The Best Books That I Have Read in 2012

Merry Christmas Eve :) 

I've decided to participate in the... Top 10 of 2012! 

You can find more info HERE to participate!!! 

Hosted by... 
Fiktshun, Two Chicks On Books, 
Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, 
Confessions Of A Bookaholic, 
and A Life Bound By Books

My most favorite books for 2012 are... 

1. PUSHING THE LIMITS by Katie McGarry 

I've always liked contemporary, but this book made me fall in love with the whole genre!

Echo and Noah's stories where so tragic, their love just made sense...

I love books that can give you the big feels right from the start!

2. TIGER LILY 

by Jodi Lynn Anderson 

 Oh my, sniff... this story ripped my heart out! 

Yes, it starts out a bit slow, BUT, once things start moving along...

Tiger Lily, Tick Tock, Peter Pan, The Lost Boys...

Oh, Tick Tock! Peter!!!... such a bittersweet ending.

This is one of those books that will be re-read, over and over again...

loved it so much! 

3. EMBRACE and ENTICE by Jessica Shirvington 

THIS is how you do an Angel story! 

It's got everything - 

kick-ass heroines, love story, awesome plot, amazing writing, etc.

Can't wait for the 3rd book, Emblaze!!!

4. EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton

OMG, JACK!!!

The ending, it nearly killed me! But it was SO good, it couldn't have ended in any other way!

I NEED to read Everbound as soon as it is released!

I need to know what happens to Jack... and if worse comes to worse,

maybe I can save him ;) 

5. ENCHANTED by Alethea Kontis 

As you all already know, my most favorite books are those that are fairytale retellings or re-imaginations...

And Alethea Kontis was able to take almost all of my favorite fairytales and entwine them together into one magical book!

I am so excited to read the rest of the series (6 more!!!) and see what other stories she will use to tell the tales of the other characters.

6. OBSIDIAN and ONYX by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

This author has become one of my all-time favorites!

And THIS series is the main reason why!!!

I don't ever want this to end! Not only because of Daemon {giggle},

but because the whole series and story-line is just fabulous!!! 

I never thought I would love aliens so very much ;) 

7. ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND by Gena Showalter 

I am NOT a fan of Zombies!

I am super surprised when this one instantly popped into my head for my top 10 list, lol!

The whole zombie-twist that Gena Showalter came up with really impressed me - and all the bits and references to 'Wonderland' were brilliantly done!

I am really looking forward to book 2, Through the Zombie Glass next year :)

8. SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo

I have never had much luck with high-fantasy books... 

that is, until I read Shadow and Bone! 

It is by far one of the best fantasy books I have ever read! 

And I am so very excited for book 2, Siege and Storm, to be released!!!

9. THE CATASTROPHIC HISTORY OF YOU AND ME 

by Jess Rothenberg

 This is the first book that I read when I started book blogging; 

it's also the first book signing I went to too :) 

I love everything about this book - 

the author, the cover, the story, the twist towards the end... 

I am always recommending this one!

10. KEEP HOLDING ON by Susane Colasanti 

 This is a story that will always stay with me.

One that I will always recommend to people of all ages to read. 

The emotions I went through while reading this one...

I can only imagine what others went through in school.

And some that still go through.

It is a definite must read!

And I adore the author and will always pick up her books without any hesitations!

Honorable Mention:
The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver 

This was my first Lauren Oliver book! 

Yes, I know that it is a middle grade book - 

and it is definitely on my list and worth mentioning!

The world building, writing and story-line was so unique and amazing! 

I will definitely be shelving this one on my 'classic shelf' and hope to see it labeled so in the future. 

That's my Top 10 for 2012!!!

What are some of your favorites??? 

Waiting On Wednesday #31: All I Need by Susane Colasanti

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by  Breaking the Spine. 

This is were we get to 'spotlight' books that we are anxiously waiting to be released! The ones that we are dying to get our hands on and read into the wee hours of the night and, quite possibly, to make our shelves look all pretty too :)

What I am waiting on... 

All I Need

by Susane Colasanti

Expected release date: May 21st, 2013

Published by: Viking Juvenile (Penguin)

SUMMARY

The last night of summer 

is only the beginning.

Skye wants to meet the boy who will change her life forever. Seth feels their instant connection the second he sees her. When Seth starts talking to Skye at the last beach party of the summer, it’s obvious to both of them that this is something real. But when Seth leaves for college before they exchange contact info, Skye wonders if he felt the same way she did—and if she will ever see him again. Even if they find their way back to each other, can they make a long-distance relationship work despite trust issues, ex drama, and some serious background differences?

Teen favorite Susane Colasanti returns to the alternating-voice style of her beloved debut When It Happens in this Serendipity-inspired story about summer, soul mates, and the moments that change our lives forever.

WHY I'M WAITING ON All I Need by Susane Colasanti...

First of all, the cover to this book was just released yesterday!
Isn't it adorable?! and romantic! I love the heart drawn on the sand :)

It sounds like a wonderful love story to get lost in!
I adore Susane's books and writing style...

And when I saw this quote, I know that I am going to really love this story!...

"I believe this to be the most romantic book I’ve written. 
I was going for an epic love story." ~ Susane Colasanti, All I Need

You can see more deets on her blog, here, here AND here!!!

What do you think???

(Oh! and you can see my review of one of her latest releases, Keep Holding On, here!)

AND, what are you waiting for this week?!?!

A "Nobel Beehive Award" Review: Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

Keep Holding On 

by Susane Colasanti 

Release Date: May 31st, 2012

Format: Hardcover 

Publisher: Viking Juvenile (Penguin) 

Genre: YA Contemporary

SUMMARY 

(from Goodreads)

A romantic and empowering book about bullying.

Noelle's life is all about survival. Even her best friend doesn't know how much she gets bullied, or the ways her mom neglects her. Noelle's kept so much about her life a secret for so long that when her longtime crush Julian Porter starts paying attention to her, she's terrified. Surely it's safer to stay hidden than to risk the pain of a broken heart. But when the antagonism of her classmates takes a dramatic turn, Noelle realizes it's time to stand up for herself--and for the love that keeps her holding on.

MY REVIEW 

Such a strong and empowering little book. Keep Holding On is a story that was written from the heart and should be on ever tween and teen's mandatory to-be-read pile!

Keep Holding On is about Noelle, a teen who is being neglected by her mother and bullied at school in addition to going through the normal ups and downs of a regular teen -
self doubt, insecurities and pride.
She doubts that she is able to stop the things that continue to happen to her.
Without any encouragement from anyone in her life, she has no idea as to what she is capable of.
Noelle also doesn't like to take charity from anyone when she feels that it wouldn't be necessary if things in her life were normal aka her mother would step up and make the right choices.
 She doesn't allow herself to hope that she is worthy of more.
Until something happens to one of her fellow classmates that forces her to question herself and finally realize that she is more than capable of taking matters into her own hands.

Keep Holding On is encouraging and reminds all of us, no matter the age, that we are not alone and that we should always hold on, no matter what.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Susane Colasanti 

Susane Colasanti is the author of When It Happens, Take Me There, Waiting for You,Something Like Fate, and So Much Closer. 

She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from New York University. 

Before becoming a full-time author, Susane was a high school science teacher for almost ten years. 

As a teenage Jersey girl, she felt like her true home was across the water in New York City. She now lives in the West Village. 

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