Judylou's at it again in 2008

I managed to surpass my 100 challenge for 2007, so will try to do it again this year. I am determined to cut down the huge pile of TBR books I have accumulated over the past few years, but then again I was equally determined in 2007 to do the same thing!

I have finished studying now and have managed to find myself a job as a casual librarian, so I am not sure whether this will give me more reading time or less. I know it means that I keep bringing books home instead of shelving them and therefore that TBR pile has not diminished at all!

I look forward to posting all the books I have read so far in 2008. I found this forum to be a wonderful way to talk about my books and to listen to or converse with others about their books.

I welcome and look forward to all comments from others to my posts.

Here goes . . . .

1. Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds

I haven't read any SF for a while and this one was a good one to start me off again. An alternate reality story that really gets you in. Archeologists from "the future", where the earth has been destroyed, return to an earth that through one change in history (Germany's advance on Europe is unsuccessful, therefore no WW2) has survived. Lots of twists and turns, nothing is as it seems. Well worth it.

2. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

This has been on the TBR list for some time and now that the movie is here thought that I needed to read it first. I enjoyed it. A good fantasy good vs evil story.

3. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

Listened to this one on our long trip north. While an excellent story, I think it lost something in the telling. I read it many, many years ago and had really forgotten what it was about. (Nothing at all to do with the movie, though!) It is a series of stories told by a Robotic Psychologist; the underlying theme is the danger of relying on technology.

4. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Listened to this one in the car as well. It held our attention the whole way. A great story, lots of fun and very clever.

5. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams

Listened to half of this and then read the rest. Sequel to the above. Hasn't lost any of its originality or funniness.

6. The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde

Thursday Next continues to battle the baddies, while learning about Jurisfiction and recovering her memories of Landen, all while living in the well and helping her two generic housemates, looking after Granny Next and improving the story in which she is living. Great fun

7. The Uncommon Reader by Allan Bennett

This is a very clever little book. Her Majesty discovers a mobile library in the palace grounds and decides on a whim to borrow a book. This one book leads her to start reading and reading and reading. Her reading becomes a problem when it starts to get in the way of her duties, but she refuses to give it up. She is frustrated at the lack of others in her world to talk about books with her, her equerries, her family, prime ministers are unable or unwilling to keep up with her reading.

Highly recommended.

Looks like you're doing well so far! I loved "The Uncommon Reader" and the Hitchhikers Guide books. Good laugh-out-loud reads. Thanks for the reviews on the other books--I find these threads so helpful!

I'm happy to know that someone is enjoying reading them!

I am enjoying them, too! You read some very interesting books. I have had my eye on The Uncommon Reader for a while now, but I think your post clinched it for me.

sussabmax: I really highly recommend it. It has just enough cleverness to keep a "smirk" on your face throughout!

8. The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst

This was a Booker Prize winner, but if I was on the committee . . . it wouldn't have had a chance! I was bored from the start. I forced myself to continue, so that I could cross it off the list, but I felt it was a real waste of my time. I didn't like the characters. They were all so terribly jolly, all I could think of was the old Monty Python skits about the "Upper Class Twits"! I didn't connect to any of the characters, so didn't care about their problems, and wasn't interested in what happened to them.

I would love to hear from others about their response to this one. I have enjoyed all of the other Booker Prize winners, hope this one was just a glitch in the system!

Judy, I didn't like The Line of Beauty either. The writing was good but towards the end I just couldn't see any point in the novel at all.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I am such a glutton for punishment though that I am watching it on TV too!

The Uncommon Reader sounds great. Definitely something to keep an eye out for.

9. The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

I enjoyed this one more than the first. According to the majority of the reviews, it should have been the other way, but I guess I didn't follow the crowd on that one! I felt that the story had more substance, it had more layers than the first and the characters were more developed. I am looking forward to reading the third one now.

10. The Colour by Rose Tremain

I listened to this in the car and it seemed to take forever to finish. But, that doesn't mean I didn't like it. It was a beautiful story, full of descriptive language and subtle imagery with fabulously written characters.

Set in New Zealand during the gold rush, Joseph, a man with secrets, brings his mother and his new wife to live in primitive conditions while he goes off to find gold. His mother dies and Harriet follows him to the gold fields, where she finds her husband bordering on insanity. An unhappy story for the most part, the ending is however, very uplifting. I can recommend this one.

Judy, I loved The Colour.

11. The Lost Thoughts of Soldiers by Delia Falconer

Picked this one up after reading a good review some time ago. Still not sure what I think about it. It is told as a series of (not always connected) thoughts of a survivor of Custer's last stand. Events are alluded to, but not developed, leaving the reader to come to their own conclusions. The writing is very sparse, certain passages resonate more than others, but overall I think I liked it!

> Amanda, I think we must both have good taste!

Of course we do!

12. ella minnow pea by Mark Dunn

This was a fascinating little book. It is set in a society within the USA but separate from it. They have deified, Nollop, the composer of the famous sentence "the quick brown fox jumed over the lazy dog". But the letters have started to fall off the monument and the Council decrees, as each letter falls, that it is Nollop's wish that the letter may no longer be used. It starts out quite funny and the citizens show some real ability in forming new words to replace those with forbidden letters. But it soon becomes quite nasty; friends and neighbours dobbing each other in; society crumbling. The punishments are very severe for any breaches and three slip-ups result in exile.

Well worth reading.

Ah, I'm glad you liked Ella Minnow Pea. I Bookmooched it recently, and it should be coming in the mail soon. I think we have similar tastes, so perhaps that's a good sign.

My 18 year old son is reading it now and enjoying it too. Not bad for a sci fi only reader!

13. Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde

The third in the Thursday Next series continues to amuse. Thursday is now a (sort of) single mother, but this hasn't slowed her down at all. She is still out there chasing baddies and saving the world. I have the fourth one lined up and will read it soon, but I will take a break, so I don't overdose on Jasper Fforde!

14. Man Walks Into a Room by Nicole Krauss

I picked this up because I so enjoyed History of Love. The first part of the book lived up to my expectations but it sort of lost me about half way through. A man is found in the desert who has lost his memory. A brain tumour is removed, but his memory from the age of 12 has gone. He tries to go back to his old life but faces a lot of problems. I couldn't see the point of the next part of the story where he goes back to the desert to participate in experimental memory research. It just didn't seem to "fit" the story. However, I think Krauss is an excellent writer and I will look out for any more of her novels.

15. Blaze by Richard Bachman

This is a typical Stephen King novel where weird things happen in an ordinary place. I don't think it is his best one, but if nothing else, King is a great storyteller.

16. Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

My first Gaiman. This is an amazing collection of stories. I listened to it on my mp3 and each new story brought something unexpected. I really, really liked it.

17. On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

I have to count McEwan up there as one of my favourite authors now. I love the way he can take a moment, just one experience and develop it into a mesmerising novel. There are so many "if onlys" in this story that it makes you cringe! Excellent stuff.

18. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

A satisfying end to the trilogy, although I was a little frustrated at the slow start. It all came together in the end.

19. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

I have to go against popular opinion on this one. Most people seem to love this book, but I'm afraid I didn't. I just couldn't relate to the narrator. I dislike pompousness (had to look that one up in the dictionary to check the spelling!!) and just felt the entire book to be pompous in the extreme. Yes, I know it is supposed to be funny, and the style of the narrator is meant to be self-important, but it just didn't do anything for me.

20. The Travel Writer by Simone Lazaroo

This was a fairly ordinary story, but I did enjoy it because it was set in Melaka (Malaysia), my husband's home town. We have spent some time there so it made it easier to imagine the people, the language (lah), and the places. The story is about the Christao people of Melaka who are descended from Portugese colonists. Interesting but not fascinating!

21. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler

Listened to this in the car. It seemed to take ages. I think it was because it was a very slow paced book, without lots of drama or excitement. But having said that, it grew on me. Half way through I started to care more about the characters and look forward to car trips again! I liked the ending. The circle was complete in a sense, and dinner was finally eaten!

Anne Tyler is like that---her people and their lives are so ordinary, and yet you come to really care about them.

The only other Tyler I have read was Digging to America which was an OK read but certainly did not develop in the same way as Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant.

22. The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall

Wow! This was an incredible book. I loved it . . . but . . . I'm still not 100% sure what it was all about. It begins with Eric waking up/regaining consciousness with no memories. It ends in an ocean of memories. What comes in the middle is just fantastic. if you want something a bit different -suspend all your preconceived ideas and try this one.

If you want to give Anne Tyler another chance, try Saint Maybe, The Accidental Tourist or The Amateur Marriage -- they are among her best.

Thanks, laytonwoman3rd, those titles have been added to the list!

23. The Rape of Sita by Lindsey Collen

Set in Mauritius and Reunion, Sita's story is told by Iqbal the storyteller. Sita is an activist - in the women's movement and for independence. She has buried the memory of rape for more than 8 years, but it finally comes back to her. This is a very powerful story with a lot to say about the place of women in the world; their treatment in a patriarchal society; and also about colonisation and the need for identity in independence. I can recommend it, but it is a very moving story which will have an affect on you.

24. First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde

The final (so far) in the series. This one dragged a little bit for me. Thursday is now 50ish and the mother of teenagers and she can still manage to save the world from destruction. I think my problem with it is that it was too much of the same. Not too many surprises in it. But still it is a very clever series; well worth reading.

I'm enjoying your reviews very much. Will even buy The Raw Shark Texts on your recommendation.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. It is quite an amazing book.

25. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

A really lovely fairytale. I saw the movie a few weeks ago, which I enjoyed. But the book was better. Having only read Fragile Things previously, I love the whimsy that Gaiman brings to his stories.

I am thoroughly enjoying Gaiman's storytelling and will make sure I read more.

try Neverwhere, or American gods big favorites of mine

Thanks for the recommendations beeg. I'll add them both to my list!

26. The Seventh Day by Joy Dettman

I usually love these stories about the end of the world as we know it . . . but this one was not so great. For the first 100 pages I kept thinking I had read it before; for the second 100 pages I started to wonder if I had seen the movie; for the rest of the book I was wondering why I bothered. The language was really stilted and uncomfortable; the story fairly unbelievable. Oh well, on to the next one.

I checked in my journal and it seems that I did read this one back in 2004. Strangely enough I wrote that I liked it! Obviously my tastes have changed - either that or I have grown a bit more discerning!

27. Falling Man by Don deLillo

I liked this story set in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Told through a man working in one of the towers, his wife, his child, one of the hijackers; DeLillo really manages to get inside the heads of his characters. I will look out for more of his books now.

28. Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill

I love a good horror story. And I thought this one was good! Jude - an aging rocker - buys a ghost on ebay and when it arrives, his life is turned upside down. This had all the necessary scary moments and kept me reading into the night.

I liked it too, little surprise that Stephen King's son would write horror as well. I have 20th Century Ghosts in my TBL (to buy list)

I'm glad I'm not the only one beeg.

29. Farewell Summer by Ray Bradbury

Listened to this one in the car. It didn't thrill me too much. I think I kept losing track of what was happening because I was only taking short trips. It was about aging and the loss of childhood. I am sure there was a deeper message in it, but I just didn't hear it!

30. The Children by Charlotte Wood

This was similar in theme to The Gathering, last year's Booker winner, in that a family comes together after a tragedy and we see the interplay between siblings and their mother. A good story, well written characters and very Australian. Sometimes annoyingly so. So many references made me think of the times when Australian movies always showed scenes of a kangaroo hopping somewhere or a koala chewing a leaf to set the scene.

31. Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson

I was not as impressed with this one as many others on LT were. An interesting story, an easy read and enjoyable, but nothing wonderful for me. I had the feeling throughout that I wished I was able to read it in the original language; as if there was something missing.

32. Let the right one in by John Ajvide Lindqvist

I read this after reading some comments on another thread. I'm glad I did. This was such a fun book to read. It is a love story, a horror story, a mystery all rolled into one. I particularly enjoyed the story told through the young boy who suffers bullying at school, loneliness and an absent father / overbearing mother. I liked all the characters - even the nasty ones were likeable! A good story and an easy read.

#44 I felt similarly about Out Stealing Horses. At first I found it really good but towards the end I realised I didn't like the main character much and...I can't remember what else.

Amanda, the fact that you can't remember says it all. I don't think I'll be able to remember the plot or the characters after a few more books!

33. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Just loved this one. Apparently in the Bible, Jacob's sons were important, but his one daughter, Dinah, was barely mentioned. This is her story. (Hope I have that right. Obviously I am no expert on the Bible!) The story of Dinah really grabbed me. I found it hard to put the book down, lost a bit of sleep over the weekend! Beautifully written and highly recommended.

34. Careless by Deborah Robertson

A tragedy brings together a number of people. A little girl who feels responsible for her brother and mother, an artist, and the wife of a famous furniture maker who has recently died. The story deals with death and grief, exploring the reactions of this diverse group of people.

A beautiful story. Highly recommended.

35. Addition by Toni Jordan

Grace is obsessed with numbers. Everything in her world is counted or measured. In order to stay in control she lives her life planned down to the second. But then she meets Seamus. This is basically a love story. But it is quite a compelling one. Its set in Melbourne which is nice. I could relate to all the places mentioned in the book. Not too bad.

36. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

A very enjoyable read. This is a story about science gone mad and perhaps a warning for us all about "tinkering" with genes and changing nature.

37. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

I think I can safely say that I am a Neil Gaiman fan now. This was brilliant. I loved the characters, the magic, the humour. I listened to this in the car and I am sure that the reader (Lenny Henry) made a great story even better. The way the story came together - growing from a fairly ordinary tale of Fat Charlie (a bit of a loser) into a tale of Gods and magic and fantastic things and then such a great finish. I loved it!

Neverwhere is so much fun I hope you read it soon.

Thanks beeg, it is on my list now.

38. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

I always get a bit scared starting books which have been praised as highly as this one. I approach them hoping that they will live up to their hype; sometimes I am disappointed and sometimes I wonder why I didn't read it earlier. When I started Cloud Atlas, I was worried. It wasn't doing much for me, but the more I read, the more I appreciated the story and the structure of the book. It felt like the proverbial steam train while I was reading - starting out slow, needing some force, then speeding up, running more smoothly, finally flying downhill. So, yes, I did like this one, I can't say it is in my top 10, but it is most definitely not too far down in my top 100!

judylou, you are a reading machine! =)

Its easy to do something you love so much!

Hey Judy, I was looking over some of the stuff you are reading or have read and I really like your selections. By the way I agree with you on The Subtle Knife. Everyone told me that they liked this one the least of the trilogy but I found it to be very entertaining with a very well fleshed out story. It was actually my favorite of the three.

Hi Judy and Trish!

The Subtle Knife was my favourite of the three too!! It just zipped along nicely and kept my interest throughout (1 and 3 I had no problem putting down to do other things: I do a lot of reading at work as I work at an order desk where I'm the one calling customers for orders and I know I'm really not enjoying a book when I'd rather just stare at my computer screen and wait for the customer to come to the phone than read...)

I love most all Anne Tyler books. Her characters are quirky. Other Anne T books that I lremember liking particularly are Breathing Lessons, Accidental Tourist. Haven't read them all and can't think of other titles. There was one about a handyman that was ok. I liked Digging to America too.

Thanks Trish and kmbooklover for your comments. Its always good to know others agree with my opinions!

sersd, I haven't got around to reading any more Anne Tylers yet. But I do have a couple on my TBR shelves, including Breathing Lessons. I'm looking forward to them.

39. The Lost Dog by Michelle De Kretser

I didn't like this as much as I thought I would. I felt like there were too many threads throughout the novel, but nothing was completely resolved. Tom - the product of an English father and Indian mother - grows up in Australia with his widowed mother who is now becoming dependent on him in her old age. He is also having a relationship with an artist who is secretive and hiding her past. He loses his dog in the bush and through his search for him, discovers much about himself.

40. Aphelion by Emily Ballou

This is a story about four generations of women who all live together. Their stories are intertwined with the history of their town, which was moved when the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme created a lake where the original town stood. I really liked this one. The story was very big, the history of the area very interesting, the characters engaging and the setting quite beautiful. I recommend this one.

41. Coraline by Neil Gaiman

A quick little story by one of my new favourite authors. Very quirky story about a young girl who discovers something strange in the empty flat next door. Gaiman really has a way with words!

42. The Spare Room by Helen Garner

Helen lends her spare room to a friend who is undertaking a dubious course of treatment for cancer. During her stay Helen supports and helps her friend until her anger about Nicola's denial of her imminent death overcomes her. This was a wonderful little story which could have been maudlin and depressing, but was instead quite uplifting. Highly recommended.

43. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons

Listened to this in the car. Loved the whole thing from start to finish. I found myself laughing out loud at times at the antics of all the farm's inhabitants. Also loved the names of the cows - feckless, aimless, etc. A really good story. Highly recommended.

Interesting about the Krauss book, judylou. I, too, love the History of Love which I both read and listened to on audio (it is fabulous on audio!). So many good books here!

I think I like all the books in His Dark Materials for different reasons--but The Subtle Knife definitely does have the qualities of both other books to a certain extent, and of course it ends on a suspenseful note rather than a concluding note of conclusion.

Gret reading list - judylou. Very impressed with your reading stamina. I have enjoyed many of the same books - except Anne Tyler, who I am not partial to!

Thanks for the messages everyone!

44. The WInd-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami

Well, this was an interesting one. I found it hard going for a while (for quite a while) but I persisted and I'm glad I did. It is about a man whose wife leaves him. He struggles to find her and through this search he meets a number of strange people who sometimes help and sometimes hinder him. These people tell him stories about their past which ultimately help him understand what is happening. This is a book that you have to concentrate on to follow and only comes together at the very end.

I have read Dance, Dance, Dance by Murakami.

It took me a while to adjust to the magic realism and strangeness of his reality, but after finishing the book, it stayed with me for quite a while. Very atmospheric. He challenges the reader, so I am waiting for the right time to pick up the next one.

karen, I have both Norwegian wood and After Dark waiting in the current pile of library books to be read. I will take a break before I attempt either of them though.

45. Breath by Tim Winton

There is something about this man that just resonates with me. I find it so easy to be drawn into his stories, to know and understand the characters and to see the landscapes he draws. This one is set in familiar territory for Winton. Western Australia, the 70's, surfing and isolation. I love his stories because it feels like he is telling them to you directly. For me, his writing is as close to oral storytelling as it comes. If you are a Winton fan, you will love this one; if you haven't read him before, try it. Brilliant stuff.

46. The Town that Forgot how to Breathe by Kenneth J Harvey

I read this after reading a wonderful review on LT. But I'm afraid I didn't get the same response as the reviewer. The writing was good. The characters were well written and believable, but the story just got a bit out of hand for me. I love a bit of horror, a bit of the supernatural, but the story in this one was totally unbelievable. Not so great.

I really like Tim Winton too, judylou.

I read The Riders for a book club and was pleasantly surprised, however it was a few years ago so I could not hold a conversation about it now.

I know what you mean. I am determined to reread the Riders soon, but all these new ones keep getting in the way . . .

47. After dark by Haruki Murakami

I am so glad that I read this so soon after the other Murakami. It was so much shorter and easier to read. Very interesting story that moves through the night following Mari while she fills in the time so she doesn't have to sleep. I liked it.

48. A Partisan's Daughter by Louis de Bernieres

One of my favourite authors but not his best book in my opinion. de Bernieres seems to write about something completely new in each book and this one is no exception. Told through the exciting stories of a Yugoslav partisan's daughter to a mild mannered Englishman with a very dull life, this story is an interesting one, but not wonderful.

#76: Ah yes, his short novels can be a breath of fresh air after the longer ones. (Especially Wind-Up Bird.) I read After Dark on a rainy evening back in May--perfect atmosphere.

49. Black Dogs by Ian McEwan

For me this one was nowhere near his best. It has all the same hallmarks of his writing - one event that changes the lives of the characters - but it just didn't have the same impact as the other McEwans I have read.

49. The Love Child by Fran Cusworth

Another Melbourne novel. This one about three friends - one single and career driven; one at home with babies, regretting the loss of her career, newly pregnant and thinking of leaving her husband; the other dies, leaving an 18mth baby in the care of her friends. This was an easy read, it was nice, but it was also fairly predictable.

50. I am Legend by Richard Matheson

Really good story. If you have seen the movie, you will like the book. A quick read that captures you early on and keeps you reading to the end compulsively! Some of the science is a little bit dated, but that doesn't matter. Recommended.

51. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Excellent. I read this one some years ago and I'm glad that I re-read it now. I think it is a wonderful story and reading it this time I felt even more that we could really end up like this. Atwood has taken some real issues - social and environmental - and built on them to give us a society which could actually come into existence. Beautiful writing and fabulous story.

52. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Very clever story. The immigrants to America brought all their Gods with them, from ancient to modern times. But the old Gods are losing their effectiveness as the people forget about them. A storm is coming and Shadow is somehow caught up in it. Is he the catalyst to peace or to war? Although it took a little bit of reading before I really got the story, by the end I was completely immersed in it.

Great books Judylou! I liked the Handmaid's Tale and American Gods a lot, but I haven't read I am Legend.

Gaiman is a very talented young man, I think. I am glad to see him moving into the adult genre more.

merry10, I am Legend was a good read. You should add it to your list!

Kiwidoc, Yes, I agree. I have Neverwhere to read and am looking forward to it - especially after watching a dvd of the series made by the BBC. It was a pretty ordinary production, but still a great story.

it's my favorite, and since you've watched the series you have faces for the characters. Neil is working on a movie version (someday) that should be much better than the BBC series. His Mirrormask is pretty good as well.

53. Regeneration by Pat Barker

Not such a great story. I read it because my son is studying it for Literature at school and because I want to read the third in the series as it is a Booker Prize winner. It was set during WW1 in a hospital for officers suffering from "shell-shock" in England. I just couldn't see the point of it all. It touched on a lot of subjects - homosexuality, class, etc - but didn't really take a stance on any of the issues. It referred to pacifism and anti-war sentiment but again was too wishy-washy for my tastes. On finishing it I still wasn't sure whether the author, or even the characters, were pro war or pro peace. I would be interested to hear if others have different opinions. Meanwhile, I am halfway through the sequel already; I am determined to read the third one!

judylou, I think Neverwhere the book and Neverwhere the series sort of happened at the same time (sort of like what happened with 2001: A Space Odyssey and the movie. . .). There is little different between the two.

Then I really should enjoy the book.

54. That Eye in the Door by Pat Barker

Sequel to no. 53. Could have been the same book really. There was not much difference between the two. The story simply continues. I had the same issues with it as the first one. Starting no3 in the series now. Hope I don't regret it too much.

55. The Ghost Road by Pat Barker

The conclusion to the trilogy fared a little better than the previous two. The story was more interesting and overall it's themes were a lot less ambivalent. This one had a clear anti-war message, but the reader wasn't left to come to that conclusion themselves; it was given to them quite clearly at the end! But I remain unconvinced of the reason why this one won the Booker Prize.

56. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

A great story. Lots of fun. I listened to it in the car and was often caught at traffic lights laughing away madly. Recommended!

57. The Deportees by Roddy Doyle

This is a wonderful collection of stories focussing on the immigrant experience in Ireland. Many of the stories use humour, much of it black, to portray the difficulties of "fitting in". Each story depicts not only the misunderstandings between native Irish and new Irish, but also reflects the experiences of the immigrant from their home country. Funny and thought provoking. Highly recommended.

58. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

This was basically a retelling of the Cinderella story. Written for children, but still entertaining for me!

59. Ursula, Under by Ingrid Hill

A little girl falls into a mine shaft. The story of how she came to be is told through a series of tales which tell about her ancestors. Her mother is descended from Finns and her father from Chinese. The tales of her ancestors are superbly told and allow us to see how fragile life is - if one child in history did not survive an illness, if the Chinese alchemist did not find a wife in his later years, etc etc, Ursula would not have existed.

I am adding this book to my all time favourites.

60. Murder on the Apricot Coast by Marion Halligan

This story picks up where The Apricot Colonel finished. A friend's daughter is found dead, is it and accident, suicide or murder? The editor and her husband the cross-dressing spy attempt to solve it. But it becomes way too silly.

I didn't enjoy it as much as the first one. I thought that the characters were very shallow and uninteresting this time around.

61. Theft by Peter Carey

Loved it. Set in the art world, told alternately in the voices of Butcher Bones - a boy from the bush with great fame as an artist in his past, and Slow Bones - the slow witted brother who is both a burden and a blessing to Butcher. Butcher regains his fame thanks to the dubious attentions of Marlene, small town girl with big aspirations and a shady past. Great story!

Judy I liked Theft as well! My first Peter Carey novel, I loved the irony, I could feel that Peter Carey had sat next to a very disgruntled artist sometime and really understood the bigger picture so to speak! I loved the caper touches.

merry, I have read both Jack Maggs and The True History of the Kelly Gang and have three others in the TBR box. Theft was very different from the two I have read. But I suppose that has something to do with the time they were set in. I am looking forward to trying his others.

62. The Stopping Place by Helen Slavin

I read a good review about this book set in a library, so when I saw it on the shelf I grabbed it. But I was disappointed with the story, the characters were just plain annoying and it wasn't going anywhere; until I started the second half. Then I found it hard to put down. Everything became clear and the behaviour of the main character was explained. A great story of revenge!

I'm enjoying your reviews Judy.

I haven't read any Peter Carey books yet - apparently, I am missing something! They did a nice feature of him in Bookmarks, which is a really awesome magazine for book lovers.

Thanks amandameale, I am enjoying writing them too.

mrstreme, I can recommend Carey - I've enjoyed all that I have read.

63. The Stone Gods by Jeanette Winterson

What an interesting book! A series of stories which you slowly come to realise are interconnected through time. In the distant future, a new planet is discovered which will allow humankind to continue, but they make an error and by the end we realise that this planet is Earth. Great story.

>105 judylou:: I've been reading Winterson lately, too. I see that you have read Sexing the Cherry--have you also read Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit? I really enjoyed it, and it's actually quite funny. It also has a more traditional narrative style than these other two (whether that's good or bad is for someone else to say :).

>88 judylou: - I love Regeneration, its stories of disintegration and the journey of therapy and also really enjoyed the story of the therapist Rivers, who if I remember right, like Sassoon and Owen, was a real person. In some ways I wonder if its her skill in writing it that can make it seem light in some ways (and it does seem that way too to me sometimes and did as I read especially the second part). I remember I didn't like 'the eye in the door' as much, though it did pick up for 'the ghost road'.

I didn't find the first book to be lacking a clear message - I wondered if that was more a reflection of the confusion the men were working through. I find Sassoon's position extremely interesting - someone actually making sense in many ways (and clearly a hero, if that is the right word, a leader of men) whose only options are therefore court martial or the asylum - and the position that leaves his therapist (Rivers) in in meeting him. I also find the account of other methods used to get ordinary soldiers (not officers) back to the war to be unforgettable, sadly.

I love this book. Brilliant stuff. Very witty, very dark. I've lost track of how many times I've read it.

#106 medellia12 I have read both those Winterson's. She certainly has talent!

#107 & 108 Interesting to hear your views on the Barker trilogy. TonyH I agree with what you have said above. I think my views were coloured a little because of the timing of the reading of the trilogy. Sometimes, the wrong mood, or life's little challenges can affect your response to a book.

64. The book of lost things by John Connolly

David's mother dies, his father finds a new wife and has a baby. David is angry and loses himself in stories. He finds himself in a strange world where his knowledge of fairy tales helps him to vanquish the baddies. A good fairy tale with a good moral to it.

65. Brida by Paulo Coelho

Not much more than a love story told in a lesson about Wicca. Brida is compelled to become a witch. On the way she discovers her soulmate - the magus - but she loves another man. I always look forward to a new Coelho, but i was a bit disappointed by this one.

66. The Book of Everything by Guus Kuijer

Set just after WW2 in Holland, Thomas is the son of a violent, strongly religious man. Thomas attempts to stop his father from hitting his mother. There is a bit of magic, witches live next door, and lots of religious references. Although the story is basically about honour and respect, it is a bit disturbing for a children's story.

67. The Story of Forgetting by Stefan Merrill Block

A beautiful story, told beautifully, about identity and its loss, memory and remembering. It explores the lives of people affected by familial early onset alzheimer's disease. Seth's mother is a sufferer. He knows nothing about her history and she is unable to tell him now. He sets out to find her family and her story. Guilt and resentment of sufferers and carers are explored. A brilliant book.

68. Alligator by Lisa Moore

A disjointed story about a number of people - some loosely connected; some closely connected - and most of them dysfunctional in some way. I wasn't impressed at all. I couldn't find the connection, the thread that tied it all together. Disappointing.

69. Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks

Great story. Unfortunately I didn't know it was part of a series and maybe I should have read the first ones first! However, it was still a great story to escape into. It finishes very abruptly which means that I will have to read the next one to discover what happens to Logan and Hawk and Tessa and the elves . . . .

70. The Idea of Perfection by Kate Grenville

Small town Karakarook is about to lose its famed old bridge. This brings engineer Douglas and artist Harley together. Meanwhile the all too perfect bank manager's wife is having an affair with the local butcher. Douglas and Harley are far from perfect yet they are able to live life. An excellent story which demonstrates that perfection does not equal happiness.

71. The Night Watch by Sarah Waters

Set during WW2 in England, the story revolves around a group of women and their relationships. I thought this one was a bit overlong and dull.

72. Mort by Terry Pratchett

Mort(imer) becomes Death's apprentice. A very clever story and my first of the Discworld books. Just what I needed - another series that I HAVE to read!

73. A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift

Hmmmmmmm. What a strange little idea Dr Swift has come up with. Save the economy by producing lovely plump little babies for the dinner tables of the rich. After all this would save the country any guilt in the inability of feeding and clothing the poor and unemployed. Peculiar and, yes, just a little bit disturbing . . .

74. Sorry by Gail Jones

Loved it, loved it, loved it. Just before the second World War, an English couple arrive in Broome (Aus). Perdita is born to a violent father and a distant mother who requires lengthy stays in a mental hospital. She finds "family" with a young boy unable to speak and an aboriginal girl. This story speaks about family, and about what is owed or earnt within relationships. A story of the times here in Aus, where the new Prime Minister has only recently been able to say "sorry" to Australia's indigenous peoples for the trauma suffered at the hands of previous, earlier governments.

75. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

This started out as an interesting time travel story, but ended up a really ordinary romance story. This is the first Gabaldon that I have read, but if this is one of her better ones, I won't bother reading others. I listened to it on audio and found myself laughing out loud at her sex scenes - the language was completely ridiculous (imo). Not for me.

76. The Sari Shop by Rupa Bajwa

A poor sari seller has the chance to see how the rich live when the daughter of a businessman is getting married. His impotence in the face of the rich / poor divide in India is very well written. A good story.

Still enjoying your reviews.

Thanks Amanda :)

77. The Voluptuous Delights of Peanut Butter and Jam by Lauren Liebenberg

Story set in Rhodesia in the 60's during a time of political and social upheaval. Two young sisters living on an isolated farm, happy and free to roam the countryside. A teenage relative comes to live with them and their lives are changed forever. A good story.

78. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

At the risk of offending the many fans of this book, I found it to be really ordinary and uninteresting. I felt throughout that it was like reading a SF book written by Enid Blyton.

79. The Amateur Marriage by Anne Tyler

Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Tyler captured the idea and reality of marriage in a nutshell. She has really got into the heads of the two main characters as she follows them from the first meeting, through to the end. She has also managed to view the marriage through the eyes of the children in a very real way. I will definitely be reading more of Anne Tyler.

I loved The Amateur Marriage too. I recommend Saint Maybe, another of my favorites of hers. She really has a knack for capturing ordinary people at ordinary pursuits, and making the reader care about them. When you try to explain her stories they sound so DULL, but they never feel that way when you read them.

You are right laytonwoman. But I do have a liking for stories about the everyday. I will certainly have a look at Saint Maybe.

80. The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank

Pretty ordinary story about a New York girl's search for love. Didn't really appeal to me.

81. Small Island by Andrea Levy

Really liked this one. Set in England during and after WWII, the story revolves around Queenie, a fairly ordinary housewife in a fairly loveless marriage. At the same time we follow Hortense, a well educated and proud woman of Jamaica, who marries a man she barely knows so she can migrate to England. Queenie befriends the Jamaicans, who lodge in her home while her husband is away during and after the war.

I was able to empathise with each of the characters, the likeable and the not so likeable ones, through the very enjoyable writing style of the author.

An easy recommendation.

82. The Road Home by Rose Tremain

Lev has lost his wife, his job and his country. He leaves his mother to care for his young daughter at home in Eastern Europe to go to London. He finds work, has good luck and bad, and finally devises a plan that will see his life back on track.

Tremain is an exceptional author. She can certainly tell a story. Highly recommended.

83. The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis

I am reading the top 100 fantasy books with my husband (when I have the time!), of which this is one, otherwise I would never have read it.

Demon Uncle writes letters to his Demon nephew regarding the lack of goodness in humans and the best way to go about influencing them towards the dark side. At times it was amusing, at times it was deadly dull and at times it was very relevant to life in the 2000's.

Interesting.

I loved The Road Home. Which top 100 fantasy list are you using? (another list....)

The list he has downloaded is from the Top Fantasy Fiction website.

I read The Screwtape Letters earlier this year and totally loved it. The whole concept of a demon assigned specifically to you was pretty scary to think about.

The first time I read The Screwtape Letters, I was on a business trip. On the plane, the woman next to me saw me reading and noted that I must be in college because I was reading CS Lewis. It made me wonder 1) did I miss out on something major in college by not having read any Lewis earlier, and 2) Really? people still think I look young enough to be in college?

I think I will have to read it again one day. I listened to it on audio and found myself easily distracted. Perhaps an actual reading will let me appreciate, even more, its wit and drollness.

84. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

Exquisite set of short stories which are beautifully detailed in their telling. Each story deals with the feelings of the outsider - the new migrant, or someone trying to fit in. Each of the characters is so well written, they feel like old friends. Highly recommended.

I just wanted to let you know I enjoy your reviews very much and have starred your list. The only problem is, I have added many to my tbr pile...sigh. Happy reading!

Thanks drsol, I love to get comments on my thread! I can empathise about your tbr list though . . . mine just goes on and on and on and on and . . .

85. Genesis by Bernard Beckett

A really interesting YA story set in the future in a New Zealand long isolated from the rest of the world. The story is told through young Anax who is being interviewed by a panel of examiners in hope of being admitted to "The Academy". The story she tells is in itself very interesting and there is a twist at the end which will keep you reading!

86. Disquiet by Julia Leigh

A lovely little story, strange and compelling. Beautifully developed story about a woman and her children returning to the family home. I love the quote from Toni Morrison on the cover "Julia Leigh is a sorceress. Her deft prose casts a spell of serene control while the earth quakes underfoot". That about sums it up.

87. Surrender by Sonya Hartnett on audio

Set in a small Australian country town, this is one heck of a story. It is quite a wild ride from start to finish. Nothing is quite as it seems and it is so skilfully put together that nothing becomes clear until the end. For this reason it is impossible to talk about the story without giving it away. Great read!

88. Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

A really good story set in Stalin's Russia. Leo is a war hero who has a very good job in the MGB (I assume that is what I know as the KGB). But he starts to question the purpose and the morality of arresting so many people who are more than likely innocent of any wrongdoing. When he refuses to denounce his wife he is sent to the country, demoted to the lowest levels of the militia and loses all his privileges. He discovers similarities between a number of murders of young children and then the action really begins. This is a really captivating story which keeps you reading well into the night. While reading it I was constantly amazed that anyone survived that period in history. Arrests based on nothing, no recourse to "justice" and the presumption of guilt at all times resulted in a very unhealthy society.

89. The Vanishings by Michael Panckridge

A YA book, a quick read but an interesting one. Fran's twin sister has disappeared along with many other young people around the district. She must find her in the in between shadow world where the disappeared ones are doomed to travel on a train endlessly. Not too bad.

90. The Margarets by Sheri S Tepper

To fulfill an ancient prophecy, one human must walk the seven roads at the same time. Margaret is born on another planet and returns to earth as a child. At each major decision in her life she produces another personality which goes on to live a life in parallel. This story is a parable for the times. Overpopulation, climate change, war are all commented on by Tepper. The final pages providing a new path for humankind. Enjoyed this story, but thought it a bit overlong in the middle parts.

91. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

I picked this one up at the library because I felt like rereading something. As it turns out, I only imagined I had read it in high school - this was (embarrassingly) my first time! Not much to be said about this that hasn't been said before. It is a classic, and in my opinion, an important book. Written in Bradbury's easy style, the story really captures you. I love to read old SF - sometimes during the story you just wonder why the characters aren't using their mobiles, going to dial a number in a phone booth instead; you expect them to use their laptops to find information, but they go to the library instead! And one "Dr Evil" moment in this story - Montag lamenting the huge cost of some piece of technology - One HUNdred Dollars LOL!

92. The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta

Ruth is a sex ed teacher at a suburban high school. She is being forced to teach a curriculum, strongly based on fundamentalist ideology, that she disagrees with. Tim is her daughter's soccer coach. He is a recovering alcoholic / drug user who has been "saved" by the local evangelical church. Their paths cross. They become adversaries, yet there is a strange attraction there. Quite a good story. An entertaining read. I suspect there is a movie waiting to be made in it!

I also, embarrassingly enough, was a bit removed from my school years when i finally read Fahrenheit 451. I'm so glad I finally got around to it, though. You're right, it is definitely something everyone should read.

Whicker, one of my next books is Slaughterhouse 5. Another one that I think I should have read ages ago. But for now I have just finished . . .

93. The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng

The first half of this book felt overwritten, clumsy and a bit annoying. I was tempted to put it aside for something else. But the second half was much easier to read. The story became quite exciting, and the writing, although still a bit uneven, was easier to handle.

Phillip is the half Chinese, half English son of a merchant in Penang (Malaysia). He befriends a Japanese man who becomes his sensei. But when the Japanese invade Malaysia, Phillip's loyalties are questioned. IMO there could have been a lot less of this book, but it was a captivating story.

94. The Extra Large Medium by Helen Slavin

Annie sees dead people. Ever since early childhood she has conversed with the dead. This was a story about loss and grief and new beginnings. I enjoyed it.

95. Joan Makes History by Kate Grenville (Audio)

Kate Grenville is a wonderful writer. Her prose is full of descriptions which bring her stories to life. I enjoyed listening to this story about Joan and her life. Joan was born to immigrant parents in the year of Federation. We follow her life through growing up, attending Uni, getting married, disappearing, becoming a mother and finally growing old. She sets out to be someone as a young girl, but comes to the realization that she has made her own history, just by being herself.

Throughout the story, we are also given vignettes of other Joans who have made their mark on history. We read about joan as the wife of Captain Cook aboard the Endeavour, as a young aboriginal woman meeting white men for the first time, as a washerwoman during the gold rush, a traveller, a mayor's wife attending the gala occasion of the opening of the Australian Parliament in 1901.

I see this as being a statement about women being marginalised in a society where it had always been men who were first, best, most; but without the contributions of all women, from scullerymaids to settler's wives, and the rest, surely history would not have been made by anyone.

96. The Cleft by Doris Lessing

The Cleft is the story of our ancient forebears, not long out of the sea, told by a Roman scholar and pieced together from bits of stories, written and oral. The Clefts (females) live an idyllic life by the ocean when suddenly they begin to give birth to "monsters" with strangely deformed genitals (males). They lay them on the killing stone and allow the giant eagles to take them away.

But a colony of Squirts (males) is establishing itself in the forest and we follow these two peoples through the ages as they learn to live together and thrive.

A strange story, but also strangely compelling. Certainly a book to mull over. I would recommend it, but not to everyone.

97. The Girls by Lori Lansens

Loved this book written as an autobiography of conjoined twins. Superbly written, very affecting story of Rose and Ruby, growing up in a small town. I particularly love the way that Rose has written the bulk of the story with the occasional chapter written by Ruby. Ruby's insights give the reader a different view of some of the important incidents in their lives, and she also manages to surprise us with some revelations!

A really satisfying read.

98. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

Balram Halwai was born in "the darkness" - the son of a rickshaw puller, but determined to escape his class's limits. He becomes a driver and moves to the city. He is fortunate in many ways, but is still a servant and still wants something better. The story is told in a series of letters sent from Balram to a soon to visit Chinese diplomat. I couldn't really see the point of this and wondered if it was necessary at all? Maybe someone else has an opinion on that? One thing this story does do is highlight the difference in India between the haves and the have-nots in a very real way. Interesting.

As usual, enjoying your reviews very much.

Thanks, Amanda!

99. The Clothes on their Backs by Linda Grant

Vivien is the daughter of Hungarian refugees who have lived isolated lives, protecting her from the outside world. Then her uncle - larger than life, an infamous ex-con - comes into their lives, changing everything. This is a story about how we are defined by the persona we choose, the clothes we wear, how we present to the world. This was an ok story, well written, but something was missing for me. I just didn't connect with the characters, didn't care enough about what was happening to them.

100. The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville

I just love Grenville's work. Everything I have read of hers makes me want to read more. This story is about a young Officer who arrives in Sydney Cove with the First Fleet. He is a mathematician, an astronomer and a linguist. We see the "birth of a nation" and at the same time we sense the demise of the established peoples of the new world. An excellent book. Highly recommended.

Congratulations on your 100! Enjoying your reviews!

Thanks, englishrose - I am surprised to have reached 100 already. Looks like this has been / will be a good reading year for me!

Wow! 100 hundred books! Congrats!

Thanks, mrstreme! And now to 101!

101. Two Caravans by Marina Lewycka (Audio)

I really liked this one. I liked her first one as well, but this one was easier to read, had more humour and less pathos. The reader was wonderful. She had all the accents down pat and was a joy to listen to.

A group of seasonal workers (African, Chinese, Ukrainian, etc) find themselves picking strawberries on an English farm. They live in two derelict caravans, get paid minimal wage and have no luxuries at all. The story follows their adventures. There is of course some underlying tragedy within the story, but this time I decided to focus on the humour.

Recommended.

Apparently this book is titled Strawberry Fields in the U.S. It sounds very good.

laytonwoman - I enjoyed it :)

102. Flood by Stephen Baxter

Its the near future and the earth is undergoing major weather events. Floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, etc. Then it gets worse and the water keeps on rising. The story follows a group of people who had been held as hostages during the first years of these changes. A mega rich and powerful man takes them under his wing and their unusual connections are followed throughout the story. I love a good end-of-the-earth disaster story and I really like Baxter's writing, so this one was a winner for me.

103. The Three Incestuous Sisters by Audrey Niffenegger

I enjoy reading picture books, especially ones where the pictures tell the story as much as or more than the words. This was a beautiful book in appearance, but I thought the story was a bit ordinary. Three sisters live with their father the lighthousekeeper. When he dies another man comes to take over. From there we have love, jealousy, tragedy, grief, but no incest. It needed something more for me.

104. The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry

Another Booker shortlist. And yet again I have to say I liked it . . but I didn't love it. I had high hopes for this book. The blurb sounded great and it has been regarded highly here on LT. But I just didn't connect with it. An elderly woman has been interred in an asylum for many years. As the inmates are being assessed for a move to a new facility, her story is told through her own writing (the secret scripture) and through the doctor's investigations. It is a story of a fascinating yet tragic life. And the twists and turns are compelling. So I wouldn't write this one off. It is probably the best of the shortlist that I have read.

105. For One More Day by Mitch Albom

Naaahhhhh. Not really my cup of tea. I thought it was overly sentimental and did not appeal to me. An ex baseball champ has become a drunk, lost his family and decides to suicide. During his time hovering between life and death he has conversations with his dead mother and he sees the error of his ways. I'm glad it only took one night to read it!

Hi, judylou, sorry if I missed one of your posts that already covered this, but what have been some of your absolutely most favorite reads thus far this year?

Well, karspeak, that's a tricky one. But I guess reading through my posts above I would have to say . . .

All of the Kate Grenville's
Disquiet
The Girls
Interpreter of Maladies
The Road Home
Small Island
Sorry
The Story of Forgetting
The Spare Room
Breath
Ursula, Under
The Deportees
The Red Tent
Careless
The Uncommon Reader
On Chesil Beach

. . . and there are a number of others that I would like to add to my list, but it would make it ridiculously long :)

106. The Pages by Murray Bail

I was fairly underwhelmed with this story about a boy from the bush who fancies himself as a philosopher and travels the world before returning to the farm to write down his thoughts. The brother and sister call upon a city philosopher to come and assess the reams of pages which the brother has left behind for publication. I didn't feel that Bail developed the characters and their relationships to each other enough and I was disappointed that it didn't live up to the classic Eucalyptus.

judy, I enjoy reading your comments on the books you read. Tell me please, which 100 Best Fantasy Books list are you using? Is it the one from the David Pringle book?

107. Troll: A Love Story by Johanna Sinisalo

A strange but enthralling little story set in a Finland where Trolls exist as wild animals. Angel, a photographer, finds a young troll in the street, takes him home to keep, but becomes rather obsessed with him. The story is interspersed with research about trolls. So we read extracts from academic journals, newspaper articles, myths and legends, poetry and speculation from many sources which tells us about trolls. I did enjoy this story. It was weirdly compelling. Probably not everyone's cup of tea, but worth a look!

avaland, my husband downloaded a list from the web. This is the URL . .

http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes/fantasy100/lists_books.html

108. The Child in Time by Ian McEwan Audio

Excellent. Typical of McEwan's style. Sparse prose and a strong story. The story tells of life after the disappearance of a child. The ending was quite a surprise.

Judy, your choices are delectable! Congrats on the Big 100.

Why thank you Amanda :) I hope you like these ones too.

109. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Billy time travels. He finds himself in the middle of the war, at his death, as a young man, as an old man, without warning. But even though it is considered a classic and much loved by many readers, I somehow missed the point. I wondered if he was time travelling or if he was going mad. It just didn't do it for me.

110. Embers by Marai Sandor

A slow start became an avid read. Two elderly men, friends since boyhood, meet after many years apart. The tension builds as the story is revealed. Excellent.

Adds Embers to the pile. Judy I liked Slaughterhouse-Five, for me, it had the ring of truth.

Judy, hm. that list looks like it's by popularity/sales. Here is the Pringle list:
http://home.comcast.net/~dwtaylor1/pringlesfantasy.html

The book has a page description and explanation why it was chosen for each title on the list.

Thanks for that avaland. But I'm afraid my husband prefers the popular titles and would shy away from the selection on the Pringle list. But it certainly has some interesting titles. I have filed it among all the other lists I (really try to keep up with and wish I had the time to) read from.

merry, I think I need to think on it for a while. I am really not sure how I feel about it.

111. The Household Guide to Dying by Debra Adelaide

Delia is a writer of "household guides". She has written guides to the laundry, kitchen and gardening, so when she is diagnosed with a terminal illness she decides to write a guide to dying. Although a very difficult subject to write about, the book is never maudlin or depressing. It is also not an uplifting moral tale about life either. It is simply the story of a young mother and wife who is dying and feels the need to tie up some loose ends before the end. I did shed a few tears at one stage, and I laughed aloud a couple of times. This is one of those books that I will think about for a long time to come. Excellent!

I finally made it over here Judylou.

Your last book broke my heart just reading the review. One more book to be added to the TBR pile, though I may have to save this for a sad day.

Trish, don't leave it too long!

112. The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant

I picked this one up because I loved Diamant's The Red Tent. I wasn't disappointed. She has written about a small town in the 1800's which is populated by widows and dogs and not much else. Every character is so well written, that you feel like they are known to you. They are a very diverse bunch of people, each with different reasons for being in, and staying in Dogtown. And we also get a view of each of the residents through the eyes of the other characters. Great read.

I was curious about the Dogtown book - glad to know you liked it!

113. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

This was an LT recommendation - and my thanks to those of you who pointed it out! A wonderful story, yet told as a series of (almost) short stories which introduce us to Olive. Each story shows us a little more of Olive, from many points of view - her own, her husband, her friends, and acquaintances. As you read each story, you think you are getting to know Olive, but then as you read the next story, you discover something new. A really surprising book which I strongly recommend.

114. The Diving Pool by Yoko Ogawa

This book comprises three novellas which were, thankfully, fairly quick reads. The first story was about a girl who lived with her parents in an orphanage. It was about love and cruelty. The second was a diary of a pregnancy - very strange. The third about a boarding house managed by a triple amputee.

All of these stories were just a little too wierd for me.

115. The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing

A young couple marry, planning to have many, many children. The first four are born into a happy home where relatives and friends enjoy staying and being part of the happiness. But the fifth pregnancy is different and the fifth child does not fit in to the family as easily as it might. This story has shades of We need to talk about Kevin, but it is much condensed and very readable. A great read!

116. The Photograph by Penelope Lively

Yehhhh, nooooo, it didn't quite get me. I found myself frustrated at the lack of direction in the story and with the (mostly) insipid characters. It was a great premise, a photograph of a woman holding hands with someone not her husband, is found many years after her death. Her husband begins a search to find out the truth about his wife's life. But for whatever reason, I did not enjoy it.

117. The Boat by Nam Le

Another one that I found just ordinary. His short stories were set in different parts of the world and each had a message but I just didn't enjoy them. The final story set on a boat taking refugees from Vietnam, was very powerful, probably the best in the book. But, unfortunately, another one that (for me) didn't live up to the hype.

Thanks Judy. That's two you've saved me from reading.

Any time Amanda!

Judy, I like your comments on Olive Kitteridge posted above.

As you read each story, you think you are getting to know Olive, but then as you read the next story, you discover something new

Very astute. While I didn't think the story was entirely credible in representing the people of the area it is set (and roughly where I'm from), I did think it a terrific read.

I think I mentioned elsewhere that The Photograph didn't do much for me either. Unfortunately, I've not been tempted to pick up other Lively novels because of it.

Thanks for your comments avaland. I don't think I have read any other Lively books, and, like you, after reading The Photograph I won't be in a hurry to start!

118. The Gravedigger's Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates

This is the story of Rebecca, born on a refugee boat in New York harbour just before the outbreak of WW2. Her family settle in a small town where her father becomes the town gravedigger. A fascinating story where Rebecca lives through traumatic event after traumatic event. Oates is an excellent writer, and although this was a looooong novel, my interest was held throughout. I especially liked the conclusion to Rebecca's story. It was worth the previous 550 pages to read it. Recommended.

I enjoyed The Gravedigger's Daughter too. She was one tough cookie but vulnerable too.

119. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Not my usual fare, but enjoyable all the same. I picked it up because I enjoyed the tv series. It was a fast paced, clever thriller about a serial killer and Dexter's strange predilections.

120. The Shifting Fog by Kate Morton

Although well reviewed and often recommended, I didn't like this story set in England around the time of WW1. When reading, there is almost always a point where I find myself becoming involved in the story, caring about the characters and thinking about the book when I'm not reading. I never got to this point.

ETA - audio

121. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

Set in modern day Salem, with modern day witches and the same old fanatics after them, this story is about Towner who was raised by lace readers - women who can see the future by reading images they see in the lace. She has suffered during her life and ran away to California to get as far from her home as possible. She returns when one of her aunts disappears.

This was a truly beautiful story. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

122. So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld

I enjoyed Westerfeld's Uglies series last year, so when I saw this one at the library I picked it up. It was quite good. Hunter is a young man who seeks the "next big thing". It is all about being cool. He meets up with a seriously cool girl, his boos disappears and then the adventures begin. Westerfeld has used this book as a comment on individuality and the need to be cool, to follow trends. Interesting.

123. How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

Wasn't terribly impressed with this one. A young girl with anorexia is sent from her home in the US to live with her cousins in England. But war breaks out while she is there.

It was OK, but I was put off by the style the author used. Something about the voice of the narrator / main character just didn't ring true for me.

124. The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris

I listened to this one in the car, and enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. It is the sequel to Chocolat which I read many years ago, and in fact remember the movie better than the book! I was enthralled with this story, set in a Chocolaterie in Paris, where we are taken on a wild ride with not only the original Chocolat characters, but a whole troop of wonderful new people - mostly customers. The luscious descriptions of chocolate were just wonderful for a chocoholic like me, and the author managed to draw a vivid picture of the Chocolaterie and the surrounding Paris streets. Just lovely.

Warning! You will crave chocolate ;-)

nice! my two favorite things, chocolate and reading

And now there's three I'll have to buy!

Hi Judy didnt realise you were in the 50 book challenge thread. Now I can monitor your reviews :)

This next one is one you might like caspettee . . .

125. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

A man suffers serious burns in a car accident. While recovering in hospital, he meets a mysterious woman who becomes a regular visitor. I won't say anymore at the risk of spoiling it for potential readers.

This was a fascinating story. I was hooked at about 100 pages and hardly put it down again. The way the story unfolds is really interesting. The characters are superbly drawn and totally believable.

Just a warning though - the first few chapters have some very graphic medical procedures. But don't let that put you off . . . the story is just too good!!

126. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

This is the story of the above named society which came into being on the Island of Guernsey during its occupation by Germany in WW2. Juliet is an English author who becomes involved with the members of the society, while researching for a new book. A really sweet book written in the form of letters between Juliet and her various acquaintances.

127. The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan

This story was a very confronting one. A bit Flowers in the Attic meets The Lord of the Flies. Four children are left to care for their invalid mother when their father dies. McEwan is a superb writer - and even when I was cringing at the content, I was still able to appreciate the style! I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who hasn't read McEwan before. But his fans should try it.

128. World War Z by Max Brooks

I really liked this one. The story is told through a series of interviews with survivors of the zombie wars. Very clever premise which is totally believable while reading it. Each interview reveals a little more of the history of the zombie outbreak and while each interviewee provides personal stories, they also give more general information that fills in the gaps. Recommended.

129. Peeps by Scott Westerfeld

Vampirism is spread by a parasite. Cal is a carrier, not a full blown peep, hunting for the peep who infected him. This was a fun story. I like the way Westerfeld writes - it makes for effortless reading. This book has the added bonus of every second chapter being a factual account of a real parasite. Great cringe value!

Sounds good. After reading Westerfelds Uglies series I am keen to try his other stuff.

Whoa you have read some really interesting stuff since I was last here. Your last book Peeps sounds really good. I believe I will be seeking it out cause I like a good vampire story.

I have also heard wonderful things about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and The Gargoyle. Both books keep coming up all over LT. I think I may just have to go get them and see what its all about.

By the way how have you been? Its been awhile since I saw you on the 75 challenge. I miss your input.

I'm reading The Gargoyle right now and so far loving it. Got Peeps on the list.

I think The Cement Garden will have to move up my TBR.

Trish, been working hard; but have been lurking on the 75 challenge. I'll get back there soon!

Beeg, glad to hear you're liking The Gargoyle, I think you will like Peeps too.

shootingstar, Ian McEwan is a very talented writer. Not many are as good as he is.

130. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller

A 50 year old woman is married to an 80 year old man. They have just moved into a retirement village. She is looking back on her life, questioning her choices. This was an interesting story, well written, entertaining, but nothing wonderful.

131. Bearded Ladies by Kate Grenville

A series of short stories. A couple were a bit ordinary, but in the main they were good little stories. Grenville is an excellent writer.

Hey, I wanted to let you guys know about a contest teenlibris.com is running this month, where they're giving away copies of Scott Westerfeld's new book on the Uglies series, "Bogus to Bubbly", plus Uglies series t-shirts and copies of the entire Uglies series. The details are at http://www.teenlibris.com/contests.html.

They also have a preview of "Bogus to Bubbly" up on the site as well! :)

132. The Riders by Tim Winton

This early Winton is possibly his best. It is different to (I think) everything else he has written in that it is set totally in Europe. So we don't have his characteristic SW Western Australian landscape for a background. But, he still remains (imo) one of the better authors for providing a sense of "place". The story revolves around Scully - an Australian overseas, and his young daughter Billie. The story builds and builds, it becomes a relentless read, which just can't be put down.

A highly recommended book!

The Riders sounds intriguing Judylou! Are we nearly level-pegging?? 132 books well done!

Merry10, looks like we are neck and neck. But with these next two, I'm pulling out ahead just before the straiaght!!!!

133. The ZigZag Way by Anita Desai

Fairly forgettable story about Cornish miners in Mexico. Not very appealing to me.

134. Jesus wants me for a sunbeam by Peter Goldsworthy

Loved, loved, loved this novella by a favourite author of mine. This is the story of a young family - perfect in every way - and determined to stay that way. But tragedy takes over and their life changes course. A beautifully written story which builds and builds unrelentingly. The parents' response to the tragedy appears at first to be impossible, but after reading the final pages, I was in complete sympathy with their actions.

Absolutely and completely recommended!

135. Tirra Lirra by the River by Jessica Anderson

Nora left her Queensland home looking for more from life. She married and divorced; then left for England where she began a career as a dressmaker. She returns to her home when she is in her 70s, only to discover that her memories are not always true. This is a very touching story.

Wow, judylou! You're a fiend!! I've just been reading through your list and it's awesome - I've added a few to my wishlist :)

And this conversation was a little while ago, but I didn't read Fahrenheit451 in high school either... another one for the list!

Judy--what's the significance of the title in Jesus wants me for a sunbeam? It reminds me of a song we used to sing in Sunday school. This one is going on my TBR list. I hope I can find a copy.

fasciknitting, thank you! I have to admit that I have read more this year than ever before, and there have been so many good ones that I will be hard pressed to come up with a best of list! And do read Fahrenheit 451. You will be impressed!

Nickelini, I had to think about whether or not to reveal this part of the story, but I don't think it will detract from the story if you know. One of the children is diagnosed with cancer and the title represents how the parents respond. Please let me know if you can't find a copy.

136. Let me sing you gentle songs by Linda Olsson (aka Astrid and Veronika)

This was a beautiful story told in beautiful prose. Astrid (an elderly woman)and Veronika (a young author) meet in a village in Sweden - both are isolated, both suffering loss. This story is about their friendship and the joy it brings to both of them.

I really enjoyed listening to this story. Olsson has quite a knack for describing the landscape and her settings are wonderfully written. The characters also, are so real I think I will miss them now!

Please let me know if you can't find a copy.
---------------------

Well, I can't seem to find a copy in Canada (Amazon, Indigo, Abebooks) and I didn't see one in the US either, so it doesn't appear to have been published in North America. Maybe it will be down the road though--I'll keep my eyes open for this one. It's not like I don't have hundreds of books waiting to be read!

137. Ash Road by Ivan Southall

I found, at the back of my bookshelves, this YA novel written by Southall after his death last weekend. Some children / teens are left at home while their parents go out to support the firefighters fighting a bushfire across the mountains. But the fire moves faster than expected and leaves the children to fend for themselves. This was a very exciting book. I had to turn the light on very early this morning so I could read it to the end! Of course, written in the 60s, in a style particular to that era, it does suffer from stereotypes and language differences, but it was still a good read!

138. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Hugo is orphaned and goes to live with his uncle, the timekeeper at Paris' main train station. The uncle disappears and leaves Hugo to continue maintaining the clocks. Meanwhile Hugo is attempting to repair an automaton which he hopes will bring him the answers he wants when fixed.

The story is good, but the illustrations are excellent. Suitably dark and moody, highly detailed and very sympathetic to the story.

139. The Behaviour of Moths by Poppy Adams

An elderly woman lives alone in an English manor. Her sister returns to live with her after many years of estrangement. Her memories of the past hint at something, of which the reader is kept in the dark. I sort of liked this book. But I found it a bit frustrating. It always hinted at things, but never quite delivered, imo.

Oh Judy!

The Riders is my favourite Tim Winton book and Tirra Lirra By the River is just perfect.

Ivan Southall: Until I read about his death this week I swear I hadn't thought of him for maybe forty years. But when I saw his name, and that title Let The Balloon Go, I felt very emotional.

Yes, Amanda, it is such a shame to see these older authors (I'm also thinking about Colin Thiele here) passing away. They did such wonderful work in the 50s and 60s.

140. The Ghost Writer by John Harwood

Stories within stories; mysteries within mysteries. At times I was engrossed in this book at others I was a bit bored. The story follows a boy in Australia who has a mother with a strange history. He goes to England to be with his "invisible lover" - a penfriend of 20+ years. He has never seen a photo, or spoken to her, so we must start to wonder who she really is? Meanwhile, he is discovering stories written by his grandmother, which are somewhat creepy and seem to mirror his mother's life in some ways. It was an interesting story, but a bit patchy in places.

141. Dreams of Speaking by Gail Jones

Gail Jones has a wonderful way with words! She is a pleasure to read. This story built quite slowly, but never lost me as a reader. Beautifully written!

Ooh, I liked Dreams of Speaking - did you?

amanda, I did like it. She is a great author!

142. Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

A fantastic book! A collection of very short little stories based in suburbia. I really enjoyed it. Tan is well known for his illustrations, and this book has been beautifully illustrated. Recommended!

143. The Hand That Signed the Paper by Helen Demidenko/Darville

This was certainly a powerful story, even a disturbing story, about Ukrainians in WW2. The story moves back and forth between WW2 and the 1990's in Australia where an elderly Ukrainian man is about to go to trial for war crimes. The question is whether this man, along with all the others in his position, were "bad" people; just following orders; or just attempting to survive.

There is no argument that what they did during the war was, in every way, wrong; but there were so few options left for them. The questions which arise from this book are not for the faint-hearted.

Having said that, I didn't think that this book was particularly well written. IMO, it felt somewhat amateurish, the prose a bit stilted, and somehow flat.

Very interesting. I've never read it and now I won't need to.

144. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

This was a classic horror story. Four strangers come together in a creepy house and weird things start to happen. A really good ghost story.

Oooh.. I really liked The Haunting of Hill House! In fact, I love Shirley Jackson!! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

Thanks. I'm trying to find a copy of We always lived in the castle. Its not so easy to find.

get your library to order it for you, I was surprised mine even had it. It's such a great story.

I agree with beeg: it might take a while, but you should be able to get it through an Interlibrary Loan. It was a Top 5 read for me this year!

LOL! Here I am blushing again - I only work as a librarian - perhaps I should do it myself ;) !!!!!!!!

Hehehe, that's so cute! I'm jealous; I wish I could do my own ILLs :)

145. Little Face by Sophie Hannah

Alice is a new mother, she goes out one day and when she comes home, she insists that her baby has been swapped for another. Sounds good, but it was a bit dull. Alternate chapters, told from Alice's POV at the time of the baby swap, and from a police officer's POV one week after the incident, were used to give the book an interesting structure. But even so, I did find myself skimming in places. The only reason I kept reading was because I had to know if the baby really was swapped or not; but the conclusion was altogether too silly for me, and I discovered that I didn't really care after all!

146. Landscape of Farewell by Alex Miller (audio)

This was a beautifully written novel. I had an issue with the reader, though. It took me quite a while to get used to his voice. The story is about Max, a German academic who is suffering the loss of his wife. He decides to suicide, but delivers one last paper before he goes. Vita, a young indigenous Australian academic, is in the audience. She makes such an impression on Max that he changes his mind, and they go on to become good friends.
Recommended.

I rather liked Landscape of Farewell. Definitely a different story from the history of colonisation in Australia. Kind of goes with The Ghost Road by Pat Barker.

How do you mean, Meg?

147. Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips

I really enjoyed this one. It was a story about the Greek Gods - Zeus, Artemis, Apollo, etc - who are living in a share house in London, down on their luck and losing their power. They are selfish and rude and arrogant and above all - bored. It was funny and a treat to read.

Probably drawing a long bow here. I'm thinking of the incidents of tribal war. The Ghost Road has war as an intrinsic part of human nature, best managed as simple conflict between tribes and contrasts the violent conflicts of the islanders with the human catastrophe of modern warfare.

In Landscape of Farewell you have a description of the original inhabitants successfully massacring the interlopers. Both novels seemed to portray that violence as a necessary and exercised with a certain dignity, both killer and killed were equal, both aware of their equal status. Maybe I'm taking things too far out of context.

Gods behaving badly sounds like a great fun read. i will have to see if my library has it.

Please do caspettee, its worth it!

Merry, I can see where you are going now. There is an equality in death, I suppose, and both books do portray a certain inevitability of violence and death.

148. Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams (audio)

The next instalment in the Hitchhikers Guide continues in the same vein as the first instalments. It is funny, silly and easy to listen to. I enjoyed it.

149. Wanting by Richard Flanagan

Wanting is set in Tasmania, typical of Flanagan. Through the lives of Governor John Franklin, Charles Dickens and Mathinna, one of the last surviving aborigines of Tasmania, it explores desire and the high cost of giving in to it.

"And he, a man who had spent a life believing that giving in to desire was the mark of a savage, realised he could no longer deny wanting" (p241).

I think the above quote sums up the basis of this story which I very much liked.

150. The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne by Brian Moore

A wonderful, wonderful novel about a woman approaching middle age. She is Irish, Catholic, unmarried, poor, living in a furnished room and lonely. I don't think I have ever read a male author who seems so at ease with writing a female character. His writing ensures that the reader knows absolutely who Judith Hearne is. This is not a happy story. But the character of Judith is incredibly alive. Her hopes, dreams, desires and all her self doubt is laid bare.

I highly recommend this one.

Congratulations on reaching your 150th book for the year Judylou!

Thanks merry, I never thought it would happen. I have surprised myself!

151. The Unknown Terrorist by Richard Flanagan (audio)

The Doll is a stripper. She has almost made enough money to change her life yet again. But after a one night stand with a stranger, she is implicated in terrorism. We watch helplessly as she is tried and convicted by the public, the media, and politicians. Very, very good!

I have heard lots of good things about the unknown terrorist.

Caspettee, try it . . . I think you'll like it.

152. An Unfortunate Series of Events The Miserable Mill & The Austere Academy by Lemony Snickett (audio)

Good fun and easy to listen to on our marathon drive up north!

153. The Positronic Man by Isaac Asimov (audio)

This book became "The Bicentennial Man" movie. I could hear Robin Williams' voice throughout! A good story, told well, with a bit of a moral lesson thrown in as well.

154. The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway

This was a very interesting book. While reading, I was at times, engrossed, bored, amused, surprised, thrilled, incredulous, confused, sceptical and frustrated. So it must have been a good book, right?

A bomb has been developed which makes parts of the world just go away, leaving, well, nothing. But a curious development causes dreams, wishes and random thoughts to become real when the survivors are not within reach of the "pipeline".

There is a lot going on in this book. Ninjas and mime artists, circuses and hard men & women, a love story, a mystery, fantasy, and war. It really has everything. Sometimes it was all too much. But looking back on it now, I think it worked (for me). I hesitate to recommend it to everyone, because I know that lots of you won't be interested. But if you think it sounds intriguing - give it a go.

Congratulations on a really big reading year Judy!