Monday, December 31, 2012

LBB's Best-Loved Books of 2012


Liberty Bay Books
Bestsellers of 2012!

1.  The Hunger Games (Book 1) – Suzanne Collins
2.  Fifty Shades of Grey (Book 1) – E.L. James
3.  Catching Fire (Book 2) – Suzanne Collins
4.  Home Front – Kristin Hannah  **local author!!**
5.  I Could Pee On This – Francesco Marciuliano
6.  Mockingjay (Book 3) – Suzanne Collins
7.  Learning to Swim – Sara Henry
8.  Because of Katie – Karen Gerstenberger **local author!!**
9.  Cinder – Marissa Meyer **local author!!**
10.  The Dog Stars – Peter Heller
11.  Fifty Shades Darker (Book 2) – E.L. James
12.  Divergent – Veronica Roth
13.  Fifty Shades Freed (Book 3) – E.L. James
14.  Remember I Can’t Remember – E & H Anderson**local authors!!**
15.  The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern
16.   Darth Vader & Son – Jeffrey Brown
17.   Where’d You Go, Bernadette – Maria Semple **local author!!**
18.  Plenty – Yotam Ottolenghi
19.  The Alchemyst (Book 1) – Michael Scott

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Madison here, writing a post for Jordan because this one is about MY favorite Young Adult reads, so I figured I could probably write it myself instead of making Jordan do all the work. If you're looking for some great new reads for the Young (or Not-So-Young) Adults in your life here are my favorites of the year!

#1
 
This book is the closet thing to the Hunger Games that I've read...but was still different enough to be equally as exciting. Another dystopian novel, where everything is highly controlled those who are in power. However in this series, people are separated into factions. Each faction represents a different trait (courage, loyalty, selflessness...) Once the children are old enough they can choose to remain with the same faction they were raised in, or pick a new one which would mean leaving their family behind. When Beatrice comes of age she is faced with a hard decision that ultimately alters her life and the lives of everyone else in the world she inhabits. 
Divergent is out in paperback now,  Insurgent (book two) is out in hardback and book three will be out next fall.

#2
A great spin on the idea of super heroes. Juliette has never been able to touch another person - her touch can kill. Even her parents have abandoned her. She doesn't know why or how she has this power and doesn't want to be the monster everyone sees her as...until she finds Adam who helps her see that her powers could be used for good.
Shatter Me is out in paperback, with a mini novela eBook called Destroy Me out now, and Book 2 
Unravel Me out on February 5th! Pre-order now and receive 25% off!

#3
Stepping away from the post-apocalyptic/dystopian type books, Revolution is a fabulous historical fiction. Andi, in the modern day, finds the diary of Alexandrine, a girl who lived during the French Revolution. Andi sees herself in the words written by Alexandrine and finds herself transported back in time. Jennifer Donnelly always does such a fabulous job with historical fiction. LOVED this book and even learned some things about the French Revolution! Out in paperback now, no book 2.

#4
A group of boys lives in a place called "The Glade" with no recollection on how they came to be in "the box" that dropped them there or their lives before. Everyday a group of the boys runs into the maze that is just beyond the Glade trying to find a way out, but there are dangerous things in the maze and they must make it back before sunset or the doors will close and they'll be stuck in the Maze all night with all the monsters that come alive at night. Thomas wakes up in the box with no memory of how he got there with a note telling the other Gladers that he will be the last person to arrive. Time is running out and one day everything stops, the "sun" never rises and the doors to the maze remain open, letting in the monsters of the maze with a message that one Glader will be killed each night until none remain. Thomas and the other Gladers must work together to save themselves. This is a great read for all ages, but I think it would be great for reluctant readers, namely middle school/high school boys. 
The Maze Runner (book one) and The Scorch Trials (book two) are both out in paperback. The Death Cure (book three) is out in hardback along with The Kill Order (the first book in the Prequel series).

Stay tuned next week for more of my favorite YA reads!