Karen's Book Nook

Since I only started rating my reads as of December, there’s no reference to my favorites throughout the year.  Here are my Top 5  books of 2009 (in no order).  All are 5 Stars without a doubt.

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet

Columbine by Dave Cullen

Guernsey Literary and the Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, & Annie Barrows

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson

The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb

Here are the books (in reverse order) that I completed in 2009.  It was a good year of reading with some months very lean while others were very heavy. Of course, the best months for reading contained school vacations and offered me time to spend on my passion.  Also, the ability to read audio books and multitask greatly contributed to my numbers.

Links to all posts are in the Library:

• A Christmas Promise: A Novel by Anne Perry
• 204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber
• Wishin’ and Hopin’: A Christmas Story by Wally Lamb
• The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans
• The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
• Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel (Friday Night Knitting Club Novels) by Kate Jacobs
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
• High Five (Stephanie Plum, No. 5) by Janet Evanovich
• Four To Score by Evanovich Janet
• Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins
• Finding Noel [Unabridged] by Richard Paul Evans
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney
• 16 Lighthouse Road (Cedar Cove) by Debbie Macomber
• The Lace Reader: A Novel by Brunonia Barry
• I Can’t Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence by Michael Jordan, Mark Vancil
• Twenties Girl (Unabridged on 12 CDs) by Sophie Kinsella
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
• The Gift (Center Point Platinum Fiction (Large Print)) by Richard Paul Evans
• Christmas Letters by Debbie Macomber
• The Christmas Box Miracle : My Spiritual Journey of Destiny, Healing and Hope by Richard Paul Evans
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows
• A Family Christmas by Caroline Kennedy
• A Christmas Grace: A Novel by Anne Perry
• They Did It with Love by Kate Morgenroth
• Three to Get Deadly (Stephanie Plum, No. 3) by Janet Evanovich
• The Last Days (Political Thrillers Series #2) by Joel C. Rosenberg
• Defense For The Devil (Barbara Holloway Novels) by Kate Wilhelm
• City of Bones (Mortal Instruments) by Cassandra Clare
• Alex Cross’s TRIAL by James Patterson, Richard DiLallo
• How to Get Your Child to Love Reading: For Ravenous and Reluctant Readers Alike by Esmé Raji Codell
• Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz
• Diary of a Fairy Godmother by Esme Raji Codell
• The Last Jihad [Abridged on CD](Political Thrillers Book #1) [BK 1] by Joel (Author); Rosenberg
• Pointing From the Grave (Audiofy Digital Audiobook Chips) by Samantha Weinberg
• This Side of Married by Rachel Pastan
• A Sister’s Wish by Kate Jacobs, Nancy Carpenter
• Malice Prepense by Kate Wilhelm
• Summer On Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
• Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant: A Novel (Ballantine Reader’s Circle) by Anne Tyler
• Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum, No. 2) by Janet Evanovich
• Twenty Wishes (Blossom Street) by Debbie Macomber
• Back on Blossom Street (Blossom Street, No. 3) by Debbie Macomber
• A Good Yarn (Blossom Street, No. 2) by Debbie Macomber
• One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, No. 1) by Janet Evanovich
• Olive’s Ocean by Kevin Henkes
• There Are No Shortcuts by Rafe Esquith
• The Deepest Water by Kate Wilhelm
• Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56 by Rafe Esquith
• Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing (The Self Healing Series) by Andrew Weil
• The Shop on Blossom Street (Blossom Street, No. 1) by Debbie Macomber
• The Face on Your Plate: The Truth About Food by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
• Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
• The Broker by John Grisham
• Motor Mouth (Alex Barnaby Series #2) by Janet Evanovich
• Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
• Columbine by Dave Cullen
• Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope by Jenna Bush
• Metro Girl (Alex Barnaby Series #1) by Janet Evanovich
• The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
• Swimsuit by James Patterson
• 7th Heaven (The Women’s Murder Club) by James Patterson
• 8th Confession by James Patterson
• The Quickie by James Patterson
• I Love Dirt!: 52 Activities to Help You and Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature by Jennifer Ward
• Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
• The Overlook (Harry Bosch) by Michael Connelly
• Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil by Deborah Rodriguez
• Sandcastles by Luanne Rice
• You’ve Been Warned by James Patterson
• Cross by James Patterson
• Run for Your Life (Michael Bennett) by James Patterson
• Best Defense by Kate Wilhelm
• Death Qualified (Barbara Holloway Novels) by Kate Wilhelm
• The Sonnet Lover by Carol Goodman
• Night (Oprah’s Book Club) by Elie Wiesel
• The Drowning Tree: A Novel by Carol Goodman
• The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly
• Where Are You Now?: A Novel by Mary Higgins Clark
• They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie
• A Snug Life Somewhere by Jan Shapin
• Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level by Sally Shaywitz M.D.
• A Mercy (Vintage International) by Toni Morrison
• The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted: And Other Small Acts of Liberation by Elizabeth Berg
• The Night Villa: A Novel by Carol Goodman
• The Host by Stephenie Meyer
• The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
• Home to Holly Springs (Father Tim, Book 1) by Jan Karon
• Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
• Against Medical Advice: A True Story [AGAINST MEDICAL ADVICE 5D] by James(Author) ; Collins, Kevin T.(Read by); Friedman, Hal(Read by) Patterson
• Gossamer by Lois Lowry
• Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
• He’s Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys by Greg Behrendt
• The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
• Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) by Stephenie Meyer
• The Hour I First Believed: A Novel by Wally Lamb
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Vintage) by Stieg Larsson
• Her Last Death: A Memoir by Susanna Sonnenberg
• Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3) by Stephenie Meyer
• New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2) by Stephenie Meyer
• Nights Of Rain And Stars: A Novel, By Maeve Binchy, Unabridged 6 Audio Cassettes, Read By Terry Donn by Maeve Binchy
• The Reader (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Vintage International) by Bernhard Schlink
• Now and Always by Lori Copeland
• Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) by Stephenie Meyer
• Last Kiss by Luanne Rice
• Flat Belly Diet by Liz Vaccariello
• Banana Heart Summer by Merlinda Bobis
• For One More Day by Mitch Albom
• Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
• Nature Girl by Carl Hiaasen
• The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards
• The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
• The Shack by William P. Young
• Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas
• A Painted House by John Grisham
• Ya-Yas in Bloom: A Novel by Rebecca Wells
• The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
• Blessings by Anna Quindlen
• The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
• Simpler Times by Anne Christian Buchanan
• Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style by Christie Matheson

Total: 120

Here’s the list of books that I read  and reviewed this month.  All links are in the library or individual posts.

• A Christmas Promise: A Novel by Anne Perry
• 204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber
• Wishin’ and Hopin’: A Christmas Story by Wally Lamb
• The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans
• The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
• Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel (Friday Night Knitting Club Novels) by Kate Jacobs
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
• High Five (Stephanie Plum, No. 5) by Janet Evanovich
• Four To Score by Evanovich Janet
• Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins
• Finding Noel [Unabridged] by Richard Paul Evans
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney
• 16 Lighthouse Road (Cedar Cove) by Debbie Macomber
• The Lace Reader: A Novel by Brunonia Barry
• I Can’t Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence by Michael Jordan, Mark Vancil
• Twenties Girl (Unabridged on 12 CDs) by Sophie Kinsella
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
• The Gift (Center Point Platinum Fiction (Large Print)) by Richard Paul Evans

Breakdown:

Total: 18

Paper: 9

Audio: 9

For the final book of the 2009 Holiday Reading Challenge, I read A Christmas Promise by Anne Perry, on the final day of the challenge and of the year.

About the book (from the jacket) : Three days before Christmas, in the freezing slums of London’s East End, thirteen-year-old race Phipps encounters Minnie Maude Mudway, who is only eight, alone, and determined to find her friend Charlie.

However, Charlie is no ordinary companion: He is a donkey who belonged to Minnie Maude’s Uncle Alf. Gracie is shocked to learn that only the day before, someone brutally murdered Uncle Alf and made off with his rag-and-bones card and the beloved beast who pulled it….

My Thoughts:  This was one of those 5×7 quick Christmas books that I love to pick up and read in one day. I’m glad it was a tiny one though because had it been a long book, I probably wouldn’t have finished it. It was very thick with period correct dialogue and I actually found it distracting. While the story was ok, it was nothing earth shattering and was not the most enjoyable book for me to read with lines and lines of diction like this: “‘E’s a lyin’ git an; all, but that’s prob’ly true, cos’e'ad ter get ‘elp.” It’s do-able but slowed me down too much to really enjoy it. (Maybe I would have liked it more as an audio book…)

Rating 2/5

I’m starting to really get hooked on the Cedar Cove series here!  204 Rosewood Lane is the 2nd book in the series by Debbie Macomber.

About the Book: Six months after her husband of 35 years, Dan, disappeared, Grace Sherman is confident he’s run off with another woman, so, against her daughter, Kelly’s wishes, she files for divorce. Meanwhile, Judge Olivia has love problems of her own. Her ex-husband wants her back, giving her on-again, off-again suitor, Jack Griffin, some stiff competition. Jack has other problems. His son, Eric, comes home to bunk with dad, on the outs with his girlfriend, Shelly, who thinks she’s pregnant. Olivia’s daughter, Justine, wises up and marries her high school sweetheart, but Zach and Rosie Cox find their marriage on the skids when Rosie’s volunteer work takes precedence over her family responsibilities. Maryellen Sherman, Grace’s older daughter and manager of the local art gallery, becomes pregnant after a brief affair with artist Jon Bowman. Romance, babies, divorce and marriage keep Cedar Cove gossips buzzing.  More here.

My thoughts:  While Debbie’s writing is very tame and predictable, I enjoy her work for a feel good series. It’s light reading that I can do via audio book while getting other things done.  I like the way she carries the characters’ stories through from book to book and it makes me want to continue on to see how certain things unfold for them.  I’m starting the 3rd book right away since it’s available for download now. There are plenty of books in this series so it should keep me satisfied for awhile.

Rating 3.5/5

The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans is re-read and one that I like to pick up when I’m looking for a short Christmas story. It’s also part of my Holiday Reading Challenge.

About the book: (from Amazon)  Richard Paul Evans originally wrote The Christmas Box as an expression of love for his two daughters, never intending for it to be published. Many Christmas seasons (and a rich publishing contract) later, this touching tale relates the meaning of Christmas in a profound but simple way. Rick, Keri, and their 4-year-old daughter, Jenna, are hired as caretakers and are welcomed into the home of Mary, an ailing widow, just in time for the holidays. Before long, it becomes apparent that Mary cherishes their companionship, and this young family begins to understand that their relationship to Mary is more special than any one of them could have realized. These tender relationships, fraught with real-life struggles, are the backdrop for unraveling a mysterious secret that gently propels the reader through this short story. Unlike most generic Christmas stories, Evans manages to bypass triviality, imbedding these pages with humble truth and emotion. This tiny treasure will cause you to rejoice in the blessings of the season while stirring up a childlike vigor as old profundity is revealed anew. In a season often shrouded in selfishness and materialism, Evans reminds the reader that the only way that we can genuinely love one another is by accepting the greatest gift of love ever given–that of a Father who “so loved His children that He sent His son, that we might someday return to Him.” –Jill Heatherly

My thoughts: I hadn’t initially intended to reread this story this year because I had a lot of books on my Holiday Challenge reading list but since I read the “story behind the story”, The Christmas Box Miracle, I picked it up again. This is the book that started it all off for Evans and I can see why it was passed around and around. Like his other work, it makes no attempt to hide his Christian values and it becomes part of the story. It’s the kind of story that makes you think and can bring a tear to your eye and makes you want to hug your kids extra tight.

Rating 4.5/5

Continuing on my Holiday Reading Challenge, I sat down with Wishin’ and Hopin‘ by one of my favorite authors Wally Lamb.

About the book:

It’s 1964 and ten-year-old Felix is sure of a few things: the birds and the bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he’ll never forget.

LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone’s turntable, and Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade—easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy.

Back in his beloved fictional town of Three Rivers, Connecticut, with a new cast of endearing characters, Wally Lamb takes his readers straight into the halls of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parochial School—where Mother Filomina’s word is law and goody-two-shoes Rosalie Twerski is sure to be minding everyone’s business. But grammar and arithmetic move to the back burner this holiday season with the sudden arrivals of substitute teacher Madame Frechette, straight from QuÉbec, and feisty Russian student Zhenya Kabakova. While Felix learns the meaning of French kissing, cultural misunderstanding, and tableaux vivants, Wishin’ and Hopin’ barrels toward one outrageous Christmas.

From the Funicello family’s bus-station lunch counter to the elementary school playground (with an uproarious stop at the Pillsbury Bake-Off),Wishin’ and Hopin’ is a vivid slice of 1960s life, a wise and witty holiday tale that celebrates where we’ve been—and how far we’ve come.

My thoughts: I LOVED this book and found some parts to be laugh out loud funny!  Right from the start, it hooked me in.. set in New England, growing up in the 60′s, going to Catholic school I could totally relate!  First, I love the feel of the 5×7 little Christmas Book and the fact that it’s usually a single sitting read (which it was!)  Second, I’m a nostalgic person and this brought me back in time to days of my youth. He totally captured the essence of  Felix’s life during that time period.  I think  WL is brilliant and is a master story teller.  This would make a cute movie and I hope he has a few more mini books in his head and on the way!

Rating 5/5

I just finished the  second book in the excellent Millenium Series trilogy by Stieg Larsson, The Girl Who Played with Fire.  It followed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

About the book: (From Amazon) Stieg Larsson’s seething heroine, Lisbeth Salander, once again finds herself paired with journalist Mikael Blomkvist on the trail of a sinister criminal enterprise. Only this time, Lisbeth must return to the darkness of her own past (more specifically, an event coldly known as “All the Evil”) if she is to stay one step ahead–and alive. The Girl Who Played with Fire is a break-out-in-a-cold-sweat thriller that crackles with stunning twists and dismisses any talk of a sophomore slump. Fans of Larsson’s prior work will find even more to love here, and readers who do not find their hearts racing within the first five pages may want to confirm they still have a pulse. Expect healthy doses of murder, betrayal, and deceit, as well as enough espresso drinks to fuel downtown Seattle for months. –Dave Callanan

My thoughts: Once again this was a thriller that I couldn’t put down. I listened via audio book and even when I had to stop reading I found myself thinking about the book and wanting to get back to it. It’s truly a well written and well thought out story and it’s unfortunate that there is just one book left in the series. (I’ve read that Larsson originally planned on writing 10 books with the duo of  Salander and Blomkvist but passed away before the first was even published after writing just 3.)  I look forward to the next one and have enjoyed following Lisbeth thus far.

Rating 5/5

The latest in the Stephanie Plum Reading Challenge is High Five by Janet Evanovich.  Once again, I read it via audio book and love it that way!

About the book:

High fives all around! The New York Times bestselling

author of FOUR TO SCORE puts Stephanie Plum, America’s favorite bounty hunter, back behind the wheel in her fifth high-octane thriller.

What’s Stephanie up to now?

• Her Uncle Fred has disappeared.
• A body turns up in a garbage bag.
• She’s got a nasty bookie following her around town.
• Grandma Mazur has her hands on the stun gun.
• Stephanie can’t keep a car for more than forty-eight hours.
• Two men are trying to get her into bed.
• She has nothing to wear to the Mafia wedding.
• And there’s an angry little man (don’t call him a dwarf!) who won’t leave her apartment

More here!

My thoughts: The more I read these books, the more I like them! Of course, they can’t be taken seriously, but they certainly are a fun read.  This time around, Stephanie’s got some competition in the bounty hunting business and some decisions to make in the romance department. Can’t wait for the next installment!

Rating 3.5/5

Continuing in on my comic novel spree, Book #3 in the Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney was The Last Straw.

About the book: For those wondering why tween boys don’t read very much, the answer is that more books aren’t like this. In this third (but not last, despite the subtitle’s implication) series entry, Greg Heffley, the Georgia Nicolson of American middle-school males, is just trying to get through life. In hilarious diary entries, he details his attempts to get along with his brothers; a potential romance; and his dad’s futile efforts to turn him into a jock, which reinforce Kinney’s well-realized theme that grown-ups just don’t get it. While diary may not be the most macho term, as Greg will be the first to tell you, the format certainly hooks the target audience with its printlike font, straightforward language, and copious cartoons. As the book opens, Greg is eschewing New Year’s resolutions: “It’s not easy for me to think of ways to improve myself, because I’m already pretty much one of the best people I know.” And while it is clear to all that he is no saint, he is real, and many kids will agree with that self-assessment.

My thoughts:  I literally laugh out loud at some of the things in this book but agree with my friend Sydney, you really need to look at the drawings and read if for yourself to get it and enjoy it. It doesn’t transfer well as a read aloud.  It’s best enjoyed as it was intended… I almost don’t want to start the 4th book yet because there are no more to follow YET at this point and I’ll miss Greg and his crew!

Rating 4/5