What I've Read - 2008 Reading List

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read. I just don't get people who say they don't like reading. Reading is the ultimate escape. It's relaxing. It's entertaining. It's informative. I'm sorry non-readers but you baffle me. What's not to like about reading?

Anyway, I wish I could list all the books I've read this year but there's so many I can't remember them all (not braggin', just sayin'). So, I'll list the ones I've read since I've been on holiday with a rating: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down or Switzerland (get it? neutral?) and a short note for the ones I didn't like.

I'll add to the list as I finish a book. Feel free to agree or call me a moron. I welcome spirited discussion. Earlier this month (4/08) I joined a book club through Meetup and I'll note which books were for the club.


In no particular order:

The Girls' Global Guide to Guys Theresa Alan- Thumbs Up


Goodnight Nobody: A Novel
Jennifer Weiner- Thumbs Up

The Red Hat Club
Haywood Smith- Thumbs Up

The Red Hat Club Rides Again Haywood Smith- Thumbs Up

Dreamboat Judith Gould- Thumbs Down (Cliched and predictable)

My Favorite Mistake Beth Kendrick- Switzerland (Cute, fast read but characters were formulaic)

Suburbanistas Pamela Redmond Sutran- Thumbs Up

The Pact Jennifer Sturman- Switzerland (Chick Lit mystery, predictable)

The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel Judith Freeman- Thumbs Up

Wife in the Fast Lane: A Novel Karen Quinn- Thumbs Up

Between, Georgia Joshilyn Jackson- Thumbs Up (Way, way up)

Tales from the Crib Risa Green- Thumbs Up

Julie and Romeo Get Lucky Jeanne Ray- Thumbs Up

Pug Hill Allison Pace- Thumbs Up (Despite my dislike of small, yippy dogs)

Gods in Alabama
Joshilyn Jackson- Thumbs Up! - Methinks she's going to become one of my favorite authors

The Ivy Chronicles Karen Quinn- Thumbs Up

Promise Not to Tell: A Novel Jennifer McMahon- Switzerland (I was expecting more creepy and scary)

The First Assistant Clare Naylor/Mimi Hare- Thumbs Up the The Second Assistant the first book, was also good

Just Between Us Cathy Kelly- Thumbs Up (A little too long)

Rescuing Rose Isabel Wolff- Thumbs Up (Stay away if you're tired of the Bridget Jones knockoffs)

Always and Forever Cathy Kelly- Thumbs Up (Again, a little long)

The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd- Thumbs Up

Awake Elizabeth Graver - Thumbs Up - Her writing style is a bit flowery. There were times when I got tired of it, and others where I loved her sentences


Oh My Stars Lorna Landvik - Thumbs Up - This was very good


Weekend in Paris Robyn Sisman - Thumbs Down - Couldn't finish it


Adventures of an Ice Princess Liz Maverick- Thumbs Down (Vapid)

The Almost Moon Alice Sebold- Thumbs Up

Remember Me? Sophie Kinsella- Thumbs Up Finished 4/20/08

Naked David Sedaris (for the book club) - What's between neutral and Thumbs Down? I didn't hate it. There were parts that made me laugh out loud. But it was weird. It's in essay format, but I didn't feel like I was learning about his life. Read at your own risk. Finished 5/10/08

Love the One You're With Emily Giffin- Thumbs Up



Flirting with Forty Jane Porter - Thumbs Up Finished 6/17/08

Water for Elephants Sarah Gruen - Thumbs WAY Up - This was for the book club. I didn't expect to like it because of the whole circus thing but it was great!

Love Monkey Kyle Smith - Thumbs Down This was for book club. Smith has a way with words, but I didn't connect to the character at all. (Finished 7/23/08)


The Time Traveler's Wife Audrey Niffenegger - Thumbs WAY Up For book club. SO, so good!

Certain Girls Jennifer Weiner- Thumbs Up


Savannah Breeze Mary Kay Andrews -Thumbs Up - This was the second in a (sort of) series. I also read Savannah Blues which was good too. Both are light reads.

Dream When You're Feeling Blue Elizabeth Berg - Thumbs Up


The Alphabet Sisters Monica McInerney - Thumbs Up

Family Baggage Monica McInerney - Thumbs Up

Swapping Lives Jane Green - Thumbs Up

The Center of Everything Laura Moriarty - Thumbs Up

Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman Elizabeth Buchan - Thumbs Down - I rarely put a book down without finishing it, but I just couldn't get into this


Ready or Not? Chris Manby - Thumbs Up
The Ex-Wife's Survival Guide Debby Holt - Switzerland - Light and fast but not the best ex-wife gets her life together book I've read

Happiness Sold Separately Lolly Winston - Thumbs Up

The Other Side of the Story Marian Keyes - Thumbs Up

Speechless Yvonne Collins/Sandy Rideout - Thumbs Up

Love Walked In Marisa de los Santos - Thumbs Up

Luscious Lemon Heather Swain - Thumbs Up


We Are All Welcome Here Elizabeth Berg - Thumbs Up - I think I'm going to like everything she does

High Stakes: A Tale of Vegas Vampires Erin McCarthy - Switzerland - I almost put it down, but it was such a fast read I finished before I got really bored

Ladies with Options Cynthia Hartwick - Thumbs Up

Middlesex Jeffery Eugenides - Thumbs Up

Hissy Fit Mary Kay Andrews - Thumbs Up

Home to Big Stone Gap Adriana Trigiani - Thumbs Up - I've loved all the books in the Big Stone Gap series

The Family Tree Carole Cadwalladr - Thumbs Down - Could barely make it past the first chapter


The Girl Who Stopped Swimming Joshilyn Jackson - Thumbs Up



Sweet Revenge Dianne Mott Davidson - Thumbs Down I usually enjoy this series despite the plot similarities, but this was so formulaic and almost painful to read.

4 comments:

  1. Hi! I too loved Secret Life of Bees ... did you know they're making a movie of it? I blogged about it earlier this week.

    Also, my entire blog is dedicated to books, with a list of what I've read/reviewed in the sidebar. If you're looking for book suggestions please drop by, and post a comment while you're there.

    I'm adding you to my google reader ... it sound like you've got a variety of things to post about and I'm excited to read them! :)

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  2. I would say we have the same taste in books. I have read about 75% of the same books as you. The other 25% I will have to look into. I agree that I don't understand why people don't like to read. I just wish I had more time. I am always surrounded by books I am intending on reading. Love your blog.

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  3. You know all about my reading addiction. I've read many of the books you have listed here, and agree with your reviews. We have almost the same taste in books!

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  4. I am so happy I came across your blog! We have the same taste from what I can see in our reading. I will be definitely reading some that I haven't read from your list.

    You are now on my Reader....yay!

    ReplyDelete

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