Red Dress Ink Fans discussion
Best and Worst of 2011
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Alicia
(new)
Dec 19, 2011 05:17PM
What were some your favorites this year? What books should we avoid?
reply
|
flag
Best1. Open, Andre Agassi
2. Friday Night Cocktails, Allison Rushby
3. If You Were Here: A Novel, Jen Lancaster
4. Misery, Stephen King
5. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot
6. The Girl Who Played With Fire, Stieg Larsson
7. Tales Of A Drama Queen, Lee Nichols
8. Shit My Dad Says, Justin Halpern
9. Winter Garden, Kristin Hannah
10. 11/12/63, Stephen King
Honorable Mention
1. Schooled, Anisha Lakhami
2. The Next Thing On My List, Jill Smolinski
3. The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale Of Christmas Terror, Christopher Moore
4. The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
Worst/Disappointing
1. Is It Just Me?: Or Is It Nuts Out There?, Whoopi Goldberg
2. It’s My F---ing, Merrill Markoe
3. My Appetite for Destruction: Sex, and Drugs, and Guns N’ Roses, Steven Adler
Mod
Some of my other favorites that I've read are:
The Hunger Games series
The two new Stephanie Plum series books that came out this year
The Alphas series (starting the fourth and last one tonight)
All of JL's other books that I finally read this year
The Queen of Babble series
The Ten Best Days of My Life and Pinch Me - Adena Halpern
Paranormalcy & Supernaturally - Kiersten White
What the Night Knows - Dean Koontz
Tales of a Drama Queen - Lee Nichols
Secrets of My Hollywood Life Series - Jen Calonita
Ten Things We Did (And Shouldn't Have) - Sarah Mlynowski
Honorable Mentions:
Confessions of a Beauty Addict - Nadine Haobsh
Need - Carrie Jones
A Total Waste of Makeup and Misery Loves Cabernet - Kim Gruenenfelder
Sex, Murder and a Double Latte - Kyra Davis
The Dead Town - Dean Koontz
A Vintage Affair - Isobel Wolff
Beneath a Starlet Sky - Amanda Goldberg
Withering Tights - Louise Rennison
Here Lies Bridget - Paige Harbison (being made into a movie or TV show or something)
TERRIBLE:
Hating Valentine's Day - Allison Rushby
I Heart New York - Lindsey Kelk
The Glamorous (Double) Life of Isabel Bookbinder - Holly McQueen
Starlit - Lisa Rinna
Stacy wrote: "1. I will second the If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster as being one of the best books of the year!!!! I LOVE HER!Some of my other favorites that I've read are:
The Hunger Games series
The two new ..."
Is The Alpha and Secrets of Hollywood series over or are they still coming out with new ones? Have both of these on my TBR list but I think i need to completely finish some series before I start ones that still have books coming out.
Best: ANYTHING BY HEATHER WARDELL!!! I stumbled upon one of her books on Amazon the other day as I was looking around for cheap chick lit for my Kindle. The first one I read was A Life That Fits, and I LOVED IT. Next I read Go Small or Go Home. Also amazing. I seriously have most of her book on my Kindle that are all at the top of my TBR list. Her books really just touch my heart and I am HOOKED! She is amazing. PLUS most of her books (if not all?) are only 99 CENTS on the Kindle! (probably same on Nook, but I'm not sure).Also loved If the Shoe Fits by Stephanie Rowe. This was a cheap book as well, and I finished this book with a new zest for life. I could not put it down!
Worst:
Diary of a Mad Fat Girl by Stephanie McAfee...it was okay...not the WORST book I've read but nothing that I would recommend to anyone.
Stacy wrote: "1. I will second the If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster as being one of the best books of the year!!!! I LOVE HER!Some of my other favorites that I've read are:
The Hunger Games series
The two new ..."
Stacy, I love your list. I often save your books onto my TBR list...I see them show up on your profile or you talking about them on here and after looking them up I can't wait to read them. Haha. So thank you!!
And Alicia, this post was a great idea!!! I'll be referring to it often when looking for something new to read...and to avoid. haha!
Alicia wrote: "Best1. Open, Andre Agassi
2. Friday Night Cocktails, Allison Rushby
3. If You Were Here: A Novel, Jen Lancaster
4. Misery, Stephen King
5. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot
6. ..."
I had put the new Stephen King boo on my Christmas list so I haven't bought it yet. I HOPE I get it because I keep passing it up at the store. I am glad to know you think it's good.
Bianca wrote: "Best: ANYTHING BY HEATHER WARDELL!!! I stumbled upon one of her books on Amazon the other day as I was looking around for cheap chick lit for my Kindle. The first one I read was A Life That Fits, a..."Never heard of Heather Wardell. Just purchases one of hers. Thanks for introducing a new author to me.
Tara wrote: "Alicia wrote: "Best1. Open, Andre Agassi
2. Friday Night Cocktails, Allison Rushby
3. If You Were Here: A Novel, Jen Lancaster
4. Misery, Stephen King
5. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Reb..."
This is only 2nd Stephen King book and I got choked up at the end. Never in a million years would I think that a Stephen King novel would make me cry.
Alicia wrote: "Tara wrote: "Alicia wrote: "Best1. Open, Andre Agassi
2. Friday Night Cocktails, Allison Rushby
3. If You Were Here: A Novel, Jen Lancaster
4. Misery, Stephen King
5. The Immortal Life of Henriet..."
Really??? Wow! Now I really hope I get it. I would have bought it already bought I needed items for my Christmas list. :)
Mod
Nope, Alphas only have four books and Secrets has six. They're both really good. :)
Mod
I'll have to try those! And uh-oh on Diary of a Mad Fat Girl, I have that one on my Nook....
Stacy wrote: "Bianca wrote: "Best: ANYTHING BY HEATHER WARDELL!!! I stumbled upon one of her books on Amazon the other day as I was looking around for cheap chick lit for my Kindle. The first one I read was A Li..."I have that one on my Nook too but have yet to read it....do I bother?
My absolute favorites of the year:
Honorable Mentions:
Worst of the year (these are mainly 3-star reads from me, because if I don't finish a book I don't rate it, so these at least were decent enough to finish!):
Mod
Awww, thanks Bianca! Glad I can help with book recommendations! :) For some reason I've been trending toward YA lately, I'm trying to get myself out of that rut. ;)
And yes, I agree - GREAT idea Alicia! Thanks!! :)
Mod
[bookco..."I agree with you on the Jennifer Weiner book Jen. I haven't really liked her last two or three...
Stacy wrote: "Bianca wrote: "Best: ANYTHING BY HEATHER WARDELL!!! I stumbled upon one of her books on Amazon the other day as I was looking around for cheap chick lit for my Kindle. The first one I read was A Li..."Diary of a Mad Fat Girl isn't BAD by any means. It's cute and light and fast to read. THe only problem I had with it was her writing...SO many similes/metaphors in pretty much every sentence. It just bothered me a little because it seemed like she was overdoing it. But I liked the story and especially the characters. Her writing just threw me off because I wasn't used to it. If I were you guys, I would start reading it just to see what you think. I liked it and read the whole thing...just had to get used to her writing. So yes, just try it!
Alicia wrote: "Bianca wrote: "Best: ANYTHING BY HEATHER WARDELL!!! I stumbled upon one of her books on Amazon the other day as I was looking around for cheap chick lit for my Kindle. The first one I read was A Li..."No problem!! Which one of hers did you get? I've only read A Life That Fits and I just finished Go Small or Go Home. Both were great. I have like five others waiting for me on my Kindle haha.
Stacy wrote: "Bianca wrote: "Best: ANYTHING BY HEATHER WARDELL!!! I stumbled upon one of her books on Amazon the other day as I was looking around for cheap chick lit for my Kindle. The first one I read was A Li..."P.S. don't let me keep you from reading diary of a mad fat girl!! I don't regret reading it at all...just sometimes felt like her voice was a little younger for her character, maybe? Not exactly sure how to explain it. But DO read it and let me know what you think. I've been curious what others thought of it!
Mod
I know what you're saying about the metaphors and similies (sp?). That's how it is with The Alphas series, it gets kind of annoying but I'm trying to not let it get in the way of my enjoyment of the series. I do really like it, but it seems like the metaphors and similies are just space fillers to get the word count.
Bianca wrote: "Alicia wrote: "Bianca wrote: "Best: ANYTHING BY HEATHER WARDELL!!! I stumbled upon one of her books on Amazon the other day as I was looking around for cheap chick lit for my Kindle. The first one ..."That's the one I got. It may be 5 years before I get to it but it is on the kindle!
Some of my favorites from this year...The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (and all of her other books!)
The Lying Game series by Sara Shepard
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Pinch Me by Adena Halpern
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Honorable mention:
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Withering Tights by Louise Rennison
Book that I read this year but came out before 2011:
The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate
How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls-Zoey Dean
Most of mine are YA. I've really gotten into YA a lot more this year, especially since I want to write a YA novel.
Oh, as far as books that were disappointing...
I really tried to read One Day and just couldn't get into it. I also got bored with The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. Lies that Chelsea Handler Told Me wasn't as funny as her other books, since she didn't actually write this one.
Mod
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (and all of her other books!)
The Lying Game series by Sara Shepard
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
Lola and the Boy Next Do..."
I loved The Love Goddess's Cooking School! Finally gave up on One Day?
I am going to try to read One Day for the next reading challenge. If I still can't get through it, I'm just going to skim the rest and forget about it. I hate not reading books, but I don't have to time to waste reading books I don't like!
Mod
There are too many other books out there to read! ;)
The Love Goddess's Cooking School was really good, but apparently it didn't sell well. Melissa Senate isn't publishing her next book under her name at the advice of the publisher. They apparently think she's stigmatized by being a chick lit author (whatever, that makes me love her), so they want to see if sales are better without that association. It pisses me off because I just know that I'm not going to realize this "new" author is actually her and end up not reading the book.
Mod
Really? That totally sucks! There's got to be a way to find out the name. I wonder why that book didn't sell very well, it was SO good. Who cares if it's chic lit?
Nicole wrote: "The Love Goddess's Cooking School was really good, but apparently it didn't sell well. Melissa Senate isn't publishing her next book under her name at the advice of the publisher. They apparently..."Oh wow, I didn't know that! That sucks. If anyone finds out what her new name is, or what the new book is, please let us know!
I agree, it was a good book! It's weird though, my library never got it.
Books I read in 2011 I was over the moon about:All Because of You by Melissa Hill
The Future of Us by Jay Asher
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
The Ten Best Days of My Life by Adena Halpern
29 by Adena Halpern
Pinch Me by Adena Halpern (are we seeing a trend?!)
Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn
Columbine by Dave Cullen
There's Cake In My Future by Kim Gruenenfelder
any book written by AJ Jacobs
The Hunger Games trilogy!
The Help
10 Things We Did...by Sarah Mylnowski
Spin by Catherine McKenzie
Honorable Mentions:
The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot
Books I read in 2011 to avoid:
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
any book by Stephanie Klein (Moose/Straight Up & Dirty)
Having trouble getting through Summer in the City (Carrie Bradshaw series)
Kourtney wrote: "Books I read in 2011 I was over the moon about:All Because of You by Melissa Hill
The Future of Us by Jay Asher
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
The Ten Best Days of My Life by Adena Halper..."
I had problems getting through Summer in the City too. It got slightly better as it went on. I do love David Sedaris though!
Kourtney wrote: "Books I read in 2011 I was over the moon about:All Because of You by Melissa Hill
The Future of Us by Jay Asher
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
The Ten Best Days of My Life by Adena Halper..."
I loved The Hunger Games series and can't wait to see the movie. I hope it lives up to the books. :)
Mod
All Because of You by Melissa Hill
The Future of Us by Jay Asher
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
The Ten Best Days of My Life by Adena Halper..."
I agree on the Adena Halpern, though I haven't read 29 yet. I hope to get to it soon! And The Hunger Games, YES! Who can read those and not think they're good??? I actually got a co-worker to start reading them. :) Her 19 year old brother was in a really bad car accident in September and is still in the hospital :( and she asked if I thought he would like those books and I was like, "Of course!" So the last time she went to see him (he's in North Carolina), she took the first one with her to read to him. He liked it so much, they had to go out and buy the second one. :) So since she had to leave the second one with him, she bought it as soon as she got back so she could finish it. :)
I really need to get around to reading A Vintage Affair! I have it just haven't gotten around to it yet...
Mod
It's so good Meghan!
I have made it my goal to try and finish all of the books that I have started this year, but put down for one reason or another. So far I finished with the Carrie Diaries second book Summer and the City. Meh. I want to put it on my Dishonorable Mentions list (it wasn't the worst but it was worse than meh for me). I'm now plowing through This Charming Man by Marian Keyes - it took 300 pages before it finally sucked me in! After that? The Time Traveler's Wife. Another meh for me and I'm about halfway through. Good thing I am off of work for the rest of the week - I have a lot of reading to do!
Mod
300 pages? Ugh!
Mod
Some of the best books I read in 2011 include:~ The Hunger Games series (the first book was my favorite though)
~ I Know I Am, But What Are You? by Samantha Bee
~ The Help by Kathryn Stockett
~ Gone With a Handsomer Man by Michael Lee West
~ My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
~ Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin
~ Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart
Honorable Mention:
~ The Divorce Party by Laura Dave
~ Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
~ The Peach Keeper, Garden Spells, and The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
~ When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
Worst:
~ Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close
~ Heat Wave by (Richard Castle)
~ Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
★Meghan★ wrote: "I really need to get around to reading A Vintage Affair! I have it just haven't gotten around to it yet..."I just pulled that one out last night and started it since I have it on my challenge. :)
Lisa wrote: "Some of the best books I read in 2011 include:~ The Hunger Games series (the first book was my favorite though)
~ I Know I Am, But What Are You? by Samantha Bee
~ The Help by Kathryn Stockett
..."
I really liked The Help. The movie was really good too.
Oh no! Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children wasn't good? I bought that book for my mother-in-law because it was on her Christmas list......I hope she doesn't hate it. :)
Tara wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Some of the best books I read in 2011 include:~ The Hunger Games series (the first book was my favorite though)
~ I Know I Am, But What Are You? by Samantha Bee
~ The Help by Kathryn ..."
I started Miss Peregrine's and got hooked in the first few pages, but I only downloaded a sample - I loved the beginning, though. I read a lot of bad reviews of it but I think I'll try it out anyway.
Tara wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Some of the best books I read in 2011 include:~ The Hunger Games series (the first book was my favorite though)
~ I Know I Am, But What Are You? by Samantha Bee
~ The Help by Kathryn ..."
The beginning of Miss Peregrine's was great, but the "mystery" of Miss Peregrine's school was revealed fairly early and then...wah wah...the story was no longer interesting or mysterious. In my opinion. :)
Lisa wrote: "Tara wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Some of the best books I read in 2011 include:~ The Hunger Games series (the first book was my favorite though)
~ I Know I Am, But What Are You? by Samantha Bee
~ The Hel..."
I forgot to ask my mother-in-law what she thought of it. I think she read it. I will wait to get it from the library or from her and not waste my money on it. :)
Lisa wrote: "Tara wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Some of the best books I read in 2011 include:~ The Hunger Games series (the first book was my favorite though)
~ I Know I Am, But What Are You? by Samantha Bee
~ The Hel..."
So free from the library then! That way if it sucks, no loss. ;)
Red Dress Ink Fans
Books mentioned in this topic
Summer Rental (other topics)1st to Die (other topics)
One for the Money (other topics)
A Vintage Affair (other topics)
Jane Austen Ruined My Life (other topics)
More...
