As the year is coming to an end we are reflecting back on the many books we have read and reviewed this year. We have each selected our top 5 books for 2009. Once you finish looking over our list, please comment letting us know what your picks were. If you have a blog, please link us to your "best of 2009" post. Happy New Year, and may 2010 bring us lots of great reads!

Holly's Picks
A powerful novel that I think about quite often. This book will stay with me forever, and I absolutely cherish my copy!"The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" is an epic novel. It should be at the top of every book lovers list of books to read. Hands down, one of the best stories I have ever read. Check out my detailed review here.

I needed a day to process this book after finishing it. This is hands down, one of the most well-written novels I have read in a long time. The character depth is astounding! I felt as though I knew these people, that their story could have been in my family. Check out my detailed review here.

Masterfully written, this book is going on my "favorites" shelf, and this Michelle D. Kwansney is going on my "authors to watch" list.
Check out my detailed review here.

The novel is very well written, and was an absolute breeze to read. This took me by surprise, as it is a book about neurosurgery. An impressive first novel from the author, I eagerly await her next. Check out my detailed review here.

Sookie Stackhouse had me at "Hello". An excellent series, that I will be reading and re-reading for years to come. I highly recommend. To read all of our Sookie Stackhouse content (there is a whole lot!) click here.

Ashley's Picks
I could not put this book down for even a little while, and I was a little disappointed when I got to the end that there wasn't more to read. I'm definitely looking forward to when her next novel is available. Her writing is quick, witty, and endearing. It's light, funny, and quick. A perfect read for a rainy day, or those of us who need something to read on the commute to and from work. Read my detailed review here.

Every once in a while, there's a book that seems written for you. It speaks to you in a way books you love haven't. You don't just visualize the author's words, they leap off the page, and rather than watching the movie in your mind, you are living it. You feel the pain, the joy, the laughter. When the book is finished, you're more than disappointed. I will hold onto the satisfaction this book gave me, and the hunger for more of the same. Hopefully, there will be another book that catches my attention like this one. And soon. Check out my detailed review here.

I couldn't tear myself away from this book, and I knew nothing of the heavily dramatic rumors surrounding Alice in Wonderland, and the people behind the book. Ms. Benjamin has woven a story that enticed me from beginning to end. Check out my detailed review here.

Every emotion possible was covered in this book, and for me felt deeply: heartbreak, love, second chances, anguish, loss, sympathy, agony, joy, lust, anger, pride and hurt. I know I'm particularly susceptible to feeling as if I'm there in many of the novels I read but I think I can say with certainty that this was one of the most evocative pieces of work I've ever read. Check out my detailed review here.

Kevin said in his afterward that he did not want to write this memoir, did not feel that he had lived a life meriting it. Boy is he wrong. His writing is fluid and gripping, his voice raw and evocative. I was glued to the pages and fascinated by this man living his life on his terms and turning something so potentially hurtful (the startles stares of so many) into something so profound (many of his pictures accompany chapters and there's no mistaking the stares he's captured). His humor, drive, and humility shone through throughout and I would highly recommend this to anyone. Read my detailed review here.