Challenges and year end wrap up

Well, this has been one heck of a year for sure.  Just when fall started, both The Big Guy and I were diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery. TBG got home from the hospital just last Tuesday and had a tough week from not just the surgery but the after affects of anesthesia and antibiotic.

 Needless to say, Christmas was a very subdued affair around here. The biggest, brightest spot was that by Saturday, TBG was just starting to feel like a human being again and one of our daughters and her two kids came to visit for dinner. They were just down here for a few days vacation. We were exhausted when they left but were so happy to see them.

One thing that has always been constant is my love of books and reading. As far as reading goes, I did manage to read 223 books totalling 75,205  pages this year.  Of course, there were a few duds in the list but also quite a few exciting and delightful books. Some of my favorites (in no particular order) included:

1. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
2. Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny
3. A Truth Worth Tellin by Toni Teepell
4. The Russian Concubine by Kate Furnivall
5. The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri
6. Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware
7. The Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer
8. The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose
9. How to Be An American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway
10. The Gendarme by Mark Mustian

The one book I just could not get into was Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde. It was not the writing; it was the alternate reality style that just didn't appeal to me.

Challenges were signed up for in a realistic manner this year and all completed:

The Chunkster Challenge hosted by Wendy at Caribousmom was met with 6 books read with the original committment of 6.

The Cozy Mystery Challenge, hosted by Kris from Not enough Books was met with 27 books read with a 6 book committment. What can I say? I just love cozies!

My favorite challenge and one I really needed was the Reading From My Shelves Project, hosted by Diane from Bibliophile by the Sea. I committed  to read 24 books but I ended up reading 69.

The Typically British Challenge, hosted by Book chick City was a 6 book commitment but I managed to read 8 books.

Next year, which I can't believe is only 2 days away, I only joined 2 challenges:

The Mystery and Suspense Challenge 2011  hosted by  Book Chick City
and Reading From My Shelves Project 2011, once again hosted by Diane from Bibliophile by the Sea.

As long as life doesn't throw us any more curve balls, they should be a snap to

 complete with much reading enjoyment along the way.

I'd also like to take this time to thank each and every person who stopped by for a visit here at Pudgy Penguin Perusals. Your thoughts and comments were much appreciated especially in October when everything healthwise started falling apart here. I was truly touched by your well-wishes, prayers and positive thoughts. It meant so much to me; probably more than you could ever know.

Thank you again for a wonderful year in the blogisphere. I've really enjoyed all of your recommendations that expanded my reading, thoughts, creativity and posts that let me get to know you better. Here's hoping for a fantastic year ahead with good books to read and share, good health and happiness to all of you and yours.