It's that time again. We've reached the midpoint of 2013 and it's time to take a closer look at what I've been reading. Although I've modified the categories to suit my needs, Jo deserves credit for creating this little exercise.
Six books I loved:
1. Mudbound by Hilary Jordan
2. Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler
3. The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout
4. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
5. Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
6. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Six new-to-me authors:
1. Ken Follett
2. Tana French
3. Angela Thirkell
4. Hilary Jordan
5. Diane Setterfield
6. Julie Kibler
Six tried-and-true authors:
1. Henry James
2. Barbara Pym
3. Elizabeth Strout
4. Khaled Hosseini
5. Michael Pollan
6. Laura Lippman
Six read/listen combinations:
1. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackery
2. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
3. Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
4. The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell
5. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
6. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Six favorite blogging events:
1. Vanity Fair read-along
2. Barbara Pym Reading Week
3. Classics Spin, 1 and 2
4. Audiobook Week
5. Pin It and Do It Challenges
6. Estellagram
Six books I'm looking forward to reading:
1. The Dinner by Herman Koch
2. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
3. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
4. Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner
5. The View from Penthouse B by Elinor Lipman
6. Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann
How's your year stacking up?
My year is stacking up .. . okay. I think I should look at my Goodreads list. There aren't many books that I can remember really loving this year. The Thirteenth Tale is such a good read. I hope the rest of the year goes well for you.
ReplyDeleteVasilly - Have you heard Diane Stetterfield has a new book coming this fall? Hope it's as good as The Thirteenth Tale.
DeleteI enjoyed reading through your choices, and I loved Mudbound, Tess, and The Thirteenth Tale very much. I'm looking forward to reading Calling Me Home.
ReplyDeleteLindsay - Calling Me home was such a pleasant surprise... I just loved that book! And so did my mother and sister. Hope you enjoy it, too.
DeleteI tried this! - it was HARD. You and Fleur did such a good job with your groups.
ReplyDeleteAudrey - This really is a lot harder than it looks... can we expect your sixes soon? ;-)
DeleteI loved And the Mountains Echoed as well!
ReplyDeleteKathy - I'm guessing we'll see And the Mountains Echoed on a lot of favorites lists at the end of the year!
DeleteAnd the Mountains Echoes is one of my favorite books of this year as well. I loved The Thirteenth Tale when I read it with my book club a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteLaura - And the Mountains Echoed was such a great book! My sister loved it, too, and my mother is reading it now.
DeleteNicely done! I am so pleased you loved Tess, after having doubts at the start, and delighted you'll be reading The Age of Innocence soon, because I reread it, didn't think I could love it more than the first time, but I did.
ReplyDeleteFleurfisher - Tess left me utterly speechless. I still need to write something for the Classics Club Spin - such a tragic tale!
DeleteI've read so many of Edith Wharton's novels and stories, now it's finally time to get around to The Age of Innocence. Will be reading it with Audrey early this fall.
What a great post JoAnn -- Liked Burgess Boys, Mudbound and Hotel du Lac, LOVED The Dinner. Hope u r having a great week.
ReplyDeleteDiane - The Dinner is up next on my kindle... can't wait to get started!
DeleteOoh ooh Ken Follett! I'm such a fan girl of his :) I hope you're able to enjoy more of his books :)
ReplyDeleteLooks like you've had a great first half of the year, here's to the 2nd half!
Jennifer - Ken Follett is such a great storyteller. Glad I finally got around to reading him!
DeleteThanks for reminding me I've got Life After Life waiting for me on my shelves!
ReplyDeleteStacybuckeye - Just got word that my library hold of Life AFter Life is available - yay!
DeleteFun post. Which Follett book did you read? I love his historical fiction.
ReplyDeleteBeth F - I read Fall of Giants while on vacation last January. Think I might continue with Winter of the World on our next trip!
DeleteMudbound is a fantastic book! I'm really looking forward to the Hosseini so I love the fact it appears in so many of your lists.
ReplyDeleteJackie - I loved everything about Mudbound... the writing, characters, story, setting. Hope to read Jordan's other book before too long.
DeleteInteresting mid-year review. I saw Khaled Hosseini's book at an airport bookshop but did not buy because I wasn't sure, though I enjoyed Kite Runner.
ReplyDeleteNana - It's a wonderful story!
DeleteA lovely meme, JoAnn! Lots authors here I haven't read yet!
ReplyDeletePeggy - I'm very happy to see this meme making the rounds again this summer!
DeleteThe Dinner and Life after Life sound really interesting. They are going on my (ever growing) list!
ReplyDeleteLilea - My list is out of control, too.
DeleteI am glad Pym week made your top six.
ReplyDeleteThomas - Pym week was great fun... so glad you and Amanda decided to host.
DeleteOh how I wish I could read The Age of Innocence again for the first time!
ReplyDeleteLisa - I'm planning to read Age of Innocence with Audrey... you're welcome to join us!
DeleteLife After Life is brilliant - you have a treat to look forward to there! It has been one of my favorite reads of the year so far.
ReplyDeleteAnbolyn - I just got my copy from the library, along with four other holds that all came in at the same time. Now I don't think I can get them all read in time... wish this worked like Netflix! ;-)
DeleteDoes that mean you'd be up for another Pin it and Do it? I'm always so torn... ;)
ReplyDeleteTRish - Of course... maybe later in the fall??
DeleteI always love reading your lists. I feel as if my brain gets smarter!!
ReplyDeleteStaci - I'll take that as a complement ;-)
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