1. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - I liked it but wish that it had been cleaner. Too much needless sex and sex-related things. Quick read, though.
2. The Book of New Family Traditions (Revised and Updated): How to Create Great Rituals for Holidays and Every Day by Meg Cox - I really liked this book. It's straightforward and has lots of good ideas to help you establish traditions in your family.
February:
3. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jaime Ford - I liked this book a lot. It's historical fiction about a Chinese-American boy and his Japanese-American friend in Seattle during World War II.
4. Also Known as Rowan Pohi by Ralph Fletcher - Meh. It was fine. I probably would have quit early on because the writing was pretty blah, but the story was okay, and it was really short. I read it in a few hours.
5. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - Enjoyed this one so much. I heard about it on NPR when they first started the Back Seat Book Club, and I'd been wanting to read it ever since. Glad I got around to it.
6. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell - I couldn't stop telling people interesting things from this book. I was always on the lookout for somebody else who'd read it so we could discuss it.
March:
7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - Loved it in 2008 when I read it aloud with Eric. Loved it again in 2013.
8. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Sheryl WuDunn and Nicholas D. Kristof - Such a great book. Jenn gave a great review, which is why I eventually got around to reading it. I started with the audiobook, and then my checkout expired. Then I picked up where I left off using the Kindle edition, and I ultimately had to check that one out twice in order to finish. Such a good read.
April:
9. An American Childhood by Annie Dillard - I liked it, but I didn't love it. It's beautiful writing, but if we're honest, I care more about plot and characters. Many people would love this style of writing, but it's not my favorite.
10. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum - I expected this to be fun and whimsical like the movie, but it just wasn't. It's a rare when you can say that the movie is better than the book, but I think this is one of those times.
May:
11. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen* - Listened to this one on a road trip with Eric. I'd never read it before, but I'd heard a lot about it. It was good, but it didn't quite live up to my inflated expectations.
12. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis* - I enjoyed it. I realized when I was nearly done with this one that I've read and quite liked another book by the same author. I guess I'll have to look for more.
June:
13. Saints by Orson Scott Card* - I wouldn't recommend this to everybody, but I liked it quite a lot.
July:
14. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Won't Stop Talking by Susan Cain - This one took me a while, but it was really interesting and really worth my time. A couple of people had written about it on their blogs, and even though I am not an introvert, I thought I should read it. It has really helped me understand some of my colleagues and closest friends better.
15. Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West by Blaine Harden* - Not a particularly fun topic, but it was a good book.
16. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor* - Loved it. I felt embarrassed to tell people what I was listening to, but good heavens, it was such a good book. As soon as I was done I downloaded the Kindle version of the sequel.
17. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier* - I can see why this is a controversial YA book. I liked it, but I don't feel the need to read it again or recommend it to everyone I know.
18. Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life by Gretchen Rubin - I downloaded this ebook thinking it was Gretchen Rubin's first book (The Happiness Project), which I'd heard a lot about. It wasn't but I think this book actually had more relevance to me. I really enjoyed it, and it's given me a lot of opportunities to think about my own happiness and what I can do to fully appreciate my family and home.
19. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare* - Overall, I liked it. There were a number of things that I thought were anachronistic, but it was a good read.
20. Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage - Eric and I read this together for the past three years. It was excellent, but I already need to start over and read it again.
August:
21. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler* - I really liked so many aspects of the book, but all in all I wasn't that impressed with it.
22. Hole In My Life by Jack Gantos* - The summarized version of the story is so interesting. (As a young man Jack Gantos got busted for smuggling into the country and then selling about a ton of hashish. He served time in a federal prison and was paroled after a while so he could attend college and become a writer.) The long version was not much more interesting than that. Thankfully, it also wasn't that much longer than the summary.
23. NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman - Really enjoyed this one (for the second time). It's interesting to relate it to my own children and try to figure out what I can do better.
24. Hard Passage: A Mennonite Family's Long Journey from Russia to Canada by Arthur Kroeger - A good read.
25. Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool* - I enjoyed this one a lot. The narrators were good, and I loved the historical flashbacks told through letters, newspaper articles and people's memories. It came together really well.
26. Room by Emma Donoghue* - Couldn't stop listening. It's so dang compelling. At first I wasn't sure about listening to a book that's told from a five-year-old's perspective, but once I adjusted to the child-like voice of the narrator I really liked it.
September:
27. Lost Boys by Orson Scott Card* - Another one that I could not turn off. Card is so good at characters and plot. Even if I thought the ending was a little odd, I really enjoyed this book.
28. Earth (The Book): A Visitor's Guide to the Human Race by Jon Stewart* - Definitely some funny bits, but it was sort of like watching the Daily Show for hours and hours. It got to be a little much.
29. Not in the Flesh by Ruth Rendell* - I haven't read many mysteries, especially not as an adult. I enjoyed listening to this one, but I wasn't in any big rush to listen to more from the series. If I get a hankering for a good mystery again in the near future, I'd likely turn to this author.
30. The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen - This was a quick read, and I really enjoyed it. The plot moved along nicely.
31. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot* - I was just so fascinated with this book. It was a perfect mix of medicine, medical history, personal and family history, and current medical ethics issues.
32. Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix - I loved the premise of this book - three young women each somehow involved in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Overall I liked the story and the setting, but I felt like some of the characters, relationships and motives seemed forced.
October:
33. Portobello by Ruth Rendell* - I thought this would be another interesting murder mystery to listen to on my commute, but it wasn't really. I didn't love it, but I do like her writing.
34. The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare* - Lots of anachronisms, and I hated the way she wrote the Native American dialogue. Ugh. But besides that, I liked the story quite a lot.
35. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - This was my first by Jodi Picoult, and overall I enjoyed reading it. The characters are solid, and the plot kept moving. The twist at the end was a bit surprising, but then I felt like she wrapped everything up too quickly.
November:
36. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley* - Amusing. I enjoyed it. The reader was really great.
December:
37. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly* - I really loved the story of this book, but some of the themes grated on me a bit. The reader was quite good. I'd love to discuss this book with somebody who has read it.
38. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor* - I may have downloaded the Kindle version in July after finishing the first one, but then my tablet broke before I got a chance to start it. When the audio became available I got on the waiting list. I really loved this one. A few people said it was better than the first, but I disagree. I'd say it was equally good, but not necessarily better. I'm so interested in the plot and motivations of the characters. As with Daughter of Smoke and Bone I'm a little embarrassed to tell people what I'm reading/listening to, but not too embarrassed to gush about how freaking good these books are.
*Denotes audio-books. Please note that I got a smartphone in late April, and all of a sudden my listening/reading took off. And then a certain toddler broke my tablet in August, and my regular reading dwindled pathetically.
2. The Book of New Family Traditions (Revised and Updated): How to Create Great Rituals for Holidays and Every Day by Meg Cox - I really liked this book. It's straightforward and has lots of good ideas to help you establish traditions in your family.
February:
3. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jaime Ford - I liked this book a lot. It's historical fiction about a Chinese-American boy and his Japanese-American friend in Seattle during World War II.
4. Also Known as Rowan Pohi by Ralph Fletcher - Meh. It was fine. I probably would have quit early on because the writing was pretty blah, but the story was okay, and it was really short. I read it in a few hours.
5. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - Enjoyed this one so much. I heard about it on NPR when they first started the Back Seat Book Club, and I'd been wanting to read it ever since. Glad I got around to it.
6. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell - I couldn't stop telling people interesting things from this book. I was always on the lookout for somebody else who'd read it so we could discuss it.
March:
7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - Loved it in 2008 when I read it aloud with Eric. Loved it again in 2013.
8. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Sheryl WuDunn and Nicholas D. Kristof - Such a great book. Jenn gave a great review, which is why I eventually got around to reading it. I started with the audiobook, and then my checkout expired. Then I picked up where I left off using the Kindle edition, and I ultimately had to check that one out twice in order to finish. Such a good read.
April:
9. An American Childhood by Annie Dillard - I liked it, but I didn't love it. It's beautiful writing, but if we're honest, I care more about plot and characters. Many people would love this style of writing, but it's not my favorite.
10. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum - I expected this to be fun and whimsical like the movie, but it just wasn't. It's a rare when you can say that the movie is better than the book, but I think this is one of those times.
May:
11. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen* - Listened to this one on a road trip with Eric. I'd never read it before, but I'd heard a lot about it. It was good, but it didn't quite live up to my inflated expectations.
12. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis* - I enjoyed it. I realized when I was nearly done with this one that I've read and quite liked another book by the same author. I guess I'll have to look for more.
June:
13. Saints by Orson Scott Card* - I wouldn't recommend this to everybody, but I liked it quite a lot.
July:
14. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Won't Stop Talking by Susan Cain - This one took me a while, but it was really interesting and really worth my time. A couple of people had written about it on their blogs, and even though I am not an introvert, I thought I should read it. It has really helped me understand some of my colleagues and closest friends better.
15. Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West by Blaine Harden* - Not a particularly fun topic, but it was a good book.
16. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor* - Loved it. I felt embarrassed to tell people what I was listening to, but good heavens, it was such a good book. As soon as I was done I downloaded the Kindle version of the sequel.
17. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier* - I can see why this is a controversial YA book. I liked it, but I don't feel the need to read it again or recommend it to everyone I know.
18. Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life by Gretchen Rubin - I downloaded this ebook thinking it was Gretchen Rubin's first book (The Happiness Project), which I'd heard a lot about. It wasn't but I think this book actually had more relevance to me. I really enjoyed it, and it's given me a lot of opportunities to think about my own happiness and what I can do to fully appreciate my family and home.
19. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare* - Overall, I liked it. There were a number of things that I thought were anachronistic, but it was a good read.
20. Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage - Eric and I read this together for the past three years. It was excellent, but I already need to start over and read it again.
August:
21. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler* - I really liked so many aspects of the book, but all in all I wasn't that impressed with it.
22. Hole In My Life by Jack Gantos* - The summarized version of the story is so interesting. (As a young man Jack Gantos got busted for smuggling into the country and then selling about a ton of hashish. He served time in a federal prison and was paroled after a while so he could attend college and become a writer.) The long version was not much more interesting than that. Thankfully, it also wasn't that much longer than the summary.
23. NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman - Really enjoyed this one (for the second time). It's interesting to relate it to my own children and try to figure out what I can do better.
24. Hard Passage: A Mennonite Family's Long Journey from Russia to Canada by Arthur Kroeger - A good read.
25. Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool* - I enjoyed this one a lot. The narrators were good, and I loved the historical flashbacks told through letters, newspaper articles and people's memories. It came together really well.
26. Room by Emma Donoghue* - Couldn't stop listening. It's so dang compelling. At first I wasn't sure about listening to a book that's told from a five-year-old's perspective, but once I adjusted to the child-like voice of the narrator I really liked it.
September:
27. Lost Boys by Orson Scott Card* - Another one that I could not turn off. Card is so good at characters and plot. Even if I thought the ending was a little odd, I really enjoyed this book.
28. Earth (The Book): A Visitor's Guide to the Human Race by Jon Stewart* - Definitely some funny bits, but it was sort of like watching the Daily Show for hours and hours. It got to be a little much.
29. Not in the Flesh by Ruth Rendell* - I haven't read many mysteries, especially not as an adult. I enjoyed listening to this one, but I wasn't in any big rush to listen to more from the series. If I get a hankering for a good mystery again in the near future, I'd likely turn to this author.
30. The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen - This was a quick read, and I really enjoyed it. The plot moved along nicely.
31. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot* - I was just so fascinated with this book. It was a perfect mix of medicine, medical history, personal and family history, and current medical ethics issues.
32. Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix - I loved the premise of this book - three young women each somehow involved in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Overall I liked the story and the setting, but I felt like some of the characters, relationships and motives seemed forced.
October:
33. Portobello by Ruth Rendell* - I thought this would be another interesting murder mystery to listen to on my commute, but it wasn't really. I didn't love it, but I do like her writing.
34. The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare* - Lots of anachronisms, and I hated the way she wrote the Native American dialogue. Ugh. But besides that, I liked the story quite a lot.
35. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - This was my first by Jodi Picoult, and overall I enjoyed reading it. The characters are solid, and the plot kept moving. The twist at the end was a bit surprising, but then I felt like she wrapped everything up too quickly.
November:
36. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley* - Amusing. I enjoyed it. The reader was really great.
December:
37. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly* - I really loved the story of this book, but some of the themes grated on me a bit. The reader was quite good. I'd love to discuss this book with somebody who has read it.
38. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor* - I may have downloaded the Kindle version in July after finishing the first one, but then my tablet broke before I got a chance to start it. When the audio became available I got on the waiting list. I really loved this one. A few people said it was better than the first, but I disagree. I'd say it was equally good, but not necessarily better. I'm so interested in the plot and motivations of the characters. As with Daughter of Smoke and Bone I'm a little embarrassed to tell people what I'm reading/listening to, but not too embarrassed to gush about how freaking good these books are.
*Denotes audio-books. Please note that I got a smartphone in late April, and all of a sudden my listening/reading took off. And then a certain toddler broke my tablet in August, and my regular reading dwindled pathetically.
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