Top 10 of 2011

It's kind of insane to think that it's been a full year since the 'Top 10 of 2010' post. In any case, it's been another year of awesome YA books, so let's celebrate that a little! Like last year, a brief disclaimer: the following list is comprised only of books published this past year that I've read. Doubtless there're numerous other great books out there (many of which I've been meaning to read, but haven't gotten around to yet) that aren't included. But anyway, without further ado, let's start the countdown:

9th and 10th place go to Choker by Elizabeth Woods (January 4th, 2011 - Simon & Schuster) and Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey (September 20th, 2011 - HarperTeen), respectively. Choker is a thrilling and mysterious read that'll leave you thinking long after the last page is turned [review] and Cold Kiss has a great fresh twist that makes it a unique paranormal romance [review].
Mandy Hubbard's Ripple (July 21st, 2011 - Penguin) and Gayle Forman's Where She Went (April 5th, 2011 - Penguin) take 7th and 8th place, respectively. Ripple [review] is a super unique and creative mermaid tale, while Where She Went [review] is the emotionally breath-taking sequel to If I Stay [review].
Coming in 6th place is Ally Condie's Matched (November 30th, 2010 - Penguin). I love science fiction and dystopians, and I've read a decent amount of the YA dystopians out there - Matched definitely measures up among the best. Amy Plum's Die For Me (May 10th, 2011 - HarperTeen) takes 5th place for the year. The first in a series, Die For Me is alluring and fresh and takes place in Paris - romantic! [review]
Ranked 4th is Julia Karr's XVI (January 6th, 2011 - Penguin). Another futuristic YA dystopian, XVI proposes a lot of interesting concepts worth thinking about. Thought-provoking and action-packed, XVI also ranks up there with the greats. 3rd is Myra McEntire's Hourglass (June 14th, 2011 - EgmontUSA), a timeslip romance. The leading lady has got spunk! Hourglass is a fun read - it's different from any other YAs currently out there [review].
This takes us to 2nd, which goes to Beth Revis with Across the Universe (January 11th, 2011 - Penguin). Across the Universe has got a bit of many aspects of my favourites - plot turns, space, science fiction, dystopia... It's a pretty epic read! [review] [interview]

And 1st place for 2011? Wither by Lauren DeStefano (March 22nd, 2011 - Simon & Schuster). Absolutely loved Wither. Also a dystopian. Definitely well worth checking out! [review]

So there you have it - my list of top 11 YA books for 2011. What were your favourites this year?

Hourglass Review

Hourglass - Myra McEntire
*June 14th, 2011 EgmontUSA

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Myra McEntire's Hourglass opens with a beautiful quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: "What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you." A very fitting selection for a novel that features a leading lady named Emerson and dissects the concept of time.

And boy, does McEntire execute it in a phenomenal way! The writing is wickedly humourous, the style decidedly unique. Emerson's voice carries throughout the course of the novel exceptionally well, at turns very witty and almost sardonic. One of my personal favourites? "My ass was grass, and big brother was the lawn mower" (McEntire 188). Right? What did I tell ya?

I love the fact that Emerson is a bit of a spitfire, able to hold her own and isn't a blubbering damsel-in-distress. And, y'know, Michael Weaver's not too shabby himself either. Basically, characterization of both major and supporting characters is very well done. They're all very likeable, very [people]-next-door, the kind of people you'd want to know. (Well, maybe not the antagonists ;)

The concepts explored in Hourglass are also very thought-provoking, and will leave your mind whirring long after finishing the novel, trying to think your way through every possibility - both explicit and implicit. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more from McEntire! And guess what - you're in luck! Hourglass was officially released today, so go, go, go and get your hands on a copy!

Hourglass is a phenomenal paranormal debut from Myra McEntire.

__________
*The beautiful cover photography was shot by Lissy Elle using a Nikon D90. The piece was originally titled "Defying Gravity". Definitely pop by her site or flickr photostream if you get a chance - there's some really amazing work there.

In My Mailbox [52]

In the past two weeks I received:

- An ARC of Hourglass by Myra McEntire and a KTeenBooks USB bracelet with excerpts etc. from a Twitter contest (Thanks @K_Teen!).
- 3 Escapee bracelets & 3 signed bookmarks from Mary E. Pearson, author of The Jenna Fox Chronicles (Thanks Mary!)

So there you have it, the contents of my mailbox lately. What about you, what literary goodies have you gotten?

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren
**The winner of the recent contest for First Daughter & Blood Trust was Erinberry - congratulations!

Reviews: A Match Made in High School & Hourglass

A Match Made in High School - Kristin Walker
*February 4th, 2010 Razorbill

Kristin Walker's A Match Made In High School is a light-hearted and enjoyable read, both fun and funny. I whipped through this in one afternoon. Walker impressed me in a number of ways with this one. First off, although the concept itself isn't entirely new, she puts a unique spin on it and writes it in a way that's credible. Secondly, I liked the references to little tidbits of information that are a little out-there, a little more literary, which kind of elevates it in a sense. It's romantic, it's dramatic, it's high school and it's humourous - done well.

And the leading lady Fiona? I had moments where I disliked her, then there were moments when she grew on me. Basically, Walker has made her a dynamic character that readers can actually give a hoot about, which is great. And I especially appreciated the fact that it didn't follow the cliche, typical high school romantic outcome.

So sure, it's not exactly deep or controversial or thought-provoking. But if you're looking for some LOL fun, this is the perfect remedy. Fast, fresh and fun, A Match Made in High School is a wonderful debut from Kristin Walker.

Hourglass - Claudia Gray
*March 9th, 2010 HarperCollins

Claudia Gray provides a different take on vampires in her New York Times Bestselling series that began with Evernight. Hourglass is the third installment in the series, and is preceded by Stargazer. I really like the font they chose for the titles of these books. As for Hourglass, I didn't actually end up finishing it.

See, I started Hourglass and I'd been pretty into it - it was action-packed, it was original, etc. I got to Chapter 15 (page 212 of about 339) and stopped for a few days, and after that basically wasn't really able to get back into it. It's been a few months now, since then. On one hand, originally I had found it a pretty enthralling read up to as far as I got. On the other, after stopping, it just didn't hold the same calling any more. (Note - if I ever end up getting back into it and finishing, I'll come back and update this.)

I did like the fact that it was a different take on vampires and vampire hunters. I also liked the fact that there was a distinct sort of vampire mythology present. I also enjoyed the fact that it was very action-packed. So if you're looking for more vampires (or hunters) or action, Claudia Gray's Hourglass is one to check out.

*This is the second installment of mini reviews. The first, featuring Gayle Forman's IF I STAY and Laurie Halse Anderson's WINTERGIRLS, can be found here.

In My Mailbox [30]

I've been out of town for the past week, which explains the absence around the blogosphere recently. March Break was a great week, albeit a little too short ;) How was/is your guys' March Break/Spring Breaks?

This week, Claudia Gray's Hourglass arrived in the mail for me while I was gone. Unexpected, but a nice surprise for sure! And over the course of the months since my last IMM post, I also got some autographed book plates from Melissa de la Cruz (thanks Melissa!) who I've also interviewed, some autographed book plates from Susan Beth Pfeffer (thanks Susan!), who I've also recently interviewed, and some bookmarks from Brooke Reviews (thanks Brooke!).

Your turn now - what was in your mailbox this week?

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.