Books Read in 2010

Another year has come and gone and my mind is 80 books richer--that's 11 more than in 2009. Here is a list of the books I finished in 2010. You can follow the links to their journal entries on BookCrossing; those books without a link were either borrowed, or are in my permanent collection for the moment. My favorite reads this year? Lamb, by Christopher Moore, Stardust, by Neil Gaiman, and The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, not to mention my rereads of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C.S. Lewis, and The Giver, by Lois Lowry.

January
1. Lamb, by Christopher Moore
2. Evil Under the Sun, by Agatha Christie (audio)
3. Dinner for Two, by Mike Gayle (audio)
4. LOST: Endangered Species, by Cathy Hapka
5. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
6. The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar, by Robert Alexander
7. Thumbelina, by Hans Christian Andersen
8. Memories of the Future, Volume 1, by Wil Wheaton
9. My Forbidden Face—Growing Up Under the Taliban: A Young Woman's Story, by Latifa (audio)

February
10. The Horse and His Boy, by C. S. Lewis (audio)
11. A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving
12. Knock Down, by Dick Francis (audio)
13. Perfume, by Patrick Süskind
14. The Daughters of Cain, by Colin Dexter (audio)
15. Coraline, by Neil Gaiman
16. The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory
17. A Night to Remember, by Walter Lord
18. Prince Caspian, by C. S. Lewis (audio)
19. Finger Lickin' Fifteen, by Janet Evanovich

March
20. The Magician's Assistant, by Ann Patchett
21. Written by Herself: Volume 2: Women's Memoirs From Britain, Africa, Asia and the United States, by Jill Ker Conway
22. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
23. Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer

April
24. Notes from a Small Island, by Bill Bryson
25. Dead Even, by Brad Meltzer (audio)
26. Twenty Grand: Great American Short Stories, edited by Ernestine Taggard
27. Lily White, by Susan Isaacs (audio)
28. Shattered, by Dick Francis (audio)
29. Granny Dan, by Danielle Steel

May
30. A Daughter's a Daughter and Other Novels, by Mary Westmacott (a/k/a Agatha Christie)
31. What You Leave Behind, by Diane Carey
32. The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Watterson
33. A Fortunate Life, by A. B. Facey (audio)
34. The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown
35. As Time Goes By, by Bob Larbey (audio)

June
36. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson
37. Sarah's Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay
38. The Secret Passage, by Nina Bawden
39. The Lost Continent, by Bill Bryson
40. The Giver, by Lois Lowry (audio)
41. In Sunlight, in a Beautiful Garden, by Kathleen Cambor
42. Girl with a Pearl Earring, by Tracy Chevalier (audio)
43. The Lost Legends of New Jersey, by Frederick Reiken
44. Pearls Sells Out, by Stephan Pastis

July
45. Something Under the Bed Is Drooling, by Bill Watterson
46. Death on the Nile, by Agatha Christie
47. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C. S. Lewis (audio)
48. Petite Anglaise, by Catherine Sanderson
49. Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer
50. Summerland, by Michael Chabon
51. The Silver Chair, by C. S. Lewis (audio)
52. Dial Emmy for Murder, by Eileen Davidson
53. Talk, Talk, by T. C. Boyle (audio)

August
54. The Girl With No Shadow, by Joanne Harris
55. The Good Samaritan Strikes Again, by Patrick F. McManus
56. Life's A Beach, by Claire Cook (audio)
57. Coal Run, by Tawni O'Dell
58. How Nancy Drew Saved My Life, by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
59. The Vendetta Defense, by Lisa Scottoline (audio)
60. The Last Battle, by C. S. Lewis (audio)
61. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, by Jean-Dominique Bauby

September
62. Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist, by Michael J. Fox
63. The Hundred Secret Senses, by Amy Tan (audio)
64. Marrying Mozart, by Stephanie Cowell
65. The Boy Next Door, by Meggin Cabot
66. The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, by Roald Dahl
67. Mutant Message Down Under, by Marlo Morgan
68. Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen (reread)

October
69. Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, by Lorna Landvik
70. Lake Wobegon Days, by Garrison Keillor (audio)
71. LOST: Signs of Life, by Frank Thompson
72. Son of a Witch, by Gregory Maguire

November
73. We Are In A Book!, by Mo Willems
74. Can I Play Too?, by Mo Willems
75. There Is A Bird On Your Head, by Mo Willems
76. Angela's Ashes, by Frank McCourt (audio)
77. At Home In Mitford, by Jan Karon

December
78. The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, by Christopher Moore
79. The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
80. Stories by O. Henry

December Stats

Wild Releases: 6
RABCKs: 1

Catches: 1
Wild Find: 1

2010 Stats:

Wild Releases: 226

RABCKs: 44

Catches: 36

Wild Finds: 3

Bookrays: 3

Wild Release #1063

I just got back from a delicious dinner with friends at Robokyo Japanese Steakhouse in Greensburg. The food is delicious, the atmosphere is fun, and the hibachi chefs are highly entertaining. I was inspired to leave Kaye Morgan's "Killer Sudoku" behind in the lobby in the free City Paper rack. Please find a new home soon! Domo arigato.

Wild Find #5!

I found a very familiar-looking book today at the Goodwill store in Greensburg: "So You Want to Be a Wizard," by Diane Duane. I released it in Level Green a little over 11 months ago, but it seems to have the instincts of a homing pigeon. It wouldn't answer me when I asked where it had been and how it came to be there; I'll just have to use my imagination. I left it there on the shelf, awaiting its next adventure.

RABCK #296

I had two copies of "Bel Canto" on my shelf, so I was pleased to send one to spoiledrotten in New Jersey so she can read it for her book club. Enjoy!

Wild Release #1062

"Anne of Green Gables," by L. M. Montgomery, is looking for a new home. If you can offer her one, she is sitting on a light pole in the Lincoln Place Subway parking lot.

Wild Release #1061, a/k/a Catch #152!

I released Audrey Nifenegger's "The Time Traveler's Wife" around 8 p.m. on a bench outside of T.G.I. Friday's in Greensburg, where I was celebrating my birthday with some friends and family. I came home to find that it was already caught before I had a chance to make release notes! What a perfect gift! The AnonymousFinder writes, "Just picked up the book at TGIF's in Greensburg - I'm anxious to read it. I never heard of this site before; sounds like fun."

Wild Release #1060

Don't be fooled by the cute angel on the cover of this book—this is definitely NOT meant for children! Since kids don't usually pump gas, I felt pretty safe leaving Christopher Moore's "The Stupidest Angel" on top of a gas pump at the Sunoco on West Pittsburgh and Vannear in Greensburg. Happy Holidays!

Wild Release #1059

I had good luck with my first release at Bella Luna Restaurant in Monroeville, so I thought I'd try a repeat. I left "Mrs. Mike," by Benedict & Nancy Freedman, on the bench outside the restaurant during peak dinner hours. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my luck holds out.

Wild Release #1058

It is important to fuel up before running a race, so be sure to stop by the GetGo in Greensburg where you just may find "The Race," by Richard North Patterson, on top of one of the gas pumps.