VAIL VALLEY, Colorado — We have five booksellers on staff at The Bookworm in the Vail Valley. Add that to our cafe staff and baristas, all of our part-time workers, and of course Nicole and Kristi, The Bookworm's co-owners and fearless leaders, and you'll have a veritable stew of opinions when it comes to books. Some of us only read fiction, others only non-fiction. We have a few on staff who may admit to reading more than five books at the same time. Between all of us, we try to cover as much reading ground as humanly possible. So when asked about the best book of 2009, is it any wonder we would never be able to form a consensus?

In a year that saw new releases from huge literary stars such as Stephen King, John Irving, and the almighty Dan Brown, the competition was fierce. There was no shortage of fantastic offerings from debut authors, and many of the books that we loved this year came from authors even we had never heard of before.

We are now down to the very last weeks of the year and the debate rages daily. We had bets going on whose pick would win the National Book Award. We compared our lists to the New York Times and scrambled to finish the books that would just make the cutoff date. In the end, it came down to one simple fact. There is no one best book of 2009. In our eyes, there are 20.

Best in Fiction

“Little Bee,” by Chris Cleeve

“Little Bee” could be the most powerful book published this year. It's the story of two very different women, one Nigerian, one English. They share a traumatic moment in their past, which brings them physically together, yet their emotional and cultural lives separate beyond repair. With this incredibly powerful novel, Cleave begs the question: can we truly understand each other in this complex and sometimes frightening world?

“The Lacuna,” by Barbara Kingsolver

This is Barbara Kingsolver's first novel in nine years and well worth the wait. With vivid renderings of the real life characters of Frida Khalo, Diego Rivera, and Leon Trotsky, Kingsolver illuminates the fictional story of a young man's life journey of self discovery. Layer upon layer is revealed through journal entries and letters, and the sheer depth of this novel makes this Kingsolver's best yet.

“Stone's Fall,” by Iain Pears

“Stone's Fall” is a vast historical mystery, intricately plotted and richly satisfying. John Stone, financier and arms dealer, a man so wealthy that in the years before WWI he was able to manipulate markets, industries, and indeed entire countries and continents, dies from falling out of a window at his London home. The quest to discover the hows and whys of his death plays out against the backdrop of the evolution of high-stakes international finance, Europe's first great age of espionage, and the start of the 20th century's arms race.

“Let the Great World Spin,” by Colum McCann

Colum McCann's book about New York City — the people, the place, the grit and the grime — takes place during the '70s, yet it has more to say about the city's true character than any novel we have read since that tumultuous decade. The characters' lives swirl and converge around the World Trade Center and the fateful day when Phillipe Petit strung a wire between the towers and walked through the sky. McCann has captured the overwhelming vastness and diversity of the city, all the while brilliantly illuminating the deep connections people make every day.

“Girl Who Played With Fire,” by Stieg Larsson

This is the second book in the trilogy that has rocked the book world and changed the general perception of the thriller genre. Critics have touted it as gripping, astonishing and intelligent. Bookworm customers covet it for its intrigue and depth. Larsson has induced a reading frenzy, the likes of which we have not seen since Harry Potter. Only, we're not talking about kids books here.

Best in non-fiction

“Zeitoun,” by Dave Eggers

Readers should first know that the quality of research done to complete this book was immense. That said, the quality of the writing surpasses any biography we have read — the prose is precise and leveled, the plot and characters developed with all the detail of a novel. This book brings the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, and one family's crushing story, to a vivid and immediate place. In the tradition of What is the What, Dave Eggers has done it again.

“Just Like Us,”

In this gripping look at the lives of four young women from Mexico, Helen Thorpe explores one of the most complicated social issues of our day. Just what does it mean to be American? This is a coming-of-age story that doesn't shy away from the deep exploration of the meaning of race, culture and identity in America today. “Just Like Us” is journalism at its most culturally relevant.

“Outliers,” by Malcolm Gladwell

Success is a difficult term to define. It can mean many different things to many different people. Some judge success by wealth or social status. Some use their lasting friendships as a gauge. Still others don't even give it a second thought, though seem to effortlessly rise to the top. Gladwell takes all of this and more into account as he explores the converging processes that lead to a successful life. His conclusions are not just surprising, but inspiring.

“Mennonite in a Little Black Dress,” by Rhoda Janzen

This is a hilarious and often-moving memoir of a thoroughly modern, and irreverent, woman returning to the close-knit community of her childhood after her marriage — and world — crashes down around her. The peaks into the world of modern-day American Mennonites is absolutely fascinating and, often, heart-warming.

“The Good Soldiers,” by David Finkel

Finkel, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer for the Washington Post, takes the reader on a tour of Sadr City, Iraq, a voyage to dark places — boarding the planes, eating in the chow halls, seeing Iraq through an armor-plated, bullet-proof window. Readers feel the heat and smell the sewage that smothers this wartime place with a thickness. This is not just a news story. It is perhaps the most honest and intimate portrayal of the Iraq war we've seen.

Best things are worth waiting for

The lag time between a book's release in hardcover and its availability in paperback can be make an avid reader impatient to say the least. A year can be just too long to wait. But, just in case you need a reminder of what was on your to-read list from 2008. Here are our picks for the best paperback releases of this year.

“Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” by Stieg Larsson

We picked this book last year when it was released in hardcover, but we couldn't resist a second go for the paperback. If you are a thriller fan, but feel the genre has been diluted with cookie cutter crime romps; if you love books that explore the depths of psychology and human relationships, but also desire a strong plot line, this book is for you. Warning: You will beg for the next installment in this trilogy.

“Beat the Reaper,” by Josh Bazell

Pietro “Bearclaw” Brnwna, a retired hit man for the mob is now, thanks to the Witness Protection Program, Dr. Peter Brown, medical intern at Manhattan's worst hospital. One night, a patient who recognizes Peter from his previous life is wheeled into the emergency room. A shockingly entertaining stream of chaos ensues as Peter races against time to stay alive. An adrenaline-fueled debut novel so original, you won't be able to put it down.

“Prayer for the Dying,” by Stewart O'Nan

Descend into madness in Stewart O'Nan's dark, chilling and poetic novel of one man attempting to face down both epidemic and wildfire that threaten to destroy his town in post-Civil War Wisconsin.

“Velva Jean Learns to Drive,” by Jennifer Niven

Here is the heartwarming and well-told story of a young girl growing up in rural North Carolina in the 1930s. Velva Jean's mama is dead, her daddy gone, and her sister, Sweet Fern left in charge. What is a girl grown up during the depression with one big dream — to sing in the Grand Ole Opry — to do? We loved this book for its triumph of the human soul and its lesson of living fully everyday.

“Widow Clicquot,” by Tilar J. Mazzeo

Behind the famous champagne label was a woman who defied every social constraint of her time. The Widow Clicquot's life of bold entrepreneurship and risk-taking is not just the history of her wine, but also of the very image of Champagne itself. Utterly intoxicating!

Best in children's and young adult

“The Great Paper Caper,” by Oliver Jeffers

Quirky, funny, lovable, this is a picture book as much for mom and dad as for the little ones.

“Little Prince Pop-Up,” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The classic whimsical story that you remember from childhood, now with all the excitement of pop-up art.

“Flawed Dogs,” by Berkeley Breathed

A heartwarming and humorous ode to the unconditional and lasting love we and our pets share.

“Graceling & Fire,” by Kristin Cashore

OK, we know this is two books, but we couldn't pick just one. Take a leap into a faraway world of romance and fantasy.

“Catching Fire,” by Suzanne Collins

The second book in a dystopian drama that has teens gripped with anticipation, waiting for the next installment.

Besse Lynch works for The Bookworm of Edwards.