I joined the European Endless Challenge and have found that I'm not really reading books to meet that challenge at the moment. My books seem to be centered around the US. I wasn't really looking to join another challenge, but this one has been in the back of my mind. So in the end, I decided to go ahead and take the plunge, but my reading of books to fit this challenge will be done very slowly, as I get to them.
Any book that I've read in 2009 will count retroactively to this challenge. Those are: FL, KS, NY & UT
Message edited by its author, Oct 6, 2009, 12:43pm.
One other reason I decided to join this group is that I recently moved back to the US from Europe. All of my physical travel for the last 11 years has not been centered on N.America. That will likely change. And I love to read fiction books while traveling to those places. My first trip could be to AZ, so I came to this site to find recommendations for this State and decided to go ahead and start my own challenge.
For AZ, I requested
These is my Words by
Nancy E. Turner from my library.
Message edited by its author, Oct 6, 2009, 12:48pm.
Welcome, nans. You may now find that all your reading takes place outside of the USA!
Welcome - what RidgewayGirl said was pretty true for me, so joining this challenge may be the boost you need for your European challenge! I also decided on
These is my Words for Arizona, but had to return it to the library unread because too many requests came in at the same time.
As long as this challenge boosts my European challenge and doesn't force me to join another part of the world challenge! I also oogle the Round the World Reading Challenge, but I prefer to take baby steps first.
I too think about the Round the World Challenge board, but I feel so out of my league over there. This sounded easier, and it is, if only I could stop getting interested in books set in California!
Welcome to the challenge, and back to the US!
New Hampshire
Handle With CareJodi PicoultI gave this book 3.5 stars, my typical rating for an enjoyable book that kept my interest through to the end. I've read a lot of books my Jodi Picoult that are always set in the NE of the US. This book didn't really give a sense of the place of New Hampshire - it could have been a small town anywhere. So if I run into another NH book, I might consider changing my selection, but I won't go out of my way for it.
The book itself was a typical Picoult formula book - take a controversial issue dealing with kids... create a conflict and a lawsuit and then have a twist in the last pages of the book. In this case, the child has OI, or brittle bones disease and the mother sues for Wrongful Birth, destroying a lot of personal relationships in the meantime. There is a twist at the end that had me nearly throwing the book to the otherside of the room, albeit without a lot of force as it is a Picoult book, and that is just what the author does.
But even if she agrevates me, I'll probably continue to read Picoult, because the stories are enjoyable and I usually learn something that I never knew before. Just have to take the endings with a grain of salt.
Woo hoo! I got a map posted!
Am currently reading in Botswana with the latest in the Nr. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Am not yet sure where my next novel will take me.
Washington D.C.
The Lost SymbolDan BrownWhat I enjoy about Dan Brown's books are learning something about a subject I know nothing about. I love the symbols, the sculptures, buildings and paintings. What I do not enjoy about his books are the characters. His books follow a formula and the deviations from that formula are miniscule.
But though it is a pop book, there was a strong sense of Washington DC in it, so it appears on my list.
And I ended up giving it 3.5 stars. The beginning 15 pages dragged and took me 3 days to get into. But then it took off and I was engrossed until the last 100 pages that I fought through. But it gets a high rating for the symbols and for the twist at the end with the villan that I didn't see coming.
Georgia
Fractured Karin Slaughter
This is the 8th Karin Slaughter book I've read. Most take place in a rural, Georgian setting, Grant County, and her newer series (which includes Fractured) takes place in Atlanta. I didn't feel that Fractured had as strong a GA connection as some of her books in the past, but will include it since past books have.
I really really enjoyed this book. I was leary to pick up another Karin Slaughter book as the last one I read,
Skin Privilege left me frustrated. But I have read so many books from her series that I decided to give it another chance. And I'm so glad that I did.
With crime novels, I love when the detectives themselves are developed and you catch a glimpse of them and their lives and personalities. Usually their lives tend to be dark and twisted. I like her detective in this book, Will Trent, and am curious to see how he fares in future novels.
I'm now off to request her newest novel,
Undone which apparantly links characters from these 2 series.
Wisconsin
American WifeCurtis SittenfeldVery much enjoyed this book and its fictionalized version of Laura Bush's life. Am off to google to see if I can find out just how much is fiction, and how much is based on truth.
Am undecided on where my next book will take me. I have so many to chose from, but if I just go by what is due next at the library, I have
Snow or
The Women's Room.
Arizona
These is my WordsNancy E. TurnerI've been sick for nearly week. Good for my reading, bad for work. This book was the perfect book to read while confined to the sofa. It was light, even though a lot of heavy things happened to the family. I highly recommend this book!
It is told in diary entries, the story of Sarah, a girl of 17 who is traveling around the Arizona Territories with her parents and siblings, looking for a place to settle. And the story continues until this girl has a family of her own. Sarah is such a strong girl with a good sense of humor.
When I was younger, I read a lot of these pioneer type books. I'm not sure if I enjoyed this book so much more than my memory of the others just because so much time has passed, or if it really is such an exceptional book.
nans/13 - I LOVED that book! Alas, my library still doesn't have any of Ms. Turner's other books in, yet. But I keep lookin'!
North Dakorta
A Christmas Blizzard Garrison Keillor
I've never read Garrison Keillor, nor listened to his NRP show. I've read different books of this formula before - quirky stories about everyday people in out of the way places. But somehow the characters in this book were not sympathetic nor amusing to me.
I cannot read Garrison Keillor's books without having him read them to me in my head. He reads very slowly, but I do love his voice.
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