Books Read in 2011

I did not read as many books this year.  I concentrated more on my novel, quilting, and violin playing this year.  However, I thought I would share the ones I read.  The Bible will not appear on the list, because it is a foregone conclusion that I read my Bible daily.  This list is extra reading outside Bible time.  If we are not in the Word of God daily, how can we grow in Christ?  I encourage you, Reader, that if you have not made it a practice to read your Bible day, to do so.  It is my source of strength and encouragement for life.

1. Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier written in 1936. This mystery kept me up at night until I had it finished. 
2.  August, Die She Must, I forgot to write down the author's name. I read it, to see if it should placed in the school library.  I did not like it.  One twin commits murder, and you never really know which one.
3. Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix.  I enjoyed this book.  The storyline follows a boy named Luke, a third child, and the government has forbidden more than two children per family.  It was a page turner and a good good to get young people thinking.  Haddix is an excellent writer of young people's fiction.
4.Among the Imposter's by Haddix, a sequel to the Among the Hidden.
5. Among the Betrayed the third in the series by Haddix. It follows Nina as she betrays other Shadow Children, those who must hide from the government.
6. A Light in the Window by Jan Karon.  I love the Father Tim series by Jan Karon.  Mitford is a place everyone would want to live.  The town is populated with wonderful eccentric people, some likable, some not so likable, but once you arrive in Mitford, you find it difficult to leave.
7. These High Green Hills  by Jan Karon, another of the Mitford series
8.Out to Canaan by Jan Karon, more of the Mitford Series
9.A New Song by Jan Karon yes, more of Mitford
10. A Common Life by Jan Karon, see I told you when you went to Mitford, you didn't want to leave! (I am still not finished with the series..I reluctantly went on to other things)
11. Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.  I read this with a group of fifth and sixth graders and what fun to read this book again and see it through their eyes.  I read that C. S. Lewis was surprised  when critics wrote of the Christian symbolism, because when he set out to write it, he only had an adventure in mind.  What we are inside us comes out when we write; this I believe
12. Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith.  This is the fourth book in the Ladies No.1 Detective Agency series.  You can read them out of sequence. I picked it up because I like the first book I ever read by this author, Portuguese Irregular Verbs, which was incredibly funny and well written. I wanted to try another and not realizing it was a series I picked it up on a lark. I loved it. The story takes place in Botswana, Africa. Precious Ramatswe heads the detective agency, and the mysteries she solved in this story was not about murder but about what causes her fiances depression.  I enjoyed this story. In fact, I received 4 books this Christmas with this same author McCall Smith, and books one and two in this particular series.  Try this author, I think you might enjoy him.
13. The Last Patriot by Brad Thor. This book was thriller.  I never read thrillers, but this one was very good and pulled me from the beginning. It was also the first Nook Book I ever read. My husband got a Nook this year, and reads from it; but I am old-fashioned. I love the feel and smell of a book in hand.
14. At Mrs. Lippencote's by Elizabeth Taylor, not the actress, but a British author that probably had to live in the actress's shadow.  This story takes place towards the end of WWII and Julie and her son Oliver from London to be near her soldier husband Roddy.  They rent a home from Mrs. Lippencote, and the story is the story of their lives for a brief moment in time.  It was an interesting book, but not my favorite read.
15.  Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson. I have not finished this history, but will soon.  When you think of the era of Jane Austin, do you think of beautiful women staying home painting, reading, playing the piano?  This book is about the type of people who would have been the maids, and nursery attendants of those types of women, and gave me a whole new insight into that period of time.  The life Laura lived was not an easy life.  It was a poor life filled with hard work.  If you want a different take on the life of British women from the Jane Austin era, try this book.  If you watch Lark Rise to Candleford, this book is nothing like the series. This book is a history rather than a novel.

There you have it! A paltry 15 books read.  I hope to do better next year, Lord-willing.  What have you read?  Have you read any of these books?  What was your take on them?