JechtShot's 25 Book Challenge: 12/01/08 - 12/01/09

25 Book Challenge for 2009 has been accomplished. Thanks LT! I have not read this many books in a year for quite a while. Time to up the ante in 2010 and go for the full 50.

First off, hello everyone!

I discovered LibraryThing a few months ago and this is my first post.

I have been under a spell of reading hibernation for the past few years and I am just now starting to wake out of it. LibraryThing, and other factors, have motivated me to once again pick up a book. Time to stop using my hardcover books to level unstable furniture and try out the intended use again.

I have been intrigued by the '50 Book Challenge' threads and decided to give it a try. Rather than read 50 books, I am going to shoot for the slightly more personally attainable number of 25.

It is my hope to exceed the 25 book goal, but I do not want to raise the bar too high right out of the gate. I am attempting to vary my list with different authors and genres, but honestly I will be thrilled if I can meet the challenge.

I will start the challenge officially on 12/01/08 and I will keep track of my progress below.




Books read so far:

December
1. Night by Elie Wiesel
2. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
3. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
4. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

January
5. I Hope they Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max
6. Eye of the World (Wheel of Time Book #1) by Robert Jordan

February
7. Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill

March
8. The Great Hunt (Wheel of Time Book #2) by Robert Jordan

April
9. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

May
10. Trainspotting by Irving Welsh
11. Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
12. The Cellar by Richard Laymon
13. The Dragon Reborn (Wheel of Time Book #3) by Robert Jordan
14. The Dawning of a New Age by Jean Rabe

June
15. The Nymphos of Rocky Flats by Mario Acevedo

July
16. Skeleton Crew by Stephen King

August
17. The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum
18. Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy
19. The Shadow Rising (Wheel of Time Book #4) by Robert Jordan
20. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

October
21. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
22. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

November
23. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
24. Off Season by Jack Ketchum
25. The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan

Hi, JechtShot!
LT has done the same thing for me! :) I had massively slowed down on my reading while raising kids. On LT there are so many books discussed that it is easy to get back into the reading habit. I look forward to following your challenge. Good luck!
--BJ

1. Night by Elie Wiesel

This was a short, but extremely powerful read. My next book will need to be a bit "lighter" I think. (Review).

2. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

I couldn't help but pick up the next book in the Twilight Saga just to see where it is going and to try and understand the buzz around this series. Not the greatest book I have read by any stretch of the imagination, but entertaining none the less. (Review).

3. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

My favorite in the Twilight Soap opera thus far. All of the painful character building I suffered through in New Moon hits pay dirt in Eclipse. (Review)

4. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

I came, I read, I conquered. I do not see this series ever entering my re-read pile, but it was fun while it lasted. (Review)

5. I Hope they Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max

This book was completely and utterly tasteless, but my God was it funny. I haven't laughed out loud like that in a while. (Review)

6. Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

I am a pretty big fan of the fantasy genre and this ranks right up there with some of my favorites. The writer could use a better editor, but all told this is a great story. (Review)

7. Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill

A modern twist on a ghost story that I thoroughly enjoyed. (Review)

8. The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan

This is the second book in the Wheel of Time Series. The story is not as engaging as the first, but a good read nonetheless (Review)

Welcome JechtShot. I hope you hang around for a while and enjoy yourself. I'll be keeping an eye on your reading list. Good luck on your personal challenge. I think it is good when we can set a challenge that is doable for ourselves. Then when we succeed we feel really good about ourselves and we don't set ourselves up for failure. I hate it when I do that to myself.
Check you out here later.

Thanks for your comments nannybebette. I started out strong with the challenge, but have found myself slowing down lately. I am hoping that as the weather warms up I will be motivated to park myself outside in the sun and enjoy a good book or ten. Cheers.

9. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

A fantastic read recommended by my wife. I have always enjoyed Anthony Bourdain's patented snark on his various TV adventures and as fortune would have it, this translates well to the page. (Review)

10. Trainspotting by Irving Welsh

I read this book based on a recommendation from a friend. It was quite a ride and a challenge to finish. The book is written with a Scottish dialect cover to cover, but the characters are memorable and some of the situations are unforgettable.

11. Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell

This fast paced novel describes the trials and tribulations of a mobster who goes doctor after a trip through the witness protection program. A fantastic, fun read. (Review)

I'm adding this one to my wishlist!
--BJ

Hey BJ - thanks for reading my postings! Beat the Reaper is not going to win any awards or anything, but it was fun while it lasted. Not sure what your reading likes/dislikes are, but be forewarned that the language and content can be a bit crude at times... it that kind of thing doesn't bother you, I am guessing you will enjoy this page turner quite a bit!

Thanks for the forewarning. My reading is kind of all over the place. I do kind of like gangster books. If it gets too crude, I could skip ahead. Hope you have a great weekend!
--BJ

12. The Cellar by Richard Laymon

This was the first novel I have read by Richard Laymon. If you are a fan of vivid gruesome horror that toes the line of decency than this story is for you! A very quick read. (Review)

13. The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan

This is the third book in the epic fantasy setting known as The Wheel of Time. The story is action packed and spends quite a bit of time on further character development. The "main" character feels a bit absent in this book, but I do look forward to the next stop on the Wheel of Time train (Review)

14. The Dawning of a New Age by Jean Rabe

The first novel in "The Fifth Age" setting of the Dragonlance world and it was pretty average. Swordplay, magic and dragons fill the pages, but the characters lacked the breadth and depth found in the "Classics". (Review)

15. The Nymphos of Rocky Flats by Mario Acevedo

Two words: "Vampire Hypnosis". The story of a Vampire PI who is hunting for the source of a nymphomania outbreak. I thought it may be absurd enough to be good, but I was thoroughly unimpressed. (Review)

16. Skeleton Crew by Stephen King

An average collection of short stories by Stephen King. Some of the tales are memorable, most are not. I wrote a rather lengthy review consisting of my thoughts on each story. If you are interested in my brain dump then fell free to follow the link. (Review)

17. The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum

The story of a young boy struggling between doing the "right thing" and the adolescent curiosity of watching the girl next door be tortured. Be forewarned: the subject matter of this book is not for everyone. This book will disturb you and if it does not, please seek psychiatric care asap! (Review)

18. Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy

Clear and Present Danger details a covert military special-ops mission with the goal of "impacting" the South American Drug trade. In true Clancy fashion, the technical details of the military technology, weapons and aircraft are brilliant, but do start to go stale after the first several hundred pages. Overall this was a good story, though a bit long and drawn out. (Review)

19. The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan

The fourth installment in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is my favorite thus far. The plot, where very complex, continues to amaze and I wait in a state of eager anticipation to see what is waiting around the next corner. Book five, here I come. (Review).

20. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

The book that started the Harry Potter phenomenon that is still thriving today. Not my favorite in the series, but important just the same. (Review).

21. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

American Gods is my first encounter with the infamous Neil Gaiman. There is always a constant buzz surrounding this author and I thought it was time to bite. An interesting story, but I felt it was drawn out. The concept of the "Old Gods" fading into history as "New Gods" are born is a unique concept. I will definitely give Gaiman another shot. (Review).

22. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

This book is filled with the usual Dan Brown plot devices: symbols, abstract scientific concepts and secret societies. However, this time the book lost me at the half-way point. I finished the story, but it was a painful ride to the end. (Review).

23. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

The book that the popular TV series Dexter is based on. I am a huge fan of the show and now the books. The novel describes Dexter, a serial killer, who follows a code to kill only those who "deserve" it. It is hard to believe that a serial killer would be so likable, but Jeff Lindsay pulls it off. I look forward to seeing the direction the book series takes going forward. (Review).

24. Off Season by Jack Ketchum

Off season is a high-octane gore fest! The story is about a group of New Yorkers in Maine being attacked by cannibals. Not for the squeamish! (Review).

25. The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan

The fifth installment in the Wheel of Time story continues to tell the tale of The Dragon Reborn. This was my least favorite in the series thus far and I really hope that book 6 (Lord of Chaos) picks up the pace. (Review).