2010 in Review

Now that the holidays are finally over I can get back to focusing on my blog. I decided that I would start by looking back at what I've read in 2010, before I pull my list off the sidebar and start a new list for 2011.

First, 2010 was the year that I finally decided to read two series that looking back I can't believe I didn't read sooner.

I loved reading about Percy and all of his adventures.  The characters were like-able and their adventures were entertaining.  I originally bought the book only because I could get it for like $1 at the Bargain Bookstore during one of their half off sales.  It then sat on the shelf for months because I had no real desire to read it.  In the end, it was the realization that a movie was coming out that made me decide to actually read the book, and I ate them up, reading the whole series in a week, and then searching the web to see if more was coming.  I was thrilled when I saw he had two new series coming out, and bought both of them immediately.  Now I'm eagerly awaiting more.

My friend had been suggesting that I read this series for awhile, and so I bought the first book, but for whatever reason, I kept avoiding actually reading the book.  Then, the last book in the series was coming out, and I was making an order from Amazon anyway and needed something to hit the free shipping, and thought I might as well get it, since I'd read the books eventually anyway.  Which of course, led me to actually read the books, and I loved the depth of the story, and again read the whole series in a week.  Now I'm eagerly looking forward to his next series.



Some of the books that I loved most in 2010 included:

I randomly requested this book from Paperback Swap, I honestly don't even know why, I don't even know that I actually looked at what it was about, only that it was something that I saw a link to and went "Why Not?"  When it arrived, the cover was a real turn off (I did not receive this cover, but a very pink one of a girl's bedroom, that quite frankly made the book seem like it would be a bit too young for me).  It sat in my car for a couple of days, and I picked it up a few times because I was waiting for my boyfriend, and the opening line intrigued me for some reason.  It just talked about a girls father having a baby with his second wife.  It wasn't revolutionary, and yet it made me keep going.  I loved the story.  I found it sadly believable how humans reacted to the end of the world.  The hording food, the chaos, the lack of survival skills.  It was disturbing and I couldn't put it down.  I hadn't even finished the first book before I bought the last two.  I loved the whole series, and passed it on right away.




I picked up The Forest of Hands and Teeth for a couple of weeks before I bought it in 2009, it had been out less than two months when I finally broke down and had to buy it.  I was unsure about a book about Zombies, but the cover kept drawing me in, and after I read it I was so glad that I had.  When The Dead-tossed Waves was released I didn't wait a day to get it, and I was thrilled that I hadn't.  I enjoyed the story, and as an added bonus I got to have both books autographed a couple of weeks later.

This was another book that drew me in because of the cover, and I found the story was oh so much better.  I read it while I was at an anime convention, and it speaks to how much I enjoyed this book that I couldn't stop talking about it while my friends and I were sitting around eating meals or relaxing for the evening.  I found a lot about this book unique and intriguing and I can't wait to see where its headed in the next book











I loved a lot of the books that I read in 2010 (quite frankly I loved most of the books that I read in 2010, but that would make the post a bit too long, so I shortened it).  Here's a complete list of what I read in 2010:
• "The Invisible Order: Rise of the Darklings" - Paul Crilley    • "Mirrorscape" - Mike Wilks
• "Shadow of Malabron" - Thomas Wharton                         • "Waking the Witch" - Kelley Armstrong
• "Guardians of Ga'hoole: The Rescue" - Kathryn Lasky        • "Guardians of Ga'hoole: The Journey"
• "Guardians of Ga'hoole: The Capture" - Kathryn Lasky       • "Birthmarked" - Caragh O'Brien

• "Uglies: Pretties" - Scott Westerfeld                                    • "Uglies: Uglies" - Scott Westerfeld
• "This World We Live in" - Susan Beth Pfeffer                     • "The Dead and the Gone"
• "Life as We Knew it" - Susan Beth Pfeffer                          • "The People of Sparks" - Jeanne Dupreau

• "Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass"              • "The City of Ember" - Jeanne Dupreau
• "The Kane Chronicles: Red Pyramid" - Rick Riordan          • "Fablehaven" - Brandon Mull
• "Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star" - Brandon Mull        • "Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague"
• "Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary"                   • "Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison"
 • "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief"       • "Percy Jackson & The Sea of Monsters"
• "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Curse of the Titan"   • "Percy Jackson & The Battle of the Labyrinth"
 • "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Last Olympian"       • "Tales of the OtherWorld" - Kelley Armstrong
 • "The Reckoning" - Kelley Armstrong                                 • "Silver Borne" Patricia Briggs
• "Voices of Dragons" - Carrie Vaughn                                 • "The Dead Tossed Waves" - Carrie Ryan
• "Beastly" - Alex Flinn                                                         • "The Lost Hero" - Rick Riordan
•"The Daughters" - Joanna Philbin                                         •"Matched" - Ally Condie 




Notes:  Tomorrow I will draw the winner for my manga giveaway, and announce the winner for that and the midwinter giveaway hop (the winner for that was picked when the giveaway ended and has been contacted, but I will announce who it was when I announce the other winner).  My next giveaway will be part of the "Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop"
Hopefully I will be updating my blog 2-3 times a week now, if not more.