Top Reads of 2011

So I started thinking about my top reads of the year and thought I should probably do a blog entry. I'm sure most bloggers who read do something like this. So here it is. These are my favorite reads of the 2011 in no particular order:

The Girl with...Trilogy by Stieg Larsson - While the first book took some time to get into, the trilogy is a must read for all. I recommend it to any mystery/thriller/crime buff.

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins - Another trilogy. YA novel that is just hard to beat. Recommended for 7th graders and up depending on level of maturity. Adults shouldn't skip this book because it was written for teens. It's Amazing! Incredible!

The Affair by Lee Child.- What's not to love about another Jack Reacher novel? Over the course of 2011, I've given up on a couple of my stand by series. Not this one. It just keeps getting better!

Room by Emma Donoghue  -  This is perhaps, the most disturbing book I read in 2011. A different type story than I'm used to, I'm not sure if you can say you 'liked' a book with this subject matter, but I did like the book.

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin  -  Southern fiction at it's best. Characters that I loved, story that was sweet and tragic. Go read it.

Those are the books that I loved in 2011. In a couple of days, I'll do a post with the most disappointing books of 2011.

Book 28 of 2011 Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Synopsis:

Tally is back in the City and the operation is complete, she is finally Pretty. She's becoming a member of the Crims gang, she has the perfect boyfriend and everyone wants to be like her. But, she isn't as happy as she thought she would be. She has a sense that something is not right. Then at a party a message from her Ugly/Smoke past arrives with a note that she wrote to herself. She and Zane her perfectly beautiful boyfriend embark on a quest to find the 'New Smoke' and regain their memories of the past.


Two stars equals an okay book. While it didn't blow me away, it wasn't terrible either. The story seemed to get a little tired. It was basically just a rehash of Pretties with a new boy. I expected more and that's probably not fair. This is after all, a YA book and should not be judged on the same basis as a book written for adults. I'll still finish the trilogy with Specials on my hold list at the library, but I'm certainly not excited about this one.


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R is for Reading

R is for Reading. It's what I do. It's the pleasure that I hope I never have to give up. I always like the book better than the movie. I try to watch movies based on books with an open mind, but the movie is never good enough. Maybe I should watch the movie before reading the book. Nope, don't think that'll work. It would ruin the book. I'll stick with reading.
I read lots of different genres. I love mystery, thrillers, paranormal, YA, horror, chick lit, popular literature. My favorite is what I call sick shit. Books about serial murderers are some of my favorites. What would I do if I couldn't read? I'm not sure, and I hope I never have to find out!

L is for Laura Lippman

Laura Lippman is a fairly new author to me. My favorite author, Joshilyn Jackson, has recommended her books on her blog on occasion. Since I Love me some Joshilyn Jackson I decided to try Laura Lippman on her recommendation. I'm reading  i'd know you anywhere  now. I'm about halfway through it and I'm really liking it. It's about a woman who was kidnapped as a 15 year old. The kidnapper also raped and murdered some other girls. He's on death row and contacts her. The book switches between the present and the time of the kidnapping. So, if you want a new author to try, Laura Lippman might be a good one.

Book 10 of 2011 -- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

borrowed from school library, since the public library was taking too long for my impatient self. Started today, YAY!

Just finished this one and it didn't disappoint. I'm so ready to see what happens next!

In the 2nd book of the trilogy, Katness and Peeta are once again flung into The Hunger Games. Katness is threatened by the President of the Capitol, and it seems a revolution is brewing. The game makers spring some pretty horrific crap on the tributes and there's an underlying story that Katness is not in on. The ending leaves me wanting the jump right on into Mockingjay, so that's exactly what I'm gonna do!


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Book 7 - 2011 Devil Bones

Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was not my favorite book in this series. I just don't get excited about devil worship, voodoo and the like. I think it's overdone. I'm also ready for the relationship with Ryan to be resolved. I'm sure I'll read the next one,(since I already own it) but I won't rush out to buy any more of these books.



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The week in review

How did my week go? Overall it was a pretty good week. Went shopping on MLK day and had a wonderful lunch with my bff. The kids were in a pretty good mood at school this week. A few incidences, but no real problems. I can't decide if I like working with the little ones in pre-k or if I'm liking the older 4th and 5th graders. what I do know is that I need to brush up on my math skills if I'm gonna help them though. I'm really afraid that I'll tell them something wrong. You know they do things a lot differently now than they did when I was in 4th and 5th grade. I don't want to mess up. Take my cues from the teachers and hopefully everything will be okay.

I'm still reading The Girl Who Played with Fire and loving every minute of it. Not sure if I like it more than Tattoo, but it's equally as good. Right now, I'm missing Salander, but I know she'll be back.

Cooking today and it's smelling good! Baked tilapia with rosemary and feta cheese, lima beans and candied sweet potatoes. Yum