2009 in Review

I took on four challenges this year. I completed the Support Your Local Library challenge first, and decided to do it at a higher level for this year. The second one I finished was the Suspense and Thriller Challenge. The third was the 100+ Challenge.

Unfortunately, I didn't make it on the World Citizen Challenge. I am part way done with the two books to finish it, but when I came down with a bad cold last weekend--which has hung on all week--I knew I wouldn't make it. These aren't the kind of books I want to read with a fogged brain. I'll finish the challenge, but not in 2009.

I'm in the middle of five books right now, which is a bit frustrating, because none of them can count for 2010. One of them needs to be finished before I can move on, the rest are all going to be long-term reads.

Still one to go

I am still working on my World Citizen Challenge. I think I'll make it. Three more books, and one is partially read.

Historical! Gotta do it!

Obviously, I have to do this challenge. Twelve works of historical fiction in a year. I'm calling this my "no challenge." But it will be fun. And it will overlap a bit with my TBR and Read Before I Die Challenges.

1. Powder and Patch by Georgette Heyer (2/9/2010) (Historical Romance)
2. The Known World by Edward P. Jones (2/18/2010) (Historical Fiction)
3. Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean (3/5/2010) (Historical Mystery)
4. Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer (3/16/2010) (Historical Romance)
5. Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer (3/25/2010) (Historical Romance)
6. The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer (4/14/2010) (Historical Fiction)
7.  These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer (4/25) (Historical Romance)
8.  Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer (5/18/2010) (Historical Romance)
9.  Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer (5/29/2010) (Historical Romance)
10. A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer (9/23/2010) (Historical Romance)
11. New York by Edward Rutherfurd (10/24/2010) (Historical Fiction)
12. Five of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, which are--I would say--fictionalized history
13. The Secret Eleanor by Cecelia Holland (12/31/2010) (Historical Fiction)

One More: The TBR Pile

I really have a ton of books on my TBR pile. I need this challenge. The rules:
** Pick 12 books that you’ve been wanting to read (that have been on your “To Be Read” list) for 6 months or longer, but haven’t gotten around to.
** OPTIONAL: Create a list of 12 “Alternates” (books you could substitute for your challenge books, given that a particular one doesn’t grab you at the time)
I will highlight and date the books as I finish them.

1. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (11/30/2010)
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
3. The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky
4. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (2/3/2010)
5. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (1/6/2010)
6. American Gods by Neil Gaiman (3/8/2010)
7. The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston
8. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (9/8/2010)
9. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfus
10. A Passage to India by E.M. Forster (12/14/2010)
11. The Forgotten Man by Amity Shales
12. The Known World by Edward P. Jones (2/18/2010)
Alternates:
1. Swann's Way by Marcel Proust (7/20/2010)
2. In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
3. Thunderstruck by Erik Larson
4. Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir
5. The Fate of Africa by Martin Meredith
6. The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald (12/26/2010)
7. Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America by Jim Webb (12/7/2010)
8. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Relin
9. The Stand by Stephen King (4/9/2010)
10. Kristin Lavransdattar by Sigrid Undset

Books to Read Before I Die Challenge

This challenge will give me some much-needed discipline. I need to make a list of between 10 and 20 books that I want to read before I die that I will read this year. I have until December 31 to finalize this list.

I will highlight and date them as I read them.

1. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
2. Swann's Way by Marcel Proust (7/20/2010)
3. Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (2/3/2010)
4. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (1/6/2009)
5. How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn
6. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (9/8/2010)
7. Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien
8. A Passage to India by E.M. Forster (12/14/2010)
9. The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald (12/26/2010)
10. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Support Your Local Library 2010

This is another challenge that I really enjoyed this year. For 2009 I chose the 25 book level for this challenge. For 2010 I am increasing it to 50. I have been trying to spend less money on books by being more judicious about which ones I buy. In the process I managed to read a lot more library books this year.

1. Step Out on Nothing by Byron Pitts (1/1/10) (Memoir)
2. The Spire by Richard North Patterson (1/3/10) (Legal Thriller)
3. The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon (1/5/10) (Science Fiction)
4. Ford County by John Grisham (1/7/2009)(Short Stories)
5. Retail Hell by Freeman Hall (1/9/20010) (Memoir)
6. I, Alex Cross by James Patterson (1/12/2010) (Detective Fiction)
7. One Second After by William R. Forstchen (1/14/2010) (Speculative Fiction)
8. The Anthologist by Nicholson Baker (1/15/2010) (Fiction)
9. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood (1/21/2009)(Science Fiction)
10. Rough Country by John Sandford (1/25/2010) (Crime Fiction)
11. Second Nature by Michael Pollan (1/29/2010) (Nonfiction)
12. Holiday in Death by J.D. Robb (1/31/2010) (Crime Fiction)
13. True Blue by David Baldacci (2/5/2010) (Murder Mystery)
14. U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton (2/7/2010) (Murder Mystery)
15. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell (2/7/2010) (Memoir)
16. The Last Knight by Norman F. Cantor (2/8/2010) (Non-Fiction/History)
17. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (2/11/2010) (Fiction)
16. Hungry by Crystal Renn (2/13/2010) (Memoir)
17. The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming (2/22/2010)(Historical/Time Travel Fiction)
18. Kindred by Octavia Butler (2/22/2010) (Historical/Time Travel Fiction)
19. Blood Game by Iris Johansen (2/25/2010) (Crime/Paranormal Fiction)
20. The Right Address by Carrie Karasyov (3/1/2010) (Fiction)
21. Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly (3/4/2010) (Crime Fiction)
22. Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean (3/5/2010) (Historical Mystery) (Historical)
23. Harry Potter's Bookshelf by John Granger (3/8/2010) (Non-Fiction)
24. Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child (3/9/2010) (Thriller)
25. Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan (3/13/2010) (Short Stories)
26. Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer (3/16/2010) (Historical Romance)
27. Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer (3/25/2010) (Historical Romance)
28. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhonda Janzen (3/28/2010) (Memoir)
29. Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink (3/31/2010) (Non-fiction)
30. The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel (4/1/2010) (Fiction)
31. The Stand by Stephen King (4/9/2010) (Fiction) (TBR)
32. The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer (4/14/2010) (Historical Fiction)
33.  Deception by Jonathan Kellerman (4/15/2010) (Murder Mystery)
34. The Wild Zone by Joy Fielding (4/21/2010)(Fiction)
35. Growing Up bin Laden by Najwa bin Laden, Omar bin Laden, Jean P. Sasson (4/22/2010) (Memoir)
36.  These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer (4/25) (Historical Romance)
37. Knives at Dawn: America's Quest for Culinary Glory at the Legendary Bocuse d'Or Competition by Andrew Friedman (5/5/2010) (Nonfiction)
38. The Ninth Judgment by James Patterson (5/15/2010) (Fiction)
39. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (5/19/2010) (Memoir/Self-help)
40.  Without Mercy by Lisa Jackson (5/23/2010) (Murder Mystery)
41. Earth Abides by George R. Stewart (6/1/2010) (Post-Apocalyptic Fiction)
42.  This Body of Death by Elizabeth George (6/8/2010) (Murder Mystery)
43. Worst Case by James Patterson (6/9/2010) (Police/serial killer mystery)
44. Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline (6/19/2010) (Thriller)
45. SuperFreakonomics by Steven Levitt (6/22/2010) (Nonfiction)
46.  Chef: A Novel by Jaspreet Singh (6/28/2010) (Fiction)
47. Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor (7/4/2010) (Fiction)
48.  The Dead Lie Down by Sophie Hannah (7/17/2010 (Mystery)
49. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (7/19/2010) (Fiction) (Library)
50.  The Rule of Nine by Steve Martini (7/23/2010) (Political Thriller)

Why We Make Mistakes by Joseph Hallinan (7/27/2010) (Non-fiction)

 Aunt Epp's Guide for Life by Elspeth Marr  (7/28/2010) (Non-fiction) (Library)
 The Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker (7/31/2010) (Non-fiction) (Library)
Shadow Zone by Iris Johansen (8/6/2010) (Thriller) (Library)
Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson (Non-fiction) (Audiobook) (Library)
The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver (Thriller) (Library)

2010 100+

I'm going to do the 100+ Reading Challenge again. I really enjoyed it this year. This is where I'll be listing my books when the time comes. It is a simple challenge: Read 100+ books. Lots of flexibility!

For my own record keeping I'm going to note what genre the book is and if it fulfills any other challenges.

1. Step Out on Nothing by Byron Pitts (1/1/10) (Memoir) (Library)
2. The Spire by Richard North Patterson (1/3/10) (Legal Thriller) (Library)
3. The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon (1/5/10) (Science Fiction) (Library)
4. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (1/6/2010) (Classic Novel) (TBR) (Before I Die)
5. Ford County by John Grisham (1/7/2010) (Short Stories) (Library)
6. Retail Hell by Freeman Hall (1/9/2010) (Memoir) (Library)
7. I, Alex Cross by James Patterson (1/12/2010) (Detective Fiction) (Library)
8. One Second After by William R. Forstchen (1/14/2010) (Speculative Fiction) (Library)
9. The Anthologist by Nicholson Baker (1/15/2010) (Fiction) (Library)
10. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood (1/21/2010)(Science Fiction) (Library)
11. Rough Country by John Sandford (1/25/2010) (Crime Fiction) (Library)
12. Second Nature by Michael Pollan (1/29/2010) (Nonfiction)(Library)
13. Holiday in Death by J.D. Robb (1/31/2010) (Crime Fiction) (Library)
14. Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (2/3/2010) (Classic Novel) (TBR) (Before I Die)
15. True Blue by David Baldacci (2/5/2010) (Murder Mystery) (Library)
16. U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton (2/7/2010) (Murder Mystery) (Library)
17. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell (2/7/2010) (Memoir) (Library)
18. The Last Knight by Norman F. Cantor (2/8/2010) (Non-Fiction/History) (Library)
19. Powder and Patch by Georgette Heyer (2/9/2010) (Historical Romance) (Historical)
20. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (2/11/2010) (Fiction) (Library)
21. Hungry by Crystal Renn (2/13/2010) (Memoir) (Library)
22. The Known World by Edward P. Jones (2/18/2010)(Historical Fiction) (TBR) (Historical)
23. The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming (2/22/2010)(Historical/Time Travel Fiction) (Library)
24. Kindred by Octavia Butler (2/22/2010) (Historical/Time Travel Fiction)(Library)
25. Blood Game by Iris Johansen (2/25/2010) (Crime/Paranormal Fiction) (Library)
26. The Right Address by Carrie Karasyov (3/1/2010) (Fiction) (Library)
27. Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly (3/4/2010) (Crime Fiction) (Library)
28. Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean (3/5/2010) (Historical Mystery) (Library) (Historical)
29. American Gods by Neil Gaiman (3/8/2010) (SciFi/Fantasy) (TBR)
30. Harry Potter's Bookshelf by John Granger (3/8/2010) (Non-Fiction) (Library)
31. Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child (3/9/2010) (Thriller) (Library)
32. Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan (3/13/2010) (Short Stories) (Library)
33. Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer (3/16/2010) (Historical Romance) (Library) (Historical)
34. Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer (3/25/2010) (Historical Romance) (Library) (Historical)
35. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhonda Janzen (3/28/2010) (Memoir) (Library)
36. Look Again by Lisa Scottoline (3/30/2010) (Thriller)
37. Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink (3/31/2010) (Non-fiction) (Library)
38. The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel (4/1/2010) (Fiction) (Library)
39. The Stand by Stephen King (4/9/2010) (Fiction) (Library) (TBR)
40. The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer (4/14/2010) (Historical Fiction) (Library) (Historical)
41. Deception by Jonathan Kellerman (4/15/2010) (Murder Mystery) (Library)
42. The Wild Zone by Joy Fielding (4/21/2010)(Fiction)(Library)
43. Growing Up bin Laden by Najwa bin Laden, Omar bin Laden, Jean P. Sasson (4/22/2010) (Memoir) (Library)
44. These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer (4/25/2010) (Historical Romance)(Library) (Historical)
45. Knives at Dawn: America's Quest for Culinary Glory at the Legendary Bocuse d'Or Competition by Andrew Friedman (5/5/2010) (Nonfiction) (Library)
46. My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster(5/7/2010) (Memoir)
47. In the Name of Honor by Richard North Patterson(5/13/2010) (Fiction)
48. The Ninth Judgment by James Patterson (5/15/2010) (Fiction) (Library)
49. Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer (5/18/2010) (Historical Romance) (Historical)
50. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (5/19/2010) (Memoir/Self-help) (Library)
51. Without Mercy by Lisa Jackson (5/23/2010) (Murder Mystery) (Library)
52. Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer (5/29/2010) (Historical Romance) (Historical)
53. Earth Abides by George R. Stewart (6/1/2010) (Post-Apocalyptic Fiction) (Library)
54. This Body of Death by Elizabeth George (6/8/2010) (Murder Mystery) (Library)
55. Worst Case by James Patterson (6/9/2010) (Police/serial killer mystery) (Library)
56. The Overton Window by Glenn Beck (6/17/2010) (Political Thriller)
57. Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline (6/19/2010) (Thriller) (Library)
58. SuperFreakonomics by Steven Levitt (6/22/2010) (Nonfiction) (Library)
59. Chef: A Novel by Jaspreet Singh (6/28/2010) (Fiction) (Library)
102. Little Bee by Chris Cleave (6/30/2010) Missed it!!
60. Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor (7/4/2010) (Fiction) (Library)
61. The Dead Lie Down by Sophie Hannah (7/17/2010 (Mystery) (Library)
62. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (7/19/2010) (Fiction) (Library)
63. Swann's Way by Marcel Proust (7/20/2010) (Fiction) (TBR) (BeforeI Die)
64. The Rule of Nine by Steve Martini (7/23/2010) (Political Thriller) (Library)
65. Fever Dream by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (7/27/2010) (Thriller)
66. Why We Make Mistakes by Joseph Hallinan (7/27/2010) (Non-fiction) (Library)
67. Aunt Epp's Guide for Life by Elspeth Marr  (7/28/2010) (Non-fiction) (Library)
68. The Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker (7/31/2010) (Non-fiction) (Library)
69. Shadow Zone by Iris Johansen (8/6/2010) (Thriller) (Library)
70. Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson (8/13/2010) (Non-fiction) (Audiobook) (Library)
71. The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver (8/16/2010) (Thriller) (Library)
72. Hangman by Faye Kellerman (8/21/2010) (Thriller) (Library)
73. In Harm's Way  by Ridley Pearson (8/24/2010) (Thriller) (Library)
74. The Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (8/27/2010) (Young Adult) (Dystopian Fiction)
75. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder (8/28/2010) (Juvenile)
76. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder (8/29/2010)
77. On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder (8/30/2010)
78. The Postcard Killers by James Patterson (9/1/2010) (Thriller) (Library)
79. 61 Hours by Lee Child (9/3/2010) (Thriller) (Library)
80. By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder (9/4/2010)
81. Our Culture, What's Left of It by Theodore Dalrymple (9/6/2010)(Nonfiction) (Library)
82. The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder (9/6/2010)
83. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (9/8/2010) (Historical Fiction-Africa) (TBR) (Before I Die)
84. Retro Housewife by Kristin Tillotson (9/8/2010) (Nonfiction) (Library)
85. Cheap Cabernet by Cathie Beck (9/15/2010) (Memoir)(ARC)
86. The Secret History of Fantasy Edited by Peter Beagle (9/19/2010) (Short Stories) (Fantasy) (Library)
87. The Barefoot Book by Daniel Howell (9/20/2010) (Nonfiction) (ARC)
88. A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer (9/23/2010) (Historical Romance) (Library)
89. Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve (9/25/2010) (Science Fiction) (Library)
90. Predator's Gold by Philip Reeve (9/29/2010) (Science Fiction) (Library)
91. Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve (10/2/2010) (Science Fiction) (Library)
92.  Infernal Devices by Philip Reeve (10/4/2010) (Science Fiction) (Library)
93. A Darkling Plain by Philip Reeve (10/7/2010) (Science Fiction) (Library)
94. New York by Edward Rutherfurd (10/24/2010) (Historical Fiction)
 95. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (10/31/2010) (Classic Fiction)
96. Machine of Death by Ryan North (11/17/2010) (Short Stories)
97. Low Country by Bill Kte'pi (11/19/2010)
98. Warlord by Ted Bell (11/28/2010) (Political Thriller)
99. Water for Elephants (11/30/2010) (Fiction) (Library) (TBR)
100. Inside Job by Connie Willis (12/6/2010) (Novella) (Library)
101. Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America by Jim Webb (12/7/2010) (History)(TBR)
103. A Passage to India by E.M. Forster (12/14/2010) (Classic Fiction) (TBR) (Before I Die)
104. Winter Solstice by Rosamonde Pilcher (12/16/2010)
105. A Web of Air by Philip Reeve (12/19/2010)
106. Worth Dying For by Lee Child (12/24/2010)
107. The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald (12/26/2010) (TBR) (Before I Die) (Gaps)
108. 365 Thank Yous by John Kralik (12/27/2010) (Non-Fiction) (ARC)
109. The Secret Eleanor by Cecelia Holland (12/31/2010) (Historical)