I read a lot in 2011.

I have kept up with my "tradition" of reading plenty of books this year; I love reading! I finally discovered how easy it is to use the local library. Most times I go to the library, I have something in mind that I want to read, and if it's not available I wander over to the "classics" isle and I can always find something there. So, I've read a pretty electic mix of books this year; here they are listed in the order that I read them:

The Lord of the Rings Series, by J.R.R. Tolkien

I finished up these books in January, and just like the movies the last one is the best (Return of the King). These books are a little difficult but they're worth reading at least once.

Guardians of Ga'Hoole, by Kathryn Lasky

Okay, I am so ready to be finished with these! There are 15 books in the series (which form one long chronological story) and the kids & I started reading them together early this year. They are entertaining and the kids have enjoyed them but the story could've been written in much fewer books. We're on book 12 now and I'm just about fed up with these owls! They aren't bad, but next time I wouldn't choose them for a read-along-with-mom series; it would've been better if the older kids had read them on their own.

The Confession, by John Grisham

I read every new John Grisham that comes out because my mom buys them and then lends them to my sisters and I. This was a pretty typical Grisham; I don't remember it very well but I think it doesn't turn out the way you want it to.

Mysterious Benedict Society, 3-book series, by Trenton Lee Stewart

These books are great for kids aged 9+. I read the first one and loved it; it's a real page-turner and Noah thought so too. Not so much for the 2nd and 3rd books; I read them but they weren't nearly as good as the first one -- and Noah never even bothered to finish them.

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck

Pretty good. Worth a read. A little depressing but well-written and definitely interesting.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

You guys, I'm sorry but I just don't get why everyone loves Jane Austen. It took me a LONG time to get into this book but I stuck with it and it did get more interesting the further I got. At the end I thought, "Well that turned out to be pretty good" but I wasn't madly in love with it.

Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand

A masterpiece!! This may be the best book I read this year. I really liked it and I will definitely read it again someday. It's long (1100 pages) and takes a while to get through but if you have the time & patience you should read it.

The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck

I liked this book better than East of Eden. While it is set during the depression and the main characters are usually down on their luck, there's an underlying theme of hope and resilience that makes it not such a depressing book. I rececommend it.

Sense & Sensibility, by Jane Austen

I decided to try another Jane Austen... with no luck. I could NOT get into this story! I tried, I really did, but I had other books on my nightstand that were more compelling and I gave up after about 70 pages of Sense & Sensibility. Someday I'll try it again.

The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown

I hadn't read this book but had seen the movie. Very good! Exciting, a real page-turner, full of action & mystery. And, full of every relevent fact in Dan Brown's head, which is a lot.

Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson

This was just a random book I picked up from the classics section one day. Robert Louis Stevenson also wrote Treasure Island, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - neither of which I've read, but which are both famous classics. Kidnapped is pretty good. The writing is very old-timey, written in the 1880's and set in Scotland. The language took some getting used to but it's an interesting and entertaining story.

Handle with Care, by Jodi Picoult

This was not the first Jodi Picoult I'd read. She's a good writer and all of her books deal with "real" modern-day, often-controversial issues: such as school shootings, autism, abuse, rare medical conditions, and troubled teens. They are good books but a little depressing as they delve so deeply into the characters' problems. I enjoy them, but few and far between.

The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand

This book is similar to Atlas Shrugged, but was written about 10 years earlier and isn't quite as good. I enjoyed it, and it's not as long as Atlas Shrugged, but if you're going to read one thing by Ayn Rand I would go for the 1100-pager.

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

This is a delightful book, well worth the read. It's set in the UK, post-WWII and the characters are very diverse and interesting. It's quick and very nice. You should read it.

Fablehaven Series, all 5 books, by Brandon Mull

These are great! I had put off reading them because I thought they'd be "kids books" and that I wouldn't enjoy them, much like the Percy Jackson series (which I thought were enjoyable but too aimed at 10-yr-olds for me to really love them). While the Fablehaven series is intended for young audiences (9+), they were also very enjoyable for me! I blitzed through them very quickly; if you enjoy fantasy at all you'll like these books.

The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown

Similar to the Da Vinci Code, this book is a thriller! Even more so, I'd say. This is a newer book and the movie for it is currently being made. Robert Langdon returns as the main character. Very exciting book; I couldn't put it down.

1984, by George Orwell

Chekced this out from the library just because I'd never read it before. I really liked it. Spooky and entertaining. A classic everyone should read at least once.

The Lincoln Lawyer, by Michael Connelly

I haven't seen the movie but the movie is the reason I'd heard of this book. It's very good; but the language is coarse. Very entertaining and a good story.

The Brass Verdict, by Michael Connelly

This book has the same main character as The Lincoln Lawyer and is set a couple years later. It's a pretty good book but I didn't think it was as good as the Lincoln Lawyer.

The Island of Dr. Moreau, by H.G. Wells

I had seen part of the movie (the one from the 90's with Val Kilmer) and thought it was really freaky, but since the book was written in the 1890's I figured it couldn't be that bad. Since I already knew the basic premise it wasn't shocking. It's an interesting story and a good read if you like sci-fi.

War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells

This book took me a lot longer to get into; the plot doesn't take off as quickly in the beginning as The Island of Dr. Moreau does. War of the Worlds is pretty good but I was halfway through the book before I felt really compelled to keep reading it. The most entertaining thing about it is the influence of 1890's common thought about space, Mars, and possible aliens.

Unbroken, a World War II story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, by Laura Hillenbrand

I finished off the year with a nonfiction! Oh boy, this is such a good book. You should definitely read it. It's the true story of an Olympic long-distance runner who joins the Air Force in WWII and survives on a life raft in the Pacific after his plane goes down. But that's only the beginning! The entire story of Louis Zamperini's life is truly amazing. Laura Hillenbrand is the same biographer who wrote Seabiscuit. Her research and thoroughness in writing Unbroken are really amazing; this is SUCH a great book.

I have a few ideas lined up to read in 2012 but I'm open to suggestions too! I've just started on a serious 1200-pager that is going to take me FOREVER: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Wish me luck!