more shop talk: counting down 2010 faves!

Here it is, my list of favorite reads from 2010.

I won't break it down this year. I want to make sure they all get on this blog since I have a bad habit of starting things and not finishing them. Hmm... I wonder if that would make a good New Year's Resolution...

Anyway, without further ado, here's the list.

10. The Irresistible Henry House by Lisa Grunwald - Henry House is a "practice baby" living in a house run by Home Ec students on a college campus in the 1950's. These programs really existed and historian Lisa Grunwald does a wonderful job of fictionally answering question: What happens to these babies as they grow up? The babies were orphans, "adopted" into this "home" for the first year or so of their lives before they, like their young female "mothers" moved on. Only Henry did not. A really interesting story and a fun romp through the 50's and 60's.

9. Bloodroot by Amy Greene - This book inspired a period of Appalachian fiction in me but after reading a few more books set in the area, I was unable to find one was well written as this one. It seems I love me stories about generations of women eeking out an existence in dire circumstances and this one certainly does not disappoint!

8. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - Having been told to pick this one up for a while by multiple people, I finally did while I was on jury duty this past summer. It takes place in the 1940's in Barcelona and has that touch of magical realism to it that (as you can tell from my previous post) I just love.

7. Vaclav and Lena by Haley Tanner (coming in Summer 2011) - This one is a delightfully charming story of two young friends, children of Russian immigrants, growing up in Brooklyn.

6. The Help by Kathryn Stockett - I avoided this one for a while, thinking it was fluffy Southern women's fiction - not really my style. But I was wrong. This one has depth and heart that I didn't anticipate. I'm anxious to see the upcoming movie.

5. One Day by David Nicholls - For a while, I couldn't get on the Subway without seeing this book in some girl's hot little hands. The premise is great - it takes place on the same day, hopping back and forth through the 80's, 90's, and today. A wonderful love story, One Day takes place in Britian and is chock full of tidbits any Anglophile (that's me!) would love.

4. Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran (coming in Spring 2011) - See my "review" of this one here. (Hi Ms. Moran! *Big wave*)

3. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson - I guess the theme this year was "Listen to your friends already and read this book!" as I delved into the Millenium series this summer. This is the last book in the trilogy.

2. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson - I always knew the trilogy was likely to take the gold, silver, and bronze in this year's round up and I realize I'm out of order here. I really did love this book, it was the first in the series and thus set up the kick-ass character of Lisbeth Salander. It also stands alone better (with a better arc, I believe) than the 2nd and 3rd titles, which tie together more...

1. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson - I put this one in the #1 spot because it was just so charged and action packed. It really put Lisbeth, and the series, on the map for me. I don't think I'm alone in my love for this series. It remains on the NYT Bestseller list and the books were the number one holiday sellers for the Amazon Kindle.

Calling all fellow bookworms! What are your top books for 2010?