My favorite books this year so far

I love to read, but usually my tastes tend to go in the Young Adult genre because what others consider adult, I won't consider reading, so it has been a surprise to find some adult fiction that I really love.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. This was my favorite book that I read last year. I loved it! For some reason I didn't get it on my 2009 Reading list but it was my fav for last year. It is about a little tiny island off the coast of England that is part of England and was the only part of England occupied by the Germans during WWII. The story starts after the war, and it is written entirely in letters. So the island is real (I recently met someone that lived and served a mission there whose name actually was Guernsey, but no relation) and the German occupation really happened. Also some of the events that happened on the island during the war are true, but the characters and plot are fiction.

This year I was only about half way through the year when I read this book. These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner. The minute I finished it I had to e-mail a friend and say "Go to the library right now and check this out. It is amazing!" I thought I had found my favorite book for this year. It is the diary of Sarah as she lives and writes starting in 1881 and follows her journey across the Arizona territory in a wagon train and then trying to settle it. It will make you laugh and cry. Amazing. The characters of Sarah and Captain Jack are so well developed and so real. This is an amazing story of love, courage, and perseverance in difficulties. I was excited to see there are 2 more books about Sarah that are out. They are going on my "To check out" list.

As I said before, I thought These is my Words was going to be my favorite book for the year, but then I picked up Green Rider by Kristen Britain, and I had some major competition for favorite of the year. I think these 2 could tie. I read this in 2 days staying up way too late both nights. It is an adult fantasy about Karigan, a young girl, who unwillingly becomes a messenger for her king carrying a "life or death" message to the king while trying to escape being killed by those who do not want the message delivered. There is magic, good and evil, adventure, and a slight beginning of a romance. There are 3 out in the series right now with the 4th due out in Feb of next year. I am currently enjoying the 3rd installment called The High King's Tomb. The 2nd is First Rider's Call.

Hope these give you some good reads as you enjoy the last few hot (they are very hot here) days of summer!