Books Read in 2009
1. Nicolae: The Rise of Antichrist (Left Behind No. 3) - I'm really enjoying this series, but prefer to read each book in between other books, so that it doesn't entirely consume me. So far, this book I've been most impressed by.
2. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - It's not a mystery why this is a classic. A light read, but I would imagine much better had I not known the plot.
3. Flowers for Algernon - A reread. I was much more affected by it this time around than I was last time around. I really enjoyed the hard psychology behind it, but even more so the emotional psychology.
4. Soul Harvest: The World Takes Sides (Left Behind No. 4) - This series is very entertaining, but I've noticed that the writing is starting to slacken. Either that or I'm not paying as much attention to it in favor of the story. It's one of those series where I stop reading for criticism and read for entertainment.
5. Apollyon: The Destroyer Is Unleashed (Left Behind No. 5) - Not the best writing style, but an interesting enough story line to make me want to see what happens next.
6. Angela's Ashes: A Memoir - Memoir covering growing up in poverty in Ireland under strict Catholic ideals.
7. Brave New World - A reread. I was more struck by the philosophy this time around rather than the book as a whole. Definitely still one of my very favorite books and one I'd recommend to just about anyone.
8. Brida: A Novel (P.S.) - Paulo Coelho has a distinct ability to write a book that one can't put down once one opens and to take magic and spirituality and apply it to the real world. One can't close a book by him without finding themselves just a little bit more inclined to be more authentic and reach for what once seemed like distant dreams.
9. Witness, the first of 5 in the Third Wish series. The first book was written with a strong, almost quirky voice and covered philosophy, slice of life, romance, friendship, and brotherhood while simultaneously never saying too much (or not enough) about each. A very charming story and one that I am eager to see where it goes.
10. Coraline - A vividly imaginative present-day fairy tale. Very satisfied upon finishing this novel and very appreciative of the creativity that went into writing and organizing it. This is the kind of book that I'd like to have written. : )
11. She Said Yes - This is a memoir, told in various perspectives of the life of Cassie, a victim of the Columbine shooting in 1999. With a gun to her head, she was asked if she believed in God, and she said, "yes," becoming a modern-day martyr. This book would appeal most to Christians and parents as well as anyone looking for where they fit on a spiritual path. This book does not sensationalize what she did and provides a very balanced look at her life, and thus leads to reflection on one's own.
12. Charlotte's Web - Re-read. Was checking it out because my daughter loves the movie so much and I wanted to give it a read to see if it would be a good "big" book to start her off on.
13. Postman Always Rings Twice - Crime fiction, classic. One of the best books I've read in 6 months, easily.
14. Assassins (Left Behind, Book 6) - Left Behind book 6.
15. The Indwelling (Left Behind No. 7) - Left Behind book 7.
16. Father Time - Enjoyable read, series of essays from the same writer, accessible. Would like to read more essay-related books just to get a feel for that form and this was a good starter book.
17. All Quiet on the Western Front - Exquisite piece; a rare gem. Highly recommended for its unique voice and language.
18. The Barfighter - Got this book for free through the Goodreads.com first-read promotions. It wasn't so much my style due to subject matter, but it was a nice light read told with an interesting relatively new voice in fiction.
19. Into the Wild - Jon Krakouer's count of the life and death of Chris McCandless, an adventurer who attempts to survive in a remote spot in Alaska.
20. Peter Pan - Never read this children's fairy tale and thought it was about time to get this one covered. Interesting themes and well written.
21. Delights & Shadows AND The Blizzard Voices - Modern Poetry. There are a few gems in the first collection. The second collection is great, too, but is best read front to back.
22. And Then There Were None - My first mystery book. Because I don't have anything to compare it to, I don't really know how good it was, but I enjoyed it quite a bit.
23. The History of Love: A Novel - Written in a really unique style.
24. Go Ask Alice - Haunting book. For those who haven't read, a diary of a teenager who gets mixed up with drugs. A wakeup call to parents and teens that really sits with you for a while.
25. Middlesex: A Novel - Winner of a Pulitzer Prize, Modern Fiction, Taboo Subject matter.
26. Escape - Memoir of a woman who escaped horrific conditions living in a polygamist Cult.
27. Stolen Innocence - Memoir of a woman who became a child bride in a polygamist cult. This one covers the trial of Warren Jeffs, the leader.
28. Animal Farm - The classic by George Orwell. Really enjoyed reading this.
29. Freakonomics - Sociology blends with economics to create this great read about correlations that go against conventional wisdom. Fun read.
30. The Firstborn Advantage - Picked this up on a whim. If you are a first-born and interested in birth order and have never read anything about it, then this book shouldn't disappoint. But if you're very familiar with the birth order theories, this book only serves to reiterate the basics.
31. Sex, Time, and Power: How Women's Sexuality Shaped Human Evolution - Fascinating Read: Highly recommended for any woman. Don't let the name fool you; it's a very well-written grounded book about female evolution which serves to provide some explanation on things and expand the mind about the human condition through time. Excellent read, 5 stars easily.
32. Silent Night - The perfect light read. Read in under 3 hours and it was a refreshing read that was engaging enough and interesting enough to keep me focused. Loved it.
33. The Exorcist - I loved this book. Never saw the movie, the book didn't scare me. There was some sacrilege that was a bit much for me, but it was relevant to the book. This book was beautifully written with flowing and gorgeous prose.
34. Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three - Excellent nonfiction about an event that happened in Arkansas that was very much like the Salem Witch trials. This book is a wake up call that things like this are still going on out there and left me incredulous to what took place in the mid 90s in my own state.
35. The Time Traveler's Wife - A really sweet book; it certainly didn't disappoint at all. What I liked best is the author's ability to pull off a believable time-travel story.
36. She's Come Undone - The well-received coming of age book by Wally Lamb. It was recommended highly by a friend that I trust, but I think I was either too critical of it or didn't get the appeal. It read like just another coming of age story with angst and such - for me I've really stopped having curiosity about this genre. The author, who is male, did an excellent job writing from the female perspective.
37. Silent Witness : The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo's Death - What's remarkable about this nonfiction book is that it remains so objective. However the objectivity might read as being flat (not for me so much; I appreciated just the hard facts). While I believe some others have come out which are more comprehensive and include more information, this one certainly didn't disappoint.
38. Lord of the Flies - Reread this classic and was much more appreciative of the book reading it as an adult than reading it as a child.
39. God's Debris: A Thought Experiment - A good idea, the introduction itself promises the reader a lot and for me, it didn't deliver. It didn't make my head spin or cause any profound thought. This book is just a string of simple logic designed to get a person thinking about things more. For me, the logic was too weak and had too many holes to be believable. Some interesting unique ideas in the book would make a great premise for religious fiction.
40. Quarantine: A Novel - A unique book. It won a lot of prizes. I can't recommend it to anyone, but the description on the link should let you know if you'd be interested or not.
41. My Sister's Keeper - The writing itself and some of the characters weren't as strong as Nineteen Minutes, but the actual story was compelling enough to get me to finish this "light read" and I would say I'm glad I did.
42. The Cocker Spaniel Handbook - A really good basic handbook (of course if you have a Cocker Spaniel). These come for all different sorts of breeds, though, so if you have a dog this might be a really good resource. What I liked best were the methods of training explained - I learned some new tricks to teach my doggie some new tricks. And I also liked that it was very informative about health, temperment and such. About 1/4 of the book was about how to turn your dog into a show dog which didn't appeal to me, but was extremely informative if that's something you'd want to do with your dog.
43. The Shack - A very unique book, Christian Fiction, not for everyone. Some of the ideas in the book definitely forced me to look at things from different perspectives that I had before. The writing itself is not good and neither are the characters, but the ideas behind this book are sound and interesting.
44. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America - This book really wowed me. It was extremely interesting and artful in its composition. I would recommend it to anyone interested in true crime and non fiction or someone who wants to learn a lot of cool trivia about America's history in the late 1800s.
45. Look for Me by Moonlight - Picked this up for free at the local library's sale. It was alright. I can say that for a vampire book aimed at pre-teens and tweenies, this book is actually very quality stuff which parents should feel safe letting their children read.
46. Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Mysteries, No. 1) - Wow, the source material for True Blood is extremely interesting. I think I read this book in one sitting. Totally lost track of time and read all night. This book and its premise is incredibly good.
2. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - It's not a mystery why this is a classic. A light read, but I would imagine much better had I not known the plot.
3. Flowers for Algernon - A reread. I was much more affected by it this time around than I was last time around. I really enjoyed the hard psychology behind it, but even more so the emotional psychology.
4. Soul Harvest: The World Takes Sides (Left Behind No. 4) - This series is very entertaining, but I've noticed that the writing is starting to slacken. Either that or I'm not paying as much attention to it in favor of the story. It's one of those series where I stop reading for criticism and read for entertainment.
5. Apollyon: The Destroyer Is Unleashed (Left Behind No. 5) - Not the best writing style, but an interesting enough story line to make me want to see what happens next.
6. Angela's Ashes: A Memoir - Memoir covering growing up in poverty in Ireland under strict Catholic ideals.
7. Brave New World - A reread. I was more struck by the philosophy this time around rather than the book as a whole. Definitely still one of my very favorite books and one I'd recommend to just about anyone.
8. Brida: A Novel (P.S.) - Paulo Coelho has a distinct ability to write a book that one can't put down once one opens and to take magic and spirituality and apply it to the real world. One can't close a book by him without finding themselves just a little bit more inclined to be more authentic and reach for what once seemed like distant dreams.
9. Witness, the first of 5 in the Third Wish series. The first book was written with a strong, almost quirky voice and covered philosophy, slice of life, romance, friendship, and brotherhood while simultaneously never saying too much (or not enough) about each. A very charming story and one that I am eager to see where it goes.
10. Coraline - A vividly imaginative present-day fairy tale. Very satisfied upon finishing this novel and very appreciative of the creativity that went into writing and organizing it. This is the kind of book that I'd like to have written. : )
11. She Said Yes - This is a memoir, told in various perspectives of the life of Cassie, a victim of the Columbine shooting in 1999. With a gun to her head, she was asked if she believed in God, and she said, "yes," becoming a modern-day martyr. This book would appeal most to Christians and parents as well as anyone looking for where they fit on a spiritual path. This book does not sensationalize what she did and provides a very balanced look at her life, and thus leads to reflection on one's own.
12. Charlotte's Web - Re-read. Was checking it out because my daughter loves the movie so much and I wanted to give it a read to see if it would be a good "big" book to start her off on.
13. Postman Always Rings Twice - Crime fiction, classic. One of the best books I've read in 6 months, easily.
14. Assassins (Left Behind, Book 6) - Left Behind book 6.
15. The Indwelling (Left Behind No. 7) - Left Behind book 7.
16. Father Time - Enjoyable read, series of essays from the same writer, accessible. Would like to read more essay-related books just to get a feel for that form and this was a good starter book.
17. All Quiet on the Western Front - Exquisite piece; a rare gem. Highly recommended for its unique voice and language.
18. The Barfighter - Got this book for free through the Goodreads.com first-read promotions. It wasn't so much my style due to subject matter, but it was a nice light read told with an interesting relatively new voice in fiction.
19. Into the Wild - Jon Krakouer's count of the life and death of Chris McCandless, an adventurer who attempts to survive in a remote spot in Alaska.
20. Peter Pan - Never read this children's fairy tale and thought it was about time to get this one covered. Interesting themes and well written.
21. Delights & Shadows AND The Blizzard Voices - Modern Poetry. There are a few gems in the first collection. The second collection is great, too, but is best read front to back.
22. And Then There Were None - My first mystery book. Because I don't have anything to compare it to, I don't really know how good it was, but I enjoyed it quite a bit.
23. The History of Love: A Novel - Written in a really unique style.
24. Go Ask Alice - Haunting book. For those who haven't read, a diary of a teenager who gets mixed up with drugs. A wakeup call to parents and teens that really sits with you for a while.
25. Middlesex: A Novel - Winner of a Pulitzer Prize, Modern Fiction, Taboo Subject matter.
26. Escape - Memoir of a woman who escaped horrific conditions living in a polygamist Cult.
27. Stolen Innocence - Memoir of a woman who became a child bride in a polygamist cult. This one covers the trial of Warren Jeffs, the leader.
28. Animal Farm - The classic by George Orwell. Really enjoyed reading this.
29. Freakonomics - Sociology blends with economics to create this great read about correlations that go against conventional wisdom. Fun read.
30. The Firstborn Advantage - Picked this up on a whim. If you are a first-born and interested in birth order and have never read anything about it, then this book shouldn't disappoint. But if you're very familiar with the birth order theories, this book only serves to reiterate the basics.
31. Sex, Time, and Power: How Women's Sexuality Shaped Human Evolution - Fascinating Read: Highly recommended for any woman. Don't let the name fool you; it's a very well-written grounded book about female evolution which serves to provide some explanation on things and expand the mind about the human condition through time. Excellent read, 5 stars easily.
32. Silent Night - The perfect light read. Read in under 3 hours and it was a refreshing read that was engaging enough and interesting enough to keep me focused. Loved it.
33. The Exorcist - I loved this book. Never saw the movie, the book didn't scare me. There was some sacrilege that was a bit much for me, but it was relevant to the book. This book was beautifully written with flowing and gorgeous prose.
34. Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three - Excellent nonfiction about an event that happened in Arkansas that was very much like the Salem Witch trials. This book is a wake up call that things like this are still going on out there and left me incredulous to what took place in the mid 90s in my own state.
35. The Time Traveler's Wife - A really sweet book; it certainly didn't disappoint at all. What I liked best is the author's ability to pull off a believable time-travel story.
36. She's Come Undone - The well-received coming of age book by Wally Lamb. It was recommended highly by a friend that I trust, but I think I was either too critical of it or didn't get the appeal. It read like just another coming of age story with angst and such - for me I've really stopped having curiosity about this genre. The author, who is male, did an excellent job writing from the female perspective.
37. Silent Witness : The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo's Death - What's remarkable about this nonfiction book is that it remains so objective. However the objectivity might read as being flat (not for me so much; I appreciated just the hard facts). While I believe some others have come out which are more comprehensive and include more information, this one certainly didn't disappoint.
38. Lord of the Flies - Reread this classic and was much more appreciative of the book reading it as an adult than reading it as a child.
39. God's Debris: A Thought Experiment - A good idea, the introduction itself promises the reader a lot and for me, it didn't deliver. It didn't make my head spin or cause any profound thought. This book is just a string of simple logic designed to get a person thinking about things more. For me, the logic was too weak and had too many holes to be believable. Some interesting unique ideas in the book would make a great premise for religious fiction.
40. Quarantine: A Novel - A unique book. It won a lot of prizes. I can't recommend it to anyone, but the description on the link should let you know if you'd be interested or not.
41. My Sister's Keeper - The writing itself and some of the characters weren't as strong as Nineteen Minutes, but the actual story was compelling enough to get me to finish this "light read" and I would say I'm glad I did.
42. The Cocker Spaniel Handbook - A really good basic handbook (of course if you have a Cocker Spaniel). These come for all different sorts of breeds, though, so if you have a dog this might be a really good resource. What I liked best were the methods of training explained - I learned some new tricks to teach my doggie some new tricks. And I also liked that it was very informative about health, temperment and such. About 1/4 of the book was about how to turn your dog into a show dog which didn't appeal to me, but was extremely informative if that's something you'd want to do with your dog.
43. The Shack - A very unique book, Christian Fiction, not for everyone. Some of the ideas in the book definitely forced me to look at things from different perspectives that I had before. The writing itself is not good and neither are the characters, but the ideas behind this book are sound and interesting.
44. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America - This book really wowed me. It was extremely interesting and artful in its composition. I would recommend it to anyone interested in true crime and non fiction or someone who wants to learn a lot of cool trivia about America's history in the late 1800s.
45. Look for Me by Moonlight - Picked this up for free at the local library's sale. It was alright. I can say that for a vampire book aimed at pre-teens and tweenies, this book is actually very quality stuff which parents should feel safe letting their children read.
46. Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Mysteries, No. 1) - Wow, the source material for True Blood is extremely interesting. I think I read this book in one sitting. Totally lost track of time and read all night. This book and its premise is incredibly good.