Well.
Ahem
To be honest, I didn’t know until last week the Riskies were going to be blogging about our 2009 reads. Back before I joined up with this illustrious group, I wasn’t even keeping track. Or after that either, actually. I haven’t got a neat and tidy list of great books I read. So all you get are some of the books I read in 2009 that I can remember right now.
That doesn’t mean published in 2009. Shrug. Sorry, but the instructions said READS of 2009.
Here’s my untidy list, in no particular order.
- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Maybe it’s no accident that I listed this one first. For me, it was one of the standout reads for 2009. I grew up on High Fantasy, and Rothfuss’s rendition is brilliant and original. Breathtaking. If words matter to you, this is a book you should read.
- The Way Of The Shadow by Brent Weeks. A trilogy. Again, fantasy. Very deftly done.
- Beat The Reaper by Josh Bazell. My Review here. By all rights, I should have disliked this book and been unable to finish it, since portions are written in present tense which I LOATHE with a white hot passion. But Bazell put a character on the page who was just so fucking outrageous I couldn’t not read. I’m waiting for the movie.
- The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. Technically, I shouldn’t include this since I read it in late December 2008, but whatever. My Review here. I had major issues with this book. It is flawed, particularly in its depictions of the female lead, but Davidson is a tremendously talented writer and I will buy his next book.
- Grimspace and Skin Tight by Ann Aguirre. What can I say? I’m an Aguirre fan girl now.
- Sunshine, by Robin McKinley — technically, I’m not quite done but I don’t anticipate this book crashing and burning at this point. This is a vampire book in a wonderfully conceived world. I am staring at the cover right now, itching to get back to it.
- Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I’m late to the party, I know. But I kept hearing the HBO TV series True Blood was really good, so when book one of the series was free on the Kindle App, I downloaded it. Got around to reading it. Bought the rest for Kindle AND in paper. Watched TV for about the first time in 20 years and met my One True Love, Alexander Skarsgard. That’s a lot to love about a series.
- Soulless by Gail Carriger. This book was FUN to read. What a delightful heroine. Oh, how I loved her!
- Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon
And right now, that’s all I can remember, even though I read a lot of books and there are more that I know I loved. But it’s late and I can’t remember right now. If you discuss your favs in the comments, I will perhaps remember and can chime in with more.
Books I’m looking forward to in 2010 include anything by these authors:
- Ann Aguirre
- Victoria Dahl
- Barry Eisler
- Lee Child
- Patrick Rothfuss
- Mary Balogh
- JR Ward
- Jo Bourne
- Courtney Milan
- Gail Carriger
- Karen Rose
- Eileen Dryer
Types of books I’m hoping to find in 2010 include:
- A different kind of vampire book. Something that works the tropes a little harder
- A REALLY great historical. For whatever reason, too many of the historicals I read this year severely disappointed. There were some great ones, though.
- A bust your gut laughing contemporary.
- Hot military dude doing super hot sekret training stuff. Love that.
- A scary paranormal. Could combine with the first.
Things I’d like to see happen in 2010:
Sookie ends up with Eric
Stephanie Plum picks Ranger
How about you guys? What did I forget? What books did you love in 2009?
Hi 🙂
Great selections!
Thank you for sharing.
I’d suggest as an EXCELLENT historical, Dorothy Dunnett’s The Game of Kings.
🙂
Here’s to a wonderful 2010!
RKCharron
I agree! Sookie with Eric and Stephanie with Ranger. Or at least Stephanie with someone. Its getting a little ridiculous. LOL
I like your list because it is varied (Mary Balogh is not often mentioned in the same breath with Lee Child).
My favorite book of 2009 was Rachel and the Hired Gun by Elaine Levine! It was awesome one of those you just can’t put down that is if you like the Historical Westerns.
Oh, good suggestions everyone. I confess to some trouble with Dunnett, though. I do intend to try again.
Romance readers tend to be VERY broadly read, I’ve noticed.
I LOVE a good western, so I’ll go looking for Elaine Levine.
Carolyn, Melissa de la Cruz’s young adult vampire series The Blue Bloods is worth a try if you are looking for something a little different. And I agree with you and about Stephanie and Ranger. He really gets her and doesn’t want her to change the way Morelli does.
I love finding out what other people read, but especially, which authors impress other authors.
In urban fantasy I loved Seanan McGuire’s ‘Rosemary and Rue’,
in regular fantasy I loved ‘A Gathering Storm’,
in fairy tale mislabelled as fantasy I was fascinated by ‘Ice Song’,
in memoir I laughed about ‘Julie and Julia’,
in adventure historical I loved ‘Not Quite a Husband’ and ‘Indiscreet’ (really. this is not a suckup),
in gothic I shivered deliciously with ‘Seduced by a Stranger’,
in historical mystery I adored ‘Silent in the Sanctuary’,
in litfic I was most impressed by ‘Still Alice’.
Carolyn, I have to laugh! I can’t remember what I read either!! In my old organized days, I used to keep a writing journal.
Your lists are impressive!
A reading journal! That’s what I need! I do, however, have a dot system for books that I have read when I shelve them. I have a star system to indicate if they have been logged onto Library Thing and then a dot system if they have been read. The problem is going back to do all of the books that came into the house before I got so organized! Loving everyone’s lists. I am going to be SO BROKE this year from buying books!
And I definitely want Sookie with Eric!