Favorite Reads of 2013

2013 was a good year for reading (most years are). I read 75 books. My reading habits shifted a bit this year as I stopped reading on my iPod after weaning Felix and moved back to paper. Then I moved back to e-books when Nate gave me a kindle. I am still kind of loving e-books. I also received more review copies than ever before. I stuck a toe into the book blogging world at Intellectual Recreation and Red Letter Reads. I made my first visit to Book Expo America. I also returned to Young Adult literature after a pretty significant break from the genre last year. I listened to more audio books than I have since we moved from Kansas. In fact, more than half of the favorites below were consumed in audio format.

Out of 75 books this year:
45 were Young Adult novels
4 were Middle-grade novels
5 were non-fiction
20 were adult fiction
35 were e-books
17 were audio books
21 were review copies
15 were sequels
9 books received a 5-star rating
33 books received a 4-star rating

Favorite New (to me) Author: Rainbow Rowell of Fangirl and Eleanor & Park

Officially I had my first encounter with Rainbow Rowell last year when I reviewed Eleanor&Park for Red Letter Reads in December. Rowell's writing is swells in your chest as you read and settles there to stay. Eleanor&Park is the kind of quiet story that creeps up on you and, before you know it, you can't seem to put it down. Fangirl is a bit more fun with some serious stuff mixed in. The idea of writing a novel about a fan fiction writer is brilliant.

Favorite Retelling: Cinder by Marissa Meyer
  
Who knew that what I was missing in my life was a cyborgian retelling of Cinderella? Only everyone who had already read Cinder. Cinder lives in a post-World War IV world that is threatened by both a terrible pandemic and the queen of Lunar. I'm a little late jumping on the Lunar Chronicles band wagon, but I see that as a good thing. I won't have to wait as long for the sequels. 



 
Favorite work of Nonfiction: At Home by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson's 19th-century home inspired him to write a book about the history of houses, but it is comprehensive in the extreme because in Bryson's hands the history of the house becomes the history of humanity. I could not stop talking about this book. Many of my friends were subjected to my constant chatter about this book, and it actually inspired many of them to read the book (and they liked it)! 

 Favorite First Book in a New Series: Pivot Point by Kasie West

I kind of have this thing for parallel/ divergent realities right now. Pivot Point was my favorite. I wish I could read the sequel now (or better yet, yesterday). Addison Coleman is a Searcher. She lives in a compound with other individuals who have supernatural mind powers. Addison must chose to stay in the compound with her mom or leave and live life as a Norm with her dad. What follows is the search of her two possible futures. Everything about this book came to together just right for me. The two futures dovetail nicely and set up quite a bit of dramatic tension for the reader. 

Favorite Psychological Drama: The Cranes Dance by Meg Howrey

Kate Crane of The Cranes Dance is a professional ballet dancer for a company in New York City. Gwen, a star of the same company, recently suffered a nervous breakdown and returned to Michigan to recover. Kate takes us through the injuries, the practices, the performances, the glittering successes and stresses of a professional dancer. However, Kate is also seriously struggling Gwen's absence who is always present in Kate's mind. And Kate's mind is not serving her well these days.

Favorite Historical Novel: The FitzOsbornes at War by Michelle Cooper

Last year the first in this series, A Brief History of Montmaray made my best of list. Because I love this series so much, I am pushing it on you again. In The FitzOsbornes at War the characters have some pretty heavy stuff to deal with--lots of new and harrowing situations and lots of growth for all parties. Parts of the book brought me to tears and other parts made me laugh. I'd like to read more books like this. Actually, I think these books would make a fabulous BBC mini-series. Anyone want to work on that?

Favorite New Series by a Beloved Author: The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

This is Maggie Stiefvater's fourth appearance on the Favorite Reads round-up. I read the first two books in The Raven Cycle this year. And she does it again. The characters, the setting, the language--it's all great.  I loved these creepy tales, set in a small Virginia town. I am blown away by how well Stiefvater depicts a tight-knit gang of boys. I love those Raven boys.

Favorite Sequel: The Woman Who Died a Lot by Jasper Fforde

I have a deep and abiding love for all of the Thursday Next books, and The Woman Who Died A Lot is one of the best of the bunch. This sequel has tons of hilarious moments, and the bigger plot blew me away with its awesomeness. Being able to listen to a Thursday Next book on a long bus ride to and from New York makes that long bus ride much, much better.  






Favorite Dose of Humor: The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde

In a Favorite Reads first, Jasper Fforde becomes the only author to have more than one book on the list in any given year. (And you thought I hadn't pushed his books enough as I recommend them to friends, neighbors, semi-acquaintances.) The Song of the Quarkbeast is the second in Fforde's first Young Adult series. I love how Fforde upends our expectations for the fantasy genre in these novels. I grinned the whole way through this book.

Favorite Audio Book: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman has a magic touch. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a short little tale. It reads like the short story it originally was, but it is kind of perfect. I do always love to hear Neil Gaiman's voice. I saw Neil Gaiman speak about this book earlier this year (it was a truly bizarre experience seeing and hearing the man speak when I'm used to him being a disembodied voice), and he spoke a bit about how this book is linked to his hometown and childhood. It obviously veers greatly becoming a work of magical realism, but I liked knowing there is a connection there.

Favorite Book Club book: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I had good memories of reading Frankenstein in college for Humanities 350, and I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, the second time. It was one of my favorite book club discussions. I was surprised the second time around how readable I find the book. I clipped right through it. Read it. It's not what you expect.





 
Favorite Fantasy: Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

Laini Taylor kind of blew my mind with Days of Blood & Starlight. I am endlessly fascinated by the Chimera. I think I could read a whole book filled with just descriptions of the Chimera--what they look like, what they sound like. Both Karou's and Akiva's stories are really well developed in Daughter of Smoke Bone. And the set-up for the next book ... well let's just say that I am not sorry that I waited so long to read this book because now I won't have to wait so long for Dreams of Gods & Monsters.

 
 Favorite Ghost Story: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

I have not stopped talking about, thinking about, or recommending The Screaming Staircase since I finished it. The characters, the world, the writing, the atmosphere, and the pacing all come together perfectly. Most of all, this book is scary. I listened to the audio book and, while the narration is just lovely, I cannot condone nighttime listening, unless you want to be totally creeped out. I did not listen to my own advice and was lying awake in my bed on more than one occasion. 

P.S. Favorite Reads from the past.

Favorite Reads of 2012

I'm a little late posting my favorite reads this year. I'll blame it on small children and holiday travel. My reading habits were a little different this year. I read almost every single book, after Felix's birth, on my iPod. I never thought I'd say this, but I am feeling pretty converted to the ebook. I read 63 books (and one novella) this year, significantly fewer than the 93 books I read last year, but I did have a baby this year. And you what's weird? I also read exactly 63 books in 2009, the year that Beckett was born.

Out of 63 books (and one novella):
44 were ebooks
9 were audiobooks (my audio consumption has gone way, way down since moving to Maryland)
4 were nonfiction
29 were Middle Grade or Young Adult (less than half. I got a little tired of YA this year.)
The numbers of books read may be down a bit, but I feel like the quality was up. I gave 36 books a 4 or 5-star rating.

Now for the favorites in a variety of categories.

Favorite Post-Apocalyptic Retelling of a Classic: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund 

This category may be a little ridiculous but book is anything but. I have read all of Diana Peterfreund's novels to date, and many of her short stories, and I love them all. For Darkness Shows the Stars is her very best. This book is fabulous. For Darkness Shows the Stars is a post-apocalyptic retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion where the stakes much are higher and more dangerous. Everything about this book is breathtaking--the world-building, the characters, the atmosphere. I am so amazed at Peterfreund's creation. I wish I was still reading it. If you love a good post-apocalyptic novel but are having a hard time finding a good one in the deluge of dystopias out there these days, read this one.

Favorite Historical Novel: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein 
 
Elizabeth Wein's book Code Name Verity takes place during World War II. Best friends are trapped in Nazi territory on the wrong side of the English Channel. Almost anything I write about this book will give something away. It's best to go in with only the barest idea of the plot and premise. This is a truly remarkable book. The writing is superb. The action is harrowing and horrifying. The friendship is so real. This book is crazy good. Read it.

Favorite Collection of Short Stories: Tortall and Other Lands by Tamora Pierce

So obviously I am a huge Tamora Pierce fan. She is officially my most read author. I've been slowly working my way through her novels for over three years now. That said, I expected to like Tortall and Other Lands  in a "rounding out my Tortall experience" type of way, but I ended up loving it. As in demanding that my sister also read this book so that we could discuss every. single. story.
 

Favorite Fantasy Novel: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

 Absolutely phenomenal. Set at the turn of the last century, Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus is the venue for a very high stakes duel between two magicians. The book is so much more than that, but at the same time every single element of the novel is tied to this contest. The Night Circus is rich and magical. The setting, with all of its details of color, scents, and attractions, is masterfully constructed. This is the type of book that I want to read more often. It had a lot of elements that I love: magic with consequences, an alternate history, a story that extends through decades, lots of eccentric characters, and a setting (the circus) that is itself a character.

Favorite New Release by a Beloved Author: Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

Midnight in Austenland was highly anticipated in this household. (Okay, just by me, but still.) I loved Shannon Hale's Austenland. It was just so dang funny. Ms. Hale has a great sense of humor that makes her adult books such a pleasure to read. Plus, going to Pembrook Park was just so fun. What a treat to get to return. Midnight in Austenland is fun and mysterious and populated with great characters. Serious good times. In an interview Shannon Hale mentioned that she hopes to continue to return to Austenland. I hope so too. I met Shannon Hale this year at the Baltimore Book Festival! Dream come true.

Favorite Light Read: I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

This is the first book by Sophia Kinsella that I have read, although I have, of course, heard of the Shopaholic Series. When I started reading I've Got Your Number I said to myself, "Self, this is why you don't often read chick lit, you cannot deal with the stupidity of the protagonists." And, in the beginning I really was horrified by the stupid things that Poppy was doing, but you know what, I was wrong. And actually, I think this was done quite brilliantly, because Sam also thinks Poppy is pretty ridiculous at first and Poppy doesn't have a lot of confidence in herself either, but as the plot progresses, Sam and Poppy and I grew to realize how wonderful, smart, and capable Poppy really is. In the end I really loved the book. Most of all, this book is fun.

 Favorite Audio Book: A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper

I loved this little piece of historical fiction. Michelle Cooper's A Brief History of Montmaray takes place in the 1930s and stars the FitzOsbornes, the royalty of the very poor and very small island of Montmaray and their problems--the island's dwindling population, mad King John, Nazis.

Reading Order: A Brief History of Montmaray, The FitzOsbornes in Exile, The FitzOsbornes at War

 Favorite New (to me) Author: Sarah Addison Allen

I read all four of Allen's books this year. I love her slightly magical North Carolina. Allen's books contain themes of coming home, embracing one's true self, and making room for good things. They are about building and protecting friendships.I love Allen's colorful and quirky casts of characters. I hope to read much more by Allen.

Books by Allen: Garden Spells, The Sugar Queen, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, The Peach Keeper

 Favorite Book Club Book: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Here's a book that needs no introduction. Louie Zampernini's story is insanely amazing. From hellion, to track star, to war hero, to crash survivor, to prisoner of war. If you haven't read this yet, what are you waiting for?

 Favorite Middle-Grade Novel: The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall

The Penderwick books have a nostalgic quality to them. They remind of the books that I used to read when I was a kid--books that have "normal" children with real-life kid problems.The third installment in the Penderwicks series is every bit as wonderful as the first two. I love the little details, like MOPS (Meeting of Penderwick Sisters), OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick), and Penderwick Family Honor. The Penderwicks are such smart, kind, and funny children. These are books that will remind you how wonderful it is to have a sister.
Reading Order: The Penderwicks, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, The Penderwicks at Point Mouette

Favorite Work of Nonfiction: Zoo Story  by Thomas French

Thomas French writes of Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo, its inhabitants, its CEO, and its controversies. With every page this book forces the reader to confront the very conflicted and contradictory nature of zoos. They are both prisons and sanctuaries for endangered animals. The business of running a zoo can run contrary to conservation. The design of the animals' habitats can been seen as both a benefit to the animals and as a rather disturbing simulacrum for the visitors. When I read about Zoo Story on Janssen's blog I thought it would be an interesting read. I was more taken with it than I expected.  

Favorite Sequel: The Far West by Patricia Wrede

I love Wrede's Frontier Magic series. I love alternate histories, and it's not often that I find one set somewhere other than England. Wrede's series is a pioneer tale set in the United States of Columbia. In The Far West Eff journeys once again beyond the Great Barrier. The new magical creatures and interesting and terrifying. Eff's continually developing magical abilities are impressive. After finishing this book, I'm thinking that we'll get at least one more installment. That's something I certainly won't be complaining about.

Reading Order: Thirteenth Child, Across the Great Barrier, The Far West

Looking for more recommendations? Check out the favorites of 2012 from these avid readers:
Janssen at Everyday Reading
Angie at Angieville
Michelle at See Michelle Read
Becca at From One Land of Oz to Another
Jess at Don't Mind the Mess
Shannon Hale at Squeetus
The Story Siren

Favorite Reads of 2011

As dictated by tradition, on the last day of the year I post my favorite reads (see 2009 and 2010). This year I read 93 books. I didn't quite make 100, but 93 is a personal record. 24 of those books were audio books. 65 were middle-grade or young adult books, meaning that 38 were written for adults. Only 5 were non-fiction. I read 10 books for book club. Here, in a variety of categories, are my favorites of the year.

 
Favorite Middle-grade Novel: Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
 
Basically Gary D. Schmidt is a genius. The Wednesday Wars made it onto my favorite reads of 2009. Okay for Now is every bit as good. Doug, the main character, has a rough family life, a volatile father, one brother in Vietnam and one who is always picking on him, and a loving, but powerless mother. Needless to say, he is rough around the edges, but Marysville, despite his initial disdain for the town, ends up being so very good for him. I couldn't not love this battered kid who has such a good heart and so much potential. Doug's voice is so strong and so funny but also so vulnerable, and it's one of the things that makes Okay for Now poignant and real and amazingly good.

Favorite Contemporary YA Novel: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
 
Most of my reading choices tend to be on the science fiction side, but I went through a Contemporary Young Adult kick at the beginning of the year. I had heard lots of good things about Australian author Melina Marchetta's books, and I think they are all true. Francesca is one of the first girl students at a previously all-boys school. She has been torn away from her friends, she has to deal with these boys that don't want girls mucking up their school, and her mother is suddenly, severely depressed. While Francesca starts out floundering it is such a joy to see her discover herself, make new (real) friends, and grow up. A really lovely story. I resolve to read more of Marchetta this year.

Close Second Favorite: Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Favorite Book Club Book: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
 
Henrietta Lacks's cells became the first immortal human cells, HeLa. Those cells helped create the polio vaccine, AIDS and cancer treatments, and were a crucial component of cloning and nuclear research. But Henrietta Lacks had no idea she had "donated" those cells and neither did her children or husband. When they found out, long after Henrietta's death from cervical cancer, that knowledge haunted them. This book is about the cells, the woman, her family, and the author's road to putting the story together. The book is about a fascinating and controversial topic. It made for a great book club discussion.

Favorite Non-fiction Book: The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr
 
The Lost Painting chronicles the events leading to the discovery, in 1993, of a lost painting by Caravaggio, The Taking of Christ. I know I am an art history nerd, but I found this book incredibly suspenseful even though almost all the big discoveries were unearthed in archives (tedious work). The book recounts the contributions of several people, an eminent octogenarian Caravaggio scholar, an Italian art restorer living in Ireland, and a Roman graduate student of art history. Much of the credit for unearthing The Taking's provenance goes to Francesca Cappelletti, the aforementioned grad student, who was in her twenties at the time and a Master's student. Seriously impressive. 

Favorite Audio Books: The Protector of the Small Series by Tamora Pierce
 
I am still working my way through Tamora Pierce's oeuvre. She's written a lot of books. I listened to 10 of them this year alone. Tamora Pierce is now the most read author, by far, on my goodreads' shelf. Of all the Tamora Pierce novels I read this year, I think I loved the Kel books the most. Kel is different than most of the heroes who populate Tamora Pierce's novels. She is a leader who understands strategy and who inspires loyalty. She has wonderful friends. I liked Kel more and more as I read through her series. She is tough. She knows what she wants, and she is talented.

Reading Order: The First Test, Page, Squire, Lady Knight

Favorite Light Read: Anna and the French Kiss  by Stephanie Perkins
 
This book is so utterly charming. I loved Anna. She is so normal. I would like to be her friend. And I loved St. Clair. (Whose first name, Étienne, is my favorite French name! Yes, I have a favorite French name. Have had since high school French class. I know. I am a little odd.) And Paris! The chemistry between Anna and St. Clair is perfect. Their banter is fun, flirty, and witty. This is an endearing story about friends, friendship, love, and courage.

Favorite Series Finale: Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
 
I really liked Incarceron but Catherine Fisher's follow-up novel, Sapphique, absolutely blew me away. This is science fiction/ steampunk/ post-apocalyptic dystopia at its finest. The Realm and Incarceron are never what they appear to be. Fisher has created a world with its own deeply entrenched mythology, yet with tantalizing nods to our own fairy tales and fables that establish a tie to our own time and place. The Sapphique Legend is a masterful creation. I found this book to be utterly magical.
  

Favorite Sequel in an Ongoing Series: River Marked by Patricia Briggs
 
The Mercy Thompson Books just keep getting better and better. This is the sixth book in the series, and so as not to leak any spoilers for those just beginning to read it, I'll just say that reading this book made me want to the read the others in the series all over again. Basically Patricia Briggs writes one of the best paranormal/ urban-fantasy series out there.

Reading Order: Moon Called, Blood Bound, Iron Kissed, Bone Crossed, Silver Borne, River Marked

Favorite Historical Novel: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
 
The Paris Wife is the story of Ernest Hemingway's marriage to his first wife Hadley Richardson, as told from Hadley's perspective. The couple lived in Paris and participated in the burgeoning artistic climate of the post-war period, a time period that is of particular interest to me. The Sun Also Rises might be my favorite book by Hemingway, so it was also interesting to read about the circumstances surrounding it's creation. I think that Paula McLain crafted the book so that Hadley is a very rich and captivating narrator and Ernest is an artist with a vigorous and energetic spirit who, although not without his demons and flaws, is clearly a fascinating person.

  Favorite Science-Fiction/ Historical Novel: Blackout (and sequel All Clear) by Connie Willis

Blackout begins in Oxford in the year 2060 where historians are preparing to time travel to WWII. Once they get there things go awry. Not only do they have to deal with unexpected quarantines, demanding bosses, and all kinds of delays, but also time travel doesn't seem to be function properly. It seems like there are a lot of WWII books out there right now, and some and good and some are not so good. Connie Willis's novel offers a really interesting perspective on the war because the characters have all studied it intensely, and they have insights that the contemporaries do not, and yet they are still unprepared for the harrowing experiences that they face. In some instances knowing more is worse. 

Favorite Fantasy: Starcrossed (and sequel Liar's Moon) by Elizabeth Bunce
 

Here are a couple of books I think deserve more attention. Elizabeth Bunce's novel plunges the reader right into the world she's created, and the reader picks up on its intricacies little by little. This is exactly how I prefer my stories, especially my fantasies. StarCrossed is on par with some of the great fantasy novels. The world building is as intricate as that of Tamora Pierce. The court intrigue is just as fabulous as that of Megan Whalen Turner. The atmosphere of the book is as layered as that of Kristin Cashore. This is high praise. 

Favorite First Book in a New Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

If you are like me you have been hearing all sorts of good things about Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and you know what, they are all true. Everything in this book, from the various settings, our blue-haired heroine, her quirky friends, and even quirkier "family," to the mystery of Karou's origins is fantastically developed. The novel rolls along in this perfect progression, never revealing too much or too little. I particularly loved the beginning of the book. Taylor's blend of the ordinary with the extraordinary has a Neil Gamon-type quality. And that is a huge compliment. 
 

Favorite Steampunk Awesomeness: The Leviathan Series by Scott Westerfeld
 
I loved the Leviathan Series. The books combine a lot of elements that I find really appealing: 1. an alternate history 2. a WWI setting 3. girls disguised as boys 4. steampunk at its finest (seriously the Darwinists creations are just perfection). On top of all of that, these books feature engaging characters and amazing illustrations. They are a fantastical romp around the world, from England and Austria to Switzerland and the Ottoman Empire to Russia and the United States. I'm honestly sad the series is over. I could read more about this amazing setting and the characters who populate it. 

Reading Order: Leviathan, Behemoth, Goliath

Favorite New Release by a Beloved Author: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater 
 
It's no secret that I love Maggie Stiefvater's books. (Just check out last year favorite books and the year before.) When I met Maggie Stiefvater back in back in July she told us that The Scorpio Races was her favorite of all the books she had written but that previously Ballad was her favorite. This bode well because Ballad was also my favorite of Maggie's books. With The Scorpio Races Maggie Stiefvater once again delivers a book that is impossible to read quickly because the language is just too gorgeous to rush. It is a book that sucks you in slowly until you are completely submerged in the atmosphere and characters.

Favorite Reads of 2010

I've decided that a recap of my favorite books of the year on the last day of the year shall be a new tradition. It all began last year. This year I read 57 books (and maybe I could finish one more, but probably not because I'm spending my limited free time writing this blog instead). It's not as many as last year, but it's still a lot. 23 of them were audio books, and that is how I was able to read so many. I'm sure the number will go down when Beckett starts insisting that we listen to his music, which will probably be soon, so, for now, I will resolve to appreciate my audio books that much more.

Favorite Book Club Book: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Is it cheating if my favorite book club book is one that I picked? Maybe, but I still think everyone should read this book. I read it for the second time this year, and the second time through was just as lovely as the first. Cassandra is such a dynamic narrator, and the writing is absolutely lovely. Set in the 1930s in a derelict castle in the English countryside, the setting is just as lovely as the quirky characters.



Favorite Series: Lady Julia Grey Mysteries by Deanna Raybourn

I read all four of the Lady Julia novels this year. Set in the late-Victorian era in England, Lady Julia becomes acquainted with detective Nicholas Brisbane. Julia begins to think of herself as an amateur detective as well and gets entangled in several of Brisbane's cases, often creating not a little trouble while uncovering crucial clues.

Reading Order: Silent in the Grave, Silent in the Sanctuary, Silent on the Moor, Dark Road to Darjeeling

Favorite Audio Books: Tamora Pierce Fantasies

OK. So I'm kind of cheating with this one. I'm working my way through Tamora Pierce's oeuvre. Every night I listen to her books when I go to bed. The Song of the Lioness Quartet, the chronicles of the first Tortallan female knight in over 100 years, is much beloved for good reason. The reader, Trini Alvarado, adds much to the story. The other Tamora Pierce novels I listened to this year, The Immortals Quartet and Circle of Magic, are read by the author, who had a career in radio, and a full cast. Always fun.

 

Favorite Pool Side Read: A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson

Really, this was my only pool side read, but, set in the Amazon, it's the perfect book to take on a tropical vacation (we were in Mexico). A Company of Swans is officially my second favorite Eva Ibbotson book, and it is a close second indeed. The time period (1912) is one of my favorites. And the dancing! I loved this book. I loved Harriet. I loved Rom. I loved their delicate romance.






Favorite New Release from a Beloved Author: Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

 How I love Jasper Fforde and his crazy imagination! Get a load of this premise: The world of Shades of Grey is a Colortocracy. One's social status is determined by what color one can see and how well one perceives it. The beauty of all of Fforde's books are all the little details. In Shades of Grey we have (to mention a few) swan attacks, marriage negotiations, healing with colors, a spoon shortage, Apocryphals. The language is utterly beguiling. Please read all of Jasper Fforde's novels (I highly recommend his Thursday Next Series as well). And, if you don't like them, I'd appreciate it if you'd pretend that you do.

Favorite Fairytale Retelling and book by a Local Author: A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce

 Elizabeth Bunce's A Curse Dark as Gold Elizabeth Bunce's A Curse Dark as Gold is a retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin story. Charlotte Miller becomes of the dubious owner of Stirwaters Mill when her father dies unexpectedly. Charlotte and her sister Rose struggle to keep the mill, and by extension the small town that relies on it, going. But the mill is cursed, or so the locals whisper. Time and again just when Charlotte and Rose think they are going to get ahead something horrific happens making it absolutely necessary that they m...moreis a retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin story. Bunce's story is beautifully told. The setting that she creates is just perfect. I really could visualize the mill and its surroundings hovering right on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution where the past and the future collide. This pretty fabulous retelling became all the sweeter for me when I realized that Bunce is also a Kansas City resident.

 
 Favorite Historical Novel: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary and Shaffer and Annie Barrows

It was actually a little difficult for me to pick a winner for this category this year. I read a lot of good historical fiction including some of the aforementioned books and The Help. Told in a series of letters, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is populated with a group of endearing characters. Juliet Ashton, popular newspaper columnist, begins corresponding with the people of the society when Dawsey Adams realizes he owns one of her old books. Juliet eventually travels to Guernsey. We get a glimpse into the life of the island's inhabitants during the German occupation.

A good, heartwarming book. I love the quirky characters. One of my favo..Told in a series of letters, the novel is populated with a group of endearing characters. We get a glimpse into the life of the island's inhabitants during the German occupation. A good, heartwarming book. I loved the quirky characters. One of my favorite parts was when Isola decided she wanted to be like Miss Marple.

Favorite Smackdown ... I mean Anthology: Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier

Overall in the epic battle of zombies vs unicorns, I have to admit that the zombies decimated their opponents. I went into this fight a slight unicorn supporter, and I'm sure the zombie hordes will be ever so pleased that they converted me to their masses. But, here's where team unicorn takes the cake, the unicorn stories were all very different. The zombie stories, more or less, all deal with the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse and the mostly mute brain-hungry undead. Maybe the unicorn is the more timeless and versatile of the two creatures whereas the zombie is the more horrifying and creepy.

Favorite Nonfiction Read: The Perfect Mile by Neil Bascomb 

This is a book about the three runners contending to break the 4 minute mile barrier in the mid-1950s. Even though I already knew who would be the first I found myself cheering them all on. I really enjoyed learning about these three runners, and, not only that, but I really liked them as people. Roger Bannister is our amateur British runner. John Landy is from Australia, and Wes Santee is the hometown Jayhawk. The book raises lots of questions about amateur vs. professional athletes, training, goals, the limits of the human body, etc.


Favorite First Book in a New Series: White Cat by Holly Black 

White Cat completely sucked me in. Holly Black created an awesome world where magic is illegal forcing the worker families become mobsters. Magic is transmitted through touch so everyone in the society, fearful of what the magicians hidden in their midst could do to them, wear gloves. It's a dark world with the curse workers forced into the underbelly of society. Cassel is the only non-worker from a family entirely of workers. He's trying to fit in to the non-magical world, but he loves the con too much to stop. He's also having weird dreams about a white cat.Runner-up: Mistwood by Leah Cypess and it's a close call.

Favorite Series Finale: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins I just finished Mockingjay, and I am feeling a little raw. My word, what a feat by Suzanne Collins.

In Mockingjay we join Katniss in District 13, beaten, angry, confused, and fragile without Peeta who is a prisoner in the capital. And that is just the beginning. Katniss is really put through the ringer in this book. Everyone wants something from Katniss, and she has to figure out what she wants. On her own.

I think the real beauty of this book for me was how scarred Co...more 
I felt raw and worked over when I finished Mockingjay. I think the real beauty of this book for me was how scarred Collins let her characters, especially Katniss who is telling us her story, become. And she would be too. To be put through the games not once, but twice, to be used and remade by so many groups of people, to be the face of a rebellion that clearly has its own flaws. The anger, the insecurity, the inability to trust, the fragility. Katniss is tough, but she is only human. I loved the ending. It was so heartrending and yet healing at the same time. And I'm with Collins heart and soul on who was right for Katniss in the end.

Favorite Cover: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater I have high expectations for Maggie Stiefvater, who I deemed my favorite new author in 2009. Gratefully, Linger did not disappoint.

First of all, this book is gorgeous. And I do mean the book itself. From the cover with the splash of red over the i, to the leaf-strewn frontispiece, and the green text, the book is just so dang pretty in all the right ways.

Secondly, Stiefvater has a gift for prose. Reading one of her books is kind of like sinking into a fluffy down pillo...more 

I have high expectations for Maggie Stiefvater, who I deemed my favorite new author in 2009. Linger is gorgeous. And I do mean the book itself. From the cover with the splash of red over the i, to the leaf-strewn frontispiece, and the green text, the book is just so dang pretty in all the right ways. Secondly, Stiefvater has a gift for prose. Reading one of her books is kind of like sinking into a fluffy down pillow. You feel engulfed by the feathery lightness of her language. With her language she creates atmosphere. And the story? Well, I'm eagerly awaiting book 3.

Happy New Year and Happy Reading!