My Favorites from 2008

I managed to read 80 books this year, but here are the ones that stuck out for me (in no particular order) and that I would recommend to others. I've linked to my reviews so you can see what I thought a little more in depth (or to Fantastic Fiction if I had not done a review):


Teen Fantasy and Sci-Fi

Harry Potter #7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling - Is anyone really surprised by this? Probably not! ;)

The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfield - Honestly I didn't expect to like these too much but they seemed popular, so I wanted to check them out. I ended up really enjoying them!

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - This is one rough school to attend, I know *I* wouldn't have made it!


Urban Fantasy

The Marla Mason Series by T. A. Pratt - So far I've read Blood Engines and Poison Sleep, and am looking forward to the next two installments!

Dead to Me by Anton Strout - Very fun, ready for the next one to come out!

Dog Days by John Levitt - Aw, the story of a boy and his dog... well, not really, Mason's not a boy, and Louie isn't really a dog, he just looks like one. Another great new series, I'm looking forward to #2, New Tricks which I just picked up yesterday!

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews - Aw look, a story about a girl and her cat... Well, again, not really... Kate definitely isn't a girl, and Curran is definitely NOT just a cat, he happens to be King of Beasts. I'm reading the second in the series right now, Magic Burns and enjoying it!

Unshapely Things by Mark Del Franco - Connor is a druid who has lost his powers, but still assists on magical investigations. Well, assists is his word for it, others might say interferes. I already have #2 in the series Unquiet Dreams which I hope to get to this year!


Science Fiction and Fantasy

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - I have had this recommended to me for years, and I'm glad I finally got around to it! Very few books have I read that actually stunned me, and left me feeling like I had read something vitally important. This was heavy.

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre - This gave me the feel of the Firefly series that generated the movie Serenity. Don't get me wrong, the story was original, I just think it would appeal to those who enjoyed that series. I have #2 Wanderlust in the TBR already.

Stardoc by S. L. Viehl - Talk about trial by fire! I think Cherijo deserves top honors from the school of hard knocks. I was a little apprehensive about this one at first, thinking oh, it's going to be all sci-fi medical and boring, but it definitely was not! You can get into some pretty interesting situations in an emergency room with alien beings! I'm looking forward to continuing this series.

Poison Study by Maria v. Snyder - A very interesting story, I would NOT want to be a food taster, that's for sure! I listened to this on audio, and have the next two of the trilogy, Magic Study and Fire Study which I hope to get to this year also.


Romance

Succubus in the City by Nina Harper - A lot of fun, Lily and her friends are different demons, and indulge in all the vices, clothes, food, you name it, but love even gets them down sometimes. I love the rendition of Satan here, she's like their best girlfriend, and because she's so stylish they call her Martha! This was great fun, and I just recently picked up Succubus Takes Manhattan so I can continue the story!

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning - Mac thinks her life is going pretty well until her sister is murdered in Ireland, and her only clue is a mysterious cell phone message. She goes to Ireland to investigate, and is thrown into a world she couldn't have dreamed existed. Bloodfever is already in my TBR!

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella - Samantha is a lawyer who has worked very hard and has high hopes of being made partner soon. A beginner mistake is uncovered that will cause unbelievable trouble, and rather than face the music, Samantha runs, with no thought of what she will do next. She finds herself knocking on a door where the owners believe she's there to interview for a housekeeper position and before she knows what's happened, she's been hired. The only problem, she really has no idea how to do any of those things! Very hysterical and sweet.


Historical Fiction

Ireland by Frank Delaney - I listened to this on audio and the narrator was just perfect. I think sometimes that can really make or break an audiobook. I'm not sure I would have had the patience to stick with this had I been reading it myself, because my own mental voice is just not that impressive, but I highly recommend this on audio (and in print)! The story is a boy's journey to find a wandering storyteller, and his journey to becoming a man, and learning the history of the country along the way.



2008 was great reading year for me, I found a lot of new authors to enjoy, and now have a bunch of sequels to look forward to! I can't wait to see what else I discover this year, though I do need to catch up with some old favorites who are equally deserving of admiration!