Best books read in 2011

The annual Patricia Awards

(with 2011 being the year of the YA novel)

I read 101 books this year. I was hoping to read no more than 70 and completely failed. To be fair, there were a lot of YA novels, which are quick reads. There were also a goodly number of poetry and Shakespeare plays, which are also quick reads, but suffice to say I spent a lot of time reading this year. You needn't read as many books as I did. Instead, take a gander at the following awards and pick (or avoid) a read for yourself.

(All original reviews of these books can be found on this blog or on Goodreads)

Darn Good Concept whose ending was unfortunately bungled:

Incarceron

Catherine Fisher

Best female character I've encountered in years:

and

Best series to spawn 100 discussions about a variety of topics:

and

Best book by an author with my last name:

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

Best novel to include a hilarious musical theater scene:

and

Most memorable main character since Owen Meany:

Will Greyson Will Greyson

John Green & David Levithen

Best book to read during the holiday season:

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

Rachel Cohen & David Levithen

Book I couldn't convince anyone else to read due to odd subject matter, but that I (and the book group) absolutely loved:

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Muriel Barbery

Interesting portrait about one man overcoming (and succumbing to) his upbringing:

The Last American Man

Elizabeth Gilbert

An interesting idea, a gripping read, all capped off with two perfectly awful last chapters:

My Name is Memory

Ann Brashares

The classic novel I enjoyed much more than I thought I would:

Frankenstein

Mary Shelly

Sidesplittingly funny story of exactly what the title says:

The Absolutely True Dairy of a Part-Time Indian

Sherman Alexie

Good collection of poems about people and travel:

The Last Uncle

Linda Pastan

Interesting book (especially about the history of the science of diet and exercise) whose advice I would rather not follow:

Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It

Gary Taubes

The most delightful tales from anywhere this year:

Tales from Outer Suburbia

Shawn Tan

Parts 1 & 2 of what would have been an intense five part novel:

and

Most heartbreaking story of its creation:

Suite Francaise

Irene Nemirovsky

Biggest slog I should have just quit reading:

The House at Riverton

Kate Morton

Best set of poems to read when you need a bit of a laugh:

The HaHa

David Kirby

Most fun book written this year for Laura Ingalls Wilder fans:

The Wilder Life

Wendy McClure

A bit too long, with a completely unneeded side plot, but still a very good read:

The Hour I First Believed

Wally Lamb

Excellent magical realism and overall most cherished book read this year:

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

Aimee Bendar

Fun to read, if only for the Richard III as Rocky Horror Picture Show send-up:

The Eyere Affair

Jasper Fforde

Best reason to clear your schedule for a few days:

Freedom: A Novel

Jonathen Franzen

My two favorite British characters this year:

and

The kind of book where the five pages of setup is completely worth it for the joke's payoff:

Freddy & Fredericka

Mark Halprin

Best languid description of landscape:

My Antonia

Willa Cather

Best audiobook to listen to while you wait out the insomnia:

A New Earth

Eckhard Tolle

Best intriguing plot and plot shift:

Silver Sparrow

Tayari Jones

Most delightful eleven-year-old of the year:

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

Jacqueline Kelly

Especially good novel to read aloud with a partner:

One Day

David Nichols

A bright bit of fun for a cold night:

13 Little Blue Envelopes

Maureen Johnson

Book that I finished, but only so I could discuss it at book group:

100 Years of Solitude

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Best urban tale set in Canada:

Blink & Caution

Tim Wynne Jones

Book I found both heartbreaking and heartwarming:

A Place on Earth

Wendall Barry

Book I liked the best of the "Anne" series:

Anne's House of Dreams

L.M. Montgomery

My favorite book read for the Mock Printz:

A Monster Calls

Patrick Ness/Siobhan Dowd

Incredible, wonderful, stupendous book...Until the last four words:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Laini Taylor

Best sci-fi historical fiction novel:

Kindred

Octavia E. Butler

Best "rough around the edges" memoir:

It's So Easy & Other Lies

Duff McKeagan