End-of-2010 Book Survey

The Perpetual Page-Turner has a fun End-of-2010 survey going on. Click on the link to add your list.

1. Best Book of 2010: I went back through my list on my sidebar to look at all the books I'd given 5 stars.
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Sherman Alexie)
Girl in Translation (Jean Kwok)
Jane Eyre (Charlotte Brontë)
Mockingbird (Katherine Erskine)
My Name Is Asher Lev (Chaim Potok)
Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down (Anne Fadiman)
Still Alice (Lisa Genova)

They are all amazing books, well worth the 5-star rating. But I think I'm going to have to pick Jean Kwok's Girl in Translation as my favorite. I just loved it.

2. Worst book of 2010? My only 1-star rating went to Devil Amongst the Lawyers (Sharyn McCrumb). I hate to give a Sharyn McCrumb book my worst book of the year because I truly love her mountain novels in general. But this one was actually painful to get through, and I kind of get a headache when I even think about it. Sorry, Ms. McCrumb.

3. Most Disappointing Book of 2010? Again, McCrumb's book was a big disappointment because I have loved her others so much.

4. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2010? I'm going to go with Picture Bride (Yoshiko Uchido). I picked this one up for about 50 cents and had no expectations. Never heard a thing about it. It was an excellent little novel that brought me to tears. I loved it.

5. Book you recommended to people most in 2010? Girl in Translation.

6. Best series you discovered in 2010? I've only been part of one series, and I must admit to loving it: Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, beginning with One for the Money. I've only finished four of them so far, so I'll have plenty of those to plow through when I need something light and fun.

7. Favorite new (to me) authors you discovered in 2010? Elizabeth Strout, Lisa Genova, Jean Kwok.

8. Most hilarious read of 2010? Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Sherman Alexie) and Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (Dave Eggers). Both are sharp and witty but also terribly poignant. Loved both of them.

9. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2010? Again, I'm going to the Absolutely True Diary. I'm not sure I would use the words "thrilling" for any of the books I read, but I had a terrible hard time putting down this Sherman Alexie novel/memoir.

10. Book you most anticipated in 2010? Last Night at Twisted River (John Irving). I always anticipate any new John Irving novel. I think this was the very first book I read this year.

11. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2010? Center of the Universe (Nancy Bachrach) Didn't like this memoir much, but I love the cover.

12. Most memorable character in 2010? Olive Kitteridge in Olive Kitteridge (Elizabeth Strout)

13. Most beautifully written book in 2010? My Name Is Asher Lev (Chaim Potok)


14. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2010? In some ways, probably Beautiful Boy (David Sheff). This is the story of Sheff dealing with his son's drug addiction. Just having a teenaged son myself made this book especially memorable.

15. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2010 to finally read? My Name Is Asher Lev (Chaim Potok). I've been meaning to read this for 23 years, since one of my good friends in college said it was her favorite book.

That's a quick review of this year's reading. Coming up in a few days, I'll be posting my Top 10 and the whole list. I look forward to reading dozens of these surveys at The Perpetual Page-Turner and adding a bunch more to my own TBR list!