Emmy's, Schmemmies; Oscars, who needs 'em? The votes are in -- library and local book clubs have chosen their Faves and Raves for 2005-06! And in `` Razzie'' fashion, they are also alerting read ers to `` thuds and duds'' to watch out for when choosing books for the year to come.

`` The Kite Runner'' was a pre dictable top pick for many clubs. A gripping tale of friendship, betrayal and redemption set in Afghanistan before and during the rule of the Taliban, Khaled Hosseini's novel gave readers a `` better understand ing of the culture we were getting mixed messages about from the press,'' reports the St. John's Women of Spirit Book Club. Equally moving, according Lorraine Woll, was Jeannette Walls' sensitive memoir, `` The Glass Castle,'' which `` touched everyone who had a split family and had to deal with some strong issues.''

`` The Wedding'' by Dorothy West `` introduced us to the Martha Vine yard's black community and a wide variety of issues,'' writes Maggie Holmes of North Attleboro's Richards Library Book Group. Ani mated discussions about Tim O'Brien's `` The Things They Car ried'' were spiced up `` by a young man who had a different take on the Vietnam War,'' and `` Nickel and Dimed'' by Barbara Ehrenreich `` did not go over very well; people did not like the author's voice or style.''

Meanwhile, in Attleboro, the library's evening club enjoyed `` A Year by the Sea'' by Cape Codder Joan Anderson, as well as Somerset Maugham's `` The Razor's Edge'' but found `` The Fifth Child'' -- Doris Lessing's unsettling story of mater nity and social collapse, just plain `` weird.''

The morning group at the Attle boro library had two favorites: `` Asy lum'' -- a psychological horror story by Patrick McGrath, and `` Bel Canto'' by Ann Patchett, a unique blending of opera and terrorism. As to duds, Frank Nolan notes that `` A Mother and Two Daughters'' by Gail Godwin was a `` real bomb.'' A multi-cultural group that meets monthly at Jaec's chose Jhumpa Lahiri's `` The Namesake'' as their most enjoyable book this year. According to Anne Oldmixon, `` the discussion was lively due to the cultural differences. We empathized with the parents leaving India and making a new life in the USA.''

The Limoncello Literati, recently profiled here, raved about a book for grades 7-10, `` Tending to Grace'' by Rhode Island author Kimberley Fusco. Told with elegant simplicity from the viewpoint of a young girl whose stammer confounds her into silence, it is a coming of age story with an engaging intergenerational twist. Another favorite was `` Killer Angels'' by Michael Shaara, a Civil War novel on which the 1993 film `` Gettysburg'' was based. Jonathan Franzen's `` The Corrections,'' on the other hand, was a thudding disappointment -- `` about a family so dysfunctional it was painful to read!'' the group reported.

Among the books `` highly recommended'' by Wrentham's Fiske Library Book Club were `` The Myth of You and Me'' by Leah Stewart, `` a wonderful story of friendship that got us all sharing about the friends we had and lost in our lives,'' writes Nikki Kirsch; `` The Human Stain'' by Philip Roth, `` A brilliant (but big book) with so much to talk about!!'' ; Stephanie Kallos' `` Broken for You'' with `` a lot of great themes to chew on,'' and `` The Wife'' by Meg Wolitzer, `` an excellent read by an excellent author. We loved this book!''

To a person, the young mothers of the Books and Buzz Club (featured here in June), loved James Frey's `` A Million Little Pieces,'' despite the controversy surrounding the `` memoir.'' `` It was excellent, awesome, an intriguing story, whether fact or fiction!'' the club reports. Also on their list of winners were `` The Pact'' and `` My Sister's Keeper'' by author Jodi Picoult, whose writing and characters they admire. In the dud category they deposited Jan Martel's `` Life of Pi,'' as `` just too much to get through.''

Attleboro's Wednesday Morning Book Group not only thoroughly enjoyed Lisa See's `` Snow Flower and the Secret Fan,'' but made a field trip to the Peabody Museum in Essex to tour Yin Yu Tang, the early 19th century Chinese home re-erected on site. Their highlight in the non-fiction category was Tom Friedman's seminal book `` The World is Flat.''

A local American Association of University Women-based book study group, now in its 46th year, seemed to find unanimous choices in either category an impossible assignment. Their diverse selections include `` The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time'' by Mark Haddon, `` Undaunted Courage'' by Stephen Ambrose (about the Lewis & Clark expedition), John Irving's `` Prayer for Owen Meany,'' and `` The Secret Life of Bees'' by Sue Monk Kidd. Duds were `` A Thousand Acres'' by Jane Smiley and Louise Erdrich's `` The Master Butcher's Singing Club.''

And finally, a book group of lawyers and their spouses, Books 'n Briefs, were unanimous in their praise of `` To Kill a Mockingbird'' by Harper Lee, which they were re-reading as adults, with a split decision on `` Waiting'' by Ha Jin.

Library book clubs will be launching their new book discussion groups soon. Check out the clubs at your local library.

BOOK COLUMNIST KATHY HICKMAN of Attleboro can be contacted at news(at)(at)thesunchronicle.com.