Dec 31, 2009

2009's Best Books for Me

2009's Best Books For Me:


I'm going to do my breakdown of best books I've read this year, though some of these may not necessarily have been published in 2009, but earlier in the decade.

I read 63 books in 2008, and my goal for 2009 as to read more than that.  I surprised myself by reading 100 books in 2009 and reviewing all of them! I also started including more poetry reviews and interviews here on the blog and at 32 Poems blog and the D.C. Literature Examiner.  

However, my personal writing goals of working each week toward a poetry or novel word count did not stick, and I stopped posting writing goal updates sometime during the year -- heck, it was so long ago that I stopped I don't even remember when.  I also did not finish editing my poetry manuscript!  Big FAIL!


OK, 2009, it's time to say goodbye.  I'm going to start of with the books I think were the worst.  

You can click on the title links for my reviews or click Amazon.com images in the right sidebar widget for Best of 2009 if you want to purchase the books through my Amazon Affiliate page, which helps keep the blog running, though there is no requirement to buy.

Not Worth Checking Out of the Library (ending with the worst):

5.  Now Silence by Tori Warner Shepard
4.  The Traitor's Wife by Susan Higginbotham
3.  The Michael Jackson Tapes by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
2.  Follow Me by Joanna Scott 
1.  The Kingmaking by Helen Hollick 

Now that the nitty gritty is out of the way, lets get to the best books I've read this year:

Best Book I've Read for the Everything Austen Challenge:

A Match for Mary Bennet by Eucharista Ward

Best Book I've Read for the WWII Reading Challenge:

Inglourious Basterds by Quentin Tarantino

Best Humor Book of 2009 (I only read three, so take this with a grain of salt):


Best Photography Book of 2009 (I only read and looked through 2, take this with less than a grain of salt):

Visions of America by Joseph Sohm

Audiobooks to Die For out of 10 (no particular order):

Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea
Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

The Whole Truth by David Baldacci


Best Young Adult Fiction of 2009 (I only read 5 this year):

Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart

Best Chicklit Book of 2009 (this is a tie for me):

Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell
Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews

Best Poetry Books of 2009 (ending with the best):

6.  More of Me Disappears by John Amen
5.  Fair Creatures of an Hour by Lynn Levin
4.  Secret Love Poems by Arlene Ang
3.  Rubber Side Down edited by Jose Gouveia
2.  Apologies to an Apple by Maya Ganesan
1.  Becoming the Villainess by Jeannine Hall Gailey

Some honorable mentions for 2009 that I adored (no particular order):

The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl
The Secret Keeper by Paul Harris
Dragon House by John Shors
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge
Keeper of Light and Dust by Natasha Mostert 
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins


Best Books I Read in 2009 (to the top pick for the year):

10.  The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
9.  The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan
8.  Breathing Out the Ghost by Kirk Curnutt
7.  Saffron Dreams by Shaila Abdullah
6.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5.  The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner
4.  The Painter From Shanghai by Jennifer Cody Epstein
3.  Galway Bay by Mary Pat Kelly
2.  Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji
1.  Words That Burn Within Me by Hilda Stern Cohen

Which were your favorites this year?

Have a Happy and Safe New Year!

24 comments:

C.W. Gortner said...

Thank you so much, Serena, for choosing my novel as one of your top 2009 reads. I hope I can continue to entertain you in 2010 with Catherine de Medici. Happy New Year to you and your readers!

Julie P. said...

Great lists -- I added a few to my wish list!

bermudaonion said...

Great list! Galway Bay is on my top 10 as well. Happy New Year!

rhapsodyinbooks said...

Your list is great! I just couldn't order my favorite reads; it's like rating. One day I'm in the mood to give a book a 3.5 and one day a 4, although I'd have to say the 5s pretty much stay 5s!!!

Happy New Year!!!

gautami tripathy said...

Now you have put me off Now Silence! I have had the ARC for sometime now.

The MJ book is taking me long time. I think I will leave it for now.

Have a great reading 2010!

Jeannine said...

Thanks so much for putting my book on your list!
Happy 2010 - and good luck with everything!

Serena said...

C.W.: It was one of the best books of the year and I am looking forward to your next book.

Julie: Don't you just love these lists, adding books to those TBR lists. I think our husbands are going to kill us if we get more books.

Bermudaonion: I loved Galway Bay, and I usually don't enjoy family sagas at all.

Rhapsody: I don't do stars, but I like knowing which books left a lasting impression on me...those are the ones I call the best.

Gautami: I didn't mean to put you off reading, but those books were tough for me, but not nearly as rough as The Kingmaking.

Jeannine: I really loved you book. Its the one that stuck with me this year and I've recommended it over and over and gave it as a gift.

Sandy Nawrot said...

I love everyone's lists! I haven't read too many of these, but I've heard of them, and many are on my TBR list. I REALLY need to get my hands on Uncommon Reader!

Serena said...

Sandy: I think you'll enjoy The uncommon reader!

Monica (aka monnibo) said...

Awesome list. Thanks for taking the time to wrap it all up for us :)

Kaye said...

I loved Galway Bay as well. I'm glad to see you have Painter from Shanhai on your list as I have that on the tbr but just haven't gotten around to it. Great list - the problem with all these lists is it makes my wish list longer!

Have a happy, healthy and joyous New Year filled with good friends and great books.

The Bookworm said...

Great list! 100 books read and reviewed is awesome.
Good luck with your goals for the new year. I enjoyed The Secret Keeper too.

http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

Nicole (Linus's Blanket) said...

I haven't read your top pick but I do see a lot of good stuff that I loved from your list! These are so hard too do.

Iliana said...

Great list, Serena! I'm sorry your personal writing goals didn't go as planned but here's wishing you a great reading & writing year ahead :)

Lenore Appelhans said...

I've seen Galway Bay on a lot of best lists...going to have to take the plunge!

Literary Feline said...

I do enjoy reading everyone's favorites--and not so favorites. Fortunately, I can't say I've read any of those on your worst list and they aren't on my radar, so that's a good thing!

Quite a few on your favorites list are books I am looking forward to reading at some point in the future. It's always nice to have it confirmed why their on my must read list.

I hope you have a wonderful 2010, Serena.

Toni said...

Great Wrap up. I loved Galway Bay and have to say ....I liked Follow Me also. (grin)

Happy New Year!! 100 Books!! Way to go.

Anna said...

I enjoyed reading your list. I think we're the only 2 people who'd put Follow Me in that category!

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Amused said...

Great list! I've read some of these in the past and totally agree with you and I have some on my TBR pile for next year and am very excited to see you rated them so high!

Cathy Marie Buchanan said...

Thrilled and honoured to find The Day the Falls Stood Still on your list. Thanks, Serena, and Happy New Year.

Cathy

Jenners said...

I like how you broke it down by challenge and categories ... that is a good idea! So glad I have some of your top books on my list for 2010.

Jeanne said...

Thanks for the poetry favorites!

Shaila Abdullah said...

Hey Serena, good to see Saffron Dreams in the list of your top 2009 best books. Thanks for the honor!

Saffron Dreams/Beyond the Cayenne Wall
Website: www.shailaabdullah.com

Serena said...

Shaila: It was an honor to read your book. Fantastic! Can't wait to see what you come up with next.