Saturday 4 January 2014

BEST & WORST OF 2013

Happy New Year! Ah I love making lists like these. This is the list of books that either blew me away entirely or one's that I really wish I could just throw into a fire and watch them burn. There were a few I really disliked and a few that I fell in love with so let's get right to it. I apologise if anyone's offended by any choices I put in here, it's just based on personal taste.
For me, I hate to say this but I sometimes dislike books that most people like and I have no idea why. Books that have big hype don't always do it for me so I hope you enjoy the list!





Title: The Thoughtless series
Author: S.C Stephens
Genre: Adult
Why I love this book: This book series is one of my favourites that I discovered last year. I'm still torn on whether this is my favourite book series of all time or not. (Toss up between this series and the Hunger Games series). I think since I found it, I've read the series atleast twice, and I'm very tempted to re-read it again now. I bonded with all the characters so quickly. Even though the main character can be frustrating in the first book, Thoughtless, the second and third book made me love her. Kiera  is stuck in a love traingle between her first love and current boyfriend Denny, but she meets the gorgeous Kellan Kyle and develops feelings for him. This book does contain cheating which some people don't like in a book but it was written so well that I was too into the story to care. The band, The D-Bags, the setting, the romance, the writing style - just everything about this book series is amazing. My favourite in the series is Reckless but all three are all fantastic books. If you like books like this, then do give it a try! I'm sure I saw something about a movie deal aswell so fingers crossed we'll get to see them all on the big screen! You'll also fall in love with the irresistible Kellan Kyle. Swoon

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Title: The Lux series
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genre: YA
Why I love this book: I didn't expect to love this series at all. I'm not into aliens/paranormal so when I came across this book and decided to get out of my usual comfort zone by reading something like this, I was pleasantly surprised. The series includes many plot twists, new characters are introduced throughout which are as lovable as the the main characters, the story's very interesting and the romance in it isn't over the top. If you like Young Adult and want something more sci-fi then certainly give this a go. It's actually quite popular now but don't let the term 'aliens' put you off. The family that we meet that are aliens you will definitely grow to love (and one is a babe, Mr Daemon Black). You won't be disappointed. There's still a book left to be released so get reading before it comes out!
GoodReads: Obsidian, Onyx, Opal, Origin, Opposition (to be released August 5th 2014) 

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Title: The DUFF: designated ugly fat friend
Author: Kody Keplinger
Genre: YA
Why I love this book: Gah! Such a great book. I've read this more than once in the same year and even though I know what's going to happen, I still enjoyed it the second time around. There's nothing about this book that I didn't like. I think most people at some point have felt like the ugliest in their group of friends so it's a relatable book, the story is fantastic and very much enjoyable. It's a fun read and you won't be disappointed. Plenty of laughs and love. Even though he's a bit of a douche at the start, you'll grow to love Wesley Rush along with the main character Bianca. 

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Title: Penryn & the End of Days series
Author: Susan Ee
Genre: YA
Why I love this book: This series is seriously fantastic! I would say it's underrated but in the last year it's really gotten massive. I don't know many people who didn't like this series, Angelfall and World After being the current books out at the moment, it's an exciting and adventurous book with angels and a tough heroine that you'll love. If you''ve not checked this book series out, you must do that now! Start with Angelfall and see how you get on but you won't be disappointed. If the word 'angel' puts you off, don't let it because I'm not a fan of angels either but I am now! Susan Ee is a fantastic writer so the writing style is great, it's quick paced and a real enjoyable read that'll suck you into this world. There's also another three books due out in the next few years so the series isn't ending anytime soon. Horray!

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Title: In The Company Of Killers series
Author: J.A Redmerski
Genre: New Adult
Why I love this book: Oh my god. How can anybody hate this book. It was incredible! I've not really ventured into stories about hit men or people being kidnapped by drug lords but wow! If that doesn't sell to you, let me say that there's a touch of romance in there, of course. It's a blood-pumping, exciting and definite page-turner. The main character, Sarai, is a total B.A aswell and we all love a strong female character. Fantastic characters, love, death, friendship, fighting, angry mexicans...gah! What's not to love? Amazing. I beg you to try this series out, and it's not finished yet! Book two, Reviving Izabel was released recently and there's also another book out this year so hold onto your hats! Oh and you'll love Victor. Well, I do anyway..
GoodReads: Killing Sarai, Reviving Izabel, The Swan & The Jackal (released this year)

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Title: Love Me With Lies series
Author: Tarryn Fisher
Genre: New Adult
Why I love this book: Incredible series. Very well written with character you'll be very intrigued by. It's different to other love stories and it's a page-turner from start to finish. What I also love about this series is that book two is actually in the point of view of the villian of the series. It's a very messy love triangle and I think everyone should give this trilogy a try because it's excellent! You won't be disappointed, believe me. 

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Title: Shine Not Burn
Author: Elle Casey
Genre: New Adult
Why I love this book: I'm not a fan of cowboys but this book made me love them! It's cute, fun, romantic and a quick read that'll put a smile on your face. The guy in this book is a cowboy and the girl's just a regular girl who loves her job. Accidentally marries this guy in Vegas and needs a divorce a few years later because she's marrying some arsehole. She goes to Texas and gets the honour of meeting his awesome family who I love so much. You'll love this book if you like girly stories - it's got some sex scenes in it though so there's a warning right there. Read this when you're feeling down because it worked for me!
GoodReads: Shine Not Burn

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Title: Sign Of Love series
Author: Mia Sheridan
Genre: New Adult
Why I love this book: How can anyone hate this book at all. The main character is the sweetest girl ever and you can't dislike her at all. Romance stories when the couple knew eachother before then parting only to meet again are such great reads! They knew eachother in a foster home and got seperated when they were adopted. Years later, they meet and fall in love, the thing is, she doesn't know it's him because they were only kids before. Some great twists in this amazing plot and you won't be disappointed. Evie and Leo are a great couple and you'll love this book from page 1. Please just go read this book! 

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Title: Losing It series
Author: Cora Carmack
Genre: New Adult
Why I love this book: I can't even put into words how much I love this book. It's just what I needed to cheer me up! Even though the 'swoony British guy' thing doesn't make me swoon (because I'm british and the accent doesn't make me throw my panties and them), the character himself ended up making me swoon anyway because he was such a great guy. Him and Bliss (not too crazy on the name though) were a great pair and you can't help but cheer them on. Another light-hearted cute read about a girl wanting to finally rid herself of her virginity and picking up a guy in a bar but not being able to go through with it. She got lucky it was him though dreamy sigh... oh and there's more than one book so get reading! Girls, you'll love this one. Go pick it yup! 

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Title: Perfect Chemistry
Author: Simone Elkeles
Genre: YA
Why I love this book: This is a series but I've only read book one so far so I'm only recommending this one but this book is amazing! I couldn't put it down! This is one of those 'don't judge a book by it's cover' stories and we all love those one's. Not only is it that but it includes some handsome spanish men who are involved in a gang. Alex Fuentes (the hot mexican) ends up being paired up with Brittany, some "blonde bimbo" cheerleader and they end up falling in love. He thought she was a "blonde bimbo" but nope, she has some problems in her life and he judged her before knowing her. Same the other way round. He's not the douchebag she thought he was. It's supposed to be an urban Romeo and Juliet and I love that. It's written so well and you end up falling in love with their love, cheering them on to tell everyone else to shove it because they're so great together. He ends up wanting to get out of the gang and you know what happens when someone wants out of a gang..... you'll have to read to find out what happens! I've not read the others but I'm linking the others below too.

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Title: The Gallagher Girls series and The Heist Society series
Author: Ally Carter
Genre: YA
Why I love this book: I put these two together because the list is already long and it's the same author. I love Ally Carters books! The main characters, Kat and Cammie, are amazing, fierce and sassy! Both series are adventurous and exciting all the way through, they're for anyone at any age and you won't be left bored at any point in either series. There's a strong friendship theme to these books aswell as a touch of romance, the characters are all over the world causing mayhem and being fearless in these great and interesting missions! Give these series a go, they're a real great read. I'd personally try Heist Society first if you're not familiar with Ally Carter because the series is shorter and I feel like it's more popular than the other one. 
GoodReads

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Title: The Slammed series and the Hopeless series
Author: Colleen Hoover
Genre: YA
Why I love this book: I will read anything Colleen Hoover writes. I discovered her in 2013 and I have loved every single one of her books so far and I will continue to keep reading them with more released this year. I was lucky enough to win a signed copy of Slammed earlier this year aswell as meeting her in a book store and getting Hopeless signed. If you've not read these, I recommend you stop reading this and go buy them because they're incredible! The characters are just... gah! Fantastic! The writing is simply amazing and you'll miss them once you've turned the last page and ended the story. I'm pretty sure you'll cry because they're emotional and definitely tear-jerkers so have the tissues handy when you start them. Slammed is probably one of my favourite books of all time (aswell as book two, Point Of Retreat which was as good as Slammed) so I'm recommending these one's for anyone who hasn't had the pleasure to read them yet. Go do it now! Go! Now! You're missing out on meeting Dean Holder and Will Cooper....dreamy sigh...
GoodReads: 

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Phew! There's a list of my favourite books that I discovered in 2013 and adored. Now it's time for the next list...my least favourites.



Title: Beautiful Disaster
Author: Jamie McGuire
Genre: New Adult
Why I disliked this book: I heard so much about this book, how amazing it is and how great the male protagonist is. Well, what I expected compared to what I got was a major disappointment. Now I've seen many negative things about Christian Grey and having read both that and this book, I don't get why Christian is hated more because Travis? TRAVIS? I fucking hate Travis Maddox with a passion. I'd take Christian any day. Travis was rude, abusive, angry and such a total douchebag. I wouldn't want any girl to be stuck with this guy stalking her all the time, I wouldn't even wish it on this girl...but to be honest, she and him deserve eachother. Abby was a pain in the backside who made him angry 99% of the time so she was pretty much the reason why he was a twat. He stalks her, smashes the apartment and just...GAH infuriates me. He also for some reason calls her Pidge, deciding she looks/acts like a pigeon which is a flying diseased rat. Romantic.
I failed to get the hype and even though i finished it, I won't be picking this up anytime soon. It worries me that girls will read this thinking it's okay to be treat like that because it's not. There's jealousy and over-protectiveness and then there's this. My least favourte book of all time with my least favourite character, Travis fucking Maddox. Ugh. Jamie McGuire got the 'disaster' right in describing Travis. It's a shame because I wanted to like this book, the writing wasn't bad and I met Jamie McGuire along with Colleen Hoover, K.A Tucker and Abbi Glines and she was lovely! I'm sorry, Ms McGuire, I just hate Travis.
GoodReads: Beautiful Disaster

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Title: Good
Author: S. Walden
Genre: New Adult
Why I disliked this book: Everything. This book made me very uncomfortable. It's a story about a relationship between a teacher and student. Now, Slammed is about that but the teacher is a 20-year old male who's just a sub who's wanting to be a teacher so for me, it wasn't creepy. This book, however. No thank you. No. I didn't even finish. The male protagonist didn't make me all gooey inside, he just felt like an old creep or maybe I'm just thinking of my old teachers when I'm reading it. Yeurkk! I think it might be how it was written that made it strange, maybe if S. Walden when the Colleen Hoover way and made him younger I would of liked it? It was all awkward. I also felt like the guy, Mr Connelly (as she still kept calling him, ew) was taking advantage of her. It wasn't love. Also the book was too slow. Thanks but no thanks.
GoodReads: Good

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Title: Enders Game
Author: Orson Scott Card
Genre: YA
Why I disliked this book: It just wasn't for me. I lost interest pretty quick. I didn't enjoy the writing style very much so I just couldn't get through it! Remember when I wrote earlier that I don't always like books that everyone else does? Yeah, this is one example. I have a few more but I read them before 2013. Parts of this were also weird. What's with all the nudity? Ackk, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
GoodReads: Enders Game

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Title: My Side
Author: Tara Brown
Genre: New Adult
Why I disliked this book: I was excited to read this book because it sounded cute but dear lord. #facepalm. I don't even remember much from this book other than the fact that it was awful. I didn't finish this one either. If I was going to say what this book was like, I'd say a fan fiction version of Beautiful Disaster. The girl who can't make a decisions and is irritating as hell, the guy who has proper anger issues who trashes apartments and is obsessed with a girl he hardly knows and the friends who pop up just to reassure the main characters that they're in love. Gimme a break. When I posted my review on Goodreads, someone else agree'd with me so it's not just me. I'm still baffled by the 4 star rating on there but oh well. Maybe it just wasn't for me.
GoodReads: My Side

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Title: Rock Chick
Author: Kristen Ashley
Genre: Contemporary
Why I disliked this book: This is another one of those popular books that I don't like. It was a ridiculous book with a main character that I wanted to slap around the face with a wet kipper. "Indy", which is her nickname, was the female protagonist and she was irritating as fuck! If she didn't say her age I'd think she was 16 but she's actually 30. 30! Wow, she talks and thinks like a girl in school with a school girl crush. She also overuses the word 'yikes' which made me want to throw my kindle out the window. Luckily I didn't but boy did I want to. These are the one's she kept repeating: yikes, oh...my...god, holy shit shit shit literally on every fucking page! Shut yo mouth byotch. She never listens, she constantly reminds us that she's a cops daughter, I think we got the point. The story was slow and I lost interest aswell as patience with Indy. I only liked Lee Nightingale but not enough to carry on reading through Indy's shit. 
GoodReads: Rock Chick (there's like 8 books but I'm not linking them because...it's the Rock Chick series. Don't waste your time, guys)

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So there you have it! If you have any comments about what I've put on my 'best' and 'worst' list then don't hesitate to write something below!





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