I should start off by saying, these are not reviews — just some of my personal favorite reads. I could never be a book reviewer. It's too hard, and I would be terrible at it. When I love a book, I can't say enough about it. When I hate a book, I don't write a word. Because I can't slam a book in print. I mean, I REALLY can't. I can talk about it privately, but that's as far as it goes.

I think it's the teacher in me. I remember the look of defeat in a student's eyes when they saw their paper covered in red ink. It was the opposite of the look they had when they turned in that paper — full of hope and excitement. As a result, I never graded in red. Not once. I actually used purple ink because it matched my classroom walls (a cool BC coincidence). And I was an infamously tough grader. I made note of anything and everything that could make a piece of writing better, but I would like to believe that I did so in an encouraging and constructive manner.

Because it's easy to tear a book or piece of writing apart, especially if you didn't write it. Authors are no different than those students holding their papers covered in red ink. As a writer, you put yourself into your work. Then you send it off into the world. Not everyone will like it. Reading is subjective, and depends on the way an individual relates personally to a text. But as a writer, I also want to support other writers. So, unless I love a book, I'll leave reviewing to trade journals, magazines, and book reviewers.

Here are the Top 10 New Books I loved in 2009. (I am defining "new" as a book that isn't part of a series.)

My Favorites (in no particular order):

1) THE DEMON'S LEXICON by Sarah Rees Brennan

Because I can usually see the end coming.

2) SHADOWED SUMMER by Saundra Mitchell

Because a true Southern ghost story with characters and a setting this real is rare.

3) HATE LIST by Jennifer Brown 

Because not every story has a happy ending, and there is hope in that for readers whose lives are less than happy.

4) RAMPANT by Diana Peterfreund

Because it's time there was another kick-ass heroine to replace Buffy (and some killer unicorns).

5) THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan

Because this book expanded the paranormal genre, and the heroine was unapologetically unsentimental.

6) ASH by Malinda Lo

Because who says your prince charming has to be boy? (The YALSA doesn't.)

7) THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner

Because this a rare piece of real science-fiction in YA.

8) FIRE by Kristin Cashore

Because the writing is so beautiful it will take your breathe away.

* Technically, this is part of a series. But not in the traditional manner, so I squeezed it in.

9) IF I STAY by Gayle Foreman

Because some choices are almost impossible to make.

10) SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater

Because the tension between Sam and Grace was unmatched.

What am I looking forward to in 2010? Come back and see…