Favorite line of the year: From The Leisure Seeker - "I'm sorry that we worried the children, but I've spent most of my adult life worrying about them, so I'm gonna call it even."
Friday, December 31, 2010
2010 Top 10 According to Me
Here are my top ten picks of the books I read in 2010, and a brief explanation of why they made the list:
Under the Dome by Stephen King - This is a monster of a book (1072 pages), with a gargantuan cast and multiple sub-plots weaved together to create a massive story. It's about small town politics, secrets, drugs, greed, families, power...It's a mini-series in a novel!
The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard - Mrs. Pickard captures the essence of a small Kansas town where major crimes are rare, and the impact on those who, by no choice of their own, are caught in the middle of the biggest thing that ever happened there.
Gunn's Golden Rules by Tim Gunn - Mr. Gunn champions old-fashioned etiquette and classic good taste without giving up personal rights or space. (Review pending)
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen - A beautifully written fairy-tale for adults, complete with a handsome prince, a friendly giant and a moral -people can change, the past can be healed, and we're all really not so different, after all.
Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins - Roman Gladiators meet Reality TV. Everyone's heard of this trilogy and it lives up to the hype. (Review pending)
House Rules by Jodi Picoult - An inside look at life with Autism. This is the kind of book I usually avoid: overflowing with emotion and real-life drama. Add the continual hopping between five different narrators, and I was guaranteed not to like this book. Wrong! Loved it and learned from it. What more can you ask of a book?
Is It Just Me, or Is It Nuts Out There? by Whoopi Goldberg - Echoes my own thoughts. Similar to Gunn's Golden Rules, but with a tougher twist. (Review pending)
Julie and Julia by Julie Powell - One woman finding an outlet for her creativity, skills she didn't know she had, and a connection with the past. Inspiring.
The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadorian - The story of an elderly couple looking for one last adventure before the succumb to Alzheimer's and cancer. There is subtle humor found mostly in the experiences that all couples and/or parents share. I believe that everyone will get something slightly different from this story, depending on age and perspective. The lessons to be learned, however, are universal.
Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane - New author to me. Thrillers without blood-and-guts. What a find!
Favorite line of the year: From The Leisure Seeker - "I'm sorry that we worried the children, but I've spent most of my adult life worrying about them, so I'm gonna call it even."
Favorite line of the year: From The Leisure Seeker - "I'm sorry that we worried the children, but I've spent most of my adult life worrying about them, so I'm gonna call it even."
I liked this post and agree that House Rules was a great Picoult book (one of her better ones).
ReplyDeleteHappy Reading in 2011
I like your list Tami. It's very well rounded and not fluffy like you mentioned in your previous post. Or maybe that's just me. I'm glad you had a good reading year. Hope 2011 is good for you too. Happy New Year to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed Lehane! He was a delight to listen to in person too - I love nothing more than discovering an author I admire is a cool person to boot. Thanks for sharing your list - I will be looking into a few of those titles...
ReplyDeleteI think I have read everything ever written by Jodi Picoult. Under the Dome was very troubling, usual Stephen King fare. I just finished it this week. Julie and Julia I loved. I saw the movie three times (and counting).
ReplyDeleteHave you read "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wromblewski? It was the VERY BEST THING I've read in years! (I finished that one in November.) It was so amazing, I even wrote to the authour, something I've never done before.
I've come away with three hard backed books and 12 more on my Sony Reader. That will hardly last the whole four months I plan to be travelling, but I will find traders in the mix along the way. Want to meet up and trade???
Happy New Year. Rosemary
House rules was a great read, and I look forward to reading more of Jodi Picoult's work. I wish there was a little more details of the outcome in the end, but all in all it was a great book. A lot of suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat. also, keeps you asking yourself questions all the way through.
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