• Janet Evanovich, Finger Lickin’ Fifteen -Who can’t relate to bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, and her former-prostitute assistant, Lula? And don’t we all wish we had two hunky men – Ranger and Morelli, vying for our attention? Guess that’s why this latest installment of the über-popular series is another bestseller.

• James Patterson, Swimsuit -James Patterson does it again. This mystery novel is perfect for the beach, especially if you’re soaking up the sun in Maui, where the novel is set.

• Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success -Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point and Blink, walks us through story after story as to the cornerstones of truly successful people.

• Danielle Steel, Matters of the Heart -For the love of it all: Studlier-than-ever boy meets super-determined girl. Boy loses girl. Boy gets girl back.  Everyone lives happily ever after. Voila!

• Audrey Niffeneger, The Time Traveler’s Wife -Soon to be out as a movie, this is a gripping tale of an accidental time traveler and his loving, dedicated wife who never knows if he’s going to make it back to now.

• Lois Meltzer, The Murderous Urges Of Ordinary Women -Ah, those invisible flabby-armed women are up to no good. Follow their antics in a lively romp through middle age.

• F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby -Wasn’t Read A Classic This Year on your New Year’s Resolutions for 2009? Who can resist social satire that peeks behind the social graces to underlying human cruelty? Hands down one of the 20^th century’s greatest novels.

[Photo from ailatan via Flickr]