Everyone's doing it, and far be it from me to miss an opportunity to jump on the bandwagon. Most other book bloggers whose lists I have read have either had me nodding in agreement, or reaching for my list of books to read in the near future. I hope that anyone reading this list will find it equally engaging! Some of these books I had read before I began blogging reviews properly, so I haven't written a review for them (with the exception of The Shrimp and the Anemone, which I haven't finished yet, but know already it is one of my favourites this year!)* I'll endeavour to write up my feelings on these books over the next couple of weeks...5. Mariana by Monica Dickens -my review here
6. Diana Mosley by Anne de Courcy - my review here
10. The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale - my review here
Of course, it wouldn't be fair to give my top 10 without giving the other side of the coin. Not all the books I have read in 2009 have been as enjoyable as I had hoped. The reasons for this vary, so without further ado, here are the (dis)honourable mentions:
Bleeding Heart Square by Andrew Taylor - I had read and enjoyed Andrew Taylor's Roth trilogy and An American Boy previously, but this novel fell far short of my expectations.
The Dice Man by Luke Reinhart - I suggested and read this for my Book Club, having heard a great deal about it and it's status as a cult novel. As it turns out it seemed little more than titillation and pop psychology.
The Jewel Box by Anna Davis and The Art of Love by Elizabeth Edmondson - both these books were, I admit, fun to read but to me their ease in reading is coupled with an instant forgetability. No strong characters and join-the-dots plot. Borrow these from the library by all means and enjoy the moment - just don't expect to be blown away!
