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See what everyone's favorite books from 2010 are! Mimi Applebaum: Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom - A really engaging, character driven tale of family, power and finding out who you are and what you can accomplish if you believe in yourself.
Happiness Projectby Gretchen Rubin - I'm constantly trying to get myself to a point where I can take a deep breath and say "I'm happy." I usually am happy but I'm so busy that it's hard  to notice! This is a wonderful tool that guides you through how Gretchen Rubin focused each month on the important things in her life for ongoing happiness: clutter, expression, marriage, children, using up what you have, work, etc. She adds to the previous month so that by the end of the year she has made 12 happy-inducing behaviors a habit. Extra support can be found with a companion website and newsletter.
Living Without Magazine- Even though it's not a book I've really been pleased with this publication. So many people are finding that they are actually intolerant/allergic to things like wheat and dairy and recipes can be hard to find. This is an inexpensive source for those suffering from those allergies or have someone they love that does.
Heaven to Betsy and Betsy in Spite of Herselfby Maud Hart Lovelace - Two books in one! This is a re-publication of awonderful 1940s series for chapter to young adult readers with Betsy asthe main heroine. It's set at the turn of the 20th century and highlights so many lovely pastimes and everyday things from that period.(No batteries or electronics back then!) The series is charming and a perfect bedtime easy read.
Baking Illustrated by Cook's Illustrated - This is a bible of baking for anyone interested in the science and craft of some of the most loved and used baked goods around the world: ciabatta, challah, pizza dough, cookies of incredible variety, quick breads like banana and zucchini, cakes, muffins....way too many to list! Not only does the book contain recipes but it explains the science of why your cake might not be rising, how important gluten can be in bread, what methods are best to get the perfect goodie, etc. Everything I've made from any Cook's Illustrated recipe has been amazing. I've thoroughly enjoyed this book and everything I've made so far! You'll be baking for everyone you meet!
Lacey Simon: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
The Help by Kathryn Stockett Rachel Jones: The Help – One of those books that everyone is reading. I haven’t met a disappointed reader yet! 
The Selected Works of TS Spivet – I loved the unique format of this novel. Notes and drawings in the margins help to tell the story of TS, who skips town and travels to Washington DC to accept an award from the Smithsonian. (He’s only 12. Surprise!) Mockingjay – This is book three in The Hunger Games trilogy. I read all three books in a flash, and still kept thinking about the characters. Toby Alone – I’m a sucker for chapter books about characters smaller than your hand, like The Littles, or The Borrowers. Toby is only a few millimeters tall and lives in a tree. His adventure begins when he has to save his family after his father, a scientist, makes the outrageous claim that there is life beyond the tree. Beautiful Oops! – This kid’s book for ages three and up is a work of art. All kinds of colorful flaps demonstrate that an “oops” – like a paint spill or a stray line – can become something beautiful with a little patience and imagination. Alicia Simon: 1. Matched by Ally Condie. A great futuristic book about forbidden love and how two people try to be together.  2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. A thrilling read about a girl who wanted to save her sister from a gruesome death, and falling in-love during the process. 3. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. Not just another werewolf story but of doing what is right for your pack, even if that means deserting them all. 4. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. A story about three ordinary kids that turn out to be children of gods and goddesses, and not only that - they find out they are crucial to the survival of the world. 5. Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney. A story of a girl who's worst nightmare comes true and friends that help her overcome such a dramatic circumstance. Scott Klepach: Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1. By Mark Twain (and other contributors). This is it! A century in the making (or, at least, a century of waiting), the first volume of Twain's  autobiography is available for the public to enjoy. Casual readers, scholars, literary critics, and lovers of Twain will want to pick up this copy and dig in. I suggest holding off on the contributors' information and begin with Twain's actual writing first. Down the Road the Children Go. By Dan Peters. A collection of poetry from local poet Dan Peters. I especially appreciated this book since it touches on all many aspects of family life and raising children.
Bounce. By Matthew Syed. If you enjoy Freakonomics or Malcolm Gladwell'sThe Tipping Point or Blink, then you'll probably enjoy this title as well. Syed focuses on the science of success in sports, revealing how specialized, consistent practice contributes much more to an athlete's success than sheer talent.
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo & Girl Who Played with Fire (tied). By Stieg Larsson. While I encourage readers to read the entire trilogy, the third installment, Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, is the weakest of the batch. These first two titles are some of the most engrossing thrillers I've read in some time.
Fever Dream. By Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. The latest in Preston and Child's popular series featuring Special FBI Agent Aloysius Pendergast breathes new life into the series, as Pendergast discovers his wife's death was the result of murder, and not an accident.  Ann Reierson: Farm Chicks in the Kitchen by Teri Edwards. This book was recommended to me by one of my favorite customers. Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby. The Passage by Justin Cronin. Jane (A modern retelling of Jane Eyre) by April Lindner. Beneath the Sands of Egypt by Donald P Ryan (A professor of Egyptology at Pacific Lutheran University and my friend). Adam Jones: 1) Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self by Danielle Evans  (9781594487699). This was my favorite book of 2010. Perfectly crafted short stories by a fresh, new voice. 2) The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson (9780679444329). An impressively researched look at a little-studied chapter in American history, written in a highly readable, personal tone.
3) Unlovable, Volume Two by Esther Pearl Watson (9781606993149). I love Tammy Pierce!
4) Half Empty by David Rakoff (9780385525244). Funny and caustic, like the David Rakoff we've all come to love. But be warned: This book holds a wry wisdom that sneaks up on you and gets you by the end!
5) The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood (9780385491037). I love Margaret Atwood, and I only just got around to reading this book this year. It completely consumed me, like the best of her books, and it stayed on my mind for weeks after.  Susan Richmond: Blind Your Ponies by Stanley Gordon West. I read this aloud to my husband and we loved the characters as well as the story. Small town relationships, high school basketball, and learning and growing through loss. Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom, an Irish servant learning to get along in a house full of black slaves. Gripping and makes a great book club read.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. This 1943 classic grabbed me. Sorry I took so long to read it.
Prodigal God by Timothy Keller. This is a new way to look at the word "prodigal". Best Christian book I read in 2010. The Help - by Kathryn Stockett. This book, reminscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, deserves the attention it got this year. Another great bookclub read. Piper Richmond: The Mark of the Lion Trilogy by Francine Rivers. I have read this trilogy more than five times and it is always a great one to come back to...a little history, a little lovin', lots of action, and a great message! Rivers is a gifted author and I am excited to read her Marta's Legacy series next.  The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis Always a wonderful escape when the real world seems overwhelming. I am still filled with wonder when I read these books!
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Dark, disturbing and full of twists and turns, with a great love story wrapped up in it all.... I am looking forward to reading a modern-day adaptation called Jane by April Lindner. We've got it at Inklings in the Young Adult section!
Half-Assed: A Weight-Loss Memoir by Jennette Fulda I leave this book lying around the house in order to inspire myself. Jennette was easy to listen to when she chronicled her struggles with weight, energy, chronic pain, and identity. She was funny and a bit snarky, but very vulnerable, too. Between 2005 and 2008 she lost half of her body weight (which started at almost 400lb) and now hosts an interactive blog with updates, success stories, failure stories, recipes and more. Fulda's next book, Chocolate and Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn't Go Away, comes out in February 2011.
Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King Another awesome, dark and disturbing book of short stories from one of my all-time favorite writers! King continues to prove his mastery of storytelling with tale after creepy tale. I particularly liked the one about the wife who finds out her husband of 27 years is....Well... You'll see.  Tiffany Pitra: Open: An Autobiography by Andre AgassiThis was a great look into a sports icon's world. Not only did I learn about tennis, but I was able to get lost in someone's obsession for winning and read about the controversial pressures that accompany living such a high profile life. It was dramatic and intimate!Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig This was a tough read for me, but I am proud for making it through. I felt some of the philosophical points were a little beyond me, but they were connected and transformed into something meaningful when placed within the story of a father and son motorcycle trip across some of the most beautiful places in the States.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo
Immediately after reading this book, I gifted it to my younger siblings. Told in such a simplistic manner, this story is all about following your dream and finding your purpose as a part of your journey, no matter what happens along the way.
Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Why did it take me so long to read this beautiful book?! Joy Luck Club follows the relationships between four Chinese mothers and their daughters as they struggle to understand each other in America. This book helped me respect the generational gap between parents and their children, and appreciate Chinese culture and heritage. It is past experiences that make you who you are, and the stories these mothers tell reveal something so deep about their strength as women.
Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town by Nick Reding
Renee Navarrete: Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card. I read this book in one day, it was SO great! It's my new favorite read. Pathfinder is the story of Rigg, a boy with a special ability for seeing the  paths of people's pasts. When his father dies suddenly, Rigg finds out how many secrets were kept from him. He discovers he has the power to change the past and the future. A thrilling story that takes place on TWO worlds. The Kitchen House was too good to pass up. Not your usual book about slavery, but told from the perspective from a white indentured servant. I loved it until the very last page. The Lost Hero is Rick Riordan's newest book but a continuation in the Percy Jackson series. I might even like it better. That's saying something because I read the original series five times. I can't wait for the sequel! I didn't read the Chaos Walking Trilogy until I went to a booksellers trade show last year, where the author, Patrick Ness was in attendance. I started the series during the car ride over and was hooked immediately. Full of secrets and craziness and different worlds. Where men's thoughts can be heard by everyone, but women's are hidden, And no one really knows why. Of course, you find out in the books. SO worth it. Not new to 2010, but still one of my favorites, are the books in the Babywise series by Ezzo. Perfect for new (or old) parents, and full of sensible ideas about how to raise babies on up to teens. Sue Domis: Blind your Ponies - I loved his characters so much.  Let the Great World Spin - Amazing how the author was able to connect each event to the next one. Ape House - this was the first book I was able to enjoy again after the death of a loved one. Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - I loved all three of the books in this series & I think that the the main character, Lisbeth Salander, is the best female character since Pipi Longstocking. The anniversary edition of an old favorite collection of mine: Riprap & Cold Mountain Poems by Gary Snyder, an oldie & definitely one of the best poetry collections I've read. |
