Well. I’m not sure how this happened. Did I really pull off 59 titles this year? I never would have believed I could have topped last year’s list. I suppose the fact that I read so many graphic novels helped; trade paperback collections of individual issues really is a godsend for the ol’ wallet. And I also really didn’t read anything “hard” or “thinky” unless it was assigned for book club. This was the year my brain took off. Most definitely. Blasting through nearly all of Christopher Moore’s works, blasting through the entire Twilight saga, blasting through the main part of the Anne of Green Gable series, clearly I was only choosing titles that could be completed in a week or less.
Excluding anything mentioned above, I think the best books I read were Water for Elephants, Sunshine, and The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place. They are very different from each other and yet all three were fully realized worlds. I found them all completely believable stories (yes, even the one with vampires) with compelling protagonists and a sense that I could have kept going once I finally got to the end. I have already recommended each of these three to various folks and I stand by that; they are wonderful tales, well-written and evocative and thoroughly enjoyable. On the other end of the spectrum, however, there’s The Inheritance of Loss, which I didn’t *hate* but it wasn’t exactly enjoyable. Breaking Dawn nearly ruined my enjoyment of the rest of the series by opening my eyes to the flaws that had been there all along, yet I had been miraculously able to ignore since I was so caught up in it. Everything else I’d have to say I had a more positive reaction than negative, or at least I could find something to like in it.
I did a completely crap job at keeping up with book reviews. I should do better. At least until the girl is born and then my reading will dwindle. So until then, I’m going to try to stick to easy reading and squeeze in as much as I can! Yay!
BOOKS READ IN 2008
1. Star Wars Tales, Vol. 2 Edited by Dave Land
2. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume I Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill
3. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume II Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill
4. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill
5. For the Time Being Annie Dillard
6. Island of the Sequined Love Nun Christopher Moore
7. Wide Sargasso Sea Jean Rhys
8. Monstrous Regiment Terry Pratchett
9. The Vampire Armand Anne Rice
10. I Am Legend Richard Matheson
11. B.P.R.D.: Garden of Souls Mike Mignola
12. Breath, Eyes, Memory Edwidge Danticat
13. Bone: Out From Boneville Jeff Smith
14. Night Watch Terry Pratchett
15. Bone: The Great Cow Race Jeff Smith
16. Early Candlelight Maude Hart Lovelace
17. The Cat Who Walks Through Walls Robert A. Heinlein
18. Bone: The Eyes of the Storm Jeff Smith
19. The Light Fantastic Terry Pratchett
20. Bloodsucking Fiends Christopher Moore
21. Blue Shoe Anne Lamott
22. Bone: The Dragonslayer Jeff Smith
23. Twilight Stephenie Meyer
24. Bone: Rock Jaw Master of the Eastern Border Jeff Smith
25. Soul Music Terry Pratchett
26. Sunshine Robin McKinley
27. Bone: Old Man’s Cave Jeff Smith
28. Bone: Ghost Circles Jeff Smith
29. Bone: Treasure Hunters Jeff Smith
30. Bone: Crown of Horns Jeff Smith
31. New Moon Stephenie Meyer
32. Eclipse Stephenie Meyer
33. The Woman in White Wilkie Collins
34. Guilty Pleasures Laurell K. Hamilton
35. Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Guilty Pleasures Volume 1 Laurell K. Hamilton
36. Anne of Green Gables L.M. Montgomery
37. Breaking Dawn Stephenie Meyer
38. The Inheritance of Loss Kiran Desai
39. Anne of Avonlea L.M. Montgomery
40. Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: The First Death Laurell K. Hamilton
41. Emma Jane Austen
42. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Christopher Moore
43. Anne of the Island L.M. Montgomery
44. You Suck: A Love Story Christopher Moore
45. The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place E.L. Konigsburg
46. Coyote Blue Christopher Moore
47. Anne of Windy Poplars L. M. Montgomery
48. Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Guilty Pleasures Volume 2 Laurell K. Hamilton
49. Brisingr Christopher Paolini
50. Enchanted, Inc. Shanna Swendson
51. Anne’s House of Dreams L.M. Montgomery
52. Water for Elephants Sara Gruen
53. Fool Moon Jim Butcher
54. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain
55. A Dirty Job Christopher Moore
56. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 1 The Long Way Home Joss Whedon
57. Anne of Ingleside L.M. Montgomery
58. The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror Christopher Moore
59. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 2 No Future For You Joss Whedon
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6 comments:
HOLY MOLY!
Put me to shame.
Where on earth did you find the time to read 52 books?
I am beyond impressed by you.
:)
59 BOOKS...Oops!
Congrats on your huge haul! I'm impressed to. I'm so glad you enjoyed Sunshine. I mean, I knew you would, but still, I'm glad. :)
Thank you ladies! I'm not really sure how I pulled it off to be honest with you. I mean, I wasn't taking the bus very often this fall but then again I was reading at the gym so...???
I want to come over and read your graphic novels. Especially since I can't find the Buffy Season 8 stuff at the Comic College or Big Brain...
You know, I've really become a fan of Twin Cities Comics, up here in good ol' Col H. I haven't checked to see if they have the new s8 issues as they come out though. I've been getting the trade paperbacks from the Mpls Public Library because that's far easier. Volume 3 just came out and is waiting for me at the NE branch!
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