New author challenge 2009

Many of the books I read in 2008 were new (or, at least, new to me!) authors.  This challenge is hosted by Literary Escapism; here are the details:

The idea is to read 50 (or as many as you want) new authors (to you) throughout 2009. Here are the guidelines:

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009.
2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels.  They can definitely be from other challenges.  However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels, but anthologies are also a great way to try someone new.
3. I want this to be an easy challenge, so you state how many new authors you want to try this year and then that’s your challenge.  For me, I’m trying another 50 new authors.  If you want a number given to you, try for either 25 or 50.
4. Add your name to the Mr. Linky below.  If you do not have your own blog, you can join the group blog here.
5. Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome
6. When you read a new author, write your review (either at your site or the group blog) and then come back here and post a link to your review.

If you’re looking for some ideas, check out the Author page.

Here is my list of “new (to me) authors”, with links to my reviews:

1. The End of the Alphabet by C. S. Richardson
2. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
3. Writing Romance by Vanessa Grant
4. Family Planning by Karan Mahajan
5. Testimony by Anita Shreve
6. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
7. Breathing Out the Ghost by Kirk Curnutt
8. ShapeShifter: The Demo Tapes, Year 1 by Susan Helene Gottfried
9. The Shack by William Paul Young
10. Things I Want My Daughters to Know by Elizabeth Noble
11. Tomato Girl by Jayne Pupek
12. The Ten-Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer
13. Drawers & Booths by Ara 13
14. The Red Leather Diary by Lily Koppel
15. Every Last Cuckoo by Kate Maloy
16. The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
17. The Man’s Book by Thomas Fink
18. A Wolf at the Table: A Memoir of My Father by Augusten Burroughs
19. To The World of Men, Welcome by Nuala Ni Chonchuir
20. Best Intentions by Emily Listfield
21. 101 Ways You Can Help Save the Planet Before You’re 12! by Joanne O’Sullivan
22. The Painter from Shanghai by Jennifer Cody Epstein
23. Unpolished Gem: My Mother, My Grandmother, and Me by Alice Pung
24. The World in Half by Cristina Henriquez
25. The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand
26. V is for Venus Flytrap by Eugene Gagliano
27. Step Back from the Baggage Claim by Jason Barger
28. Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman
29. Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel
30. The Center of the Universe: A Memoir by Nancy Bachrach
31. It’s Beginning to Hurt by James Lasdun
32. Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey
33. Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti
34. Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely
35. Fat Families Thin Families by Amy Hendel
36. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
37. The Curse of the Good Girl:  Raising Authentic Girls with Courage and Confidence by Rachel Simmons
38. Ned’s New Home by Kevin Tseng
39. Blame by Michelle Huneven
40. Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan
41. The Widow’s Season by Laura Brodie
42. Behind the Mask … No More by Byron Nease
43. Lopsided by Meredith Norton
44. The Listeners by Gloria Whelan
45. J is for Jack-O’-Lantern: A Halloween Alphabet by Denise Brennan-Nelson
46. 31 Hours by Masha Hamilton
47. The 13 Days of Halloween by Carol Greene
48. The Bog Baby by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Gwen Millward
49. Work Hard. Be Nice. by Jay Mathews
50. Everything Asian by Sung J. Woo