Best Books of 2011 So Far

November 21, 2011

"Read any good books lately?" 

"What would you recommend?"

"What books are you reading now?"

Speaking on behalf of everyone working in libraries today, I think these are some of our favorite questions. As the holidays grow closer, school vacation starts, and the weather (hopefully) gets colder, it seems like everyone is in the mood for a good book. So in the spirit of upcoming festivities, I’ve put together a quick list of the best, new, and notable books of 2011 so far.

The Best:

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Forget being one of the best books of 2011, this book has made my top ten favorite books of all time. It's a brilliant debut about a fierce competition between two magicians who are also falling unexpectedly in love with each other. Did I mention that it involves a magical circus that only opens at night? And that the audiobook is read by none other than Jim Dale? A must read!
2. Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson. The main character, Christine, has an unusual type of amnesia, waking up every morning not knowing who she is. With the help of her doctor, she begins keeping a journal in the hopes of gaining back some of her memory. As she does, however, she begins to question what her husband has been telling her about her "accident." A fantastic and utterly chilling debut thriller.
3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. Karou, a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague, finds out that she is part of an epic battle between good and evil. Part sci-fi/fantasy and part mythological tale, there is only one way to accurately describe this new young adult series—fabulous!

New books I’m reading now (and they are great!):

1. When She Woke by Hillary Jordan. Her debut novel, Mudbound, is also really amazing.
2. The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt. This just won the National Book Award for nonfiction.

What I’m looking forward to next:

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. I simply cannot wait for this book. The second installment in Clare’s Infernal Devices series, this is a must read for anyone interested in young adult steampunk. It will be released December 6th—don’t miss it!

The two places I always go for great recommendations:

1. Blue Springs North Branch—Our "Staff Recommends" table is a wonderful place to pick up some great reads from a wide variety of genres and topics
2. Amazon’s Best Books of the Month—From new and quirky titles to mainstream bestsellers, this site has it all (and it has a great gift guide for all the bibliophiles out there!)

Happy reading!

Meghan F.
Blue Springs North Branch