Book Loving Kiwis discussion

Sounds like an interesting plan, Nadine! I'm going to pass on account of the fact that 2 of the books on your list are books I've been unable to finish a first time! Good luck, and I hope you find some takers.

Can I ask a stupid question? Do you mean the 10 top books you read in 2003 or books that were on your top 10 list up to and including 2003?

Nadine wrote: "Hi darkpool and thanks for the encouragement - I'd be interested to know which books you couldn't finish.. Hazard a guess one was The Bone people?

I should just point out though as I realise I did..."

Ah! that makes more sense. No, I must admit I've never tried The Bone People. My DNFs were "A Fine Balance", which I was enjoying well enough, but not able to give enough attention, so I just got a bit mired down with it. I probably should try again sometime. The other was "God of Small Things", which while I loved the writing, I realised I hated all the characters and was not prepared to spend any more time on them.

Nadine wrote: "Not stupid question, I'm just not very good Ar explaining! Yes top ten up to and including 2003, ie The books that I had ever read, by 2003.

Am I attracting any takers yet!? It's an interesting ..."

You've certainly got me thinking about what would be in that list!

I'm impressed that you know what your top 10 were in 2003....

Oh I'm impressed too! Being a teenager in 2003, Harry Potter would've been in there somewhere. I think the first two movies were out by then! I wasn't a reader back then :)

I'm struggling to remember mine as well. I was 22 and in my first year of Teachers College. I'm pretty certain that the fifth Harry Potter book came out during 2003. I had dappled in the first Cross Stitch (Outlander) book, but didn't get past the first couple of chapters until a year later. I read a lot of Mary Higgins Clark and Lesley Pearse around this time, but these are 'gentle' reads, not ones I'd put on a Top 10. It's certainly got me thinking.

I've come up with 9 possibilities so far. Trying really hard not to include too many kids books or be repetitive with authors. Must say there's not much in the way of "literature" in my list!

Nadine wrote: "Sian wrote: "I'm impressed that you know what your top 10 were in 2003...." Hi Sian, the reason I remember them is because I've never really revised the list in all that time - I looked at my "bes..."

Ahh well that explains it.
My top 10 in 2003 would have looked something like this
Judith McNaught Perfect (daughter named after heroine)
Judith McNaught Something Wonderful
Johanna Lindsey Man Of My Dreams
Johanna Lindsey Tender Is The Storm
Johanna Lindsey Love Only Once
Johanna Lindsey The Magic Of You
Elizabeth Lowell Tell Me No Lies
Elizabeth Lowell Jade Island
Anne McCaffrey The Crystal Singer and
Anne McCaffrey Killashandra...
Notice a pattern????
I'd probably also read Cross Stitch by then, Mila 18 was close to top 10 as was Guests Of The Emperor. Noel Barber's Woman Of Cairo would be in there too.
if I had to pin down a top 10 today it would include
both the Anne McCaffreys (still my top two)
Perfect
Tender Is The Storm
Tell Me No Lies
but would expand to include
Mirage by Soheir Khasshogi
A Woman Of Cairo by Noel Barber
Seeking Sara Summers by Susan Gabriel
Salvation Creek by Susan Duncan
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer
You might be able to tell that my reading has expanded exponetionally since 2003. I certainly don't read historical and contemporary romances as my first reading of choice any more!!!! I was a always a reader who read many different things, but now since my kindle I am much more widely read!

I have come such a long way since 2003 I shudder to think what some of the books I liked back then would feel like I'd I re read them now. Back then I was trying to move past the classic science fiction that I read in my youth, the Asimov and Heinlein stuff, and now what I read is so totally different I think if I went back and re read Battlefield Earth I might be reaching for the rusty razor blades before long. Although I wouldn't mind re reading Lord of the Rings, I read it for the first time in 2001 when the first of the movies came out and it really changed what I like to read, and I have only just bought myself a copy so I can re read it

How are you getting on with this, Nadine?