A New Book Year Dawns ....

What are YOU reading in 2011?

As you read your way through 2011, list your books here, and give a brief comment on the book, if you like.
This isn't a challenge, but a nice way to a) keep a record of the books you read; and 2) share your thoughts and recommendations.

As of now I'm finishing Voyager. I'm on the fence about starting the LJ books or Drums next. I know many have said to read the LJ books first before going on, but I'm like a crack addict with these books and need to know how everything turns out with J and C!

I finished Sarah's Key last night in preparation for my in-person book group on Thursday. I really enjoyed it. Sad, though. I look forward to the discussion this week and then the discussion on this board in a few months.

I joined a real life book club with some interesting selections. First book on the docket is "Remains of the Day." I'll be starting that next week. I'm currently polishing off LJ BOTB. I'll probably finish that tonight and read Haunted Soldier and Customs soon, too. I'll be re-kilting all OL books, and I'm also planning to read the Songs of Fire and Ice series by George RR Martin in the spring. (There are currently 4 books, plus a short story in Warriors). My book club is also reading "Suburban Nation (non-fiction)" "the Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls, "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese, "House of Daughters" and "What's the Matter with Kansas (non-fiction)." I'd also like to start the new book by Nick Hornby as well as some Connie Willis (To Say Nothing of the Dog & Doomsday Book).

My group discussed the Glass Castle a few years ago and it was a good discussion. I recently listened to Half-Broke Horses by the same author, too. I loved the two Connie Willis books you mentioned, though the tone is very different (same mechanism for time travel but very different books).

I love my book group. I started about 10 years ago and love reading a book and then discussing it with others who read it. And, I end up reading a lot of things I never would have picked up otherwise. Almost all of it quite good. Enjoy!

I actually joined the book club two years prior- but only attended a smattering of meetings because I was being crushed under the weight of graduate school....Last year I started attending more faithfully, and this year I am resolved to read all the books and attend the meetings.

I like Connie Willis. My husband likes her, too- and I've read snipped of Dog over his shoulder.

I just finished The Invisible Circus by Jennifer Egan. Very compelling! Set in 1978, a young girl travels to Europe to trace the path of her older sister to understand what led to her suicide in Italy.

I've just finished the excellent Trespass by Rose Tremain and am now on a dual timelLove story Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

I just started Frederica by Georgette Hayer, which was recommended by someone here (I think it was Pauline). I have read the first 70 pages and find it delightful and a nice change of pace from the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries that I just completed.

I was reading Swan Thieves at Christmastime, but had to return it to the library. Then, I received a Nook for Christmas and immediately downloaded Outlander, just because I could and because I HAD to. Started re-kilting it...and then couldn't stop. Couldn't stop until another library book became available. The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackbery, which I rather liked. Since then...I've read Outlander in under 2 weeks and am now reading Dragonfly in Amber. I'm just re-met wee Fergus!!

Just got A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay (who also wrote Sarah's Key, which I really liked)...but am going to work on DiA for a few days before starting on that.

Oh, and I finally started on A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows...but I'm out of town at the moment and didn't want to carry the big book with me. I'll finish later this week.

Whew!

In a nutshell, I think I'm going to be re-kilting the Outlander series for the next few months.

I read Fiery Cross and now I started A Breath of Snow and Ashes...I have so many books on my "To Read List" this year and I still have Echo to get to! I'm going to want to re-kilt too...I need more time.

Just finished an excellent book due to be published in May 2011 - The Hummingbird and the Bear by Nicholas Hogg

I started the Fever Series in 2010. The final book, Shadowfever finally came out January 2011. I LOVED the series. I fell in love with a whole new character. The author of the book also wrote the Highlander Series which my friend describes as a "Poor Man's Outlander". A lot of going back and forth in time with modern day women and beefcake Highlanders in those. Karen Marie Moning's writing is nice and easy to read, though her Fever series is done, the Highlander ones I hear are not. So I'm looking forward to more from her. Fever series actually ties into the Highlander series, but takes place in Ireland. All the books though involve the Fae in some way.

I'm also reading sci-fi. I started the first book when I was 12 and again recently so I've decided to finish the Homecoming Series by Orson Scott Card and have another of his series on my list of to read.

I just finished Shadowfever on Tuesday and I enjoyed that series. I haven't tried the Highlander series because I've heard they are pretty much straight romances and that's not my preferred genre. Maybe some day. Or maybe not. We'll see, but right now I'm swamped.

Earlier today, I finished Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon. Apparently, it won the national book award and the author will be speaking in town in a few weeks so I requested it from the library. I have to say that I didn't absolutely love it. Maybe I just didn't quite understand the motivations of the various characters and why they did the things they did because I don't really understand horse racing (and claims races in particular). But, award or not, I've read other stuff that I enjoyed more. Oh, well.

Oh, and I'm starting the book for my in-person book group, False Mermaid by Erin Hart, and it's a mystery set in part in Ireland and the jacket mentioned Irish myth, so people who enjoyed the Fever series might be interested. I only read the first page and the stuff at the beginning (maps and a translated song), so I can't really say much about it myself, yet.

I just finished The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa, which was beautifully written. The story was bittersweet but heartwarming. If you dislike math, though, this may not be the book for you.