Top Ten Tuesday: My first ten blog reviews.
I started blogging in July 2009. At that time I was a high school librarian. My goal was to write short reviews of good books for my students to read. The reviews were so short they hardly count as reviews and I am still not sure if my students ever went to my blog to read them.
1. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
My very first book review on this blog. It is such a good book, too. A modern retelling of 1984 where Big Brother ruled. YA. From July 2009.
2. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
This book made a big impression on me. I listened to it with my husband. He liked it and I was horrified by it. I came to understand the difference between genders and their book choices. Adult. July 2009.
I ordered this book for reluctant readers but I don't think any of them ever checked it out. I really grappled with how to write the review since I didn't like the book. YA Nonfiction. July 2009.
4. Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
After Twilight there were many spin-off vampire tails. This is one of them and the first book in a multi-book series. YA. July 2009.
5. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
This is a must-read book about the horrors of war. I have thought about this book many times since I read it and reviewed it in July 2009. Adult.
6. Tamar: A Novel of Espionage, Passion, and Betrayal by Mal Peet
A WWII story set in The Netherlands. I liked this book and learned a lot. YA. July 2009.
7. Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
This was a very popular short little novel which started with a question. "Will you be my boyfriend for five minutes?" YA. July 2009.
8. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
I love this book set in Washington State and narrated by the dog, Enzo. It is fun to think back ten years ago to what I was reading then. Adult. July 2009.
9. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
I finally read this classic book and loved it. My review has been viewed hundred of times, too. Classic. August 2009.
10. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
I really liked the first book in this series, The Great and Terrible Beauty, and enjoyed this second book but I never read the third, final book in the series. YA. August 2009.
Isn't it funny to look back at where we started? And I guess I didn't realize Melissa de la Cruz wrote vampire stuff. I think I only know her from an anthology I read. If memory serves.
ReplyDeleteAfter Twilight there were a plethora of vampire-themed books, which morphed into Fairy books, which morphed into zombie books.
DeleteFab list, Anne! Looks like your taste in books was diverse. My TTT
ReplyDeleteThe Art of Racing in the Rain was in my post this week, too!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT.
I loved it and should consider a reread.
DeleteIt's so fun seeing how long some people's blogs have been around this week!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/23/top-ten-tuesday-208/
I was just thinking about "The Art of Racing in the Rain" since I used it to write a blog post. Such an inspiring and beautiful book!
ReplyDeleteIt felt good to look back at those early reviews and see that I have improved. The truth is that I couldn't help but get better. My first reviews were ridiculously short. I think I was trying to be zen-like. That's all I can figure out.
ReplyDeleteWhen I shared them with my husband, who is not a reader, he told me, "I could write those. Let me know if you need some help with your reviews."
Ah. that makes me feel less embarrassed about my first blog posts.
DeleteI started blogging soon after you, also with the goal of giving students reading ideas. I have no idea if they ever read my blog either, but here we both still are! I still have not read Little Brother, though I really want to. Boy this is a good list.
ReplyDeleteWhat didn't you like about No Country for Old Men? (I've never read it).
ReplyDeleteHere is our Top Ten Tuesday.
The book was so violent!
DeleteThat's cool that you started reviewing books to help kids find books. I didn't have such noble goals.
ReplyDeleteYes, I really wanted a way to communicate with kids about books, but most people don't like to read book reviews...just us readers.
DeleteI think I've started TWO blogs trying to get kids to read, neither of which had any success at all. I have No Choirboys in my classroom library, and a couple of kids have read parts of it, but I think it's a bit too dense for them to get all the way through. I was NOT a fan of Nick & Norah's or Great & Terrible Beauty, but love all things Bradbury. I didn't know The Art of Racing in the Rain is set in Washington; now I need to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI never get to the third in the Gemma Doyle series either. It was so big and I just never got around to it.
ReplyDeleteI started blogging the same year you did! But I don't think I found your blog until several years later -- through the Sunday Salon, if I recall correctly. It's been such fun to see everyone's first 10 reviews, especially those of us who have been blogging for a long time. :-) I enjoyed your Fahrenheit 451 review. I haven't read it since middle school or early high school, and it's probably due for a reread.
ReplyDeleteI remember being so thrilled with my new fledgling blog and my reviews in the early days. i would walk around thinking of topics to write about even though no one appeared to be reading my blog at all. I can't believe it is nearly ten years old. And believe me, I still wonder if anyone is reading it and deciding it doesn't really matter. The blog is for me now.
DeleteThe Great and Terrible Beauty series is still on my TBR. So is Libba Bray in general actually, I think...
ReplyDeleteI really like your snapshot of each book below the links. Bite-sized intros like that are awesome.
ReplyDeleteLots of great selections on here -- A Great and Terrible Beauty is one of those books I really want to reread so I can finish the trilogy. I'm still surprised it hasn't gotten more attention in general over the years. And The Things They Carried, you reminded me that sooo many of my classmates had this assigned in their freshman symposium class at college. Always meant to give it a try myself.
Mine: rainbowstevie.livejournal.com/1204328.html
I loved Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist! I don't think I ever reviewed it but I really loved it.
ReplyDeleteTina @ As Told By Tina
I still need to read Little Brother.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of 'Nick and Nora,' but think I always thought it was a film and not a novel. Glad to know that's another film that is based on a novel - books for the win! :) Thanks so much for visiting Finding Wonderland's topic this same week; apologies it took me so long to visit your post. :)
ReplyDelete