It's been a great year in books, whether you were reading pixels or ink, and it's always fun to look back at the year that was.
Two books that were of great significance to me in my former life as an agent (and current life as major fan of my former clients) were released in 2010, Jennifer Hubbard's The Secret Year and Lisa Brackmann's Rock Paper Tiger, and both belong on every best-of year-end list ever anywhere as they're quite thoroughly awesome.
If I had to choose a non-former-client book that was my favorite of 2010, well, I'd have to go with the overdog and cast my vote for Jonathan Franzen's Freedom.
What about you?
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
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Song of Scarabaeus by Sarah Creasy was my favorite book released in 2010
Sean Ferrell's Numb.
2010 has been a great reading year, and it's always hard to choose just one, but I will: The Sky Is Everywhere, a debut contemporary YA by Jandy Nelson. I read it months ago and it's still bubbling inside me.
Crescendo, by Becca Fitzpatrick.
Amalia Angellinni's "Lovefool - I(m)mortal" (part II in the Lovefool's trilogy).
Oddly, the only book I read this year that was also published this year was 'The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World'...so I guess my answer is that.
The Hunger Games Series.
So so SO easy! "Rules of Attraction" by Simone Elkeles. I am in love with the "Perfect Chemistry" series. I can't wait for "Chain Reaction" to come out in 2011.
ROOM
or
I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE
The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall (liked it much more than Franzen's Freedom)
Yay to Jennifer Hubbard's The Secret Year!
Mockingjay was probably the other standout for me.
Oh - and ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS for YA!
The Magicians by Lev Grossman
REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly.
Clockwork angel- Cassandra Clare, a YA novel with BRILLIANT dialouge.
I think I'd have to go for True Things About Me by Deborah Kay Davies.
Hmmm. Just sticking to books that were published in '10, I'd have to go with Erin Bow's debut, Plain Kate.
Gail Carriger's Blameless.
The woman makes me rabid about reading.
I HATED Franzen's Freedom.
Loved Stockett's 'The Help'.
Right near the end of of Freedom and I can't imagine it not being my favorite. I also loved Mockingjay.
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu. I'm not quite sure how he pulled it off.
It's so tough picking one...
I loved FREEDOM also. I was one of those Jonathan Franzen skeptics, but decided to read it anyway.
I also liked THE IMPERFECTIONISTS by Tom Rachmann (Funny/sad novel)
I just read ROCK PAPER TIGER last week--loved that one, too.
I read a bunch of great nonfiction books and memoirs, including THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS (not sure if that's exact title) and JUST KIDS by Patti Smith
Didn't read any book this year. I spent every spare minute writing.
And it feels great!
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld. Although Holly Black's White Cat was awesome as well.
First Changes by Jim Butcher. Second Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis.
My absolute fav was CAPTIVE SPIRIT by Liz Fichera. Very different from the usual historicals. I loved it.
LAST SACRIFICE by Richelle Mead.
Sad to see the series come to an end, but can't wait for the next to start!
Dave Barry's I'LL MATURE WHEN I'M DEAD.
I loves me some funny.
Just Kids by Patti Smith
I loved Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel. It made me laugh and almost cry.
I also enjoyed Mackingjay, though I can't say I loved, I was still glad to finally get closure with the trilogy.
I am also sure I will love Behemoth when I finally get to read it. You can't go wrong with Scott Westerfeld.
I can't believe no one mentioned "The Half-Life of Planets" by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin. The book's an absolute blast!
Oh. Loved reading "The Secret Year". Bought it in hardcover, too.
Reading "Towers of Midnight" right now. The year's not over, and there are plenty more amazing books published is year out there.
Book I read this year that made a huge impact: "Th1rteen R3asons Why" by Jay Asher. Brilliant. Wrote to Jay Asher to thank him for writing it, and he actually replied!
ROOM by Emma Donoghue, hands down. :-)
Also really loved THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson.
House Rules by Jodi Picoult. :)
Kraken by China Miéville
About solving the heist of a giant squid corpse and stopping Armageddon. How can you not love it?
The Help wins it for me.
Though I do also love
"The Imperfectionist" and
"The Lonely Polygamist"
The Tiger, by John Vaillant. Which was wonderful.
Though it should be said (not to take anything away from that book) that I often seem to be a year or so behind in my reading. Stuff that first comes out, often in hardcover, in 2009 will be stuff I'm reading in trade pb in 2010 -- fabulous books like Shayne Jones' Lightboxes and Dave Eggers' Zeitoun.
Oh, and it should be a given, Rock Paper Tiger!
Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey comes to mind.
Mockingjay. I liked the first two books but I thought Collins' conclusion was elegant. Never have I read a book I anticipated so excitedly and not been disappointed...until now.
Runner Up: The Girl Who Chased the Moon
Room by Emma Donoghue. It was compelling and a beautiful commentary on a mother's love.
I also really liked Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Claire. I think I liked this better than any of her books in the MI series.
And I'm kind of embarrassed to admit it, but I also thought Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter was a very fun read... highly entertaining.
Easy. Kings of the Earth by Jon Clinch.
probably The Windup Girl. it's pretty freaking brilliant once you figure out what's going on.
Hands down Towers of Midnight by Brandon Sanderson (and Robert Jordan).
My favorite read of 2010 was BREAK by Hannah Moskowitz. That book made me want to write again.
I have two:
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Cinders by Michelle Davidson Argyle
The latter is a novella which she self-published. This led to a contract with a small press for her debut novel. Which has in turn led to her announcement today on her blog about a further opportunity in her publishing life.
Since the last book I read was published in 1967 (H.Beam Piper's Little Fuzzy) I'm a bit behind in my reading. Maybe I can recommend something next year.
ROOM by Emma Donoghue. I'm still thinking about it 2 months later. So much that I wrote a blog post about what I learned from it about writing on my blog: www.theyremakingmeblog.blogspot.com
As a writer, I want to have that kind of effect on my readers.
In YA, I loved BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver.
Remix by Lexi Revellian - yup, that's me, but after a year of submissions, I've self-published, and since August have sold 3,500 copies, mostly for Kindle in the UK.
How could that not be my favourite book?
"The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" by Aimee Bender or "Sum: 40 Tales From The Afterlives" by David Eagleman. Also, "The Hunger Games" books.
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Sandman Slim by Richard Kadry
well, it's not a book, but it's the only 2010 publication I've purchased this year.
This was the first year I subscribed to the new yorker.
I read Freedom based on your recommendation. I'm apparently just not a Johnathan Franzen fan. I do think he's a brilliant writer, but I can't say I enjoyed the book. I appreciated it from an intellectual standpoint, but not really in an "I love this book!" kind of way. I felt the same way about The Corrections.
I think The Secret Year sounds more like my thing. I still need to read it!
Paige Shelton's Farm Fresh Murder. Great mystery. Awesome writing.
Paige Shelton's Farm Fresh Murder. Great mystery. Awesome writing.
I just finished A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY, by Lauren Grodstein.
Hands down, best I've read all year.
Room by Emma Donoghue of The Absolute Value of -1 by Steve Brezenoff.
Quite honestly, I haven't read it yet, but it's set in a place I know well. OLD WORLD MURDER by Kathleen Ernst. I hope to read it soon. It's very cool that the setting is an actual real place I know every inch of.
yay! I love this Q - I always get such good recs.
My fave this year was How To Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu
totally awesome and brilliant. hilarious and heartbreaking.
Adult best: It's a tie
ROOM by Emma Donoghue
and
THE MAGICIANS by Lev Grossman
YA best: THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson.
That's a tough one to answer. I have read so many great books this year. I guess I would say Mary E. Pearson's THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX. That was pretty great. But I love James Dashner's work as well.
Room by Emma Donghue
Dust by Joan Francis Turner
Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
and Punk Minneapolis by Peter Joseph Swanson
I have to agree with you Nathan-Freedom was the best book I read this year. I think it lived up to the hype and then some.
I'm telling everyone I know about WHO FEARS DEATH by Nnedi Okorafor. A must-read for its compelling and strong female protagonist.
I read several books this year but only one was published in 2010 - a writing book - Showing & Telling by Laurie Alberts. Scenes and summaries are discussed in detail in this informative book.
For writing purposes, I was gathering data for a future novel while travelling this year. My fiction reading only included a few 2009 books, but I'm thinking of perhaps picking up Franzen's FREEDOM in the near future.
I still have one Hemingway, one M. Atwood, and D. Galbaldon waiting to be read. Eventually, I'll catch up.
I'm kinda over the whole Franzen writing the best book ever thing. I tried the Corrections and hated it.
I'd have to say Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver was brilliant and I'm surprised it hasn't shown up here yet. She's an amazing writer and her next book Delirium will totally put her in the top of her game.
She's one to watch.
Don't know if it was published in 2010, but the best book I read this past year was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (and the two follow-ups). Fabulous author who is no longer with us...sad.
Mockingjay !
THE CANDIDATES, by Inara Scott (YA paranormal)
I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU SOMEONE ELSE, by Erin McCahan (YA contemporary)
THE VEIL OF NIGHT, by Linda Howard (confession: I only read a couple of adult books this year -- adult romantic suspense)
Uh, did you read Freedom? Terrible book.
This year, the best read was Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey. It's become an all-time favorite.
Other awesome books were Memory Wall by Anthony Doerr and Bloodroot by Amy Greene.
Linger by Maggie Steifvater. It's the second in her Wolves of Mercy Falls series, and they are the kind of books you run out and buy for anyone you think might read them, because you know they're missing out if they don't.
Also, I read The Secret Year and thought it was phenomenal. It's a keeper.
Scott Westerfeld's YA steampunk adventure trilogy book 2, "Behemoth" (the first is "Leviathan").
Louise Curtis
Nic Pizzolatto's Galveston. Hands down.
I'm not done with Rock, Paper, Tiger yet, but it's wonderful. Wow.
And I'm waiting for A Secret Year to come out on e-book format.
I really enjoyed Terry Pratchett's Unseen Academicals. Supposedly it was published in 2009, but I read it in 2010, so that counts. I also re-read all of Jane Austen's books. They were pretty good too.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. No question. I've read that book four times since Amazon delivered it to my dorm the day it came out.
I agree THE SECRET YEAR by Jennifer Hubard was a great book! I can't wait for Jen's next book to come out.
I enjoyed so many great novels this year I can honestly say it was a good year for books.
Kings of the Earth by Jon Clinch
"Mockingjay" wasn't the ending I was hoping for, but I read it as a whole with the other two books and the Hunger Games trilogy just blew me away. Definitely the books I've burned through fastest this year.
SKIPPY DIES. Paul Murray.
The Passage, by Justin Cronin. Enough said.
In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut, published in 2010 and a Booker finalist. Stunning first/third-person narrative, disturbing and unapologetically intelligent.
I always have a hard time picking favorite books, especially over as long a time as a whole year. I read so many novels and nonfiction books.
But poetry doesn't get as much attention, so I'll call out an outstanding poetry book and an excellent verse novel I read this year:
BORROWED NAMES, by Jeannine Atkins
THREE RIVERS RISING, by Jame Richards
I agree about ROCK, PAPER, TIGER.
And finally, thank you not only for mentioning THE SECRET YEAR, but for supporting it from the beginning. It's been a book of great significance in my life as well! And I so appreciate the kind words from the commenters on this thread.
Hmm, toss up between Mockingjay and Rick Riordan's The Red Pyramid.
PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King (YA fiction) was a huge hit both with my teenage son, his friends and me.
Changes by Jim Butcher. Harry & Mabs...nuff said.
Emma Donoghue's ROOM -- brilliant!
We still have two weeks to go, Nathan! Who knows what might be published before New Year's Day?
I can't make up my mind yet, but I agree with Susan Kaye Quinn and Twittertales that Scott Westerfeld's YA steampunk novel BEHEMOTH is excellent.
You know, I don't think I read a single book that was published this year. I had enough books to read simply by going through my 2009 list that more books wasn't an option.
The Horse Dancer by Jojo Moyes and Cutting for Stone. I don't know when Stephenie Meyers' "The Host" came out but I just listened to it and, against expectations, really enjoyed the idea that the invaders were a better and kinder race than the humans.
LIVES LIKE LOADED GUNS: EMILY DICKINSON AND HER FAMILY'S FEUDS
OOps, The Help was great!
All the Girl Books...Tattoo, Fire through Hornet's Nest along with all three movies...
Loved The Poisoner's Handbook... by Deborah Blum and The Help. Didn't love Freedom.
Mockingjay.
The first two books blew my mind--the third was disappointing, but it was still a great book and the most eagerly anticipated title for me in YEARS.
Empire of the Summer Moon (NONfiction of course).
I was disappointed in more than I liked (The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, Freedoms, Mockinjay was so-so and sorry Nathan but I think Rock,Tiger was good but not great). I'm reading Grisham's The Confession now & it's really good but I think the surprise was I found a fantastic indie (sorry again Nathan!) and it was so good I just bought 2 paperbacks for Christmas gifts for friends of mine in Chgo (I read it as an ebook) because it's set in Chgo (I used to live there so that was fun too) and I even pd extra for faster shipping. It's January Moon and it was really very good. My husband is reading it now and he agrees.
Sorry, but I want to write about my non-favorite book. I know I am in the vast minority, but I think Freedom sucks, starting with the lame title. No question Franzen can write, but given how short and difficult life is, do I really need to spend countless hours reading about such uninspiring characters? The answer is no. We need writers who
lift our spirits, not depress them.
The Charlatan's Boy, by Jonathan Rogers.
MG frontier fantasy that is great for a the whole family as a read aloud.
I can't do favorites. I can never choose just one. So it has to be a three-way tie between Matthew Quick's SORTA LIKE A ROCK STAR, Jandy Nelson's THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE and Jennifer Donnelly's REVOLUTION.
My vote goes to Lee Child's latest Jack Reacher novel, "Worth Dying For".
Pure it's-a-guy-thing pleasure to read.
Can't help weighing in on this one. You did leave it wide-open, and at least one commenter mentioned a self-published novella.
So. My favorite book that came out in 2010?
"Down The Low Road," by me.
Watch out, Franzen...:)
2010 was a really good year, but my favorite was Finny by Justin Kramon. It was gorgeously written, a joy to read, and only the third book ever to make me cry.
"The End of the World As We Know It" by Robert Goolrick and My Reading Life by Pat Conroy. For 2009: Lit by Mary Karr and The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
"The Towers of Midnight" by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson.
There were many great books written in 2010 and mine (Magic Made in Mexico) can't hold a candle to most but nonetheless, it was absolutely my very favorite! The "best" book? ROOM gets my vote.
I've read nada books that were published this year. Too busy being a full-time carer for my mother. Some of those mentioned sounded my thing, though. Freedom, I'm curious about.
I love getting recommendations from the comments. It looks like I need to read ROOM and FREEDOM. My favorite was ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, by Stephanie Perkins, but there were a lot of great ones this year.
HER AND ME AND YOU by Lauren Strasnick.
Oh, and hellis72--BREAK was 2009, but thank you so, so much.
The Dead Beat by Cody James
http://eightcuts.wordpress.com/collaborate/coming-in-2010/the-dead-beat-by-cody-james/
A heartbreaking, hilarious, humane story of a dead beat trying - and by and large failing - to get his life in order in late 90s San Francisco - given the setting, maybe one you'd enjoy, Nathan
Pat Conroy's MY READING LIFE. Conroy knows how to put a word in its place.
Whosoever Will from B&H Academic.
"Just Kids" by Patti Smith
Going Rogue: An American Life by Sarah Palin
My favorite was the Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell. The breadth of it was amazing. Plus, it had a monkey named William Pitt.
The Help was stultifyingly good (although I think it came out last year?) I wanted to love Freedom. I enjoy Franzen's writing style but I hated all of the characters. Just wanted to slap them. And I felt he was making fun of a couple of characters...looking down on them. That really turned me off. On the bright side, I'm getting some great ideas for what to read next from all of these comments!
My favorite book of 2010 is the one that I've written, but you did say "published"....
I'll have to go with "Scumble," by Ingrid Law. It's the second book in an MG series.
I guess I'll have to put in a plug for the book I'm reading right now:
THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin
It's the first book that has ever made me miss by subway stop.
Only one? After reading and posting photos of 200+ books over the past year, it's all a blur. I'm currently reading The Help and loving it.
You get so many damn comments not sure you'll even read this one but here's mine:
"Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary" By David Sedaris
One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia.
A DOG'S PURPOSE, by Bruce Cameron.
THE LAST DAYS OF PTOLEMY GREY by Walter Mosley. FREEDOM was two hundred pages too long, full of unlikeable characters and a wee bit too much in love with itself. Sorry.
For adult books, a tie between The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender and Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue.
For YA, The Death Day Letter by Shaun David Hutchison.
For MG, Palace Beautiful by Sarah DeFord
Like you, Nathan, I loved "Freedom"--the story, the characterizations, and was blown away by the brilliance of the writing in handling the time frames. What a talent! Also loved "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" for the same reasons, which I also read in this year. But then I like BIG books. Unfortunately, publishers don't.
I wrote the comment about
"Freedom" and "Kavalier and Clay". Not sure why my comments published as anonymous. No doubt my lack of skills with anything technical. Have a Happy Holiday, Nathan. Thanks for keeping up your blog. We miss your agent tips, but still enjoy hearing from you.
Clare WB
Thanks for the kind words for ROCK PAPER TIGER. As Jennifer said, that was a pretty meaningful one for me too! It wouldn't have happened without you (Nathan) and I am continually gratified by the responses the book has received.
Loved THE SECRET YEAR, and Jenn, one of these days I'm going to come to your neck of the woods and get it autographed.
I want to read FREEDOM and ROOM but haven't yet. I am terrible at remembering what I read and favorite anythings, but a book that made a big impression on me this year (though not published this year) was NEVER LET ME GO. Powerful like a depth charge...
I'm really loving China Mieville's KRAKEN, but I haven't quite finished it yet.
The Poet-John Serpent-available on Kindle-Amazon or http://stephenstoller.com
I became hysterical crying at the end-I had no idea that a book can do this anymore/I traveled with the Poet M THROUGH TWO-HUNDRED PAGES-past/violence/ hope and futility/Aids/drugs/sex /it sings and I appreciate when an auther can ring the reader out.
"Elegies for the Brokenhearted" by Christie Hodgen. I bought it on a whim after reading a short blurb about it on a blog. I was intrigued by the fact it is written in second person. It's not the sort of material I usually read, but I loved it so much I read all of Hodgen's back catalog and enjoyed it as well.
I've read so many great books this year, but the one that still lingers is FINNY by Justin Kramon. An incredible debut novel by such a talented young writer. The book made me laugh and cry--all on one page. I'll be recommending this one for a long time.
The "marjorie-cartoons":
http://marjorie-cartoons.blogspot.com/2010/12/happy-holidays.html
My best read, by far, is The Fountain Head by Ayn Rand
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