Because of course you've been dying to hear my thoughts
So the number of books I read in 2010 totals 57. Thank you, graphic novels! Although, I feel that reading books like The Passage which are a bajillion pages long makes up for it. LOL.
Here are the standouts from this year (no spoilers; view the Amazon link to read blurbs):
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
OMFG House of Leaves was awesome. I have never been so creeped out by a book before. After a while the crazy footnotes started to grate a little, but I love how unsettling this book is. The idea that a house could be sentient isn't exactly new, but I think it's done in such a great way. Plus you can never go wrong with bringing to mind the labyrinth and Ariadne's golden thread (/greek mythology nerd). I bought it before I read it because I really wanted to read it and couldn't get a copy at the library. I am so glad that I did because it's fabulous.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
This book I went out and bought as soon as I finished reading it. I really loved it. The only disappointment for me was that you really couldn't have figured out the twist at the end (although I should re-read it again this year to be sure). That's what I like best in some twisty-ending books: if you had been paying attention you would have figured it out. There were lots of secrets and twists and the Thirteenth Tale itself is heartbreaking. Definitely one of those books I could not put down.
The Passage by Justin Cronin
I loved The Passage. It is really long and kind of like a cousin to The Stand by Stephen King. You've got the outbreak at a government facility followed by an apocalypse, only the outbreak is of vampire-like creatures called virals who either kill you or make you one of them. Then the story jumps ahead about 80 years in the future where there are tiny encampments trying to survive viral attacks. The reason for the jump is made apparent fairly soon, but I won't spoil that for you. It's an immensely satisfying story, even though it's pretty depressing in places (which is on par for a post-apocalyptic story). And one little word at the very end of the book totally rewrites how you see the ending. Literally gasped. Bought this book right after I finished reading it too because I definitely want to read it again and again.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
I don't always guess who the murderer is in Christie's novels, but this one literally made me go OH MY GOD. Totally did not see that ending coming and it was glorious.
The Forgotten Garden & The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
I really liked The Forgotten Garden and The House at Riverton, although both had twists that I could see coming a mile away. For me, that's okay as long as I think the author wasn't trying to hide it, but I have no idea if Morton meant you to be able to figure it out the first time around. In any case, both books are still worth reading. I was hooked on both of them and loved reading them and at the end of the day, that's the most important thing.
I also read Little Bee, but I'm trying hard to forget it because that book seriously depressed me. It was good, but it was rather like repeatedly dropping an anvil on my head. Just when you think it can't possibly get more depressing, it does.
Here are the standouts from this year (no spoilers; view the Amazon link to read blurbs):
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
OMFG House of Leaves was awesome. I have never been so creeped out by a book before. After a while the crazy footnotes started to grate a little, but I love how unsettling this book is. The idea that a house could be sentient isn't exactly new, but I think it's done in such a great way. Plus you can never go wrong with bringing to mind the labyrinth and Ariadne's golden thread (/greek mythology nerd). I bought it before I read it because I really wanted to read it and couldn't get a copy at the library. I am so glad that I did because it's fabulous.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
This book I went out and bought as soon as I finished reading it. I really loved it. The only disappointment for me was that you really couldn't have figured out the twist at the end (although I should re-read it again this year to be sure). That's what I like best in some twisty-ending books: if you had been paying attention you would have figured it out. There were lots of secrets and twists and the Thirteenth Tale itself is heartbreaking. Definitely one of those books I could not put down.
The Passage by Justin Cronin
I loved The Passage. It is really long and kind of like a cousin to The Stand by Stephen King. You've got the outbreak at a government facility followed by an apocalypse, only the outbreak is of vampire-like creatures called virals who either kill you or make you one of them. Then the story jumps ahead about 80 years in the future where there are tiny encampments trying to survive viral attacks. The reason for the jump is made apparent fairly soon, but I won't spoil that for you. It's an immensely satisfying story, even though it's pretty depressing in places (which is on par for a post-apocalyptic story). And one little word at the very end of the book totally rewrites how you see the ending. Literally gasped. Bought this book right after I finished reading it too because I definitely want to read it again and again.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
I don't always guess who the murderer is in Christie's novels, but this one literally made me go OH MY GOD. Totally did not see that ending coming and it was glorious.
The Forgotten Garden & The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
I really liked The Forgotten Garden and The House at Riverton, although both had twists that I could see coming a mile away. For me, that's okay as long as I think the author wasn't trying to hide it, but I have no idea if Morton meant you to be able to figure it out the first time around. In any case, both books are still worth reading. I was hooked on both of them and loved reading them and at the end of the day, that's the most important thing.
I also read Little Bee, but I'm trying hard to forget it because that book seriously depressed me. It was good, but it was rather like repeatedly dropping an anvil on my head. Just when you think it can't possibly get more depressing, it does.