Recently I have come up with a long list of books I want to read, and I have discovered how much more relaxing it is to lie on the couch and read rather than lie on the couch and watch crap TV (not all of it is crap, but a lot of it is)
And so, with my new found excitement, I was going to post a list of the top 10 books I read this year...but I can't remember if I've actually read 10 books this year, and if I have, what all of them are. So here is the list of books I know for sure I read this year (In no particular order)
1) Love Wins by Rob Bell
While I found the format of this book probably better suited for a book on tape rather than an actual book, I really enjoyed Bell's take on salvation. It was no where near an original interpretation, which he admits to in the beginning...but it was one of the most accessible takes on it I have seen.
2) The Street Lawyer by John Grisham
This was my first Grisham novel. (I attempted to read The Chamber in high school but never got very far) but definitely not my last. I couldn't put it down. It was the first thing I wanted to do when I got home for the evening. A fabulous novel about a lawyer who give up his job at a high powered law firm in DC to become a street lawyer, helping the homeless.
3) The Help by Kathryn Stockett
I remember listening to an interview with the author in November 2009 and was intrigued by the concept of this book. It didn't disappoint. I loved it and can't wait to see the movie.
4) Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Another book I couldn't put down. I read the last 250 pages while waiting for a delayed plane to Chicago. I was actually disappointed that I had finished it so quickly and had to purchase a new book at O'Hare for my trip back to Kansas. Want to see the movie, but don't know if my opinion of the movie will be tainted by the fact that Robert Pattinson plays the main character...we'll see
Books I haven't quite finished yet...
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
I've enjoyed it so far (I think I'm only a chapter in). An interesting look at soldiers in Vietnam according to what they carried with them into battle
The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
I had a really hard time getting into this book, so I'm putting it on hold until I finish the Wicked Series. I like the concept, though, a young woman from Easter Europe trying to put together memories of her recently deceased Grandfather and the circumstances of his death by the means of two stories he used to tell her when she was growing up.
Almost Christian by Kenda Creasy Dean
I loved the first chapter...but things have gotten in the way of being able to finish it. I will put forth extra effort to get this read, I think there are great things in here.
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
I got the series for Christmas from Chris. I'm already almost half way through the first book and I'm loving it. I hope to be done with this book by the end of the week and through the series by the end of January...but this means that at some point, Chris will probably have to take me to see the musical...
Books on my list for 2012 (in addition to the books I currently am in the middle of)
The rest of the Wicked Series
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The Narnia Series (No, I never read this as a kid)
**checks Amazon wish list**
The Hunger Games series
The Time Travelers Wife
Room: A Novel
More John Grisham (the man is prolific!!)
Maybe some of Chris' Tom Clancy novels
I welcome suggestions :)
The Help was Great!The movie does not do thebook justice. You really have to have read the book before seeing the movie.
ReplyDeleteNarnia is awesome as well! I read the whole series!
The time travels wife was AMAZING! Much much much better than the movie.
I also want to read the hunger games this upcoming year!
Yay for reading! I also loved The Help and Water for Elephants, and also have not yet managed ot see the movies.
ReplyDeleteI love Wicked, too, and have read a bunch of other Gregory Maguire, but not the rest of the series! Something to add to my library list! I liked the musical a lot, but it is very different from the book.
You will LOVE the Narnia books! I am also a big fan of Room, the Hunger Games series, Henrietta Lacks, and The Time Traveler's Wife. So, great list!
I just finished Ready Player One by Ernest cline, and LOVED it.