Today I’ve been blogging for twelve years, which means it’s time for my anniversary post, where I list my top 10 books of this year of blogging. This year I found it much more difficult to pick this list than in previous years. Working from my Best of Ten list, I had several cases of more than one book by the same author that I had to choose between. I also didn’t have as many books that I was absolutely sure would end up in my top ten for the year as I usually do. (When I’m sure, I mark them in purple on my list.)
Of the books I’ve chosen, six are historical novels, three are vague as to time, and only one is clearly contemporary, but harks back to the 1970s (which some of us can remember). Eight are by women. This is an international group of novels. I’ve chosen books set in far northern Canada, islands off the coast of Denmark and in the Moluccas, France, Iceland, Michigan, Texas, and Ireland. My choices are by Canadian, Danish, American, Icelandic, Indo-European, French, and Irish authors. Seven of the books were written relatively recently, while three are older books. This year, all are novels.
So, in the order in which they appeared on my blog, here are my top ten books of the year:
- The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson
- The Unseen by Roy Jacobsen
- The Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer
- Miss Iceland by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
- The Ten Thousand Things by Maria Dermoût
- News of the World by Paulette Jiles
- We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
- Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
- The Child and the River by Henri Bosco
- Foster by Claire Keegan
What? Me Read? 
Happy blog anniversary! Twelve years is a long time. I’m only coming up on nine.
I’ve read and loved half of your picks.
Oh, that’s so nice, especially your last comment! Thank you!
That’s splendid. Cheers for your patience and persistence to keep going . Have a fantastic blog anniversary.
P.S. We have always lived in the castle is an absolute golem.
Thanks!
Happy anniversary! We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a great book – I’m pleased to see it on your list. I’ve also read The Flight Portfolio and Tom Lake, although I didn’t enjoy them as much as you did.
Thanks!
Happy anniversary! FOSTER – YES! Damn, but that woman can write!
She sure can!
Happy Blog Birthday! Here’s to the next twelve years! 🍾🥂🎉
I’ve only read We Have Always Lived, and loved it! But I have Tom Lake on my To Be Listened To list, thanks to you – hoping to get to it soonish!
Oh, good, I hope you love it!
Happy anniversary, well done.
Thank you for your list, I have saved it. There are a few books there already on my list, but looking forward to checking out the rest.
Thank you!