Better late than never, right? I present my list of my favorite reads of 2011. When I looked over what I've read in 2011, I realized I ought to make two lists: a top 10 compilation of the best books released in 2011, and another list for older titles that I read in 2011. Here's part one. It is mostly young adult, though there's some middle grade and adult. The number is just the order in which I read them, nothing else!
1. So Shelly by Ty Roth
This story of three teens, modernized versions of Percy Shelley, John Keats, and Lord Byron, came at the perfect time for me as I was studying Keats in my World Lit class. This is a very beautiful novel, a very different sort of novel. It's unfortunately been given some negative attention due to some disturbing content. Author Ty Roth wrote a wonderful blog entry about it. Anyway, I couldn't get this book out of my head.
Recommended for: Mature Readers, Classic Lit Lovers, Poets
2. Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
An adorable story of a girl named Sapphire who stumbles into a magical realm and the adventures she has there. I read this while I was on vacation and it was such a perfect vacation read. I really needed this! I needed it all, especially the wyvern.
Recommended for: Fans of escapist children's literature that yearn to go to Narnia, Wonderland, Neverland or Oz for the first time all over again
I am a big fan of Flinn's fairy tale retellings, but this one is very much my favorite. It is a mash-up of various lesser-known fairy tales: The Frog Prince, The Elves & The Shoemaker, The Golden Bird, The Six Swans, The Valiant Little Tailor, The Fisherman and His Wife, and The Salad. I loved Johnny, the narrator/hero, so much.
[My Review]
Recommended for: Fairy tale retellings fans, magic & adventure lovers
4. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Libba Bray makes me so happy. I was itching for this book for what seemed like forever and I'm so thrilled that it delivered amidst the hype. The premise: A plane full of beauty queen contestants crash lands on a deserted island. Hilarity ensues. Well, it's only hilarity in the hands of Bray, who succeeds in making a satire without feeling like satire.
Recommended for: Satire & Humor fans, feminists, everyone
5. Red Glove, Curse Workers Book 2 by Holly Black
I adore this series - and not just because I'm from New Jersey, where this story takes place! I love what Black has done with this very unique world. A Curse Worker is someone who can curse another with skin-to-skin contact. This noir-esque trilogy follow Cassel, the youngest of a Curse-working family. The first book is actually a loose retelling of the fairy tale "The White Cat," but it has gone way beyond that now! And I like where it's going.
Recommended For: Mystery lovers, Urban Fantasy Fans
6. Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
It seems as though this gorgeous cover has gotten way more attention than the story inside! In these pages, we meet sisters Ruby and Chloe, as well as a reservoir that might as well be a character in itself for how developed it is. This is a bizarre novel that straddles the line between contemporary and magical realism. The writing is so crisp, so vivid, so carefully rendered. This is Suma's YA debut, and I'll be reading her for life now.
Recommended: Anyone who has a sister, Readers who love gorgeous prose
7. Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
I loved seeing what the girls were up to again ten years after the last book in the series. It turns out they've grown up and had lives and are way more successful than I am. But they're still the same characters we loved when we saw them last. Yes, a Very Sad Thing happens during the course of this novel. But that didn't hamper my enjoyment. I read this voraciously, albeit through my tears, and I enjoyed every moment.
Recommended For: Fans of the original Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, People who can read through tears
8. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
[My Review]
Recommended for: Dystopian lit fans, thrill-seekers
In this reimagining of Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Hannah Payne commits the crime of abortion and is punished by becoming a "Chrome" - a criminal whose skin is pigmented to match their crime. This is a powerful novel, and though it doesn't make the grand statements I was hoping it would, it still swept me up just the same. It's probably for the better that this story isn't preachy.
[My Review]
Recommended for: Dystopian lit fans, Women who want to read science fiction about women and women's issues
10. Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
I don't understand why Jessica Day George isn't crazy popular - her work is top notch. In this charming novel, 11-year-old Princess Celie and her siblings must protect their castle from those trying to take it over. Only Castle Glower isn't just ANY castle - it's magical. Every Tuesday the castle makes some sort of architectural change, a fact that the royal family has always been down with. Celie is a wonderful, resourceful, spirited heroine. I devoured this adorable book to pieces.
Recommended for: Middle-grade fantasy fans, reluctant readers
I'm so impressed that you're on top of things enough to have READ so many books that were actually *published* in 2011!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea there was another book to continue The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I enjoyed the first books, and can't believe I missed this one. I'm getting it as soon as I can now!
ReplyDeleteIt came out over the summer! Enjoy! And have a box of tissues handy. :)
ReplyDelete