Book, 2010

2010 was a  hard reading year.  I couldn't find many books on my own that really grabbed me.  It it hadn't been for my dear friends mailing books to me and a few good suggestions, I really would have had a bad one.  And, to my shame, I haven't posted a single book review.

Lame.

But, as a tiny guilt-assuager (not really a word, I know!!), I'm posting all the books that I read and/or started.  It isn't very long or glamorous, but here it is.

The Copper Beach* - Maeve Binchy at her finest.

Lavinia* - Returns us to the beginnings of Rome, my first Ursula Le Guin book.  Loved it.

The Drifters* - The 60's in all its glory.  Sex, drugs, VW buses, hippies.  Good times.

The Knife of Never Letting Go - I need to finish the other two books of this series.  I will eventually.

The Lovely Bones* - I read this book back in 2003; I liked it just as much the second time around. 

The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime* - I didn't love the characters, but I liked the message of this book.

Little Bee* - traumatizing, guilt-inspiring, and yet so triumphant.  Reminds me of Poisonwood Bible, and yet they are nothing alike.

Girl in Translation - a great immigrant story.  Amy and I read this book within weeks or days of each other without knowing it.  I love that this happens often.

Little Stranger - Gothic book about a house.  I didn't love the ending - too many loose ends.

Someone Called Eva* - an interesting take on WWII for children.  I was fascinated learning about the Nazi's use of adopting "German" looking children from neighboring countries.  How glad I am that we won the war.

A Vintage Affair - Probably my favorite book of 2010.  Another WWII tie, but set in the present.

The Girl who Chased the Moon - another favorite.  This author (Sarah Addison Allen) has eclipsed my love for Alice Hoffman a la The River King and Blue Diary. 

Fever 1793 - my first ever Laurie Halse Anderson book, read weeks after my sister went to dinner with her. 

Possession - I finally bought my own copy and wrote in it as I read it.  Love love love this book!

Time Traveler's Wife - every year I read it.  I admit I now see Rachel McAdams when I picture Clare, but she's kind of fuzzy...not 100% Rachel.

Mockingjay - One of the few book reviews I did.  And now that I look at the post, it wasn't even a review.

Walk Two Moons* - I didn't love this book until the end.  Then it really really hit me.

I am the Messenger* - loved this book.  Loved its message.  Giggled at the whited out swearing with replacement words written in.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog* - hated it until 140 pages in, then read it in 2 days.  A great great book.

Unwind - terrifying, and so possible.  Thing Hunger Games intensity with a totally creative, unique premise.  And no annoying self-centered main character.

Chains - another Laurie Halse Anderson.  She does youth fiction so, so well.
The Lace Reader* (haven't finished yet) - reading this one in tandem with Sepulchre.

* - means books that I read with my book exchange group.  Seriously love, love, love these amazing women.  We have been through 30+ books together that I can think of and I love them more each round.  Thanks girls for putting up with my stupid asides and terrible handwriting and for the fact I tell you that my back up religions are Catholicism and Judaism in every. single. round somewhere. I love all of our confessions...

And, these books I started but have put by the wayside:

The Surrendered - Korean War book - graphic and slow. 


Northanger Abbey - I want to love this more than I did. I guess I'll just have to accept that Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility are the only Jane Austen book's I'll ever complete.

Anne of Green Gables - I hated this book. Why? I don't know. I wanted to like it, but it wasn't the reality.

The Distant Hours - Argh. I loved The Forgotten Garden so so much. Why isn't this one as good?  Why?

13 Reasons Why - full of teenage angst.  I will eventually finish it, I think.

So there is my 2010 list of books. I know there are a few I picked up and read a few pages of but I didn't write them down, so oh well.  And the reason I have this list is because every year I keep a spreadsheet of the books I have read.  I have it going back to 2002 or 2003; one of the years I spent hours every day pumping at work.  I love these lists and look at them whenever I try to remember when or if I read a book.  Am I the only one that does this?? I hope not.
 
How was your 2010 reading?  Did you read any of these? Anything I should put on my list for next year?