Top 3 Reads of 2011

One of my favorite Year End posts is a wrap-up of what I've read and loved. So I am excited about our topic this week!

Compared to a lot of other writers, I am a sloooooow reader, so I've only read 36 books so far this year. I wish it was more (and so does my TBR pile, which is getting close to taking over my life), but writing uses a lot of my energy, and sometimes I have none left for other words.

Here are my top 3 reads this year (so far).

So many people were talking about Anna Dressed in Blood, I decided to take a look. I downloaded a sample on my Kindle and was immediately hooked by Cas's voice.

He reminded me a little bit of the Winchester brothers from Supernatural, or Cas from Holly Black's White Cat.

I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this trilogy.

I had the privilege of reading this book way back in September when I won an ARC in a contest. I'd heard a lot of talk about it, but I was a little burnt out on the dystopian genre, so I didn't have high expectations.

But whoa did I fall for this book. Day and June were distinct enough that I didn't need to read the chapter headings in order to know who was narrating. I loved how infamous Day was in the Republic, but how, beneath all that, he was just a kid taking care of his family.

I highly recommend Legend. Even if you think you've read enough dystopian, read this one. Just one more!

I emailed my agent a week or so ago asking (begging) her for a copy of Shadow & Bone. Last year we sent an ARC of Divergent around and I was hoping (HOPING!) she'd allow us to do the same with S&B. And she obliged!

The day I got this book in the mail, I started reading. And from page one, I was hooked.

Leigh knows how to craft credible relationships in so few pages. Immediately you are invested in Alina's relationship with Mal. You are rooting for them from the first chapter. And don't even get me started on the Darkling. Ladies will be swooning. SWOONING. But he's such a mysterious, complex character, you won't know whether to love him, or fear him.

Unfortunately, Shadow & Bone doesn't release till next year, but trust me when I tell you, it'll be worth the wait. Buy it as soon as you can, clear your schedule, and dive in. You won't be disappointed.

(P.S. I apologize to those who commented on my last post---the ALTERED playlist---for not immediately responding. I am planning to post the full playlist on my own blog tomorrow!)

Jennifer Rush is the author of ALTERED coming Fall 2012 from Little, Brown. Check out her blog for news and updates.

A Year in Books - 2011

I had to give this some thought and go through my Audible.com and Goodreads accounts, but I finally compiled a list of books I read in 2011. I think it's safe to say I loved/enjoyed most of them, and when it came time to try to pick favorites...I didn't think it was fair. So, in no particular order, here are the books I read in 2011, with links to their descriptions. I'd love to hear which of these YOU'VE read and enjoyed!

BEAUTY QUEENS by Libba Bray
A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL by Suzanne Young
BRUISER by Neal Shusterman
IMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren Suma
THIS IS NOT A TEST by Courtney Summers*
WILDEFIRE by Karsten Knight
TIME BETWEEN US by Tamara Ireland Stone*
TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler
THE REPLACEMENT by Brenna Yovanoff
BRAVE NEW WORLD by Aldous Huxley
ENDER'S GAME by Orson Scott Card
FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK by Melina Marchetta
ACCOMPLICE by Eireann Corrigan
I AM NUMBER FOUR by Pittacus Lore
THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin
THE BODY FINDER by Kimberly Derting
THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson
DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver
WAIT TILL HELEN COMES by Mary Downing Hahn
NUMBERS by Rachel Ward
THE BEGINNERS GUIDE TO LIVING by Lia Hills
RAMPANT by Diana Peterfreund
WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Forman
THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON by Stephen King
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis
THE MERMAID'S MIRROR by L.K. Madigan
BLEEDING VIOLET by Dia Reeves
SHIP BREAKER by Paolo Bacigalupi
DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth
THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GREY by Oscar Wilde
EVERLOST by Neal Shusterman
PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White
PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King
CRANK by Ellen Hopkins
THE UNIDENTIFIED by Rae Mariz


* = titles to be released in 2012

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Emily Hainsworth is the author of THROUGH TO YOU, (Fall 2012 Balzer+Bray / HarperCollins), a sci-fi novel about a seventeen-year-old boy grieving for his dead girlfriend until he discovers she's still alive in a parallel reality--one where many things are different from the way they are back home. For more information, visit her website.