Today's topic: Best of 2011, so far AND New books I'm looking forward to reading this year. (Books must be published in 2011.) Link here to ARMCHAIR BEA where all things BEA are being coordinated - you can read what other ARMCHAIR bloggers are talking and posting about
2011 has been a great year for reading but it seems that most of the books I've read were published in previous years. As some of you know I read a lot of vintage and I've been caught up in The Vintage Reading Challenge hosted by Bev over at MY READER'S BLOCK, so that's been one of my main reading concentrations this year. Another thing is I rarely check to see what year a book I'm reading was published in (unless I have a specific reason), if I'm enjoying the book, that's all I care about. So when I do my end of year Best Of 2011 list, it will, necessarily, include books published in other years.
But I think I can put a little list together of five books actually published in 2011 that I've enjoyed so far this year:
ONE OF OUR THURSDAYS IS MISSING by Jasper Fforde - The latest Thursday Next, literary detective, unclassifiable adventure in an alternate universe where books have a strange life of their own.
FADEAWAY GIRL by Martha Grimes - The latest Emma Graham mystery. Emma is still 12 years old and still poking about in long ago mysteries best left alone.
ONE WAS A SOLDIER by Julia Spencer Fleming - The latest in the Russ Alstyne and Clare Ferguson mysteries set in upstate New York where it always seems to be winter.
TREASON AT LISSON GROVE by Anne Perry - The latest in the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt historical mysteries set in Victorian England. Pitt is a member of Special Branch and Charlotte is his wife who occasionally helps in his investigations.
A RED HERRING WITHOUT MUSTARD by Alan Bradley - The latest in the Flavia de Luce mysteries set in the 1950's English countryside. The books feature Flavia, an 11 year old solver of mysteries and budding chemist whose primary interest is in poisons.
The titles above link to my own reviews of these particular books.
Now for a list of some of the books published either recently or later this year that I am especially looking forward to reading:
PIRATE KING by Laurie R. King (The absolute latest in the Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell series set before or during WWI)
EMBASSYTOWN by China Mieville
THE READING PROMISE: My Father and the Books We Shared by Alice Ozma - non-fiction
IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS: Love, Terror and An American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson - non-fiction
AMONG PENGUINS: A Bird Man in Antartica by Noah Stryker - non-fiction
BLEEDING HEART SQUARE by Andrew Taylor
EXIT THE ACTRESS by Priya Parmar
THE RANGER by Ace Atkins
A MORTAL TERROR by James R. Benn
SMOKIN' SEVENTEEN by Janet Evanovich (Another Stephanie Plum mystery.)
MISERY BAY by Steve Hamilton (An Alex McKnight mystery.)
ESCAPE ARTIST - An Edna Ferber Prequel by Ed Ifkovic
ACCEPTABLE LOSS by Anne Perry (A William Monk mystery.)
THE END OF EVERYTHING by Megan Abbott
WICKED AUTUMN by G.M. Malliet
THE AFFAIR by Lee Child (A Jack Reacher thriller.)
THE DOG WHO KNEW TOO MUCH by Spencer Quinn (A Chet and Ernie mystery.)
CHELSEA MANSION by Barry Maitland
GHOST HERO by S.J. Rozan ( A Bill Smith and Lydia Chin mystery)
COLD VENGEANCE by Lincoln Child and Robert Preston (A Pendergast mystery)
A TRICK OF THE LIGHT by Louise Penny (An Inspector Gamache mystery)
THE GREATER JOURNEY Americans in Paris by David McCullough - non-fiction
The above titles were culled from lists of 2011 books. Of course, I'll still be reading and re-reading vintage, assorted recommendations from friends, books published in other years, etc. That's the reading life. Thank goodness.
Our reading tastes seem so similar that I'm going to take your waiting list and make it my own. Well, some of them are already on there, of course. I love your blog, btw. I feel so at home over here.
ReplyDeleteThanks, BookBelle! Yes we do have similar tastes. I'm glad I discovered your blog.
ReplyDeleteObviously my commenting woes are over for now. My daughter figured out the solution. I'm going to post it shortly.
I'm so glad you're enjoying my blog. This is the kind of comment that gives me the energy to continue. :)
So much to read here! This reminds me to read the S.J. Rozan that I was supposed to read.
ReplyDeleteBut between the Global Challenge, the Dagger nominees, catching up on Archie and the gang, my library holds, my TBR pile, it's a huge project to add books. (Not to mention my dvd's and the list for the library of movies)
My step-dog and I had a good weekend reading and I'm reading now a book from Finland.
When will I be caught up? Never, I fear. But I'll enjoy your reviews.
Kathy: You never can catch up. I gave that game up a long time ago. Ha!
ReplyDeleteBest you can do is keep your head above water.
I'm looking forward to this weekend: Big Birthday Bash for my granddaughter!!
Do you read the Inspector Montalbano books by Andrea Camilleri?
ReplyDeleteI just finished one and laughed from start to end. So light and witty, a pleasure. Read in one day.
Now back to Archie or 12th century England or Scotland today or Spain.
What a dilemma.
I've heard about these books for years but for whatever reason, I've never read any. Time to add them to my TBR Mountain. :)
ReplyDelete