Books Read 2009

Well, it is the last day of 2009 and I have managed to read 64 books this year, better than 2008 but there is still room for improvement! I have put links to my reviews of the books that I have enjoyed most this year and there have been a fair few. I had some new books from Santa which I will be blogging about in the new year plus the lovely people sent me a copy of Sharon Owen's book The Seven Secrets of Happiness which is out in paperback in January, I started it yesterday and so far so good! What have been your favourite books of 2009 and what are you looking forward to in 2010?

1. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
2. A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson
3. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
4. The Love of her Life by Harriet Evans
5. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
6. The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson
7. Shouting at the Shipmen by Tim Geary
8. Love Letters of Great Men edited by Ursula Doyle
9. The House at Midnight by Lucie Whitehouse
10. Polly by Freya North
11. The Abortionist's Duaghter by Elisabeth Hyde
12. After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell
13. Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Sykes
14. Friend of the Family by Lisa Jewell
15. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
16. The Parasites by Daphne Du Maurier
17. The Mistress of Mellyn by by Victoria Holt
18. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
19. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer
20. Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
21. Best Intentions by Emily Listfield
22. Daphne by Justine Picardie
23. State of Happiness by Stella Duffy
24. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander Mc-Call Smith
25. The Truth about Melody Browne by Lisa Jewell
26. Life's Too Short to Frost a Cupcake by Rosie Wilde
27. Wedding Season by Katie Fforde
28. The Vampyre by Tom Holland
29. Secrets by Freya North
30. Sanctuary by Nora Roberts
31. A Crowded Marriage by Catherine Alliot
32. Look Who it Is by Alan Carr
33. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
34. Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel
35. The Gift by Cecilia Ahern
36. Running in Heels by Anna Maxted
37. The Lost Daugter by Diane Chamberland
38. Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House by M.C. Beaton
39. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
40. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
41. Thinking of You by Jill Mansell
42. A Spring Affair by Milly Johnson
43. The Seance by John Harwood
44. The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton by Catherine Alliott
45. The Believers by Zoe Heller
46. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
47. A Romantic Getaway by Sarah Monk
48. Tell Me Something by Adele Parks
49. Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell
50. Holly Would Dream by Karen Quinn
51. Memoirs Are Made of This by Swan Adamson
52. The Love of My Life by Louise Douglas
53. The Suspicions of Mr Wilcher by Kate Summerscale
54. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
55. The Book of Tomorrow by Cecilia Aherne
56. The Blood Detective by Dan Waddell
57. The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse
58. The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes
59. The Other Hand by Chris Cleave
60. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
61. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
62. Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay
63. The Dog Who Came in from the Cold by Alexander McCall Smith
64. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Bring on 2009!!!

I am so excited that it is the last day of 2008- I will be very glad to see the back of this year and I am really looking forward to seeing what 2009 will bring! Mr S and I were just going to stop in for New Year but his parents have asked us to go over to theirs for dinner so that is what we shall be doing! I hope that you all have a very Happy New Year's Eve and that 2009 is a good year all round. I have decided on my final list of New Year's Resolutions and they are as follows:

1. Make a start on the book- I think I have it all worked out in my head now so it is time to get it down on paper. I am going to try and be quite disciplined about it and write everyday.
2. Try and swear less (very un-ladylike).
3. Drink less diet coke.
4. Take part in a charity run/walk.
5. Eat more vegetables and fruit and just green things in general.
6. To try and learn to handle stressful situations more (This is more for Mr S' benefit).

I shall let you know how I am getting on in the New Year!!

Books Read in 2008

I have only managed to read 38 books this year but I think that I only really got into my reading stride around June time so I hope to at least double this figure in 2009. I have definitely re-discovered my love of reading this year- it is one of the few things that really helps me to relax and switch off so I shall be doing more of that next year! Here are the books that I did manage to read:

1. The Devil in the Kitchen by Marco Pierre White.
2. The girls by Lori Lansen (One of my favourites in 2008).
3. First Lady by Michael Dobbs.
4. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (Brilliant).
5. Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer (I want to read more of her books in the new year).
6. Then we Came to the End by Joshua Ferris (Least favourite book of 2008).
7. Facing the Light by Adele Geras (Swapped this and LOVED it).
8. Restoring Grace by Katie Fforde.
9. The Savage Garden by Mark Mills.
10. Frenchman's Creek by Daphne Du Maurier (I am hoping to work my way through the ones I haven't read of hers in 2009).
11. Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale.
12. Affinity by Sarah Waters.
13. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (One I think I will re-read many times!).
14. 31 Dream Street by Lisa Jewell (Another favourite of 2008 and everyone I know who has read it loved it too).
15. The Mitfords: Letters between Sisters edited by Charlotte Moseley (I love anything to do with the Mitford Sisters and this was so well put together).
16. The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith (I love this series of books).
17. No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay (This is the best thriller that I read this year)
18. Pillow Talk by Freya North.
19. Flora's Lot by Katie Fforde.
20. Thanks for the Memories by Cecilia Ahern.
21. Re-read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling.
22. Georgiana the Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman.
23. Re-read Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling.
24. A Hopeless Romantic by Harriet Evans.
25. Re-read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban by J.K. Rowling.
26. Re-read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling.
27. The Murder Room by P.D. James.
28. If You Could See Me Now by Cecilia Ahern.
29. The Jigsaw Man by Paul Britton.
30. Dreams that Glitter by Girls Aloud.
31. Re-read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling.
32. Things I Want my Daughters to Know by Elizabeth Noble.
33. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by R.L. Stevenson.
34. Picking up the Pieces by Paul Britton.
35. Re-read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling.
36. Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell.
37. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (I think this may be my favorite book of the year- very glad that I discovered this series)
38. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.