Let's Talk about Series

It seems today that YA fiction is dominated by series and trilogies. Even a novel written as a standalone can be expanded into a trilogy if it's popular enough. With my signup for the 2014 Seriously Series Reading Challenge, I thought I'd take a look at all the series I've either read, am currently reading, or plan to read in the future. 

Series Completed: 7 (I'm sure I've completed more, but since I only started keeping track of what I read in late 2011, I honestly don't remember)

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
The Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen 
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flammel by Michael Scott
The Confessions of Georgia Nicholson by Louise Rennison

Series Actively Reading: 14 (these are the series where when the next book is released, I have to buy it and read it soon!)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
Tempest by Julie Cross
The Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Splintered by A.G Howard
The Flappers by Jillian Larkin
Tempe Brennan by Kathy Reichs
Abandon by Meg Cabot
Penryn & the End of Days by Susan Ee
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Precious Stones Trilogy by Kerstin Geir
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Series Not Actively Reading: 6 (these are the series that I plan to continue reading one day, but not in the immediate future)

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
Misadventures of Talluah Casey by Louise Rennison 
Legend by Marie Lu
A Song of Ice & Fire by George R.R Martin
The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini
The Arthurian Saga by Mary Stewart

Series Started with No Intent to Finish: 11

Anna by Kendare Blake
Kinsey Millhone by Sue Grafton
Carrier Trilogy by Leigh Fallon
The Steampunk Chronicles by Kady Cross
The Chemical Garden Trilogy by Lauren Destefano
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
The Cousin's War by Philippa Gregory
George Smiley by John le Carre
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
The Wicked Years by Gregory Maguire
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Series I Own the First Book In and Have Yet to Start: 100+ (which means there are waaaay too many to list here, so I'm just going to list those I plan to begin reading this year)

Eve by Anna Carey
The Grisha by Leigh Bardugo 
The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza
Pivot Point by Kasie West
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
His Fair Assassin by Robin LaFevers
Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan
All Our Yesterdays by Christin Terrill
The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Icons by Margaret Stohl
The Blackcoat Rebellion by Aimee Carter
Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant
Just One Day by Gayle Forman
The Maze Runner by James Dasher
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
The Program by Suzanne Young
Reboot by Amy Tintera 

It's a bit sad that I can only remember finishing 7 series in my past. I don't know if this was because back in the day I didn't read as many series, or I failed to finish them, but since I have started 11 series in the past two years and have no intent on finishing them, I'm going to go with the latter. On the plus side, I'm planning to start 20 series this year! I don't know whether this is a good idea or not, since if I enjoy them all, that means I'll have a lot more books to bump up by TBR list, which pushes down other books I really want to read...ARGH it's so hard when you read so many good books! #bookishpeopleproblems

How about you? Are you better than me and finish every series you start, or are you one of those people who never finishes a series ever? I'm curious to know!

Best Reads of 2013

It's that time of year again! I can't believe how quickly 2013 went, but hey, time is bound to fly when you're reading so many amazing books. This year I managed to read 45 books, and choosing a top 10 was challenging to say the least. So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my favourite reads of this year:

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Booking by Number's Q&A

In my transversing of the blogosphere recently, I've seen a few people doing this. Jess Hearts Books thought up this great little bookish Q&A about our bookshelves, and I thought I'd give it a go!

The idea is to find a random number generator and enter the number of books you have on your bookshelf Then, for each question, draw a number and find that book on your bookshelf. So without further ado...

Book Number: 26 Book: Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Lousie Rennison
Q1) Have you read this book? If so, what did you think of it?
I don't know If I've said it enough, but I'm a big fan of Louise Rennison's books. This one was the first novel of her's I read, and I couldn't stop laughing through the entire Georgia Nicholson series.

Book Number: 85 Book: Wither by Lauren Destefano 
Q2) Why did you purchase this book? Were you recommended it? Was it a random purpose?
I'd heard a lot about this series via the blogosphere and had it on my wishlist for a while before I decided to buy it with Christmas money one year.

Book Number: 40 Book: Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs
Q3) Based on what you know about this book which other book blogger would you recommend it to?
I really enjoy this series, but Deja Dead was a dense start. I guess anyone who enjoys crime novels would enjoy this one.

Book Number: 39 Book: The Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling
Q4) Who's this books bookshelf neighbour?
TDH sits nicely between Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Twilight.

Book Number: 59 b The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
Q5) How many books have you read by this book's author?
I don't think it's any surprise that my answer is zero for this one.

Book Number: 20 Book: Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Q6) Do you have any special memories attached to this book?
Sort-of. This is one of the first books I ever read as part of a challenge. I wasn't sure if challenges were something I could stick to when I started (as it turns out, that year I was pretty dismal at reading at all), but I like to think I'm pretty good with them now.

Book Number: 57 Book: Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen
Q7) If this book part of a series? If it is are you up to date with the series?
Yep it is, and nope I'm not, although I do have the final book in the trilogy and plan to read it soon.

Book Number: 71 Book: Time Stops for No Mouse by Michael Hoeye
Q8) Is this book something you'd typically read or is it out of your comfort zone?
This is something I'd typically read. Maybe not so much now-a-days, since all our characters are mice, but its still a mystery book, and I do enjoy a good mystery or two.

Book Number: 17 Book: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Q9) Have you reviewed this book? If yes then share a link to it.
My fangirling in gifs review 

Book Number: 101 Book: Once by Anna Carey
Q10) Where did you buy this book from?
A little stall in my local shopping centre that was selling books for only $10 (sadly it's gone now)

Book Number: 3 Book: Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes
Q11) Roughly how long have you owned this book for?
Years. I think this may have been given to me as a gift when I was in Year 8, so I would have been 15 - so roughly 5 years.

Book Number: 91 Book: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Q12) Share the first sentence of this book.
"I bear a deep red stain that runs from my left shoulder down to my right hip, a trail left by the herbwitch's poison that my mother used to try to expel me from her womb"
Well, that's definitely not what I thought the opening sentence would be - I really should read this soon!

Book Number: 41 Book: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Q13) What's your opinion on the book's cover?
Ehh. White flower with red highlights. Doesn't really do anything for me. 

Book Number: 63 Book: Splintered by A.G Howard
Q14) In a few sentences, describe this book in your own words.
Pure genius. A completely original and enthralling retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Just...so good!

And that's it! I enjoyed exploring my bookshelf - you should give it a go too!

I'm now on Booklikes!

Just a short little post to say that I'm now on Booklikes! For anyone who isn't aware, Booklikes is like Goodreads meets Tumblr. Since I'm not a member of Goodreads, I thought I might as well have a go at Booklikes - people seem to be enjoying it! So here's what you can expect to find there:

• Pretty much everything I post here: book reviews, Wishlist Wednesdays and discussion posts will be linked up on Booklikes
• Since I post book reviews about a week after I finish the book, I'm going to post my initial reactions on Booklikes - thoughts, feelings, pros & cons
• Anything and everything bookish: pictures, quotes, videos, random tidbits, memes, gifs...so much stuff

If you feel like checking it out, here's my link: http://danielleheartsbooks.booklikes.com/

Book Haul (2)

A couple of weeks ago I showcased the tonne of books I had recently bought. But wait....THERE'S MORE! At the beginning of the week I stumbled upon this online book sale where all the books were $3 - granted, their range was pretty small, but still, $3! So naturally I had a look and decided to buy these beauties, and they arrived in the mail the other day, so I thought I'd feature them here.

Grave Mercy by R.L LaFevers
This is one of those books that I see everywhere. Everyone seems to have read it, and loved it. This has been on my wishlist for a while now, so obviously when I saw I could grab it for $3, I snapped it up quick smart.  

The Circle by Sara Bergmark Elfgren & Mats Strandberg
This one intrigued me. Witches aren't something I read a lot about - I honestly can't remember the last book I read about them. This isn't one that I'd hear of before, but I checked it out on Goodreads, and people seemed to be enjoying it, for the most part. The synopsis was intriguing, and it was only $3, so I really couldn't resist. 

Carnival of Souls by Marissa Marr
I haven't read any of Marr's books yet, by the Wicked Lovely series has been on my wishlist for a while now. So when I saw this, I thought I might as well give it a go, see if Marr's style of writing and storytelling is for me. Plus, the synopsis sounded pretty cool.   

Have you read any of these? What did you think?

Book Haul (1)

I don't usually do these types of posts but I've bought/received so many books over the past 2 weeks or so that I thought I'd share them with you. This is what happens when I discover a stall in my local shopping centre with all novels $5, AND they keep bringing out more books - I can't help but buy some. Please forgive me in advance for the terrible photos. 

Looking for Alaska by John Green
Ahh John Green - the (unoffical) representaive for YA lit. I haven't read a lot of John Green in my time, so I thought I'd pick this one up since I did enjoy The Fault in Our Stars.

Withering Tights, A Midsummer Tights Dream & The Taming of the Tights by Louise Rennison
Quite a few years ago, I read Rennison's Confessions of Georige Nicholson series, and absolutely loved it. Her books are a hoot and a half. So naturally when I stumbled across her new series, that's already had 3 books released, I had to buy them all!

Vortex by Julie Cross
This one I pre-ordered at the end of last year, since I loved the first novel in the series, Tempest. I'm excited to read this one - hopefully soon. 

The Bling Ring by Nancy Jo Sales
I stumbled upon this at the book stall, and since it was only $5, and I think it could be quite interesting, I grabbed it.

Insatiable by Meg Cabot
I didn't really know much about this one when I picked it up, but I do know Meg Cabot - I'm currently reading her Abandon series, and loving it, so I thought this was a solid investment. 

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
I read City of Bones earlier this year, and whilst I wasn't in love with it, it was always my plan to continue on with the series at some point. Grabbing the second novel for only $5 was very convenient 

Angelfall by Susan Ee
I've heard about this one all over the blogosphere, so a couple of weeks ago, I decided to grab this one on The Book Depository. I've no doubt I'll enjoy it - everyone is singing its praises!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E Smith
Another one I've seen around the blogosphere for a while now. I always intended to grab this, but I just never got around to it - so finally, I grabbed with when I bought Angelfall.

Once by Anna Carey
This one is the second novel in the Eve Trilogy. I've had Eve on my wishlist for a while now, but I never got around to getting it, so when I saw the sequel at the $5 stand, I picked it up as a way to force me to acquire the first novel and finally get onto reading the series. 

Have you read any of these? What did you think?

Allegiant UK Cover Revealed

The UK cover for Allegiant had been dropped online! I'm particularly interested in this because this will be the book I own, since I have Divergent and Insurgent with UK editions. 

I have to say, I really like this cover. It's got some of the same features as the US edition - the water and the Chicago cityscape. I love that its blue - I just love the colour blue. And the feathers, I like those feathers. I just really like this cover, which is good considering I will own it.

Allegiant comes out on the 22nd October this year. 

Finally we have Allegiant in all its glory...

While I was sleeping, Veronica Roth went on the Today Show in America, had a little chat with Ryan Seacrest, and revealed the cover for Allegiant, the eagerly anticipated finale to the Divergent trilogy

Doesn't it just look gorgeous? And that symbol...so much for it being another faction symbol! For Divergent we had the Dauntless symbol, for Insurgent we had the Amity symbol and for Allegiant we've got something entirely different! What could it mean?!? And that picture at the bottom - the Chicago O'Hare International Airport - what could that mean?!? It's an amazing cover, but why does it have to raise so many questions!

Let's not forget about the synopsis:

What if your whole world was a lie?

What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?

What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

I'm so excited to see how this story ends - are you eagerly awaiting the books release on the 22nd October too?

Did you miss Veronica Roth on the Today Show this morning like I did (what with being in Australia and all)? Check it out below 

Movie News: Kate Winslet has a role in Divergent

So, I managed to miss something big that was annouced a month ago - Kate Winslet's role in Divergent. I don't know about you, but for Divergent fans, Winslet's role has been a big ol' mystery. Since it was announced that Winslet was joining the cast, her character has been kept on the downlow, but we all theorised that she would either play Jeanine or Tris' mother Natalie. Well, half of you were right...

SHE'S JEANINE!!! I am sooo excited for this, because I can just see Winslet doing an amazing job in this role. Granted, Kate Winslet would do an amazing job in any role - but I think she is going to smash it as Jeanine.



For those of you now wondering who will play Tris' mother Natalie, that role has gone to Ashley Judd. I personally haven't seen much that Judd has been in, but I know she's a good actor, and I can already see her as Natalie Prior.


So, what do you think of this casting? Excited like I am?

Divergent 3 has a title!

We've all been waiting for this. Veronica Roth has finally revealed what the final book in the Divergent series will be called...

I'm going to be honest, I wasn't expecting Allegiant. I was fully expecting it to be called Convergent, because I thought that fit in well with the other titles, Divergent and Insurgent, but Allegiant it shall be! The book cover is being unveiled in a months time, and Allegiant will be released, as you can see above, on the 22nd October. 

Who's excited for Allegiant (I know I am!). What do you think of the title? What do you think the cover will look like? So super excited for this!

Movie News: Catching Fire Teaser Trailer

The Catching Fire Trailer premiered at the MTV movie award today and it. is. brilliant. Catching Fire was my favourite of the three novels, and the first film was brilliant, so here's hoping the second will be even better!

Just a quick little competition

Whilst transversing the blogsophere the other day, I stumbled upon this AMAZING competition for a Marissa Meyer, aka the author of The Lunar Chronicles, swagpack and I just had to share it, because I loved both Cinder and Scarlet oh so very much. Check is out HERE.

Movie News - Tris and Four are cast, DOSAB has a screenwright, and Mockingjay is split

It's been a while since I wrote a post concerning movie adaptations, because it's not often that I read a book before it's translated to the big screen. More often than not, movies actually introduce me to new books - The Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments and The Caster Chronicles were all brought to my attention when I heard about the films or saw the trailers. BUT, I actually have some thoughts on some upcoming films which are based on books that I've already read - for once I'm ahead!

1. Divergent Casting
If you've been reading my book reviews, you guys would know that I absolutely loved Divergent when I read it earlier this year (my review here). And no sooner had I finished the book that news came out that it was being adapted for film. What with the success of The Hunger Games, dystopian films are all the rage right now. The film's currently in pre-production and will be released sometime next year, and only a little information about the casting has been made public - but we do have our two leads! 

Shailene Woodley was cast a little while ago as our female lead Tris. To be honest, I'm still not sure on this casting. Woodley didn't jump out to me as the perfect choice, not the way Jennifer Lawrence did with Katniss. But, Woodley can act - she's proven herself in Secret Life of an American Teenager and The Descendants. I'll be interested to see how Woodley goes - I'm still not convinced she's the absolute perfect choice for Tris, but she could prove me wrong. 




More recently we were told who has been cast as our male lead Four - Theo James. You might recognise him from The Inbetweeners Movie or Downton Abbey, where he had a small part yonkers ago playing Kemal Pamuk. Personally, James is an unknown to me, so I have no idea what his acting abilities are like. Again, I'll be interested to see how James goes.


Alongside Woodley and James, Kate Winslet is set to appear in the film, but what role she will play is still under wraps. It's been theorised that she'll either play Jeanine or  Tris' mother, both roles that Winslet could easily rock. Also, Zoe Kravitz - is it just me who thinks she is the perfect fit for Christina?!?



2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone
I was super excited when I heard that Daughter of Smoke and Bone is being turned into a movie. It's very early days yet, but we do have a screenwright - Stuart Beattie, who is responsible for Pirates of the Caribbean. I really hope Beattie is able to translate DOSAB well - I think it could be a bit tricky, but if it's done right, I've no doubt this movie will be amazing.



3. Mockingjay will be 2 films
The 3rd installment of The Hunger Games film franchise will be split into two films. Whether or not this is the right decision, I'm not 100% sure. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was split into two films and that worked out, but I think everyone can agree that one Breaking Dawn film would have sufficed. I think, if done right, splitting Mokingjay in half could work - I think there is just enough material in the book to fit into two films. Finding a place to stop the first film and start the second is probably going to be tricky, but I think that's always going to be the tricky part of splitting a story into 2 sections. The Hunger Games was an amazing film, so I think it's safe to assume that the sequels are going to be amazing too (at least I really hope so). And, one of my main gripes with the first film was that it cut out some important plot points - splitting Mockingjay into two films is sure to solve tihs problem!

What about you? Have you read Divergent? What about Daughter of Smoke and Bone? Are you excited for their upcoming movies?

Bringing YA to YOU!

Do you live in America/Canada? Have you always wished that a big YA book tour would make a stop in your home town? Well, here's your chance to make this wish come true! YA2U is a program that features five award-winning and best-selling authors who are holding a contest to see what city they should visit in an exclusive tour stop. 

Votes are being collected from January 1 to February 15, and any US or Canadian city that has an international airport can win a visit from all five authors, including an author panel and book signing! So what are you waiting for? Entering is easy, and if you help spread the word about the contest, you can also enter to win a signed copy of all their books (thats TEN in total!) - and this competition is open INTERNATIONALLY!

The authors in the program are: 

• Marie Lu, the New York Times best-selling author of Legend and the upcoming Prodigy
• Marissa Meyer, the New York Times best-selling author of Cinder and the upcoming Scarlet
• Beth Revis, the New York Times best-selling author of Across the Universe, A Million Suns, and the upcoming Shades of Earth
• Victoria Schwab, author of The Near Witch and the upcoming The Archived
• Megan Shepherd, author of the debut novel The Madman’s Daughter

Head on over to the website to find out more about campaigning for your hometown. Since I'm an Aussie, I'll just be entering the awesome international giveaway. Use the widget below, and be sure to mention my name under Referral Points - it will get both you and me extra entries! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mara Dyer: A True Story?

I don't know how I haven't heard about this before. Since I'm currently reading the second instalment in the Mara Dyer series, and it's freaking amazing (no joke), I stopped over at Michelle Hodkin's website (www.michellehodkin.com) to take a look around. And while I was there, I somehow got redirected to this website: http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Unbecoming-of-Mara-Dyer/Michelle-Hodkin/9781442421769/behind_the_book. 

WOAH. WOAH. WOAH. Back it up. Are you telling me that the plot of this trilogy is based on a true story? A TRUE STORY? Mind = blown. 

Now for anyone who's read the novels, you'll know that this is a big, BIG thing. The events in these novels are so strange and downright creepy that they couldn't possibly be based on fact. And yet, Hodkin suggests that it is. What is based on fact she doesn't specify. It could just be that she met a girl who had been in an accident, and then thought up the rest. But, that article suggests that it is much more than that. And that just blows my mind.

So, fans of the series, or anyone really, what is your take on this? Could it be that Mara Dyer is based on fact, or is it all publicity?

Best Reads of 2012

Ooo something new - how exciting! With 2012 coming to a close, I thought I would share with you what my top 10 reads were for this year. No, they aren't all books that were published this year. No, they are not in order. Yes, they are all amazing, and you should read them. 

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I can't believe it took me as long as it did to read this novel. I don't think I really need to describe how amazing this book was. 

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed."

2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Again, I don't really think I need to describe how amazing this book is. Just like I said in my review, this book took everything that was great about The Hunger Games and then just took it to the next level. 

"Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge."




3. One Day by David Nicholls 
The impact that this book had on me was profound. This novel helped me to work out issues I was going through at the time I read it, and taught me valuable life lessons. On top of that, I have never read a book written in this style before. This is a must read. 

"It’s 1988 and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have only just met. But after only one day together, they cannot stop thinking about one another. Over twenty years, snapshots of that relationship are revealed on the same day—July 15th—of each year. Dex and Em face squabbles and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. And as the true meaning of this one crucial day is revealed, they must come to grips with the nature of love and life itself."

4. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 
Another must read. What got me with this book was that the storyline had amazing highs and deep lows - there were amazingly joyous moments, which could be followed with saddening, heart-wrenching ones. I don't think the movie does the novel justice, so if you've seen the movie and like it, then you need to get your hands on this!

"A dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate love affair endures across a sea of time and captures the two lovers in an impossibly romantic trap, and it is Audrey Niffenegger's cinematic storytelling that makes the novel's unconventional chronology so vibrantly triumphant."

5. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
I read this all the way back in January and I still think about it - it was that good! I love anything and everything to do with modern retellings of fairytales, so I had no doubt when I picked this up that I would like it, but I honestly had no idea what I was in store for. I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the sequel early next year!

"Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future."

6. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Oh my god. Oh. my. god. Just read it. 

"Mara Dyer doesn't believe life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through she can fall in love. She's wrong"


7. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi 
This is another one of those books where I read it and then kicked myself for not reading it sooner. Some parts of the storyline bothered me, but besides these minor gripes, I loved this book wholeheartedly. 

"You can't touch me," I whisper.

I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.

He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.

But things happen when people touch me.

Strange things.

Bad things.

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.

But Juliette has plans of her own.

After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever."  

8. Tempest by Julie Cross
I really, really loved this book. Even though I didn't think the plot was that original, I still loved it, and I loved the characters, the setting, the romance - I just loved it!

"The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world."

9. Abandon by Meg Cabot 

Just like with fairytales, I pretty much love anything and everything to do with Greek mythology with a modern twist. And this book definitely did not disappoint.

"Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld."

10. The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

I enjoyed this book so much that I made sure to read as many books in this series as possible (I ended up reading 5) - that's got to mean something, right?

"He holds the secret that can end the world.

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.

The records show that he died in 1418.

But his tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true.

And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time."

So what about you? What were the best books you read this year?