Sunday, September 20, 2009

The Book List

Remember way back in February when I said I was going to post a list of books I've read every month or every other? Well, it's been over 7 months now so this may be too long for most of you to read the whole thing. I'm sorry and I'll try to do it more often to keep it shorter. Here we go!

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague (book 3) by Brandon Mull - I have enjoyed this whole series.
River Secrets by Shannon Hale - This is a companion book to Goose Girl and Enna Burning. Read the Goose Girl first and then Enna Burning because this one will have spoilers for the other two in it. I liked it.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - (February Book Club Selection) I like this book, it's the second time I read it because I recommended it to my book club. But I will have to tell you that it is most definitely the philosophies of man.
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale - Another hit. I loved it.
The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull - I thought this was average. Fun premise with really good parts and some slow parts.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! I've read it twice already.
A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck - This was up for a Beehive book award this year, so I gave it a try. It's a cute young adult or junior fiction read.
It's a Mall World After All by Janette Rallison - Also a Beehive book nominee. I really enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Entertaining, for sure.
CrissCross by Lynne Rae Perkins - Beehive book Nominee. I liked it, but thought there could have been more.
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt - (March Book Club Selection) I reviewed this back in August. I've read it twice since, I loved it that much!
Austenland by Shannon Hale - I have to say I was disappointed. It's very different than the other Shannon Hale books I've read. It's an adult book and I just wasn't feeling it.
My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok - (April Book Club selection) I really liked this book. It's interesting and thought provoking and a little bit heart breaking.
After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson -Another Beehive book nominee. As someone who seemed to be passed by with the whole Tupac tragedy it was interesting to read. I remember it happening, but I don't think I had much of a reaction.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie - My first Agatha Christie read. And I liked it, though I had some trouble with the foreign names and phrases. A great mystery.
Lost Boys by Orson Scott Card - Very, very sad and troubling. Made me scared to send my kid to school, and I had problems with some of the main characters and what I saw as their personality flaws.
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban - Beehive book Nominee. A very fun read, especially as the mother of a boy to is learning to play the piano on an electric key board that can make beats.
The Miracles of Santo Fico by D.L. Smith - (May Book Club Selection) I reviewed this book back in March of 2008. I read it again for book club and liked it just as much the second time.
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton - (June Book Club Selection) Not my favorite book... It was weird. And a bit Gothic.
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, and Nathan Hale - This is my first graphic novel. I LOVED IT! It was so fun and not at all what I expected. I'm not a big fan of comic books so I was apprehensive but I gave it a go anyway and I'm so glad I did.
Savvy by Ingrid Law - Newberry Honor and ALA Notable book. I LOVED IT!
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Pack - Newberry Medal book. Interesting insight into a different culture. Fiction.
East by Edith Pattou - I didn't know what to expect. I just picked it up off the shelf and I LOVED IT!
The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs - Interesting insights, quirky author, Hilarious parts... Non fiction, kind of like a weird reality show.
The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle - This one was on a special rack at the library, but I can't remember which one... Maybe Beehive Book Nominee. It's poetry that tells a story. It's a really quick read. I found it interesting.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selsnick - Another Graphic Novel. I liked it. Let me know if you read it so we can talk.
Grace by Richard Paul Evans - Tear jerk er! So sad.
Precious Bane by Mary Webb - (August Book Club Selection) I LOVED IT! But I do feel like I should warn you about the way it's written. It's a weird dialect type of writing and so for a good portion of it you will have to reread stuff, and it will take some extra time to read. But it will be so worth it.
Daughter of the Forest by Juliette Marilier - I LOVED IT! And there are two more that come after.
When you have the time, read a book.

7 comments:

Becky said...

You read too much.

Becky said...

Don't worry....I'm just jealous that you have so many on your list this year. I'm so slow and I lose interest in reading sometimes.

I am going to HAVE to add some of those to my reading list though.

Anonymous said...

You amaze me with your reading abilities. I, like Becky, lose interest in reading sometimes. In fact, I had to send a book back to my mom b/c she was wanting to read it again. I had it for almost a year....I'm a sorry excuse for someone who can read.

Holley said...

Your book choices are so much like my own. I loved Daughter of the Forest, The Fablehaven series, Rapunzel's Revenge and East. I love mythology and fairytales and these authors are great. My kids asked me recently why I read more than I watch tv or movies and its because when you have these great stories to feed your imagination no TV or Movie can really compete. Its rare that I find a movie adaptation that meets what I imagined when I read the book.

The Miracles of Santo Fico is one of my all time favorites and I LOVED LOVED LOVED Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I went out and bought a few copies to send to my mom and my Grandma and sisters, I loved it sooo much. I totally had a huge reading "Crush" on Dawsey. In fact I loved it so much that when I finished it, I had to do a book mourning period before I could start another book.

There are also a couple on your list that I've not read, so I'll have to give them a try.

I would love to hear your take on some of the books and what stood out for you.

Jules said...

Julie, you amaze me. I love to read, but I don't have much time to do it. I love reading your reviews and have picked up several books that you have suggested. Now I have another list to choose from. I could never get them read as fast as you, but I'm doing the best I can. Have you read the Uglies series? We just read the first one for Book Group and I just got the 2nd one (pretties) at the library the other day. If you have read them I'd love to hear what you thought.

Lisa Shepherd said...

I'm glad you told me about this. I'll have to check some of them out. Have you read Book of a Thousand Days? I really liked that one, too.

Amy E. said...

Thanks for the list of books--some I've read, some I'd like to read. May I suggest The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins? A fun read that I couldn't put down. I read till 2 am Sunday morning and was consequently late for church. Ah well!