One of the best things about the end of the year in the book blogging world is all the great best of lists. I find many of my favourite books on these lists, which is no surprise really… when you’re asking for books recs where to better to go than the people who are so passionate about books they devote all their spare time to discussing them?

If you’re looking for your next great read, be sure to check out any of these books from
My Top 10 Reads of 2012:

1. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
   The Sea of Tranquility is a beautifully written emotional journey that I never wanted to end. I will read whatever this debut author writes next!
2. Legend by Marie Lu
   I was really in need of a great “can’t put it down” book and Legend absolutely delivered! Even among the sea of popular dystopian fiction, the plot is original and unpredictable.
3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
   John Green never fails to make me laugh, cry and fall in love with his characters and TIOS is no exception. Be forewarned though – this book will make you sad. It’s an amazing read you won’t want to put down, but plan something fun to do when you’re finished!
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth
   I loved this book the first time around, and when Insurgent came out there was so much going on that I had to go back and re-read the 1st book in the series. I loved it even more the second time! If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games and are looking for some really good dystopian fiction, I highly suggest giving Divergent a try.
   
5. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
   An excellent follow-up to Divergent that builds on the first novel and moves the story forward beautifully. No sophomore slump here!
6. The Future of Us by Jay Asher
   The Future of Us is a quick, easy read that’s hard to put down. With an original concept and thought-provoking message, Josh and Emma’s story will appeal to readers both young and old.
7. Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich
   As a huge fan of Janet’s Stephanie Plum series (which spins this book off into its own series), I should have known I would love Wicked Appetite! Deisel is just as fun and sexy as he is in the Plum ‘Between the Numbers’ books and Lizzy is a lovable heroine.
8. Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich
   Love this series! It’s full of the humour, fun and great characters I’ve come to expect from Janet Evanovich, and I really like that each book continues on with the same overall mystery. Oh and let’s not forget Carl the Monkey who cracks me up! The books are pretty fluffy, but I’m OK with that.
9. Wither by Lauren Stefano
   I loved this book! I’ve been on a real dystopian fiction kick in 2012, and even though some of the world-building was rather implausible, I still devoured this book.
10. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
    This still stands as one of my very favourite books. After seeing the movie I spent so much time discussing the book/movie differences, that I finally had to just read the book again. And I loved it just as much the second time around.

Whoops! Halfway through November is a little late to be getting the October round-up posted. Life has been very busy this fall, but I still managed to read six books last month, keeping me well on track to meet my goal of 50 books this year. I’d have to say Wicked Business was my favourite read of the month.

October Reading List

41. Wicked Business (Wicked #2) by Janet Evanovich (Oct 2)
Love, love, LOVE this series! It’s full of the humour, fun and great characters I’ve come to expect from Janet Evanovich, and I really like that each book continues on with the same overall mystery. Oh and let’s not forget Carl the Monkey who cracks me up! This time Lizzy & Diesel are after the Luxuria (aka lust) stone and of course hilarity ensues. The books are pretty fluffy, but I’m OK with that.

42. Sweet Spot (Bakery Sisters #2) by Susan Mallery (Oct 5) *e
When I got my new e-reader, I discovered that I had a few books in the old Sony .lrx format that couldn’t be transferred to my new device. (Making it evident that I need to get on that TBR pile!) and the Bakery Sisters Trilogy was one of them. I only had the 3^rd book left to read, and didn’t realize that I was actually RE-reading the 2^nd one until about half way through! I’m not really a big romance reader, but I enjoyed this one enough to read it twice!

43. Sweet Trouble (Bakery Sisters #3) by Susan Mallery (Oct 8 ) *e
This is the third and final installment in the story of 3 sisters who are rebuilding their fractured relationship as they navigate life and love. I didn’t quite enjoy this one as much as the first two books in the series, I found it obvious where the story was going and the characters lack of action was frustrating.

44. Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver (Oct 16) *e
I just can’t get enough of these dystopian series! While Delirium doesn’t really stand out among the crowd, I really liked the concept that love was a disease. When looking at some of the ‘symptoms’ in that light, it became obvious how love could be seen as something harmful and messy that’s better off avoided.  Thought I found it somewhat similar to the Matched series, there were still some surprising twists that made Delirium unique. I already have the next book in the series waiting.

45. Ecoholic Body by Adrai Vasil (Oct 24) – Full Review Here

46. Leaves by Michael Baron (Oct 25) – Full Review Coming Soon!
I’m working on a full review of this one, but just wanted to give it a quick shout-out. Fans of Debbie Macomber and other such “small-town chick-lit” series are sure to enjoy Leaves, which is the first in a new series by Michael Baron that focuses on life in the charming town of Oldham, CT.

(An *e at the end of a title indicates an e-book.)

Whew! September has been a bit of a crazy month… which should be evident by the fact that I’m just getting the August Round-up done now.  August was a great reading Month, and I managed to read seven books. Yay me! I think that’s a high for this year. Although one of those “books” was a VERY shot novella, so to be fair, I really I only read six books last month. Either way, it helped get me ahead on my reading goal for a change.

August Reading List

30. Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros (Aug 3)
A cute little romance with a modern twist! Goodnight Tweetheart is told mainly in “Tweet” format which I found had me skimming a bit at times (I do this on actual Twitter too), but overall it was an enjoyable story with likable characters.

31. Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer (Aug 12)
I really like Andrea Cremer’s Nightshade series. I fell in love with Calla right from the first book, and while I was a bit surprised at the ending of the trilogy, I still felt it was a good wrap-up. I was fooled by the fact that there’s a fourth Nightshade book so I didn’t realize this one would be the end of the trilogy until I got there. Turns out Rift (the fourth book) is a prequel.

32. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire (Aug 15)  *e
– Full Review here

33. A Hidden Witch (Modern Witch #2) by Debora Geary (Aug 23)  *e – Full Review here

34. Bossypants by Tina Fey (Aug 27)  *e
The beginning of this book had me laughing out loud right off the bat, but I found the story bogged down in the middle when it focused on her pre-SNL years. I’ve been a fan of Tina Fey’s from SNL to 30 Rock so I enjoyed her writing style, and found it much more entertaining once the story got back into her TV career.

35. Free Four (Divergent #2.5) by Veronica Roth (Aug 27) *e
A short story that tells part of the Divergent tale from Four’s point of view, Free Four was a gripping read… until it stopped far too soon. I enjoyed it, but really wish it was a bit longer.

36. Wicked Appetite (Wicked #1) by Janet Evanovich (Aug 30)  *e
I don’t know what took me so long to read this book! As a huge fan of Janet’s Stephanie Plum series (which spins this book off into its own series), I should have known I would love Wicked Appetite! Deisel is just as fun and sexy as he is in the Plum ‘Between the Numbers’ books and Lizzy is a lovable heroine. I can’t wait to read Wicked Business!

(An *e at the end of a title indicates an e-book.)

Explosive 18 (Stephanie Plum #18)
by Janet Evanovich

Summary
Stephanie Plum has plenty of FTA’s to catch after returning from her trip, but her capture ratio is low! While this should be a top priority since rent needs to be paid, Steph’s far more concerned with all the interested parties wanting to question her about a missing photograph.  Yet, all her family and friends seem to care about is what exactly happened on her Hawaiian vacation. And that’s one thing she does not want to talk about! Meanwhile a problem with the bonds bus forces Vincent Plum Bail Bonds to seek yet another location. Now Steph has to sort out this photo mess without getting killed and still earn enough money to make ends meet.

Review
Picking up shortly after the (small) cliff-hanger at the end of Smokin’ Seventeen, Explosive Eighteen changes things up a bit by having two fun mysteries that don’t even involve the bonds office. And those are on top of Steph and Lula’s hilarious adventures in Bounty Hunting! I personally found this deviation from the normal formula to be fun and refreshing. I also really liked that we got a direct continuation of the story from the last installment. Often the Plum books are fairly self-contained, but I’m a fan of the continuing arc.

I’ve read complaints about Steph’s back and forth between Morelli and Ranger, and the fact that she hasn’t improved much as a Bounty Hunter in all these years. While both these issues are still present, what was different in book 18 is that Stephanie seems to have realized that it’s time to make a choice and some improvements. Yay for progress! And it wouldn’t be a Plum novel without the many laugh-out-loud moments, which were in full supply in Explosive Eighteen. I found Lula was especially hilarious this time around, and would like to petition Janet Evanovich to make Lula’s “Hell yeah. I’m a big Tweeter” comment a reality! Because @Lula would definitely be a Tweeter worth following!

Verdict
With some fun mysteries and hilarious antics, Explosive Eighteen is one of my favourite Plum adventures in quite a few numbers!

BONUS!  The hardcover edition of Explosive Eighteen contains the cutest tear-out 2012 Plum calendar!

*I received this book for review from the Publisher.

Sometimes I want to comment on a book, but don’t really have enough to say to warrant a full review. I’ve read a few of these types of books lately, so I thought I’d blurb! Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus, #1)
by Rick Riordan

The Lost Hero is the first in a spin-off series of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and it’s a fantastic start! It’s very similar in style to the Percy Jackson books and even features many of the characters we met in the original series, so if you enjoyed the PJ books, I think you’ll like The Lost Hero. i actually enjoyed The Lost Hero even more than the Percy Jackson books!  And I cannot wait for book 2, The Son of Neptune to come out in October.

If you’re still not sure, you can check out the first two chapters here.

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Smokin’ Seventeen (Stephanie Plum # 17)
by Janet Evanovich

Many fans of the Stephanie Plum series are complaining that the later books have lost their edge and it feels like we’re just getting the same stuff book after book. And while I don’t disagree with those comments, I do think book 17 marked a bit of an improvement in the Plum series. It may have something to do with the fact that Smokin’ Seventeen made me laugh out loud during a time of great sadness, but whatever the reason, I found Steph’s adventures in book 17 to be more enjoyable than the last few books. Now if only Janet would make some actual CHANGES in the Plum world, I think this series could find its second life.

Read more about what we’d like to see happen in the Plum world in our Sizzling Sixteen Book Chat.

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Marked (House of Night #1)
by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

To be fair, Marked and the House of Night books aren’t really much different from any of the other teen paranormal-love-triangle series that have flooded the YA market ever since Twilight came sparkling into existence. But something about this one had me hooked pretty quickly.

I picked up Marked specifically because I wanted some fluffy YA vamp fantasy to take to the cottage with me, even though I’ve had some failed attempts with these types of books lately and I was a little worried I might not like it. But I just couldn’t put it down. I think the fact that I really, really liked Zoey (the main character) is what made Marked stand out from the vampire crowd for me. I found it extremely refreshing to have a heroine who isn’t (excuse the language) a slutty bitch (Yes, I’m talking to you Vampire Diaries books). And while I only gave the book 3 stars, I still picked up and read book 2, Betrayed in just 2 days. And I didn’t even like Betrayed as much as Marked. Aside from being a big fan of Zoey’s, I also like that the authors have created a fresh new take on the standard vampire lore. So, if you’re in the mood for some light, fluffy vamp stories you just might have fun with the House of Night books. I know I’ll be tearing through Chosen (book #3) soon enough.

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And now we’d love some feedback from the all-important and very wise YOU!

1. How do you feel about Blurbs instead of complete Reviews? Is there enough information in the above to help you decide if you’d want to read the book or not?
2. Have you read any of these books? Please share your thoughts!

Happy Friday folks! As you can probably tell from the tumbleweeds blowing around here, things have been pretty busy for the past few weeks. September always seems to be a busy month for me, and with some changes happening at home, I haven’t had a lot of time to read or write about what I’ve read in a while. Hopefully things will pick up soon, but in the meantime I have a little Friday Freebie for you!

Anyone who reads WAGB knows that both Rae and I love Janet Evanovich and are eagerly awaiting the debut book in her new Unmentionable Series. The first book in the series is called Wicked Appetite and will be released in just a few days on Sept. 14, 2010.

If you’re like us and just can’t wait, or if you’re new to Janet Evanovich’s work and would like to test before you buy, you can check out a sample of Wicked Appetite now on Janet’s website! A preview of the first 21 pages of Wicked Appetite can be found here.

I’ve decided I can’t really review these books in series’ that I’ve been reading for a long time. I mean really, it’s book 16 – at this point either you know the characters and writing style and are a fan or you’re not. But I know we have a number of Plum fans out there, and there were some things that occurred in this volume that I want to discuss. So, rather than a review, let’s talk about the latest Stephanie Plum adventure, Sizzling Sixteen.

*Caution, this discussion will contain spoilers!

First of all… is anyone else getting frustrated with the fact that 16 books in, Stephanie hasn’t really improved much as a bounty hunter?? I know Morelli actually said that Steph had gotten much better at her job, but after I had spent a few chapters being really annoyed by her and Lula’s stupidity I was kinda surprised to read that!  Honestly, when Steph and Lula had Chopper  in the backseat of Lula’s car and then they went into the store for snacks, I was literally yelling at my book. “He’s going to get away. He’s going to steal your car! ARGH!” Surprisingly, he didn’t steal the car, but of course he got away.

On the other hand… how many of you were amazed at Steph, Lula and Connie’s ability to plan and execute a robbery?!? I don’t know if it’s just because they added Connie to the mix and she’s the key, but personally I think those girls are far better suited for a life of Robin-Hood style crime than they ever have been for bond enforcement! Why do you think they were so successful with the robberies, when they mess up all their captures?

Now, the men in Steph’s life… Morelli or Ranger? Ranger or Morelli? I’ve been far more accepting than most when it comes to the back-and-forth thing that’s been going on for so long with Morelli and Ranger, but this book finally marked the point where even I grew tired of it. It’s time for Steph and Ranger to make an honest attempt of it. I get that Morelli is probably her long term guy, but she’ll never know for sure until she’s decided on Ranger one way or the other.  I would really like to see her and Ranger together for AT LEAST two or three books. I’m not stuck on one guy or the other, I love them both and totally get Steph’s dilemma, but it’s getting tired and it’s time to shake things up a bit.

For that matter… I’d also like to see Morelli date someone else for a while. Someone new, who has NO connection to Stephanie whatsoever. In my mind this would be the relationship that lets Morelli (and Steph) decide once and for all if Steph is the girl he wants to settle down with – despite her job and social circle.  And while we’re on the subject, I actually wouldn’t mind seeing Steph date someone entirely new for a change either. Just to add some spice. Because if Stephanie is such a catch that she has the two hottest guys in Trenton drooling over her, then surely she could snag someone else who does want the same things she wants. Right?

And lastly, the bonds office… Were you excited at the possibility of an employment change? Because I was freakin’ ecstatic when the bonds office blew up! I was giddy with the prospect of change that could have resulted from this development. I thought, “Here it is! The small shift that will allow for interesting new stories! Squee!” Of course, at that point I was thinking that Steph & co. would have to get a new job, or that perhaps the four of them would go into business together as partners. Thus allowing Steph to have more involvement in the business end of things, and possibly even make some changes along the way. But then everything was wrapped up in a nice little bow of exactly-as-it-was-before. Lula can get Vinnie back with Lucille and the business will resume exactly as we know it.  *Sigh*

This series is starting to feel a little bit like The Simpson’s for the fact that nothing ever changes. I think I could fall in love all over again if they were to change things up a bit. Steph would still be hilarious and awesome if she were in any number of jobs, and it would be more realistic if she grew up a little. I mean she’s in her 30’s and still never has groceries? C’mon!

So fellow book (and Plum) lovers, what would you like to see happen in future Stephanie Plum books? How would you change things? Or would you prefer to see things stay the same? Let’s talk!

Real life has been preventing me from reading or reviewing much of anything this week, but even though I’ve been out of touch, there are still lots of bookish things happening out there! Here are a few of the more exciting book-related tidbits I’ve come across in my brief web travels this week.

1. Wicked Appetite, the first book of the new Diesel series has an official cover! I know this book doesn’t come out until September, but I can NOT wait! I really enjoy the between the numbers books and I’m hoping giving Diesel his own series will equal as much fun as we get from the plum books. Here’s the image Janet has posted on her website of the new cover.

2. Time.com has an interview with Candace Bushnell about The Carrie Diaries which tells the story of a 17 year old Carrie Bradshaw before all the sex in that big city. The interview is fairly short, but as a hug SatC fan I enjoyed hearing the author’s thoughts on how the series has developed, and I can’t wait to read The Carrie Diaries.

3. Twitter spawns a book! Sometimes I’m truly amazed at the power of Twitter. Those of you who tweet have probably heard of the now famous Sh*t my dad says twitter feed which now has more than 1.3 million followers, has spawned a television pilot for CBS (starring William Shatner), and now the Sh*t My Dad Says book is also available! I had no idea this was even in the making and it’s already on the shelves. And if the reviews are to be believed, it’s hilarious!

What do you think fellow book lovers? Are you Plum fans longing for the first Diesel book from Janet Evanovich? Have you, or will you read The Carrie Diaries? And I must know if anyone is going to check out Sh*t My Dad Says??

Plum Spooky
by Janet Evanovich

Plum Spooky is one of the Between-the-Numbers Novels in the Stephanie Plum series, and falls in between books 14 and 15 in the series. I have to admit that while I generally prefer the regular books in the series to the Between the Numbers novels, that was not the case with Plum Spooky. I absolutely loved this book!

Like all the Stephanie Plum adventures, Plum Spooky is filled with hilarious antics, I laughed SO much that I couldn’t help but love it. Many of the laughs came from a new “character” – Carl the monkey (who you may remember from the most recent QotW). Lula is especially funny as she battles what she believes to be a cold, and we get to meet Morelli’s brother who manages to supply plenty of laughs as well. Diesel is incredibly charming, and of course we have a few visits with Steph’s smokin’ hot crime-fighting men – Morelli and Ranger. And as always, there’s lots of action, even more explosions than we’ve come to expect, and of course a few vehicles that don’t survive to see the end of the story.

Here’s one of my favorite exchanges in the book (page 203):

“How’s it going?” Morelli wanted to know.

“It’s average. Stole a truck. Blew up a house. Brought seven monkeys home with me. And now I have a naked man in my shower.”

“Yeah, same ol’, same ol’,” Morelli said.

See? Funny stuff.

I’d imagine you can probably skip all the Between the Numbers books and still be able to follow along with the series, but there are some character developments in Plum Spooky that will affect the other books.

Plum Spooky is a fairly short book and with all the laughs and action, I didn’t want to put it down. Not quite so spooky as I was hoping, but all the laughs more than make up for that. The only bad part of the book is that Carl’s owner comes to pick him up at the end, so I’m assuming we won’t get to see much more of him. Bummer.

I highly recommend Plum Spooky to all Stephanie Plum and Janet Evanovich fans, and I even believe it’s an enjoyable enough read that those who don’t follow the series would still find it entertaining.

I told you this would be a question we’d come back to from time to time! I also love hearing about what YOU guys are reading right, just as much as I like chatting about what I’m reading.

So please join us in the comments below and tell us all about the book you’re reading right now!

I’m currently reading Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich. It’s one of the Stephanie Plum Between the Numbers novels, and boy is it funny! I’m only a little ways into the book right now, so I can’t comment much on plot or anything, but what I did want to mention is the addition of a new “character’.

I had read about Carl on Janet’s website and was actually quite worried… “A monkey? Seriously? Could this be the proverbial Shark Jump for the Plum series? Because a monkey sounds annoying.” Well, I’m happy to report that I was SO very wrong! Carl is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters! I have laughed out loud at this monkey so many times now. Again, it’s still early in the book, so perhaps this opinion could change, but as of now I am now on Team Carl!

Do we have any Plum fans out there who have already met Carl? What’s your opinion?

And of course, make sure to tell us What are you reading right now?