So I was planning on doing my top 10 books I read in 2009. ”Sure,” I thought, ” I can pick 10 out of the almost 215 I read.” Then I made my initial list, and there were 26 books on it, and I wondered how I was supposed to choose between things like The “Hunger Games” and “Her Fearful Symmetry,” between “Hate List” and “Time of My Life.” I read such a variety of different books, that I just didn’t think it was going to work to compare such different books. Instead, I’m going to list my top few (up to 5) from a few different categories. In no particular order:
Young Adult Literature
This is a category of books I probably hadn’t read since Middle School, boy have young adult books changed, they’ve gotten AWESOME.
The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld
Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart
Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Hate List by Jennifer Brown (can you believe it? on my ‘best of’ list and I haven’t reviewed it yet)
Women’s Fiction
I was totally scared of these books before this year, I thought they would be “fluffy,” but it turns out that there is a lot of depth in a lot of women’s fiction
Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch
Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos
The Widow’s Season by Laura Brodie
When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge
Real Life and Liars by Kristina Riggle
Historical Fiction
Interestingly, although this is my favorite genre and I read a lot of good books in this genre, I didn’t have a lot that really stood out, and most of them that did weren’t in my comfort area of the Plantagents and Tudors.
The Seamstress by Frances de Pontes Peebles
The Sunne in Splendor by Sharon Kay Penman
Twilight of Avalon by Anna Elliot (even though this has a bit of historical fantasy in it, it was a great book)
Memoir/Nonfiction
Bad Mother by Ayelet Waldman
First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage by Eve Brown-Waite
In The Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White
Audiobooks
The books with the best story and narration
America, America by Ethan Canin
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfeld
General Fiction (and one dytopian)
The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova (pubs January 2010)
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
The Unit by Ninni Holmqvsit
The Last Days of the Lacuna Cabal by Sean Dixon
City of Refuge by Tom Piazza
This is a great list, with many books I’ve enjoyed this year. I’m looking forward to reading The Swan Thieves now.
Have a fantastic 2010!
Nice! I have two on my TBR for 2010 already so I’m glad to know that they made the cut! Happy New Year.
Wow – that’s a lot of books! I love The Sun in Splendor and also really enjoyed Twillight of Avalon. Happy New Year!!
Interesting list! and yay for women’s fiction. Just because it’s by and for women doesn’t mean it’s fluffy. (b/c we’re not.
I love the way you did your best of post! I’ve only read a few of your picks but have several others in my TBR pile. I plan to start The Swan Thieves soon. Happy New Year!
What a great list! I really enjoyed how you presented this list. I see many books that I want to read or books that I should had to my TBR list. The Hunger Games, Uglies and The Widow’s Season are also on my list. Happy 2010 to you!
.-= Kay´s last blog ..The 2009 recap : the best of the best! =-.
Happy New Year Jen! I still have yet to read any Sharon Kay Pennman and I hear her stuff is amazing. This year!
.-= Nicole´s last blog ..Blogger Unplugged! December 23, 2009 – Jan 2, 2010 =-.
That is a fantastic list. I found it incredibly hard to pick 10, so out of guilt I had honorable mentions also! I finished ranting and raving to Candace that I haven’t yet read Nothing But Ghosts, and I’m feeling very left out. This year, I promise!
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What a great and varied list!
.-= Amused´s last blog ..My Top 5 Books of 2009 =-.
I LOVE The Sunne in Splendour. One of my favorite books ever
I love your choices for YA and Women. I just started Uglies today.
Here is my list.
http://teawithmarce.blogspot.com/2009/12/countdown-of-my-favourites.html
You read lots of great books this year! I enjoyed quite a few of them myself, and I’m really looking forward to getting to The Swan Thieves and Her Fearful Symmetry.
Awesome lists. As I make the attempt to diversify my reading a bit more I’m going to have to come back and refer to this list. 2009 has been good to you, looking forward to seeing your thoughts in 2010.
Fantastic list with a wonderful diversity.
.-= Ryan´s last blog ..The Winner of 5 ARCs Is….. =-.
That’s a lot of great books! Hope your 2010 reading is just as successful
I like how you resolved your dilemma of listing some of your favorites. It really can be hard to pick between such different books. You’ve got a great list there and quite a few that I’m hoping to read sometime this year.
I love the cover of Real Life and Liars!
Awesome list of books — and I’ve enjoyed some of them and have the others on my wish list.
Happy new year to you and your family. Can’t wait to meet you in New York (or sooner).
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Weekend Cooking: Movie Review: Julie & Julia =-.
I had a really hard time picking, too, so I did a top fifty and spread it over a few categories… lol
Hi Jen,
Happy New Year!!!! I’m so thrilled that two of my books made your top Non-Fiction/Memoir list this year. Hope all is well.
Best,
Kate
Awesome reading in 2009. I hope 2010 is filled with many, many wonderful books.
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Review: All Alone in the Universe by Lynne Rae Perkins =-.
I had similar problems with compiling a list so I broke it down by challenge, genre in some cases and other odd categories
This is a great list! I have read a lot of these, and the ones I haven’t, I’m adding to my TBR list.
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