The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) Maggie Stiefvater April 26th 2016 Scholastic ******Will probably contain spoilers for this book and the whole series just as a heads up****** I'm not going to try and write a normal review for The Raven King, because quite frankly I don't even know if I'm capable of doing proper reviews any more, and this is not the book or the series where I want to figure that out. That, and my love for this series transcends that of something which I can properly review, as I am completely biased and I *will* fight people about these books. On that note, this is also won't even entirely be about The Raven King on its own. Rather, it's a chance for me to go on and on and on and on and on about how much I love these books and Blue and those darn boys. My biggest fear about The Raven King, as is always the case with final books in a beloved series, was that it wouldn't be a good or fitting ending. I did not need to be worried. Rather than reac...
Hello, dear readers! It is that time of year, once again, where everyone everywhere starts to make lists of all their favourite things from the year, and I love making Best Of lists, so without further ado, here are the books which I enjoyed the most this year! (that I read this year, not that essentially came out this year, in no particular order):
Yes, I am going to keep going on about this book. Again, it's a book about a girl finding herself, but apart from that similarity, it's different from Just One Day, but just as good. Definitely a must read for anyone who likes contemporary, especially contemps about music. It's brilliant, and I just really loved it.
Undone is easily the most emotionally effecting book that I have read this year. It tore my heart out. Cat Clarke is an incredibly talented author, and this is her best offering yet. It is dark and upsetting and difficult and I absolutely loved it. I don't think I'll forget about that cruel, yet expected, ending for a long time.
Another book that I wasn't expecting to love, but did. It wasn't perfect, but that was what I loved about it. Plus the writing was luscious and the world building was brilliant and the characters were equal parts lovable and despicable. Properly good.
1. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Just One Day is the first book of this year which I truly loved, and I feel like it's one of those books that I am going to come back and reread pretty often. It wasn't heartbreaking like If I Stay, and it didn't have the same sort of emotional impact, but it is a beautiful book about a girl who finds herself. You'll find that this is a recurring theme throughout this list.
2. This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
Yes, I am going to keep going on about this book. Again, it's a book about a girl finding herself, but apart from that similarity, it's different from Just One Day, but just as good. Definitely a must read for anyone who likes contemporary, especially contemps about music. It's brilliant, and I just really loved it.
3. Undone by Cat Clarke
Undone is easily the most emotionally effecting book that I have read this year. It tore my heart out. Cat Clarke is an incredibly talented author, and this is her best offering yet. It is dark and upsetting and difficult and I absolutely loved it. I don't think I'll forget about that cruel, yet expected, ending for a long time.
4. Nobody's Girl by Sarra Manning
A much more optimistic book than Undone, Nobody's Girl is probably my personal favourite Sarra Manning book. As much as I adore Adorkable, Nobody's Girl felt a lot more personal to me because I could see a lot of myself in Bea. It's one of those books that I read and felt like it had been written for me, you know? So good.
A much more optimistic book than Undone, Nobody's Girl is probably my personal favourite Sarra Manning book. As much as I adore Adorkable, Nobody's Girl felt a lot more personal to me because I could see a lot of myself in Bea. It's one of those books that I read and felt like it had been written for me, you know? So good.
5. Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Girl of Fire and Thorns one of the few high fantasies that I read this year and I completely adored it. It completely took me by surprise as I wasn't expected to love it anywhere near as much as I did. It was stunning, and I still can't quite believe that I haven't got myself a copy of the sequel yet because that is something that I need to have.
6. The Raven Boys & The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
I can't believe I only got around to reading the first two books in the Raven Cycle this year. I love Maggie's books so I don't know why when The Raven Boys first came out, it never really grabbed my attention. It has my attention now. Maggie Stiefvater is an incredibly skilled and talented author. Her writing is amazing, and the story and the characters of The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves are original and wonderful and I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next book.
7. The Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy
*sighs* This series started out so fun. It was all adventures and magic and silly names and standard sort of Middle Grade brilliance. Now it just hurts.
No, but in all seriousness, this series is awesome. To me, they feel like a combination of Doctor Who and Harry Potter, but, you know, different. And with much less time travel and boarding schools. Yeah. I love this series.
*sighs* This series started out so fun. It was all adventures and magic and silly names and standard sort of Middle Grade brilliance. Now it just hurts.
No, but in all seriousness, this series is awesome. To me, they feel like a combination of Doctor Who and Harry Potter, but, you know, different. And with much less time travel and boarding schools. Yeah. I love this series.
8. United We Spy by Ally Carter
How could I not include the final book in my beloved Gallagher Girls series in this list?! It was the perfect farewell to one of my favourite series of books, and I will miss them immensely. God, they just make me so happy. I think I'm going to have to set aside some time for a reread at some point.
9. Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve
Another book that I wasn't expecting to love, but did. It wasn't perfect, but that was what I loved about it. Plus the writing was luscious and the world building was brilliant and the characters were equal parts lovable and despicable. Properly good.
10. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
I could have quite easily picked either of Rainbow Rowell's books for this list, but while Eleanor & Park is beautiful and lovely, just thinking about Fangirl makes me so happy that I had to pick it. I can see myself rereading this a lot in the future for comfort, and Rainbow Rowell is sort of taking a place beside Sarra Manning and Sarah Dessen as one of my favourite contemp authors.
Honorable mentions: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowing, Touch of Power by Maria V Snyder, This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Scarlet by Marissa Meyer, Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway, Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
I could have quite easily picked either of Rainbow Rowell's books for this list, but while Eleanor & Park is beautiful and lovely, just thinking about Fangirl makes me so happy that I had to pick it. I can see myself rereading this a lot in the future for comfort, and Rainbow Rowell is sort of taking a place beside Sarra Manning and Sarah Dessen as one of my favourite contemp authors.
Honorable mentions: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowing, Touch of Power by Maria V Snyder, This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Scarlet by Marissa Meyer, Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway, Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
What were your favourite books from 2013?
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