Crazy4reading's continuation of being a Newbie in 75 (2)

This is continued from here. I decided to start a new thread just because mine was getting long. I know I don't get as many posts as others do in this group but I just don't want the thread to get too long and slow down mine or anyone else's loading time.

I have also started thinking about my challenges for next year. I believe I will be going for 75 again in 2012. This group has been entertaining and very interesting.

Here is my list of books read so far:

Here is my ticker:




List of books 2011:
January
1. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (finished 1/18/11)TIOLI Challenge January #1
2. Damaged by Alex Kava (finished 1/19/11) TIOLI Challenge January #7
3. Blind Man's Alley by Justin Peacock (finished 1/24/11
4. Dead Center by Joanna Higgins (finished 1/27/11)

February
5. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory (finished 2/5/11)
6. To Hold the Crown by Jean Plaidy (finished 2/22/11)
7. Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay (finished 2/13/11)
8. Aftermath:A Snapped Novel by Tracy Brown (finished 2/26/11) TIOLI Challenge February

March
9. Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez (finished 3/5/11)
10. For One More Day by Mitch Albom (finished 3/6/11)
11. gone with a handsomer man by Michael Lee West (finished 3/14/11)
12. So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson (finished 3/16/11)
13. The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro (finished 3/19/11)
14. Forever Amber Brown by Paula Danziger (finished 3/20/11)
15. Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner (finished 3/31/11)

April
16. Good Cop, Bad Cop by Barabara D'Amato (finished 4/7/11)
17. Original Sin by Beth McMullen (finished 4/21/11)
18. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (finished 4/23/11)

May
19. The Privilege of Youth by Dave Pelzer (finished 5/1/11)
20. One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus (finished 5/12/11)
21. Love Only Once by Johanna Lindsey (finished 5/15/11)
22. Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross (finished 5/21/11)
23. The Guide to Owning a Beagle by Andrew Vallilla (finished 5/22/11)
24. Tender Rebel by Johanna Lindsey (finished 5/23/11)
25. reaching Dustin by Vicki Grove (finished 5/24/11)
26. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan (finished 5/30/11)
27. Motherhood the second Oldest profession (finished 5/30/11)

June
28. At Wit's End (finished 6/5/11) TIOLI Challenge June #1
29. Attack on Pearl Harbor (finished 6/5/11) TIOLI Challenge June #1
30. Fourth Grade Rats (finished 6/6/11)
31. Maniac Magee (finished 6/7/11)
32. Nightlight: A Parody by The Harvard Lampoon (finished 6/10/11)
33. Very Bad Men by Harry Dolan (finished 6/12/11)
34. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (finished 6/24/11)
35. The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts by Lilian Jackson Braun (finished 6/25/11)
36. Cat's Cradle: A Book of String Figures by Anne Akers Johnson (finished 6/26/11)
37. A House is Built at Pooh Corner for Eeyore by A.A. Milnes (finished 6/26/11)

July
38. Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith (finished 7/2/11)
39. Abby Cooper Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie (finished 7/4/11)
40. Ricky Martin Backstage pass by Kimberly Walsh (finished 7/8/11)
41. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris (finished 7/9/11)
42. The Quiet Little Woman: Tilly's Christmas, Rosa's Tale: Three Enchanting Christmas Stories by Louisa May Alcott (finished 7/14/11)
43. Silent Enemy by Thomas W. Young (finished 7/22/11)
44. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (finished 7/23/11)
45. Paper Towns by John Green (finished 7/24/11)

August
46. That Day in September by Artie Van Why (finished 8/2/11) TIOLI Challenge #7
47. Hansel and Gretel by Brothers Grimm (finished 8/5/11)
48. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton (finished 8/6/11) TIOLI Challenge #11
49. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J.K. Rowling (finished 8/7/11) TIOLI Challenge #2
50. Arthur and the Lost Diary by Marc Brown (finished 8/11/11)
51. Arthur and the Poetry Contest by Marc Brown (finished 8/11/11)
52. Cam Jansen and the Ghostly Mystery by David Adler (finished 8/12/11)
53. Genies Don't Ride Bicycles by Debbie Dadey (finished 8/12/11)
54. Follow the Dream by Peter Sis (finished 8/12/11)
55. Book Lust by Nancy Pearl (finished 8/18/11 TIOLI August 2011 Challenge #16)
56. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (finished 8/25/11 TIOLI August 2011 Challenge # 2)
57. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban (finished 8/30/11 TIOLI August 2011 Challenge # 2)

September
58. All Cry Chaos by Leonard Rosen (finished 9/4/11 TIOLI September Challenge #5)
59. Searching for David's Heart by Cherie Bennett (finished 9/8/11 TIOLI September Challenge #3)
60. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (finished 9/14/11)
61. Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine (finished 9/24/11 TIOLI September Challenge #1)
62. The Undertaker by William Brown (finished 9/28/11 TIOLI September Challenge #5)
63. A Spy at Home by Joseph M. Rinaldo (finished 9/30/11 TIOLI September Challenge #5)

October
64. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls (finished 10/4/11 TIOLI October Challenge #18)
65. The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry (finished 10/6/11 TIOLI October Challenge #10)
66. The Diplomat's Wife by Pam Jenoff (finished 10/11/11 TIOLI October Challenge #18)
67. Defending Jacob by William Landay (finished 10/23/11 TIOLI October Challenge #18)
68. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (finished 10/29/11 TIOLI October Challenge #1)

November
69. Certain Prey by John Sandford (finished 11/4/11 TIOLI November Challenge #1)
70. A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve (finished 11/7/11 TIOLI November Challenge # 3)
71. The Most Dangerous Thing (finished 11/19/11 TIOLI November Challenge #1)

December
72. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver (finished by skimming 12/26/11)
73. Racing The Devil by Jaden Terrell (finished 12/27/11)
74. All I Did Was Shoot My Man by Walter Mosley (finished 12/30/11)
75.

I am currently reading:

1. Defending Jacob by William Landay
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
3. The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls
4. Certain Prey by John Sandford
5. A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve

Defending Jacob is my September ER book and I am loving it. I would like to finish it this weekend or this week at the latest.

I am currently challenging myself to read all the HP books again before the end of the year. I haven't read more then about a chapter or two in this book. I will be reading this during the 100 hour readathing in November.

The Glass Castle I am reading because I just read the book about Jeannette Walls grandmother and this book is about the grandmother's daughter which I believe is Jeannette's mother. I am getting confused right now since I am not looking at the book.

Certain Prey I picked up from the Library because I found out that TNT (I believe) is having a movie about this book in November. And I want to watch it so I want to read the book before I see the movie.

A Change in Altitude is my November Book Club book for the library. I don't know if I will enjoy this book. Her last one that we read was okay. I didn't love it or hate it.

Okay now I am going to curl up for the next hour or two and read some of Defending Jacob and maybe some of HP too.

Happy Reading all!!

Monica

I finished Defending Jacob last night. Here is my review:

#67. Defending Jacob by William Landay

I have to say this is one of the best ER books I have received this year. I stayed up late last night to finish reading it and once I reached the end I just sat there thinking and saying Oh My God. The ending was one I would never have thought of.

I love to read mystery, thrillers, suspense, and romance novels all the time. And usually I can figure out the ending or even just a little bit of the ending. This one I kept going back and forth as to whether or not Jacob was guilty of murder.

Defending Jacob is a book that captures so many different dynamics of family life and how being accused of murder can tear the stability apart. Jacob is Andy and Laurie's 14 year old son. He is accused of murdering one of his classmates. Just reading this book made me think of how I would possibly react if one of my children had ever been accused of such a thing.

Andy has no doubts that his son is innocent but Laurie second guesses everything. Now is Andy so sure because of his background of being an Assistant District Attorney or is it just the love of a father and son? Even as I was reading the book I was trying to figure out if Jacob had been acquitted or found guilty. I kept flip flopping back and forth.

This is the first book I have read by William Landay. I will be looking for his other two novels and future books.

5 stars

I will now work on The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls. Hopefully I can finish that book in a few days.

Glad to hear you are planning to join the 75 group again next year. It looks like you'll easily make the target of 75 this year - not that the numbers really matter.

And how splendid to have received such a good ER book in Defending Jacob - I'm glad you enjoyed that.

I really enjoyed The Glass Castle. I hope you do to!

I just finished her other book Half Broke Horses and loved it. At our book club meeting I was informed that they had read The Glass Castle and how wonderful the book was. So I checked it out of the library. So far I am enjoying it.

Hello! Hope you enjoy your reading this month. The Glass Castle was quite good and I'm a big fan of the HP books :)

Hi Chelle. I enjoyed The Glass Castle very much. I was just surprised as to how badly treated the Walls' children were treated by their parents. Here is my review for the Glass Castle. I am still trying to make time to read HP. I just have so many books I am trying to read that I just keep putting them off. I have read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, many times and I am thinking that is one reason I am taking my time on really getting into it.

Here is my review:

#68. The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls

I decided to read this book for two reasons. The book club that I belong to had read this book before I was a member and we had just read Jeannette's other book Half Broke Horses, which was about Jeannette's grandmother. I enjoyed both books for different reasons.

The Glass Castle I found very interesting in seeing how difficult her life was when she was a child. I didn't know exactly what year everything was taking place, I had to guess. I just couldn't believe how her parents, especially her mother treated the children and raised them. How a mother could go without feeding her children for days, not washing clothes or cleaning the house etc. Some of this stuff just made me think of child abuse and neglect.

Jeannette's father was just as bad. He was a drunk and wasted any money on booze, gambling, sex and on impossible dreams. You would think that her parents were possible hippies.

It was great to see how Jeannette and her siblings were able to grow up in that type of lifestyle and still lead a somewhat normal life.

4 1/2 stars

I just started reading Certain Prey by John Sandford. I hope to finish this book in one week because A&E is showing a movie about this book staring Mark Harmon. Then I need to start my library book club book by Anita Shreve.

Finished number 69 last night. Here is m review:

#69. Certain Prey by John Sandford

This is my first book by John Sandford and I loved it. I decided to read it because I saw that a movie was coming out on USA and I wanted to read it before I watched the movie. I just hope the movie is just as good as the book.

Lucas Davenport is a detective in Minnesota and is after a murderer. You follow Detective Davenport as he tries to unravel not just one murder but 3 murders that look like they were committed by a professional. Lucas also has it in for a lawyer, Carmel Loan. The twists and turns that this story takes kept me reading until my eyes were closing due to lack of sleep.

Need a little excitement in your reading than I suggest you give Certain Prey a try.

5 stars

Now reading A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve

I felt the same way about The Glass Castle. I shocked any of the kids were normal.

I saw the trailer for Certain Prey. It did look interesting. I have The Glass Castle on my "must read soon" list. Thanks for reminding me.

#10 cal8769 > I too am shocked to think that the kids were normal.

#11 mamzel> I found the movie Certain Prey interesting. Happy to remind you about The Glass Castle.

I did finish A Change in Altitude and now I just need to write a review. I am currently reading The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman. This is my August ER book which I just received this month. Still working on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling.

Here is my review for A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve

#70. A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve

A Change in Altitude was interesting but not one of my favorites by Anita Shreve. The story is about a husband and wife living in Africa. Patrick is a doctor and working with a local hospital in Africa and doing free clinics. Margaret went with him but doesn't have a job to begin with.

I found some of the story interesting and wanting to continue and other parts just wanting to skip over. Patrick and Margaret are living in an adjoining house with another couple. I found that couple to be some what annoying. They decide to climb this mountain and something awful happens that causes a rift between Patrick and Margaret.

I found myself wondering through most of the book if Patrick and Margaret would stay married, if either one had an affair and if maybe they just weren't meant to be together.

3 1/2 stars

Another book done.

#71. The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman
This is my first book by Laura Lippman. I have a few of her books but I just haven't gotten around to reading them just yet.

The Most Dangerous Thing is about a group of children and their families during the 70's and 80's. The main characters are Gwen, Mickey, and the three Halloran brothers named, Sean, Tim and Gordon or also known as Go-Go. This is back in the time when parents would let their children go outside and not worry about the dangers out there. These five children would hike through Leakin Park beyond where they knew there parents wouldn't let them go if they really knew.

The book goes from the present to the past in the chapters. You would be reading about any one of the main characters in the future and then they would start remembering things from the past. When you start reading The Most Dangerous Thing you read about Go-Go in the present day. He is thrown out of a bar and winds up killing himself either by accident or suicide, no one really knows. This is what begins the story of what really happened to Go-Go in the woods the day of the hurricane.

I enjoyed the book and how you realize that what had happened that one day in the park altered those five children and their respective lives. They lost touch with each other, became jealous of what the other one had and how they thought each one had it better then they did.

4 stars

I am still reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling. I would love to finish it before the end of November.

#72. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

Okay I am finally writing a review for this book. I did not finish it. I don't think I will be able to finish it. I was reading this book for my Library Book Clubs December read. The 9 people that were at the meeting only 3 actually finished it. I just didn't enjoy it. I do not like the writing style of this book.

This is my first book by Barbara Kingsolver but I don't know if it will be the last. I know she wrote the Poisonwood Bible and that is the reason our book club decided to read this book. They loved that book (I still have yet to read it), and figured this book would be just as good. I will just be skimming through the book and reading the dialogue.

I am sorry I cannot recommend this book.

1 star

I will give Barbara Kingsolver another try just not right away. I will be starting my ER books.

I never tried that one. I loved The Prodigal Summer and hated the portion of The Poisonwood Bible that I read. I haven't had the heart to even look at another one of her books.

I can understand why cal8769. I don't know if I will be able to read any other books by her. I may try to give her a try again but maybe in a year or so.

#73. Racing The Devil By Jaden Terrell

Racing the devil is a fast paced book that keeps your attention and wondering if Jared McKean will figure out who set him up for murder. Jared is an ex cop turned private detective who wakes up after a night with a women who is in need of a good honest man.
While he is fighting the charge of murder his ex wife is pregnant with her new husband's child, his nephew is gay and runs away. As Jared tries to solve his own case he worries about his family and friends.
This is the first book in the Jared mmMcKean mystery series. I know I will be looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

5 stars

#74. All I did was Shoot my Man by Walter Mosley

Another great win from Library Things Early Reviewers program!! This book started out slow for me but by the 3rd chapter I was interested in learning more about Leonid McGill!

Leonid is the main character in All I did was Shoot my Man. Leonid used to be a career criminal. He was best know for changing evidence in crimes to convict some people that should be convicted and some that were innocent. One of those persons is Zella Grisham. Leonid set her up as having stolen $58 million dollars from this corporation. Now that Leonid (LT) has decided to become honest he gets Zella release from prison for the stolen money. LT is also a private detective.

LT also has a family, a wife and 3 grown children. One boy who works for him, his name is Twill, a daughter known as Shelly and another son called Dimitri. The characters are all very unique and interesting in their interactions with each other as family. This added to my enjoyment of the book

The mystery is finding out who was the master mind behind this money heist and murders. LT and his family actually become targets of the culprits and are attacked in their apartment one night.

The ending was surprising and leaves me wanting to read more about LT McGill!

5 stars

Now just one more book to read to reach 75!! I hope to reach it!!

#75. Marvel 1602 by Neil Gaiman

Well I took the plunge into graphic novels with one of the best authors. Marvel 1602 is a comic book with a twist. Neil takes some of the Marvel characters and places them in the year 1602 in London.

I found it interesting to follow their lives while living in London during the end of the Tudors and when James of Scotland becomes king.

5 stars

Happy New Year all! and please follow me over to the 2012 challenge which can be found here. Or follow my 75 Challenge thread. Hope to see you all there!!

75! Woo hoo! See you in 2012.