Best of 2009

All of the authors and titles are hyperlinked to reviews I've written or author's pages. In the case of Georgette Heyer I've linked to pages that detail her work or the specific title I'm referring to. I hope 2009 was an enjoyable reading year for you too!




Best Book of 2009~


The Risen Empire and The Killing of Worlds; Scott Westerfeld



Best New to Me Authors~

1. Ariana Franklin
2. Georgette Heyer
3. Linnea Sinclair


Best Mystery~
Contemporary~ The Midnight Choir; Gene Kerrigan
Historical~ Mistress of the Art of Death; Ariana Franklin


Best Fantasy~ Scar Night, Alan Campbell


Best Science Fiction~

1. The Risen Empire, Scott Westerfeld (duology)
2. The Moon's Shadow; Catherine Asaro
3. The Ruby Dice; Catherine Asaro



Best Romance~ Hope's Folly- Linnea Sinclair



Best of the Rest~

1. Death Wore White; Jim Kelly
2. In Defense of Food; Michael Pollan
3. The War of the Flowers; Tad Williams
4. Devil's Cub; Georgette Heyer
5. Frederica; Georgette Heyer
6. These Old Shades; Georgette Heyer

Best Reads of 2008

All reviews are linked unless otherwise noted.


Best Book of 2008, King of the Mountain~

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox; Maggie O'Farrell Literary fiction set in contemporary Scotland explores family relationships, betrayal and the difference between justice, vengeance and revenge.


Best of the Rest, runners up~

A Rose for the Crown; Anne Easter Smith Historical fiction about Richard III and his mistress; 2008 release.

Tangled Webs; Anne Bishop Fantasy set in the same world as the Black Jewels trilogy. 2008 release

The Invisible Ring; Anne Bishop Fantasy released in 2000 set in the same world as the Black Jewels trilogy.

Komarr; Lois McMaster Bujold Science Fiction set in the Vorkosigan Universe, readers watch as Miles falls in love and runs afoul of yet another nefarious plot.

Five Quarters of the Orange; Joanne Harris Literary fiction set in contemporary and WW II era France; explores a struggling family living in occupied France and how children within the same family remember and experience events very differently from each other.

Skeletons at the Feast; Chris Bohjalian Literary fiction set in WW II Germany. Readers journey along with a German family fleeing the advancing Russian army.



Romances

Lord of Scoundrels; Loretta Chase Dominick Ballister meets his match in the personage of one Miss Jessica Trent

A Gift of Wings in The Queen in Winter by Sarah Monette Short Story. Fantasy romance with a cabin mystery thrown in for good measure, explores the effects of post traumatic stress syndrome on the loved ones of the sufferer.

The Wallflower series by Lisa Kleypas. Not linked. Three of which I read over the holiday period, but none of which I've managed to review yet. Books in this series are: Devil in Winter, Scandal in Spring, Secrets of a Summer Night and It Happened One Autumn.