I have never done a Best Books list, mainly because although I absolutely love to read these types of lists, I generally have a hard time choosing ten favorites from a given year. I read so much, but for me to put a book on a BEST list, it had better be damn good. And some years, as much as I read, I don't read ten great books. Let's see if I make it to ten for 2011. My favorites, in no particular order:
Marie Lu's smart, fast-paced addition to the dystopia coterie begs for a sequel. Violent and bloody, Legend is an in-your-face commentary on how the chasm between the haves and the have-nots in our society continues to expand.
Not a YA novel, but I'm pretty sure The Magician King, the sequel to Grossman's The Magicians will show up on a lot of high school reading lists. It's Harry Potter for grown-ups, wizardry with humor and intellect. Completely unpredictable and totally original. I loved it.
Of the spate of dystopian novels from this post- Hunger Games YA literary landscape, Delirium stands out. Sure, it's set up for a sequel, but that won't interfere with your enjoyment of this story. Is a life without love a life at all? Delirium is a perfect read for those who grew up reading The Giver and now want a YA experience.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a creepy, weird, atmospheric book. I love the harsh and hearty Welsh island setting. The odd, quirky characters remind me of a kids' version of Twin Peaks. I think the use of the old photographs is a little gimicky, and sometimes, author Ransom Rigg seems more enamored of the photos than how they actually f
Publisher: Harper Teen (July 26, 2011)
ARC: 352 Pages
Series: Paranormalcy #2 (My Review of
Paranormalcy)
Genre: YA Fantasy/Supernatural
Book from Publisher*
Kiersten White's Website |
Blog |
Twitter
From Goodreads. Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.
But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.
So much for normal.
Review by Kate
SUPERNATURALLY, by Kiersten White, is the highly anticipated sequel in the
Paranormalcy series. We pick up where the first book left off where Evie is living among humans, going to school, working at a diner, and finally has her own locker! But she soon gets bored after living her whole life at the bustling IPCA and finds herself with an opportunity to use her talents for the greater good. With many new faces, some old favorites, loads of action and mystery, this book steps it up a notch leaving you breathless and wanting more.
Where
Paranormalcy was Evie trying to break away from the IPCA,
Supernaturally is her realization that she needs to use her powers and IPCA is the safest way to do that. Her new job and partner, Jack, puts strain on the already distanced relationship between Evie and Lend. He is away at school and she is at home pining for her man. Jack and Evie end up in some precarious situations together and Evie initially keeps her new employment status hidden from Lend, causing a rift between them for most of the book.
More revelations were uncovered and Evie learned a lot about where she came from and what she was. I was shocked when she found out about her biological parents, definitely didn't see that one coming! Overall, a great addition to the series, I look forward to the next one!
