My Favourite Books of 2011 + GIVEAWAY!

2011 is the first full year of my little blog and already this week I’ve looked back at the things I’ve done this year, but I'm missing something...what is it? ...hmmm...oh, yeah – the books I read and fell in love with this year! J

This year has been a bumper year for reading, with plenty of good books from my beloved series and a few new authors I’ve discovered...so I’ve narrowed down some of my favourites and can’t resist sharing them with you. And to prove how generous I am, I’m going to give TWO lucky people the chance to choose one of my favourite books for their very own. Just have a look at my choices and fill in the form at the bottom of this post. Open Internationally until 6^th January 2011.

Favourite Books in Continuing Series (All these books are from series that I try and buy as soon as the next book is released! If you haven’t started these series yet, you can choose any book from the series in the giveaway!)

Green-Eyed Demon (Sabine Kane 3) – Jaye Wells: Sabina is one my favourite UF series – and this was the best book yet!

Changes (Dresden Files 12) – Jim Butcher: Harry Dresden is one of my favourite characters ever!

Shady Lady (Corine Solomon 3) – Ann Aguirre: This was the best Corine book yet with plenty of action and adventure

Magic Slays (Kate Daniels 5) – Ilona Andrews:  Curran and Kate are a fantasic couple!

New Urban Fantasy Authors (These are author’s I’ve discovered in the last year and have added to my must buy list!)

Embers – Laura Bickle: Such an atmospheric and fantastic story – plus I adore Sparky! J

Rogue Oracle – Alyana Williams: The bad guy here is so creepy – I just can’t get the idea of such a mutant out of my head...*shudders*

Deadtown – Nancy Holzner: An Urban Fantasy series that starts with a bang!

YA Books

Inside Out – Maria V Synder: A long time fan of her fantasy series, now Maria tries her hand at Dystopia and write an exciting tale!

Rot and Ruin – Jonathan Maberry: FANTASTIC – everyone should read it!

Vampire Academy: Last Sacrifice – Richelle Mead: Do I need to say anything?

Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy) – Jennifer Estep: Such a fun read – I loved it!

0.4 – Mike Lancaster: Such a different and unique story

Every Other Day - Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Buffy-esque adventure with plenty of violence and snark

Fantasy Books

The Spirit Thief/ The Spirit Rebellion/The Spirit Eater – Rachel Aaron: A fantastically fun fantasy series with some great characters – and I just adore Eli Monpress!

Touch of Power - Maria V Synder: The start to a new series that looks like it will be worth waiting for!

Hard to classify but great reads

American Gods – Neil Gaimen: A fantastic journey across America

Shades of Grey – Jasper Fforde: A Unique vision of the future where colours are rationed

Dystopian Books

Aftertime – Sophie Littlefield: A brilliant search for her daughter after a zombie plague – brilliant read!

It was really hard to narrow down my favourites to these few – there are plenty of others I wanted to include as well but I had to pick the best of the best – and the ones I can still remember  the emotional journey of each one! So you have your choice to win one of these books (or any other book by any of these authors!) Just fill in this form...

And what do you think of my choices? Did I miss your favourite book of the year out?

<<GIVEAWAY CLOSED>>

Throwback Thursday 2011 Summary

This is a great feature that Melissa at My World...in words and pictures has been doing for a while which looks at those wonderful books that are ALREADY on my shelves that we haven't got round to reading yet. I've spent quite a few Thursdays looking at books I own but haven't read and I thought it would be fun to look back over those books I've highlighted and see how good I've been at actually reading them!

The Better Part of Darkness - Kelly Gay: Still Unread

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke: Still Unread

The Eye of the World - Robert Jordan: Still Unread

Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires 1) - Rachel Caine: Still Unread
Magic Lost, Trouble Found - Lisa Shearin: Still Unread
The Reincarnationist - MJ Rose: Still Unread
Black Magic Woman - Justin Gustainis: Still Unread
The One Kingdom - Sean Russell: Still Unread
Hunted By The Others - Jess Haines: Read! Review here
The Angel's Game - Carlos Ruiz Zafon: Still Unread
Memoirs of Cleopatra - Margaret George: Still Unread
The Iron Duke - Meljean Brook: Still Unread
Ghost Ocean - S.M. Peters: Still Unread
One Foot In The Grave - Jeaniene Frost: Still Unread
Room - Emma Donoghue: Still Unread
The Edge of the World - Kevin J Anderson: Still Unread
Blood Oath - Christopher Farnsworth: Still Unread
Angel Time - Anne Rice: Still Unread
Gone - Michael Grant: Still Unread
Lord of Silence - Mark Chadbourn: Still Unread

Across The Universe - Beth Revis: Still Unread

Twice Bitten - Chloe Neill: Read! Review here

Cursed - David Wellington: Still Unread

Lord of the Changing Winds - Rachel Neumeier: Still Unread

Curiosity Thrilled The Cat - Sofie Kelly: Still Unread
Deadline (Newsflesh 2) - Mira Grant: Still Unread
Under Dome - Stephen King: Still Unread
Sixty-One Nails - Mike Shevdon: Still Unread
Mind Games - Carolyn Crane: Still Unread
The House of Special Purpose - John Boyne: Still Unread
Gene of Isis - Traci Harding: Still Unread
Bayou Moon - Ilona Andrews: Still Unread
Heart of Stone - CE Murphy: Still Unread
Hade's Daughter - Sara Douglass: Still Unread
The Enchantment Emporium - Tanya Huff: Still Unread

So to summarise 35 books highlighted and only 2 read in that time. That's useless! I really need to raid my TBR pile more often...luckily one of the challenges I've signed up for this year is the 2012 TBR pile Reading Challenge so all these can go into the list of ones to read in the coming year.

What books have you had on your TBR pile for far too long? :-)