Thursday, December 30, 2010

What Stephany Read in 2010

The Foundling
The Foundling by Georgette Heyer









Regency BuckRegency Buck by Georgette Heyer









When You Reach Me. Rebecca SteadWhen You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

This is the most recent Newberry Winner.  If you liked A Wrinkle in Time, you will like this.  In fact, you should probably re-read A Wrinkle in Time before you read this.






The MasqueradersThe Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer










I finally read Herriot's books after my grandmother passed away when I heard how much she had loved them and how her copies were dog-eared and worn out.  What took me so long?  So good.















Not my favorite of the year.








Recommended to me by my good friend Heather.







The Dante Club: A NovelThe Dante Club: A Novel by Matthew Pearl

Great literary mystery recommended to me by my Aunt I.B.  Fictionalized account of the process of Longfellow's translation of Dante's Inferno with Longfellow and other real historical figures as characters in the novel.





The Toll-GateThe Toll-Gate by Georgette Heyer









Katherine Wentworth -Large PrintKatherine Wentworth by D.E. Stevenson









The Marriage of KatherineThe Marriage of Katherine by D.E. Stevenson









Gerald and ElizabethGerald and Elizabeth by D.E. Stevenson









The House Of The DeerThe House Of The Deer by D.E. Stevenson









The English Air by D.E. Stevenson (no image available)

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen SimonsonMajor Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson









The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Lisbeth Salander has grrl power!







Cousin KateCousin Kate by Georgette Heyer









Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum)

Liked it, but didn't love it...#15 was so funny, that it must have been hard to follow it up with the next one.






Beauvallet
Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer

Very romantic, swashbuckling story.







A Reliable WifeA Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

Disturbing, but eerily romantic.







Lady of Quality
Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer









Charity Girl
Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer









Among the Hidden (Shadow Children #1)
Among the Hidden (Shadow Children #1) by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Another dystopian novel, recommended to me by my son Quinn.  God bless teachers who read aloud to their classes.






The Grand SophyThe Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

One of Heyer's most delightful and engaging heroines.  







Sylvester: or The Wicked UncleSylvester: or The Wicked Uncle by Georgette Heyer   

Some say this is Heyer's novel that most closely resembles Pride and Prejudice.  I enjoyed it, but it is not a strict re-telling of P&P.






The Unknown AjaxThe Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer   

Hilarious!  "Fool" as hero/smartest guy in the room...like Pudd'nhead Wilson or The Scarlet Pimpernel.  Pat and I love this motif in stories.







 I can't say enough good things about this series.







The NonesuchThe Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer









Faro's Daughter
Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer









Linger (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 2)

Beautiful prose, but somewhat disappointing story.  I thought she should have let the first one stand alone with no sequel.






Sprig Muslin
Sprig Muslin by Georgette Heyer









Friday's Child
Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer

Sweet story about two young people who get married too young (or at least immature) and for all the wrong reasons, but grow up together and into love.






The Corinthian
The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer









Ape House: A Novel
Ape House: A Novel by Sara Gruen

Not as good as Water for Elephants, but worth reading.







A Civil Contract
A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer

Not as happy a book as the rest of the Regency romances, but I liked it.  I choose to think that although the hero and heroine do not share a strong romantic bond, they find something equally worthwhile in a deep affection and friendship that develops into love.




The Pillars of the Earth
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (audiobook)

I had read this book several years ago (I found it before Oprah!) and liked it a lot, so it was fun to revisit it in audio form while I was driving my car.






Chronicles of Narnia Movie Tie-in Box Set The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (rack)
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (audiobook)

I got a great deal from iTunes on audio versions of The Chronicles of Narnia.  So far we (the boys and I when we are in the car) have listened to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; and are halfway through The Silver Chair.  Yes, I do think that you should read them in publication order, not in Narnian chronological order.