Best of 2009 (kind of)

Being a relatively new blogger, I'm still learning the ropes here. Most of the time, I think I know what I'm doing - review some books, throw in some squeeing about books I'm looking forward to, tell everyone what goodies showed up on my doormat. Read, read, read, and repeat. And I love it.

Over the last week, things have been different. Other bloggers have been posting their 'best of 2009' lists. At first I figured they were fun, and I'd read them but wouldn't put together one of my own - you know, since I've only been blogging for five months. I mean, a 'best of the last five months of 2009' list just sounds a little... random, doesn't it? But then, everyone else is doing it...

So, in the spirit of randomness and the fact that I just can't let the year end without giving a shout out to the books I've read and loved, here's my top (as luck would have it) nine. Some of them are pre-2009 releases, but all of them were read by me for the first time this year.

Ash - Malinda Lo

I'm a little bit infatuated with this retelling of the Cinderella story. It's beautifully written, with a love story I just couldn't resist. Technically it's not out in the UK until part-way through 2010, but I was lucky enough to receive an import copy as a present and I read it twice through straight away, because I didn't want it to end.

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

Like the first Hunger Games book, the second instalment in the much-buzzed dystopian series is an absorbing, edge-of-your-seat, jaw-dropping rollercoaster ride of a book. Plus: best heroine ever! When I grow up, I'd like to be Katniss. (And if I was her, I'd be Team Gale. Just sayin'.)

Genesis - Bernard Beckett

Another dystopia, and one of smartest, most thought-provoking books I've read since... ever. Generally I don't like having my thoughts provoked, but Beckett sets those grey cells going without you even realising he's doing it. Oh, and the ending is a doozie. This book is genius.

Graceling - Kristin Cashore

This is the first book I ever reviewed, and it's practically perfect. A wonderful, strong heroine; world-building to die for; a love story you can't help but warm to.

Love, Aubrey - Suzanne LaFleur

The incredibly moving story of an eleven year old girl recovering from grief and abandonment, and the only book that made me cry in public this year. This is an achievement in itself, since I wear lots of mascara and tears are generally not an option. And though I hate the word 'uplifting', it's that too. Unforgettable.

Prophecy of the Sisters - Michelle Zink

Eerie gothic fantasy about twin sisters caught in a dark and dangerous prophecy. One of them is the embodiment of evil, but which one? This book messed with my mind. And I enjoyed every second of it.

Split By A Kiss - Luisa Plaja

YA chicklit at its very finest, this one's about a Brit girl who moves to America, finds herself torn between the two sides of her personality (nerdy Jo and cool Josie) and literally splits in two. It's culture-clash fun all the way but at the same time, Jo definitely gets my award for 'easiest to relate to protagonist'. Luisa's books are also single handedly responsible for finally getting me to read outside my sci-fi-and-fantasy comfort zone, which is a good thing.

The Compound - S.A. Bodeen

The story of a family living underground in a nuclear bunker was always going to appeal to me, but what I got far exceeded my expectations. This one's all about the incredible tension, and the question of what exactly you'd do to survive. Mind-blowing.

Wake - Lisa McMann

The story of a girl who gets sucked into other people's dreams - and nightmares. This one is a quick read, but it packs a punch. Also, the romance is one of the most credible and compelling of recent YA fiction. Loved it.

In other words, it's been an amazing five months. Here's to 2009!