2011: A year in books

[selenay]

Well, not quite. I'll save you from the enourmous review list of books. I will give you The List for 2011 behind a cut-tag:


1. A Suitable Vengeance - Elizabeth George
2. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
3. Daughter of Time - Joshephine Tey
4. Mistborn: The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson
5. Asimov's Science Fiction magazine (January 2011)
6. The Sleeping Beauty - Mercedes Lackey
7. The Alchemyst - Michael Scott
8. The Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson
9. Septimus Heap Book One: Magyk - Angie Sage
10. Asimov's Science Fiction magazine (Feburary 2011)
11. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
12. Cotillion - Georgette Heyer
13. Soulless - Gail Carriger
14. From Doon With Death - Ruth Rendell
15. A Great and Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray
16. Doomsday Book - Connie Willis
17. Terrier: The Legend of Beka Cooper book 1 - Tamora Pierce
18. Changeless - Gail Carriger
19. To Say Nothing Of The Dog - Connie Willis
20. Asimov's Science Fiction magazine (March 2011)
21. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
22. Leviathan - Scott Westerfeld
23. Blameless - Gail Carriger
24. Foundation: Intrigues - Mercedes Lackey
25. Mistborn: The Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson
26. For the Sake of Elena - Elizabeth George
27. The Perfect King: The Life of Edward III, Father of the English Nation - Ian Mortimer
28. Declare - Tim Powers
29. Archer's Goon - Diana Wynne Jones
30. Logopolis - Christopher H. Bidmead
31. Dancing Shoes - Noel Streatfield
32. Rivers of London/Midnight Riot - Ben Aaronovitch
33. Sea Glass - Maria V. Snyder
34. Asimov's Science Fiction magazine (April/May 2011)
35. Generosity - Richard Powers
36. The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss
37. The Exploits of the Chalet School - Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
38. Rosemary and Rue - Seannan McGuire
39. Joey and Co. in the Tirol - Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
40. Jo Returns to the Chalet School - Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
41. Asimov's Science Fiction magazine (June 2011)
42. Pheonix and Ashes - Mercedes Lackey
43. Firerose - Mercedes Lackey
44. Tortall and other lands - Tamora Pierce
45. Heartless - Gail Carriger
46. Red Seas Under Red Skies - Scott Lynch
47. Asimov's Science Fiction magazine (July 2011)
48. Unnatural Issue - Mercedes Lackey
49. Bloodhound - Tamora Pierce
50. Tongues of Serpents - Naomi Novik
51. Maise Dobbs - Jacqueline Winspear
52. The Last Dragonlord - Joanne Bertin
53. Birds of a Feather - Jacqueline Winspear
54. Dissolution - C J Sansom
55. The Castle of Otranto - Horace Walpole
56. Asimov's Science Fiction magazine (August 2011)
57. The Magicians and Mrs. Quent - Galen Beckett
58. Hospital Sketches - Louise May Alcott
59. The Children of Green Knowe - Lucy M. Boston
60. Witch Week - Diana Wynne Jones
61. Perdito Street Station - China Mieville
62. Ash - Melinda Lao
63. Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
64. Missing Joseph - Elizabeth George
65. Changes - Mercedes Lackey
66. Blackout - Connie Willis
67. All Clear - Connie Willis
68. Charmed Life - Diana Wynne Jones
69. Asimov's Science Fiction magazine (September 2011)
70. Fables: Legends in Exile - Bill Willingham (Vertigo)
71. Asimov's Science Fiction magazine (October/November 2011)
72. The Curse of Fenric - Ian Briggs
73. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie
74. Point One: Issue #1 (Marvel)
75. Dark Fire - C J Sansom
76. Thud! - Terry Pratchett
77. Book Smart - Jimmy Palmiotti (Kickstart)
78. Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins
79. Virals - Kathy Reichs
80. Mastiff - Tamora Pierce
81. Batgirl Issues 1-4 - Gail Simone (DC New 52)
82. Persuasion - Jane Austen
83. Astonishing X-Men Vol 3. Issues 1-6 - Joss Whedon and John Cassady
84. The Uncommon Reader - Alan Bennett


Yup, 84 books this year and that is five more than last year. None of them have been complete duds, although there have been a couple of 'meh' reads.

I've discovered the joy of Connie Willis (definitely my favourite author of the year) and been thrilled by Mistborn. I've loved the C J Sansom books (who wouldn't love mysteries set in Henry VIII's reign) and my iPad has given me access to some amazing comis. I got so caught up in The Magicians and Mrs. Quent that I had to order pizza instead of cooking one night so that I could finish it. Diana Wynne Jones kept me reading late into the night and a group read finally got me through Northanger Abbey.

I'm a bit divided about my favourite books of 2011, but here are the main candidates:

Daughter of Time - Joshephine Tey
Mistborn: The Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson
Soulless - Gail Carriger
Doomsday Book - Connie Willis (and her other books, except that would be half the list)
The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss
Unnatural Issue - Mercedes Lackey
Dissolution - C J Sansom
Mastiff - Tamora Pierce
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Persuasion - Jane Austen
The Uncommon Reader - Alan Bennett
Astonishing X-Men Vol 3. Issues 1-6 - Joss Whedon and John Cassady

The worst books of 2011 is easier, although they weren't dreadful, just not that brilliant:

Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
Septimus Heap Book One: Magyk - Angie Sage
Asimov's Science Fiction magazine (September 2011)
Virals - Kathy Reichs

My thread for the 75 books for 2012 on LibraryThing is here so follow along for next years books if you're interested!