Faves of TwentyEleven: The Covers

Day Five of My Faves of TwentyEleven Book Awards - A Big thank you to Inkcrush for coming up with this idea! If you'd like to see the post click on the link above!

Day One: The Books
Day Two: The Characters
Day Three: The Scenes
Day Four: The Random

Day Five: The Covers

TEN favourite covers selected from books you read in 2011 - in no particular order!

1. Last Breath by Rachel Caine.  I absolutely love all the covers in the Morganville Vampire series especially this one.  It's got to be the green eyes I reckon.  I was even lucky enough to find out from Rachel Caine at the Bloggers Brekky that these covers weren't targeted at specific characters, more for decoration purposes than anything else.  But they're cool right!

2.  All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin.  What can I say?  This cover is awesome.  Check out the model's eyelashes.. surely they're fake.  Okay of course I'd notice that lol.  While I don't see the relevance of the model's face compared to the story, I still think this is such a fantastic cover that even if I didn't want to read the story I'd love seeing that cover on my shelf none the less.

 

3. Forever by Maggie Stiefvater.  This cover is just beautiful and ties in well to the story.  The other thing I loved about these books are the coloured text inside that matched the colouring of the cover.  So awesome!  Shiver and Linger are my other favourites but ones I've read the previous year or so.  So I couldn't include them lol.  I've also included another version of Forever that I liked as well.

4.  Days Like This by Alison Stewart.  I just love the bold colours on this one.  It also ties in with the storyline but it's not an obvious scene if you know what I mean.

 

5.  Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick.  This is probably the best cover I've seen for this story.  I don't like the one with the alien looking face on it.  I think this one I've featured would sell the story better. I also really like the smaller version I've included.  I'm taking a stab in the dark and guessing it's the german cover?  I'm probably wrong though lol.

6. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.  This is so much better in person though.  Such a shiny and awesome cover.

7. City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane.  I've gotta say I love this cover alot better than the other one with the woman facing front on.  I suppose this is a personal preference though, but this cover above rocks!

8. Twelfth Grade Kills by Heather Brewer.  Loved this series, loved the covers even more!  Have to look into getting myself a Vladimir Tod tshirt!! Yeah!

9. Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres.  How could you not love this cover.  It's funky and original!

  

10. Switched by Amanda Hocking. I really loved this cover of Switched and the butterflies on the cover are really eye catching.  When I went to Goodreads to find the cover I also came across the other versions of it as well.  While they're pretty cool, I like this one the best.

Well that's it for my Faves of TwentyEleven.  I'll be keeping note of the books I read this year and definitely be fitting them into categories and what-not as I go.  It will make the end of next year alot easier.

Hope you enjoyed this!

Faves of TwentyEleven: The Random

Day Four of My Faves of TwentyEleven Book Awards - A Big thank you to Inkcrush for coming up with this idea! If you'd like to see the post click on the link above!

Day One: The Books
Day Two: The Characters
Day Three: The Scenes

Day Four: The Random

1. fave first sentence
Another hard one.  I'd say this would be my favourite three.
White Cat by Holly Black - "I wake up barefoot, standing on cold slate tiles. Looking dizzily down. I suck in a breath of icy air."

The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jackson - "It all started with Aldwyn's whiskers beginning to tingle - the way they always did when he got hungry."

2. fave book title
Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
Winters Shadow by M.J. Hearle


3. fave reading experience (ie: created a great reading memory)
I'd have to say All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin.  I'm not sure what made this one stand out the most for me.. I think it was the thought of chocolate being illegal but it definitely stuck with me.  It wasn't the greatest read, but it was still a memorable one for me.

4. book with the best food in it (made you so crazy-envious-hungry)
To be quite honest, I don't think there were any books that I can think of that had food that stood out for me.

5. book with the most sensual weather (made you shiver/sweat)
This would have to be Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.  She's definitely talented in making you feel just like the character.  I feel a chill thinking about some of the scenery she describes.

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater for sure falls under this one too.

6. most embarrassing book cover (feeling sheepish in public or just plain ugly)
There are a few that I want to name but I feel that this may offend the authors.  So I shall leave this blank for the time being.  Chicken .. I know lol

7. can’t believe you waited this long to read the book (!)
There are a few that I could throw into this category.  I don't tend to go with what everyone is raving about at that point in time because I don't want to have this expectation that the book is so good that when I read it I'm let down.  It took watching I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore to actually pick up the book and try it.  White Cat by Holly Black was another one I was late on the bandwagon with, and I loved both of these books.

8. book you'd give your mum/sister to read
There would probably be none out of this year I'd recommend to my Mum but if it were last year, I'd have recommended any of the Chet and Bernie books by Spencer Quinn.  They were wonderful.  So much so that I named one of my dogs after the main character.

9. book you'd give your dad/brother to read
Ha!  Neither reads so I wouldn't bother recommending any lol.

10. book you'd like to give your past-self to read (ie, me, when I was 15)
Out of all the books I probably would have read The Body Finder  by Kimberly Derting.  I don't know that I would have read the others but I think this would have been an ideal read!

11. book that lived up to (or superseded the hype)
I try to avoid the hype usually lol but for me Legend by Marie Lu did live up to the hype.  I loved that book from start to finish and it definitely wasn't what I was expecting it to be.

12. book you stayed the latest to finish (confess!!!)
So many. I'll just pick two.  Switched by Amanda Hocking and Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Kohn and David Leviathan

13. book you were *dying* to get your hands on the most
For sure it had to be Last Breath by Rachel Caine.  So couldn't wait to find out what happened with Claire and her friends!

14. fattest brick of a book you read (by page count)
This year wasn't too bad.  Bloodlines by Richelle Mead would have been the thickest I think... at 432 pages

15. killer cliffhanger award
Quite a few of Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampires books end in cliffhangers but Midnight Alley was a favourite cliffhanger!

Stay tuned.  Tomorrow will be the last day of Favbes of TwentyEleven.  Funny it should fall on the first day of the new year!

Enjoy!

Faves of TwentyEleven: The Scenes

Day Three of My Faves of TwentyEleven Book Awards - A Big thank you to Inkcrush for coming up with this idea! If you'd like to see the post click on the link above!

See also:
Day One: The Books
Day Two: The Characters

Day Three: The Scenes

1. best first chapter
This would have to be the first chapter - 'Before - Sugar and Salt' in Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.  I don't know what it is exactly but I guess all the talk about "Kicks and Kisses: sort of did it, but it was so much more than that.  It was the way it was written more than anything that drew me in.

Forgotten by Cat Patrick needs to be added into this one for sure.  The introduction of the lists in this book is what I loved the most.
I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore needs to fall under this one too.  I watched the movie first but when I picked up the book I must admit I enjoyed it more!  The very beginning of this starts with the door shaking.  So it drew me in big time!

2. best climax
This is such a hard category to pick which is the best.  So many could come in under this but I'd have to pick one that is a bit fresher in my mind.  I'd have to say Quarantine by James Phelan.

Marie Lu's Legend would have to also fall into this category.  That was such an awesome book!

3. best ending
Trial By Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.  Hands down.  I so can't wait until the next  book is out!

 

4. best/worst plot twist/revelation (no spoilers!)
Okay, I've altered the one slightly to include Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson.  The scene is about three quarters through the book... and I suppose it is a WTF moment.  It could go either way as to whether it's a best or worst.  I liked the book but I guarantee this one isn't for everyone.  Alot of people would come away from reading this feeling quite annoyed.


There is another couple but the book names have completely slipped my mind.

5. scariest/most disturbing scene/I can't believe that happened
I modified the title a little to get Last Breath by Rachel Caine in.  It was the scene on Page 228 that had me going, "OMG! YOU DIDN'T!!".  No spoilers see? lol.

Page 72 of Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick was the most disturbing for me.  It was just.. so... it's too hard to explain without spoiling things but it was full on!

 

  

6. steamiest scene (or sweetest/sexiest kiss award)
Some of the scenes in Shadow Game by Christine Feehan were just HOT!  I don't have the book to cite page numbers people lol but there were some prettty good ones. lol

From memory it's the scene towards the end of Vampire for Christmas by Felicity Heaton that just about knocked my socks off lol.  But really, any of her books are just so full on!  You must read!

 

7. best swoon-worthy moment
Nothing jumps to mind at this time.  Although, I have a feeling once I post this I'll remember a few.. I'll add them in the comments if I do ;D

8. biggest nail-biting moment
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead. Would have to be in the apartment with Sydney.  I don't know that anyone else would call it a nailbiting scene but this one is what comes to mind for me!

9. most hilarious scene
Bite Club by Rachel Caine.  The scene I remember is about three quarters through the book where Myrnin drives the car.  Freaking hilarious!

10. most heart-breaking/tear-jerker moment
I absolutely bawled my eyes out at the ending of A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.

BONUS: favourite meet cute
 not sure about this one lol

I'll definitely be keeping a notebook handy in the New Year so I can do these as I go.  I think this is such a cool idea.  Thanks Nomes at InkCrush for coming up with this!

Faves of TwentyEleven: The Characters

Day Two of My Faves of TwentyEleven Book Awards - A Big thank you to Inkcrush for coming up with this idea! If you'd like to see the post click on the link above!

Day Two: The Characters


1. favourite female main character
Wow.  These don't get any easier do they?  Um okay my favourite female main character would have to be Bryn from Raised by Wolves and Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.  She's such a strong character and with the amount of things thrown her way and the obstacles she's had to tackle, she would have to be the favourite.

  

Runners up:  Claire from Last Breath by Rachel Caine, Kyle from Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter


2. favourite male main character
Pete Talbot from The Undertaker by William F. Brown.  He had this quirky, witty way about him that you couldn't help but like him, even at the direst of times.

Runners Up: Ethan from Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl and Vladimir from Twelfth Grade Kills by Heather Brewer


3. best couple
This would have to be Sam and Grace from Forever by Maggie Stiefvater.

Runners Up:  Talbot and Sandy from The Undertaker by William F. Brown


4. who i so want to be best friends with
Tough one, probably Kyle from Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter.  She's someone I think I could hang around and have a laugh with, especially with Socks her animal that so happens to love Frederika LOL

5. who i fell completely in love with (new literary crush)
Jackson from Amaretto Flame by Sammie Spencer.  He was just so... yummmmm lol.

6. worst (best and baddest) villian
Too hard to pick this one!


7. best character twist (who you loved then hated or vice versa)
I think Mandy from The Screaming Season by Nancy Holder was one character I hated then began to like!

8. best kick-arse female
Faythe from Alpha by Rachel Vincent was a definite kick-arse character.  Loved her way of doing things!  She was favourite and one I could relate to with her stubbornness at times.

Runners up:  Chess from City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane.  She's awesome and only has a minor drug problem lol.


9. best kick-arse male
Dominic Grey from The Egyptian by Layton Green.  He's such a strong but flawed character and one I loved reading about!

Runners up:  Terrible from City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane.  With a name like that, it's kick ass but he's an awesome character!


10. broke your heart the most
I'd have to say Ethan from Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

11. favourite pet/animal character award
Socks from Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter for sure.  Classic scene part of the way through the book.  Just loved it

Red-eyed cat from Predators of Darkness: Aftermath by Leonard D. Hilley


12. best YA parents award
This was such a tough one.  I'm going with Ed's Mum from Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley.  There was probably one sentence from her and I had absolutely loved it.. even though one sentence shouldn't qualify but still. Comment of one of Ed's friends  - "He's one of the good guys," she always said. "Just sometimes he's working under cover."

13. favourite sibling relationship
I guess Lily and her brother (from Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Kohn and David Leviathan) would be the favourite sibling relationship even though it wasn't so fantastic.  I suppose what really started the book was Lily's brother's help to get things started with the notebook.  So that was totally cool that he'd do that.

14. favourite best friends/friendship award
Claire and Eve from Last Breath by Rachel Caine.  I think this was the best unlikely friendship ever.

15. best/worst character names
I didn't really like Bryn's full name Bronwyn in Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.  I guess this is just personal preference though.  Always felt like for her character Bryn suited her better.

I couldn't think of any names that would fall under Best.




Bonus: best love triangle
-None that come to mind right now.

Hope you enjoy this list 

Coming Up: Day Three - The Scenes