Showing posts with label Book of the Year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book of the Year. Show all posts
Best Reads of 2012
Melody
Happy New Year! So it is the beginning of a new year and I hope everyone had a wonderful holidays! 

Last year was considerably a good year for me but not so good in the reading department. Looking at my list I only read nineteen books last year. That's a great difference as compared to my reading habits as in the past few years, in which I read about two books in a week. Nevertheless, my habit of listing down my top reads for the year never change and here it is:

 Best Crime Fiction:

 Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Broken Harbour by Tana French









Best Literature: 

 Asylum by Patrick McGrath











Best YA:

 Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins










Best Romance:

 A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean













As of this year, I hope I will be able to read more books and that my favourite authors would release their new titles more quickly (e.g. Mo Hayder, Tana French, Anne Stuart... just to name a few) and last but not least, to discover more wonderful books and new authors as well. 

So, what are your top reads for last year? 
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Best Books of 2010
Melody
It is that time of the year again which we get to list our favourite reads for the year. It was 2005 when I first did a ‘Book of the Year’ on my blog, and thereafter I make it a ‘tradition’ to do this at the end of each year. It is always so much fun and it also reflects what type of a reader I am for that year based on the books I read. While doing this list, I found out that I have been reading more YA novels this year as compared to the past; there are just so many great YA novels released this year and of course, I have to thank fellow bookbloggers for the recommendations.

Following last year's format, I am going to list the best books based on their genres. This list is basically chosen from my 2010 reading list and they may not necessarily be books published in 2010. Without further ado, here they are (please note all titles are not listed in any particular order):

Best YA
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Alright, so I listed three books instead of one under the YA category; I just couldn’t make up my mind over this since I loved them equally. Going Too Far has a great story and a greater characterisations to boot; and as for Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, this book just gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. As for Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, this book has captured the voice and emotional of teenagers, and what's more it is about finding romance when you least expected it; this is a true delight for all booklovers out there!

Since there are several titles which I also enjoyed but did not make it to the list, I think I should give them a shout out as well.

Honorary Mention:
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Half World by Hiromi Goto
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Best Fiction
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

Hands down! I don’t think there is any other book that is able to beat this one in my humble opinion. Sarah Waters rocks! Not only her writing is beautiful, but she is a great storyteller too!

Honorary Mention:
The Art of Disappearing by Ivy Pochoda
Midori by Moonlight by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga
On Folly Beach by Karen White


Best Thrillers
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Killing Floor by Lee Child
Faithful Place by Tana French

I had read a few good thrillers this year, thus I had a hard time narrowing down the list. However the above three titles stood out from among the rest because their plots had sort of blown me away. While plots are crucial to all stories, I find the characterisations are equally important too and I find the above three titles have them. It is no matter if those lead characters are heroes or one that carry emotional baggage, the point is they are some characters whom I would never forget in a long while.

Honorary Mention:
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
Burn by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy

Best Romance
Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

I have to confess that I did not read a lot of romance this year, but the few which I read were actually great. Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James stood out among the list because it is highly entertaining. I don't remember reading a romance that made me laugh out loud for a long time, which I think is a good thing. However that does not mean that there isn't sizzle in this romance, there are! This book is one of those from enemies-turn to-lovers kind of stories and despite the cliché I still loved it!

Honorary Mention:
Ruthless by Anne Stuart

Best Manga/Graphic Novel
Blankets by Craig Thompson

How could I not rate Blankets as one of my top reads in 2010? Aside from the beautiful illustrations, the premise is both meaningful and powerful!

Honarary Mention:
告白〔漫画版〕- 湊佳苗 Confession by Kanae Minato (Manga)
裸足玫瑰 - 上田伦子 Stepping on Roses by Rinko Ueda (Manga)
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

So there you go! Which books are on your 'Best Of" list?
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Top Reads in 2009 (and Books of the Year)
Melody
Gosh, I have had a hard time narrowing down my top reads in 2009! I counted the number of books that are marked as my favourites and found out there are 34 books in total. Initially, I have planned to do a Top 10 list but I caved in in the end so let me present you my Top 20 list (in no particular order):

- Fallen Skies by Philippa Gregory
- Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
- The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
- The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- The Lost Hours by Karen White
- Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
- The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax
- Skin by Mo Hayder
- Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
- Stolen by Lucy Christopher
- Looking for Alaska by John Green
- The Heights by Brian James
- The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
- Ash by Malinda Lo
- The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
- Heartsick by Chelsea Cain
- The Girl on Legare Street by Karen White
- Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
- Love in Translation by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga

And here are the other titles that did not make it to the Top 20 but are still my favourites:

- Ritual by Mo Hayder
- The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
- Evermore by Alyson Noel
- Goodbye Tsugumi by Banana Yoshimoto
- Godmother : The Secret Cinderella Story by Carolyn Turgeon
- Sonata for Miriam by Linda Olsson
- The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
- The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale
- No One You Know by Michelle Richmond
- Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
- The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
- We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
- Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti


If I find it difficult to compile my Top 20 list, let me tell you it is even harder to come up with a Book(s) of the Year list, so that is why I will have a title for each genre instead of naming only one title in all. It definitely made things easier for me and it sounds fairer, isn't it? After all, how could you possibly compare a literary fiction with a thriller, or any of the others?

Without further ado, here are the results for my Book(s) of the Year - 2009 (Please note all titles are nominated from my favourite reads and that not all genres are listed.)

Best Fiction - Love in Translation by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga
Reason: For starters, it is the wonderful reading experience I had while reading this book. A real heartwarming story that put a smile to my face, and it has all the elements I love in a book (family, friendship and love). I could not ask for more. The protagonist is a great character; one whom I admire for her courage and determination.

Best Horror - The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Reason: The story had me hooked from the beginning till the end. Great suspense, great characters and very atmospheric! And most of all, I loved the ambiguous ending.

Best Mystery & Crime - Heartsick by Chelsea Cain
Reason: I have to confess I had a hard time choosing a book under this category. I had read a few good crime thrillers last year, including two books by Mo Hayder who is one of my most favourite crime thrillers authors of all time. However, I was most intrigued by the characters in Heartsick (in particularly the strange relationship between the detective and the murderer) besides the crimes she has committed. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series, and I wonder if there is anything more between the characters.

Best Thrillers - The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
Reason: I simply could not turn down a good gothic mystery! I loved John Harwood's prose and I can say this book is both a character-driven and a plot-driven story.

Best Romance - Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
Reason: I have to admit I did not read a lot of romance novels last year. Dreaming of You has all the right elements of a classic historical romance. It has a great plot but most of all, I enjoyed watching the sparks fly between the hero and the heroine.

Best YA - Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Reason: I have always wonder about Stockholm syndrome, and this book has made me think hard about the relationship between the captor and the captive. And I really liked the plot, and how this book has captured the protagonist's emotions well - from her feelings towards her captor to the wild remote place she is being forced to stay. It is one of the most memorable reads I had last year.
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Book(s) of the Year
Melody
As I mentioned in a post earlier, I would post my 'Book of the Year' and here it is. I need to specify that the lists are merely books I read this year and hence, are my favourites. Each book is unique and is a great story on its own. Actually when I started doing this for 2005, I asked myself this question - how could it possibly to list only one book when there are several genres out there? Because I did it for fun (and for myself) at that time, I ignored this question and went ahead to list one anyway. Trust me, it is a tough decision. It is like asking me to choose a piece of cake when there are a dozen of others with different designs and flavours! (I have a sweet tooth! Ha!)

So this time around, I told myself I have to be more specific and fair. Still, it is a tough decision to make. But I suppose it is for the best. Anyway, I have shortlisted the books and listed them into three categories (Fiction & Literature, Mystery & Crime/Thrillers and Fantasy). As I did not read a lot of romances or horror fictions this year, this explains why I left them out from the shortlisted list.

Well, I think I have rambled enough. Here are some of my favourite books:

Fiction & Literature
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Mango Season by Amulya Malladi
Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald
Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg
Loved Walked In by Marisa De Los Santos
The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani

Mystery & Crime/Thrillers
The Treatment by Mo Hayder
Sacred Cows by Karen E. Olson
No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay
In the Woods by Tana French
The Likeness by Tana French
Out by Natsuo Kirino
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Fantasy
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Feast of Souls by C.S. Friedman
Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen (I classified this book under this category since it deftly blends the legend of Sleeping Beauty)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

So... are you ready to read further?


My 'Book of the Year' under the Fiction & Literary category goes to... Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg!
Reason: This book had me utterly speechless right after I finished the book. First, I was totally blown away by the plot, it is original and not to mention there is humor, intrigue and suspense in this story. What's more, I love reading books about books, and this is just one of them!

Another 'Book of the Year' under the Mystery & Crime/Thrillers category goes to... The Likeness by Tana French!
Reason: Her novels are always so intense and full of suspense. I remember I was "wowed" by her debut novel, In the Woods where it features a young boy and his other two friends have gone into the woods and disappeared. Twenty years later, the boy who came out alive became a detective, and the murder case he was asked to resolve reminds him of the childhood trauma so many years ago. In The Likeness, the protagonist (not to confuse with the protagonist from In the Woods) became the victim and although it is still a psychological suspense, it focus more on one's weakness and what it takes to be an undercover to find the killer. Seriously, this book really had me hooked from the beginning till the end!

Finally, the 'Book of the Year' under the Fantasy category goes to... Feast of Souls by C.S. Friedman!
Reason: I swear I had a hard time deciding on this one! Why? Because there are also books by big authors like Shannon Hale and Neil Gaiman, and both of them are my favourite authors! However, this book stood out among all because of the complex plot, the interesting cast of characters and what's more, this is a story about sorcery and magic. It is believed that the darkness does not lies from the magical power but within the hearts of men instead (I love stories that deals with humanity). As usual, it is the good versus the evil and I am already looking forward to the next instalment already!

So this is it! Goodbye 2008! Here's to another great reading year!

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Book of the Year 2007
Melody
It has been a great reading year this year. One of the reasons being I participated in several reading challenges and they have allowed me to read more than I used to. Another good thing about this is, I have also try reading other books which were recommended by fellow booklover friends and this has really expand my reading preferences. Thank you so much, my dear friends! :-)

Finally, here is a list that shortlists on my Book of the Year 2007:

1. Talyn by Holly Lisle
2. Pig Island by Mo Hayder
3. Red Leaves by Thomas H. Cook
4. Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh
5. Flint's Code by Paul Eddy
6. Officer Down by Theresa Schwegel
7. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
8. Ice Blue by Anne Stuart
9. Life's Golden Ticket by Brendon Burchard
10. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
11. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
12. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
13. Atonement by Ian McEwan
14. Ice Storm by Anne Stuart

It is really a hard decision just choosing a title amongst all because I enjoyed reading all of them, and each book tells a great story. But then, my purpose of having this "award" would be pointless if I decided to present it to all the shortlisted titles. So after some thought and weighing about with the titles, I have finally chosen a book amongst all. And this goes to - {drumroll please} - Talyn by Holly Lisle! (Please click here to read my review.)

I have to say I really, really enjoyed reading this fantasy book. It has all the elements of a great book: a good original plot, good characterization, action, adventure, thrill, and not to mention a good fantasy that sucks you in!

So there you have it, folks! I hope you will pick up this book if you have the chance, and that you will enjoy reading it as much as I did.

Merry Christmas to all!!! :D

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Book of the Year 2006
Melody
OK, so 2006 isn't over yet...but I have decided Mo Hayder's Tokyo (otherwise known as The Devil of Nanking) as my 'Book of the Year 2006'. I don't think any book I read will top this one. You may read my previous review by clicking here.

And here's my favourite reading list for this year (not in sequence):

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Book of the Year 2005
Melody
Black Ice is definitely the Book of the Year for me in 2005. Thanks to Julia, through her recommendations and her continuous raving of this book, of course I have to pick this up! LOL!

And I was glad I read this book because this book is simply outstanding. Written by Anne Stuart, who is a RITA Award winner, she delivers a story that leaves you utterly breathless. There were a lot of tensions built in this story right from the beginning.

Chloe Underwood, 23-year-old, makes a living in Paris as a translator for children’s books. She accepted a last-minute translating job in the French countryside, thinking it was one of her other assignments but she was dead wrong for she didn’t realize she was dealing with a group of sadistic arms dealers. Then she met Bastian Touissant, who wasn’t sure if she was a spy or otherwise. Despite the circumstances, and his agenda, still he couldn’t resist saving Chloe’s life. There Chloe was, on the run with the most dangerous and attractive man she had ever met. What will be the outcome? I shall leave it to you to find out. ;-)

Warning: A page-turner and a terribly sexy dark hero. You wouldn’t resist this book!
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