My Favorite 10 Books of the Year (so far..)

I read a lot. I know, where do I get the time? To tell you the truth, I read a lot of times at 1130pm-midnight! But I do take time to read almost everyday. There have been a handful of books this year that I have read, that I would love to share if you are a reader too. What are your top 10?

1) Water for Elephants: A Novel
Truly one of the best books I have read this year. Its mainly about a guy who drops out of vet school and joins the circus as the vet for the animals. Its fiction and one of those books you just cannot put down. I was so moved and overjoyed and truly felt a part of this book in all sense of it. When friends ask me a book to read, this is the first one that I recommend. (fiction)

2)I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell This book is a biography of a player. This guy is truly the sickest of the sick and spills it in the funniest way that will leave you appalled and praying you didn’t date him. While his stories are disgusting- ranging from drunken parties to incomprehensible sex, you cant fault him for admitting it…he does tell you he is an asshole upfront. You and your DH will get a chuckle.

3)Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time I chased down this book for awhile till I picked it up. Something about the three women on the front cover.  I’m slightly obsessed with cultures that are not my own. This is a story about a guy named Greg, his visit to Afghanistan, and his love for the people. He built one school at a time, assisting the people there selflessly and changed countless human lives. He was captured by Al Quaida and was an American overseas during 9/11. While at times this book can get a little “school” on you, the overall feeling and message are worth the read. You will leave it humbled and with a newfound respect of who the people of the middle east TRULY are.

4)Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia This isn’t what it sounds like…or rather, it is, but its done in such a way that I felt that I looked at life way too fast. This book reminded me to slow down. She does what all of us sometimes think of doing…she packs up, moves overseas, and spent some time searching for herself.  From food to religion, this book was always witty, and never boring.

5) Peony in Love: A Novel : If you have never read a book that is based on old Chinese culture, I encourage you to pick up this gem. While its fiction, the root of  it is so much different then what we live here in America. From binding your feet to arranged marriages, this Chinese Romeo and Juliet will leave you crying at times, and smiling in others. This book went way too fast.(and if you like this one, see by this same author Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel which I may have liked even better, but read last year) (fiction)

6) The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel (Oprah Book Club #62) Newest to be added to Oprahs book club, this book only currently comes in hard back. Based on a boy who is born unable to speak, but ok to hear and can communicate via sign language, he is thrust into a world alone and how to cope when he cant explain who he is, what he sees, or all he knows. I have to say that I expected something entirely different from this book. It wasn’t a book that pulled me through it, but rather I chose to read. I did like the story, I found it different and unique, but I hated the ending. Just warning ya. (fiction)

7)If I Am Missing or Dead: A Sister’s Story of Love, Murder, and Liberation Written by one sister for the other, this title doesn’t leave much to the imagination. But the tale of abuse throughout the book will shake you and encourage you to share with a friend, or even second guess your own relationship if you are teetering on the edge of abuse yourself. I think what wierded me out the most, was not the string of unhealthy relationships, but just the ones with their parents that gave me the willies for days.

8 )Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1), Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3), New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2) How could I leave the phenomenon of Twilight out? Meant to be a teenage love story, these four books took the New York Times Bestsellers list by storm, breaking down reading walls like not before seen since Harry Potter. Morbid curiosity made me pick them up and I read all 4 in 2 weeks. The entire time…just asking myself, are they EVER going to have sex? (fiction)

9) His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) While this book series was eaten alive by Christian conservatives for the implication of “killing God”, the book was far from blasphemy. Bringing out some enlightening questions, all woven into a tale that brought you questioning a lot of its philosophies. (three books in one, btw) Any book that gets people talking, is worth the read. I did find the character development difficult in the 1st book, but after that, it was a true pleasure I could not put down. Its nothing like the movie. (fiction)

10)The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible I admire this guy for one thing…he took on the questions of the bible and followed it like it says. Not leaving out any icky part. He did his research well, and you will laugh as he avoids his wife and everywhere she sits during her menstrual cycle. She gets so mad at him, that she sits on everything in the house so he cant even sit down. The book can be dry in some places, focusing on some of the actually scriptures and research, but worth the read for the education and the life, that not everything in the bible should be taken….literal.