Top 10 Books I've Read in 2011!

Top Ten Books I've Read in 2011

2011 has been a very interesting year in that I've only had five books I'd declare 5-star favorites. This is exceptionally rare for me as I usually have at least 10, and I've read more books this year than ever before despite college drastically slowing me down. In other words, these 5 favorites of my Top 10 will be listed first as they were the most exceptional and they will be listed in order of date read with a brief bit about why I loved them.

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In the Shadow of the Lamp
by Susanne Dunlap

Excerpt from My Review:
"Beautiful and sometimes brutal, heart-warming and often heart-breaking, In the Shadow of the Lamp is a vividly painted work of historical fiction, deeply infused with raw emotion...Molly was a subtly strong, determined, and endearing heroine that I found my self able to care for very easily...This may sound a bit crazy but considering the time period and war setting of this book, I was going to be very disappointed if at least one person didn't die. This is not because I wanted certain people to die but because I felt it wouldn't have been staying true to the story if no one did. Needless to say, Dunlap did not disappoint in this area, in fact, she exceeded my expectations...I find I am now left with a new found appreciation and admiration for Florence Nightingale, the woman famously known as 'the lady with the lamp'."

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Delirium
by Lauren Oliver

Excerpt from My Review:
"Brilliant, raw, and utterly beautiful, Oliver has created a breathtaking dystopian masterpiece with her newest YA novel, Delirium, which has officially left me diseased by amor deliria nervosa. In other words, yeah, I loved it...Oliver's writing style is fluid, gorgeously and thoroughly detailed, and poetic, even...Now, I have reserved this final paragraph for letting loose the fan girl, rabid creature that she is. How do I love thee, Delirium? Let me count the ways. I love your awesomeness and your amazingness. Your awesamazingness! I love how you've given me another book to favorite and cherish forever and two more to almost die waiting for, Pandemonium and Requiem. Seriously people, being infected with amor deliria nervosa isn't nearly as scary as it sounds. So if you haven't read Delirium yet, buy it NOW and get diseased with love! Trust me, you won't wanna be cured. Muahahahaha."

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Wither
by Lauren DeStefano

Excerpt from My Review:
"For those of you who weren't already aware, Wither is actually an acronym for: Wow. Ingenious. Thought-provoking. Heartfelt. Edgy. Raw...Rhine is a strong and determined heroine with an authentic, gripping voice...I never could have imagined that such a setting could be so impressively executed and I was surprised to find how much I loved it. The plot, itself, was continuously engaging and never failed to hold my attention...DeStefano's writing style is exquisite, a poetic prose that automatically stood out as being something brilliant and distinguished...In Wither, Lauren DeStefano has crafted a captivating, unforgettable debut that has most definitely risen the standards for the dystopian genre. I'm not suggesting you read this book, I'm telling you to. Yep, you heard me. Read it or Wither and die. (Pun absolutely intended.) Muahaha. Seriously though, Wither is a book not to be overlooked. (And now I'm rhyming.)"

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Cold Kiss
by Amy Garvey

Excerpt from My Review:
"With its breathtakingly beautiful story, Cold Kiss not only broke my heart, but it also stitched the pieces back together. Though she did it subtly, Amy Garvey blew my mind through her gripping, heartfelt way with words...One of the many things I loved about Cold Kiss was how real and tangible it felt, like all of it could be happening out there, to someone, as we speak. This is rare in paranormal books for me but Garvey managed to take both contemporary and supernatural elements and weave them together so harmoniously as to create a seamless, complete whole...From the very beginning of Cold Kiss, during the prologue, I found myself immediately held captive by Garvey's lyrical, consuming prose...I'll be on tenterhooks waiting to devour another book from Amy Garvey, an author who should have started writing YA a long time ago. Seriously chick, where have you been?"

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Graffiti Moon
by Cath Crowley

My Thoughts:
Okay so I read this while I was at college and so I don't, sadly, have a review up for this yet so I'm just gonna wing it. This is one of the best YA contemporary books I've read in a very long time. I loved how Ed, the lead male character, wasn't at all like the guys you see in most YA books these days. He wasn't the most intellectual guy out there but the heart, passion, and humor he had made me fall head over heels in love. Crowley took her characters and gave them stories and personalities that would allow them to reach there hands out and pull you, heart and soul, into the story. And her writing was exquisite! I'm just dying to read something else by Crowley. (Hmmm...gonna use this stuff in the review. ;D)

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So those were the 5 books that got five stars and became favorites. The other five have their covers below with links embedded to my reviews. These five received 4.5 stars from me (In order of date read):





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And earning Honorable Mentions by also landing around the 4.25 to 4.5 (B+ to B+/A- by my grade scale) range are:

~A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford
~Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
~Will Work for Prom Dress by Aimee Ferris

I'd add more but I had better stop there since this was only supposed to be a Top 10. So, I didn't have many 5-star books this year but there were quite a few that fell on 4 stars or between 4 and 5. I did my best to try and narrow things down and, aside from the from the Top 5, it wasn't easy. I hope you'll take these books into your consideration if you haven't already and feel free to explore my reviews for more on them.

Check out My Favorite Books Read in 2010!