Favorite Books of 2011

If you read my blog you know I'm a big fan of YA books and that's pretty much all I read this year. I'll try to mix it up in 2012. Suggestions are always welcome.

Matched and Crossed by Ally Condie: Second hardest love triangle I've read in a YA series. What I mean by that is that I liked both male characters and had a hard time choosing my favorite. I enjoyed the second book (Crossed) better than Matched. More action and I felt more of a connection to the characters. One thing that sticks out in my mind in this series is the government picking which art, poems and music that was to be saved from history. Anything beyond what was picked out by the government was destroyed. The thought of this makes me incredibly sad.

Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare: This would be the YA series with the hardest love triangle. I was dying by the end of the second book. I love the Victorian setting, the characters and the dialogue. I found myself laughing out loud at the dialogue which does not happen often. But Will or Jem? Don't make me pick, I love them both!

Season of Passage by Christopher Pike: One of Pike's adult novels. This book is creepy. I would read it and just feel alone and scared and started picturing myself in the characters situation. I had to put it aside a few times and couldn't read it at night. Astronauts exploring in space where nothing is going as planned and people start losing their mind. I'd love to see this made into a movie, it has Ridley Scott all over it.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman: There was a war. The sides were pro-life and pro-choice. The outcome that ended the war is pretty horrifying. One of the most powerful sections in this book was from the view point of a boy going through the unwinding process. I read that section so many times because it was just so horrifying and sad.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan: Love triangle, zombies, a little bit of the Village thrown in. The two follow up books are also quite good.

Divergent by Veronica Roth: No love triangle in this one but that doesn't mean there isn't a bit of romance. I love how strong the main female character is. Teens get shot, beat up and one commits suicide. A more adult YA read.

Mortal Instrument Series by Cassandra Clare: I read all of these books except for the most recent. As I mentioned above I am a fan of Clare's dialogue. The end of the first book had me flipping the hell out but that made me read the other books as soon as possible. Oh you're sneaky Clare. The world Clare created seems well thought out and there are many characters that I love in this series.