I read 70 books last year doing the 50 Book Challenge. I'm hoping to keep pushing myself and add more books to my reading list this year.

Welcome to the group Lisa!

1. The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax

Fabulous - highly recommend this one anyone who loves music, Spain, historical fiction. It's loosely based on the life of Pablo Casals (with some changes to timelines, locations and actual events), it follows the life of a young boy who receives a cello bow as a gift from his dead father, through his eventual rise to international fame as a cellist. His political awakening during the Republican Revolution in Spain and WWII is fascinating. I found the voice to be very authentic - as he matures, he recognizes his mistakes, and he often brings up the changes to his thinking and his politics. Big (500+ pages) but worth the effort.

#3 Lisa: Sounds very interesting and worthwhile. I will have to see if I can find it!

It does sound interesting. Sigh, another of the LT-referred TBR books.

I second that sigh. I should start keeping track of the books I've added to my wishlist because of this challenge, but I'm afraid of what that number might turn out to be.

Thanks for the review, Lisa!

2. The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death by Charlie Huston

Loved this. I have been quoting it everywhere - some of the crime scene clean-ups are both gruesome and hilarious. Web and his friend Chev are so tangled up together - ever since they were kids - and their relationship and history peel away, layer after layer. Each time you think it can't get worse for them, it does. But Web isn't a bad guy, even if he acts that way, and Chev is trying to be a good friend without going all Oprah. Very good read.

#7: Sounds like one I would enjoy, even though I have not a clue what 'going all Oprah' is. On to the Continent it goes!

Nice thread started -- keep up the good work :)

>7: I've only read his Joe Pitt stuff. I did download ebooks of the first two Hank Thompson novels from MonstersAndCritics site when they were giving them away free (they never did put up the third one they promised). If I ever get a new ebook reader, I'd like to give those a try.

>2 Sounds good! Anything quotable is usually worth a read. This one has been on my wishlist for a while, maybe it's time to move it up the list.

>10 I downloaded the first two Hank Thompson books too, and I wondered if I had missed the third download. Boo to M&C for not putting up book three! Maybe I'll send someone a quick email and find out if they'll be kind enough to make it available.

Message edited by its author, Jan 19, 2009, 12:36pm.

3. Crafting Jewish by Rivky Koenig

I'm not Jewish and I have to admit that many of the holidays and celebrations in this book are completely unfamiliar to me. I had never heard of a succot, but now I have a great menu if I need to bring something to a potluck Succah Hop. I was similarly unfamiliar with Tu B'Shevat, but if you are planning a party to celebrate this spring holiday, the book includes recipes for linzer flower cookes and directions for making a beautiful decoupaged fruit tray to serve them on.

There are lots of projects for kids in this book - a lulav and etrog wall hanging, an "I (heart) Pesach" painted trivet, a beautiful mezuzah covered in stained glass shards, and popsicle stick flowers for Shavuot. The introduction includes special instructions for kids, as well as a list of all the craft supplies and tools you may need. There are costumes for Purim, recipes for Chanukah and lovely handmade items for gift-giving and everyday use. Making your own gifts is a great way to both save money and give an extra measure of love to the people

You can read my full review here.

4. Down to a Sunless Sea by Mathias B. Freese

The book has some real bright spots. My favorite story was "Little Errands": the narrator has a compulsive disorder and the story is basically 4 pages of panic. Did she mail the letters, did they make it from the mail tray into the mail box, will the mailman pick them up, were there stamps on them...it made my skin crawl a little as I tried to imagine every little errand turning into this sort of enormous production. (I found it interesting, on a personal level, that I assumed the narrator to be a woman; looking back, the story doesn't indicate a name or gender.) I also found "I'll Make It, I Think" and "Herbie" very moving. The first is a story about a handicapped man and how he has dealt with his disabilities, naming his uncooperative body parts and dealing with his bitterness. I found "Herbie" terribly sad, a son being crushed by his father, even as his father tries to toughen him up.

You can read my full review here.

5. The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway

This is easily the best book I have read in the last 12 months. I could spend the next month re-reading it.

The book is part kung-fu epic, part sci-fi romance, part philosophic screed on what it means to be human, plus post-apocalyptic adventure and frenetic, laugh-out-loud hilarity. I don't know how else to categorize it - a friend described it as "Pynchon with dashes of P.G. Wodehouse and Alexandre Dumas." The fact that it's a first novel just floors me. I will be devouring the next book Nick Harkaway publishes as soon as it hits the shelves - sooner, if I can manage it.

You can read my pre-review here; the full review is here.

Message edited by its author, Mar 5, 2009, 9:16am.

Wow, that's a pretty sad total for the year so far. In my defense, I have spent the last 5 weeks on the road, working on a huge pilot-site implementation for my company. Travel is usually a good time for reading, but I have been dragging myself back to the hotel after working 14 hour days, and I can't keep my eyes open for long. But! I should finish up my second book for this trip this week (tonight, if dinner doesn't run late) and then I am pysched up to get started on my backlog!

#14: That one looks very good! On to the Continent it goes.

I hope your RL settles down soon so that you can get more reading done.

The Gone-Away World sounds right up my street, wish it wasn't so popular at the library! Thanks for the review.

I cannot recommend The Gone-Away World strongly enough. It's wild and fabulous and I can hardly believe it's a first novel.

6. The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

If you're sick to death of sparkly Mormon vampires, this is the perfect antidote. These creatures are a cross between the rage-zombies of "28 Days Later" and the vampires of "Underworld" - crazed but purposeful. Considering del Toro's directing chops, I'm not surprised. It's wonderfully moody and suspenseful, and you can just imagine it on the big screen.

The vampire curse spreads like a virus in this book - contact with the blood of a vampire is enough, if you're not careful, to become infected. They aren't the sexy vampires of the Blood Ties novels by Tanya Huff (her Henry Fitzroy is delicious!). They are horrible and creepy and planning for world domination.

This is the first book in a trilogy (available June 2nd) and I can't wait for the next one.

Message edited by its author, Mar 7, 2009, 9:48pm.

I need to keep an eye out for The Strain! Have you seen David Wellington's 13 Bullets and sequels? Evil vampires, hunters trying to kill them, good stuff!

Hope the future holds fewer 14 hour days and more reading time! Love the reviews -- Crafting Jewish was particularly interesting for me.

7. The Mighty Queens of Freeville by Amy Dickinson

This was nice. that's the word that comes to mind to describe it. You get the feeling that Amy is a nice lady with a nice family and a nice daughter. It is also a thoughtful look at her life. She is certainly more forgiving of some of the lousy men in her life (starting with her father) than I could be.

8. Disappearance by Efrem Siegel

Odd that I can't find a touchstone for this one, since it was an Early Reviewer Book. This is the story of Daniel's disappearance and how his father and mother, Joshua and Nathalie, try and carry on. It's a difficult story because this is every parent's worst nightmare: your child is fine when you leave and gone when you return. Joshua and Nathalie move through a full range emotions from anger to despair and heartbreak, frantic activity and complete withdrawal. Their pain is so clear and sharp in this; it's agony to sit through the long search, not knowing if there will ever be closure. Very well done.

9. Lethal Legacy by Linda Fairstein

Great murder mystery surrounding the New York Public Library and a lot of fascinating old books and maps.

#24: I have got to get that one read! I have seen several reviews of it here on LT but have not yet gotten to it.

10. Rubber Side Down bu Jose Gouveia

Biker Poetry. This is one of those books that will probably never be truly appreciated by outsiders. As with any poetry ensemble, it's a mixed bag. Some is quite good, most is middle-of-the-road, some is downright painful.

11. Fatal Light by Richard Currey

Beautiful, lyrical writing about a tremendously sad subject. It's told in a series of snippets, chapters as short as a paragraph, really giving you the disjointed, haphazard feeling that those memories must bring.

#27: Looks like one that would fit in with my Vietnam reading for the year and a good book to boot! Thanks for the recommendation.

12. Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman

I don't usually read YA fiction, but this was intriguing: part of the story is in the book, part is told on a website. Two teenagers are investigating a mystery in their hometown. After Ryan is in a bad accident, Sarah goes exploring and posts videos for him. Think The Hardy Boys meets Blair Witch project. Some good scares and a cool format.

Message edited by its author, Apr 4, 2009, 4:10pm.

sounds interesting! Indeed, what an unusual format!

13. The Soul Collectors by Charles Quince

This is self-published (Outskirts Press) a little before its time. The story is interesting, but it's really no more than a long short story right now. There are quick jumps in the story that make it hard to follow, some pretty cheesy dialogue and a storyline that needs some work and some editing.

14. Badlands by Richard Montanari

Another fabulous, suspenseful cop novel Montanari writes these intricately-plotted bits of cop fiction that always suck you in. The killers are psychopaths and sometimes the cops aren't far behind them, but there is always so much going on and it is always laid out so well.

#32: Looks like a good one. I will look for it. Thanks for the recommendation!

15. An Offer You Can't Refuse by Jill Mansell

Total chick lit. Put this on your must-read-at-the-beach list. Lola at 17 does something very stupid with the best of intentions - she takes the $10,000 her rich boyfriend's mother offers her to dump him, but she only does it because her beloved stepfather is deep in debt. Ten years later, she meets up with her first love and all the feelings are still there...until the bit about the money comes out. Wrapped up in the story are Lola's flamboyant mother, Blythe; Doug, the first love who now despises her; Sally, Doug's crazy sister; Gabe, Lola's best friend and neighbor; along with Malcolm, Nick, Cheryl, Savannah and a host of other interesting characters. This will make a great beach read.

#34: I live at the Texas-Oklahoma border with nary a beach in sight. I wonder if I should build a cabana in my back yard just for reading that book :)

You don't need an actual beach, just a beach attitude. A hammock would help - I love reading in my hammock. It is actually impossible to do anything productive while you're lying in a hammock.

16. The Obama Revolution by Alan Kennedy-Shaffer

Part dense rehash of campaign strategy and speeches, part good political analysis, part stories about life on the front lines of a campaign. AK-S is determined to footnote every word and the quotation marks get visually annoying. Still - having the speeches reprinted in the back of the book and an excellent explanation of the 50-State Plan - those were good reading.

#36: It is actually impossible to do anything productive while you're lying in a hammock.

I think a cabana would do the same thing for me, and I would not have to worry about falling out of it!

17. Chasing the Bear by Robert B. Parker

This is the novel Spenser fans have been waiting for - Spenser has always been very reticent about his childhood. He was Macduff ("not of woman born") and raised by his father and his two maternal uncles. This gives some backstory and a better explanation of how Spenser became Spenser. Good reading, but quick - you can whip through this in an afternoon.

18. Throw Out Fifty Things by Gail Blanke

This was an extremely handly little book. It starts off with a very different approach to home organizing: change your thought process. Instead of just taking everything you have and buying a box to shove it into, decide what you should keep and what you should get rid of, and do it by thinking about what makes you feel heavy, both physically and mentally. It's a rather radical approach, but it works. Later, she talks about throwing out the *ideas* that are holding you back. One of the more helpful how-to books I've seen.

"If you're sick to death of sparkly Mormon vampires, this is the perfect antidote"

Then I'm definitely going to look for The Strain! Thank you for this rec!

I agree with your review of Throw Out Fifty Things. I just read it myself and really enjoyed it.

I'm glad, fasciknitting! These vampires are truly horrible - you're gonna love it.

amwmsw04, I am really looking forward to trying out some of her suggestions. I am such a packrat and I think it will be great to get rid of a lot of clutter. The problem is keeping it gone.

19. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

Tasty bit of historical fiction with:

1. Salem witch trials
2. Crazy grad school advisors
3. Hot, agnostic steeplejacks

What's not to love?

>44: Another for my wishlist! It looks like it's getting pretty good reviews here on LT.

20. The Glister by John Burnside

I'm not sure about this book. Really good build-up, interesting characters, a kid you get really invested in...then instead of a solution to the mystery, it devolves into weirdness. Nothing is explained, nothing makes sense. Very disappointing.

21. The Brightest Moon of the Century by Christopher Meeks

I am a big fan of this author and this book did not disappoint. He really captured the geeky kid who doesn't seem to know where to find direction, even though he wants to do something. The trailer park stuff is hilarious and so perfectly white trash, and his bumpy relationship with his father and stepmother is spot on.

#46: Yikes!

#47: On to the Continent it goes!

22. The Mirror Effect: How Celebrity Narcissism is Seducing America by Dr. Drew Pinsky

Okay, this is a guy who *knows* celebrities. Loveline has been around for 25 years, I've watched "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" and other shows with him. The book is good, not too dry, and it brings up some really interesting points. Narcisssism isn't self-love, it's really self-loathing. It's all about image and attention-seeking and other really unattractive traits. It is interesting to see the parallels he draws with celebrities we all know, stories we've all seen. The first part of the book talks about narcissim and celebrities, the second part talks about the roots of addicition and narcissistic personality disorder, and the final part talks about its effects on children and teens.

#49: Sounds interesting, especially the final part of the book. I will look for it. Thanks for the recommendation!

23. The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato

This is as much romance as historical fiction, but it's a sort of historical fiction that I like. I learned a lot - about glassblowing, about how Murano glass came to be known around the world, and about the city of Venice - without the book ever becoming dry. The romance fits the story, so it isn't bothersome. The history is fascinating and the modern-day story is compelling. A light, enjoyable read.

#51: Well, I would add it again, but it is already on the Continent. I hope I can get my hands on a copy soon.

24. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

So much fun! Only zombies could get me to re-read Jane Austen. I never had any love for those manners-and-money romances, but the addition of zombies makes it worthwhile reading.

I've managed to get myself a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - I haven't seen a bad review of it yet.

I heard that the author has a new book coming out - Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. I cannot wait!

Hi LisaLynn, you've been reading some interesting stuff ! I've added a few look-fors to my list. Thanks.

25. Rubies in the Orchard by Lynda Resnick

This is part marketing manual/part story of her life in the business world, but both parts are interesting. She does seem to *get* one of the most important and overlooked points about marketing: honesty. If you don't tell the truth about your product, if people think you are trying to hide something, you're doomed. I also like her advice to "think inside the box." After all, your product is inside the box - focus more on your product, less on the extraneous stuff around it, and you'll be in better shape.

26. Fool by Christopher Moore

This was hilarious - the tale of King Lear and his daughters, as told by his bawdy, vulgar and inordinately horny court jester. The ending is certainly better than the original, and it kept me giggling all the way through.

Thanks, jadebird! It's been a pretty good year, reading-wise, so far.

27. Tattoo Machine by Jeff Johnson

This is a really interesting memoir - lots of great stories about tattoo artists and their customers and exactly the sort of behavior you would expect from them. There is some discussion of the art and traditions of tattooing, the vocabulary of tattoo parlors (go ahead - ask me what a pussy-eating swamp panther is!), the direction of the art form and the myriad local laws and regulations that muck up the waters. Read this in a long afternoon by the pool.

Some very interesting looking books among your reading. Will be watching to see what else you read.

#60 That sounds very cool plus it would make an ideal present for some of my friends, so thanks for the review. I am not sure I want to know what pussy-eating swamp panther is though!

Actually, it's the guy (or gal) who steps up and handles a tough situation - typically, in this book, dealing with fights in the lobby, crazy customers, handling crowd control, broken equipment and backed up toilets without breaking a sweat. So it's a compliment - really!

Ok I am glad you explained, it is one great job title ;-)

28. Don't Call Me a Crook! by Bob Moore

Abandoned this one half-way through. The writing is very amateurish - what you would expect from an under-educated man, telling his story in a pub after too many shots of whiskey. The thing that bothered me the most was that he really did not consider himself a crook - he stole things because he needed them or because it would have been "wasteful" to pass up the opportunity. When you apply that kind of reasoning to getting a married woman drunk, seducing her, then abandoning her at the train station after promising to come back as soon as you have pawned her engagement ring, it's just not funny anymore. I've read too many stories of late about men who can rationalize any amount of theft, lying and manipulation and not consider themselves crooks - I guess it has just lost its charm for me.

I also found the whole book tasted vaguely dishonest. This is a reprint of the story; the editor found the original book mouldering in a library and it was just the sort of story he was looking for. Even the photo on the cover is a scam - it's not the author, it's just a photo of some random guy they thought represented the "spirit" of the story. I bet he was a crook.

29. Lost Boy by Brent W. Jeffs

Brent is the nephew of Warren Jeffs, jailed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints, a polygamous Mormon cult. This is a fascinating look at what it was like to grow up inside the church, and what it was like to be kicked out. Riveting stuff.

30. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Beautiful and utterly bleak.

Message edited by its author, Jun 26, 2009, 10:25am.

31. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King

A mystery about a mystery - a tiny little thing in the style of an old dime novel. Read most of it in one sitting.

32. The Loved One by Evelyn Waugh

Dark, dark humor about death and the British and a very fun read.

I am still so behind this year! I need to dig in and get some reading done! I think the big difference is that last year I logged a lot of audiobooks. This year, I've been doing more traveling for work, so more planes and less time in the car. I'm going to have to see about loading some up on my iPod and listening that way.

33. Population: 485 Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time by Michael Perry

Interesting book about being an EMT and volunteer fireman in a small town where you are working with - and frequently ON - your neighbors. He tries a little too hard to show us that he's got real redneck roots, then swings back the other way and wants to make sure we remember he's an educated guy who knows poetry and owns a dictionary, but overall a good read.

34. The Sinful Life of Lucy Burns by Elizabeth Leiknes

Lucy is a Facilitator for Satan - she helps usher deserving souls to their doom. She's tired of her job and she finds a loophole - but getting out will still be harder than she thinks.

35. The Chess Machine by Robert Lohr

Fascinating historical fiction. The story of The Turk, a mechanical chess playing automaton built in the late 1700's.

My review is here.

#72: That one looks very good. Thanks for the review and recommendation!

36. Let's Get It On by Jill Nelson

The story of three women who open a "full service spa" (in other words - a brothel) for women, staffed by handsome men of various ethnicities. When President Bush passes his "No Child, No Behind" policy, outlawing recreational sex, they find themselves in big trouble.

37. Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman

A great piece of historical fiction. It tells the story of the Scottsboro Boys, 9 young black men falsely accused of rape in 1930's Alabama. What makes it interesting is that it focuses on the reporters, attorneys and politicians that made their fortunes on the backs of these young men.

#75: I read that one this past week and agree it is a terrific book. Glad to see that you enjoyed it as well.

I really did. I like historical fiction that really sweeps you up. This one has a really interesting focus and draws you into the action. It was interesting to see it from such an oblique angle.

38. The Long Fall by Walter Mosely

I love a good detective novel and this one kept me guessing. Terrific new series from a reliably-good author.

39. God Says No by James Hannaham

The author's brother is a friend of mine, so I was really excited about reading this one. A gay man wants nothing more than the life he thinks the Bible dictates - wife, family, worship - and he doesn't understand why God doesn't answer his prayers and make him heterosexual. Lots of interesting themes in this one and plenty of humor, without ever being silly.

#78: The only book I have read by Mosely is The Man in the Basement. I did not realize he had a mystery series. I will have to look for it.

#80 Mosley's best-known mystery series is the Easy Rollins set that begins with Devil in a Blue Dress.

#81: Thanks for the info, Laurie!

40. The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel

This was definitely a page-turner. Eastern Jewel is not a terribly sympathetic historical figure - a Chinese princess who spied for the Japanese and betrayed the Chinese emporer - but the book tries to re-imagine her life and the forces that shaped her. Definitely interesting.

Alcottacre, this is a brand new series with a brand new detective. He used to be a bad guy - working for criminals and crime lords - and he is turning over a new leaf. I enjoyed it very much.

Sounds interesting. Thanks for the additional info, Lisa.

41. Wasteland: Stories of the Apocalypse by multiple authors

Post-apocalyptic short stories, dealing with the end of the world from a variety of viewpoints and scenarios. Really, really good stuff.

Message edited by its author, Aug 27, 2009, 5:30pm.

42. The Grift by Debra Ginsberg

A fake psychic suddenly finds that her grift has become her gift. She sees dead people, knows things she shouldn't know and has visions of things that will happen.

43. The Lost City of Z by David Grann

I like the detective work, piecing together Fawcett's adventures, but I was a little put off by Grann's plans to go into the Amazon afterwards in a pair of shorts with his cell phone and a machete.

44. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny

First rate detective novel - this will have me seeking out the other Chief Inspector Gamache titles.

45. How to Catch and Keep a Vampire by Diana Laurence

Fluff, but not terribly entertaining. More perfect vampires, although they get the chicklit treatment here.

#89: It is a very good series. I hope you are able to find the rest of the books in it.

Oh, I'm sure I will. I like my big, tough detective (Andrew Vacchs series springs to mind), but I generally like my thinkers, too. Nero Wolfe, Archie Goodwin, Spenser - a guy who can throw out a good quote as well as a right hook.

I've got The Lost City of Z on the TBR pile and really need to get to it! Your reaction to it seems to be the same as other's I've heard.

46. Green Eyes in the Amazon by P.J. Fischer

Overpromises and underdelivers. Touches on a couple of big themes, but never really gets below the surface. Disappointing.

47. Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange

This is more in the Austen style. Funny, but I would have liked more vampire action.

48. Going Fast by Elaine McCluskey

Interesting, if disjointed, story about the world of small-time boxing in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

49. The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer

Good little mystery about Superman, Cain and Abel and fathers and sons.

50. I Shudder: And Other Reactions to Life, Death and New Jersey by Paul Rudnick

Very funny book. Rudnick is a screenwriter whose name you probably don't know, but whose work you'll definitely recognize. Stories about Hollywood, Broadway, family and a crazy fictional character named Elyot Vionnet.

Congratulations on getting to 50 books for the year!

51. Michael Symon's Live to Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen by Michael Symon

Great cooking tips and terrific recipes.

52. A Sportcaster’s Guide to Watching Football by Mark Oristano

Nifty little guide to watching football. I'm a long-time fan and even I learned a few thing about the positions.

53. Ghost in the Machine by Patrick Carman

Follow-up to Skeleton Creek. More videos, more scary ghost stuff. Perfect for YA readers.

54. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

I wasn't going to read this one because the narrator is a dog. I'm glad I did - really terrific story, great dog personality, real heartbreaker.

55. Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton

Good adventure story. He obviously did his homework - very detailed descriptions of privateers, the Jamaica colony, and the way a pirate ship operated.

Thanks! I got away from posting here, so I'm trying to get all my books caught up. Doesn't look like I'll hit 75, but it's always good to have a goal.

56. 9 Dragons by Michael Connelly

Poor Harry Bosch! The guy never catches a break. This time it's his daughter, his lousy partner and the Triads.

57. Alone by Loren D. Estelman

Damn Touchstones. I put in Alone, I get a touchstone for Batgirl, but not the book I entered. Grrr.

Anyway, very funny little mystery about a film archivist, Greta Garbo, a lesbian affair, an old movie theater and a couple of murders.

I would like to know how LT got 'Batgirl' out of Alone? lol

I know! The touchstones are really bizarre sometimes.

58. Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore

Hilarious spoof on vampire novels. I need to read the sequel, You Suck.