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Thursday, December 28, 2006

13 Favorite Books Read in 2006

This list of 13 favorites is chosen ONLY from the books I've read this year - 2006.

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss and The Book Thief by Mark Zusak tied for first place. Both are finely written books with characters that pull on your heart strings and yet fill you with hope and rejoicing in their strengths. I read The History of Love twice this year and enjoyed it even more with the second reading.

You all know how impossible it is to arrange favorites in a list with any type of order. It's impossible. Books can be so different but equally enjoyed, so the rest are arranged in no special order.

3. Hallelujah by J. Scott Featherstone
4. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
5. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
6. Dracula by Bram Stoker
7. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
8. Folding Paper Cranes by Leonard Bird
9. Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
10. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
11. The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
12. Ship Fever by Andrea Barrett
13. Devil's Corner by Lisa Scottoline
13. Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz
13. Angels in the Gloom by Anne Perry
13. Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
13. Face Down Beneath the Banquet House by Kathy Lynn Emerson
13. Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris

Okay, so I stuttered there at the end. I just had to include 6 of my favorite mystery reads of the year!

A note to anyone who read this post earlier. I lost part of it earlier today, so I had to go back through my posts of the year to find my favorite books. I think I may have changed a few titles. Ask me tomorrow and they will probably be different again, but MOST are the same.

24 comments:

Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane said...

Ooh, some good ones here! Great idea for a T13 :)

Carl V. Anderson said...

Good choices! Thrilled to see Dracula on the list!

Colleen Gleason said...

Good list, booklogged!

I loved P&P, as you must know, and Carl's still after me 'cause I haven't read Dracula. Nor have I read The Historian. But I have them both.

Maybe this year!

Unknown said...

I've been wanting to read the History of Love! I'm glad you liked it. That makes me want to get it even more.

Heather said...

Ooh you had a great reading year! Several are on my list as well! Here's hoping next year is just as good!

Anonymous said...

A part of me is laughing, because for the Goth-Punk I'm supposed to be, I've never managed to finish reading either "Dracula" or "The Historian."

You are definitely 2 books ahead of me in the Goth Department. Ha! ;)

Happy New Year. Cheers.

Carl V. Anderson said...

You haven't read Dracula either Dark O.?!?!? Between you and Colleen my faith in vamps is shrinking! ;)

Joy said...

We share THE BOOK THIEF and GENTLEMEN & PLAYERS as Best Reads for 2006. Others on your list are on my TBR List...that's good to know. :)

Anonymous said...

History of Love was on my favorite reads for the year too :)

jenclair said...

I love seeing everyone else's favorites, but hate making those decisions. Several on your list would have to be included, though!

Myke Weber said...

December 30th is Booklogged's Birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY sweetie!

Joy said...

HaPpY BiRtHdAy, BoOkLoGgEd!!! May your day be as special as you. :)

Lotus Reads said...

hahha, booklogged, I can relate to the part about some of your favorite books changing from day to day, it happens with me, too! Nice list, I definitely want to read "Hallelujah".

Lotus Reads said...

Ohhhh, I just saw Mike's comment- HAPPY BIRTHDAY sweet booklogged, hope you had a wonderful day today!

Bellezza said...

I loved The Screwtape Letters, which I read as a devotional basically; one chapter a day because it was so meaty for me. Also, on a completely different note, I loved reading The Historian after Dracula. Two great picks for October! I'm looking forward to The Book Thief and The History of Love which I bought but haven't read quite yet.

Carl V. Anderson said...

I am waiting impatiently for my wife to read The Book Thief, which I bought her for Christmas, so that I can snag it and read it! Since its her gift I thought it would be nice to give her first crack at it!

Literary Feline said...

Great list, Booklogged. I enjoy seeing what everyone's favorites are. I realized this year that I often overlook my favorite mysteries and lighter reads when coming up with my Top Ten list and decided that this year I wouldn't do that.

Pride and Prejudice was at the top of my list last year and The Historian is among my top ten list this year. I just loved that book.

Devil's Corner was the first Scottoline book I've had the opportunity to read, and I'll definitely be reading more by her.

I really enjoy Anne Perry's Inspector and Charlotte Pitt series but haven't tried her newest series. You give me a reason to do so!

I read Dracula this year also and was really impressed--it's a great book.

Thanks for sharing!

The Traveller said...

The Historian and The History of Love are cropping up all over the place! I'm going to have to look out for them both. And I'm definitely going to read The Screwtape Letters which has shamefully been on my shelf since last Christmas but is so far unread...Happy birthday for yesterday Booklogged!

hellomelissa said...

i like the 5 #13's. cute! as you know, i'm hooked on 'outlander,' too. 'the historian' is in my stack of things to read SOON. right now i'm relishing my ONE christmas book (or set, rather) "the golden compass" from the "his dark materials" series by philip pullman. then i need to do a bookring book-- 'wideacre' by phillipa gregory.

thank you for a valuable list!

Sharon said...

Great list! I, too, loved The History of Love. And I must find some Kathy Lynn Emerson! Have a great new year :)

nessie said...

All the best to you in the New Year,

Is Darcy the best though?? I havent read book Theif yet but so many bloggers have been recommending it that it seems to be the it thing now. Well let me run off and buy it then!

Les said...

Great list. I really MUST get a copy of The History of Love in my house or I'll forget to read it. Maybe it will wind up as my #1 for 2007 since The Book Thief is #1 for 2006.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, dear friend!

Anonymous said...

I had the hardest time picking my favorites from this year as well! I could easily double the list, and I didn't even attempt to put them in order.

The Book Thief and The History of Love are both sitting in my 'to read' pile - I'm hoping that I enjoy them as much as you did!

I really enjoyed 'The Historian' so glad to hear it was one of your favorites. It seems to be one of those books people either love or hate.

Happy New Year - and Happy Birthday!

Belladonna said...

Some of my recent favorites:

The Red Tent, A Handmaids Tale, Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice, Poisonwood Bible, City of Joy (AGAIN!) and The Drowning People.

Not necessarily classics, but all great reads! I was SOOO impressed by The Drowning People, hard to believe it was a FIRST novel by a young man in his 20's. He did SUCH a good job of portraying an older man reflecting back over his life...