Top Ten Best Books of 2011

The other I realised that I haven't done a top ten list of my favourite books of 2011. Shame on me. So without further ado I will dive straight into it. 

10) "The Collector" by John Fowles
In the review I wrote: "It is a fascinating read because both Miranda and Frederick call for pity even though both of them are really quite annoying and caught up in their own webs of self-deceit."

9) "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz
In the review I wrote: "What really caught me about this book was not the style or the story as much as Oscar himself. At some points, especially during his college years, I was moved to tears because he is such a sweet boy. Such a good man and so lonely, so misunderstood and so sad. I wanted to put my arms around him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. That, for me, is the must impressive part of the book."


8) "My Last Duchess" by Daisy Goodwin
In the review I wrote: "This is a lovely book, it is a great escape into a different time and as a romance it works really well without becoming too much." 


7) "The Heart-Shaped Box" by Joe Hill
In the review I wrote: "It is a bit of gem really, different from any other book I have read - the only book that it reminds me of is "Horns", also by Joe Hill, but I liked "Heart-Shaped Box" better, mostly because of the characters."

6) "The Last Samurai" by Helen DeWitt
In the review I wrote: "I loved the plot and the two characters. The hapless Sibylla who can hardly take care of herself not to mention a small wonder boy and who values books over anything else including food, is endearing! And Ludo, the clever little fellow who really really wants a father figure to look up to, is cute. The isolation that his intellect leads to is difficult to read about even though he doesn't completely understands it himself and his hunt for a dad is an emotional journey both for Ludo and for the reader."

5) "Forbidden" by Tabitha Suzuma
In the review I wrote: "By the end of this book I was ready to adopt the lot of them. They were so real to me and I felt so horrible for them, I was so sad when the book was over, I just wanted more. Which is why I am very happy that Tabitha Suzuma has written several other books that I will definitely be reading soon!"


4) "London Fields" by Martin Amis
In the review I wrote: "Capturing all of the details in this amazing book is impossible in a blog post. I had a hard time keeping track of it all as I was reading it but that was actually part of the attraction. It made me lose myself because I had to concentrate to follow the action and though none of the main characters are really likeable, they are all intriguing!"

3) "The Pregnant Widow" by Martin Amis
Didn't realise there were going to be two Martin Amis novels on this list. Really enjoyed both books though and they deserve their places here!
In the review I wrote: "It is a fantastic book if you ask me - I read it and loved it and some day I will read this in Italy on a warm summers day and it will feel like I am almost there with Keith as he faces the difficulties of youth and the conundrums of women. "

2) "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness
This one was so good that I couldn't actually figure out how to review it... So instead I wrote a Ten Things I Love About... instead. And here one of the things I loved about it:
"The fact this this is the first in a trilogy! I was so worried that this was a stand alone because I want more! Luckily Harkness is already working on the sequel "Shadow of Night" and though I don't like that title as much as I loved "A Discovery of Witches", I am still really looking forwrad to getting my hands on it."

1) "Purge" by Sofi Oksanen
The best book of the year, no doubt. 
This is what I wrote in the review:
"The strengths of "Purge" are many. It is not sugarcoated, everything is exposed, all human flaws are there in plain view and even the main characters that as a reader, I sympathized with, are full of flaws. Another strength is the historical aspect. As a historical story, it works really well because it envokes an Estonia of the past (luckily) that is so different from modern-day Estonia, yet gives you a better chance of understanding Estonia and the other countries that suffered during the dark days of communism and Stalin. It is truly a scary read on so many levels, from the explicit violence and the vulnerability of the women in this story to the political environment and the men that will do anything for money, power, status or a casino."

Top Ten Tuesday: Books For the Book Club!

Today we are looking at the Top Ten Books That I Think Would Make Great Book Club Picks. If you are new to the Top Ten Tuesday concept head over to The Broke and The Bookish and explore.

10) "The Bröntes Went to Woolworths" by Rachel Ferguson
A short, sweet book that reminded me a lot of "Anne of Green Gables". The main question of this book is whether or not you can have too much imagination and whether dreaming can be dangerous.
Perfect for a January night discussion over a cup of tea.

9) "The Crimson Petal and the White" by Michel Faber
A different story to the Victorian novels you know. This one features a prostitute called Sugar who changes her life for several reasons, some of which are obvious and some that do no reveal themselves until the very last moment. A modern classic with lots to talk about.

8) "Lucky" by Alice Sebold
This one will probably be a difficult one to discuss so it should probably only be used in book clubs where you know each other well and where discussing difficult topics is not an issue. "Lucky" deals with rape that Sebold suffers as a teenager and with her fight to get her life back. For a non-fiction book club, this would be a great pick but it is not for the faint-hearted.

7) "Snobs" by Julian Fellowes 
This one is great for a book club because the main character Edith is someone who would probably divide people. Either you will think her a golddigging scheming woman with no morals or you will think her a product of her upbringing. It should be good for a heated discussion about values and morals.

6) "I Am Charlotte Simmons" by Tom Wolfe
This book deals with some of the really difficult parts of being a teenager: being an outsider, being new, not fitting in, being a geek, being a virgin, being poorer than the others. It is the story of village wonder Charlotte who wins a scholarship to an elite university where she is no longer a prodigy but a nobody.

5) "Valley of the Dolls" by Jacqueline Susann
This is another modern classic. Written in 1966 it is the predecessor of "Sex and the City", a book about young women struggling with love, careers and finding the right dresses in New York. A great book for a girls' book club.

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3) "The Privileges" by Jonathan Dee
Each chapter is like a little short story and there is lots to discuss. In these "Occupy" times, this book raises some interesting questions about wealth, capitalism and love.

2) "Purge" by Sofi Oksanen
If you don't know anything about the recent history of Estonia (which I don't), this book will give you something to think about. It raises significant questions about loyalty, love and the human nature and it is a must-read if you have any interest in eastern European countries or human trafficking.

1) "We Need to Talk About Kevin" by Lionel Shriver
This one is perfect for book club. The topic is nature versus nurture and Eva, the main character, will give alienate some and find the pity of others. It is a long book and could be difficult for some but it is also a must-read (if you ask me) and I would have loved to have shared the reading experience with others. Plus, you can follow up by watching the movie together.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Would Recommend to Readers Who Normally Don't Read Scandinavian Authors!

Wow that's a long title! So this week the topic is as stated in the title - books I would recommend to readers who don't normally read books by Scandinavian authors. Head over to The Broke and the Bookish to see what other bloggers have come up with - here we go:

10) "The Dinosaur Feather" by Sissel-Jo Gazan
A young mother and student at University of Copenhagen is writing her thesis on dinosaurs when she becomes embroiled in a mystery. A professor has died under strange circumstances and now everyone at the faculty are under suspicion.

9) "Otto is a Rhino" by Ole Lund Kirkegaard
One of the cutest children's book ever about a boy who draws a rhino that then comes to life. A classic.

8) "Ronia, The Robber's Daughter" by Astrid Lindgren
Lindgren is the original mother of girlpower. You probably know her famous "daughter" Pippe Longstocking who is so strong that she can lift a horse? Ronia is made of the same stuff and runs away from home to live in the forest, such a cool girl!

7) "The Exception" by Christian Jungersen
A nerve-rackingly mystery thriller about adult bullying. Very difficult to summarize but very easy to read in one go out of pure excitement.

6) "The Boys from St. Petri" by Bjarne Reuter
This is dark YA at its best! A group of young men take a stance during WWII and decide to fight the Germans by sabotaging the German war effort. Gripping. A classic history YA read and a must-read in most Danish schools.

5) "Popular Music from Vittula" by Mikael Niemi
This Sweden is so incredibly different from the Sweden that Stieg Larsson describes. This is a Sweden of folk tales, of magic, of saunas and drinking competitions, of midsummer nights and becoming a man. Give it a try, you won't regret it.

4) "The Half Brother" by Lars Saabye Christensen
I read this one right when it came out about ten years ago and really enjoyed it. It is about half brothers growing up in Oslo in the 1960's. It really touched me, I remember.

3) "Doghead" by Morten Ramsland
This one I haven't actually read myself but it was recommended so many times that I am going to include it anyway :-)

2) "Exile" by Jakob Ejersbo
This author died way to young. His writings have so much promise and the Tanzania trilogy of which "Exile" is the first have become huge successes in his native Denmark.

1) "Seven Gothic Tales" by Karen Blixen
A classic, a must read from one of the greatest Scandinavian authors ever.

So which books are you recommending this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Want To Give As Gifts

Christmas, Christmas, Christmas. Love it. I am in quite a Christmassy mood this December which fits in perfectly with the theme for this week's Top Ten Tuesday. Today we are talking about Top Ten Books I Want To Give As Gifts and who I want to give them to. Love giving books away, it is like giving a part yourself when you give a book that you love to someone. So in no particular order:

10) Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - to my goddaugther's older sister
Because she is ten years old, just like I was when I got my first copy of this wonderful book.

9) The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - to my girlfriend who teaches a university class about feminism
Because it is the ultimate dystopian fiction novel about gender inequality and the terrible consequences of extremism.

8) The Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch - to my little sister
She will be visiting me in London in January and this is a really fun way to learn about London. Covent Garden will never be the same again.

7) The Bonfire of Vanities by Tom Wolfe - to any of my male friends who dreamt of becoming (or became) investment bankers
Because it is the ultimate story of the banker who loses his cushioned life as he does not face up to his responsibility.



6) We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver - to my friend, the psychologist
Because this book is all about nature vs. nurture and I think she would find it fascinating.

5) The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia - to my mother
Because my mum has really good style and she loves reading about and discussing clothes. And because this is one book that I would love to borrow!



4) A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness - to my little sister (again, she reads a lot)
Because she and I share a secret love for "Twilight" (guilty pleasure) and "Pride and Prejudice" (proud pleasure) and I know that she will love Matthew Clairmont as much as I do.



3) The Dinosaur Feather by Sissel-Jo Gazan - to my mother-in-law
Because she loves crime fiction and this one is a really great piece.



2) Purge by Sofi Oksanen - to my father
Because he loves historical novels that deal with difficult topics and because we share an interest in communism and the effect it had on Eastern Europe.

1) How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran - to myself :-)
Because I wonder about this topic every day. What is it to be a woman and why is there still such a difference between men and women and the way we are being perceived.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books that are Gathering Dust on My Shelves

Have you been to visit The Broke And The Bookish yet? Otherwise, you absolutely must. It is a great book! They do this great little meme on Tuesday called Top Ten Tuesday which is absolutely amazing. This week the topic is books that are gathering dust on my shelves... books that I bought because I really wanted to read them, yet somehow never got around to read. I am ashamed to admit that this is topic hits quite close to home for me...

10) "The Sixth Wife" by Suzannah Dunn
A book about the sixth wife of Henry VIII, the one who survived him. I read a biography which described the lives of all of Henry VIII's six wives and I got very curious about his last wife, who outlived him. Still haven't gotten round to reading it though...



9) "Fortune's Daughters" by Elizabeth Kehoe
A biography of three very special sisters, three American heiresses who traveled to Europe to marry impoverished aristocrats.



8) "The Dice Man" by Luke Rhineheart
Apparently a classic and my boyfriend really enjoyed it so now I need to give it a chance because I think I will like it again.



7) "The Outcast" by Sadie Jones
Have you read this one? I got it for a really cheap price but still haven't read it...



6) "The Night Watch" by Sarah Waters
I love "Fingersmith" by Sarah Water so I am sure I will like this one as well. I just need to get it off the shelf...



5) "A Game of Thrones" by George R. R. Martin
This is another book that I have read a few pages of and then forgotten. Why do I do that? It is such a horrible habit! I need to stop it - and I need to read this book that everyone is talking about.



4) "The Black Swan - The Impact of the Highly Improbable" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
I've heard a lot of good about this book, it is a non-fiction piece about what happens when something highly improbable but with a huge impact happens. The thing that nobody expects. Just have to get round to it.



3) "1984" by George Orwell
This is actually my boyfriend's book and I have been wanting to read it forever but I am so scared to be disappointed that I shy away... Do you know that feeling?



2) "La Dame aux Camélias" by Alexandre Dumas Fils
One of the books that I really really wanted to get my hands one... Then read a few pages and somehow forgot it again. I liked it though so not sure why?! Will have to return to it soon and read it.



1) "The Age of Innocence" by Edith Wharton
A classic! I love the sound of it and it isn't even very long so what is scaring me? I don't know. There is no reason why it keeps gathering dust - so I will have to get around to reading it, sooner rather than later.

Top Ten Tuesday: You Make Me Feel

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is one that will have us all remembering those books that just made us feel a little bit more. It is: Top Ten Books I Had VERY Strong Emotions About. If you haven't already, remember to head over to The Broke and The Bookish ´http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/ - who are behind this amazing Tuesday tradition. They are one of the best blogs out there if you ask me.

10) "The Crimson Petal and The White" by Michel Faber
This is one amazing story. It is about a prostitute in 19th century London who falls in love and to some extent loses both her identity and her freedom. It is very touching and it made me incredibly APPRECIATIVE that I a women today, not 150 years ago...

9) "The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic" by Sophie Kinsella
This is not a book that I like. Actually I was so ANNOYED by the frustrating lack of self-awareness and common sense of the character that the story ended up being irrelevant and all the fun parts of the book were lost on me because I was so ANGRY with the airhead heroine.

8) "The Book, The Film, The T-shirt" by Matt Beaumont
Told from many many angles with several characters, all of them with their own voice. One of the FUNNIEST books on my shelves, it never fails to make me LAUGH.



7) "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" by J. K. Rowling
Probably the Harry Potter book that touched me most deeply. The dictatorship of Umbridge and the absence of light was almost too much for me. It was so tough to read through, I almost couldn't deal with the pain that Harry went through and it almost HURT physically to read through it.



6) The Sooke Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris
This series never fail to make me feel COMFORTABLE. I love Sookie and her southern charm and she never makes to make me feel all WARM inside.



5) "The Little House on the Prairie" by Laura Ingalls Wilder
I was quite young when I first read this one and the other in the series and it was a book that stayed with me for a very very long time. One of those that I kept coming back to, reading over and over again and marveling at the strength of the characters. The family values displayed in it really really MOVED me.

4) "We Need To Talk About Kevin" by Lionel Shriver
Scary, so scary. If you are pregnant and even just a little bit worried about whether or not you will be a good mum, it is not the right time to read this one. Or maybe it is. The ultimate fictional story about nature vs. nurture, questioning whether or not a person can be born evil. Really made me WORRIED about becoming a mother.

3) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J. K. Rowling
Read the last pages of this book on a train and cried. I could not stop myself. It was so sad, the end of an era and I was so not ready to say goodbye to Harry. Luckily this is one of those books that can be read and re-read because because it was both SAD and HAPPY at the same time.



2) "Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo" by Christiane F.
I was thirteen when I first read this one - the truthful and heartbreaking account of a teenage drug addict and prostitute in 1980's Berlin. It was the book that really made me realize that what I saw on the news actually happened to girls who were just like myself. Such an eyeopener and very very emotional read, it made me really SAD.



1) "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
Most be the scariest book I have read in the sense that it all seems so real. This could happen. Reading this book actually scared me, not in the thriller-sense, but in the what-is-the-world-coming-to-sense and I actually ended up writing an article about it for a political blog as well as buying it as birthday presents for friends. Amazing book that really had me SCARED.

Top Ten Tuesday: Endings that made you go "What?!?"

I haven't done a Top Ten Tuesday for a while and have to admit I missed it. So here we go - thanks to The Broke and the Bookish for facilitating this great game!

Today's topic.... endings that left me open-mouthing going "What happened?!?!"

10) "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
So unexpected - and it makes it so much more than a love story!

9) "Changeless" by Gail Carriger
I was completely dumbfounded by the ending of this one and actually rather annoyed with the situation. As I remember it, my immediate reaction was "Men!!" in a very grumpy tone of voice

8) "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman
I am not even sure why but this ending really surprised me. In a good way. And if you haven't read this book, you must. It is really really good.

7) "The Collector" by John Fowles
I am not sure what I expected from this book in terms of ending but certainly not this. Loved it once I got over my initial surprise

6) "The Pearl of the Soul of the World" by Meredith Ann Pierce
I was quite young when I first read the Darkangel trilogy and I was really disappointed with the ending. Guess I was a bit of a romantic then - or at least more romantic than now. Because now I think it is the perfect ending - surprising but perfect.

5) "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
All I can say is that I was very very happy that I had already bought book three and could start on it immediately. Otherwise I might have gone crazy trying to figure it all out.

4) "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
I won't say anything other than: Things are not what they seem.

3) "A Handful of Dust" by Evelyn Waugh
Definitely not a feel-good ending. I was completely taken by surprise when I read it - hadn't seen it coming. Until the last page I was hoping for a happy ending...

2) "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Not only was I extremely surprised but I was also a little (tiny) bit angry at the author for letting this happen and very very sad. Think I even cried. One of the things I love about the Harry Potter series is that sometimes sad and bad things happen to good people and it affects not only the characters in the story but also the reader.

1) "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness
I didn't know that this was the first book in a trilogy and at first I was furious with the author for leaving such a cliff hanger. Then I googled the book to find out if others felt the same way and found out that there was more to come. So now I am waiting excitedly for the next book as I absolutely love "A Discovery..."

Top Ten Tuesday: Underrated books - must reads!

The topic of this week's Top Ten Tuesday is Underrated Books as in books you can't believe aren't more popular, books that are more obscure and so on. I love this topic. There are so many books that I can't believe aren't getting more hype or that I love but that have not received the acclaim that I think they deserve. So here we go - don't forget to pop by The Broke and The Bookish to join in!

10) The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Many of you know the musical and have probably seen either that one or the film - but have you read the book? Otherwise, I can highly recommend it. It is a short but great story about Christine Daaé with the amazing voice, her childhood sweetheart and the opera phantom who is in love with her. It is not your typical love story but it is a really sweet and sometimes scary story.



9) Ronja, the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren
One of the best children's book ever about the strong, independent girl Ronja who lives in the forest. If you haven't read it yet, you have to get it now. It is a classic.



8) Havana Real by Yoani Sanchez
This is a non-fiction book, a collection of blog posts from the Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez, giving us a glimpse into the life of a family in Cuba who are struggling to make ends meet even though they are among the well-off. Yoani is a really cool woman with a strong voice and lots of opinions. Amazing book, was completely unable to put it down once I had started it.



7) The Exception by Christian Jungersen
A deeply disturbing book about adult bullying the work place. The point-of-view keeps changing between the characters which makes it really difficult to be black and white about who are the evil ones and who are the good ones. It is a bit of a thriller, a suspenseful read that deserves many readers!



6) Namedropper by Emma Forrest
This was one of my favourite YA books when I was a teenager. It is a coming-of-age story about a Viva whose world seems to be populated with characters - from the gorgeous best friend Treena to her gay uncle Manny with the Liz Taylor obsession this book takes us from North London to California and back as we follow Viva learning a thing or two about life. It is full of pop culture references and my 15 year-old self loved it.



5) Dewitt, Helen: The Last Samurai
Ludo is a gifted child, a child prodigy, a kid for whom learning is the best way of entertaining himself. So while his mother struggles to keep up with the five-year-olds wish to learn Japanese and make enough money to get them through the day, Ludo wonders who his father is. A really beautiful book with great characters that you cannot help but love.



4) Stolen Spring by Hans Scherfig
This on is a Danish classic, a must-read on the Danish high school curriculum and for a very good reason: it is a real treasure! A literary feast of amazingness! It is the story of a group of school boys in a very disciplined school where the teachers use their powers to degrade the students - especially the latin teacher Blomme is a real nasty piece of work and the book centers on the mystery of his death. If you are a fan of classic school novels from early 1900s, then this one is for you.



3) The Darkangel by Meredith Ann Pierce
Forget about Twilight and House of Night and all those paranormal romance vampire books that are flooding the market at the moment. This is as much of a vampire classic as Bram Stoker's Dracula, if you ask me, except they aren't vampires - they are vampyres, darkangels that feed on souls. When Ariel's mistress, the beautiful Eoduin is taken by a darkangel, she follows her to try to free her from the vampyre's clutches.



2) Nordkraft by Jacob Ejersbo
If you liked the film "Trainspotting", you will love this book. Ejersbo's novel is a masterpiece about living a hard life full of drugs, alcohol and abuse on the bottom of society. This is a book about the people we see on the street and that makes us thankful for our lives. It is so gripping and thought-provoking that it moved me to tears.



1) The Sopranos by Alan Warner
One of my favourite books (it has been for years) is this fantastic tour de force about a group of Catholic school girls on an outing from their small village to a larger town for a choir competition. The amount of mischief (doesn't cover it at all!) they get into is disturbing - getting drunk, getting their uniforms stolen... it is all just the beginning of the adventure.