10. Lover Enshrined by J. R. Ward. This latest novel in Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, about a group of vampire-warriors and the loves of their lives, isn't quite as good as the third book in the series. Ward may never top that one. Nonetheless, the tale of once-celibate warrior who takes on the task of becoming a supernatural stud, only to discover he has fallen in love with an impossibly beautiful priestess, is a good blend of action, humor, and romance. And you gotta love Quinn, the 20-ish hottie with the polychromatic eyes.
9. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. Again with the vampires. The novel gets off to a slow start, but the teen romance is actually rather sweet. I like the part where Edward sparkles, too. I've always wanted to sparkle.
8. All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris. (This is the last vampire title on the list, I promise.) The Sookie Stackhouse series, on which the HBO show True Blood is based, still gets me every time. In this one, Sookie attends an undead convention, complete with a same-sex vampire wedding. Again, action plus comedy plus romance.
7. I Am America, and So Can You by Stephen Colbert. Just read the book. It's really funny.
6. Fairyville by Emma Holly. It's good fairies versus bad fairies squaring off in a small, quirky Southwestern town in this romance. This one hooked me from the very first pages and wouldn't let me go.
5. Eccentric Islands by Bill Holm. "Holm" means island, another fascinating fact adding to the layers of thoughtful introspection in this collection of essays on such diverse destinations as Madagascar (did you know the native language is more closely related to Hawaiian than to any African language?) and Iceland. I think I will love Iceland forever thanks to this book. Icelanders speak essentially the same language the Vikings spoke! How cool is that?
4. Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips. Bear with the ridiculous premise here: the gods and goddesses of Classical Greek mythology are sharing a flat in 21st-century London, slaving away at day jobs now that their power has waned. Along comes a well-meaning housekeeper, and suddenly all Underworld breaks loose. A light, fun read.
3. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I re-read this book for the first time since high school, and only now do I truly appreciate why it is considered one of the greatest novels of all times.
2. Sex God by Rob Bell. Don't let the title fool you: this is a smart, good-hearted piece of nonfiction that every human being in a love relationship should read. Without ever sounding preachy or overly intellectual, Bell makes the case for the spiritual nature of love. The result is a lovely, heart-warming read that affirms the good in humanity. It's also highly entertaining. Parents, make it a point to get this one for your teenagers. You'll love it.
1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The neighbors who heard my cries of "MAX!" will attest that I have not melted down so utterly over fictional characters since my all-time favorite book, Pretty Birds. Narrated by Death, this Holocaust drama is heart-rending, but well worth the pain. If you can't convince your kids to read it otherwise, tell them they'll learn bad German words from it.
Feel free to suggest books for my 2009 to-read list, or share your own favorites. And remember, you can now read all of my book reviews from '07-'08 in one place, at http://www.erineschmidtsmith.com. (Writers, feel free to suggest your books for review!)
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Comments: 16
You should two other books that came out in 2008: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski and Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith. They both met my requirement for calling a book very good, i.e., they were both not putdownable.
by Stephen Dobyns. It came out in 1998, but I tend to read a bit behind, LOL!
Read the novel Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin. It´s marked as young adult fiction, but it´s one of the best novels I´ve ever read. The intricately woven-in philosophy and the overall style are amazing.