foggidawn caves in and joins the 75ers

Hi all! I have been keeping an eye on the 75-book challenge for a while now, and have decided that this is the year to join in. I usually read about 250 books a year -- many of them middle-grade and young adult fiction, so not exactly weighty tomes, but I also love the occasional fantasy epic, cozy mystery, or gem of classic literature.

I'll start updating this thread in January -- see you then!

Hooray! You're #1 on my Members With Your Books list, so I'm sure I'll be spending a lot of time here.

251 shared books -- wow, that's a lot! I'll be keeping an eye on your thread(s), too.

Welcome foggi! Happy to see a new face in the 75er-verse.

Welcome to the group - can't wait to see what you've got lined up for 2011. I expect this is going to be a dangerous place to visit, but I'm a glutton for punishment!

Welcome!

Thanks, everyone!

Welcome to the group! I enjoy YA reads too, so I will be interested in seeing what you read in 2011.

Hi there - I read lots of YA books as well so looking forwards to talking books with you :)

welcome foggidawn
Reading a lot of YA and a doglover too!
I will follow your readings :-)

Yay! You're really high on my MWYB list, too, though I have much fewer catalogued. I can't wait to see what you read this year :D

Hi foggidawn, I've had you on my interesting libraries list for a while now, and seen you around Read YA Lit. Like you, this is my first year with the 75ers. I'll definitely be following your thread.

Hello! I read plenty of children's/YA as well, so I'll be interested in seeing what you read this year!

Happy New Year!

It's finally 2011, and I'm hoping it will be a better year than 2010. I didn't have a great year last year, but I did read a lot of good books. I read 248 books in 2010 (not necessarily all good books, but many of them quite enjoyable), so I'm predicting that I'll read somewhere around 250 books in 2011. I don't usually set a goal, but I feel pretty safe with a prediction. I will make it my goal to keep updating this thread, though -- we'll see how I do with that! :-)

(1 book read)

My first read of the new year is actually an audiobook:

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander.

I'd been meaning to read the Prydain Chronicles for some time, and finally loaded this book on my iPod for listening to while driving. I really enjoyed it, though I feel like I may have missed some details, so will have to read it in paper copy eventually.

I don't think I could ever manage to do audiobooks; I'm terrible at listening!

I know I read the Prydain Chronicles long ago but I don't remember anything about them.

I read a lot of YA and middle grade lit too. Looks like we share 289 books. I look forward to seeing what you are reading in 2011.

Loved the Prydain Chronicles! I read them a few years back. I'm a big fan of Lloyd Alexander's work. :)

#16 -- I find that they make long drives more bearable (I hate driving) -- but I usually like to listen to books that I have already read, so if I get distracted or my mind wanders, I will not miss important details.

#17 -- Thanks!

#18 -- He's hit-or-miss for me, though I like more than I dislike of his works.

I am a big fan of the Prydain Chronicles too! We did a group read of them last year and I had a great time.

I have all of the Prydain Chronicles books, but I've not read them yet. The library at the middle school where I used to work had them in a discard stack, so I scarfed them up. After I read the current series I'm on, maybe I'll give them a try.

Welcome to the group! We have 65 books in common, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you read.

Lisa

Welcome to the group! I also enjoy YA and children's books so I will be following your reading.

(2 books read)

I started a reread of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in December, but accidentally left it behind while traveling. So, I finished it off yesterday, and will count it with 2011's reads. Such a good book! I actually find myself liking the epilogue more during rereads than I did at first -- I was sort of indifferent to it then, but it's growing on me.

(3 books read)

I was sent a review copy of Throat by R.A. Nelson, and will admit that my expectations were fairly low. I actually really enjoyed it -- though it's a hefty chunk of a book, the pacing was good, there's a lot of action, and the sort of sweet, tentative beginnings of a romance (without a lot of "mushy stuff"). Moreover, the author left just enough loose ends that he could write a sequel if sales merit it, but not so many that I am frustrated by wondering what happened to so-and-so. Recommended to those who enjoy a good non-twilighty YA vampire book.

Seeing your thread and books I'm deciding to star you. Plus, I have a teenage sister that's six years younger than me who would love your username.

Thanks to all who have dropped by to say hi -- I look forward to getting to know you a little bit in the coming months!

(4 books read)

I've had Blue Shoe by Anne Lamott sitting on my TBR shelf for longer than I've been a member of LT. I can't remember where or why I picked it up, but I'm pretty sure it was a thrift store or bargain rack find, as it's a bit of a departure from my norm. I enjoyed it, but not so much that I will keep it around to read again.

Sounds like Throat isn't a bad read after all... the cover is so evocative, I've been curious ever since I saw it.

(5 books read)

I have a trilogy of Amish-themed inspirational fiction courtesy of my mother, and finished it off yesterday with The Telling. The Amish thing is really popular in the Christian fiction genre these days, and Beverly Lewis is one of the better authors -- still, I don't read nearly as much inspirational as my mom does, or as I did when I was a teenager. These were all right, but I thought they could easily have been condensed into one book.

I have a collection of Amish fiction. I have friends who have that background, so I've always been interested in reading about the culture. Cindy Woodsmall writes some good books too. If you want a couple of excellent nonfiction books about the Amish, read Amish Society by John Hostetler and The Riddle of Amish Culture by Donald Kraybill. Those two men are considered experts on the subject and have written extensively. Both books are interesting reads too and not dull at all.

I'm a little late to the party, but I just wanted to add my cheers for the Prydain Chronicles - I read them last year too and loved them!

(6 books read)

I picked up a galley of Lyonesse: The Well Between the Worlds at a conference a couple years ago, and finally read it. It's not an easy read by any means -- lots of complicated world-building, especially for the age range the publisher marketed the book for (grades 4-7). It's not exactly steampunk, but I think it would appeal to steampunk fans. It's also vaguely Arthurian. My feeling is that it just has too much going on, which gets in the way of the story. I'm not sorry I read it -- but I'm also not surprised that I haven't heard much about it since its publication.

(7 books read)

I listened to another audiobook while driving this past week: Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson, the authorized prequel to Anne of Green Gables. It was all right -- the details mentioned in the original series were generally correctly integrated into the new story. It doesn't quite measure up to the originals, but it's not cringe-inducing, either.

You are moving right along!

I think I will skip Before Green Gables though.

28: I have Blue Shoe on a shelf as well from a used book sale yet every time I pick it up I put it back down. hmmm...may have to buckle down and just read the darn thing!

24: Sounds like I need to reread the Harry Potter books - the epilogue really irked me the first two times.

(8 books read)

Sabriel felt like I book I should really love, but it took me a long time to get into the story. Once I did, I was hooked -- and there were parts of it that I really liked (I want a Paperwing of my own, please), but I'm still not sure what I think of the story as a whole.

I had very mixed feelings about Sabriel - it had some of the most interesting worldbuilding I'd seen in ages, and I just loved the concepts and most of the characters, but I felt like it didn't do enough with them. Even the subsequent two books, though better in some ways, weren't quite satisfying.

#39 -- I think you've put your finger on it: I wanted it to be more than what it was.

I quite liked Sabriel, but I first read it as a child. I did enjoy the sequel when I read it for the first time this past summer, but then I stalled out partway through Abhorsen and still haven't finished it.

I thought Sabriel was all right... interesting, but the lack of information on the world Nix created was frustrating. I kept feeling like I'd missed something in a previous book, but no, he just hadn't explained how things worked. I liked Lirael a whole lot more, and have yet to read Abhorsen (though I hope to this year).

I really enjoyed Sabriel and sequels, but it's been many years since I read them so can't really say what was good or bad. I also thought Nix's Seventh Tower series was very good for middle grade readers. I liked it more than his Keys of the Kingdom series even though the second series was more popular (in NZ at least).

(9 books read)

Since I'd like to read more classics this year, I picked up The Master of Ballantrae by Robert Louis Stevenson. It lacks the high levels of suspense, action, and adventure in some of Stevenson's better-known works (though there is some piracy and a trek through the American wilderness), and focuses mostly on the relationship between two brothers, as described by an admittedly partisan old servant. As such, it's an interesting read -- is the older brother really as evil as he's painted? Is the younger brother some sort of martyr, or just a whinging grump? So, again, it's a book I'm not sorry to have read . . . but I won't be reading it again.

#44: I have never read that particular Stevenson book either. Maybe one of these years. . .

(10 books read)

I picked up Spellbinder by Helen Stringer for a light, fun read. It was light and fun . . . at times. However, it had some pacing problems (it felt a lot longer than it was, if that makes sense) and there were a lot of things that could have used a better explanation. The author left an opening for sequels, but I don't think I'll be looking for them.

#46: it felt a lot longer than it was, if that makes sense

Makes sense to me. I have read long books that felt short and vice versa. I am re-thinking whether I should read Spellbinder or not.

46 & 47: Me too. I have it on my PBS wishlist and I was looking at it recently, wondering why it was on there. Maybe I'll try the library instead. Thanks for the review - at the least, I can move it down my TBR pile (which happens too infrequently these days).

(11 books read)

I picked up a galley of The Carbon Diaries 2017 at a conference because I had enjoyed the first book in the series. They are dystopian, set in the near future, and less dire than a lot of current dystopian works. This one reminded me at times of Feed by M.T. Anderson (because of the stylistic quirks; a lot of the dialogue was closely related to text-speak), Les Mis, and Rent. There was also a lot of war and resistance and revolutionary activity, and I had a hard time keeping track of the action at times. I like that the books are relatively hopeful (people go on with their lives, adapting to circumstances as they arise). However, I must admit that I liked the first book better than the second, and if a third comes out, I probably won't seek it out.

I made a formal review for this one: here it is.

(12 books read)

I always end up liking Susan Patron's books more than I think I will. It was true of The Higher Power of Lucky, and it's true of its sequel, Lucky Breaks. The characters ring true, and the trouble/adventures that they get into are also believable, while still being suspenseful and exciting. Patron writes really well about the feelings of young adolescents, and Lucky runs the gamut of them in this book -- from laughing so hard it makes your stomach muscles ache (at things that, on reflection, really aren't that funny), to loneliness and sadness and worry that can make twenty minutes seem like several hours if you're stuck in an unpleasant situation. This one is definitely a keeper! I'd recommend it, though readers new to the series should definitely start with the first one.

>46 foggidawn:/47: I felt the same way about Spellbinder... it kept going and going, and not in a good way. I won't be reading any sequels either.

>49 foggidawn: Thanks for that review of Carbon Diaries 2017. I found the first one pretty forgettable, so you've helped me confirm my decision not to continue with the series.

(13 books read)

I had a hard time rating The Gawgon and the Boy. I enjoyed it, but I'm not particularly sure that children would enjoy it. It's an odd little story about a boy growing up during the Great Depression, who is tutored by an elderly relative while he recovers from a bout of pneumonia. The narrative voice is that of a grown man recollecting events from his childhood. It's well-written, not overly sentimental, but I can't imagine recommending it to anyone in its intended age-range.

I already had the Carbon Diaries books in the BlackHole. I may just take them out again.

#54 -- I actually liked the first one a lot better than the second one, and it stands on its own just fine.

(14 books read)

I just finished The Emerald Atlas by John Stevens. I wrote an email to the friend who sent it to me, so here's what I told her I thought about it (note that the last paragraph contains very mild spoilers):

. . . I liked it, and can see why it's been getting a lot of buzz. I'm always on the lookout for the next big juvenile fantasy series, so I was excited to start this one. I don't think it's going to be the next Harry Potter, but I do think it will be up there with popular series like Fablehaven and Percy Jackson. It actually reminded me of Fablehaven a good bit, partially because both books have siblings who interact in similar ways, and partially because the vocabulary and dialogue in both are fairly simple. Like most fantasy tomes, it could have handled more editing (I know it's increasingly common, but I still think 417 pages is a bit much for ages 8-12, which is what they're marketing this toward).

I don't want to sound over-critical and give the impression that I didn't like the book, though! I did enjoy it, particularly the last half of it, once I was fully engaged in the story. There are some great secondary characters, the kids themselves are believable, and I like that they make mistakes and own up to them. I'll definitely read the sequels!

One final criticism, this of the ending (so if you haven't finished it yet, you may want to stop reading here): I was hoping to get away from the whole "Children of Prophecy" shtick that's so ubiquitous in juvenile fantasy, but I can't say I didn't see it coming from early in the book. I also thought Pym was getting a little too Dumbledore-esque for my taste during that final showdown with the Countess. All in all, though it was an enjoyable, exciting read.

#56: I have not heard of The Emerald Atlas before. I will have to give it a shot.

#57 -- I got a galley from a friend; it will be released in April.

(15 books read)

To clarify: I just got a lovely beautiful wonderful box of galleys from friends, so a lot of the books I'll be reading for the next little while will probably be pre-release copies. I'll try to make note of that in my comments, but I may forget.

Anyhow, I just finished reading Pink by Lili Wilkinson. With blurbs by John Green and Justine Larbalestier (two of my favorite YA authors), I was predisposed to like it -- and I did. It reminded me of one of my favorite reads from last year, A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend. Pink is about Ava, who changes schools because she feels like she has been conforming to her girlfriend's idea of what she should be like, and wants to try other things: wearing pink, auditioning for the school musical, and maybe even liking boys. She tries to be like the perfect, popular, pastel-wearing girls who befriend her on her first day of school, but eventually finds that conforming to them is just as restrictive to her real self as conforming to her girlfriend's image had been. When she doesn't make the cut for the school musical and falls in the the stage crew, a group of happy misfits who slowly accept her into their ranks, she starts realizing that discovering who she really is, is more complex than she could have imagined. This, of course, does not stop her from trying her hand at "helping" the other members of the stage crew find happiness and fulfillment, which (of course) backfires horrendously.

For one thing, this book made me homesick for my college theatre days and my own tech crew friends. It had a lot of great humor mixed in with the serious stuff, and it was a fast and gripping read that I flew through in two or three sittings. Fans of YA realistic fiction a la John Green and Maureen Johnson should definitely be on the lookout for this one -- it will be released next month.

ETA: Link to "real" review here

(16 books read)

This one is not a galley -- pulled By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters off my TBR shelf and read it today. It was a quick, if depressing, read about a teen girl contemplating suicide. I'll definitely be picking up something a little more chipper for my next read!

(17 books read)

Another eagerly-anticipated galley: Strings Attached by Judy Blundell. It's the story of Kit Corrigan, who moves from Providence, Rhode Island, to New York City to pursue a career on Broadway in 1950. An old family connection (who also happens to be her boyfriend's father) offers her a little help -- an apartment, an audition at a nightclub, even some clothes -- but the family friend proves to have connections with gangsters and other unsavory sorts, and Kit finds that his help comes with plenty of strings attached.

I liked this book even better than Blundell's What I Saw and How I Lied. Kit is ambitious but still somewhat naive, and Blundell does a good job of describing what Kit sees and perceives, but giving the reader a fuller picture of what is actually happening. She also does a great job of evoking the time period and setting. Kit reminded me a little of Francie from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, so I'd definitely recommend this to fans of that book, as well as all readers who enjoy well-crafted historical fiction.

I love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, so I'll definitely be looking out for that one!

Hi! I'm a bit of a Newbie here...I loved your description of Strings Attached by Judy Blundell. I'm going to keep an eye out for that one. I'm also a fan of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, one of my faves.

Sandy K

#62/63 -- Thanks for your comments!

(18 books read)

I'm a fan of Kirby Larson's first novel (Hattie Big Sky), so I was excited to see The Friendship Doll in my stack of galleys. This book makes me think of a cross between the "Dear America" series and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane: in 1927, 58 elaborate Japanese dolls are sent to the United States as a gesture of goodwill and friendship. Miss Kanagawa, one of the dolls, sees her mission as an ambassador, but the Miss Japan doll tells her that she will discover her true purpose when her heart is awakened by a child. Over the course of the story, Miss Kanagawa meets four little girls who each teach her a different lesson about love and friendship -- and she is able to help each of them, in return.

This book reads as a collection of four novellas, tied together by the doll's presence. Though she doesn't physically belong to any of the girls (she is encountered in museums and the home of a private collector), she is a catalyst for change in each of their lives. I liked the characters of each of the girls -- even in a short novella, each one managed to be distinct and fairly well-rounded. The doll herself did not seem to undergo much personal growth, despite the premise that her heart was being opened by each of the four children. My feeling was that the book was less about the doll, and more about girls growing up in the twenties and thirties. As such, I'm not sure this is the best books for fans of stories about dolls and toys (such as The Velveteen Rabbit and its many antecedents), but I'd definitely recommend it to fans of middle-grade historical fiction.

I turned these musings into a more polished "official" review here.

(19 books read)

Nightspell by Leah Cypress is billed as a companion novel to Mistwood, but can be read independently of that book, as they are only tied together by being set in the same world. In this story, Varis and Darri, prince and princess of the Plains people, are sent to the Ghostworld, an eerie kingdom where the ghosts of murdered people coexist with the living, able to make themselves solid and interact as if they were still alive, to the point that it is hard to tell the difference between the two. Callie, Varis and Darri's younger sister, was sent to the Ghostworld some years ago, and their father intends that she will marry the prince of that land. However, when Varis and Darri arrive, they discover that the prince is now a ghost. Darri, whose personal mission is to rescue her sister from the land she herself fears and despises, rejoices that there is a chance that she, Varis, and Callie will all be able to leave together -- but before they can do so, they are drawn into the politics and schemes of both the dead and the living.

I actually found this a more enjoyable story than Mistwood, though there were some spots where I had trouble following the action. The premise of a land where you can't tell the difference between the living and the dead is an intriguing one. Darri is not a particularly sympathetic character, but she is certainly an interesting one, and the plot moves along at a good pace. I suspect that there will be more books in this series, and I will be on the lookout for them.

(20 books read)

I just finished Nerd Girls: The Ride of the Dorkasaurus by Alan Lawrence Sitomer. It's a very predictable (if unlikely) story about three unpopular kids bonding together to bring down the popular clique. They plan to do this by winning the school talent show, which has been dominated by the popular clique's professionally choreographed cheerleading routine for the past two years. The problem, of course, is that the Nerd Girls don't have any talents to speak of.

It's hard to figure out who the anticipated audience is for Nerd Girls. I think it's trying to piggyback on the success of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series, as it's the same sort of humor. However, the publisher seems to be marketing it to an older age bracket (grades 6 and up). I'm going to make an un-PC generalization here: girls in middle and high school will not appreciate the potty humor and silly name-calling, and boys (who might still appreciate the humor) will not touch it because it's a book about three girls. This book, if it appealed to anyone, might appeal to third-graders, so if the main characters had been sixth-graders, it would have made more sense.

Perhaps more problematic than the recommended age range is the writing style, which feels forced and superficial, like a comedian trying his hand at writing for children, without knowing any actual children on which to base his characters' actions (Sitomer is, in fact, a high-school teacher, which makes the failure of characterization and dialogue all the more puzzling). The main character is completely unsympathetic; her every interaction with other characters is marked by sarcasm, name-calling, and a generally unpleasant attitude. It's also obvious that the girl characters are being written by a man, one who does not recognize that there are emotional and developmental differences between eight-grade girls and eight-grade boys.

To add to the already numerous problems, the main character merits her "outcast" status by merit of being overweight, but only because she is constantly shoveling junk food in her mouth. When she makes up her mind to exercise and watch what she eats, she immediately starts dropping weight and feeling better. This kind of over-simplifying and stereotyping of overweight people really bothers me -- the message the author is sending is that people are overweight because they are lazy and eat all the time, and if they would just try a little harder, they could easily lose weight. I suppose this may be true for some people, but as someone who has struggled with weight since middle school, I can attest that for many people, it's just not that cut-and-dried. The other two nerdy characters are also stereotyped and one-dimensional: one is an allergy sufferer who totes around some sort of tank (apparently a normal inhaler wasn't funny or dorky enough) which she breathes from to combat allergic reactions. The other character is clutzier than Bella Swan, always falling over or banging her head against things hard enough to raise a lump, but her otherwise perfect parents don't seem to have the brains to take her to an inner-ear specialist and see if there's some physical issue causing this debilitating clumsiness.

So, by now you may be wondering why I finished this book. I did so because it's a galley with few copies and no reviews yet on LT, and I wanted to be able to give it one. Here it is.

(21 books read)

It's always good to go from a bad book to a really good one: I just finished Delirium by Lauren Oliver. It's a fascinating dystopian premise: in Lena's world, love is considered the most deadly of diseases, and adults undergo a mandatory procedure which prevents them from ever feeling the dangers of love again.

It was also a well-told story -- a bit slow in places, but not enough to really bother me. I liked the characters. Like many dystopias, the history was not well described -- it's hard to believe that, with no landmark event, people were willing to turn the USA into world of restriction and censorship (no political commentary here; just saying that it's strange that people were lining up in droves for an operation that would make them no longer love their friends or families, that carried a 1% risk of serious brain damage). Perhaps that will be explained more in a later book, because this is definitely not a stand-alone novel. Still, I recommend this for fans of the YA/dystopian genre.

(22 books read)

A True Princess is the second book I've read by Diane Zahler, and I believe her writing improved from that book to this. When I read The Thirteenth Princess (my review here), I found that it dragged in places, and that the characters were not very well-developed. In contrast, A True Princess is the shorter of the two, and the plot moves along at a good pace. Moreover, though some of the secondary characters are still fairly flat, I thought the character development was generally better in this book.

I wrote a review of it here with a bit of a plot summary, though not enough to give anything away!

I'm really looking forward to reading Delirium, because I loved Before I Fall last year.

#70 -- I still haven't read Before I Fall yet, though it's definitely one I'll be looking for now! I think that it was getting so much buzz that it made me somewhat indifferent to it.

#70 and 71 -- Before I Fall was one of the few books that I just could not finish. I didn't like the characters and I really hated the writing style. It made me very nervous about Delirium. I did really enjoy that one though.

(23 books read)

I received The incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book II: The Hidden Gallery as an Early Reviewer book, so decided to actually be prompt about reading and reviewing it this time! I read most of this book while snuggling with my Incorrigible Puppy Sophawoo -- er, Sophie -- who enjoyed the attention at least as much as I enjoyed the book! Here's my review:

In this, the second book of the series, plucky governess Penelope Lumley and her three Incorrigible charges travel to London. Penelope is full of plans for educational outings, as well as a visit with her friend and former headmistress Miss Mortimer, but all does not go as planned. On the journey to London, they meet a sly stranger who seems intent upon stealing the travel guide Miss Mortimer sent to help them in their travels, and upon reaching London they meet other people, including a mysterious old woman, a sleazy judge, and a kind young man with a gleam of genius in his eye. Their time in London is full of ferns, elephants, velocipedes, pirates, letters, and a well-hidden gallery, which their otherwise useless guide book describes in great detail.

The writing style and characters in this book are just as enjoyable as they were in the first book, but though the plot moves right along, it does not seem to resolve well at the end. There are many hints and clues that will, no doubt, be important later in the series, but the Hidden Gallery itself is actually a bit anticlimactic. Readers who enjoyed the first book in the series will probably enjoy this one as well, but it certainly leaves a lot of loose threads for the author to deal with in upcoming volumes. Who is Judge Quinzey, really? Will Penelope and her new friend Simon meet again? Why is Miss Mortimer so insistent about Penelope using the hair poultice? What is the connection between the painting in the Hidden Gallery and the one in the attic of Ashton Place? How did the Incorrigibles end up being raised by wolves, and who are their parents? Where are Penelope's parents, and why must their correspondence with her be so secretive? The rest of the series promises to be just as enjoyable as the first two volumes, and readers of this book will be left hoping that additional volumes will be quickly forthcoming.

Side note: I managed to end up with two ARCs of The Hidden Gallery -- so, the first person to post here that they want my spare one gets it. All the better if you'd be willing to review it, too. . . . (Claimed by ForeignCircus, below!)

(24 books read)

Moving away from the galleys for the moment, I read Wren to the Rescue today. I had read it before, perhaps six or seven years ago, but I am trying to reread the Wren series because I got the fourth book as an Early Reviewer a while back, and couldn't remember anything about the series other than that I had read it and liked it at some point in the past. I found that I enjoyed rereading it, but on many occasions I had to really work at suspending disbelief -- as one does in pretty much any juvenile/YA fantasy adventure where a handful of children or teens prove to be better able to accomplish their quest than any of the capable, intelligent, and talented adults surrounding them.

(25 books read)

Just finished another galley -- The Unseen World of Poppy Malone: A Gaggle of Goblins. It appears to be the first in a new middle-grade series, so I wasn't sure what to expect. It turned out to be a really fun read! Poppy is the skeptical child of two paranormal investigators, and she usually argues that there is a scientific explanation for all of the bizarre signs and portents that her parents investigate. However, when she meets a goblin in her family's new home, she can't argue with her own eyes. Poppy knows that all of the unexplained problems that crop up around the house are due to goblin interference -- missing possessions, minor accidents, spills and messes -- but when her mischievous younger brother Rolly suddenly starts acting like a model of good manners and decorum, she knows that something is really wrong, and she must convince the rest of her family that the goblins exist, and that they have taken away the real Rolly and left a changeling in his place.

This is a fun story for middle-grade fans of the paranormal. Readers who enjoy series like Gilda Joyce and May Bird will love Poppy Malone.

My review (as usual, a slightly tidied-up version of the above) is here.

I would love a copy of The Hidden Gallery if it is still available- I have the first in the series and want to read more!

oh and I'll definitely review it if I get it...

Good for you in getting so many galleys and passing on reviews here! I love to read about books that I can look forward to.

#77 -- It's yours! PM me with your mailing address, and I'll send it out next week.

#78 -- Thanks! I'm trying to be better about putting up reviews for galleys, particularly if I get around to reading them before their pub date.

General comments: I loved The Book of Three and have The Black Cauldron, but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I couldn't get into Sabriel, I think I read it halfway and decided to try another time. At what point did you get into it?

#80 -- I'm not sure . . . maybe around the time that Sabriel gets to Abhorsen's house? The details are already starting to go fuzzy in my memory, since I've been reading so much since then!

(26 books read)

I had heard good things about Divergent even before the galley came to me. It's a dystopian novel set in a world where humans have divided into five factions that co-exist peacefully, each faction taking charge of one function of government or society. At the age of 16, each person makes the most important choice of their life: which faction to join. Factions are based on which trait one most values: bravery, selflessness, intelligence, honesty, or kindness. Once a person has chosen a faction, the faction is expected to hold the foremost place in their loyalties, even before their family.

Beatrice Prior has grown up in Abnegation, the selfless faction which controls the government (because of their selflessness, they are seen as uncorruptible), but Tris doesn't feel like she is selfless enough to spend her life in Abnegation. She struggles with the thought of leaving everything and everyone she has ever known, but choosing her faction is only the first challenge that awaits her. After choosing a faction, teens must pass Initiation -- different for each faction, but challenging and sometimes dangerous. To top it off, Tris may be even more different than she originally suspected . . . and she lives in a world where such differences can get her killed.

This tightly-plotted story will grab readers' attention, pull them in, rush them through heart-pounding action, and leave them breathlessly wanting more. The author doesn't pull any punches, either: Tris's danger feels raw and realistic. The characters are strong and complex, and there's just enough romance to add interest to the story without taking over the central plot. Fans of The Hunger Games will love this book.

That's my review. It's also worth noting that this is my first five-star read of the year. It's an interesting dystopia -- it's set in Chicago, and there's no indication that humanity exists elsewhere. The Great Lakes are now marshland. Nothing is said about what deciding event caused the formation of the factions, or whether other societies exist and have chosen different paths. I also had fun speculating which of the five factions I would end up in, since I could only rule out two of them (Dauntless and Candor). If this book becomes as popular as I suspect it will, it will spawn almost as many Internet quizzes to determine one's faction as there currently are to determine one's Hogwarts house! (No, I don't think this is going to be as popular as Harry Potter . . . but I do think it will be up there with The hunger Games.)

This comes out in May, and I do strongly recommend it.

Another one added to the wishlist. Thanks!

>82 foggidawn: That one sounds good! Wishlisted.

Welcome to the group! I've really enjoyed your reviews so far. I also read lots of YA, so I have a feeling my TBR list will increase dramatically after visiting your thread. Divergent sounds great, I'll be looking for that in May!

(27 books read)

For a lazy Saturday afternoon, I picked up an old paperback mystery from my grandparents' shelves: Remembered Death by Agatha Christie. Now, as a teen I devoured all of the Hercule Poirot novels, and I picked up the ones featuring Miss Marple and Tommy and Tuppence later and enjoyed them nearly as much. This one is a stand-alone (or, at least, features a less well-known and personable detective), and I have to admit that I'm not impressed. The solution did not seem convincing to me, the young lovers were obnoxious rather than endearing, and one character knew more than he should at one point, which made me suspect him -- but I believe it was actually a slip in the writing. Then again, all of this might be explained away by the fact that I was reading with a headache.

#83-85 -- Great -- hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

Remembered Death is the same as Sparkling Cyanide, right? I read that when I was very young and don't remember a thing, but I have it now and will probably read it soon again! I'm also probably the only person who couldn't stand Poirot's little grey cells for a long time and loved Marple and Tommy and Tuppence. I'm getting into Poirot now, though.

Edit: Also, you seem to have gone from 26 books read to 83 books read!

#88 -- Good catch, on the numbering! I must have been looking at message 83 when I typed that. It's fixed now. Yes, Remembered Death and Sparkling Cyanide are the same book. I don't know why the US publishers felt the need to change so many of the titles. And I guess I was the opposite -- I loved Poirot and his mustaches and his fastidious habits and his little gray cells, but I didn't much care for Miss Marple and her endless comparisons to village life. She was an acquired taste, for me.

(28 books read)

I have been reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to my young cousin, two chapters a night for the past week or so. We finished it tonight. It is, of course, a reread for me (I have read it more times than I can recall), but a first read for her. She's in second grade, and just beginning to get to the point where she can read for enjoyment (rather than it being just a chore) so I'm hoping to introduce her to some of my favorites, old and new. She really enjoyed this one, so now I'm trying to decide whether to continue the series with her, or whether to try something different.

#89: Yeah, Sparkling Cyanide is just so much more dramatic and compelling, IMHO. I guess Poirot just seemed much too theatrical to me, and Miss Marple much more real. I could see myself being an old lady and noticing patterns in things moreso than even meeting someone like Poirot! But I enjoy him a lot more now.

#90: I am glad to see another generation enjoying the Chronicles of Narnia! I have loved the books since childhood too.

#91 -- Oh, I agree that Sparkling Cyanide is a better title. Also, I can see your point about Poirot, but I think that's what I like about him. :-)

#92 -- Yes, I think next time I visit her, I am going to continue the series. I'm trying to decide whether to do Prince Caspian or The Horse and His Boy next. I think reading in publication order is the best way to experience the series, but PC is my least-favorite of the series, and HAHB is one of my favorites. . . .

(29 books read)

Honestly, I don't usually average almost a book a day. This has been a good reading month, I guess! I polished off another galley: Cloaked by Alex Flinn. It's a fun, fluffy mashup of several different fairy tales, set in present-day Florida. I'd recommend it to those who enjoy fairy tale retellings, particularly light and funny ones.

94> Is that the same Alex Flinn who used to be an attorney and wrote Breathing Underwater? I loved that book a lot when I was 19.

#95 -- It's one the same author page, but I'm not sure if it's really the same person, or just a case of authors who have not yet been disambiguated. This Alex Flinn is a woman, and has written two other fairy tale retellings: Beastly and A Kiss in Time.

To say I'm enjoying your thread and learning about the YA books you are reading would be an understatement. I'm delighted to have yet another YA reader in our group.

I'm adding The Gawgon and the Boy to my reading list for 2011.

Have you read 13 Reasons Why. If not, I recommend this one.

#97-- I read 13 Reasons Why shortly after it came out -- a very compelling and thought-provoking read!

96> Oh, hey, I think it must be the same Alex Flinn, then. I'll definitely have to look for Cloaked, then. Breathing Underwater meant a lot to me back then.

(30 books read)

I'm rereading Anne of Green Gables for the Hogwarts Express group read -- since I've read the series many times since childhood (it could probably give The Chronicles of Narnia a run for its money, in terms of which series I have read more times), I decided to listen to an audio version of it this time. I was not particularly impressed with the version that was available to me (Blackstone Audio, 1991, narrated by Susan O'Malley) -- the narrator would sometimes break for a breath at a bad place in a sentence, which destroyed the meaning of the sentence and took me out of the story. She also had some quirks about how she pronounced certain names -- for instance, she sometimes pronounced Carmody with the emphasis on the first syllable, and sometimes with the emphasis on the second syllable. I'm not sure if this should be chalked up to bad narration or bad direction, or a combination of both (a good director should have corrected the mangled sentences and pronunciation issues; a good narrator would not have made those mistakes in the first place). The sound quality was also bad, but I'm blaming that on my iPod or Overdrive, which I used to download the audiobook.

The book itself was as charming as ever, though it's not my favorite in the series (I actually like both Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island better). I'm not going to do a full series reread now, though, since I did one just last year.

Hi foggidawn!
Thanks for your quick reply on my profile :)
Here's my thread for this challenge!
http://www.librarything.com/topic/108750

Wow you read so fast!
I LOVE Anne of Green Gables and the series, and have read them so many times since I got the set as present long time ago.
Haven't touched it for a while, so maybe it's time for me to re-read them too. There are just so many books that I want to get my hands on!

#101 -- That's always a conundrum: I have lots of books that I love, and would love to reread every year, but I always feel I have to balance that with new reads. And then, of course, some of those new reads become favorites that I would like to reread every year . . .

(31 books read)

Another galley: Huntress by Malinda Lo. I read Ash by the same author last year, but I have to admit that it's not a book that stuck with me. I remember a vague impression of lovely writing, but that's about all. Even reading some of the LT reviews doesn't spark much of a memory. (This is probably my fault, not the book's.) Still, Huntress is related to Ash only by being set in the same world -- Huntress is a prequel, set several generations before Ash -- and stands on its own completely. Huntress is a well-written fantasy featuring two young women who travel to the realm of the Fairy Queen with the king's son, because the Fairy Queen has issued a mysterious invitation, the first in generations. Of course, the journey is full of dangers and hardships, and on the way the two young women find themselves attracted to one another, though they are from different stations and have different aims in life (one intends to be a sage, which requires a vow of celibacy).

I enjoyed the story, though it's a fairly typical hero's quest, and I wouldn't be surprised if the details don't stay etched in my memory for this book, either. The romance stays fairly innocent, and even the fight scenes have a delicate and dream-like quality. I'd recommend it to fans of Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon, which has a similar feel to it.

I'm simply stopping by to thank you for recommending the book Elijah of Buxton. It is destined to become one of my all time favorite reads.

opps, I forgot to add that I'm making a concerted effort to include as many birthdays as possible to the list I'm compiling. If you haven't posted yours as yet, would you mind stopping over to this thread and doing so.

Thanks.
http://www.librarything.com/topic/105833

Glad you enjoyed Elijah of Buxton, Linda! And I believe I put my birthday on that thread some time last month, but thanks!

(32 books read)

I participated in the Readathon today, though I didn't get as much reading done as you might expect. I did finish The King of the Castle by Victoria Holt. As with so many of Holt's gothic romances, an independent young woman travels to a mysterious old house and meets the arrogant, imperious lord of the manor. I read a lot of Victoria Holt as a teenager, though I can't remember if I read this one in particular. I picked it up from my grandmother's shelves in a moment of nostalgia.

Gosh, I miss LT for a week and now have added three more titles to my TBR pile! This is a very dangerous thread for me to be lurking on!

#108 -- Glad to hear it -- I think? I know what it is to have an ever-growing TBR pile!

(33 books read)

Scholastic is publishing new titles in the Dear America series, which has been on hiatus for several years. I have a galley of Cannons at Dawn: The Second Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1779 by Kristiana Gregory. As the subtitle indicates, this is a sequel to one of Gregory's earlier contributions to the series, The Winter of the Red Snow. In Cannons at Dawn, Abigail and her family lose their home to a fire, and because they have nowhere else to go, they become camp followers. As the Revolutionary War drags on, they experience hardship, fear, and danger, and witness decisive battles, near-mutiny among the ranks, and the treachery of Benedict Arnold. Amidst all of this, Abigail grows from a girl to a young woman, even falling in love with one of the young soldiers who serves in the same regiment as her father.

This is about on par with the rest of the Dear America series -- not one of the gems of the series, but one of the many utilitarian titles that will be useful to readers who devour historical fiction. I found the plot hard to follow at times because I, the reader, was hearing from Abigail a second- or third-hand account of what had already happened, in terms of battles and troop movements. Abigail's romance and courtship are barely hinted at, and though her character develops, she never seems like a unique individual, just an everywoman representing all of the young women who found themselves in similar circumstances. Readers who pick up this book should read The Winter of the Red Snow before reading this book, to gain context about Abigail and her family. I think I read it years ago, but it's been so long that I don't remember much about it, and found that the first segments of this book were confusing because I lacked that context.

I tidied this up and made it into an official review here.

(34 books read)

I just finished Like the Willow Tree: The Diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce, Portland, Maine 1918 by Lois Lowry. I was excited to see that Lowry was contributing a title to the Dear America series, and expected it to be a cut above others in the series -- which it was.

Lydia and her brother Daniel, orphaned during the Spanish Influenza epidemic of 1918, are taken to live with the Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake, Maine. Lydia soon adapts to her new surroundings, but Daniel is not so happy, and Lydia worries about him.

This is an extremely well-researched book, and presents a sympathetic view of the small Shaker community. My only issue with the book is that Lydia did seem to adapt very quickly to a completely different lifestyle than the one to which she was accustomed. Still, I give it high marks for being well-researched and well-written, and for adding to the historical breadth of the Dear America series by presenting a community and time period not often featured in juvenile fiction.

Thats amazing that its only February and you already finished 34 books??? How fast are you reading because the pace you are going, its essentially a book a day! :) Crazy!!

#112 -- Since much of what I read is juvenile or young adult, I can go through it fairly quickly. Also, I'm currently job-hunting, and while that takes up some time, I still have more free time than usual for reading. But I am also a fairly fast reader, I guess. :-)

#111: Thanks for the recommendation of that one. I enjoy Lowry's books but did not realize she had contributed to the Dear America series. I will have to see if my local library has the book.

(35 books read)

I've had Wildwing on my shelves for several months now, and finally got around to reading it. It was a light read, with a little bit of time travel, a little bit of romance, a little bit of 13th century court intrigue. . . . I didn't find the main character very likable, and I thought the time-travel aspect was over-simplified (no worrying about how one's actions in the past might affect the future?), but I am glad to have read it.

#115: That book looks perfect for when I am looking for something light to read. Thanks for the mention!

(36 books read)

The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie by Tanya Lee Stone was one of my (recently delivered) SantaThing books. It had been on my wishlist, so I was eager to read it. I had absolutely loved Stone's Almost Astronauts last year. Barbie was not quite as good, but it was definitely worth reading! Stone explores Barbie's history and her impact on culture. She does a good job of presenting all sides of the issue, with quotes from people who love Barbie and people who hate her.

Maybe this book would have resonated with me more if I had been more of a Barbie fan (or detractor) since childhood. As it was, I had Barbies, certainly, and played with them, but I never aspired to be like Barbie (either physically or in terms of the perfect life story that Mattel created for her). Barbie was just another toy to me. (Actually, I think I had a bigger collection of My Little Ponies, but that's neither here nor there.) I would certainly recommend this book, especially to people who are interested in the Barbie phenomenon.

I felt the need to squee somewhere, and thought my thread was an appropriate place: I just got a Kindle! My mother sent it as a late Christmas present, and it arrived today. I am so thrilled -- I wasn't expecting it at all (that is, I wasn't until a few days ago, when she told me to be watching for it because she had ordered it). Now I am off to start setting it up!

Congrats!!! I was interested in Kindle for a while, but haven't made up my mind yet. Could you do a review after you used it for a while? :)

Congratulations on the Kindle!

congrats on kindle...I just got my too its so much fun :)

My Kindle just arrived today also. I had to work tonight so it's just now charging up. I'm hoping it finishes in the next little bit.

Oooh another eReader among us!

Yes. I've been reading on my iPhone with various apps, but I decided to give myself a slightly early birthday present!

(37 books read)

I read Uneasy Money by P.G. Wodehouse on my Kindle yesterday. It's a quick read, and fairly typical of Wodehouse. I love the humor in anything by Wodehouse, but if I read too many of them at a time, I must admit that they all start sounding the same! Still, I was thrilled to find that some of his books are available for free, since they have entered the public domain. I don't want to buy a lot of ebooks right now, so I am limited to free ones and ones that my mother has purchased for her Kindle (we linked both to the same account so we can share books easily).

This is not my first time reading on a Kindle -- I have read books on my mom's Kindle, and the place where I used to work had one that employees could check out for business trips, so I used that one once or twice. I'm excited to have my own. I had intended to get an ereader some day, though I hadn't picked a brand. I'm glad to have the Kindle, though I think the DRM limitations may eventually get on my nerves. The reading experience itself is great -- the screen does not strain the eyes, I like that the text size is adjustable, and the device is so light, which is appreciated by my carpal-tunnel-plagued wrists.

So, it will be interesting to see how having a Kindle changes my reading habits. This may be how I keep my resolve of reading more classics this year. . . .

the place where I used to work had one that employees could check out for business trips
How cool is that? Does everyone buy a book to share or do you just read what's on there already?

#126 -- When it was new, they let us buy a book or two (within reason). It was a library, so the purchase of the Kindle was justified as helping the staff learn more about ereaders and new technology, which included loading books onto the device. I'm not sure what they do with it now, since I'm not there any more.

(38 books read)

In the Company of Others by Jan Karon has been on my wishlist for a while. I loved her Mitford series, particularly the earliest volumes in the series. In the Company of Others is the second volume in a continuation series, the Father Tim novels. I didn't much care for its predecessor, Home to Holly Springs, but put up with it in hopes of the series improving. It did, slightly, though not enough to bring this book up to the same level as the best of the Mitford series. I think the issue is that, while I enjoy reading about Father Tim, it is the supporting cast that really makes the series work. While Fr. Tim is at least accompanied by his wife Cynthia in this book, they are uprooted and surrounded by a new cast of characters at an inn in the Irish countryside. While some of the new characters are engaging, there's just not enough substance there to make up for the lack of the Mitford regulars. Moreover, Karon introduced a story within the story in the form of an old diary, a tactic which met with only limited success. I was left wondering, was there not enough plot for a full book without that added device?

I enjoyed this read, and would recommend it to fans of Karon's earlier work, even those who were disappointed with her previous Father Tim book. If you're not familiar with Karon, start with At Home in Mitford, not one of these more recent novels, as they do not show her at her charming best.

(39 books read)

A Girl of the Limberlost was recommended to me because I enjoyed other books from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. I did enjoy it, but not as much as I've enjoyed others. Perhaps, if I had discovered it back when I was first reading L.M. Montgomery and others, I would have loved it -- who can say? But I would certainly recommend it to fans of literature of that era.

How in the world do you already have 39 books read?!? Amazing!!! Consider me Envious!

#130 -- And here I was thinking that I had really slowed down this month, after reading nearly a book a day in January! :-)

(40 books read)

I wanted a fun cozy mystery, and Aunt Dimity's Death, one of my SantaThing gifts, was just the ticket! I had heard of the series before, but for some reason never thought it would appeal to me. The plot is cute -- light on the mystery, and more about relationships.

Lori Shepherd is working temp jobs, living in a ratty apartment, and mourning the death of her mother when she gets the news that Aunt Dimity has died. This comes as a surprise to her, because she had always assumed that Aunt Dimity was a purely fictional character created by her mother to star in a series of bedtime stories. Aunt Dimity left a will with a set of peculiar requests which take Lori to England to research Aunt Dimity's life, and to solve a mystery left over from World War II.

There isn't a lot of substance to this read, but it is exactly what it tries to be -- a fun book to read while curled up with a cup of tea.

#132: I agree with you about the Aunt Dimity books - fun to read with a cuppa handy.

(41 books read)

Finished another free Wodehouse on my Kindle -- A Damsel in Distress. I liked this one better than Uneasy Money, though both are typical Wodehouse plots. I'll probably take a break from him for a while now, so as not to get burned out!

(42 books read)

My young cousin and I just finished Prince Caspian. It remains my least-favorite of the series, but it still has its high points (Aslan and Lucy's meeting in the forest glade has some of my favorite Aslan lines in the whole series, and I was furious at the way they mangled them in the recent movie). Said young cousin is enthralled, and wishes (as I and so many of us have) that Narnia was real, and she could go there. We're starting Dawn Treader next, of course!

#135: Voyage of the Dawn Treader is my favorite in the series. The recent film version of it was very good too.

#136 -- Dawn Treader is one of my favorites, though I often have trouble picking an absolute favorite from the series. I liked the movie adaptation of Voyage of the Dawn Treader better than the one of Prince Caspian, though they still changed too many things to suit me.

(43 books read)

A Girl Named Disaster had been sitting on my TBR shelves for some time. I'm not sure why I was so slow to pick it up, especially since I've enjoyed everything I've read by Nancy Farmer. Not surprisingly, I enjoyed A Girl Named Disaster, too! It reminded me of Island of the Blue Dolphins, but I found Nhamo a much more relatable character than Zia.

Wow it's been forever since I've read Island of the Blue Dolphins. I think I've forgotten the whole plot.

(44 books read)

I listened to the audio version of Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin. The narrator's voice got on my nerves, which may have tainted my "reading" experience somewhat. I had been excited to read it, because I loved Impossible, and hoped it would be in a similar fairy-tale vein. It was, but it didn't draw me in as I had hoped. Perhaps if I had been reading it on paper, it would have gone faster and kept my interest better.

Also, one of the things I loved about Impossible was the connection with folk music and legend, and Extraordinary didn't have as much of that, focusing instead on a story created by the author.

(45 books read)

Another audiobook: today I listened to The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry. It was absolutely delightful! Unlike my last audio experience, I thought the narrator of this one was phenomenal, and the humor in the book is right up my alley.

The book is a parody of all good, old-fashioned stories featuring deserving orphans, stern but loving nannies, long-lost heirs, and other motifs from classic children's literature. I'd recommend it to fans of Lemony Snicket, Roald Dahl, and The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. Also, I tacked on an extra half-star for the glossary, which is not to be missed!

LibraryThing says I will love it and is very confident.

Oh, I love the writing of Lois Lowry. The Willoughbys was fun! I highly recommend The Silent Boy. It is NOT fun, but it is wonderful!

I loved the Anistasia series.

I loved The Willoughbys too.

#136: I hated the movie version of Prince Caspian, lol.

>143 Whisper1: The Silent Boy is about autism‽‽‽‽‽‽ Oh my God, I'm autistic too.

#142 -- Hope you do, if you decide to read it!

#143 -- Thanks for the recommendation. I will have to keep an eye out for that one.

#144 -- I think I read at least some of the Anastasia series as a child, but I keep meaning to read them again, as I don't remember much about them.

#145 -- Yes, I noticed your excellent recommendations on the work page. :-)

#146 -- I sat in the movie theatre muttering "Wrong, wrong, wrong" to my mom, who was sitting beside me, when we watched Prince Caspian!

(46 books read)

I listened to the full-cast recording of Dealing with Dragons on my drive today. The Enchanted Forest Chronicles are some of my all-time favorite books, and the audio versions had been recommended to me by a few people (including the author herself, in a book-signing line, when I asked about the pronunciation of a character name).

I have to admit that I was disappointed in them. Though the voice used for Cimorene was good, I hated the voice choices for Kazul and Morwen, and since they're fairly major characters, it bothered me pretty much the whole way through. I also thought that a lot of the voice actors spoke with strange emphasis, emphasizing words and syllables in ways that made certain sentences "read" strangely.

I find I'm really picky about audio versions of books I have read aloud to my family. For instance, I don't care for the Jim Dale versions of the Harry Potter books (I haven't had a chance to listen to the Stephen Fry versions yet, though I want to). Perhaps it's a form of egotism on my part, but when I have a strong opinion on how a voice "should" sound, it's distracting to me to have it sound otherwise.

#149: Good narration can make or break an audiobook for me, I have found, so I can understand your point. I am sorry the audios were such a disappointment for you.

(47 books read)

I read The Girl in the Gatehouse because it looked interesting. It was all right, but it didn't knock my socks off. For one thing, I thought the subplots were too numerous and too obvious, and for another thing, I thought that some modern turns of phrase kept creeping in. Still, for fans of clean Regency romance, it's definitely worth checking out.

#151: I think I will give that one a pass.

I hope you enjoy your next read more!

>151 foggidawn:: I like your thoughts on this one! I suppose I didn't mind it because I really don't know any better - I'm not too familiar with the genre, so I thought it was decent enough.

I've listened to some of the Harry Potter audio books and really enjoyed them, but I don't know which narrator it was. However, I know exactly what you mean about being picky about how a voice should "sound", I listened to the audio book of Till We Have Faces and the narrator on the version I had was wrong, wrong, wrong!

#152 -- thanks!

#153 -- I'd agree that it was decent enough. I think that, for some reason, I had higher expectations for it than it was able to meet. I'll have to check and see what my mom thinks of it -- she's planning on reading it, and she's a bigger fan of the genre than I am.

#154 -- The American editions are narrated by Jim Dale, the British editions by Stephen Fry. I don't like how Dale does Hermione's voice, or any of the house-elves. My next reread, in a year or so, will probably be a re-listen, and I'll try to get my hands on the British versions for comparison. I've never listened to the audio of Till We Have Faces, but I've read it many times, so if the voices seemed "wrong, wrong, wrong" to me as they do to you, I'm sure it would really irritate me!

(48 books read)

I've been doing a lot of driving lately, and listening to audiobooks as I drive. Today I listened to Half Magic by Edward Eager, a fantasy that had caught my eye before, but which I'd never had a chance to read until now. Interestingly, it was narrated by the same company that did the Dealing with Dragons audio that I was complaining about above, but I actually thought the narration for Half Magic was great. This could be because I had no preconceived notions about how the characters could sound, or it could be because the characters were all human, so they weren't difficult to voice. The story itself is a charming one, about four children that find a magic charm that grants half of each wish they make. This, of course, leads to all sorts of interesting mix-ups, even when they discover what the charm is doing and make adjustments accordingly. I'd recommend both the book and the audio version to fans of juvenile fantasy.

#156: I enjoyed Half Magic too. I am glad the narrator on that one worked out better for you!

(49 books read)

I was pleased to find a copy of Patricia C. Wrede's Book of Enchantments at the used bookstore last weekend. I had read the book several years ago, but was glad to find a copy to own. It's a book of short stories, two of which are set in the Enchanted Forest (though only one features familiar characters). I thought the stories were all fairly well done, and can't really pick a favorite, though "Stronger Than Time" is one that I suspect will stick with me. Fans of Wrede's work should definitely read this book, and other fantasy fans will find much to enjoy, as well.

(50 books read)

The Wikkeling is another galley, due to be published in May. It's a fascinating, slightly spooky tale set in a futuristic, highly digitized fantasy world (the dependence on technology and constant barrage of advertising reminded me of Feed by M.T. Anderson, though this book is for a younger audience). The main character is Henrietta, and my favorite quote from the story is about her:

Henrietta is the main character of this story. This whole book will be about her -- and it's worth mentioning at the outset a few things that aren't going to happen to her.
    She will not become beautiful when someone gives her a new hairstyle.
    She will not find a miracle cure for her pimples when an angel sees she's a good girl inside.
    She will not find out that she's actually a princess, and she won't become happy forever when a prince marries her.
    Those books are out there, and your school librarian can help you find one. This isn't it.

This book reminded me of Coraline in many ways. My only real problem with it is that I didn't much care for the cover art -- but since this is a galley, perhaps the final cover will be more attractive. At any rate, I definitely recommend this book!

50 books read! Congratulations!

#158: I got that book the other day from PBS. I am looking forward to reading it.

Congrats on hitting 50 for the year!

I'll be looking for The Wikkeling, do you have any idea of the publication date?

#160/161 -- Thanks!

#162 -- I know it comes out in May -- don't have the book in front of me at the moment to get the exact date, but will try to remember to check on it next time I get a chance.

(51 books read)

The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg was another of my long-standing TBRs. I finally picked it up, inspired in part by Whisper1/Linda's goal of reading more Newbery winners this year. I always hope that the next Konigsburg I read will be as fantastic as From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and they never are quite as good. The View from Saturday comes close, though, and I can see why it won its award.

(52 books read)

The Dust of 100 Dogs was recommended to me by one of the teens at the library where I used to work. It was not what I had hoped it was (something along the lines of Bloody Jack with a modern twist), and I was disappointed. It was a bit too gritty and brutal for me, and I didn't like the main character in either incarnation, modern or historical.

(53 books read)

I read The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle on my Kindle, since it was available for free. It was another that was all right, but not phenomenal. It didn't grab my attention; I had actually been working on it for about a week, along with other books that I found more compelling.

(54 books read)

I got a copy of Shiver last year because I was at a book-signing. I had heard it compared to Twilight by people who didn't like either book, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought it was a fairly good read. The relationship between the two main characters was a little Edward-and-Bella obsessive, but I thought it was a healthier relationship than theirs -- Sam (main male character) was a lot less controlling than Edward, and Grace (main female character) was a little less helpless than Bella. I'm not sure if I'll bother with later books in the series, but I don't think it was a waste of reading time. I would recommend it to people who loved the romance in Twilight and are looking for a similar true love/love at first sight fix.

(55 books read)

Continuing with my Narnia series reread/read-aloud with my young cousin: just finished The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. We had to rather rush through it, since this is a shorter visit than the last two, but I don't think either of us minded, except when she got antsy from longer-than-usual reading sessions. Dawn Treader is one of my favorites in the Narnia series, but I used it with my summer reading club at the library last summer, so I've now read it aloud several times within the last year -- time for a break from it! I'm quite ready to read The Silver Chair, which I haven't read in a long time, but I'm not sure when I will next visit said young cousin, so we shall see. . . . If it's going to be a long time, perhaps I will go ahead and read it on my own!

(56 books read)

Though I was underwhelmed by The Girl in the Gatehouse (post #151), I decided to try another book by the same author, mostly because the books I currently have on my kindle are either free books, or books my mother owns. The Silent Governess was, in my opinion, a better book than The Girl in the Gatehouse (which is odd, since their average ratings on LT would suggest the opposite). I had an easier time keeping track of plot twists in this one, and didn't find myself distracted by the modern turns of phrase that seemed to have crept into the other. Perhaps it's just that my expectations for this one were more realistic -- or perhaps I was just more in the mood for this sort of book, for some reason. Either way, I liked The Silent Governess, and will probably read more books by the same author sooner or later . . . especially since Mom already bought them for our account!

#82 -- Thanks for mentioning Divergent. I hadn't heard of it but I've requested it now from my local library. I love dystopian lit.

I recently rediscovered 8-9 boxes of books that were stored at my friends house when I moved a few years ago. Among the treasures was a complete boxed set of the Narnia Chronicles. I must read them this year. They have been very patient for a long time.

56 books read so far! Congratulations!

I hated The Silent Governess! Haha. But on the other hand, I really liked Lady of Milkweed Manor, and both my sister and a bookstore clerk raved over The Apothecary's Daughter. To each their own, I suppose!

(57 books read)

All of this historical stuff put me in the mood for a reread of Jane Eyre. I hadn't read it since college, so it was time to read it again. Obviously, it's a great book -- I don't really know what else to say about it! i was surprised at how quickly I got through it; it loomed larger in memory than it actually is, I think.

(58 books read)

Just finished another audiobook -- Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. It's well-written and I can see recommending it along with lots of other YA books, like 13 Reasons Why and If I Stay. Others who talked about this book said that the narrator/main character was initially unsympathetic or unlikeable, but that they liked her by the end of the book. This wasn't really the case for me -- I liked her better by the end of the book, but I think I suffered too much at the hands of "mean girls" in middle school and high school to ever really like this character and her shallow, cruel friends.

(Minor SPOILER: I also thought Kent was way too good for her, and that it is typical for the interesting outsider guys to fall for the prom-queen types. End SPOILER.)

I did like the book, even if I didn't ever fully like the main character, and would recommend it to fans of YA realistic fiction.

(59 books read)

I've been reading short stories from My Man Jeeves over the past few days, and finished it today. I like Bertie Wooster best in small doses, so short stories are just the thing.

I decided to go ahead and start a new thread since it is a new month and this one was starting to get long-ish.