Year in Review & Top 10 Books of 2008

Well, in 2008 I read the amazing amount of 194 books! So close to 200! Next year it is tempting to give myself a 200 books challenge but I think that would be pushing myself too much and might take the fun out of reading. Wouldn't want to do that!

You can read my list of 2008 books read here. That page also includes (at the bottom) the 73 books which I read to aloud to my 7/8 yo.

In 2008, I completed the following 13 Challenges and enjoyed every single one:

Canadian Book Challenge II
RIP III Challenge
Decades Challenge
Medical Mystery Challenge
Pub 08 Challenge
Chunkster Challenge

Southern Challenge
YA Challenge
Once Upon a Time II Challenge
Short Story Challenge
First in a Series Challenge
Canadian Book Challenge
Book Awards Challenge

Man Booker Challenge (ended Dec. 31) - this challenge is over and I read a measly one of the six books that I had planned on reading. I'm giving it up as a lost cause.

My reading around the world project went very well. I started on Jan. 1 2008 and plan to continue it, well, forever. Complete list is here. I managed to read 6 provinces, 21 States and 13 countries (plus US /Canada) during the year.

Now one of the toughest things to do each year is pick my top 10 favourite reads of the year. So after much deliberation and debating with myself here are my

Top Ten Favourite Books I Read in 2008

10. Procession of the Dead by D.B. Shan
9. The Shadow of Malabron by Thomas Wharton
8. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
7. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
6. Saye by Jeremy H. Walker
5. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
4. The Devil of Nanking by Mo Hayder
3. True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
2. The Horseman's Graves by Jacqueline Baker
1. The Treatment by Mo Hayder

plus a few honourable mentions (in no particular order)
Fatal: The Poisonous Life of a Female Serial Killer by Harold Schechter
The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale
Bookweird by Paul Glennon
The White Mary by Kira Salak
The Seventh Victim by Alan Jacobson
Red Dog Red Dog by Patrick Lane
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
The Eyes of a King by Catherine Banner
Night Runner by Max Turner
Madapple by Christina Meldrum
Coventry by Helen Humphreys
Darkwing by Kenneth Oppel
The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff

Comments

  1. Oh my! Your pile of read books makes my pitiful 84 books look like an ant hill. ;-)

    I enjoyed seeing your list of favorites. The Devil of Nanking made such an impression on me. I loved that one.

    Have a Happy New Year.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You read a lot of great books this year! Some we have in common, and some are still waiting for me on my TBR pile!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow! What a great year for you. I've seen Mudbound on a lot of top lists for the year--I'll definitely have to check that one out.

    Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I enjoyed Mudbound, too and I have The Treatment (your #1) on my TBR shelf. I hope to get to it this year.

    ReplyDelete

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