Faves of Twentyeleven Book Awards: Day One ~ Books

I'm kind of sorry ~ this was really rushed and I haven't been able to include links/pictures. I'll be home later and fix it up then. I promise that Day Two will run much smoother... The internet's just really slow lately, and my mouse is acting up even more than usual (just for example, I can't drag images when editing posts).

1. Favourite book read in 2011
    ~ Divergent by Veronica Roth ~

Runners up: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, Where She Went by Gayle Forman, Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins -- all great reads that instantly made it to my to-reread-pile.

2. Most powerful book
    ~ Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys ~

Runners up: Saving June by Hannah Harrington, Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma, Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

3. Brilliantly funny
    ~ Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty ~

Runners up: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, Amplified by Tara Kelly, Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

4. Best ache-y, heart-breaking, tear-jerker read
    ~ Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys ~

Runners up: Where She Went by Gayle Forman, Saving June by Hannah Harrington

5. Most beautiful story
    ~ A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young ~
Just every single thing about this book was BEAUTIFUL

Runners up: Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer, Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott

6. Delicious rainy day comfort read
    ~ Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard ~
Hilarious and is sure to transport you to the unruly lands of Central America.

Runners up: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen

7. Adrenalin-fuelled, unputdownable award
    ~ Divergent by Veronica Roth ~

Runners up: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson, Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden

8. The Beautiful prose award
    ~ Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi ~

Runners up: Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Alaska by Sue Saliba

9. Most atmospheric and vivid setting
    ~ Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang ~

Runners up: Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott, Alaska by Sue Saliba

10. I-so-want-to-go-there award
    ~ Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard (Central America) ~

Runners up: Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner (Fictional, "Jewel"), Saving June by Hannah Harrington (California), I ♥ NYC by Keris Stainton (New York)

11. Most original and imaginative
    ~ Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott ~

Runners up: Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves, Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

12. Best under-appreciated, hidden gem book
    ~ The Day Before by Lisa Schroder ~

Runners up: The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King, Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

13. I-had-no-idea-I-would-love-this-so award
    ~ Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder ~
A solid 5 out of me. Beautifully crafted characters and a storyline that completely captivated me.

Runners up: Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey (I figured this would be just an okay book, but it's so deliciously gothic and mysterious, really grabbed me from the start.), The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder (My first Schroeder book. Verse novels are very hit-or-miss for me, I've learnt. But The Day Before was pure contemporary YA magic.), Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg (I just did not like her first book, however this classic retelling was truly enchanting)

14. Most haunting story
    ~ Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma ~
Anyone who has read this knows WHY!

Runners up: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Okay, this was a re-read this year, but this book HAUNTED me), IF I STAY by Gayle Forman (Also, re-read this year, just can't let go of this story!)

15. Outside my comfort zone but gosh how I loved it
    ~ The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King ~
This one surprisingly got me thinking into the wee hours of the night after I'd read it.

    ~ The Dark Divine & The Lost Saint by Bree Despain ~
Paranormal YA . . . enough said.

   ~ Winter's Shadow by M.J. Hearle ~
Another paranormal YA that I really ended up enjoying.

16. Series that I'm loving
    ~ The Dark Divine trilogy (It all ends next year with The Savage Grace! *excited and anxious*)
    ~ Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy (In honesty, I've only read the first book, but that was enough to make a fan out of me.)
    ~ Divergent series (Yeah.)
    ~ Birthmarked series (These books just suck me in.)
    ~ Bright Young Things series
    ~ The Tomorrow series

17. Always recommending this award *broken down into genres*

HISTORICAL
    Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang (I implore any historical fiction fan to read this one! Looking for something culturally different and just beautiful and intelligent?)
    Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (Will tear you apart, piece by piece, but the strength and hope of Lena and her family will leave you feeling, well, hopeful.)

CONTEMPORARY
    If I Stay & Where She Went by Gayle Forman (One of the few books I re-read over and over again.)
    Anna & Lola by Stephanie Perkins (So I read Anna last year, but how can you mention one without the other? They're equally gorgeous.)

DYSTOPIAN
    Divergent by Veronica Roth (PLEASE. If you only read one debut this year, make it this one.)
    Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien (This seems to be pretty hit-or-miss with readers, but I just couldn't get enough of it!)

PARANORMAL
    The Dark Divine trilogy by Bree Despain
    Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

FANTASY
   GRACELING by Kristin Cashore

   TOUCH OF POWER by Maria V. Snyder

18. Completely awesome premise award
    ~ Forgotten by Cat Patrick ~

Runners up: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

19. Would make the best movie
    ~ Graceling by Kristin Cashore ~

Runners up: Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott, Cinder by Marissa Meyer

20. Want to re-read already
    ~ Saving June by Hannah Harrington ~

Runners up: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder, Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott, Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

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Remember to link your posts! Tomorrow we'll be discussing . . . characters!