Cynthia Leitich Smith: Diabolical (Tantalize)
A divine (in all ways!) wrap-up to a fabulous series. Can't wait to read the next books in this world.
Y.S. Lee: The Agency 3: The Traitor in the Tunnel
How do I love these? I would read a million books in this series.
Katherine Applegate: The One and Only Ivan
Oh, so fabulous, even if it did make me sob and sob (there are funny bits too!). Reviewing for Locus.
Alyxandra Harvey: Stolen Away
I still love the Drake Chronicles best, but this was quite fun. Harvey has such an easy-going, natural voice.
Susan Ee: Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, Book 1)
Thanks to the Cybils, I found this self-published e-book gem. A well-developed apocalyptic future in which angels are bad guys and like speak-easies. Fuller review in Locus.
J. R. Angelella: Zombie
A fierce debut novel that pulls no punches. People will be talking about this one.
Clive Barker: Abarat: Absolute Midnight
These books are entirely strange in a really good way.
Patrick Ness: A Monster Calls: Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd
Beautiful and haunting; one of the books of the year.
Elizabeth Hoyt: Wicked Intentions (Maiden Lane)
Justine and Courtney Milan recced Hoyt on twitter awhile back. Deliciously good.
Courtney Milan: Unraveled
Milan outdoes herself with this final installment of the Turner brothers trilogy. Highly recommended.
Lauren Beukes: Zoo City
Really loved this, and would suggest pairing it with Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead. Sloth! (Gorgeous cover by John Picacio, to boot.)
Peter Sis: The Conference of the Birds
Just gorgeous.
Moira Young: Blood Red Road
One of the most striking character voices of the year.
Cassandra Clare: Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices)
Anytime there's a new Cassie Clare book, I'm happy. <3 <3 <3
Tayari Jones: Silver Sparrow
One of my favorites of the year; a look back at the teendoms of sisters linked by their father's bigamy...but only one of them knows it. The voices of Dana and Chaurisse are authentic, funny, sharp, and sad, by turns. The writing is beautiful, the structure perfectly chosen. Highly recommended.
George R.R. Martin: A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Five
If reading this without having read all the other books is wrong, I don't wanna be right. (Also, *longs for next in series.* Like rest of humanity.)
A.S. King: Everybody Sees the Ants
There is nobody else who does what King does. I hope her books stay this strange.
Ilona Andrews: Fate's Edge (The Edge, Book 3)
I think this is definitely my favorite of the Edge series; magic con artists, an enlargement of an already-fascinating world, and fun banter. How can you go wrong?
Helen Oyeyemi: Mr. Fox
Many people recommended this, and I'm glad I made time for it. What an odd, sharp, fabulous read.
Matt Ruff: The Mirage: A Novel
A bold thriller from one of my favorite authors. Highly, HIGHLY recommended. I can't wait for the discussions this book will spur.
Sara Zarr: How to Save a Life
Wow. Gorgeous book, and one of the best examples of two first person narrators I've ever seen, each voice completely authentic and distinct.
Stephanie Perkins: Lola and the Boy Next Door
I think I loved this even more than Anna.
Brian Selznick: Wonderstruck
Lives up to the title.
Delia Sherman: The Freedom Maze: a novel
Delia has accomplished something truly special here. Complex, haunting, bold, and a pleasure to read. (Fuller review to come in Locus!)
Joe Abercrombie: Best Served Cold
How much did I love this bloody revenge fantasy? LOTS.
Kelly Barnhill: The Mostly True Story of Jack
A fabulous, magical middle grade debut. I would *not* be at all surprised to see this title pop up on the Newbery list this year.
Scott Westerfeld: Goliath (Leviathan)
An absolutely gorgeous ending to a trilogy that may just be my favorite of Scott's work (which is saying something).
Marisa de los Santos: Falling Together: A Novel
I just adore de los Santos' novels, and this one is no exception. A book about love and friendship, about being lost and being found. And funny too.
Karen Healey: The Shattering
A wonderful coming of age thriller set in New Zealand, with friendship at its center; Margaret Mahy fans take note.
Kendare Blake: Anna Dressed in Blood
Creepy goodness.
Lev Grossman: The Magician King: A Novel
Even better than The Magicians; one of the novels of the year, definitely. Even if you didn't care for the predecessor, give it a try. Fun, dark, sharp and twisted.
Sarah Rees Brennan: The Demon's Surrender (Demon's Lexicon)
LOVED LOVED LOVED.
Lewis Shiner: Dark Tangos
A romantic thriller or a thrilling romance? Either way, it's fabulous, harrowing, a great read.
Loretta Chase: Silk Is For Seduction
This is now one of my favorite romances. More con artist family dressmakers please.
Susanna Kearsley: The Winter Sea
So glad I finally got around to this. Kearsley's Scottish history is fascinating, and so is her historical fiction author protagonist. Beautifully done.
Genevieve Valentine: Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti
Somehow I managed not to add this to the sidebar. Oversight! One of the best books of the year. READ IT.
Ilsa J. Bick: Ashes
Gripping, scary, emotional--I loved it.
Steampunk!: An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories
Just what the subtitle says.
Courtney Milan: Unlocked
My inaugural nook read; fabulous.
Sara Gran: Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead
This brilliant mystery is the first in what I hope is a long, long series. One of the best books I've read this year, and one I'm sure I'll return to.
Amor Towles: Rules of Civility: A Novel
Throw in some fast-talking dames and NYC glamour in the 1930s and it's no surprise I adored this. A quick, fun, sharp read.
Rae Carson: The Girl of Fire and Thorns
A truly knockout debut novel from the fabulous Rae Carson. Fans of Kristin Cashore and Megan Whalen Turner will savor this like a delicious pastry. LOVED.
Mira Grant: Deadline (Newsflesh, Book 2)
A stellar follow-up to the best zombie book I know. Highly recommend the series and can't wait for Blackout.
Louisa Edwards: Can't Stand The Heat (Recipe for Love)
Why, yes, I did read these all in a gulp and (oddly) in reverse order. Edwards a new auto-buy for me. Delightful.
Louisa Edwards: On the Steamy Side (Recipe for Love)
<3 this one too.
Louisa Edwards: Just One Taste (Recipe for Love)
The heroine is a nerd. Yay!
Janni Lee Simner: Faerie Winter
An excellent follow-up to Bones of Faerie, Simner expands her post-apocalyptic fantasy story. Reviewing for Locus.
Maureen Johnson: The Name of the Star (Shades of London (Hardcover - Trilogy))
Jack the Ripper stalks modern London. Amazing plot, fabulous characters. Reviewing for Locus.
Caitlin Kittredge: The Iron Thorn (The Iron Codex)
Reviewing for Subterranean; in short: big fun.
Arthur Phillips: The Tragedy of Arthur: A Novel
Reviewing for Subterranean; big thumbs up.
Erin Morgenstern: The Night Circus
Reviewed for Pub Marketplace. LOVED.
Kieran Kramer: Cloudy With A Chance Of Marriage (The Impossible Bachelors)
Bookseller heroine. Need I say more?
Nova Ren Suma: Imaginary Girls
Wonderful creepiness. Reviewing for Locus.
Sarah Maclean: Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart
How do I love Sarah's books? With all my heart. Her books are immediate must-reads for me.
Kieran Kramer: Dukes to the Left of Me, Princes to the Right (Impossible Bachelors)
Very fun.
Franny Billingsley: Chime
Absolutely briliant. Highly recommended.
Malinda Lo: Huntress
Wonderful; if you like smart, emotional, engaging high fantasy, you'll want to read this. (Reviewed for Locus.)
Cassandra Clare: City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments, Book 4)
Devoured in less than a day. Cassie writes like crack (er, must be for crack addicts) and gets even better with every book. She is always raising the stakes.
Sara Creasy: Children of Scarabaeus (Scarabaeus, Book 2)
A more than worthy follow-up and hopefully *not* a thrilling conclusion, as I'd love to see more of these characters and this world.
Sara Creasy: Song of Scarabaeus
Cracking, fun, crunchy science fiction with a bit of romance. I want more spaceships & terraforming & great characters like this.
Tea Obreht: The Tiger's Wife: A Novel
Lovely writing, and some haunting stories woven within.
Ransom Riggs: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
A combination of many of my favorite things; reviewing this one for Locus.
Karen Russell: Swamplandia!
You knew I would love this. Also, it made me want to reread Geek Love. (Always a good thing.)
Kristin Livdahl: A Brood of Foxes
This novella is strange and gorgeous and you should read it immediately. Part of Aqueduct Press's excellent Conversation Pieces series, it definitely is one.
Christopher Rowe: Sandstorm: A Forgotten Realms Novel
How much did I love reading this all finished and bound? Except for that one part. That part made me cry AGAIN.
Patricia Briggs: River Marked (Mercy Thompson, Book 6)
Continues to be an addictive series, this time delving deeper into Mercy's Native American roots. I do love a trickster story.
Greg van Eekhout: The Boy at the End of the World
Reviewing for Locus--a rare (mostly) optimistic post-apocalypse story.
Julie James: Just the Sexiest Man Alive (Berkley Sensation)
Now here's an author doing contemporaries that are funny, sharp and nearly make me invoke a comparison to Jennifer Crusie. I inhaled her first three books.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips: Call Me Irresistible: A Novel
Once I started this, I could. not. stop. reading. Phillips doing her thing, at the top of her game.
A.S. King: Please Ignore Vera Dietz
Absolutely magnificent -- full of mystery, longing, pain, and humor. I love this book as much as I do King's first novel, The Dust of 100 Dogs, which is saying something.
Charles Wilkins: The Circus at the Edge of the Earth: Travels with the Great Wallenda Circus
Research!
Courtney Milan: Unveiled (Hqn)
Milan's best one yet.
Holly Black: Red Glove (Curse Workers)
Surpasses White Cat, and I wasn't sure that was possible. Reviewing elsewhere, so that's all I'll say.
Mary Roach: Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void
The author's in fine form, and the cosmonauts need a reality show. Absolutely fascinating stuff.
Dia Reeves: Slice of Cherry
Think of the sisters in We Have Always Lived in the Castle and now imagine them in a story more twisted, darker (but tinged with humor). No one else is doing what Dia Reeves is doing with her Portero stories.
Kiersten White: Paranormalcy
I'd have eventually read this for the gorgeous cover, even if I hadn't heard good things. As it was, I stayed up late Two Nights In A Row to finish it. Evie is a great main character, and much looking forward to book two.
Cynthia Leitich Smith: Blessed
It's the end of the trilogy (I think?) and I feel fine. Yay!
Stephanie Perkins: Anna and the French Kiss
Magnifique.
