Comments on: What Was Your Favorite Book of 2009?

By: mizwrite

mizwrite — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:14:03 +0000

Also, a couple other good recommendations came via Twitter:

- NOT QUITE A HUSBAND, Sherry Thomas. Was @nanna95′s fave book of 2009, and she reads a LOT! She said she gives it 5 stars.

- THE LOST SYMBOL, Dan Brown. Was @MommyBrain’s fave book of 2009. She said she’s a huge Dan Brown fan. A lot of people mentioned this book on the blogs as their favorite this year.

By: mizwrite

mizwrite — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:48:32 +0000

Hi, Barbara! Wow, 400 books? Hate to hear your reason was illness, but glad to hear that books provided a great escape for you. Do you keep a list of books you’ve read on Shelfari or some other online organizer? I’ve been meaning to read Lisa Kleypas. I know she’s very popular. But I have to say that the one I keep picking up is in first person (are all of hers in first person?), and I just don’t want to get that “rhythm” in my head while I’m writing myself in third (it confuses my own writing), so I keep putting it down. But one of these days when I’m between writing projects! And Lauren Dane is someone I want to read, too. I see she’s on Twitter. Thanks for your great tips!!!! It’s so fun meeting you and other avid readers on Twitter!

By: Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:03:22 +0000

In 2009, I read approx 400 books. I was in the hospital for two months and laid up the entire rest of the year–lots of reading time. Books are my great escape from a life filled with difficult health and challenging days. Some of the books I read meant more to mtangan others. The following are the ones that really stick out of the crowd, at least to me: Elizabeth Lane. THE STRANGER; Gayle Eden. SHAMELESS; Lisa Kleypas. Her WALLFLOWERS’ series; Lauren Dane’s CHASE BROTHERS series; Lori Foster. THE SECRET LIFE OF BRYAN; and Jennifer Ashley. THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE.
Each of these books/series was different in it’s own wonderful way. The heroines were interesting, independent thinkers, the heroes were strong men with good hearts.

By: mizwrite

mizwrite — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:06:06 +0000

Hi, Jersey Girl — Funny you should mention HARRY POTTER. I was just thinking about reading aloud a bit to the kids, and Harry Potter was the one I was thinking of starting with. Neither Rene, Nathan, or even Chris for that matter have read it, but I feel like it’s a “cultural necessity” for them — so many references to it just in everyday life. I think they’d be missing out if they didn’t hear the story. So we might do that. … Interesting to note your fave of the series was DEATHLY HALLOWS. Have you seen any of the movies?

By: mizwrite

mizwrite — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:03:32 +0000

Hi, Barbara! Interesting that you went on a Walter Mosley kick. It’s fun, though, to read one author over several books, especially when you get to throw in some nonfiction as well, and it makes all the reading richer. And MOCKINGBIRD was, apparently, a clear favorite for our club. It’s just a book that really stays with you. I actually haven’t seen the movie yet, so I’ll have to add that to my movie list.

By: Jersey Girl

Jersey Girl — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 13:37:01 +0000

I read all 7 of the Harry Potter books back-to-back this year and I’m going to say THE DEATHLY HALLOWS was my favorite book just because of the sense of loss it left me with. I had to re-read the ending the next day because I couldn’t imagine my life without Harry Potter.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:43:53 +0000

Wow, not sure I had a clear favorite from this year in terms of a new discovery, yet I can name several from past years. But, not being much for genre fiction, I’ve enjoyed reading Walter Mosley here and there this past decade. Most of his books have focused on his father’s LA, post-WWII Los Angeles centered around the black community. He has just started a fresh series, and is, now writing more contemporary mysteries set in New York, his home, starting with THE LONG FALL, which I read earlier this year. There is a satisfying clarity and an economy to his writing that I really like. (His non-fiction is equally direct, I’m noticing, in THIS YEAR YOU WRITE YOUR NOVEL. One paragraph about the discipline of writing everyday, no matter what, resonated and I can almost quote it verbatim, having only read it once.) My favortie book of his so far, stepping outside of genre, is ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED, ALWAYS OUTGUNNED. I am thinking about it for next year’s book club list, something I read after finishing an anthology of prison writing in America—context for Mosley’s focus on a man living his life 8 years after being released from prison—so it had more depth of meaning and humanity for me.

I loved TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD all over again, too. THe movie was playing the whole time in my head as I was reading. There is so much compassion and love infused in Gregory Peck’s voice as Atticus alone. And the kindness and humanity, heroism, justice trying to overtake injustice. The effectiveness of Black and white film instead of color. And the young Robert Duvall playing Boo Radley—but we were taling about the book, right!

Anyway, I am definitely going keep a running list of 2010 books that I read. Great idea, Laurie.

By: mizwrite

mizwrite — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:36:31 +0000

Rosy — Yes, you should start your own blog! (You knew I was going to say that, didn’t you?) Seriously, look at Incurable Logophilia in my sidebar — I could totally see you doing a blog like that. She lists all the books she plans to read, then basically reviews them. Sometimes she does “studies” of certain authors she wants to read and reads everything written by them. She reads in many languages, so many of her authors are foreign, but I think it’s a great idea and her blog is so intelligent and well-written. Plus she has an entire compilation of all her best reads. (She’s also a fiction writer and translator herself — and a new mom! She’s amazing!) Anyway, I digress. …

And besides — maybe you get to do all of that on Shelfari? Plus you get to connect to other readers right away with that, huh? Might be easier than a blog.

Also — loved your suggestions, and interesting that you were on a nonfiction kick. That Anne Lamott one sounds particularly interesting.

And thanks so much for the great tip on Shelfari vs LibraryThing! I didn’t realize LT made you pay after awhile. That’s an important consideration and an excellent tip.

By: mizwrite

mizwrite — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:25:38 +0000

Lauran — Looking forward to whatever you recommend for the book club! One thing I love most about our book club is reading things others recommend that you might never have picked up. I find SO MANY great reads that way. (THE SPARROW always leaps to mind!)

Lauri — Oh, I missed DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY, although I really wanted to read it. Maybe this year. With it’s true-life-story infusion, I thought Chris would really like it, too. And Chicago has always kind of fascinated me.

By: mizwrite

mizwrite — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:20:55 +0000

Crystal — Your review of Acheron has me intrigued. I love the idea of doing “backstory” at the end, and enlightening readers in an almost “oh, by the way” fashion. Actually, the TV show “Lost” did this, and I found it thrilling every time. So I’ll have to check out Acheron. Although starting another series does seem intimidating to me — I still need to rock my way through the Outlander series! Yikes.

As for LibraryThing and Facebook, yes it connects, but read Rosy’s comment about Shelfari vs. LibraryThing. … I might have to switch! And no, Crystal, we’re not connected on Facebook — feel free to connect to me there!!