2010 Staff Fiction Picks

Fiction Picks

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry—Excellent audio version.
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
Waking up in the Land of Glitter: a Crafty Chica Novel by Kathy Cano-Murillo
The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
Stiltsville by Susanna Daniel
Room by Emma Donoghue (staff review)
Juliet by Anne Fortier
Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman—Excellent audio version.
Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
Ape House by Sara Gruen
The Red Thread by Ann Hood
Stay by Allie Larkin
Beaded Hope by Cathy Liggett
Mary Ann in Autumn by Armistead Maupin
Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro
The Hand that First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell
The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine
  Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin (staff review)
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson (staff review)—Mentioned by multiple staff and described as the “Best warm and fuzzy book of 2010.” And was noted for an excellent audio version.
The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart (staff reviews: DiAnne, Thais)
Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman
Red Hats by Damon Waynans (staff review)
 The Tale of Halcyon Crane by Wendy Webb—Fans of The Lace Reader take note.
 One Good Dog by Susan Wilson
A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff
Matterhorn: a novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes—Excellent audio version.

 Historical Fiction Picks

A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer (staff review)
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake (staff review)
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
A Murderous Procession by Ariana Franklin
Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
Page from a Tennessee Journal by Francis Thomas Howard
Gloryland by Shelton Johnson
Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay
Glorious by Bernice McFadden
Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Some Sing, Some Cry by Ntozake Shange
The Personal History of Rachel DuPree by Ann Weisgarber

Mystery & Suspense Picks

Faithful Place by Tana French ( staff review)—Most mentioned mystery among staff!
The Black Cat by Martha Grimes
Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely
God of the Hive by Laurie R. King
Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny
Portobello by Ruth Rendell
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Romance Picks

Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie (staff review)
Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas
Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery (staff review)
Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh
 

 Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Picks

Ark by Stephen Baxter
Changes by Jim Butcher
The Passage by Justin Cronin (staff review)
Horns by Joe Hill (staff review)
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin (staff review)
Warriors edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois
Kraken by China Miéville (staff review)
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Wu ( staff review)