Top 10 of 2012: Best Covers of 2012

This is my first time participating in an event like this (well..duh..it's my first year of blogging!) so I'm really really excited!

Here's the schedule if anyone wants to join in the fun!

Monday: Best Books I've Read in 2012 (doesn't have to be released in 2012)

Tuesday: Best Book Covers of 2012

Wednesday: Best _____ of 2012 (I'm choosing Best COUPLES of 2012)

Thursday: Best Book Boyfriends of 2012

Friday: Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward To In 2013

BEST COVERS OF 2012

 

Since I'm such a cover whore putting together my Top 10 best covers of 2012 post was both very fun and hard. Did you see all the awesome 2012 covers out there? Yep.

So in no particular order, here's my best covers of 2012. In my opinion. :P

Number 1.

 Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

 

 

Number 2.

 Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

 

 

 

Number 3.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

 

 

Number 4.

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

 

 

Number 5.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

 

 

 

Number 6.

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa (UK edition)

 

 

 

Number 7.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

 

 

 

Number 8.

Skylark by Maegan Spooner

 

 

Number 9.

Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

 

Number 10.

For Darkness Shows The Stars by Diana Peterfreund

 

 

Also loved:

 

Interesting Facts: (not including the bottom three ^)

3 I haven't read (Skylark, Code Name Verity, The Darkest Minds)

4 I didn't like (Shadow&Bone, DoB&S, The Lost Prince, FDStS)

6 I've read

2 was on my Best Books I've Read list (Opal, Insurgent)

-

4 typography covers (font based and colours)

5 with people/faces

1 couple

1 girl with pretty dress

1 close up face of a girl

 

Top 10 of 2012: Best Books I've Read in 2012

 

 

This is my first time participating in an event like this (well..duh..it's my first year of blogging!) so I'm really really excited!

Here's the schedule if anyone wants to join in the fun!

Monday: Best Books I've Read in 2012 (doesn't have to be released in 2012)

Tuesday: Best Book Covers of 2012

Wednesday: Best _____ of 2012 (I'm choosing Best COUPLES of 2012)

Thursday: Best Book Boyfriends of 2012

Friday: Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward To In 2013

BEST BOOKS I'VE READ IN 2012

 

This was so hard to do because I've read 170 books this year and God knows there's loads of awesome books released. So I decided to have 12 and the books below aren't in any particular order, but the Top 6 are.



So my Top 6 (in order) -

Number 6.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Number 5.

Through The Ever Night by Veronica Rossi (Under The Never Sky #2)

 

Number 4.

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris

 

 

Number 3.

Deity and Elixir by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Covenant #3 + 3.5)

 

Number 2.

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux #2)

 

 

Number 1.

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux #3)

 

 

So. There we go. Were there any surprises? LOL.

All of my reviews for my Top 12 of 2012 are posted on the blog and on Goodreads. :)

 

Interesting Facts: (one book may have more than and that's included)

3 are sci-fi

5 are contemporary

5 are paranormal

1 historical

0 fantasy

2 dystopian

ALL of them have romantic elements. ;)

Review: Through The Ever Night - Veronica Rossi

Title: Through The Ever Night (Under The Never Sky #2) 

Author: Veronica Rossi

Release Date:  January 8th 2013 (US)

Publisher:  Harper Collins (US), Atom (UK)

Genres: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Dystopian

Pages: 352

Source: For review (Atom -UK)

Aria has struggled to build a life for herself outside Reverie. It hasn't be easy adjusting to life in the wilderness but that struggle has been worth it with Perry by her side.

But Perry has other challenges. His people are looking to him for answers. Answers about what happened to his nephew and what's happening to their world. And they don't trust the priviledged Aria, one of the enemy, in their midst.

Soon he'll be forced to chose between the tribe that looks to him for leadership and the girl that looks to him for love.

 

I read Under The Never Sky earlier this year and while I liked it, I didn't love it. But when I heard lots of amazing things about its sequel, Through The Ever Night, I decided to give it a go. I'M SO EFFING HAPPY I DID. WHOA.

 

First of, this plot is even more layered and complex and just EVERYTHING. I always thought this series has got to be one of the most creative and most developed world building, and it really showcases that in this book. I'm in love with the world that Veronica Rossi has created; it's just so unique!

 

Aria has really grown a lot. I LOVE THIS GIRL. She's not the naive, stupid (kinda) girl that we first met in the first book, now she's very tough, smart and brave. But that doesn't mean to say she's changed completely, she still has moments when she doubts herself and I think that's good; it keeps it real. She's the character that I wouldn't mind reading about forever.

 

Perry! I have no idea I'd miss him this much! In this sequel he really go through a lot, and there were times when I felt really sorry for him and just want to give him a big hug. And maybe a kiss. Okay. Lot's of kisses. ;) Anyway, Aria and Perry's relationship has got to be one of my most favourite ever and their reunion at the beginning (not a spoiler, it's like in the 2nd page) was SO sweet and I was 'awwwing' the whole time.

 

Roar! Roar! Roar! Oh dear god Roar is my favourite character ever in this series. He's so damn funny and charming and just the perfect guy ever! I love how loyal he is to Liv and Perry and how he's so close with Aria. I don't think I ever loved a side character more than him. Oh, and guys, I really want to say that you should read the Roar & Liv short story (ebook only), because while it's not necessary, it's very useful and it would amplify quite a lot of things for you in this book.

 

So many stuff happened in this book. Some heartbreaking (*cries*), some really nice, and you know, I was never bored reading this. Such a fantastic and unputdownable read! I got this in the mail yesterday morning and finished it the afternoon same day. If that's not telling you how good that is, well I don't know what else. This will definitely be in my Top 10 I've Read in 2012 and you'll get to see the full list tomorrow! So check back! :D

 

 

Showcase Sunday (25)

Hosted by the lovely Books, Biscuits and Tea, the aim of Showcase Sunday is to highlight our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto e-readers each week.

BOUGHT:

 

Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines

LOVED this book. You can read my REVIEW here. I'm becoming quite an Abbi Glines fan :)

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Hmm. I dunno why I bought this. LOL.

The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles

I'm sorry but this was such a waste of money and time. Don't recommend. Hated this book with a passion. I get that it's written by a 17 year old, but come on. So dramatic and cheesy. How the pub bought this is beyond me.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

 I'm in love with this cover and since I heard so many good things about it I decided to buy it. Not really my book, to be honest. :/

While It Lasts by Abbi Glines

 Really excited to start this! Definitely reading this after I finish RIPTIDE! :)

FOR REVIEW:

 

Through The Ever Night (Under The Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi

AHHH! Finished this yesterday (and started it!). OMG. SO FUCKING GOOD. Like, definitely going into my Top 5 of 2012. Even though it's a 2013 release. Bear in mind I only liked the first book, but the sequel is 100000x better and AHHH. I WANT THE THIRD BOOK NOW. Thanks so much, Atom!

Riptide by Lindsay Scheibe

I started this last night and got about 10%. I wasn't expecting the dual POV between the two main characters but it was a pleasant surprise. Since I don't know anything about surfing this sounds very cool! :) Thanks so much, Flux Books!

Yours At Midnight by Robin Bielman

This is the UK For the blog tour and review! Between YA books, I'm really in the mood for some adult aswell so I'll be starting this soon! :) Thanks, Entangled!

So, what did YOU guys get this week? Let me know what you think of my weekly haul and leave your links down below, I'll try to go and check them out! :)

Review: Fallen Too Far - Abbi Glines

Title: Fallen Too Far (Fallen Too Far #1)

Author: Abbi Glines

Release Date: December 14th 2012

Publisher:  Self-pub

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Pages: Unknown

Source: Bought (kindle)

To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter.

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother.

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

 

This is only the 2nd book of Abbi Glines that I've read (the first was Just For Now) but I can honestly say I will be reading all of her old and upcoming books. They are just so addictive! Okay, yeah, some people have said (and based on the Abbi Gline books I've read) her stories are typically about manwhore/virgin pairings. I don't know about you but that is probably my most favourite type of romance to read.

Anyway, I loved both main characters. Blaire was such a great protagonist and I really enjoyed her narrative. She's one of those people that I see bits of myself in and also, her reactions/behaviours were all realistic and not over the top. Abbi Glines has written yet another swoon-worthy guy. Rush. (Yes, that's his name.) I admit that I wasn't too keen on him at the start, but halfway through I really fell for him just as much as Blaire.

Some of the problems I've had with Rush was one of THOSE problems I've had with so many love interests. Think Edward Cullen. Think Patch. Think Travis. The ones who's hot and cold the next. The really annoying ones who can't seem to figure out what exactly they want. But I think he redeemed himself to me 3/4 of the book.

Just a warning: this is more of a NA than a YA. The love scenes were pretty graphic and certainly not something you'd expect/read in YA. I didn't mind it, honestly I expected it (look at the cover!) but some people might be like O_O so yeah.

There was this big secret at the end (which you're all hinted at throughout the book) and I gotta say that I really enjoyed that. I thought it was very clever. :) Oh, and the ending. Dear God, the ending. Very emotional and real. I am dying for the sequel. Pretty please.

Even though there were stuff that bothered me, it was still very fun, steamy and entertaining. And you guys know how much I love romance in my books. :)

 

Waiting On Wednesday (36)

OF BEAST AND BEAUTY

by Stacey Jay

July 23rd, 2013

 ~ Delacorte Books for Young Readers ~

 In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city's vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city's Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan's enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra's sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

Add to Goodreads

 

I've never read a book by Stacey Jay before so I don't know anything about her writing and what-not but when I read the summary of OF BEAST AND BEAUTY I couldn't stop squealing!! I love love love Beauty and the Beast retellings (well..Beauty and the Beast is my favourite fairytale and Disney movie so) and I want this book now! I just feel like it's going to be one of my top books read in 2013!!

Cover Thoughts:

 
It's elegant. Simple. Enchanting. I mean, come on! The colours on this cover is so dark and romantic and GAH. I just want to have it right now in my hands so I can hug it. Also, the 'rose' is very relevant since that is mentioned in the book summary. Yay! The font style is also very nice :)

 

So what do YOU think of my pick this week? And what are YOU waiting for this Wednesday? :)

Cover Reveal: Dragian Legacy - Priya Kanaparti

 

DRAGIAN LEGACY (BOOK 1 OF TRILOGY)

Will her first big discovery be herself?

Ren and Axel are caught between two powerful magical races: one destined to end the bloodshed, the other out for vengeance.

Seventeen-year-old Ren Pernell is prophesied to end the war between the Dracians and the Telalians. So when a Dracian, Axel Knight, is sent to find and bring back the prophesied one before she turns eighteen and Telalians discover of her existence, unexpected sparks start to fly between the two. Once Ren finds the truth behind Axel’s arrival, she wants everything to do with him and nothing to do with his mission.

Things prove to be difficult as Ren’s life is constantly threatened by forces that are beyond her control, including the leader of the Telalians.
With the clock ticking and Ren’s life in jeopardy, it is no longer just a mission for Axel. It becomes a personal endeavor to save the only one he’s ever loved. In a heart racing ending, they must find a way to evade the preordained war that won’t also end Ren’s life.

 

February 14th, 2013 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pkanaparti

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorpriyakanaparti

Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6526707.Priya_Kanaparti

Goodreads Dracian Legacy: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16007175-dracian-legacy

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103131167289314491102

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pkanaparti/

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Priya Kanaparti was born in India, grew up in Detroit, and is now living in Boise, ID. She attended Wayne State University for her undergrad degree in Bachelor of Science in Biology, and University of Phoenix for her Masters in Business Administration. Priya works as a project manager in software field during the day and lives in the world of her characters during the nights and weekends. She had found the love for reading and writing early this year, when she stayed home with her year old and needed something to occupy those 'downtime' hours.

She loves playing tennis on a good summer day and chess during the cold winters, but reading and writing has become a year round hobby.

She lives in Boise with her husband, son and a Yorkie. Dracian Legacy is her debut novel.

So guys, what do YOU think of the cover? Love or loathe?

Blog Tour: All The Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen (Review)

 

 

 

 

Title: All The Broken Pieces

Author: Cindi Madsen

Release Date:  December 11th 2012

Publisher:  Entangled Teen

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery

Pages: 304

Source: For review

What if your life wasn’t your own?

Liv comes out of a coma with no memory of her past and two distinct, warring voices inside her head. Nothing, not even her reflection, seems familiar. As she stumbles through her junior year, the voices get louder, insisting she please the popular group while simultaneously despising them. But when Liv starts hanging around with Spencer, whose own mysterious past also has him on the fringe, life feels complete for the first time in, well, as long as she can remember.

Liv knows the details of the car accident that put her in the coma, but as the voices invade her dreams, and her dreams start feeling like memories, she and Spencer seek out answers. Yet the deeper they dig, the less things make sense. Can Liv rebuild the pieces of her broken past, when it means questioning not just who she is, but what she is?

 

I was so SO excited when I got this book for blog tour review. Ever since I read Cindi's debut DEMONS OF THE SUN and found out she has a new standalone book coming out with Entangled Teen(!!) I knew it was bound to be amazing. And it was. So freaking amazing!

 

There's something about Cindi Madsen's writing that makes it very impossible to put down this book. I read this in one sitting and I don't regret a moment of it! And you may say that the plot isn't very original, that there's about 100 memory loss/coma/blah blah blah YA books right now, but this author managed to turn it around and make it completely her own and brand new. This is one of the best ones. Trust me :)

 

Liv was such an interesting character! I really liked her! And the two very different voices in her head - lol I love how they contrast against one another. And Spencer *swoony sigh* That boy is charming. I loved Liv and Spencer's relationship with each other. Even though this romance wasn't as hot or as swoon-y as I'd like it to be, it was still very fun and sweet. I love how real their relationship was, and how it progressed at such a nice pace that you would never say 'umm, love at first sight'. Never.

 

Rarely I can figure out the mystery from the 100 pages or so, but with ALL THE BROKEN PIECES, the author kept me guessing and guessing about what's actually happening. And that revelation - OMG. I DID NOT EXPECT THAT. I think my mind just went BOOM. I thought it was very well thoughout and very sneaky.

 

I'm still undecided about which Cindi Madsen book is my favourite out of the two - this or Demons of the Sun - because I love them both for very different reasons. But what I know is that I'm very much looking forward to all her upcoming books and no doubt I'll read and enjoy them! :)

 

 

Buy Links:

Amazon (paperback): http://www.amazon.com/All-Broken-Pieces-Cindi-Madsen/dp/1620611295/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1353947263&sr=8-2&keywords=all+the+broken+pieces

 

Barnes & Noble (paperback): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-the-broken-pieces-cindi-madsen/1110678798?ean=9781620611296

BAM! (paperback): http://www.booksamillion.com/p/All-Broken-Pieces/Cindi-Madsen/9781620611296?id=5539474169913

Book Depository (paperback, released January 3, 2013): http://www.bookdepository.com/All-Broken-Pieces-Cindi-Madsen/9781620611296

About Cindi Madsen: Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.

 

Cindi’s Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cindimadsen

Website: http://cindimadsen.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CindiMadsenBooks

Blog: http://cindimadsen.blogspot.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13425135-all-the-broken-pieces

 

 

Showcase Sunday (24)

Hosted by the lovely Books, Biscuits and Tea, the aim of Showcase Sunday is to highlight our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto e-readers each week.

BOUGHT:

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Okay, I know I bought the kindle version, but OBVIOUSLY I had to buy the print too! And it's SO pretty!!! My fave cover of the series so far!

And LOOK! All of the LUX series books side by side! :D BEST BOOK OF 2012 for me. No words. Read my review HERE.
And when you OPEN it, my DAEMON INVASION team is on the Dedications page! MY NAME IS ON A JLA BOOK. *DIES*

Gravity by Melissa West

Unearthly #2.5 and from Angela and Clara's POV. Just have to say I'm Team Tucker. Just like with OPAL, I already got the e-arc version but I had to buy the paperback copy too! And I only just noticed that it's blurbed by JLA!!

FOR REVIEW:

 

Sister Assassin (Mind Games #1) by Kiersten White

This is the UK version of MIND GAMES. I loved her Paranormalcy series and her writing style so I'm very anxious to read this since I heard it's quite different! :) Plus, the cover is awesome (way more awesome than the US cover) - from Netgalley

Geek Girl by Holly Smale

This book just looks like a very fun and light contemporary read! - from Netgalley

 

Finn Finnegan by Darby Karchut

 I didn't realise this was MG but since I heard it's kinda like Harry Potter, I'm very excited to get started on it! :) - thanks Spencer Hill Press for the print arc.

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

This is the UK version of The Lost Prince! Thanks Harlequin Teen for it! The UK cover is freaking gorgeous!!! One of the best covers I've seen! So different and better than the US one, in my opinion. (Glad I live in England ha!)

So, what did YOU guys get this week? Let me know what you think of my weekly haul and leave your links down below, I'll try to go and check them out! :)

Review: Pantomime - Laura Lam

Title: Pantomime (Pantomime #1)

Author: Laura Lam

Release Date:  February 13th 2012

Publisher:  Strange Chemistry

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Pages: 392

Source: For review/netgalley

 

R. H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass—remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone—are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide.

Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star.

But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada.

This is one of the most creative, mindblowing, unique (so very!!), and thoughtful books I've ever read. I don't have anything to say but that Laura Lam is a genuis. I'm definitely looking out for the sequel and every other upcoming works of this author.

I've never read a book about a circus before, so this was all new to me, but Laura Lam's descriptions of the circus and the performers was so beautiful and easy to follow that I never had any problem following. There's a whole lot of characters that you grew to care very deeply about, and there's some bitchy ones that you hate, too. Overall, this group is certainly memorable and intruiging.

After reading a few reviews prior to reading this, I found out there would be this big WTF twist. I kinda had an idea of what it was a few pages on (with a hint planted on a page), but it wasn't until about 60 or 70% of the book that it was confirmed and I still couldn't stop my mouth from gaping open. Surprised. Shock.

Both Gene and Micah are such very vivid characters and both have such a strong narrative voice. I'm not sure which one I most love - Gene or Micah - I honestly just can't pick a favourite out of the two. I love how we both got to learn and care about them, and the dual chapters I really couldn't get enough of.

There's a lot of issues raised in here that I thought was very brave, and exceptionally well done. It opened my mind to a lot of things and I was so close to crying. That's how much I care for the characters.

The ending was very heartbreaking, but realistic. I'm glad that the author decided to go this route and I very much admire her for it. It was definitely unexpected, to be honest this book was very surprising with a lot of twists and turns in every corner.

Highly recommended and I doubt you'll forget about this book after you read it. It still haunts me (in such a good way) and I've read it months ago.

No doubt this book will be one of the best and hyped books releasing in 2013. :)