Ah, December. The time of year when San Franciscans lose their minds as the temperature dips below 50 degrees, the egg nog is flowing, and the sound of "The Little Drummer Boy" tests the limits of everyone's Christmas spirit.
It's also the time for year-end retrospectives, and so this week I thought we'd give kudos to the authors whose books came out in 2009. (Note that this is a question about which book was your favorite that was published in 2009, not necessarily the favorite book you read in 2009.)
So: what do you think was the best book published in 2009?
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
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«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 260 Newer› Newest»The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan...hands down. Amazing, incredible book. I haven't read such a compelling book since Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle trilogy.
Pygmy--Chuck Palahniuk
Posted by Jerry B. Flory
Definitely The Lost Symbol
A Zombie Book of Christmas Carols
Well, my favorite published in 2009 by default must be the only one I've read that was published in 2009: Under the Dome, by Stephen King.
But I assure you that's not an endorsement.
Hmm...probably a 3-way tie between CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins, WINTERGIRLS by L.H. Anderson, and BREAK by Hannah Moskowitz.
It's been a pretty good year!
I really loved The Darker Side, by Cody McFadyen, Bantam-Sept, 2009. I was blessed enough to get a hardback review copy of this book before it came out and was as pleased with it as I was McFadyen's first Smoky novel.
Love your new blog design, btw. Looks really sharp!
Love and stuff,
Michy
This is a kind of cheat as it was first published late 2008 but it was published in Europe 2009, so it counts!
Margo Lanagan's Tender Morsels. It's beautifully written. Tha language is almost lyrical. I'd recommend it.
I ashamed to say that of the 93 books I've read so far this year, only 3 were actually published in 2009. Usually, I get things in paperback. Of the eligible three, What I Did For Love, by Susan E. Philips, stuck with me most. It's kind of funny because I actually read very few romance books.
The Year of the Flood, by Margaret Atwood, without a doubt. The woman is absolutely amazing!
Wheel of Time 12: The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sandrson
WINTERGIRLS, definitely.
but anyone who says BREAK gets cookies.
The Road (movie tie-in edition).
Can I say that? Does that count?
Vig is da man!
I vote for Columbine by Dave Cullen.
Today in Iowa it is a snow day! And I am drinking egg nog and trying to finish one of the three books I'm reading while my daughter draws birds, pretends she lives in the Pokemon world and plays with her favorite new toy: a wine cork tied to a string. Yes, I'm serious. She's six. Snow days are fun!
I liked THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett and THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG by Muriel Barbery
THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY drives me insane, too...AHHH!!! Make that eggnog a double.
abouttothunder: Are you kidding me? 93 books! I was so proud of myself that I'd read 23 books this year. Now, not so much.
The Lost Symbol is my favorite this year
THE DEVIL'S PAINTBOX, by Victoria McKernan.
The BEST book I've read in a long, long time.
Catching Fire!
But I liked Candor a lot too.
I haven't read as many '09 releases as I would have liked, but two really stand out of those I have read.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan and Ouroboros by Michael Kelly and Carol Weekes. Both, fantastic reads in dark fiction.
Oh lord, too many great choices to count, but if I had to pick one it would be WHEN YOU REACH ME. A stunning book.
I'm pretty sure the only book I've read that was published in 2009 is THE LOST SYMBOL.
For the books I've read this year, THE ROAD tops the list. And since I read it twice, it holds positions 1 and 2. I have an 8-year old son, so it struck a very personal chord with me.
WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel.
BURN ME DEADLY by Alex Bledsoe (follow up to his amazing The Sword-Edged Blonde). A cross between sword and sorcery fantasy and the noir detective novel. Insanely smart, funny, and moving.
Drood by Dan Simmons, followed closely by The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey and Lowside of the Road: A Life of Tom Waits by Barney Hoskins.
Hmmmm...I enjoyed The 19th Wife. The end was a bit boring, but the stories within kept my interest for quite awhile. I think I read only older stuff the rest of the time because I don't remember grabbing from the "new" table any other time. Polygamy will always draw me to the table...
How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely. His writing is hilarious: he pokes fun at authors, agents, publishers--everyone in the industry.
I read a lot of YA novels this year for a teen publication, so I'm going to say Willow by Julia Hoban was my favorite.
Well I was very Diana Gabaldon's Rule of the Bone came out. I had waited a long time for her new book!
Regenesis by C. J. Cherryh. Took the Cyteen story in an unexpected, but passionate direction. Loved it, was worth waiting 20 years for.
The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, but Ash by Malinda Lo is a close second.
Catching Fire. SC rocks.
I also have to say The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan was brilliant.
Break by Ms. Moskowitz was also amazing and really different.
I also totally loved The Espressologist by Kristina Springer.
It's a tie between:
Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
and
Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning
I think I'm gonna have to go with 'Break' by Hannah Moskowitz - and not just for the cookies! Read some amazing books this year =]
My favorite non-fiction is definitely The Fire in Fiction by Donald Maass. An absolute must-read for aspiring writers!
Rena, you mean Echo in the Bone, right? I love her books too. Not similar to anything else I read, and not what I write at all, but such great adventure stories. I had been looking forward to it coming out and adore the cover, but have to say it's sitting in my moving boxes right now since we've moved house and not been settled since it came out in Fall, so I still have it to look forward to.
Otherwise, most of what I read this year was published last year, I am always playing catch up with my to-be-read stack.
According to librarything I only read 4 books pubbed in 2009 this year. So, out of that small cluster I'll go with The Gathering Storm/Jordan&Sanderson - which might still win even if I included all the other books.
Oh, it's like picking a "best" among your friends, or your favorite crayon (there are so many wonderful colors, and depending on mood, my favorite changes), but...
Tie between:
WHEN YOU REACH ME, by Rebecca Stead
and
LIAR, by Justine Larbalestier.
Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia by Cindy Pon. I read that book in a little less than 2 days!
There needs to be more Asian themed fantasy...I love it! :)
Ha! We were just posting about this on YA Highway. Melina Marchetta's Jellicoe Road is easily my favorite. I also adored Tales From Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan. Brilliant piece of storytelling + art.
Hely's How I Became A Famous Novelist was awesome, as was Sullivan's Commencement.
Oh! And Scott Sigler's The Rookie.
That Old Cape Magic -- Richard Russo. As you close the book you feel like you've either just had sex or chocolate, not sure which.
It was -11 degrees here in Colorado this morning so I'd kill for 50 right now :)
In YA, I loved The Forest of Hands and Teeth as well as Catching Fire so it's a tie there. In literary fiction, I'd have to say my favorite book published this year was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It was amazing and I hated for it to end - also it was one of the few books that my entire book club agreed was awesome.
The only one I read that was published in 2009 was Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, so I'll say that one!
The first book in the paranormal romance series BURNING ALIVE by author SHANNON K. BUTCHER. Her second one FINDING THE LOST also came out this year and was just as terrific. Can't wait for book three!!!!!
Palimpsest by Catherynne Valente because of the gorgeous prose and unique world.
Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning because my mom got me hooked on those books and they just keep getting better!
When You Reach Me. Astonishing read.
I can't believe no one has said IF I STAY by Gayle Foreman. It was incredible!
Wait, duh, I'm reading The Gathering Storm right now, but Catching Fire still wins.
I absolutely adored Laura Benedict's Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts. She is a mistress of the supernatural thriller!
I'll see your little drummer boy, and raise you the 12 days of Christmas. The thing about that song, you don't get to hear it just once, you get to hear it 12 TIMES.
And I know. It was below 40 this morning. I had ice on my windshield. Why the whole city isn't on lockdown is beyond my comphrehension.
In terms of books, The Lost Symbol. I love Dan Brown. I just do. He's such a page turner.
It think it has to be a tie between Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins and City of Glass by Cassandra Clare.
CV
Okay, after reading the other responses I'll add to my YA and literary categories. I confess that my favorite 2009 pick in the guilty pleasures category is definitely Dreamfever.
I loved Shannon Hale's The Actor and the Housewife. I also really enjoyed North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headly and of course Catching Fire.
Hands down, my favorite book to come out this year was "The Lovers" by John Connolly. Great continuation of the Parker saga after the more standalone "Reapers."
"Jen P said...
Rena, you mean Echo in the Bone, right? "
Yes, yes, that's what I meant. "An Echo in the Bone" wow I must be tired. I think Russell Banks wrote "Rule of the Bone". . .
My bad.
I hope Diana Gabaldon's series never ends. I don't think I could handle Jamie or Claire dying. ever.
- Rena
Although I've read a lot of books this year (hooray for maternity leave), only six of them (according to my goodreads account) were publushed in '09. Of those six, however, I would have to give my vote to Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. An incredibly powerful story, it completely broke my heart and mended it all at the same time.
Well, I haven't read all of them yet but I LOVED Catching Fire. I couldn't stop reading once I started.
Open by Andre Agassi.
It's a toss up between The Forgotten Disturbed by TL Trevaskis and The Black Act by Louise Bohmer.
I worked on them, but I've also read them since publication. I rarely re-read work unless it's that good.
Mine.
I liked "The Machine" by Joe Posnanski--great sports book. But I think Lev Grossman's "The Magicians" edges it very slightly.
On the understanding that someone else will say Bolano, I'll go for 'Brooklyn' by Colm Toibin: I thought it was absolutely compulsive.
Nathan, what's yours?
Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk.
No contest.
Can I count a paperback release? The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. I loved that damn dog.
Catching Fire. There's no competition in my mind. Though I'm still mad at Suzanne Collins for her "shameless" cliffhanger of an ending. She said it was shameless, not me. And I totally side with her on this...and then scowl a little that she acknowledges it with such indifference. Grrr.
"Brooklyn" by Colm Toibin was a serendipitous find. I'd never read the author, but saw it on the new book table and decided to give it a chance.
I am, sadly, only a world traveler through travel books and good fiction, so any book that opens up new places for me is fantastic (in this book, Irish neighborhood in Brooklyn and Ireland).
Place is so much about character, too, and this book offers both. Some people have criticized its lack of adventurous happenings, but if a young woman being packed off by herself to another country isn't exciting, then I don't know what is.
oh, and I second Mathilda on The Elegance of the Hedgehog though it was released in 2007 (pb in 2008). But I still think about it and I can't wait to read Gourmet Rhapsody.
I can't even begin to guess at the best book published in 2009, since I ordered a lot of those books but am still reading books from previous years. In genre fiction, I'm finally reading a book published in 2009: BONESHAKER by Cherie Priest - really excellent!
These three stood out:
When You Reach Me
Catching Fire
Wintergirls
Sorry, I can't pick just one.
Gail Carriger's Soulless
Alas, the Lost Symbol is the only book this year I've read that was published this year, and well that was the usual Dan Brown fluff. Fun fluff, but fluff. So it kind of wins by default.
Favorite book I've read this year, though, is the one I'm still reading, actually. Val McDermid's A Place of Execution. An exceedingly brilliant book. I'm quite glad I let PBS turn me on to it. But it was published back in 1999 or 2000, so it doesn't count.
Wait! I forgot Stitches: A Memoir. That's my favorite too.
OK, The Lost Symbol. Ouch! Was that rotten tomato necessary?
But I got some great ideas for others here by their mini reviews courtesy of Deborah Blake and Seamus Welsh. Burn Me Deadly and That Old Cape Magic. They look like needful things to me.
Thanks guys, I'll be looking for more.
Clancy Martin's - How to Sell...
It's a toss up between The Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon and White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison.
I'd have to categorize:
Funniest: CARTER FINALLY GETS IT, by Brent Crawford
Most exciting: CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins
Sweetest: THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z, by Kate Messner
Best Non-fiction: COLUMBINE, by Dave Cullen
Best love story: BALLAD, by Maggie Stiefvater
HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by Jamie Ford. And I'd endorse it to anyone.
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, hands down.
Or maybe Beat the Reaper.
This is a hard question.
I didn't read a lot of new releases in 2009, but I loved Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire so much that I'm pretty sure it would have been my favorite even if I had read more. I've got a lot more 2009 releases on my list...how many can I squeeze in before the end of the year?
Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins.
I didn't think it was possible for anyone to write a worthy sequel to Hunger Games. She wrote a sequel that was not only worthy of the first book, but better.
I have to agree: Wheel of Time 12: The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sandrson
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson.
A tie between Catching Fire, Willow by Julia Holban and Rampant by Diana Peterfreund.
tie between The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan and Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
"Let The Great World Spin", followed closely by "Zeitoun". Of course, if I ever get around to starting "The Year of The Flood" that will probably knock the other two down a peg. :) PS-- love the new blog look!
Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji.
The beauty of Persian culture, the harshness of the Shah's regime, the humanity of a people often stereotyped in the West...and a bittersweet story of first love.
What else could you want?
Of the ones I've read... probably Wintergirls or Catching Fire.
"Where Men Win Glory" by Jon Krakauer. It's the kind of book that makes you sad and hopeful and downright pissed off all at the same time.
It's going to be a three way tie for me for Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, and The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. Three very different and very awesome books!
If I could have a second place, it would be Candor by Pam Bachorz.
AWAIT YOUR REPLY by Dan Chaon (narrowly edging out GATE AT THE STAIRS by Lorrie Moore).
When I was done with Chaon's book, I went back to the first page and just started over. I never do that.
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri and Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead
I don't I've read anything published in '09 yet. Thought maybe Nation by Terry Pratchett, but apparently that was Sep '08.
I don't usually run out and get things as soon as they're available. Not movies, not books. I like to play hard to get.
There is no possible way to pick just one. My three are Fire by Kristin Cashore, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins and Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.
(Yes, I write YA fantasy.)
Kathryn Stockett's, The Help. Great use of voice and a fantastic story.
Can't speak to best, but favorite was Walking Dead by Greg Rucka.
Well, I mainly reread books this year, or immersed myself in new reads that were published pre 2009. Still, my most recent read is The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood and I absolutely love the book. So, for this survey . . . the book gets my vote.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I fell in love with that book.
SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater is hands down my top pick of this year.
My favorite was Kristin Cashore's Fire. I liked Graceling better, but Fire would win 2009 for me.
I must be the only one disappointed by Catching Fire! Awesome page-turner, but I was not happy with one of the revelations at the end - I just didn't buy it. Perhaps I should try it again sometime...
Among those I managed to read (very few): Carrie Ryan's Forest of Hands and Teeth. Even if I'd read many, this book would stand out.
THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett
Without a doubt, The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. It's now sitting on my keeper shelf with around 60 others read during my lifetime.
When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead. I'm about to write two blog entries about it.
The first book that came to mind was Meg Gardiner's "Memory Collector". I love her work. Then I noticed people mentioning Suzanne Collins' "Catching Fire" and I realized that maybe that one was a bit better. Loved both books, though!
The Indigo Notebook by Laura Resau
For me, it's a tie between two very different books. In kidlit -- Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (amazing). In crime -- The Twelve, aka The Ghosts of Belfast, by Stuart Neville (brilliant).
It's a tie. Either $20 per Gallon or Too Big to Fail.
The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha, The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S.King, How to Buy a Love of Reading by Tanya Egan Gibson, Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. (And, yes, Jamie is a man in case you thought I was biased.)
After You by Julie Buxbaum
I haven't read much published THIS year, but the third book in a YA adult trilogy by a NZ author - Ella West, would have to be my pick. It's called "Real Life". The writing is simple and the story line compelling. I found the trilogy hard to put down.
THE ACTOR AND THE HOUSEWIFE, by Shannon Hale
THE LAST OLYMPIAN, by Rick Riordan
Hale's wins best book, and Riordan's wins best series.
After extensive sifting through the piles of books on shelves - and under the bed - it appears I've only bought two-ish books with 2009 as the first publishing date.
So... with two to select from I'm going with Changeling by Steve Feasey. (My other options were the first two in the Gladiator Boy Series.)
I enjoyed reading the second installment of the last born werewolf's saga - can't think why :)
My favourite book of the year is undoubtedly Under The Dome by Stephen King.
A brilliant novel, apparently 25 years in the making - can't help thinking he took some ideas from The Simpsons Movie but it was utterly brilliant, nonetheless!
Yikes, just when I thought I had read all the great books from 2009, I come here and find a whole lot more. Oh, well, it's Christmas time and maybe Santa will bring me some.
Two of my favorites of 2009 are The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson, and Sorrow Wood by Raymond Atkins. And oh, there's Inklings by Jeffrey Koterba and Still Alice by Lisa Genova,and.... okay, I'll stop now.
The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart
Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford
Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan
Break by Hannah Moskowitz
All excellent, excellent books. I couldn't chose a best from these, so I'm sticking with all four.
And by chose I meant choose...
Well, I wanted to say Hunger Games, but then I realized it was published in 2008. But Catching Fire was pretty dang awesome, so let's go with that :)
Below 50. Hmm, it's a balmy 33 in Philly today...
Anyway. Best book - Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier. I can't stop highlighting things every time I go through it. His line about "architecture of the soul" is fantastic. It was, however, published in 2008. I don't think I've read anything published this year, at least not that I can find on my shelves.
Dylan Landis' Normal People Don't Live Like This.
Juliet Naked, by Nick Hornby.
Painfully funny in that English way of his.
Breath and Bone, Carol Berg (fiction)
Lords of the Sea, John R. Hale (history)
The Magician's Elephant, children's
Wolf Hall
Turn Coat by Jim Butcher. Harry Dresden is by far one of the best characters out there in contemporary fiction. I would like to commemorate Are These My Basooma's I See Before Me? by Rennison. Dave the Laugh always was the one.
Vanished by Kat Richardson
The Book of Genesis by Robert Crumb
The Wild Things (Fur-covered Edition) by Dave Eggers
I have difficulty picking favorites, but Return Policy by Michael Snyder and Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr stand out in my mind.
"Big World" by Mary Miller.
Ha ha Mark - I haven't read Under the Dome, but when I saw the cover it reminded me of the Simpsons movie too!
I don't think I've read too many books published this year. My favourite would have to be Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. Another good 2009 book was Pescador's Wake by Katherine Johnson. She's a debut author and while the book had flaws, I enjoyed it.
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. One of my top ten all time faves!
Stieg Larson's The Girl Who Played with Fire.
Close second: Margaret Atwood's The Year of the Flood.
The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha. A son is murdered and the mother starts a correspondence with his alleged killer and..there's more. Beautifully crafted book with lots of plot that takes the reader to some unusual and unexpected places.
The Art of Racing In the Rain
The paperback of GRACELING by Kristin Cashore :D!
Okay, I know I cheated a little, but I really did wait for the paperback to read it. And then it blew my mind.
The Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart Neville
The Language of Bees by Laurie King. I also liked Shiver (Maggie Stiefvater) and adored Soulless by Gail Carriger.
Hannah: I have not yet read Break but it is very on the TBR list. In fact, I'll buy it tonight and read it in the next week. Cool concept, and I am charmed by your presence and comments here and other places. Would that I had been half that cool at your age!
The Girl Who Played with Fire
by Stieg Larsson
This is a fabulous question - since I lost my dad this year and found great comfort in two beautifully funny books about family dysfunction and loss of a parent, I wanted to share my answer: This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper and A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents by Liza Palmer (to be published on 12/23) ....both of them are wonderful.
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan.
And THE DARK DIVINE by BREE DESPAIN coming out December 22nd. It's so good! I can't wait for everyone else to get a chance to read it!
The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
Lips Touch Three Times by Laini Taylor (a Nat'l Book Award finalist). It's just beautiful, including the illustrations by her husband Jim Di Bartolo.
Pat Conroy's South of Broad (though it's not his best work).
My choice would have to be "L.A. Candy"...wait my bad, I thought this was worst's list....Okay that joke could have been better. (My faux pa)
But seriously, The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown was nothing short of great, hands down, no questions about it.
Maybe next year with any luck, my book can get on this list. But that's just me talking
Paul House- Harbour, put out by diiarts. It is a return to good meaty literature and is a book that anyone who really loves books will fall in love with.
You can find it at:
http://www.diiarts.com
The Fire in Fiction by Donald Maass - 2009 -(as someone else has said). It's packed with good solid information on improving your writing. I also liked his writing style.
Reading these makes me wonder about reading habits, because a lot of people seem to be like me and haven't read a lot of 2009 books. Which is not to say that I won't... but just that they won't be read in 2009.
I mean, I've read a few good ones. Gladwell's What the Dog Saw, Norman Ollestad's Crazy for the Storm and Amanda Downum's The Drowned City jump to mind. But most of the books I consider "new" that I've been reading are a little older, often 2007 or 2008, as with two of my year's favourites (and, really, two of the best books I've ever read): Ann Patchett's Run and Peter Matthiessen's Shadow Country.
Thought it might make an interesting future You Tell Me or Poll. When do you read the books you buy? I have a lot more 2009 books... but I simply haven't read 'em yet. And lots more are on my To Be Read lists (Yes, that's a plural... I have many. Bookaholics Anonymous, anyone?). It would be interesting to see how many people are instant readers and how many have long and erratic queues like I have. Or maybe they lie somewhere in between...
Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins. And maybe the Lost Symbol, too.
Letters to Leonardo by Dee white. Published by Walker books, it's a Y/A book about a teenage boy called Matt. He gets a card from his dead mother on his fifteenth birthday. I couldn't put it down.
Mine, of course :)
The Fiddler's Gun
LIFE GOES TO THE MOVIES by Peter Selgin. Funny-sad, a fabulous read.
Peace, Linda
FAR NORTH by Marcel Theroux.
I really enjoyed Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.
Seduced by Shadows; debut author Jessa Slade.
Book 1 of the Marked Souls.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. Loved it!
Carol B
Michael Crichton's "Pirate Latitudes." I have it on my Christmas list for this year.
Now that I've successfully made it through college in just the past few days, I will have more time for both reading AND writing--time which I WILL take full advantage of. :-)
Margaret Atwood's Year of the Flood kicked ass. Read Oryx and Crake first though, to enhance the ass-kickingness of the reading experience.
Oh come on! It's legitimately cold! It's not supposed to go below freezing in San Francisco and yet here we are, getting below freezing temperatures on the Peninsula. I drive by all the people chipping ice off their windshields on the way to work and figure if we have to deal with the indignities of cold weather, we should at least get some snow! ;) Of course, we don't have heat in my lab either, and for some unknown reason, this week was when engineering chose to fix the ventilation system so that it works again, which means it's blowing the 40 degree air INTO the buildings. *sighs*
As for the books, Cast in Silence by Michelle Sagara would be my pick for my favorite book published this year. ;)
- Friends Like These by Danny Wallace
- Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
- The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes
I read a *lot* of books published this year, but the best, hands down, was Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl. My absolute favorite YA since the Gemma Doyle books.
THE DEVIL'S ALPHABET by Daryl Gregory just came out at Thanksgiving, and I loved it. The characters are well-rounded and often dance in that gray area where they aren't completely good or completely bad - but completely compelling.
The Better Part of Darkness, by Kelly Gay. It just came out last month, but I bought a copy for me and for one of my friends for his birthday.
Secret Keepers by Mindy Friddle
WHEN YOU REACH ME, by Rebecca Stead
Great MG book that's also a time machine trip to the 70's.
GOING ROGUE by Sarah Palin. Go ahead. Shoot me. I liked it.
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley and Jane in Bloom by Deborah Lytton.Two YA novels that deal with love, loss and difficult families and touched me in so may ways. They dealt with issues that real teens are going through, and have stayed with me.
Michael Connelly's The Scarecrow. The man inspires and awes me with his skill at creating thrillers.
THE HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by Jamie Ford came out in Janurary. Definitely my favorite.
50 degrees? Right now, it's 25 degrees where I am (and it's been in the teens already)!
Hiromi Goto's Half World. Not well known but very deserving of its praise!
SLOB by Ellen Potter
Atlantis Unleashed, Alyssa Day Paranormal Romance
Fire by Kristin Cashore, Break by Hannah Moskowitz, and Tempted by P.c and Kristen Cast. Definitely.
The Little Drummer Boy drives me insane, when it's on repeat constantly. Blah.
"HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET"by Jamie Ford. And I'd endorse it to anyone."
Thanks, Ryan Field, another needful thing. The title alone. . .
The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge
OK, after reading through this, I am now going to buy Break by Hannah M. and Pygmy by Chuck P. Both have been on my mind, and are now confirmed "must buys." Thanks everyone.
Also...I did forget that I read and loved Stitches: A Memoir. Not that it was forgetful, but it's a very quick read. It's just very COOOOOL. Unusual, sad, emotional, but cool.
I think some of you guys must be living in the banana belt! I wish it were in the teens. -17 in my hometown last night. Brrrrr.
Brandon Sanderson's Warbreaker is the only book I've read this year that was published in 2009. First SciFi I've read in 40 years. It wasn't half bad. Had some humor, which I like. Definitely beat his Mistborn series all to pieces.
There's no way I can pick just one. :)
Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell
The Miles Between by Mary Pearson
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Front and Center by Catherine Murdock
Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
The Art of Racing in the Rain
(I had to cheat and add that last one, since the paperback was released this year)
"Letters to Leonardo by Dee white. Published by Walker books, it's a Y/A book about a teenage boy called Matt. He gets a card from his dead mother on his fifteenth birthday. I couldn't put it down." - This really appeals to me. Thanks, Trish!
I'm getting into this post. So many books, so little time.
So right, Ink."Hi, my name is Terry, and I'm a bookaholic. . .
Graceling by Kristen Cashore (paperback was pub. in 09)
Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (GORGEOUS!!!!)
GOING ROGUE was an absolutely fascinating read about a lightning-rod political figure. Made me want to move to Alaska. Other than that, I enjoyed PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES
It is hard for me to pick just one. Here are my 3 faves (in no particular order)published this year:
1. This is Where I Leave You - Jonathan Tropper
2. Naked, Juliet - Nick Hornby
3. Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger
Going Rogue was a page turner. I loved it almost enough to move back home to Seattle (from southern Cal).
Also loved Hotel On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Great story, beautifully written.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth - I could not put it down.
Evil at Heart by Chelsea Caine. These Heart books just shouldn't work, but they are awesome!
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McAnn. Damn that man can write!!
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
I know there are more, but that one stood out.
Everybody should read:
1. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
2. Fire - Kristen Cashore
3. Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan
4. Hush Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick
Sorry I put more than one...I'm a book junkie.
After reading this thread, I have some great new additions to my wish list. Thanks everyone!
I have to echo Ink in commenting about delayed reading habits. It seems that a lot of people stock up their reading pile. Of all the books I read in 2009, only three were actually released that year.
I can say that the 2009 title I am most hoping to like is Jonathan Lethem's Chronic City, which I bought on release date. But then I left the country for a while and haven't gotten past a few pages.
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
I must agree with Amanda about suzanne Collin's Catching Fire. For a self confessed classic/historical fiction junkie I am loving this YA dystopian sci-fi series
Waiting for Columbus by Thomas Trofimuk was the best book I've read that was published this year.
I am ashamed to say that I read only four books this year in total and none was published in 2009. New Moon was reprinted in 2009 but I do not think that counts. The only excuse I can offer is that during the first part of the year I was studying to complete my degree and the second part I wrote my novel. Some of the books mentioned sound so interesting and I commit to read at least one new publication each year in addition to a few previously published books.
Strange, though not too strange for a writer, I guess . . . My favorite book is DAMN THE REJECTIONS FULL SPEED AHEAD by Maralys Wills
I have to agree with Sidney Sheldon, "Maralys Wills ... will make you laugh and cry and laugh again in this gripping how-to handbook for writers everywhere..." Truly, and she's not my mother, sister, or best friend. I know her book will save me two years and two shoe boxes of rejections.
My favourite book and the best book are two totally different things. I have no idea whatsoever as to the latter because I don't read much outside of my most beloved genres. My favourite book, though? Probably Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare. Also, anything by Patricia Briggs.
OK, you've all twisted my arm, Hotel On The Corner of Bitter and Sweet is coming off my wishlist and into my basket.
*grumble* penury *grumble* no one cares if I starve because they keep recommending great-sounding books *grumble*
My picks are The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan for fiction, and Columbine, by Dave Cullen, for non-fiction.
ready to say Rolling Thunder by John Varley (published in paperback in September). Then I found out there was a hardcover published in 2008, so I suppose it would be ineligible.
:(
-Steve
I've read 47 books so far this year - and I'll get another couple in - and listened to a further 43 audio books. Of those only four were published in 2009 - Roth's The Humbling, Patrick Gale's A Sweet Obscurity, Kamila Shamshie's Burnt Shadows and a poetry collection, Fiona Benson's debut with F&F. All four I'd recommend for different reasons. The best book I've read this year was Roberto Bolano's 2666 however.
The Children's Book, by A.S Byatt
SORBONNE CONFIDENTIAL by Laurel Zuckerman
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