I usually do a Fave Fifteen of YA and MG at the end of each year, but this year I read wider so here are some books from many genres, in no particular order, that really floated my boat.
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh – hadn’t read it since I was a kid and it was a LOT different than I expected. If it’s been a while, give it a try.
Faking It by Jennifer Crusie – Re-read, third time – it’s adult romance/farce at its best
The Clementine Series by Sara Pennypacker- chapter books full of charm and wit
An Autobiography by Agatha Christie – really, really interesting
Sacred Games by Gary Corby – third in the series, not as gruesome as #2 and a really fun read
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline – adult fiction about a video game – so not anything I should’ve liked, but possibly the best, most exciting book I read all year
Smells Like Dog series by Suzanne Selfors – anything Suzanne writes ends up on my list. She’s always a winner.
The Last Word by Lisa Lutz – the last of the Spellman books, one of my all time favourite series
Where’d You Go Bernadette? by Maria Semple – one of those books that I wasn’t sure if she’d be able to pull it off, but then she totally does
Two Parties, One Tux, And a Very Short Film About the Grapes of Wrath by Steven Goldman – hilarious, touching, wonderful YA
Dramarama by E. Lockhart – another re-read of a YA book I really like
Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian – An interesting YA in that the main character is not that likeable, but the book is anyway.
Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky – a book that will change future hotel stays for you forever, possibly in a good way. Certainly in an hilarious way!
Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern – yes, I laughed. Out loud. Many times. So sue me.
Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips – a good old fashioned romance set in Tuscany.
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate – it won the Newbery, need I say more?
Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Bryce – MG that didn’t seem like my kind of thing, but I enjoyed a lot.
A Road For Canada – an interesting book with lots of photos about the building of the TransCanada Highway (but no cover photo on Goodreads). Sounds kind of dull, but was actually very fascinating.
What’d you all read this year that you liked?
Thanks for your annual list of great books, Joelle. As usual, there are quite a few that I haven’t read yet. As for me, most recently, I read WILD by Cheryl Strayed and loved it. Before that, I loved yet another book by Neil Gaiman, The Ocean at the End of the Lane. His work always appeals to me, whether it’s a picture book or a novel.
Happy New Year Joelle to you and yours!
I’m slowly getting back into gear after being away over Chrissy.
Books to read…hmm…mid grade isn’t entirely my field, but I’ll mention my daughters are all over the old David & Leigh Eddings epic fantasy books at the moment. We have every one of them and, looking back on it, they’re actually terrific for teenagers.