Weener's 2011 Book Challenge!

OK, so last year was not so great. 25 books, and only one of them wasn't YA or a graphic novel? BOOOOOO! I'll do better this year!

I may still have a sexy, distracting boyfriend, but I can't afford to go on tour with my bands anymore. You know what THAT means: MORE TIME TO READ!

Ready, set...GO!

DONE WITH ONE!

1. A Mess of Everything by Miss Lasko-Gross. Totally awesome.

DONE WITH TWO!!!!!

2. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

I guess. Counting books that take 1/2 an hour to read feels cheap sometimes though. Thanks for the encouragement!

3. Matched By Ally Condie. Not good.

Yeah, there was just nothing in it I hadn't read before. It was too familiar. The society was basically 90% the same as the one from The Giver. The characters didn't have much personality, either. Bummed me out because I was really looking forward to reading it.

In other news:

4. Hopeless Savages Greatest Hits by Jen Van Meter. Awesome, just like I remembered it.

5. Truer Than True Romance: Classic Love Comics Retold by Jeanne Martinet. This was kinda cute.

A couple more graphic novels:

6. The Little Endless Storybook by Jill Thompson. Meh. I liked the art. It was really more of a picture book than a graphic novel. I would have liked it more if I had a thing for Neil Gaiman, which I don't.

7. The Nobody by Jeff Lemire. This was OK, nothing to write home about.

8. Incognegro by Mat Johnson. This was really good.

9. This is the way the world ends by James Morrow. This was really strange, a good read for sure.

10. Island of the Blue Dolphins. by Scott O'Dell. Very Compelling.

11. Sweethearts by Sara Zarr. Pretty good!

I'm plowing through them at an alarming rate...and it feels great!

12. Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford. Good book!

13. Sold by Patricia McCormick. Really liked this one.

14. The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard. Interesting, but ultimately just OK.

It was well-written and the lead character's conflict about having to grieve privately for his ladyfriend was compelling.

Ultimately I think it just wasn't focused enough. It tried to follow too many plots and they never really converged as well as they could have. It only took me a few hours to read, so if you have a little time to kill, it's pretty good. But I wouldn't blame you for skipping it either.

15. Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart. The world it takes place in is SO ANNOYING but for a good reason and ultimately it was compelling, even if it was not entirely pleasant.

Strange Embrace by David Hine. Pretty darn good graphic novel.

17. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Not my thing in the slightest.

18. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan. Awesome.

19. Where She Went by Gayle Forman. Highly, highly anticipated, and really good. But not as perfect as If I Stay.

20. The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches by Gaétan Soucy. Oh my god. I can barely believe that this book exists.

It becomes clear late in the book what that is referring to. Someone played with fire.

21. Oryx and Crake. Good.

22. Split by Swati Avasthi. Pretty good YA.

23. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. Not perfect, but a quality read for sure.

24. Stolen by Lucy Christopher. I was pleasantly surprised!

The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches by Gaétan Soucy

This looks incredibly interesting.

I've had Tender Morsels on my wishlist for a couple of years now! Seeing your "awesome" next to it makes me want to go find it.

25. The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. Eh.

26. Sisters in Sanity by Gayle Forman. This woman can really write!

27. The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted. I'm not usually a fan of mysteries but this was really well-done!

How could I forget,

28. Elmer by Gerry Alanguilan. Amazing graphic novel.

29. Rasl Volume 1: The Drift by Jeff Smith. Very interesting indeed.

30. Trash by Andy Mulligan. Very very good.

31. Raw Deal by Ken Smith. Ouch. Interesting book.

32. A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle. BOOOOOOOOO!

33. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea - This book was AMAZING! A + + + Educational and Entertaining!

34. Hare's Choice by Dennis Hamley. A childhood library pick I wanted a second look at. Definitely worth revisiting!

35. Chester 5000 XYV by Jessica Fink. HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT and I loved it.

36. Just As Long As We're Together by Judy Blume. A book I remember vividly from 5th grade. Judy Blume delivers the goods, even for young kids.

37. Fat Cat by Robin Brande. Pretty good.

38. I Am J by Cris Beam. Really good, and I learned a lot.

39. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King. The first book I read on my Nook - in South Korea!

40. Zot! The Complete Black and White Collection by Scott McCloud. Amazing!

41. Chocolate and Cheese by Hank Shteamer. Very interesting.

42. Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. Very thought-provoking.

43. Ash by Malinda Lo. Really sweet.

44. On My Honor by Marion dane Bauer. Very good, dark kids' book.

Looks like I'm going to make it to wayyy over 50 this year, seeing as I'm in South Korea away from my sexy boyfriend and entertaining friends, with a Nook full of eBooks.

45. Mrs. Mike. This was pretty good. Got good towards the end.

46. Pride and Prejudice. SOOOOOO not my thing.

47. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Very well done.

48. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis. Good first half, boring second half.

49. Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden. I expected to like this a lot more than I did.

50. Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma. I liked it a lot.

51. The Journey Outside by Mary Q. Steele. Pretty good.

52. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis. This one was still pretty good.

Wow, have I really been so overwhelmed with work that I read 14 books since I got to Korea? Yes. Sheesh. And only one in December.

53. Stargazing Dog by Takashi Murakami. I asked my boyfriend to send this to me because he read it and it made him sob like a baby - the man who I have never once seen cry. I read it. It made me cry. Very sad, very good.