Sunday, January 9, 2011

Here we go.....

It is the start of a new reading year and I have been challenged by my library colleague, Beth to read 100 books this year.  She is already way ahead of me but I cannot resist a challenge.  So, here we go with the list for 2011.

1. The Radleys by Matt Haig (a different kind of vampire tale....starting my year of with a fang!)
2. Rule of Nine by Steve Martini (not my favorite, Paul Madriani is getting a little stale)
3. The Alienist by Caleb Carr (good historical mystery, just a little gruesome)
4. Sherlock Holmes and the Shakespeare Letter by Barry Grant (I can't wait for the next one...some threads were left hanging)
5. Peak by Roland Smith (Go YA adventure with lots of meaty issues for young adults)
6. The Mozart Code by Scott Mariani (Good, DaVinci code-ish, thriller)
7. Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward (Very funny quirky mystery)
8. Unless it Moves The Human Heart by Roger Rosenblatt (beautifully written book on writing)
9. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin (southern, almost gothic, lots of twist....read this one!)
10. A Common Life by Jan Karon (Sweet, a little scattered, Father Tim and Cynthia in Ireland)
11. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (witches, vampires, science, magic, history....what could be better?)
12. Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen ( An old fashioned cozy mystery for a cold day)
13. The Sherlockian by Graham Brown (two mysteries 100 years apart, with Sherlock!)
14. Love, Inc by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout (Sweet and suprising YA girl lit)
15. The Secret Soldier by Alex Berenson (Action, suspense, bodies everywhere....)
16. Unpublished Memoir by a favorite customer (I hope that someone publishes this fascinating story)
17. Sixkills by Robert Parker (I can't believe that this is the last Spenser novel.....)
18. Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister ( pleasant, fun.....liked but didn't love)
19. Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran (Loved it.....historical fiction at it's best)
20. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (classic mystery and suspense)
21. AfterImage by Carla Malden (Affecting, heartwrenching memoir)
22. Withering Tights by Louise Rennison (Georgia has a cousin!  Hooray.....)
23. Family Honor by Robert Parker (The first Sunny Randall book....my heart still belongs to Spenser)
24. Crampton Hodnet by Barbara Pym (Cozy re-read)
25. One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde (weird, but so enjoyable)
26. Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon (Venice, food, mystery......good stuff)
27. Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy (white house chef, kidnapping, mystery)
28 My One and Only by Kristan Higgins (light, fun, just ok)
29. A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear (I can't believe that I finished it so fast....I want more....)
30. You Better Knot Die by Betty Hechtman (Crochet, murder and recipes....the cozy trifecta)
31. The Happiness Project by Gretchn Rubin  (interesting concept with some good ideas)
32. Original Sin by Beth McMullan (wry, funny, suspenseful....good)
33. Secret Sanction by Brian Haig (great thriller.....thanks to Viv for the recommendation)
34. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (lovely, a little magical and romantic...perfect for spring)
35. Bossypants by Tina Fey (Funny and smart)
36. My Korean Deli by Ben Ryder Howe (also funny and smart....)
37. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney (dark and brooding....leaves some questions open)
38. The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly (sweet, fun, light read)
39. The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn (good cozy, fun characters)
40. Theater Geek by Mickey Rapkin (Interesting look at theater camp)
41. Drawing Conclusions by Donna Leon (the wonderful Inspector Brunetti is back)
42. Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson (lively YA, I had hoped for a different ending)
43. Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks (beautifully written literary and historical fiction)
44. Real Murders by Charlaine Harris (ehhh... I suggest her Sookie Stackhouse series instead)
45. A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd (excellent historical mystery.....Bess Crawford is a winner!)
46. The English Assassin by Daniel Silva (intense thriller with art restorer/spy Gabriel Allon)
47. Dead Spy Running by Jon Stock (just ok....)
48. The Sisters by Nancy Jenkins (good women's fiction)
49. Walking the Perfect Square by Reed Farrel Coleman (Excellent noir mystery)
50.  David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (What took me so long?  So great)
51. Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun by Lois Winston (cute cozy)
52. Strategic Moves by Stuart Woods (wretched)
53. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (dark and wonderful.....Three Pines continues to be a wonderful place for a murder)
54. Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos (lovely story of friendship and love)
55. The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted  by Bridget Asher ("grief is a love story told backwards")
56. The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card (good fantasy novel)
57. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (dark, beautiful, disturbing)
58. Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith (light look at an entertaining cast of characters)
59. Gods of Greenwich by Norb Vonnegut (so-so financial thriller, learned lots of new slang)
60. Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem (interesting, well written, hardboiled, literary)
61. The Borrower by Rebeccas Makkai (Amazing!)
62. Whose Body by Dorothy Sayers (old-fashioned, politically incorrect but enjoyable mystery)
63. The Leftovers by Tom Perotta (ehhhh.....)
64. The Dog Who Came in From the Cold by Alexander McCall Smith (charming, enjoyable)
65. Redemption Street by Reed Farrel Coleman (well written, intriguing characters, good mystery)
66. Adrenaline by Jeff Abbott (excellent thriller)
67. Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner (edgy little YA novel)
68. Kingmaker by Brian Haig (exciting spy novel)
69. The Orange Blossom Special by Betsy Carter (picture of Gainesville in the 50x)
70. The Wedding Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini (mushy and good)
71. The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill (unusual, well-written mystery)
72. Children and Fire by Ursula Hegi (subtle and powerful)
73. Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva (always a good read)
74.  Zeke Bartholomew Superspy by Jason Pinter (Really fun middle grade adventure)
75. A Suitable Vengeance by Elizabeth George (complicated and interesting mystery)
76. Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin ( things are bad when I start reading pink YA books.....)
77. Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer (good saga)
78. Anthem for Doomed Youth by Carola Dunn (historical cozy mystery....good storm reading)
79. Shug by  Jenny Han (Good YA)
80.  Rip Tide by Stella Rimington (so-so spy novel)
81. It Looked Different on the Model by Laurie Notaro (really, really funny)
82. The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory (wonderful, romantic, fact filled historical fiction)
83. The Call by Yannick Murphy (unusual and very good)
84. The Christmas Thief by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark (ok....not the right season)
85. Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet (definitely the right season, very Agatha Christie)
86. The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman (good, if wordy, mystery)
87. The Affair by Lee Child (not my favorite.....or I am still upset that Tom Cruise is playing Reacher?)
88. A Test of Wills by Charles Todd (good English mystery)
89. Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen (fun cozy)
90. Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt (enjoyable legal thriller)
91. The Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (loved this....hope it is not the last)
92. One Day by David Nicholls ( a modern love story)
93. The Confession by Charles Todd (confusing but good)
94. Girls in White Dresses byJennifer Close (connected short stories about girls in the city)
95. Knit One Pearl One by Gile McNeil (sweet, but how do you knit a seahorse?)
96. Death is a Cabaret by Deborah Morgan (audio book with a terrible narrator distracted from the mystery.
97. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny (back to Three Pines.....love these books)
98. Change of A Dress by Maya Gold (cute YA)
99. The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz (Sherlock and Dr. Watson are back!)
100. Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott (wonderful story of her sons first year with his son)
101. L.A. Requiem by Robert Crais (well written, hardboiled mystery)
102. Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich (like coming home but with crazy relatives)
103. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling (funny memoir)
104. You Better Not Cry by Augusten Burroughs (funny, sad Christmas stories)
105. A Killer's Christmas in Wales by Elizabeth Duncan (cozy mystery in Wales)
106. The Matzo Ball Heiress by Laurie Gwen Shapiro (pure fluff!)
107. Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton (another cozy....love this series)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Terry,

Soooo happy to read your blog!!! (Which of course I discovered by reading Dean's blog!!!) You are bookmarked on my favorites and I will be visiting frequently. I loooooove the book recommendations...maybe I will try for 100 this year with you :)

Betsy

Book Mama said...

Betsy - Go for 100! Terry