Sunshine, a cherry limeade, and a good book = the perfect day
Total bookworm: that’s me. Even if a lot of my book-reading has been replaced by blog-reading in the past few years. I still love a good book. And I read for pleasure, to be entertained. So, I like a lot of fluff. Romances and young adult lit.
I’ve shared my Keepers and Stinkers list from 2009 and 2010, so I’m going to keep up this tradition. Books are placed on my list based on what I happened to read that year, not necessarily due to their publication date. And yes, we all have different taste- this list is of course only my personal opinion and may have been affected by whether or not I had pms while I was reading a book.
KEEPERS
All-time faves: The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins: This was a reread for me, but I feel the need to include it. If you haven’t read these yet, they need to be on your must-read list for this year. Preferably before the first movie comes out in March. Such a unique, albeit disturbing, premise. Some of the best books I’ve read, ever.
Most intruiging: Hourglass by Myra McEntire: Another unique premise. Emerson is able to see people from the past and finds out that she is actually seeing into the past and can time-travel. This one is a mystery, romance, and paranormal all wrapped into one. This is the first in a trilogy and I cannot wait for the others to come out.
Brings out my inner Greek Mythology-loving geek: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini: The idea that mythology is real and there are people today who are descendants of the gods: warring families driven by the Fates to kill each other. I’m a total geek for Greek Mythology, so I loved this modern-day take on it. This is another first in a trilogy that I will be anxiously awaiting the remaining books.
Best guilty-pleasure: Private Series by Kate Brian: This was my guilty pleasure of the year. I’m a fan of the show Pretty Little Liars and this series reminds me a lot of that. Even if it does take a bizarre turn in book #13. The Privilege series is the follow up and gives ties all of the books together with the punch ending that they deserve.
Oooh, a follow-up to books I loved: Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was one of my favorite YA series. This book takes the girls into adulthood so we find out what came of the four. I was slightly irritated with one of the storylines, wanting to yell at the characters and tell them what I thought was obvious… but it was still a good read.
Best for Twi-hards: Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead: If you are a fan of vampire lit like The Twilight Series, I highly recommend that you read these. I liked them better than Twilight, since I thought the stories had more depth to them as well as a stronger female lead. *ducks and hides from Twilight fans*
Author I’ll read more of: Night Road and Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah: Lots of emotion in these books.
Author I always love: Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips: Her books are always fun.
Books that lived up to the hype: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and Room by Emma Donoghue: I tend to be extremely skeptical when I hear that “everyone” loves a book. But, these two truly are worth the read. The Help by Kathryn Stockett also lives up to this hype, but I read it in 2009, so it’s on an old list of mine.
STINKERS
Author I used to love: The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks: I used to be a HUGE Nicholas Sparks fan. HUGE. I waited in line for 3 hours with a teeny baby in order to meet him at one of his book signings. But, his more recent books seem so predictable. And you just know they are all going to end in tragedy. Mr. Sparks, I’m over you.
Nothing like the Pretty Little Liars tv show: The Visibles by Sara Shephard: Boring and depressing. Don’t bother. Okay, I realize this isn’t in the PLL series, but I expected more from the author somehow.
An awful follow-up to books I loved as a child: Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal: It’s like the worst book like that I like read like in the past year.
I’m always looking for books to add to my to-be-read list as well as ones I should stay away from. What are your book suggestions?
Friend me on goodreads so we can always keep up with each others’ book reviews!
Totally over NIcholas Sparks too. I’m currently in love with Marisa De Los Santos. Her first book, Love Walked In was so good, just finished the follow up to that one and now can’t wait to read her latest.
Going to see if I can find any of her books at the library.
Love MDLS too! Second book was great. Newest was okay. Happy Reading.
I love this list…several of them I haven’t read yet, so I’ll be looking for them! I also loved The Hunger Games Trilogy and can’t wait for the movie. I just finished 11/22/63 by Stephen King and loved it. I also really enjoyed Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
King scares me most of the time!
Sarah’s Key, while disturbing, was very good. I actually had to walk away from this one a few times but so well done.
I haven’t read most of the books on your list. Never did like Nicolas Sparks, although have enjoyed the one movie I saw based on his book (The Notebook). Water For Elephants was good and I re read Room three times! The Hunger Games book 1 was fine but honestly book 2 and 3, for me, would be on the Stinker list. I was just so annoyed by Katniss in those books. Although, unlike many people online, I actually really, REALLY liked the ending in Book 3.
Now off to see if my library has any of these books left before they shut down for three months! 🙁
Ive heard good things about sarah’s key.
Book 1 of Hunger Games was the best for sure.
Shutting down for 3 months? I’d cry!
Oh believe me, I wanted to! What really sucks is we are close to Winnipeg (capital of Manitoba) where there are tons of libraries but I am unable to access them because my mailing address is in another town 😛 I may see if I can cheat a bit and borrow my MIL’s library card since she does live in Winnipeg 😉
Yes! Do that! I love the library.
Sadly, I haven’t been much of a book reader the past 12 months, so I haven’t read any of the books on your best list. I guess it’s time for me to get some!!
I definitely do more blog reading than book reading!
I had trouble with remember all the characters from the prior books that resurfaced in Call Me Irresistible. Match Me If You Can is the book of hers that I loved the most.
My fav of hers is What I Did For Love.
I devoured The Hunger Games (sorry for bad pun)!
I am finally reading The Help (peer pressure).
Thanks for inspiring me to break out the Nook more in 2012…
Ha! I heart puns.
The Help is good. Really. Though I read it a few years ago so it wasn’t as hyped which made me more open to it.
I love your list! I haven’t read many of them (though sadly I read Sweet Valley). My next to-read is Kim Edwards’s The Lake of Dreams. And your list reminded me that I still haven’t read Room.
Room was good. Disturbing, but good.
My teacher heart, and my nook, thank you! Wheee!
I absolutely devoured The Hunger Games trilogy over break and now the only question is- which book to start next?!
Love this, girl!
xo
For you, I think you’ll love Starcrossed and Hourglass.
Love your commentary on Sweet Valley Confidential. Ha.
I’m so going to have to buckle down and read the Hunger Games.
Do you have a kindle or kindle app on your phone? I can lend you the first one if you want.
Thanks for the book tips. I still need to read Water for Elephants.
I was surprised to like it.
So glad you posted this! I set a goal yesterday to read 52 books this year, so this helps… A LOT! 🙂 I can’t wait to get my hands on The Hunger Games and am so excited for the movie. You like cracked me up with your whole like ending to this! 😉
Oh, the SVH book was awful. I couldn’t believe how many “likes” were thrown in there.
If you loved Vampire Academy (Rachelle Mead is from my area 🙂 ) try The House of Night Series. Much better than Twilight. (And I am a Twi-hard! LoL)
I also enjoy another local author, Robert Dugoni.
I’ll look for the House of Night, thanks!
I was going to recommend the House of Night series, too! Worlds better than Twilight- and I raced through those books myself. I haven’t read Vampire Academy yet and plan to add them to my To Read list.
Loved Hunger Games and Water For Elephants. The Help is still on my must read list. I will have to look up Vampire Academy but I am currently obsessed with the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo trilogy.
I’ve heard good things about that one, but haven’t read it yet.
I love fellow bookworms! I was going to do a year in books wrap up too. I didn’t read the Sweet Valley Confidential, but I had to edit the review for the BookshelfBombshells.com site. The reviewer agreed with you.
Happy Reading to you in 2012!
I was so disappointed at just how much it sucked. I wanted to love it.
I haven’t read Nicholas Sparks for years for the same reason. And Beneath a Marble Sky is excellent. Doesn’t look great from the outside, but is excellent inside.
My goal is 36 books this year – YOU are amazing with your book goals!
I used to read a ton more than this. 🙂 Hoping my boys get this same love of books.
OK, in the mustread category, I’ll suggest Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. I’m awful at plot summary, but it involves time travel, eighty year old teenagers, and a mind-blowing romance. Miss Peregrine with any luck
In the “wow I’d be thrilled, but this is really just shameless self-promotion” category, my novel Divorce: A Love Story was released last month. It’s an e-book, and if you don’t have a reader, you can download it to your PC. Jamie Joan Bender has to deal with a crazy rock lifestyle, an unexpected pregnancy, and a gun-shy ex-husband who she’s falling for all over again. Divorce perchance?
I’ll check those out- including yours. Nothing wrong with a little self-promotion. If I wrote a book, I’d be shouting about it from the rooftops.
I still need to read The Help. Room really was good!
it really is so good.
Room was disturbing and yet- so good.
I think my goodreads profile is so rusty since I haven’t log in in ages. I will have to check out some of these books on amazon later 😀
I put the app on my phone and like to enter the books I read on there. Otherwise, I’d never remember!
Yes The Hunger Games was awesome…and Water for Elephants and Room were good reads.
Going to look for a book to send you in a bit. We were running around all day!
I just got a message that your blog has been removed????
Kristin Hannah is one of my favorites for a good emotional read. Once I open the cover, I have a hard time putting them down. Water for Elephants was an amazing love story with a great plot behind it. I have reread that book twice now! I’m going to check out Starcrossed. That seems like a read that could grab my attention. Hunger Games is on my list too. I gave my husband the trilogy for Christmas and he is already on the third book.
Hunger Games really was amazing. Starcrossed- almost as good, I swear. 🙂
Thanks for the list. I was looking for some new books to read, so this will be helpful! I loved the Hunger Games as well as the Help and Water for Elephants. I read a lot more now that I have an E-reader and don’t have to worry about the books cluttering up our house.
I never thought I’d like an e-reader and yet- I totally love mine.
Great list! I’ll have to add some of these to Good Reads.
And I, too, LOVED Firefly Lane. Amazing.
So good, wasn’t it?
Okay, I really need to read the Hunger Games. Everyone keeps talking about it! As for Starcrossed – I love Greek mythology and that sounds like a great read.
I also LOVED Room – even though it was difficult to read. My son is 5 and I kept imagining us/him in that situation and it just made me extremely sad. And The Help, so good. I watched the movie again over the weekend. The movie not as good as the book but it’s close.
I loved Sweet Valley High too growing up and was interested in reading about them as adults. But I think I’ll pass. I’d like to remember them as they were.
Great list!
Starcrossed was definitely a wonderful book. I cannot wait for the second book to come out. And yes, you do need to read Hunger Games!
Room was disturbing, but still- a good read. I really liked The Help movie- I didn’t do too much comparing b/c it’s been like 2.5+ years since I read the book- so I don’t remember all the details.
SVH was awful. I was so let down.
Great post! I really need to round up my reads too! (BTW, I friended you on goodreads- Krista)
I agree with The Hunger Games! Good books! Have you read “Matched”? Please do!
I’ve put Hourglass and Starcrossed on my to be read list!
Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors. You MUST read “Winter Garden”. It’s my favorite of hers. Very emotional. I reviewed it on my blog if you want to take a look!
I’m odd… I didn’t like Water for elephants or the Help. I didn’t like the sexual and nudity elements of Water, and I don’t know why I didn’t like the Help, but do understand that that makes me very odd. Oh well!
thanks for the list!
Friended you back. 🙂
Going to put those on my list and check them out.
Ha! usually when “everyone” likes a book, I don’t. I read The Help before it was so hyped, so I think I went in with lower expectations.
I just got a kindle and I am currently reading Hunger Games. So far I really like it.
I also read “Is everyone hanging out without me?” by Mindy Kaling. Apparently she’s from the office — I don’t watch the office, but I did laugh a lot with her book.
I don’t want the office either, but I love a good laugh. 🙂 Might have to look at that one.
I pinned this post to come back to later and add some of your favorites to my goodreads :p I’d much rather read a book recommended by someone than something I pick randomly off a shelf. I didn’t read a whole lot this year but I fell in love with a new author – Lisa Kleypas. She’s a romance writer and I fell in love with three books she wrote about the same group of people (Sugar Daddy, Blue Eyed Devil and Smooth Talking Stranger). You really fall in love with the characters when they were side characters in a previous novel.
Oh, I like books like that- Susan Elizabeth Phillips does that alot. I love to see the characters again, find out what their story is.
I didn’t read the Room because of everyone being like, it’s fabulous! Which seemed destined to build up expectations only to let me down. But if you say it’s awesome, I’ll try it. And we both know what that means.
When I don’t like it, it’s going to be your fault.
(Blogging, always hazardous.)
It IS good. Though not in a “yay, this is such a fun book” way. It’s disturbing. Yet, still somehow, a good read.
The Reliable Wife.
So good.
PS- gave you an award today!!!
Best,
mommyswears.
Will check that one out!
Thanks!
Thanks for the reviews! I am so behind on my reading… years, I think. But I’ll add some of these to the list anyway 🙂
Nothing wrong with a long to-be-read list!
I’m adding these books to my Goodreads!! 🙂
So sad about the Sweet Valley High series…
I wanted it to be so good.
After your post from yesterday I spent entirely too much time on Good Reads. Man I love to read. It seems like we like similar stuff (paranormal/fantasy/young adult/mystery). You should check out my lists for some series you may not have read yet. I also really, really, really recommend A Game of Thrones. I started reading it over the holiday and it is awesome.
I will check yours out. I think since we like a lot of the same, you will really like Hourglass and Starcrossed.
I added those to my list before I even left a comment. LOL
LOL Perfect. And then we can count down to book 2 in each series together.
Soo cool that you did this because just last night i decided I will keep track of all the books I read this year. After reading Firefly Lane a few years ago and falling in LOVE I read a bunch of her other books. Some were good and some were so-so but nothing measures up to FireFly Lane.
I too am so over Nicholas Sparks. After awhile they are all the same though if you haven’t read Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas you MUST!
I’ve read all of Sparks. I do like some… but just not impressed with the ones lately.
Goodreads is a really simple way to keep track of what you read. Sometimes I’ll write a review on there and others, I’ll just add the book and give it rating.
Thank you for the extra suggestions!! I got a tablet for Christmas with Kobo on it, so I’ve been downloading a few books I’d like to read, now I’ve got a few more to add.
Aren’t e-readers totally addicting? i think I read more b/c of it.
Once I get through all the books I currently have, I will be coming back to this list! Or checking out your recs on goodreads 🙂
I can get lost on goodreads for hours.
I just ordered Night Road and Water for Elephants on my Kindle! Everyone I know who has read Hunger Games raves about it so I’ve ordered that too but haven’t started on it yet.
I had a hard time getting into The Room…I don’t know what it was but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Maybe due to the subject of the book, not sure. It was difficult to read from a child’s perspective.
One of my newest favorite authors is Chevy Stevens!! I’ve read 2 of her books so far and could not put either of them down, esp Never Knowing. Amazing reads!
Room is not really what I’d call enjoyable. It’s too disturbing for that. But, it was still a “good read.”
Going to check out that author!
I am so glad you said that about “The Best of Me,” because I got about 1/2 in and just couldn’t get into it, which never usually happens to me with Nicholas Sparks.
You should start reading Elin Hilderbrand…she is my absolute FAVORITE. Easy reads like Nicholas Sparks…really gets you into the characters, but without all the tragic crap. I am addicted. My favorite by her so far was “The Blue Bistro.” SO good.
I forced myself through the whole thing, but I just couldn’t be excited about it. And no more sobbing at the end. I just sort of go yeah, yeah, another tragic ending, whatever.
I read one of Hilderbrand’s books. I’ll have to try more.
I simply have to get my hands on the Hunger Games! Everyone is chatting this series up!
It really is so good. Disturbing, but so amazing. I couldn’t put it down.
See, this is why we click. We both love the same books! 🙂
Off the top of my head I’d say you HAVE TO read Touch by Jus Accardo, Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Legend by Marie Lu, Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez, and Lola and the Boy next Door by Stephanie Perkins.
Will add those to my list, thanks!
Water For Elephants made me CRY an ugly cry. Sob. I loved it.
Favorite book of 2011 (and I’m a voracious, crazy-lady reader)?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Mind-blowing.
That’s high praise. I will check it out!
Great list Shell! Kristen Hannah definitely is one of my favorites. Last summer I read Nora Roberts for the first time and it definitely was an easy, and enjoyable read! Happy Ever After(4), Savor the Moment(3), Bed of Roses(2), Vision in White(1). Great series filled with love and friendship…so good!
I read those this fall!
I really like her Key Trilogy. Key of Light, Key of Knowledge and Key of… um… it’s been a few years, but I LOVED those.
Our likes list are pretty similar, although I totally didn’t see the ending coming on Sisterhood Everlasting (although I accidentally read a spoiler on GoodReads… possibly yours LOL) and I didn’t like the 3rd book in The Hunger Games Trilogy at ALL (to the point I didn’t even finish it) but I’m going to give it another try here soon. I totally didn’t expect to like Water for Elephants and I totally loved it! Kristin Hannah is a new author like for me too and I read several of her books this year.
I don’t think I posted the spoiler on there. LOL
I will admit that book 3 of the Hunger Games isn’t as good as the other two, but I thought it gave a good ending to the story.
I loved Water for Elephants and Room. I had vowed to only read books off my bookshelf last year — as I’m a slow(er) reader since having kids and discovered I had more than two dozen unread books on my shelf. So I vowed to not buy any books in 2011. I almost succeeded. I bought Room, Water For Elephants and Secret Daughter — all of which lived up to their hype in my opinion. As for the Hunger Games, I just got the first book for Christmas and can’t wait to read it!
I don’t think I’ve heard of Secret Daughter. Might have to take a look!
As an 8th grade teacher, I love that the Hunger Games trilogy is, like the Harry Potter books, keeping my students reading. I loved them too! And I really liked Sisterhood Everlasting as well, I think especially since I turn 30 this year.
I recommend Matched and its sequel, Crossed, by Allie Condie if your looking for some more YA Lit love. 🙂
That’s what caused me to love Harry Potter initially- was watching my students read these huge books and be excited about it. And then I ended up loving them on my own, too.
I just checked and I have Matched and Crossed on my tbr list. I think goodreads gave them as a suggestion based on what I had read in the past. Going to try to get to those soon!
Love a ton of these! I adore reading and am going to do more of it in 2012! Great list. Now following you on Goodreads.
Following you back! I love seeing what everyone else is reading!
You already know the Private Series is my new guilty pleasure! 🙂
It was just so much fun!
I am NOT a Nicholas Sparks fan! I don’t want to read stuff that is so sad. And every single one of his seems to turn out with somebody dying in the end. I’m also not a fantasy girl, but my son had me read WarBreaker by Brandon Sanderson and I actually really liked it. He is my son’s favorite author.
Sandy
Yes, there was only one I can remember where it wasn’t a totally tragic ending… and that one had a sequel… with a tragic ending.
Oh think I might have to pin your post so I can remember some good ones to read! And yes the Hunger games is so so good- beyond excited for the movie! The trailer almost brought me to tears.
Same here on the trailer! I get goosebumps watching it.
Hi,
Happy New Year!
I enjoyed your book review. I used to be a big reader, but in the last few years, I just haven’t been. I’ve heard about the Hunger Games, I might have to get that one.
Sherri
It really is so good. Disturbing premise, but it really draws you in.
Thanks for the recommendations (and warnings!). I’m a book lover and am also looking for recommendations I can trust. I can trust yours since you warn against Nicholas Sparks. 🙂
Ha. I did used to really like Sparks, but enough is enough already.
Well, if you like fluff, I’m reading Dick Van Dyke’s memoir “My Lucky LIfe.” It’s not exactly fluff but it is light and it’s just so fun to read about someone who has spent his life doing what he loves to do. But man. TV used to be HARD. 39 episodes in a season! and taped in front of a studio audience. sometimes live. amazing.
I love fluff. 🙂
Ya know, I just don’t read anymore. Before I had kids, I read a lot, but now I feel like it’s a chore for me. If I’m not working, blogging or taking care of the kids, I scrapbook. Maybe someday I’ll pick up reading again, but I don’t see it anytime in the near future.
I don’t scrapbook. That’s one of those things I wish I did… but have never even tried. B/c I’m a slacker.
I read Kristin Hannah’s The Magic Hour five or six years ago and I’ve been a fan of hers ever since. I love the way she writes about female relationships, whether best friends or sisters.
I read more YA lit this year. At the top of the list: Matched, Delirium, Across the Universe. Have you read either of Elizabeth Kostova’s books? Absolutely spellbinding. I’m hoping a new one will come out soon. I started reading books by Susan Meissner, Cathy Holton, and Kate Morton and would highly recommend them as well.
Thanks for letting us all talk about books today!
I’ve heard Matched quiet a few times- and it’s on my tbr list- I think I’ll read it soon.
Thanks for sharing Shell, I haven’t heard of most of these ones but just finished Water for Elephants which I LOVED. I have friended you on goodbooks – what an awesome sight – I had no idea such a thing existed!
Goodreads really is such a cool site!
Didn’t know Sisterhood Everlasting had come out; off to the library for that one! I agree with your take on N. Sparks. I used to read every one of his books asap when they came out. Now, I scan the back and often re-shelve them at the library or bookstore. I still love the Notebook(both movie and book versions), though…sigh.
I think I’ve still read all of his, but there isn’t a rush to go get them like there used to be for me.
I love Water for Elephants!!
I’ll be adding some of these to my to-read list on Goodreads!
I was very surprised by how much I liked it. I enjoyed the movie, too.
The birth house…
Can’t remeber who it was by but I loved it!!
I haven’t read that much this year…errr last year
Will look for that one!
I still think of years in terms of a school year.
Thank you for sharing this list!! I wish I had (made) more time to read.
I have started “The Hunger Games” THREE times and just can’t get past the first 20 pages. I will try again.
For you!
Try it. It’s a disturbing premise, but I couldn’t put it down.
I just bought The Hunger Games books to read for when I’m traveling over the next few months. I’ve heard great things about them.
I couldn’t put them down.
Yay for book reviews! Thanks for the advice. I suspect that you and I have similar taste in books, although I confess that I was over Nicholas Sparks a while ago. Life is tragic enough; these days I want my novels to have happy endings. But I admit at the outset that it makes some of them less realistic. Oh well.
For Christmas my husband got me a book called _Death Comes to Pemberley_ which is meant to be a murder mystery sequel to Pride and Prejudice. I gave him an “are you kidding me??” look when I opened it, but so far (a third of the way through), I’m enjoying it. I mention it in case you or another one of your many readers loves Jane Austen like I do!
And, since you like mythology, did you ever get into the Percy Jackson series? I read the first and never managed to buy any of the rest, but I did enjoy it. Great read-aloud for the upper elementary crowd when your boys are a bit bigger, too.
I kept trying Sparks b/c of how much I used to love him.
I do like Jane Austen, though I admit to reading more fluff.
No Percy Jackson- I saw the movie, but haven’t read the books yet.
I’m in the process of making my reading list for 2012, so I was happy to see this. I am a huge Nick Sparks fan, too but I have to agree with what you said. His books are becoming all too predictable. I love a page turner, but seriously. How about we NOT kill someone and let everyone live all happy and crap for once?
Really. Just ONCE.
Since I am a 42-year old Twilight groupie and not ashamed to say so, I’m going to get that book that you say is BETTER than Twilight. I just have to. I almost take your words as a challenge 🙂 Oh, and by the way… it’s a good thing you ducked…because the thing I threw at you could have done some damage. Just say’n.
🙂
Water For Elephants: loved it! I haven’t seen the movie yet and don’t really want to because it stars my Edward and I can’t even imagine him as anyone other than Edward, and I don’t want to.
The Hunger Games: loved it big time!
The Help: have not read that yet, nor have I seen the movie. I want to read the book first. I got a Kindle for Christmas and this will be the first book that I get on it 🙂
I am also a geek for Greek Myth so Starcrossed sounds like something I’ll have to include on my reading list. As well as the Hunger Games, since it seems everyone and their mom is jumping on this bandwagon lately.
And YES!!!! Water for Elephants was one of my favorite reads of 2011. Wonderful, wonderful book.
Well I use to never read but my hubs got me a Nook Color for xmas last year and I have been hooked ever since. I read some much in 2010 more than I have ever in my all my years! I love that I can go on my local libraries web site and download an ebook for FREE.
I started it with The Art of Racing in the Rain, very good definitely a tear jerker. Then I read a couple of Joshilyn Jackson books-Between, Georgia and The Girl Who Stopped Swimming both really good. Then I was onto the Sookie Stackhouse (Southern Vampire) series loved them all except the last one which I liked but wish it would have told more. Then I went further into the vampire world with J.R. Ward Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I have read the other stuff she has written also and have LOVED every bit of it. I will warn you this is way from PG13 Twilight and is more R rated. Also Jeaniene Frost all her stuff is awesome.
That is my list I am now on the hunt for what to read in 2012.
I used to love Nicholas Sparks, too, but I don’t care for his writing anymore either. Ever since the non-fiction book with his brother came out, I just haven’t been able to get into his books.
~~~Hey, Shell,
great post.
I looove Water for Elephants! Didn’t want it to End.
I hear the Hunger Games is Superb.
….& Sparks is a formula writer. Damn him for selling so many books and the movies!!!
I don’t get it.
Xx
I love this list.
I went so long without reading a book, but this year I read The Hunger Games trilogy (LOVED), The Help (also loved), Water for Elephants (I had no idea what to expect but loved it also), as well as a handful of other books and a bunch of stories for free at Amazon.
Much of this is thanks to the new Kindle I just got (my first e-reader) so I always have a book on hand for those 5 minutes I get free.
Sweet Valley…. I read that as a kid too, but was sick of it by age 11 and moved on to Stephen King, Christopher Pike, and Dean Koontz. There is so much more for young adults now, compared to then.
I will be sure to check out most of your must read list. Thank you!
Oh, I loved Christopher Pike! LOL
I adore my kindle. I keep it in my purse, so I always have a book to read.
I sooo love the Hunger Games trilogy. I’m glad to see you enjoy reading YA novels. I do too. I buy all the kids books for an independent bookstore, which is very awesome.
I’m a former elementary and middle school teacher. I got into the habit of reading them so I knew what my students were reading or so I could make suggestions to them. And just stuck with it.
A message board I frequent started a facebook book club which has pushed me into some books I wouldn’t have otherwise read on my own.
I loved Madame Toussad (historical fiction)! I really liked the Dovekeepers & Rules of Civility. I’m waiting for my local library to get back to me for 11/22/63 – Stephen King’s newest.
I too liked Room & sped through the Hunger Games & the Millenium trilogy (THe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo etc…)
I have heard that The Paris Wife is really good, and that’s in my queue at the library.
That SVH book was just terrible. I wanted to remember Elizabeth as the girl with the ‘simple, but chic’ ponytail. Not the chick who hops in the sack with the director.
Oh, I love hearing about what other people are reading!
The Hunger Games trilogy, I agree, is awesome. I need to reread Book 1 before the movie comes out.
Glad to hear the Kristin Hannah books are good. Winter Garden has been on my “to read” list. Room is on that list, as well.
Favorite books I read this past year: The Night Circus and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer.
I have been telling my Twi-hard friends since 2010 when I read the first Vampire Academy book that it is way better then Twilight! I am so glad to find someone else that agrees. I knew I couldn’t possibly be alone. I added you on Goodreads. The Hunger Games Trilogy is on my kindle right now as well as Water For Elephants.
I thought there was more of a detailed plot in the Vampire Academy books.
I adore the fact that SVC is like the worst book like you’ve like read. Like. And I’m glad you read it before I did so I could like save my time. 😉
I completely agree with your assessment of Hunger Games. I couldn’t believe how far I was sucked into the entire world of the story. Rob was reading them after I did and was 3/4 of the way through #2 when we went away for a weekend trip. He didn’t think he’d have time to read but we did have a quiet afternoon, and he finished the book but hadn’t packed book 3. He actually considered buying another copy while we were out of town, rather than wait til we got home the next day.
Room was probably hands down the best book I read in 2011. There are no words for how amazing it is and just the style and technique in her writing it from his point of view.
(Also, I found you through mama marchand :))