Books Read in 2011

January
1. Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord by Sarah Maclean
2. Kate Daniels, Book 4: Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews
3. Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey
4. Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith
5. Millennium Trilogy, Book 2: The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
6. Benny Imura, Book 1: Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
7. Brain Jack by Brian Falkner
8. The Iron Fey, Book 2: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
9. Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
10 (reread). The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale
11. What Else But Home by Michael Rosen
12. Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley
13. Pod by Stephen Wallenfels
14. The Wager by Donna Jo Napoli

February
15. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
16. On Ethnography by Shirley Brice Heath and Brian Street
17. Bitter Melon by Cara Chow
18. Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John
19. Divergent by Veronica Roth
20. The Everyday Language of White Racism by Jane H. Hill
21. Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin
22. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
23. The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook
24 (reread). Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
25. Five Hundred Kingdoms, Book 1: The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey
26. The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
27. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

March
28. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
29. The Inheritance Trilogy, Book 1: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
30. Where She Went by Gayle Forman
31. Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar
32. Pink by Lili Wilkinson
33. Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard
34 (reread). Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
35. Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
36 (reread). Kate Daniels, Book 1: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
37. Jersey Tomatoes are the Best by Maria Padian
38 (reread). Kate Daniels, Book 2: Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews
39. Dark Mirror by M. J. Putney
40. Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Book 2: Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler
41. Abandon by Meg Cabot
42. Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James
43. The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier

April
44. Stay by Deb Caletti
45. The Native Star by M.K. Hobson
46. Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly
47. Iron Codex, Book 1: The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge
48. The Girl Who Was On Fire, edited by Leah Wilson
49. Huntress by Malinda Lo
50 (reread). 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
51. To Catch an Heiress by Julia Quinn
52. The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
53. Bedwyns, Book 1: Slightly Married by Mary Balogh
54. What Comes After by Steve Watkins

May
55. Razorland, Book 1: Enclave by Ann Aguirre
56. Hourglass by Myra McEntire
57. Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches From the Front Line of the New Girlie-Girl Culture by Peggy Orenstein
58. Chime by Franny Billingsley
59. My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher
60. Summer, Book 3: We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
61. I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
62. Luminous by Dawn Metcalf
63. The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta
64. Memento Nora by Angie Smibert
65. The Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen Beckett
66. Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart by Sarah MacLean
67. Nikki Heat, Book 1: Heat Wave by Richard Castle

June
68. Curse Workers, Book 1: White Cat by Holly Black
69. Kate Daniels, Book 5: Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews
70. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
71 (reread). Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery
72. Shades of London, Book 1: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
73. Glass, Book 1: Storm Glass by Maria Snyder
74. Legend, Book 1: Legend by Marie Lu
75. Millennium Trilogy, Book 3: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
76. Before I Die by Jenny Downham
77. Birthright Trilogy, Book 1: All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
78. Curse Workers, Book 2: Red Glove by Holly Black
79 (reread). Fire by Kristin Cashore
80. Sirantha Jax, Book 1: Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
81. Edge, Book 1: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews
82. Edge, Book 2: Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews
83. Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
84. My Life, The Theater, and Other Tragedies by Allen Zadoff
85. Eon, Book 2: Eona by Alison Goodman
86. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
87 (reread). Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

July
88. Lady Julia Grey, Book 1: Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
89 (reread). Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery
90. 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter
91. Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
92. Something Like You by Julie James
95. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
94. Anne of Windy Poplars by L. M. Montgomery
95. A Lot Like Love by Julie James

August
96. Wicked Lovers, Book 1: Wicked Ties by Shayla Black
97. Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
98. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
99. The Parallel Series, Book 1: Into the Parallel by Robin Brande
100. Sevenwaters, Book 1: Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
101 (reread). Looking for Alaska by John Green
102. Ultraviolet by R. J. Anderson

September
103 (reread). Kate Daniels, Book 1: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
104. Fire and Thorns, Book 1: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
105. Birthmarked, Book 2: Prized by Caragh O’Brien
106. A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce
107. Too Good to Be True by Kristan Higgins
108. All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins
109. Shades of Grey, Book 1: Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
110. Wicked Games by Jill Myles
111. Saving June by Hannah Harrington
112. How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
113 (reread). Crown and Court Duel, Book 2: Court Duel by Sherwood Smith

October
114. Dearly, Book 1: Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
115. Illyria by Elizabeth Hand
116 (reread). Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
117. East by Edith Pattou
118. Dark Companion by Marta Acosta
119. Healer, Book 1: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
120. The Survival Kit by Donna Freitas
121. Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
122. Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins
123 (reread). Pink by Lili Wilkinson
124. Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery

November
125. 500 Kingdoms, Book 6: Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey
126. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
127. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

December
128. Unearthly, Book 2: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
129. Sevenwaters, Book 2: Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
130. Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James
131. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
132. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
133 (reread). Flipped by Wendelin van Draanen
134. Kate Daniels, Book 5.4: Magic Gifts by Ilona Andrews
135. The Agency, Book 3: The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y. S. Lee

2011 Reading Challenges

I don't usually participate in challenges, but for 2011 I'm going to try!

The Debut Author Challenge 2011

The Debut Author Challenge is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and challenges us to read the 2011 debut novels of YA and MG authors. Here are, in no particular order, the 12 that I very much want to read in 2011:

Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
Rival by Sara Bennett-Wealer
Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley
The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge
Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard
Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari
The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
Legend by Marie Lu
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

That breaks down very unevenly to: contemporary - 5; dystopian - 6; paranormal - 1; fantasy - 1. Interesting...

But, you know, I'll inevitably read other debuts so they will be listed below:

2011 Debuts Read in 2011:
1. Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
2. Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley
3. Divergent by Veronica Roth
4. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
5. The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
6. Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard
7. The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge
8. Enclave by Ann Aguirre
9. Hourglass by Myra McEntire
10. I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
11. Luminous by Dawn Metcalf
12. Memento Nora by Angie Smibert
13. Legend by Marie Lu
14. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

2011 Debuts Already Read (or at least have read enough of to form an opinion on it):
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
XVI by Julia Karr
The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
Wither by Lauren DeStefano - LOVED
Entwined by Heather Dixon
Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis - LOVED
Bumped by Megan McCafferty - LOVED

sci-fi - 1; dystopian - 4; paranormal - 1; (historical-ish) fantasy - 2

2011 Debuts Owned But Not Read:
The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
Choker by Elizabeth Woods
A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford
Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys
Memento Nora by Angie Smibert
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
Human.4 by Mike Lancaster

fantasy - 2; contemporary - 2; paranormal - 2; historical - 1; dystopian - 2

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POC Reading Challenge 2011

This year I'm participating in the Persons of Color Reading Challenge. The goal is to read books written by and/or featuring people of color, people who are often underrepresented in YA literature and the industry. Click here for more info and to sign up. I am going to try and reach Level 4: 10-15 books.

Books I hope to read for this challenge:

Huntress by Malinda Lo
A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott
Half World by Hiromi Goto
Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes
White Cat by Holly Black
Split by Swati Avasthi
The Glass series by Maria V. Snyder
Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys

Books Read for this Challenge:
1. Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
2. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
3. Bitter Melon by Cara Chow
4. The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook
5. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
6. Huntress by Malinda Lo
7. We'll Always Have Summer by Malinda Lo
8. Luminous by Dawn Metcalf
9. White Cat by Holly Black
10. Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder
11. Legend by Marie Lu
12. Eona by Alison Goodman
13. 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter

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The 2011 Aussie YA Book Challenge

Okie doke! So I have a healthy little stack of Australian YA in my TBR pile, and I figured that this challenge, created and hosted by Nic at Irresistible Reads, would help me get around to reading them sooner rather than later. As I am a non-Aussie reader, my challenge is to read 6 Aussie (and okay, I'm gonna put New Zealand in here too) YA books. They will hopefully be drawn from:

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Slice by Steven Herrick

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

Pink by Lili Wilkinson

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Other Aussie books I'm interested in reading and will attempt to acquire (somehow--Book Depository, have these in stock please!):

Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar

Saltwater Vampires by Kirsty Eagar

Solace & Grief by Foz Meadows

Books Read for This Challenge:
1. Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey
2. Brain Jack by Brian Falkner
3. Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar
4. Pink by Lili Wilkinson
5. The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta
6. Eona by Alison Goodman

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British Books Challenge 2011

Becky at The Bookette is hosting the British Books Challenge for 2011. I am an international participant and am going to aim for the Winston Churchill level, which is to read 6 books by British authors. Hopefully I will be able to get to the following books:

When I Was Joe by Keren David

Flyaway by Lucy Christopher

The Thirteen Treasures by Michelle Harrison

Raiders' Ransom by Emily Diamand

Trash by Andy Mulligan

The Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness

The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

Books Read for This Challenge:
1. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
2. Before I Die by Jenny Downham

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The Dystopia Challenge

The Dystopia Challenge is hosted at BA Reading Challenges. I'm aiming for Contagion level, which is to read 15 dystopian books for 2011. Some dystopian books I'm hoping to read are:

Total Oblivion: More or Less by Alan DeNiro

Human.4 by Mike Lancaster

Drought by Pam Bachorz

Memento Nora by Angie Smibert

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Feed by M.T. Anderson

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

For the Win by Cory Doctorow

Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

The Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

The Unit by Nina Holmqvist

Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Books Read for this Challenge:
1. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
2. Divergent by Veronica Roth
3. Enclave by Ann Aguirre
4. Memento Nora by Angie Smibert
5. Legend by Marie Lu
6. All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

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The TwentyEleven Challenge

The TwentyEleven Challenge is hosted by Bart's Bookshelf and requires us to read a total of 20 books from 11 different (and, in my opinion, very interesting) categories. The categories are as follows:

1. To YA or Not to YA (if you read more YA than non-YA, then you want to read a non-YA for this category, and vice versa; I read more YA, so I'm going to read non-YA for this category)
     1. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (The Inheritance Trilogy, Book 1) by N.K. Jemisin
     2. The Native Star by M. K. Hobson

2. ...With a Twist (sub-genres)
     1. The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook - romance with steampunk

     2. Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal - historical magical realism

3. Hot Off the Presses
     1. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
     2. Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard

4. It Wasn't Me! aka Bad Bloggers (books picked up purely on another blogger's recommendation)

     1. Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

5. Show It Who Is Boss! (read from your prior-to-2011 TBR pile)
     1. Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith
     2. Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey
     3. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

6. Bablefish (translations)
     1. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
     2. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

7. Willpower? What willpower? (books bought in 2011)
     1. The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey
     2. What Comes After by Steve Watkins

8. Mind the Gap (books in a series)
     1. Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews
     2. The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

9. Back in the Day (rereading old favorites - I should be a pro at this one)
     1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

10. Way Back When (published before your birth year, so before 1989 for me)
     1. Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery

11. Slim Pickings (novellas between 90-150 pages)

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With all these interesting challenges, it shouldn't be hard for 2011 to be a fantastic reading year for me!

Are you doing any reading challenges that you think I'd be interested in? It's my first year doing such challenges so I'm on the lookout for good ones. Let me know, thanks!

Review: Battle Dress by Amy Efaw

Tags: YA, college, West Point, military, army, feminism, sexism, family

Summary

For Andi and 1000 other incoming freshmen at West Point Academy, the first six weeks of the summer are the Beast, an intense training regime designed to break them all down, weed the weak from the rest, and reshape them into the best future members of the US Army. Andi battles taunts from squad leaders, classmate prejudices and problems, and her ongoing issues with her messed up family, and finds out what being a cadet truly means.

Review

Most of you do not know this about me, but I have always been fascinated by military protocol. For a nation that champions individuality and creativity, its military seems to be one of the last bastions of enforced conformity and groupthink. Coming from both a collectivist and individualistic culture, I can see the pros and cons of this military protocol. BATTLE DRESS was a solid glimpse into the mysterious world of West Point, although Andi’s internal conflicts were a little roughly drawn.

Creative insults and capital letters flood the pages of BATTLE DRESS, appropriate for the strict discipline surrounding West Point. I enjoyed how the book so thoroughly created the terrifyingly intimidating environment of the Beast: small details such as the different uniforms required for different activities, the time (these cadets have to get up unbelievably early), and the language really contribute to making you feel as if you were experiencing Beast too—without the ridiculously early wake-up calls and five-mile runs, that is.

So I appreciated the details that made Beast come to life for me, but felt much less connected to all the characters, including Andi. There is a sort of running conflict between Andi and her unsupportive, mentally abusive family, and Andi’s feminist side. What exactly a kind of space does a female occupy in the still male-dominated military world? Andi’s feminine roommate, Gabrielle, and a handful of stereotypical sexist squad members contribute to the theme of women’s rights in the military, but in a way that always felt very glossed over and underdeveloped.

Interestingly enough, I think this book might’ve worked better for me if it had just stuck with a straightforward presentation of Beast and not tried so hard to make Andi have complicated emotional issues. I felt like Andi’s struggles to overcome her family’s disappointment, contributing to and combined with her obsession with proving herself in Beast, lent a forced feel to the story. No, I’m not questioning the fact that she has family issues—but issues as delicate as that one need to be carefully and thoroughly developed, and I think that BATTLE DRESS may have relied a bit too much on Andi’s family’s inarguable meanness to carry that part of the plot along.

Overall, however, BATTLE DRESS will make a great read for anyone interested in West Point or the military training culture. Amy Efaw’s personal experience translates well onto the page, and the book does not disappoint in that aspect.

Writing: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5


Cover discussion: 3 out of 5 - This is actually a reprint of a book that came out a decade ago, and I think that the redesigned cover will make it much more appealing to the modern YA reader. It keeps things short and straight to the point, and the title fonts are cool, even if the title itself is a rather bizarre attempt to touch upon both the book's military and feminism issues.

Penguin / Dec. 2, 2010 (reprint) / Paperback / 304pp. / $8.99

Personal copy bought.

End of 2010 Survey / FIVE Challenge

This awesome survey was created by the inspirational Jamie over at The Broke and the Bookish, with some additions that I gleaned from author Trish Doller.

1. Best book of 2010 - Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. Hands down. The only book I wish I could give 6 out of 5 stars to.

2. Worst book of 2010 - I was not fond of a couple of books I had to read for my Victorian Lit seminar. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy really pissed me off.

3. Most Disappointing Book of 2010 - There's a couple I can think of that didn't live up to their hype for me, but I don't think I'll name names.

4. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2010 - Hmm, maybe The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. I thought I was burnt out on faerie wars and love triangles. Nope! Julie's charming writing pulled me right back into love.

5. Book you recommended to people most in 2010 - I talked up Jellicoe Road, Anna and the French Kiss, and Sugar and Ice quite a bit.

6. Best series you discovered in 2010 - I'll go with the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. This is quite simply one of the BEST urban fantasy series out there.

7. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2010 - Oh, why is this question so hard? Why were there so many talented authors this year?? I think I'll go with Jeri Smith-Ready on this one. All the books of hers that I've read so far have been consistently top-notch.

8. Most hilarious read of 2010 - That's difficult, as I usually turn back to my utmost favorites when I'm in need of a humorous read, but I tore through Castration Celebration by Jake Wizner last night and there were many moments in the book when I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.

9. Book that made you cry the hardest in 2010 - There was a point, somewhere in Holly Cupala's Tell Me a Secret, where I just put down the book and sobbed for about 10 minutes straight. I don't know why I was so affected by that one chapter. It might've been a combination of PMS and Holly's intense writing.

10. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2010 - I read Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien in one breathless, all-nighter gulp. I didn't dare put the book down for sleep!

11. Book you most anticipated in 2010 - Well, I definitely anticipated Mockingjay, but since nearly everyone's answer is that, I'll also mention that I pined for Clockwork Angel.

12. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2010 - I think that would have to be Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce. AMAZING.

Yummmmmmm.

13. Most memorable character in 2010 - Kate from the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. If I ever had to be in an urban fantasy story I'd want to be like her.

14. Most beautifully written book in 2010 - A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley, for its one-of-a-kind use of poetic descriptive language, phrases so beautiful they made my heart hurt in a good way.

15. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2010 - Umm I guess I'll go with Jellicoe Road for this. The only book I've ever read that actually caused me to stop reading for a few days afterwards, unwilling to pick up another book to break the spell that Jellicoe Road had cast over me.

16. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2010 to finally read - Jellicoe Road! Man, my answers are getting monotonous...

Book Blogging in 2010

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2010 - Probably Jamie at The Broke and the Bookish, for her wonderfully participatory features, posts, and questions that make me think, and her IRL friendship; and Jen of Makeshift Bookmark, for never failing to make me laugh with her genuine enthusiasm for good books.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2010 - Gah, this is so hard! Oh, hold on, let me just peruse the 200-something reviews that I wrote this year... GAH. Maybe Incarceron by Catherine Fisher?

3. Best discussion you had on your blog - You do realize you're asking me to pick one post I wrote that sparked discussion? I'm very proud of my What's Missing in YA Lit? post (and I still think everyone in YA lit industry should read it and take notes), but I think two that sparked the best comments were my post "Why I Want More Asians on YA Book Covers" and my "What is love, anyway?" post.

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else's blog - I've recently discovered the star feature in Google Reader and should probably keep track of my favorites from now on. Let me think... okay, fine, I give up. Just go to Adele's list of discussion posts and the First Novels Club's list of YA character studies and read them all.

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.) - PAYA! A writing workshop run by great YA writers, plus the treasured company of old friends and the discovery of new ones. It was just the right size for my kind of bookish event.

 

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2010 - I'm not really sure what this means? Um, I've had some pretty splendid conversations with bloggers over Twitter this year. And because I'm not a person who gets close to others easily, this seems like a best moment for me.

7. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.) - I don't know if there's much this year that I didn't discover last year, but I greatly appreciated Doylestown Bookshop's Advanced Reviewer Program earlier in the year when, y'know, I obviously didn't have enough books to read!

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Abbreviated Persnickety Snark's FIVE Challenge for 2010

So I wasn't able to participate fully in Adele's awesome FIVE list-making challenge, uh, mostly because I was busy making 1302948576 lists for the last two weeks. But some of the lists she challenges us to make are worth sharing, I think. So here goes!

5 Great Re-Reads

1. The Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty - Always and forever my go-to series for when I need a 100-volt jolt to my energy levels, inspiration, and happiness. I feel like I reread this series about once a year, and this year happened to fall on my finals week (heh).

2. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare - Oh how this paranormal series makes me giggle and sigh.

3. Fat Cat by Robin Brande - Arguably one of the best contemporary YA books out there. I reread it every once in a while just to remember how amazing contemporary YA can be, if you have the right character and are dedicated enough to the research.

4. Dairy Queen + sequels by Catherine Gilbert Murdock - Another amazing contemporary YA series, with a one-of-a-kind protagonist.

5. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - Reread so soon after my first read-through? Must be a sign of its adorable goodness.

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5 Most Anticipated 2011 Titles

1. Where She Went by Gayle Forman - I absolutely cannot wait to find out what happens to Mia and Adam, in NYC, from Adam's point of view. Will Gayle make me cry buckets again? I hope so.

2. We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han - I eagerly await the conclusion to one of my favorite series.

3. Huntress by Malinda Lo - I look forward to being immersed in Malinda's writing again. Even better, this is an Asian-inspired fantasy with an ethnically accurate cover. WIN.

4. Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal - Everyone has been saying wonderful things about this debut. Luckily I only have to wait about two more weeks before it comes out!

5. The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta - Ms. Marchetta can do no wrong with her writing, and I can't wait to read this book.

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5 Hopes for YA in 2011

1. Diversity continues to be the norm in stories - The second half of 2010 produced for me many great books featuring a colorful cast of characters. I want to see this quiet shift into the recognition of our differences carry over into 2011 and beyond.

2. Fewer luuuv-at-first-sight romances - They're ridiculous and unrealistic and even the most ardent paranormal romance readers knows it by now.

3. POC characters in paranormal or urban fantasy - Asian characters have a strong showing in Asian-inspired fantasy, but I would love to see a paranormal or urban fantasy story, set in our times, that features a POC main character.

4. Covers diversify and remain true to the story - Enough, enough, enough with the whitewashing! You think you're not going to get caught if you whitewash characters on covers? In this Internet and info-tech age, everyone is a "cop," and one doesn't need to be a professional to cry foul.

Okay, only 4, but I think those are four solid ones.

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5 Great YA Bloggers

1. Jamie at The Broke and the Bookish and The Perpetual Page-Turner - Jamie is an eclectic blogger, but she reads a healthy enough dose of YA (*pats self on back for an influence well done*) that she can be included on this list. This beautiful chick is incredible because she's so passionate about inspiring conversation over books. The many features she runs on her blogs have me thinking all the time, and she has the particular talent of asking me questions that make me think about things I've never given much thought before.

2. Jen at The Makeshift Bookmark - Jen is a gem. Her unbridled enthusiasm for books makes her blog a joy to read, each and every day. Not to mention she is an utter joy to talk to online. I can only hope that one day I'll be able to meet her in the flesh, from which we will then proceed to fangirl over our shared interests!

3. Adele at Persnickety Snark - How could I not mention Adele on a list like this? I don't think a list of YA bloggers is complete without Adele, who has spunk and a sharp and inquisitive voice that's all her own. She writes fantastic discussion posts that I always look forward to reading. Even better, I got to meet her this year. That's saying a lot when we live on opposite sides of the world. We hung out for a day in NYC, and it was an amazing experience to talk books with someone so passionate, well-read, and intelligent.

4. Angie at Angieville - One of my favorite bloggers, because even though our reading tastes do not necessarily converge, she just has a way of writing her reviews that makes you feel like you're in a room in person with her, and there is no one else, and she is talking about this book to you and only you. I always take into consideration her reviews because she's just so utterly sincere with them. She's passionate about retellings, which I love, and she also does a cool feature called Retro Friday, in which she reviews her old fave YA reads, which I wish I could do because older gems need recognition as well.

5. Khy at Frenetic Reader - Last but certainly not least, Khy is a fave YA blogger of mine, not just because she is a cool half-sweetheart/half-kickass girl, but also because every single one of her posts is full of a genuine passion and interest in what she's writing about. And you know, I'm a sucker for genuineness all the time. Whether she raving about her newest fave read or ranting about YA genres or covers, she does so with an excellent sense of humor and always gets me thinking. I love that about her blog!

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I think that's all for now!