My Top Ten Books of 2012

The end of 2012 is just around the corner, and with that comes a bunch of "Best" list. I offer my own best list today. The top ten books I read in 2012.

These are in no particular order, because asking me to select my favourite from this list would really be torture. It was hard enough to keep this list to ten choices.

1. The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Steamy, sexy, and filled with Noah Shaw deliciousness. A creepy and brilliant look at a potential descent into madness. Wonderfully written with humour, scares, and STEAMY romance. 

My love affair with this series is well known. I adore Mara, Noah, and of course, the amazing Michelle for writing them.

2. Just One Day by Gayle Forman

 Yes I am teasing, but Oh My Swoon! Willem and Allyson's story had me feeling every emotion, and left me aching for more. This is easily 2013's MUST READ and more than meets expectations.

The beautiful writing, the connection I felt to Allyson, and the utter romance of this fantastic contemporary left me wanting to read Just One Year...immediately.

3. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

One of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. It made my heart hurt, and yet was filled with so much wonder. 

Getting to know the girl with the crow feather and her Peter was one of the highlights of my reading year, made all the more poignant because my love for this novel caught me by surprise. 

4. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

If I were to choose one word to describe Gone Girl that word would be twisted. Stunning reveals, an inciting game, and an uncomfortable look at falling out of love (just in the most extremely twisted way).  

Flawed characters that seem disturbingly real, and writing that makes you fly through the pages faster that you are capable of turning them. This one will keep you up late into the night, and leave you gasping at it's sad, yet unavoidable, ending.  

5.  Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

A darkly decadent read where even the air you breath can kill you. Swoon worthy guys, a flawed heroine, and the seductive Debauchery Club are all stand outs in this amazingly written novel.

The dual notion of glitz and glamour back dropped against a stark decimated city make for a compelling dynamic. I fell for this one in chapter one, and couldn't stop reading.

6. Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Tudor court glamour meets high school mean girls in this engrossing historical novel. Catherine Howard paid the ultimate price for her youthful mistakes. This portrayal paints her in a much different, and more realistic feeling light. This novel feels relevant because it shows friendships, and their complexity haven't changed over the years.

7 The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Magic meets realism in this heart grabbing novel. Blue, and her Raven Boys will work their way into your heart until you care deeply about each of them.

Maggie's writing is fantastic, but her characters draw you in and that is why it's on my list. 

8 Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Another must read when it comes out. I adored Cinder, but Scarlet surpassed all my expectations. Ruggedly swoon worthy Wolf grabbed my attention immediately, and  I adored the feisty Scarlet. The mixing of Cinder's story with Scarlet's journey is done flawlessly, and the fairytale elements I loved in Cinder are just as present in Scarlet. 

9 Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

One of the best witch stories I've ever read. A mixture of romance, suspense, and a hint of the magical storm to come leaves you under this novel's spell.

The writing flows quickly, and the characters are captivating. The witchcraft mythology that is being built has be eager to learn more. With all of this going for it, it's the bond between the sister's that shines the most. A story of sisterly love, sacrifice, jealously, and perhaps betrayal. 

10 The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

This novel left me a crying mess on my couch by the end. I believe that this will make many lists this year, and it really is one of the best of the year.

Hazel and Augustus' story stays with you long after you've finished. With humour, heart, and tears it's an emotional reminder to love as deeply as possible, and to live each second to the fullest

I do have a few others that I REALLY enjoyed this year as well, and this list was seriously torture to whittle down, but those are the ones that I think impacted me the most. What novels made your Best List this year? Let me know in the comments.

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

Another small week but an awesome one. I received a book that I won during a contest held on Twitter.

Gilt by Katherine Longshore (goodreads)

Katherine was very sweet and signed this (and wrote a little note). The other inclusion was a Gilt postcard. I love this book, and if you haven't read it yet, do so immediately.

If you are curious about my Book Expo experience, or the books I brought home with me from the event you can take a look at my recaps

Day One
Day Two
Day Three

Excited to see what everyone else added to their book shelves this week. Leave me a comment so I can check it out!

Happy Sunday and Happy Reading!

Author Interview - Katherine Longshore

Today the lovely Katherine Longshore stops by for an interview. We're talking Tudor Court, history and research. Gilt is in stores TODAY so grab a copy. If you are interested in winning your chance to read it the Tudor Tuesday blog tour wraps up today and has 3 chances to win. Details can be found in the contest post.

1 Describe Gilt in three words

friendship passion betrayal

2 Describe your novel's Catherine Howard in three words

charismatic manipulative duplicitous

3 What drew you to write about Tudor England? And what especially drew you to Catherine Howard?

I kind of fell into Tudor England, really. My first love was late Medieval history, and Richard III in particular. I suppose I have a bit of a soft spot for the bad boys, because Henry VIII seemed to follow naturally. And when I realized I was kind of destined to write for teens, Catherine seemed an obvious choice, as she was a teenager when she became queen.

4 What sort of research did you do? Did you visit any sites in England?

I read a lot of books. I found transcripts of original documents online. And yes, my favorite part of research is to visit the places where my characters lived. And died. Hampton Court Palace is still as majestic as I’m sure it was in the middle of the 16th century. The Tower of London is just as formidable. And though some places no longer stand – even in ruins – I can learn a lot just by being able to view the world from their location.

5 During your research did you learn anything that surprised you?

It surprised me that so many historians perpetuate the assumption that Catherine Howard was birdbrained and frivolous. Yes, she made an egregious error. But who among us didn’t at some point – especially when young – do something stupid? Does that mean we are stupid? Not at all. So why should we assume Cat was?

6 If you were alive during Tudor times would you have wanted to be at Court?

Honestly? I don’t think so. My natural expectation is that people are basically good, kind and honest. And I think the Tudor court bred that out of people. As Cat says in Gilt, “The English court is beautiful and cutthroat, and anyone going there has to be both. Or at least act as if she is.” Though I would like to see it – the gowns and jewels, the tapestries on the walls, the musicians, the incredible, elaborate foods. And then, I’d probably like to go home to my own quiet space.

7 What was the easiest part of this novel to write? The hardest?

I think they’re one and the same. Stephen King coined the phrase “killing your darlings”, meaning, as a writer, having to excise some of the parts of your novel that you love the most, because they don’t work in the story structure. But it can also apply to characters. I can picture the Tower of London, the scaffold, the scant and miserable crowd at Catherine’s execution. The vision makes the words come easily. But it was difficult, emotionally, to write it.

8 Who is the first person that gets to read your writing?

My sister, Martha Longshore. She is the first writer in our family, and has an uncanny eye for whether writing works. She recently read the rough draft of Book 2 in the Royal Circle series, and when she told me she finished it in two days, I was blown away.

9 What is the last book you read that you would recommend to others?

This book won’t be coming out for a few months yet, but I’d certainly recommend that people keep an eye out for SKINNY by Donna Cooner. It is so relatable, so heartfelt, so beautifully unnerving. A must-read.

10 If you could go back in time to any time period and any place, where and when would you travel to?

I’d love to travel to the Field of Cloth of Gold. From June 7 to 24, 1520, Henry VIII met Francis I, King of France, in a field near Calais, which was part of England at the time. They built tents to look like chateaux. They covered everything in the titular cloth, and all of it gleamed in the sunlight. They had games and feasts and signed a peace treaty that was supposed to last for years (but didn’t). This is what the pageantry of the Renaissance was all about, and it would have been amazing to be a part of it.

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I want to thank Katherine for stopping by!

I have a mini contest going on. I have some amazing signed bookmarks and feel like giving some away. I am going to be giving 5 in total. To win, simply comment below with the name of your favourite of King Henry's Queens and a way to contact you (Twitter handle, etc).

Also don't forget to enter the Tudor Tuesday contest to win a copy of Gilt!

Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Gilt by Katherine Longshore
Release Date –  May 15, 2012
Publisher Website –  Penguin/Viking Juvenile
Publisher Social Media -  Twitter
Pages -  398 pages
My Rating- 5/5
**obtained from the publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

When Kitty Tylney's best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII's heart and brings Kitty to court, she's thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat's shadow, Kitty's now caught between two men--the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat's meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.

Historical Fiction has that unique aspect that most people know how the story going to end when they pick up the novel. This is even more true when reading about a historical figure, rather than just having a novel set in a particular time era. What takes a good historical fiction to a great one is the journey. It's in the process and how the author gets you to that ending. Gilt shines here. Katherine Longshore strength is the journey, taking us up to the moment we know is coming.

Catherine Howard (Cat) brought to life under Katherine Longshore’s skillful writing is exactly what I imagined her to be. History paints her as a silly, frivolous girl who was not the brightest. I see her as a young lady who made mistakes. Mistakes are part of what it means to grow up, and learn. Sadly, Catherine Howard paid the ultimate price for her mistakes. She was also much more aware and intelligent than given credit for. She became Queen. Not an easy task, and she managed it. Was Catherine fun loving, manipulative, and cunning? Absolutely. They are not crimes worthy of what happened to her.

Katherine Tylney (Kitty) is a true friend. She is someone that is supportive and understanding, even when it is undeserved. She is someone I really liked as she sticks to what she believes in.  She is loyal almost to a fault. Her connection to and willingness to do anything for Cat means their fates are intertwined and as Cat’s fortunes change, Kitty’s change as well.

The romance in the novel is almost secondary to the friendship. I did love William and his connection with Kitty. I liked that it was not overwhelming to the story, but still provided some steamy scenes. The ending is one that is honest and genuine to the story being told.

The theme of friendship and what it means is one that anyone can relate to. We have all had friendships that are pretty one sided when you look back on them. While Cat took and manipulated there are moments that shine through when you can see the genuine friendship there.

The duality of the danger in Henry’s court and the grandeur was portrayed wonderfully. We have a King that is quick tempered, makes snap decisions and changes his mind frequently. It is a little like walking on glass being part of his Court and yet the riches, wealth and splendor also exists.

The saddest part of Catherine Howard’s story is her youth and vivacious personality being silenced too soon. Katherine Longshore handles that final scene in a way that is touching, poignant and provides a different perspective in having it be from Kitty’s view point. You get to see it through someone who would be mourning her loss.

You’ll be holding your breath waiting to see what awaits Kitty and will hope she manages to escape with her head. Intrigue, secrets, romance, and a friendship that will resonate with everyone made Gilt a read that I couldn’t put down.  I am eagerly awaiting the second book in the Royal Circle series.

Tudor Tuesday! Gilt Teaser, Giveaway and Queen Anne Boleyn

Welcome to stop number two on the Tudor Tuesdays Gilt blog tour!

My queen, Anne Boleyn, is probably the most well known of Henry's wives. Her fate, and the impact of the marriage is a huge part of history. I am going to shed a bit of light of on Anne's story, her marriage to Henry and, of course, the events leading up to her unfortunate and tragic end.

Anne was brought into the Court of King Henry by her family. Her father Thomas Boleyn was influential at court. Anne's sister, Mary, is believed to have been one of Henry's mistresses prior to his persuing Anne.

Henry obviously fell in love with the vivacious Anne and was willing to do anything to be with her. He was married to Catherine of Aragon at the time. Anne refused to be just another of Henry's mistresses and insisted that if he wanted her that it be legitimate and that he marry her. She wanted to provide him with the heir that Henry so badly wanted.

Henry became consumed with finding a way out of his marriage to Catherine. He petitioned Pope Clement VII to annul the marrige, which was declined. The only way out of the situation was for him to take matters into his own hands. He declared himself head of the English church so that he was able to grant his own divorce. This was monumential as the Church of England was now serperated from Rome and under the King's control.

There were many who did not support the King's new marriage. Many of them specfically did not support Anne as Queen. She was not favoured by anyone still loyal to the beloved Queen Catherine whom they felt was the King's rightful and true wife. There were others who wished to see a woman from their own family wearing the crown. It made Anne's position precarious and a situation that was ripe for rumours, and scandal.

Anne's time was Queen was short, lasting just 3 years. Henry's desire to have a legitimate heir to the throne was growing. Anne was feeling the pressure and strain. She suffered miscarriages and and struggled to become pregnant after having their first (and only) child - a girl named Elizabeth. Elizabeth would go on to become one of the greatest monarchs in history.

The King, having grown increasingly desperate for a heir after having an accident that caused him to face his own mortality started to grow even more distant from Anne. The death of Henry's first wife left Anne desperate to provide a son. Henry would be free to marry again now that Catherine had passed away, and with nobody challenging the legitimacy of the marrige.  Anne suffered another miscarriage from the stress of Henry's accident, and with this her fate was sealed.

During this time plans were set in motion that would change everything - Anne was accused of "tricking" the King into marriage by witchcraft and committing adultery with Francis Weston, George Boleyn, Mark Smeaton, William Brereton, and Henry Norris. These young men ended up being executed for their perceived crimes against the King. It is thought that the charges against Anne were completely untrue, and that it was a means to rid Henry of a wife he no longer really wanted. A new girl had caught his eye - Jane Seymour. It is uncertain who started the allegations against Anne. Master Secretary Thomas Cromwell is thought to be involved, and he was asked by the King to invested Anne and the charges against her.

Mark Smeaton confessed after being tortured to being one of Anne's lovers. This sealed the fate of himself, Anne, and the other young men. Anne's fate was discussed by means of a trail that took place May 15 1536. She was found to be guilty of treason by means of adultery and plotting to kill the King with her "lovers".

Anne's sentence was carried out May 19, 1536. Henry extended the "courtesy" of having a French swordsman perform the execution. Anne was poised and acted like a Queen until the very end offering this speech before accepting her fate:

Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul.

Henry married his next wife Jane Seymour shortly after Anne's death. They married May 30.1536. You will find out more about Jane at the next stop - Rebecca @ Reading Wishes next Tuesday.

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Your GILT teaser at this stop features King Henry and is from one of my favourite scenes in the novel.

A servant thrust the box into my hands and I opened it slowly. Lying on a scrap of blue velvet was a chain of gold from which hung a single pendant of startling emerald.
“It’s beautiful,” I said.
“Come here, Kitty,” the king said, and I knelt before him.
“You are my wife’s closest friend,” he whispered. “She told me this when you arrived at court. I have never forgotten.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I breathed.
“Remain a friend to her, Kitty,” the king finished. “She has many enemies at court.”
He no longer looked delighted, just old. Haggard.
“I will, your Majesty,” I said. Knowing, as I said it, it would mean betraying him.

Make sure to get your word for the scavenger hunt (featured in YELLOW) to enter to win one of 3 GILT prize packs. 3 people will receive a finished copy of the book, and some GILT bookmarks.

To enter fill in the Rafflecopter below (US ONLY) once you have the words to complete this sentence

In the ____ of King ____ VIII, who you ____ can get you in, but ___ you ____ can get you ______

Tudor Tuesday Event Annoucement

You may have noticed I've been teasing events on the blog and on my Twitter account. I am extremely happy to finally announce Tudor Tuesdays.

This event will lead up to the release of Katherine Longshore's amazing debut novel GILT. We will have giveaways, and fun posts planned each Tuesday starting April 10th.

Each blog will play host to one of King Henry's Queens. You'll get to know a little about them, and get to read an advance teaser from GILT as well!

The blog schedule is as follows

April 10 - Nicole @ Nicole About Town
April 17 - Kathy @ A Glass of Wine
April 24 - Rebecca @ Reading Wishes
May 1 - Harmony @ Radiant Reads
May 8 - Christy @ The Reader Bee
May 15 - Angel @ Mermaid Vision Books
May 22 - Wrap Up on Katherine Longshore's Blog

I hope you're just as excited as we for this awesome event. Stay tuned for more details!

Spring Release Advance Buzz!

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and flowers will soon be in bloom. I love nothing more than preparing for the summer and reading indoors on the rainy spring days.

This spring there are some amazing titles to assist you with those rainy afternoons, or maybe those days at the beach if you read them later this summer!

I have read a couple of books that really impressed me so I am going to highlight them here (because you know I haven't told everyone to read them already).

Here are my Buzz Worthy selections for the Spring/Summer 2012 season -

1. Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

What’s it about?

A plague, a crumbling society, a debauchery club, a girl looking to forget, some seriously hot guys, and it's all based on the tale by Edgar Allen Poe.

Why I found it Buzz Worthy

The writing is amazing. Bethany is insanely talented. Her story pulled me in immediately. The world she has created, the characters, and feeling you are left with all add up to a book you'll be dying to get your hands on.

It also doesn't hurt that I adored Will. He's my current book boyfriend. LOVE him!

Release date April 24, 2011

2. Gilt by Katherine Longshore

What’s it about?

This novel is filled with Tudor court intrigue. You may know how Catherine Howard's story ends, but this novel provides a unique point of view - her friend Kitty Tylney. It deals with friendship, loyalty, trust, and betrayal.

Why I found it Buzz Worthy

As someone with a huge interest in Tudor history, especially King Henry and his wives, I was drawn into the story right away. It's all in the way Katherine Longshore gets you to that inevitable ending Catherine Howard meets and she does it brilliantly. The novel focuses a lot on friendship and will be intriguing for anyone regardless of historical element.

Release date May 15, 2012

Two titles that I think worthy of adding to your reading list. I also happen to have special events coming up for both of these titles closer to the release date!

In My Mailbox!

This is a weekly meme hosted by the awesome Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives us a chance to showcase the books we got during the week.

I had an amazing book week this week.

First I have a Netgalley book to show

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter (goodreads)

I LOVED The Goddess Test and am so excited to start this one. Thank you Harlequin Teen and Netgalley.

In the mail I received quite a few goodies this week.

Mercy by Rebecca Lim (goodreads)
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (goodreads)
Who is Mara Dyer t-shirt
Gilt Door Hangers

Huge thank you to Harper Collins Canada, Penguin Canada, Katherine Longshore and Michelle Hodkin for the lovely goodies.

I had won the Mara Dyer t-shirt in contest held during a chat Michelle did and was thrilled to get it. Can not wait to wear it at BEA!

Happy reading everyone!

In My Mailbox

This is a weekly meme hosted by the awesome Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives us a chance to showcase the books we got during the week.

I had a pretty awesome book week. I have quite a few new additions to my bookshelf!



Gilt by Katherine Longshore (goodreads)

A HUGE thank you to Penguin Group Canada for this! The cover is even more striking "in real life". I am dying to jump right into it but I want it to count towards my Debut Author Challenge, so I shall wait until Jan...maybe. Hopefully I can resist temptation.

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead (goodreads)
Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday (goodreads)

These were holds I had placed at the library that came in. I have already read Deadly Cool and it's so much fun. A cute murder mystery! I can't wait to review it.

As for Last Sacrifice.... I have come to the end of the Vampire Academy novels. I am a little sad to be saying goodbye to Rose, Dimitri, and the rest. I hope to be reading this soon.

What books did you get this week? Leave me a comment and I will check it out.

Happy reading everyone!

Things I am Obsessed With....This Week Anyways

I decided to do a new weekly blog post. The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact I will be doing it myself every Saturday (yes, I am aware it's Sunday today).

So this week my obsessions are:

BOOKS

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

I just finished this book the other day. I LOVE both the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series and this book is Cassandra Clare's best one yet. I am so excited to talk about it when it's released!

The cover of Gilt by Katherine Longshore



Um, do you see the gorgeousness??! Seriously. Swoon. It's stunning. The synopsis takes my breath away too! I have been obsessed. So obsessed that it will become my icon sometime next week. See my WoW post for this week for more.

The UK cover of Until I Die by Amy Plum



The Die For Me cover was so pretty. This is even more stunning. I am hoping the North American cover is just as stunning and can't wait to see it.

TV

Jeremy and Anna from The Vampire Diaries


One of my favourite, if not my favourite, couples on Vampire Diaries. Anna got to visit Jeremy in this week's episode even though she died last season, and I got a little emotional. Ok, so maybe a lot emotional. They are adorable together, and I am so sad we can't keep Anna forever. Steven R McQueen and Malese Jow have amazing chemistry.


MOVIES

Character Posters for The Hunger Games movie



I am sure everyone has seen them. They are awesome. They give me hope that our beloved story will come alive on the big screen in a way that makes us happy. PEETA!! <3 The trailer for My Week With Marilyn



Michelle Williams has already given me goosebumps in this brief glimpse. Taking on an icon like Marilyn Monroe would not be easy, and Michelle totally nails it (at least in the trailer). So excited to see this one.

OTHER

Vacation

I am off for the next week from work and have been looking forward to it all week. I am going to Toronto on Nov 1 and will be there for a couple days. My friend Maria and I are going to relax, and maybe have dinner at Moroco Chocolat.

Waiting on Wednesday... Gilt by Katherine Longshore

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pick this week is Gilt by Katherine Longshore.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

In the Tudor age, ambition, power and charismatic allure are essential and Catherine Howard has plenty of all three. Not to mention her loyal best friend, Kitty Tylney, to help cover her tracks. Kitty, the abandoned youngest daughter of minor aristocracy, owes everything to Cat – where she is, what she is, even who she is. Friend, flirt, and self-proclaimed Queen of Misrule, Cat reigns supreme in a loyal court of girls under the none-too-watchful eye of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.

When Cat worms her way into the heart of Henry VIII and becomes Queen of England, Kitty is thrown into the intoxicating Tudor Court. It’s a world of glittering jewels and elegant costumes, of gossip and deception. As the Queen’s right-hand-woman, Kitty goes from the girl nobody noticed to being caught between two men – the object of her affection and the object of her desire.

But the atmosphere of the court turns from dazzling to deadly, and Kitty is forced to learn the difference between trust and loyalty, love and lust, secrets and treason. And to accept the consequences when some lessons are learned too late

I am a sucker for anything having to do with the Tudor era, and am especially facinated by Henry and his wives. Anne Boleyn is my favourite, but Catherine Howard is intriguing as well. This sounds AMAZING. I am dying to read it. Also, that cover...swoon. It's gorgeous.

Expected release date - May 15, 2012