Dorie's 2009 Reading List

[Dorie]

This is a fun idea! My personal reading goal is 100 books this year. I usually read about 2 books a week so I think this will be a reachable goal. I’m far more intent on reducing my TBR stack and reducing the amount of books purchased this year.

This is my list so far:

January 2009
Carved In Bone, Jefferson Bass – 4
Flesh & Bone, Jefferson Bass – 4
The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman – 4
Bone by Bone, Carol O’Connell – 2.5
Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman – 3.5
An Uncommon Reader, Alan Bennett – 3
Only Forward, Michael M. Smith – 4
Plum Spooky, Janet Evanovich – 4
The Servants, Michael M. Smith – 3
A Fraction of the Whole, Steve Toltz – 4.5

February 2009
Dead Until Dark, Charlaine Harris – 3
The Devil’s Bones, Jefferson Bass – 3
Coraline, Neil Gaiman – 3
Spares, Michael M. Smith – 4
Fool, Christopher Moore – 4
Envy the Night, Michael Koryta – 4.5

[Laura]

Good luck Dorie! How did you like Fool? Are Janet Evanovich's Plum books anything like her number mysteries?

[Dorie]

Thanks, Laura! I loved Fool. I thought it was a little different for a Christopher Moore novel, probably because he already had a set storyline he needed to follow. But I loved Pocket, who was Lear's fool. He was so enthusiastic and creative with his insults! The warning of it being bawdy was well earned, though.

Evanovich's Plum books that aren't part of the number books are known as "in-between" books. They basically feature the same characters, but pair Stephanie up with a mystical guy called Diesel. Also yummy. They're usually not quite as good as the numbered mysteries, but I've been very happy with the last two.

[Jamie]

I agree with you, Dorie, about the between-the-numbers books being a bit sub-par. I thought Plum Spooky was nearly as good as the numbered ones, though. I appreciated that it was longer than the other in-between ones, too. Can't wait 'til fifteen comes out!

[Alexandra]

Dorie, how did you like The Graveyard Book? I was thinking about reading it, but wasn't sure if I should read it seeing as how I've got so many others that I already own, etc. that need reading, so do you think it was worth the read?

[Dorie]

Alex, I really loved The Graveyard Book, and thought it was better than Coraline. Bod was a great protagonist. Go ahead and get it, you know you want to! We all have dozens of unread books on our shelves, that doesn't stop us! Ha ha.

[Alexandra]

Haha, no, I know that definitely doesn't stop me! I think once I finish the books I'm already reading I'll go for it. Thanks for the input =)

[Dorie]

Finishing up the list of February reads:

Hogfather, Terry Pratchett - 2
The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death, Charlie Huston - 4
Betrayal in the Bones, Jefferson Bass - 3
Promises in Death, J.D. Robb - 4

[Dorie]

Read in March:

The Intruders, Michael Marshall - 2.5
Beat the Reaper, Josh Bazell - 3
The Leisure Seeker, Michael Zadoorian - 3.5
Starvation Lake, Bryan Gruley - 4
Don't Tell a Soul, David Rosenfelt - 3
Grave Goods, Ariana Franklin - 4

Ack! I didn't meet my goal this month. I've been managing 10 a month. Now I'm way behind. Will have to read more in April.

[Dorie]

Read in April:

Dog On It, Spencer Quinn - 4
A Breath of Snow and Ashes, Diana Gabaldon - 4
Flipping Out, Marshall Karp - 4
Shatter, Michael Robotham - 5
How I Paid For College, Marc Acito - 4.5

Didn't make my goal this month either, although I probably have Ms. Gabaldon to thank for that. I don't really mind though, as I enjoyed all the books I read this month.

[Dorie]

Read in May:

Attach of the Theater People, Marc Acito – 3.0
Mudbound, Hillary Jordan – 4.0
Alas, Babylon, Pat Frank – 3.0
The Last Child, John Hart – 4.5
Master of the Delta, Thomas Cook – 3.0