40 books in 2009

Last year I made an attempt to read more, and keep track of what books I read. This year, I'm hoping to read even more... Dare I say an average of 1 of week? That's only 12 more total... I think I can do it.

Now, before I type the list, let me just say - I am fully aware that many of the books I read are not thoughtful well written pieces of literature. And I (and sometimes Aaron) do judge myself for it. So, when you come across the multitude of chic-lit in this list, remember, I've suffered enough, and please do not make fun of me!

So... here is the list, in order of completion.

1. Chocolat (Joanne Harris) - finished 1.5.09
2. Queen of babble gets hitched (Meg Cabot) finished 1.6.09
3. Three Cups of Tea (Greg Mortensen) finished 1.6.09
4. The Other Side of the Story (Marian Keyes) finished 1.15.09
5. Run (Ann Patchett) finished 1.16.09
6. To Have or To Hold (Jane Green) finished 1.25.09
7. Child in Time (Ian McEwan) finished 2.7.09
8. Anyone Out There (Marian Keyes) finished 2.11.09
9. This Charming Man (Marian Keyes) finished 2.20.09
10. Les Miserables (Victor Hugo) finished 4.9.09 (come on, this feat alone has to make up for most of the chic lit, right?)
11. Murder on the Nile (Agatha Christie) finished 4.21.09
12. Watermelon (Marian Keyes) finished 4. 23.09
13. Murder on the Orient Express (Agatha Christie) finished 5.3.09
14. Mind's Eye (Hakan Nesser) finished 5.6.09
15. On Chesil Beach (Ian McEwan) finished 5.12.09
16. Lucy Sullivan Getting Married (Marian Keyes) finished 5.17.09
17. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J.K. Rowling) finished 5.27.09
18. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling) finished 6.10.09
19. Borkmann's Point (Hakkan Nesser) finished 6.14.09
20. The Girl with no Shadow (Joanne Harris) finished 6.18.09
21. Angels (Marian Keyes) finished 7.5.09
22. Rumors (Anna Godbersen) finished 7.16.09
23. The Physik Book of Deliverance Dane (Katherine Howe) finished 8.11.09
24. Franny & Zooey (J.D. Salinger) finished 8.17.09
25. The Time Traveller's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger) finished 8.21.09
26. Fake Liar Cheat (Adam Goldstein) finished 10.4.09
27. AM/PM (Amelia Gray) finished 10.5.09
28. A Year in Provence (Peter Mayle) finished 10.17.09
29. Toujours, Provence (Peter Mayle) finished 10.22.09
30. Motherless Brooklyn (Jonathan Lethem) finished 11.15.09
31. Envy (Anna Godbersen) finished 11. 15.09
32. The Lost Symbol (Dan Brown) finished 11.18.09
33. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) finished 11.19.09
34. Her Fearful Symmetry (Audrey Niffenegger) finished 11.21.09
35. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold) finished 11.22.09
36. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies (Seth Graham-Smith & Jane Austen) finished 12.7.09
37. Cleaving (Julie Powell) finished 12.11.09
38. Splendor (Anna Godbersen) finished 12.14.09
39. Talk to the Snail (Stephen Clarke) finished 12.20.09
40. Into Thin Air (Jon Krakaur) finished 12.24.09

Least Favorite Book of 2009: The Physik Book of Deliverance Dane - I read this for a book club that I went to once. This book was so ridiculous, so predictable, and the author was clearly a grad-school snob. I was bored and rolling my eyes through it.

Favorite Book of 2009: Motherless Brooklyn - Very entertaining and smart. Runners-up would include the Provence books, because I've been a bit of a francophile this year. There were many others I loved, but, I've probably forgotten that by now.

Quickest Read: The Anna Godbersen books - basically "gossip girl" for the 1900's. Most of these took me just a few hours.

Longest Read: Les Miserables - but I think that's acceptable.

Book I was most looking forward to reading: Her Fearful Symmetry - which, didn't necessarily let me down, but it was not nearly as compelling as I had hoped for.

Absolute worst character name in the history of books: Tedward (this was actually in a book I read in 2008, but I still can't get over it). Seriously. Ted.Ward. Tedward. WTF.

Alright - that's it! Any recommendations for 2010's list?