Reading Review 2009

Wow... So I've been seeing these little reviews everywhere for books you have read in 2009. I'm not entirely sure that I can remember every book I've read in the last year and I didn't exactly keep track.

This year found me without a whole lot of new books to read, very little cash to spend on new books, and little time to go browse at the library... which means that this year I did A LOT of re-reading books I already own and have read as well as borrowing books from friends.

I re-read:

1-7. The entire Harry Potter Series from book 1-7
8-11. The entire Twilight series
12. The Secret Life of Bees (twice) (Sue Monk Kidd)
13. Poision Study (Maria V. Snider)
14. Magic Study (MVS)
15. Fire Study (MVS)
16. The India Fan (Victoria Holt)
17. The Thirteenth Tale (Dianne Setterfield)
18. The Sharing Knife (Lois McMaster Bujold)
19-21. Diary of a Whimpy Kid books 1-3 (Jeff Kiney)

Other Books I can remember reading are:

22-24. The Immortal Instrument Series (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass) by Cassandra Clare
25. Sea Glass (MVS)
26-28. The Legend of Drizzt series by R.A. Salvatore books 1-3
29. Will Storr Vs. The Supernatural
30. Phantom of the Opera
31. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
32. Baby Proof (Emily Griffin)
33. Little Earthquakes (Jennifer Wiener)
34. My Sisters Keeper (Jodi Picoult)
35. Salem Falls (JP)
36. Keeping Faith (JP)
37. Cinderella Rules (Donna Kaufman)
38. The Host by Stephanie Meyer

I'm not entirely sure if that's every book I've read this year or not. I would like to think that I've read more... but in any case, these are the ones I'm certain I read. 38 isn't really a bad number, but I'll keep better track this year. Anyway, I'm going to steal Daphne's little book survey thingy.
Best Book Overall
That's really a tough one. I really, really, really like Keeping Faith. But the fact that I re-read both The Secret Life of Bees and The India Fan (AGAIN) speaks volumes about how good both are. I was assigned Secret Life of Bees as part of my orientation class my first year of college and I've read at least once a year ever since. I first read the India Fan when I was about 15 and it gets read about once a year too. In fact, I had to buy a new copy this year because my old one disentegrated.

Best Young Adult
This one is easy. I'm going to go with the Immortal Instruments Series. The series was aimed at the same age group as Twilight but was infinitely better written and the story line had much more to offer. Plus there is word that a prequal series will be coming out too and I'm super excited about it. I thought these books had way better characters. But that's just me. Please don't kill me Twilight Fans!!!!

Best Chunkster (450 +)
Is it sad that I didn't read very many books that fall in this category this year??? Anyway, staying within those guidelines I'd have to say The India Fan, hands down. It really is a wonderful story.

Best Unexpected Delight
Definitely Will Storr Vs. The Supernatural. It was entirely different from what I had expected when I picked it up but it was AWESOME. I can't reccomend it enough.

Best Non-Fiction
Again, not many books fell into this category... in fact only one that I can re-call so Will Storr wins by default.

Best Horror
I thought Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was hilarious. And it's one of the only books I read this year that can really justify that genre.

Biggest Dissappointment
Definitely Cinderella Rules. I thought it might actually have a cute plot, even for a fluffy book... but I was wrong. It has some horribly botched together and entirely unbelievable "plot" that the writer uses to fill in the gaps between the love scenes which start taking place almost immediately. It's seriously like two strangers meet in the back of a limo, exchange names and are making out by the time they reach their destination. Boo! Boo I say! Not intellectually stimulating in the least. There isn't even any good banter going on. Boo.

Best Re-Read
The Secret Life of Bees or again, The India Fan.

Best Guilty Pleasure
I don't feel guilty for reading! LOL I read a lot of fantasy, fiction, and young adult books, and kid books... and I enjoy them all!

That Being Said, here is a list of my goals for the New year:

1. Make a concious effort to Pay for what I NEED before spending money on what I WANT

2. Keep Track of the books that I read

That's it! Real ambitious, I know. But I've never actually made "resolutions" before, so I have to take baby steps.

Happy Up-coming New Year!