Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Reads of 2013 So Far

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a different theme & you can find all the details about how to join in HERE.

This is the first time I'm taking part in the feature, it's one I've been seeing around the blogosphere for a long time now so I'm excited to finally join in! Today's topic is actually a freebie which means you can pick any theme you like. I've decided to go with my top reads of 2013 so far (this is actually a topic that everyone will be doing in a couple of weeks but I have a blog tour that day so won't be able to take part & thought I'd do it now instead). I'm finding it impossible to narrow it down to just 10 books so I decided I'd split this into 3 categories - YA, NA and adult - and I'm going to choose my favourite 5 books from each age range.

My Top 5 Young Adult reads of 2013 so far:

Infinite Sky by C.J. Flood (read my review here)

With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent (read my review here)

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (read my review here)

Boundless by Cynthia Hand (read my review here)

Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder (read my review here)

My Top 5 New Adult reads of 2013 so far:

While it Lasts by Abbi Glines (read my review here)

Losing It by Cora Carmack (read my review here)

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover (read my review here)

Wait for you by J Lynn (read my review here)

The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen (read my review here)

My Top 5 Adult reads of 2013 so far:

Down London Road by Samantha Young (read my review here)

Night Blade by J.C. Daniels (read my review here)

Beyond Control by Kit Rocha (read my review here)

Edge of Dawn by Lara Adrian (read my review here)

Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox (read my review here)

What are your favourite books of the year so far? Do you agree with any of my choices? What topic have you chosen for this weeks Top Ten Tuesday? Leave me a link in the comments & I'll come and visit your post :o)

Review: Boundless - Cynthia Hand

The past few years held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner ever could have anticipated. Yet through the dizzying high of first love to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she could no longer deny was that she was never meant to have a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seemed like the best option, so she's headed back to California—and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he's not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won't come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must choose her fate once and for all.

Unearthly Series:
Unearthly
Hallowed
Radiant (Novella)
Boundless (This has been released in the US but there is currently no UK release date)

Visit Cynthia Hand's website for more information

Review:
I really enjoyed Unearthly and Hallowed and it feels like I've been waiting forever to get my hands on Boundless so I was horrified when I found out that it wasn't being published in the UK. Thankfully a very good friend send me the US version so although I'm very disappointed that the books won't match sitting on my shelves I'm very grateful that I got to find out how the trilogy ends. I want to say to anyone who is put off by the cost of buying the US hardback just go for it - if you enjoyed the first 2 books you're going to love this one. I really did think it was the best instalment of the series and I'm so happy with how Cynthia Hand tied everything together.

It is so hard to review this book because I don't want to give any spoilers regarding the outcome. Anyone who has read my reviews for the first 2 books will know that I was crazy about Tucker from the very beginning but Christian had really started to grow on me in the 2nd book and I was dying to know who Clara would eventually pick. I'm not going to give you the answer to that question though so you'll have to read the book to find out. What I will say is that I went into this book hoping for one thing and then as I was reading my mind changed back and forth between the two boys so many times that I ended up completely unsure which choice Clara should make. I got to the point where I could see the logic behind either choice and I was torn over whether she should go with her head or her heart. The only other thing I can say is that I think when it came down to it Clara made the only decision she could have and things ended the way they were meant to.

When it comes to the story line I have to admit that I was a little frustrated at times because we didn't see as much of Tucker as I wanted to but then the moments where he was on the page were just so perfect that I can't complain too much. I already said I grew to really like Christian in the second book but I think I grew to respect him even more in this one for the way he stood by Clara no matter what. Clara is such a fantastic character and one I've been happy to route for since the beginning, she has had to cope with a lot throughout the series but she tries so hard to do what is right and what is best for those around her. She is the kind of person who is willing to go out on a limb for those she cares about, her protective instincts are great and even when a decision hurts her she will stick to it if it means keeping someone else safe. I do think I might have missed out by not reading the Radiant novella before starting Boundless though. I'm pretty sure that would have given me a lot more background information about Angela's story and I'm kind of kicking myself for not reading it first but overall I didn't have any problems following the events in Boundless because I hadn't read it. Things that happened with Angela really shocked me but I may have been less surprised if I'd read Radiant first. I had been really worried about Jeffrey after the events in Hallowed so it was good to see how he was getting on and watch him start to rebuild his relationship with Clara.

I really don't want to say more about what happens in the book because I think you should know as little as possible before reading it to get the full enjoyment out of every single revelation. I'm just going to leave it by saying that Boundless is a fabulous end to the series that was full of action, drama, betrayal, love, hope and laughter. It's an emotional roller coaster that made me cry my eyes out while I was reading but left me with a huge smile on my face by the time I reached the end. One thing I would beg Cynthia Hand for would be a book (or even a novella) about the guy that Clara didn't choose, I really would love to see him get his own happy ending. If you're a fan of this series then Boundless is a must read book and I think no matter which team you were on you'll reach the end knowing that Clara made the right choice.

Source: Gift from a friend

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Hardback:

Book Trailer: Boundless by Cynthia Hand

I'm a massive fan of Cynthia Hand's Unearthly series so it should be no surprise that I'm desperate to get my hands on the third and final book Boundless. Boundless releases in hardback in the US next week but I can't find any information with the UK publication date yet, I'm really hoping we're not going to be made to wait too long though because I'm dying to find out how things end between Clara,Tucker and Christian!

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

Unearthly Series:
Unearthly
Hallowed
Boundless (UK release date to be confirmed)

Visit Cynthia Hand's website for more information



Who else is as desperate to read this book as I am? What do you think of the trailer? Are you holding out for the UK paperback or are you going to cave in and order the US hardback?

Review: Hallowed - Cynthia Hand

In the dream, there's sorrow.  I feel it over everything else, a terrible grief that chokes me, blurs my sight, weighs down my feet. I walk through pine trees up a gentle slope. It's not the hillside from my vision, not the forest fire, not anyplace I've seen before. This is something new.

Part-angel Clara is still reeling from the choice she was forced to make amidst the vicious forest fire of her nightmares. Now, torn between her love for Tucker and a destiny that will separate them, Clara is faced with another shocking revelation: someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows is that the fire was just the beginning.

Unearthly Series:
Unearthly
Hallowed
Radiant (Novella)

Boundless (This has already been released in the US but there is currently no UK release date)


Visit Cynthia Hand's website for more information

Review:
I really loved Unearthly when I read it last year so I couldn't wait to get my hands on Hallowed and I think I actually enjoyed the sequel even more! Clara's whole family are having to deal with the fallout from events at the end of the first book. Having chosen Tucker over Christian Clara is waiting to find out what will happen now that she has failed her purpose. Will she be given a second chance or will she be punished for failing? She is also facing the horrific fact that someone she loves is going to die and there is nothing that she can do to save them so her emotions are all over the place.

Hallowed takes you on a real emotional roller coaster and at times was a gut wrenching read - I have to admit to shedding more than a few tears when I was reading it which just goes to show how completely Cynthia Hand had sucked me into her story. I enjoyed learning more about the angel-bloods and there were a few fab twists thrown in that I would never have spotted coming. The story is more character driven than action packed but that didn't stop it from being an addictive read that I didn't want to put down for a minute. I've come to care so much for these characters and feel invested in their lives.

I'm not usually a big fan of love triangles and in the first book I didn't like Christian at all so was a firm member of Team Tucker. I'll confess that Christian really grew on me in this book though, as a fellow angel-blood he understands Clara in a way that Tucker will never be able to and I really liked the way he was constantly there for her throughout this book. She really needed his support and I was pleased he was there to give it to her. However, I'm still the biggest Tucker fan - I love the fact that he is so normal and come on girls don't we all love a swoon worthy cowboy? It isn't easy for him to cope with Clara's angel-blood status and the fact that will have a big impact on both their lives. In a way it would probably be easier for Clara and Christian to be together but I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that Tucker wins the girl at the end of the series. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens in the next instalment to know for sure.

There seem to be a lot of YA angel books around at the moment but this series is up there with the best of them. Cynthia Hand has a beautiful and captivating writing style and I can't recommend both Unearthly and Hallowed highly enough. I'll be the first in the queue when the next book comes out and can't wait to spend more time with Clara and her family. If you're a fan of Unearthly then you'll love Hallowed even more and if you haven't started this series yet what are you waiting for?

Source: Received from Egmont in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Book Trailers: Hallowed (& Unearthly) - Cynthia Hand

I am absolutely loving Cynthia Hand's Unearthly trilogy, I'll be posting my review of the second book Hallowed later on today but in the meantime I thought I'd share the UK trailer here with you.



In case the trailer has caught your eye here is a bit more information about the book for you:

In the dream, there's sorrow.  I feel it over everything else, a terrible grief that chokes me, blurs my sight, weighs down my feet.  I walk through pine trees up a gentle slope.  It's not the hillside from my vision, not the forest fire, not anyplace I've seen before.  This is something new.

Part-angel Clara is still reeling from the choice she was forced to make amidst the vicious forest fire of her nightmares.  Now, torn between her love for Tucker and a destiny that will separate them, Clara is faced with another shocking revelation: someone she loves will die in a matter of months.  With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows is that the fire was just the beginning.

Unearthly Series:
Unearthly
Hallowed
There is currently no title available for the 3rd book in the series

Visit Cynthia Hand's website for more information

Just in case you haven't read the first book Unearthly I thought I'd include the trailer for that one too (I couldn't find a UK trailer for this one so this is the US trailer). This really is a series you don't want to miss! (Read my review of Unearthly here).



Here is the cover image and blurb for Unearthly:

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees.  I take a step toward him, open my mouth to call his name, only I don't know it.  Then he starts to turn.  That's when the vision leaves me.  I blink, and it's gone.

Clara is part-angel.  Through terrifying visions of a forest fire she is shown her purpose: to save a beautiful, unknown boy.  When she finds Christian, the boy from her visions, he's everything she could wish for.  But Clara discovers there's a darker side to her purpose.  And if Christian is so perfect, why does she have feelings for someone else?

A mesmerising story of destiny, supernatural powers, forbidden romance and an impossible choice.

So who else loves this series as much as I do?  Anyone else on Team Tuck?  Sammee (from I Want To Read That) and I still need to start our campaign for more hot cowboys in YA lol.  Don't forget to check back later today to read my review of Hallowed!

Review: Unearthly - Cynthia Hand

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees.  I take a step toward him, open my mouth to call his name, only I don't know it.  Then he starts to turn.  That's when the vision leaves me.  I blink, and it's gone.

Clara is part-angel.  Through terrifying visions of a forest fire she is shown her purpose: to save a beautiful, unknown boy.  When she finds Christian, the boy from her visions, he's everything she could wish for.  But Clara discovers there's a darker side to her purpose.  And if Christian is so perfect, why does she have feelings for someone else?

A mesmerising story of destiny, supernatural powers, forbidden romance and an impossible choice.

Unearthly Series:
Unearthly
Hallowed
Radiant (Novella)
Boundless (This has already been released in the US but there is currently no UK release date)

Visit Cynthia Hand's website for more information

Review:
I'm not always the biggest fan of books about angels so although I'd heard good things about Unearthly I have to admit I was wary about reading it.  I was pleasantly surprised though and have to say that this is definitely one of the better angel stories that I've read.  Cynthia Hand has come up with a mythology that is different from any other that I've read and I'm really interested in finding out more as the series progresses.

Clara has known for several years that she is part angel but she has only just started having visions about her purpose.  At the beginning of the book Clara's family have to move from California to Jackson Hole to be near the location seen in Clara's visions.  Her purpose is only revealed in small glimpses though and Clara must try to figure out exactly what it is that she is supposed to do.  At her new school she recognises Christian as the boy from her visions and is immediately drawn to him knowing that their futures will collide.  But if she is meant to be with Christian why does she find herself being attracted to Tucker?  How can she choose one over the other and can she succeed in her purpose?

Clara was a likable character and I really enjoyed the family dynamics with her, her mother and her brother Jeffrey.  It was nice to read a story where the whole family are aware of, and involved in, the supernatural world.  Clara's mother has been open with both of her children about the fact that they are part angels but she wasn't as forthcoming with information about their purpose or the rules they must live by.  I found myself getting irritated with the way she kept so many secrets but you eventually see that she is trying to protect them both.  Things could have been much easier if she had been more honest though!

I have to admit that I wasn't that invested in the love triangle.  There was only one possible outcome from the very beginning as far as I was concerned.  I was annoyed with Clara that she convinced herself that she was meant to be with Christian just because he was the boy in her vision.  There was nothing about Christian that made him stand out as a character to swoon over.  I was much more interested in Tucker the gorgeous cowboy (I've said before that we need more hot cowboys in YA & am glad I've found another one!).  We get to see a lot more of Tucker and he is sweet, caring and oh so swoon worthy!  What I liked most was the way Clara and Tucker slowly get to know each other becoming friends first and then gradually moving on to something more, it makes a refreshing change from the usual instant love you often find in paranormal stories.

Unearthly is a beautifully written debut, the story starts slowly but builds to an action packed finale that leaves you desperate to get your hands on the next installment.  Cynthia Hand is definitely an author to watch out for and I can't wait to pick up Hallowed when it comes out next year.

Source: I was given this book by Kirsty from The Overflowing Library.

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.