Favorite Books of 2016 (#FaveReads)

Welp, that year is over. Not to say that a specific space of time can be a crapshow but hell if 2016 wasn't. That said, I think it showed more than ever the importance of books. You can find solace in them as well as inspiration. As per usual, my initial blog posts for the new year are to celebrate what I enjoyed in the previous year: Books and Dessert. So here's the latest in terms of the best books I read in 2016 (not ones that necessarily released that year). 

When My Brother Was an Aztec by Natalie Diaz (2012) - Lemme preface for you that this was the year of poetry for me and you'll be seeing a bunch of it on this year's list. I had heard of Natalie's work before and read a piece here and there to which I quickly understood her genius in painting a powerful image with her words. But dang if this collection as a whole didn't blow me away! The titular piece alone is enough to make you delve in but pieces like "The Last Mojave Indian Barbie" and "How to Go to Dinner with a Brother on Drugs" show a wonderful dexterity of prose, poetry, metaphor, and imagery. If you haven't read this collection I'll sit here and wait until you do.

Blue Hallelujahs by Cynthia Manick (2016) - Cynthia was a guest on my podcast in it's first year and it's amazing to me this is her debut though her work has been published widely. This book is an introduction into the familial life and also the struggles and mostly the joys of a Black family. I gobbled this book up after leaving her launch party and quickly recommending it to friends. 

The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter by Kia Corthron (2016) - As I've said again and again, do not be scared off by the 796 page count of this tome. It's a sweeping story of brotherhood over several generations from the beginning of the second World War through the Civil Rights movement to a few years ago. It's at once heartbreaking, engaging, and holds a mirror up to ourselves in terms of the duplicity of being on a side of history that means you can do horrible things and still survive it but lose a lot in the process. The research and people Corthron presents on the page are fully fleshed out, and for me, if you can hook me into your characters I'll stay for the entire ride. I had no problem on this journey and eagerly suggest others join in on it. After this year it's a tome we need.

March (Books 1-3) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and illustrated by Nate Powell (2014-2016) - Book Three won this year's National Book Award for Young People's Literature, but in all honesty the content and presentation of March transcends all ages of readers. This book got me emotional, John Lewis is one of the last living of the Six Civil Rights Leaders at the height of the Movement. He's seen a lot and endured just as much and he's a man who loves books and people. His strength gives you strength with each panel and to see the dedication of him and so many others in history gives us a blueprint for the future and insight into our past. I'm thankful for John and for this series. Seriously, if you haven't read it and I do not know WHY you have not now is the time. RIGHT now. 

Saga (Volumes 1-6) by Brian K. Vaughn and illustrated by Fiona Staples (2012-2016) - This was a comic book series that was hyped up to me soon after it's publication. And you know how I feel about things that are hyped up: Suspicious. Is it really that good? I went ahead and splurged on the first available six volumes of the series so I could binge on it up to mid-2016 to see how the forbidden Romeo/Juliet style romance between Marko and Alana is realistic, fantastical, and tugs at the heartstrings. You root for them as a struggling couple and new parents. How far will they go for their child and to save each other when at their worst and best? This series shows that you don't have to do a lot of bells and whistles for science fiction, you can give us the human element, diversity, and a great bit of action all in one that builds up to who-knows-what at the end of the day.

Poet: The Remarkable Life of George Moses Horton written and illustrated by Don Tate (2015) - In the debate on "smiling slaves" in other picture books I think Don's book was not given as much visibility as it deserved. What Don accomplishes in the telling and illustration of the life of George Moses Horton is that he does not dumb down anything at all. George is never truly "free" until very late in life. There is a reality behind the pain of slavery but also the personal satisfaction and vindication of knowing that you can succeed on your own and in certain ways despite your situation. In that sense, while a slave, George is always human and a man who is worthy of the voice he shares. 

Booked by Kwame Alexander (2016) - Dare I say I loved this book more than The Crossover? Dare I say it??? This is a book I was so happy to get an early peek at and the life of Nick, the pending separation of his parents, his ever widening vocabulary while at the same time he has a lot of trouble communicating with the girl he likes, the soccer championship, his own insecurity and having to go against his best friend in said soccer championship is a welcome read with PoC kids at the center that is so relatable it makes me so very glad it exists. 

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste (2015) - The titular jumbies are no joke folks! Baptiste does not pull punches when it comes to writing this middle grade novel about demons that have different characteristics on an island in Trinidad. Corinne La Mer will learn her connection to these creatures as well as the history as well as how that also ties into Caribbean folklore and our own in the United States. Fast paced and creepy The Jumbies is a book I'd heartily tell you to read and share with your kids...with the lights on.

The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig (2016) - Heilig's debut spans time, history, and many continents. Time travelers with a lot to lose make this a unique story weaving real history with an imagined one, the rules are clear and possibly a big issue for the main characters in this text. I enjoyed this book from start to finish even with the possible intro of a love triangle, at no point does Heilig ever pacify the reader but her intent is clear and works very well throughout. I'm looking forward to the sequel due out later this year. 

The Cross of Redemption: Uncollected Writings by James Baldwin (2010) - When you have the opportunity to read a bunch of Baldwin be it speeches, essays, interviews, and so on you do it! There's so much to take from Baldwin's words and to have this overflow of interests as well as considerations from Baldwin on race, sexuality, writing, locale makes this a book a must have if you already (or don't) have Baldwin on your shelves. 

The Fire This Time edited by Jesmyn Ward (2016) - After reading this collection I went back on a Baldwin blitz . I read the above as well as what this book responds to of Baldwin's The Fire Next Time. Every piece in this collection is strong as heck especially the poetry interludes from Jericho Brown, Natasha Tretheway, and Clint Smith. Mitch Jackson's "Composite Pops" and Carol Anderson's brief "White Rage" are just a few of the essays that talk to the wider scope of pain that Blacks feel but don't simply put it up for show but analyze and dissect it so that those of us who already understand find solace in this piece while, hopefully, others find understanding.

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxane Dunbar-Ortiz (2014) - This is one of those books that'll piss you off after reading it. But it's a necessary read to hear about the massacres of Native American people within the United States and Mexico at the hands of colonialists. This is the history lesson we don't hear about. It's the lesson that's swept under the table to protect feelings for some and keep many of us in the dark. It's a book you need to seek out and read to learn what forced assimilation and genocide really mean and how this nation was built on it. It's what will help you understand the audacity of the mindset of many that this is their land when really that narrative is fictional in so many ways.

Counting Descent by Clint Smith (2016) - I was introduced to Clint's work after reading his poetic contribution to The Fire This Time. It gutted me, so when I heard he had a new book coming out I needed to have it. Like Manick's debut Clint's also looks at the Black family dynamics as well as the personal, relationships are at the heart of this collection and he weaves these poems with a clarity that doesn't weigh you down.

Look by Solmaz Sharif (2016) - Told you there'd be a bunch of poetry on this list! A 2016 National Book Award finalist in poetry, Solmaz's debut has been lauded and for good reason. Look forces you to see the issues and doesn't hold back in terms of the political climate as well as how war, racism, and patriotism among other themes featured. This is a book you need to read more than once and it's also a book you need to sit with because there are a variety of poems you'll find yourself saying "umph" after finishing that last sentence.

Other very notable books I read this year include American Street by Ibi Ziboi, Delicious Foods by James Hannaham, Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff, Voyage of the Sable Venus by Robin Coste Lewis, Unidentified Suburban Object by Mike Jung, Blackass by A. Igoni Barrett, Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie & illustrated by Yuyi Morales, and The Last Interview Series from Melville Press. 

Fave Reads of 2015

I'm going to preface this post with the fact that I had written this back in December to go live first week of January and it was gone. Thanks a lot WP. Anywho, I redid it and here goes. Gotta keep with tradition.

I think last year was stronger for books than previous years for me. I’ve been trying to spread out more in terms of reading more nonfiction and poetry, not just a handful but a significant amount to combat the amount of fiction I read. One can dare to dream for a job where this is your soul day-to-day. Alas, perhaps that is in my near future.

So here’s a breakdown of the books that totally tugged at my heart strings after I placed it back on my bookshelf.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (2012): This was a “hype book.” You know what I mean. Every year there are books I’ve read because of the hype, mainly word of mouth. And this was one of them. No matter who I spoke to about this book they loved it. End of the year I was brought down by a cold and happened to get a copy while visiting one of my favorite indies before it closed. So, I guess I should say “Thanks germs for sidelining me for several days” because I got to read Aristotle & Dante in one swoop. It was glorious and as lyrical, beautiful, romantic as everyone told me. The strength and loyalty of Ari and Dante’s relationship was one I envied in a way. The hype is real with this book, people!

The Turner House by Angela Flournoy (2015): I had heard about this book and this author before the year began so it was on my radar. When I was part of a reading with Angela I made a point to get a copy signed. And when I did my makeshift residency in October this was the book I sat with that gave me inspiration as I re-engaged with my own collection about an African American family. The control and focus of this novel and the intricacy of how each character is painted is a great lesson in novel writing and debuts. Turner House received many accolades last year, deservedly so.

Digest by Greg Pardlo (2014): This was a Pulitzer winner for poetry in 2015. I heard Greg read a few of his poems at a bookend event for Brooklyn Book Festival then went on to buy it on the spot. It’s political, personal, dynamic. Definitely deserved the Pulitzer. If you have a chance to hear Greg read it in person do so.

Endangered by Lamar Giles (2015): I read both of Lamar’s books this year. What I enjoy most about Lamar’s work is the narrative voice. He knows his characters and they have some attitude, rightfully so. In Endangered Panda seeks to get revenge on those who’ve hurt the less fortunate in her high school, but does that make her a Robin Hood of sorts or just as much of a bully as those she goes after?

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander (2009): I wish I’d read this book when it first came out. I wish many people would read this book in general. It’s depressing as hell to know the statistics, yet it’s one of those truths you should know as an American citizen. Biases are real as is the fact that racism is alive and well in this country. When reading Jim Crow take a moment to breathe deep, sit with the facts and narratives that Alexander presents, and consider the deeper issues of society and how you can help make a change.

The Real Boy by Anne Ursu (2013): A longlist for the National Book Award in 2014, this was another book I’d heard raved about for the realistic depictions of an autistic protagonist, not as someone who needed to be fixed but who was a hero. It was refreshing and the slight twist and horrors kept me flipping each page. Anne Ursu was very careful and determined in the story she wanted to write. I and many others see she did so successfully.

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina (2013): Another “hype book”! This one I connected with especially because it took place in Queens, NY. In parts of Jamaica I am quite familiar with thanks very much. What struck me about Piddy’s journey was it wasn’t about fighting a bully but finding yourself and how the changes going on around her would dictate the decisions she went on to make in a new school without the friends she’d grown up with. Piddy has to get comfortable with herself and sometimes the way you fight battles isn’t with your fists.

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae (2015): I adored the Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl web series and truly wish it’d make a comeback. Alas, I must settle for a humorous memoir-type book. So be it. Issa’s voice translates to the written page, not just the TV script, and some of the best parts are her break down of the types of people one deals with, in particular the co-workers. I shared that with my own because it was too true to life.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple (2012): This was one of my first reads of 2015 and didn’t disappoint! I’d had it on my shelf for a while and sped through it thanks to the structure of the story told through text messages, emails, faxes, flashbacks, and so on in the search for Bernadette’s corporeal form and also the artist she’d left behind.

Native Guard: Poems by Natasha Tretheway (2006): Powerful about sums it up. This is another Pulitzer winner from years back. Natasha touches upon history in this account of how American society was built on the backs of so many others. This is one to savor if you really want to take in the light and dark of our history, Black history, African history, slave history.

Ghost Summer: Stories by Tananarive Due (2015): I was honored to interview Tananarive as the anniversary guest on my podcast. I received a copy of her book to read beforehand much to my delight. Ghost Stories isn’t just speculative/fantasy. It’s a lot of amazing personal, literary, transition stories with speculative elements. I think that’s Tananarive’s power in her prose is always touching on the human spirit and mind when moments that seem unreal come to play.

Additional highlights were Reality Boy by A.S. King, Blue Talk & Love by Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, The Art of the Memoir by Mary Karr, and The Martian by Andy Weir.

Fave Reads 2013 Edition

This year I read some books that disappointed by authors I like, but I was also introduced to some fab reads by new and established authors, and am very much looking forward to a new year of new books as well as new characters and worlds to get immersed in. Bring. It. On. Literature. My standout reads read in 2013 (not necessarily published in 2013) are as follows and are in no particular order:

• The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black (2013): A friend lent me the ARC for this one. Holly was a big draw at BEA this year and this was my introduction to her writing. It's one of the first YA books I've read with vampires. Yes, the first. I have to say the standout characters in Coldtown definitely make this a solid standalone book to the fantasy arsenal while showing a narrator making mistakes, reflecting on her life and losses, and willing to do what it takes when she realizes what she truly wants. The alternate POVs and narrative voice that goes from Tana to the company she keeps is enthralling from page to page.
• The Best American Magazine Writing 2012 (2013): Since I was introduced to this anthology reading the 2009 collection I have made it a point to read each year's anthology and enjoyed this one with the variety of journalistic perspective from those taken advantage overseas and attempting to gain justice to those just trying to get by to race as it stands for Asian Americans in the U.S. Nonfiction brings a truth to our lives that we don't normally see/hear about and every year this collection engages and increases my knowledge and thirst for more knowledge about what goes on not just around me but in the world.
• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2012): This was the book that almost everyone I know has read and enjoyed or partially enjoyed, but the fact is everyone was talking about it. So of course I read it to see what the hype was about. I enjoyed it, even knowing an important fact about the story I enjoyed the utter despicableness of these characters and people willing to do whatever it was to get what they felt they deserved. I get that some people would be turned off because it's about "privileged White people" in a way, but it's not because these people were on a pedestal and then promptly had that pedestal kicked out from under them to reveal their truest selves. And that, was enjoyable to see play out.
• This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz (2012): Yes, Diaz is a genius. Yes, Diaz has a great style. Yes, Diaz's latest collection is good, very good. And yes this is one of the few literary books I read this year by a writer I admire that did not disappoint, but had me like him even more. My favorite story of this collection was the "Pura Principle." Diaz shows characters at their worst and also shows people fighting day by day to survive and admittedly has some people come to terms with who they are through others problems and faults. Junot is a great artist and a respected person and I look forward to whatever else he contributes to the literary cannon. I don't care if it's a haiku.
• Tampa by Alissa Nutting (2013): Another hyped up book because of the content mainly. This book is about a female pedophile. This book may make you cringe and throw the tome away. This book may make you feel a lot of things but it will make you feel something. The prose is directly from Celeste. A well off, beautiful, and yes conceited woman who knows who she is. Celeste knows her desires are bad but she doesn't give a damn and she goes after them with so much force you are thrust into the craziness of her situation and mind for the full ride. Nutting's success is in getting you in there and understanding Celeste. Not liking Celeste or relating to Celeste but understanding her need and that's what makes this book successful. I have not read Lolita. And there's been extensive comparison of it to this book but I think Nutting did something on her own here and the fact that it's a woman in 21st-century America may make people biased but hey it's not like there aren't other books with similar subject matter out there.
• Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie & Clyde by Jeff Guinn (2010): This was a bookclub pick so I may not have found it had it not been on our list. But I am glad I did. Guinn reveals the true Bonnie & Clyde to be hapless, lucky (and unlucky in their demise), unorganized, flashy criminals who are villainized a heck of a lot more in their death than they were in actuality. Accidents resulted in their infamy but really they loved their families and just couldn't get a break. That's not to say they, mainly Clyde and his gang, didn't do bad things and people didn't get hurt. But when push came to shove they were not cold-blooded killers as portrayed in film and even in the miniseries that came out late last year. It's good to have extensively researched material like this to provide a glimpse of reality to characters who were real people.
• The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (2013): As far as series go I'll admit that I am getting kind of tired of them. BUT, 5th Wave for me was a standout that got me excited again because of Cassie and Zombie. The gradual reveal of how the waves took down society and how each of these characters lost their families, the feeling of kids being brought up for killing and rage. So many things keep you interested in what the larger war will end up being in this book that I wanted more and I wanted it ASAP and I will gladly, but impatiently, wait for the next two books in this trilogy. Keep up the good work, Mr. Yancey!
• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (2013): More hype! More deserved hype! E&P as it's been affectionately known as was something I heard spread through wildfire via Twitter from book bloggers and avid readers who loved this book. And Rainbow is so sweet and has such a nice Twitter presence, and that cover!, so I bought the book and totally saw what everyone else did. Eleanor & Park is a love story that takes place in the 80s between a red-headed girl and a biracial boy trying to find themselves in high school and thus find each other and love and heartbreak and so many things! It's a tender story that anyone can relate to on so many levels between Eleanor hating her body and hiding it to Park feeling like his family doesn't understand him and rebelling and each of them losing a lot in that time period they find each other. Such a sweet and compelling read I urge you to delve in.
• The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (2013): 2013 was a good year in YA as far as I'm concerned and as you can see from this list. Maggie's sequel to The Raven Boys had me staying up to reread sections and going on Twitter to ask who else read it so I could discuss and Maggie herself saying "I read it." And me gushing how much I loved it and went back to book 1 to see her subtle hints. Well played, Maggie. This book follows Ronan primarily and while he was a sullen, angry man in book 1 you learn why in book 2 and see so much potential for heartbreak with him and others as the story careens to it's last two books. Man, I am getting ready for heartbreak myself but with Maggie's literary style and way with characters I think I'll enjoy the ride.
• Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan (2013): Long-listed as a finalist for the National Book Awards in Young People's Literature Levithan wrote a beautiful and elegiac story with a chorus of deceased gay men to a younger generation in this story that winds separate lives during one event that feels huge for these teenage boys. It's just beautiful. Beautiful, beautiful. For some it may be too "preachy" or too "hopeful" I think we need more books like that done this well. Not everything should be dark. And I should know, I write a lot of dark stuff.
• Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed (2013): This is the collection of questions and responses from when Strayed was Dear Sugar for the Rumpus. If you've heard Cheryl read live she has a soothing, maternal voice that you want to just have her hug you and promise everything is okay. She maintains this voice in Tiny Beautiful Things but also hits you with some realness and tough love as well. Her experiences really aid in understanding her responses and in fact make her one of the most perfect people to have been Dear Sugar for her thoughtful and careful responses to serious and sometimes not so serious questions, but all are reflective and will lead you, they did me, to really sit and take her advice to heart and learn from it.
• Icefall by Matthew Kirby (2011): I had the ARC for this middle grade novel for a bit and finally delved in and enjoyed it thoroughly. Icefall follows a group, some we'll note are Vikings, as their world comes to war but is narrated by eleven-year-old middle child, Solveig, who does not know her place in her family. Her older sister is the pretty princess to be married off and her younger brother is heir to the throne, but what is Solveig's place in her family? Kirby does a great job of keeping up the tension and building the mistrust of those Solveig cares for and is unsure of resulting in some surprising results. Interspersed with the action of hiding in ice while awaiting news from her father are the stories told by the Storyteller who has a role in not just being entertaining but building morale. It's a really good coming-of-age novel that shows growth of a character and the realization of close ties.
• Ayiti by Roxane Gay (2011): I was mainly amped that I got to meet Roxane Gay at AWP let alone get a signed copy of her first book. This is a collection of stories and you know I love my collections but Roxane does different styles with each not just telling you actions with prose but giving you poetry or lists or sections/scenes like a screenplay, journalistic versions and so forth that succinctly get into the minds of these characters and their experiences. I read all of Ayiti during my train ride home from Boston and have to say the standout to me that had me smacking myself with "How the hell did she do that?!" was "You Never Knew How Deep the Waters Ran So Cruel So Deep." That is a story in LIST form. Read it. Fantastic.
• The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach (2012): It took Harbach 10 years to finish this novel and it was well done in that time. Fielding isn't about baseball it's about people. It's about being scared of growing up. It's about failure. It's about realizing your limits and not taking it seriously. There's a robustness to Fielding and the characters in this text that makes it standout as a debut and may also be considered, by some, a coming-of-age novel for the collegiate characters it follows. I think the main female character of Pella could've been given a bit more in terms of strength but she carries herself and grows into herself and Harbach shows that growth, in a way. I love Schwartz. Love him. I want to date him and marry him. That's rare in fiction.
• Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande (2002): This was the first book I read last year in full and it was fantastic, and scary. A National Book Award Finalist in Nonfiction, Gawande writes about why and how physicians can make mistakes. He's a doctor writing about how things can happen, how illnesses can be overlooked, how much residents push to try and be taken seriously but will often be passed over by experienced doctors who can still make the tiniest of errors that can be quite costly. I was into this book from page 1 to the acknowledgments and want to read everything by Gawande now.

Other notable reads for me this year were Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward (2013), The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkins (2012), How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr (2011), Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh (2013), and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (2013).

Happy reading all!

Fave Reads of 2011

After connecting with many book bloggers via Twitter and Goodreads last year and being part of a book group and always, always discussing books I enjoy (Hunger Games!) I figured I should join in and note some of my fave books that I read in 2011. I made a goal to read 50 books in 2011 and read 54, which was somewhat disappointing but hey I surpassed my goal. *Please note that not all of these books came out in 2011 and that I may have read ARCs or galleys of said titles that I got from Book Expo.

These are in no specific order of awesomeness. But overall I really enjoyed and would highly recommend them.

• When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (Fall 2011) - This was a phenomenal tale about a woman coming into her own after being betrayed by her beliefs and society in a dystopian setting where the highly religious and conservative rule with a heavy hand. It's a sci-fi take on The Scarlett Letter in which the main character is branded by the color red, and those that commit crimes are branded by colors also. It starts and ends with "when she woke" and you get chills reading some of the things the protagonist has to go through.
• Erasure by Percival Everett (re-released 2011) - One of Everett's earlier works and a great one. It mocks the literary elite and what is considered the 'Black Experience' by others. What happens when a very educated man writes what can be considered ghetto or urban lit and it is widely lauded by those who have no idea what it's like to be African American? Well, the way things go is intriguing and you don't quite get a final answer which makes you wonder where things are going in the literary world and outside of it where money talks and sometimes the subjectivity of art is questioned.
• Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (Fall 2011) - I feel like Laini is one of the most literary and illustrative authors, not just YA authors, around. She brings you into her world and keeps you there and frankly you don't want to leave it. The worst part of a Laini Taylor book is finishing it. But she strikes gold again with the tale of a young girl raised by demons who are at war with angels and how deep things go when starcrossed lovers suffer a great betrayal.
• Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman (2011) - A debut from Norman and a really good one. Usually I get kind of urked by writers writing about writers but this delved into the reality of being a struggling, emerging writer trying to find your voice amidst real life responsibilities and day-to-day disappointments. As someone who works and writes and works I felt like Norman really captured the life of someone toggling between what they want to be and what they are. While a job shouldn't define you, it often does.
• Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (2010) - This was a book club pick and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the details and textures within this piece though it was kind of heartbreaking in the end. We had a good discussion about the characters and that's what stood out for me most throughout.
• Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction (2007) - I am a fan of anthologies. Last year I read the Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Fiction also edited by Michael Martone when I saw him again at the Postgraduate Writers Conference. What I love about anthologies is that they can introduce you to a slew of writers you weren't aware of in snippets. There are hits and misses with any collection but I always enjoy the range of stories and reading various genres.
• Lit: A Memoir by Mary Karr (2009) - I'd heard a lot about Karr's latest memoir. She's considered one of the best at the genre. After Lit I was hooked and am eager to read her two previous memoirs. She has a way of delving into things with a clear head looking back and capturing people, facial expressions, times as though they were a snapshot.
• The Given Day by Dennis Lehane (2008) - My first read of Lehane's. I've seen films based on his books but had yet to actually delve into one of his novels. I was invested from the first pages. He has a few too many POVs I felt but the core story between the White Boston cop and the Black man on the run and the friendship formed as America came apart and got back together again all the while having snippets of Babe Ruth (not as lovely as you may like to think) weaved in was amazing. And the fact that for me he didn't lose me at any part after more than 600 pages is a feat in itself.
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (2010) - Another book club pick but also something I had been wanting to read for awhile. I was glad when I finally got to read it and discuss with others. It's funny that when I was reading it a woman came up to me and said "You wanna read a book that will REALLY make you hate White people? Read Medical Apartheid." Henrietta Lacks is a tome that does make you ashamed of how medical professionals treated patients, or color and in general. People were not people but test subjects and to some still are. It was eye opening really and heartbreaking to read of the Lacks family tragedies that went on for years with their mother in the ground and them in the dark about her cells contributions to science and the advancement of medicine.
• Beauty Queens by Libba Bray (Spring 2011) - A friend is the publicist for Libba Bray and highly recommended her book. After hearing her, Meg Cabot, and Maggie Stiefvater speak at a This is Teen event sponsored by their publisher Scholastic and hearing how funny and endearing Libba was I was happy to snag a copy. This woman is hilarious and really captures the voices of her characters. You have to go with the world she creates but her characters are not caricatures. They're endearing as much as the author is and so you go with it and kind of fall in love with each of them.
• Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey (2011) - Amy Garvey is one of the coolest authors I've had the honor of tweeting with and sending baked goods! I snagged a galley of Cold Kiss at Book Expo and boy was I glad I did. This is a well written character driven, literary young adult novel with fantastical elements. Some may say not a lot goes on action-wise but a lot goes on emotionally and I love the scenes she drew out of true love.

Other books I enjoyed this past year were The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones, The Apothecary by Maile Meloy, The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler, The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson, and A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.