Faith

Haigh, Jennifer. Faith: A Novel. New York: Harper, 2011. Print.

I picked up this book because the cover reminded me of Anna Quindlen's tearjerker Every Last One.

Faith made me cry just as hard, and I finished it in one nearly sleepless night.

Here's what the critics had to say about Jennifer Haigh's latest novel:

“Both riveting and profound. . . . An incredibly suspenseful novel.” -Washington Post

"Indelibly rendered characters, suspenseful pacing, and fearless but sensitive handling of a controversial subject will make this a must-read for book discussion groups.” -Booklist (starred review)

“The narrative is emotionally involving and ethically concise, reminding us that things are not always as they seem." - Library Journal

10 best books of 2010

In no particular order, here are my 10 favorite books that were published in 2010:

Franzen, Jonathan. Freedom. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010.

Quindlen, Anna. Every Last One: A Novel. New York: Random House, 2010.

Richards, Keith, and James Fox. Life. New York: Little, Brown and Co, 2010.

Steinberg, Avi. Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian. New York: Nan A. Talese, 2010.

Cole, Henry. A Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2010.

Waters, John. Role Models. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010.

Dickens, Charles, Chuck Fischer, and Bruce Foster. A Christmas Carol: A Pop-Up Book. New York: Little Brown, 2010.

(Yes, I know that the original edition was published back in 1843.)

Schwartz, John. Short: Walking Tall When You're Not Tall at All. New York: Rb Flash Point, 2010.

Wood, Maryrose, and J. Klassen. The Mysterious Howling. New York: Balzer + Bray, 2010.

Thomas, Marlo. Growing Up Laughing: My Story and the Story of Funny. New York: Hyperion, 2010.

Have a very happy and healthy New Year's celebration.

Love,
Rebecca

Need a good cry?

Quindlen, Anna. Every Last One: A Novel. New York: Random House, 2010.

Anna Quindlen's latest novel left me sobbing to the point of gasping for air. For an excellent summary without any spoilers, click here to read Maggie Scarf's review in the New York Times.

Here's what the other critics had to say:

"Anna Quindlen's writing is like knitting; prose that wraps the reader in the warmth and familiarity of domestic life . . . Quindlen starts to pull at the world she has knitted, and lets it unravel across the pages." --Nicole Brodeur, Seattle Times.

"It's a testament to Quindlen's character development and plotting that by the time disaster hits . . . the catastrophic consequences of everyday actions are truly shocking." --Nancy Robertson, Washington Post.

"Quindlen orchestrates her chorus of voices . . . with exquisite balance. She places the shocking event that changes everything -- a moment that echoes the book's title and is so stunning it made me gasp." Jane Ciabattari, NPR.