Although I read every day–or rather, read books for me, and not just for the kidlet, every day–I rarely remember the whens & wheres of my reading. Was I in a chair in the living room, or stirring dinner on the stove? Was a title so compelling I read it from the shower (has happened), while walking (has also happened). Have I woken up eager to know what happens next and, in desperation, continued to read in the dark, on my phone so Mir & Joe can sleep undisturbed (has happened many times.) Hence, this list.
Many of the books I read are galleys or review copies; I don’t review everything, but I do read as much as I can so my decisions about what to review are as informed as possible. Books are listed in no particular order.
Titles marked * were review or galley copies.
January
1. Red Glove, Holly Black *
I read this in the dark over two nights and snippets of a day. The dark hours were while I rocked a cranky Mir to sleep; the snippets were as I walked about the house supposedly ferrying things back to where they belong, but actually just trying to make more time to read. Not my usual taste, but the world-building and set up kept me going.
2. Ten Miles Past Normal, Frances O’Roark Dowell *
A one day read – started the morning of a snow day and finished the same evening. Read at any moment I was close to still–cooking, snuggling with kidlet (read out loud), and sneaked peeks during scribble time and grown up work time. Finished over a cup of tea and rocky road (chocolate, not ice cream).
3. The Cloak of Dreams: Chinese Fairy Tales, Jack Zipes and Béla Balázs *
Deep reading required – several days, with re-reading. Wanted to read everywhere, but restrained myself so I could take better notes.
4. Fourth Grade Fairy, Eileen Cook *
Short, one day read that had me laughing lots. One sitting.
5. The Girl Who Played with Fire, Stieg Larsson
6. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, Stieg Larsson
Both at the gym. The constant head hopping gave me a headache, and it was mostly by desire to run 6.2 regularly that kept me coming back. That, and curiosity. I’m almost as stymied here as I was over The Da Vinci Code (though we had an on sale illo edition, which had pretty pictures).
7. Queen of Babble, Meg Cabot
A light, two day read – perfect for a bath, and an escape while Joe watched television. The overly light yet inflated drama, though, had me reaching for The Atlantic or surfing The BBC at the end of both sessions, though.
8. The Kensei, Jon F. Merz*
New Year’s Day. Not my usual genre, but a two-dayer.
9. Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver
Read this Saturday afternoon, Sunday afternoon, and Monday afternoon, when I should have been working. Took me a little while to warm up to it–about sixty pages–since the premise requires the main character to be unlikeable for a while. The writing is strong enough to read through that, though, and I was curious–curiosity which paid off. Ending had me in tears.
February
A quiet month, book-wise–too much work, too little time! I actually have a feeling another title belongs here, too, but I can’t remember…
10. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 1, The Mysterious Howling, Mary Rose Wood
I am in love with this book, with this series, with this author. Everything about this story is fun and fascinating yet subtle and…oh, just go get the book.
March
11. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 2, The Hidden Gallery, Mary Rose Wood
See above.
12. Beautiful Creatures, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
I love this book–check out my thoughts here and here.
13. The Lost Hero, Rick Riordan
A solid novel, but I didn’t love it as much as the Percy Jackson series. It’s told in alternating three person POVs, but I only related to two of them–Piper and Leo. Jason just didn’t click for me. That said, I still want to read the next book, and I love the premise (can’t say more without spoilers).
14. Will Grayson, Will Grayson, John Green & David Leviathan
There are not enough words in the OED to describe the awesomeitude that is this book. Everything about it is marvelous. Perhaps best of all, though, every time I think of it, I question it–which, for me, is the ultimate sign of an excellent read.
15. The Battle of the Labyrinth, Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book Four, Rick Riordan
I started re-reading some of the Percy Jackson books as research for a project–and to explore the differences between YA and middle grade. Reading out of order was especially helpful. Of course, once I start a series, I have a hard time not finishing it…
16. The Last Olympian, Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book Five, Rick Riordan
17. The Lightning Thief, Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book One, Rick Riordan
18. The Sea of Monsters, Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book Two, Rick Riordan
19. Pandora Gets Jealous, Carolyn Hennesy
Remember what I said about getting into a series? I’ve read each of these books over the course of a single day–and I’m loving them.
20. Pandora Gets Vain, Carolyn Hennesy
21. Pandora Gets Lazy, Carolyn Hennesy
22. Pandora Gets Heart, Carolyn Hennesy
23. Pandora Gets Angry, Carolyn Hennesy
24. The Red Pyramid, Book 1 of the Kane Chronicles, Rick Riordan
April
25. Tortall & Other Lands: A Collection of Tales, Tamora Pierce
I’ve lost track of when I read what now, so what follows is completely out of order! I have recently been on an all-author kick, though, where I read everything I can find by one author to learn more about their style.
Miscellaneous
26. Violet & Clare, Francesca Lia Block
27. The Windup Girl, Paolo Baciagalupi
28. The Harp of the Grey Rose, Charles de Lint
29. The Adamantine Palace, Stephen Deas
30. Shakespeare’s Secret, Elise Broach
31. Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy, Ally Carter
32. Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover, Ally Carter
33. I’d Tell You I Love You, but Then I’d Have to Kill You, Ally Carter
34. Only the Good Spy Young, Ally Carter
35. Heist Society, Ally Carter
36. Along for the Ride, Sarah Dessen
37. Just Listen, Sarah Dessen
38. The Truth About Forever, Sarah Dessen
39. Keeping the Moon, Sarah Dessen
40. That Summer, Sarah Dessen
41. Someone Like You, Sarah Dessen
42. Graceling, Kristin Cashore (re-read)
June-ish/July-ish
43. Sisters Red, Jackson Pearce
44. Austenland, Shannon Hale
45. Uncommon Criminals, Ally Carter
46. Tangled, Carolyn Mackler
47. Solar, Ian McEwan
48. Chapter & Hearse, Lorna Barrett
49. Bookplate Special, Lorna Barrett
50. Sentenced to Death, Lorna Barrett
51. Bossypants, Tina Fey
52. The Iron Witch, Karen Mahoney
53. Ship Breaker, Paolo Baciagalupi
54. Looking for Alaska, John Green