First of all, I am SO sorry to have taken so long to reply to all of your comments this week. Thank you so much for participating! It's been a crazy week (I could really stand for tomorrow to be Saturday) and I haven't had much time to sit down at a computer unless I was working on something for school.
Today is a pretty big day. We're narrowing it down to the final two today. Two really great books are going to go by the wayside.
Here's where we start:
Two very difficult choices. One was easier than the other, but still all great books.
1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor vs. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
The left side of the bracket was the tough one this time. These two books were both excellent reads.
I really liked the world created by Laini Taylor. I'm not usually super into the fantasy type books, but this one was great. I'm really looking forward to the sequel.
Amy & Roger...what to say. I loved the plot, loved the method of building the chapters by segments of the trip, loved the playlists and the ephemera. It was just fun and cute. It's a good read for when you're feeling somewhat sappy.
Even though this was a tough pairing, I really knew from the start how this was going to go down. It just had to be that way.
Left side bracket finalist...
2. Divergent by Veronica Roth vs. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Now the right side of the bracket. This one was a little easier. Those of you who have been following my comments in earlier BOTY posts probably already know the answer here.
Divergent was a good book. Really good. I loved it and loved the sequel. But the last book in the trilogy took something away from it for me. It's hard now to be okay with that. It somewhat ruined the first book for me. I still like it (and got over my Allegiant issues a little by watching the movie version of Divergent), but I still struggled.
Just One Day was beautiful. I loved the Shakespeare aspect and I really just loved the characters. Gayle Forman writes a seriously great book. The ending was a little upsetting for some readers, but I was totally fine with it because I knew there was a sequel.
So again, probably super obvious now...
Winner of the right side of the bracket and second finalist for 2014's Book of the Year...
Only one more round to go! Will you make it without caving to the temptation to call it a tie?
Link up to your Semifinal Bracket in the comments below!
No worries on being caught up in life! :) I feel like I've done a crap job at keeping up in the blogosphere this week too.
ReplyDeleteAlso, speaking of your life—I had two fillings done yesterday (ack), and I couldn't help but think of you. I know that if I'd come for you for dental work, you'd have been trying to talk to me about books while drilling my teeth. (Side note: why do all dentists do that?! I can't talk with my mouth open!)
Even though your first choice was a toughie, it's nice to see that both decisions ultimately made sense to you! I've been avoiding looking at my final four since I last posted, because I know I'm going to second-guess myself a lot.
Can't wait to find out which is your BOTY! :)
Semifinalists! http://shainareads.blogspot.com/2015/01/2014-book-of-year-boty-bracket-my.html
DeleteI had a feeling Divergent was going to go for you. I wonder if it would have, it Allegiant would have been different , and we wouldn't have hated it so much. I know it definitely clouded the whole series for me. :(
ReplyDeleteHere are My Final 2
http://rachaelc94.blogspot.com/2015/01/2014-book-of-year-bracket-challenge_15.html
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to see these two in the final. I have an idea which one will win too. I will have to move both of these up on my to-read list just based on how much you obviously liked them.