i.should.b.reading 2008 challenge

Last year I read 135 books, so this year I'm trying for 150. I actually counted the other day and I have 60 books TBR at home that I've bought. I think I might be addicted to buying books.

So far I've read:

1. Special Topics in Calamity Physics
2. Bank by David Bledin
3. Cabinet of Curiosities

I'm working on The Terror and Big Boned.

Oh my gosh, did you love Bank as much as I did? I thought it was a fantastic first novel. Very Office Space.

I loved it. I thought it was really funny and I liked that nobody had real names.

4. Promise Not To Tell by Jennifer McMahon I loved this book!
5. Big Boned by Meg Cabot

6. Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
I liked this book, but toward the end I was ready to move on to something else. Not sure if it was because I just bought a whole bunch of books or because of the book itself.

7. Dark of the Moon by John Sanford

8. The Terror by Dan Simmons

This is about an arctic expedition of Sir John Franklin to find the Northwest Passage. It primarily revolves around Captain Francis Crozier. They have been stuck in the ice for 2 winters and there is something outside the ship killing the men. And inside there are problems with the food, the cold, scurvy and much more. I really loved this book. I liked the way he built suspense with the monster outside the ship and the journey Dan Simmons takes you on. Yes, this was a long book, but it was worth the read.

I'm working on New England White and will probably start Bel Canto today.

9. New England White by Stephen L. Carter
After reading a lot of reviews about this book I was debating on whether or not I should read it. I am glad I did. I enjoyed the book, but I could see why people gave it so-so reviews. The basic story was good and interesting. There were a lot of side stories that I felt detracted from the basic storyline and it got tiring trying to keep up with everything.

I felt the same way about New England White. I thought it was worth the read, and I thought the race relations aspect was really interesting, even if there wasn't a real...I don't know, spark?, there to make me really go crazy for the book as a whole. I did enjoy watching Julia get slowly feistier though. :)

10. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

I loved the Hitchhiker's Guide, and I don't even like sci fi/fantasy. Wasn't that a great read? :')

I liked it a lot. I have added more of his books to my list of books I want to read. I just don't know when I'll get to it because everyday that list is longer and longer. Especially now that I've found LT.

11. The River King by Alice Hoffman

I liked this book, but it isn't one that I will want to read again. I thought it would have more mystery then it did and found some of the plot predictable.

I know what you mean. My TBR list is so long, it would take me two years to finish it even if I completely stopped adding more. :(

12. Third Degree by Greg Iles

I've read most of Greg Iles books and I didn't think this was his best one. It was just ok.

Currently Reading: The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

Tonight I will start on A Confederacy of Dunces since I have it from the library and its due soon. I'm trying to read one library book and one book I own at the same time. That way I can make both piles of books smaller.

13. The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
14. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

15. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

I read this with my son. Next we have to read Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane.

16. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

I really enjoyed this book. Normally I am not surprised what happens in a book, but this one surprised me.

17. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

A fun and light read. This novella is about the Queen of England finding a love of books.

18. The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton

19. Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins

20. The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry

I normally love Steve Berry books. I did like the book, but I didn't love it. I thought some of his other books were better.

The Camel Bookmobile sounds interesting...is the subject as apparent as the title would have me believe? How did you like it?

Pretty much. It was about an american woman going to Kenya to help start a bookmobile that travels by camel to help spread literacy. There is a librarian from Kenya that travels with her and he doesn't feel the camel bookmobile is a good idea. You see them travel to one main settlement where the elders do not want the bookmobile and the young love it. I really enjoyed the book.

Thanks for the summary! I have sort of a penchant for books about bookmobiles, so that sounds right up my alley. :)

21. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I almost didn't read this book because it was for young adults. I saw so many people on LT saying it was wonderful and I finally decided to read it. I am glad I did. This is a beautifully written book about and young girl is going to live with foster parents. Narrated by Death we see Liesel's life beginning at age 9 and how she is affected by WWII. She grows to love her foster family, her best friend Rudy lives next door and she learns to love words. I cannot say enough about this book. It was amazing and I wish it hadn't had to end.

22. Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods

Another book read at the same time as my son. He really loves the Underland series by Suzanne Collins.

A Confederacy of Dunces is the single funniest book I've ever read. I was living in New Orleans when it came out, and boy did Toole hit the nail on the head with his portrayal! Whoa!

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is funny, too, but the best version of it is not the book or the movie or even the old TV version, but the BBC radio version, which was shear brilliance.

I thought A Confederacy of Dunces was hilarious. My favorite character was Jones. I loved him finding out everything he could about Ignatius. And of course I thought the ending of the book very fitting.

23. A People's History of the United States

This book took me forever to read. I am not a big reader of non-fiction. I decided to read this because my husband is currently a social studies major and wants to teach high school history. I thought it would help me to know more about what he loves.

I can say I learned a lot, but I can't say that I enjoyed it. This is more because I am not really into history and less with the book itself.

Aw you remind me of me with non-fiction. Also with not being into history. You're a good wife to suffer that to understand his passion better. :)

24. Mary Mrs. A. Lincoln by Janis Cooke Newman

I love historical fiction and this book was wonderful. It is about Mary Lincoln and goes back and forth from her being in a sanitarium to her life with Abe. It was a beautiful story and now I want to read a non-fiction book about her life.

25. The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall

I'm not sure why I had this on my list or why I really wanted to read it. Maybe it was the title. I thought it was really good. It is about Eric Sanderson who wakes up one morning and does not have any memory of who he is. He finds a letter that tells him to call a Dr. Randle and is signed the First Eric Sanderson. That is only the beginning. It is an interesting book and I really liked it.

26. The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz

I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed The Raw Shark Texts. I am about 100 pages in to it and I'm still not sure where it is going.

I am also a newcomer to The Hitchhiker's Guide series. So far I have read only the first two, but am determined to continue the series this year. BTW have to agree with rocketjk, the BBC version is hilarious!

27. The Children's Hospital by Chris Adrian

28. Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

29. Mistress of the Art of Death
30. Murder on K Street by Margaret Truman
31. Him, Her, Him Again, The End of Him by Patricia Marx

32. The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta

I really did not like this book. I thought the premise was good, but it didn't deliver or go in the direction I thought it would.

33. Beginner's Greek by James Collins

I liked this book. It is about two people that you hope end up together, but you never know if it will happen. It begins with Peter and Holly meeting on an airplane and falling instantly in love. Peter takes her number, but later finds it gone. So the romance begins. This book takes you through many different areas of Peter's life and the lives of those around him. I didn't always enjoy how deeply involved you became in some of the other characters, but overall I liked the book.

34. Manic by Terri Cheney

A memoir of a woman's life while living with bipolar disorder. Since I have seen my brother go through manic and depressed phases I thought it would be interesting to read this book. You get a first hand account of mental illness. Though you don't read much about how her illness has affected those around her. The chapters are not in chronological order because she wanted the book to mirror her disease which is chaotic and unpredictable. This isn't a book that you say you enjoy, but I am glad that I read it.

What a great list! The Book Thief was an LT recommendation that I fell in love with! It's now one of my favorite books!

I also read The Abstinence Teacher and really didn't like it. Glad I checked it out from the library.

Thanks! I was glad I had checked The Abstinence Teacher out from the library too.

Make that a ditto for me on The Abstinence Teacher too. It was okay, but I consider it one of my "filler" books for last year: sounded great in the review, wasn't so great in reality, but at least it added to my page and book count...

35. The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes

I really liked this book.

36. The Boleyn Inheritance

I liked this book, but not as much as The Other Boleyn Girl or The Queen's Fool.

I don't really know what to read next. I started Clown Girl but can't decide if I should keep reading it or start something else instead. And of course there is still War and Peace, but I am at a boring part and can't seem to move past it.

37. Clown Girl by Monica Drake

The introducton was written by Chuck Palahniuk and I love him. So I went into this thinking, that if he loves the book then I will too. I did not love this book. It is about Sniffles aka Nita a girl clown who is in love with Rex Galore also a clown. Rex is away waiting for his audition into clown college. We follow Sniffles through a lot of missing Rex, fainting in the heat and "corporate" clown jobs.

38. Ice Trap by Kitty Sewell

A debut novel of suspense. I found it a little slow, but overall enjoyed the book. The chapters alternate between 2006 and 1992 for the first part. I thought this was interesting because you learned about the characters from different views.

Dr. Dafydd Woodriff is a successful surgeon in Cardiff and married to Isabel. They have been trying to have a baby with no success. He receives a letter from a 13 year old girl, Miranda saying that he is her father and the father of her twin brother. 14 years earlier Dafydd had been looking to get away from his life and spent 10 months in Moose Creek in Northern Canada. This is where the letter is from and the mother is the head nurse from the hospital where Dafydd had worked. Though he claims to never have been with Sheila, the DNA tests shows he is the father. This news hurts Dafydd's marriage and he eventually decides to go to Canada to sort things out.

39. Demons are Forever by Julie Kenner

Who wouldn't love a book about a demon hunting soccer mom? I think this is the third book in the series. I love these books. They make me laugh.

40. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

41. Through a Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen

How'd you like Through a Glass Darkly? It's been a favorite of mine since high school. Because I was so young when I discovered it, I'm curious as to others' reactions.

I loved it. It is a wonderful book. I am thinking about getting Now Face to Face so I can read it over the weekend.

42. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

This is about a future world where there is a surgery at 16 to make everyone pretty. From the age of 12 you are an "ugly". This book centers around Tally whose best friend Peris is now a new pretty and she is still ugly. She meets Shay who isn't sure she wants to turn pretty. Shay tells Tally about a place called the Smoke where you don't have to become a "New Pretty". Tally has to decide if she should follow Shay and go to the smoke or become pretty. This was an interesting book and I really enjoyed it.

43. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

I knew Mrs. Danvers was creepy, but I didn't know how much I would love this book. I started it yesterday and for whatever reason last night had Mrs. Danvers dreams. I loved, loved, loved this book.

44. Stori Telling by Tori Spelling

After Rebecca I wanted to read something fun and easy. What could be easier than Tori Spelling's memoir?

I love Rebecca too. I think you would enjoy The Thirteenth tale by Diane Setterfield if you haven't already read it.

I have had The Thirteenth Tale on my wishlist for a long time. I'll have to put it further up on my list.

45. The Clothes They Stood Up In and The Lady in the Van by Alan Bennett

This was the last book I started over my 4 day weekend. I guess I will go back to reading my 2 or 3 books a week. I wish I had more time off to just sit and read. It was a lot of fun.

I keep seeing People of the Book pop up everywhere. It's like that book WANTS me to read it. What did you think of it?

That is pretty much why I read it. I kept seeing it everywhere. I think I expected more from it than I got. It was good, but it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. I really liked the parts that were about Hanna Heath the expert in book conservation. But some of the different stories on the history of the book I didn’t care for and was disappointed in.

Cool, thanks for the info.

#49 Did you enjoy Stori Telling? I want to read it. I was one of those huge 90210 fans growing up and the rumor is she gives some dish on behind the scenes. Plus all the controversy with her family.

#56 I liked Stori Telling and I thought she did a good job talking about all that has gone on in her life. I wasn't surprised by the 90210 stuff she put in the book. I was surprised about some of the family stuff though.

I enjoyed {Mary, Mrs. A. Lincoln also and felt the same about reading a piece of non-fiction on her life. I was in Lexington, KY last week and had the opportunity to tour her childhood home. While there, I picked up Mary, Wife of Lincoln by her niece Katherine Helm. I can't wait to start it! It was originally published in 1928.

46. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

This was a great book, but it took me 2 months to read it.

47. The Seduction of the Crimson Rose by Lauren Willig

48. Blasphemy by Douglas Preston

Dr. Gregory Hazelius and his hand picked team of scientists have a 40 billion dollar particle accelerator named Isabella to recreate the big bang and test theories on the creation of the universe. When months have passed from the date Isabella should have come online has passed the government sends in Wyman Ford undercover as a Navajo liaison to investigate. Not only are there problems with Isabella, but the Navajo’s are planning a protest and a Christian minister talks about how the project is to prove there is no God.

Though I found some of the story flawed I thought it was worth reading. It was not difficult for me to get into it and once I did I just flew through the book.

I like Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, I esp like the books they write together.

49. The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff

Willie Upton has come home to Templeton after making some mistakes in her life. Willie has never known who her father is and her mother gives her a clue. Willie then begins to research her family to find him. The book jacket with its blurb from Stephen King and synopsis about a monster makes you think the book will be very different than it is. It is basically a story about family. There are chapters from the past relatives and then chapters with Willie’s story. I am surprised that I liked this book so much. It was not what I expected but I was really drawn into the story.

50. There's No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern

This is a book about people who go missing. Jack Ruttle's brother Donal has been missing for a year. He finds an ad in the phone book for Sandy Shortt. Sandy runs a missing person's agency. When Sandy was 10 her neighbor went missing. Since then she has been obsessed with finding lost things. As an adult she finds lost people and tries to bring them home. Sandy and Jack are set to meet, but Sandy does not show up. She has gone missing and Jack is now searching for Sandy and his brother.

I really enjoyed this book and it was a quick read. I thought it would be more of a romance, but it really didn't have a lot of romance in it. This is the first book by Cecelia Ahern that I have read and I feel like I need to read more of her books.

51. The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad

I think I added this to my list from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die. At first I didn't think I would like the book and got upset at myself for reading reviews that told the entire story. By the end I was completely hooked and sad to see it finished.

52. Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips

A funny and easy to read book.

53. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

One of my favorite books so far this year.

54. Now Face to Face by Karleen Koen

A sequel to Through a Glass Darkly.

55. The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur

I can't say that I enjoy reading memoirs about Darfur. I think it is important to know what is going on in the world and reading a memoir is one way to do it.

56. 7 Deadly Wonders by Matthew Reilly

I didn't really like this book. Three teams (european team, american and a team made up of smaller countries) are in a race to find pieces of a capstone to the great pyramid. The pieces are hidden within the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Jack West leads the 9 member team from the smaller countries. They are trying to stop the astronomical event that can either allow a country ultimate power or allow there to be peace. Obviously the book requires you to take great leaps with your imagination and it is full of action. There are a lot of diagrams in the books showing how the team is moving through one of the wonders. I got tired of the pictures, tired of the suspense because it wasn't that good.

57. Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

58. 10 Days to Faster Reading

I didn't think I was reading fast enough and wanted to learn tricks to read faster. The book seems geared more to reading non-fiction which I don't do a lot of, but there were a few things that I will try. Since I read for enjoyment I guess it doesn't really matter how fast I read. I just keep thinking of all the books I wish I could read and feel I am not ever going to get to them all.

59. Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

60. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

I have never read this book or any of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I had tried to watch the movies, but didn't like them. My husband was trying to get our 10 year old to read this since he loves fantasy and sci fi books. Instead I read it. It is a good book.

61. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

This is a great book. It took me a while to get into it, but once I did I was hooked. I love mysteries and I love historical fiction. This is the best of both worlds.

62. The Ruins by Scott Smith

63. Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

64. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

The Ruins was such a creepy book, I'm curious about the movie but worried it might be too gory. (I love to be scared but not grossed out)

# 72 I read the book because I was debating about seeing the movie. And I agree with you I am worried it might be too gory. I can read books like this, but I can't always see the movie.

65. Free For All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library

66. Middlemarch by George Eliot

At the beginning of the book I was confused by all the characters and didn't think I would be able to keep everything straight. The further in I got the better the book became. I think this is one of the best books I've read all year.

Wow, I finished Part I a week ago and haven't picked it back up. I will carry on. Thanks!

67. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I love Mr. Darcy and after watching Pride and Prejudice on TV last weekend I decided to read it again. It is one of my favorite books of all time.

68. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

This books is really long, but I liked it a lot. The focus of the story is on Kingsbridge Priory and the building of a new cathedral. A simple idea, but it takes many years and a lot of setbacks.

World Without End, the follow up to The Pillars of the Earth was very good. I liked World Without End much better but I listened to the audio version and the narrator was fantastic.

I have World Without End on my list to read, but who knows when I will get there. I am glad to hear that it was good. I hate when the sequel isn't good, but you still try and read it.

69. Death in a White Tie by Ngaio Marsh

Inspector Roderick Alleyn is called to investigate blackmail among London's high society. He calls in Lord Robert "Bunchy" Gospell a well know figure that can investigate discreetly. Just as Bunch is to meet Alleyn to inform him of the blackmailer a murder takes place. Now Alleyn must investigate both a murder and blackmail. This book was written in 1938. According to the introduction it is an early Roderick Alleyn and Inspector Fox book. It was light reading and a true whodunit.

70. Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear

Another Maisie Dobbs book. I like the way she investigates always delving deeper and trying to heal those around her.

71. Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinksi

I absolutely fell in love with this book right away. Mischa Berlinski (the main character's name as well as the authors) is living in Thailand with his girlfriend. She is a 1st grade teacher and he is a journalist. He meets with a friend that tells him the story of an american anthropologist Martiya van der Leun who has been found dead in a Thai prision. She had been serving a life sentence. Mischa is hooked and decides to find out not only why she was in prison, but wants to know what happened to the bright young woman. His journey involves missionarys, friends in America and the dyalo (a hill tribe). I loved the parts with the missionary family. I found myself completely absorbed in this story. It is one of the best books I've read this year. Have I gushed enough about it?

72. The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

A YA book. I liked it a lot and will read the next Luxe novel that comes out.

73. The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

A cute children's book. The Willoughby children want to be orphans and their parents want to be rid of them. It was short and fun.

74. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

An ad in the paper wanting gifted children looking for special opportunities brings four special children together. As a team they must go undercover and try to stop an evil man. I liked this book and will read the sequel.

75. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

Grace went to work at Riverton House when she was 14 as a housemaid. She is asked at the age of 98 to talk to a film director, Ursula. Ursula is making a film about that time and the people that lived at Riverton. The novel is set from her viewpoint as an old woman and goes between the present and the past. I liked the way the author teases you with secrets in the beginning and slowly gives you the answers throughout the book. The book jacket says Kate Morton's book is reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier and I agree. The opening line of this book, "Last November I had a nightmare. It was 1924 and I was at Riverton again" reminded me of the opening line of Rebecca. I love this book. I would give it 5 stars and I want to read anything more Kate Morton writes.

76. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

In The House at Riverton the main character Grace met Agatha Christie. So, I decided to read the one book by her that I have. I enjoyed it. I loved Agatha Christie books and movies based on the books when I was in my teens. I still like them, but not to quite the same level.

77. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

This book is full of wonderful drawings and I kept reading just to see what the next picture was.

78. Fat Free and Fatal by G.A. McKevett

An easy to read mystery part of the Savannah Reid series

79. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Since everyone else has read this I thought I would too. It was just as good as everyone says.

80. Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier

Basically, Thirteen Moons is about Will Cooper. The book opens with him as a 12 year old being sent to run a trading post on the Indian Nation as a bound boy. Throughout the book you see Will's growth from child to adult to old age. This is a beautifully written book. Charles Frazier has a way with words that really make you feel as though you are in the scene.

81. The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall

Sequel to The Penderwicks. An adorable children's fiction.

82. Odd Hours by Dean Koontz

The fourth book about Odd Thomas to me fell short of the others.

I thought so too, I wish he would go back and finish the Frankenstein trilogy.

#88 beeg

Hi!! According to fantasticfiction.co.uk, part 3 of the Frankenstein trilogy was supposed to be released in May 2008 - did a search on amazon that gave up as a result that the book was an import and currently unavailable...

The wait continues...

83. Little Women

I remember loving this book when I read it growing up, but I don't love it as much now. I found Amy annoying and got tired of Jo having to beg pardon all the time.

I loved Little Women, too, growing up, but you know what always bothered me? Jo was, as you say, constantly begging pardon and being called the black sheep of the family, for essentially being an interesting character, and showing honest emotion. It confused me as a kid, although as an adult I like Jo and Amy best. Marmee and Meg and Beth are too saint-like.

I like Jo a lot and I think that's why I get tired of her getting in trouble for having opinions and feelings. I agree that Beth, Meg and Marmee are saint-like which sometimes bothers me. Like when Marmee tells Meg that she needs to make time for her husband and what seemed like the next day she was making everything right and allowing him to discipline their son. I think I am just disappointed that it didn't live up to my childhood memories.

84. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

I like vampire stories and the first book in the Anita Blake series did not disappoint me.

85. Poisoned Tarts by GA McKevett

Another Savannah Reid mystery.

86. Twenty Chickens for a Saddle by Robyn Scott

A memoir of a girl (Robyn) growing up in Botswana. I liked this book a lot. Her family moves from New Zealand when she is 7 to Botswana. She is homeschooled along with her brother and sister. Their mother tends to read books to them and allows them to learn what they want. I found it interesting that for a semester they had tried school and their mom decided to have them homeschooled again. At the age of 14 Robyn decides to go to school again and actually liked the idea of structure and tests. Her dad was a doctor that flew to his clinics all over Botswana. Eventually he gave up flying for a car and drove 3 days a week to his various clinics. I like that Robyn's parents moved to Botswana to try and fulfill their dreams.

87. Personal Days by Ed Park

I was hoping for something along the lines of Then We Came to the End or Company. I didn't think this book was as good as either one of those. It takes place at an unnamed company in New York where slowly everyone is getting fired. It had some funny moments, but overall I thought it could have been better.

88. City of the Beasts by Isabel Allende

Fifteen Year Old Alexander Cold is going to stay with his Grandmother Kate. Alexander's mom has cancer and is going in for treatments. Kate is a journalist for International Geographic and takes Alexander to the Amazon while she does a story. The mission is to document the legendar yeti of the Amazon known as the beast. I really enjoyed this story. My son had checked this out of the library and instead of him reading it I did. I thought the story was told extremely well. My favorite parts were of Alexander and the local guide's daughter, Nadia. I have the sequel already to start reading next.

89. The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

The book jacket describes this as a memoir-in-comic-strips.

I really enjoyed Beginner's Greek. I was surprised to learn it was the author's first.

90. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

This is an all time favorite of mine. I think everyone should read it. Newland Archer is part of New York Society. He conforms to what is right and wrong within that group. He is engaged to marry docile May Welland. Before their engagement is announced her cousin Countess Olenska returns to New York. Newland Archer's life changes dramatically from his first encounter with the Countess. This is a book that I could have read in a day, but because I love the words and the story so much I read it slowly savoring every chapter.

91. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan - Set right after WW2 in Mississippi. Each chapter is from a different character's viewpoint. I'm not sure what to say about this book. It was very well written. It really gives a perspective on the south at the time.

92. The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy - Even though I kept not liking the book I had to keep reading to know what happened.

93. The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton - 2nd in the Anita Blake Series and just as good as the first. A little bit more gory, but it didn't bother me. I need to get the 3rd one, because I found books 4, 5 and 6 at Goodwill yesterday.

94. Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster - Another funny memoir, if you haven't read any of her books you should she is hilarious.

95. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

I am loving your list lately. :) I keep wanting to read Jen Lancaster - any of her books - and I keep forgetting to put them on hold at the library. Hopefully this will give me the punch in the arm I need.

96. Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith - Set in Stalinist Russia. In a time when people are afraid of what the state can do. A country that is supposed to have no crime there is a killer on the loose. I really enjoyed this book. I would tell myself I'm reading another 10 pages and 40 pages later would have to stop. It is very engaging and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the twists and turns.

97. Ines of My Soul by Isabel Allende - This is my first adult book by Isabel Allende. I want to know where she's been all my life. I absolutely loved it. This book dramatizes the known events in Ines Suarez's life.

98. Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black

Rating: 3 Stars

Kaye has always been different. Growing up she had friends that nobody else can see. For the past few years she had been following her mom's rock band from city to city. Now they are back in New Jersey living with her grandma. After helping an injured knight she is visited by these childhood friends and asked to help them. I really liked this book. It was easy to read and had a lot of excitement.

I love Allende. I encourage you to read more!

Thanks judylou I think I will! I bought The House of the Spririts a few months ago so I think that will be the next one.

99. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell

I admit to buying this book because someone I knew said it was good. I had no idea what it was about, but based on the cover I thought a dancer. It is not about a dancer. This is a fantastic book. Iris receives a call about her great-aunt Euphemia (Esme) who has been in a hospital for the past 60 years. The hospital is closing and needs to know where Esme should go. Iris is sure her grandmother (Kitty) has never mentioned a sister and now her grandmother is not in a position to be asked. The story is slowly revealed through the eyes of Iris, Esme and Kitty. I enjoyed the way the story is told through different perspectives. I think it gave more understanding to the feelings of the characters.

100. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

I think this is a book I need to read again to make sure I get everything out of it.

101. Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson

Working for the last 8 years in the telecommunication industry I think I have learned to be flexible and deal with change. This is a slim novel about how do deal with your “cheese” moving. I think you can apply the lesson to anything in life. There have been times that I have been taken off guard when a big change comes at work. I have learned to watch for signs and clues even though I may not have direct confirmation. I liked that the book talked about not giving into the fear of what is out there and moving beyond it. I think that is the hardest thing with change. A few years ago my husband lost his job and went back to school. We were scared about how to pay our bills but it has worked out and when he is done maybe now I will think about what I want to be when I grow up.

102. The Restaurant at the end of the Universe by Douglas Adams

Part of the HItchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy". I liked the first book, but had trouble making it through this one. I know it's a classic, but I don't really like it. I think part of the reason is all the silliness.

103. The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

A YA book set in 1967 about a boy who thinks his teacher hates him. She makes him read Shakespeare on Wednesday afternoons when he is the only student there. I enjoyed this book. I think any book that makes me hope everything work out is a good one. Holling Hoodhood the main character is a wonderful young man and I felt like I knew him. I wanted him to grow up and have guts.

104. Interpreter of Maladies/ by Jhumpa Lahiri - A wonderful collection of short stories. I normally avoid short stories and I'm glad I didn't avoid this book. I can see why it won awards.

105. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - There was a statement early in the book that made me laugh, "Back to culture. Yes, actually back to culture. You can't consume much if you sit still and read books."

106. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold - I loved this book even though for that last 100 pages I kept crying.

107. All I really need to know I learned from watching Star Trek by Dave Marinaccio - A book that gives life wisdom based on Star Trek. At times it was funny, but after 50 pages I was ready for it to be over with.

108. The Desperate Mission by Jude Watson - A juvenile fiction book about Obi Wan. I actually liked this book. I think if I had chosen an adult book I wouldn’t enjoy it as much. Plus this is a book my son would read and I like to keep tabs on his reading.

109. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King - After about 50 pages I decided this was Stephen King’s tribute to his favorite baseball team. Once I got passed that I enjoyed the book. It was my first Stephen King book. I don’t know if it was the best one to start with. I thought the suspense was built up very well through the book and found myself speeding through the pages at the end.

I enjoyed The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon, but I'd probably say it's the least "Stephen Kingish" books of all he's written... I know they're longer, but the ones I'd recommend that are (I'd say) his best and representative of him are the recent Lisey's Story and The Stand. All of his short story/novella collections are wonderful though, so you might try those if you're looking for something less time intensive :)

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll add them to my ever growing list.

110. Sunshine by Robin McKinley - A good book, but a little slow.

111. Valiant by Holly Black - A dark YA novel involving faeries

112. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

113. Timeline by Michael Crichton - a good book, but I liked the movie better.

114. The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt - I thought it would solely focus on the burning of the Fenice, but felt the book meanered around Venice for the longest time before getting to the point.

115. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo - a cute tale about a mouse overcoming his size for a girl he loves.

116. Blue Bloods by Melissa De la Cruz - Loved it! A new take on vampires. I have to read the sequel.

117. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

The story opens with David's mother dying. Within the next year while still mourning the loss of his mother, David's father remarries. Rose, his step-mom, is expecting a baby. Upset with the changes and jealous of the new baby David stays in his room to lose himself in his books. His favorite are the fairy tales. David and his father have moved to Rose's home in the country which is a good thing since this is during WWII. One night he follows a voice and it takes him into another world. A world that is like his fairy tales. In the new world he tries to find his way home and grows up along the way. The book jacket said that this book was for adults who can recall the moment when childhood began to fade and for every adult about to face that moment. I thought this was an excellent book. At first I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep reading because it was a slow starter, but once David followed the voice I was hooked.

118. Circus of the Damned by Laurell K. Hamilton

The third novel in the Anita Blake series. She is busy investigating murders where the victims have multiple vampire bites. Bert, Anita's boss, has finally hired someone new and she is showing him the ropes. All while trying not to give away who the new master of the city is. These books are full of action and unreal, but I love them.

119. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen - cute book about women

The Waverleys have always been seen as different and strange in Bascom, North Carolina. Claire Waverley is a caterer that uses the edible flowers in her garden to create her dishes. The locals ask her to cater their events so she can use the magical flowers to create feelings of love, success, etc. She has lived in Bascom since she was 6. Sydney Waverley left town at the end of her senior year in high school. She has returned home with her five-year old daughter Bay. She only says she has lived everywhere and will not explain what has happened to her. Claire is fighting off the attentions of her next door neighbor and Sydney is trying to create a new life in a place she never wanted to be. This is a fun book and light read. I really enjoyed it.

120. These is My Words by Nancy E. Turner

A diary of Sarah Prine a young woman who travels to Texas and Arizona in the 1880s. The book is full of the struggles, hardships, love and family a frontier woman might have. I wasn’t sure that I would like this book. I read a lot of historical fiction, but the idea of this being a diary turned me off. It was a good story and I felt for Sarah through all her struggles. I think the story really shows that you can make it through anything. This book makes me want to read some non-fiction about this time period in the Arizona Territories to see how historically accurate it was. I think any book that makes me want to read about history must be a great one.

121. Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss

I need to learn more about grammar. This is an interesting book. I enjoyed finding out how apostrophes first were used. Then I realized I don’t use them right like I should. I liked how she described what people do wrong and the right way to use punctuation. It made grammar more fun than an English textbook.

122. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry - juvenile fiction about WW2.

What did you think of Special Topics? I'm still not sure what exactly happened to Hannah.

#117 I loved the book. I wondered exactly what happened to Hannah too.

123. The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford - funny book, wasn't what I expected

124. The Spiritualist by Megan Chance - full of suspense, loved the medium Michel

125. The Beach House by Jane Green

126. Night by Elie Wiesel

127. City of Thieves by David Benioff

#86 > Hi! I just noticed your post about Thirteen Moons. My wife and I both liked this book quite a lot. I found it, in the end, much more satisfying than Cold Mountain. As you said, an engrossing character and a story extremely well told.

128. Forgive Me by Amanda Eyre Ward

129. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley

130. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

131. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

132. The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis - a memoir in pictures.

133. The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst - odd plot, but I liked it

134. Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris - my first Sedaris, but I don't think my last

135. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - a new favorite

136. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins - not my usual book, somewhat boring.

137. Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot

138. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - kind of boring

139. The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson

140. This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti

141. The God Chasers by Tommy Tenney

142. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

143. A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers by Xiaolu Guo

144. The Giver by Lois Lowry

145. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

146. The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

147. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

148. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

149. Lush Life by Richard Price
150. How to Murder a Millionaire by Nancy Martin
151. I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris
152. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
153. Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy

154. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende
155. Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
156. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

157. Basket Case by Carl Hiaasen
158. The Fire Within by Chris D'Lacey
159. Rules of Deception by Christopher Reich

160. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
161. Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch
162. Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow
163. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
164. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

165. I'd Tell You I Love You, But then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

166. Deja Demon: The Days and Nights of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner

167. Killer Weekend by Ridley Pearson

168. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

169. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

170. The Spell Book of Listen Taylor by Jaclyn Moriarty

171. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

172. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - first time I've read this and loved it

173. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle - going to read rest of the series

174. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer - liked this one better than New Moon

175. Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn - enjoyed, will be getting next book Silent in the Sanctuary

176. The Dead Girls Dance by Rachel Caine - 2nd in the morganville vampire series

177. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit

178. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

179. Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

180. Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn

181. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

182. The Lunatic Cafe by Laurell K. Hamilton

183. The Eight by Katherine Neville

184. A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George

185. Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews

186. Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine - 3rd in the Morganville Vampire Series
187. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
188. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
189. The Compete Maus by Art Spiegelman
190. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
191. Live Bait by P.J. Tracy
192. Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott
193. Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine

194. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

195. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

196. The 19th Wife by David Ebersoff

197. Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell

198. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

199. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen - Didn't like as well as her first book

200. Over Her Dead Body by Kate White

201. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris - I can't seem to stop reading about Sookie Stackhouse

202. Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt

203. A Foreign Affair by Caro Peacock

204. Sick Puppy by Carl Hiaasen
205. Duma Key by Stephen King
206. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
207. The Black Echo by Michael Connelly
208. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
209. Dead Run by P.J. Tracy
210. All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris
211. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris