Check out the Huff Post editors' selections via the link below. I was glad to see included my favourite for the year ,'The Tiger's Wife' by Tea Obreht, and also one of the books on my 'to read' list, 'The Night Circus' by Erin Morgenstern.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/29/11-best-books-of-2011_n_1174162.html.