Valerie's List Of Stuff, 2011

[Valerie]

I'd like to read 40+ books during this coming year. Since I've had a long break from reading, I'm just getting back into it and have LOTS on my TBR list.

Most of the items in my list are HF, but I do have some other general fiction items I'd like to read.

I'm not really planning on reading these items in the order I've listed them, but will leave a date next to each item as I've read it.

[Valerie]

1. Colonel Brandon's Diary
2. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
3. The Devlin Diary
4. Salting the Wound
5. Corrag 18Mar11 ****.5
6. Silent in the Grave
7. Garden Spells 12Dec11 ****.5
8. Sarah's Key
9. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart: A Novel
10. Captain Wentworth's Persuasion: Jane Austen's Classic Retold Through His Eyes
11. Lady in Waiting
12. Dragonwyck
13. Mr. Darcy's Little Sister
14. The Pemberley Chronicles: A Companion Volume to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
15. The Gargoyle
16. The Forgotten Garden
17. The House at Riverton
18. The Three Weissmanns of Westport
19. Romancing Miss Brontë 6Feb11 ****.5
20. Eye of the Red Tsar: A Novel of Suspense
21. The Valcourt Heiress 19Nov10 ***.5
22. Mistress of Mellyn
23. The Golden Tulip
24. Wolf Hall
25. Wideacre series
26. A Cottage by the Sea
27. The Founding (Morland dynasty series)
28. A Rose for the Crown: A Novel series
29. The Thirteenth Tale
30. Juliet
31. Pemberley Manor: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice continues...
32. An Assembly Such as This (Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series)
33. The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte 5Jan11 ***.5
34. Bedlam 10Jan11 ***.5
35. Claude & Camille: A Novel of Monet
36. Mr. Darcy's Diary
37. A Reliable Wife 12Jan11 **
38. The Venetian Mask
39. Hatteras Girl
40. My Name Is Memory

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Below this line, I'll be posting items that I've read that weren't on my original list.

41. The Lady and the Poet 3Nov10 ****
42. Fallen 13Nov10 ****
43. Torment 28Nov10 ****
44. The Lake of Dreams 19Jan11 ***
45. Pegasus 12Feb11 **
46. Red Riding Hood 19Feb11 ****
47. Beastly 8Mar11 ***
48. The Girl Who Chased the Moon 20Mar11 ***
49. A Vintage Affair: A Novel 28Mar11 **
50. Revolution 4Apr11 *****
51. Finnikin of the Rock 12Apr11 *****
52. Shiver 17Apr11 ***
53. Linger 23Apr11 ***
54. Heist Society 25Apr11 ***
55. Happenstance Found 22May11 ***
56. Cloaked 29May11 ***
57. Truly, Madly 31May11 ***
58. Passion 18Jun11 ****
59. A Secret Kept 20Jun11 ***.5
60. By the Time You Read This 31Jul11 ***.5
61. To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine 4Sept11 ****.5
62. The Peach Keeper 5Sept11 ***
63. Heresy 10Sept11 ****
64. 40 Love 13Sept11 ***
65. Ruby Red 25Sept11 ***
66. The Queen's Pawn 7Nov11 ***.5
67. Evenfall 11Nov11 ***
68. Uncommon Criminals 13Nov11 ***.5
69. Dragon Games 19Nov11 ****
70. The End of Time 25Nov11 ***.5
71. Beauty and the Werewolf 29Nov11 **.5
72. The Lantern 8Dec11 **
73. The Sugar Queen 13Dec11 ***
74. Death Comes to Pemberley 19Dec11 ***
75. Prophecy 28Dec11 ****

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As an added note, here's how I rate my books:

I am very stingy with my stars, especially when it comes to 5-star ratings... And I do wish we could give a half-star to ratings. Some things I've read I gave 3 stars, but in my review I'll comment that "I'd give 3.5 stars if possible"...

5 Stars: For me to give a book 5 stars, I have to absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the book!! And it would have to be something that I would absolutely & most definitely read again and again. This would also be something that I would buy for my own collection.

4 Stars: Would be something that I really enjoyed but not necessarily loved, and possibly read again. Depending on how I feel about it, it might be a book I'd buy, but not always so.

3 Stars: Is something that I liked, probably isn't something that absolutely knocks me over, but was pleasant enough

2 Stars: Disliked, or maybe just "OK", but not necessarily hated and probably won't read again

1 Star: Hated it!! Would never read it again

[southpaw285]

Valerie, you have a wonderful list of books, and it looks like you are a Jane Austen fan. I too, love Jane Austen's work. If you ever want to do a buddy read, just let me know. I would be happy to read with you.

[Valerie]

Thanks, SP!! Yes.... I do LOVE me some Jane Austen!! LOL

Hmmm... Buddy read?? What is that? We read the same thing at the same time & can talk about it?? That would be cool! :) I'd really like that!!

[southpaw285]

Yeah. That's great. You just let me know the book and the time to start, and we can read together. I know the holidays are coming up, and you may be really busy. It doesn't matter to me. I can start anytime you like.

I look forward to it. I think it will be great fun.

[Valerie]

Added some additional books not already on my list of things to read; also added my own personal "rating system" in the event someone who sees this wonders how I determine how many stars to give when I finish a book.

[jb]

Valerie....I am like you with the 5 stars (a bit stingy). I absolutely feel the book is a LOVE and I would read it again (time permitting). I call the 5 star books my island books (those books which I would hope to be stuck on a deserted island with).

[Valerie]

Jenn.... LOVE the idea of the "island books" ;) That's what my 5 star items would be too

[Valerie]

Ok... So far I've read 16 books that weren't on my list to begin with and only 6 that were! LOL Oh well! At least I'm reading, right?! ;)

[Valerie]

I think next year when I set my reading goal, I'm not going to list specific titles, but focus more on the number of books. I have that big list above I started off with, and have added so many other titles that I've read... 24 to be exact! LOL In all actuality, I've read 30 books since I posted this goal... not too bad after having had such a major break in reading ;)

[Jackie]

Valerie, are these books you own? I ask because next year I'm going to do a TBR reduction challenge. Basically for every 5 books I read I get a book credit. I can use that book credit to get one new book. This way I reduce, but don't feel deprived from buying. Maybe you can do the same thing? Like for every 5 books you read, you can add one more title to your list? Just throwing something out there to get creative with. :)

30 books is very good though, especially coming back from a major break. I think you'll easily get to your goal of 40.

[Valerie]

Hi Jackie :) Some are books that I own, but most are books that I'd seen at the library or in the book stores. I haven't bought a lot of books lately, just too much going on these days! LOL I do like your idea, though. I may give that a try next year after I set my goal ;) As for my current goal, I was 4 books ahead at one point... now I'm 4 books behind! LOL Trying to remedy that! ;)

[Valerie]

One more book to go & I've met my goal!! Wooo Hooooo!!!

[Valerie]

Wooo Hooooo!!! Made my first ever reading goal!! LOL *Feeling like a little kid right about now!!* :)