Armchair BEA: Best of 2011 [so far]

Dear Blog,

so, today's Armchair BEA topic is your favourite books read in 2011 so far.

A lot of the books I've read in the last few months have been pretty awesome, so this hasn't  been a very easy list to make.  I tried my best.

Oh, and another slightly-relevant note: I have access to wi-fi today, which means I am in fact spending day two of Armchair BEA sat on a sofa.  Not quite an armchair, alas, but the power lead to my laptop won't stretch to the armchair. 

 This is All by Aidan Chambers

Even though I'm not making this list in any kind of order, I believe it should go at the top.  This book.... I have no words. I love it I love it I love it.  All of you have to go and buy a copy this very instant and sit down and read it all in one go even though it's insanely long. That's why it's so good.   *flails*

After Dark or South of The Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami

Haruki Murakami is turning out to be one of my favourite authors.  He just creates characters that are so real and ordinary and throws them into the surreal, and the results are absolutely fantastic. 

Anthem by Ayn Rand

Yeah, I know, Ayn Rand was pretentious and  her characters are varying degrees of hero depending on how much they comply with her beliefs, but philosophy intrigues me and dammit she does tell a good story.   I came about Anthem because it's set in a dystopian-type world à la We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, and original perceptions of the future of humankind make me a very happy bookworm.  Speaking of which; We holds a similar place on this list. 

Pink by Lili Wilkinson

There's lots of LGBTQ fiction about characters who are in the process of coming out, and while I still think it's entirely awesome that fiction with gay protagonists is more available these days, it's kind of refreshing to read a book like Pink, where the main character has a long-term girlfriend and is actually wondering whether they're not gay. This probably sounds really corny, but it's a celebration of identity and love and being yourself.  Proper review to come.

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

I have much, much love for Ellen Hopkins. There are a lot of writers aspire to write books that are entirely *edgy* in a forceful way, like that's the only way a YA writer could sell. And it's entirely true that her books, of which I've read four, are entirely dark and not for the faint-hearted, she seems to write about them in such an effortless, flowing way. Impulse is no different.  It's dark and twisted but in an utterly compelling sort of way, and the voices of her characters could totally resonate with anyone.

So, there you go.  They're among the best books I've read in the last five months; We'll see about the rest of the year.



Ten Books I Absolutely Can't Wait For

Dear Blog,

the title says it all, I suppose. To be frank, I would  rather write a list of some novels that have me jumping up and down in a state of delirious excitement all at once than write one post a week à la Waiting on Wednesday, mentioning just one. So, well, in no particular order:

1. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins- all I can say is, HECK YES. 
2. The Fences Between Us by Kirby Larson-  New Dear America book.  'Nuff said.
3. Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen- I've never read the Luxe series, but 400 pages of Bright Young Things and their escapades in the Big Apple in the time of prohibition and dancing marathons looks like fun-I've had a strange interest in this time period ever since I performed in the chorus of some songs from the musical The Boyfriend with a show choir I sang in when I was nine or ten, and I got to wear a gorgeous Charleston-esque dress  my grandmother made for me.  It was basically white fabric with black fringes, but I loved it anyway/
4. 
   
   What Happened to Goodbye/Cut and Run by Sarah Dessen-(the title was Cut and Run, buit I think it got changed to the former, so I'm including both) because I am a fan.  Hence, I want to read it.  Apparently it's being released May 2011.
5. 
   
   The Legacy by Gemma Malley- the follow-up to The Declaration and The Resistance. Although I haven't reviewed them, they are to be frank some of the most awesome dystopic novels any YA dystopia fan will ever read.  And the cover is very pretty indeed.
6. 
   
   Aurora by Julie Bertagna-  speaking of dystopian trilogies, this is the conclusion to Julie Bertagna's Exodus trilogy, which I also love.  I know she's finished writing it now, but as far as I know there isn't an apparent release date and cover yet.  Alas. Anyway, the first two books are utterly mind-blowing novels and the world they're set in makes me wish that I could conjure up such awesome worlds in my own writing.
7. 
   
   Cat's Cradle by Julia Golding-I  have waited oh. so. long. for this novel to be released, and the wait is currently killing me, especially since Julia Golding is being particularly vague about when it's coming out.  Anyway,  the Cat Royal series has everything a historical fiction series could ask for; an awesome protagonist, historical accuracy, some implied romance, and lots and lots of adventure.
8. 
   
   Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins- according to Goodreads, this is being released next March.   I reviewed Hex Hall a while ago for part of the 2010 Debut Author Challenge and even though it's not the sort of thing I'd normally read, I absolutely loved it, so I'm looking forward to reading this so very, very much.  Apparently, Sophie travels to London in this one, which will be interesting.  While not battling the Eye and whatnot, I can imagine her having all sorts of hilarious escapades.
9. 
   
   Translucent volume 4 by Kazuhiro Okamoto- because this is my favourite manga ever and I am utterly desperate to find out what happens next, especially between Shizuka and Mamoru.  I reviewed the first three manga in the series here.
10. 
    
    Lies by Michael Grant- Although this is out in the US of A,  I've saved up all my US Edition And Extortionate Postage Cost money for Mockingjay and Dirty Little Secrets, so I have to wait until the UK edition comes out (September the 6th). No matter.  It's not that long a wait, I guess. 

Well, there you go. Nine novels and one manga I will all but sell my soul to read before the release date.  Anybody else looking forward to reading these?  Perhaps you live somewhere where some of these are released already.  If so, I envy you.