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1lunacat
I thought it would be interesting to have an awards ceremony of the books you have read this year. So I came up with a list of awards!! Too dosed up on painkillers for a coherent response but can just about manage the titles. So......
Best fiction book:
Best non-fiction book:
Best short story:
Worst fiction book:
Worst non-fiction book:
Worst short story:
Best character:
Worst character:
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc)
Worst book within a genre:
Most original idea:
Most cliche'd plotline:
Book you couldn't put down:
Book you couldn't wait to put down:
Best overall read of 2008:
or just tell me if this idea is daft ;)
Best fiction book:
Best non-fiction book:
Best short story:
Worst fiction book:
Worst non-fiction book:
Worst short story:
Best character:
Worst character:
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc)
Worst book within a genre:
Most original idea:
Most cliche'd plotline:
Book you couldn't put down:
Book you couldn't wait to put down:
Best overall read of 2008:
or just tell me if this idea is daft ;)
3biblioholic29
I think it's a great idea as well luna, I'll definitely work on my list tonight!
5pollysmith
yes fun fun fun!
6Espeon200
I don't think my bookie deserves any awards this year. He kept telling me to bet on the wrong horses.
8biblioholic29
Oops! I got all caught up in my book and then Heroes last night and completely forgot. I'll try to fill some in now and then come back to any I don't have immediate answers for. The hardest part is going to be sticking to 2008!
Best fiction book:
Best non-fiction book: British History for Dummies It held my attention and kept me interested. When I was done I took a quiz on trivia123.com about British History rated "hard" and got 100%, so I must have learned something!
Best short story: N/A
Worst fiction book: Charlemagne Pursuit, the only book this year I couldn't finish.
Worst non-fiction book: All of the non-fiction I've read has been good!
Worst short story: N/A
Best character: Bella Cullen.
Worst character: Bella Swan.
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc): Breaking Dawn of the YA/fantasy genre
Worst book within a genre:
Most original idea:
Most cliche'd plotline:
Book you couldn't put down: There've been several, but probably Breaking Dawn again!
Book you couldn't wait to put down: The Book Thief This may surprise some people, because I did like the book, but it brought up a lot of emotions I didn't want to deal with, so I ended up walking away from it often.
Best overall read of 2008:
Like I said, I'll be back later with more!
Best fiction book:
Best non-fiction book: British History for Dummies It held my attention and kept me interested. When I was done I took a quiz on trivia123.com about British History rated "hard" and got 100%, so I must have learned something!
Best short story: N/A
Worst fiction book: Charlemagne Pursuit, the only book this year I couldn't finish.
Worst non-fiction book: All of the non-fiction I've read has been good!
Worst short story: N/A
Best character: Bella Cullen.
Worst character: Bella Swan.
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc): Breaking Dawn of the YA/fantasy genre
Worst book within a genre:
Most original idea:
Most cliche'd plotline:
Book you couldn't put down: There've been several, but probably Breaking Dawn again!
Book you couldn't wait to put down: The Book Thief This may surprise some people, because I did like the book, but it brought up a lot of emotions I didn't want to deal with, so I ended up walking away from it often.
Best overall read of 2008:
Like I said, I'll be back later with more!
9Jim53
I can't answer them all, but here's what I can manage:
Best fiction book: Freddy and Fredericka
Best non-fiction book: On the Shoulders of Giants: my personal journey through the Harlem Renaissance
Best short story:
Worst fiction book: Velocity
Worst non-fiction book: Oh, The Things I Know!
Worst short story:
Best character: Claire Fergusson
Worst character: Elizabeth Phoenix
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc): All Mortal Flesh
Worst book within a genre: Any Given Doomsday
Most original idea: Fool's War
Most cliche'd plotline:
Book you couldn't put down: I Shall Not Want
Book you couldn't wait to put down: Any Given Doomsday
Best overall read of 2008: Freddy and Fredericka
or just tell me if this idea is daft ;) Daft but fun!
Best fiction book: Freddy and Fredericka
Best non-fiction book: On the Shoulders of Giants: my personal journey through the Harlem Renaissance
Best short story:
Worst fiction book: Velocity
Worst non-fiction book: Oh, The Things I Know!
Worst short story:
Best character: Claire Fergusson
Worst character: Elizabeth Phoenix
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc): All Mortal Flesh
Worst book within a genre: Any Given Doomsday
Most original idea: Fool's War
Most cliche'd plotline:
Book you couldn't put down: I Shall Not Want
Book you couldn't wait to put down: Any Given Doomsday
Best overall read of 2008: Freddy and Fredericka
or just tell me if this idea is daft ;) Daft but fun!
10foggidawn
I'm going to copy Bib's idea and work on this as I have time.
Best fiction book: Forever Rose by Hilary McKay
Best non-fiction book: I suspect it will be The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West by Sid Fleischman -- if I get to it before the end of the year.
Best short story: "When Winter Comes" by Sharon Shinn, from The Queen in Winter
Worst fiction book: Confessions of a Teen Nanny by Victoria Aston. I'm still not sure why I finished this one, but it was dreck.
Worst non-fiction book: I don't recall reading any "bad" nonfiction this year (I don't read a lot of nonfiction), though I skimmed through some that were undistinguished, certainly.
Worst short story: One of the other ones from The Queen in Winter. I can't remember which one, but I remember that two of them were pretty dire.
Best character: My first idea for this category was Sazed from The Hero of Ages -- except that I didn't like him as much in this book than the previous two. Then I thought of Wanderer from The Host -- and I did like her, but I'm not sure I'd say she was the "best." Then I thought of Audrey from Audrey, Wait!, but still wasn't sure she fit the bill. Then I realized that I reread HBP this year . . . heh heh heh . . . you see where this is going, right? My choice for best character is Severus Snape.
Worst character: This may surprise some people, but I'm going with Georgia Nicholson. It's not that she's not well-written, it's that I really didn't like her at all.
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc): The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson (in the fantasy genre). I read a lot of genre lit, particularly young adult speculative fiction. I read fewer "adult" books, so I did my genre pick from one of those.
Worst book within a genre: Back Home Again by Melody Carlson (in the inspirational fiction genre). I used to read a lot of inspirational fiction, but in recent years I've become more critical of the writing in these books. Most of the problem with this one, though, is that I'm just not in the intended audience for this particular story.
Most original idea: Flora Segunda by Ysabeau S. Wilce -- the world-building in this series is exceptional.
Most cliche'd plotline: Marly's Ghost by David Levithan. I get that it was supposed to be somewhere between an homage and a parody of A Christmas Carol, but it just succeeded in being spectacularly mediocre.
Book you couldn't put down: The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Man, it was gripping.
Book you couldn't wait to put down: I know this is not how this category was intended, but I'm going to say Breaking Dawn -- not because I didn't like it (it was, in fact, almost as gripping as the book in the category before this one) but because I really wanted to get through it before someone spoiled it for me, and because I wanted to join the discussion!
Best overall read of 2008: I can't pick! *falls down in a despairing heap* Clementine's Letter? Chalice? House of Many Ways? One of my favorite rereads, like Deathly Hallows or The Return of the King or The Blue Castle? Don't make me choose just one, pleeeeeeeease!
Best fiction book: Forever Rose by Hilary McKay
Best non-fiction book: I suspect it will be The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West by Sid Fleischman -- if I get to it before the end of the year.
Best short story: "When Winter Comes" by Sharon Shinn, from The Queen in Winter
Worst fiction book: Confessions of a Teen Nanny by Victoria Aston. I'm still not sure why I finished this one, but it was dreck.
Worst non-fiction book: I don't recall reading any "bad" nonfiction this year (I don't read a lot of nonfiction), though I skimmed through some that were undistinguished, certainly.
Worst short story: One of the other ones from The Queen in Winter. I can't remember which one, but I remember that two of them were pretty dire.
Best character: My first idea for this category was Sazed from The Hero of Ages -- except that I didn't like him as much in this book than the previous two. Then I thought of Wanderer from The Host -- and I did like her, but I'm not sure I'd say she was the "best." Then I thought of Audrey from Audrey, Wait!, but still wasn't sure she fit the bill. Then I realized that I reread HBP this year . . . heh heh heh . . . you see where this is going, right? My choice for best character is Severus Snape.
Worst character: This may surprise some people, but I'm going with Georgia Nicholson. It's not that she's not well-written, it's that I really didn't like her at all.
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc): The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson (in the fantasy genre). I read a lot of genre lit, particularly young adult speculative fiction. I read fewer "adult" books, so I did my genre pick from one of those.
Worst book within a genre: Back Home Again by Melody Carlson (in the inspirational fiction genre). I used to read a lot of inspirational fiction, but in recent years I've become more critical of the writing in these books. Most of the problem with this one, though, is that I'm just not in the intended audience for this particular story.
Most original idea: Flora Segunda by Ysabeau S. Wilce -- the world-building in this series is exceptional.
Most cliche'd plotline: Marly's Ghost by David Levithan. I get that it was supposed to be somewhere between an homage and a parody of A Christmas Carol, but it just succeeded in being spectacularly mediocre.
Book you couldn't put down: The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Man, it was gripping.
Book you couldn't wait to put down: I know this is not how this category was intended, but I'm going to say Breaking Dawn -- not because I didn't like it (it was, in fact, almost as gripping as the book in the category before this one) but because I really wanted to get through it before someone spoiled it for me, and because I wanted to join the discussion!
Best overall read of 2008: I can't pick! *falls down in a despairing heap* Clementine's Letter? Chalice? House of Many Ways? One of my favorite rereads, like Deathly Hallows or The Return of the King or The Blue Castle? Don't make me choose just one, pleeeeeeeease!
11Kerian
It's hard to answer some of these, so I'm only answering a few.
Best fiction book:
Adult fiction: Fingersmith. It was incredibly plot twisting and I never knew what was coming. It almost felt like a classic in how it reminded me of books such as Jane Eyre at times, and yet was also part mystery as well.
Best & Worst non-fiction book:
I only 'read' one - The Enneagram Made Easy.
Best short story:
How short is short? I'm going to stick with a really short but lovable one, The Dark Hills Divide. You will adore the setting as a book lover.
Worst fiction book:
Adult fiction: Bridget Jones's Diary. In it's defense, I only read perhaps five books in this category.
YA fiction: Perhaps Cathy's Book, Prince Caspian *ducks*, or Elsewhere. I couldn't really get into these. Of course, those were books I completed. I have not been able to complete Rebel Angels which I guess is then the worst.
Worst short story:
The Field Guide. I think it has to be read as a series to admire it.
Book you couldn't put down:
This is either a book in Cinda Williams Chima's Heir Series or a book in PC and Kristen Cast's Marked series.
Book you couldn't wait to put down:
What the Dickens. I kept reading hoping it would get better but gave up on it between pages sixty and eighty where my bookmark still sits. It's not necessarily that it's a bad book. It's that it's meant to be read by or to a group of kids.
Best overall read of 2008:
The year is not complete.
Best fiction book:
Adult fiction: Fingersmith. It was incredibly plot twisting and I never knew what was coming. It almost felt like a classic in how it reminded me of books such as Jane Eyre at times, and yet was also part mystery as well.
Best & Worst non-fiction book:
I only 'read' one - The Enneagram Made Easy.
Best short story:
How short is short? I'm going to stick with a really short but lovable one, The Dark Hills Divide. You will adore the setting as a book lover.
Worst fiction book:
Adult fiction: Bridget Jones's Diary. In it's defense, I only read perhaps five books in this category.
YA fiction: Perhaps Cathy's Book, Prince Caspian *ducks*, or Elsewhere. I couldn't really get into these. Of course, those were books I completed. I have not been able to complete Rebel Angels which I guess is then the worst.
Worst short story:
The Field Guide. I think it has to be read as a series to admire it.
Book you couldn't put down:
This is either a book in Cinda Williams Chima's Heir Series or a book in PC and Kristen Cast's Marked series.
Book you couldn't wait to put down:
What the Dickens. I kept reading hoping it would get better but gave up on it between pages sixty and eighty where my bookmark still sits. It's not necessarily that it's a bad book. It's that it's meant to be read by or to a group of kids.
Best overall read of 2008:
The year is not complete.
12MellieT
Best fiction book: Adult Fiction: 1st to die by James Patterson
Best non-fiction book:N/A
Best short story:N/A
Worst fiction book:Spellbinder By: L.J. Smith
Worst non-fiction book:n/a
Worst short story:n/a
Best character: Bella
Worst character:Matron Malice from Homeland By: R.A. Salvatore
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc) Twilight Series(YA/Fantasy)
Worst book within a genre:Spellbinder (YA/Fantasy)
Most original idea:Scott Westerfelds Uglies
Most cliche'd plotline:
Book you couldn't put down:Most of them, but the winner is Breaking Dawn
Book you couldn't wait to put down:Shade and The Golem's Eye
Best overall read of 2008:I can't choose honestly.
Best non-fiction book:N/A
Best short story:N/A
Worst fiction book:Spellbinder By: L.J. Smith
Worst non-fiction book:n/a
Worst short story:n/a
Best character: Bella
Worst character:Matron Malice from Homeland By: R.A. Salvatore
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc) Twilight Series(YA/Fantasy)
Worst book within a genre:Spellbinder (YA/Fantasy)
Most original idea:Scott Westerfelds Uglies
Most cliche'd plotline:
Book you couldn't put down:Most of them, but the winner is Breaking Dawn
Book you couldn't wait to put down:Shade and The Golem's Eye
Best overall read of 2008:I can't choose honestly.
13LadyN
Best fiction book: Agh! My nominees would be: Notes from an Exhibition
Pillars of the Earth
Middlesex
The Book Thief
Best non-fiction book:
Best short story: I don't really read short stories.
Worst fiction book: Queen of Subtleties
Worst non-fiction book:
Worst short story: Don't really read short stories.
Best character: Max in The Book Thief
Worst character:
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc)
Worst book within a genre: Queen of Subtleties - worst historical fiction I have thus far read.
Most original idea:
Most cliche'd plotline:
Book you couldn't put down:
Book you couldn't wait to put down: Queen of Subtleties
Best overall read of 2008:
Will finish later!
Pillars of the Earth
Middlesex
The Book Thief
Best non-fiction book:
Best short story: I don't really read short stories.
Worst fiction book: Queen of Subtleties
Worst non-fiction book:
Worst short story: Don't really read short stories.
Best character: Max in The Book Thief
Worst character:
Best book within a genre (ie fantasy/historical/sci-fi/romance etc)
Worst book within a genre: Queen of Subtleties - worst historical fiction I have thus far read.
Most original idea:
Most cliche'd plotline:
Book you couldn't put down:
Book you couldn't wait to put down: Queen of Subtleties
Best overall read of 2008:
Will finish later!
