Comments on: Best Books of 2009

By: Kim Hagler

Kim Hagler — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:15:22 +0000

Wonderful list! “Witch” is one of my favorite books as a child…will definitely have to revisit that one. I really enjoyed Holes a few years ago as well..

By: Sarah Webber

Sarah Webber — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:18:28 +0000

Oh, I also just heard about The Hunger Games and so have just now reserved it at my library. Thanks!

By: Sarah Webber

Sarah Webber — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:17:46 +0000

I have been trying to actually read real books this year (besides Dr. Seuss, although I can still do The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham by heart from the millions of times I read them to Alex; strangely, Miranda doesn’t seem to be interested in them) and have succeeded, somewhat. After reading a book review in The New York Times or The Christian Science Monitor (I read a lot more book reviews than actual books–what a snob I am!) I started the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan and just finished it on Sunday night with book 5, The Last Olympian. I really enjoyed this series, would recommend it highly, and each book was better than the last. I can’t wait to see the first film in February! I did pick up a few of his adult books from the library as well and didn’t like them half as well. Rumor has it Riordan is now working on a series about Egyptian deities although I have a hard time that would work as well as the Greek ones.
My mother also introduced me to a new romance writer, Jennifer Cruisie, and I have to say her novel Bet Me is one of the laugh-out-loud funniest books I’ve read in a long time.

By: Kimberlee

Kimberlee — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:15:29 +0000

Jen, I love A Room With a View and Edward Tulane. They're in my top 50 books, too (or would be, if I had an actual list). I just put A Very Long Engagement on hold at the library. I remember you waxing eloquent about it when we were in Bako in March and am glad for the reminder.

By: Kimberlee

Kimberlee — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:10:18 +0000

Okay, Cathee, so you're about the fifth person who's mentioned The Hunger Games. I guess I really do have to read them. I placed holds on A Far Cry From Kensington and The Housekeeper and the Professor at the library today. Thanks for the recommendations! The End of the Affair is one of my top 100 books of all time (it might be closer to top 50, but I haven't actually made a definitive list...)

By: jen

jen — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:09:47 +0000

gasp!! I am afraid that I got so excited about all the identical books we had read that I stopped reading your post two lines from the bottom — you DID ask for my favorites. *blushing*

By: jen

jen — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:05:17 +0000

I find it kind of eerie that I have read seven of these books — this year. Perhaps it is just that brilliant minds think alike …er, but more than likely it is simply that we cannot commit to much more than YA and Newbury Winners. *wink* Whatever the reason, I agree with you, these books are fantastic. A few are even brilliant!

Elizabeth George Speare is on my top 20 list of favorite writes. (I once had a top ten list but it was too short). The Witch of Blackbird Pond is intoxicating! And as for The Bronze Bow, I simply fell in love with her interpretation of Jesus. So lovely. So human. So honest.

Well, not that you asked or anything, but I know you want to hear my favorites of 2009, too. My list – not counting the duplicates from above: A Room with a View by EM Forster, A Very Long Engagement by Sabastien Japrisot, The Miraculous Adventure of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling (oh how I love these!!).

I read 48 books this year. *sigh* I’m four short of my goal, but there are still two days left… must-speed-read.

By: Cathee Till

Cathee Till — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:25:33 +0000

This is a great list, Kimberleee, and the best part is that at least half them are books I haven’t heard of! Many of them will be added to my library request list in due time.

Some of my favorites that I’ve read this year, in no particular order: The City of Ember (YA), A Far Cry From Kensington (it takes place in the literary/publishing world of 1950′s London — I think you’d really enjoy it), The City and the City, The Hunger Games Books #1 and #2 (YA), The End of the Affair, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Zeitoun, and The Housekeeper and the Professor (absolutely charming).