BOOK-A-HOLICS discussion

as the year draws to a close, i am interested to see what your favorite book is from 2008? if you're like me and can't narrow it down to one, then go ahead and pick two or three. but try to keep the list as short as possible - it's time for some critical thinking! :)

i'll go first. i could only narrow it down to three:

the kite runner
the book thief
i capture the castle

all three of these books were so good and rather unexpected for me. i had heard a lot about "the kite runner," but i usually don't end up liking books that are really hyped up. i was blown away by how good that book was. it's definitely the kind that stays with you.

as for "the book thief," we read that in my book club and i wasn't expecting much because i knew it was a young adult book. well, i will never judge a book by its age group again.... it was so moving.

i picked up "i capture the castle" randomly at barnes & noble. it intrigued me, but as i started reading i was suprised to find it was mostly narration, which i'm not usually into. but i loved the narrator and the entire book was just lovely.

so here's to surprises...

Rachel, I'm with you on all three of those -- all such good books.
My fave for this year was probably Life of Pi.

I'd have to list,
The Book Thief
The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse
The Red Tent
and Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. I've read lots that I've enjoyed but I could re-read any of these joyfully.

My favorites would be
Thirteenth Tale
The Guernesy Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I also agree with The Book Thief posts.

I have to agree with Rachel about her selection of books- all three are wonderful reads. Markus Zurzak is an incredible author. The whimsical nature of "I capture the castle" is also lovely- it reminds me of another book I have recently read, which is absolutely gorgeous, called "How I live now" by Meg Rosoff.
It is also classified as young adult, but it is beautifully written. (Check out my profile for my review!)

But I would have to say that my favourite book of 2008 would have to be "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness- loved it, loved it, loved it!!!! (Interstingly also a young adult book)

(I work in the Curriculum Resources collection of a university library, which may well explain the bias!!)

THE BOOK THIEF is the definite winner as far as I am concerned.

Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson
accurate and affecting picture of US in Vietnam war

Oh yeah, The Book Thief was amazing!!

Okay what else ... Well it actually came out in late 2007, but I didn't read it until this year: Unwind by Neal Shusterman. OMIGOD -- can't get it out of my head. It was amazing.

As for the geekier stuff:

the fourth Percy Jackson book. AWESOME!!!

THE HOST!!! HEEHEE <3

... and City of Ashes.

that's all i can think of right now. :D

The Book Thief is also my favorite :)

I enjoyed Elsewhere and A Brief History of the Dead

Both were very good books

Have to second Wes on
THE BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEAD

very absorbing,interesting book

i'm going to have to look that one up for sure. i've heard a few people say they loved it.

The woman in white and The red tent! both were amazing but the red tent was inspiring. I would recomend the woman in white to anyone and the red tent to any woman!

OK, I'm gong to try and keep it as short as I can, which might not be saying much, as I tend to run on (see). These are the books that I marked with a star (denoting favorites) in my book journal for 2008 (so far).

The Gurernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penny

The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid

City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin

Mistress of the Art of Death and its sequel, Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

The Pact and Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Piccoult

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Dead Until Dark (and all others in the Southern Vampire series) by Charlaine Harris

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

The Vanishing Act of Eseme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn

The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

oh, yeah. Breaking Dawn too. :) heehee. okay, i know most ppl hated it but i liked it.

Did you mean read in 2008 or published in 2008?

I loved "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana de Rosnay. I actually won it here on Goodreads and it was an amazing book. I don't want to give the storyline away, but will say it was based on a true event that I had never heard of before. Great book- go read it!!

2666 by Roberto Bolano. I now want to read everything he has written.

Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson.

yup. I was one of those that hated Breaking Dawn. soryy, but it was ridiculous. read Kathering, by Anya Seton. It is kind of slow at the beggining but it is totally worth it to read.

I meant KATHERINE by Anya Seton

Kathryn wrote: "yup. I was one of those that hated Breaking Dawn. soryy, but it was ridiculous."

okay i know it was kinda ridiculous ... but for some reason i really liked it. i'm sorta sentimentally attached to the series i guess. ><

Well, after reading all the comments on The Book Thief, it's now going from the bottom of my "to read" pile to the very top. Thanks!

Paula wrote: "Well, after reading all the comments on The Book Thief, it's now going from the bottom of my "to read" pile to the very top. Thanks!"


Paula, you won't be disappointed! :)

I tried to keep it short. These were my faves last year:

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hossieni
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir
Wars of The Roses by Alison Weir
In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
Twilight series by Stephenie Harris
Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris

Brief History of the Dead and the Book Thief were both at the top of my list of great reads this year.
I also enjoyed The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay as well.

I read 183 books last year of which I rated 26 as being excellent. Even so, there were a few that really stood out as being particularly memorable:
#1 - MacLean, Shona - The Redemption of Alexander Seaton
#2 - Zusak, Marcus - The Book Thief
#3 - Wynn, Patricia - The Birth of Blue Satan (the Blue Satan Series)
- Armstrong, Derek - The Last Troubadour
- Atkinson, Kate - When Will There Be Good News
- Coleman, Reed Farrel - Empty Ever After
- Dean, Anna - A Moment of Silence
- DePoy, Phillip - The Drifter's Wheel
- Kearsley, Susanna - the Winter Sea
- Sansome, C.J. - Revelation
- Wall, Carolyn D - Sweeping Up Glass

My tastes have changed over the years... not a bad thing, I guess.

I truly enjoyed reading Ann Martin's book: A Dog's Life and The Alchemist by Paul Coelho.

Two v-e-r-y different books for sure, but each soul-touching in a very positive way.

my favourites from last year were probably...
- the time travelers wife by audrey niffenegger
- the twilight series by stephenie meyer
- peeps by scott westerfeld
- the host by stephenie westerfeld
- graceling by kristin cashore
- if you could see me now by cecelia ahern

I agree with the selections of THE BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEAD AND WHEN WILL BE THERE GOOD NEWS
both were really good and BRIEF HISTORY was a very affecting book

Sri wrote: "The Book Thief is also my favorite :)"
I have to concur, The Book Thief was a fabulous and suspenseful book.

I loved the Twilight Series! I read them all in one weekend.

Oh, and The Hunger Games. So good!