BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND TWITTER BACKGROUNDS »
 Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
 Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

Monday, January 16, 2012

Last Year's Good Reads

One of the things I've enjoyed doing on this blog is posting my reading list at the beginning of the year. There are few things in life more satisfying to me than crossing things off of a list! I love searching for new (and old) great books to read and compiling a list of wonderful titles to keep me entertained throughout the year. I don't always get to every book on the list, but it keeps me motivated to just keep reading.

Last year I never got around to making that list. I still managed to read lots of books (during Lily's naps and after her bedtime), so I made a list of books after I finished them and now I'm sharing that list with you. I like to share it because I really enjoy talking about books with other readers and I love to know what you're reading too. So feel free to comment on any of these titles, and please let me know your favorite must-reads for the list I'm compiling for 2012!

As always, happy reading!

Books I Read in 2011:

  1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling (re-read)
  2. Spoken From the Heart – Laura Bush
  3. Possession – A.S. Byatt
  4. Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen
  5. What the Night Knows – Dean Koontz
  6. The Distant Hours – Kate Morton
  7. The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
  8. Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins
  9. Mockingjay – Suzanne Collins
  10. The Help – Kathryn Stockett
  11. When You Reach Me – Rebecca Stead
  12. Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way – Shauna Niequist
  13. The Heretic’s Daughter – Kathleen Kent
  14. The Traitor’s Wife – Kathleen Kent
  15. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott – Kelly O'Connor McNees
  16. Havah – Tosca Lee
  17. Loving the Little Years – Rachel Jankovic and Nancy Wilson
  18. On Agate Hill – Lee Smith
  19. The Road – Cormac McCarthy
  20. The History of Love – Nicole Krauss
  21. Inheritance - Christopher Paolini

9 comments:

Andi said...

Over the weekend I read Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson and really enjoyed it. As you know I just finished obsessively reading the Hunger Games trilogy and thinking I may finally give the Harry Potter series a try soon. I also read The Help and Water for Elephants this year. Another favorite this year was A Dog's Purpose by Bruce Cameron and his subsequent book, Emory's Gift.

Birdie said...

Which ones of these would you highly recommend? I love to read, and I'm always looking for those books that are exceptional. I want to recommend a few books to you that are my favorites of all time: Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher, How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn, & Christy by Catherine Marshall. I have a lot of favorites, but these 3 came to mind right away. I'd love for you to share with me a couple of your all time favorites so I can check them out at the library! :)

Stacey said...

Andi, Before I Go To Sleep is on my list for 2012! Glad to know you liked it. I hope you'll enjoy the Harry Potter books as much as I did. The first ones are quick reads as they're written for a younger crowd, but that changes as the series progresses.

Birdie, I would highly recommend When You Reach Me -- loved that little book! Also, The Hunger Games trilogy was really good and different from anything else I've read. Also really enjoyed The History of Love and The Help, and Havah was really interesting.
I know most people have read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, but I like to recommend it, too. Thanks for sharing some of your faves!

Renovation Girl said...

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society-an absolutely lovely, well-written and clever read. Tops my all-time favorite books list (and I'm an English teacher). I second Rosumnde Pilcher-every year I try to read each of her seasonal books (Shell Seekers, September, Coming Home). I also enjoyed Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was also a good one. Okay, I could go on and on, but definitely try to read the first one-I love it.

Andi said...

Renovation Girl - Glad to hear the positive review on the Potato Peel Society book. A friend just loaned it to me and it's next on my list.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for leaving a message. Yes, my baby is finally on the way. I'm impressed that you got to read so many books last year, when do you find time? Do you read when the baby naps or after she goes to bed?

Stacey said...

Oh yes... I get all of my reading done during her naps and after her bedtime! It helps that I like to stay up late. :)

Aubrey said...

I read "The Emperor of All Maladies" which is a history of cancer and cancer treatment. Sounds boring, but I think even non-medical people would enjoy it. It was incredibly fascinating and well-written. The same can be said for "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" - another book about science and medical research. Those were easily the best two books I read this past year. And I just finished "Unbroken" on my kindle - the story of a WWII pilot was crashed into the ocean, was adrift for over a month, and then spent the rest of the war as a Japanese POW.

And thanks for your sweet comment on my blog - it has been so encouraging to have so many people who have prayed and encouraged us during this tough time.

Stacey said...

Thanks for the comments and recommendations!

Aubrey - I plan to read Unbroken this year as well. Bought a copy for my FIL for Christmas and thought I'd really enjoy it too. I'm looking forward to it. Still praying for you!