Best Books of 2012

So it's that time of the year again! When everything's coming to a conclusion and people start spouting out their best books of the year and what they plan to do for the new year and all that jazz. So.. That's what I'm here to do for you today!

Hmmm... Maybe I'll alternate between the books and what I plan on doing for the new year? Sounds like a plan.

So, coming in at number 10 this year is...

Revived by Cat Patrick

(Review)

I read this book back in June or July (I can't remember which), and I absolutely loved it and it's characters! I went into this book knowing it was a si-fi and I absolutely loved it. So yes, Revived is my #10 read of 2012.

Goal #1: Now, the first goal that I'm going to mention to you guys for 2013 in terms of reading is that I've decided to re-read the whole entire PJO series! Starting with Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief and ending with The Mark of Athena (which I finally got in the mail the other day!), or maybe even The House of Hades, depending on how long it takes me to re-read them all. :D 

Now, book #9 on my list of best books on 2012 is...

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

(Review)

I really, really, liked this book. I completely respect Amy for everything she does for the ships citizens and I just love Elder. My mom got me a copy of A Million Suns from my mom, so I can't wait to start reading it! :)

Goal #2: I would like to read 100 books again this year, but it was a bit of a stress for me the last couple weeks and I was cramming in book after book. So, considering I don't really want to do that again in the new year... I'm going to set my goal for 75, but aim for 100. :)

Coming in 8th place of 2012 would have to be...

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry is so full of cliches, it's ridiculous. But... I absolutely devoured this book because it delivers these cliches in a way that doesn't seem that cliched at all. The details are a little foggy, since I did read it back in February, but I do remember how ris-kay I thought this book was for a YA while I was reading, and I absolutely loved every single word. :)

Goal #3: I want to start branching out a little more, because it feels like all I read are teen books. And considering that I'm approaching the age of 20... I'd like to start reading more adult, non-fiction, and maybe even some more middle-grade books. With that being saaaiiddd... I'd like to read 5 adult books, 2 non-fiction books, and 5 middle-grade books. I know it's not a large number, but I don't want to over-whelm myself or force myself into doing something I don't want to. :P

The 7th best book I read in the year of 2012 is...

Well, it's actually two books.

I figured I'd throw both Spirit Bound and Last Sacrifice together since they're in the same series. Again, I read these two in the first half of the year, so I don't remember my exact feelings towards them, but again, I do remember absolutely loving them and devouring each page. This series was nothing but an intense ride the whole way through and I still need to read Bloodlines!

Goal #4: Now, as you all know (or if you don't, just click here to find out), I have a teetering To Be Read tower of books. It would be wonderful if I could stick to my TBR challenge of reading five books before I'm aloud to buy another one. So! Goal #4 is sticking with this plan for the entirety of the year until my TBR pile hopefully drops down to a more reasonable number. :)

Book #6 for the year of 2012 would have to be... 

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

(Review)

I was SO stoked to read this book when I first heard of it. And let me tell you, it did NOT let me down. This book I did read more recently, so the memories of me reading this book are still fresh in my mind. Sophie, the main character of the book, is a very strong protagonist who I loved with all my heart. This is definitely one of the better MGs that has cross over appeal into the YA genre, and I absolutely loved it. I happen to buy this book while the author was promising out swag packs to anyone who bought it that weekend and I was lucky enough that they both fall on the same weekend! :D So that was really cool and nice of her to do. :) Messenger also has a YA book coming out in March of 2013 called Let the Sky Fall and I am SO EXCITED for this book. You don't even know. :P

Goal #5: To finally start up my own YouTube channel! I know I've been going on about starting this thing for a couple of months now, but I really do plan on starting it! Hopefully I'll be able to start it sometime in the new year. :) And I can't wait till I finally get it up and running! :D

The book coming in 5th place for the year of 2012 is....

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

(Review)

I read My Life Next Door back in July and it was probably one of the bestest, cutest contemporary reads I've ever read. This book made my toes curl in happiness as a dopy grin spread across my face whenever the two main characters were together. It's just... If you haven't read this book already, than I really think that you need to go out and get it with some of that Christmas money!

Goal #6: I hope to do the Summer Reading Challenge again for this year, but ACTUALLY COMPLETE IT this time. :P There's about 10 criteria that you have to fill out, some of them being a book that's over 400 pages, a book recommended by a friend, a book that's been sitting on your shelf for over a year, a classic.... And so on. :P Check back again around the end of April for more details on that one!

Book #4 on my top ten countdown of 2012 is....

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I read this book basically as soon as it came out and oh god did I ever love it. Just, this book is SO GOOD. Dare I say... Even better than the Hunger Games? Just thinking about this makes me smile with happiness at how good it was. :):) Hopefully I can re-read it this year in prep for the third and final book in the series!

Goal #7: To participate in NaNoWriMo in 2013! Last year I saw everyone prepping for it and it just made me really really excited! I always have tons of ideas floating around in my head for stories... Maybe I can start prepping early this year and just do an outline for the story before starting to write it in November! :D

Number 3 !  :D

Divergent by Veronica Roth

This was a re-read for me this year. I read it just before Insurgent came out so that I would remember every single detail of this book before getting into the second one! As much as I absolutely LOVED the second book to this series, the first book will forever have a place in my heart as my favourite. :D

Goal #8: This year I hope to par-take in the A-Z Challenge. :D Every year I see tons of bloggers and BookTubers participating in this challenge and I though that I'd give it a go this year! :D

The 2nd best book of the year for me would have to have been...

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks

Holy cow, do I ever love Brent Weeks. Along with John Green, he is one of my top favourite authors. Never ever has a book by Brent Weeks let me down. I absolutely love his Night Angel trilogy, it being my favourite trilogy of ALL TIME. But anyways. The Black Prism was an epic tale with plot that was so intricate and amazing that I just couldn't put it down. And it was funny too! God. This book just contains the perfect bit of every genre there is. YOU MUST READ IT!

Goal #9: To complete the debut author challenge! I participated in this challenge last year, and while I did read 12 debut novels this year, I did not review them all like the challenge requires. :( So hopefully, the new year will change that! :D

And the NUMBER ONE BOOK of 2012 iiissss.......

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Of course, after mentioning John Green as one of my favourite authors EVER, how could I not put this book as my number one read of 2012? Hazel is just amazing and I love how what you would think of as the main theme or focus of this book actually ISN'T the main theme/focus of this book, but instead is merely a "side-effect" as Hazel would put it. :)

And there you have it, everyone! My top 10 books of 2012 and my 9 goals for 2013! :D