Beeg's 2008 Challenge

First book of the new year:
1 Black Order, James Rollins very entertaining, a good page turner, with cool history as well

2 The Judas Strain, James Rollins this is my new substitute for FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast, looking forward to the next installment of the sigma force

3 Darkwing, Kenneth Oppel a YA book whose cover caught my attention, it reminded me of watership down

4 The hard way, Lee Child good story, his style is pretty dry but an easy read for the most part

5 White Oleander, Janet Fitch. I was blown away by this book, her story telling kept me from putting the book down, I read it in one day

That is such a great book, beeg! I LOVED the ending, so powerful. I read it years ago, and I picked it up in a bookstore not too long ago to read the final scene between Astrid and her mother, and it was still breathtaking. I teared up right there. So good.

After reading the book, I realized what a good job the movie did. The actors really caught the flavor of the characters - check it out if you haven't watched it yet.

I will have to do that, I think. Thanks for the recommendation.

6 The book of lost things, John Connolly clever book, good story, lots of moral of the story boys and girls

7 Subterranean, James Rollins a fast read, the sigma books seem more mature

Beeg, you should do the touchstone thing because it makes it easier for us reading your messages to look up the books on your list. It takes a little extra time, but I just thought you might not have noticed that you could do that, it's way cool. You can find instructions for it right next to where you can post a message. Sorry if you know and just don't want to do it. Good luck with your challenge. I agree about White Oleander, too.

LOL thanks! I couldn't figure it out before :)
mostly because it doesn't always seem to show up for me.

It isn't you. They are buggy and don't always work for everyone. If you look through the threads, you'll see many "Touchstones Wonky" messages in the posts. Still when they work, they're worth doing.

I'm hoping to start The Book of Lost Things sometime in the next couple of months. I'll wait until I'm in a "moral of the story boys and girls" mood though.

Thanks for the reply, and yes I've seen a few "touchstones not working" let me know how you like The book of lost things

Beeg, your current reading list reads like mine from last year. :) I read White Oleander, The Book of Lost Things, Black Order, and The Judas Strain all in 2007! And I don't remember when I read Subterranean, but I'm a huge fan of Rollins in general. Try out Amazonia. It was my favorite of all of his novels. Keep up with the good taste in books!

Thanks, one of the things I enjoy about LT is finding books to read. I think I have Amazonia in my TBR pile, which is piling up thanks to my over zealous library girl.

8 The angel of darkness Caleb Carr
ugh, what a ploddy nightmare of a book this was. I almost gave it up to move on to something else, too bad I didn't follow my instincts. It's at least 300 pages too long.

HAHAHA, I so am that overzealous library girl. : I'm the reader's advisory geek on the reference staff. Hope you enjoy Amazonia when you get to it!

9 The vanishing Bentley Little
meh, not impressed, maybe there are better books by this author.

10 Swordspoint Ellen Kushner

sharp wit, twisty plots, a fun read.

11 Ice Hunt James Rollins
it was ok, I get a little tired of all the shooting, falling and being saved at the last minute.

I taught White Oleander one semester along with July, July by Tim O'Brien, Dancing with the White Dog by Terry Kay, A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines, By the Light of My Father's Smile by Alice Walker, and When the Finch Rises by Jack Riggs who is a colleague of mine and all around good guy! They are ALL issue books and the class became interesting very quickly, mostly positively interesting (as opposed to the Chinese curse of interesting).

12 Sandstorm James Rollins

it was ok, I think I'm getting burned out on him and need to move on (I really want to read Duma key but still have two library books by James left to go).

:( Don't read Amazonia if you're burned out; I'd hate to see it ruined for you. For as much as I love Rollins, even I don't think I could read them all back to back. I can't do that with any author without getting sick of them.

LOL that's the vexing part, I think I have every book *but* Amazonia!

Thanks, I'll be sure to add them to my TBR pile (after I knock it down a bit)

13 Excavation James Rollins

meh, I'm over this guy for awhile, Hello Mr King!

15 Duma key Stephen King

This book snatched me up, carried me off then deposited me gently when it was done. It reminded me why I've been a constant reader.

Hey Beeg:

I've never even wanted to read Stephen King until I read your lyrical take on Duma Key. I've added it to my 'to buy' list.

ack! what if you don't like it?! every time you see it you'll think "damn that beeg person!" now I'm biting my nails waiting for you to read it ;) seriously I hope you do read it and let me know what you think.

16 The Prestige Christopher Priest

Here's the thing, I loved the movie, so much I wanted to read the book. I find most of the time a book will explain things the movie leaves open. Ok not this time, not so much. The book is good, I liked it, but found myself annoyed it didn't follow the movie (rather than the other way around) it also didn't clean up any unexplained threads. It was for the most part a different entity than the movie. So, I liked the book and I liked the movie, both are good in their own right.

17 Mister B. Gone Clive Barker

Love Clive, this was a tiny book figured I would knock it out in a couple of hours, it's been weeks. The book's idea is clever but it just never did it for me.

18 Amazonia James Rollins

It was ok, I can pretty much predict what's going to happen in his books by now.

19 Thornyhold Mary Stewart

So much for getting anything done today. I love this book, I re-read it every couple of years. I needed the inspiration to start spring cleaning and yard work.

20 The Nonesuch Georgette Heyer

well, if I use to like her when I was younger my taste has changed.

That's exactly how I felt after reading Thornyhold! I got quite a bit of organizing done in my bedroom this very morning, as a matter of fact, inspired by Geillis!

the garden, the house, the whole story was like a fairy tale to me, when I bought my house I felt just like her.

21 Creepers David Morrell

I didn't love this book, at least it was a fast read.

22 Mystery walk Robert R. McCammon

it was ok, I think my favorite book is Wolf's hour.

23 A thousand splendid suns Khaled Hosseini

this book was so sad, so distressing and disturbing. I was relived when the ending got better.

24 the curious incident of the dog in the night-time Mark Haddon

This book is highly entertaining - think Rainman as a child. It also reminded me of a friend of mine who after brain surgery developed a kind of savantism.

25 Hell House Richard Matheson

this book keeps popping up in the Horror threads, I've read Matheson before but never this book. I needed a break from Wicked and this was just the ticket, a fast read that took a few hours. Now I can go back to plowing through Wicked hoping it gets better and makes it worth my time.

26 Wicked the life and times of the wicked witch of the west Gregory Maguire

whew, what a verbose book this was, ploddy at best but witty and sharp. I loved the concept but got annoyed at the directions it kept taking off in. I have *no* idea how they turned this into a play.

27 Chocolat Joanne Harris

what a delicious book, I gobbled it up I couldn't resist. Each time I sat down I would make a deal with myself, just one chapter then back up to do laundry or mop, or paper work. It was like a 1/2 pound bag of peanut M&N's once I started I couldn't stop.

You should watch the movie Chocolat if you loved the book so much. The sight of all that chocolate (and Johnny Depp) is just as addictive, mm.

oh god, I love Johnny I want to have his children! I did see Chocolat - loved it! like my all time most favorite movie for a couple of years running.

(I always wonder how they decide which characters in a book to - do away with, embellish or just make up)

Hahaha good. That movie is so fantastic. I can't watch it without a pile of chocolate to munch, though. It's a bad influence. :)

28 Carrion Comfort Dan Simmons

if you like epic horror this is the book for you. I can see how people liken it to The Stand

#47 I agree with Johnny. I haven't read the book yet but now it's on my to read list. I actually just watched the move the other night so now I'm interested in finding out what characters were not originally in the book or what was different.

I'm sure you'll enjoy it. it's more good verses evil with them wearing different hats. Check back and let me know what you think.

29 Practical Magic Alice Hoffman

light and fluffy, nothing like the movie.

Ok this is the last library book. I'm taking a break from reading and will work on two stained glass projects before the heat gets here. I will catch up on movies and house projects as well.

cross my heart, amen.

Don't stay away too long beeg . . . think of all those books just calling your name !

see Judy, I managed 4 whole days! LOL

30 We have always lived in the castle Shirley Jackson

someone mentioned this story here in LT, so thanks it was a great story. It felt like a cross between What ever happened to Baby Jane and The boxcar children. I know..I have no idea why that springs to mind, but there you have it.

31 Mr. Hands Gary A. Braunbeck

This was a bit of a cheese fest. Didn't care for it at all. I think it had good intentions, the cover rocked but it was down hill after that.

Hi beeg, I'm curious about Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic. Is it worth reading?

hi suncloud,

it's not the best book I've read this year but I always wanted to read it after seeing the movie (liked the movie better) reads fast, has a nice story and a happy ending.

Beeg didn't care for the supernatural aspect closer to the end of the book but otherwise loved Mr. Hands.

Also 31 books already? You going for 100?

Thanks for the tip -- I'll read it as a break after a heavier book. I liked the movie also.

no she didn't, she hated Mr Hands

I was going for 50 but something about being around all these books makes me read more, try and pick something I'll like next time ;)

That was meant to say 'beeg I didn't care for the supernatural aspect closer to the end of the book but otherwise loved Mr Hands' =)

LOL I thought you were trying to talk me into it

I thought it was too Dean Koontz-ie in style

32 The Glass Castle Jeannette Walls

my librarian gave this book to me, she thought I would like it. And she was right, I thought it was excellent. Funny thing is I found myself relating to many of the things happening in the story. Not that my life was like hers so much, just that she has a way of writing that makes you remember things as a child.

33 Book of the Dead Patricia Cornwell

I'm over Ms Cornwell, there are too many good books waiting to be read. It could be just me but I find her writing has gotten too dry, too emotionless - boring. It's like she writes because she has to, rather then wants to tell a story.

34 Death of a gentle lady M.C. Beaton

I grabbed this because of the cover. I've read one of these Hamish Macbeth mysteries before if it's not the same one then they read alike. The guy reminds me of Columbo, with a side of Agatha Christie.

35 The Double bind Chris Bohjalian

This book blew me away did *not* see the ending coming. I highly recommend it. I don't even want to post about it, I wouldn't want to give anything away. Just read it.

I have this one in my tbr list--maybe I should move it up!

oh yeah, you won't be sorry. If you're a fan of The Great Gatsby you'll really enjoy it.

36 True Believer Nicholas Sparks

ugh, not my usual kind of book to read, I almost abandoned it when I realized it was a nice romantic fluffy kind of story.

37 The Dead of Summer Camilla Way

wicked cool twisty dark story. finished it up at one sitting.

38 Naomi's Room Jonathan Aycliffe

a nice creepy ghost story, reads fast, plot is a bit predictable.

Oh, I loved The Dead of Summer too. That was definitely one of the most concise, startling stories I've read in a long time. No wasted words there, just really good intense action.

Oh, now I really am moving The Double Bind up! Also, I can't stand Nicholas Sparks--they aren't even good examples of romantic fluff. They are way overly sentimental, and the characters are kind of unbelievable. Or, at least, that's the way it was in the one I read, and it was so bad I am totally willing to generalize.

39 The Keeper Sarah Langan

a nice horror story that just creeped along. Sad and disturbing, none of that kill the monster save the day at the end of the book kinda story.

40 Cold comfort farm Stella Gibbons

what a hoot this book was, I loved the movie and after reading the book I found it captured it beautifully.

41 The Missing Sarah Langan

I have a new favorite author, second part to The Keeper just as creepy, went in a different direction, I like this one best.

42 The age of Innocence Edith Wharton

keeping to my plan to read at least one Pulitzer Prize and one classic a year.

A story of it's time, a bit boggy because of the writing style but I still enjoyed it.

43 Nightwitch Jack Priest

didn't love this book, over all it was dull.

44 The other Boleyn girl Philippa Gregory

I enjoyed this, a good historical novel that didn't slide into a romance. I'm a big fan of the series "The Tudors" and I think the cast must have read this book - the characters run parallel.

45 Blood and chocolate Annette Curtis Klause
it was YA for sure. Too young for me, I almost abandoned it, but since I bailed on Vanity fair I decided to suck it up and finish it.

46 The woman in white Wilkie Colllins

The only thing I liked about this book is the authors first name. What a plodding verbose nightmare this was. I'm doomed for classics at the rate I'm going.

47 Autumn David Moody

This was a surprise, I didn't love it in the beginning as it lacked polish and I thought the story would be poor. I was hooked after a few chapters and happy I stuck with it.

48 Skeletons at the feast Chris Bohjalian

I enjoyed this, it was insightful, moved at a good pace and I learned about the last part of world war II. I like this author, he tells a good story.

49 The host Stephenie Meyer

Not my usual kind of book, I would call it chick fluff for the most part. My library ladies think anything "weird" is up my alley, ok, for the most part they're right, they don't get I like my alleys a lot darker.

I will say I liked the book, I'm not sorry I read it, I would recommend it to females that like nice stories with a little twist.

50 Chosen by a horse Susan Richards

I love horses, always loved horses, this book reminds me of a life I wanted.

Hi Beeg,
Looks like you've past your 50 book mark! Congratulations!

thanks, I moved over to the 75 book challenge, I think I'm up to 67 now? check out my list over there if you get a chance.

Oh, why does everyone move when they do this? I can't join another board, I can't keep up with this one! I will try to make it over there, but no promises....

no big, 50 was just too easy for me, 75 is a better fit LOL so far