ALK982's 75 Books in 2010

Hi everyone! I'm new to the site, and stumbled onto this group today. This sounds like a great idea, and a good goal! I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else is reading, and hearing other people's ideas!

January 2010
1. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
2. Fire by Kristin Cashore
3. Black & White by Dani Shapiro
4. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
5. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
6. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

February 2010
7. Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby
8. An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris
9. Pope Joan by Donna Cross

Welcome! Graceling and Fire back to back--what a great way to start off the new year! Which did you like more? Personally, I liked Graceling better simply because I preferred the setting of Katsa's home more than that of Fire's. Plus, the whole Leck side-story was irritating, since I already knew that he would eventually end up surviving and escaping at the end of the story to become King Leck. But that's more of a quibble, as I still considered both books wonderful!

Welcome to the group and to LT!

What did you think of The Girl Who Played With Fire?

Thank you! I agree-- I found them at the same time, and was so thrilled with Graceling that I immediately started Fire when I finished it. I'm still making up my mind about my preferences, and am actually rereading them both at the moment to firm up my opinions. Hopefully, I'll come to some conclusions, and will be able to write something about them! They were both beautifully and elegantly written, and had excellent characters. I agree, though, that knowing Leck's future made the reading of Fire a bit less climactic, and I would rather hear more about Katsa's side of the mountains than Fire's. I've read that Kristin Cashore's next book will be Bitterblue's story as queen, and am looking forward to it!

I thought that The Girl Who Played With Fire was excellent-- dark and twisted and somewhat disturbing and utterly gripping. It was perhaps less of a shock to my system than the first because I expected it to be all of those things, having only read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo in December. The plot was fairly standard, as far as murder mysteries go, but in my opinion, Stieg Larsson's books stand out because of their extraordinary characters and a prose style that is almost journalistic. Definitely worth reading. I'm looking forward to the third one!

can some one recomend a book for a scifi fan

#5 Hi there and welcome to LibrayThing and the group. I've not read anything Kristin Cashore but I am a fantasy fan so I will check those out. I also really enjoyed the two Stieg Larsson books, I'm trying to wait until the third comes out in paperback in the UK....

#6 What kind of sci-fi do you enjoy, would you like a recommendation of more sci-fi or something different? I haven't read loads of sci-fi so not sure I'm the best person to advise...

#5: You can order The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest from the Book Depository if you want. I did since it is a while before it is going to be available here in the States. The website is http://www.bookdepository.com/ if you are interested. They offer free worldwide shipping, definitely a bonus.

#7: Absolutely do so! For a fantasy fan (credentials: my favorites include Robin McKinley, Tamora Pierce, and Juliet Marillier), Kristin Cashore is a wonderful addition to the genre!

#8: Thanks for the suggestion! I actually have a friend who got a copy from people in Sweden (the book is in English, fortunately), so I'm waiting to see her and borrow it. I'll keep the site in mind for future use, though!

Welcome!

Welcome.

What did you think of Juliet, Naked? I also read this very recently, and so have a few other people in the group.

and a welcome from me too!

I'd also be very interested in your thoughts of Juliet, Naked - I've heard very mixed reviews...

I enjoyed Juliet, Naked, and I have recommended it to friends who are music people, just as I have High Fidelity. I'm not sure that I enjoyed it as much as High Fidelity, but it had an interesting premise, good characters, and the same charm as Nick Hornby's other books. I was laughing as I read it, both at the author's wit and some of the situations in which the characters find themselves (I was cringing at some of those, too, but I cringe easily). I enjoyed the depictions of obsessive fandom and academic presumptuousness, as well-- those are both things which frustrate me in the real world, and it was gratifying to see them mocked a bit.

*spoiler (minor... more of a gist than anything else)*

My biggest qualm was probably with the ending, which I found unsatisfying. I wanted there to be a more profound change made in the characters' lives, but instead, the end only seemed to confirm the decisions that had been made a few hundred pages earlier, without making any other adjustments. It felt like a bit of a cop-out on the author's part, letting them finish without making any real decisions about where they would go next. I'm not sure I would have liked the decisions they made, necessarily, but I would have liked the opportunity to evaluate them.

I would recommend it to most people for a decent read, but I don't feel the need to own and reread it (I used a library copy).

Juliet, naked goes straight to my tbr pile. Thank you for the tip:)

February 2010 (cont.)
10. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

#15 I just finished that one and loved it! What did you think of it?

#13 Thank you. I have to admit to identifying somewhat with High Fidelity (oh dear), so sounds like I should give Juliet, Naked a go - I think I'll do as you did and search the library for it though...

souloftherose, I really enjoyed it, too! I've never read The Jungle Book (though I now plan to, and soon), but I know the basic story, and I love the inventiveness of sticking him in a graveyard!

I was also pleasantly surprised at the maturity level of the ending-- I read the book expecting Bod and Scarlett to go walking off into the daylight together, but was impressed that Gaiman made the tougher decision of showing severe consequences for some of the actions taken and forcing Bod to strike out on his own at the end. It's brave, and I think a great message for the intended audience. What were your thoughts?

i like things like the starwars saga and things like piers anthony hope of earth
also earth blood and time of the twins in the dragon lance series I garth nix but not all of it i realy like the seventh tower series of his

February 2010 (continued)

11. A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver by E.L. Konigsburg
12. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
13. Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg

lovemademe, I'm really more of a fantasy fan, so I may not be the best person to ask, but there are a few things that come to mind. I enjoyed a lot of the Dragon Lance series, too! Have you ever read anything by Jane Yolen, Orson Scott Card, or Diane Duane? The Pit Dragon trilogy (Dragon's Blood, Heart's Blood, and A Sending of Dragons) was quite good, though it's been a long time since I've read it. Ender's Game is a staple of sci-fi. You may have encountered it before, but if not, it's definitely worth reading. And the So You Want to Be A Wizard books are also wonderful-- growing up while becoming a wizard to join the universe-wide fight against entropy.

#20: How is the Konigsburg book? I have read a couple of hers, but not that one.

#18 I haven't read The Jungle Books for ages so I missed that connection until he mentioned it in the author's note at the back! I liked the ending, I want to hear more tales about Bod though!

thank you 21 i love fantacy too in fact i write some but its more muted than fantastical its just strange work i do lol
it more mages lol .......... i love it though ...im not posting exupts though im too shy ....... but ill take fantacy too ..............love the stuff.........
thank you verry much alk982

March 2010:

14. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
15. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
16. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
17. A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

Didn't get much reading done this winter... hopefully I'll be able to do more this spring!

#25: Some nice reads there, particularly Olive Kitteridge. I hope you enjoyed it.

Stasia, I thought that Olive Kitteridge was lovely, and have been recommending it to everyone who asks (and many who don't)! The short story style was exactly what I needed as I was reading it, and I found the stories themselves touching, moving, and poignant.

To answer your (much) earlier question about the Konigsburg book, I would say that I enjoyed it, but not as much as others of hers that I've read. Admittedly, it's been a long time since I read From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, but I didn't think that the premise was as compelling. It was a nice story, but won't go on any favorites lists. And the title still confuses me...

My local library has A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver so I may give it a try after my next Konigburg book Jennifer, Hecate, MacBeth, William McKinley and Me, Elizabeth.

I am glad you enjoyed Olive Kitteridge. It was one of my favorites a couple of years ago when I read it.

April 2010:

18. Terrier by Tamora Pierce.
19. The Witch Doctor's Wife by Tamar Myers.
20. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris.
21. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff.
22. A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh.
23. Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier.
24. The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright.
25. The Four-Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright.

I want to start posting more about the books I read, maybe even work my way up to writing a review! Here's a start...

18. Terrier is one that I own, and reread fairly frequently. I occasionally get cravings for Tamora Pierce novels, and happened to reach for this series this time. This is a story set in the same fantasy world as many of her prior books, but two hundred years earlier than the others. It follows the story of a lower-class girl starting her career as a member of the city's police force, keeping the peace and solving crime. Though she could have any posting in the city, she chooses to remain in the poorest district, where she grew up, because that's where she knows she can do the most good. Perfect for anyone who loves YA fantasy, though I would recommend reading other Pierce books first (start with Alanna).

19. The Witch Doctor's Wife is set in the Congo, shortly before the country gained independence from Belgian rule. It follows the stories of several individuals, both African and European, in a small town built around a diamond mine. When a large, gem-grade diamond is found, many of the tensions that have been building between groups and between individuals erupt-- some of them violently. Myers weaves many different plots together in a fairly short space, and though she does it well, I was left feeling unsatisfied with some of the resolutions. The plot is interesting, but I would have liked to see fewer characters followed with more insight into each's personality. I would recommend this as a good read, but I don't feel the need to own it.

Hi! Nice list so far, looks like I can add a few to my tbr pile:) Remarkable creatures was my first read this year (if my memory is correct). How did you like it?

Mastiff, alas, is not due out until some time next year...

20. When I started Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire series (the books on which HBO's True Blood is based) last summer, I skipped over the first one, Dead Until Dark, partly because I had seen the first season of True Blood and partly because the friend I was visiting could only find her copy of the second, Living Dead in Dallas. I read the rest of them, and started a few of her other series, that summer, but only just backtracked to the first one. Having seen the television version first, it's so interesting to read the author's original. The characters and their relationships are more intricate, the heroine is a little more human and flawed, and the story centers on her, rather than jumping from place to place. If you're a fan of mystery, romance, and fantasy (this is all three rolled into one!), I would definitely recommend this book, and this series. They're quick reads, but quite satisfying. Good summer books!

21. 84, Charing Cross Road is a lovely little collection of correspondence between a New York woman and a man who works for an antiquarian bookseller in London, beginning in the years after WWII and extending for decades. The letters are short, and are focused around the books requested and received, but they also show the formation of a beautiful friendship between individuals who have never met. This is a must-read for anyone who has ever shopped for used books, loves writing and reading letters, or has ever felt kinship with the man in Carl Spitzweig's "The Bookworm". This is one that I would love to own-- I plan to reread it many times!

22. A Matter of Class is a Regency-period romance that I thought was very well done-- it follows the relationship of a man (wealthy, but "new money") and woman (not as wealthy, but aristocratic) who are pushed into an arranged marriage by their fathers. I enjoyed it very much: the plot is fairly simple and unadorned, but well-crafted, and the ending is excellent. As a fan of Georgette Heyer novels, I like this type of novel, and this is a good example of it (though maybe without quite the detail that Heyer puts into her works). Fairly light read, but good for a rainy afternoon.

#32: Bente, I enjoyed Remarkable Creatures very much, and hope that you did, too! I'm going to add it a blurb about it, too (getting through these slowly). Out of curiosity, which ones did you add?

#33: Roni, believe me, I'm disappointed about that too! They keep moving the date back on us! I'm rereading Bloodhound, too, since it's hard to have one without the other. What's your opinion on Beka and Rosto?

#37: Oh, this is one of those times my English isn't quite good enough. Have to admit I'm not really sure what a blurb is, so I didn't fully understand your question...:( Sorry!

#39: Sorry about that! A blurb is just a short paragraph, like the ones I've been putting up about the other books.

You mentioned that you added some things to your tbr list, and I'm curious which ones!

23. Remarkable Creatures is a fictitious version of the story of one of the people most involved in finding fossils in the nineteenth century in England: Mary Anning. Though she was poor, not well educated, and female, she was instrumental in providing the specimens that were named, studied, and made famous by male scholars. Chevalier tells the story both through Mary's perspective and that of spinster Elizabeth Philpot, another historical figure about whom little is known, weaving history and fiction together. Though I didn't find either of the two main characters very compelling, I enjoyed this more than I have other novels of hers, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

24. and 25. After reading very positive reviews of The Four-Story Mistake, I decided to read it for myself, and started with the first book in the quartet, The Saturdays. Both are sweet, endearing stories of four children growing up in the 1950s (the first in NYC, the second in a more rural setting), and I wish I had discovered them earlier! Even reading them as an adult, I enjoyed the tales of the mishaps and learning experiences that come with childhood, and the family dynamic between the children, their father, their housekeeper/nanny, and various assorted pets. Definitely recommended, for any age!

#41: I have that one home from the library now and should be getting to it in the next few weeks.

#42: I am glad you enjoyed The Four-Story Mistake. I liked it a lot!

#40: Silly me, of course...I got it now:) I did enjoy Remarkable creatures too btw. I added The Four-Story Mistake, A Matter of Class, Olive Kitteridge, The Book of Lost Things and Terrier. I already had 84, Charing Cross Road on my list, if not, I would have added that one too:)

#41 I have been wondering about trying Remarkable Creatures as I had mixed feelings about Girl with a Pearl Earring. I will look out for it!

I also have enjoyed the interesting plot diversions between Dead Until Dark and True Blood. Hopefully, my library will get the second series in soon so I can check that out as well--it's a very watchable series! Much in the way I consider the books "dessert", the TV series is also delicious and enjoyable...and silly. My gosh, the number of times they've managed to get Jason Stackhouse and his maked butt into ridiculous sexual situations...

April into May 2010:
26. Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce
27. The Falconer's Knot by Mary Hoffman

#46, I completely agree! The series isn't a direct interpretation of the novels, but it strikes a similar tone between comedy, drama, fantasy, horror, and romance. And with a character like Jason Stackhouse, I don't imagine that they have to try too hard...

I missed Tara and Lafayette in the books. In the heart of redneck country, Lafayette had a double hitter of things that made him different; black and gay.

May into June 2010 (most of these since the end of school-- it feels good to be reading again!)

28. Daddy Long-Legs by Jean Webster
29. The Ninth Daughter by Barbara Hamilton
30. Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier
31. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
32. Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits by Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson
33. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
34. Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier
35. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs

Glad you are able to sneak some reading in these days, Alexandra. Looks like some good stuff too!

26. Like Terrier, Bloodhound was a re-read for me: a favorite that I own and return to fairly frequently. It continues the story of Beka Cooper as she rises through the ranks of the Provost's Guard, an early police force in Pierce's swords-and-sorcery world of Tortall. Having caught the "scent" of counterfeiters in her city, Beka is sent on an undercover mission to ferret out the false coins' source, along with her mentor, Guardswoman Clary Goodwin. Though this book is not as fast-paced as the first (counterfeiting, though a dirty business, is much more subtle than the kidnapping and murder with which Beka dealt in the first book), it does a great job of further developing Beka's character, letting her grow up as she grows into her role as a full member of the Guard. Definitely recommended for all fantasy lovers, but I would suggest reading Pierce's other novels first.

27. Having thoroughly enjoyed Mary Hoffman's Stravaganza series, I picked up The Falconer's Knot in anticipation of a similarly enjoyable story of intrigue and medieval mystery, and was not disappointed. Though as a stand-alone novel, the world of The Falconer's Knot is not as deeply detailed as the Stravaganza novels, it sports a similarly interesting cast of characters, who dance around each other with the same elegance as in Hoffman's other novels. Frequently switching perspectives, Hoffman creates a well-woven series of mysteries over which the audience has a better perspective than any of the characters. Her hero and heroine are, refreshingly, not immune to making mistakes, but they handle themselves well, and it is impossible to not root for the inevitable conclusion of their falling in love. Recommended for fans of young adult fantasy.

28. Having seen Daddy Long-Legs lauded on Stasia's thread, I couldn't help but find my copy and re-discover this endearing story of an orphan growing up and finding her place in the world. One of my mother's favorites, this story is one of mine, too, and in my opinion, as much of an essential for young female readers as Anne of Green Gables (another all-time favorite!). Written as an epistolary novel, the story chronicles Judy Abbott's life in college after life spent in an orphanage, through her letters to an unknown benefactor. Her letters are full of life and personality, chronicling her challenges and successes in friendships, romance, and academia, and it is easy to believe that she will achieve her dream of becoming a writer.

29. It took me a little while to get involved in the story of The Ninth Daughter, but once hooked, I couldn't put it down: a murder mystery set in the years before the Revolutionary War, told through the eyes of Abigail Adams, one of the women who will be at the forefront of the movement for independence. As tensions rise between the British and colonists in eighteenth century Boston, Abigail searches fervently for her friend Rebecca, missing since the night of a gruesome murder in Rebecca's home. Her inquiries take her across the paths of British officers and revolutionary leaders, slaves and religious cults, and the mystery's dramatic conclusion is very well done, interwoven with the actual events leading up to the Boston Tea Party. Recommended for lovers of historical fiction and murder mysteries.

30. Heart's Blood is the latest novel from Juliet Marillier, an excellent fantasy writer and one of my favorites. A departure from Marillier's fairy tale adaptations, this story follows Caitrin, a young woman fleeing the physical and mental abuse that marked her life after her father's death. Trying desperately to get far away enough from her aunt and cousin that she will not be found, she accepts work as a scribe in an out-of-the way corner of Ireland with a dark history of its own. As she becomes involved in the story and fates of the people at Whistling Tor, she comes to terms with her past, growing past her fear and helplessness to emerge as a strong, capable woman. Like many of Marillier's novels, Heart's Blood has a few dark streaks, these only serve to highlight the beauty in this well-written tale of growth, love, and magic. Probably not my favorite of her novels, but definitely well worth reading; recommended for fantasy lovers.

I am glad you enjoyed Daddy Long Legs, Alexandra!

You have been busy reading lately. Good going!

#54 Glad you enjoyed Daddy Long Legs, I think there's a sequel, Dear Enemy but I haven't read that one.

Will be interested in your thoughts on I Capture the Castle. My friends raved about it and I thought it was really well written but I disliked the main characters when I read it so I can't decide whether I enjoyed it or not.

31. I Capture the Castle came highly recommended by a pair of sisters who had loved the book (and its movie) since childhood. I agree with their assessment: it is a wonderful story about family, money, and falling in love for the first time. Told journal-style from the viewpoint of Cassandra Mortmain, the younger daughter of an impoverished writer, the novel describes her family's life in a decrepit castle in the English countryside. Everything is turned upside-down by the arrival of two handsome young Americans in their village, which forces Cassandra and her sister, Rose, to grow up quite quickly, with varied success.

Heather, I agree with you in that I was not over-fond of Rose, but I think that I understand her, even if I do not agree with her every action. I do, however, love Cassandra as both a character and narrator; again, though I do not approve of everything she does in the novel, I relate to her emotional torrents.

Definitely recommended; as you're reading, bear in mind that it was written in 1949.

32. Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits is a collection of original short stories by Robin McKinley and her husband, Peter Dickinson. All firmly rooted in fantasy, the stories explore the element of water through tales touching on merpeople friendly and fierce, sea monsters of terrifying proportions, and the magic of something as deceptively simple as a backyard pool. Each writer's distinctive style comes through in his or her stories, and they are well-crafted, inventive (how one end up writing a tale of a desert in a collection of stories about water, I don't know, but it works pretty well), and enough of a departure from typical mermaid stories to feel refreshing. Definitely recommended; I'll be reading it again.

33. and 34. Wildwood Dancing and Cybele's Secret are companion novels that each follow one of a set of Transylvanian sisters, the daughter of a prosperous merchant. Wildwood Dancing, set in the Transylvanian mountains, combines plot elements of childhood favorites "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" and "The Princess and the Frog" with traditional tales of an Other world that borders our own. Cybele's Secret, set in an early Istanbul, explores scholarship and business from a female perspective, wrapping the story around the plight of an ancient earth deity. The results are nothing short of magical; Marillier's style is eloquently beautiful, and her heroines are both believable and inspiring in their strength of character, devotion to both their own principles and the people they love, and their sense and resourcefulness in dealing with whatever gets thrown at them.

In addition to being great stories, both novels explore issues of gender and power, and the struggles that women face when they try to assert themselves in a male-dominated world, whether that of land ownership, trade, or scholarship. As these books are written for slightly younger audiences than some of Marillier's others, I appreciate that message: that it is possible to be a strong, confident woman, no matter the odds.

Recommended for any fan of fantasy and fairy tales (or YA novels with strong heroines); I would suggest starting with Wildwood Dancing, as it's chronologically first.

35. As a knitter, I was initially attracted to The Friday Night Knitting Club because of the balls of yarn on the cover. I liked the idea of a novel centered around a craft, and was interested in a story of women who love what sometimes feels like a rather outdated hobby.

I picked up Knit Two less because of the connection to yarn than because of the wonderful characters Kate Jacobs created in the first novel; I wanted to see how they fared, five years after the tear-jerking conclusion of the first. I wasn't disappointed: I actually enjoyed the plot of the second novel more than the first. Switching between the perspectives of each of the women whose heartstrings run to the Upper West Side yarn shop Walker and Daughter, the novel is about rediscovering old ties, rediscovering oneself, and learning how to let go and move on as time passes.

Recommended, even more so if you're a knitter! (Note: read The Friday Night Knitting Club first.)

June 2010 (continuing the post-school book binge):

36. Juliet by Anne Fortier
37. The Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson
38. First Test by Tamora Pierce
39. Page by Tamora Pierce
40. Squire by Tamora Pierce
41. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce
42. Emperor Mage by Tamora Pierce
43. The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce

Wow! You are on a tear. Good thing that summer is here!

Some nice reading! I have heard lots about Robin McKinley and still not read any of her books although I think I read a couple by Peter Dickinson when I was younger. I will look out for the Water anthology and Wildwood Dancing.

Just when I thought the wishlist was getting under control!

I seem to be unable to pace myself when reading; therefore, the entirety of what was supposed to be a three-month-long group read happened over the weekend of the Fourth. Oops.

Also, I'm teaching a Literature and Composition course this summer (my first foray into teaching in the Humanities!), and have been doing lots of short stories with my students over the last two weeks. I'm going to count those as a "book"...

July 2010
44. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
45. Sabriel by Garth Nix
46. Lirael by Garth Nix
47. Abhorsen by Garth Nix
48. Short Stories from The Seagull Reader: Literature (ed. David Kelly)
-"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
-"The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck
-"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
-"Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway
-"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
-"A&P" by John Updike
-"A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
-"Araby" by James Joyce

Nice reading lately. Good luck with your teaching job:)

Nice reading! I've been managing to pace myself a bit better with the Abhorsen trilogy although it's been hard!

In the spirit of Stasia's book-loving quotes, here's one from To Kill A Mockingbird, which I started re-reading with my students this week:

"Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing."

#70: Hey Alexandra! Glad to see someone else joining in the quote parade :)

I strongly suspect that, were this not a reread, I would have rushed right through the Abhorsen trilogy as well.

#70 Nice quote! I have never read To Kill a Mockingbird and I probably should.

July 2010 (cont.)
49. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
50. Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce
51. Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce
52. Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling
53. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
54. The Lost Gardens by Anthony Eglin

#74: Did you like Hunter's Moon, Alexandra? I bought it, but have not read it yet.

I hope you enjoyed the Trickster books as much as I did. I enjoyed seeing the characters from the early books later in life.

#75: I did enjoy it, very much! I had been a little wary, as I find that new young adult fantasy can be a bit over-the-top, and I have less patience with it than I used to, but it's a well-crafted story with good characters (always a plus), which will make you want to go to Ireland! I'll be looking for the next ones by that author, I think.

#76: I completely agree-- I actually had a little emotional moment when I saw that Daine and Numair named their son Rikash. The books were excellent in the rereading, and I'm sure I'll be visiting them again.

August 2010
55. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
56. Cradle and All by James Patterson
57. French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano
58. Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris
59. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
60. Alanna: the First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
61. In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
62. Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs

#78: Hey, Alexandra! It has been a while. Glad to see you back.

#78 Some nice August reading and Anna Karenina is a chunky one too! I really need to read some Tamora Pierce at some point.

September 2010

A short month of reading, with a new job and new students! The last three were for class-- I need to get in touch with my own books again!

63. Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
64. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
65. Night by Elie Weisel
66. "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" (Anonymous 14th century Arthurian legend!)

Getting close to 75, Alexandra! Good job.

As it turned out, the start of a new school year at a new job (as an English teacher!) ATE my LT feed! I did keep track of what I was reading, though, so here's the end of the year:

67. Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
68. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
69. The Language of Bees by Laurie R. King
70. selections from The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer and Paradise Lost by John Milton
71. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
72. The God of the Hive by Laurie R. King
73. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
74. To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
75. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Phew! Made it! Some of the reading that I did with my new students had to go on there, but the stacks of essays, unfortunately, could not! Here's to managing the workload better this fall!

Forgot (at least) one!

76. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (sometime in the fall)