mabrown2's 50 books in 2008

Okay, I'm going for it! This is my “50 Books Challenge for 2008!” I'm not too worried about hitting my goal of 50 books. Last year I read 72 books and the year before that I read 90. But this year I want to focus more on the quality of what I'm reading so am challenging myself to try new things. For 2008, I plan to read more non-fiction as well as try out new authors, new genres and heavier classics I've been avoiding since High School. Even though I read 72 books last year, I think I only enjoyed about 10 of them while the rest were just so-so. That probably explains why I found myself in more reading slumps last year than I had ever experienced before. So no more book burn out! It's all about taking pleasure in reading, not in trying to outdo my scores from years before.

And to kick things off, I'll post my first completed book for 2008.

1. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly - I thought this was a pretty good story. I liked the retooling of familiar fairy tales and David's adventures were certainly exciting at times. I did feel like I was rushed through a few situations as a reader but thought everything else rounded out by the end. My only quibble was with the sudden reappearance of once particular character but I don’t want to say too much without giving away a hefty spoiler. All-in-all, I liked it. Not a bad way to kick off the new year! And it definitely was different from the kinds of things I've read in the past.

2. Sorcery and Cecelia by Patricia Wrede & Caroline Stevermer - This book was so much fun! I'll admit that up until about a year ago I used to turn my nose up at YA novels. I don't know why really but I luckily got over my prejudice because I've found some really incredible titles since then. But this one has to rank as one of my favorites. The story is told through a series of letters written between cousins Cecelia and Kate. It's kind of a cross between Jane Austen and Susanna Clarke as it is set in a magical Regency England and had me laughing from the first page. I will definitely be revisiting this book from time to time and may even pick up it's sequel, "The Grand Tour." Until then, I highly recommend it.

3. Grand Tour by Patricia Wrede & Caroline Stevermer - This is the sequel to "Sorcery and Cecelia" and I have to admit it wasn't as good as the first. Still, it was nice to read about these characters again. We got a little more development for Kate and Thomas but poor Cecy and James were left to the imagination in many instances. The action took a little while to build up and for some time I was a bit bored by their travels. It got more exciting as the story progressed though. Not bad but not great.

4. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell - This book reminded me of "The Thirteenth Tale" though it wasn't as well developed. I liked the gothic feel of the story as well as the mystery. O'Farrell did a good job building up to that. My main complaint is that we were left hanging when it came to fate of some of the characters. I would have liked a little more closure with them. Also, the ending was a bit too mysterious. I think I can properly guess what happened at the very end but it wasn't entirely clear. Other than that, I really enjoyed it.

5. The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies - The premise of this book made me think of "Summer of My German Soldier" for adults. This was a very lovely, well-written novel that I enjoyed. But I don't think I was quite as blown away as other reviewers. I liked the overall theme of conflicting loyalties and thought all of the main characters' plotlines were brought together full-circle rather nicely. However, when it was all over and done with, I didn't really feel anything for any of the characters. The story was simply over and done. It didn't stay with me days after.

6. The Midnight Bell by Francis Lathom - I read this book as part of a Group Read assignment. I'm a fan of Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey" and am therefore interested in studying the gothic literature this book was parodying. "The Midnight Bell" made the infamous list now referred to as the Northanger Canon and was our Gothic Group Read's selection of the month. I can definitely see what Jane Austen was making fun of. I about fell over laughing repeatedly due to the ridiculous situations these characters got into along with just how unappealing any of the characters are. The heroine faints every other chapter. The hero cries at the drop of a hat. The story-telling is all tell and no show. But still, with all of its faults it is very entertaining. I look forward to reading more from the canon.

7. The Search for the Red Dragon by James A. Owen - I had read "Here There Be Dragons" by James A Owen when if first came out and thought it was cute enough to try out the second book in the series now that it's been released. Owen does a nice job of blending together several legends, myths, children's stories and real life characters to keep the story moving but I found this one to be less engrossing as the first. It was a quick and easy read but not overly memorable. And it was a little too similar to "The Book of Lost Things" so I guess I'm a little burned out on books like this at the moment. Still, I'll probably pick up Book 3 (if there's one in the works) when it comes out, just out of curiosity.

This is the third YA novel I've read this year...I'm certainly not sticking to my goals as of yet. Must find a non-fiction that can hold my attention long enough to finish it.

Had to respond to that last mention...

I just read Unlocking the Torah Text, and it was a fascinating lesson in close reading and in Judaism if you're remotely interested. I was raised Catholic, and really didn't have any trouble following it. Other nonfiction I'd recommend is The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell by John Crawford which is something of a memoir/collection of stories from a soldier out of Iraq. It's one of the more apolitical accounts I've read. Also, though a bit more dated, there's a wonderful nonfiction by Douglas Adams called Last Chance to See that's a funny and touching documentation of his global travels to visit endangered species. All of these are engaging and entertaining reads if they strike your interests, but I'd certainly gage them as nonfiction that can hold attention. Hope this helps....

Oh, and I'm also reading Teacher Man by Frank McCourt--it's a bit elementary for a teacher (to me), but really engagin all the same. Anyhow, good luck in your reading!

Wow, I haven't been back in months to post my progress. Sorry for not resonding whitewavedarling. Thank you for your suggestions as well. I'll have to look into those titles you recommended.

I guess I'd better get my list caught up as well. My comments probably won't be as long but at least I'll get the list updated :)

8. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - This was a reread but I just love Jane Austen and have to pick up one of her books every once in a while and I was in the mood for S&S this go around. I must say, this wasn't a favorite of the 6 novels but the more I read it, the more I find to love about it so who knows? It may one day sneak into the Top 2 category.

9. American Creation by Joseph J Ellis - Finally! I managed to sneak in some non-fiction. Too bad this book was a dissapointment. I liked the idea of this book and learned some interesting insights into the men who helped shape this nation, but was a little turned off by the way the book was structured. It didn't seem very coherent and I didn't think it transitioned all that well from one story to the next. It always felt a little incomplete each time he would change up his focus.

10. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell - Another reread but one I love! And more non-fiction so I was happy. I love Sarah Vowell's approach to history, tying it in with tourism. Her enthusiasm always makes me want to go visit these places (and I have already done so in some cases). I look forward to reading more of her works in the future.

11. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare - Yes I know it's a play but I still count it! Especially since I did actually read the book along with the notes and essays accompanying it. This play is probably my favorite of WS's comedies.

12. I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley - This was a delightful collection of essays. I loved Crosley's style and was psyched that she had an entire essay about the joys of playing Oregon Trail. This book also helped get me out of a reading slump so added props!

13. Macbeth by William Shakespeare - Yes another play by William Shakespeare. This one is my favorite Tragedy so similar comments to #11. Notes, essays, read 'em, etc.

14. Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn - After watching the fantastic BBC Mini-Series "State of Play" I really wanted to read a political thriller novel in the worst way. Not finding anything that struck my fancy I settled on Transfer of Power. Overall, I liked it. It served it's purpose. Vince Flynn isn't the most skilled writer when it comes to character development or dialogue but he sure does know his foreign relations. This was a good quick fluff read. I'd read more in the Mitch Rapp series.

15. The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell - More of Vowell and another book of essays. I enjoyed this collection and again wished I could write like Vowell. Or at least live a similar life. She's a nerd (like me) so whenever I read her stuff I tend to feel giddy knowing there IS someone out there who shares my interests.

16. King Lear by William Shakespeare - Yes yes ANOTHER play. But in this case, I'd never actually read or seen it performed so this was totally new to me. And I totally enjoyed it.

17. The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby - I had been in a reading slump and I found these collection of essays really helped me get back in my reading groove because I could easily finish one and set the book aside if I needed to, know I had at least completed something. Nick Hornby is one of my favorite authors and again, I love that there is someone else out there who has the same obsessive tendencies as I when it comes to purchasing and reading books. I loved reading his adventures in book buying, book reading and explaining to everyone else why the heck he does what he does. Great collection. Very funny.

18. Heartsick by Chelsea Cain - I love dark and twisty stories and this one fit right in with that description, although I could have done with a little more character development. Overall the content felt a little light and reminded me of "Silence of the Lambs" in a few cases. However, I still enjoyed it. It was a quick read and definitely different. I may pick up the next in this series but I won't be in a hurry to do so.

19. Wit's End by Karen Joy Fowler - I really liked the concept of this book. Focusing on writers and fans of books and characters and how sometimes obsessions can be taken a little too far. There wasn't any major action in this story. No huge revelations or dramatic events. But the journey was so nicely done. I remember finishing the book not feeling any kind of connection to any of the characters but still managed to connect to the story at least. I had read Fowler before and knew everything would be a bit more subtle. I'd read more by her in the future.

20. Take the Cannoli by Sarah Vowell - I wasn't as impressed with this collection of essays by Vowell but I think that's because I couldn't figure out the central theme of the collection. It seemed a bit disjointed. There were several stand-out essays I enjoyed but as a whole, I wasn't as blown away by this one as I was with her other books.

21. Relic by Douglas Preston & Lee Childs - The book is definitely better than the movie but that's not saying much. I needed a distraction and picked this up because it was there. It was a fun thriller but not meaty at all and there were so many characters I had a hard time keeping up sometimes. I'd consider this an excellent beach read.

22. Reliquary by Douglas Preston & Lee Childs - I know, why would I read the sequel if I wasn't blown away by the first? Well, again I needed something light as more of a distraction than anything else. But yeah...the second time around wasn't all that great. I had a hard time finishing this one only because I was bored by the story.

23. Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin - Wow! Talk about a fantastic book. I decided I'd had enough mindless reading and picked up a juicy non-fiction. I definitely made the right choice with this one. Goodwin does a remarkable job introducing us to the men who served in Lincoln's cabinet and describing the American political climate in which these men had to function. I also loved that she didn't take sides (North good, South evil) and make biased assumptions. She presented both sides of the civil war very well and gave just enough detail about the action on the field of battle to remind readers just what Lincoln and his team were trying to work with. I definitely recommend this book to anyone, not just history buffs. It's so well-written, so easy to read, and so interesting that you'll find you have a hard time putting it down.

24. Footprints of God by Greg Iles - A friend of mine kept pesting me to read Iles but I think I started with the wrong book. I liked Iles' writing style but this novel left me feeling cold. I didn't like the main characters and the whole scenario was uninteresting to me. I couldn't quite figure out where everything was going and thought the ending just sort of happened without any rhyme or reason. I think I'll try another one of Iles' novels before I pass final judgment though.

Okay, that catches me up for this year. I'm behind where I want to be overall but am definitely keeping with my initial goal of 50. I think at this rate, I'll be able to make it.

25. The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz - This was such a fun book! Really loved the Spellman family and their interactions with each other. They kept me laughing the entire time. The "mystery" part of the story wasn't really much of a mystery but that's okay. I got the feeling that it was supposed to be a secondary to the main attraction which was this zany cast of characters interfering with each other's lives. Great summer/beach read.

26. Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz - I liked the first one so much I quickly went and bought up the follow-up novel. I was really happy this one featured more of Henry Stone and gave us new relationship potential for Izzy. I also loved that Lutz didn't immediately go there. That leaves room for more Spellman books in the future. Again, the "mystery" wasn't that big of a deal. I managed to figure out pretty early on what was up with Subject (John Brown) and the copycat vandals. But we got more character growth from the Spellmans along with more zany antics from Izzy. Can't wait for the third installment!

27. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris - Okay, since I read two beach reads in a row, I had to pick up something with a little more substance. So I turned to TR and Pulitzer Prize winning Morris for inspiration. Definitely a fantastic telling of TR's rise to power. It was well-researched and full of wonderful anecdotes that reflected TR's personality and character well. I only wish there had been more on his family but I realize that information was secondary to his actually career in politics. So next I'll have to read a book more about them to satisfy my curiosity. A great book! I highly recommend it to any history nerds out there.

28. Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie - I went on a mock vacation recently so needed some easy-to-read light and fluffy books to keep me entertained when there weren't other events going on. This book served its purpose well. While not remarkable in any sense, it was cute and certainly a nice distraction. I liked it enough to pick up the second one in the series, which brings me to....

29. Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie - This second novel in the Psychic Eye series was just like the first in that it wasn't great but wasn't bad either. Dutch wasn't in this one as much which was all well and good because his only purpose seems to be to give Abby a really hot boyfriend with a baritone voice (a description used repeatedly when Dutch is in the picture). This one was a little tougher to read only because it's one of those "let's have every kind of crap happen to the heroine" stories so I felt exhausted for the character. Still, it was a nice distraction but now I'm ready for something meaty and thought-provoking. :)

30. A Vision of Murder by Victoria Laurie - Yes, I went ahead and read the third novel in the Psychic Eye myster series. This was was a little more interesting than the last but still along the lines of "junk food" reading.

31. What a Ghoul Wants by Victoria Laurie - I couldn't help it. I needed more easy and fast reads so stuck with Laurie. This book is sort of a spin-off from the psychic eye series. I liked this heroine better but couldn't stand the leading man. Time to move on to something a little more nutritional.

32. The Best Day of Someon Else's Life by Kerry Reich - Okay, so this would still be considered "chick lit" but I think it was full of more substance than most books I read in this category. I liked that the heroine in this story was very intelligent (conversations about Jane Austen creations such as Charlotte Lucas and Anne Elliot? clever movie mock titles and pop culture references? quotes from Nietzsche?) with interesting friends. The only thing I found irritating about this novel was the huge amount of errors sprinkled throughout. I wondered if the book was even edited before publishing! Still, it was a great beach read.