The Best of 2013

Hi all!

It's the beginning of 2014 and I decided to start it by taking a look back at the books I loved in 2013. I didn't get to read a ton of YA this year, I found. A lot of my reading was focused on school (at least for the latter half of the year) and YA sadly had to take a back seat. I did read some phenomenal books though, so many that, really, it's impossible for me to choose which book I loved best. So! I'm going to put them in the order I read them in! 

Without further ado, here are my favourite books of 2013 in order of when I read them!

1. Just One Day (Just One Day #1) by Gayle Forman

What a way to start off the year, Gayle Forman! Seriously, Just One Day is probably one of my favourite books ever. I connected with it so completely, and Gayle's writing is simply beautiful. There was nothing I didn't love about this book (well, except maybe that ending....)

2. 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

I hosted 17 & Gone week on my blog because this book stole my heart. Nova Ren Suma is an incredible writer. Her words are lyrical and magical, and this story was haunting and moving. If you haven't read it yet, go pick up 17 & Gone.
 

3. Asunder (Incarnate #2) by Jodi Meadows

I read Incarnate a couple of months after it came out and I was blown away. This series is one of my absolute favourites, and Asunder was probably the best sequel I've ever read. Period. It was everything I wanted and more and I will be so heartbroken this month when I have to say goodbye to my precious Sam and Ana. Jodi Meadows is a phenomenal storyteller.
 

4. Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

Goodness gracious, Tahereh tells one heck of a story. I had been waiting AGES to finally read Unravel Me and it did not disappoint! It was a can't-put-down-stay-up-all-night kind of read and I loved every little bit of it. 
 

5. Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

After a lot of poking and prodding, I was finally convinced to read the Lux series. And I loved it. I couldn't stop reading it/thinking about it/wanting more/swooning over Damon. Onyx was my favourite of the set and I'm really excited to see how it'll all come to an end in August!
 

6. The Program (The Program #1) by Suzanne Young

This book really took me by surprise. I received an ARC of it from the publisher, and was a bit wary at first. I always am with books dealing with mental health but my oh my did I adore The Program! It had me so emotional I could barely take it! What a book!
 

7. Perfect Scoundrels (Heist Society #3) by Ally Carter

It was The Book of Hale, and by golly was it glorious. Ally Carter became one of my favourite authors last year when I finally, after YEARS of planning to read her books (seriously, I was in grade 9 when I first heard about them), sat down and picked up Heist Society. She is so witty and clever! I just want to jump right into her books!
 

8. Sweet Peril (Sweet Evil #2) by Wendy Higgins

#ISighForKai, let me just start off my saying that. I am such a HUGE fan of this series, and Sweet Peril was such a great addition to the story. If you want a book that will having you swooning and having major fits of THE FEELS, you need to read the Sweet Evil series!

9. The Dream Thieves (The Raven Boys #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

There really aren't words to express how much this series means to me. I've honestly started crying just thinking about it. It's inspiring. Magical. Moving. It's what I have been hoping and dreaming for in a book. And, I was so scared I would pick up The Dream Thieves and it would tell me that all the hype I had in my head was wrong. But it didn't. It stunned me, shocked me, once again. It made me fall right back in love with this world. 

10. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

This is another one of those books that hits so close to home. That honestly rocked my world. There was one scene where I started crying, and then I began to laugh. I was so overwhelmed with emotion I didn't know what to do with myself. This book is beautiful in every way possible. Melina Marchetta is one of the best authors out there, and if you haven't read her yet: do it.

11. The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

This was a debut book that took me by surprise. I honestly thought it was just going to be one of those light, fluffy, fun books that would get me to smile. But it was so much more than that. It was a coming-of-age story with witty, heartbreak and everything in between. I read it twice in 2013 and I plan on reading it again and again for years to come.

12. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I had this book on my radar since its release but it took me until September to finally pick it up. I wish I had sooner because it was just SO. GOOD. It was dark and gritty at points but also so heart-warming and caring. I bawled my eyes out (in the middle of the hallway in my university) when it was over because I didn't want it to end. I will be reading every book Rainbow Rowell writes from now on because, wow. She is incredible.

13. The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) by Richelle Mead

SYDRIAN FEELS. This book was a roller-coaster of emotions and an addicting installment in this series. I simply love these books. They are just so good. I love the world, I love the characters, I love the stories, I love every single thing and I loved The Fiery Heart.

14. Perfect Lies (Mind Games #2) by Kiersten White

Perfect Lies, also know as The Book That Utterly Destroyed Ciara in 2013. I actually can't even tell you want this book did to me but I was an emotional wreck for days. I didn't know what to do with myself. I still don't, when I think about this book. All I know is this: Fia, you are incredible and Kiersten White, you are a talent.
 

15. Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan

After the heartbreak of Perfect Lies, I needed a pick me up. I needed a funny, lovable book and I heart Unspoken was just that. It was also EVIL (at least, at the end) and EXTRAORDINARY (in the whole book) and HILARIOUS (I mean, laugh-out-loud-til-your-mouth-hurts-funny). This book was just so great, guys. So so great. Hats off to you, Sarah Rees Brennan.
 

16. Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2) by Katie McGarry

I read Pushing the Limits earlier in the year and I realllllly liked it. So when I finally got a copy of Dare You To I was looking forward to reading more about these intriguing characters. I didn't really realize how freakin emotional I would be reading this book. It was amazing! I was so invested in this story and I couldn't stop reading! Every time I had to put it down, I was upset that I had to let these characters go. It was such an awesome book.

Well, looking back I read a lot of sequels this year! What were your favourite books of the year?

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight) 

Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2)

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: February 5th 2013

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 5/5

tick

tick

tick

tick

tick

it's almost

time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

I'm not sure this is going to be a review so much as an outpouring of emotion. Cause seriously, this book gave me THE FEELS. It beat up my heart, stole my breath, and captivated my mind. Unravel Me, you got me.

I mean really, how in the world does Tahereh Mafi write like that? I feel like I should just stop this review right now because my words will never do justice to her talent. It's lyrical, powerful, and original. I love the use of strikethrough words. It gives insight into the things Juliette tries to hide and really adds a new dimension to her character. I love that Mafi uses all these stunning, gorgeous metaphors to add beauty to this dark and disturbed world. She is, without a doubt, one of the best writers YA or otherwise publishing today.

I've decided to save all my Juliette love for a future post about strong female characters, but I will say: I adore her. I think she is a brilliantly written character. She has captivated me from the start, and Unravel Me was no different. She swept me up into her life, and showed me every painful second of it. She is a lost girl trying her best to find her way. Yes, she cries and whines, but heck, who wouldn't in her situation? Juliette is simply a scared young girl having to face a reality she never wanted. And, I honestly think she does a very good job of it. And I cannot wait to see her progress more. 

Now, let's talk about Warner. Let's talk about what he's done, what he believes, and why he is one of the most intriguing characters in YA. But, let's look at this realistically. Because I have lots of thoughts on the matter.

First, Warner doesn't know any other way of life. And to be honest, that's no excuse. You always have choices. Warner makes the wrong ones. He does horrible things. But, that's what he expects of himself. He has so much self-hatred, probably more than Juliette, for the things he's done. He boast about it, pushes the bad deeds out like a shield so no one can see how much pain it's caused him. How much he hates being the person he was raised to be. And I love him. I truly love his character because he has so much depth and meaning behind him. But, this is why I'm not Team Warner (although I understand why people are). I love character development. One of my favorite things to read in a novel is watching a broken character push themselves past the limits that have been set for them. And I think Warner can do that. Warner has the potential, the ability, to be a good person. To truly help the society he lives in and right all the wrongs he has committed. And, behind all the hatred and self-deprecation, I think he wants to. But, for me, him becoming that person would be cheapened, would be almost meaningless if he did it for Juliette. Yeah, it's a romantic sentiment. The bad boy changes his ways so he's worthy of the love of a good girl? Romantic. In a way. But, did he really want to change? Does it really mean something? Not in my opinion. I would rather Warner pushes himself to be the best he can be because he wants to NOT because Juliette wants him to. It's more meaningful, more truthful if he does it for himself. Now, that's not to say I'm not all for people wanting to be better because of the person they love. That's important. But in Warner's case, he doesn't want (well, not openly) to be a better person. So, he would be doing it solely for the purpose of getting Juliette to love him back. And that would just make to worthless, in my opinion. So, to summarize that crazy long paragraph: love Warner, but not Team Warner.

Although Adam wasn't really in Unravel Me very much, each of his scenes broke my heart more and more. He is a genuinely good person, strong young man, and he is really truly there for Juliette. There's no selfishness behind his actions. Just pure love. Unlike Warner, Adam doesn't need to push himself to do better. Yes, he has a lot of person issues to work through and he's not a perfect person but he tries is best and does everything he can to help Juliette. They both need to step up and work through their problems, but as a couple they are what the other needs.

And, then there's Kenji. Oh man, I love Kenji. He's kind of the moral compass of the book. The voice of reason, using his wit and humor to get across serious issues. But, there's so much more than just the funny guy persona he puts out there. He's a strong, loyal, and willing to risk his life do to what's right. To help people. He's a great dynamic character, and getting to read more about him in Unravel Me was on of my favorite parts.

Something I enjoyed more in this novel was the world building. In Shatter Me, Juliette isn't really exposed to the world around her, and as readers we don't get to really find out what's beyond those prison walls. We get glimpses, like Juliette, but the outside world is still a bit of a mystery to the reader. In Unravel Me, we are both shown the outside world and told about it's horrors. And it really is a dark, terrifying place. But what was interesting was the undercurrent of rebellion you could see in most aspects of the world. This wasn't a society that was done fighting. It was one that was waiting for the right moment to strike.

Overall, Unravel Me was a superb and stunning sequel, that I thoroughly enjoyed. I don't even think this crazy long review even covers everything I wanted to talk about. There was just so much to it. So much character development, so much plot movement, and a heck of a lot of angst. And every page was a beautiful treat to read.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Waiting On Wednesday (22): Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, in which bloggers talk about the books they are most eager for! 

This Week's Pick: Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: February 5th, 2013

tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

Guys, I freakin' love Shatter Me. It was one of my favorite reads last year and I can't help myself from gushing about it. I want to steal Tahereh Mafi's talent for writing because its simply superb. Her words are captivating, and poetic. They drag you into the story and demand your attention. And I love it.

I have been looking forward to Unravel Me since turning the last page of Shatter Me! I'm desperate to dive back into this world, and to be enchanted by the writing once more. I can tell it's going to be spectacular and I'm beyond excited!

The wait killing you? I'm in the same boat! Luckily, Tahereh Mafi has a short story out this October called Destory Me from Warner's point of view! Now that could be interesting!

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)