I wasn't very good about keeping track of the books I read this year, but I always like to look back and remember, so I did my best to come up with a decent list. I'm sure I forgot a few. Overall, I had a pretty good mix this year. Maybe a bit heavy on the youth fiction, and also the set-in-the-future-dystopia-books, but Hunger Games and Catching Fire were two of my favorites. I probably would pass on the Pretties and Specials if I had to choose over again. I loved Life of Pi. It sent me online to find out what others thought, but it's definitely not for everyone. Killer Angels was great preparation for my trip to Gettysburg, but it was a bit slow. I was really looking forward to The Lost Symbol. I liked it, but didn't love it. It's pure Dan Brown. If you liked The Da Vinci Code you'll like this. As always, the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency are delightful and easy. These are my top pics from the year:
The Book Thief. So different. Great characters. I haven't cried so hard since I read These Is My Words.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. This was such a sweet book. I loved everything about it. Go read it. You'll love it. I'm so sad there won't be anything more from this author.
Snowflower and the Secret Fan. Oh my. I had no idea what it really meant to have your feet bound. The pictures I found online were unbelievable. I loved reading about a time and culture I wasn't very familiar with. I also loved how it made me reflect on the friendships I have, and how important they are. I would like to read more from this author.
The Hunger Games/ Catching Fire. These are youth fiction, but they are pretty intense. Definitely page turners. Clever and creative and a lot of fun. I can't wait for the third book to come out this summer.
If you read any of these, let me know what you thought. And, as always, please give me your recommendations. I always love recommendations from friends.
The Book Theif by Markus Zusak
3 comments:
I read several of the ones you mentioned.
The Book Thief gave me chills. One of those books where you want desperately to change how it ends, even though you know it's perfect. You just get so INVESTED in the characters...And such clever writing.
Potato Peel Pie is just heartwarming through and through. I thought at first I wouldn't like the diary style, but as with the Sandra Gulland Josephine Bonapart trilogy, it is used very well.
The Uglies series. I made it through Specials. Extras couldn't pull me in at all. But I did like the series.
I was waiting anxiously for Catching Fire, and didn't feel disappointed. I'm on team Peeta. Book three comes out this year I believe, right?!
The Killer Angels made me want to read everything on the Civil War. I grew up near Gettysburg so I was already interested. GREAT BOOK. I just read Gone With the Wind and that's written with a southern perspective, which I've read very little of.
I haven't read Prayer for Sale but I did just read New Mercies (set in the south in 1933 featuring lots of Civil War, or "War of Northern Agression" references). I would absolutely recommend it.
I've also been reading a lot of YA lit this year for some reason. Ann Rinaldi writes some very light, easy stuff. I like historical fiction so her books go quickly for me.
Other books I've read recently that I would suggest are Jane Eyre, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Wednesday Sisters, The history of Love,Cordelia Underwood: The Marvelous Beginnings of the Moosepath League, The Memory Keepers Daughter, and On the Occasion of My Last Afternoon. There are so many...
As for keeping track of books, I've started using the "We Read" function on Facebook. If you are on facebook let me know and I'll "chuck you a book" and help you get started. It's fantastic. Plus, they catalog the books you enter and then spit out recommendations based on your list. Very cool.
(sorry for posting a book. I clearly love books:))
Oooh! And right now I'm reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. VERY good...
I think it's funny that we read a lot of the same books last year without even knowing it. I also read Three Cups of Tea (that I noticed you are reading now). Let me know what you think. Thanks for posting. I like to know what other friends are reading and recommend as well. See you in a few months!!!
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