I completed my 2009 TBR Challenge! I was a bit negligent over the summer with it, but kicked up the pace in the late Fall. I had to select 12 books that had been on my reading list for at least six months and then I had twelve alternates. Most of the books on my TBR list were not romance - surprise, surprise! If I had a favorite, I'd have to say it was The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons. It was an exhausting final book in her trilogy about Tatiana and Alexander. Fantastic ending to a great series. I vetoed two of my original list, I just knew I wasn't going to read them, not that I won't ever, but I just didn't think I'd be able to read the next Lymond book, Pawn in Frankincense this year by Dorothy Dunnet, I'm too into romances and paranormals now, and with Lymond you have to really think! Not that I don't think when I read romances and paranormals, but they're easy compared to Dunnett. I just didn't feel up to the mental gymnastics her books require, but I will finish the series someday - just not any time soon. The other I missed was The Sword Maiden part of a trilogy that takes place in Scotland, the Maiden Series by Susan King and I'll try to tackle the first early next year. I just keep putting it off for some reason. One of my alternates was a meh mystery by Sharon McCrumb, but at least I tried it and realized it wasn't for me (I'm not a big contemporary mystery person, though I like historical mysteries, I've realized). The other alternate I read was a pleasant surprise and I'll be reading more of Judith McNaught.
Below are all the books I read for my challenge. All are reviewed, check the tags to find it.
I'm definitely doing this challenge again for 2010, and I'll post the books late this month that I'll choose for the challenge.
My List of Completed TBR Books
1. House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende - a South American classic, but I found it a bit boring, though it was interesting in parts. Still, I'm glad I read it. 3.5/5
2. Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy - a classic, and I loved it! Full of irony, and surprisingly easy to read for Hardy. 4.5/5
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - so good, I cried, original, a must read about life in WWII Germany 4/5
4. The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly - really enjoyed it, sweeping historical fiction/romance from London to New York in late 1800's 4/5
5. The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons - my favorite, an amazing exhaustive journey of young marrieds coping with life in post WWII 5/5
6. Through a Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen - Loved it, memorable historical fiction/romance 4.5/5
7. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy Emmuska - a classic adventure story that led the way for many like it. On audio 4/5
8. Desolation Island by Patrick O'Brian - not as good as previous ones. Not enough Aubrey in it for me. On audio. 3.5/5
9. Sick of Shadows by Sharyn Mccrumb - just didn't do it for me, quirky but dullish southern mystery 3/5
10. Across a Wild Sea by Sasha Lord - bit of a disappointment. Scottish historical romance of blind girl and warrior that I didn't even like! 3/5
11. A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught - loved it, will read her backlist now. 4/5
12. Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde - loved it, so funny and enjoyable especially on audio! I'm going to listen to the rest of this series on audio - after reading the first (The Eyre Affair), I realize audio is much more entertaining! 4/5
2 comments:
Karleen Koen's "Through a Glass Darkly" topped my list as a fav for this year, too -- I agree, it was memorable. Tea Rose was a good one, too. Can't wait to see what you have planned for 2010 reading! (I'm still hoping you'll find time to put "Forever Amber" on your 2010 TBR pile! :)
Forever Amber is still a new add for me, so I won't be selecting it for the Challenge, but I do intend to read it in 2010, it just won't be on my TBR Challenge! I have it, got it from Paperback Swap, so it's sitting in my pile next to my bed just waiting for me to pick it up!
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