with so many people swearing by it, I probably should!
Saving June made my list too, loved that book!
Anne recently posted..Top Ten Tuesday- Top Ten Favorite Books I Read in 2011
I am SO glad to hear you liked Touch of Power so much! I’ve been loving Snyder’s books and have this one coming up to read soonish
And YAY for the Wise Man’s Fear! Somehow I haven’t seen it around the blogosphere as much as I would have expected…
Daisy recently posted..Top Ten Books of 2011
Yes to Saving June, A Monster Calls and You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me! Loved those books too although I loved Unsticky more than YDHTSYLM so that was the one that I included in my list. And The Scorpio Races! Sigh, such a beautiful book. It makes me happy to see it in several best of 2011 posts.
Chachic recently posted..Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews
Great list! I’ve only heard of a few of those books but your explanations were great. I’m waiting for Wise Man’s Fear to hit trade paperback so that I can read it; the first installment of the trilogy was fantastic!
Here’s my Top Ten list!
Li @ rulethewaves.net recently posted..Meme: Teaser Tuesdays
Thanks for recommending Scorpio Races. It’s new to me, so I just added it to my wishlist.
Finished Monster Calls yesterday. Wow. What a story.
Here’s my Top Ten Favorite Books I Read in 2011.
Ooh I liked Saving June too!! And I know I totally need to read Divergent in 2012!! It’s been sitting on my shelf since the summer!
Thanks for stopping by!
Michele | Top 10
Michele//Just a Lil Lost recently posted..361/365: Top 10 Tuesday
There are some on this list that I haven’t heard of yet, but sound really great. Like, add to my TBR great. I love fantasy a lot, so I’m really thinking to expand my TBR because of your list today!
Also, The Scorpio Races is one I’ve been meaning to read but I haven’t been able to get my hands on a copy yet. I’m glad you liked it because I’ve seen mixed reviews. Mixed reviews always make me want to read something even more…ya know, to see for myself.
Asheley (@BookwormAsheley) recently posted..My Thoughts On: Matched by Ally Condie
What a fun looking awesome list! I’m so excited to get to The Wise Man’s Fear very soon… a book I can’t believe I didn’t read last year!
I absolutely love the cover of The Monster Calls, makes me want to read it! But I didn’t like The Knife of Never Letting Go and that puts me off trying more of Ness.
Thanks for stopping by my list!
Shannon (Giraffe Days) recently posted..My Top Ten … Favourite Books From 2011
Oh dear – I haven’t read ANY of these! But I do have a feeling many of them will appear on my favorites of 2012 list!
recently posted..The Final Countdown (Top Ten Tuesday)
lisa
Divergent is on my list too. I want to read Touch of Power and have a feeling I will be buying it really soon with the Amazon gift card I got for Christmas
I also need to read Scorpio Races soon.
I’m glad to see that The Winter Sea and The Dark Enquiry received honorable mentions. I loved both of those too. Great list!
ChristinaT recently posted..Top Ten Favorite Books I Read in 2011
I LOVE the ones I’ve read from your list so I am looking forward to checking out the others asap. I have been on a fantasy kick as of late, so I am especially curious about The Poison Throne! It sounds right up my alley.
Steph recently posted..Top 10 Book Covers of 2011
You have a lot of books on your list that either made it to mine or were very close to making it. Great picks and thanks for stopping by my blog.
JJiReads
Check out my Top Ten List
Woah, I’ve only read two of the books on your list–Saving June and A Monster Calls. I liked them both well enough, but not enough to put them on my top ten list (which I have yet to post). I’m getting really excited to read Wise Man’s Fear in 2012, as well as The Scorpio Races. Also, now Ashes is going on my wishlist.
Liz recently posted..Waiting on Wednesday: The Stastical Probability of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
I’ve only read ONE of those books (including runner ups) – A Monster Calls.
I haven’t even heard of a lot of the others. Lame, Becky. Jeez.
O_o
Becky recently posted..Top Ten: Best of 2011