Pair It With: Love, Lucy and Wish You Were Italian

It's dead of winter here, and, if you are like us, you are thinking that maybe it's time for a vacation. How about Italy?

Love, Lucy made my list of favorite reads of the year for 2014. It was such a treat to read. It's a retelling of E.M. Forster's Room with a View, and I really, really love Room With a View. The film version with Helena Bonham Carter, especially, makes me smile with lots of wistful, happy thoughts, and April Lindner's retelling gave me all those same good feelings.

Lucy Sommersworth is bound for college in the fall. Her father, practical man that he is, wishes Lucy to pick a practical major, and promises to send her to Europe in exchange for majoring in business. Although not without some qualms, Lucy takes him up on the offer. In Italy she falls for Jesse Palladino, a free-spirited musician from New Jersey.

I think that April Lindner must have been channeling Italy when she wrote this novel. The Italian portions just ooze sun and old-world charm. Charlene made an excellent Aunt Charlotte character, and Ellen as the reporter was also well down. I love art museums and traveling anyway but Italy really added so much to the romance between Lucy and Jesse. I also loved how Lindner put a little bit of Roman Holiday into the story as well.

I also love how Lindner stayed true to the very artistic sensibility of Forster's original, down to Shane being a collector of artistic friends. Love, Lucy carries on the familial expectations of Forster's original, as well. Lucy not only has to pick between two guys, but she also has to choose between her father's wishes and her own artistic inclinations.

April Lindner's retelling strikes that perfect balance between being true to the original and adding something fresh and new.

Love, Lucy is out January 27th, 2014.

Review copy from Edelweiss.

Pippa has always wanted to visit Italy, but being shipped off for an art program she has zero interest in? Not what she had in mind. When she arrives in Rome, she puts off going to Florence so she can take in the sights while she has the chance. It’s while eating gelato before dinner that she meets Darren who takes her on a trip to the Colosseum and helps change the course of her trip. The question is: will she meet him again?

Wish You Were Italian is a charming novel. It centers around Pippa's journal in which her best friend left her challenges to complete in Italy. This made the trip extra fun for Pippa and for me. I loved Pippa's awkwardness, her artist's eye, and her desire to really live every moment. She made great friends along the way. Chiara is so sweet and takes great care of Pippa, and Darren knows so much of the history that it's like having a personal tour guide.

I especially enjoyed that it felt like I was in Italy with Pippa, truly sharing in her adventure and wonder. It was great to see the sights with her fresh eyes and through her camera lens. Kristin Rae has created a beautiful journey through Italy with romance, intrigue, and joy. It was so much fun, I read it in two days.

Wish You Were Italian is a great debut novel by Kristin Rae and it has increased my desire to go to Italy.

Love, Lucy reviewed by JoLee.
Wish You Were Italian reviewed by Paige.

Reading on a Theme: Demons

Demon books are apparently best received in combinations of reds, golds, and oranges. These books not only look amazing together, but they also contain fabulous and original worlds full of good and evil magic.

Brothers on the Run:
The Demon's Lexicon is my favorite of the books on this list. Nick and Alan have been on the run from a band of magicians their entire lives. These are some bad magicians. They loose demons on unsuspecting humans in order to gain more power for their spells. Just before abandoning their home one more time and moving to London, the brothers meet Mae and her brother Jamie who has been demon-marked. Alan agrees to help them. Nick...well, he'd rather not. Sarah Rees Brennan's novel is full of exciting and surprising twists. The book mostly focuses on Nick, and I found him so difficult to relate to. This is actually a credit to Ms. Brennan and her excellent characterization, as the reader eventual learns.

Demon Father (take one):
The Girl and the Raven begins as sixteen-year-old Lucy Walker moves in with her uncles after her mother dies. The upstairs neighbors seem especially pushy and overprotective of Lucy. There is something special about her neighbor Marcus, however. Pauline Gruber's novel is one of those books where none of the characters in the know will tell the main character whom they are protecting anything! As a consequence the main character makes all sorts of mistakes that could have been avoided if she had just been clued in. That this was the driving force of the plot was a bit numbing. The story could be a good set up for future sequels especially because with a bit more development some of the issues I had with the first book could be resolved. Review copy from NetGalley.

Demon Father (take two):
In Demonglass Sophie goes to England with her father for the summer. There she learns more about being a demon. She also (surprise, surprise) gets entangled in a pretty hairy mystery. One that involves some of the most powerful Prodigium. Oh, and there might be a run in or two with Archer, Sophie's crush/nemesis. I really love this series. Sophie has just the right amounts of snark and sincerity. Rachel Hawkins manages to keep the tone light as the plot thickens. Basically, the books are hard to put down. I read this one in two sittings. The only thing I didn't love? That I had to wait for book three. But you, you, can just move on immediately to Spellbound.

Demons and Destinies:
Kennedy Waters isn't sure what to think when her mother dies and she is approached by twin boys who claim it is her destiny to hunt ghosts, but in a desire for answers about her mother's death, she joins the twins and two other teenagers in the Legion of the Black Dove. As she begins fighting ghosts, she finds herself hoping this is truly her destiny. I was sucked into the world Kami Garcia created; it was the perfect blend of reality and paranormal. Priest, the boy genius, was my favorite character. His personality combined the confidence of a genius with the insecurities of the youngest member of the team, a recipe for charm. I look forward to reading the next installment in the Legion Series.

Demon Slayers:
Cassandra Clare's City of Bones stars Clarissa (Clary) Fray, who, one night, witnesses three teenage hunters slay a demon. The next day Clary's mother is kidnapped by the evil Valentine, demons try to kill her, and she finds herself thrown upon the mercy of the three demon-slayers. Isabelle, Alec, and Jace are Nephilim, or Shadowhunters. Soon Clary, the three Shadowhunters, and Clary's ordinary friend Simon are frantically searching for Clary's mother and a certain cup that can change ordinary humans into Shadowhunters. I found this book to be pretty entertaining. I did, however, find that many of the plot twists were more predicable than twisty. This book was also made into a movie last year.


The Demon's Lexicon, The Girl and the Raven, Demonglass, and City of Bones reviewed by JoLee.
Unbreakable reviewed by Paige. 

Pair It With: The Rosie Project + The Rosie Effect and Courting Greta

Graeme Simsion's Rosie Series and Ramsey Hootman's Courting Greta have a lot in common. Both books feature educators looking for romance. Both feature characters who are dealing with physical and emotional limitations. Both feature characters with possibly relationship-killing baggage. Both books make you fall in love with an unusual pair.

In the first book in Graeme Simsion's duology, The Rosie Project, genetics professor Don Tillman is searching for a wife. As a highly logical, quirky, and unusual individual, who's likely on the Autism Spectrum, he's taken a very step-by-step approach to this process. However, along the way he meets Rosie and gets swept up in her energy and intensity. Suddenly, instead of working on finding a wife Don's spending all of his time helping Rosie find her father. 

Graeme Simsion's sequel, The Rosie Effect, takes Don and Rosie around the world to New York City. Don is a professor at Columbia and Rosie is in school. Life seems to be good for the pair until Rosie announces her pregnancy. Then commences a series of, as Don would call them, disasters.

I ended up really loving The Rosie Effect, but, while I was reading the first half especially, I kind of felt like I was watching a train wreck. One disaster after another conspires to derail (to continue the train metaphor) Don. Then his inability to cope with the problem leads to another disaster. It's a chain reaction that you aren't sure Don's going to survive unscathed. However, in the midst of all these problems, it's so lovely to see how deeply Don cares about his old and new friends. Some of the disasters are caused through the best of intentions.

I didn't really realize how much baggage Rosie carried into this relationship until I was well into this second book. I think some readers could be really, really angry with Rosie, and I kind of don't blame them. I guess it's nice to see how Don and Rosie are fully formed individuals, both with big, possibly relationship killing, issues. It puts them on more equal ground.

As the disasters begin to be resolved in the second half of the book, I no longer felt the need to metaphorically cover my eyes. I feel like Don grew a lot in this book, becoming a caring individual with lots to offer to so many.
I really enjoyed these quirky, charming, humorous tales of a very unusual pair. Graeme Simsion does an fantastic job channeling Don's voice. It's is strong and original and purely Don
 
The Rosie Effect is out December 30th, 2014 in the U.S. Review copy from Edelweiss.

 

Samuel Cooke of Courting Greta quits his job to become a computer science teacher at a high school in Northern California. His disability makes it necessary for him to use a wheelchair or rely on crutches and leg braces. The challenges of teaching high school students are intensified for Samuel because he is perceived as different.

Greta Cassamajor is a church-going, female P.E. teacher. She is not particularly feminine and so she also often gets stereotyped. Both Samuel and Greta are still healing from really awful, painful pasts.

Samuel falls for Greta. Hard. It's a premise that could lead to a complete disaster--too saccharine or too preachy--but it doesn't. It's pretty fabulous. Ramsey Hootman writes about people, rather than caricatures. Samuel can be horribly self-centered, but he can also be fantastically forthright. Greta is prickly and unbending but also stalwart and loyal. Both Samuel and Greta are obviously so much more than their appearances. In short, they are the type of people that I like to read about, flaws and all. And the relationship is never a forgone conclusion either. I was pulling for these two to succeed in life and in love, but I wasn't sure that was actually going to happen. This is a love story that is worth reading.

Paige's Favorite Reads of 2014

We're back with another favorite reads of the year post. Really, you can never have too many of these. Here are all of Paige's favorites.

Favorite New (to me) Author: Kasie West of Pivot Point and The Distance Between Us
Kasie West completely captured me in Pivot Point. She went back and forth between the two realities with a beautiful seamlessness. I loved it from start to finish, but The Distance Between Us really cemented my fanhood. This contemporary romance was lovely and sweet and I read it twice in three days. I am impressed with Ms. West's ability to create amazing worlds in both the science fiction and contemporary genres. Featured here and here (and here and here).

Favorite Setting: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Anyone who knows what I read, knows I love dragons. The dragons in Seraphina were unlike any dragons I have ever read about. They have the ability to shape shift to a human form. And the world Rachel Hartman created! It was rich with politics, prejudices, and unspeakables. I found the book beautiful and fascinating, from Seraphina with her music and garden, to the kingdom and the politics between the dragons. I am anxiously awaiting the sequel which comes out this year.

Favorite Book Club Book: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
The Forgotten Garden tells the story of three women: Cassandra, Nell, and Eliza. After Cassandra's grandmother, Nell, dies, she learns of the mystery surrounding her grandmother's origins and she begins to follow in Nell's footsteps, trying, as her grandmother did, to discover her family. I liked the way Kate Morton intertwined the stories instead of telling them chronologically. It kept me engaged in trying to work out the mystery myself. I also loved the fairy tales woven throughout (I am a storyteller, after all) and felt they enhanced our understanding of Eliza beautifully. The book was complex, lovely, and inspired a great discussion in our book group. Featured here. 

Favorite Scallywag: The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Sage is taken from his orphanage one day by a wealthy man named Connor. Along with three other boys, Sage is trained to act as the king's long lost son. In The False Prince, Jennifer A. Nielsen created a world on the brink of war, both civil and with neighboring countries. The story is told from Sage's perspective, and he is a rich and interesting character. Sage is no boy scout. He is constantly trying to foil Connor's plans and he sneaks around the manor to find Connor's weaknesses. But there is a depth to him that makes him my favorite scallywag. Featured here.

Favorite Classical Retelling: Across a Star-Swept Sea  by Diana Peterfreund
This companion novel to For Darkness Shows the Stars is a retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel, and I loved it! The setting from the first novel is expanded here as we find ourselves across the sea. Persis is hilarious and intelligent and interesting. I loved the spy aspect of the book and the thoughts on social class (both in this one and its companion). Across a Star-Swept Sea is an excellent retelling because it stays true to original while creating a unique setting and rich characters. The Scarlet Pimpernel has always been one of my favorite stories and Diana Peterfreund has brought it to a new generation. Featured here.

Favorite Non-Fiction: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin decided she wanted to be happier. She researched happiness and made a plan. She devoted a year of her life to being happier and focused on different elements affecting happiness each month of the year. It was interesting to read the research her project was based on and to see some of her ideas for improving those aspects in her life. It did not inspire me to do a full-blown happiness project, but I have found myself recognizing and repeating things that make me happier. 

Most Beautiful Read: A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman
Veda has dance inside her. From her first visit to the Temple of the Dancing God, she knew she wanted to dance. At a moment of triumph, tragedy strikes and she finds herself an amputee with only one leg. Her only desire is to dance again. Will she make it? This beautiful story by Padma Venkatraman touched me deeply. The book is written in verse, giving the whole thing the feeling of rhythm and movement. It was magical. I truly appreciated the hopeful tone of A Time to Dance. Even when Veda was depressed and scared, a family member or friend was feeling hopeful for her. A Time to Dance is beautiful and powerful. Feature upcoming.

Favorite Sequel: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stievater
The Raven Cycle was my favorite new series last year and I impatiently awaited the third installment. In Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Blue's mother has disappeared, the gang is closer to Glendower than ever, and a new villain has arrived to thwart them. I am impressed with Maggie Stiefvater's ability to tie details together along with her rich settings. The relationships are becoming more complex, the tension building. Basically, I'm not sure I can wait a whole year for the next one. Featured here.

 Favorite Girl Disguised as a Boy: The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas
Iolanthe Seabourne is an elemental mage with no idea of her true potential. But when she calls down lightning, her whole world is turned upside down. She is rescued by Prince Titus and finds herself disguised as a boy attending Eton in the non-magical world. Sherry Thomas has created a beautiful marriage of the real world and a world of magic. Both are rich and interesting settings. The Crucible has to be one of the most interesting magical objects I have ever read about. I loved Iolanthe's alter-ego, Archer Fairfax, and the way "he" wins over the boys at Eton. She is a truly believable boy which makes her time at Eton so fun to read. Featured here.

Favorite Audio Book: A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
It has been more than sixty years since Rosalinda Fitzroy last entered her stasis tube. She awakens to find that everyone she knew and loved is dead. Anna Sheenan created a fascinating world in A Long, Long Sleep. I really enjoyed the technologies of the world as well as the characters. Her alien friend was my favorite. Sheenan also dealt with weighty topics with poise and delicacy. The reader, Angela Dawe, was a perfect choice. She has a soothing voice and captured Rosalinda's character perfectly. Feature upcoming.

Favorite Fairy Tale Retelling: Cinder by Marissa Meyers
Cinder lives in the distant future where androids are used as servants, magic Lunars live on the moon, a plague is taking the lives of many and cyborgian technology can save lives at the expense of a person's dignity and possibly their humanity. The world Marissa Meyer has imagined is brilliant. It's rich and truly feels real. The politics between the "countries" on earth and the Lunars is complex and so well done. I love Prince Kai and Doctor Erland. I am fascinated by the Lunars and their powers. The Cinderella elements are a seamless part of the book and only enhanced the read for me. Featured here.

My 2014 Book Stats: Thanks to Intellectual Recreation, I kept track of my reading better this year than any in my past. I read 57 books this year.

Out of the 57 books:
8 received a 5-star rating
34 received a 4-star rating
 4 were audiobooks
15 were read for a book group
2 were nonfiction
40 were young adult or middle grade fiction
4 were classics

Fourth Quarter Reading Review

I'm linking up with Janssen of Everyday Reading again to give a quick(ish) recap of last quarter's reading. There are 33 books on the list this quarter. 5 were audio books. You have already seen many of these books on this blog. Others are slotted for upcoming posts, and some you may never see on the blog again.

• Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot  (featured here)
The first in a streak of retellings.

• The Fall by Bethany Griffin (featured here)
  
A creep reimagining of " The Fall of the House of Usher."

• Only With You: A Modern Retelling of Emma by Cecilia Gray (featured here)
  Wherein all of Jane Austin's characters go to the same high school.

• Love, Lucy by April Linder (feature upcoming)
Love Room with a View. Love Love, Lucy. 

• Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff (audio) (feature upcoming)
A ghostly story that could be fun for Halloween or a sticky summer

• The Eye of Zoltar by Jasper Fforde (featured here)
 Jasper Fforde is so incredibly weird in all the best possible ways.

• Stray by Elissa Sussman (featured here)
A sinister fairy-tale setting.

• Girl on a Wire by Gwenda Bond (audio) (featured here)
Romeo and Juliet as circus performers. 

• The Wonder by Colleen Oakes (featured here)
The Queen of Heart's back story. 

• The Rent Collector by Cameron Wright
  
A book club pick about a woman who lives in a dump in Cambodia.

• Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater (featured here)
  
Huge Maggie fan here.

•  While Beauty Slept by Elizabeth Blackwell (audio) (feature upcoming)
 I'm working on a Sleeping Beauty post.

• Six Feet Over It by Jennifer Longo (featured here)
  
The graveyard setting was too good to pass up.

• Famous Last Words by Katie Alender (feature upcoming)
This creepy ghost story surpassed expectations in the best of ways.

• Firebug by Lish McBride (featured here)
  
Girls with fire magic. Perhaps the prettiest group of covers ever.

• The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud (audio) 
I love Lucy, Lockwood, and George. More please. Tens stars for the audio version.

• Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater (featured here)
Wow. I liked this book so much more than I thought I would.

• The Fire Artist by Daisy Whitney (featured here)
 A mash-up of circus performing and professional sports with elemental magic and genies. 

• Empire of Shadows by Miriam Forster (featured here)
The Bhinian Empire is a great setting. 

• Ignite by Sara B. Larson (featured here)
Better than the first in the series. 

• A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray (featured here)
Love those parallel reality books.

• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain (audio)
My favorite book club pick of the year. 

• Top Ten Clues You're Clueless by Liz Czukas (featured here)
Darling Christmas Eve story. 

• No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown (featured here)
A real beauty.

• Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch (featured here)
Everyone else loved it, but I couldn't finish it.

• Get Happy by Mary Amato (featured here)
A cute story about a girl and a ukelele.

• Jackaby by William Ritter (audio) (feature upcoming)
Loved this quirky historical fantasy.

• Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay (featured here)
I was absolutely blown away by this Sleeping Beauty story.

• Twelfth Night by Deanna Raybourn (featured here)
I miss Lady Julia, so I was happy to get a little holiday novella.

• The Unhappening of Genesis Lee by Shallee McArthur (feature upcoming)
The storing and forgetting of memories. Such an interesting premise.

• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (feature upcoming)
  
A great recommendation from a dear friend.

• The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion (feature upcoming)
  
I also loved the sequel.

• The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan (audio)
  
Fabulous conclusion to the Heroes of Olympus Series.

Reading on a Theme: Girl Warriors

Fantasy novels are full of fabulous warriors and epic battles. When that warrior is a girl, it makes the tale that much sweeter for me.


 

Deadly Unicorns:
I love the premise of Diana Peterfreund's Rampant: unicorns are not shiny, gentle creatures they are actually terrifying man-eating beasts. Astrid Llewelyn has known this all her life thanks to an over-zealous mother who  also made sure that Astrid knows that as a virgin descent of Alexander the Great she is one of the few who can fight the creatures. After a unicorn mauls her boyfriend, Astrid leaves for Rome and the Cloisters of Ctesias to become a unicorn hunter. However, since unicorns were believed to be extinct for 150 years, the cloisters are run down, the records are in disarray, and no one really knows what they are doing. Peterfreund's Killer Unicorn World has a deep, varied, and intriguing history.

Perpetual Winter:

I know that I'm in the minority, but I just could not get through this book. And you guys, I really tried. I started the book three different times. I eventually got more than halfway, but it was slow going, and I finally had to throw in the towel. The main problem for me was that this book just didn't feel fresh and new. Snow Like Ashes includes several common fantasy tropes, such as a small band without a homeland, an arranged and unwanted betrothal, a love triangle, and a girl who isn't allowed to fight. Sara Raasch's book dangles the promise of cool magic. I just wish I had seen more of it. Snow Like Ashes is out October 14th, 2014. Review copy from Edelweiss.

The King's Guard:

Ignite is the second book in Sara B. Larson's Defy Series. In the first book Alexa helped wrest the kingdom from the evil King Hector. A regime change such as this calls for a delicate balancing act. Most especially, mew King Damian and his advisers are wary of how the surrounding countries will treat the new Antion. They get a chance to find out right away when the neighboring country of Dansii sends an envoy. This book has a lot of political intrigue: there's abduction, poison, swordplay, and, of course, magic. I liked that we got up close and personal with the villains in book two. And, if you are really looking for a warrior, Alexa sure can fight. Ignite is out December 30th, 2014. Review copy from Edelweiss.

Political Intrigue:

Miriam Forster's newest books in the Bhinian Empire series is the story of how Nisha's parents met. Mara is a member of a warrior-protector order and Emil is a Kildi. I love the fascinating and rich world of the Bhinian Empire. The Sune play a large part in this installment, and, as they are very mysterious creatures, that was quite a treat. Also, I do love a fantasy with a lot of political intrigue. One of the most pleasurable parts of reading this story is putting the pieces together with City of A Thousand Dolls. We get some additional insight into well-known characters (Esmer! Stefan!) plus some fabulous new ones (Revathi! Mara!), and it was interesting to see how some of the politics of Nisha's time had their origins in Mara's time. Empire of Shadows is out November 4, 2015. Review copy from Edelweiss.

Lady Knight:
Paige and I are huge fans of Tortall, so in a post about girl warriors we had to include one of Tamora Pierce's fabulous characters. The Protector of the Small series is about Keladry of Mindelan, the next girl to attempt knighthood after Alanna. As the series goes on I liked Kel more and more. She is tough. She knows what she wants, and she is talented. She is a leader who understands strategy and who inspires loyalty. She is a good friend. Basically Kel has everything it takes to be a good knight. I think one of the best parts of the Kel books is the band of friends--Neil, Owen, Toby, Dom--that surrounds Kel. And, with a Tortall book, you know that you are getting a fabulous setting.   


P.S. Our reviews of Defy and The Song of the Lionness: here

All reviews by JoLee.

JoLee's Favorite Reads of 2014

I love seeing all the favorite and best book posts that come out at the end of the year. I read an almost embarrassing number of books this year, so I had a good number to pick through as I compiled my list.

Of the favorites:

3 are contemporaries

2 are non-fiction

7 are fantasy or science fiction

7 were consumed as audiobooks

Favorite New (to me) Series: The Elemental Trilogy by Sherry Thomas

I devoured books one and two in The Elemental Trilogy. They are full of everything I love most about the fantasy genre: a colliding of two worlds, girls masquerading as boys, complex political intrigue, prophecy, cool training facilities, and a terrifying villain. Book three, please. (featured here and here)

Favorite Retelling: Love, Lucy by April Lindner
This may be a bit of a cheat because the book doesn't come out until January 2015, but I loved it so much that I couldn't leave Love, Lucy out of this line up. Room With a View makes me smile with lots of wistful, happy thoughts, and April Lindner's retelling gave me all those same good feelings.

Favorite work of Nonfiction: The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough
Granted this book is totally up my alley, but wow, did I love this one. McCullough's book is about Americans who went to Paris in the 19th century, the seat of intellectual and artistic culture at the time, in order to further their careers. I had been wanting to read this book for years, and it exceeded my expectations.

Favorite Work of Speculative Fiction: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
This is one of the most interesting time travel books I've ever read. Harry August is one of a small group of individuals known as kalachakra. These are people who live and die and then are reborn into their same lives with all the memories of their previous lives intact. Across these lives Harry must pursue a villain for centuries in order to save the world. (featured here)

Favorite Contemporary: The Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavitt
The Chapel Wars is my favorite of Lindsey Leavitt's books. This Romeo and Juliet story of two Las Vegas wedding chapel kids, is a deceiving little book. You think that it's going to all light and cute, but it deals with so much and so many emotions. (featured here)

Favorite New Books by a Beloved Author: Sinner and Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater
I'm going to sneak two books into this category because it was such a good year for Maggie Stiefvater fans, and I just can't chose one. Don't make me do it! Blue Lily, Lily Blue is everything we've come to expect from The Raven Cycle. And Sinner was so unexpectedly perfect. (featured here)
 

Favorite Sequel: Cress by Marissa Meyer
I have the Lunar Chronicles on the brain. I'm just so eager to read more of this series. Meyer weaves the fairy tales, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, and now Rapunzel together so brilliantly. Putting Rapunzel in a satellite was pure genius.

Favorite Audio Book: The Lost Sun by Tessa Gratton
The Lost Sun is not going to be a 5-star book for everyone. In fact, the book itself probably won't work for a lot of people, but, for me, it just hit some sweet spot, and I fell hard for Tessa Gratton's melding of Norse mythology and the modern world. (featured here) 

Favorite Book Club book: Quiet by Susan Cain
The discussion for this book club pick about "the power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking" was very interesting and gave all of us introverts the opportunity to talk about ourselves. I think, at this point, I am pretty accepting of my introvertedness so much of the book was very affirming for me.

Favorite Series Finale: Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
There was absolutely no doubt about the winner of this category.  Laini Taylor's trilogy is sweeping, majestic, engrossing, and it's among the best fantasy series I've ever read. This final book in the series lived up to all my expectations. Wow and loud applause.

Favorite Fantasy: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
I was so completely enchanted by this fantasy. The world that Rachel Hartman created is so interesting and utterly captivating. I have not been able to stop thinking about this book, nor do I want to. Seraphina belongs way up there on my list of favorite fantasies. If I had to pick one favorite from this year, it would be this book.
  
Biggest Author Crush: Kasie West
I read three of Kasie West's books this year, The Distance Between Us, Split Second, and On the Fence. Reading one of her books is like giving yourself a little reward. (featured here, here, and here)


Here's to a great year of reading!