Book Lists, Challenges and New Year’s Resolutions
1 January 2012 
Looking back over 2011, which was a good year for books! I had a few reading challenges which all went fairly well and managed to read over 100 books during the course of the year. I think during that time two things have become apparent for me. Firstly, I think my favourite type of book to read definitely falls into fantasy/adventure and secondly, I realised how much fun it is to join a few group read alongs. I also found quite a few really good and interesting blogs where I have picked up some really good advice and sound recommendations for books to read. So, thanks to all those lovely book bloggers out there for that.
I’ve looked back over the books I’ve read and wanted to choose my top 10. It wasn’t easy but these are my choices for 2011 in no particular order:
- Desert Spear by Peter Brett – I love this series and can’t wait for No.3 to come out.
- Unwind by Neal Shusterman – can’t believe I didn’t read this sooner. It’s a brilliant book
- The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss – enough said! Brilliant book, I think I liked it even more than The Name of the Wind
- Bloodstone by Gillian Philips – Firebrand was one of my favourite books of 2010. I love GP’s sithe and Bloodstone was very dark and brooding (and who am I kidding – I love Seth McGregor, he is ‘the man’!)
- Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch – I love the world that this author has created, The Lies of Locke Lamora was an amazing book to start the series and Red Seas Under Red Skies returned Jean and Locke to us with further adventures on the high seas.
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor – what a brilliant story teller. I was totally immersed in this world, the descriptions and the creatures are amazing.
- Ashes by Ilsa J Bick – this is a fantastic novel, totally gripping and horrifying.
- A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin – finally started the series off – absolutely brilliant, can’t wait to read No.2
- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman – I love this book and wish there were more so I could return to this world again!
- Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence – dark and twisted but frankly unputtdownable!
That was so difficult. I want more on my list but I want to stick to 10!
I think I should mention the series that I’ve enjoyed reading this year as well:
- Patricia Briggs – Mercedes Thompson books – just love this series
- Jim Butcher’s – Dresden Files – found Harry Dresden and intend to keep reading his series
- Rachel Caine’s – Morganville Vampires, still loving this series, especially Myrnin!
- Gail Carriger’s – Parasol Protectorate, brilliant, original, witty
- Sookie Stackhouse – True Blook novels – good fun! (if you can call vampires, werewolves and fey – fun!)
- Melissa Marr – finished the Wicked Lovely series and really enjoyed it.
- Holly Black – curse workers – love this series, can’t wait for No.3
- Michael Grant – The Fayz – Plague was the best so far!
So, in 2012 I’m hoping to read some more Sci Fi – I’m going to join in with a Sci Fi Vintage reading month which is being hosted by The Little Red Reviewer and also reading some other sci fi for the 2012 Science Fiction Experience being hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.
Also, going to continue with my 100 book challenge over at Book Chick City and will probably still take part in the British Book Challenge and 2012 Debut challenge hosted by The Story Siren.
On a personal note – I will eat more healthily (repeat 100 times) and I will exercise (repeat 100 times!). Starting with my healthy challenges I have decided to abstain from alcohol for the month of January! The gauntlet is down. Don’t get the wrong idea – I wouldn’t say I have a drinking problem, just think it’s a good idea to have a bit of a clean out after the indulgence of Christmas!
Hope everyone has a great 2012.
😀
Books and travelling with Lynn 
As long as you don’t abstain from you’re iced coffee drinks all is ok 😀
Nice list!
Only one of your favs, which I read, was “Daughter of Smoke And Bone” and I loved it. And it’s supposed to be being made into a film.
I think I have reserved “Neverwhere.” Anyway, I love a list!!!!!!!!!!!
Best of luck with your reading plans. I don’t *do* challenges. Guess they *seem* too much like a teacher-standing-over-me-and-telling-me-what-to-do. -grin- But lots love them, so they are fine.
Best of luck with your wonderful health plans!!!! Me too, gonna’ keep walking, which I started last week. ,-) May we both succeed! 🙂
“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God
who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect
has intended us to forgo their use.”
~ Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
you know I always love seeing my favorite authors showing up on my friend’s best of lists – Martin, Lynch, Gaiman, Rothfuss, and certainly now Mark Lawrence as well! Lawrence especially, is on just about everyone’s best of list, good for him!
I should really get some Peter Brett and Gillian Philips. Brett especially is showing up on best of lists all over the place too, so I wanna know what all the hype is about!
I really like the Peter Brett series, I found it really unique (think he managed to spark a bit of controversy with Desert Spear) but, again, I thought it was a great 2nd book. I believe the 3rd isn’t coming out until 2013 though!! The price of a good book I s’pose! Sooner wait a little longer for a really good installment though.
Lynn 😀
I’m right there with you in discovering in 2011 just how much fun a group read can be. I’ll be doing more of that in 2012 for sure.
Great seeing your list of favorites for the year, especially with one of my favorite novels of all time, Neverwhere, being on the list. I’m also excited to read about how much you like A Wise Man’s Fear considering that I loved the first one.
I’m so glad I started Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archives series with The Way of Kings. It is a must read. I’m also happy the group reading process finally got me to read the first Dresden book. I’ll be up for more of those in 2012.
Each time one of those Briggs books comes out with its gorgeous Daniel dos Santos cover I wonder aloud why I am not reading these books.
I LOVED Neverwhere. I so want to go back to London Below! It was really tough picking 10 – I wanted to put so many others on there – like The Princess Bride! The Wise Man’s fear is really brilliant and such a beautiful book as well – it’s one of those books that is lovely to own – it took a while to read it all though.
I haven’t read any Sanderson yet (how bad). He seems to write such a lot it’s a bit daunting.
I really like the Patricia Briggs books, Mercy is such a great character, she makes mistakes and she’s not afraid to ask for help and yet she’s also independent – I’d love to know what you thought of those.
I’ll definitely be joining your group reads. I loved taking part!
Thanks
Lynn 😀
I would strongly encourage you to work The Way of Kings into your reading schedule at some point this year. In my admittedly limited consumption of current fantasy, Sanderson and Rothfuss are two authors who seam to me to be head and shoulders above the rest and yet their books are different enough that I don’t feel they are in competition with one another for my affection, if that makes sense. It is daunting to get in on the first of a long series that isn’t written yet, but The Way of Kings makes it worth it, and this is from a guy who has spent much of his life running away from seemingly never-ending, have-to-wait-for-the-next-one series.
I’d love to disappear into London Below for awhile. If the Wardrobe was real I would still want to visit Narnia, but then I would want to go find Richard and Door.
I do know what you mean – I also tend to think that these books will all be similar (frankly I don’t think the covers always help in that respect – such a lot of hooded people running around these days!) But I’ve been lucky this year with that, George Martin, Peter Brett and now Mark Lawrence all really different voices, stories and places.
So, The Way of Kings – that’s a different series to the Mistborn books (I have the first Mistborn book at work – somebody brought it in for me to read but haven’t brought it home yet)? I will definitely read some this year though – but I’ve also started the Game of Thrones series now as well (which is huge) – i keep saying I won’t start any more series – plus I’ve started Jasper Kent (doh!)
Anyway, gives me lots to look forward to.
Lynn 😀
I do the same thing, often assuming the books will be similar and figuring that I don’t need to read a bunch of books that are the same. I’m sure that causes me to miss out on some really good books though.
Way of Kings is its own series, it will be 10 books long, and this is just the first.
Mistborn I believe will be three separate 3-book trilogies. The first trilogy is done and the first book of the second, set later in the future, is out now. I haven’t read any of these yet but will be checking out the Mistborn world sometime this spring when the Once Upon a Time Challenge cranks up.
[…] It’s that time of year again where we reflect on the past year. I’ve had a great reading year and so choosing my Top 10 is always a bit problematic – basically, I want to cheat and be allowed more books. Please Sir, I want more!!! Anyway, I’ve come up with my best reads – these are not necessarily all new releases for 2014 and they’re not in any particular order. My previous lists are here, here and here. […]