Favorite Books of 2011 and More

I wanted to share with you my favorite books of 2011 and my favorite books of the year that weren't published in 2011, but still are fabulous.  I hope you enjoy my picks! I reviewed all of these books, so if you are interested in checking out my reviews, you can find them in my review archive.

Favorite Young Adult Books From Debut Author:
(In no particular order)

1.  Across the Universe by Beth Revis- One of my favorite science fiction debuts.
2.  Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally- One of my favorite football related books. ever.
3.  Die For Me by Amy Plum- I loved this paranormal romance!
4.  Divergent by Veronica Roth- A definite edge of your seat dystopian.
5.  The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton- The perfect blend of historical fiction and fantasy.
6.  Moonglass by Jessi Kirby- The setting of this book is to-die-for.
7.  Timeless by Alexandra Monir- I loved the historical fiction aspects and the time travel.
8.  Unearthly by Cynthia Hand- My favorite angel book to date.
9.  Wither by Lauren DeStefano- This book hooked me in - a brilliant dystopian.
10.  Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini- I loved the mythological references and the romance.


Favorite Young Adult Books:
(Not a debut author and/or part of a series)

1.  We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han- This is hands down my most favorite series and this book is my favorite book of the year!
2.  Delirium by Lauren Oliver- Another dystopian romance with some great adventure, too.
3.  The Future of Us by Carolyn Mackler and Jay Asher- Brilliant premise and for those of us who grew up in the '90s, it's a trip down memory lane.


Favorite Adult Books From a Debut Author:


1.  Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar- A fantastic historical read!
2.  Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey- Again, another fantastic historical read and the start to a promising new series.

Favorite Adult Books:
(Not a debut author and/or part of a series)

1.  The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory- I am a huge fan of Gregory and all of her series. The Cousins' War series is especially captivating.
2.  The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen- This was the first book I read by Allen and was pleasantly surprised. For me, it was the perfect vacation read while at the Outer Banks.

Other Favorites:
(Books Not Published in 2011; both YA and Adult)

1.  The Help by Kathryn Stockett- I finally got around to reading this one and wasn't disappointed.
2.  Insatiable by Meg Cabot- This was my first Cabot book and it was love! Cabot had me laughing out loud and on the edge of my seat, which is an interesting combination.
3.  I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison- Such a charming read- it definitely took me by surprise.
4.  Legacy by Cayla Kluver- Definitely one of my favorite young adult reads. I'm still raving about this one.
5.  Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm- I loved the setting (Key West) and the story is so cute!

So, which books were your favorites this year? Did I leave any out? There were so many books that I meant to read this year, but never got to them. I guess there is always next year!  Tell me what you think!

Blogoversary Giveaway: Signed Copy of Last Breath

I hope you guys have enjoyed my giveaways! Thanks for celebrating my blogoversary with me.  


For my final giveaway, I have a signed copy of Last Breath by Rachel Caine and a really cool bookmark.  This is the latest installment in the Morganville Vampires series.

Please refer to my giveaway rules.  The deadline is 1/15/12.  Since this giveaway is sponsored by yours truly, I am asking that you must be a follower in order to enter. This is to thank all my amazing followers for sticking with me the past two years.  Remember to fill in the form (link below) in order to enter!  

Fill in this form

Good luck,

Blogoversary Giveaway: Signed Copy of The Lying Game

I hope everyone had a great holiday. I have another giveaway planned for my 2nd Blogoversary.  It's a signed copy of The Lying Game by Sara Shepard for one lucky US reader.  

Want to learn more about The Lying Game?  Goodreads says, "The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet. Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?"

Please refer to my giveaway rules.  The deadline is 1/15/12.  Since this giveaway is sponsored by yours truly, I am asking that you must be a follower in order to enter. This is to thank all my amazing followers for sticking with me the past two years.  Remember to fill in the form (link below) in order to enter!  

Fill in this form

Good luck,

Happy Holidays!

Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA

I want to take a few minutes to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. If you celebrate Hanukkah, I hope also have a wonderful holiday!  

It's been an interesting year at Confessions of a Book Addict. There were some ups and downs, some amazing trips, and some great books read.  I look forward to sharing with everyone my "Best Books of 2011" list in a few days and of course, there will be a few more giveaways to celebrate my 2nd Blogoversary!  I still can't believe it has been two years! Meanwhile, enjoy this time with family and friends. Savor every moment!

Happy Holidays,

Blogoversary Giveaway: Signed copy of Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

As promised, I have a few exciting giveaways planned in order to celebrate my 2nd Blogoversary.  First, I have a signed copy of Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey for one lucky US reader.  

Want to learn more about Cold Kiss?  Goodreads says, "It was a beautiful, warm summer day, the day Danny died.  Suddenly Wren was alone and shattered. In a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, Wren decides that what she wants—what she must do—is to bring Danny back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy Wren fell in love with. His touch is icy; his skin, smooth and stiff as marble; his chest, cruelly silent when Wren rests her head against it. Wren must keep Danny a secret, hiding him away, visiting him at night, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school, and Wren realizes that somehow, inexplicably, he can sense the powers that lie within her—and that he knows what she has done. And now Gabriel wants to help make things right. But Wren alone has to undo what she has wrought—even if it means breaking her heart all over again." 

Please refer to my giveaway rules.  The deadline is 1/15/12.  Since this giveaway is sponsored by yours truly, I am asking that you must be a follower in order to enter. This is to thank all my amazing followers for sticking with me the past two years.  Remember to fill in the form (link below) in order to enter!  

Fill in this form

Good luck,

Waiting on Wednesday: The Selection

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.  "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Pub. Date: April 24, 2012

Goodreads says, "For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.  But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.  Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined."

*Does this one sound brilliant or what? I definitely can't wait for all of the good books coming out in 2012. 

Book Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Pages: 451

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: February 10, 2009

Source: Personal copy

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.  Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken. Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own. Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed."

Skeeter, a recent college graduate, returns home to Mississippi with her college degree, but education isn't that important in 1962; people are more concerned about whether she is going to be married.  To Skeeter's surprise, her good friend and maid since her childhood isn't working at her house any longer and she can't seem to get a straight answer from her parents as to what occurred.  One things is for sure, Skeeter wants something more though and gets a job at her local newspaper writing a column on cleaning, which is ironic as she knows nothing about cleaning.  Skeeter then asks Aibileen, her friend's maid, if she would be willing to help her with the column and an unlikely friendship is formed.  Aibileen's best friend, Minny, another maid, who is known around town as being the best cook in Mississippi; however, she speaks her mind quite often, which frequently gets her in trouble.  Minny takes a new job with Celia's household, a new girl in town, and learns that Celia is filled with some major secrets of her own.  The three character's stories are interwoven magically and Kathryn Stockett's The Help with have readers begging for more.


I loved how Stockett wove together the three characters; she is truly a gifted writer. Usually when authors do this, I find myself interested in one character in particular, but that was not the case with The Help.  I loved Skeeter for her determination and non-conformity.  I adored Aibileen for her quiet strength and Minny for her sassy attitude. Even the minor characters had me interested, which is a rare case. For example, Celia, Minny's new boss, is a character that I was drawn to. I wanted to learn more about her instantly.  The antagonist in the story, Hilly, was brilliant. She's delusional, simpleminded and someone I loved to hate.  I found myself cheering throughout The Help as many of the characters challenged Hilly.


I may be the last person on the planet to finally read The Help, but I am sure glad I did. I found it to be smart, moving, important and extremely entertaining.  I read it before I rented the movie and much to my surprise, I enjoyed the movie just as much as the book if not more. (Shocker!)  Sometimes you need a break from fantasy novels and paranormal romances and you are in the mood for something intelligent and inspirational.  If that sounds like you and you haven't read The Help yet, I encourage you to pick it up this holiday season. 

*Buy The Help

*Read an excerpt

I'm Back!

This looks perfect!

I'm back, everyone! Thanks for putting up with my hiatus. I had some personal things to attend to and on top of it, I was under the weather.  But I'm back and really looking forward to the holidays. 


Coming up this week,  I have a really fun giveaway in honor of my second Blogoversary.  Keep your eye out for it! I can't wait to share it with you guys!


Thanks to all my followers and blogger friends who put up with my disappearance. I'm sorry I wasn't able to comment on your posts as I normally do, so thank you for being patient with me.  I look forward to getting back to it all and just in time for the holidays.

Have a good weekend,

November Confessions

Beautiful Fall Leaves

I don't know about you, but November has been one of the craziest months I've had in a long time. I attempted to take part in NaNoWriMo again this year and failed due to some unforeseen events; however, I really like my WIP and will definitely continue it at my own reasonable pace.  I'm simply glad to have done a little bit of writing and for some of my students to participate as well. By the way, I'd be all over a NaNoWriMo in July.  Just sayin'!


Regardless of how crazy this month got, I'm glad I was able to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family; I have a lot to be thankful for this year!  And now onto the exciting holiday season....(cue the Christmas music).  However, I have a feeling the month of December will be just as busy! I'm sure I will find some time to read and relax....at least I hope!




Books Read in November:
1)  Passion by Lauren Kate - 3.5 stars
2)  Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted - 4 stars
3)  The Pledge by Kimberly Derting - 3.5 stars
4)  Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Gray - 4 stars
5)  Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally - 4.5 stars
6)  The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Review to come!)


My November Top Five:

Favorite Book of the Month

1) Favorite Book- Catching Jordan was without a doubt my favorite book that I read this month. I'm still swooning over Henry. 


2)  Biggest Surprise- Becoming Marie Antoinette took me by surprise. I really enjoyed it and I had no idea it was part of a series!


3)  Biggest Letdown: I hate to say this because I love Kimberly Derting, but The Pledge was a disappointment to me.  


4)  Favorite Post: Sara Shepherd Book Signing- It was so much fun to meet Sara!  I really enjoyed listening to her talk about her books and TV shows.


5)  Favorite Part: Of course I am going to go with Thanksgiving--who doesn't love this holiday? It was great to relax, hangout with the family, and eat some delicious food.