Top Picks of 2009

First- Merry Christmas to everyone. I am heading down today to my brother's house for the weekend but should have internet access. If that doesn't pan out, then sorry in advance for the lack of posts. I should be back on Monday so I will play catch up with my weekend contest post as well as my in my mailbox- the former of which might end up having to wait anyhow since I don't know that I will have the time to compile everything over the weekend. We will see how cooperative Toby beagle wants to be this weekend for the IMM pictures- he might be less willing to be posed when there are a bunch of people around rather than just me but yes, he is definitely going with me. =D

I saw this on The Story Siren and decided to jack the idea and give my top 15 picks of books published in 2009. There are plenty of books that I read- several that spring quicly to mind but weren't all books that actually hit the shelves this year- but these are the ones that stuck with me the most for one reason or another, whether it was the overall idea and the plot, the characters or something else all together. I recommend all the books on this list and though some of them were read before I started this blog, those of you that do regularly follow should know the things that stand out to me in a book. These are books that I have on my personal shelf and will most definitely reread for one reason or another- and when I reread them, the ones that haven't yet been reviewed wills how up on here although the initial captivation that comes with a first time read will of course be gone. There isn't necessarily any order to this although I suppose the ones at the time could likely be the ones I thought really were the best since they came to mind instantly.

1. Blood Promise by Richelle Mead: The overall plot and the characters

2. The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey: The writing and plot

3. After by Amy Efaw: The emotions

4. The Ask and The Answer by Patrick Ness: The plot, the world, and the characters

5. Fallen by Lauren Kate: The fact that at the end of the book, Daniel's story hasn't been laid on the table like what happens with most books of this nature

6. How It Ends by Laura Wiess: The gut wrenching, heartrending emotional nature and writing

7. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan: Face it, there aren't a lot of zombie books out there and this one is great

8. City of Glass by Cassandra Claire: Simon is pretty much adorable and Jace is the perfect amount of cocky but broken and has a little bit of everything

9. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater: The very new take on werewolves

10. Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey: While I think this could have and should have been a series and this book was rushed in places, the plot and the characters and the humor

11. Soulstice by Simon Holt: Actually gave me the creeps

12. The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong: How many books are there about necromancers- especially ones that aren't evil?

13. Blood Brothers by S.A. Harazin: I fell in love with the main character- especially how dumb yet brilliant he often came off as

14. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink: The writing was strongest here and dragged me back in time in a very easy way

15. Hold Still by Nina LaCour: Both sides of the suicide issue without making one side look better or worse than the other

So those are my picks and why each one stood out for me. I would love to hear what everyone else's picks are.