Jan 03 2008
What I Read in 2007
In the spirit of end of the year lists:
I started keeping a list in my Moleskine of all the books I read over the course of last year. I was surprised by the numbers in some months, zero in October and seven in June. My list is dominated by Fantasy, YA, and Romance. You can really tell when I went on a binge, November for example, and read Romance in exclusion to all else. I read 44 books last year with an average of about 3.66 per month.
This year, I want to have a more balanced plate. The only classic literature I read in 2007 was Agnes Grey. Not that classic literature is the only thing worth reading.
Here is my list by month for 2007:
January - 5
Glass Houses - Rachel Caine
Duty and Desire - Pamela Aiden
His Majesty’s Dragon - Naomi Novik
Pretties - Scott Westerfeld
A Few Demons More - Kim Harrison
February - 4
These Three Remain - Pamela Aiden
The Bee Keeper’s Aprentice - Laurie King
The Ruins of Gorlan - John Flanagan
Specials - Scott Westerfeld
March - 2
The Minister’s Daughter - Julie Hearn
I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith
April - 4
Mooncalled - Patricia Briggs
Throne of Jade - Naomi Novik
Black Powder War - Naomi Novik
Buffy: the Long Way Home I - Whedon
May - 2
Love Comes Softly - Jannette Oake
The Secret Pearl - Mary Balogh
June - 7
Blue Moon - Jill Marie Landis
A Monstrous Regiment of Women - Laurie King
Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi
Perepolis 2 - Marjane Satrapi
A letter of Mary - Laurie King
Storm Front - Jim Butcher
y: The Last Man - Vaughan, Guerra, et al.
July - 4
The Brazen Careerist - Penelope Trunk
Fool Moon - Jim Butcher
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling
Castle of the Wolf - Sandra Schwab
August - 3
Promethea - Alan Moore
Promethea II - Alan Moore
Promethea III - Alan Moore
September - 2
Watchmen - Alan Moore
Datacloud: Toward A New Theory Of Online Work - Johndan Johnson-Eilola
October - 0
November - 6
The Shadow and the Star - Laura Kinsale
Slightly Married - Mary Balogh
Slightly Wicked - Mary Balogh
Slightly Scandalous - Mary Balogh
Slightly Sinful - Mary Balogh
Sligtly Dangerous - Mary Balogh
December - 5
Agnes Grey - Anne Bronte
Buffy: the Long Way Home II - Whedon
Buffy: the Long Way Home III - Whedon
Midsummer Moon - Laura Kinsale
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding - Le Leche League
I hope you’ve enjoyed Castle of the Wolf!
And as to classic literature, I can highly recommend E.T.A Hoffmann’s The Life and Opinion of the Tomcat Murr (which my heroine reads in CotW). It’s a truly unusual novel!
Well, thank you for stopping my Ms. Schwab! I can honestly say that Castle of the Wolf was a highlight last year and I have already thrust it upon several friends. If you are looking for great gothic romance, it is fabulous.
Scott Westerfeld, huh? I’ve looked at that series a couple times — since you’ve read more than one of them, can I take that as an implicit recommendation?
(Also, I’ve read all those Baloghs. Good binge!)
Oh, I’m so glad to hear it! Thank you! CASTLE is very near and dear to my heart because I not only based the setting on where my family used to live when I was a child, but I also put in references to all my favourite Romantic fairy tales.
Jenica,
Westerfeld is highly recommended as well. Great YA. I read the Uglies series and the Midnighters series. Both are fun and interesting.
I just reread Y: The Last Man in preparation for the end of the series. It’s is a super duper book.
I’m also a big fan of Persepolis. I’m haunted by the panel where the young Iranian boys charge across the minefield.
What did you think of Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi? I recommend highly.
I thought Persepolis was good. I liked the first one the best out of the two. The simple drawings coupled with the complex, honest story was very touching.