TGIF: Book Olympics

This week, Ginger over at GReads! has an awesome topic that I just had to participate in:

Book Olympics: In the spirit of the Olympics, which books would you give the gold, silver, and bronze medals to? It can be from any genre, new or old.


 To make things more fun (and I admit it, because I have a hard time choosing), I'm breaking this down into categories: Contemp and Noncontemp. I'm only using books read in 2012 for this.

Contemporary:

Gold:  Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
This book captured me in ways I still can't explain, despite having read it four times already. Travis is just such a stellar, amazing character... a guy who is a jerk, but also loyal. He's the right kind of broken for me, and I admit it, watching him fall for Harper is just... awesome. The writing is stellar, and the story has a beauty to it that captured me. From my love of male voice to raw honesty to pain and brokenness... this one has it all for me.

Silver: In Honor by Jessi Kirby
Rusty pretty much wins this one for me. He is that perfect mix of cocky jerk on the outside, warm, gushy and caring on the inside. He makes me so ridiculously melty. But I also love Honor, and the road trip they take, and the hilarious moments that are in this book even mixed into all the sad. Not to mention, the writing is awesome. And the author rocks.

Bronze: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
 Despite my love of dark things and broken people, I am also a huge fan romance and kisses and sexy times. And this book has it all. It takes some dark turns. It has some of the hottest kisses I've read. It has a fire and passion in the characters that drives them together as much as it pushes them apart. And it does it all with a well pace, fabulous writing, and the right blend of fun and pain.






Noncontemporary: 

Gold: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Confession: I am not big on high fantasy. But this book? Totally captured me, and lured me in, and got into my head so that even three months later, I still find myself thinking about this world and it's characters. This book has, hands down, some of the best characterization I've read. There is such determination in the lead players with this one, yet they each have their own little flaws and facets that just have me so invested. This book made me physically ache, and sent me reeling.

Silver: Altered by Jennifer Rush
Okay so part of my huge love for this book does stem from the fact that there are four hot boys to drool over... and drool I did (though I totally call dibs on Nick). But it's more than that. It's the way this one is put together, the mystery and the clues left and the overall picture. This one totally blew my mind, and left me awed. But add to it that the characters rocked, and the writing was great, and this one totally deserves a medal.

Bronze: A Want so Wicked by Suzanne Young
More Harlin. Plus a new boy. And a deeper, and darker look, at the world already set up in A Need so Beautiful. Like I've said, I like dark things, and this title hints at that, and this title is so accurate in several ways. This book left me with chills, and made me ache, and just took me by storm.





So that's my picks, what are yours?