Top Shelf

You now have all four complete lists, however tradition dictates that those lists be narrowed down to select the best, or at least the ones I enjoyed most. For the first three years I have selected five books, for 2010 because the list was so much onger I expanded it to fifteen. They are bulleted, so not in any particular order. Mostly its chronilogical, but don't read anything into where it falls in the bullets. I selected them based on a couple of criteria, first my enjoyment of them, second quality or writing both in terms of plot and how well reserached and detailed they are, third how accessible they are, some books just don't translate for most people, and fourth originality, there are a lot of books out there, many with stock themes, picking only the standouts is helpful.

2007

• What Angels Fear: C.S. Harris, this pen name is one of the many faces of Candice Proctor, wonder woman of the world. Amazingly accomplished she writes under at least three names, one in conjunction with her husband. This first mystery about aristocrat and former soldier Sebastian St. Cyr is shocking, Harris never fails to twist the knife deeper, and is a wonderflly dark side of the perpetually fluffy world of Regency England so oftenportrayed in novels.
• Falling Angels: Tracy Chevalier, I confess I hated Girl With A Pearl Earring when I read it, so I was reluctant to try CHevalier again. Everyone, from the written reviews in the library book, to the librarian herself assured me how wonderful this was, and they were right. An examination of the truth of repression and the Victorian obsession with death and status, its told from a children's perspective which is extremly effective and enhancesthe sense of tragedy.
• The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon: Stephen King, You'll always see at least one of his books on my list, however the love I have for this one is how different it is. No one can call Stephen King a hack gorror wrtier after reading this book. Again a book told from the perspective of a child, with very adult themes is extraordinarily powerful. And yes New Englanders really do love the Red Sox that much.
• The Monsters: Dorothy and THomas Hoobler, Nonfiction that draws you in, this book (unfortunately now out of print) is a terrific Halloween read. THe story of the curse surrounding the writing of Frankenstein seems like a ghost story in itself, until you realize its one of the great stories of literary history.
• Our Fathers: David France, A reporter for the Boston Globe who saw the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal errupt in his face, France tells the drama like a novel, never sugar-coating the truth, but revealing the good and hope of the sad situation along with the bad and the ugly.

2008

• The Double Bind: Chris Bojhalian, I struggle with Bojhalian's books, the rivet me while I'm reading but I am always left cold afterards, and never really sure if I like the book. THe Doulbe Bind was my first foray into Bojahlian's world, and I guarentee it is everything it promises, and a boatload more. Don't say I din't warn you.
• Bloody Jack: L.A. Meyer, Written for young adults, but certainly sophisticated enough in both narrative and content for adults this is the first in a series now eight books long about an orphan named Mary who poses as a boy to join the British navy. Meyer a Navy man himself fills the books with impeecable details, characters to love, and lots of humor.
• Silent in the Grave: Deanna Raybourn, THe first and i my opinion best of Raybourn's Lady Julia Grey mysteries the story is half Kate Chopin's The Awakening and half female Sherlock Holmes. Socially conscious, it explores the facets of Victoiran history often forgotten, delving into both public and private worlds. The cooky and extended family of the main character provides pleanty of action, and of course they have a Tower raven for a pet.
• The Secret History of the Pink Carnation: Lauren Willig, I read a lot of romances, and unabashedly love them. However I grant few are for the general public, if you read one read this. Willig has a Ph.D. in histry and a ;aw degree from Harvard, she wrote Carnation in her spare time. Based off the legends of the French Revolution inspired by the Scarlet Pimpernel the parallel romances of her historical characters and modern day scholar Eloise meld nicely, with swashbuckly, spies, and just the right amount of ridiculousness.
• The Monsters of Templeton: Lauren Groff, Every one in a while a novel comes along that you can't stop thinking about. Its that good, you can tell it came from some part of the author's soul they were willing to part with. This, Groff's debut novel is that kind of book. It is the ultimate lovestory to her hometown of Cooperstown, NY, with the center character merely being a springboard for the complex history of that place. Drawing on James Fenimore Cooper's cannon, local lore, myth, and legend it is truly astounding.

2009

• Outlander: Diana Gabaldon, this novel was published in 1993, how I never read it before this is beyond me. Gabaldon's dedication to research, detail, and storytelling is enough to bring me back, whether I like where she takes the plot or not. Her novels are so many things, romance, science fiction, histroical fiction, mystery, adventure, its hard to pick one reason why I love them, however several hefty tomes later the original remains my favorite.
• The Devlin Diary: Christi Phillips, Normally I list the first book in a series, however I walked in on thesecond book of the series, but one I read the first (The Rosetti Letter) I continued to like this one better. Another back and forth historical novel, with a reseracher in the future telling the story it mainly pulled me because it fills in the gaps American readers so often feel when reading books not about their own country. Its a novel about the history of England that is 100% accessible and takes the pressure out of reading it.
• The Explosionist: Jenny Davidson, a young adult novel set during an alternate WWII. Davidson describes a world where the factions are different and Scotland, where this book is set, it allied with the Scandanavian countires. Her discriptions are so vivid at times I forgot that this world wan't real. This book is like a cooler, more firghtening, feminist version of Adlous Huxley's Brave New World for kids.
• The Luxe: Anna Godbersen, New York Times bestseller this book is yet another well written, well researched historical novel (see the trend) the thin line between hedonism and propriety in high society at the turn of the century is flaunted. The multiple story lines never get confusing, and complment each other well, it is deliciously over the top and extravagent. 
• Wages of Sin: Penelope Williamson, Set in 1920's New Orleans this is another second book in a series (following Mortal Sins) but could stand alone. This book is written by someone who has emersed herself in the culture, it seems like the reader is looking through a peephole into the speakeasy. It is Boardwalk Empire, but grittier and dirtier. The mystery is horrific, the characters brutally realisitc, and the humid air almost seeps off the page. Not suprising Williamson is Candice Proctor's (C.S. Harris') sister, she does the same for 1920's New Orleans Harris did for Regency London.

2010

• Murphy's Law/Her Royal Spyness: Rhys Bowen THere is no mystery author so consistently rewarded as Rhys Bowen, I'm sure those pitted against her in awards ceremonies want to scratch her eyes out. Her formula is good though, familiar witty characters, creative mysteries, and a condense formula that stop things from getting too wordy and too confusing. These picks are the first books from her two most recent series, Molly Murphy and Lady Georgiana (the Constable Evan Evans mysteries are mostly out of print) both are wonderful, and I've read them with equal enthusiasm. If I were forced to pick I would have to go with Her Royal Spyness simply because I enjoy the time, setting, and they are much more humorous.
• Soulless: Gail Carriger Steampunk was a new world to me, though I've certainly seen a few movies with the theme. A historically smart kind of sci-fi (Amanda Quick's Arcane Society novels set in Victoria London come close) the plot can confuse at times, with imaginary words being dropped like the reader should understand them. It will certainly make you laugh, with stock characters getting a whole other dimension with a historical and supernatural twist. After all who wouldn't want a fabulous Rococo vampire named Lord Akeldama as their sassy gay best friend?
• The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: Alan Bradley, It took me longer to get into this one than I would have like. As the first book of the Flavia de Luce series it was slow at times (let's face it stamp collecting is not all that enthralling) but once I got past the slow start these are a winner. Imagine Miss Marple meets Lucy from the Peanuts, Sherlock Holmes in the body of a ten year old riding a bicycle named Gladys. Its that good.
• Under the Dome/Gone: Stephen King/ Michael Grant, These two are lumped together because of content rather than author. THe plot is essentially the same, in the middle of the day a dome drops down over a town, cutting the inhabitants off from the greater world. Grant's book written for young adults, adds the extra pice that all people over the age of fifteen vanish with the coming of the barrier. The settings are very different, rural Maine (of course, hello its Steohen King) and costal California, as a re the cause of the phenomena. However the link between them, what makes for such great reading is the study of what it does to the people, a psychological study of the impact that fear and isolation has on people. King's mammoth 1,200 page book draws you in to its conclusion. Grant's is just a taste, in a growing series now up to three books.
• The Red Necklace: Sally Gardener, THe French Revolution is hardly a new topic for fiction, YA or otherwise. But Gardiner's supernatural, dark and unusual take on the aristocracy and the spies who helped them escape is unlike any other I've encountered so far. With characters you'll either love or hate, with no grey area, it has unexpected additions beyond the traditional ones you'd expect, tragedy, violence, and in the oddest of places, love. This book and its sequel The Silver Blade are excellent.
• Mark of the Lion: Suzanne Arruda, If you loved Out of Africa, you'll love Suzanne Arruda, with a corner on this market, exploring an unexpected time and place for historical mysteries her first Jade del Cameron mystery is spooky and vivid and will open you eyes to a whole other world in the dark heart of Africa. Perhaps not the best of the series (now six books in length) it is a good start and draws the reader into 1920's Kenya.
• The Hunger Games: Suzanne Collins, A book with a concept that shocks many, with good reason, this book is only one in a long line of books that depict a society that claims to be a utopia, but underneath is definitely not. Part social commentary, part romance, and all about the battle for the disenfranchised to make their way in the world this book is not nearly as bloody as it seems. Katniss Everdeen, a teenager in Panem takes her sister's place in a battle of wits, to the death and along the way discovers not only that she wants to live, but wants to teach her captors a lesson. The story is engrossing and powerful, if a tad over dramatic at times. It definitely surpassed the other two books of the trilogy that followed (Catching Fire and Mockingjay) by leaps and bounds.
• Dogtown: Elyssa East, a rare nonfiction pick on the list for 2010 this book hit close to home both geographically for me as a New Englander, but also because of the type of lore it describes. This instinctual fear of the land is something I don't think that other parts of the country really understand, except perhaps the Deep South. Dogtown is certainly not alone in this type of legend and lore, read almost any native New England author from the 17th century on and you'll see it. Elyssa East is a persistent and excellent researcher who explores every angle of this strange place, and to tell the truth, made me afraid to look out my windows for fear of what I might see.
• The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker: Leanna Renee Hiber, A book that kept popping up but one I never actually found time to read this book was a surprise and a delight. Never before have I seen an albino character portrayed in a positive light in a book, let alone allowed to be the hero/heroine (remember the creepy monk Silas from The DaVinci Code?) the supernatural elements balance nicely with the very human emotions both Percy and Alexi undergo, the elements that tie mythology in will also interest Greek myth lovers. 
• The Red Pyramid: Rick Riordan, I've never read Percy Jackson or its myriad of sequels, though I may get around to it this year. This being my first Rick Riordan experience, I was blown away. This book got a lot of flack online for being too slow, too scary, and too confusing. Okayyyyyy... shoot for the stars people, it is a book written for 12-14 year olds. The ties to ancient Egyptian mythology and archaeology are excellent, accurate and well researched. Riordan writes with that age group in mind, his stories will appeal to adults as well. I like the two protagonist, dual narration (Riordan claims he is transcribing an audio recording) the portrayals of gods are imaginative and funny and I found no pacing problems, embrace the Kane Chronicles.
• The Wednesday Wars: Gary D. Schmidt, another one of our sumer reading books (like The Hunger Games) I found this award winner funny, intelligent, and touching. Schmidt's depiction of the 1960 Long Island town where he grew up is spot on (it should be he lived it) and vivid. His approach to Shakespeare is truly though a kids eyes but still insightful. That and any book with two giant attack rats called Sycorax and Caliban is a winner in my book.
• Way Off The Road: Bill Geist, In the tradition of Bill Bryson's The Lost Continent, this book hits the road and celebrates how zany, uncomplicated, unexpected, delicious, and varied America can be. It reminds us that all the technology in the world can't replace people, and the importance of how they effect each other. It reminds us that sometimes, like Dorothy says, your hearts desire may be right outside your own back door. These short, funny anecdotes are manageable, and it can be picked up and put down easily, a great vacation book.
• The Two Lives of Miss Charlotte Merryweather: Alexandra Potter, a concession to chick lit on the list this book has a couple of things going for it. First it has a hero called Ollie, a triumph in itself. Second it is the ultimate fantasy, what is you could go back in time and give advice to yourself ten years ago, what would you tell her/him. Its a fun, carefree book with all of its problems neatly tied up by the end, and a few unexpected twists and turns in the middle. If you're new to the genre, its not a bad place to start.
• Heist Society: Ally Carter, I've always enjoyed Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls stories about her spy school for young girls, however her new series about the daughter of an art thief and her merry band of friends with similar sticky fingers takes Carter's writing to a whole other level. Its more polished and detailed, less simpering and silliness, and for YA readers a nice look into the world of fine art and culture.
• Murder on Nob Hill, Shirley Tallman, Yet another Victorian mystery series (I know I'm an addict) they follow the story of California's second female lawyer Sarah Wooliston. Tallman has done extensive research into both San Francisco at the time and the history of women in law which leads to very interesting reading. Her mysteries are good, but the history is certainly the most interesting part. Her supporting characters are endearing and unexpected making it an all around enjoyable read, the three Sarah Wolliston mysteries that follow are all worth a spin as well.