Mumsnet Talk

Posted this in Book of the month by mistake earlier today.

~~~

With just 35 days left of the year, I've been reflecting over the books I've read in 2011. The discovery of C.J. Sansom and Kate Atkinson made 2011 for me. I'm saving Dark Fire for my flight to the UK next month. I also enjoyed Room, Shanghai Girls, Crimson China and The Long Song.

What was your book of 2011?

Caitlin Moran - How to be a woman

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Just one?! 22/11/63 by Stephen King is amazing, everything you want from one of his books. Really loved "Dark Matter" by Michelle Paver. Discovered Jo Nesbo & been reading him & Camilla Lackberg. Caitlin Moran and Victoria Coren also get honourable mentions. And I continue to work my way through everything Ian Rankin has ever written.

Looking back that's more a list of what I've read this year. So hard to pick just one though.

Very hard to chose just one so:

Nothing to envy in North Korea
Wedlock
Dissolution
Into the darkest corner
19th wife

When God was a Rabbit

Another vote for 11.22.63 here. It has received mixed reviews but I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't put it down (and as it is quite long I was very sleep deprived for a week). Quite a departure from King's normal themes but his storytelling is as brilliant as ever.

It is very hard to choose just one though. Other great books I've read this year are:

Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton (Sister is also great)
Any Human Heart by William Boyd
The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell (although After You'd Gone remains my favourite by O'Farrell)
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

The hand that first held mine is my favourite this year. Loved it

Stephen King's The Stand.

I'd have to say this illustrated novel was by far and away my favourite of the year by a long shot.. Granted it didn't take long to read, but I have given several copies of it away to various mums and dads who have babies and kids who refuse to settle! The video on the link is particularly amusing, Samuel Jackson reading the book seems to gives it much more gravity!

www.xmas-tat.co.uk/go-the-fk-to-sleep/

Ooops didn't realise you'd posted this here... ahem

Hmm I think probably a toss up between Room by Emma Donoghue and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Um. Can't decide, some enjoyed ones in no particular order..

When God was a Rabbit
The Hunger Games (dh scoffed but is now racing through it)
Before I go to Sleep
Delirium
Into the Darkest Corner
The Blackhouse

Actually, I liked rabbit the best.

Loved There But For The - Ali Smith

cuckoo

I'm really enjoying Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

I loved When God was a Rabbit, but my book club hated it.

Maggie O'Farrell for me this year. Can't wait to read Ali Smith though.

hated the hand thing
liked god is a rabbit

agree BLACKHOUSE is ace book
and darkest corner
adn visit from goon squad

I'm hoping to get, '22.11.63' for Christmas, so no spoilers please! I like to save new King books until about 7pm on New Year's Eve and then stay up until it's finished.

I've read an awful lot of not very good stuff this year - but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed 'The Passage.'

Oh and I liked, 'The Bell Jar' too - can't understand how I'd managed to not read that until now.

it is SO SO SO BAD
i gave up on it - king writes terribly and its so long and dull

Oh and one called, 'The Knife Man' about surgeon John Hunter - that was brilliant so thank you to the Mner who told me to read it. We then went to the Hunterian museum and it was fab - my best day out all year!

Relentless by Simon Kernick. I couldn't put it down.

Enjoyed the first part of WhenGod was a Rabbit but got rather lost in the second half,loved The Hand That First held Mine.

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom....very sad but an excellent read.

Claudine à Paris or Jonathon Strange. Or perhaps Parisians by Graham Robb, that was very good.

The Secrets of Pain - Phil Rickman
As Good as Pain - Mark Billingham