2009 Reading Wrap-up

2009 has been a great reading year for me, I actually crossed the 100 mark, something I've not done before! I really hope I'll be able to maintain this new level, as my biggest complaint is that I can't read fast enough for my own tastes, yet I don't want to resort to skimming, I want to get everything out of the book that I can. Granted, I included audiobooks, YA books and Manga, all things that don't require as much effort as the typical novel, but since I'm making the rules, I can count them if I want to, right? ;)

Some quick stats just for fun, then I'll move on to what I consider the highlights of my reading year, the best of the best!

Total Read: 101
Total Pages: 24,240
Average Pages per day: 66.41
Top 5 genre's:
Romance: 20
Mystery: 19
Fantasy: 14
Teen: 14
Audio: 14

Here are my top picks from new-to-me authors that I tried this year:

Hands down the books that affected me the most this year are those of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward. I almost never read all the books or even more than 1 of the books in a series one right after the other, but I couldn't get enough of this series. These are not short and fast either, they are generally 400-600 page books full of action and completely addictive! Going to work during this time period was torture as all I could think about was getting back to the Brotherhood, and 8 hours away was way too long! I was able to calm down the addiction to a manageable level once I got through the book for my favorite of the brothers, Vishous, but until then I was just driven! I have only Lover Avenged, the latest available in the series, and also J. R.'s start to a new series, Covet, both of which I hope to be enjoying soon this year. Lover Avenged will definitely be first though! I was taken completely by surprise at my reaction to these books, and am thrilled to have a new-to-me must read author!

Another new-to-me author that I've enjoyed this year is Elaine Viets, with her Mystery Shopper Series featuring Josie Marcus. Josie is a hoot with her different disguises for shopping, and her often partner in crime Alyce. Josie always ends up right in the middle of crazy situations that she must juggle with raising her daughter, keeping her mother who lives above her happy and dealing with the fallout from nosy Mrs. Mueller the next door neighbor. Not to mention the unrequited feelings of her other next door neighbor Stan, who is always willing to help out, but has to be the most boring person Josie has ever met, at least until book #4 Murder with all the Trimmings, I'm looking forward to #5 The Fashion Hound Murders to see if anything develops there. Elaine is also still working on her Dead End Job series, which I need to catch up on, most of them are here on Mount To-Be-Read patiently awaiting my attention!

Next up on the new to me authors we have Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series, which takes us into the dangerous and beautiful world of the Faerie Courts. I've listened to the first two of these on audio so far and really enjoyed them, Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange. These are not your cute flitting around and sprinkling sparkly dust faeries, wicked lovely is an apt description for them! Most humans remain blissfully unaware of the faeries all around them, not so Aislinn, who has always been able to see them. She is caught up in the intrigue of the courts as she is pursued by the Summer King, Keenan. Only wishing to be left alone by them, it's something she can never have, and she must face their existence head on. In Ink Exchange, one of Aislinn's friends, Leslie is brought into their world as she comes to the attention of the Dark Court King Irial, who is trying to keep his court together after the balance of power shift from Wicked Lovely. The concept of the ink exchange itself was intriguing, and I enjoyed the second book as much as the first, and am looking forward to the next two, Fragile Eternity and Radiant Shadows.


I continued on with some already explored authors this year too, and would definitely recommend them!



Kate Daniels #2: Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews
Tir Alainn #3: The House of Gaian by Anne Bishop
Harper Connelly #2: Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
Sirantha Jax #2: Wanderlust by Ann Aguirre
Stephanie Plum #12: Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
Study #2: Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
Thursday Next #3: The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde
Twilight #2: New Moon by Stephenie Meyers

There were many other great books that I read this year as well, but I just don't have the free time or space to mention them all! I wish you all a wonderful 2010, filled with great books and whatever else fills the spaces of your own Happy Place!