Epic Book Survey - 2009

Well, instead of my original plan to post up a 2009 New Years post, I decided to go with YA Highways EPIC BOOK SURVEY 2009. Not only do I love surveys, but I loved Graceling by Kristin Cashore. A random winner gets Fire, the kind-of prequel.

Alrighty, lets see if I can fill them all in. It's going to be tricky; I'm having trouble remembering which books I read this year...which actually wasn't many at all. Stupid broke college studentness...

I really need to start reading again. Too bad I didn't get a chance to read the three books I got for Christmas. I'm sure I'd have a ton to add to this list. Oh wells.

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BOOKS
Most imaginative: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Funniest: The Bro Code by Barney Stinson
Edgiest contemporary: Wake by Lisa McMann (though it's contemp with magical realism)
Creepiest SF/dystopia: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

SCENES
Most hilarious: When Katsa shouts Po's name in Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

Most disturbing: Janie's dreams of Cabel's past in Wake by Lisa McMann
Steamiest: Do non-agented friends count? Jordan/Adrian in Luminous by Sarah Harian
Most exciting: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Biggest tear-jerker: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Best plot twist/revelation (no spoilers!!) : Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

CHARACTERS
Best couple: Katniss and Peeta from Catching Fire
Who you'd want as your best friend: Wanda in The Host by Stephenie Meyer (heck yeah, alien for a best friend!)
Who you fell in love with: Peeta from Catching Fire
Worst (best?) villain: The Capital in Catching Fire
Best character twist (who you loved, then hated, or vice versa): Ian from The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Favorite all-around kickass female: Katniss from Catching Fire
Favorite all-around kickass male: Po from Graceling

MISCELLANEOUS
Best book cover: Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Best title: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Most memorable voice: Clay from Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Most memorable first line: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Best setting: Prettytown in Uglies
Most beautiful writing: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

LAST BUT NOT LEAST...
Will any of the books you've read in 2009 make your life list of Favorite Books?

The Hunger Games trilogy will definitely be at my top favorites, battling for number one with Harry Potter. While I'm pretty must done with the Twilight hype, being annoyed into disliking them my all of the obsessive fangirls, I really adored The Host, mainly for the character of Ian, who quickly went from hating to loving. Also, Thirteen Reasons Why struck a chord with me. It's at the top as well.

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Wow, I have about six books playing around on a loop. Goes to show how good my memory is at remembering books for an entire year...

It's also obvious how much I love Catching Fire...I'm pretty sure it dominated the rest.

It feels so nice to read again...

As the title says, it feels amazing to be able to buy a book, pick it up, and read. Having gone for several months unemployed and attempting to skirt by in my apartment (Gotta love broke college life and parents that want to make sure their daughter doesn't end up eating the furniture due to lack of groceries), it's a relief to have a job and money to spend. Of course, there are also other expenses, which definitely narrows how often I can buy a book, but that's alright. A book here and there is perfectly fine with me.

The lovely Sarah has been nagging me to read a lot books (and I'm so glad you did). Between posts for OPWFT group blog and browsing the Absolute Write forums, we've picked up several recommendations for books. So far, they've all been fantastic.

Wake by Lise McMann was a quick, enjoyable read that I was able to finish in roughly 3 and a half hours. While the third person present tense bothered me a bit, I fell in love were her characters, mainly Cabel, who I couldn't hate no matter how much I tried. There was just something about him that made me want to like him, that, despite Janie's anger towards him, made him compelling. The language was amazing, as it wasn't made up of Mary Sue stuff that you always see. The perfect characters who can do no wrong. Teenagers are not like that. I don't know a single teenager that acts perfect like that. There was cussing, there was sex, drugs, violence...this is a part of average, normal, everyday life.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher couldn't be more different. Where as Wake was on the rough and ragged side, Thirteen Reasons Why was brilliance and beauty. I'm not sure if I could love another character more than I loved Clay (Well, besides my own characters :D). I don't know how many times I got teary eyed when he spoke in between her lines, how many times I "awe!"ed at a certain scene, or laughed at one of his more amusing lines. He was adorable and caring and kind, and as you see in the book and in real life, people like him are so hard to find.

I find that I respect these authors and novels because they show (in my opinion) more of young adults than most YA books I read. They are closer to what we all have experienced: highschool, drama...moments that destroy us and make us stronger.

I loved reading these two books, which I was able to easily read in two days. They were completely captivating and inspiring, which just makes me want to find more books like them. Days off like this make me happy.