- Middlemarch, by George Elliot
- The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan
- Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens
- The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexander Dumas
- Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Middlemarch was very nice (as was the BBC miniseries), The Lightning Thief was... eh... Our Mutual Friend was outstanding, reminding me that yes, Dickens is one of my all-time favorite authors. (And the miniseries was good, too.) I'm halfway through The Count of Monte Cristo, enjoying it a lot, and plan on listening to Crime and Punishment as soon as I'm done with Dumas.
Resolutions aside, my numbers for 2010 were squashed by European travel--instead of averaging around 100 books, this year's count was 55. More than a little demoralizing. My brain looks at that and feels half empty. But, I remind myself, quality is worth more than quantity. Last year, one category in this list was Books I Won't Be Reading Again. I certainly don't need that heading today!
So what were the highlights?
Best New Discoveries of 2010
Author: Elisabeth Elliot (Keep a Quiet Heart, A Chance to Die)
Novel: We Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson
Favorite Classic
Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens
Favorite MG/YA Novels
The Boneshaker, by Kate Milford
The Chestnut King, by N.D. Wilson
Finnikin of the Rock, by Melina Marchetta
Heist Society, by Ally Carter
Most Difficult to Complete (But I Did!)
The Bondage of the Will, by Martin Luther
Disappointments from Authors I Liked Last Year
Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins
Keeper, by Kathi Appelt
Penny Dreadful, by Laurel Snyder
Surprises from Authors I Didn't Like Last Year
Crunch, by Leslie Connor
Favorite ReRead
Winner two years running. Possibly the best book that will ever enter my life.
Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta
Books I Didn’t Think Would Be That Great But Ended Up Amazing
The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church, by Roland Allen
Books I Thought Would Be Amazing But Really Weren't That Great
Illyria, by Elizabeth Hand
How I Live Now, by Meg Rosoff
Author: Elisabeth Elliot (Keep a Quiet Heart, A Chance to Die)
Novel: We Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson
Favorite Classic
Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens
Favorite MG/YA Novels
The Boneshaker, by Kate Milford
The Chestnut King, by N.D. Wilson
Finnikin of the Rock, by Melina Marchetta
Heist Society, by Ally Carter
Most Difficult to Complete (But I Did!)
The Bondage of the Will, by Martin Luther
Disappointments from Authors I Liked Last Year
Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins
Keeper, by Kathi Appelt
Penny Dreadful, by Laurel Snyder
Surprises from Authors I Didn't Like Last Year
Crunch, by Leslie Connor
Favorite ReRead
Winner two years running. Possibly the best book that will ever enter my life.
Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta
Books I Didn’t Think Would Be That Great But Ended Up Amazing
The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church, by Roland Allen
Books I Thought Would Be Amazing But Really Weren't That Great
Illyria, by Elizabeth Hand
How I Live Now, by Meg Rosoff
Hopes and Goals for 2011: An Eclectic List
I'm probably being too ambitious, since March-June will see me nannying four boys under four. But there are 72 books on my Goodreads to-read shelf!
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexander Dumas
Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Pickwick Papers, by Charles Dickens
The Piper's Son, by Melina Marchetta
Fallen, by David Maine
Two Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage, by Madeline L'Engle
Uncommon Criminals, by Ally Carter
Fly Trap, by Francis Hardinge
Affliction, by Edith Schaffer
What is a Family? by Edith Schaffer
Common Sense Christian Living, by Edith Schaffer
Heretics, by G.K. Chesterton
The Piper's Son, by Melina Marchetta
Fallen, by David Maine
Two Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage, by Madeline L'Engle
Uncommon Criminals, by Ally Carter
Fly Trap, by Francis Hardinge
Affliction, by Edith Schaffer
What is a Family? by Edith Schaffer
Common Sense Christian Living, by Edith Schaffer
Heretics, by G.K. Chesterton
What's Wrong with the World, by G.K. Chesterton
Pilgrim's Inn, by Elizabeth Goudge
The Dragon's Tooth, by N.D. Wilson
Five Red Herrings, by Dorothy Sayers
Pilgrim's Inn, by Elizabeth Goudge
The Dragon's Tooth, by N.D. Wilson
Five Red Herrings, by Dorothy Sayers
The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde
Okay for Now, by Gary Schmidt
Okay for Now, by Gary Schmidt
4 comments:
Ah! You have some of my favorites on this list--Two-Part, Pilgrim's Inn, Heretic, Pickwick, and What's Wrong with the World are all exceptionally wonderful. It's going to be a good year.
I loved the Count of Monte Cristo. The movie is quite good, as well.
I liked how you set up your list. I'm surprised you gave some of those authors a second chance. I rarely do that. I think your goals for the New Year look great.
I've got an old hardback of Pilgrim's Inn. My mother gave it to me when I was pretty young because The Little White Horse was my favorite book. It was a bit too adult for me, then, although I ate it up, heh. I've been meaning to reread it now that I'm older and less likely to be offended. ;)
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