My 2008 Reading list; a book report

Warning: This is probably the LONGEST post I've ever written. I couldn't think of a way to shorten it, so if you choose to stay with me, I hope you enjoy it and maybe even find it useful.

Last January, I had a really neat idea. I read a lot! I love to read. I feel sad for people who don't enjoy reading for pleasure. I would rather read than watch TV 90% of the time.

Back to my neat idea.

For many years I've thought about keeping a reading log. Something to keep track of all the books I have read in that particular year. I thought how fun, to look back on the previous year, and relive it through the filter of what book I was reading at the time.

And ya know what? IT IS FUN!

Thank you, Early January 2008, Susan. I'm so glad you made a goal and actually kept up with it for the whole year. I realize I can't truly thank you in person, since you don't exist anymore, so I will give myself a moment to think good thoughts about what a good job I did.

Nothing like a good heartfelt ,pat on the back.

The thought has also just occurred that "2008 Susan" was also the one who started this blog. I may have had some big screw-ups this year but I also have to thank 2008 Susan for the good things she/I have done.

It also occurs that I don't need to prolong things any longer. I kept a reading list, I started a blog, I found two ways to have a record of my life this last year. So from "one day to go until I become 2009 Susan", to " 2008 Susan" Thank you and have a good New Year!

Starting with January here in it's entirety is my reading list for 2008.

My reading list for 2008

January
The Thirteenth Tale – Diane Setterfield
The Glass Castle – Jeanette Wall
Atonement – Ian McEwan
New Moon & Eclipse – Stephenie Meyer

February
Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
The other Boleyn girl – Philipa Gregory
The Autobiography of King Henry VIII – Margaret George (g.b.d.n.f.*)
Every thing must go – Elizabeth Flock

March
Rules – Cynthia Lord

April

May
Stravaganza : City of Masks – Mary Hoffman
Please stop laughing at me – Jodee Blanco
Time Stops for No Mouse – Michael Hoeye
Ghost boy – Iain Lawrence
Rasputin’s Daughter – Robert Alexander
The Slow Moon – Elizabeth Cox

June
Tran sister radio- Chris Bohjalian

July
Before you know kindness – Chris Bohjalian
Lord of the nutcracker men – Iain Lawrence

August
Breaking Dawn – Stephanie Meyer
Pictures of Hollis Woods – Patricia Reilly Giff
Rules of the road- Joan Bauer
Idyll Banter – Chris Bohjalian

September
Bloodsteam – Tess Gerittsen
The Double Bind – Chris Bohjalian

October
The Shining – Steven King
The Kindness of Strangers – Katrina Kittle
A Theory Of Relativity – Jaquelyn Mitchard

November
The Mermaid Chair – Sue Monk Kidd
The Nanny Diaries – Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
The Secret Lives of Bees – Sue Monk Kidd

December
Love walked in – Marisa de los Santos
The Tales of Beedle the Bard – JK Rowling
Midnight Sun (long excerpt) – Stephenie Meyer
Hang a Thousand Trees With Ribbons: The Phillis Wheatley Story – Ann Rinaldi

Well those are all the books I read this year. Some were quickly read children's chapter books. Others were 650 pages or more adult type books.

Some were really good. Some were so so. Some were bad enough that I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

I think I will give a quick review of them.

The really good ones, the probably just a big waste of time ones, and the ones that took a while to get out of my head whether for good or bad.

Starting with January,
The 13th Tale, was so so. An okay story, it just never really grabbed me.

The Glass Castle; Now this was a book. I almost stopped reading it a few times, it was so grim and sad but I stuck with it and I'm glad I did. Recommended.

Atonement; Basically pointless, somewhat boring, and in the end did NOT deliver.

New Moon, Eclipse; New Moon was pretty bad, but eclipse was a lot better, aaand, to skip ahead to August, Breaking Dawn was quite good. I think our little Stephenie Meyer is finally learning how to write. Oh I guess this is where I should mention the LONG excerpt of Midnight Sun, I read on Meyer's website. It was engrossing and fun to read from Edward's viewpoint.

Febuary
Wuthering Heights; Third time in 30 years I read it. The second time I really enjoyed it. This time, not so much. I guess there are just some books not worth reading when you are over 35.

The Other Boleyn Girl; fairly enjoyable, not at all historically accurate. Do the research you'll see what I mean.

Autobiography Of King Henry 8th; I had read this twice before and really enjoyed it. It seemed like a natural to read after finishing with Anne Boleyn. The problem was that it's like 1000 pages or so, and after the first 632, I realized I didn't want to read all of it this time. *Got. Bored. Did. Not. Finish.

Everything Must Go; Terrible. I stuck with it because I thought it would all lead somewhere. Big Mistake! Horrible, STUPID ending.

March started a dry spell for me. I read Rules; Pretty good. That was it for March and not a single book in April. I did read a bunch of magazines of course. Really.

May
Stravaganza;City of masks; Really good, I plan to read the rest of the series. Recommended.

Please Stop Laughing at Me; Whiney, whiney whiney, she mostly brought it all on herself.

Time Stops for No Mouse; Completely charming. I plan to read the rest of this series as well. Very much Recommended.

Ghost Boy; Really good book. Recommend

Rasputin's Daughter; Boring, what can i say. I paid for it I HAD to read it.

Slow Moon; Pretty good.

June
Trans Sister Radio; Again a one book month. This one though was a pretty long and thought provoking read. I don't know if you have read any Bohjalian, he writes about real people in different, weird or just plain unexpected situations. If you aren't bothered by transgendered people and subtle references to homosexuality, I recommend it.

July
Before You Know Kindness; Pretty good, a little too, one note, but generally a pretty good story.
Lord of the Nutcracker Men; A pretty intelligent story disguised as a children's book. Maybe for ten and up.

August
Pictures of Hollis Woods; Children's book. Good. Do recommend.
Rules of the Road; Children's book again. Even Better. definitely recommend for ten and up.
Idyll Banter; Excellent. Funny. Recommend for sure. Bohjalian at his best!

September
Bloodstream; I had never heard of Tess Garretsen before. Now I know why. Typical, somewhat poorly written, mystery. I can't hardly even remember much about it, it was that forgettable.

Double Bind; A departure for Bohjalian. I think that for the most part he should stick with what he does best; human dilemma stories, and leave the mysteries to others.

October
The Shining; I still don't know how I had managed to overlook this one the year I read mostly Stephen King. Pretty good, not one of his best but I can't not recommend, my good friend, Stephen.

The Kindness of Strangers; DO NOT EVEN THINK OF READING THIS BOOK! That is unless you want to be sickened for weeks after. The safe, friendly looking, cover of this book was such a deception. I won't go into detail, but if themes of child sexual abuse and torture aren't your thing then stay away from this book and probably anything else by the author. I don't have a good explanation on why I read the whole thing. I just have a hard time putting down a book that has caught my interest, no matter how sick it's content might be.

A Theory of Relativity; So so. But at least it helped cleanse my mind of The Kindness of Strangers.

November
The Mermaid chair; It was okay I guess, I found it at Goodwill for a buck 50 so I figured why not?

The Nanny Diaries; 50 cents at Goodwill. I can't really recommend it unless you like gimmicky books. The story wasn't bad, it just got old pretty fast.

The Secret Life of Bees; I loved this book. I paid close to ten dollars for it at Costco, what a bargain! After the Mermaid chair I wasn't really sure if I should give Sue Monk Kidd another chance. So glad I did! Recommend. Recommend. Recommend!

December
Love walked in; I only finished this one because I had paid for it. Maybe it's just me. I'm not really into Chick Lit. I like Well Written Books. It manages at times to be almost good. I actually left a pretty scathing review of it on the Barnes and Noble web site. Under the name of Susan 57 if you're interested.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard; Charming, fun, whimsical. Recommend for all Harry Potter fans.

Hang a Thousand Trees With Ribbons; based on a true story of an actual black women, sold as a slave at the age of 7. She was the first black woman to ever have a book published. Good book, although the ending was a little drifty.

Whew. There you go. Thanks if you stuck with me. I hope that if you don't already, that you will make 2009, your year to read.

Happy Reading and New Year to all my friends!