Before I begin, let me preface my list and my reviews by sharing a few insights. One, I like fiction. I did try to branch out in 2008 and read more non-fiction, but as you can see, my list is overwhelming comprised of fiction books. Two, I read mostly modern fiction, by mostly female authors. I don't intentionally do that, but it seems to be the books to which I'm most drawn. You'll notice that there aren't a lot of classics on the list and while I do plan to read more of the classics in 2009, but I highly doubt I'll be able to read ONLY the classics. While I love to read the classics in a classroom setting, complete with insightful discussion and whatnot, when left to my own devices, I seem to settle well into just plain old fiction.
And third, not included on this list are the myriad of books that I began but, for one reason or another, never finished. If you look over my list you can see I really struggled to read anything in June and July. I spent most of my time those two months beginning books and then taking them back to the library. Some of the books began, but never finished, include: A Tale of Two Cities, The Price of Privilege, Three Cups of Tea, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Skeletons at the Feast, To Buy or Not to Buy Organic?, Edmund Bertram's Diary, etc.
Now on to my reviews!
Most Interesting Non-Fiction: The Mormon Way of Doing Business by Jeff Benedict. It was neat to read the daily habits of some highly successful people in the business world. The CEOs of JetBlue, Dell and Deloitte and Touche, the CFO of AmEx and the former dean of the Harvard Business school all discuss how their faith has played a major role in why they've been successful.
Funniest Non-Fiction: Mr. and Mrs. Happy Handbook by Steve Doocy. Whenever I catch Steve Doocy on Fox News, I just laugh. In my opinion, he has a hilarious sense of humor, so while reading the book I busted out laughing quite a bit. A very light, easy read. Kind of a "Look at my life, wow, we made some pretty silly mistakes when we were dating, first married, had kids, they went to college, etc."
Most Read Author of 2008: I'm going to consider this a three-way tie since I didn't read my 4th Shannon Hale book until the very end of 2008. Out of the three authors (all women, of course), I'd say I consistently liked Shannon Hale's novels the best, even though Goose Girl, Princess Academy and Book of a Thousand Days are very, very similar (girl has a special gift, gets taken away from family, travels long distances, there's some pretend about being (or not being) royalty, definitely a guy involved (the prince), and ends up using her gift to avoid disaster in the kingdom). Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed and Something Blue are great beach reads, but there is some language and sexual content. Definitely a PG-13 rating. Love the One You're With was terrible. I hate reading about women in marriages who toy with infidelity. I also discovered that while I enjoy the books written by Sophie Kinsella, I'm less thrilled with the books she wrote under her real name of Madeline Wickham.
Emily Giffin - Something Borrowed, Something Blue and Love the One You're With.
Sophie Kinsella/Madeline Wickham - Sleeping Arrangements, The Gatecrasher, and Remember Me?
Shannon Hale - Goose Girl, Princess Academy, Book of a Thousand Days and Austenland
Best Austen-inspired read: Austenland by Shannon Hale. If you love Jane Austen or the A&E version of "Pride and Prejudice", then you will surely enjoy this little ditty. A gal named Jane has an unhealthy obsession with Colin Firth aka Mr. Darcy. So much so that her great aunt leaves her a trip to Pembrook Park in England where guests come to experience the world of Jane Austen. They dress, act, eat, dance, talk, etc. just as they did in Austen's time. It's a cute, quick read, and of COURSE there's a silly little romance. I have to admit, I totally grinned while I read this one. So fun!
Best "Fun" read: Accidental It Girl by Libby Street. When paparazzo Sadie Price takes a photo of young Hollywood 'It' Guy Ethan Wyatt, she has no idea the tables are about to turn. Wyatt takes to stalking Price as part of a plot that he put together to name Sadie the secret girlfriend of another young Hollywood hunk. Needless to say, Sadie is less than happy when she discovers SHE'S the one everyone's trying to get a picture of. Oh yeah, and there's a romance. I loved it!
Favorite Book of 2008: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. By far the most interesting concept for a book that I've read in a long, long time. Henry DeTamble has a unique gene that allows him to time travel. Only it's not cool like when Marty McFly did it. DeTamble has no control over when he travels, to where or when, or when he travels back. Henry does a lot of trying to find food and clothing throughout the novel. The book is described as a romance, and it is, but it's definitely not a sappy, sweet kind of romance. More along the lines of a romantic tragedy. I can't tell you how much I've thought about this book since I've read it. Really, really interesting. Plus, it's coming out in movie form this year. Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams play the leads.
Best Throwback to 2007: Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling. I love all things Harry Potter, so this was great as a very last tribute to that incredible series. In Book 7 Hermoine Granger learns that Dumbledore left her a book of wizardly "fairytales". Stories that witches and wizards told their kids as bedtime stories. Tales of Beedle the Bard is the book that Hermoine "translated" from Runes into English. It's short, it's cute and it's Harry Potter!
Worst Book Read in 2008: A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray and Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin. Yuck. To both of them. Beauty was stupid and evil-ish (at least to me) and The One You're With was lame. I hate when I can't find at least one redeeming quality in the main character.
Worst Book by and/or about British women: English as a Second Language by Megan Crane. All it talked about was graduate school and getting drunk in the local pub. Oh, and smoking. Don't waste your time.
Worst Series: Uglies, Pretties, Specials - by Scott Westerfeld. I kept thinking the series would get better, but it didn't. I especially resented the underlying message of environmentalism and that pretty much humans today are savages. If it's going to be about the environment, then say so. Don't try to pitch a story about the earth under the guise that it's about beauty (which it SOOO wasn't).
And there you have it. I've already read a few good ones in 2009, so I'm really looking forward to reading more this year. What about you guys? Agree or disagree with my reviews? Anything I definitely need to read this year? Oh, and I'm on both Goodreads and Shelfari, so if you're on either one of those and we're not friends yet, please send me an invite today! I love to look over what other people are reading and Goodreads and Shelfari are by far the easiest ways to do that. Happy reading!
15 comments:
I loved your reviews. I am totally a sucker for silly and fun reads (even though I do try and expand my reading). Now I have some new book ideas to check out at the library!
I'm so excited that you are reading "East of Eden"! I just finished it and I really, really enjoyed it. Just my opinion, when I first started I expected it to be an amazing parable right from the start. It's not, just an interesting story at first, but it develops more as the book goes on. Enjoy! Let me know how you like it!
I'm totally impressed and grateful for your reviews! I'm going to check out more than a few of the books you've listed here. Thanks!
WOW!! you really did read so many books last year! loved all the reviews and commentaries. i read the time traveler's wife after you recomended it, and i agree that it is one book that i have thought about so many times since i've read it. its such a fascinating concept of a book, but it was just so heartbreakingly sad to me. i still really enjoyed it, but it was a kind of bittersweet enjoyment.
its funny, i've always characterized myself as a fiction girl myself, but as i'm thinking over what i've read this last year, it seems to be overwhelmingly non-fiction.
and i LOVE east of eden. its one of my favorite books. didn't you try reading it that one pink summer in our un-air-conditioned house?
Yes! I did try to read it that summer, but I only got about halfway through before school started back. Plus, that was the summer of Steve, so I was occupied with other things. I do remember liking what I read, so I'm excited to read it all the way this time.
I am so impressed with all the reading you do! Seriously. That's one of my goals this year - read more books! Though, I must agree, Austenland is a totally fun little read! My mom gave it to me for Christmas last year, along with "The Goose Girl."
Have you ever read "Three Weeks With My Brother" by Nicholas Sparks? I'm not typially a huge Sparks fan, but this is different - its sort of a biography about his life, entertwined with a three week trip around the world he takes with his brother. I absolutely loved it. "East of Eden" is definitely on my list, after I finish "The Alchemist" (I think I am the only person who hasn't read it yet!)
Great book reviews, Now I have some ideas for next months read in my RS book club! Thanks!!!
great post. great reviews. i must say that i actually like to hear more about books people didn't like and the reasons why. i pretty much agree with you on the premises of the books that you didn't like. and i hateHATEhate a hidden preachy message. bleah.
nice, very nice. Accidental It girl was a fun read so thanks for the recommendation. Even though I am much of a Steinbeck fan, I did like East of Eden.
Hey Natalie--thought I'd wander over and say hello! Thanks for the book reviews--I'm so excited to have some more ideas. Hope y'all had a great Christmas!
Thank you for your book recommendation. I can't wait to get my hands on it. Plus, I think this is fabulous that you keep tabs on your readings. I'm currently reading a Prince of Tides, and am always asking people for good book suggestions. :D
What a great idea. I should keep track of the books I read and review them because I read a lot - sometimes a book a day.
I have been reading a lot of Austen-ish books and the jane austen mysteries by stephanie barron are really good and you learn a lot about Austen's life. I think they are actually historical fiction based on her detective journals.
Also Carrie Bebris mysteries are good as well - based on elizabeth bennet and darcy character (they solve the mysteries)
Just some new ones to try - if you like Austen you can't go wrong.
I'm an old roommate of Noelle's and found your blog on her's.
I love Emily Giffin and my favorite of hers is Baby Proof, if you haven't read it yet, I recommend it. I didn't hate "Love the One You're With" like you did, but I didn't think it was as good as her others.
I loved loved loved the time travelers wife. my favorite part about it was how he and his wife are both flawed, but their love for each other is beautiful. Okay, that's probably the cheesiest line I've ever written. and I'm soooooo excited its coming out as a movie. Maybe we can go see it together! And where've you been during playgroup recently???
I am getting "The Time Traveler's Wife" today. I just finished my book and was looking for another read so I am so glad that I read your blog today! I will let you know what I think!
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