Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Best of 2011

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Tuesday is an original bookish meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new top ten topic is posted for followers to write about. This week we're listing our Top Ten Reads of 2011.

I read a lot of good books this year...I don't quite have enough 5 star books for a full ten and I have more 4 1/2 star books than needed. So, I'm just going to give you all the 5 stars and all the 4 1/2 stars and go over the limit. Click titles for reviews. Here they are in order of appearance:

Five Star Books
1. Shroud of Darkness by E. C. R. Lorac
2.
What Alice Knew: A Most Curious Tale of Henry James and Jack the Ripper by Paula Marantz Cohen
3.
Howards End Is on the Landing by Susan Hill
4. That Day in September by Artie Van Why
5. Kathleen by Christopher Morley
6. Shatterday by Harlan Ellison


Four 1/2 Star Books
7. The Chinese Orange Mystery by Ellery Queen
8.
Time to Be in Earnest: a fragment of autobiography by P. D. James
9. Cordially Invited to Meet Death by Rex Stout
10. Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis
11. Death in the Garden by Elizabeth Ironside
12. The Last Defender of Camelot by Roger Zelazny
13.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
14. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell
15. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
16. India Black & the Widow of Windsor by Carol K. Carr

7 comments:

Laurie said...

Well now, I don't know any of your five star books. Of the lot, which would you recommend to a reader who admires strong narrative voice, philosophical elements, humor (dark is fine), and nuanced characters? If you have a moment to drop by What She Read, do let me know, and I'll put it on my 2012 TBR list.

Yvette said...

I loved HOWARD'S END IS ON THE LANDING, Bev.

I've read THE BOOK THIEF and recommend that highly.

I've added WHAT ALICE KNEW... to my TBR list yet again. I keep forgetting to reserve it at the library.

I'm working on my Ten Best List, but like you, I think I'm going to have to go over the limit.

Cat said...

I keep meaning to read Howard's End is on the Landing and your five star rating means I might need to see if it's on the shelf at the library this afternoon.

LBC said...

I'm not familiar with so many of your books. The only ones on my radar are The Book Thief and The Thirteenth Tale. I'll have to look into some of your five stars.

neer said...

The only one I've read is The Book Thief. What Alice Knew sounds very intriguing. Death in the Garden has been on my wishlist since the time I read your review of it.

Marce said...

I continue to say read Book Thief, sigh.

Sounds like another great year for you .

carol said...

I love people's end of the year lists. The only ones on yours I've read are The Book Thief, India Black and the Widow of Windsor, and The Thirteenth Tale. I haven't worked up my end of the year best list yet.