Smugglivus 2010 Guest Blogger: Danielle of Opinionated? Me?

Welcome to Smugglivus 2010: Day 21

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors, bloggers and publishers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2010, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2011.

Who:Danielle, of the YA/Horror/Speculative Fiction/etc blog Opinionated? Me? Danielle is a 16 year old blogger and reviewer with a ton of awesome reviews written, always with a tell-it-like-it-is attitude.

Please give it up for the awesome Danielle!

WELL HEY THERE.

How are you? The wife? The kids? Excellent.

I must admit, I was a little at a loss when Ana and Thea asked me to write up my second Smugglivus post. Not because I hadn’t read some great books this year, but because I a) tend to talk about things that make no sense if given enough freedom and b) 2010 has been an…odd year for me.

Sure, it’s been a big one for a lot of people—ask those Chilean miners–but for me? Shit got real. Gone are the days where Spongebob could keep me preoccupied for hours, when drugs were a far-away myth, when a kid could have blind faith in anyone with a badge, when they could easily define themselves with a single word. It’s a different experience being a sixteen year old these days then it was even last year. The carefully placed barrier between the adults and the children is growing thinner, that wall of protection melting like ice and the idea that kids don’t know anything–out the window. And the reason I’m going on about this because I feel a lot older then I was in 2009, and I think this heavily affected my reading habits.

So, if you’ll pardon that nonsensical ramblings (which Thea and Ana are welcome to go ahead and delete), let’s get down to the meat, shall we?

BEST OF 2010

^^ which is pretty inaccurate, as most of these weren’t even published in 2010. I digress.

FREAK SHOW by James St. James

James St. James is one of those few celebrities/famous-for-being-famous types who can successfully transition into serious writer. His YA debut was so heartfelt and full of awesome, especially considering the recent teen suicides, that I read it twice.

ZOMBIES VS. UNICORNS by…everyone.

Team Zombie. Tis all.

THE MAGICIANS by Lev Grossman

Right. So I am totally aware that The Magicians is not a favorite here at the Book Smugglers, but I think it’s one of those things that is specific to the reader; if you’re an emotional type, who likes to cry and laugh and cheer, then, yeah, you’ll probably get a different reaction. But if you’re one of those skeptics, who’s kindofsortof sick of the whole Harry Potter thing but loves a fair bit of magic in your reading selections, go for it.

SPACE BETWEEN TREES by Katie Williams

So pretty. SO pretty. Like, for reals. Put this at the top of your shopping list.

Hunter S. Thompson, Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs

Yes, I’ve become that kid who sits in the corner reading Beat poetry and talking about how lame post-Pinkerton Weezer is. What of it?

JOHN DIES AT THE END by David Wong

Brilliance. Pure. Brilliance.
Frightening, funny and just plain sad. Brilliance.

MARBURY LENS by Andrew Smith

Genuinely disturbing on a few levels, and deserves much more attention then it’s getting. Highly recommended. AND THIS ONE IS FROM 2010 SO HA.

SPLIT by Swati Avasthi

One of those books that would make you so terribly sad while reading it, but then kind of jumps out at you with a bittersweet ending that’s light on the bitter and heavy on the sweet. If that makes sense.

BLEEDING VIOLET by Dia Reeves

Well, duh.

THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMSby N.K. Jemisin

Dude, confusing as hell. But I figured it out….eventually. Then subsequently discovered how awesome it was.

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS by JK. Rowling(novel)

Okay, lemme explain:

We all remember how it was the night we got our copies of the final Harry Potter novel. Excitement, mixed with sadness, a little fear–who would die this time? And, in our quest to tame these burning emotions, let’s face it, we all skimmed some of the slower chapters. Which is not a problem, really it’s not. But. I highly suggest you all go back and read it again, this time with the solemn knowledge that you know that’s going to happen, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of details that you could very well stumble upon in a way you weren’t able to that first go around. So…do it.

AND SEE THE MOVIE HOLYSHIT.

AND, to round things up, the definitive 2010 novel…

MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

Oh. My. Goodness. Did you cry? I did. Like a baby. And I don’t know about you, but that was NOT a happy ending, Collins. NO. FALSE.

Welp, that’d be it. A big hearty thanks to Ana and Thea for letting me do….whatever this was. Hope ya’ll have a great holiday of your choosing! And Happy Smugglivus!

Happy Smugglivus Danielle!