Since it’s New Year’s Eve I thought I’d better post my ‘best of’ list before the year is officially over. I like to call it my list of favorites because they are not necessarily the best, near flawless books I’ve read this year but the ones I enjoyed the most. I decided to do two lists this year; one for books published in 2011 and one for books published in previous years.
Favorite Reads of 2011:
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
The Demon’s Surrender by Sarah Rees Brennan
The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Saving June by Hannah Harrington
(2 Adult, 9 YA, 1 fantasy, 4 paranormal/urban fantasies, 5 contemporaries, 1 historical/mystery)
Favorite Reads of 2011 Published in a Different Year:
The Demon’s Lexicon and The Demon’s Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan
Unsticky by Sarra Manning
Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
(3 Adult, 4 YA, 2 urban fantasies, 3 contemporaries, 2 historicals)
And looking ahead (and because I simply cannot resist), for 2012:
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
And finally a few categories of my own (inspired by Nomes‘ and Chachic‘s Faves of 2011 posts):
Best New Discovery: Aussie YA (!)
Character I Fell Hardest for: Cricket Bell from Lola and the Boy Next Door
Cover I oohed and aahed over most: I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Couple I Absolutely Loved: Kate “Puck” Connelly and Sean Kendrick from The Scorpio Races
Which books made your list as well?
I think we all fell in love with Aussie YA this year!
I love that your favorite couple is Puck and Sean. ♥ I also think it’s awesome that we share so many favorites this year. And the ones that I haven’t read from your list are already on my TBR pile or on my wishlist. Really looking forward to I’ll Be There. 
It IS awesome! I love having book buddies that read all the same books as I do. It really is one of the best things in the world.
Yes, Sean and Puck! The Scorpio Races made my list as “most romantic”! :–)
Hope you have a happy new year!
Oh, I will have to check our your list then as well. The holidays are just killing me this year.
I’m glad to see A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor here. I loved both of those books! I’ll have to check out the rest of them. Happy New Year!
I know! Thanks – a happy one to you!
I keep saying it. I really need to read SAVING JUNE and GRAFFITI MOON. Sigh. I’m loving everyone’s best of list. And my brain is filing things away. Happy New Year Holly! Here’s to more good reads in 2012.
Thank you! You shouldn’t forget those, so you’ll get around to them eventually. I think you will like both of course.
*grin* Knew we’d have several in common. I’m happy to see VIRTUOSITY on there. Every time I think about that book, I smile.
I <3 Cricket, too.
Yeah, I suspected as much.
Virtuosity just kept standing out to me so it made the cut.
So many of your favorites are on my to-read list. I’ve heard only good things about Unsticky and Raw Blue. I see more book purchases in my future.
ahh, i love your picks
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i am reading the winter sea now and really enjoying it
x Nomes
Oh I hope it stays that way! Thanks for stopping by.