Best Books This Year (So Far)

I saw this post on some other blogs and I really liked them, so here's my version! I just came back from a lovely week on Rhodes, so I'm rested and have read some amazing books. But deciding what books I thought were the best this year was pretty hard. I totally love Goodreads for giving me a nice overview of all my reads and ratings. So I stared at all those pictures (68 so far!) and tried to make up my mind. 
And here's what came out:

1. Glitch by Heather Anastasiu (review)
I finished this book just before I left for my holiday and I haven't stopped thinking about it. This is one of the books you HAVE to read this year!

2. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
The most amazing thing about this book is the writing style. Just for that you have to read this book. It's one of a kind. 


3. I Heart London by Lindsey Kelk
I read this book on Rhodes and it's definitely the best Chick Lit I've read this year. This books makes you laugh!


4. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Dystopians are totally hot right now and this might be one of the hottest! I thought it was amazing. 

5. Bunheads by Sophie Flack
Another one of my vacation reads. I love books about dancing and this is one of the best I've ever read. 


6. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (review)
Why didn't I read this sooner?! When am I going to learn?


7. The Curse Girl by Kate Avery Ellison (review)
An amazing retelling of Beauty and The Beast. One of the books that really took me by surprise!

8. Stealing Phoenix by Joss Stirling (review)
I love this series. The world setting is just so good. It makes me feel happy. 


9. A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton (review)
I love books about witches and this is a very good one! I'm going to start in the second book soon!


10. Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier
The third book in this series already got published in Dutch and let me tell you: it's a perfect ending. This books makes you laugh out loud!


What are the best books you've read this year?

Review The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: De IJzerkoning

Original title: The Iron King

Author: Julie Kagawa

Published: June 12th, 2012 (Harlequin Young Adult)

Pages: 384

Source: for review
Series: The Iron Fey #1

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.  Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

I had seen this book a couple of times on different websites, but I wasn't persuaded enough by the synopsis, so I never bought and read it. I had really no idea how much I would like this book. The book gets published this week in Dutch and I got a review copy for the reading panel of a Dutch YA website (young-adults.nl). So finally I have read it. 

This book has many good things. The story is great. Stories about fae can feel a bit uneasy, since they're so into treachery and stuff. It's the same in this book, but it didn't feel that way. There are fae who are willing to help, although most of them want something in return. There was a more positive vibe around it. 

I really liked the connection to A Midsummer Night's Dream, especially Puck. He's so funny! I laughed out loud sometimes. I loved the idea about the fae world existing because of the imagination of humans and if they remember stories and characters, they keep living. The world setting was really good. 

I liked the balance between the main characters. Meghan Chase, the 'normal' girl who gets more and more special as the story continues. The cat Grimalkin had many sides, sometimes he could be funny, but he could also be annoying and even a bit scary. Ash is mysterious and most of the time my feelings were mixed about him. 

I'm really enthusiastic about this first book, and I'm curious how the rest of the series will be.

Upcoming (4)

In Upcoming I talk about the books that I will review on this blog. So you know what you can expect here in the upcoming days / weeks. I hope you enjoy it!

This week

Review The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad

In Hollywood, fame can be found on every corner and behind any door. You just have to know where to look for it. Nineteen-year-old Madison Parker made a name for herself as best frenemy of nice-girl-next-door Jane Roberts on the hot reality show L.A. Candy. Now Madison's ready for her turn in the spotlight and she'll stop at nothing to get it. Sure, she's the star of a new show, but with backstabbing friends and suspicious family members trying to bring her down, Madison has her work cut out for her. Plus, there's a new nice girl in "reality" town—aspiring actress Carmen Price, the daughter of Hollywood royalty—and she's a lot more experienced at playing the fame game... When the camera's start rolling, whose star will shine brighter?

Filled with characters both familiar and new, Lauren Conrad's series about the highs and lows of being famous delivers Hollywood gossip and drama at every turn.

Synopsis from Goodreads

Review De IJzerkoning (original title:The Iron King) by Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Synopsis from Goodreads

Review The Curse Girl by Kate Ellison Avery

When Bee is imprisoned in a magical, cursed house because of her father's selfish choices, she has just one plan... escape! But she must solve a riddle and help her fellow prisoners break the curse that binds them all before she can leave, and that is proving more difficult than she originally thought thanks to the bitter young master of the house, Will.

Will wants nothing to do with Bee or her help (and he certainly isn't planning on falling in love with her), but he might have underestimated just how determined and clever--and irresistible--she can be.

Synopsis from Goodreads

Next week:


Review The Game by Krystyna Kuhn
Atom published a new cover this week and it's so gorgeous! I read the book a while ago, but this cover deserves a review. 


Review Fated by Alyson Noël
I loved her Immortals series. I read the first few chapters so far and it is pretty good. 

My bookshelves (2)

In My bookshelves I discuss the books I got or want to have. This week I'll show you the books I got in the last week.

For review

Title: The Fame Game (Dutch version)

Author: Lauren Conrad

Published: May 21st, 2012 (Blossom Books)
Pages: 320

Source: gift
Series: Fame Game #1 
The new series by Lauren Conrad with Madison Parker as Hollywoods new favorite!

 Title: De IJzerkoning

Original title: The Iron King

Author: Julie Kagawa

Published: May 29th, 2012 (Harlequin Young Adult)
Pages: 384

Source: for review
Series: The Iron Fey #1
The Iron King is just translated in Dutch. I wanted to read this book for a while, and I got the Dutch version for review.

 

Title: Glitch

Author: Heather Anastasiu

Published: August 7th, 2012 (St. Martin's Press)
Pages: 320

Source: Netgalley
Series: Glitch #1

The synopsis of this book sounds good, so I'm curious how the story will be. 

Title: Between (Dutch version)

Author: Jessica Warman

Published: May, 2012 (Van Goor) 

Pages: 352

Source: publisher

I'm very happy to get the chance to read and review this book. I love books where the story is like a puzzle (or so I hope it will be).

Title: Fated 

Author: Alyson Noël

Published: May 22nd, 2012 (St. Martin's Press)
Pages: 352

Source: bought
Series: The Soul Seekers #1 

I loved The Immortals-series, so I can't wait to start in her new series.

Not for review

 

Title: Style Yourself (Dutch version)

Published: May 21st, 2012 (Blossom Books)
Pages: 240

Source: gift 
On this blog I mostly review YA and Chicklit. Since Style Yourself is neither, I won't review it here. But it's a really nice book, so I wanted to show it to you anyway.