Sunday, January 22, 2012

2011 Finished Books

Here is my reading list for 2011! I like to keep a list going in drafts for the blog so that I can keep track of what I read throughout the year. I love looking back on what I have read. It's like reliving memories made with dear friends.

I read 42 books by 23 authors in 2011. Last year, I read 51 books. I read a little less this year but what I did read I really enjoyed. Some old, some new. I only read a few books that were flops. Usually, when I start reading a book and realize it's going to be a flop I put it down and don't finish it..I don't include those in this list. There were a few that I held out on and read the whole thing in hopes that it would turn out well..they didn't. 

I think my favorite re-read of 2011 were the Emily books by L. M. Montgomery. I read them when I was younger but decided to read them again. I loved them so much. 

Favorite new (to me) book was Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens. We love the movie and I finally got time to read the book. It did not disappoint. Mr. Dickens is brilliant as always.

As last year, I will put an * by the books I have read once (or five times) before. I will attempt to rate them from 0-10. 
0 = hated and 10 = loved
I will also attempt to give each book one word to describe my feeling toward it. I may give it two or three words...and I can do that because it's my blog. So there. :)


*Little Women by Louisa May Alcott- Favorite. 10
The Winter Rescue by Paul Hutchens- Cute. 6

 

*Plum Pie by P.G. Wodehouse- Funny. 10
*Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Pa. (The whole series gets a rating of 10)
*Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Love Pa.  
*Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Manny.
*On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder- I really love Pa.
*On the shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Laura too.

 

*The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Cold.
The Wedding by Nicholas SparksMeh. 4
*Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Beautiful.
The Lost Campers by Paul Hutchens- Fun. 6
*These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Manly and Laura.
*The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Disappointing (I wanted more detail and it just skims   through their lives. *cry* Still loved it though!)
The Painted Veil by M. Somerset Maugham- Ick. 1 (one of the flops unfortunately. I liked a few of the characters but not enough to redeem the story so I give it a 1)

 

The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss- Adventure. 8
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa- Touching. 9

 


*Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke- Lovely. (this is my favorite series by Ms. Oke, I give the whole series a rating of 9)
*Loves Long Journey by Janette Oke
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter- Sweet. 9

 

*Love Follows the Heart by Janette Oke
*Loves Abiding Joy by Janette Oke
The Story Girl by L. M. Montgomery- Beautiful, beautiful and funny too. 10

 

Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens- Mr. Pinch! 10
The Egg and I by Betty MacDonald- Entertaining. 7
Meet Me In St. Louis by Sally Benson- Silly, sweet and funny. 10

 

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll- Curious. 8
The Patch of Blue by Grace Livingston Hill- Sweet. 8
*Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery- Lucy. Maud. Montgomery. Need I say more?  10

 

*Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt- Endearing. 9
The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry- Crack up.  8
Big Money by P. G. Wodehouse- Hilarity. 10
Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell- Dark. 7
A Daughters Walk by Jane Kirkpatrick- Beautiful. Sad.  10
Rosanna of the Amish by Joseph Yoder- Interesting. 7
Sam the Sudden by P.G. Wodehouse- Belly Laugh. 10

 

*My Man Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse- Oh Jeeves.... 10
Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy- Comical and lovely. 10
Beauty by Robin McKinley- Romantic. 9

 

*Emily Climbs- Enchanting. 10
*Emily's Quest- Exquisite. 10

What did you read? What was your favorite in 2011? Least favorite?
♥Genevieve

9 comments:

The Oilsgal said...

OOHHHH good idea. I am starting right now for 2012! Thanks so much for posting this, now I have a whole lot of ideas of new books and authors to try!

The Oilsgal said...

My favorite recent books are The Help (one of the best books I've read in a LONG time) and Inheritance by Christopher Paolini (the last book in the Eragon cycle)

SisterlyLove said...

Wonderful Genevieve! This list is positively inspiring! I wish I had read more books last year but alas! I enjoyed the precious company of only a few... I have been enjoying The Posthumous Papers by Charles Dickens but I haven't finished it, as of yet, so I cannot put it on the list..
I finished reading the unpublished fantasy novel written by our mutual friend for National Novel Writing Month. I enjoyed that a great deal. Makes me inspired to write!
Gen, why is it that YOU do not take up the pen and stop riding on brooms? You're always cleaning house! (which I sure appreciate :D) ..and reading. you must have the experience of many life times with all the books you've read. You'd be a great novelist. Why, just the way you write on your blog makes me think its a paper-friend. That's all books are, you know. Paper Friends. *smile*
aimee

SisterlyLove said...

Paper Friends... :) I have it in my head that I can't write.. Not sure why? Maybe because I never could finish the writing assignments Mom gave us for school. Ha! :)

Love you!
Jane

Anna Kristine said...

Maybe that's because they were assignments. ;) Some people can only write with out pressure and when they are inspired. And hey...you write letters! So you're a writer! :)

SisterlyLove said...

Hmm! Maybe that is it. I do like writing letters. :) And I've written some poems. :) Someday maybe I'll break out and write something to amaze you all. Ha! :)

Thanks Lizzie!
Jane

Ana said...

Oh, my...this blog is amazing!!! I. LOVE. READING. I read whenever I can (and often when I'm not supposed to...like at 12:00am.;-)

Some of these books I've never heard of...but will be checking into soon! I should try and list all of the books I've read...if that's possible...

Such an amazing blog!!! Thank you!

Anastasia

www.royaldaughterofgod.blogspot.com

Amanda said...

Lovely idea, and I like how you have your reads rated! Thanks for stopping by In The Library!

Wanderlust Rach said...

Your blog is amazing!! :)) You are a great writer who obviously has a passion for what they are writing about! I would appreciate it if you would check out my blog and let me know what you think in a comment on a post you like! I would love to have a talented writers input! Keep up the great work!!!
-Wanderlust Rach <3