Top Ten Books December 10, 2009
Posted by Chris in Fiction, Non-Fiction, Thoughtful Ramblings.2 comments
These are some of the books I loved in ’09 and why:
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout for its realism
This is Water by David Foster Wallace for helping me put things into perspective
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell because I just like the way he thinks
Bright-Sided by Barbara Ehrenreich because her unique insights and wit make me laugh
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak for talking about good and evil without preaching
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett for its uhh… passion
One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell for a charming glimpse into a true NYC neighborhood
The Sportswriter by Richard Ford for voice
The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon for amazing storytelling
The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walter for its motley group of genuine characters
—Chris
Ann’s Top Ten of 2009 December 10, 2009
Posted by Ann in Fiction, Mystery, Non-Fiction, Thoughtful Ramblings.Tags: Best books, Favorite books
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My end of year reading in 2008 of the newest Kate Atkinson book spurred my beginning year reading in 2009, and I went back to read the two older Atkinson books. Of these, Case Histories gets a nod for my Best of 2009 list. It introduces the private detective, ex-cop, Jackson Brodie, whose life is at loose ends. As her tried to solve three cases revolving around past mysteries, he’s pulled into the moment of real life in a big way.
Shreve Stockton’s The Daily Coyote (which just came out in a trade paperback ed.), is a definite for the list. You will fall in love with Charlie the coyote and Eli the cat in this true-life story about a city girl turned western ranch woman who rescues a baby coyote.
As long as I’m including the coyote book, I have to also include Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper. This is another inspiring animal story about a blind kitten named Homer, adopted by Cooper. Homer is a fearless cat, who ends up taking care of Gwen just as much as she takes care of him.
On the darker side, Arnaldur Indriðason’s Silence of the Grave is a powerful literary mystery set in Iceland. When a corpse is discovered, and thought to be many years old, Detective Erlandur and his team investigate. 2nd in the series.
Stephen White never fails to entertain, and Dead Time is no exception. In this latest novel, Alan Gregory runs into his ex-wife and when he agrees to help her track down a woman who is to be the surrogate mother of her child, he finds himself involved in a wild and dangerous mystery of another missing young woman.
I discovered Nicci French this year. The author is actually a husband-wife writing team, and their newest book is Until It’s Over. Set in London, bicycle messenger Astrid bell finds her world turned upside down when she’s in a bike accident with a car, and the driver of the car who is also a neighbor is later found murdered. This is a can’t-put-down suspenseful story for fans of Ruth Rendell and Minette Walters.
Laura Moriarty’s second novel, The Rest of Her Life is a stunner. During a moment of inattentiveness, teenager Kara Churchill hits and kills a pedestrian, and from that moment on the rest of her life changes. With insight, grace, and pain, Moriarty probes mother-daughter and family relationships in the wake of tragedy.
I’d been saving Steve Hamilton’s last Alex McKnight mystery, Ice Run. (He’s departed from that character in his more recent novels, but assures fans he is now working on a new mystery featuring McKnight.) This one, like the others is set in the UP of Michigan. It’s the dead of winter, and Alex becomes involved with a case concerning an old man he and his girlfriend run into at a Sault St. Marie hotel. Nonstop action, and the ghosts and mysteries from the past will chill you to the bone.
Another book I’d been saving to read is Summertime by Liz Rigbey. Rigbey’s only written two novels, and this one like her previous doesn’t disappoint. I couldn’t put this book down! It’s about a woman returning to California when her father mysteriously dies. As in Ice Run, there are tragedies and stories from the past that muddy the waters of the present in this wonderful mystery-thriller.
And finally to complete my list, there is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Swedish author Stieg Larsson. The book really does live up to all the hype, and it’s a shame that the author died before seeing his three books published. This is the first of a trilogy. The second title is now available in the U.S., with the third due to be published in May, 2010.
~Ann
My Favorite Books of 2009: All are Thrilling, But Not All are Thrillers December 10, 2009
Posted by Evelyn in New Books, Thoughtful Ramblings, Thrillers.Tags: The Reading Room, Top Ten of 2009
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As I looked back over my 2009 reads, I realized that it would be hard to choose my top ten favorites, but here goes…..
Alex and Me by Irene Pepperberg is the true story of Pepperberg’s 30-year relationship with a gray parrot named Alex that will touch your heart as well as provide fascinating details of his astonishing abilities.
Await Your Reply by local author Dan Chaon addresses the issue of identity and place as it tells the story of three people’s lives that intersect due to identity theft. Think literate thriller.
Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan is a stunning work of noir fiction in which the editor of an Ann Arbor mystery magazine enlists the help of an associate to bury the body of a home intruder he accidently killed. Just when you think you know what is going on, Dolan throws in another twist.
The Bellini Card by Jason Goodwin is a historical mystery set in 1860s Istanbul and Venice with a distinct Holmesian feel about it. What’s not to like?
The Devlin Diary by Christi Phillips is the sequel to The Rossetti Letter. Claire Donovan is now a fellow at Cambridge researching the diary of Hannah Devlin, physician to the king’s mistress in the 1670s. If you like Lauren Willig, give these books a try.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett tells the story of three women working as maids for white families in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi and is probably my top favorite of the year. It is absolutely fabulous on audio!
The Last Child by John Hart is a mystery about teenager Johnny Merrimon searching for his missing twin sister in rural North Carolina. If you like atmospheric settings and complex characters, this one is a sure bet.
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe tells the tale of a grad student who find a book of spells from a Salem witch in the ancestral family home. This book is part historical and part thriller, with a little magic and romance thrown in for good measure.
Plea of Insanity by Jillian Hoffman is a legal thriller about an attorney who must confront her own past when defending a doctor accused of murdering his family. I guarantee that you’ll re-read the ending of this book at least twice.
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo is a “non-put-downable” thriller set in Ohio Amish country in which new sheriff Kate Burkholder tracks a serial killer who may have links to her past. So accurately written, it’s hard to believe that the author is from Texas.
Hope you enjoy these books as much as I did. ~Evelyn
Happy Endings in 2009! December 10, 2009
Posted by Donna in Thoughtful Ramblings.Tags: Favorite books
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I love books and reading and since I love every book that I read (I read the last page first so I know what the ending will be and I won’t start a book if I don’t like the ending so…I love every book that I read), I had a hard time selecting my “Best of 2009” book list. I’ve read all genres this year and loved all that I read so I debated a long time with myself. I finally decided to share with all of you my “Best of Happy Endings 2009” book list. I love all the books that I read but I love “happy endings” the best!
Lavender Morning by Jude Deveraux
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austin Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
The Finishing Touches by Hester Browne
Vision in White by Nora Roberts
Do I need to say more about these books except that they have happy endings? All of these books have wonderful characters, some laughter, and some tears and of course, love and romance. Ahhh….who could ask for anything else in a book?
The Forgotten Garden and The Finishing Touches have not been added to our Reading Room database. I plan to add them before the end of the year.
Season’s Readings to All! ~Donna
Fabulous Five of 2009 December 9, 2009
Posted by Janet in Fiction, Thoughtful Ramblings.Tags: Top Ten of 2009
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1. The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread by Don Robertson is the book that has remained memorable above all others. It was originally published in 1965 but reissued in 2008. I did not know anything about this book before I read it which probably explains the big impression that it made. I am not revealing anything here, so go find this book and read it.
2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett is fabulous. I was hooked after reading the first page. Set in Jackson, Mississippi in 1965, The Help explores the relationships between the young, white housewives and the black maids they employ. Unforgettable.
3. Etta by Gerald Kolpano Etta Place is the focus of Gerald Kolpano’s work of fiction. “Etta” is the girlfriend of the Sundance Kid. She becomes a member of the “Hole in the Wall Gang”. Her life story is interesting, poignant, unexpected, and adventurous.
4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a young adult book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The first book in a trilogy, it is set in post-apocalyptic America, now known as Panem. Panem is divided into 12 districts. Once a year each district chooses one boy and one girl to fight to the death in a televised game until there is only one person left – the champion. The second book, Catching Fire, is listed by Dori and Megan as one of their favorites for 2009.
5. The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano is a unique debut work of fiction. It is the story of a family that is forced into the Witness Protection Program with its lifelong adjustments. The story unfolds with a relaxed telling and it has just the right amount of twists and turns. The movie rights have been sold.
— Janet
The Best of ’09? December 9, 2009
Posted by carol in Uncategorized.Tags: The Reading Room, Top Ten of 2009
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Is it wrong to pick favorites? Why only have one favorite color, favorite food, favorite friend? Is is just me or does everyone have trouble deciding? Well, that written, I am listing 10 books (in no particular order) that I loved reading this year. I am sure that I will find more books to read from 2009, and I will feel free to enjoy them just as much as the ones I have listed here. Maybe you will enjoy some of my favorites too :
*Little Bee By Chris Cleave
*The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie By Alan Bradley
*The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane By Katherine Howe
*Baking Cakes in Kigali By Gaile Parkin
*Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict By Laura Rigler
*The Year of the Flood By Margaret Atwood
*The German Woman By Paul Griner
*Cutting for Stone By Abraham Verghese
*My Abandonment by Peter Rock
*The Help by Katheryn Stockett
~Carol
Favorite Books of 2009 December 9, 2009
Posted by Dori in Fiction, Mystery, New Books, Thoughtful Ramblings, Uncategorized.Tags: Top Ten of 2009
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I read a lot of great books in 2009, but the ones that I chose to share were books that made me think, made me feel and that have stuck with me. Here goes…
1. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan – a retelling of a fairy tale, this stunning book about the power of the human spirit has continued to resonate with me.
2. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin – a quietly moving book about one of the most courageous things a person can do – begin their life over in another country.
3. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann – this book celebrates both the small and large acts that people do to bring them closer to one another and closer to their own spirits.
4. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout – a series of stories that revolve around a woman who is both difficult and generous.
5. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga – a fictional autobiography narrated by a poor lower caste Indian boy transformed by murder into a modern Indian businessman.
6. Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon – three seemingly separate narratives join surprisingly at the end to form a book about relationships and identity.
7. Little Bee by Chris Cleave – a heartbreaking story of modern political realities, personal courage and and our responsibilities to our fellow men (and women).
8. Field of Blood by Denise Mina – the first of a series that I just discovered; the gritty setting and smart, working class heroine are perfectly captured.
9. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins – another young adult title, and second in a series, this book about a future United States that is on the verge of revolution leaves you yearning for the finale.
10. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel – okay, I really haven’t finished this yet, but so far it’s a fascinating look at the reign of Henry VIII through the eyes of whip smart and efficient Thomas Cromwell. The writing is just so intelligent and funny. I’m predicting it will make my top ten of 2009…
~ Dori
Fond memories from 2009 December 9, 2009
Posted by Maureen in Fiction, New Books, Non-Fiction, Pets, Thoughtful Ramblings.Tags: Top Ten of 2009
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Well, I managed to squeak in some reading this year (which I admit, I am having trouble believing is ending) and there are a few good books that stick in my mind…
- Little Bee by Chris Cleave
This book completely swept me away from the very first page. What a story! Told from the perspective of a Nigerian orphan we first meet while she is detained in a British immigration facility, this novel will have you laughing, crying and waiting on the edge of your seat for the details of the life-changing event of Little Bee.
- Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Although a longer read than I normally pick up, this book captured and kept my interest with its “insider” look into the secretive and elite world of Ivy League college admissions. Woven together with the story of a troubled boy’s quest to find a place to fit in, the private and professional life of Princeton admissions officer Portia Nathan reveals what it takes to make the decisions that affect the lives of many college hopefuls.
- Heroic Measures by Jill Climent
This was a quirky little book that I ended up liking a lot! It follows the pursuits of Alex and Ruth, an elderly couple in Manhattan, who are hoping to move out of their five-flight walkup into a highly desirable (albeit highly expensive) “elevator” building in the city. Mingled with the storyline of their apartment hunting/open houses is the subject of their precious little dachshund Dorothy who suddenly loses the ability to walk, the fact that a possible terrorist is loose in the city, and the couple’s mixed feelings about their impending move. All of these things make for a book that you (for some unexplained reason) can’t put down!
- Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas
A book that will definitely give you a chance to walk a mile in another person’s shoes and see the power of animal companions. In this moving memoir the author describes the tragic accident that left her husband with TBI (traumatic brain injury) and changed the course of their lives together forever. Though the material seems like it would be too overwhelmingly sad, Thomas gives glimpses into who her husband was and now is through little stories and humorous anecdotes that will touch your heart and show you the power of true love.
- The Help by Kathryn Stockett
One of the best books I read in 2009 and boy did I finish it in no time! It was fascinating, with its vivid descriptions of pre civil-rights movement society and intimate stories of how “the help” was really being treated in white households in the south. The writing was fantastic, the characters were perfectly created and the story was one I won’t forget.
- Swimming by Nicola Keegan
Yet another book that was beautifully written and tells an interesting story. Philomena (Pip) Ash turns out to be a superstar swimmer and future Olympian who is discovered at the tender age of just 9 months when her parents take her to a mom-and-me swim class and watch her naturally take to the water. Things are not always rosy in life for Pip, however, despite her Olympic gold medals, and she must learn who she is and how to survive outside the pool as well.
—Maureen
Stars of 2009 December 8, 2009
Posted by Rosemary in Fiction, Mystery, New Books, Non-Fiction, Thoughtful Ramblings.Tags: Top Ten of 2009
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This year most of my favorite books are nonfiction titles. I loved reading Good Poems edited by Garrison Keillor. As with any poetry anthology, the poems can be read over the course of one snowy day, or they can be savored one at a time over a month of Sundays. The anthology contains so many of my much-loved poets: Billy Collins, Robert Frost, Robert Bly, Wendell Berry, Mary Oliver, Walt Whitman, and Denise Levertov.
Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew Crawford has just been listed in the NYT Book Review’s 100 Notable Books of 2009. Crawford holds a PhD in political philosophy, is a fellow at the University of Virginia, and owns his own motorcycle repair shop. Crawford suggests that our modern world has disconnected us from truly understanding the material world. To reconnect, he proposes that we become able to make and repair things, not just to save money, but for the satisfaction of becoming the “master of one’s own stuff.”
Diane Ackerman’s Dawn Light: Dancing with Cranes and Other Ways to Start the Day would make a perfect Christmas gift for the nature lover on your list. Her writing is thought-provoking, lyrical, and beautiful. There are underlying themes of change and suffering, but her focus is truly joy. Joy in being alive. Joy in being a part of this immense universe.
Of the two fiction books that have topped my reading list, one is purely fun and the other is serious with themes of duty and honor. Dog on It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn is the start of a great new series. Chet is the canine narrator of the mystery and is partnered with Bernie, a private investigator. Chet and Bernie have each other’s backs as they hunt for a missing teenage girl. The story is very humorous, but readers will be in suspense until the very end as they worry about Chet’s fate.
A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd is also the beginning of a series. Charles Todd is the pen name for this mother/son writing team best known for their Ian Rutledge mystery series. Bess Crawford is their new heroine. She is serving England as a nurse during the Great War. As she tends to a dying soldier, he asks her to take a message to his family. After Bess is rebuffed by the family, she begins to probe into the family’s history only to discover a hidden and devastating betrayal. Readers will be fascinated by this brooding and evocative mystery.
~Merry Christmas from Rosemary
My Favorite Reads of 2009! December 7, 2009
Posted by stacey in Fiction, Thoughtful Ramblings.Tags: Top Ten of 2009
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Have I mentioned before how much we like to talk about books here at Rocky River Public Library? (Once or twice maybe?) Need more convincing? Then this week will do the trick for sure! We’re all going to be treating you to lists of our favorite books from the past year. We decided it would only be fair to keep the list at ten or less (I’m sure we could have all gone a little crazy without that limit!) and the books could have any publishing date but must have been read in 2009 (because there shouldn’t be a time limit on finding a new favorite book!)
With those ground rules in mind, I thought I would try to focus my list a bit. I decided to pick books that I enjoyed so much that I know I’ll be rereading them for years to come! So, in alphabetical order by author (hello? I am a librarian!) , here are some of my favorite reads in 2009:
1. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
This book isn’t coming out until March of 2010 but I was given the chance to review it for Library Journal -and I loved it! (You can put it on hold anytime as it’s in our catalog now! Hurray!)
2. The Moral Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
All three of these books were so much fun to read and they make a good next selection for Twilight fans.
3. Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean.
Also a lucky find, courtesy of Library Journal. This is the start of what promises to be an amazing series. I’m totally rooting for Miss Dido Kent!
4. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford.
Book three (out of the five on this list) to come from … LJ! (Can I take a moment here to say, “Thank You!!” to Library Journal for sending me such quality books to review?) Jane Austen as a vampire should have made for a bad, bad book but this was so fun to read! And it was a good mystery story to boot!
5. Hunger by Michael Grant.
This is the second book in the Gone series. It’s just as creepy and engaging as the first book.
6. Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey.
Soooo good! Can a book be gritty and charming? Yes, this book has both in spades! Really, do yourself a favor and read this book!!
7. Dog on it by Spencer Quinn.
The story is told by Bernie, the dog. I was surprised at how much I liked seeing things from the dog’s point of view. It was smart *and* funny.
8. Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn.
Ah, Lady Julia Grey… This is the third in the series and they just keep getting better!
9. The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams.
An interesting story about polygamy; filled with fascinating characters.
10. The Betrayal of the Bloody Lily by Lauren Willig.
The latest book in the Pink Carnation series, but it’s surely not the last. (Thank goodness!) You can read this book on its own, but I’m guessing you’ll wind up reading them all in the end!
So, there you go. That’s ten of the books that I loved reading over the past year and I hope that you’re interested enough to give some of them a chance to make it to your list of favorites! Enjoy!
—Stacey
P.S. If you want to know the other two titles provided by Library Journal… come on in and we’ll talk!
