Top 10 Books I’ve Read in 2011

Why I loved it:  It grabbed me from the first page and never let go. I never knew what to expect and it was so creative. It took everything I knew about my favorite Shakespeare play and turned it on it’s head. I absolutely love it when authors do that. Like most of my favorite books, it had a beautiful sadness to it that I couldn’t get out of my head. {Buy on Amazon} {Add on Goodreads} {Review coming soon!}

2. Matched by Ally Condie

Why I loved it:  The world Ally created was what really blew me away. It’s one of the few dystopian societies that I could really see growing out of the one we live in today.  The society that Cassia, the main character, lives in was all the more frightening because the world she lives in is not blatantly evil and oppressive – it’s mostly beautiful. I found it haunting and hard to forget. {Buy on Amazon} {Add Matched on Goodreads} {Read my review}

Why I loved it: I can’t remember the last time a book made me feel like laughing and crying the whole way through. The supernatural world she created felt so natural. It was unique, sarcastic, funny, and wonderfully sad.  Evie, the main character, was so relatable, so complex, so realistic, and I really felt for her. {Buy on Amazon} {Add on Goodreads} {Read my review}

4. Wings (and Spells, and Illusions) by Aprilynne Pike

Why I loved it:  This was one of those few series where I loved each book in the series as much as the first book.  They were so delightfully addicting that I read all three books in one weekend. Her re-interpretation of fairies absolutely blew me away.  Enchanting is the best word I can think of to describe them. {Buy on Amazon} {Add on Goodreads} {Read my review}

5. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Why I loved it: I love sad stories, but few of them actually make me cry. This one did. It was bittersweet and beautiful. The writing was amazing and refreshing. It was one of the best werewolf books I’ve ever read. {Buy on Amazon} {Add on Goodreads} {Read my review}

6. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Why I loved it:  This was not as hard to get into as I thought it would be. The amazing cast of characters is what made me love this book. I had this idea in my head of what the “point” of War and Peace would be, but I was surprised with the ending. I love it when books do that. (P.S. if you’re going to read it, read the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation – it’s amazing.) {Buy on Amazon} {Add on Goodreads} {Read my review}

7. Austenland by Shannon Hale

Why I loved it:  It was the most clever book I’ve read in a long time. It was charming, witty, and funny.  If you like Jane Austen, you must read this book. I came away from it having a better understanding of the time period Jane Austen lived in and an appreciation for attractive guys in period clothing.  Not to mention the fact that I could totally relate to the main character and her loss of faith in love.  Absolutely delightful the whole way through. {Buy on Amazon} {Add on Goodreads} {Read my review}

Why I loved it:  The narration style is what made this book so unique and interesting.  When I realized who was narrating the story, it gave me chills.  It’s historical fiction set in WWII Germany about the power of friendship and words.  It was a breathtaking story that I won’t forget. {Buy on Amazon} {Add on Goodreads} {Read my review}

9. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Why I loved it:  I love the characters Dickens writes and I can’t get enough of them. {Buy on Amazon} {Add on Goodreads} {Read my review}

10. A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

Why I loved it:  The first love triangle and the hilarity that ensues! What’s not to love? {Buy on Amazon} {Add on Goodreads} {Review coming soon! …. maybe}