Friday, January 2, 2009

Booklist 2008

There's never enough time in the day to read as much as I would like. Work, children, home and church keep me quite busy. I tend to marathon read in scheduled spurts - spring break, summer, Christmas holidays, but I always have a book in my bag. These are the books I managed to squeeze in this past year:

2008
Babbit, Natalie, Tuck Everlasting
Bell, James Scott, Plot and Structure
Bray, Libba, A Great and Terrible Beauty
Bray, Libba, Rebel Angels
Bray, Libba, A Sweet Far Thing
Bunce, Elizabeth C., A Curse Dark as Gold
Collins, Suzanne, The Hunger Games
Collins, Suzanne, Gregor the Overlander
Collins, Suzanne, Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane
Collins, Suzanne, Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
Collins, Suzanne, Gregor and the Marks of Secret
Donnelly, Jennifer, A Northern Light
Gaiman, Neil, Coraline
Gordon, Roderick; Williams, Brian, Tunnels
Haddix, Margaret Peterson, FOUND
Juster, Norton, The Phantom Tollbooth
Le Guin, Ursula K., A Wizard of Earthsea
Lord, Cynthia, RULES
Maar, Melissa, Wicked Lovely
Maar, Melissa, Ink Exchange
Maas, Donald, Writing the Breakout Novel
McMann, Lisa, WAKE
Meyer, Stephanie, Breaking Dawn
Meyer, Stephanie, The Host
Mull, Brandon, Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague
Prineas, Sarah, The Magic Thief
Riordan, Rick, The Battle of the Labyrinth
Shan, Darren, Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare...
Schmidt, Gary, Wednesday Wars
Weisner, Karen, First Draft in 30 Days
Williams Chima, Cinda, The Dragon Heir

I usually find an author I like and devour everything they've written. If I really like them I reread them immediately. Many of the books on this list have already been read twice - A Curse Dark as Gold, The Phantom Tollbooth, Melissa Marr's books, Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull's books. Cinda Williams Chima's Warrior Heir series is fabulous. I read all but one of the Suzanne Collins' Underland series in the last two weeks. I'm anxiously waiting for the last book to come. I've got it on order. It should be here today or tomorrow!

Any recommendations? I'm always looking for a good book!

7 comments:

Rena Jones said...

Wow, you did good last year! I wish I could say the same, but most of my reading involved books with pictures. I think the last book I checked out of the library for myself was a PB about giraffes. One of these days I'll get to read a grown-up book ...

Maybe -- ;)

Sydney Salter said...

Some great ARCs I've read for 2009 books:

The Year The Swallows Came Early by Katherine Fitzmaurice
Heart Of A Shepherd by Rosanne Parry
Freaked by JT Dutton
Bull Rider by Suzanne Morgan Williams
Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne
Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman
The Forest Of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Jane In Bloom by Deborah Lytton

Hope you have a great year of reading (and writing!)

C.J. Raymer said...

I'm not worthy! This year was one of my more, shall we say, lighter reading years. I squeezed in a few of my fave classics like "I Capture the Castle," "A Long Fatal Love Chase," and "Rebecca." I ventured into a few chick-lit pieces as well. And, I read "Octavian Nothing" once more. (Can I count all of the picture books that I've read to my pre-k class?)

I came to the realization that my writing is directly related to how much I read. If I don't read, I don't seem to write as much. Reading feeds my creative soul and challenges me to reach deeper within myself.

Christina Farley said...

I love your list. Many of those are the ones that I read and loved too. You should read Magic or Madness. From your list I think you'd really like that one.

Happy Reading!

Nora MacFarlane said...

Rena - You're supposed to read picture books. Aren't you a picture book writer?!! Keep up the good work!

CJ - Yes, you may count the picture books you read to your class. I'm going to have to read "Octavian Nothing." One of these days I'll get to it. Promise!

Sydney & Christina - Thanks for the reading suggestions. Yes, I am a fantasy addict. I've been hearing good things about Carrie Ryan's book. I'll definitely pick up Magic or Madness.

Thanks, all!

Unknown said...

WOW! That was a long list. I wish I can read many books like you do. I usually end up dealing with Math stuffs. Yuck! Oh well, I am recommending Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen. I found it heart-warming... and Timepiece by Richard Paul Evans. It is REALLY NICE. I promise. I hope you'll find a copy and start adding it to your list. :)

Nora MacFarlane said...

Rhaingel - Thanks for the reading recommendations, and thanks for stopping by!