"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Monday, December 26, 2011

Top Books of 2011

Hosted at The Broke and Bookish
Top Ten Tuesday: 
The favorite books I read in 2011 (in alphabetical order)
  • Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson---the best romance/travel book of the year. (YA)
  • Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery---Everyone told me that I would love this classic and they were right. (YA)
  • Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys---I will be shocked if this book doesn't win some YA Book award this year it is that good. (YA)
  • The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan---of all the books I read this year I had more activities around this book which included three book club discussions and attending a program where the author spoke about the book. This was my husbands favorite book of the year. (Nonfiction)
  • Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese---this is the book I tell my friends to read if they ask me for a recommendation.
  • Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor---this is clutch-the-book-to-chest good. (YA)
  • A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett---this is the first book I have read in the Discworld series and my first by this amazing author. (YA)
  • The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglass Adams---this book is seriously one of the funniest books I have ever read in my life; a natural for a cult following. I am now in that cult!
  • The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot---this book and the topic of immortal cells is fascinating. (Nonfiction)
  • Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey---this coming-of-age, mystery, historical, romance has it all. Not an easy book to read but so rewarding.
  • The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan---written in the style of a dictionary I was captivated by it's style and sparseness.
  • A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness---this book defies categorization.  Just read it and you'll see why it is n my list of top books for the year.
  • Mudbound by Hillary Jordan---similar to the very popular The Help, this book looked racism square in the eyes. It was an excellent book club selection.
  • Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster---I know the target audience for this book is a lot younger than me, but I am seriously in love with this book and think everyone should read every five years or so for life. (Junior)
  • Stolen by Lucy Christopher---this was a Printz Honor book winner. Something about this book grabbed me and wouldn't let go. (YA)

What were your favorite books of 2011?
Sign up for my challenge: Read the 2012 ALA YA Award Books.

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34 comments:

  1. April (BooksandWine)December 26, 2011 at 11:16 PM

    I'm due for a re-read of The Phantom Tollbooth.

    I am glad Anne Of Green Gables made the cut. It's such a lovely book.

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  2. Andie ZDecember 26, 2011 at 11:53 PM

    Oh, I loved Amy & Roger! I considered putting it on my list, but you know, only ten books, blah blah. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is also on my shelf, I can't wait to read it.

    Thanks for stopping by! I'm a new follower. :)
    Andie

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  3. AnonymousDecember 27, 2011 at 12:13 AM

    Some good choices! Anne of Green Gables is a classic, glad you enjoyed it! Between Shades of Gray, Amy & Roger and Daughter of Smoke & Bone were all amazing books as well.

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  4. Melissa WiebeDecember 27, 2011 at 12:17 AM

    I see I am not the only one who liked Skloop's book! Thank you for stopping by.

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  5. AnonymousDecember 27, 2011 at 12:44 AM

    I've read and loved several of those. :)
    Here’s my Top Ten Tuesday post. :)

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  6. MARY IN SCOTLAND December 27, 2011 at 3:44 AM

    I've only read Anne of Green Gables on your list. I read Anne when I was 12 yrs old, all 8 books in 7 days! I went crazy! This book is where I started my love affair with reading. Glad you enjoyed it, now read the whole series!

    I've heard good things about Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. I'm going to check it out. I love traveling!

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  7. LoriDecember 27, 2011 at 4:27 AM

    Great list! I love Amy & Roger! The Lover's Dictionary is on my list as well. It's so beautiful.

    My Top Ten Favorites

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  8. MonalizDecember 27, 2011 at 4:46 AM

    So many awesome books on this list! I have most of them on my wishlist, guess I really need to read them! :) Thanks for stopping by!

    Monaliz @ Mind Reading?

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  9. Carina OlsenDecember 27, 2011 at 4:49 AM

    I have not read any of these books (A) But they do sound awesome :D Great list :)
    Thank you for commenting on my top ten. <3
    Love, Carina @ Carina's Books

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  10. Rummanah AasiDecember 27, 2011 at 7:04 AM

    I have a Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Stolen on my list. Both caught my attention and won't leave me alone after reading them. I've got "Between Shades of Grey" on my list to read for next year. I've heard amazing things about it.

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  11. Helen's Book BlogDecember 27, 2011 at 7:22 AM

    Between Shades of Gray and Mudbound are fantastic books! The rest of your list is pretty great, too.

    Have a great end to 2011

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  12. Sarah @ Y.A. LoveDecember 27, 2011 at 7:56 AM

    Great list, Anne! The book club I have with my former students just chose Stolen as our next book. I can't wait to read it!

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  13. Just a Lil LostDecember 27, 2011 at 8:11 AM

    Hehe I had a hard time narrowing it down to only 10 for this list! There were so many great books I read this year! I definitely need to read Daughter of Smoke & Bone tho! Think I'll go pick it up today.. :)

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Michele | Top 10

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  14. Alexa S.December 27, 2011 at 8:38 AM

    I'm so happy that you liked Anne of Green Gables! It's one of my favorite series from my childhood and I'm hoping to reread it next year :)

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  15. AnonymousDecember 27, 2011 at 9:15 AM

    Amy and Roger! Loved that book! I tried to read Stolen, but I just couldn't finish it.:( I shouls pick it up again. A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? I never knew it was a book. :o
    Woah. Great List.

    Kandee

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  16. The Reading DateDecember 27, 2011 at 10:39 AM

    Loved Lover's Dictionary, Amy & Roger and A Monster Calls. Looking forward to reading Between Shades of Gray and Stolen next year.

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  17. SusanneDecember 27, 2011 at 11:51 AM

    I have not read any of these books. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour is on my TBR list though. Will be reading it next year. Thanks for stopping by!

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  18. SabrinaDecember 27, 2011 at 1:09 PM

    Great list! It reminds me of all the good books out there I want to read. I'm especially curious about Cutting for Stone. It seems to appear on many lists this year.

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  19. Christie CoteDecember 27, 2011 at 1:18 PM

    I have heard great things about Cutting for stone. nice list :) thanks for visiting my blog. I'm not following yours ;)

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  20. AnonymousDecember 27, 2011 at 2:40 PM

    I have most of those books on my wishlist. I really want to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and I love Anne of Green Gables.

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  21. LBCDecember 27, 2011 at 4:22 PM

    There are a couple on your list that I've read and a few I'm looking forward to. I also thought that Between Shades of Grey was a powerful book and I'm surprised not to have heard more about it. I'm looking forward to Amy and Roger's and also to Mudbound.

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  22. Epiphany ReneeDecember 27, 2011 at 4:29 PM

    Great list! I see couple I need to add to the pile.

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  23. Jess (Gone with the Words)December 27, 2011 at 5:01 PM

    I LOVED The Lover's Dictionary!! And I must read A Monster Calls soon. Great list!!

    Jess @ Gone with the Words
    My TTT post!

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  24. Bev HankinsDecember 27, 2011 at 5:03 PM

    Anne of Green Gable is on my list for 2012 (I've got it down for several challenges, so I know I'm finally going to read it).

    Here's my list: http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2011/12/top-ten-tuesday-best-of-2011.html

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  25. Sandra @ Waiting For WentworthDecember 27, 2011 at 5:34 PM

    Thanks for stopping by.
    Great list. I think I need to add a few of these to my tbr.

    Sandra
    Waiting For Wentworth

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  26. AnonymousDecember 27, 2011 at 5:59 PM

    Aha, I loved Hat Full of Sky. Tiffany is one of my favorite characters in the Discworld series; I need to read the next one soon!

    Hitchhiker's Guide is also amazing, and definitely worth the read (as you discovered!).

    ReplyDelete
  27. Laura D. December 27, 2011 at 9:06 PM

    I'm reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone right now. Heard great things about The Lover's Dictionary too.

    Thanks for stopping by earlier.

    Laura @ The Traveling Owl

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  28. nikkiDecember 27, 2011 at 9:10 PM

    Ooh Daughter of Smoke and Bone. You nailed it -- totally a "clutch the book to chest." It is so unique and thrilling. Great list! Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier.


    ~Nikki @ Imaginative Adventure.

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  29. Carol December 28, 2011 at 3:28 AM

    I have yet to compile my list of books for 2011.

    Anne of Green Gables is a favourite of my childhood.

    I have mudbound on my shelves.

    All best wishes for 2012!

    carol

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  30. UnknownDecember 28, 2011 at 3:55 AM

    You have a lot of books on your list that either made it to mine or were very close to making it. Great picks and thanks for stopping by my blog.

    JJiReads
    Check out my Top Ten List

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  31. AnonymousDecember 28, 2011 at 11:59 AM

    Mudbound sounds great, I'll have a look!

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  32. Toni D.December 29, 2011 at 2:23 AM

    thanks for stopping by my blog. And I'm so glad to see a new Terry Pratchett fan! He is definitely one of the most amazing writers out there.

    Oh, and will you be reading Restaurant at the End of the Universe? Let me know what you think. I think I need to re-read that again as I didn't enjoy it as much as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

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  33. AlexDecember 31, 2011 at 8:04 AM

    I've got Daughter of Smoke and Bone, but have put it off for so long that I sort of feel like I don't want to pick it up. If it's that good, I'll have to rise above my trepidation!

    Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is really amazing. Half the time I was so confused I read entire chapters again and even now I'm not entirely sure what some of them meant! They are hilarious too. My favourite quote by him: "I love deadlines. I love the sound they make as they go rushing past."

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  34. Sue JacksonDecember 31, 2011 at 8:25 AM

    What a wonderful list of fabulous books, Anne! You really read some good ones this year. I enjoyed many of these, too, including Amy & Roger's Epic Detour (now I have all of Craig's 8th grade classmates into it, too!), Cutting for Stone, Henrietta Lacks, Mudbound, and Phantom Tollbooth. I got my son Patrick Ness' trilogy for Christmas. Sounds like a very good year for reading for you!

    Happy New year!

    Sue

    ReplyDelete

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