The Book-year in Review

One of my favorite parts of this year has been joining a book club. It has been years since I read for pleasure and I've realized how much I love reading. Before this year the last book I'd read (that wasn't required for school) was Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, which I read over several months in 2004. Before that I'd read a few of the Harry Potter books, Goosebumps, and Nancy Drew. Like I said, it's been a while. So this year I am very proud to say that I read 17 books for fun and I thoroughly enjoyed them. My favorites were The Blue Sword, the Twilight series, The Host, and Austenland.
Here's a little recap in case you're looking for a good book.

1. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
   This book is based on true events that transpired in Savannah about 30 years ago. Half of the book is spent telling the writer's experience of Savannah and the other half is about a murder trial of one of Savannah's elite. The book was interesting to learn more about Savannah but there were a few fairly vulgar chapters and the trial got a little boring at the end.
   
2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
   This is a book that John begged me to read and I have to say that it was pretty good. It's about children in the future who are hand-selected and sent to training schools to become generals fighting alien wars. It was an interesting story but it wasn't one that I just couldn't put down.
   
3. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
   This book is a fantasy and I have to admit that I had never read a fantasy before and I had major doubts. The beginning was a little slow as the author introduced a new world including history, terrain, language, the works. In the end, I loved it. This book introduced me to fantasy and made me realize that I really like that stuff. It's about a girl who is kidnapped by the King of the Hillfolk with magical powers. The story is about how she discovers her own heritage and talents and helps the Hillfolk win their war against the bad guys.
   
4. The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
   This book in related to The Blue Sword because it is another character's story, kind of a prequel but you can read one without reading the other. It was a great story as well, about a girl who becomes a dragon-fighter. I loved the story although I didn't really like the love story in it, it seemed kind of hokey.
   
5. Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley
   So once I started reading Robin McKinley's books I didn't want to stop. This book was a nice retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It was directed toward a younger audience but still a fun read.
   
6. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
   This book was really refreshing to read because it was just a nice story about a little girl who comes alive and happy inside after being spoiled and rotten her whole life. It was a little harder to read because it is written in older english and the people speak funny but I really liked it.
   
7. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
   John brought Twilight home for me from visiting his family back in Utah. I had major doubts about it but I ended up loving it. It was an easy read, a real page-turner, and it was very romantic. I also thought it was a neat take on vampires. Bella falls in love with Edward, who turns out to be a vampire and you'll just have to read the rest.
   
8. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
   The second book in the Twilight series, if you read one you have to read them all.
   
9. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
   My favorite book in the series.
   
10. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
    The last book in the Twilight series. I enjoyed it although I thought the ending was a little anti-climactic, but I am glad the author didn't end it any other way. Great series, I'm a fan-girl.
    
11. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
    I actually enjoyed this book although it was darker and sadder compared to the previous books I'd read. It's about two sisters who are raised by their aunts who are witches and the girls' struggle to separate themselves from their childhood when they are older. My favorite part of the book was at the beginning of each chapter when the author would introduce the chapter with a superstitious fact or remedy. There was a bit of swearing and some vulgar parts.
    
12. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
    This was a fun children's novel about a mouse who saves a princess. It was cute and I loved how the author would sometimes talk to the reader and tell the reader to look certain words up in the dictionary. The book was made into a movie that came out this Christmas!
    
13. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
    This is the only book outside the Twilight series that this author has written. It's a sci-fi book about aliens who have taken over earth using human bodies as their hosts. The beginning was a little slow but it kept me interested until it got exciting when one of the hosts revolts against the alien that has taken over her body. It's a very good story and I loved it.
    
14. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
    This book was more of a motivational book that a dying young man wrote for his children. It was inspirational, but it wasn't my favorite style of book.
    
15. Sorcery & Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia Wrede
    This book had a very neat way of telling the story by using letters between two cousins who are trying to solve a mystery. It takes place in a magical England in a Jane Austen time period. It was a fun read.
    
16. The Grand Tour by Patricia Wrede
    This is the sequel to Sorcery & Cecelia and I have to admit that I didn't like it as much as the first book. It was taken from journal entries instead of letters which made it repetitive, too long, and the story was not nearly as exciting.
    
17. Austenland by Shannon Hale
    This book was a light, romantic read about a single woman who goes on a Jane Austen-themed vacation to get over her obsession with Mr. Darcy. I loved this book!