Monthly Archives: December 2011

You might have heard (snigglesnicker) that I completed the GoodReads challenge that I set for myself this year. I usually consider myself a voracious reader, when in actuality I probably read about 5-10 books a year. Well, I bought an eReader and changed all that! I set my goal at 50 and am right now reading books 52 and 53. It’s been a great year, and since everyone is talking about the books they enjoyed this year, I thought I’d go through my list and mention the ones I truly enjoyed.

• The Girl Who Chased the Moon  by Allen, Sarah Addison - This is the first book I ever read by Sarah Addison Allen. After reading this one, I had to go find ALL of her books and read them. The lightest touch of magic, romance and whimsy wrapped around a delightful piece of southern fiction.
• Still Alice by Genova, Lisa - A heartbreaking story about a woman who is battling early onset Alzheimer’s.
• Columbine by Dave Cullen- One of the few books that actually made me shed tears. A very upfront, detailed account of the events at Columbine High School– from both sides.
• The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Durrow, Heidi- This is probably the most beautifully written, almost poetic story I’ve ever read. I think I imitated Heidi’s style, much to my reader’s irritation, for about a month after I read this book. I also listened to the audiobook and it was beautifully done as well.
• The Kitchen House by Grissom, Kathleen -This was an audio book that I just could NOT stop listening to! Riveting story, satisfying ending. One of the few books I have ever given five stars to.
• Don’t Breathe a Word by McMahon, Jennifer- it’s hard to creep me out with words…..but Oh My. I find this book creepier than any Koontz or King! Really well written tale about a magical place and a Faerie King.
• The Peach Keeper by Allen, Sarah Addison-  I declined to put ALL of her books on this list, but the Peach Keeper was her most recent release and I really enjoyed it.
• Silver Sparrow by Jones, Tayari -I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Tayari several times, if only to hear her read from the first chapter of this book. It is gripping from page one when the narrator reveals that her father is a Bigamist. This is the story of two girls with the same father…but one is a secret.
• The Sisterhood of Blackberry Corner by Smith, Andrea – This is not a new book at all. I met Andrea Smith when she was leaving full time work to write this novel. In fact, I replaced her! Years later, I realized I’d never read this book and picked it up. An engrossing read about a couple who cannot conceive and are blessed with what seems like a baby from above– but they can’t keep him, so they surreptitiously find a home for him. Nor can they keep the other babies that show up on their doorstep, hoping for the same good fortune.
•  Thr3e  by Dekker, Ted – I read this book as research for a story I was writing about Schizophrenia. This story is more about Multiple Personality Disorder, however it is still a DOOZY. I got an inkling early on of what the outcome might be but it just seemed so IMPOSSIBLE. Believe me when I tell you that Ted Dekker is the king of making a way where there seems to be no way.
• When She Woke  by Jordan, Hillary – There were some parts of this book I didn’t really understand. For example there is an oddly placed lesbian awakening that just seems unnecessary to me. And as others pointed out, the main character falling on her own sword over a man (an adulterous minister, at that) was eye roll inducing. Overall, though this was a great tale of The Scarlet Letter meets Orwell’s 1984. Enjoyed it!
• 22 Britannia Road: A Novel by Hodgkinson, Amanda – I generally don’t read historical fiction not set in the US, but this book showed up in the GoodReads Book of the year nominations so I picked it up and I’m happy I did. The story bounces between WWII Poland and England– Silvana’s journey to keep herself and her son alive while her husband Aurek fights in the war, their determination to find each other and build a home together once more… but something is wrong. Something is just… off.
• Honorable Mention: Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Franklin, Tom – I read this at the end of 2010 but enjoyed it so much I wanted to mention it! This story is set in 1970′s Mississippi, around the cold, unsolved disappearance of a young girl. When another girl can’t be found, old suspicions are raised from the dead and two men who were once friends but grew apart must work together to solve the mystery and confront a decades old, buried past.