bell7's 2nd half of 2008

I'm not challenging myself to a set number of books, just keeping track of my reading here, starting July 1. There's really no good place to start keeping track because I'm always reading -- but I don't anticipate finishing anything more today. I count kid's books and audiobooks. I'm only not including graphic novels/manga because I have another thread for that.

I'm currently reading Three Cups of Tea and A Champion's Mind, and listening to Anne of Avonlea and The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things.

1. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

**SPOILERS**

I have mixed feelings about this book. The first half of it, I started getting really frustrated because it literally took that long to get to school actually being built. Granted, it was a three-year process for the initial school, but it was immensely frustrated when I'm used to reading books that get to the point rather quickly. I felt that a lot of it (especially constant quotes from other climbers' journals and such describing the terrain) really could have been shortened, deleted, or just generally cleaned up. While the style frustrated me, however, I can't deny that the story (however clouded) was quite inspiring. I mean, eventually the guy builds over 50 schools for kids in Pakistan and Afghanistan. How cool is that? I just wish there were more about that, and less about the process leading up to it. I give it 4/5.

2. House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

Charmain's parents have brought her up to be...respectable. So when her Aunt Sempronia talks them into letting her house sit for Great-Uncle William the wizard, she's suddenly brought a little out of her comfort zone. When she shows up, Great-Uncle William is whisked away by the elves who need to heal him, and she's left with a huge pile of dishes and an ever-growing stack of laundry. What she really wants to do though, is just read (and maybe get a look at the King's library!).

This is the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle and Castle in the Air. It could stand alone, but it's more fun to read when you already know old characters when they reappear. I think, though, that this book may have had a little too much to live up to, so I only gave it a 4/5 (it was close -- I almost gave it a 3.5 and decided I was being too stingy).

3. Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman

I originally tucked this away as a book to read because I'd heard that if you like 84, Charing Cross Road you may like this one, too. Well, it didn't disappoint. This is a collection of essays that are all related to books and reading. One that particularly stands out in my mind is the first, "Marrying Libraries" in which the author describes the trials and tribulations of combining her library and her husband's after five years of marriage. Throughout the essays, her sense of humor is great and I constantly stopped reading to tell my mom about one more story. It's definitely going on my Christmas list. 5/5

4. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

This is the story of Virginia, a 15-year-old who feels completely left out -- her whole family is perfect, thin, and talented while she's confused, fat, and has no special talent to speak of. As the school year goes on, you see and Virginia realizes that her "perfect" family is not really perfect (in fact, these parents are probably the worst I've ever read in a book), and she really does have her own personality and a lot to say about herself and her world. The book is kind of depressing for the first half. I literally got to a point where if the story didn't swing around to happier things, I was going to return it to the library without finishing it. Unfortunately, the upswing came rather suddenly and, for me, a bit unbelievably. I should note that the narrator on this book was excellent, she really seemed a good fit for the main character/narrator. I would recommend this book to patrons who liked the type of story, but it wasn't the book for me. 2/5

Books I stopped reading: A Champion's Mind, Gideon the Cutpurse, and Kitchen Confidential
Currently reading: A Princess of Roumania and The Solitary Envoy

5. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montogomery

This book gets what I call a "check plus by default." In other words, if I like it enough to reread it I must really like it. I listened to the audiobook this time around, which was different. I think because it's kind of a slow-moving, comforting type of story it's pretty easy to fall asleep to so it took me over a month to finish, and it's hard to rein that in to describe my reaction to the story. I remember really liking this series as a young teen, and kind of want to keep rereading (or listening) to the series. We'll see how long I keep that resolution.

6. A Princess of Roumania by Paul Park

Miranda Popescu is adopted. She was originally from Romania, but now she lives in Eastern Massachusetts with her parents and her best friend, Andromeda. Odd things have been happening, though. Strange teens, seemingly with sinister intentions, show up at her school. They stick together and speak with accents. Are they Romanian? Are they somehow connected to the past Miranda can't remember?

I really wanted to like this book. In fact, the first half of it was pretty fast-paced and I felt driven to keep going. After an understanding of what was going on came, however, I felt that the pace just dropped. I became frustrated as, instead of characters making decisions, I felt like Miranda and her friends were moved along like pawns on some pointless journey. By the time I decided I didn't really care anymore, I didn't have much left to read of the book so I finished it anyways. I didn't hate it, but didn't love it either. 3/5 stars.

7. Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon

I really enjoyed the Mitford series, so I picked up this audiobook expecting more of the same. While this book revisits many loved characters and introduces many more equally memorable ones, the story of Father Tim's boyhood in Holly Springs is very different from quaint and comfortable Mitford. Father Tim goes to Holly Springs in response to a cryptic, unsigned note left at his home. The narrative moves between this present day story of what occurs when he revisits his boyhood home and his memories of growing up in Holly Springs. His memories are not always pleasant, yet themes of love and family are as present in this story as in the earlier series. And, as is extra-important in audiobooks, the narrator was excellent, with a clearly unique voice for each character (though I sometimes questioned his choices as I, for one, imagined Cynthia's voice quite different...).

Overall, I thought this a good, comfortable sort of book. I liked the story itself, but felt that some plot points were overly contrived. 4/5

Currently reading: The Solitary Envoy and Mr. Midshipman Hornblower
Currently listening to: The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult

8. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

***SPOILERS*** I put aside the other books I was reading to read this in 2 days. The fourth and last installment of the Twilight series is much like the others -- fun, light, very long. I was really surprised to have the wedding so early, and I have to say the set-up of the plot was different from how I expected, even if most of the way it turned out was not. I was less annoyed with Bella's voice than usual (I think there were only four roll-my-eyes descriptions of Edward's near-godliness), and it was fun to have Jacob's voice in the middle. Though at times I wished for more stringent editing and the name "Renesmee" struck me as a bit over-odd, I still really enjoyed the book. Not a re-read, but an enjoyable light one. 4.5/5 stars

Edited in an attempt to fix the touchstone, but it's acting wonky.

9. Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

Once again, I put aside other books to read this one over the weekend. I absolutely love the Temeraire series, and this one did not disappoint in the least. After Laurence is convicted of treason, Temeraire is sent to the breeding grounds where his good behavior is ensured by Laurence's life. Meanwhile, Will Laurence is sent back to a ship that finds itself in battle while Napoleon makes his way to England. Continually thrilling plot and great writing -- I can't wait for the next one! 5/5.

10. Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C.S. Forester

The sixth published but first chronologically in the Hornblower series, this book covers the very beginning of Horatio Hornblower's naval service from when he was 17 to 20. The book is episodic, each chapter almost its own short story, and I was somewhat surprised by the tell-rather-than-show description of characters in what I knew to be a classic. At the same time, the story was a quick read, funny, and I could see recommending it to someone who wanted a sea-faring adventure to read. For myself, it's not the type of book I would choose but I read it as "librarian research" of the adventure genre anyways. 4/5 stars.

11. The Solitary Envoy by T. Davis Bunn and Isabella Bunn

This book was for the Go Review That Book! group and it took me over a month to read. This is partly because I own the book and felt no pressing need to return it to the library on time, but it's mostly because I didn't like it.

The story is about Erica Langston, who lives in Washington D.C. during the War of 1812. Her father is training her to take over the family business (!), but his life is cut short when English troops march on Washington and he is accidentally killed while trying to save his warehouse merchandise. After the war is over, Erica decides to go to England to receive payment for goods that a British bank promised but never delivered.

I thought the story itself sounded interesting, but I was disappointed by the writing. The narration told me what to think about the characters, and sometimes what was shown contradicted what the narration said (for example, Erica is supposed to be a reserved, do-it-yourself kind of person, but while she's in England she pretty readily trusts people and tells them her troubles). There were so many sentence fragments and awkward descriptions, I became irritated. So instead of getting interested in the story or invested in the characters, I started counting down the pages. 2/5 stars.

Edited to add --

Currently reading: The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne and The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
Currently listening to: The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult

12. Chessie the Railroad Kitten by Thomas Dixon

Oops -- almost forgot to add this. I actually finished it before The Solitary Envoy. This book is an account of Chessie the Railroad Cat, an advertising icon of the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Railroad that hit its hey-day in the 1930s and 40s. I picked it up because of a conversation I had with someone who had a trivet of Chessie the Railroad Cat and in telling me the story of how he acquired it, he seemed to expect I would know who Chessie was -- and I didn't. So, this book was to fill in that gap. Information-wise, it was very helpful in doing so. I learned a lot about railroads in pre-WW2 times and the advertising using Chessie (if I ever see the calendars from the '30s and '40s at a tag sale, I now know to pick them up). The typos and profusion of exclamation points were frustrating, but it was a quick read and fit the bill in giving me the information I sought. 3.5/5

July Overview --

1. Three Cups of Tea
2. House of Many Ways
3. Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader
4. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things (audio)
5. Anne of Avonlea (audio)
6. A Princess of Roumania
7. Home to Holly Springs (audio)

Stand outs -- Ex Libris

Total books -- 4
Total audiobooks -- 3
Books abandoned -- 3

All in all, a rather slow reading month. So far in August, I've already surpassed July's numbers for finished titles.

Edited to fix my math -- the last two books were finished in July, not August.

13. The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult is one of those authors whose books are never on my library shelves. So when I saw this audiobook available, I snatched it. Trixie Stone has always been her daddy's girl, but now that she's in high school and has a boyfriend, she's slowly growing apart from her parents. When her boyfriend, Jason, dumps her, she starts cutting herself to deaden the pain and becomes desperate to get back together with him. She and her friend, Zephyr, have a plan to try to make him jealous, but then things go horribly wrong.

Family and the power of thoughts are themes in this novel, which draws on Dante's Inferno and comic books in surprising yet believable ways. I really cared about the characters. Personally, I found some of the descriptions, like of Trixie cutting herself, a little too descriptive. The ending was not, for me, unexpected at all, but I still enjoyed the book. This is only the second book I've read by Jodi Picoult (the first was My Sister's Keeper), and I definitely plan on reading another. 4.5 stars.

Currently reading -- The Mysterious Island, A Walk in the Woods, and The Dark is Rising

Currently listening to -- Captain Alatriste

Stopped reading -- The Color of Magic

Edited to fix touchstones

14. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

I created a reading plan for myself in which I choose a nonfiction book and a book in a genre that I would not normally read, and A Walk in the Woods was this month's choice for nonfiction. Mr. Bryson recounts his travels on the Appalachian Trail with an old friend, Stephen Katz. With lots of humor, vivid descriptions, and a smattering of botany and geology, this was a hugely enjoyable read. I'm not sure if I entirely believe his encounters with fellow travelers (they seem a little too humorous not to be embellished), but the stories are fun and I learned a lot along the way. I only wish I'd picked up the book earlier. 5 stars

Currently reading -- The Mysterious Island and The Dark is Rising
Currently listening to -- Captain Alatriste

15. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

This was for Go Review That Book! It's the story of Will Stanton, to whom very odd things begin to happen the night before his 11th birthday. First the dogs are afraid of him, then this man starts chasing him (and rooks attack the man!), then a farmer he's known forever has a very strange conversation after which he gives Will a unique medallion. Though the story is full of what's now pretty much cliches of the fantasy genre -- rhyming prophecies, the youngest child with latent magic abilities, the battle between Light and Dark -- this is definitely not a cliche story. With as much of a spine-tingling, invisible evil as The Lord of the Rings, this story kept me curious to know more about Will and the Old Ones and understand what was happening. The only small complaint I have is that sometimes instead of any real discovery, Will just knows things out of the blue just by virtue of who he is. Still, it's a very small quibble for a very good story. 4.5 stars.

Currently reading -- The Mysterious Island and Standard Hero Behavior
Currently listening to -- Captain Alatriste and The Iliad

16. Standard Hero Behavior by John David Anderson

Mason is a struggling bard who dreams of going on real adventures even while he has to work hard to pay off his Protection Tax. You see, the town of Darlington (formerly Highsmith) no longer has its own heroes. Instead, the entire town pays their taxes to Duke Darlington in return for him keeping them safe from orcs, goblins, trolls, and whatever else may attack. When Mason finds out that not everything about the Duke meets the eye, he also realizes that the town is in danger, and only he and his friend Cowel will be able to save them by going off and finding some real heroes!

The humorous, tongue-in-cheek tone of the story reminded me somewhat of Diana Wynne Jones' Dark Lord of Derkholm. Anderson similarly pokes fun of the genre -- for example, when Mason wants his fortune told, "Madame Pirogue" ends up being some old guy named Joe who just uses the cards for show. Anderson also uses very modern phrases in both the narrative and the dialog to humorous effect. While the ending wasn't entirely unexpected, the ride was fun. 4 stars.

Currently reading -- From Doon with Death, Samurai William, and The Meaning of Everything
Currently listening to -- Captain Alatriste and The Iliad
Stopped reading -- The Mysterious Island

17. Samurai William by Giles Milton

William Adams was the first Englishman to set foot on Japan. One of only 18 survivors of a horrific, two-year-long voyage, he became influential in the rule of eventual shogun Ieyasu. Adams convinced the East India Company (which was trading in Java at the time) to try trading in Japan, interpreted for the traders, and helped them learn local customs. Less a biography than a history of trade, this account illuminates international trade relations between the English, Dutch, Portuguese, and Japanese in the late 16th to early 17th centuries. Milton remains objective in his narration and does a good job of making a topic that was very unfamiliar to me understandable. 4 stars.

18. From Doon with Death by Ruth Rendell

This month's librarian research was in the mystery genre, specifically British police procedurals. When proper housewife Margaret Parsons goes missing, her husband turns to his neighbor, Officer Burden, for help. Parsons is certain his wife would not have run out on him, and as an avid reader of crime fiction knows he would be the prime suspect if police find evidence of foul play. When her body is found, however, the facts do not point to her husband at all. Who could have wanted to kill Mrs. Parsons?

Though at times more graphically descriptive than I would have liked, overall I would characterize this particular title as closer to the cozy mysteries I've read than noir like The Maltese Falcon. Marital infidelity and class jealousy abound, and some aspects of the story seem to me very much a product of its time (copyright 1964). It might be interesting to compare this to another procedural written in the last decade. I figured out some of the answer before the denouement, which may have detracted from my enjoyment. 3 stars.

19. How to Read a Novel by John Sutherland

The title of this book sums up the contents quite succinctly, so I have very little to add. Sutherland includes a little bit of history, but mainly gives advice to would-be fiction readers, including: don't take other people's advice; treat titles, blurbs, and endorsements with skepticism; think about why a title is on the best-seller lists before buying; and take reviewers' opinions with a grain of salt. Though topically chock full, essentially it boils down to the relationship between reader and text. Like Ex Libris (though stylistically very different), How to Read a Novel often reminded me why I enjoy reading fiction. 5 stars.

Currently reading -- Shadow of the Wind and The Meaning of Everything
Currently listening to -- The Iliad and Captain Alatriste

Stopped reading -- Saga by Conor Kostick (wrong touchstone)

August Overview --

8. Breaking Dawn
9. Victory of Eagles
10. Mr. Midshipman Hornblower
11. The Solitary Envoy
12. Chessie the Railroad Kitten
13. The Tenth Circle (audio)
14. A Walk in the Woods
15. The Dark is Rising
16. Standard Hero Behavior
17. Samurai William
18. From Doon with Death
19. How to Read a Novel

Stand outs -- Victory of Eagles, A Walk in the Woods, and How to Read a Novel

Total books -- 11
Total audiobooks -- 1
Books abandoned -- 3

20. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

I picked up this after hearing about from several LTers, not quite sure what to expect. I was blown away. The Shadow of the Wind is about Daniel Sempere, a boy who reads a book by a mysterious authors whose works were barely bought when published but now collector's items due to their rarity. The book literally changes his life: because of it he is introduced to his first crush; he embarks on a quest to find out more about its author, Julian Carax; and an odd character appears to be dogging Daniel's steps.

The writing is lyrical, making you want to sink into the story. Its Gothic elements and lovely writing style often reminded me of The Thirteenth Tale, though the pace picks up faster in this story. Impossible to characterize, The Shadow of the Wind has elements of mystery, historical fiction, and a classic coming-of-age story. I am almost certain that this story will be one of my top five for the year. 5 stars.

21. The Meaning of Everything by Simon Winchester

This fairly slim volume packs in tons of information about the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary, a massive undertaking begun in the 1850s and the first edition of which was finally finished in 1928. As a word nerd, I really enjoyed this history of my favorite dictionary. I gained a new appreciation for why the revisions on the 3rd edition have been going on for so long. Winchester's love for words also comes through in his prose, riddled as it is with words like "gallimaufry," "polymathic," and "oleaginous." (My vocabulary grew by at least 50 words from this book alone.) Though sometimes bogged down in details, this is overall a fascinating account of the dictionary. 4.5 stars.

22. Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez-Reverte

This is the story of Captain Alatriste, swordsman for hire now that he is no longer a soldier for Spain. It is narrated by Inigo Balboa, Alatriste's charge after the death of Inigo's father, giving a mixture of Inigo's hero-worship and naivete. Alatriste is hired by mysterious masked men to "rough up" a couple of travelers. Then another man, unmasked and a member of the Spanish Inquisition comes in and tells him to kill both men. And when it comes time to do the job, well, the results may just affect the rest of Captain Alatriste's life, if they don't end it.

I really struggled with this story and never really got invested in it. I think it was a combination of the narration (an American accent for the most part, but slightly lisped pronunciations when it came to the Spanish names) and my expectations (I was sort of expecting something along the lines of Zorro by Isabel Allende). An overall okay read, but not outstanding either. 3 stars.

23. The O. Henry Prize Stories 2007 edited by Laura Furman

I picked up this short story collection because one of the authors was a professor I had in college. Because this is a collection, I can't really summarize or give a "star" rating, but I will say that even when I didn't particularly *like* what happened in a story, one of the reasons I enjoy short stories is that I can appreciate the form quite separate from what goes on in the narrative. Did the story make me think or surprise me? Did anything stay with me so that I had to wait a bit before moving on to the next one? With that in mind, both "Mudder Tongue" by Brian Evenson, "The Gift of Years" by Vu Tran, and "The Scent of Cinnamon" by Charles Lambert stood out to me. It's a pretty eclectic mix, and definitely worth a look.

Currently reading -- Friday Night Lights, The Poisonwood Bible and The Spellman Files

Currently listening to -- The Iliad

24. The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

Isabel Spellman, now in her twenties, recounts her life with P.I. parents and working for the family business. Her older lawyer brother David seems perfect, at least in comparison to Izzy, who was a bit of a wild child and only recently straightened out. Her younger sister, Rae, loves spying, has learned extortion, and steals sweets whenever possible. The other Spellmans are as delightfully quirky, in this tale of how Isabel works towards independence and tries to crack a 10-year-old missing persons case.

I read this with the twofold purpose of reading an Alex Award winner and broadening my reading in the mystery genre. The characters were wonderfully odd, but for some reason the story didn't hit me right. It had its moments of making me laugh out loud, but for the most part it was a breezy read that never really held my interest (though it was a nice break from Friday Night Lights). Now that I'm familiar with the style and know what to expect, I may try the sequel but I'm only giving this one 3.5 stars.

Currently reading -- Friday Night Lights and The Poisonwood Bible
Currently listening to -- The Iliad

25. Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger

In the 1980s, the Permian High School football team enjoyed a status most people can only dream about: girls that pampered the players for the school year, a town followed their season with bated breath, twenty thousand fans showed up for games on Friday nights. Following the 1988 season, Friday Night Lights focuses on the town of Odessa, Texas and the social problems it faces. This is not a feel-good football story like Rudy or Remember the Titans. Though football is definitely a big part of the makeup of the town, the book focuses on the educational crises, the oil bust, racial tensions, and how all these and more relate back to the incredible devotion of this town to its football team. It will make you cringe, think, and reflect. I would recommend it to people who read nonfiction about these social areas and like books that make them think.

This was not an easy book to read. I did expect a bit more football and a bit less "social aspects" (I'm taking that from the Library of Congress Subject Heading). I knew that a lot of what I was reading was the author's interpretation of what happened, which made me feel removed. His was an outsider's perspective (even though he likes football he spelled "jerseys" as "jersies" every single time, and I couldn't help but wonder how much of a fan he was), and I felt like I would need an insider account to balance that out. I did not enjoy the book because, let's face it, it's kind of depressing and it just simply wasn't the book I wanted to read. It's a bit unfair for me to review a book based on the account I wish it was, so the above paragraph reflects how I react to it professionally. Personally, though, I only give it 2 stars.

Currently reading -- The Poisonwood Bible, Why You Say It, and The Good Thief
Currently listening to -- The Iliad

26. The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti

This is the story of Ren, who grew up an orphan and was suddenly, despite missing a hand, taken in by a man named Benjamin, a thief who had a lie for every occasion. Tom, a former schoolteacher and Benjamin's friend, is his partner in crime as they determine to use Ren to fleece others. The descriptive prose moves the story along as you get to know Ren, Benjamin, and a rich group of secondary characters. The plot suddenly starts moving about 2/3 into the book, making it a little uneven but it's overall a solid historical fiction read set in New England.

I think if I had been in a different mood I would have enjoyed it more. Ren, Benjamin and Tom were likable characters in an Ocean's 11 kind of way, though there's less action at the beginning. There's graveyard escapades (bodies for dissection), a landlady who yells everything because she can't hear, and a conspiracy in a small New Hampshire mining town. I'm not sure why, but I always felt like I was hovering above the story, never quite sinking down into it and enjoying it thoroughly. It was good, but nothing really stood out to me about it either. 4 stars.

Currently reading -- The Poisonwood Bible and Why You Say It
Currently listening to -- The Iliad
Gave up on -- Ms. Hempel Chronicles (started and stopped it today; again, less of a plot-driven novel and I just couldn't get interested)

27. Reading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages by Ammon Shea

Ammon Shea has already read other dictionaries. This time, he decides he will read the mother of all dictionaries, the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary (specifically, the 1989 print edition). This book chronicles his adventures reading, from A to Z. Each chapter, named after the letters of the alphabet, begins with his experiences reading the OED and ends with his favorite words from that letter, a definition, and his reflection of the word. The humorous narration and commentary on words and language made me laugh out loud while I was reading. I enjoyed this book thoroughly, and recommend it to anyone who loves words or dictionaries. 5 stars.

28. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

In alternating first-person narratives, missionary wife Orleanna Price and her daughters Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May, tell the story of their family's time in the Congo during its bid for independence in 1960. Each narrator has a unique voice and point of view. The prose is lovely, even while the story is ominous from the beginning and deals with themes of guilt and responsibility. Though the political commentary is a little heavy-handed near the end, the layered narration and expert touch with thematic content makes this a good choice for a book club or class discussion, whether or not you agree with the author's persuasion. The result is a challenging, thought-provoking story that brings new ideas to light with each reread.

Currently reading -- Why You Say It and Mother Tongue
Currently listening to -- Anne of the Island
Abandoned -- The Iliad because I lost track of the story on audio after listening to parts 1-4 (out of 14) over the course of a month. I might try to read it sometime.

29. The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer

Artemis, Holly, and the rest are back. This time, Angeline Fowl has a debilitating disease that no specialist can figure out...because it's caused by infected magic. To save his mother, Artemis and Holly must go back in time to out-trick the trickster himself...10-year-old Artemis. As might be expected from an Artemis Fowl book, there are lots of twists and turns, evil villains attempting to outsmart each other, and just plain silliness.

Personally, I found the time travel explanations (not that it existed, but how things happened) just...well, convoluted for lack of a better word. It's very confusing. And the villains are a bit over the top. One of the things I enjoyed about the first few books was how the sides weren't clearly drawn -- neither Artemis nor the fairies were completely "right," and you could see things from each point of view. Also, the author seemed to expect a certain amount of sophistication from his audience to be able to figure out that Artemis is not as tough as he pretends to be, but there are people he cares about and fights for. The first three books especially (from what I remember) are like that, but The Time Paradox seemed to say things bluntly about the characters rather than letting the reader figure things out for himself. It was a light, fun read but these things bothered me and kept me from really falling into the story and loving it. 3.5 stars.

30. The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way by Bill Bryson

A fun romp through the history of the English language, from the invasion of the Saxons and the Normans in England to the "infection" of English by Americanisms. Intriguing, engaging history and, as might be expected from Bill Bryson, humorous. The tone is conversational, and accessible -- you don't have to be a linguist or Old English scholar to read this book. If you enjoy language, words, history, or Bill Bryson's writing style, I highly recommend this book. 5 stars.

Currently reading -- Dragonhaven
Currently listening to -- Anne of the Island
Abandoned -- Why You Say It

September in review --

20. Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
21. The Meaning of Everything by Simon Winchester
22. Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez-Reverte (audio)
23. The O. Henry Prize Stories 2007
24. The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
25. Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger
26. The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti
27. Reading the OED by Ammon Shea
28. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
29. The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer
30. The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson

Stand outs -- The Shadow of the Wind, Reading the OED and The Mother Tongue

Total books -- 10
Total audiobooks -- 1
Books/audio abandoned -- 5

31. Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier

The sequel to Wildwood Dancing that could probably work as a standalone, but if you hate spoilers than I would suggest you read them in order. This book is told by Paula, the fourth of the five sisters that used to dance in the Other Kingdom every full moon. Now barred from returning and with three sisters married, scholarly Paula travels with her father to Istanbul as his assistant in procuring an ancient artifact known as Cybele's Gift. The mystery of what this gift entails entices Paula to search for clues in the library of Irene of Volos and tries to help her father best other bidders like the pirate Duarte, while under the protection of her bodyguard, Stoyan. Paula was an interesting character, the story had an interesting premise and moved steadily towards the climax, but the book didn't live up to my expectations. Early on, it became clear to me that two male characters liked Paula and she would decide between the two of them. I also became irritated at how many times Paula says "instinct told me" or "my instincts," the constant repetition of which had me rolling my eyes by the end. I wanted a little more of the fun and slow discovery of fractured fairy tales involved in Wildwood Dancing. I still don't know quite where the overarching story is going, so I look forward to reading the next book in the series. 4 stars (4.5 with fewer "instincts").

Currently reading -- Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix (none of the touchstones are right) -- plus I will start I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings as soon as I find it...lost somewhere in my room.
Currently listening to -- Anne of the Island

Oops -- double post.
Real one below.

32. Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Haddix is one of my favorite children's authors, who also wrote the Shadow Children series (starting with Among the Hidden) and Running Out of Time. This is the first in a new series, and it focuses on Jonah Skidmore, an adopted child who receives a mysterious letter saying only "You are one of the missing." When his new friend, Chip, receives the same letter -- and consequently discovers that he was adopted too -- the boys and Katherine, Jonah's sister, search for more clues about the boys' identities and the mystery surrounding their adoptions. A fast-paced book, very plot-central with lots of twists, and a quick read but not as good as some of her others. I would easily recommend it to reluctant readers. 4 stars.

Currently reading -- The Professor and the Madman and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Currently listening to -- Anne of the Island

33. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

This is not an easy book to read. It does not describe an idyllic childhood. That being said, this is a great book. Maya Angelou's prose describes her childhood with deft lyricism, humor, and beauty. She took the sometimes awful circumstances of growing up as a black child in the south and made something lovely and real. This book doesn't shy away from injustice, hatred, or betrayal which makes it an often painful read. I can't say that I liked it. But it made me think, made me feel, it's going to haunt me for a long time, and I would definitely consider rereading it someday. For these reason, I'm giving it five stars.

Currently reading -- The Professor and the Madman
Currently listening to -- Anne of the Island

Edited to fix touchstone.
Post above was a duplicate.

34. Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery (audio)

This book was a reread and so a "check plus by default." I'm not sure how long I'll continue trying to listen through the series. I had remembered this one, along with Anne of Windy Poplars, as a fairly boring read in the midst of a good series. Part of it was probably my age, as this book is all about Anne's time in Redmond with college friends, studying for her B.A. and declining several proposals for marriage. The story was a faster read than I remembered, though it still has its flaws, in my opinion, particularly in the tendency to introduce random characters and only keep them around for only a chapter or two. Plus some of the dialog at the end just struck me as a little bit cheesy (but I was tired and possibly more critical as a result). But then, since I've read it multiple times I can't dislike it much, right? 4.5 stars.

Currently reading -- The Professor and the Madman and Airframe
Currently listening to -- Pride and Prejudice, starting tonight when I go to bed
Books abandoned -- Research-based Reader's Advisory and Skeletons of the Feast (the last simply because the first disc was skipping)

35. The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

I moved this one up on my TBR list because I liked The Meaning of Everything and wanted to learn more about the stories that were barely mentioned but sounded fascinating as they related to the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary. The Professor and the Madman, actually written before the former title, focuses on the story of W.C. Minor, a surgeon during the American Civil War who subsequently became paranoid, and James Murray, the third (and most well-known) editor of the OED. Dr. Minor committed murder due to his delusion that Irishmen were after him, and as a result was put in an asylum in England. During his time there, however, he became invaluable in the work of the OED, using a genius system and incredible personal collection of books to provide thousands of quotations exactly when needed. It's quite a fascinating story, though much of the information overlaps with The Meaning of Everything, especially when discussing the history of English dictionary-making. Basically, there's only so many times I can take reading about Samuel Johnson's dictionary and his odd definitions (I think I've read the definition of "oats" at least thrice in the last month or so) before I feel like I'm reading the same book. Though I highly recommend both books, I would not recommend reading them close together. 4.5 stars.

36. Airframe by Michael Crichton

After a mysterious airplane accident involving several injuries and even death occurs, Casey Singleton, divorced mother and rising star in the Norton Aircraft company, must head up the investigation of why this happened. In a field that is as complicated as the airframe industry, it can be a nightmare trying to deal with a press that just wants the "video at 11," and Casey is also given the unwelcome task of liaison with the media.

The story is typical Crichton: some technical details, but a relentlessly-paced story with lots of dialog and little character development. The mystery of what happened on Flight 545 and the troubles Casey has with the union over a possible China deal keep you on the edge of your seat. Personally, I would have liked getting to know the characters a little more, which is the main reason I didn't love it. Still, a solid thriller with a pacing that keeps you turning pages late at night. 4 stars.

37. The Dragon Heir by Chima Williams Cinda

The third in a series, so if you haven't read The Warrior Heir and The Wizard Heir, you probably don't want to read this for the spoilers it would give for those two titles.

Jason, Seph's friend from school, is sick of doing nothing and tries to get into Raven's Ghyll by himself. Though he fails to get at D'Orsay or learn anything about the missing Covenant, he escapes with a mysterious stone, the Dragonheart. Madison, the elicitor, seems drawn to the stone in a way that the Weir are not (though they are drawn to it, too), but she is forced to go back home to take care of her siblings. Meanwhile, Seph, Jack, Ellen, and the others in Trinity must guard against the machinations of D'Orsay and the Roses.

Much of the story is told from Madison's point of view, but you're often put in Jason or Seph's head, depending on the setting. It's fast-paced, and even though some of the threads of the plot are laid out early, the climax will keep you on your toes 'til the end. A very satisfying read. 5 stars.

38. Best New American Voices 2009 edited by Elizabeth Gaitskill

My second short story collection of the year, this is a collection of 14 short stories culled from college writing workshops around the US. They vary extensively in theme, storyline, and tone. Most of the authors are working on short stories or novels, so it's a great way to be introduced to new names, which is essentially why I picked it up. My favorite story is "Wintering" by Anastasia Kolendo. The others struck me as sad to downright depressing in tone, so I didn't like them as much. I know that won't bother every reader, but I personally like a story to be hopeful or happy in the end and feel like it's resolved.

Similarly to what I said about the O. Henry Prize Stories, it's really hard to rate a collection like this, and often I don't like the way the story goes but I enjoy the artistry of it. So this goes "unrated" as well, but it was, overall, a good reading experience.

Currently reading -- Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin
Currently listening to -- Pride and Prejudice

Books abandoned -- The Mysteries of Udolpho

39. March by Geraldine Brooks

Have you ever wondered what happened to Mr. March of Little Women while he was away at war? This story fills in that gap. In first-person narration and lovely prose, March tells his own story of being a Civil War chaplain in 1861. During a battle, he is unable to save one of his comrades while he makes his own escape. He finds himself at a plantation that he knew years ago from his days as a peddler, and remembers the plantation owner, Clement, and his slave, Grace, as they were twenty years ago. His heartbreaking descent from high-minded idealist to disillusioned soldier reads realistically. March finds himself unable to communicate the horrors of war to his wife, if only to try to keep her and his daughters from heartbreak.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The writing was lovely and the research detailed, so I can see why it won a Pulitzer. I didn't entirely agree with the way the author reinterpreted the characters of Little Women, though I enjoyed the differing point of view and forcing myself to think of the characters in a new light. And though I can hardly fault the book for this, the harsh aspects of war and the effect it had on March's psyche left me feeling rather depressed; though the ending is not devoid of hope, it is much sadder than I tend to like. 3.5 stars.

Currently reading -- Brisingr
Currently listening to -- Pride and Prejudice
Books abandoned -- Until We Reach Home

40. Gossamer by Lois Lowry

Littlest One is a being that humans and animals cannot see but that comes in at night to touch our things and bestow dreams. She is young and nearly transparent yet, and trained by Fastidious to bestow dreams upon a young woman who lives alone. Fastidious is frustrated with Littlest One's curiosity and flightiness, so she gives charge of the home and Littlest One to Thin Elderly. When a young boy moves in, though, Sinisteeds (beings that inflict nightmares) start to move in, and Littlest One and Thin Elderly have to do their best to protect the inhabitants of their house from the damage that may be inflicted.

This story was a nice break from Brisingr. I liked the characters and felt for them, and liked the device of getting to know them primarily through the observations of otherworldly creatures. Short, simple, and sweet. 4.5 stars.

Currently reading -- Brisingr
Currently listening to -- Pride and Prejudice

41. Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

How do you sum up a 750 page book in just a paragraph with no spoilers? I'll try... Eragon and Saphira have to fulfill their promise to Roran to help him save Katrina, so all three go after the Ra'zac in Helgrind. Meanwhile, Nasuada finds herself trying to get humans and Urgals to follow her as leader of the Varden and not kill each other in the process. And that's just the beginning, of course, as Eragon, Saphira, Roran, Nasuada, and Arya all do their best to fight against the Empire and determine how to defeat Galbatorix.

I found the book to be very...long. In some ways, I found the writing to be better than the first two books. The author seems to have found his stride and style in writing, so there aren't jarring bits of archaic-sounding language smack up against a modern-sounding sentence. I cared about the characters somewhat, but didn't feel compelled to keep reading and found it didn't even bother me to put the book down in the middle of a fight scene. Partly based on the fact that it took me nearly two weeks to read, my biggest feeling at the end was relief that I could move on to something else. I liked it, but it doesn't stand out for me. 3 stars.

Currently reading -- nothing yet
Currently listening to -- Pride and Prejudice

42. Flora's Dare by Ysabeau Wilce

This is the sequel to Flora Segunda, so I was a little nervous jumping right in since it was over a year ago that I read the first. Well, I needn't have worried. In an entertaining summary that starts out with an odd "what I learned..." essay, Flora breezily narrates her prior adventures and goes right into the current problem. She wants to learn Gramatica (the language of magick), but she has to find a way to get in touch with one of three magick users in Califa, without her parents knowing. In an attempt to do just that, she and Udo go to a club (after telling her parents that they were going to be somewhere else, a place with puppets, where all the 12-year-olds go, not the fourteen-year-olds), where Flora gets attacked by a tentacle while attempting to use the bathroom and Udo zombifies notorious outlaw Springheel Jack.

I had a lot of fun with this book. I don't remember why, but I gave the first in the series 4 stars. With this one, I found it inventive and original and liked seeing details from Book 1 crop up again in unexpected ways. The ending is not a cliffhanger, but still leaves room for a sequel that I'll eagerly away. 5 stars.

43. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Who could not be intrigued by a title like that? I first saw this title crop up on LT to the tune of several people raving about how wonderful it is. Then I saw it on the NY Times Bestseller List, so of course I had to wait in line behind about 70 other people who had put the book on hold at the library. It was totally worth the wait.

Juliet Ashton is an author who isn't sure what her new book is about, she just knows she doesn't want to write about World War 2 anymore after covering the news in a lighthearted manner under the pseudonym "Izzy Bickerstaff." Then, she receives a letter from a man named Dawsey who lives on Guernsey Island and happens to own one of her books secondhand -- a collection of essays by Charles Lamb -- and wants to know if she can recommend any bookstores in London. He mentions, in passing, that he began reading because of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, a group started during the German occupation. Told in letters between Juliet, her editor, her publicist, her best friend Sophie, and eventually a whole host of characters from Guernsey, this is a heartwarming tale filled with hope and eccentric folk, even though the war is still very much a part of their lives.

Definitely one of my favorite books of the year, and I recommend it to absolutely everyone (it's not often I say that about a book I've already heard so much hype about). I don't think I'll be able to be quite just to whichever book comes next. 5 stars.

Books abandoned -- Born Digital
Currently listening to -- Pride and Prejudice

44. The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner

Lauren has always lived a life of privilege, but she goes to a state school, lives in a dorm, and wants to get a job, even though she could just use her parents' allowance and live off-campus. The job posting that most intrigues her is a transcription job, and her boss is an older woman who has refused the job to many English majors before her. Abigail owns the diary of Mercy Hayworth, a woman accused of witchcraft during the Salem trials, and wants someone to not only transcribe the diary but also understand Mercy. When Lauren takes the job, she finds herself immersed in this other woman's life, and starts questioning assumptions she's made all her life.

I tend to like books with first-person narration, because I can stay in a character's head and feel like I'm getting to know them, so using both Lauren as a narrator and Mercy's diary was a neat device and helped me "know" both characters. Some things seemed resolved a little quickly (an Internet search here, and problem solved...), but it was a good story and left me feeling happy in the end. 4.5 stars.

Currently reading -- Final Harvest: Poems
Currently listening to -- Pride and Prejudice

45. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Katsa lives in Middluns, the central kingdom of seven, where normal people are a little afraid of the Graced. And Gracelings like her...well, her Grace is a little scarier than most. She fights and kills easily, and she's feared for the acts her uncle, King Randa, has had her perform for him. Along with the Council, however, she's been working on her own -- and when she rescues a kidnapped Lienid, she comes across another who can fight her better than anyone else because of his Grace. Who is this mysterious Lienid who can give her more trouble in to hand-to-hand combat than anyone? What is his Grace? Why was his grandfather kidnapped, and by whom?

This read falls squarely in "my" genre of middle and high school fantasy. The fantasy elements were mostly not cliched, and the writing was fairly fluid though there were some awkward sentences here and there. It took me awhile to decide I liked the characters, particularly Katsa as I didn't really understand some of her choices and point of view. I would generally recommend it to high schoolers, as there is some sex. 4.5 stars.

46. Dewey by Vicki Myron

***SPOILERS***

When Vicki Myron was the library director of a public library in Iowa, she came in on the coldest day of the year to find a small kitten dumped in the book drop. She bathed the cat, warmed him up, and eventually convinced the board to let the library have him. Dewey Readmore Books became the Spencer library cat, affecting the library's brand in the community, the town of Spencer, and many individuals in town (not least Vicki herself). Eventually, Dewey became known worldwide, regularly visited by out-of-state folks, and even featured in a Japanese documentary. It's a warm and fuzzy tale and all the more interesting because it's true.

I'm not much of a nonfiction reader, and this book was even outside of the nonfiction I tend to choose. But I saw it in the list of books for the Early Reviewers program and thought it sounded good. It was a good story, and Myron clearly loves Dewey, the library, and her town. Expecting a story mostly about a cat, I was a little surprised by the personal focus. It affected how I felt about the book, because I couldn't shake the feeling of the narrator as someone who was telling me a great story but was distracting me by standing just a little too closely in my personal space for me to really focus on the story at hand. I'm giving it 3.5 stars with the caveat that my mood/reaction to the style had a huge impact and it could've scored higher.

47. How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier

Charlie has a parking fairy. She's 14, and she hates cars, but whenever she gets in one whoever is driving gets the perfect parking spot. Why can't she have a cool fairy like Rochelle, who has a shopping fairy, or Fiorenze, who has an all-the-boys-like-me fairy? So she's been walking everywhere for about two months, hoping to get rid of her fairy and attract a new one, but it's been making her late everywhere and she's been racking up demerits like crazy. Meanwhile, she wasn't able to make the basketball team, a boy she likes has been all over Fiorenze (because of her fairy), and if she keeps getting demerits, she'll be suspended from her games. What's a girl to do?

This was a fun, light story that I gulped down in about two days. It was funny, and though the premise sounds somewhat silly it's still something you can relate to. I wouldn't call it quite fantasy, but I would recommend it to those who didn't mind stretching credulity a bit (the sort-of "nowhere place" some time in the future helps). 4.5 stars.

48. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (audio)

Technically finished before Graceling, but I forgot to list it. Everyone knows what it's about, so I'll just skip to my reaction, shall I?

I love this book. I have lost count of how many times I've reread it since I first discovered it in high school. I think that the first chapter is one of the greatest beginnings ever, because of the way in which each of the characters are introduced, and you know exactly what they're about. Mrs. Bennett is dead set on marrying every one of her daughters off, Mr. Bennett delights in poking fun of his wife, Elizabeth is witty, Jane kind. And the rest of the girls are crazy in their own individual ways. Listening to it was a new experience, but I know the story so well that it didn't really bother me if a conversation sounded a little different from how I imagine it. What was odd was how much longer it felt (10 CDs) listening than reading. Not bad, just different. One of my all-time favorites, and I'm sure I'll reread it again. 5 stars.

Currently reading -- Inkdeath and Final Harvest: Poems
Currently listening to -- The Story of Dr. Doolittle and The Boyfriend List

49. The Story of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting (audio)

In this story, Dr. Dolittle fails as a human doctor (one of his patients flipped out when she sat on a hedgehog he was keeping, and it was all downhill from there), he becomes really poor from lack of patients, and his sister (the housekeeper) gets sick of the poverty and constant animals underfoot and leaves. His one remaining patient tells him he should become an animal doctor. His parrot thinks this is a good idea, and teaches him how to talk to animals (she's the perfect candidate, of course, because she can use human speech too). So then he gains renown as an animal doctor, and all the animals love him (and all the horses around are starting to wear spectacles), and then he has to go to Africa to save the sick monkeys...

And then it just meanders on from there. There were moments that were supposed to be exciting, but I found the premise so ludicrous that I was never in any suspense over them. I actually didn't like Dr. Dolittle much -- he really does "do little" (and just wait 'til you see how he gains back all that money he lost...), and I'm sorry but the only explanation for how he can talk to animals is that his parrot taught him? If it weren't for the fact that I remember liking The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle, I would doubt that I could buy this story even as a kid. I didn't hate the book, but two CDs never seemed like a longer story. 2 stars.

Currently reading -- Inkdeath and Final Harvest: Poems
Currently listening to -- Birds of a Feather and The Boyfriend List

I'm behind on "in reviews," so here's October and November in one:

October in review --

31. Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier
32. Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
33. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
34. Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery (audio)
35. The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester
36. Airframe by Michael Crichton
37. The Dragon Heir by Cinda Williams Chima
38. Best New American Voices 2009
39. March by Geraldine Brooks

Stand outs -- The Dragon Heir

Total books -- 8
Total audiobooks -- 1
Books abandoned -- 4

November in review:

40. Gossamer by Lois
41. Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
42. Flora's Dare by Ysabeau Wilce
43. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
44. The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner
45. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (audio)
46. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
47. Dewey by Vicki Myron
48. How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier
49. The Story of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting (audio)

Stand outs -- Flora's Dare and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Total books -- 7
Total audiobooks -- 2
Books abandoned -- 1

I am assuming that I will not finish Inkdeath because of a busy holiday weekend, so more to come in December.

And here's #50! Alright, I didn't set it as a written goal for July-Dec but I wanted to see if I could do it all the same. :-)

50. Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

This is the continuation and end of the adventures of Mo and Meggie Fulchart, the father-daughter pair who can read characters right out of their stories -- and are now inside the Inkworld itself! Fenoglio, the writer of Inkheart still can't find his words and has been drinking instead of writing. Mo has embraced his role as the Bluejay, a robber who upholds justice in a world where the evil Adderhead is immortal because of a book that Mo bound himself in return for his wife and daughter's lives. How to make it all right again when the story seems to have taken a life of its own?

I was very excited to read the continuing story, as I loved Inkheart with its varied characters and layering of "story" as a theme and a question. Inkdeath was similar in its continual reminder that this is a story...and who knows where it's going? There are a lot of characters, and I might have been better off rereading Inkheart and Inkspell so I didn't get lost, but it wasn't too bad. I did start to get a little frustrated with the postmodernist elements (this is a story...a story...where is it going? Who is writing it now? What kind of power do words have?) and the sheer length of the book, but in the end I was sucked in and rooting for Mo, Resa, Meggie, and the rest. As it passes the "would I reread it?" test, it gets 4.5 stars.

Currently reading -- Final Harvest and A Spell for Chameleon
Currently listening to -- The Boyfriend List and Birds of a Feather

51. The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart (audio)

At age 15, Ruby Oliver starts seeing a shrink when she starts experiencing panic attacks. The trouble seems to be related to her break-up with a boyfriend, but she doesn't want to talk about it. Her therapist tells her to write "The Boyfriend List," a list of all the boys Ruby has liked, kissed, dated, etc. Each chapter is headed by a boy on the list, as Ruby explains all that has led up to her panic attacks.

I think I reached about my limit of teenage angst in this book, but it was still a good read. Humor kept me going the most, just certain descriptions (particularly of old movies or a teenage girl's understanding of classic rock) or turns of phrase. Also, Ruby learns a lot about herself and while I sometimes felt frustrated with her as a character, I also related to her. 4 stars.

Congrats on passing 50!
--BJ

Thanks! I was hoping I could. It gives me hope that I can read 50 or more books next year, as I won't be getting long summer vacations anymore.

52. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! by Laura Amy Schlitz

This is a collection of monologues (and a handful of dialogues) of different characters in a medieval village. Some of them know each other, some speak poetically and others in prose, but all give you a multifaceted look at life in the 13th century. Beginning with the lord's nephew and ending with a beggar, each monologue is individual, gives a slightly different perspective, and makes each character feel real and likable.

This was a quick read that I enjoyed pretty well. It was different, with its mix of nonfiction notes and made-up characters. Some historical notes are interspersed, giving the book a little bit of a teacherly feel. I can see why the book won a Newbery, though I think that it gets more notice from adults than kids as being a "teaching tool." 4.5 stars.

Currently reading -- Final Harvest and A Spell for Chameleon

Currently listening to -- Birds of a Feather

53. A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony

Bink is nearly 25, and he has a problem. He has no magic. This means that he will be exiled from Xanth, unless he can demonstrate a talent in front of the Storm King (who once was great, but now could barely conjure a dust devil and is failing fast) on his birthday. In a last-ditch effort to avoid exile, he travels to the Good Magician Humfrey for help in finding his magic talent. Will he succeed, or will he have to leave behind everything he knows and loves?

After realizing what spotty reading I'd done in this series that I enjoyed as a teen, I decided to revisit it. I believe the first few books and several in the middle somewhere will be rereads (this one was). I had forgotten all the veiled and not-so-veiled sexual references, which was annoying but not enough to stop reading. It suffers just a tad from first-book-itis, in its need to "set up" the world of Xanth and the "rules" in order to prepare you for coming information, but all in all it's well done and fun fantasy read. 4.5 stars.

Currently reading -- Final Harvest and Nothing But the Truth (and a Few White Lies)

Currently listening to -- Birds of a Feather

54. Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen Headley

"While ever other freshman is at the Spring Fling tonight, I have a date with an old lady whose thumb is feeling up my belly button."

That is because Patty Ho's mother has taken her to a Belly-Button Grandmother, a woman who can read the future by feeling the belly-button. When the lady predicts that Patty (who is half-Asian, half-white) will start dating a white boy, her mother decides it's time to send her to math camp. Patty braces herself for the worst time of her life, but what really happens is more than she bargained for.

I really enjoyed Patty's voice. Her relationship with her mother is very believable and relatable (spellcheck is telling me this is not a word, but it should be). I liked Patty as a character, and it was fun to see her develop over the course of a summer. I recommend it highly. 4.5 stars.

55. The Man Who Invented Christmas by Les Standiford

Charles Dickens had been a publishing sensation in England and the United States, but he was deeply in debt when he wrote A Christmas Carol in only six weeks and took a chance by essentially self-publishing the story. This is the story of Dickens and the Carol, with some history of English publishing and just a smidge about Christmas as a holiday. Mostly, it's the story of Dickens and of A Christmas Carol, which has become one of the best known and well-loved of his oeuvre.

Though short in page count, The Man Who Invented Christmas packs a lot of information in it. I found the bits about publishing and copyright really interesting, and only wish there was a little bit more about Christmas itself. The subtitle is "How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived our Holiday Spirits." It definitely delivers on the first half, but I thought more could have been said on the second. There was some historical information about Christmas, but I was left rather hazy on exactly how A Christmas Carol affected the celebration of Christmas and wish more had been said about that. Even so, I'm looking at the bibliography with interest and adding more to my TBR pile. 4.5 stars.

Currently reading -- The Source of Magic by Piers Anthony
Currently listening to -- Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear

bell7, this is why I love LT! I know you posted this months ago, but I just joined and I couldn't help responding to: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things? What a hilarious title! :) And I love how I can click it and immediately get a summary and/or reviews to see if I might like to read it too. This is a reader's heaven, my only regret that I didn't discover it earlier! Bonnie

That is a great title, isn't it? It wasn't my type of book, as it turns out, but I can definitely appreciate why others would like it. That's another great thing about LT, though, seeing what a variety of things everyone likes or dislikes, and getting a good sense of what I might like depending on who recommends it.

56. The Source of Magic by Piers Anthony

Book 2 of the Xanth series also follows Bink's quest -- this time to find the source of magic in Xanth. His old friend Crombie the soldier, Chester the Centaur, and (under duress) the Good Magician Humfrey come with him on a quest, but someone/something unknown with a similar magic to Bink's own seems to be trying to stop him in his tracks.

Another fun tale and another reread in which I'd forgotten most of what happened. Bad puns continue (though it's not yet in the full swing of later volumes in the series), and several characters that have their own quests show up for the first time (Grundy the Golem is one I remember in particular). A satisfying read, but it's time to take a short break from Xanth. 4.5 stars.

Currently reading -- The Model Occupation by Madeleine Bunting
Currently listening to -- Birds of a Feather

So, I'm going to be brave and ask you the same question I asked someone else today. You've read so many good books and commented on just about all of them (also good!) so have you ever been disappointed that for the most part very few people respond back in this group? Or are you satisfied with just making your list for yourself? I'm asking because I think I'm going to want to have conversations with people, else why put the list on LT? Is there another group that meets your discussion "needs," assuming you have them? (sheepish grin)
Bonnie

hmmm...that's a good question. I usually post on "What Are You Reading Now" threads about what I'm reading and have some discussion if others have read or want to read the books I'm reading or if I've read something someone else is reading.

So I guess I'm not too disappointed that this list is mostly me, because it's a good way for me to say more in-depth what I thought of each book without feeling like I'm taking over the thread. Folks can come & go, read or comment, as they like on the books I've read. I definitely welcome discussion, but don't take it personally if people don't comment on this thread -- there are many, many people keeping track of their reading in this group and I can't read all their threads, either.

I do like the idea of having my own thread in which I say as little or as much as I want about the books I'm reading, knowing that people can come and go as they please, and easily ignore me if they're not interested.

And I have to admit that I've had trouble keeping up with reading everyone's posts just these last few days since I've joined! Don't think I can keep it up if I want to read all the books on my list--which keeps growing because I'm intrigued by titles, comments, and new libraries that I keep discovering through reading new postings, but has also distracted me from finishing my current books so I can check out all these great suggestions!

Gotta figure out how to manage this "new member fever" I've caught. You do have a great thread, though. I've starred you and I'll check back when I'm feeling a little less feverish! (smile)

Glad to hear it! I can relate to the "new member fever," as I really started using LibraryThing more around May and found myself adding to my TBR pile rather than reading all those books! I'll be starting a new thread in a few weeks for the new year, so I'll make sure to leave a link to it for you or anyone else who's been following.

57. Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear (audio)

In the second book in the Maisie Dobbs series, a father asks Maisie to find his runaway adult daughter without alerting the police or press. He is a businessman, and it could damage his prospects if word were to get out. His daughter may be in danger...or may be a killer. It's up to Maisie and her assistant, Billy Beale to get to the bottom of this.

The audiobook I listened to was read by Kim Hicks, who did an excellent job with many characters, even making the men sound individual, and also had to deal with multiple accents (I'm no expert on how well she did there). Though a true cozy with much death off-screen (which I prefer), the psychological thrill of wondering whether Charlotte is in danger or is perpetuating these murders kept me interested as a listener and made this a rather difficult book to fall asleep to. 4.5 stars.

Currently reading - Final Harvest: Poems, Nation, The Model Occupation
Currently listening to - Anne's House of Dreams

58. Nation by Terry Pratchett

On one end of the world, the king has died and the Gentlemen of Last Resort start a desperate search for the heir in order to continue the line of the throne with as little trouble as possible. On the other end of the world, a great wave has come crashing through, turning Mau's world upside down. Instead of returning from the Boy's Island now a man, he returns home to find the entire Nation gone. A ship has landed, and the only survivor, Ermintrude...er...Daphne (long story) doesn't know what to do in this situation.

In some ways, this was reminiscent of the other books by Terry Pratchett. Set in a parallel universe and full of zany humor, it was a fairly fun ride. My only frustration was that his thoughts on religion seemed to overshadow the story at some parts, as Mau learns that maybe what he believed all along may not be true. It sort of felt at points like I was being given a lesson, and I didn't like that aspect of it. A worthwhile, humorous and thought-provoking read. 4 stars.

Currently reading - Final Harvest: Poems (I WILL finish this before the end of the year) and The Model Occupation

Currently listening to - Anne's House of Dreams

Edited to fix touchstones

59. When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke

When traveling during a terrible storm, Nicklas Goodfellow loses his invisible reindeer and his caravan goes crashing down to earth. Folks in the neighborhood aren't quite sure who Nicklas is, but he confides in Ben, a boy who is good at sports but made fun of at school because he doesn't talk much. Nicklas is actually the last Santa, but his job is in jeopardy because of a hostile takeover in Yule Land -- Nutcrackers and bad Santas are on the lookout for him, and if they find him it will be the end of Christmas as we know it!

My sister begged me to read this, as it's her new favorite book. It was lighthearted and a funny story, though it took me awhile to like the characters and I wanted to know more about them. It's much more plot-based and quirky, and I can see why she liked it. 4 stars.

60. Grace by Richard Paul Evans

At Christmastime, Eric looks back on a defining moment in his life when he was a young teenage boy growing up in the sixties. His father temporarily paralyzed, Eric and his family move to Utah where he lives in a poor neighborhood, goes to a rough school, and has to work to help out. While at work, he finds a classmate, Grace, dumpster hopping. She's run away from home. Taking pity on her, he brings her home to live in a clubhouse way back in the woods behind his house, giving her food, being a friend, protecting her. But she has a secret he can't guess, and the results of the fall and winter dramatically affect him.

Typical tearjerker from Richard Paul Evans, at least in style (though some turns of events were unexpected or at least unwanted). I liked the characters, and wanted to hug Grace so badly. Though often sad, there's hope present, too. 4.5 stars.

Currently reading - Final Harvest: Poems and The Model Occupation
Currently listening to - Anne's House of Dreams

61. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Everyone already knows what this is about, and there's not much more I can add. This is my annual reread of a beloved tale. 5 stars.

Currently reading - Final Harvest: Poems and The Model Occupation
Currently listening to - Anne's House of Dreams

62. The Model Occupation by Madeline Bunting

After reading The Guernsey Literary... I really wanted to learn more about the German occupation of the Channel Islands. This book was the only one I could find in my library system that fit the bill. From the Home Office's confusing policy towards the islands at the beginning of the war (demilitarization without telling the Germans, which led to more than a little confusion and a bombing) to the horror of the Organisation Todt camps on the islands, this investigates the experiences of the islanders and OT laborers on the Channel Islands during World War II. Drawing heavily on interviews with survivors and records released in the early 1990s, this book focuses on both personal experience and political machinations during the occupation and after.

It was definitely not easy reading, especially when it came to the experiences of those in the Organization Todt. The political stuff left my head spinning, and left me a little unsure of my footing. Being unfamiliar with the topic (this is the first nonfiction book I've read on the subject), I was a little unsure of whether or not to agree with the author's take on events, such as whether or not destroying such-and-such a paper was deliberate cover-up. How am I to know? Overall, though, I was more than satisfied with the information I was given and impressed by the many interviews of survivors not only from the Channel Islands but also Russians who worked in the labor camps. Often using large blocks of quotes of survivor's recollection, the personal stories are the most compelling part of this history. 4.5 stars.

63. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

Containing five short stories and "commentary by Albus Dumbledore," this is an excellent addition to the Harry Potter oeuvre. Except for the last, which played a key role in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the stories have little to do directly with the series, but the commentary of a beloved character and the feeling of depth to the wizarding world that the collection brings will attract fans of the series. Each short story is a fairy tale of the wizarding world and, like Muggle tales, contain sometimes dark morals and bloody deeds. Dumbledore's commentary is sometimes insightful and very humorous. I especially liked his comments after the second story, "The Fountain of Fair Fortune," and couldn't help but think that this was Rowling's tongue-in-cheek response to those who would ban her stories. A fun, quick read. 5 stars.

Currently reading - Final Harvest: Poems and a soon-to-be-determined second book
Currently listening to - Anne's House of Dreams

64. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

A man is murdered on a train while en route to Paris. Because the train has run into a snow bank, the murderer is probably still on the train. But questions surround the death of the man: When did it occur? Who could have done it? Why are some of the stab marks apparently struck with the left hand, others with the right, some so deep a woman could not have done it, others barely a scratch? Luckily, Hercule Poirot is on the case.

***SPOILERS***

This was an odd book. Admittedly only my second Agatha Christie novel (And Then There Were None was my first, and I highly recommend it), and my first Hercule Poirot which probably made a difference in how I warmed up to the characters (as the eighth in the series, the reader was clearly meant to already know about him - it's not crucial to enjoying the story, merely for understanding the character). I was rather taken aback that pretty much nothing but talking and thinking happens. This made for a fast read because it was heavy in dialogue, but I never felt really involved in the story. M. Bouc seemed to exist only for Poirot to expound on his deductions. And the end was just...really, really strange. I don't want to give it away, but it many ways it struck me as a non-mystery mystery. The reader can't really figure much out, they must see how Poirot with superior knowledge of the people and facts involved puts it all together. I didn't hate the book, but never had a stake in the story or the characters and finished it with a rather ambivalent attitude. 3 stars.

65. Final Harvest: Poems

This selection contains 576 poems (approximately 1/3 of the total) Emily Dickinson wrote between 1858 and 1884. Each poem is numbered consecutively and given the number in the complete collection, with an approximate date of composition and the date of first publication. Though short, each poem captures a moment precisely, and her contemplations range in theme from death to joy to nature to God. Thomas H. Johnson, the editor of this and a 1955 edition of Dickinson's complete poems, wrote the introduction. An index at the back lists alphabetically the first line of every poem included for easy reference.

Having not read any poetry since college, I was a little wary of reading a poetry collection for pleasure. I seem to have the same reaction to poetry that many have to reading: it's school-related, it's hard, and it's boring. My reading experience was pleasantly different from what I was expecting. I often understood the main point of the poem, and even when I wasn't quite sure I understood, I had the freedom to move on without worrying about it. I found the introduction helpful, as a nonspecialist, in introducing me to Dickinson's approach to poetry, her contribution to rhyme schemes, and the range of subjects about which she wrote. I often referred back to it as I came to poems that were mentioned specifically, which aided in my understanding. I recognized poems that I had read in the past, such as "He ate and drank the precious Words" and "I'm Nobody, who are you." I expect I will revisit this selection in the future. 5 stars.

Currently reading -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die and Lost in a Good Book
Currently listening to -- Anne of the Island

December in review:

50. Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
51. The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart (audio)
52. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! by Laura Schlitz
53. A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony
54. Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen Headley
55. The Man Who Invented Christmas by Les Standiford
56. The Source of Magic by Piers Anthony
57. Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear (audio)
58. Nation by Terry Pratchett
59. When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke
60. Grace by Richard Paul Evans
61. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
62. The Model Occupation by Madeleine Bunting
63. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
64. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
65. Final Harvest: Poems by Emily Dickinson

Total books - 14
Total audiobooks - 2
Standouts - none
Books abandoned - none

Now that the end of 2008 is here, I will be keeping track of my 2009 81-ish Book Challenge. Also, I'm participating in the 999 Challenge; my categories can be found here. Happy New Year!