2009 in a Nutshell

This year has been such a great reading year. In fact, I found myself having problems narrowing down my most loved books of 2009 to a mere ten. (Ten is an arbitrary number, for sure. But I had to stop somewhere because twenty would lead to twenty-five which would lead to - well, you get the idea).

So.

Drumroll please!

My top ten reads of 2009, in no particular order.

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - What is not to love about this novel? It's the a tale of anguish, love, survival, and hope - or in one world, teenagers. This is a classic, in my opinion.

Being Written by William Conescu - A book designed for the reader to question reality. Uh, fabulous! An existential crisis? A psychotic break? Or is the character really just a character? This book was checked out through the library, but I really wish that I owned a copy.

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale - I was completely and utterly surprised by this book. Seriously. I had never read Shannon Hale, and the premise of the book did not sound appealing *at* all. But because everyone continued to rave, I thought, "What the hell". Am I glad that I did!

House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III - Another book that took me by surprise. It was nothing what I expected and ended up being so much more. I would not be surprised to find this on college reading list studying a literature curriculum.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - A science fiction novel that I enjoyed?! Oh yeah. NLMG did something that I find doesn't happen a lot in science fiction (or at least what I've read) - the characters are 3-dimensional. That's right, it's not a plot driven novel - it's all about the characters and their reaction to the environment.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - OK. I don't have to go into much detail here do I? Hunger Games rocks. I can't believe I have to wait months for the final book! Argh. I hate series specifically for that reason :(

Looking for Alaska by John Green - *squee* John Green. Have I mentioned what a fangirl crush I have on this author? It was tough to decide between Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska, but I ultimately chose this one because it takes place in a boarding school and well, I've always wanted to attend a boarding school!

Blankets by Craig Thompson - This is such a beautiful graphic novel centering around a first love. Beautifully captured in the written word and illustrations. A must have for any library!

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver - One of the most disturbing book that I've read. Raw and right to the point. A sociopath is truly created.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - My first ever graphic novel! And perhaps my first novel read that took place in the Middle East (yes, I'm fully aware that I am admitting to my ignorance). Is there anyone out there who still hasn't read this one? And if so, why not?!?

Now....onto the most hated books!

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold - Since my review posted at the beginning of the year I've found my distaste for this book grew. It really just did nothing for me. I know so many people loved it but I just don't get it. And the movie? It looks earth-shattering awful!

Dewey by Vicki Myron - I first heard about Dewey from a news clip. Being a cat person, I immediately fell in love with the story. Having read the book, I wish it had been written better.

Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle - Hated it. Hated it. Hated it. Characters were flat, story was predictable. *le sigh* the only redeeming aspect was it happened to be a quick read!

Just the Facts, Ma'am

Books Read: 114
Pages Read: 29,143
Average Pages Per Day: 83
Fiction: 32 (28%)
Non Fiction: 15 (13%)
Graphics: 24 (21%)
Young Adult: 37 (32%)
Poetry (including poetic novels): 4 (>1%)
New To Me Authors: 80 (70%)
Male: 44 (39%)
Female: 51 (45%)

Best Reading Month: June (4107 pages)
Worst Reading Month: September (1111 pages)

Well guys! I'll see you in 2010. I hope everyone has a safe new year's. Cheers!