2011 Top Ten!

Note: I started typing this post almost a month ago, I had such high hopes of getting it posted during the Christmas break, but life got busy (shocking, I know) and now here we are, 8 days into the new year and I'm finally getting it posted!

I do have to note that not all of these books were released in 2011. Some are older, some were ARCS, but I read them all for the first time in 2011 so that's why they are on the list. They are also not in any particular order, since it's hard to rank books that are so different. So here we go, my top ten books of 2011!

1. The Tender Mercy of Roses by Anna Michaels (review)- this is a great book about love and loss, magic and tragedy... and rodeo.

2. Delirium and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (review / review) - I love Lauren Oliver. She can basically do no wrong when it comes to her books. Delirium was like a whole new world and Pandemonium let us revisit with friends, feel their pain as they tried to find their way, and go along for the ride as their worlds spun out of control. (and yes I know this is two books, I cheated)

3. Trapped by Michael Northrop (review)- I come from the land of the golden snowball awards and record snowfall, so a story abut a giant snowstorm appealed to me. I wasn't ready for all the twists and turns this story took, but the authors willingness to stay true to the story, regardless of the pain that meant, made this book memorable.

4. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare (review)- I love these books, reading them is always fun b/c Clare has the ability to take these crazy story lines and make you believe. Plus I enjoyed seeing Simon take center stage!

5. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (review)- ditto everything I just said above except replace Simon with Jem.

6. Game of Thrones by George RR Martin (review)- yes I know I am totally late to the game on this one. I'm sure that my geek card was on the verge of being revoked do to the lack of Westeros in my diet. Thank goodness I remedied that in 2011. These books are hefty and you have to be in the right mood to get through it, but it's totally worth it and reading the books makes the HBO show so much better!

7. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand (review)- this book is set in one of my favorite places, Jackson Hole. The author got the setting so right that I'm pretty sure I'm going to be looking up for angels this summer when I'm there.

8. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (review)- this is by far my favorite book by Maggie, which is saying something b/c her books are pretty damn awesome. I fell in love with the characters, the island they live in and of course the horses.

9. Wolves, Boys and Other Things that Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler (review)- this one is also set in the Yellowstone area, so of course I loved it immediately. Add in a mysterious black wolf out near Slough Creek and I was done for!

10. Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg (review)- technically this is a 2012 book, but I grabbed it up at NCTE and read it right away. I love Eulberg's books and as a ex-theater brat this one struck especially close to home.