[Yippee! I'm avoiding review-writing by finding something else worthy of posting about! Since this is Saturday, we have a Weekly Geeks to shine the spotlight on. I also want to give a shout-out to Melissa the Book Nut for celebrating her FIVE years blogging about books. (visit her and enter her giveaway!)]
Now, on the to Geekiness. Jackie of Literary Escapism is organizing the official Book Bloggers Best Books of 2009. She also has a lovely tribute to the legacy of Dewey; this time of year is bittersweet when thinking about our friend Dewey – may we continue to celebrate all that she started and all that we have embraced in sharing our love for reading.
In order to help with this task, I must see if I even read any books published this year. So I hereby present that list in order of my favorites listed first:
The Help by Kathryn Stockett *****
The Only True Genius in the Family by Jennie Nash **** 
Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart ****
Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel ****
One True Theory of Love by Laura Fitzgerald ****
False Witness by Anita Rodgers ***
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith ***
____________________________________________________________
Jackie also wanted GENREs and I’m not good at this nor do I even know how to look this up!
The Help – contemporary fiction? or historical fiction!? – women’s issues?
True Genius – Contemporary fiction and/or family dynamics
Nothing But Ghosts - YA, grief
Last Night in Montreal – Contemporary fiction
One True Theory - Contemporary fiction / chick lit?
False Witness – mystery
P&P&Z – steampunk, Austen-spinoff
__________________________________________________________
Now for those books that I have in house but haven’t read yet but I see on a lot of lists for BEST?
Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder
31 Hours by Masha Hamilton
Undiscovered Gyrl by Allison Burnett
P.S. I’m actually impressed that I’ve read so many. Considering how many books I have toppling in Mt.TBR, seven books is quite an accomplishment.
Question(s) for my readers: If you have read The Help, do you agree that it is worthy of mention in a Best of the Year list?
and/or
Do you have a different book you hope to see on such a list?
I really need to read The Help. I wish I could learn how to go without sleep.
I refuse to come up with a list until January! Last year I made my list days early and kept changing it! I have The Help on my TBR list and Nothing But Ghosts on my shelves. Can’t wait to read both. I’m definitely going to have to look up the rest.
I’m always curious abt how many books I read that are recently published. This year has to be record! I had no idea I was so current. ha!
I toyed with putting Pride and Prejudice and Zombies on my list but it didn’t make the cut. My list is here.
it only makes my books-read-published-this-year. I don’t mean to imply that the 7 books are in my top 10 even if, well, I guess they are. The Help, being the only 5 slice of pie worthy book, is the only one I’m endorsing as a ‘best’. but not to mean that I didn’t enjoy ALL of the these!!!! erp
I haven’t read THE HELP so I can’t say. I had a galley and put it down because I don’t like books written in dialect; I’m glad that so many people enjoyed it though- it seems to be a real hit among bloggers. Personally I would love to see CUTTING FOR STONE or THE CHILDREN’S BOOK end up on someone’s best list besides mine!
Oh, I want to read The Children’s Book! I really am not sure if I know what Cutting for Stone is…
I have The Help as one of my fav books of the year. I guess I would classify it as historical fiction although I generally think of that genre as encompassing older time periods.
Technically or in-the-world-of-books world, I suppose historical fiction should be FAR AWAY in time. But for me, historical fiction is when a book evokes a certain time and place (and wasn’t now in America which is what contemporary means to me). I’m glad you enjoyed The Help, too.
Excellent list and your guesses for genre would be far better than me since you’ve read the books.
Although, PP&Z would be more paranormal/fantasy with the zombie addition. Is it really that good? I have Sense and Sensibilities and Sea Monsters on my desk, but I’m not a huge Austen fan.
Jackie, I just went back to your blog to answer your Q. THANKS!
Great list! The Help is the only one I’ve read, but it’s probably going to be my favorite audio of the year. As for genre…since I was a kid in the 60’s, I’d much rather classify it as contemporary, not historical, fiction
I was a kid in the sixties, too! It’s just that I feel her look at that world, that time is a bit different from today. Heck, I’m not sure I’d even count the 90s as contemporary anymore – but that ’s just me, I guess.
I have that Tracy Kidder book on my shelf and I’m looking forward to it. I’m not sure if I’ll get to it before the end of the year. I haven’t read ‘The Help’ but I can’t think of a bad review that I’ve read.
Read-along! Read-along!
sigh. I can’t commit yet.
I haven’t read The Help yet, and I’ve heard so much raves about it!
I can’t decide what to put for my top ten list… I’ve read quite a number of good books this year!
I suppose it is still early to pick a top ten – this is just to get us started to think about it, I think. Then in January, we’ll think about it again.
The Help made #3 on my list…and Emily Mandel St. John’s book was #5 for me. I would classify The Help as Historical Fiction, I think…and I agree with your classification of Last Night in Montreal.
This was fun, wasn’t it?
This was fun, yes. I’m just so proud of myself for having read more than a few. though somebody had read over 50! and that boggles my brain. Ya know, I didn’t enjoy the EMStJ as much while reading it but it sticks with and continues to impress – if that makes sense.
I just heard about THE HELP at a dinner party.. and now here. I’ve got to check this out!
yes, do! (did you see my review of it? oh heck, I’ll be brash and email you the link to make sure ha!)
the help was my favorite read of 2009 by far. i convinced several friends and my mom and aunt to read it.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I’ve seen this reviewed a few times. I’d like to read it but my tbr is a threatening to topple over as it is. Enjoyed reading your list.
The Help is on my wish list for so long!
Weekly Geeks: Top Books of 2009
The Help also made my list, great choice. It’s one of those books that really can help change the way people think about life.