"Breaking Dawn" Bests Readers' Top 10 Books of 2008

December 22, 2008 8:25 a.m. EST

Miami, FL (CNS) - If you hit bookstores anytime in 2008 or just turned on your TV or simply talked to another human being, you've probably heard about a little phenomenon called "Twilight." Though plenty of readers picked the original novel as their top for the year, it was actually first published in 2005. But that shouldn't suck the life out of our reader's Top 10 Books of 2008: Stephenie Meyer is still #1.

1. Breaking Dawn -- Stephenie Meyer Though the final book in the "Twilight" saga received mostly negative reviews, fans still couldn't enough of Bella and Edward's growingly twisted love story.

2. The Last Lecture -- Randy Pausch Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch was asked to give his "Last Lecture" soon after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Titled "Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," it became an internet sensation and is now a popular, inspiration-filled book.

3. Are You There, Vodka? It's Me Chelsea -- Chelsea Handler The first female of late-night comedy, Handler writes a memoir of basically why she is the way she is: from lying to her elementary school classmates about starring in a "Private Benjamin" sequel to finding herself in a lip lock with a murderer. With readers calling it laugh-out-loud funny, Chelsea handles her "Vodka" well.

4. The Tales of Beedle the Bard -- J.K. Rowling Five fairy tales from the Harry Potter scribe takes fans back to a world of magic and Muggles, if only for a quick hundred-page read.

5. Brisingr -- Christopher Paolini Book 3 in the "Inheritance Cycle", which began with the hit "Eragon", the latest in the fantasy series continues to delight fans of dragons and adventure.

6. Chasing Harry Winston -- Lauren Weisberger This Sex & the City-style novel from the author of The Devil Wears Prada received poor reviews but is hitting the marks with chick-lit fans with its story of three best friends hitting thirty.

7. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle -- David Wroblewski Oprah says read and fans ask, "How much?" Well in this case, its 576 pages of Wroblewski's best-selling novel about a mute man who can communicate with dogs and uncovers a terrible tragedy.

8. The Hour I First Believed -- Wally Lamb After surviving the Columbine shooting, a man and wife uncover family secrets in this long and not as successful follow-up to his Oprah-blessed "She's Come Undone" and "I Know This Much Is True."

9. Through The Storm -- Lynne Spears Because readers can't get enough of her daughter Britney, mother Lynne Spears here writes a memoir of the family's beginnings and also gives insight into the tumultuous past two years for the Spears clan.

10. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World -- Vicki Myron with Bret Witter This best-selling novel features a cat who was dumped into a library return book slot and later became a full-time employee. The book follows author Myron's personal struggles who, along with the feline protagonist, has touched plenty of our readers.