Reading Round-Up: Nov and Dec 2010

Anybody waiting on the edge of their seat for my End of the Year Book Addict post and Final Total for the year??

Don't worry, it's coming. Soon.

But, first . . . here are the books I read in Nov and Dec (I'm behind, you see). I've starred the ones I gave 5 stars in my Goodreads reviews.
I'll try to say a little bit about them, but I can't guarantee much because my brain is a sieve and I easily forget. (That's why I have to read so much, to keep things in my brain, because otherwise it would very quickly be emptied. haha.)

1. The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton*

I really liked this story. That's all.

2. My Secret: A PostSecret Book - Frank Warren

oh, these postsecret books - such a guilty pleasure. Disturbing and comforting all at once. Do you have a secret you haven't told anyone? How would you feel about writing it on a postcard and sending it anonymously to someone you don't know? I can't decide what I think about it. But it's interesting.

3. Velvet Elvis - Rob Bell*

As I wrote in my Goodreads review this book on Christianity "has many good insights, interesting perspectives, and a unique voice that I appreciated."

4. Remembering Isaac - Ben Behunin

story of a potter who goes to take over the village pottery, and learns lessons from what other people learned from old potter. Hm, that doesn't explain it very well. But it was a bit too preachy for me. Subtlety goes a long way, folks.


5. A Live Coal in the Sea - Madeleine L'Engle*

another really great L'Engle book


6. The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank - Ellen Feldman*

this is historical fiction about the boy Peter who was in hiding with Anne Frank and what might have happened if he had survived and come to America after that ordeal (he actually didn't survive). But this story was heartrending but painfully beautiful. I really liked it.


7. If I Stay - Gayle Forman

good, but not great - and not clean enough to recommend for YA


8. Flipped - Wendelin Van Draanen*

but this YA story was fun and enjoyable


9. Born To Run - Christopher McDougal

awesome story of an obscure little tribe that runs far barefoot - and what that can mean for the rest of us

10. Abide with Me - Elizabeth Strout

very good

11. The Mayor of Casterbridge - Thomas Hardy*

I like Hardy books. I do.

12. The Actor and the Housewife - Shannon Hale

ah, too much fluff and stereotyped obnoxiousness

13. The Gentleman Poet - Kathryn Johnson

pretty interesting historical fiction involving Shakespeare

14. Imperfect Birds - Anne Lamott

hmm . . . didn't care for this

15. Two-Part Invention - Madeleine L'Engle

I really love L'Engle's nonfiction. Can't wait to track them all down and add to them my growing list

16. The Return of Merlin - Deepak Chopra
interesting stuff


17. The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat - Oliver Sacks*

this was one of my favorites that I finally now own for myself. It's been about 12 yrs or so since I first read it and I'm glad to say I still found it fascinating.

18. Change Your Questions, Change Your Life - Wendy Watson Nelson

really good reminders and challenges to question the assumptions we make about how we perceive ourselves and others, our challenges and problems.

There. Phew!!!