30 Days of Books: Honorable Mentions

After a while, I started to get tired of that 30 Days of Books meme. I kept mentioning the same books and authors over and over because they seemed the best fit for those categories, but that meant not writing about a lot of other books that I've also enjoyed. It also seemed really limited to YA books or books I'd read growing up, because those still have the strongest memories.

So, here's a list of some books I've read in the last two or three years, plus the categories I'd invent just for them.

"A Visit From the Goon Squad," by Jennifer Egan
A trendy book I liked more than I thought I would (I loved it)

"The Martian Chronicles," by Ray Bradbury
Favorite short story anthology

"The Lathe of Heaven," by Ursula K. Le Guin
Sci-fi novel I wish I could emulate

"White Oleander," by Janet Fitch
Realistic novel I wish I could emulate / A book that reminds me of a place from my childhood (California)

"Persepolis," by Marjane Satrapi
A book that makes me homesick

"Einstein's Dreams," by Alan Lightman
Framework I wish I could pull off

"Shopgirl," by Steve Martin
A book that exceeded my expectations / Favorite melancholy book

"The Napoleon of Notting Hill," by GK Chesterton
Favorite old fantasy

"The Lady or the Tiger, and Other Short Stories," by Frank R. Stockton
A book I'm saving for my children (one of many, really)

"Good Omens," by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Favorite religion-related book / A book that reminds me of childhood

"The Little Prince," by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
A book that helps keep me in check

"The Know-It-All" and "The Year of Living Biblically," both by AJ Jacobs
Favorite contemporary autobiographies / Books in the style I'd probably use if I ever got around to writing an autobiography

"Stargirl," by Jerry Spinelli
Protagonist I wished I was more like as a teenager

"Shabanu" and "Haveli," both by Suzanne Fisher Staples
Favorite YA realistic fiction

"Brief Lives," by Neil Gaiman
Favorite graphic novel in a series of graphic novels

"Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat," by Arnold Arre
Graphic novel I wish I could emulate

"The Graveyard Book," by Neil Gaiman
Favorite YA book that I first read after I'd already turned 20