Wow, it's so exciting to be starting a whole new list! I made it to 80 books in 2008 and I'd love to do the same or better in 2009 but I don't want to overwhelm myself right from the start. I'm going to shoot for 50 and then go from there.

#1 Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan

This was a book club book and it was really short so I was able to read the whole thing yesterday. It felt good to start the first day of the new year completing a whole book!

The book itself was really good. It's all about the staff at a Red Lobster who are working their last shift before they shut down forever. O'Nan takes a simple story and manages to make you really feel for the characters.

#2 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Read for book club-I totally loved it.

# 3 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I felt like it took me forever to get through this book. I don't think I had ever read the whole thing before-only the first half or so. I'm glad to have finally read it but some parts definitely dragged.

#4 The Godmother by Carrie Adams

This was a chick lit book with a bit more substance. A single woman in her 30's assumes that all her married friends have it made and then she realizes that things are not always what they appear.

#5 True Grit by Charles Portis.
Really liked this at first but then it it got a little old.

# 6 The Shining by Stephen King

I re-read this for the Stephen King book club and it was just as scary the second time around!

I read 6 books in January which puts me ahead of my total at this point last year so maybe I'll pass my 2008 total but it's still too early to tell.

Finally finished up a few books this weekend.

#7 How Stella Got Her Groove Back by Terry McMillan

This was a re-read and even though I didn't like it as much as I did 10+ years ago, it's still an enjoyable read.

#8 Stardust by Neil Gaiman

This was a December bookclub pick but it took me forever to read it. After seeing the movie (which I liked more) I felt a bit more interested in finishing the book.

#9 Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling.

Fast read, fun to see where Rowling takes things next.

#10 Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Had to read this after hearing so much hype. Quick and entertaining.

Are you planning on reading the other books in the Twilight series?

I'm sure I will eventually, I'm totally sucked in!

a tip of the hat for your first ten!

Hey thanks! I didn't even realize I was at 10!

# 11 Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

I don't think I've ever been so happy to finish a book in my whole life! Parts were were good but it was so long and dragged out it was not an enjoyable read.

#12 Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

This is book #3 in the Sookie Stackhouse series and the books are still as good as ever. Sookie is definitely getting tougher and more self sufficient as the books go on. Lots of fun.

#13 Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner

This book picks up with Cannie and Joy 12 years after Good in Bed left off. Funny, sad, and touching all at once.

#14 Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult

Another page turner by Picoult. I didn't want to put this one down.

#15 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

Loved this book, so quick and sweet.

#16 Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien

I saw this movie a bunch of times as a kid but never read the book. The story is definitely well written.

#17 Basket Case by Carl Hiaasen

Another fun read by Hiaasen. The characters are just as crazy as in his other books, totally entertaining.

#18 Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

Book #4 in the Sookie Stackhouse series and Sookie is still going strong.

#19 Clementina by Eileen Dunlop

I read this for the spring challenge for the Next Best Book Club. The task was to read a book where the main character has the same first name as your mother. My mom goes by Tina but her real name is Clementina. The book was okay-a YA book I would have thought was creepy when I was younger.

#20 Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

This book was so brutal at the beginning that I didn't think I would be able to finish but then it got a bit easier to take and I wound up getting really into the story.

#21 Watership Down by Richard Adams

Just finished this one at lunch. I had never read this one when I was younger and I'm really glad I finally got around to it.

#22 The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

Fast paced and darkly funny.

#23 1984 by George Orwell

This was my first time reading this one. Glad I finally read it.

Joanie wrote: "#23 1984 by George Orwell

This was my first time reading this one. Glad I finally read it."

That's fantastic that you decided to read it!

#24 Surviving Demon Island by Jaci Burton

I read this for the pick a shelf challenge because it fell under the "erotic romance" category. It's not something I ever would have read otherwise but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

#25 Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris

Book #5 in the Sookie Stackhouse series is every bit as good as the first 4.

#26 Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

Listened to the audio book-hilarious.

Woo hoo! 1/2 way!

#27 I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I had started this book a few years ago and just finally finished it when it was picked for my bookclub. I'm so glad I finally finshed it-I loved it!

#28 Come Closer by Sara Gran

This was a really creepy, fast read. I read it in a few hours yesterday.

#29 The Heroines by Eileen Favorite

Great idea, poor execution. I really thought this one would be much better.

#30 People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

Liked this one a lot, interesting to see how the author wove the whole thing together.

#31 Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned From Judy Blume edited by Jennifer O'Connell

This book was a lot of fun and definitely brought back a lot of memories.

Joanie, I like your list. I see many books I've read and many from my TBR list. I may have to bump up People of the Book. I recently added #31....looks like fun.

Thanks Lisa, I've enjoyed most of them so far. #31 is definitely worth checking out!

#32 The Beach House by Jane Green.

Great summer beach read. Quick and easy.

#33 The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

Took me a little bit to get this all sorted out but I liked it.

#34 I Hate Myself and I Want to Die:The 52 Most Depressing Songs You've Ever Heard by Tom Reynolds

This book was a blast but I did walk around with some really bad songs stuck in my head for days!

#35 Anyone But You by Lara Zeises

Quick YA book about a step brother and sister (sort of) who start to have feelings for one another one summer.

#36 Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

This is a companion book to The Giver but paints a much darker picture of the society than the one presented in The Giver.

#37 One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell

This was bad-not worth it.

#38 The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler

I liked this but actually liked the movie better.

#39 Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

I saw the movie years ago but still totally enjoyed the book.

#39 Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

I saw the movie years ago but still totally enjoyed the book.

Which first meeting did you enjoy more, the one in the airplane or the one on the beach? ;)

Lol..I guess the beach one. I wish they had put that in the movie-a nude beach scene with Brad Pitt would have been awesome!

#40 What It Is by Lynda Barry

Interesting combination of memoir and instructional book on writing.

#41 Definitley Dead by Charlaine Harris.

Book #6 in the Sookie Stackhouse series. This book was kind of disjointed as part of the back story was told in a separate book-weird. Still fun but not the greatest.

#42 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

This was my first time ever reading this-I'm really glad I finally got around to reading this one.

#43 Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl

Not nearly as good as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I found this one pretty annoying.

#44 The Postman Always Rings Twice by James Cain

Fast paced, tense read.

#45 The River Between by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

I liked this but didn't love it. Story about two tribes of people in Africa-one trying to hold on to the old customs and traditions and one who had adopted Christianity.

#46 The Freddie Stories by Lynda Barry-Graphic novel that was pretty disturbing. Definitely creative but sad.

# 47 The Potty Training Answer Book by Karen Deerwester-I forgot about this one, I should have added it earlier. Not bad but how exciting can a potty book be?

count down to 50!

45...46...47...

I know-it's crazy! I've been trying to plough through a huge pile of library books and it's definitely helped to increase my total.