Hi everyone! It’s Lacey 🙂 This is a list of most of my all-time favorite reads of 2012! I have SO many to list, so I’m not sure I’ll get them all. 2012 was the best year of book discoveries for me, because that was when I found some of my top favorite books of all time, and became ridiculously obsessed with books (well, more than I already was ;)). So here are my favorites of 2012! (All links go to Goodreads.)

TOP TEN FAVORITES

1. Slammed (Slammed #1), Point of Retreat (#2) by Colleen Hoover

Of course I had to put Colleen Hoover as my number one! I read these two books in late 2012, both in ONE DAY, and all I can say is, why didn’t I read them sooner?? Honestly, this series is one of my favorites of all time. It changed the way I read, because now, all I want to read are books that can pull at my heart so thoroughly, and leave me begging for more. Must, must read books! Layken and Will are the best characters ever, and you will fall in love with them and their story.

“So you keep your ocean, I’ll take the Lake.”

2. Hopeless (Hopeless #1) by Colleen Hoover

Um, yeah, another Colleen Hoover book. I read Hopeless a month after Slammed and Point of Retreat, and it only solidified my love for Colleen. This was such a heartfelt book. I wanted to laugh and cry and jump up and down and scream my butt off, because this book just brings out ALL your emotions. I couldn’t get enough of Sky and Holder, who is probably my favorite couple of all time. I fell so hard for Holder, who has such way with words. The story is heartbreaking and captivating, so be sure to read this if you haven’t!

“Fuck all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers.”

3. Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1) by Jamie McGuire

The book that started it all. Beautiful Disaster started my love for super angsty romance books, and I’ve never looked back since. I fell in love with Travis, who rivals my affection for Holder, and I was hooked on the story. I could not stop reading, and my stomach kept dropping all the damn time. This will forever be a favorite, and I am so grateful to Jamie McGuire for opening up a whole new world of books to me.

“I knew the second I met you that there was something about you I needed. Turns out it wasn’t something about you at all. It was just you.”

4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

John freaking Green. Of course he’d be here. This book made me laugh so much, but shattered my heart into pieces. I wanted to cry so much, and yet laugh at the same time. It’s heartwarming and heartbreaking and every other heart-something word that exists. It’s an incredible book about teens with cancer, and you’ll love the characters (especially Augustus Waters!).

As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.

5. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

This is Catherine’s absolute favorite book, and one of mine as well. I was stunned by the story and the writing and the characters. It was beautifully written, and the characters felt so real. The story is so unique, and it just tugs at your heart. You want Nastya and Josh to have a HEA so bad, and the journey getting there is just incredible. And Josh is the BEST!

“Just so you know,” I inform him, “one day, I’m going to get tired of sharing your affection with that coffee table and I’m going to make you choose.”
“Just so you know,” he mimics me, “I would chop that table up and use it for firewood before I would ever choose anything over you.”

6. Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1) by Katie McGarry

I ugly cried because of this book, and it was the very first time I ever ugly cried because of a book. YAY! But seriously, my heart broke so much. Noah and Echo have such tragic pasts, but when they’re together, it’s beautiful. They create something together that they never thought would be possible because of their pasts, but oh gosh, it’s just amazing. And Noah is perfect. My favorite bad boy ever!

I gazed into her beautiful green eyes and her fear melted. A shy smile tugged at her lips and at my heart. Fuck me and the rest of the world, I was in love.

7. Easy by Tammara Webber

Lucas. Lucas Lucas Lucas. The tattooed god. *Sigh* I completely fell in love with him. Easy was one of the first new adult books I read, and I’m so glad I loved it, because it made me love the genre. It’s a story about attempted rape, and the subject is handled so well. I loved this book. I couldn’t put it down!

“Choosing to be with you, isn’t a difficult decision, Jacqueline… It’s easy. Incredibly easy.”

8. Angelfall (Penryn and the End of Days #1) by Susan Ee

My favorite angel/dystopian book ever! It’s so hilarious and the world-building is wonderfully done. Angels are the bad guys in Penryn’s world, but one certain angel turns out to be… a good guy. Raffe is the. best. I was swooning over him, laughing because of him, and then swooning even more. God, I love this angel. And Penryn is so kickass. Love them together!

“I never kid about my warrior demigod status.”
“Oh. My. God.” I lower my voice, having forgotten to whisper. “You are nothing but a bird with an attitude. Okay, so you have a few muscles, I’ll grant you that. But you know, a bird is nothing but a barely evolved lizard. That’s what you are.”

9. Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2) by Laini Taylor

This book was absolutely beautiful. Gorgeous. Stunning. The writing was perfect, the story was perfect, the characters were perfect. There wasn’t a thing I didn’t love about this book, except how far away the sequel is! I don’t know how Laini Taylor does it, but the world she creates just hooks and draws me in. Karou is the best blue-haired heroine ever! And Akiva makes me swoon so freaking hard. But… *sniffs* when are they ever getting their HEA?

“It was brave,” countered Issa. “It was rare. It was love, and it was beautiful.”

10. Graceling (Graceling Realm #1), Fire (#2), Bitterblue (#3) by Kristin Cashore

This fantasy series is phenomenal. Graceling is my favorite of the three, but all of them are fantastic. They’ve got badass heroines (Katsa is so freaking badass!), the best (or should I say worst) villains, and brilliant storytelling. AH I just love this series. I’m a huge, huge fan of fantasy books, and this series just takes the cake.

When a monster stopped behaving like a monster, did it stop being a monster? Did it become something else?

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

I have more, of course! You didn’t think I could just let it go at ten, did you? I have SO many, so this post is going to run so long LOL. I separated my recs into genres by age, so here goes!

YOUNG ADULT

 

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1), The Crown of Embers (#2) by Rae Carson

One of my top favorite fantasy series ever! The first book was pretty great, with fantastic world-building, but the second… WOW. Just WOW. Blew me away. Highly recommend this series for fantasy lovers!

Saving Francesca, The Piper’s Son, Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

These three books aren’t a series, but Saving Francesca and The Piper’s Son are companion books. All can be read as standalones. Melina Marchetta is such a gifted storyteller. She’s one of my favorite authors, and these books are why. She writes witty, heartfelt characters who I fell in love with so much!

Obsidian (The Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Such a great debut from JLA! And it’s about ALIENS! The main character is a BOOK BLOGGER! It doesn’t get better than this 😉

Half-Blood (Covenant #1), Pure (#2), Deity (#3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

A great take on Greek mythology! The main character is a feisty, sarcastic girl, and the hero… *swoon*

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Oh. My. God. One of the best and most adorable summery romances I’ve ever read. It was SO GOOD! Makes me wish I could have a cute neighbor with a loving family who’d welcome me…

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1), Destroy Me (#1.5) by Tahereh Mafi

Oh gosh, this series is the. best. I loved Shatter Me so much, and I was totally Team Adam, but then a little novella called Destroy Me came and… made me go a little on Team Warner’s side.

Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls #5) by Ally Carter

The Gallagher Girls series is the best, and this was another amazing addition to the series!

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

A fantastic sequel to the equally incredible first book. Tris is her usual badass self, and Four is just… *swoon*

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I adore Maggie Stiefvater and all her books, and The Scorpio Races is no different. Such an incredible story on mythological racing horses.

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

I love Julie Kagawa, and I loved her take on vampires! The Immortal Rules is one of the more interesting vampire stories I’ve read.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

A heartfelt, captivating book set in WWII. Made me tear up at times, and it was written beautifully.

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

One of my favorite debuts of 2012! Loved the dystopian/cyborg aspect of this Cinderella retelling.

Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6) by Rachel Vincent

I’m such a fan of this series, and at book #6, it’s still going strong. This book was a big game changer for the series, but Rachel Vincent took it in a direction I absolutely loved. A must read series!

Tiger’s Quest (The Tiger Saga #2), Tiger’s Voyage (#3), Tiger’s Destiny (#4) by Colleen Houck

The covers for this series are just gorgeous! Although I’m not a fan of the writing, the story is fantastic. And there are hot Indian princes too!

Scarlet (Scarlet #1) by A.C. Gaughen

I love love loved this retelling of Robin Hood! And I totally fell in love with Rob 😉

NEW ADULT

Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman

I adored this book! It was so incredible, and I just love Adam. *swoon*

The Vincent Brothers (The Vincent Boys #2) by Abbi Glines

LOVED this book! It’s my favorite Abbi Glines book so far. Sawyer’s the best!

Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2) by Abbi Glines

Because of Low is my favorite so far in the Sea Breeze series! Low and Marcus are adorable, and really got me hooked, because I wasn’t really a fan of the first book.

Fallen Too Far (Too Far #1) by Abbi Glines

I didn’t lurve this, but it was still really good! Lots of angst, which I love 😉

ADULT

(Wow, looking back, I read A LOT of adult books, and they were all series books!)

Darkfever (Fever #1), Bloodfever (#2), Faefever (#3), Dreamfever (#4), Shadowfever (#5), by Karen Marie Moning

This is probably my all-time favorite urban fantasy series ever. The world is so well created, and ahem, there’s Barrons…

Iced (Dani O’Malley #1) by Karen Marie Moning

This is a spinoff of the Fever series, and I love it! I loved reading Dani’s POV.

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1), Magic Burns (#2), Magic Strikes (#3), Magic Bleeds (#4), Magic Slays (#5) by Ilona Andrews

I was on an urban fantasy roll, and this series is a favorite! I LOVE Kate and Curran. The first book was pretty interesting, but then books 2–5 completely blew me away. They were so full of action and humor, the best combo ever!

Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson #3), Bone Crossed (#4), Silver Borne (#5), River Marked (#6) by Patricia Briggs

It wasn’t until Iron Kissed, book three, that I got hooked onto this series. Iron Kissed was phenomenal, and totally made me cry. And from then on, I loved the series!

Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega #1), Hunting Ground (#2), Fair Game (#3) by Patricia Briggs

I LOVE this series. Like, adore it. I love it more than the Mercy Thompson series, even though I love that series too! AH I just looove Charles and Anna.

The Mighty Storm (The Storm #1) by Samantha Towle

Another angsty read! *Sigh* Jake… Rock stars are the best 😉

Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1), Lover Eternal (#2), Lover Awakened (#3), Lover Unbound (#5), Lover Avenged (#7), Lover Mine (#8), Lover Unleashed (#9), Lover Reborn (#10) by J.R. Ward

Oh lordy. I’m such a sucker for this series. And it took forever to read all ten books. But they were so worth it!

Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress #1), One Foot in the Grave (#2), At Grave’s End (#3), Destined for an Early Grave (#4) by Jeaniene Frost

More urban fantasy! I’m a huge fan of this series, and I always enjoy reading about Cat and Bones.

Once Burned (Night Prince #1) by Jeaniene Frost

This is a spinoff from the Night Huntress series, and it’s about Vlad! Loved this book! (And look at those ABS!!)

Unholy Magic (Downside Ghosts #2), City of Ghosts (#3) by Stacia Kane

This is such a creepy take on ghosts! The main character is unconventional, since she’s a drug addict, but it makes for an interesting read.

Seduction of a Highland Lass (McCabe Trilogy #2), Never Love a Highlander (#3) by Maya Banks

Woohoo! Sexy historicals with sexy covers! Totally love this series, and hey, you gotta to read some steamy historicals at least once in your life 😉

The Iron Duke (Iron Seas #1) by Meljean Brook

I totally fell in love with this steampunk world. It’s full of action and romance! Another favorite combo 🙂

Something About You (FBI/US Attorney #1), A Lot Like Love (#2), About That Night (#3) by Julie James

This series is my favorite adult contemporary series! It’s so well written, perfectly balancing the suspense and romance and just, AH! I love it!

Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #1), Immortal Rider (#2), Lethal RIder (#3) by Larissa Ione

This series is so good! It’s about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and mwahaha, they all fall in love!