Book_Junkie's new challenge for 2008

Well, I failed to reach 50 last year, partly because I didn't start the challenge in earnest until about October. So I am starting afresh this year - aiming to read at least 50 books. I have picked up my first book of the year - About a Boy by Nick Hornby.

Finished read About A Boy (3 and a half stars).

Going to start my next book now...Above Suspicion, by Lynda La Plante.

Finished my second book of the year - Above Suspicion by Lynda La Plate (4 stars).

2 down, 48 to go!

3rd book finished - The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud by Ben Sherwood - loved it (4 and a half stars)

4 books down - just finished All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (4 and a half stars)

Read my fifth book - As Far As You Can Go by Lesley Glaister (3 and a half stars)

Just finished the 6th book - The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. (4 stars)

Have read my 7th book - Edward Trencom's Nose by Giles Milton - 3 and a half stars.

8 books down - only 42 to go! Have just finished Never Say Never by Melissa Hill (3 stars)

Finished my 9th book of the year - The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty - 2 and a half stars.

Just finished number 10 - Random Acts of Heroic Love by Danny Scheinmann (3 stars).

Book number 11 done - Victoria Holt's The Shivering Sands. Loved it - 4 and a half stars.

Just finished 12th book of the year - No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy (3 and a half stars).

Have finished my 13th (and possibly favourite so far) book this year - The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri - 4 and a half stars.

14th book read - Hide and Seek by Clare Sambrook - loved it (5 stars)

Just finished my 15th book of the year Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie - 2 and a half stars.

Have now finished my 16th book this year - Close Range: Brokeback Mountain and other stories by Annie Proulx. Sorry to say that I didn't really enjoy it that much - a couple of good stories (and Brokeback Mountain is definitely the best, although the film is better), but overall I was glad to finish this book. Gave it 2 and a half stars, for BBM and 'The Bushgrass Edge of the World'.

It's good to hear "Brokeback Mountain" is the best--I'm about halfway through the book, and each time I finish a story, it's a while before I'm able to make myself go back to it. Of course, that's partly because I'm always reading multiple books, and this just isn't holding me from the others yet.

I hope you enjoy BBM when you get to it.

I've just finished my 17th book this year - Light on Snow by Anita Shreve. I enjoyed it - 3 and a half stars.

Finished my 18th book this year - it is the one that has taken me longest to read (so far) - Fingersmith, by Sarah Waters (3.5 stars).

Just finished my 19th book of the year - a disappointing Who Moved My Blackberry? (by Martin Lukes) - Lucy Kellaway - 2 stars.

Just read my 20th book this year - The Terracotta Dog by Andrea Camilleri - 4 and a half stars.

have now read my 21st book of the year - The Shoe Queen by Anna Davis. Really enjoyed it - 4 stars.

My 22nd book of the year was The Snack Thief by Andrea Camilleri - third in the series, and just as good as the first two, if not better. 4 and a half stars.

Just finished my 23rd book this year - nearly halfway through the challenge! It was The Savage Garden by Mark Mills, and I thought it was an interesting read. 3.5 stars.

24 down, 26 to go. Just finished Chart Throb by Ben Elton. Good read - 3.5 stars.

I have just finished my 25th book of the year, so am halfway through the challenge. The book was Forrest Gump by Winston Groom - 4 stars.

Have just finished The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory - my 26th challenge book, which exceeded my expectations - 4 stars.

My 27th book this year was The Pilo Family Circus by Will Elliott. It started well, but tailed off to a disappointing end. (3 stars).

Just finished my 28th book of the year - Betty Blue by Philippe Dijan - easily the best book I have read all year. (5 stars)

My 29th book this year was A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler - I enjoyed it (3.5 stars).

have just finished reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. Interesting read, if hard going at times - 3.5 stars. (My 30th book this year).

My 31st book of 2008 was Big Cherry Holler by Adriana Trigiani. Loved it - 4 stars.

Have just finished my 32nd book of the year - The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard. Bad writing, saved by a gripping story.

My 33rd book this year was The Bullet Trick by Louise Welsh. Good read, let down by a bad ending - 3.5 stars.

I have just finished reading my 34th book of the year - The Bad Dog's Diary by Martin Howard. Very sweet and funny book - 4.5 stars.

When We Were Bad by Charlotte Mendelson was my 35th book of the year - liked it very much - 4 stars.

Just finished the 36th book I have read this year - The Voice of the Violin by Andrea Camilleri. I always enjoy the Montalbano series - I gave this one four stars.

The 37th book I read in 2008 was One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. Excellent book - 4 stars.

I have now read my 38th book of the year - The Carnival Master by Craig Russell. I gave it 3 stars.

Have just finished my 39th book of the year - The Conjuror's Bird by Martin Davies (3 out of 5 stars).

Have now read my 40th book of the year - After Dark by Haruki Murakami, and my 41st book of the year - Gold by Dan Rhodes. I gave After Dark 3.5 stars, and Gold 4 stars.

The end of the challenge is in sight! I have just finished my 42nd book of 2008 - The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. Loved it - 5 stars.

Just finished my 43rd book of the year - The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein by Peter Ackroyd. It was a very pleasant surprise - 4.5 stars.

My 44th book this year was A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers by Xiaolu Guo. Started off great, dragged in the middle, and I was glad to finish it. 2.5 stars.

Just finished my 45th book this year - The Suicide Shop by Jean Teule. Highly enjoyable - 4.5 stars.

I have just read my 46th book of 2008 - The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. I gave it 3.5 stars.

I am getting very near to the end of the challenge now, and am considering giving myself a 60 book challenge for next year.

My 47th book of the year was The Dressmaker by Elizabeth Birkelund Oberbeck. (4 stars).

My 48th book of 2008 was Rue De La Pompe by James Earle McCracken. Very good - 4 stars.

Just finished my 49th book of the year - Stained Souls by Ferran O'Neill. I enjoyed it - 3.5 stars.

I HAVE COMPLETED THE CHALLENGE!!!! My 50th book of the year and final book of the challenge (although by no means my final book of this year) was Mistress of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle. I enjoyed it - 3.5 stars.

I HAVE COMPLETED THE CHALLENGE!!!! My 50th book of the year and final book of the challenge (although by no means my final book of this year) was Mistress of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle. I enjoyed it - 3.5 stars.

Hi, Book_Junkie!
Congratulations on reaching your 50 Book Challenge goal! You read a lot of interesting books. What did you think about H. G. Wells? I have been wanting to read his books. Happy Reading!
--BJ

Hi billiejean,

Sorry I didn't respond earlier - I only just saw your post. I loved The Time Machine, and definitely want to read more by Wells now. I think The Invisible Man will be the next one.