2010 in Review: Books

2010 was the year I rediscovered my love of reading. I've always been an avid reader but in recent years the time I've devoted to recreational reading had dwindled.

In law school, I felt like I read (textbooks) almost around the clock. When it came time to relax, the last thing I wanted to see was another book. After graduation, I made the excuse that I was "too busy" to read. In reality, I had plenty of time but reading was not a priority in my life.  I found time for the gym, movies, television and plenty of other activities but not reading. This year, that changed. And I've loved it.

I've read by the pool, at the gym, in bed at night and in the hammock in the yard. I read the books I wanted to read.  Not the book that would make me look like a cultured smarty-pants to passers-by at the hotel pool or the latest novel to receive a glowing review from the New York Times so I could chat about it at a cocktail party. (We've all done this, right?) 

If it looked like it might entertain me for a few hours, I picked it up. Some were good, some were bad and some were wonderful. Here are my favorites.

The Hunger Games Trilogy

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

 The Millennium Trilogy 

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

And for fun, here's a complete list of the books I read in 2010.

1. A Window Across the River by Brian Morton
2. The Associate by John Grisham
3. The Gatecrasher by Sophie Kinsella
4. The Quickie by James Patterson
5. Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner
6. The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monkk Kidd
7. Cross Country by James Patterson
8. Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger
9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
10. It Sucked and Then I Cried by Heather Armstrong
11. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
12. Mommywood by Tori Spelling
13. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
14. The Profiler by Pat Brown
15. Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
16. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
17. My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster
18. The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch
19. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen
20. The Secret Life of Cee Cee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
21. Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
22. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson
23. One Day by David Nicholls
24. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
25. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
26. The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson
27. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
28. The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc by Loraine Despres
29. Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan
30. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (re-read)
31. Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger
32. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

*Note - many of these books were not published in 2010, so this is not a true "Best books of 2010" list. It's simply a list of the books I read in 2010 - whenever published.