2011: The (half) Year of the "Read and Feed"

Waaaay back in 2009, I stumbled across a blogger who published a list of books she read during the year.  I remember thinking it was a fun idea, so I kept a list in 2010, didn’t get around to publishing it in January, or February, or March, and then felt too embarrassed to post it past that point.

 

I kept a list in 2011, too.  Surprisingly, even with all the marathon nursing sessions of this summer, I only read five more books than in 2010.  (A male librarian commented on the size of my check-out stack this week, and then giggled like a 12-year-old boy when I explained “read and feed”.  They love me at the library, I tell ya…)

 

Since it’s still January, and since my friend Katie says that once you have a baby, two weeks late is the new on time (YAY!  My new mantra!), I am going to post my 2011 book list.

 

[DISCLAIMER:  I read for pure enjoyment.  Occasionally I'll pick up a biography or a non-fiction book, but for the most part, I read what looks interesting.  Or fun.  (Yes, I judge books by their covers.)  I am not terribly picky.  I read all genres, for all ages.  Trashy beach novels are my secret shame.

I am a very fast reader.  VERY fast.  Just this summer, I realized that I don't actually read at all;  I skim.  I pick out details and ignore the rest.  (Blessing and curse, I tell you.)  I have very good immediate recall, but unless a book really moves me, I don't remember much about it a month after I've read it.  Looking back over my list, there are some books that are complete blanks in my mind.

Unless they are terribly written, or mind-numbingly boring, I will force myself to read books from cover to cover.  (In 36 years, I think I could count on both hands the number of books I've stopped reading in the middle.)  You will find swearing in a lot of these books.  There are probably some explicit scenes as well.

My point is, this is MY list.  If what I find acceptable, literature-wise, is incompatible with your standards, that's totally okay.  I just don't want you to be offended because I read a book like that (whatever *that* is to you), and then chastise me about it.  Got it?]

 

 

1.  Fablehaven:  Keys to the Demon Prison  (Book 5)–  Brandon Mull  (LOVE this series!)

2.  The Chosen One–  Carol Lynch Williams  (This one still haunts me.  Especially meaningful now, with the FLDS/Jeffs issues.)

3.  Gods in Alabama– Joshilyn Jackson

4.  The Seventeen Second Miracle– Jason F. Wright  (Everyone should read this and apply it!)

5.  Last to Die– Kate Brady

6.  Between, Georgia– Joshilyn Jackson

7.  Morning Glory– Diana Peterfreund

8.  The Girl Who Stopped Swimming– Joshilyn Jackson

9.  Bulletproof Mascara– Bethany Maine  (Girlfriend HAD to have sold some Mary Kay at some point.)

10.  The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey– Trenton Lee Stewart

11.  The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma– Trenton Lee Stewart

12.  Good Enough to Eat– Stacey Ballis

13.  The Scent of Rain and Lightning– Nancy Pickard  (Good book.  Rated “M” for mature.)

14.  Once a Spy– Keith Thomson

15.  How High the Moon– Sandra Kring

16.  The Help– Kathryn Stockett

17.  Winter Bloom– Tara Heavey

18.  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society– Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows

19.  Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet– Jamie Lee

20.  Truly, Madly– Heather Webber

21.  The Fortune Quilt– Lani Diane Rich  (Also enjoyable.  Also “M”.)

22.  Mrs. Kimble– Jennifer Haigh

23.  The Rebellion of Jane Clarke– Sally Gunning

24.  The Painted Darkness– Brian James Freeman

25.  Blood is the New Black– Valery Stivers 

26.  Previously Engaged– Elodia Strain

27.  Through Black Spruce– Joseph Boyden

28.  Meg’s Melody– Kaylee Baldwin

29.  License to Dream– Anna Jacobs

30.  Saving CeeCee Honeycutt– Beth Hoffmann  (One of the best books I read this year.  LOVED it.)

31.  Watermark– Vanitha Sankaran

32.  Letters From Home– Kristina McMorris  (Another contender for “best read”.  Excellent.)

33.  Wrecked– Carol Higgins Clark

34.  Live Wire– Harlan Coben

35.  Welcome to Last Chance– Hope Ramsay

36.  Never Bite a Boy on the First Date– Tamara Summers  (On Kendra’s recommendation.  Mine?  Not so much…) (…although 13-year-old me would have loved it.)

37.  Night of the Living Dandelion– Kate Collins

38.  Mini Shopaholic– Sophie Kinsella

39.  The Uncoupling– Meg Wolitzer

40.  Toys– James Patterson  (So, so awful.)

41.  Pumped for Murder– Elaine Viets

42.  Never Knowing– Chevy Stevens  (Good book.  Darker subject matter.)

43.  The Art of Saying Goodbye– Ellyn Bache

44.  Bossypants– Tina Fey

45.  A Crowded Marriage– Catherine Alliott

46.  Keep a Little Secret– Dorothy Garlock

47.  Declaring Spinsterhood– Jamie Lynn Braziel

48.  The Peach Keeper– Sarah Addison Allen

49.  The Hoarders– Jean Stringham  (This book made me weep.  AMAZING.)

50.  Princess for Hire– Lindsey Leavitt

51.  I’ll Walk Alone– Mary Higgins Clark

52.  Now You See Her– James Patterson

53.  The Hunger Games– Suzanne Collins  (LOVED.)

54.  Catching Fire– Suzanne Collins  (Liked a lot.)

55.  Mockingjay– Suzanne Collins  (Not so happy with.)

56.  Poison Study– Maria V. Snyder  (LOVED.)

57.  Magic Study– Maria V. Snyder  (Liked a lot.)

58.  Fire Study– Maria V. Snyder  (Not so happy with.)

 

So, there you have it.  If (When) you comment, be sure to include a book you’d recommend.  So far, my 2012 list only has 4 books on it…