this just might be a long one...

I get asked a lot if I've read anything good lately, since I read constantly. So this post I shall devote to awesome books of this year. So far. There's a little bit of fantasy, some contemporary, but most importantly-a lot of romance(cuz what's a good YA book without a little love?). I can't not gush when I talk about books I love, so if you hate long posts clear out now.
1. The first book I read this year that I fell in love with was The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I've read a couple of John's other books and this is BY FAR the best in my opinion.
Hazel is a 16 year old miracle cancer survivor. Doctor's tell her she could live for a long time, but who knows what that means. Life's not easy for her. She still has to rely on an oxygen tank, which doesn't necessarily help the social life of a teenage girl. Then she meets very attractive Augustus during a cancer support group meeting and life suddenly doesn't seem as bad.
This book will change your life. Seriously. It is right up there in my top 5 favorite books of all time. You will laugh. You will cry. You will wonder why you didn't pick up this book the moment it came out. Go. Read it NOW.
2.  If you want a fun, light read that also gives you characters with depth and flaws then Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins is right up your alley. It's a companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss which was one of my favorite books of 2011.
Lola is all about appearance-one colorful, wacky, themed outfit for everyday. She's got a hot rocker boyfriend and everything's going fabulous until Cricket, the boy next door from her childhood, shows back up rekindling the feelings she had for him when she was younger.
I loved Lola from the beginning. I loved her because she was refreshing. And I love Stephanie Perkins' writing style. She pulls you right into her characters lives and makes you actually feel a part of the story.
3. Have you ever heard of slam poetry? I hadn't either until I was stalking around all the indie author's blogs that I've grown to love and came across gushing review after gushing review about this book called Slammed. Slammed is by a fairly new indie author, Colleen Hoover. I love her. I love her blog. I love her books. And because of her awesomeness, of course, after only eight months of having Slammed available as an e-book, she was approached by a traditional publishing company to make Slammed more widely available. I'm not even surprised that it happened so fast for her. Now, I'll stop gushing about her and tell you about Slammed.
Layken and her mom and younger brother move to Michigan after the sudden death of her father. She tries to appear strong, but she's slowly crumbling inside. Enter new next door neighbor, Will, who you can't help but fall in love with at first sight. And Layken does after their unforgettable first date where she learns about his love for slam poetry. But alas, their budding relationship can't grow when a heart-breaking revelation is revealed and they are forced to keep this secret that makes it impossible for them to be together.
ENOUGH SAID.
4. I wanted to read this book when it first came out last year, but I just got around to it last month and I immediately put the 2nd book in the series on hold at the library when I finished it. Delirium by Lauren Oliver is my next favorite dystopian novel.
In most dystopian novels the government controls the lives of the people: where they live, where they work, who they marry. The difference with Delirium is at 18 years old the government cures everyone of Deliria aka love. But before Lena is cured of Deliria she meets mysterious Alex and suddenly nothing is black and white anymore.
One of the things I loved about Delirium is that it didn't only focus on the effect the cure had on romantic relationships, but also family and friendships. The world seemed real. It's one of those books where the story stays with you. And by the end of the book you will be running to the store for the sequel, Pandemonium, which is JUST as good as the first if not better.
5. An unexpected favorite for me this year was Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. I was expecting just another good fantasy/sci-fi read, but I got so much more than that. Veronica can write--not just an entertaining story, but she knows how to develop a strong plot and relateable, loveable characters even though they exist in a make-believe world.
Aria is unjustifiably exiled from her city into the outer wasteland where the likelihood of survival is not promising until she meets Outsider, Perry. He's a wild one but he's her only chance to survive. Though they clash at every turn, they need each other.
The book gives dual narration, giving a voice to both Aria and Perry. I love that. I love getting the guys point of view in stories especially when that voice is Perry's(Though I can't say that I love his name).

*If you click on the titles it'll take you to their goodreads page. If you don't have a goodreads account I suggest you jump on that STAT. I live by my goodreads. And then we can be goodreads friends. DO IT.*