For the rest of the week, I'll be posting a Top 10 List of books for 2010 and 2011. Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic and I thought it might be fun to do a sort of recap, sharing all the books we've loved - for various reasons and then some. I hope you enjoy my list. Be sure to head over and check out Jessica's too. Also, dont forget to keep checking back each day for a new list to see who's on it.

Title: Nevermore (Nevermore, #1)

Author: Kelly Creagh
Publisher: Atheneum, 543 Pages (August 31st 2010)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - It's dark, it's emotional and it's HOT - giving you a taste to just what's to come.

Synopsis: And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

Title: Halo (Halo, #1)
Author: Alexandra Adornetto
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, 496 Pages (August 31st 2010)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - it's beautiful and graceful, need I say more?

Synopsis: Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Venus Cove. But everything changes when three angels are sent from heaven to protect the town against the gathering forces of darkness: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. They work hard to conceal their true identity and, most of all, their wings.

But the mission is threatened when the youngest angel, Bethany, is sent to high school and falls in love with the handsome school captain, Xavier Woods. Will she defy the laws of Heaven by loving him? Things come to a head when the angels realize they are not the only supernatural power in Venus Cove. There′s a new kid in town and he's charming, seductive and deadly. Worst of all, he′s after Beth.

Title: Sing Me To Sleep
Author: Angela Morrison
Publisher: Razorbill, 301 Pages (March 4th 2010)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - This book cover has drawn me in since I first saw it and I can say that I still love it even to this day, just why I love it.... it's romantic.

Synopsis: THE TRANSFORMATION

Beth has always been “The Beast”—that's what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth's only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she's selected to be her choir's soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR

When Beth's choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek's untethered passion—for music, and for Beth—leaves her breathless. Because in Derek's eyes? She's not The Beast, she's The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE

When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK

The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek's been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything.

Title: Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2)

Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 362 Pages (July 13th 2010)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - Each and everyone of these covers are some of my all time favorites, being that green is my favorite color, I was excited to see how this turned out... and seeing that it's Grace walking off into the woods and knowing how Shiver ended made my heart break just a little.....

Synopsis: In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

Title: Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1)
Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen, 335 Pages (August 31st 2010)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - Gotta love Evie - and the whole calm before the storm look to this beautiful cover.

Synopsis: Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

Title: Nightshade (Nightshade, #1)
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel, 454 Pages (October 19th 2010)

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - You have to see this cover in person to do it justice... it's amazing beautiful.

Synopsis: Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

Title: Matched (Matched, #1)
Author: ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile, 336 Pages (November 30th 2010)

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - Another cover with green as a focal point - will always draw me in and the girl trapped in a bubble seems to fit pretty perfectly with what this story is about.

Synopsis: Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Title: Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry, #2)
Author: Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Walker & Company, 324 Pages (April 27th 2010)

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - It's HOT, it's sexy... it's a Fuentes brother.

Synopsis: When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

Title: Personal Demons (Personal Demons, #1)
Author: Lisa Desrochers
Publisher: Tor Teen, 364 Pages (September 14th 2010)

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - Two hot guys - one an angel, one a demon... nothing more to say.

Synopsis: Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She's spent years keeping everyone at a distance—even her closest friends—and it seems her senior year will be more of the same...until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can't seem to stay away from him. What she doesn't know is that Luc works in Acquisitions—for Hell—and she possesses a unique skill set that has the King of Hell tingling with anticipation. All Luc has to do is get her to sin, and he’s as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance.

Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and the angel, Gabe, is going to do whatever it takes to make sure that Luc doesn’t get what he came for. And it isn't long before they find themselves fighting for more than just her soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay…for all of them.

Title: The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine, #1)
Author: Bree Despain
Publisher: Egmont, 372 Pages (December 22nd 2009)
My Review

Why I love the cover, in a sentence - This cover is beautiful in a eerie way, it's dark and mysterious too which always draws me in.

Synopsis: A Prodigal Son

A Dangerous Love

A Deadly Secret

Grace Divine—daughter of the local pastor—always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul.

*Note: this list is in no particular order. Each of these books are a few of my favorites from 2010.

For the rest of the week, I'll be posting a Top 10 List of books for 2010 and 2011. Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic and I thought it might be fun to do a sort of recap, sharing all the books we've loved - for various reasons and then some. I hope you enjoy my list. Be sure to head over and check out Jessica's too. Also, don't forget to keep checking back each day for a new list to see who's on it.

Title: The Sky is Everywhere

Author: Jandy Nelson

Publisher: Dial, 272 Pages (March 9th 2010)

My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - This is one of those books that just sticks with you, the characters, story, everything - it has it all.

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

Title: Shade (Shade, #1)
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
Publisher: Simon Pulse, 309 Pages (May 4th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - A love triangle with a ghost, characters I love and an amazing beginning for the rest of the books to come.

Synopsis: Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Title: Nevermore (Nevermore, #1)
Author: Kelly Creagh
Publisher: Atheneum, 543 Pages (August 31st 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence -  The cover, was the beginning of my love affair with this book, the characters and writing pushed me over the edge.

Synopsis: And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

Title: Promise (Soul Savers, #1)
Author: Kristie Cook
Publisher: Ang'dora Productions, LLC, 368 Pages (July 30th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - Amazing from the first page to the last, this book and all it holds inside will leave everyone wanting more, more, more!

Synopsis: Alexis Ames decides to learn who she really is, with or without the help of her mother, who guards their secrets closely. After meeting Tristan Knight and discovering that he s not normal either, the secrets begin to unravel. Their union brings promise to the future of mankind. But it also incites a dangerous pursuit by the enemy. Because they are a match made in Heaven and in Hell.



Title: Deception (Haunted Emma, #1)
Author: Lee Nichols
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 310 Pages (June 8th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - This one has it all, characters and plot twists with the turn of each page... and a cliffhanger ending that made me gasp out loud - yes it did.

Synopsis: When Emma Vaile's parents leave on mysterious business trip, it gives her the perfect excuse to be a rebellious teen. Throw some parties, get a tattoo (or maybe just a piercing), and enjoy the first few weeks of her junior year. Then her best friend stops talking to her, the cops crash her party, and Emma finds herself in the hands of a new guardian—her college-age "knight in J.Crew armor," Bennett Stern—and on a plane to his museum-like mansion in New England.

After enrolling at Thatcher Academy, Emma settles in by making friends with the popular legacy crowd. But she can't shake the strange visions that are haunting her. She has memories of Thatcher she can't explain, as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Emma doesn't trust anyone anymore—except maybe Bennett. But he's about to reveal a ghostly secret to Emma. One that will explain the visions . . . and make Emma fear for her life.

Title: Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 362 Pages (July 13th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - Sam & Grace and the continuation of their story, add in some Isabelle and new-comer Cole and Maggie further continued to take my breath away.

Synopsis: In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

Title: Mockingjay (Hunger Games, #3)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 398 Pages (August 24th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - Katniss, Peeta.... the ending of an amazing trilogy - need I say more?

Synopsis: Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12.



Title: Infinite Days (Vampire Queen, #1)
Author: Rebecca Maizel
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin, 310 Pages (August 3rd 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - This was different, entertaining with strong characters I can't wait to learn more about... PLUS another ending that'll make you want the next book NOW!

Synopsis: Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

Title: Shadow Hills
Author: Anastasia Hopcus
Publisher: Egmont, 400 Pages (July 13th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - I loved this one because you didn't know just what was going on or who the people of Shadow Hills were until you were deep within it's pages and engrossed in the story and characters.

Synopsis: After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA — a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach — the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after — seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

Title: Cate of the Lost Colony
Author: Lisa Klein
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 336 (October 12th 2010)
My Review

Why I loved it, in a sentence - This is a great historical for people who are stand-offish with historicals, such as myself - it was easy to want to learn more about the characters and the time they "lived" in.

Synopsis: Lady Catherine is one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite court maidens—until her forbidden romance with Sir Walter Ralegh is discovered. In a bitter twist of irony, the jealous queen banishes Cate to Ralegh's colony of Roanoke, in the New World. Ralegh pledges to come for Cate, but as the months stretch out, Cate begins to doubt his promise and his love. Instead it is Manteo, a Croatoan Indian, whom the colonists—and Cate—increasingly turn to. Yet just as Cate's longings for England and Ralegh fade and she discovers a new love in Manteo, Ralegh will finally set sail for the New World.

I thought I'd start the last week of 2010 off with a contest! This will be the last one of the year, but in 2011 I'm sure there will be others. Here's the details on what's up for grabs and how to enter.

Prizes:

Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) By: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Personal Demons (Personal Demons, #1) By: Lisa Desrochers (ARC)
Claire de Lune By: Christine Johnson (ARC)
Prisoners in the Palace By: Michaela MacColl
The Limit By: Kristen Landon (ARC)
The Jumbee By: Pamela Keyes (ARC)

THREE winners!


First place winner gets their pic of 4 books.


Second place winner get the remaining 2 books


Third place winner will receive some mystery swag.


Here's the usual - Rules and how to enter:

You MUST be at least 13 years old to enter.
Please fill out the form to enter. Entries in comments will NOT be counted.
Giveaway open to US only - Sorry!
Giveaway ends: Jan 18th, 2011

PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM TO ENTER

Winners are chosen via random.org. If you have any questions,
please check my policy page or feel free to email.

Thanks for entering and Good Luck to everyone!

Happy New Year!

*Note: this list is in no particular order. Each of these books are a few of my favorites from 2010.