Favorite book of January?

What book that you read this month have you enjoyed the most?

I think my favorite book that I read this month was How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff. I loved the main character's voice, which was very strong, and I liked how that voice remained constant even as the world around the main character changed. It was a short book, but by the end I was completely absorbed.

Erotism by Georges Bataille runs a close second; it was a fascinating look at the similarities between sex and death, and how society views them both.

That is a really tough call... I think the Abhorsen Trilogy (Sabriel, Lirael & Abhorsen) would have to be at the top of my list. The world building was really good and I enjoyed the characters, the settings... everything. It has left me wanting more stories set in this world.

The Stand was also amazing, but that's a re-read, so I don't know if I should count it.

I'm also really enjoying my current read, This Alien Shore, though I'm not far enough into it to really form an opinion on the book as a whole. C.S. Friedman is an author whose work I enjoy a great deal though.

That's tough. Sunshine by Robin McKinley is one of my favorite books, full stop. So of the rereads, that's definitely my favorite.

Of the new books I read this month...I couldn't put Conrad's Fate down. On the other hand, Earth by David Brin is an amazing, complex book that took me a lot longer to read than it might have, because I couldn't just sit down and read it all at once.

(Touchstones for Earth and Sunshine were acting all funky, so I gave up on them.)

I think I have to go with Stitch 'N Bitch by Debbie Stoller or The Elfquest Gatherum ed. by Dwight Decker; I always like reading engaging things about topics I enjoy, and both of these fit the bill. I never would've imagined I'd enjoy the knitting book as much as I did, (or that I'd actually read it cover to cover; I mean, it's a pattern book. What kind of a geek reads pattern books cover to cover? Apparently, me), but I had a real blast with it. I'm planning to buy my own copy pretty soon.

For fiction... it's hard to chose. I really enjoyed Fingersmith, but it hasn't stayed with me much. It was great while it lasted, but I'm not sure I'll ever need to reread it. Crossroads and other tales of Valdemar was surprisingly good - much moreso than I expected it to be - but I'm not sure if I'd rank it at #1. Signal to Noise was excellent, but I don't know that I enjoyed it so much as got a lot out of it. Hmm...

So I'll stick with the two nonfiction things.

the Ghatti's Tale Book I. I bought this book six or seven years ago in middle school, because it had a cat on the cover. Whenever I saw the other books in the series, I would buy them, because I had the first one. I read the first book in the series last week, and I was thrilled to see it was worth holding on to all these years!

My favorite for January was Outlander by Diana Gabaldron hands down. It was totally awesome. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Well, this might really be February's book ... it's on the cusp. I started Left Hand of Darkness this weekend but won't finish it until February, for sure. But I have to tell you, I am totally enthralled. Fabulous book! Ursula K. Le Guin.

If it has to be all just in January, then my vote is for Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt. Except that I started it in December!

I've read 16 books in January and SEVEN were about Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe. These were all new to me and I really enjoyed them, especially Archie Goodwin's narration.

This is really hard but I'll choose two: Astrid and Veronika by Linda Olsson and The Observations by jane Harris.

For me it was The Grapes of Wrath. This was my first book of the year, it had been a while since I'd read a classic, and I have not read much John Steinbeck either. I was just blown away by the writing.

The first book I read in January is also my favorite- Eat, Pray, Love. A great book that I couldn't put down. I also really like Peace is Every Step as I am learning more and more about mindfulness. It's weird my two favorites for the month are non-fiction. I typically don't read a lot of non-fiction.

The book I've liked best so far in 2007 is a toss up between Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs and Secret Vampire by L.J. Smith. I really enjoyed both stories. I just can't get away from my vampire infatuation.

The Testimony of Taliesin Jones was a book I found while browsing at the library. The writing was fantastic, and I was really intrigued by the author using a young character to talk about religion. It was a very thoughtful read :-)

I'm with you demonlover about the vampire obsession. My favourite for January would be A Taste of Darkness by Nina Bangs. It's part of a series featuring her (and my) favourite cosmic troublemakers - Sparkle and Ganymede.

Well, this might really be February's book ... it's on the cusp. I started Left Hand of Darkness this weekend but won't finish it until February, for sure. But I have to tell you, I am totally enthralled. Fabulous book! Ursula K. Le Guin.

If it has to be all just in January, then my vote is for Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt. Except that I started it in December!

The Complete Chronicles of Conan perhaps

This months best would be Dune followed very closely by Phillip Pullman's Northern Lights

An American Childhood by Annie Dillard. No question about it. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Definitely The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides.

I liked the way the author showed the strange family situation of the girls through the eyes of neighborhood boys.

I also liked the choice of words the author used to tell his story. It's a very precise and well-written novel.

Gah, so hard to pick just one!

Leaving Islam: Apostates Speak Out by Ibn Warraq was help to me emotionally, whereas Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Duty of Genius by Ray Monk helped me out academically and intellectually.

It certainly was Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman.
What a jewel!

I read several very good books in January, but the best one was The Prestige by Christopher Priest. I was so impressed I had to go out & buy another book by him, just to see if it could possibly be anywhere near as good. i've not started it yet (due to reading group commitments), but I plan to read it as soon as possible.

Is it too early to have a favorite for February? Cause I think I do! :)

tunarubber: Go for it!

Far and away, my favorite book for January was Flowers for Algernon. It was amazing and moving.

I loved Changing Planes; in fact, it's one of my favorite books ever. It was an unusual sort of book; there was no plot, really, but you felt as though you'd visited the worlds she described. Visionary is a good word for it.

My favorite was I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. It was a quick read but gave lots to think about. And I loved the ending which I understand not too many people did.

Ex Libris! A fantastic book, I agree! Especially for a book lover, it is a marvelous find. I read one little essay a day until they were all gone, then turned the tiny book over and over in my hands, like an empty chocolate box. And I don't even like essays that much!

ditto, kambrogi!

BTW, aluvalibri, have you read The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, also by Anne Fadiman? I was very impressed, but it is an entirely different sort of nonfiction book.

No, kambrogi, I have not read it...yet! But since you are the second person that talks about it enthusiastically (and since I highly appreciate Anne Fadiman), I will put it on my list of next acquisitions.

Let me know how you like it!

My favorite book this month was Peeps.. Everyone should read this. I didnt think that I was going to like this as it was about vampires and parasites but it hooked me immediatly and I could not stop reading it. This was DEFINATLY my favorite.

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Ekert

A personal finance book. This was my fav for January.