Best Titles of 2010 - Persnickety Snark's Five Challenge 2010

Today is the last day of Persnickety Snark's FIVE Challenge for 2010. If you don't know what that is, click here. For the last two weeks, myself and a bunch of other bloggers, including Persnickety Snark, have been counting down our TOP FIVE's in a bunch of different categories.

I participated in Great Debuts, Great Covers, Great Series and Most Anticipated Titles of 2011.

The final category is... Best Titles of 2010

Of course this is the hardest category as there have been so many fantastic books this year. Here are my top FIVE and honourable mentions in no particular order...

TOP FIVE

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn




The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson




Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley




Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green




North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley


I know this wasn't released in 2010 but I read it this year for the first time and fell in love with it.


HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
The Truth About Leo by David Yelland
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan


So what do you think? What were your favourite books of 2010?

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver

Release Date: 1st February 2011

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love - the deliria - blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

My Review:
I had very high expectations for Delirium as Before I Fall was one of my favourite reads of 2010, but when I first started reading it, I was a little worried. There was a lot of information given to us about the society and it had me concerned that the storyline throughout the book would get lost under the back-story. While I don't like comparing titles to other books, dystopian YA novels about an oppressive society have become increasingly popular. I think it is important to mention that at first I found a lot of similarities to Ally Condie's Matched. These quickly dissolved though so if you discover you have the same feelings as me, never fear, it will pass. Make sure you persevere. My concerns were very happily unwarranted and the story that evolved was that of a girl whose life gets turned upside down.

With the realisation that everything she once believed in has been a lie, Lena faces the scary and unimaginable unknown. Suddenly, her world is looking very different and Lena proves to be a very strong and capable girl, very different to the one we met at the beginning of the story. Just when I thought I knew how Lena's story was going to pan out, shocking secrets were uncovered and I was holding my breath at some points, reading as fast as I could to get through some very suspenseful, and also scary, moments. I could feel my heart beating as if I was right there next to Lena. As they say, the plot thickens, and not everything is as it seems.

The lesson of the day is love. I couldn't even imagine what it would be like to suddenly have a 'switch flicked' and to not feel any kind of love towards my friends and family, to not be able to recognise a quickening heartbeat or butterflies in my stomach, to miss out on those feelings. This is what awaits Lena. Love comes in all forms but to not have it in any is not worth it. No laughing. No dancing. No music. Love can be protection. Love can be the tender moments, love between friends, family. Lena has all these new feelings that have been awakened and discovers what love is and that without love in your life, you have no life.

"I'd rather die my way than live yours"

I felt that the quality and integrity of the story were upheld because there were more elements to the story than just Lena's relationship with Alex, even though this is of major importance to the story. I loved the interaction between Hana and Lena, how their friendship had highs and lows, how they protected each other. They are best friends, but their realisation that once they each have their procedures their friendship will cease to exist, hangs over them. All their memories growing up, all the special moments they have shared, will be forgotten. Can you imagine how horrible that would be? Likewise for Lena and her cousin's daughter Grace, who Lena shares a special bond with. They both have secrets, and they protect each other. It is a beautiful relationship and I loved reading the scenes between them.

Just like Before I Fall, Oliver's debut novel, Delirium is beautifully written and told with such heart-ache and suspense that it is difficult to put down. The first in a dystopian trilogy, Pandemonium and Requiem will follow, Delirium is everything you would hope and expect a Lauren Oliver story to be.

"I love it." The word pops out, and instantly the weight on my chest dissipates. "I love it," I say again, testing it. An easy word to say, once you say it. Short. To the point. Rolls off the tongue. It's amazing I've never said it before."

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishers for providing me with an advanced copy.

Most Anticipated Titles of 2011 - Persnickety Snark's Five Challenge 2010

Today is the fourth day of Persnickety Snark's FIVE Challenge for 2010. If you don't know what that is, click here. Until the end of the month, myself and a bunch of other bloggers, including Persnickety Snark, will be counting down our TOP FIVE's in a bunch of different categories.

Today's category is... Most Anticipated Titles of 2011!

I'm sorry, but it was way too hard to just pick five...so I doubled it!

So in order of release...


You Against Me by Jenny Downham - January


After the heart-wrenching Before I Die, who could resist another book by Jenny Downham?


XVI by Julia Karr - January (US), March (Aust)


This is the debut YA book for author Julia Karr and the premise sounds amazing and absolutely chilling!


Delirium by Lauren Oliver - February


Before I Fall was one of my favourite books from 2010 and Lauren Oliver's second release is a dystopian novel set in a world where love is a disease and everyone must be cured before their 18th birthday. I just finished it yesterday and it was such a page turner! Review to come.


Entangled by Cat Clarke - March


Cat Clarke's debut novel promises "dark secrets, intense friendship and electrifying attraction"


Where She Went: If I Stay #2 by Gayle Forman - April


Words can not express my excitement over this release, told three years after Mia's accident (If I Stay) from Adam's POV.


City of Fallen Angels: The Mortal Instruments #4 by Cassandra Clare - April


If you have read the first three then you will know why I can't wait to catch up with Clary, Jace and Simon.


What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen - May


New Sarah Dessen. Need I say more?


Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell - May


I've never read anything by Frances O'Roark Dowell but I think this sounds awesome.


Forever: Wolves of Mercy Falls #3 by Maggie Stiefvater - July


I can't wait to read the conclusion to Sam and Grace's story, one of my favourite couples in YA. Oh how Sam makes me swoon ;)


The History of Luck/The Invisible Museum by Jandy Nelson - Date Unknown


After the masterpiece of The Sky Is Everywhere, I can't wait to get my hands on this. No cover and no release date has been set as yet but fingers crossed it will be before the end of 2011!


I'm going to take a little break over Christmas from these lists so tune back in on the 31st for the Best Titles of 2010

Great Series - Persnickety Snark's Five Challenge 2010

Today is the third day of Persnickety Snark's FIVE Challenge for 2010. If you don't know what that is, click here. Until the end of the month, myself and a bunch of other bloggers, including Persnickety Snark, will be counting down our TOP FIVE's in a bunch of different categories.

Today's category is... Great Series!

I wasn't sure how to judge what series were allowed in the list for 2010 so I decided that I would include only those where a book in that series was released this year.

I actually don't usually read series, but almost all of the ones I do read had titles released this year, so I have just posted them all, even though there are six. So in no particular order...


Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead





The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins




Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy





The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott





The Wolves of Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater




The Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl




Just to be fair, these are my other favourite series that have either finished or didn't have titles released this year. I couldn't help myself, I felt like I was neglecting my babies!




Check back in on the 25th for the Five Most Anticipated Titles of 2011

Great Covers - Persnickety Snark's Five Challenge 2010

Today is the second day of Persnickety Snark's FIVE Challenge for 2010. If you don't know what that is, click here. Until the end of the month, myself and a bunch of other bloggers, including Persnickety Snark, will be counting down our TOP FIVE's in a bunch of different categories.

Today's category is... Great Covers!

I found this category really difficult because alot of my favourite covers are not from 2010, plus, I don't have a very good memory so all of those covers I was blown away by throughout the year, I have completely forgotten about.

My picks for 2010, in no particular order are...


Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Review to Come


The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

My Review


Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

My Review


The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

My Review


Picture Perfect by D. Anne Love


I just love them both!

Update 23rd Dec: Oh! I just found another stunning cover of a book released on the 21st. I'm just going to slip it in under my other covers because I think I am in love!

All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz


You should also check out Yvonne Prinz's other book The Vinyl Princess. Also stunning!

Check in tomorrow for Five Great Series!

Great Debut's - Persnickety Snark's Five Challenge 2010

Today is the first day of Persnickety Snark's FIVE Challenge for 2010. If you don't know what that is, click here. Until the end of the month, myself and a bunch of other bloggers, including Persnickety Snark, will be counting down our TOP FIVE's in a bunch of different categories.

Today's category is... Great Debuts!

My picks, in no particular order are...

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

My Review


Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood

My Review

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

My Review

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

My Review

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

My Review

What do you think?
Tune in tomorrow for Five Great Covers