Melinda Morley

I did not read half the books I wanted to this year. Okay, maybe a little over half  if you want to get technical.  In spite of my reading sparsity which a writer should NEVER do or at least admit to, I did find a few gems. Allow me to indulge:

This must have been my year for reading mostly local authors. I met many and, therefore, had to read at least one of their books.

First, was Jessica Day George’s new Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. It is my favorite of hers and later Dragon Flight the sequel to Dragon Slippers. Jessica is a busy gal and is one of Sassy’s favorite authors. I often find Jessica’s books under Sassie’s bed.

At LTUE I met James Dashner (13th Reality), Jeffery S. Savage (Into the Fire, and Dead on Arrival), and Julie Wright (My Not-so-fairy-tale Life). The 13th Reality had a great premise and really fun characters. Both of Jeff Savage’s books were suspenseful page turners that I very much enjoyed. And Julie’s Not-so-fairy-tale Lifehad me up until three in the morning with entirely used-up box of kleenex (Yes, that is good).

Then Carol Lynch Williams critiqued some of my writing for me, so I had to read something of hers. Of course. So, I read Carolina Autumn. It was a great and tender little read.

Janette Rallison taught the class at the BYU Writer’s Conference that I attended in June, so I had to read a couple of hers (and two more of her’s are on my nightstand). I read It’s a Mall World After All, and Fame, Glory, and Other Things on my To-do List. Janette writes great comical romance. Always a fun read. Always.

Then I was stunned with Sara Zarr’s Story of Girl. Gritty and honest and sometimes a little dark, but the end is fabulous. Wow. One of the strongest books I read all year.

Stunned again by Ann Dee Ellis’s This is What I Did. I wish that I had did it. Wrote it, I mean. What a great voice. Cannot wait to read her next book. Another wow.

Of course, I read Stephanie Meyer’s two books. Loved The Host. I did. And Breaking Dawn, well, not so much, but still, Stephanie Meyer is a powerful story teller. Can’t argue that.

Some random books I read: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. A girl commits suicide and then sends tapes to thirteen people telling them what role they played in her demise. Dark. But, it really makes you stop and think about how you treat other people. Wow. It still gives me the chills.

I read The Star Garden by Nancy Turner. I always send her fan mail and she always answers. I heart her. I LOVE her books. And I want to be best friends with her main character, Sarah Prine. Can you be friends from the pre-existance with a fictional character. Because I think I am. I mean was. I mean, never mind.

Then I read The Alchemist. Didn’t really care for it, but it did inspire my dreams and then The Last Lecture, which inspired my dreams, but in a different way. What if you knew you were going to die. What would you say to those you are leaving behind–especially to your children?

And I read others, not all worth mentioning, plus I’m probably boring you so I’ll move on. Drum roll, please.

And, now, my favorite book of the year:

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt.

Can’t stop thinking about it. Great characters. Wonderful voice. Not a wasted word. Delightful. Funny. I laughed out loud every other page. Depth. Shakespeare (that’s where the toads, beetles, bats comes from.)

If you get the chance. Snag it.

So, in summary: read lots more than me. And don’t overlook authors in your own area. And read The Wednesday Wars.

There.

PS- Happy New Year!