thekoolaidmom's 50 book challenge

Not counting children's books, so far I've read Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and I'm currently reading Annie Freeman's Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish and The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli.

Finished Annie Freeman, still in The Prince, and starting Harlan Coben's The Woods. The Prince is slow going because I am studying it, not just reading it. I started The Woods because a friend loaned it to me before Christmas, and I want to get it back to her. I'm loaning her Annie Freeman, too.

Finished 2 books so far (not including books read with my kids.)

Finished The Woods. It really rocked! It was compelling and spellbinding. I kept turning the info over in my head, trying to figure it out, but it kept me guessing. Harlan Coben is an awesome writer who is easy to read. He doesn't waste words, and he's funny.

Next book: The Store by Bentley Little. It's one of the books on Stephen King's shortlist. Think: Wal-Mart in Hell. Should be fun!

Bentley Little can be a lot of fun if he's up your alley. My last read by him was The Resort, which was rather disappointing, but The University is definately one of his good ones if you end up looking for another.

Finished The Store... creeped me out! 8-O

CRAP! Wal-mart in hell... Think: Scientology-run Wal-mart from Hell owned by Howard Hughes and Satan's love child! and Bentley Little reads like a mixture of Orwell, Bradbury, King and Brothers Grimm! Very cool. I'll have to read some more by him. My friend read The Resort and said it was really good, too.

But, she also loaned me a signed copy of No Second Chance, and wants it back, so I'm reading it next.

SO MANY BOOKS! SO LITTLE TIME!!

4 completed (not including all the children's books I read to my 9-year-old)

Finished No Second Chance, and it was good. I think I liked Coban's The Woods better. In NSC, the twists and turns of looking for his lost child and figuring out who shot who was captivating.

I've already started Middlesex, which I am really liking. I enjoy Eugenides's style of writing. He's very poetic, and is great at putting the reader in the shoes of Cal (an others.) YES, there is the sexual content, but it's not like reading erotica, it's more like life experiences.

Ahhh.... just finished Middlesex and am just blown away. Epic, homeric at points, and fantastic writing... I sooo want to read this again! Just flip it over and start over. I don't reread books often, but Middlesex may be the exception.

Don't know what I'm starting next, maybe Atonement, maybe V for Vendetta: a novelization... there's something about Eugenides's claim that the Detroit riot of '67 was really a second American Revolution that makes me crave a book about toppling a tyranical government... that, or the fact Middlesex, in general, has a happy ending that I now want a dystopic to balance it out.

Finished V for Vendetta: a novelization and I'm getting ready to start The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz. From reading the summary, it's not one I would have ever picked myself, but a friend gave it to me to read.

Sometimes those turn out to be the best books. Middlesex was like that, I wouldn't have read it on my own, but reading the reviews on here made me decide to pick it up, and it turned out to be one of my favorite books!

Just finished The Darkest Evening of the Year, and I don't get why it was called that... The first 65 chapters were phenomenal! Chapter 66 was a frickin' Deus ex Machina, and it was like, "Crap! the deadline's tomorrow! How do I tie all this up? I know! Miracle-making healer-dog! yeah... and a really good 'They lived happily ever after!' Most people never make it to the end anyway, and what do I care! They bought the book." I may never read another Dean Koontz again. That, or I'll read the last chapter in the store and decide whether I want to read the rest of it. grrrrr.....

All that happiness and warm-fuzzies for an ending to an incredibly cruel book... I don't know whether I need a happy book or dystopic. BUT.... I'm picking up Atonement tomorrow... Maybe tonight just to flush this poo-book out of my head.

FINISHED Atonement THANK GOD! bored to tears by that one... Honestly, why is it on the 1001 list? I really can't see it. It's not that clever. I had the "mystery" all figured out from the 200th page (200th because it took McEwan 200 pages to GET TO the mystery of who violated Lola.) Geez... If it was summer, I would've watched the grass grow for more enjoyment than reading Atonement. blech. The only thing about the book I liked was I loved Briony.

Now on to The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Hoping for better from the dystopic genre. Hoping to get the atonement taste out of my mouth.

finished 9 still haven't finished Machiavelli's The Prince

Finished The Road. I liked it, but it was sad and depressing. The ending surprised me. I was expecting both of them to die, and I liked the way he ended it. It seemed a bit long, though, and I kept saying, "get on with it!" for the last 50 pages or so.

I am working on my ER book, Larryisms, as it came today. It's pretty funny. He annoys me a bit, though, with the "Never trust a God who..." lines.

I'm also nursing Skeleton Crew when I'm out and about, but that one will take awhile.

I'm starting The Giver next as my main reading.

Finished 10... still haven't finished Machiavelli's The Prince

It is so good to hear someone on LT state my feelings on Atonement--it seems we had the same reaction, but even when I ask why others love it so much, and they attempt to tell me, I only end up shaking my head. A few weeks ago a group of professors met to discuss teaching strategies on the book--when I asked if they felt it was at all predictable, I may as well have been from outer space! Glad you liked The Road better--No Country for Old Men is toward the top of my tbr pile now. And since this is long, in case you're looking for suggestions and since we have some similar tastes at least, my favorite off the beaten path novelists are Amanda Eyre Ward and Alex Garland--they won't leave you so disappointed as McEwan or so down as McCarthy. Good reading!

Finished The Giver and it's definately one of my favorites. My shortlist reccomendations for this quarter would be Middlesex, The Road, and The Giver. p'shah on the rest of 'em... Maybe include The Store.

Finished Larryisms and had to trudge the last half. It would have been better as a Larryisms day calendar; you can get an overload of cutesie little quips, and annoyed by one too many slams of your religion. Got it... your an atheist... or at least an agnostic... MOVE ON. Without all the Bush slams, republican jabs, and mocking religion, this book would have been about 60 or 70 pages long. *as is, it's 134*

didn't go anywhere today, so I didn't read Skeleton Crew today.

Finished 12... still haven't finished Machiavelli's

The Prince

How did you feel about the Giver? You have got to read the two companions, they are great. Gathering Blue and Messenger.
I am reading Middlesex now too! cool. Do you like it?

I've mooched Gathering Blue, and it's been sent, Messenger I'll read after Gathering Blue.

I loved Middlesex! It's epic and beautiful and fanciful, a little naughty (the whole incest thing) and it carries the idea that our Grandparents, whom we have only ever known as old, were once young and vibrant... and sexual... :p . AND that our parents were also once naughty or good, or that they almost died, or that they have worries and joys just like we do. Then, when we look at our children, we know they will be shocked to find out we, too, once were spanked or changed a grade on our report card, or saved a family from a burning house. Whatever exploits we did when we were young will be jaw-dropping thoughts to them. Middlesex inspires a thought of continuity of time and life; generations before and generations ahead, with us simply on the grid. It's good to know we aren't alone, and that others have struggled, laughed and loved just like I do now.

Yes... I liked Middlesex.

Middlesex really was a great book, wasn't it? I wasn't totally sure I liked it all the way through, but I kept picking it up again, so I guess I did like it. The ending, though--that was amazing! I was just blown away by it.

I liked the way Eugenides showed that our lives are a product of our history, not just a discrete chunk of time. Like everyone, Cal was a product of his past as much as he was his own person. Not that we don't have our own unique qualities, or that we are determined by our past, but our family history is definitely an important part of who we are.

Finished Eragon and I absolutely loved it. It was especially great to read after the serious novels I've been reading. Fantasy, adventure, good-versus-evil, and magical creatures were a welcome vacation. I'm going to read Eldest next, then wait desperately for Brisingr to come out in the fall. I found out that it's a cycle, not a trilogy, now. Paolini said to do it all in the way the books deserve would have made Brisingr about a thousand pages, so he opted to turn out a fourth book instead.

Finished 13... still have NM's TP.

I just finished Eldest and now can't wait until October for Brisingr... Waaaaaaah!!!

Now, it's back to reality with The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini.

I'm also working on King's Skeleton Crew while I sit and wait on the kids. The fact that it's short stories make it easier to pick up and put down. I'm in The Mist right now, right after they've come out of the back room and watched the squid thing take off with Norm the bag boy.

Finished 14... still nyet on Prinz

I just finished The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, and am emotionally exhausted. I'm dehydrated from crying. It is a rivetting, emotionally raw story of love, loyalty and redemption. It's a very powerful tale that teaches sooner or later, you must make a stand. It is one of my favorites.

I'm seriously in need of some humor, now. I was planning to read Wicked next, but I don't know if that's happy enough. I'm sitting here looking at my enormous TBR pile, and I'm realizing most of my reading is weighty, meaningful books. I'm gonna have to buy some light-hearted stuff... I'm so depressed now.

I'm almost half-way through Skeleton Crew by Stephen King, I'm reading "The Monkey" right now. My daughter doesn't want to hear any of the stoies in that book. She covers my mouth when I read it out loud.

Haven't touched The Prince, and I'm rereading The Giver, this time with the whole family.

Finished 15 ... Nay on Shazdeh (Farsi for "Prince"... Since I DID just finish The Kite Runner ;-)

Just finished Wicked by Gregory Maguire, and I was disappointed by it. It was dense and wordy, hard to get through, and took too long to get interesting. I'm glad I read it though, because... odd as this sounds... Elphaba reminds me sooo much of my mother. I can kind of understand her better now.

I'm still in Skeleton Crew by Stephen King, about halfway now. I love "Paranoid: A Chant." The next story is "The Raft. I'm kind of waiting for a good story in there; haven't really had a good one since "The Mist."

Haven't even touched The Prince since the last post.

Now, onto I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. I hope it's a real page turner...

Finished 16... whatever about Princey

I finished I Am Legend today while sitting in the library waiting for a break in the rain. I loved this book. I did not know it was a collection of short stories, though. I had seen the movie and loved it, then found out that it had been inspired by the Richard Matheson book.

The two stories, book and movie, are as different as grass and concrete. The only similarities are: They have the same title, Robert Neville is the name of the main character, both stories are set in a post-global disaster America, and both end with the sentence, "I am legend." The movie was about Neville the scientist, staying behind because of duty and trying to find a cure of the genetic mutation causing people to be "darkstalkers." In the book, Neville is the lone survivor because of freak luck, and studies the bacteria he names vampiris mostly to learn how better to kill the vampiric survivors. Occasionally he tosses around the idea of "finding a cure," but he doesn't really care.

Of the remaining short stories, The Near Departed, a short funny, Prey, a fetish doll with a trapped spirit of a hunter tries to kill the owner, Dress of White Silk, supernatural tale of a little girl obsessively loves her dead mother and defends her honor, The Funeral, shocking, supernatural, and funny story of literary monsters (i.e. Ygor, Count Dracula, a werewolf, a witch) visit a local funeral home for a "proper" send-off, and From Shadowed Places, a man dying from a curse of an african witch doctor he offended and the woman who cures him, are all great.

A second story from this book was also made into a movie. Much lesser known than Legend, and starring Robert Englund, aka Freddy Kruger, the story Dance of the Dead is a post-apocolyptic world with "survivors" from germ warfare, called loopies which is slang for L.U.P.s, Lifeless Undead Phenomenon... zombies, in effect. The story is of four friends going to a club where a loopy is presented as "dancing" to music. It's creepy, and it's unclear what happens at the end.

Only one story wasn't worth reading, Buried Talents, I never got the point to the story.

I was going to read Duma Key next, but I picked up The Invention of Hugo Cabret at the library, so I'm reading Duma after Hugo.

Still working on Skeleton Crew and haven't touched The Prince.

Finished 17... Pbbblt Prince.

I finished The Invention of Hugo Cabret last night. It's a Young Adult book, according to our library, and half of it is illustrations. I really found it wonderfully fascinating. It was sweet. I would like to read it with my 9-year-old; I hope it's one of the accelerated readers at her school. She needs nine points in the next 2 weeks to meet her goal.

I started reading Duma Key this morning, and it's already a compelling read after only 11 pages. It might not take as long as I thought to read.

Finished 18

Finished Duma Key. It was a loooong book, but very worth it. I wrote up my review and it's at the Duma page. Now I'm on to something lighter... lighter in material as well as heft... Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich.

I'm still working on Skeleton Crew. Word Processor of the Gods is the next story in the book.

Haven't touched The Prince.

Finished 19

I just finished Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich, and I am still laughing! OMG! It was so fun, and hilarious, and it was a page-turner. It was especially great to read it after the last few books I've read, The Kite Runner, I Am Legend, and Wicked to name a few. I am going to have to pick up some more Stephanie Plum books. I wonder if all Evanovich books are written like this one, because, if so, she will become one of my fav authors!

Next up is Wisdom of the 90s by George Burns. It was picked for me in the Go Review That Book! group.

Still at the same spot in Skeleton Crew. I actually packed around the 2 pound Duma Key and finished it, then took Plum Lucky to the appointments.

I'm gonna have to finished The Prince soon, or I'll have to count him as an abandoned book...

Finished 20... Woo-Hoo!!

This thread is entertaining and kool!

I just finished up Wisdom of the 90s. It was a fun book, and I always loved George Burns as a kid... I mean, when I was a kid... not him... I didn't know him when he was a kid... He was God, after all... You can really hear his voice narrating it, too. I learned a bit about vaudville, and about being the last surviving member of your circle of friends, perserverence and never say die... literally. It's funny, though, that he had plans for what he would do for his 100th birthday, but not for after that. And, in the end, he died a few weeks after his 100th birthday.

Still the same spot in Skeleton Crew, and The Prince... but in my defense it's only been a couple days since the last post... George didn't take very long.

I've already started on the next book: Firefly Rain by Richard Dansky. It's an ARC book. I'm about 12 pages in, so it's not really even started, but so far it's shaping up to be a good book. I sooo was hoping to get that for an ER book, but I got Best Girlfriends Getaways. I got Firefly as a bonus by the publisher. :-))

Finished 21... almost halfway to my goal... U-:@

I finished Firefly Rain and it was okay. It was the author's first novel, so I'll be gently with the review. One thing I really did love about the book is the portrayal of the connection and call of land. Not just any land, but land inherited generation to generation. Only people with that in their family history can truly appreciate what this is. As the first generation off the family farm, it killed me to see the farm sold. I would have done ANYTHING to have bought it, and my oldest daughter is determined to buy it back. For that, I liked this book.

Still same spot in Skeleton Crew and in The Prince.

I've thought about Mick Harte Was Here, and, though I wasn't going to count the books I read with the kids (i.e. Junie B., Lucy Rose, etc...) I'm going to count this book, because I wanted to read it, too. I won't, however, count The Giver twice, even though I'm rereading it with the whole family.

So, with Mick and Firefly, I have finished 23.

I think I am going to make this week a week of finishing. Finish Gun Runner, finish Skeleton Crew, finish Prince, and read my ER book, Best Girlfriends Getaways Worldwide.

With the whole family, we are starting A Wrinkle in Time. We finished The Giver on Thursday, and we've taken a couple days break to let it settle in. Maggie, my youngest, thought The Giver was sad.

Still holding at 23

Done with Gun Runner. It sucked a-- through a straw at mach speed. Horrible, horrible, horrible. They should use it in a writing class as a "How NOT to write" text book. I was eternally greatful to find it on someone's BM wishlist. It be gone tomorrow!

Starting my ER book Best Girlfriends Getaways Worldwide. It's a travel book, and I'm not sure I'm going to like it. AND it's a thick book, 259 pages of small print. BUT it can't suck worse than Gun Runner.

My kids are finding Wrinkle in Time to be the same kind of book as I did: boring. We ARE going to finish it, though, come hades or high water...

24

Finished Harlan Coben's Hold Tight. It's definately one of his best. It's also a second appearance of Paul Copeland; I like Cope.

I stopped about halfway through Best Girlfriends Getaways to read Hold Tight... I know, I shouldn't have, since BGGW is an Early Reader book, and HT was just a book I was absolutely dying to read... I've been loving BGGW, and read it with Google handy to check everything she writes about. My fav's so far are India and Versailles (especially the gardens and L'Orangerie)

Finished chapter 2 in Wrinkle, and haven't touched Skeleton Crew or The Prince.

25 Halfway... Woo-hoo!!!

Finished my April ER book, Best Girlfriends Getaways Worldwide, today. I truly... truly... loved it and was completely inspired by it. I kept picturing my own family of chickees going on these trips... All the potential memories that popped into my mind of what my family would be like mixed with other women and their families... Suddenly, I find myself elbow deep into a second novel. Now, I've got two going. Funny how that works, eh?

Going to read One for the Money by Janet Evanovich, then onto Songs for the Missing, my B&N First Look book. Gar... I've got two more ARCs after that one, and whichever one I'll be getting this month from ER... must... read... faster...

We are halfway through chapter 4 in A Wrinkle in Time, I haven't touched Skeleton Crew or The Prince in the last week.

I'm starting to get bored with reading... scary

Finished 26

I just finished reading One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. I love love LOVE! Evanovich. She's hilarious! I love Stephanie Plum, but Grandma Mazur is my favorite.

Now I am on to Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan for the Barnes & Noble First Look Club.

Still slowing slogging through A Wrinkle in Time with the kids, and I haven't touched Skeleton Crew or The Prince

Finished 27

I finished Songs for the Missing last night. It was... not my favorite. It was long-ish, and nothing really huge happened, other than finding the girl's disappearance and finding the car, then the dude's confession... by the time they found her body, all the wind was out of me for it... I just wanted done with the book. It's a sad book, too.

I'm starting Lisey's Story by Stephen King today. I don't know anything about it, other than it's by King.

The rest of my reading is in the same place.

Finished 28

I just finished Lisey's Story by Stephen King. There is so much that I love in this book. It's probably not one of his best, but, at the same time, there is an essence to it that I truly love. It will be with me for a long time to come. The concept of another world in which to retreat, a tangible one, pulls me. The explanation of the other world as "the language-pool, the myth-pool, where we all go down to drink," swim and cast our nets is truth to me as a writer. Lisey's Story is a love story on many levels: Lisey's love for her husband, Scott's love for his brother, first, and later his wife, the sister thing of the Debusher girls, Scott's love of writing, and people's love of storytelling. I think Lisey's may be on my top five this year, along with Middlesex and The Kite Runner.

I have gotten a couple stories read in Skeleton Crew, as well. I'm now in "Beachworld." Still stuck in Wrinkle and The Prince. Maggie's at her dad's, so I've not been reading with the kids.

Finished 29

I'm reading Understanding the Borderline Mother, and it's like reading about my own family. But one of the most interesting things in it is that I am now understanding my dad better, who had BPD I'm sure of it. I haven't yet gotten to a "So where do we go from here" point in the book, it's just descriptions of the four main BPD mothers.

I see so much of where I've been in it, as well, and see my oldest daughter in it, too. While I've gotten much better, she is just getting ready to hit the ground running.

YIKES!! Is all I can say.

I've finished Understanding the Borderline Mother, and it was like a family reunion! One of the most surprising things was that, through reading this, I realize my dad was a borderline... which explains a lot. It's already mooched, so I want to put down a couple favorite quotes so I'll have them as long as LT is running, and it doesn't have a massive systems puke!

One that impressed me was: "The single most powerful human is one who masters the talionic impulse: the need for revenge: 'that deepest and most ancient of human impulses to exact revenge by taking pleasure in inflicting on others the hurt one has experienceed.'"

and: "Pity conveys subtle disrespect, a sense of superiority, and is therefore condescending... 'Feeling sorry about the it which happened is sympathy. Feeling sorry for the you to whom it happened is pity.'"

Now I'm off to read Andrew Davidson's The Gargoyle. DevourerOfBooks promises me I won't be sorry... though I'm kinda in the mood for a funny book, like Two for the Dough.

Finished 30

#13 > Wow! I had no idea Machiavelli looked so much like Barry Manilow! That's a little frightening!

roflmaopmp! I never noticed that before, but now that you mention it, he DOES look like Barry!! Yikes! Maybe he's the Machiavelli reincarnate... could explain his sinister popularity... >:->

I've finally broke down and created a blog specifically for reading and reviewing: http://thekoolaidmom.wordpress.com/

The reason I did this is because there is so much more I'd like to say about the books I read, but feel awkward, and maybe a little Look at me! Look at me!, writing how I feel and think and interact with the books I read. This thread's for my progress in the 50 book challenge, and my MySpace blog is more about life and stuff, and the reviews I write on the books' pages on LT is really about the book, not about me, and is to give fellow LT'ers an idea on whether they might like to read a book.

Understanding the Borderline Mother showed me I need a blog for my reading.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I did start The Gargoyle yesterday, and I'm about 30+ pages in. It is NOT what I expected (it's gruesome, graphic, and uncomfortable reading), but the writing is phenomenal, and his ability to imagine being a human roast keeps me checking his photo for signs of burn trauma. I'm not sure I like it, but like a house fire or car crash, I can't help reading it.

I look forward to reading your blog and getting to know you better. Very kool! I have Lisey's Story at the base of my TBR mountain. I may have to start a landslide and pull it out to read. I haven't read Stephen King in years. He visited the bookstore I worked at in Colorado Springs over a decade ago and autographed my copy of Insomnia which is also eagerly awaiting my attention.

LOL!!!! My TBR mountain HAS had a lanslide... I've just left the shelf like it too, because the filing box under it's holding it up, and now I have more room on the slide side!

I've been very busy the last few days. I finally broke down and started a blog review. I've given Lisey's Story a proper review, now.

I finished The Gargoyle today, and love, love LOVED it! Click here for the extended review. I'm still going to put a review on LT, but these will now be short and sweet with the URL for my full review.

Hee-hee... *blush* A couple weeks ago, I posted my not-completely-read copy of Skeleton Crew on my BookMooch inventory. I didn't think it'd get mooch for a whle, it's a common book and there's ten more on there. BUT it did, so now I've got to hurry up and finish reading it. maybe I should post ol' Princey on BM... maybe he'll get mooched and I'll have to hurry up and finish him, too... nah, nobody'd want him... after all, he looks like Barry Manilow!

Finished 31

This thread is great and very entertaining! We seem to have very similar tastes in books. I highly recommend that you continue with the Stephanie Plum series. I read them in order a few years ago and probably read them all in about three months or so. I loved them! They are total brain candy but very entertaining and funny! I have Duma Key from the library currently because I needed to grab a 900 page book along with the 10 others I currently have out :)! Enjoy finishing Skeleton Crew - I think I remember reading that a long time ago and I think it is currently in the basement. I should pull it out and read it again.

Skeleton Crew done phew!, my review is here. I'm so SO glad I can strike this one off my "Currently Reading" list.

I've been changing the profile pic each time I change the "currently reading" section, but since I only just put the new one up the day before yesterday, I'm going to leave Gwen and Buddy up.

Now, on to my brain candy, "Stephanie Plum"! I wonder what she's up to in Two for the Dough.

Finished 32

Finished Two For the Dough today. my review is here. OMG... I love Stephanie Plum books! I actully laughed so hard I fell off my chair. I've never laughed that hard before. Grandma Mazur is about the funniest character in literary history. She's got a gun of her own in this book, and she uses it, too. Stephanie and Morelli climb in the backseat of the car for a little... *ahem*... while on a stake out. And Stephanie keeps receiving gifts of dismembered body parts. Yikes! Fun book, like the rest of them. :-D

Now, I'm off to read Stephen King's The Cell.

Finished 33 Maybe I'll finish The Prince someday.

Just finished with Cell. Touchstones don't feel like working today evidently. It was scary! :eek: I couldn't put it down I was so terrified. for them. I didn't sleep very much last night because I was reading, and now I keep nodding off writing my posts. Anyway, here's my review for Cell.

Next up: Hope's Boy by Andrew Bridges.

Finished 34

I loved The Gargoyle also. I was trying to explain it to a friend last night and he was looking at me as if I were crazy. lol Great review!

Finished Hope's Boy by Andrew Bridge. It's a heart-breaking to think of anyone suffering much of what some foster kids go through, it's even worse to think that it's happening to children. Towards the end of the book, a judge points out the way the kids are treated would be considered unethical and reprehensible if it happen in an adult prison, making it all the more egregious that it is being done to children who have lost everything and everyone in the world.

anyway, my review is here: Hope's Boy Review

Already started my Jane-a-thon, and am a few chapters into Sense and Sensibility. I hit a snag, though. The book's an abridged Puffin, but I'm also listening to it on CD while reading along. MAN, after all the contemporary novels, the language barrier is something to get over! To think Austen, Thomas Hardy, The Bronte Sisters, et al, were the only books I read. Those, and non-fictions and Stephen King.

Finished 35

This looks very interesting. I may have to get in on this since I am off for the summer and can read for myself some. What do you recommend that I start with.

Finished Sense and Sensibility. My review is here: In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

I think Fanny is such a nasty scheming bee-yatch! and John Dashwood has absolutely no spine. I get so sick of all the "Oh, she's a good person because she's got 50 bajillion pounds a year, and he's shite because his family's poor." blech.

And yet, these people exist in our society today. "Ooh, I'm somebody because I wear $200 shoes!" yeah, you're somebody alright... an idiot. Those shoes will wear out just as fast as my $28 pair of Dr. Sholl's... dumbass.

This is why Austen's work is classic. It's relevent today as it was in the past. You could take this story, modernize it's setting and language, and still be just as meaningful now as then. Truth stands the test of time.

Now, on to another timeless Jane. Pride and Prejudice... ahh, I love Darcy... :-D

Finished 36

LOL, tell us how you really feel! I love Pride and Prejudice. Enjoy!

I just finished rereading Pride and Prejudice. My review is found In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

I love-love-LOVE Pride and Prejudice. I remember reading it when I was 16 or 17, and falling in love with Elizabeth and Darcy. I so hated wicked Mr. Wickham, felt compassion for Jane and Elizabeth as they're forced to endure mockery of their unrestrained family members. I was shocked when Lydia ran off with Wickham, shocked that something common (and still denegrated today) occured then, as well. At 16 or 17, I read this book with the wide-eyed naivete of many that age, and believed in Austen's presentation of romance. This books, and a couple others, were largely responsible for my unfortunate pursuits of a "struggled for love". Reality, and three children later, has taught me P&P is a novel and no more.

Out of all the movies and mini-series I've seen done of this book, the 30's version is my favorite movie, and Colin Firth as Darcy is my most favorite romantic love interest ever. Someone, either on LT or commenting on my blog, recommended Austenland, and I bought it today as one of my birthday presents. According to the back of the book: Jane is a young New York woman who can never seem to find the right man -perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaption of Pride and Prejudice. I love it all ready!

Finished 37

I'm about half-way through Mansfield Park. I cannot believe I'd never read it before! I need the V-8 noggin knock for passing up such great lit! Mrs. Norris, I am ashamed to say, is my favorite character. She is my grandma to a TEE! My mom and I talked about Austen's characters being "recycled relatives".

Now to the reason I posted in between finishing books: I just posted my first giveaway!! Yay! In the Shadow of Mt. TBR I'm giving a $20 Borders gift card. :-D

Don't know what I'll do with myself if it ends up like the Stephanie Meyer Twilight series contes. She had about 400+ entries!

My review of Mansfield Park is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR. Scoundrels, stupid Ladies, wicked widows, and "Poor Fanny!"

I'm also reading The Boat by Nam Le, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It's a bit of a vignette-style short stories.

I picked up a fun book at Waldenbooks today that I'm sneaking peeks into Why You Shouldn't Eat Your Boogers.

Finished 38

I finished The Boat by Nam Le. It's phenomenal. I cried on the last story, The Boat. The story is about a young girl named Mai, who escapes Vietnam on a boat with hundreds of others. The details of life on the boat for 13 days is beyond comprehension. It's heartbreaking in and of itself, but what made it more so is that my daughter (her pic is at the bottom of the review) is my Mai... her Vietnamese name is Mai.

Anyway... now I'm reading Dough by Mort Zachter. I'm about 3 chapters in, and it's interesting so far. I love the Jewish voice... I've not read any Jewish authors for a while.

Finished 39

Finished Dough: A Memoir by Mort Zachter last night. My review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR. It was a fun book. It was interesting to watch the family dynamics, and I saw so much of my grandma in Uncle Harry. It's sad to live a life as a pauper, all the while white-knuckle gripping millions of dollars. And in the end, who benefits from the money? The government and doctors. sad.

Next in queue is The White Mary by Kira Salak. Another ARC, and I got an email wanting me to hurry up with it already, so she's up.

Maggie's back home, so I'm going to try to get some of the books for her read as well... Gooney Birds and Molly Moons, Nim's Island and other Lois Lowry books. AND Honestly, Katie John! for GRTB group.

Finished 40

I just finished reading Rant by Chuck Palahniuk. My review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR. Very weird book, but I really liked it. There's a lot in it that makes you wonder about humanity, our government, time travel, and the real source of mythology. Quite the little man, that Rant was. :-o Makes me glad I had girls!

Still reading The White Mary. I got sidetracked with Rant (it's such a page turner). I left Marika in the jungle with Tobo after the payback was settled, not quite a fourth of the way through the book. Mary's a pretty good book, too.

Reading Gooney Bird Greene with Maggie, and need to pick up the Warrior Cats book with Gwen again.

Finished 41

I can't wait to read your review of The White Mary. I thought it was pretty good although parts of it really annoyed me. I hope to have my review up tomorrow. Busy weekend!

Have you read Austen's "Persuasion" yet. It's one of my favorites. Get a bit frustrated by Ann's wimpiness but I try to remember the period these novels took place in. It took a lot of guts to risk breaking out from under the thumb of her family and allowing everyone to see that she (gasp) had a mind of her own! As for your comment earlier about the concern with how much the prospective suitor was worth and what he owned... That WAS the main concern of the family. What would happen to a girl who made the wrong choice in men, or worse yet, didn't have any offers to choose from? Become a governess until she got too old? Become poor aunt so-and-so living with and at the mercy of relatives for the rest of her days? Pretty sad plights.
I agree with most of your comments, especially about Stephanie Plum. I have read them all in order and have them in hardback. Just finished "Fearless Fourteen." A+ of course. I think they're best read in order too. I want to hear what you think when you get to #8. Wow!

I received a children's review book, The Rabbit and the Snowman in the mail today, read it, reread it with my 9-year-old, and the review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR

I'm not counting it on the challenge, though.

I'm almost 2/3 the way through The White Mary, Mr. "Parker" has just told Marika to she couldn't stay in the village and to go away to the "Vampires".

I finished The White Mary by Kira Salak. I really liked it. The scenery is fantastic, and the characters are very real. My review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

I've started A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, which is really sad so far. Next on the ARC list to read One More Year by Sana Krasikov. It's thinner, so I'm hoping it'll be a fast read.

Finished 42

I finished A Thousand Splendid Suns this morning. I really loved the book. It was even better than The Kite Runner, and I that one's one of my top reads this year. My review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

UGH! I kept wanting them to poison Rasheed! I kept thinking about Medea's sweet potato pie!

Tyler Perry as "Madea" on Oprah Medea's Sweet Potato Pie is mentioned at 4:45 min

Still working on One More Year.

Finished 43

Maggie and I finished Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry. It's a very cute book, and one that's as captivating as Junie B.. Great book for ages 6-10, and I liked it, too so parents of those in that age group. :-D It's a great classroom read, I know because I'd sat in on it when Mags was in 2nd grade.

My review for it is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

I'm not counting Gooney Bird in my book challenge.

Just finished One More Year by Sana Krasikov



It was slow and confusing at times. Several typos made it even more confusing and hard to figure out I had to stop to figure out what the author meant. And the incredible shallow and stupid women in the book irritated me to no end!

My review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR

Next up: Tan Lines by JJ Salem. With it's first sentence, it's got to be better than this book!

Finished 44

Almost half-way through Tan Lines and it's kind of... oh I don't know how to put it exactly... All the sex in the book is like the native people's nudity on a Nat'l Geo special. At first it's shocking and tittilating, but after a while you just don't see it anymore. That and all the drinking and cussing. I'm beginning to wonder if it even has a real storyline, or is it just all about drinking, doping, CS'ing, PL'ing, and all out hump-humping... I'm having to fight the desire to skim.

ANYWAY! the reason I popped on here to post is:

I just posted my interview with Nam Le, author of The Boat, it's In the Shadow of Mt. TBR. It's my first author interview! :-D

I finished Tan Lines by J. J. Salem today. My review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

It had way too much sex in it, and way too much partying, but the story itself was really great. If they could make a PG-13 version, I'd love it. As it is, I liked it pretty well.

Finished 45

I finished The Sleeping Doll by Jeffery Deaver. It was a really great book. I liked Kathryn Dance, but I loved that her daughter's name was "Maggie"... I got a Maggie, too! and she called her Maggie "Mags" just like I do. So that was really cool. :-D

My review for Sleeping Doll is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR

Working on The Richest Season and The Conquest of Gaul.

Finished 46 4 more to the 50 books, but I've already reset it to 75 with my ticker.

I read and reviewed a wonderful children's book today, Mishka: An Adoption Tale by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista. It's a beautiful and sweet story of a Mama and Papa adopting Yuri from Russia. It's told from the POV of Mo the stuffed bear who is a present to Yuri at the beginning of the process. Maggie and My review of it is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

PLUS! I'm giving away a signed copy of the book!

I finished The Richest Season by Maryann McFadden today. I really enjoyed the book. It's an emotionally touching book, one I could really relate to. My review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

Finished 47

I finished Twilight and probably enjoyed it more than any thirty-something woman should. All those jawline pettings with his lips, and the neck... and the collarbone... and the.... hmmm... Kinda made me lose myself. Let's just say... I might reread a few parts under my covers before I go to sleep. >:-D

My review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

I'm about 10 pages into When We Were Romans, which I hope to have finished by Sunday... we'll see. It's really simple reading, though... annoyingly simple, like reading a 12-year-old boy's account of things. grrr

I'm also slowly chipping away at The Conquest of Gaul, I'm finished with the Introduction of the book, and now ready to start the campaign.

Finished 48

I posted my review of the morbidly hilarious book Cherise the Niece by J. K. Benton In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

I don't like the Happy Bunny stuff, but I did love Cherise.

In the Shadow of Mt. TBR is having a Boogers and Book Bucks Giveaway. The winner will receive a copy of Why You Shouldn't Eat Your Boogers and a $10 Borders Gift Card! :-D

I finished When We Were Romans and posted the review In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

I really enjoyed this book. Parts of it made me angry, the mom needs a really good slap, but then I couldn't help but think back when I was not the picture of mental health, either (not like I am now, either but drugs help d-: ) I felt so bad for Lawrence being stuck in that position.

Still attacking Gaul. :-D about a third of the way through. It doesn't suck as much as before, but it's not my favorite read for sure!

Don't know what I should read next. I should read an ARC. I only have 24 of them, you know. But I'm dying to read New Moon... I miss Edward and Bella! I gotta know what happens next! I'm afraid to dig deep into Mt. TBarc for fear of an ARCalanche. But I should read something I've had for a while.

Too many books! Too little time!

Finished 49

I finished reading New Moon and posted my review In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

I liked it... I did... and I'm addicted to the books, particularly to EDWARD... but wasn't as fond of this one as the first. Maybe I didn't like it as much because Edward broke up with and left Bella, so I had to suffer through most of the book listening to her whine... and almost die... again... without the wonder and beauty ... and romance... of Edward.

Seriously, Bella is starting to get on my nerves.

I'm also reading Confessions of a Contractor, loads of fun! and I've stalled out in The Conquest of Gaul... I need to make a more concerted effort to read this one. I'm running out of time on it's due date.

Finished 50 woo-hoo!!! Now I'm aiming for 75!

I read Blaze yesterday, my review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR. I rather enjoyed it. It was a bit different from Stephen King's usual fair which is why he had written it under the nom de plume of "Richard Bachman."

Still reading Confessions of a Contractor, Conquest of Gaul, and Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism. The first is quite fun, though I've had a head ache the past couple days and haven't felt like reading (I read along with the audio book of Blaze), The second is cross-my-eyes dull, and the third is LOL-hilarious!

Finished 51

I finished my review of Confessions of a Contractor by Richard Murphy. It's posted In the Shadow of Mt. TBR It was such a pleasurable read. It's more than fun and sexy, but is about friendships and trying to do the right thing... but no Oprah moments.

I really, really, REALLY want to read Eclipse, but I'm forcing myself to tie up loose ends first. I have to finish The Conquest of Gaul as my 6 weeks are almost up. I also need to finish up my Jane-a-thon, and move the books along to other folks who want to read Austen's books. After that, I can read Eclipse, and then I need to read House and Home for the blog tour, my day is September 26th.

Finished 52

Okay, I really got sidetracked for a few months with an online virtual world called "Second Life". I got very behind on reading, and have posted a few reviews while forgetting... or too impatient to get back to Second Life is more likely... to post update my post here.

The following are the books and links to their reviews that I've done since my last entry here:

The Conquest of Gaul by Julius Caesar
Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
House & Home by Kathleen McCleary
Two Brothers: One North, One South by David H. Jones
Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
Nim's Island by Wendy Orr
Vampire Kisses Blood Relatives, volume 2 by Ellen Schreiber
Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman
Robot Dreams by Sara Varnon

I'm currently reading The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon, and I should be finished and have the review posted later today.

These books (Yiddish Policemen's not included) bring my total books read to

59 books read

Finished The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon, my review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR. It wasn't the "great novel" I had hoped it would be, but it was enjoyable.

Next book is one I've actually been reading here and there at appointments and other waiting periods, Bedlam Bath and Beyond by J. D. Warren. I've been having a ball reading it. It's the right mix of fantasy, action and romance to keep me coming back for more :-D

Finished 60 books, 15 more to go

Finished The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis. I missed a whole day of reading, so I thought I'd do this small, quick book instead. I really enjoyed it :-) But I always do love Narnia books. My review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

Next up is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I'm just going to mow through the Narnia books: 7 books that should only take about 3 days or so, I can catch up a bit.

Finished 61 books, 14 more to go.

Finished The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. I've always loved this book, and I've read it four times now. My review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

Next up is The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis. It is the next book in the order Lewis intended.

Finished 62 books, 13 more to go.

Finished The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis. I loved this book! Not quite as much as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but a definate close second. It's definately one to re-read over and over :-D My review is In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

Next up is Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis.

Finished 63 books, 12 more to go.