Books Read In 2006
(Goal: 25 Actual: 34!)
-> 57 in 2007
-> 6 in 2008
-> ?? in 2009
- The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown link
Twisting and turning. I cringed at a lot of the dialogue and had to roll my eyes now and then, but couldn't stop reading until the puzzle had been solved. - The Wedding Date by Elizabeth Young link
Slow the first chapter or two, but I grew to like the self-deprecating, compulsive liar heroine and the wickedly charming hero. And British slang words are inherently amusing. - Echoes of Lies by Jo Bannister link
Some plot lines weren't always believable, but I cared about the two main characters so much that I was willing to accept anything to see them get justice, satisfaction and healing. - Flaming Tree by Phyllis A Whitney link
The story wasn't really believable. The jumble of characters seemed too caricaturish, but the twists thrown in were completely unexpected and kept me reading. - The Daddy Clock by Judy Markey link
I didn't really like the slangy first-person style, and I couldn't sympathize much with the characters. - True Witness by Jo Bannister link
I thought I had the mystery solved early on, but I wasn't quite right. It was good to get to know better the characters from the first book (Echoes of Lies). - Sleeping With The Enemy by Nancy Price link
The book was better than the movie, mainly because I don't like Julia Roberts. I liked the writing style -- not too sentimental, but honest. - The Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough link
The first true epic I've read in a long time. It was a good satisfying read -- understandably a classic. - The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith link
Enjoyable -- the storytelling was simple but evoked feeling. - Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz link
Koontz thrillers are not my usual style, and I thought this suffered in many parts from overwriting, but the colorful characters and gripping tension made the book worth reading. - Reflections by Jo Bannister link
Guessed this mystery's twist from the beginning and still had a hard time buying it. The ending was intriguing, though. - Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert link
I thought this book was too self-absorbed and self-indulgent... but considering it's autobiographical I shouldn't have been surprised. It still had its striking moments. - Forever Odd by Dean Koontz link
Didn't live up to the first (Odd Thomas). I know the story is supernatural but I still shook my head in disbelief. - The Depths of Solitude by Jo Bannister link
Better than its predecessor (Reflections). Included satisfying development of a couple of supporting characters. - The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg link
Easy read. The family dynamics were right on. - The Divide by Nicholas Evans link
This book was depressing from beginning until almost end. At least the end was satisfying. - The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve link
Interesting interweaving of two stories over a century apart, but this was another downer. It's time for me to read a happy book. - Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie link
I read the first 100 pages and the last 100 pages, skipping 200 in between, and I didn't feel like I missed anything important. This book read like it was churned out in a couple of weeks and not edited. But at least it wasn't depressing... - The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon link
Thanks to Sarah for the recommendation -- this was great storytelling from start to finish with some twists I guessed and some I never saw coming. - The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett link
Slow-ish, but a good read, until the abrupt ending that tied up nothing and felt like the last pages of the book must have been ripped out. - The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama link
I liked it. Not thrilling but a good story and character study. - The Midwife by Gay Courter link
I thought the writing style was often stilted and couldn't understand some of the heroine's motivations. It was a good epic read though. - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton link
Talk about a thriller. I stayed up way past my bedtime finishing this one. - Bubbles A Broad by Sarah Strohmeyer link
Readable, but kind of tiresome. This is the fourth Bubbles book, and the last three never matched the first in enjoyability. - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger link
Unusual -- I kept flipping back and forth trying to get the duelling timelines straight. Good vacation book. - Breaking Faith by Jo Bannister link
Every character spoke in preachy paragraphs. The pontification was tiresome and annoying and ruined the book. - The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides link
I feel like I was supposed to like this better than I did. But I found the meandering narrative distracting. - Cane River by Lalita Tademy link
Engaging story of several generations. More interesting because the characters were the author's ancestors. - The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards link
Readable, albeit predictable -- it seemed written for book clubs. I liked the concept of the effects of a quick emotional decision trickling down over several decades. - The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella link
Typical British chick lit. Easy enough to read but didn't really stand out. - Sister North by Jim Kokoris link
This book started out really different and funny, but I thought it turned forced about halfway through. It became a drag. - Lost Hill by Dorothy Evelyn Smith link
This is one of the books left behind by the elderly previous owners of the house -- copyright 1952. It was strange -- the story ended, but not much had really happened. - The Moon By Night by Joy Packer link
Another previous owners' book, circa 1956. I actually enjoyed this one, the main storyline was well-paced and the other threads wove in well. It read old-fashioned, but the story could have been set in the present day just as well. - Let Love Come Last by Taylor Caldwell link
Yet another book from the bookshelf, copyrighted 1949 I believe. It was all about how spoiling your kids turns them into horrible horrible people. Long winded and no fun to read.
*List does not include textbooks or books read aloud to the kids at bedtime.