Favorites

I’ve been looking over my list of books read this year and these have been some of my favorite reads:

Fiction
A Very Long Engagement by Sebastien Japrisot
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
Natural Flights of the Human Mind by Clare Morall
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
How Elizabeth Barrett Browning Saved My Life by Mameve Medwed
Spilling Clarence by Anne Ursu
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Mystery
An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears
Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas
Shinju by Laura John Rowland
Death at Bishop’s Keep by Robin Page
A Rare Interest in Corpses by Ann Granger
The Black Book by Ian Rankin
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
Still Life by Louise Penny
The Man With a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes

Others
A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
Taking Off Emily Dickinson’s Clothes by Billy Collins

I feel bad leaving out some other enjoyable reads. I kept adding and then taking off this book and this one. They weren’t my favorites but they sure did stay with me for a while. Of course that makes me think about what consitutes a “keeper” book. But that becomes a subject for a whole other discussion. For now that is my list.

...Read More

Library Finds

I stopped by the library today to pick up a hold and added a few others to the book bag. Here’s what I got:

Run the Risk by Scott Frost. This is the January selection for my mystery book group.

Ten Poems to Change Your Life by Roger Housden. According to the book jacket these are poems to stir the human heart and soul.

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel. I’m trying to explore more graphic novels.

The Girls by Lori Lansens. This one caught my attention when I saw it at B&N one day so I was happy to find it.

As always, I’m not making any promises of getting the books read before they are due.

Also I’ve posted thoughts on two recent reads (the links take you to my reviews), Death of an Englishman and The Devil’s Feather. These were books I had looked forward to reading but which didn’t live up to my expectations.

Finally, I hope to have a list of my favorite reads of the year up tomorrow so check back.

...Read More

Currently Reading

I have finished a few books lately but have been slacking off on talking about those. I hope to get some little reviews up soon. There’s good, bad and in between. In the meantime I’ll let you know what I have been reading.

I’m half way through Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. This is the third book from my From the Stacks Challenge. Unfortunately I don’t think I’m fully appreciating it because I haven’t devoted a good chunk of time to it. I wish I could sit for a couple of hours with this one and finish it.

I’m also half way through Ghost World by Daniel Clowes. This is making me realize that I should read more graphic novels. I’m amazed at the complexity that the author brings in telling the story of two teenaged friends. It’s a bit odd but in a good way.

The third book is Death at Rottingdean by Robin Paige. I’ve barely started this one but I have a feeling I’ll enjoy it.

Tomorrow I have to go to the library to pick up some books for my book group reads and stock up before they close for the holidays. I’ll let you know what I find.

...Read More