Mimi's 2014 (& Beyond) Reading Challenge - Reading Bingo, Part One

It took me a little while to post this one, but this year I thought it would be fun to play this Reading Bingo Game I found online (which I am also playing with my Book Club this year). Since there are two different Bingo cards that I am playing, I'm setting up two separate threads, one for the "Grownup Card" and one for the "YA" card.



My goal is full-card Bingo and also to see how many books I happen to read in each category.

A Forgotten Classic

* The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (Review in Message #33)

A Book Published this Year

* Sand Omnibus by Hugh Howey (Review in Message #32)

A Book with a Number in the Title

* The Twelve by Justin Cronin (Review in Message #46)

A Book with Non-Human Characters

* Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (Review in Message #36)
* Watership Down by Richard Adams (Review in Message #52)

A Book by a Female Author

* I am Livia by Phyllis T. Smith (Review in Message #50)

A Book with a Mystery

* Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Review in Message #54)

A Book with a One-Word Title

* Shogun by James Clavell (Review in Message #59)

A Book Set on a Different Continent

* Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple (Review in Message #37)

The First Book by a Favorite Author

* Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (Review in Message #56)

A Best-Selling Book

* Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King (Review in Message # 53)

A Book That Scares You

* Needful Things by Stephen King (Review in Message #58)

The Second Book in a Series

* The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson (Review in Message #31)

Free Square

* The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson (Review in Message #57)

Enjoy your Bingo challenge. I am curious to see how many books I read that 'naturally' fit one of the bingo squares before I have to make an effort to pic books to complete the bingo!

Have fun! I'll be listening for your "Bingo!!!"

Like Lori, I am hoping to fill my bingo cards naturally, but will probably have to go searching as the squares whittle down. Got your starred!

Have fun with the bingo! :)

The Second Book in a Series

Book: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Date Finished: 1/5/2014



Book 2 is even better than Book 1 as Vin, Elend, Sazed and other characters involved in the overthrow of the Lord Ruler now have to contend with the defense of Luthadel while facing the ominous advance of the mysterious Mist.

Vin continues to explore the possible uses of her Mistborn powers, conflicted as always about her abilities as well as her very normal human emotions such as love, loyalty and anger. But when it comes down to it, Vin is definitely a "kick-a%%" heroine, who is likable because of her all-too-human characteristics combined with amazing magical powers.

Brandon Sanderson is fast becoming one of my favorite fantasy writers, ranking right up there with GRRM, Patrick Rothfuss, Joe Abercrombie and Scott Lynch!

A Book Published this Year

Book: Sand Omnibus by Hugh Howey
Date Finished: 2/8/2014



After reading the entire Silo Saga (Wool/Shift/Dust) and including them on my Best Reads of 2013 list, I jumped on the Sand Omnibus as soon as I discovered it was published.

While both the Silo Saga and Sand deal with a dystopian future created by humanity’s carelessness, Sand is based in a lawless world reminiscent of the American Wild West. We see this world where sand divers seek the buried past and where loved ones disappear into No Man’s Land mysteriously through the eyes of different members of the same family…a family left to fend for itself in this harsh environment after the disappearance of their father/husband. Hugh Howey has an extraordinary way with words, painting beautiful verbal images of both the world itself and the characters’ state of mind. There were times, however, when I felt that all this prose distracted me from the plot itself, leaving me with what felt like unanswered questions about the background of the world and those responsible for the Sand.

I’m hoping that Hugh Howey has a prequel planned to address the event leading up to this book…I think that would be an excellent way to round out this story.
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A Forgotten Classic

Book: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (Review in Message #33)
Date Finished: 2/8/2014



“Well we all have a face
That we hide away forever
And we take them out and show ourselves
When everyone has gone
Some are satin some are steel
Some are silk and some are leather
They're the faces of the stranger

But we love to try them on
Well, we all fall in love
But we disregard the danger
Though we share so many secrets
There are some we never tell
Why were you so surprised
That you never saw the stranger

Did you ever let your lover see
The stranger in yourself?”
- The Stranger, Billy Joel

http://youtu.be/qdLPI6XhEN8

Billy Joel’s lyrics were resonating through my head as I read Dr. Jekyll’s final confession. Dr. Jekyll is the literary embodiment of duality existing within each individual, with his duality representing extremes of good and evil.

This classic can be appreciated on several levels. First there is the psychological level. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote this novel in 1886, when the field of psychotherapy was in its infancy, and yet he wrote a fascinating tale about what sounds a great deal like split personality disorder. Throughout his life, Dr. Jekyll effectively suppressed his evil Hyde-esque tendencies, but he knew all along that they existed deep within his psyche. So he tried to develop a concoction that would separate the Hyde from the Jekyll, with horrific results.

Looking at this from the scientific perspective, this is another literary example of how scientific inquiry can go awry when moral consequences are not considered. Dr. Frankenstein did this in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, which was written in the early part of the 19th century, when he tried to play God and create life. Here Dr. Jekyll does this by trying to chemically alter a personality so that the “good” half doesn’t have to feel responsible for the immoral/illegal acts of the “evil” half.

Which leads us to the next possible theme, the horrors of substance abuse. Dr. Jekyll “separates” himself from Mr. Hyde, and then returns to himself through the use of a chemical concoction. As time goes on, he becomes addicted to these substances and they gradually cause Mr. Hyde to take over completely, no matter how hard he tries to prevent this from happening.

And then there’s Bugs Bunny…yes, I said Bugs Bunny. Why? Because good ol’ Bugs was my first exposure to “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” so of course I had to watch it after finishing the book. I suppose that because the duality that rages inside of me is my inner child vs. my outer adult….and unlike Dr. Jekyll, I’ve reconciled the two. And anyway, it’s still funny! :D

http://youtu.be/0c5g8a_BSxI

Bugs introduced us to lots of classics. I cannot hear Figaro without picturing Bugs and Elmer chasing each other around. Those are my favorite all time cartoons.

I really should read that one of these days.

I can't read Romeo and Juliet without thinking of Bugs:

"Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?"
"Herefore I art!"

A Book with Non-Human Characters (Animals can be Peculiar too! ;))

Book: Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
Date Finished: 2/12/2014



I have mixed emotions about this sequel to Miss Peregrine' s Home for Peculiar Children. Overall, Ransom Riggs has an incredible imagination and he takes the reader on a highly entertaining quest as Jacob and the Peculiar Children seek a way to save Miss Peregrine. While both books in this series are classified as YA, I found the first book to be more of a crossover work that held a greater appeal for me as an adult, while the style of this sequel reads as more traditionally YA.

After the basis of this quest is established, the plot meanders a bit and the characters take on a Gaiman-esque quality as they wander through a London underworld that is vaguely reminiscent of "Neverwhere." Despite these meanderings, the plot really blossomed toward the end of the book as the reader was led to an unexpected, cliff hanging conclusion.

The photos once again add a fun dimension to the story. However, as others have written, it sometimes seemed that certain plot lines were written just so these photos could be included rather than the other way around.

A Book Set on a Different Continent (Antarctica plays a role in the plot)

Book: Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
Date Finished: 2/26/2014



When I first heard about this book, I didn’t think it would be my cup of tea. However, after reading some reviews and downloading a sample I could see there was something unique about this social satire, which takes the reader on a journey from the Pacific Northwest to Antarctica.

This story took a very unique approach to the mother-daughter bond as we investigate Bernadette Fox’s disappearance through the efforts of her daughter, Bee. The plot is developed through a series of e-mail correspondences, narratives, receipts and other documentation that reveal the inner workings of a quirky yet typical family and community as a whole.

Coming-of-Age and Maturity are both major themes here. Not only does Bee come-of-age as she explores and redefines her relationship with her parents, Bernadette matures as she struggles with her mental needs and we even see some maturity amongst at least one of those manipulative helicopter moms. Also loved the descriptions of Antarctica!

Glad I gave it a chance as it is a well-written, fast paced book (I read it in one day) that would be perfect for the beach or a long trip.

I really enjoyed Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, and I agree, it ranks up there as a unique read. ;-)

>37 KindleKapers: Yeah such a good, funny and unique read, glad that you liked it :)

I was planning to read Where'd You Go, Bernadette for the GeoCAT about polar regions...but is there enough of Antarctica in it? Regardless, I'm looking forward to what sounds like a fun read!

>40 christina_reads: I think so Christina. There's a lot of talking about a trip the Antarctica and then some going and staying there ... If I hadn't already read it, it would have been my choice for the GeoCAT.

40 christina_reads -
I agree with electrice. The trip to Antarctica is an important element to the plot...definitely a food choice for GeoCAT.

Thanks, electrice and KindleKapers! That settles it -- I'll be reading Where'd You Go, Bernadette for the polar regions GeoCAT!

A Book with more than 500 pages

Book: The Passage by Justin Cronin
Date Finished: 4/12/2014



To me, the mark of a great post-apocalyptic tale is its ability to show how humanity reacts in the aftermath of mass destruction of life as we know it. Justin Cronin did this incredibly well, by using his beautiful use of prose to incorporate the thoughts, feelings and life stories of those involved into the plot. So, while creating a terrifying world where governmental experimentation, biological weapon development, contagion and vampire-esque beings change life as we know it, Cronin also tells a tale of love, loss and survival. This is indeed a very unique take on vampires and the post-apocalyptic world and I look forward to reading "The Twelve" (especially considering the way Book #1 ended) and the third book in the trilogy when that is published.

I loved The Passage when I read it earlier this year, and I have ordered The Twelve but it hasn't arrived yet. The Twelve certainly won't sit on my shelves as long as the first one did!

A Book with a Number in the Title

Book: The Twelve by Justin Cronin
Date Finished: 5/22/2014



When I reviewed The Passage, I wrote "To me, the mark of a great post-apocalyptic tale is its ability to show how humanity reacts in the aftermath of mass destruction of life as we know it. Justin Cronin did this incredibly well, by using his beautiful use of prose to incorporate the thoughts, feelings and life stories of those involved into the plot. So, while creating a terrifying world where governmental experimentation, biological weapon development, contagion and vampire-esque beings change life as we know it, Cronin also tells a tale of love, loss and survival. This is indeed a very unique take on vampires and the post-apocalyptic world."

All these thoughts and more still apply to Book 2. The Twelve begins five years after The Passage ends and continues as characters such as Peter Jaxon, Alicia Donadio and some other favorites from Book One continue their search for the remaining Twelve, along with some newly introduced characters. A whole new dimension of "terrifying" is added to this saga as Cronin further delves into just what horrors humanity could be capable of in an already scary post-apocalyptic world. While the Virals are certainly horrific, some of the humans prove themselves to be even more monstrous, as revealed throughout this story. Of course, in spite of the inhumanity, there is heroism and innate goodness that surfaces throughout this tale, with homage paid to love and family.

The ending was both satisfyingly conclusive, while at the same time providing enough of a cliff hanger to hang on to while waiting for Book 3.

Oh, you're whetting my enthusiasm to get back to Justin Cronin's saga. The Twelve sounds like a worthy successor and I am looking forward to it.

Judy - It definitely is worthy...and I thought I heard that Book 3 (The City of Mirrors) will be coming out later in the year. I'm excited! :)

Excellent, that pretty much makes up my mind to fit The Twelve in during the fall and then hopefully get to The City of Mirrors early next year.

A Book by a Female Author

Book: I am Livia by Phyllis T. Smith
Date Finished: 5/29/2014



The story of Antony and Cleopatra has been romanticized and sensationalized throughout the years, but rarely do we hear the story of Caesar Augustus and his powerful wife, Livia Drusilla. In this well-written piece of historical fiction, told from the first person perspective of Livia herself, we are immersed in this love affair, as well as her life as a woman during the years proceeding the assassination of Julius Caesar. Told from the voice of a woman who history has often vilified because of the influence and power she had during her husband's reign, the reader gets an alternate perspective regarding what an intelligent woman needed to do to make an impact in a patriarchal society such as Ancient Rome.

This book is fast-paced and highly readable, with just the right combination of accurate Roman history and an entertaining story which includes romance, passion, and political intrigue.

I remember Caesar and Livia, still, from the TV adaptation of I, Claudius. They were quite the couple.

A Book with Non Human Characters

Book: Watership Down by Richard Adams
Date Finished: 6/17/2014



As this is a classic of modern day fantasy and allegorical fiction, I really wanted to read this one for a while now. While the narrative itself rambled at times. I loved the story itself and its themes of survival, courage, leadership and the vision of a better world. And all through the eyes of bunnies!

A Book on the Bestseller List

Book: Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
Date Finished: 6/26/2014



Week of June 29, 2014 - #2 on the Combined Print/Ebook New York Times Besteller List

Stephen King is one of the most genre-diverse writers I have read. There are his classic horror novels like Carrie, The Shining and Salem's Lot...his fantasies such as the Dark Tower series...his alternate realities such 11/22/63...and now even a crime thriller such as Mr. Mercedes. And all of these genres peppered with Stephen King's special brand of creepy and quirky characters woven together in what's-gonna-happen-next suspense.

This is the story of Det-Ret Bill Hodges, who, while attempting to cope with what he sees as the uselessness of post-retirement life, discovers that he just may not be all that useless when an old unsolved case comes back to haunt him in full force. He becomes a Stephen King-esque Sherlock Holmes with quite an intriguing group of Watsons to help him solve this case. It is also the story of lunatic mass murderer Brady Hatfield, aka as Mr. Mercedes, who is as depraved many of the author's characters, if not more so. The story itself alternates between Hodges' and Brady's POV, creating a can't-put-down thriller and a great summer read leaving me looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.

A Book with a Mystery

Book: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Date Finished: 7/1/2014



I have mixed emotions about this book and I waver between giving this three and four stars.

On the one hand, this is an engrossing he-said-she-said crime thriller, which takes the mind-games of a dysfunctional marriage to a whole new level. The author does a fantastic job in revealing the inner voices of characters such as Nick and Amy, even if the complexities of human nature were ignored in these often stereotypical characters.

On the other hand, while the story itself was a real page turner, I'm not sure how I feel about the conclusion. While I understand the ironic twist at the end of the story, I just found it really disturbing and was left filled with dread about the future of the characters involved.

It will be interesting to see how this is transformed into a movie.

>54 KindleKapers: I agree with you 100% about the ending. I was OK with all the plot points up until that very last twist! I too am interested to see how the book will translate to film.

The First Book by a Favorite Author

Book: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Date Finished: 7/11/2014



After reading the Mistborn series and the Stormlight Archives, I wanted to turn back the clock and read Brandon Sanderson's first original novel, Elantris. Based on what I've read from the author, I already knew that his writing has only gotten better with each book he's written. So I went into this story with this in mind, thinking that Elantris wouldn't compare to books such as Words of Radiance, for instance.

In some ways, I was right in this assumption. Sanderson's writing style has definitely become more sophisticated over the years, with more subtle plot twists and characterization. However, even in this early fantasy, the author shows his incredible ability to create fascinating & unique magic systems, perhaps a result of the "Dor" flowing through him :).

Vivid characters are also one of the author's strong points. Even in his first original story, Sanderson refutes the stereotypical image of modern-day fantasy being dominated by male characters by infusing a strong female protagonist such as Sarene into the plot (In Mistborn, there's Vin; In Stormlight Archives, there's Shallan & Jasnah). Characters such as Prince Roaden, Galladon & Hrathan also play major roles in this story, addressing themes such as heroism, benevolent leadership, xenophobia and spiritual conflict through their thoughts and actions.

Overall, despite the fact that the beginning of the book was a bit uneven and predictable, the second half really became classic Sanderson and kept me engrossed through the excellent conclusion. Still some questions left unanswered, but this somewhat fairy tale-esque story had a very satisfying ending. I would like to read The Emperor's Soul, a novella published in 2012, that is not a sequel to Elantris, but does take place in the Elantrian world.

Free Square

Book: The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
Date Finished: 8/4/2014



Imagine being able to rewrite the history of an item or a being using a special magic? The implications of that are incredible and Brandon Sanderson has once again created a world where such a magic exists.

For such a short novella, Sanderson effectively tells a riveting story set on Sel, the same world where the glowing residents of Elantris live, albeit a region of the world based on Asian culture and history. This is the tale of Shai, a Forger, who is trying to save herself by creating a new soul for the "mostly dead" Emperor Ashravan. In 120 pages, we leanr about Shai's background and how her magic and intellect drive her actions. This is a very well written and intriguing story that can be finished in one sitting, which is a nice change for those of us who are fantasy genre fangirls/fanboys.

A Book that Scares Me

Book: Needful Things by Stephen King
Date Finished: 9/1/2014



“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.”

Oh wait….wrong book. Or is it? Because the man in black goes by many names…names such as Randall Flagg and perhaps Leland Gaunt? This demonic trickster hops from world to world, wreaking havoc wherever he goes, and this time his target is Castle Rock, Maine. If you don’t know why this happens and why certain characters resurface throughout Stephen King’s novels. I recommend reading the Dark Tower series. It is all explained there.

Leland Gaunt sets up his business in Castle Rock, a curiosity shop called “Needful Things”, and here he feeds on the selfish desires of the locals, causing unprecedented chaos and horrific destruction in this not-so-sleepy town. As always, Stephen King weaves together the dark depths of human nature with the supernatural to create a scary, can’t-put-down and thought-provoking tale.

As far as my rating for this book, I give it 5-stars for sheer entertainment value. I was originally going to deduct a star because, as is often the case with longer Stephen King books, I felt that the story may have been a bit longer than necessary. However I changed my mind, being that the length really didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the novel since this really is about the effect of greed and desire on the human population as a whole, and therefore it is necessary to get involved in the lives of many of the inhabitants of Castle Rock and learn their back stories.

Whenever I read a Stephen King book, I like to end my review with a list of his books that I have read, putting them in the order of my favorites (I enjoyed them all, so this is hard to do). So here it is again, including Needful Things:

1 – The Dark Tower series
2- The Stand
3 – Doctor Sleep
4 – 11/22/63
5 – Needful Things
6 – Salem’s Lot
7- Carrie
8 – The Shining
9 – Joyland
10 – Mr. Mercedes
11 – The Dead Zone
12 – Eyes of the Dragon

A Book With a One-Word Title

Book: Shogun by James Clavell
Date Finished: 10/1/2014



This is one of those books that have been on my TBR list for years, and I am so glad that I finally took the time to read this epic adventure.

And "epic" is certainly the way I would describe this story. Loosely based on the real-life explorations of William Adams ("John Blackthorn") & the conquests of Tokugawa Ieyasu ("Lord Toranaga"), this tale encompasses the world in 1600 C.E., with the story centering around feudal Japan, where the samurai class and the Emperors shared power, with the Shogun wielding ultimate influence. The author was a genius in his efforts to show how European politics, religion and economics were ultimately intertwined with the destiny of the characters in the book as well as Japan as a nation on the move. Additionally, the cultural exchange we see throughout the tale between Blackthorn and characters such as Toranago and Mariko, shows the tremendous contrast between European and Japanese culture at the turn of the 17th century. ...and of course the beautiful star-crossed love affair between the Pilot and the Interpreter was both heart-wrenching and beautiful!

As far as some of the critique that I have seen about this book being written from a Western perspective, there a few thoughts to keep in mind. First of all this was written by a Western writer in the 1970s...not only a Western writer but one who was sent to a Japanese POW camp during World War II. Presumably these experiences influenced his perception of Japanese culture. On the other hand, I never had the feeling that Clavell was glorifying Western culture of this era, as he evaluates the hypocrisy and corruption of the Holy Church and critiques the Western views on hygiene, medicine, sex, exploration and imperialism.

Overall this is definitely one of my favorite pieces of historical fiction, probably somewhere on the Top 5 for me and it made me think of some of my other favorites within this genre. Here they are, not necessarily in this order:

1. Shogun, James Clavell
2. Roots, Alex Haley
3. Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett
4. Fall of Giants, Ken Follett
5. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
6. Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden
7. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver, The Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver
8. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
9. Stones from the River, Ursula Hegi
10.The Bonesetter's Daughter, Amy Tan

I know there are more to add, but these are just a few of the works that have really stayed with me.

You might also enjoy Taipan. I devoured these books when they first came out.

>59 KindleKapers: Oh I have this one on my shelves, it's been there for years now. I had an inkling that it was good; I'm glad that it's the case because it's a brick ! Great review :)