If you don't have a dream, how are you going to make a dream come true? |
I read 42 books in 2011 (a high number for me), and they're all listed here: "Loves of a Bibliophile" [13+] along with a rating system of sorts. I thought I'd mention my favorites here, though. Here are my top 11 of 2011: This book scared me to the point where I had to put it down for a few days. Some people might not be able to read it, since it's about an evil spirit going after a family which includes their young children. There was a scene with a mirror that really scared me. I loved this book! One of the few non-fiction books I read, I saw this one at B&N and just felt like I had to pick it up right away. It's written from the perspective of a lawyer who defends criminals on death row. He explains what he does and why he does it. I've been against capital punishment for years, but I think this book solidified that position in my mind. I also think it might make supporters question their position. Regardless, it isn't an argument for or against the issue; Like Publisher's Weekly states in its review, "Dow's book is a sobering, gripping and candid look into the death penalty." This was a re-read, as this book was one of my favorites from my high school utopia days. I still love it. (Note: Don't watch the Netflix film from . It's not a very good adaptation.) A lot of people say they like the show better than the book, as it gives more detail. Well, they stretch the first book out and make it an entire season, so, yeah, you're going to get more detail. However, I think you get a closer look and a better feel for the main character in the book. I definitely want to read more in the series! I'm totally into the craze. I don't remember how I heard about the books, but I read the first one pretty early on in 2011, and I absolutely can't wait for the film in March. I'm not a big fan of the love triangle, but I find the politics way more interesting. I've always thought a dystopia for young adults could be really good. Each book got better in this series, in my opinion. It got deeper into the politics of their world, and each book surprised me as to where the story ended up going. My sister-in-law introduced me to Christopher Moore and I've loved all the books I've read by him. This re-telling of King Lear from the Jester's point of view is hilarious. I don't often laugh out loud when I'm reading but so far Moore and Douglas Adams have me giggling from their writing. (Note: This is a FREE Kindle book on Amazon!) I worked for a few months as a teacher's aide at a high school and this was a Summer reading assignment for one grade, so I thought I'd check it out. Holy cow, I loved it. It's a short, gripping read. My favorite of the three, I think it can teach kids that the rebels aren't always right. For me, it approaches Orwellian thought in a way. I tend to not like when Douglas Preston writes books on his own (as opposed to his collaborative works with Lincoln Child) and this book doesn't get great reviews, but I simply loved it. Perhaps it's because of all the references to astronomy (which is a subject I adore), but I really enjoyed it. It's a guilty pleasure type of read. Another hilarious read by Christopher Moore, but this one one-upped his other books for me - it got me thinking. Not for those with a closed mind to other religions, this one offered insights into Eastern thinking, such as Buddhism, and attempts to offer a hypothesis as to what Jesus Christ did between the ages of 9 and 30 (something which is not covered in the canonical Gospels of the Christian Bible). Some hilarity is added, and the book is obviously not meant to be taken too seriously. My goal for 2012 is to read 50 books, and to read more non-fiction (namely science and philosophy). |