Four or five years ago I started keeping a reader's journal. It was a simple list of the books I read, the day I finished them, and my reaction to them. Oh, how I wish I had kept one since I started reading. What a treasure that would be. Shortly after I began blogging I discovered GoodReads and moved my reader's journal online. I also met my blogger friend, Laura, and discovered her Best Books posts. Since then, I've made it a tradition to post a list of my best new-to-me books of the past year. I have a lot of fun creating the list. I hope you enjoy it.
Relyn's Best New Reads of 2010
10 Within the Frame by David duChemin
9 Long Night Moon by Cynthia Rylant
8 Cake Wrecks by Jen Yates
7 The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
6 Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
5 Prudent Advice by Jaime Morrison Curtis
4 The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
3 Emma by Jane Austen
2 The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan
and the winner is....1 The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Image: The image above is titled Morning Story and was taken by Flickr photographer, Le Fabuleux Destin de Amelie. It is used with permission from the photograhper. What: 275 books read last year and recorded on GoodReads, from a variety of genres and all age levels How: I choose my top ten based on the rating I gave each book upon completion. I sorted my top ten and placed them in order of preference based on my thoughts about the book after some time has passed. More Details: Click on the GoodReads icon in the sidebar to read my reviews of each of these books.
29 comments:
my all time favourite for 2010 was A Thousand Splendid Suns. What a moving tale of the lives of two women in war torn Afghanistan. I so enjoyed this book and have told many about it.
Second favourite The Book Thief, such a brilliant telling again of a war only WW11 wonderful story.
Dearest Relyn ~
Stopping by to say Happy New Year! Your words/posts are always a beautiful inspiration to my day, and I thank you for being you and sharing your amazing talents.
I'm going to add your favorite book of 2010 to my must read list of 2011. I guess if I had to choose #1 for '10, it would be Isabel Allende's Island Beneath the Sea. She has such an exquisite way of drawing you into the past and recounting history with such poetic beauty.
Bisous,
Melissa
I don't know how you can read 275 books in a year, Relyn?! I would be doing well to manage 50 but then I tend to read only for a short time before sleep!
I feel like I'm finding
hidden treasure!!!
Thanks for this, Relyn.
Oh the possibilities!!!
-Jennifer
Derrick,
I bet you read mostly great big adult novels. I read TONS of children's book, lots of teen lit, plenty of shelter books as well as the more usual fare. All of those take FAR less time, and I love them. When I retire, I'm going to read a book a day for a year. Won't it be glorious?
So many good ones to choose from...the most moving book for me was Khaled Hosseini's "A Thousand Splendid Suns" (snap A Box of Chocolates :-))...I read it and immediately read "The Kite Runner" afterwards, also very good.
I really enjoyed "Diary of An Ordinary Woman" by Margaret Foster...fictional diary, but historical and very interesting.
I didn't read as many books this year as I usually do (due to all the blog reading!) My favorite new to me book this year was Olive Kitterdige...and my favorite re-read was To Kill a Mockingbird....This year I hope to read a lot more but will have to spend less time on the computer!
I love this idea and tomorrow I am going to post my top ten reads on my blog. I have the happiness project on my bookshelf. Guess I need to blow the dust from it :)
Love you
I have been hearing a great deal about the Happiness Project
I have in on hold at the Library I can hardly wait to read it.
Love you
Jeanne
Looks like some good finds here ...
My favourite book this year was Noelle Oxenhandler's The Wishing Year. I gobbled it up too quickly to properly absorb the ideas in it, so I'm re-reading it a page or two a day at breakfast. My next favourite read was Willa Cather's My Antoniá. In fact I *have* kept a log of books read since I was a teenager, and have always been a bit embarrassed by this, but it does make for interesting reading in itself! I tend to read books I like over and over again, across decades even.
I always love your list each year. Now I must find The Happiness Project. Thanks!
Great post, Relyn.
I loved "The Island" by Victoria Hislop...Am now reading "Have a little faith" by Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie) and my next book is "Red Water" by Judith Freeman.
i always enjoy reading your reviews on Good Reads. I am bad at writing reviews but it's helpful to read others. My favorite read of 2010 was probably "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"
I've got the happiness project on my list and The Earth hums in B flat. I love your lists and thanks for encouraging me to read Elizabeth Berg.
love your list...you inspired me to do a similar post tomorrow. thank you! i really loved "the help". have fun reading...i simply love to...and we do alot of children's books too.
Oh Relyn, what a treat! I love when you post book recommedations; yours have *never* disappointed! Will check out "The Happiness Project" this week! : )
My favorite read of 2010 was Garrison Keillor's "Pilgrims"...love the cadence in his writing, like a lullaby, and so many wonderful, simple little pearls......
Happy Peaceful Sweet New Year my friend.....thanks for your well wishes for me too......
love,
Liz
I loved The Help too! But now I must go back and put some of these books on hold at the library. So much to read and so little time! How do you feel about Aimee Bender's book?
Have a splendid weekend (with lots of reading)!
Kirsten
Wow, Relyn, your list alone will keep me busy for quite awhile – how inspiring you are!!
Nothing I read in 2010 topped my favorite from 2009, The Gardens of William Morris.
xo – g
okay i am saving this list for later, for when i am going place a big order at amazon. thanks!
Great variety of reading, Relyn! Do you read The Happiness Project blog/website? http://www.happiness-project.com/ I read it weekly for inspiration. :o) Fave read last year, that's a tough question--must think on that one. And reminds me I've not done a bookish post in quite a while. Happy Weekend, my friend ((HUGS))
Happy 2011 to you, Relyn, your loved ones and all your blog readers.
I think there were three books that really touched my heart in 2011.
1) Leaving Microsoft to change the world by John Wood (The author began an NGO Room to Read and I am now fund raising for that)
2) Children of a Better God by Susmita Bagchi. It is a book about children afflicted by cerebral palsy and their courage and the patience and understanding of their care givers, including their teachers at their special school
3) Turning Stones into Schools by Greg Mortensen, who last year was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize which was awarded to Prez Obama.
I think you would love these books also.
I'm intrigued by your favorite pick! I haven't read the book, but have heard lots of buzz. I'm a bit surprised not to see The Help on your list. Did you read it??? That would probably by my fave for 2010...or maybe The Used World, by Haven Kimmel.
Your blog is gorgey, by the way. :)
I love reading your list!
My favorites...? The Book Thief and Those Who Save Us (both WWII-era books), Her Perfect Symmetry, and The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox. Also, Traveling With Pomegranates, Sue Monk Kidd's memoir written with her daughter.
I've wondered about Mockingjay...good to know it made it on your list. I'll have to check the other ones out as well. As for me ... 2010 was such a blur, I'm not sure I have a favorite. Isn't that horrible?! Sigh.
Oh, boy I have to check these out. I have read Gretchen's book and liked it a lot.
Gosh, I loved the Hunger Games series. Couldn't say which one is my favorite, but I could NOT put them down!
Oh, so many good new reads! Thanks, Relyn. I have stack of yummy new books by my bedside that were Christmas presents. Once I'm through with those, it's on to some of these! xo
I'm still in the middle of this one...taking it slow. And Mockingjay is on my list of to-reads. Actually, all three are.
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