As the year comes to a close, I thought it would be fun to take a look back at the books I've read this year. Although I started my blog in January 2008, I didn't actually start posting reviews regularly until February/March. I ended the year with 30 books read, which is amazing considering I really wasn't trying for a particular number, I just read what appealed to me. Following is the list of books I read, including links to the subsequent reviews. Take a look!Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die by Nancy Martin
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
The Ex-Debutante by Linda Francis Lee
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Just Who Will You Be? by Maria Shriver
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
The Snake Charmer by Jamie James
The Richest Season by Maryann McFadden
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
The Wentworths by Katie Arnoldi
House and Home by Kathleen McCleary
Driving Sideways by Jess Riley
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
My Husband’s Sweethearts by Bridget Asher
A Dog Among Diplomats by J.F. Englert
The Shack by William P. Young
Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
The Day I Killed James by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O’Nan
Tomato Girl by Jayne Pupek
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford (Review forthcoming)
It would be very difficult to pick a favorite, so instead I'll list my Top 5, in no particular order!
- The Secret Life of Bees
- Tomato Girl
- The Kite Runner
- The Art of Racing in the Rain
- Mudbound
In closing, I'd like to thank all of the readers of my blog for your support and friendship. Starting this blog was one of the best things I've done and I'm so glad to have met you all and I'm looking forward to 2009 being even better! I want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year full of wonderful new books and of course, happiness!
Great job on reading this year!
ReplyDeleteI started reading seriously again a few years ago and the books read # increased substantially each year. That surprised me. This year I found I was reading even more and when I saw the #100 within reach I pushed for it. Would I do it again (go for 100)? No. But I did get sucked into a 75 book challenge on Goodreads, lol. This year I'm challenging myself to read the books I already own and if I reach 75, fine. If not, great. But I'm not going for numbers again!
Of your top books, I read The Kite Runner and loved it. I want to read Mudbound this year - saving it for the Southern challenge hosted by Maggie. She raved about it this year (as did many other readers).
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you! I am glad that you started blogging so that I can get to know you through your words. I wish you luck in your reading (and other) resolutions.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Kite Runner! Great choice!
ReplyDeletewonderful reads in 2008!
ReplyDeletesome of those are on my wish list.
I really enjoyed Snowflower and the Secret Fan.
Happy New Year :)
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
Mary - Wow! I don't think I could make it too 75 let alone 100! lol Mudbound was a fantastic debut novel and I'm sure you'll love it!
ReplyDeleteBeastmomma - I, too am glad we met through our blogs and have become friends. Happy New Year to you and your PTB. :)
Sheri - The Kite Runner blew me away! I'll always love Baba!
Naida - I had a hard time with the foot binding - I had just broken some toes and I almost couldn't bear reading of the pain those girls went through! lol
Happy New Year!
Hi Lisa!
ReplyDeleteI counted to see how many of the books on your list were ones that I had read- 9!!! That's a pretty high percentage!
I'm so glad we've become blog friends. Take care and Happy New Year!
Love your Top 5. I've read 2 of the 5 and the others are on my list TBR for 2009!!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
The Kite Runner and Secret Life of Bees also made my best of 2008 list.
ReplyDeleteYou got a lot of good reading done Lisa. I agree on Tomato Girl, Secret Life and The Kiterunner being awesome. I have Mudbound to read this year and can't wait-I've heard good things about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure glad to have met you this year and I wish you all the best for 2009.
I wanted to drop by and wish you a Happy New Year. Yes, I know it's the fifth of the month. I'm so sorry. The book challenges have taken over my life right now.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, this is going to be a great year in books! :)