LIST: Reading Experiences from 2010

Suey posted this end of year meme this week, and I just gakked it from her. Gak away!


Best Book: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson.

Worst Book: The Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Morgan was one of the few books I didn't finish. Nothing offensive, just not interesting enough to keep reading.

Most Disappointing Book: The Swimming Pool by Holly Lecraw didn't seem to match the blurb, so while I was expecting a mystery, I got family angst that wasn't even that angsty.

Most Surprising Book:  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Nonfiction book that reads like fiction, which taught me a lot about biology, genes, and bad moral decisions.

The Book Most Recommended to Others:  Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winnifred Watson. Cutest book, and I really must get the movie to watch.

Best Series Discovered: Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear and Benny Griesel (by Deon Meyer)

Favorite New Authors Discovered:  Catherine O' Flynn  This was the only author I read for the first time, and then read a second book by her (The News Where You Are,  and What Was Lost) immediately. Both were excellent.

Most Hilarious Read: She Got Up Off the Couch by Haven Kimmel; A Tiny Bit Marvellous by Dawn French; Paper Towns by John Green (funny road trip scene)

Most Thrilling, Unputdownable Book: Thirteen Hours by Deon Meyer. Police mystery over 13 frantic hours in South Africa. Looking forward to reading another in this series.

Most Anticipated Book: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. Me and everyone else.

Favorite Cover: Shiver by Maggie Stievgarer. I read the book because I loved the cover of the series. Didn't like the book as much.

Most Memorable Character: Jack, the little boy in Room was very memorable, along with his mother

Most Beautifully-Written Book: hmm, can't really pick one for this, but I'm going to add best re-read, The Blue Castle, by LM Montgomery, because it needs to be somewhere on this list.


Book That Had the Greatest Impact On You: Broken For You by Stephanie Kallos


Book you Can't Believe you Waited Until 2010 to Read: We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. Considering how great "The Lottery" was, which I read in high school, I'm surprised it took me this long to read another Jackson.

New Favorite Book Blog You Discovered: Buried in Print, one of several new Canadian blogs. She writes insightful reviews, and reads such different books than I do.

Favorite Review You Wrote: The Year of the Flood by Atwood. Also gets honorable mention as most beautiful cover.


Best Book Event You Participated in During 2010: The Holiday Book Swap is always fun! I also enjoyed the Detectives Around the World, although now I know so many more mysteries to read.


Best Bookish Discovery of 2010: In 2010, I really got back into mysteries, and I am glad for that. Over the years, before blogging, mysteries were my go to books.


How about you? What books (or blog posts) would you plug into these categories?