We had our first book club meeting of the year last night and that also means we recapped 2009. Every December we do a survey on our picks from the year and then I put all of our reviews into a book format that everyone receives a copy of and in this book, I reveal the winners – and losers- of 2009 per their voting.
Now… I can share the results with you:
First of all here are the books we read as a book club in 2009
(all questions on the survey were to be answered by using these books)
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana De Rosnay
Such a pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
The Book Thief By Marcus Zusak
Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
Walking In Circles Before Lying Down by Merill Markoe
Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton
Pope Joan by Donna Woolfork Cross
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty White
Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
Home For The Holidays by Rebecca Kelly
And here are the survey results:
Favorite Female Character: Pope Joan
Favorite Male Character: Jacob from Water for Elephants *(with an honorable mention to Pope Joan)
Best new (to us) author: Sara Gruen (Water For Elephants)
Best Over All Author (new or old): Donna Woolfolk Cross/ Sara Gruen
Worst Book Of The Year:
Walking In Circles Before Lying Down
Best Book Of The Year:
There it is! We had a great recap meeting… laughed as always at our funny memories of the year (Dressing in Prom Dresses in a storm for our Queen Event, sharing our Christmas traditions, two of our members dressing in clown atire for the review of Water For Elephants…)
*The votes are based on the opinions of the 18 girls in the Bookies Book Club. Majority votes won.
Book Journey 
Your book club looks so fun! I love that you have plaques for your favourite books 🙂
Thanks alitareads. It is fun to keep track of our best book club book of the year. 🙂
Very cool plaques! How fun. I loved Water for Elephants and I’m putting Pope Joan at the top of my list.
Water For Elephants was the runner up Natalie.
Love that plaque!
Thanks J Kaye – thats just the level of “cheesy” that I am …LOL
Fabulous plaques and the Bookies photo is great, too1
What a fun group you have!
Thanks Laurel 🙂
Great books you read this year!
It was a pretty good year mari!
the “cheesiness” is what makes it fun!
LOL Angie – I do like extra cheese 😉
Your book club sounds awesome! Love the plaque!
Thanks Alexia…. I do too. It was an idea I had a few year back. I had the records of who our winning books were each year so that part was easy to catch up on. Now we “unveil ” it each year with the new winning book.
What a fun book club! You guys read some great books!
Thanks Katy!
I still need to read Pope Joan, one of these days…..
Yes Ryan – you do!
I haven’t read Pope Joan yet. Guess I better if the Bookies liked it so much!
I loved Pope Joan Lisa, I was so impressed with it! I hope youread it and let me know if you do. 🙂
Oh wow! What a super cool idea! And I love your outfits in the picture! 🙂
Audrey LOL – that is our Queen event from July. We free up each July and vote in a new “Queen” that person breaks all book club ties, chooses where we meet next if the person who is suppose to choose in not there…. its just fun!
What a great idea – your event looks like so much fun!
Thanks Kathy – we are a fun bunch! 🙂
I envy you your book club! I miss being in one, and can’t seem to get any interest here to start one. Love your selections, and I spied several I want to read!
Sharon I am surprised how many say that about our book club. We must have really been blessed because I thought groups like ours were all over. Now time and again I hear about people struggling to find one!
I loved Water For Elephants!! Sounds like a great book club!
They are the best Staci, thanks 🙂
This is a great idea for you all to do. It is a great way to review all the books you read for the year.
Thanks for the list!
Sure Melissa – there are some good picks from last year.
Your book club sounds super cool! I wish I lived closer to you so I could participate too!! Your plaques and the book you give out are stellar ideas for a book club. I’d love to start one in my area but I fear that I wouldn’t have the time to devote to running it the way I’d like to!
I see some books I need to be adding to my list. Many of these I have not read!!
Thanks Julie. We do have a lot of fun and there are times when I am not prepared to do a book club meeting let alone a review. The great thing is that we have several in our group that can take the reigns and run with it if need be.
Sometimes I will worry about a discussion and I need not have worried as the group just takes the questions and go with it and I sit back and smile.
Wonderful! I’d been waiting for this post, but we had non-stop house guests last week and no time for reading blogs!
My book group also really enjoyed Water for Elephants. I hadn’t heard of Pope Joan, but I’ll definitely look into it since it seems to have swept your book group’s awards this year!
I think the year-end vote is a great idea. My book groups meet this week and next – maybe I’ll suggest we do the same!
Sue
Sue if you like historical fiction, I would recommend Pope Joan. It is also a movie not and they are trying hard to get it to the US! How exciting for a first time author!
We are just starting a book club. I’ll be bringing your list in for the ladies to choose from.
Oh fun Pat! There are some great reads in there! 🙂