Top Eleven Books of 2011

It's a new year, so it's time to let you know what my favorite books from last year were. I'm going to be spotlighting my eleven favorite books I read last year. I wish I could include more; it was really hard to narrow it down to just eleven!

11. Blood Will Tell, by Samantha Young

This one was so action-packed and exciting. Samantha Young is a great writer, and has many, many books out. I've only read two of them, and both were fantastic. Blood Will Tell is loosely based on Egyptian myths, and it is so much fun to read. 

10. The Goddess Test, by Aimee Carter

This one was so much fun! The Goddess Test is based on Greek myths, and Aimee Carter has a fantastic spin she puts on them. I seriously cannot wait to read more about Kate and Henry in Goddess Interrupted!

9. Deception, by Lee Nichols

Ghosts! Lee Nichols found a fantastic way to portray them in Deception, the first Haunting Emma novel. Emma and the rest of the gang are positively superb, and I am ashamed that I haven't yet read Betrayal or Surrender.

8. The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater

This is the only Maggie Stiefvater book I've read--gasp!--and I adored it! Maggie has a way to write in such a way that I feel like I am in the story along with the characters. The Scorpio Races is so original and fresh and I would love to read it again and again.

7. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, by Michelle Hodkin

This one feels almost contemporary, but there is a paranormal twist on it that I absolutely adored. It's a mystery and uber creepy. And then end left me with so many questions! I need more!

6. Clarity, by Kim Harrington

This one is short, breezy, and so much fun! It has a family of psychics, a murderer on the loose, and a great romance. It wrapped up very well at the end of the book, but I am glad that there will be more books. I'm not ready to leave Clare just yet.

5. Die for Me, by Amy Plum

This one is a total paranormal romance. And yes, it is similar to some others out there, but this is definitely one of the best. The revenants' mythology was fantastically written, and the Paris setting is to die for... see what I did there?

4. Daughter of Smoke & Bone, by Laini Taylor

This one was so insane, in the best possible way! The concept is fantastic, and the writing is marvelous. Honestly, Laini Taylor is one of the best writers whose work I have had the privilege to read. And I loved that it was set in Prague!

3. Crank, by Ellen Hopkins

Ellen Hopkins writes about one girl's struggles with drug addiction in a way that completely messed with my mind. On one hand, of course I wanted Kristina to get treatment, but on the other I didn't want this amazing book to end. This is also the first--and only verse novel I have read!

2. Divergent, by Veronica Roth

Dystopians were big for me this year, but this was really the only one that earned a spot on this list. Veronica Roth created a brilliant futuristic world, with well-written characters and a thrilling story. Divergent rivals even The Hunger Games, and I can't wait to read what lies in store for Tris in the future!

1. Invincible Summer, by Hannah Moskowitz

I have loved all three of Hannah's books that I have read, but this one is my favorite. Hannah's writing style is gritty and raw and emotional, and this book was so good! I'm getting emotional just thinking about it. Seriously, you need to do yourself a favor and read this book.

So those are my favorite books I have read this year! Have you read any of them? If so, what did you think of them? Have you not read any of them? If so, what the heck are you doing? Go get them all! Oh, and let me know your top eleven books of 2011 in the comments below!

Oh, and before we go, I just wanted to thank everyone for another great year here at Electrifying Reviews. To the authors, readers, writers, and everyone who visits this blog or shares their love of books with me, I thank you. 

Below is the list of all of the books I read in 2011, with links to those of which I have reviewed:

Books Read in 2011

1. Half Moon by Jordan Deen

2. Bloodlust by L.J. Smith

3. Dark Magick by Cate Tiernan

4. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

5. Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony

6. Daughters of Dracula by Kailin Gow

7. Insatiable by Meg Cabot

8. Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber

9. The Awakening by L.J. Smith

10. The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

11. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

12. White Cat by Holly Black

13. The Possessed by L.J. Smith

14. The Passion by L.J. Smith

15. The Struggle by L.J. Smith

16. Spells by Aprilynne Pike

17. The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

18. The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

19. Minder by Kate Kaynak

20. Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

21. The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

22. Enclave by Ann Aguire

23. The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

24. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

25. Divergent by Veronica Roth

26. Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

27. Clarity by Kim Harrington

28. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

29. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

30. Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

31. Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney

32. Unnatural by Michael Griffo

33. The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

34. Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison

35. The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

36. Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

37. Untamed by P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast

38. Hunted by P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast

39. Nocturne by Christine Johnson

40. Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

41. Vanish by Sophie Jordan

42. The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan

43. Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

44. Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

45. Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

46. Echoes by Melinda Metz

47. The Fury by L.J. Smith

48. The Cellar by A.J. Whitten

49. Hex by Ramona Wray

50. Dark Reunion by L.J. Smith

51. Phantom Universe by Laura Kreitzer

52. But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

53. Tighter by Adele Griffin

54. Die for Me by Amy Plum

55. Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

56. Populazzi by Elise Allen

57. Nightfall by L.J. Smith

58. A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

59. Wildefire by Karsten Knight

60. Gone, Gone, Gone by Hannah Moskowitz

61. Luminous by Dawn Metcalf

62. Daughters of Darkness by L.J. Smith

63. Spellbinder by L.J. Smith

64. Possession by Elana Johnson

65. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

66. The Fallen by Liz Braswell

67. Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

68. Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

69. Fanfare by Renee Ahdieh

70. Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

71. Awakening by Cate Tiernan

72. Supernaturally by Kiersten White

73. Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers

74. Spellbound by Cate Tiernan

75. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

76. Secrets and Shadows by Shannon Delany

77. Fins Are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs

78. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

79. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

80. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

81. The Initiation by L.J. Smith

82. Hunted by DJ DeSmyter

83. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

84. Haunted by Melinda Metz

85. Fury by Elizabeth Miles

86. Kiss of Night by Debbie Viguie

87. My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler

88. Wicked Woods by Kailin Gow

89. Crave by Melissa Darnell

90. Dark Angel by L.J. Smith

91. Deception by Lee Nichols

92. The Oracle Rebounds by Allison van Diepen

93. Break by Hannah Moskowitz

94. Moon Spell by Samantha Young

95. The Captive by L.J. Smith

96. Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

97. Never Have I Ever by Sara Shepard

98. The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

99. Angelina's Secret by Lisa Rogers

100. Frostbite by Richelle Mead

101. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

102. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

103. The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

104. Remembrance by Michelle Madow

105. The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

106. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

107. Lost Voices by Sarah Porter

108. The Power by L.J. Smith

109. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

110. Dirty Blood by Heather Hildenbrand

111. The Hunter by L.J. Smith

112. Blood Will Tell by Samantha Young

113. Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

114. Crank by Ellen Hopkins

115. Where Demons Fear to Tread by Stephanie Chong

116. The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine
117. In Darkness by Nick Lake

The Dead Girls' Dance, by Rachel Caine

Title: The Dead Girls' Dance (The Morganville Vampires, #2)
Author: Rachel Caine
Publisher: NAL Jam
Release: April 3, 2007
Source: (RJ Julia | NAL)

Claire has her share of challenges. Like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains; homicidal girls in her dorm, and finding out that her college town is overrun with the living dead. On the up side, she has a new boyfriend with a vampire-hunting dad. But when a local fraternity throws the Dead Girls' Dance, hell is really going to break loose.

I’m even surprised that I didn’t start The Dead Girls’ Dance immediately after reading Glass Houses, the first book in the Morganville Vampires series. The ending of that one was a total shock, but I was somehow able to hold off reading The Dead Girls’ Dance for a few months after reading the first book. Now I’m wondering why the heck I waited so long!

Transitioning back into the world of Morganville was surprisingly easy. The stakes are much higher in The Dead Girls’ Dance than they were the first time around, and I was absolutely thrilled at how exciting this book was. There are vampire hunters, hostages, giant fires, and vampires! What more could you want?

Of course, Rachel Caine’s great writing doesn’t hurt either. She doesn’t leave any unnecessary fluff, and every word helps to move the story along. Her style is different than most young adult authors’, and I do seem to like it. There were times when I felt it was a little choppy, but not very often.

Claire is a lot stronger in The Dead Girls’ Dance than she was in Glass Houses, and I really like where her character is going. She’s not little good girl anymore, and living in Morganville you can’t afford to be like that. The other characters don’t take as much of a spotlight as Claire, but they were all great too. There were many new characters introduced, and I’m having fun speculating what lies ahead for those characters.

I loved going back to Morganville with The Dead Girls’ Dance, and definitely won’t be waiting long to read Midnight Alley, and the rest of the Morganville Vampires books. Do yourself a favor and pick these books up!

Harbinger Art Reveal

When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn’t expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she’s going crazy. Fast. 

But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she’s come home. She’s even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red. 

Faye knows she’s the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can’t trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her—and the rest of the world too. 

And now for the exclusive reveal of a piece of art inspired by Harbinger...

Walk the Path! Explore the whole gallery of HARBINGER-inspired artwork at www.holbrookacademy.com/sketchbook.php. 

HARBINGER by Sara Wilson Etienne debuts February 2, 2012.

Follow Sara: @wilsonetienne

Visit Sara: www.sarawilsonetienne.com

Future Favorites #71 | Dust Collectors #19

Future Favorites is an awesome blog feature here at Electrifying Reviews. Each time I do one of these, I post about a few books that are yet-to-be-released and that I can't wait to read!

●Taken by Storm (Raised by Wolves, #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Egmont: May 22, 2012)●

●Never Enough by Denise Jaden (Simon Pulse: July 10, 2012)●

●Shadow Bound (Unbound, #2) by Rachel Vincent (Mira: June 1, 2012)●

●Blazing the Trail (The Dragon Diaries, #3) by Deborah Cooke (NAL Trade: June 5, 2012)●

●Back in Fashion (Sirenz, #2) by Charlotte Bennardo & Natalie Zaman (Flux: June 8, 2012)●

●Croak by Gina Damico (Harcourt: March 20, 2012)●

Which of these looks the best to you? What are some of your future favorites? Comment below and let me know!

~~+~+~+~~

Dust Collectors is another feature hosted here on Electrifying Reviews. The point of Dust Collectors is to highlight books that have been sitting on my bookshelves for what feels like forever, unread, and for you to leave a comment telling me which to read first.

●Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux: October 22, 1999)●

●The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1) by Patrick Ness (Candlewick: September 9, 2008)●

Have your read either of these books? Which should I read first? Be sure to leave a comment!

Where Demons Fear to Tread, by Stephanie Chong

Title: Where Demons Fear to Tread (The Company of Angels, #1)
Author: Stephanie Chong
Publisher: Mira
Release: August 23, 2011
Source: Publisher
Purchase: (RJ Julia | Mira)

Fledging guardian angel and yoga teacher Serena St. Clair dares enter Devil's Paradise nightclub on a mission—to retrieve the wayward Hollywood "It Boy" she's assigned to protect. But she's ambushed by the club's owner, arch demon Julian Ascher. The most powerful demonic entity in Los Angeles, Julian is handsome as sin, a master of temptation who loves nothing more than corrupting pleasure–seeking humans. He won't release the lost soul Serena is supposed to guard. Unless she accepts his dangerous wager... After the disastrous way his human life ended, Julian vowed that no woman would get the better of him again. Yet this sexy–sweet angel, smelling of fresh ocean air and happiness, triggers centuries–old feelings. Now, their high–stakes game of seduction, where angels fall from grace and where demons fear to tread, will lead them either to an eternity in hell, or a deliciously hot heaven.

I was eager to get into Where Demons Fear to Tread because I don’t read a lot of adult books, and I was excited to change it up a bit. And I’m still glad I did read it, because it is different from what I usually read, and it’s always good to leave your comfort zone. But I don’t think this books is all it could have been.

Stephanie Chong had a great world plotted out, and this book had so much potential. I know it’s about the romance more than the angels and demons, but I would have liked to see more action and mythology rather than tension. Toward the end of the book, the pace started to kick up a notch, but most of the book went by pretty slowly.

Stephanie Chong has a great writing style, and I think she handled the dual perspectives very well. Her writing didn’t necessarily stand out to me, but she definitely has a handle on things. I’m interested in what else she can come up with, in the Company of Angels world and outside of it.

Serena and Julian were pretty flat characters, which was a shame because the book was supposed to be about how they change over the course of the novel. And they did change, but I didn’t find myself able to connect to them very much. I feel like I don’t know either of them, even after spending an entire novel with them.

Though it wasn’t what I was hoping it would be, I still did enjoy reading Where Demons Fear to Tread, and would definitely be interested in reading more from Stephanie Chong, in this world and in others.

Keegan's Chronicles Blog Tour: Coexist Excerpt

Sixteen-year-old Keegan is struggling to keep her huge secret from her friends--she's an elf, descended from a long line of elves that live in secrecy alongside humans. In elfin society, mates are predetermined but not allowed to meet until they are eighteen. Against tradition, Keegan's brother Thaddeus told her Rourk's name because his visions warned him she'd need Rourk's protection, especially since Keegan will play a key role in the coming war between the dark and light elves. 

Rourk finds himself drawn to Keegan's side every time she thinks his name. He wants to talk to her but remains in the shadows, silently guarding her every time she mentally beckons him. A twist of fate thrusts the two of them together when Rourk is forced to step up his protection and make his presence known. An ancient prophecy deeply entwines Keegan's family and the future of their society. Somehow they must find a way to thwart fate and win the battle...without losing Keegan. With war brewing, and dark forces aligning, will Keegan and Rourk ever have the life together that they both desire?


And now for an excerpt of Coexist...

     Keegan was standing on the rocks, the water rushing around her feet, with camera in hand as usual. One minute, she skipped across the rocks like a child and the next she would stop, a look of total concentration taking over her face. That was when she started snapping photos. Staring at her, Rourk squatted and rested his hands on his knees, wondering what she saw through her lens. He watched as she jumped from a rock and slipped, her arms flailing as she almost fell into the water. His heart lurched. A strong need to protect her filled his body, and if her laugh hadn’t echoed up to him like music, he was poised to jump in after her. But instead, her face broke into a huge grin as she steadied herself and continued to take photos. He relaxed, content to stand and watch her for hours.

     Rourk didn’t even know her name, but he knew he’d never seen anything so magnificent in his life. Her wavy hair glistened in the sunlight. She had a delicate face that was round, with large blue-green eyes and full lips. With her cheeks flushed from the cold fall air, she reminded him of a porcelain doll. He knew all too well, though, that looks could be deceiving. She looked sweet and innocent, but it was her eyes that gave her away. They were bold and daring, constantly observing her surroundings. Rourk smiled to himself; she would soon belong to him. It took a lot of self-control not to approach her, but Rourk knew that would be breaking the rules. He accepted that they were in place for a reason. He had to be patient. Their time would come. Unfortunately, she was over a year younger than he, which meant he would have to wait longer than he would like. He pondered this as he watched her pack up, lovingly storing her camera away in its bag with her hair falling over her face. It wasn’t until she had disappeared down the path to her house that Rourk finally turned and left.

Julia crane is the author of the Coexist: Keegan’s Chronicles. She has a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Julia has believed in magical creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale.

Growing up her mother greatly encouraged reading and using your imagination. Although she’s spent most of her life on the US east coast, she currently lives in Dubai with her husband and three children.

Where you can find Julia:

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Giveaway:

I have one ebook edition of Coexist to give away to one lucky reader! The giveaway is open internationally, and will end on December 30, so enter quickly!

Future Favorites #70 | Dust Collectors #18

Future Favorites is an awesome blog feature here at Electrifying Reviews. Each time I do one of these, I post about a few books that are yet-to-be-released and that I can't wait to read!

●Mesmerize (Mystyx, #4) by Artist Arthur (Kimani Tru: January 24, 2012)●

●Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg (Point: April 1, 2012) ●

●Fated by Sarah Alderson (Simon & Schuster: January 5, 2012)●

●Surrender (Possession, #2) by Elana Johnson (Simon Pulse: June 5, 2012)●

●Living Violet (Cambion Chronicles, #1) by Jaime Reed (Dafina: December 27, 2011)●

●Burning Emerald (Cambion Chronicles, #2) by Jaime Reed (Dafina: May 29, 2012)●

Which of these looks the best to you? What are some of your future favorites? Comment below and let me know!

~~+~+~+~~

Dust Collectors is another feature hosted here on Electrifying Reviews. The point of Dust Collectors is to highlight books that have been sitting on my bookshelves for what feels like forever, unread, and for you to leave a comment telling me which to read first.

●Virtue by Amanda Hocking (May 27, 2011)●

●Hollowland (The Hollows, #1) by Amanda Hocking (October 5, 2010)●

Have your read either of these books? Which should I read first? Be sure to leave a comment!

2012 Debut Authors, Hear My Call!

So I've decided to do an interview series for debut authors in the upcoming year. The only thing I need? Authors to interview! This is how it is going to be set up:


1) You contact me and let me you you'd like to be a part of the interview series.
2) I send you the questions, and you reply with your answers.
3) I will begin to release the interviews. There will be one question in each post, with all of the authors' responses. 


I am splitting the authors into two halves, one half with books debuting in January, February, March, April, May, and June. The other half will have authors whose books debut in July, August, September, October, November, and December.


Sounds fun, right? This is a chance for readers to find out about your debut novel, and to answer some questions that will knock your socks off.


So, if you have a young adult, upper middle grade, or new adult book debuting in 2012, email me at: alexreadsbooks@gmail.com


Oh, and feel free to tell your friends if they also have debut novels coming out in 2012!

Crank, by Ellen Hopkins

Title: Crank
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Release: October 5, 2004
Source: Fiktshun
Purchase: (RJ Julia | McElderry)

Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father, Kristina disappears and Bree takes her place. Bree is the exact opposite of Kristina—she's fearless. Through a boy, Bree meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul—her life.

I’ve had people telling me to read Crank, and every other Ellen Hopkins book for years now, but I didn’t give in to pressure for the longest time. What was I thinking? After reading Crank, I am so disappointed in myself for not reading it sooner. Perhaps it was intimidation that caused me to put off reading it; the book is over five-hundred pages long and is written in verse. Whatever the reason, it wasn’t a good enough one for not picking up Crank sooner than I did.

Drugs are a touchy topic, and it’s hard to write about one’s downfall from them the right way, but Ellen Hopkins got it spot on. It was heartbreaking to read Kristina’s story, but in a perhaps twisted way, I never wanted it to end. The story was so engaging and addictive… I was hooked. I cannot wait to read the continuation of Kristina’s story in Glass and Fallout.

Like I said, Crank is written in verse. Before Crank, I had never read a verse novel and wasn’t sure what to expect at all. But when I started, after the initial “how do I go about reading this” phase that lasted a few pages, I was so absorbed that I couldn’t put the book down. Though the writing is spectacular, the story it tells is even more so. I definitely am going to read another Ellen Hopkins book, probably more than one, very soon.

As a reader, you of course don’t want to agree with the decisions Kristina makes, but not once did I get outraged at something she did in Crank. It was weird, knowing that her life is falling apart before my eyes, but Crank as a piece of literature made me want to keep reading about this one girl’s downfall, and of course I wanted her to get on the right path, but at the same time I loved reading about her messed up life that I almost… didn’t.

Crank completely messed with my emotions and opened my eyes in more ways than one. I’d completely recommend Crank to anyone who wants a serious book that you can still love reading. And from what I’ve heard, Crank isn’t even Hopkins’s best book. I’m not sure if I can believe that, but I’ll definitely be looking into it.

In My Mailbox #99: The Two Year Edition

In My Mailbox is a weekly book blog feature hosted by The Story Siren. It gives book bloggers the opportunity to share the books we get each week with other bloggers, and our followers. This week I got...

52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody (ARC)
Thanks to Farrar Straus Giroux

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth (ARC)
Thanks to Farrar Straus Giroux

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama (ARC)
Thanks to Farrar Straus Giroux

Before You Go by James Preller (ARC)
Thanks to Feiwel & Friends

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen (ARC)
Thanks to Feiwel & Friends

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks (ARC)
Thanks to Feiwel & Friends

 Rae of Hope (The Chronicles of Kerrigan, #1) by W.J. May (signed paperback)
Thanks to W.J.

Fracture (Soterians, #3) by Jacquelyn Wheeler (signed paperback)
Thanks to Jacquelyn

Slide by Jill Hathaway (eARC)
Thanks to Balzer + Bray

Supergirl Mixtapes by Meagan Brothers (eARC)
Thanks to Henry Holt

The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry (eARC)

Thanks to Amulet

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews (eARC)
Thanks to Amulet

Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe by Shelley Coriell (eARC)
Thanks to Amulet

The Fourth Eye by Meg X (ebook)
Thanks to Meg

Barefoot Heroine (Mayne Attraction, #1.5) by Ann Mauren (ebook)
Thanks to Ann

Destiny’s Fire by Trisha Wolfe (eARC)
Thanks to A Tale of Many Reviews

Under My Skin (Skinned, #1) by Judith Graves (ebook)
Thanks to Fiktshun

Promise (Soul Savers, #1) by Kristie Cook (ebook)
Bought

The Ivy Gate by A.R. Kahler (ebook)
Bought

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This Week's Posts:

Sunday

Giveaway: Travel to Tomorrow

Monday

Cover Uncovered: Deity

Tuesday

Angelina's Friend, by Lisa Rogers

Wednesday

Future Favorites #69 | Dust Collectors #17

Friday

Still Waters, by Emma Carlson Berne (+ Giveaway)