But, with the New Year, comes new resolutions! I've missed everyone so much and it is my goal to start blogging regularly again! I've been reading a storm and work isn't nearly as crazy anymore, so here's to it! (What? Nothing wrong with drinking and blogging ;o) )Onto what you are reading this, for, though. Without further ado.... My top five reads of 2009. (And Giveaway info at the bottom!)
(In no particular order)
The Road by Cormac McCarthy - Verdict: A+: I read this book at the suggestion of someone in my super awesome book club. I can tell you with certainty that I probably never would have picked up this book had he not suggested it so passionately. The post apocolyptic story of a father and his son traveling across what once was America... Not really a pick-me-up, for sure. I read it in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. As dark and depressing as it was, it was an amazingly beautiful story of survival and I'm so happy I read it. (Kind of. It's hard to say you enjoyed something of this context) The writing was superb, though the lack of punctuation drove me absolutely crazy at times, and the story stands out beyond any other that I read this year. Take an afternoon to devour it, just know you'll be fairly down after.
The Jessica Darling Series by Megan Mccafferty - Verdict - A+: This started as just Perfect Fifths... Then Perfect Fifths and Sloppy Seconds... Then I realized that I just can't feature one of these books, so I'm looping the whole series into one book. (Hey, it's my list!). Jessica Darling is just the perfect main character. Not that she's perfect. Not in any means. But her snark and wit combined with her sincerity and oftentimes complete lack of self esteem mixed with a whole bunch of angst create a character that is believable, lovable, and a great driving force for this series. With the time frame covered, this series had a lot of potential to fall flat, but Megan McCafferty kept it going strong and kept me in love with Marcus Flutie the entire time. Definitely worth the read.
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusack - Verdict - A+: This Holocaust story, told from the point of view of Death, has sat with me since I first read it in May. I can't escape the haunting truth of it, but the confusing part is, as a whole, it's not a haunting story. The point of view kind of blew my mind in a lot of ways. Zusack is, once again, a master of prose. His sentences are just so beautiful that I found myself repeating them over and over, just to enjoy their structure. The symbolism leaps from the page and I ate up every moment. A beautiful story set in one of the saddest times in history, The Book Thief will sit with me for a long, long time.
Geez, I'm gushing. Onward!
A Great and Terrible Beauty and Rebel Angels by Gemma Doyle - Verdict- A+: Like Jessica Darling, this started as just Rebel Angels. I'm just much too loyal to series being kept whole. I blame Harry Potter. Anywho... I chose this for two reasons. A: This series helped introduce me to the world of YA lit which is so not what I thought it was. B: The story and setting are so original and intriguing. I was fascinated from page one. The reason the final installment, The Sweet Far Thing isn't included is I haven't read it yet. It's very long and daunting. :-/
Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - Verdict: A+: I'm actually not really sure where to start with this post! I so enjoyed this series. I haven't been gripped by a series this strongly since my first HP read. Katniss' journey through the districts and to the games is so gripping. Both books were completed in a day. I love the story and have gotten so attached to the characters. Tears were shed for a lost one in the first book and I can.not.wait until August of this year to see how it wraps up! Oh, and Team Gale. :-D
So... What was your favorite read of 2009?
Fill out the form below and you can win one of the books featured above! Just tell me which! And leave a comment telling me about your favorite read of 2009!
And a very special thanks to Jessica of the amazing book blog Reading is Sexy for the Giveaway idea!
Contest ends January 5th!!
I'm so sorry. This contest is closed. Congrats to the winner! Announced tomorrow!!
Posts
Love the cat pic at the top! Glad you had some good reads this year. I also discovered the Hunger Games series, and I must say I haven't been that inthralled in years. Book 1 was my favorite of the year, and it was torture waiting a whole month to read Catching Fire, which I enjoyed slightly less but still liked. Looking forward to Book 3.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to enter-- hoping for The Book Thief!
Laura Hartness
The Calico Critic
Yay contests!
ReplyDeleteFavorite book of 2009 was probably Catching Fire, but I read a lot of wonderful books this year, all thanks to NBC!
NBC?
ReplyDeleteGreat list! My husband just finished The Road, I'll have to pick it up next. My favorite book this year was The Help by Kathryn Stockett, I also loved The Book Thief and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I've been wanting to try the Jessica Darling books, but my library doesn't have the first one!
ReplyDeleteI can't narrow down to a single pick, but I'm working on a top ten list post for my blog. Jessica Darling is on it.
ReplyDeleteI cant pick just one book this year but I can pick one author. I feel in love with Jody Picoult. I read Change of Heart and My Sisters Keeper to name just a couple. I can not get enough of her. I have Mercy and will start that once I am done with The Lovely Bones.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are back to blogging!!!
My favorite was definitely An Echo in the Bone. Followed closely by Perfect Fifths :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite book this year would have to be Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. It's very much like Harry Potter but with a romance. I also become addicted to the Sookie Stackhouse series this year.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite read of the year i think is Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold! It's just amazing, if haven't read please do! You won't regret it! And another of my favorite was Dear John by Nicholas Sparks, he writes beautifully!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite books this year (can't pick only one, sory) were Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, and Genesis by Bernard Beckett.
ReplyDeleteCool giveaway (but I didn't enter because I have most of these books -- and all great!)
ReplyDeleteWanted to stop by and say happy new year!
A favorite book I read this year was Gertruda’s Oath by Ram Oren, based on a true story of a Polish Catholic nanny that saved a young Jewish boy during WWII for whom she had been caring before the war broke out. The book tells of the tragedies, daily difficulties, and heroism that existed among common people trapped within Eastern European countries during the Second World War.
ReplyDeletePlease enter me in this great giveaway. I'd love to win The Book Thief!
saemmerson at yahoo dot com
Sarah Emmerson
I already told you my favorite read... The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell :) loved it!
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite book of 2009 was The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets. I only read 19 books last year, but this was a good one.
ReplyDeleteAs corny as it might sound, my tops where the sookie series or my re-read of the Twilight series!
ReplyDelete