Best Book Covers of 2012

This is a week about all the best of 2012, hosted by Two Chicks on Books. You can check out everyone else's top ten lists here!

Best Book Covers in 2012

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini 

All the pretty colors.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

So perfect. So adorable.

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Not entirely sure why I'm so in love with this cover. But it's gorgeous.

Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill 

This book lured me by it's cheerful cover.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Gorgeous. And it feels so free.

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowly

Just love it.

Above by Leah Bobbett

Not a fan of the book, but the cover is wonderful.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

This cover is simple and just has a classic feel to it.  

The Selection by Kiera Cass

This cover is kind of typical and unoriginal (girls in dresses...) but for some reason, I just love it. It's so pretty.
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

It fits the story so well - a little mysterious, with the light and the dark.

Best Books I've Read in 2012

This is a week about all the best of 2012, hosted by Two Chicks on Books. You can check out everyone else's top ten lists here!

Best Books I've Read in 2012

(in no particular order...it's hard enough to pick ten, even harder to arrange them in order...)

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Rift by Andrea Cremer

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is: Top Ten Posts that would give the BEST picture of YOU (as a reader and a person)

I've been helping Hannah keep up her blog this summer and haven't actually made 10 blog posts altogether, so I'd actually like to share some of her blog posts that I've especially enjoyed and think really give a good picture of who she is...basically awesomeness! Ok, here goes, in alphabetical order:

1. Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

2. Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff

       

 

                                   3. Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

4. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor 

       

5. The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

6. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

       

7. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

8. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

      

9. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

10. Wildefire by Karsten Knight

      

All the book covers are linked to Hannah's post, instead of their page on Indiebound. Some of her reviews reflect my thoughts exactly, some do not. I've read some of these books, but not all. However, all of these posts will make you want to read every single one while giving a peak into Hannah's soul. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Let me know your thoughts!

Armchair BEA: Best of 2012 SO FAR and Giveaway!

I'm combining today's giveaway and best of 2012 post. I'm going to talk about my favorite books so far this year and then I'll give away one of them!

So let's start with the absolutely stunning debut of Veronica Rossi's Under the Never Sky. Absolutely brilliant - dystopia mixed with fantasy mixed with adventure mixed with Perry, add a strong heroine and squeeze in a few cannibals and some acid rain and you have yourself a fabulous book. It also helps that the writing is flawless.

This has also been an incredible year for contemporaries - four of my favorites are contemps. The first is the lyrical Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. The writing is exceptional and the story is so wonderful. It's a great, artistic book. And then of course, Wanderlove by Kristin Hubbard. Amazing. Makes me want to drop everything and just be a global wanderer. Then there's M. Molly Backes debut, The Princesses of Iowa. I wasn't expecting a lot from this book and it totally shook my foundation. I've been pushing it on to everyone I can - especially my high school English teacher friends. I haven't reviewed it yet, but Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols, out in July, is another superb Echols novel. Her books are always quick to be my favorites and Such a Rush is second only to Going Too Far in my heart.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers. Assassin nuns. 'Nuff said.

I've always loved Robin Hood stories, but Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen is my new favorite. Will Scarlet will never be a man in my mind ever again. And that portrayal of Robin is pretty dang dreamy. \

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (which happens to be hitting shelves today) is high fantasy at its best. This book was so beautiful and so vivid. It's hard to believe that this world doesn't exist somewhere.

Finally, this is a year for the second book. Lots of sequels out - some have lived up to the first book - but these two surpassed the introduction and have earned their place in my favorites. The first is Timepiece by Myra McEntire. I loved Emerson's voice in Hourglass so I was worried about the POV switch. But that risk just made this series unique and that much stronger. Finally, Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver was an exceptional sequel. Delirium was good, not great. Pandemonium was superb.

OH and let's not forget The Selection by Kiera Cass. I may or may not be mildly obsessed with this book...

So there you go. My top books of 2012 so far. Now, I'll be giving away one of these books - if you win, you get to choose. Any listed above are up for grabs. Must be 13 to enter and it's international as long as Book Depository ships to you. This is going to be a quick contest and it will be closed to entries at 12:01 AM on Sunday, June 10. I'll contact the winner by email. Winner must respond within 48 hours or I wil choose a new winner.

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February Top 5

It's time for another top 5 post. Where in the world did February go? Anyways, I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately. Which hasn't made a whole lot of sense to me, because I finish books thinking I loved them and then I sit down to write reviews and realize I didn't connect with them as much as I thought I had. So I thought for once choosing my top five from the month would be easy. And then I went back and looked at my list - and yeahhhh....this list was far from easy. I had to cut 3 books that I loved so much. But enough about my personal pains - here's the top five books I read in February (in no particular order) -

1. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

I was in emotional pain when I had to set this down and go to work. This book just blew me away. It was everything I'd ever want out of one night, or one boy. And Cath Crowley's writing style stunned me. This whole book was such a testament to art, humanity, and living in the moment. Read my review here. 

2. Blood Red Road by Moira Young

I've had this book on my shelf since July. Why it took me this long to read it, I haven't got a clue. Now that I've read it, I can say, I'm impressed with Moira Young. It blows my mind how it seems to draw on different stories and historical events, yet it still feels completely original. Read my review here. 

3. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

I fell in love with Born Wicked so quickly. Finn is now close to the top of my list of book boyfriends and I love the girl power in this book. It's a great start to a series that promises to become something even larger. Plus, it's one of those books that I threw after I finished. It got me going. Read my review here.

4. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

This book. Is. Amazing. I've always loved Robin Hood and this re-telling surpassed all expectations I had. Every aspect of this book was incredible - the writing, the pacing, the relationship dynamics, the characterizations, and the way that Gaughen puts women back into history. Awesome. Read it. Read my review here.

5. Starters by Lissa Price

I'm so impressed with this book. I'm still thinking about it. I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, and I think that's because I couldn't fathom how the premise could be executed. But I started reading and never looked back. I was sucked in immediately. Price definitely pulled off writing about people renting other's bodies and still telling a fantastic story. Read my review here.

What were your top reads this month?