Top 10 Books I resolve to read in 2011

"Top 10" Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke & the Bookish.

This week's list:

Top 10 Books I resolve to read in 2011

1. Unwind - Neal Shusterman: I love dystopian fiction, & this one has been calling to me for a while now. It sounds so twisted, but fascinating at the same time!

2. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo (translated by Julie Rose): I tried reading this book a couple years ago, & it took me 8 months just to get half-way through! I'm determined to try again but with a different translation. I love the musical & the movie, now I just need to make it through the book!

3. Sense & Sensibility - Jane Austen: I've had this on my shelf at home for the longest time. I finally read Pride & Prejudice this last year & am excited to get to this one. You would think having my BA in English would guarentee that I'd read every Austen, but I was only ever required to read Emma, so I have a lot of catching up to do!

4. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee: I read this back in high school & hardly remember anything about it. So many people mark it as one of their favorites, if not their absolute favorite, so I thought it was about time for a reread.

5. Daughter of the Forest - Juliet Marillier: My mom gave me this book to read a long time ago, & it's been sitting around my house ever since. It's gotten such high ratings, & I've always loved fairytales, so I am determined to finally get to this one!

6. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray: This is another book I've had sitting on my shelf at home for a really long time. I saw the movie & thought it was really good (after some reflection), so decided to read the book as well. There's something I like about stories with anti-heroes & seeing how their choices build up to make an unfulfilling life that could have been prevented.

7. The Road - Cormac McCarthy: I studied & enjoyed All the Pretty Horses in college & decided to try another of McCarthy's books. I've heard this one is disturbing, & people seem to either love it or hate it. I'm hoping I'm in the love it group!

8. Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare: I discovered Clare's Mortal Instruments series this last year & really liked them! I've heard so many people say they like this book even more, so I can't wait to read it & enter the lives of the shadowhunters again (dorky? yes. but I like it!)!

9. A Gracious Plenty - Sheri Reynolds: I read The Rapture of Canaan about 8 years ago & added it to my list of favorite books. This has been on my tbr list for such a long time, & I'm excited to try out another of Reynold's books. Plus it just sounds so eerie!

10. Nevermore - Kelly Creigh: Edgar Allan Poe has always terrified me, but his writing is unbelievably good & twisted! I'm really, really excited to see how they used Poe's influence in this story, & I'm always up for a paranormal love story!

Top 10 Books I read in 2010

"Top 10" Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke & the Bookish.

This week's list:

Top 10 Books I read in 2010

(in no particular order)



1. The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck: I hadn't read anything by John Steinbeck since high school & was wary of reading this brick of a book. Once I slowed down with the reading instead of trying to fly through it, I was able to appreciate what a wonderful, beautifully written book this was. I found it to be very touching & loved seeing a glimpse of what many people struggled through during the Great Depression.

2. The Hunger Games series - Suzanne Collins: I avoided this series for a while because the idea of reading about teenagers fighting it out to the death sounded so gruesome! But I am really glad that I gave into the pressure to read it because it easily became one of my all-time favorite series!

3. Vampire Academy series - Richelle Mead: This was another surprise series for me. After reading Twilight & loving it, I didn't think I'd care to try out another vampire book/series.  I thought one was enough. Well I started reading the first book b/c my neice loved them so much, & I was hooked. I flew through this series & am anxious to read the final book: Last Sacrifice.

4. The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton: I loved, Loved, LOVED this book!!! I thought the language & descriptions in the book were so beautiful. It really captured me straight from the beginning. I also loved how Morton interlaced the different narratives through different time periods to slowly bring the mystery together.

5. The Mortal Instruments series - Cassandra Clare: This was a fast-paced series that I didn't want to end. I loved the characters & storyline (although it was a bit predictable). I definitely have a major crush on Jace - just call me a cougar :) I'm excited for the fourth book to come out later this year: City of Fallen Angels. I'm also anxious for the movie due out in 2012!

6. The Gargoyle - Andrew Davidson: This was a very different book. It was quite disturbing & made me uncomfortable, but at the same time, the message was very powerful & stuck with me for a long time. Davidson is a very blunt writer - he didn't sugar-coat anything. I loved the stories written within the story that transported me to different times & places. I also loved the use of Dante's Inferno throughout the book.

7. The Maze Runner - James Dashner: I read this one before reading any of The Hunger Games series, so I wasn't tainted by any comparisons like others were (I personally didn't see that many similarities.). I loved this book & couldn't put it down. I was literally on the edge of my seat while reading this & after finishing, paced back & forth freaking out. I went out & bought it right after returning the copy I had read to the library b/c I wanted a copy for my personal collection.

8. The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett: This is another book I put off reading due to its massive size. I just finished it a couple days ago & loved it! I was sucked in from the very beginning, & the story never slowed down for me. Follett brought the characters to life, & I felt very deeply for them - I was surprised with how attached I felt.

9. The Kitchen House - Kathleen Grissom: I read this book for a book club & thought I was going to have an anxiety attack pretty much throughout the entire book. Even feeling this way, I loved it. It was a heartbreaking look at plantation life, & I really connected with the characters in this book. I thought it was very well written.

10. Peace Like a River - Leif Enger: I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. It was one I swiped from my mom's shelf, but then put aside for years before finally picking it up. It's not one to rush through. It was beautifully written! I loved the characters, the narrator, the story, the relationships, the life lessons, & the miracles throughout.