December Top Five

Happy (almost) New Year! I'm so grateful for another great year of reading and blogging and just bookish things in general. I've read 118-119 books this year - that I've tracked. It's even more if you count the books for school and the books I've read for work. But before I go into the best of December, here are some of my favorite moments on the blog this year.

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Best Books of 2013 

It's been a weird reading year - I feel a little like I read a lot of mediocre books, but maybe that's because the books that were amazing were so amazing that all else paled in comparison. I've read two books this year that immediately entered into my favorite books ever and I know I'll always hold them dear to me - so Just One Day by Gayle Forman and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell tie for my favorite book this year. The rest of my top reads of 2013 can be found here.

Also this was a great year for NA! Here are my top 10 NA of the year. Although, hands down, Sweet Thing by Renee Carlino was my top NA book this year.

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Best Posts of 2013

 Honestly, I don't know that anything can beat Jackie's post: When My Boyfriend Read Divergent by Veronica Roth.

Also, I love the Vote for Garrick post I put together for the NA Crush Tourney. I had so much fun advocating for Garrick from Losing It by Cora Carmack. There's just so much awesome British and hot guys with cats goodness to fawn over.

And of course, Jackie and I have had a few discussions on NA. Jackie talks brilliantly about why NA is relevant here and I muse on the new trend of writing the same novel from a different point of view here.

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And now on to my top five reads in December.

1. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

This is the kind of science fiction I want to read. A beautiful world, compelling characters and intense situations all make for a fabulous novel. This made my top ten of the year. 

2. Foreplay by Sophie Jordan

I resisted this book because of the title, but I had it recommended to me so many times I picked it up. And I'm convinced that Sophie Jordan wants me to stop breathing because she seems to know exactly how to write characters and situations that take my breath away. This was one of my top ten NA novels this year. 

3. Rush Me by Allison Parr

I was totally surprised by how much I liked this book. It's bursting with personality and it's quite charming, actually. I found this one made it onto my top ten NA of the year as well. 

4. Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

I am so in love with the characters in this series, it was quite bittersweet to see their story come to a close. All I have to say is - Roar is real, right? We can be friends, right? 

5. Jet by Jay Crownover

I put this one off because I loved Rule so much - which is something that totally makes sense if you're in my head. As it turns out, Jet is just as intense and awesome as Rule is and I may like Ayden even more than Shaw. 

What were your top reads this month? 

November Top 5

It's the holiday season! I'm already getting into the lazy - I just want to bake cookies and read all day - mindset. November has been another slow reading month for me, but I'm nearing the end of the semester so my pile of books I need to catch up on are stacking up. I can't wait until I can get through all the books I've been meaning to read. But first - my top reads in November! 

1. Sweet Thing by Renee Carlino

I'm all kinds of in love with this book. It's a gorgeous story that still gets me all worked up and agitated in the best way possible. Read my full review here and then go read it. Seriously, read it now. 

2. Cress by Marissa Meyer

This is one of the handful of series that is prominent in my heart right now. It's amazing how Marissa Meyer takes a crazy concept and makes it so complex, so large, and so plausible. It's just the most impressive thing. And Cress was the perfect addition to the group of fairy-tale inspired heroes tasked with saving Earth. 

3. Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally

I just get the warm-fuzzies when I read Miranda Kenneally. Racing Savannah comes in second only to Catching Jordan in the Hundred Oaks series. Read my full review here. 

4. A Little Too Much by Lisa Desrochers

Another great new adult from Lisa! I was a little apprehensive about where Alessandro's story would go, but I was delighted when it brought us to Hilary and the wonders of New York. She's just killin' it in the NA world right now. My full review is here. 

5. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

I read this one at the insistence of my roommate who has impeccable and hard-to-please taste in books and it was just so impressive. I don't know how Cristin pulled off writing two different characters who are the same person, but it was a great idea. Plus, I always love books about time travel that don't make me feel like an idiot for getting confused about time travel. 

What were your top reads this month? 

October Top 5

Happy Halloween, Friends! October has been crazy – the blog has suffered a bit, due to grad school and a full time job happing right now. My fun reading has also taken a hit. I read so few books for the blog (for myself) this month it’s kind of depressing. But my lack of time has made me way more picky about the books I’m picking up and I’m lucky that they all turned out to be awesome.

1. Crash into You - Katie McGarry

I didn’t think I could love a couple more than Noah and Echo, or a book boy more than Ryan. But I clearly didn’t know Isaiah and how awesome he is with Rachel. I dare say this is my favorite Pushing the Limits book and one of my favorite contemporaries this year – maybe ever. My review goes up tomorrow!

2. Allegiant - Veronica Roth

I think Veronica Roth is an incredibly brave writer. I have no complaints about this final book. It was an explosive end to a wonderful series.

3. The Darkest Minds - Alexandra Bracken

It took me a long time to get into this book and through most of it, I thought it was just good – enjoyable but not epic. Then the last 100 pages happened. And then the last 10. And my view of the whole book changed. It’s pretty epic actually.

4. Sweet - Erin McCarthy

I have qualms about the end. It makes me really cranky, actually. But up until the end I was so in love with this book and these characters. There was something just a little different about this NA story. It’s just very strong and it kept me up way too late reading. You can read my full review here.

5. Another Little Piece - Kate Karyus Quinn

This was my Halloween read for this year and it was a good pick. I mean, I wanted spine-tingles and I got them. There are so many creepy images and sensations in this book. Also, you know it’s a good book when you get nightmares from reading it. 

What were your top reads this month?

September Top Five

Can't believe September is over. I just moved into a new apartment with a new awesome roommate. It's a little bittersweet to leave Jackie and my first New York apartment, but I'm on to new things! I've also started back up in grad school again, so between class and work my schedule is a little crazy. And looking back at what I read this month, it was mostly NA. Thankfully, I read a lot of good NA so I'd definitely recommend these reads. 

1. A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers

This book shocked me and totally made me fall in love. This is a fresh and awesome story that I just totally freaked out over. Read this one! You can read my full review here. 

2. Finding It by Cora Carmack

I love Cora Carmack. She just makes me happy. And while I'll be Team Garrick forever, but Jackson Hunt is a close second. Plus, I can't help but love Kelsey. I'll have my review up soon!  

3. Perfect Regret by A. Meredith Walters

I'm also a little obsessed with A. Meredith Walters. And while I liked Bad Rep better, Perfect Regret was still an awesome companion. Read her books! My full review is here. 

4. The Darkest Part by Trisha Wolfe

I didn't really know what to expect with this one, but it completely tugged all my emotions and held a lot of intense secrets. If you want awesome New Adult that combines grief, ghosts, roadtrips and secret pasts, this is a great one. Read my review here. 

5. Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Jackie says : This book blew my mind. It was smart, authentic, and so heartfelt. This might have been my favorite book of the year. It was so amazingly realistic when it came to depicting small towns and the consequences of living in them while being different. LOVE it. My review will be up soon!

August Top 5

Summer is over. At least in the publishing world we've had our last summer Friday and tomororw is September. Usually August is a sad reading month for me, because it's generally a moving month. But I'm still in New York and I have no plans to move out of here anytime soon (except to a new apartment at the end of September, which I'm so excited about!). So this August has actually been an awesome month for reading and looking back...wowza. I feel like I've read some heavy hitters lately. Although I think it just feels important when you read a book that you know will be a favorite for the rest of your life. So let's start with that book on my August top five.

1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I've already written a crazy long post about my love for this book. So all I'm going to say here is - this one has joined the ranks of my favorite books of all time. It's perfection. You can read all about how much I love it here. 

2. A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers

Still sorting through the craziness that happened in this book. I'm thinking this is a story that has a lot of things that probably shouldn't work, but Lisa Desrochers totally pulls it off. It's spectacular. This is definitely a great new adult novel that I highly recommend. 

3. Breaking the Reins by Juliana Haygert

Some moments of this book are hard to read, as there are some intense incidents of domestic abuse. Still, you have to admire how Juliana doesn't hold back and gives you every high emotional point of this amazing story. Plus, there's a hot Brazilian polo player to the rescue. This is another great NA novel to definitely put on your TBRs.

4. Fire with Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivan win for epic last lines. This is an awesome sequel that left my mind blown. If you haven't started this series, I highly recommend it. You can read my full review here. 

5.  Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

This is another epic sequel that I read this month. I know it came out about a year ago and I can hardly believe it took me this long to get to it. But now I can move right on to The Bitter Kingdom. So it all works out. This is one of my favorite YA fantasy series that just keeps getting better as the words keep coming. Also - Hector is totally dreamy. Check out my review here. 

What were your top reads this month?

July Top 5

August is tomorrow! Which makes me really happy since it's my favorite month. I have some good things coming up - which includes a Mets game, another Yankees game, one of my really good friends visiting from Spain, a couple potential trips to Florida and/or Montana, and, of course, my birthday! July was insanely busy for me and quite stressful (and the blog definitely suffered this month...my post numbers are depressing) so I'm very much looking forward to leaving July behind. But first - my top five reads (or my top 4 and Jackie's favorite book this month). 

1. All the Truth That's in Me by Julie Berry

I haven't wanted to push a book on everyone I know so much since I read Princesses of Iowa (which I bought at least 6 copies of to make sure there were no excuses not to read it). This book has refreshing narrative style and the emotions it inspired surprised me. I NEED to talk about it, so if you've read it, let's discuss some things! 

2. Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

I just love everything Echols writes. She's incredible. Bailey is totally relatable and it becomes so easy to live vicariously through her. I really loved the country music aspect in this one - I think a trip to Nashville might be in order soon! You can check out my full review here.  

3. Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

This book is stunning. It amazes me how much meaning Trish can pack into every single word she writes. I don't know that I can point out another contemporary author who has said so little and so much at the same time. She's a fantastic writer. 

4. Infinityglass by Myra McEntire

Finally, we get to find out what happens to the Hourglass gang. Myra totally switched things up when she wrote Timepiece and I think she keeps that going in Infinityglass. It's tough to say goodbye to these characters, but this was a great end to a fabulous series. My review is here. 

5. Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes

Jackie says: I'm really loving where Morgan Rhodes is taking the Falling Kingdom story. The new characters are interesting and complex, as are the lot of them in this series, and some of the original charaters are changing my mind about what I want to happen and with whom ;) There was no holding back in this book from any angle, and the story is getting even more intense. I love it!

What were your top reads this month? 

June Top 5

July is tomorrow. Which means summer is going way too fast. Also - it means I didn't get a ton of reading in this month. It's been crazy busy, but awesome. I love summer in New York. I've been reading mostly NA lately - they read so quickly and I can't get enough! Which really makes me wonder how I've read so little lately. But oh well, here are my top 5 from June - or my top 4 and Jackie's top read. 

1. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Duh. Of course this is my number one. Crown of Midnight is brilliant. This series is just so incredible and Maas is definitely writing on another level here.

2. Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood

I love Jessica Spotswood's world and her take on witches. In the second book in this series, she just brings your emotions out. I was so tense and frustrated (but in a good way) through the whole book. And the end.... Read my review here.

3. Bad Rep by A. Meredith Walters

I think A. Meredith Walters is one of the best NA authors out there right now. Her books are so intense and she really knows how to write relationships. Bad Rep just got me so worked up and it kept surprising me. And Jordan...is just freak-out worthy. It's so good. If you haven't read A. Meredith Walters yet, I suggest you get on that. 

4. Wait for You by J. Lynn

I started this and didn't expect to like it. It seems pretty typical - normal sheltered girl literally runs into the hottest guy on campus and he starts pursuing her... Yeah, I was a little worried. But it was amazing how it swept me away and I cared so much about these characters, I just hope they'll be happy forever. 

5. Falling Kingdoms 

Jackie says: I was in the mood for a good fantasy book when I picked this up, and I was not disappointed. The world in the book was SO great. I absolutely love how the author doesn't hold back--even when I think I want her to. The characters are complex, and the whole story is excellent. Stay tuned for my review on this one. 

What were your top reads this month? 

May Top 5

Happy June everybody. Summer is here! This last month was pretty great reading-wise. I kind of holed up for awhile and just read a ton (or at least a ton compared to the last few months). Here are my top 5 reads from May.

1. Goddess by Josephine Angelini

Finally! I know how this story ends and I couldn't be more thrilled with this whole series. Seriously, awesome. This is the ultimate in mythology retellings. 

2. Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Can I just declare my love for Ryan one more time and declare dibs? Because, yeah...he's perfect. Also, this book is amazing. Read my full review here. 

3. Faking It by Cora Carmack

I wasn't entirely sure I'd fall for Cade the way I fell for Garrick in Losing It. He wasn't my favorite from that book. But in a new city and with a new firecracker of a female lead, he turned out to be pretty amazing. Plus, Cora Carmack's humor still shines through. Awesome companion novel. 

4. Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

I got totally wrapped up in this story. I love the world and the life and the family that Kacey managed to build for herself. It's impossible not to fall for all the characters in this book. 

5. Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith

I really wasn't sure what to expect going into this book and I think it was better that way. It was crazy and unexpected already. I'm still not sure what to think about some parts of this book, but I know that it was amazing and beautiful and affecting. 

What were your top reads in May?

April Top Five

April was definitely one of those months where I had so much to read and I don't feel like I accomplished very much. But here are my top three from this month, and numbers four and five are Jackie's top reads!

1. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

I still haven't really sorted out my feelings from this book and I kind of think I'm unhappy with it in general. I mean, I was never able to pick it up without sobbing. But still, there's something in a book that has the power to rip out your soul that makes it pretty fabulous. 

2. Unraveling and Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris 

Yeah, I'm including both of these as one here, but I read them so close together and they're both incredible. I'm a little mad at myself for waiting so long to read Unraveling, but at the same time it was awesome to be able to jump right into Unbreakable. I'll have reviews for these up this week! 

3. The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

This book was so much fun and it was a different take on the paranormal world. Plus, its impossible not to love a character like Dusty who's sarcastic, witty, and endearing. Read my full review HERE. 

4. Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith Walters

Jackie says: This was a great conclusion to the Maggie and Clay love story that I fell desperately for in Find You in the Dark. Getting inside Clay's head was amazing. We all wanted to know what his craziness felt like. Check out my review HERE!

5. The Program by Suzanne Young

Jackie says: This book surprised me in so many good ways. I just loved the originality of the story, and the detail and mystery that made it come alive are STILL bouncing around in my head. Book 2 yet? Please!? Read my full review HERE.

What were your top reads this month? 

March Top 5

Wow, guys, I totally missed the end of the month AND the first of April. Time definitely goes way too fast, especially when you're busy and/or not paying attention. But I definitely fell in love a few times this month and these five books were the best of those loves.

1. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

I still can't believe it took me so long to read this book. It completely passed all my expectations and I just fell in so deeply with these characters. Read my full review here.

2. 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

I can't praise Nova Ren Suma enough. She's a brilliant writer and this story is beautiful and haunting. I attempted to put into words how I feel about this book, and you can read that here.

3. My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi

I totally devoured this book and came away feeling deeply depressed and uplifted at the same time. It's a weird emotion, but I think I like it. It was just an impressive novel that I think everyone could learn something from. Check out my review here.

4. A Touch Menacing by Leah Clifford

Ahhhh, the end of the Touch series. SO bittersweet, but ultimately a great ending. Looking forward to the dark, twisties that Leah will come up with next. Read my review here.

5. Golden by Jessi Kirby

I love Jessi Kirby and Robert Frost is definitely one of my favorite poets, so this was definitely a win. I'll have a review up soon!

What were your top reads in March?