The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you are wanting a light-hearted romantic book, this is not the one for you. If you are wanting a mystery that skims the surface of it’s plot and characters, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a book to endear Barcelona to your heart and make you believe that it’s a city full of light and romance, then this is definitely not the story for you.
However, if you are wanting to be strung along, unable to escape the bait being laid out neatly and methodically in front of you, if you are wanting to feel goosebumps over and over again, if you enjoy reading a story that will have you glancing over your shoulder at every little noise… then this is the story for you.
This is the story of David Martin, a writer. In The Shadow of the Wind we are introduced to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. Zafon brings back that magical place in this story while providing the back story of his first novel. If Shadow of the Wind is a book for readers then this is a book for writers. Throughout this story we are given clue after clue, answers provided at just the right moment – only to be snatched away as the story shifts to a new dimension completely undoing what we thought we knew. Over and over this continues until Zafon has you in the palm of his hand, begging to know how it will all end.
And the end is always satisfying. It’s only the 2nd of January and I already know this book will be one of my favorites read for 2010. And now, with renewed interest and with the knowledge provided to me by Zafon, I will approach The Shadow of the Wind again to immerse myself in the story I knew I would love after reading the opening paragraph.
and, while somewhat interesting, it wasn’t what I had expected and I felt disappointed once I had finished it. It wasn’t until now that I felt comfortable picking up another of her books and, overall, I’m glad I waited this long.
left me with the same feeling as Patron Saint did. This is a beautifully written book. There was no action and at times it felt as if the story hovered over a period of a day or so instead of the weeks that it covered, but I think that’s only because that’s how it would have felt to the people caught in the midst of it all.
by Brigid Pasulka – There wasn’t even a contest for this spot. Out of all the 250 or so books I read this year, this book blows them all away. The beautiful love story between the Polish “Pigeon” and Anielica during WWII, this book will take everything you thought you knew about love stories dash it to pieces. Whimsical and charming, this is not a book you should miss.
by Francisco X. Stork – When I was reading this book I was constantly calling my father to read portions of it to him. This book is about Marcelo, a boy who has an autism-like impairment. He hears music inside his head… but not real music, just the feeling you get from listening to good music. The story deepens from there and I found myself in tears and soul-searching more than a few times.
by Allison Hoover Bartlett – This Non-Fiction book read exactly like a Fiction novel. While I did not agree with John Gilkey’s methods in acquiring rare books, reading Bartlett’s descriptions of the workings of a book lover and why he went to the lengths that he did was fascinating… and I recognized myself in a few of the descriptions.
by Suzanne Collins – One of many young adult novels I read this year, many of them good, many not-so-good, The Hunger Games stands out due to the intense story being told. I don’t like to spoil this book at all, you simply have to read it. Don’t expect Harry Potter, approach it with an open mind. (And get 
too because it’s just as good).
by Dodie Smith – I didn’t read this book as a teenager and I wish I would have. Written 60ish years ago by the author of 101 Dalmations, this is the story of a 17 year old girl who lives in a crumbling castle with her destitute family. This coming-of-age story is a must-read for every young woman.
by Brom – I was enchanted and horrified by this book. This is the darker story of Peter Pan. The book is gorgeous and includes beautiful illustrations. My tastes tend to run dark when it comes to fantasy and this book was no exception. It’s brutal and harsh, make no mistake about that. In my opinion, Brom did an incredible job retelling the story in a way teens could understand and even learn from, today.
by Neil Gaiman – Another dark young adult story. A sort of “Jungle Book” but involving a graveyard and ghosts instead. Beautifully written and illustrated and you will get sucked in from the very first page.
by Audrey Niffenegger – I’ll probably take some flack for this one, but I loved The Time Traveler’s Wife and was not at all disappointed by this second book of Niffeneggers. The story of mirror twins and ghosts and secrets and answers, Niffenegger once again takes science fiction and makes it feel like it could happen to us without us even realizing it.
by Jules Verne – I read three books by Verne this year and let me tell you, that’s no easy task. That man was one of the wordiest, nerdiest authors ever lived I think. There is so much information crammed into these books that at times it feels as if you are reading an encyclopedia.. only even more dull. But despite that all, this final book of the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea trilogy is worth it all. I’ll tell you what my dad told me, “Read it, it’s mysterious“.
by Sharon Kay Penman – If you enjoy historical novels and haven’t read Sharon Kay Penman I highly recommend you do so. This is the first book of a trilogy set in 13th century Wales and dealing with King Llewellyn and his wife, King John’s illegitimate daughter, Joanna. I recommend this book every chance I get.
by Kiran Desai – Never a good sign when you cannot clearly understand who the story is supposed to be about.
by Christina Swartz – Spun my head in circles and then the author just.. stopped writing.
to Dance by Elie Wiesel – I feel horrible putting anything by Wiesel on here, but this book was the strangest one I read all year. And it put me in a really bad mood.
by William Gladstone – Do NOT even get me started on this book. I’ll just say that by the end of the book I was convinced that the author considered him to be some kind of savior. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
by Elizabeth Gilbert – What could have been a great story was made.. disappointing by the pure selfishness exhibited by Gilbert in this book.
by Andrew Davidson – This book could have been so much more than it was – but instead the author chose to focus on shock elements and not the story he was capable of writing.
by Chris Bohjalian – I enjoyed other Bohjalian books, but this one left a bad taste in my mouth.
by Rebecca Cantrell – Again, another book that could have been so much more than it was.
by Susanna Clarke – I feel bad putting this book on this list, because I really, really wanted to like it. But I was more annoyed by it than anything else. Hence, the disappointment.
