Weekly Geeks 2009-43: The Best of 2009: 11/21/09

Now, the idea is to only choose books that were published in 2009, regardless of what country you live in. If a book was released in the US in 2008, but released in your country in 2009, that's okay. I know there is still a month in a half left of 2009, but if you know there is a book coming out between now and Dec. 31st, then it's still eligible.

This year, I am also asking for something a little more specific. When you submit your novels, you must include the genre it is from as well. Last year, when I was trying to categorize everything, I had to guess on a lot of novels and I know there were some people who disagreed with my choice. If there are any contradictions in genres (say if a book was selected for two genres), then the Weekly Geek Staff will vote on where it goes (please?).

If you see a Top 10 list somewhere else, add it to the Mr. Linky, even if they aren't a part of Weekly Geeks. We're trying to gather as many lists as we can, so we can come up with a nice comprehensive list. You'll have two weeks to come up with your list before I begin compiling the voting booths. Then we'll put it to a vote. Last year, we ended up with over 1300 individual voters and I know we can make it just as big this year.

I know as I'm posting my list I'll be getting some eye rolling and some "mehs" but let me explain. I picked my ten favorites. I'm a fairly eclectic when it comes to entertainment. So yes, Dan Brown and "Richard Castle" are rubbing elbows with Neil Gaiman and Anita Shreve. Most of my recommendations I haven't had time to review yet and probably won't get to them until 2010.

My 10 Best (Favorite) Books of 2009:

1. Heat Wave by Richard Castle (mystery)
2. A Change in Latitude by Anita Shreve (fiction)
3. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (mystery)
4. The Sunless Countries by Karl Schroeder (science fiction)
5. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman (fantasy)
6. Zombie Queen of Newberry High by Amanda Ashby (paranormal romance)
7. Like Twin Stars edited by Cecilia Tan (erotic science fiction short stories)
8. I'm Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears by Jag Bhalla (non fiction)
9. Enemies & Allies by Kevin J. Anderson (science fiction) *
10. Fiction by Ara 13 (meta fiction) *

* Received for review

What about you? What are your top ten reads from books published this year?

weekly geeks

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Frozen Tears: 11/21/09
Frozen Tears is about Kale Weaver and how the events of her life help her change and grow as a person. Throughout the novel she's a hydrologist living and working in a typically rural Alaskan town near Denali National Park. There exactly isn't important. It's near an Innuit (or Ennuit as it's spelled in the novel) village. What does matter is that Kale's life is forever intertwined with the village after she meets Elliot, an Ennuit who helps her after she kills a moose with her truck.

It takes a couple chapters for Frozen Tears to hit its stride. When it starts, Kale is written as a too perfect environmentalist. She's in tune with nature and loves all animals. She has come to save the pristine Alaskan wilderness. Elliot is handsome, charming and the typical blend of educated savage that shows up in fiction so often. Kale's boyfriend is likewise the typical redneck, racist, hunter and otherwise alpha male just there for everyone to boo and hiss at.

Thankfully though Frozen Tears gets the worst of all of this out of its system quickly leaving Kale widowed with a son and ties to the Ennuit village through her son that no one is quite sure what do with. She also has a new found appreciation for the wildlife, deciding to give sanctuary to wolves who have been injured.

Even the wolf sanctuary and her roll as a single mother of a boy who is struggling to find acceptance in both communities aren't exactly the point of the story. They are all just parts of Kale's journey through life. The writing is a little rough in places and the pacing is a little off but it's still worth reading. I'd like to see a second edition with tighter editing.

I ended up seeing connections between Kale's life and a friend of mine who has had a similar journey even though the exact details of her journey are different.

I got the book for review from the author. I have since released it through BookCrossing.

Other posts and reviews:

• Bibliofreak
  
• Dan's Journal
• The Deepening World of Fiction
  
• Dragonflowers and Books
  
• Miss Remmer's Reviews
  
• Notes from Camp Swampy
• The Reading Journey
  

books | fiction | Mary Ann MacAfee | 2009

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