Best Books Read in 2012

Hey everyone! I'm a little late with this post, but that's okay. I read some pretty great books in 2012 and I need to share them with you!

The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski

I actually just read this one and loved it! Such a gorgeous novel that will break your heart and fill it with hope five times over.

Glimmer by Phoebe Kitandis

I wasn't expecting to like this one so much but it turned out to be a very unique adventure. 

Read my review for Glimmer here. 

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Another heartbreakingly beautiful novel by one of my favorite authors.

Read my review here. 

Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohemeyer

I loved this book. So. Much. It's just so much fun. I know it slipped under the radar, but if you haven't picked this one up, go do it. Now.

Read my review here. 

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

I just completely fell in love with this one. A super cute, sweet story.

Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

I had to include this one on the list because it's one of my favorite series and every book just gets better. 

Read my review here. 

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

I wasn't the biggest fan of Bloodlines, but I loved this book. Definitely a series worth checking out.

Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson

I've read other Maureen Johnson novels, but didn't love them as much as others seem to. But I absolutely loved Girl at Sea. It's just such a fun adventure.

Read my review of Girl at Sea here. 

Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

Another favorite series of mine.

If you haven't read any of these, I highly recommend them!

What are some favorites you've read this year?

2013 Challenges!

This year, I didn't participate in many challenges. I'm changing that in 2013!

Here are the challenges I'm participating in:

Standalone Reading Challenge hosted by IceyBooks and I Like These Books.

The Challenge: To read 15 Young Adult and Middle Grade standalone novels in 2013 that are released in the United States between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013. 

For more information on The Standalone Reading Challenge, visit here. 

TBR Reading Challenge hosted by Bookish.

The Challenge: To read books that have been sitting on your shelf for a while. 

For this challenge, I'm going to try to read 11-20 (A Friendly Hug) books from my TBR Pile. Hopefully I'll get more in, but I'm going to start with that.

For more information or to sign up, visit here.

YA/MG Fantasy Challenge hosted by The Book Cellar

The goal of this challenge is to read and review 10 YA/MG fantasy books throughout the year.

For more information or to sign up, visit here. 

Debut Author Challenge hosted by Hobbitsies. 

The Challenge: Each participant must read and review at least twelve debut books in 2013. 

For more information or to sign up, visit here. 

Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge hosted by The Book Vixen.

The goal of this challenge is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2013 than you did in 2012. There are different levels that you can pick from. You can move up a level as often as you'd like but no moving down.

I am going to try to read the Out of Breath Level (6-10 more books)

For more information or to sign up, visit here. 

Sophomore Reading Challenge hosted by Chick Loves Lit.

Sophomore Reading Challenge is a follow-up to the Debut Author Challenge where readers can challenge themselves to read 10 “sophomore” books in the year.

For more information or to sign up for this challenge, visit here.

Hopefully I can keep track of all of the challenges!

What challenges are you participating in next year?

The Awesomeness that is Rachel Vincent

Over a year ago, I created a post explaining why I love Kelley Armstrong. I thought it was about time that show some more author love, and who better to do that with that Rachel Vincent?

The Soul Screamers series is one of my favorite series ever, but it's not the only series that I love of Vincent's. I pretty much devour, love, and obsess over anything she writes. I started contemplating what makes me love her books so much. 

It's true that Rachel can develop some pretty strong female protagonists. They are all different but are kick-ass in their own ways. 

I also love Rachel's writing. She writes maturely and can entice me into her stories. 

But what makes me love her novels so much, is the worlds she creates. 

Rachel Vincent has created some of the most unique worlds that I've come across in all of my years of reading. She can take a concept that has been done many times before, such as shape-shifters and spell-casters, and change them into something that is original and completely her own. She is also, in my opinion, fantastic at world-building. 

With my love of her characters, writing, and worlds, I will follow her into the end of the world and read anything that she puts out. 

Do you in any way feel the same? 

Is that an author whose worlds you love? 

I'd love it if you let me know!

Charming Covers [48]: Dare You Too

Charming Covers is a feature here at Book Fanatics where I show off some covers that have recently been revealed/that I've recently found. 

Dare You To by Katie McGarry

May 28, 2013

"I dare you..." 

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does.... 

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him. 

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

Although, like the first cover, I would be embarrassed to be seen reading this (maybe more so with this one), I do like how it matches the first cover and that it (probably) goes really well with the book. 

There are no words for how excited I am for this book. 

Top Ten New-to-Me Authors.

As Always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. for more information or to participate, visit here.

This week's theme is favorite new to me authors of 2012. I found a lot of great authors this year!

1. Phoebe Kitanidis- I read Glimmer and really liked how unique it was. I can't wait to read more by her!
2. Jennifer Armentrout- I started both the Covenant series and The Lux series this year. Both are great series!
3. Jessi Kirby- This year, I read both of her novels. I really enjoyed them and can't wait for more of her books!
Suzanne Young- I read her Need so Beautiful series and was blown away.
Stephanie Strohmeyer and Katie McGarry- Both of these authors are debuts and I've only read on book of each of theirs, but both were so amazing.
Maureen Johnson- Although I don't enjoy her novels as much as much as other seem to, I did enjoy them and absolutely loved Girl at Sea.
Lisa Desrochers- Love her Original Sin series!
Shannon Delaney - Again, I love her 13 to Life series.

What authors did you discover this year? 

Review: Wildcat Fireflies by Amber Kizer

Wildcat Fireflies (Fenestra #2)
Amber Kizer
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: July 12, 2011

Meridian Sozu is a Fenestra--the half-human, half-angel link between the living and the dead. She has the dark responsibility of helping souls transition safely into the afterlife. If people die without the help of a Fenestra, their souls are left vulnerable to be stolen by the Aternocti, a dark band of forces who disrupt the balance of good and evil in the world and cause chaos.
Having recently lost her beloved Auntie--the woman who showed her what it meant to be a Fenestra--Meridian has hit the road with Tens, her love and sworn protector, in hopes of finding another Fenestra. their search leads them to  Indiana, where Juliet, a responsible and loving teenager, words tirelessly in the nursing home where she and several other foster kids are housed. Surrounded by death, Juliet struggles to make a loving home for the younger kids, and to protect them from the violent whims of their foster mother. But she is struggling against forces she can't understand...and even as she feels a pull toward the dying, their sickness seems to infect her, weighting her down...
Will Meri and Tens find Juliet in time to saver her from a life of misery and illness? And will Mer and Tens' own romance weather the storms of new discoveries?

I read Wildcat Fireflies's predecessor almost three years prior to reading this novel. I remembered that I really enjoyed it, but that's about all. So, aside from the basic plot line and major events of Meridian (because of the spoilers I had to look up), reading Wildcat Fireflies was pretty much a new reading experience for me. 

Meridian was an overall good character, despite two characteristics: immaturity and her whiny-ness. Now, I was, for the most part, okay with her immaturity. After all, despite the things that she had been through, Meridian is still sixteen, and she acted like it. However, when she would whine, that irked me. It wasn't something that would distract me from the novel constantly, but it still bothered me. Despite these things, however, I still really liked her. 

In Wildcat Fireflies, we were introduced to a new character: Juliet. I felt sorry for her more than anything. She had been through a lot and had not led a good life. I loved how she treated the children that she was with and I was rooting for her. 

I love the concept and story behind these novels. There is a certain amount of mythology behind it, and I really enjoyed that aspect. This was also a very addicting read. Although it wasn't action-packed, it still had its share of intense moments. I was able to read it rather quickly despite it being over 500 pages. 

Despite not remembering much of the first book, I still really enjoyed this book. I'm looking forward to reading the next book. 

3.5/5

November Wrap Up

I am bringing this post to you a few days late, but, hey, better late than never, right?

Anyway. I read ten books in November. It's decent, but still not as good as I would have liked. It's cool, though. My recent YouTube obsession has gotten in the way of reading. 

Books read:

• Because it is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin
• The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
• The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (review coming soon)
• Through to You by Emily Hainsworth
• Meant to Be by Lauren Morill
• Burning Blue by Paul Griffin
• Cursed by Jennifer Armentrout
• Wildcat Fireflies by Amber Kizer (review coming soon)
• Onyx by Jennifer Armentrout
• The Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz

Other Reviews/ Other Posts of Interests

• Enshadowed by Kelley Creagh 
• Listen to an excerpt from Because It Is My Blood
• I mentioned above my YouTube obsession. See what I've been watching!
• 5 Star Ratings: My dilemma 

Overall, it was kind of a slow month, but that's okay! I'm looking forward to getting back into blogging in December!