Yearly Wrap-up: 2012

Ah, 2012, you have been such a wondrous year for me as far as my favorite hobby goes. During 2012, I fell in love--several times--with new authors, new stories, and new characters (especially yummy new boys!!). I fell back in love with old favorites. I was saddened to say goodbye to old AND new friends as I completed several series like the Hush, Hush trilogy quadrilogy, Paranormalcy, The Iron Fey, The Graceling Realm, Hex Hall and more, but I was also super excited to discover growing series and future book deals, many by the authors who were saying goodbye in one sense. I mean, Fitzpatrick has a new book in the works. White has TWO set for relase in 2013 with more in the making. Kagawa's rocking a spin-off and an entirely new series. Hawkins is doing a spin-off. And don't forget all the other releases that 2013 has in promise, sequels and prequels and stand-alones included! Who said the end always has to be sad? Just because you've finished a great book doesn't mean you can never pick it back up! 2013 is going to be great and I can't wait to share it here!

Check out my 2012 reading list below.

Listmania: Young adult novels by country

Similarly to my young adult state list, I also started a list of young adult novels located outside the United States. Again, if you would like anything added, please leave a comment or contact me via Goodreads, twitter, or email.

Listmania: Young adult novels by state

Inspired by a challenge in my Goodreads group The Young Adult Book Club, I have begun a list of young adult novels categorized by state. The following list is in no way complete, so if you see something missing or incorrect, please leave a comment (!!!) or contact me via Goodreads, twitter or email.

Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Rating: 4/5 stars
Pub Date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: young adult, fantasy (fairies/fae), romance
Format/Source: Hardcover, borrowed from the library
Status: Book 1 of The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten

Summary: 

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

Review:

 I really enjoyed The Lost Prince. I find it a little weird that I like it somewhat better than the original series (with the exception of "Summer's Crossing", which was awesome), but there are some reasons why I'm not surprised. If you have read the third Iron Fey short story "Iron's Prophecy", a lot of The Lost Prince is already going to be spoiled for you, namely 1. the big reveal in regards to Kierran and 2. the hints that Ethan picks up about him.  So if you don't mind my discussing those things and some other small-ish spoilery parts of the book, join me below the cut.

Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Rating: 3 stars
Pub Date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (an imprint of HarperCollins Children's)
Genre: young adult, dystopian, romance, fantasy
Format/Source: Hardcover, borrowed from the library
Status: Book 1 of the Newsoul trilogy

Summary:

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Review:

One of the most unique aspects of Incarnate is that it is actually a utopian novel, rather than dystopian. I have to give all credit to Meadows. I think in the current state of ya fiction, it's incredibly easy to write about a broken and corrupt society, but Meadows chose to feature a society that really is very well-run. If it weren't for Ana