Keris's "Top 10 books I reviewed this year"

Our Top 100 Extravaganza continues with my favourite books of the year (read Diane’s list here). Like Diane, I limited myself to books I read for the first time this year and, because I’m doing a Top 10 Young Adult list, I didn’t include any young adult books here.

Don’t forget to tell us about your favourite books of the year.

10 Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne

The sequel to The Little Lady Agency, Little Lady, Big Apple follows Melissa’s adventures with her etiquette and grooming agency. As you can guess from the title, she’s off to New York.

"It's a testament to the strength and charm of the characters that when I sat down to read I felt I was catching up with old friends (even though I only read the first book last week). It's fun, funny and sweet."

9 Pick Me Up by Zoe Rice

Pick Me Up is the story of Izzy who works in an art gallery and loves Robbie Williams. Clearly, I was destined to love her. And I did.

"I really enjoyed this book. Izzy's a charming, down-to-earth character and the supporting cast is great fun too. There are laugh-out-loud moments and an enormously romantic ending."

8 Happiness Sold Separately by Lolly Winston

The follow up to the enormously successful Sophie’s Bakery for the Broken-hearted brilliantly chronicles the breakdown of a marriage.

"I've never read a book where wanting more than one person at the same time is portrayed so convincingly. I had no idea who to root for. I wanted everyone to be happy. Winston writes about the minutiae of life beautifully."

7 Ex and the Single Girl by Lani Diane Rich

I hate to compare Lani Diane Rich to Jennifer Crusie - because everyone does - but I have the same confidence in Lani’s books as I do in Jennifer Crusie’s. I just know I’m going to get an entertaining and involving story and Ex and the Single Girl didn’t let me down.

"Portia is funny and real and Ian is sexy. Ex and the Single Girl is a fun and fast read about following your heart and finding your place in the world."

6 Me vs Me by Sarah Mlynowski

Sarah Mlynowski is an author at the top of her game and Me vs Me is her first foray into chick lit paranormal. Unable to decide whether to stay in Arizona and marry her boyfriend or move to New York for a great job opportunity, Gabby wishes (on a star) that she could do both. And she does.

"I really loved this book. It’s an original and interesting idea, entertainingly executed."

Carry on over the cut for the Top 5.

5 Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie

Jennifer Crusie is one of our Top 10 chick lit authors and her books are always a cause for celebration. Anyone But You is one of her simpler stories, but it’s full of her usual humour, romance and great sex.

"A lovely, charming, sweet and romantic book. I loved it."

4 Cancer Vixen by Marisa Acocello Marchetto

A bit of a departure, Cancer Vixen is a graphic novel and non-fiction so it really shouldn’t be in this list at all, but it’s amazing and inspiring and I couldn’t leave it out.

"The word 'unputdownable' is overused in book reviews. I mean, it's not true, is it? There's no book that you literally can't put down, but there are some books that once you start reading you don't want to stop and, for me, Cancer Vixen was one of those books."

3 Love Walked In by Marisa De Los Santos

Marisa De Los Santos’s debut novel tells, in alternating chapters, the stories of 30-year-old Cornelia and 11-year-old Clare and what happens when their lives intertwine.

"Love Walked In is a beautiful, magical book. It's old-fashioned, cleverly crafted and constantly surprising. The characters all seem utterly real - they are flawed, intelligent and interesting."

2 Stupid and Contagious by Caprice Crane

I heard a lot about Stupid and Contagious before reading it - it was probably the most-recommended book of the year. I was worried I’d be disappointed. Far from it.

"Stupid and Contagious is extremely funny, it made me cry and when I finished it I could happily have turned back to the first page and started it again. One of the best chick lit books I've ever read."

1 Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes

Marian is a chick lit goddess and number one in our Top 10 chick lit authors list. Her latest book, Anybody Out There?, is also, in my opinion, her best.

"Anybody Out There? made me laugh out loud. It also often gave me that trying-not-to-cry pain in the throat. And once I gave up and sobbed. It made me think. It made me want to move to New York. It's a wonderful story with brilliant, believable characters and a truly satisfying ending."

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