Hobbit lit 2009

I'm moving over here from the 50 Book thread, where I've been for 2 years. In 2007, I read 93. So far this year, I've read 108. My personal goal will be 110, although I plan to pursue yet another masters in the fall, so I don't know how realistic that will be.

I teach 8th grade English, so a number of the books I read are YA books. Since I am on a committee to choose book nominees for the Georgia Book Award '09-'10, there should be a bunch of YA books in January. I have a LOT to read still before the committee meets; I hope I can do it!

A real goal for me should be to buy no more books until I've read what I've got, but . . . nah. So what if I buy them faster than I can read them? Life would be boring without new books always beckoning me!

Hobbitprincess! I'm so glad to see you here! I look forward to following your books again this year.

Welcome Beth
Nice to have an other YA reader around :-)
Anita

I make comments in my library about each book, but I think I will copy and paste them here, just in case anyone is interested. I haven't done that in years past.

Here's the first one.

1. The Stargazey by Martha Grimes (419 pages)

I guess you have to have read all the books prior to this one to understand completely what is going on. The mystery itself I understood - Jury solves a problem of an art theft, connected to a woman seeking restitution for the harm the Russians did to her family. There is a lot about characters that have little to do with the story, however, ones that I didn't understand. In the end, the murderer gets away with the painting. I didn't like that at all. (2 1/2 stars)

Her books are like that, wandering off to various characters. After a while, you become sort of an "insider" and get all the little jokes and references. I read the first 18 or so before moving on to other authors. Perhaps I'll return some day.

Edit: err, 18, not 8

This is the second book of hers I've read. Perhaps I'll return to them one day. Elizabeth George's books are much the same way (only a lot more serious).

2. Football Genius by Tim Green (244 pages)

This is one of the YA books I am reading. Not being a sports person, I didn't realize Green was a football player at one time. I enjoyed this book; there are many subplots and lessons in a few pages. It is definitely a book that would appeal to boys. Troy, the main character, is an underdog you'll find yourself cheering for. A good read!

3. The Man With the Red Bag by Eve Bunting (230 pages)

Another YA read. It's ok, but just. I got tired of the 2 kids in the book harassing this poor man simply because he looks like he could be a terrorist, when in fact he is Greek. The book read fast, but it was annoying, although the overall message is a good one.

4. The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch (360 pages)

Again, a YA read. Again, it's only ok. It was written the same way the Lemony Snicket books are written. I don't have much patience with imitations, really. Still, I am not a YA, so it's not supposed to appeal to me anyway. The book is cute and funny, but it goes on way too long, INMO.

5. Trading Places by Claudia Mills (138 pages)

A YA book I would not recommend. It's too sicky sweet, almost. In fact, I thought of it as a rather mundane little book. Yawn.

I hope the books improve over the last couple you have read! I hate starting out the year with books I never want to look at again, let alone read again.

Me too! Fortunately, I'll be done with this committee reading stuff in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, here's another just ok one . . .

6. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer (629 pages

I have a soft heart. I have this precious student who reads unlike any person I've ever met before. She saved some money and bought a couple of books, and this was one of them. She knew I had read the first two books in the series, so she made a special effort to bring this book (and the 4th one) to me to read. I never intended reading this, but I just couldn't tell her no. So, I read it. The whole thing, cover to cover. It was ok, but just.

*resists urge to give advice about 4th book*

Seems like you have a nice heart! I'll be back to watch your thread.

Thanks, suslyn! What a kind thought!

Well, I finished it. Georgia, give me your opinion. Here's mine:

7. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer (754 pages)

feel honor-bound to read what my students loan me - otherwise, I wouldn't have finished this one! It's ok, but just. The whole vampire thing goes on way too long. Plus, the center of this book, Renesmee, was a child I never learned to like. She was just too creepy to me. I'm glad it ended happily ever after for all the girls I know who have read it. I won't be reading it again!

Kudos to you for making it all the way through! You're sweet to read it because of yours student. A friend loaned Breaking Dawn to me two days ago, and it's sitting on the kitchen table, taunting me... saying "reeeead me!" while I scream "nooo, nooo!" I'm not really looking forward to it, but I just want some closure with the whole series...

#13 Hobbitprincess - You were nicer than I was about Breaking Dawn. I will be honest, the first three were okay and I was looking forward to seeing how it would all end. I didn't like anything about the 4th book. I finished it, but just because I wouldn't let myself put it down.

I like Jacob better than Edward. :(

phoenix, go ahead and read it, if only for closure. It did at least accomplish that!
Georgia, I'm with you. I never could learn to like Edward. He was always too moody and angry for me. I'd have dumped him ages ago had I been Bella. Jacob was lovable and more teenage-like and seemed more like someone a teenage girl would fall for. Oh, well. At least I finished it and have attained a new level of coolness with my girls at school.

I finished 2 other books today too.

8. The Ever-After Bird by Ann Rinaldi (229 pages)
This book is only ok. I had 2 main problems with it. First, the characters are wooden and unlikeable, IMHO. I never warmed to any of them. Each one had a mean streak that I found disturbing. Second, Rinaldi goes out of her way to make her reader think that the entire South was nothing but huge plantations full of mistreated slaves. We all know that that is not true by a long shot - most Georgians at that time in history were small-time farmers who did not own slaves at all. The big plantations were a very tiny percentage of what was present in the South pre-Civil War. I just have very little patience with such one-sidedness. After reading this, a young reader might be tempted to hate any and everything to do with Georgia.

9. Whisper in the Dark by Joseph Bruchac (174 pages)
Don't pay attention to the touchstone on this one! Bruchac has written another good YA book that is short but intense. He weaves Native American legend with a modern story that is creepy and scary. I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read.

10. November Blues by Sharon Draper (316 pages)
If I were a black, middle school girl, I would probably like this book. But since I'm not, I didn't really enjoy it. I knew about halfway through exactly what was going to happen to every one of the characters; it's very formulaic. There is a message that being a teenage mother isn't the way to go, but it gets buried in the other stuff in the story.

I guess at least the message is there and might get through to someone!! Hope the next book is better for you!

One more week of intense YA reads!

11. Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn (187 pages)
This was one creepy book! If it's scary you're after in a YA book, this is definitely it. I read it quickly because I wanted to know what was going to happen. It certainly kept my attention. A good, spooky read.

This one sounds really good. *sigh*

You know what that means. I'm going to have to purchase a ladder to reach the top of my TBR pile.

Those TBR piles - the danger in being a bibliophile! Book #13 is a must-read for you too, by the way.

12. Running the Dogs by Thomas Cochran (184 pages)
This is a sweetly innocent book about a boy and his three beagles, a Christmas, disappointments, growing older, overcoming fears, and it all working out in the end. It's really more of a juvenile book rather than YA, but I liked it. It was refreshing to read something innocent.

13. Do the Math: Secrets, Lies, and Algebra by Wendy Lichtman (183 pages)
Another great book. Tess, the main character, is a math whiz who uses math terms to explain all that happens in the book. She learns about friendship, confidences, and when to speak up and when to stay silent. A good YA read, definitely.

Well, there goes another one to add to the TBR stack. At least these are not too long. :)

Here's another one to add:

14. Saving the Griffin by Kristin Wolden Nitz (184 pages)
This is a precious book! Two children staying in Italy for a month find a baby griffin who quickly becomes their constant playmate. When some adults find out about him, however, they have to get him back to his home, one Kate finds out about through a magical story she is writing. It really is a cute book. I want a baby griffin for my own!

Hello and welcome to the 75 book challenge group of 2009. Sorry I missed your thread and have now starred it so that I can read about the wonderful YA books you post.
Fam is the one who hooked me on YA books and it is refreshing to have yet one more of us who enjoys this genre.

I haven't had time to check your library, but will do so later.
In the meantime, if you haven't read any of David Almond's books, I highly recommend them. I'm ever so glad I followed Fam's thread and learned about Kit's Wilderness and others.

Thanks for the welcome! I teach 8th grade, so I try to keep in touch with what the kids are reading. I am plowing through so many at the moment because I'm on a committee to choose the nominees for the Georgia Children's Book Award 2009-2010. We have our decision meeting next Saturday, so I am frantically trying to read as many on my list as I can!

I haven't read any of Almond's books, but I will look for them. Our library at school is a good one, so I am sure that there are some there. If not, then our local library can get them for me.

I just finished another one:

15. The Summer Sherman Loved Me by Jane St. Anthony (136 pages)
Again, a refreshing little book, sweetly innocent but interesting too. I would put the setting as the late 50s or early 60s. Margaret's summer starts with her next door neighbor Sherman telling her he loves her. Not knowing how to act, they pretty much ignore each other for most of the summer until he finds a baby squirrel. I won't give away anything else. Maybe I like this so much because I was a child of the 60s too and can identify with a lot of this. A great little book.

16. Tackling Dad by Elizabeth Levy (134 pages)
Cass is a girl who wants to play middle school football. Her parents are divorced and do not agree on whether she should play or not. In the end, everyone's happy. Yawn. Very predictable. I wouldn't waste my time on this one.

17. Greetings from Nowhere by Barbara O'Connor (200 pages)
A precious YA book that centers around an old, run-down motel in the Smoky Mountains that the interstate has left behind. The owner, Aggie, has to sell it since her husband has died. A man is buying it with his daughter Willow, who misses the mother that left her. While at the motel, Loretta and her parents come, visiting a spot possibly visited by Loretta’s birth mother, whom she has learned has recently died. Also at the hotel are Kirby and his mother. They are heading to a school for “bad boys” for Kirby, who gets attention only by getting in trouble. Their car has broken down, so they have to stay for awhile. The three children become friends in the short time they are together. In the end, each person finds something they really need. This is a great read.

I'm heading to the library tonight to see if they have The Summer Sherman Loved Me. It sounds delightful.

>21 hobbitprincess:

I was a math major in a former life (sadly, my job has nothing to do with what I studied in college) and I think I'm going to have to pick up Do the Math: Secrets, Lies, and Algebra -- thanks for the review!

Let me know what you think of the books, Whisper1 and alynnk!

Here's one I would not recommend.

18. Maude March on the Run by Audrey Couloumbis (308 pages)
I spent a sizable portion of this book trying to figure out what was going on. I felt like I had been dropped in the middle of the story. In the Wild West, Maude and her sister are fleeing people looking for Maude because she has been accused of robbing a bank. They are also trying to get to the Colorado Territory to help their uncle. The book is humorous in places and confusing in others. I did enjoy some of the humor, but that's about it.

hobbitprincess
I'm not feeling well so I didn't have the opportunity to go to the library. I checked with them and they do have The Summer Sherman Loved Me. I hope to be able to get it tomorrow.
Thanks again for the recommendation.

I hope you are feeling better now! Reading a good book can certainly help!

19. Bravo Zulu, Samantha by Kathleen Benner Duble (129 pages)
This book is short, but it's good. Samantha has to spend the summer with her grandparents, something Sam dreads because her grandfather, a retired Air Force colonel, is grouchy and almost mean. Sam discovers a secret, however, that leads to the two of them working together to make his dream come true. In the process, the whole family learns that being older doesn't mean letting life pass you by!

I have a masters in mathematics so the book you mention, Do the Math: Secrets, Lies, and Algebra, sounds like a fun read.

I just read the Little Prince because the local theater group I choreograph for is going to present the musical version this spring. I found it very sweet, yet nicely puzzling.

20. Twelve by Lauren Myracle (202 pages)
A fun book. This is all about the year that Winnie turns 12, going from 6th to 7th grade, getting more mature, changing schools, and making new friends. The book takes place in Atlanta; it turns out the author went to Westminster, which is where Winnie goes in the 7th grade (and where my husband happens to teach - I had no idea when I picked up the book that that would be the case!). This isn’t a deep book, but it’s fun. Winnie loves her family and is loyal to her friends. When she makes one of them mad, she apologizes and all is well in the end.

Feathers was a wonderful book, an important book. I've ordered a copy for my classroom and I will reread it when it arrives.

It made the list of Georgia Children's Book Award nominees for next year.

An adult read!

21. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (346 pages)
This book was deeply disturbing on many levels but very satisfying in the end. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but only because of how it ends. There were some times while reading it that I wanted to put the book down and not finish it. A student actually loaned me this, so I wanted to finish it. I'm glad I did.

I've added Feather's to my list tbr in 2009. And, today's read is The Summer Sherman Loved Me

I enjoy reading your thread and finding new YA books. Thanks

hobbit lit
Thanks for recommending The Summer Sherman Loved Me. I was able to read this book today. It is charming.

I just finished teaching this one. No commentary necessary!

22. Animal Farm by George Orwell (97 pages)

Always a good one to read.

I used this with my gifted 7th graders. We had some rollicking (and loud) discussions while reading this!

Another one of those books you can read at any age!

23. True Bluegrass Stories: History from the Heart of Kentucky by Tom Stephens (125 pages)
This is an Early Reviewer book. I wrote a review on it here on LT and on Amazon, if you want to read it. I really liked this book. It's short but full of history. I lived in Kentucky from 4th to 7th grades, so I remember some of this. My parents were big on historical drives, so many of the names and locations are familiar to me.

24. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz (81 pages)
A few years ago, I decided I was going to read all of the Newbery winners. I didn't get very far, especially with the older books, and for the past 3 years, didn't even read the newer ones. I'm trying to change that. This book is a recent winner. I love it! It's a series of dialogs and soliloquies that students can read. The setting is a manor village in 1255, and the characters are all children, from the lord's daughter to a beggar's son. The history is good, the parts are great, and the artwork delightful. A joy to read all around!

#43: Sounds like a pair of winners! Thanks for the reviews.

I hope you will read the new Newbery Award winner, Beth. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Looking forward to trying to get hold of Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village. My chances are heightened by the fact my mum is trying to collect all the Newbery winners so I might be able to talk her into it.

Looking forward to trying to get hold of Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village. My chances are heightened by the fact my mum is trying to collect all the Newbery winners so I might be able to talk her into it.

#45 - I actually have a copy of that book on hold at the library. I can't wait to read it!

25. The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt (264 pages)
Another good one - funny and bittersweet at the same time. Holling has to spend every Wednesday afternoon with his teacher Mrs. Baker while his classmates go to various religious schools. They read Shakespeare together; the plays they read are referred to frequently since Holling learns so much from them. He also learns a lot about competition, love, his father, the importance of family, and how to maintain a sense of humor through it all.

I sure am enjoying your thread, hobbitprincess!

I am going to add your book #25 to the Continent. It sounds like another good read.

I hope you enjoy The Graveyard Book once you get a chance to read it. It made my list of memorable reads for last year.

I also enjoyed The Graveyard Book. It was a fun, quick read.

I'm going to have to throw in my two cents on The Graveyard Book as well. I absolutely loved it. It only took me one day to read, but I was involved with the story the entire time.

The Graveyard Book seems to be the book of choice for many LT members.

I have The Graveyard Book, at last, but I haven't read it yet. I've been trying to finish a couple of books, but time has been a problem lately. I have a few days off coming up, so I'll hopefully get to it in the next couple of days.

I did finish this one, but only because I have a class that's reading it.

26. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (123 pages)
I needed a quick read for my 7th grade reading class of gifted students, so I chose this. Somehow, I had gotten through life so far without having read it. It's good! It wasn't anything like I thought it would be. It's creepy in places, especially when the traveler learns the identity of the meat the Morlocks are eating. Yuck! My students have enjoyed it.

I finished this cute book just before midnight:

27. The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (134 pages)
No wonder this book was a Newbery winner - what a great story! Lucky is a little girl who is being cared for by her absent father's ex-wife who is from France. It's not as complicated as it sounds! They live in a tiny town in the California desert. Lucky listens in to a variety of 12-step meetings and decides she too wants to find her Higher Power. She does, in the end, but I won't tell you why. You just might tear up at the end of this one. There's a lot packed into these few pages. The book is humorous but touching, not a sadly serious read, but a thoughtful read.

28. Saxons, Vikings, and Celts by Bryan Sykes (294 pages)
While this book was a bit technical, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author conducted DNA research on people all over the British Isles to determine their ancestry. It really is fascinating! For instance, did you know that most people of European descent can trace their matrilineal ancestry back to one of 7 women? This book will definitely give you food for thought. I won't tell you the conclusions shared in the end!

*sigh*

*going to make plans to add on a TBR room*

The Time Machine is indeed an interesting read, creepy at places like you mentioned, but quite imaginative nevertheless.

#54: Have you read Sykes' book The Seven Daughters of Eve? My local library does not have the one you mentioned, but it does have this one and I was just curious as to whether or not you had read it.

No, I haven't read The Seven Daughters of Eve, but the author references it in the book I just read. He discusses the seven women in the first part of the book.

29. Bag of Bones by Stephen King (529 pages)
When I went to enter information about this on in my library, I found that I had already read it, 10 years ago. I remembered practically none of it! It was ok. I'm not sure why my brother found it so disturbing to the point that he will never reread it. It was creepy and scary, but in a fiction sort of way. It's not something that will stick with me. Oh, well. At least I reread it!

OK, thanks for letting me know. I think I will give it a try.

30. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (312 pages)
This year's Newbery winner, I just had to read it. I'm glad I did. Honestly, it took me a bit to get into the story of Bod and his ghostly guardians. After I'd read awhile, however, I found myself completely drawn into the story. The ghosts are all so interesting! I didn't expect the twist revealed in the end when we learn who the murderer is and what his motives are. A good read!

I'm so glad you enjoyed the book!

I really must read The Graveyard Book. It seems that many, many members on the 2009 75 book challenge read it and rave about it.

Well it's almost my bedtime and I just finished the The Graveyard Book. I so did not want it to end. Like hobbitprincess says, it was a little slow starting for me. After about 1/3 of the way through however, I didn't want to put it down. I even found myself reading it in stop & go traffic on the way home from work today (not something I recommend). This is my first Gaiman book. Can anyone recommend anything else by him?

So much of his work is so different from his other work, sageboy. The Graveyard Book is explicitly modeled on Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Books--which are not really much like the Disney version at all, and were some of my favorite reads as a kid. His other kidstuff includes Coraline, just out in 3-D movie format, and Interworld, which I did not like as much. Two of his "adult" books I like very much are Anansi Boys and Good Omens, which he co-authored with Terry Pratchett. I have not yet read some of the others often recommended, such as Stardust or Neverwhere. And there are those who swear by his Sandman graphic novels, some of his earlier work. Have fun discovering his works!

Thanks, as always, Ronincats!

Thanks ronincats. Ive ordered Anansi Boys and Good Omens. I'll see if the adult in me enjoys them as much as the child in me enjoyed The Graveyard Book.

I didn't make it to 50 pages yet on The Graveyard Book and so was underwhelmed I didn't even feel like trying further... we'll see.

A little belatedly, I'll chime in for sageboy with Gaiman recommendations. I, too, definitely recommend Anansi Boys and Good Omens; if you enjoyed The Graveyard Book, I think you'll like these! Also, I read Stardust a month or so ago, and I loved it. It was a bit darker than The Graveyard Book, but to me, it had the same narrative feel, and it was a wonderful story.

Don't throw in the towel yet suslyn. It started slow for me too.

Keep at it, suslyn! I think you'll like it the more you get into it. I spent the first part of the book wondering who was on the Newbery committee anyway?! By the end, I understood why they chose this book. I've read Coraline, but it was a bit weird for me. My students generally like it though.

I obviously read all over the place, as is evidenced by my next book, one that has been sitting on my shelf for awhile.

31. Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon (305 pages)
I've read the Outlander series, some of the books repeatedly, and I love them. I had heard some not-so-good reviews about this one, but I actually liked it. It's a mystery, so it's different from the previous series. Gabaldon's books are meticulously researched, and it shows in this one. I learned more about the gay lifestyle in London in the 1700s than I expected. I did miss the subtle humor that runs through the Outlander series; there weren't very many "light" spots in this book. I am going to read the second one, so maybe the humor will return.

32. The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman (90 pages)
This is the 1987 Newbery Award winner. It's a cute, quick read. A bratty prince learns many lessons when he is forced to trade places with his whipping boy.

I like your description of The Whipping Boy and I read LT reviews about this book. I'm adding it to my tbr pile.

33. Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley (191 pages)
This indeed is a book that makes me think. I believe that the conversion of many people in Ireland was very much like the conversion of Gwynneve, who hung onto so many pagan beliefs. She learns so much about people who claim to be Christian, truths that are apparent even today. I honestly don't think her ideas are far from the truth. I like this: "I would live in a world full of Christ-like humans, but one full of Christians, may God forgive me." Definitely food for thought.

I don't often write down statements from books to keep. I wrote down that exact statement! It is very powerful.

This is definitely a book I will read again at some point.

#73: I agree that it is a powerful, and sorrowfully true, statement. Sounds like a very thought-provoking book as well and one for which I need to watch. Thanks for the recommendation.

I finally finished this one!

34. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (464 pages)
I was less annoyed by the female characters in this Austen novel than I have been with some of her other books. The last portion of the book (the last 4 chapters, I think) were quite racy, which surprised me, considering when the book was written. I still have a hard time getting past the fact that first cousins get married in the end. Because I ruled their relationship out from the first, I wasn't sure how Austen was going to end the book. She surprised me by that move! I suppose it wasn't a big deal then. At least it wasn't illegal.

I've just started literature circles with one of my classes, and I am going to try to read along with them. I hope I can do it! It may seem like I'm not reading much, but I'll have 5 substantial books all done at the same time.

35. Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon (494 pages)
This is the second of the Lord John books. I didn't like this one as much as the first one. The sex scenes were a bit much for me; they were a bit explicit between John and his lover Percy. In fact, they actually took away from what was essentially a good plot. I almost felt like Gabaldon was going for a shock-factor here. Still, I will read the 3rd novel at some point.

#77: I do not care for the Lord John books. I infinitely prefer the Outlander series. I agree with you about the second Lord John book - it was almost as if Gabaldon was testing the reader to see just how much leeway she would be given.

I have only read the first Lord John book. I keep looking at the others in the library but have yet to read them. I don't like a book that uses sex as a crutch. Sometimes it enhances the storyline but too often it is just.. you know. I absolutely love Outlander and will at some point read the Lord John books.

I started the third one, but I may put it down for awhile. It's different from the other two in that it appears to be novellas together in one book rather than one novel.

I found these two books for $3 each at Borders. I have the first two books already. I think perhaps I should have reread the first two before reading these because it took me a bit to figure out what was going on. The last one ends in such a way that, well, I'm not sure how it ends. The artwork is beautiful, as are the books. They leave you with a good feeling - well worth your time!

36. The Gryphon by Nick Bantock (56 pages)
37. The Golden Mean by Nick Bantock (39 pages)

Since I was into short books tonight, I read this one too:

38. Worlds Afire by Paul Janeczko (92 pages)
I didn't know about the circus fire in 1944 until I heard the author of this book speak at a conference. I had to get this book. It's the story of the tragedy told through poetry, through the eyes of children, circus workers, firefighters, policemen, a Marine, a nurse, etc. The verses are powerful and tell the story well. There's a couple of good web sites about this, if you want to know more. It was truly tragic.

#80: Stewart O'Nan wrote a very good book about the 1944 circus fire as well called The Circus Fire: A True Story of an American Tragedy if you are interested.

I've added both Worlds Afire and The Circus Fire to my tbr in 2009 pile of books.

I love Nick Bantock's books. He has an interesting one on making books (or letters, or whathaveyou) out of found objects... um, I looked it up, Urgent 2nd class! which is really interesting. I've also read The Venetian's Wife, which was good, if you're looking for unsolicited recommendations. :)

World's Afire sounds intriguing! I will look for it! Thanks for the recommendation.

Foxen, I read The Venetian's Wife a few months ago. It was definitely an interesting concept.

I'll have to add Venetian's Wife to my TBR list too.
So many books . . . but, well, you know the refrain.

I cannot pass up books, no matter what they are. I just cannot get enough of them. So, when someone sends me something wanting me to get 8 books for $10 with no further obligations, I had to do it. It didn't matter that they are essentially Christian Harlequin romances. For a rainy day, I decided to read one. It wasn't all that bad, actually. There was a bit of mystery in this one. Of course, I knew how it was going to end when I picked it up, but it was entertaining, at least. (Ok, so why am I defending reading these books??? I have a good friend, probably the smartest person I know, who reads Harlequins. To her, they're like a 30-minute sit com. It takes me a bit longer than 30 minutes to read one, but if it's better than sitting in front of the TV!)

39. For the Love of Books by Donna Reimel Robinson (170 pages) I don't need to go into what this one was about. It had to do with a library, though, in Wyoming.

I am reading 6 books at the same time right now, but occasionally, I have to slip in a fun, quick read. Here's one that I adored:

40. Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff by Jennifer L. Holm (128 pages)
This is a colorful, different YA book about Ginny and her 7th grade year. The story is told through memos, notes, report cards, receipts, messaging, comics her brother has drawn, etc. You learn a lot about Ginny and her life and the angst behind being 12 going on 13. This is a quick read, and a great little book.

I'm still reading 5 books for school and feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment! I finally finished this one, just for fun, and in honor of St. Patrick's Day:

41. Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy (418 pages)
I've read all of Binchy's books, and this one is just ok. I enjoyed it, and I guess that is the point of reading it, so in that respect, it was a good book. It's about a heart rehabilitation clinic and its patients and doctors, many of whom have their own interesting stories. Some of the end up together, and some don't. Several characters and locations are mentioned from previous books, which is interesting. This would make a good beach read.

I just topped 10,000 pages! Cool!

41 books and it's only March! Wow!! Congratulations on passing 10,000 pages!

yes, congratulations. 10,000 pages! This is quite an accomplishment.

Add my congratulations to the rest!

*claps and whistles*

42. House of Testosterone by Sharon O'Donnell (191 pages)
This was actually my "bathroom book" for the past few weeks. (Don't laugh - I bet you have one too!) It's a humorous book written by the mom of 3 boys. I only have 2 boys, and I didn't have the joy of being a stay-at-home mom with them, but I still enjoyed this book - a little light reading that let me know I'm not alone out there!

I'm trying to finish some book I've started and left lying around the house. Here's one:

43. Out of the Ashes by Rachel Druten (174 pages)
A predictable romance with an improbable twist - a female sheriff in the Old West. I just don't buy it. Some of the other things in the book didn't add up either, with the time period. It was predictable as to who would end up with whom, but how the author got there kept me reading.

44. Rebecca's Promise by Jerry S. Eicher (260 pages)
I have a collection of Amish fiction, oddly enough, but this is an author I hadn't read before. This was pretty good. It is the first of 3 books, but I think only the first two are out. What's different about it is that there are some nasty Amish people in here, which I've not really seen before. Rebecca's whining over a promise made in the 6th grade to a boy got to me after awhile, but the subplot of Luke and his mother after money is interesting. I'll continue to read just to find out what happens with that.

45. A Fruitful Vine by Carrie Bender (187 pages)
Of all my Amish, this is the only one written by an Old Order Amish person, who writes under a pen name. There are many references to the Bible and biblical principals, so it reads almost like a devotional. It's an interesting insight into Amish life. The story itself is actually pretty good - a 40 year old unmarried lady finds love at last, when she least expects it.

46. Rebecca's Return by Jerry S. Eicher (268 pages)
The second book in a series of 3, this one's not that great. Some of the scenes are very stilted and unrealistic. John is seriously injured in a buggy/car accident, but they put him right into a regular room - no intensive care. When he comes to 6 days later, the reactions of everyone are too tame to be realistic. Also, whatever happened with the story line about Beatrice the deputy and her husband who hit John?? I may read the third one when it comes out, but only to see what will happen.

Ok, now I'm going to get away from Amish reading. . .

47. Dracula by Bram Stoker (359 pages)
I had never read the book. It's quite good, much better than those Twilight books! The story is more of a psychological thriller, although the frequent discussion of blood towards the end of the book did turn my stomach a bit.

To fit in with the creepy Dracula mode:

48. Unwind by Neal Shusterman (335 pages)
A creepy YA book, set in the future. Abortion has been banned after a war between the pro-life and pro-choice groups. Instead, at 13, a child can be unwound, or cut up into pieces that are given to others, in effect, letting that child continue to live. This book is the story of some kids who escape the system. One chapter in particular is very disturbing. It's a good book, and it does make you think, especially since in one chapter, the author references a real news article on the internet about babies being sold in Romania for their stem cells.

#99 hobbitprincess - I just picked this book from the library yesterday. :)

#99

Wow, sounds like just the kind of thing I like. I'll keep my eyes out for it.

Y'all will like Unwind, I'm sure!

49. The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley (282 pages)
This is one of my literature circle books for my 7th grade reading class. It's a good telling of the Robin Hood story, one of the best I've read. All the traditional elements are there, with a few twists just to make it interesting. This is not a boring read at all! If you're interested in Robin Hood, this is a must-read.

#102: I may give that one a try, since I recently read 2 of McKinley's that I very much enjoyed. Thanks for the recommendation!

>102 hobbitprincess:: Have you read Creswick's Robin Hood? I enjoyed it quite a bit. It has the beautiful Wyeth illustrations.

#104 - I might have to try that one. The illustrations sound intriguing. I have read Hood, which was good. (The touchstone is coming up weird - the one I read is by Stephen Lawhead.) I think there are 3 books in the series. I have the second one, Scarlet, but I haven't read it yet.

Here's a diversion, a reread because I saw a special on him on PBS last night:
50. Take Me Home by John Denver (250 pages)
I've read this before, but thought I would reread it. As much as I loved John Denver when he was alive, his autobiography doesn't flatter him very much. At times, he comes across as a bit arrogant. He concentrates a lot on his environmental issues and less about his family and personal life. It's a decent read, though, if you want to know more about him.

51. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (242 pages)
Again, I taught this book to one of my classes. It's one of those books I think everyone should read. I always reread it whenever I teach it, and I get something different out of it every time.

52. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (372 pages)
This book came highly recommended, and I would recommend it also. There were a couple of places I thought I was going to have to put the book down because of the tragedies befalling the two main characters. I'm glad I stuck with it, because it ends on such a note of hope. The closeness of the two women is touching. There is a lesson to be learned there, definitely.

I managed to sneak in a read while my students are doing standardized testing:

53. Queenie Peavy by Robert Burch (151 pages)
I will actually be teaching this book before the end of the year because Burch is a Georgia author, and this is a good Depression era book about Georgia. It's a great book with a good message about a young girl whose father is in jail, yet she manages to overcome the ridicule of the townspeople and her classmates.

#107: Queenie Peavy looks good, Beth. On to the Continent it goes!

ditto Stasia's message.

Thanks for the review.

>96 hobbitprincess: looks like something I'd enjoy -- thx (Fruitful Vine)

I've just about lost count of all the books I have going right now! I finally finished this book, one of my reading class's literature circle books. I'd read it before, but it was years ago.

54. The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart (520 pages)
This story of Merlin is a good one that doesn't disappoint. The group of students that read it really enjoyed it. I like Stewart's telling of the Arthurian legend, this book being the first one. The background it lays for the other books and the rest of the story is interesting and, I think, necessary to read to get the whole gist of Arthur's story.

55. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (270 pages)
A good book, another one I read with some students, one that I've likewise read before. For some reason, Marianne really got on my nerves this time. She was just so whiny through a lot of the book! I wanted to shake her and tell her to get over Willoughby, to grow up, to get a life, etc. I always like this book, though.

#111: I hope you go on to enjoy the rest of the series. I very much enjoyed Stewart's take on the Arthurian legend.

I hope I can get to it soon. My "need to read" pile is growing and growing, and I just won another Early Reviewer book. I haven't even finished the last one yet! (It isn't that good, to be honest. I hope it picks up soon.)

I just finished a 9 month Bible study, so here's the study manual that we used:

56. Disciple: Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study by Richard Byrd Wilke and Julia Kitchens Wilke (256 pages)
This is an excellent study. I actually did this study some years ago and decided to do it again. There are 4 Disciple classes, each lasting a school year. I've done all 4 and would like to do the others again too, but I'll be back in school in the fall, and I just don't think I can do school work and teach and put time into Disciple like I should. There is a DVD that goes with this study, and the speakers on it are excellent. If your church ever offers this, I highly recommend it.

#113: If my church ever does, I will go! It looks very good.

>113 hobbitprincess: & 114 Try Precept! :)

#115: Thanks for the link, Susan! Unfortunately, the closest class to me is about 50 miles away.

Yeah, I checked out your town too LOL

A bit far for me too - about 25 miles, but since we're in the metro Atlanta area, that 25 miles takes about 45 minutes to drive. Maybe one will come closer soon!

I just finished this Early Reviewer book:

57. Sweet Waters by Julie Carobini (311 pages)
It was only ok. I wasn't impressed with the character development at all. This is a Christian "romance", sort of. The romance is really secondary, and the Christian part isn't all that prevalent either. Two sisters and their cousin return to Otter Bay, CA, their old home, after their mother remarries and goes to Europe. They discover that their father, who died several years previously, wasn't always as wonderful as they had remembered. They have to confront the realities of his past while trying to make lives for themselves. The ending was good, though, and everyone lives happily ever after. The message is there, but it doesn't seem to be the point of the book.

yeah -- the closest for me is a bit far too :) Hoping that doesn't mean I should lead one myself! LOL

A busy time of year for me! Again, this is a book some of my students are reading. I have other books going too; I just can't seem to get them finished! Only 9 more days of school, so it'll happen!

58. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (274 pages)
A classic. You know, while I have seen a version or two of this book in movie form, I'd never read the book. I don't know how I got this far without reading it! It was absolutely delightful!

You know, I've never read The Secret Garden either, and I really don't know how I got away with it - especially growing up with a mom who did her best to try and get me to read the classics. I'm pretty sure I had a copy that I started and stopped a billion times, but something about it didn't appeal to my little girl self. It's definitely one that I plan to read in the future though!

I've thought about this, and I think I never read it because I had parents that rarely read. They were great to take me to the library, but they never recommended anything to read; I always had an armful of books, so there wasn't any reason to suggest anything, I guess. I've read it now, though. Since I started teaching school, I've found lots of good books that I missed as a child.

This one, however, is definitely not a kids' book.

59. Lord John and the Hand of Devils by Diana Gabaldon (302 pages)
It was ok. I like Diana Gabaldon, but the Lord John novels aren't as good as the Outlander series. This one is actually 3 short novellas in one book. The first one was my least favorite; the last one was my favorite. There is definitely mystery in each of the stories. It's worth reading, I suppose.

Hello! Good to see you around again! I left a reply to your message on my thread.

I am SO far behind on reading!

#122: I am not a fan of the Lord John series by Gabaldon, either. They just are not the same as the Outlander books!

LOL well then maybe I'd like them -- I certainly did not care for most of the Outlander books I've read.

I'm trying to finish a few of the books lying around my house that I've partially read. I finished two of them yesterday:

60. Dream Chasers by Becky Melby and Cathy Wienke (170 pages)
A short, predictable Christian romance. It was actually not too bad, even though I knew from the beginning how it would end. There were some unexpected twists and turns, plus a serious message about living while you're alive.

61. The Art of Gone With the Wind by Judy Cameron (250 pages)
I've had this book a number of years, a gift from my parents. Of course, I'd looked at all the pictures a long time ago, and many different times, but I'd never actually read it. My sister-in-law was visiting, was interested in it, which got me thinking about reading it. It's good, full of interesting anecdotes and great pictures. Margaret Mitchell's comment upon seeing the interior hallway of Twelve Oaks? "I don't know whether to laugh or throw up at the two staircases."

Good for you. I'm working on one of those partially read books now. Even though it's good I'm still having trouble with it!

62. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (572 pages)
I reread this before seeing the movie, which I hope to do tomorrow. It was good and suspenseful, as all Brown's books are. I've heard the movie isn't very faithful to the book, but we'll see! The twist at the very end of this novel is totally unexpected; even reading it for the second time, it came as a surprise.

63. The Courageous Corgi by Lea Herrick (89 pages)
I just had to get this book, in honor of my corgi puppy Emma. This is a sweet children's book based on the true story of the two corgis the author once had. It is a touching little book, sad in places, emotional all the way through. Maybe it's because I have a corgi of my own. It's a precious book.

64. Shadows of Lancaster County by Mindy Starns Clark (326 pages)
I have a lot of Amish fiction, but nothing by this writer. This was a good book, very suspenseful, full of twists and turns in a relatively few number of pages. The action never stops! Anna, who has gone to California to escape the shadows of a crime she was convicted of 11 years earlier, she is called back to Pennsylvania when her brother disappears and his wife calls for help. Anna gets involved in investigations involving lost family jewels she knew nothing about, an interesting mystery almost 200 years old, illegal DNA research, and murders to cover up the illegal acts. There is even a bit of romance in there! This book shows that you can have a Christian book that is just as suspenseful and interesting as any other book, without the sex and cussing. Refreshing!

#129: Mindy Starns Clark is a favorite author of Catey's, but I do not think she has that one. I will have to check into some of Clark's books. Thanks for the recommendation, Beth.

I've added The Courageous Corgi and Shadows of Lancaster County to my tbr pile. I like your descriptions.

They're both good books!

65. The Parting by Beverly Lewis (345 pages)
This book is part of my ever-growing Amish fiction collection. There are 3 books in this series; this is the first. Nellie's Old Order sect is faced with certain division when some of the members begin a Bible study, which I know isn't allowed in some very conservative groups. Nellie's beau's family is staunchly Old Order, and that creates a problem with Nellie's family which is going more New Order. Nellie is caught in the middle. There are a couple of subplots in here too. Not a bad read. I've started the next one, but with some errand-running I have to do over the next couple of days, I'm not sure I'll get it done as quickly as I did this one.

Ok, so I diverged from the Amish books, just a bit. I read several books at one time, usually.

66. The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun by J.R.R. Tolkien (377 pages)
I somehow missed the fact that this book was coming out, but I found it while browsing shelves at Target. This is a retelling of Norse legends - well done. I thoroughly enjoyed the poetry, but the explanations and scholarly discussion lost me after awhile. Tolkien apparently wanted to know the origins of the legends that he retells, and there is a lot of discussion about similarities in Norse, Old Englishm, and Germanic mythology and legends. I have to confess that I didn't follow it all very well! I can definitely see, however, some relation to The Lord of the Rings, particularly in the names. I found that quite interesting.

67. The Forbidden by Beverly Lewis (350 pages)
This is the second book of the Amish series I'm reading. See #65. Pretty much, it's a continuation. Since there is a third book, nothing is resolved. Again, the book's ok. I enjoy these mostly for their insight into Amish life. The plots are predictable.

Beth
Congratulations on reading 67 books thus far. You are very close to the 75 challenge goal!

Thanks!

68. The Longing by Beverly Lewis (347 pages)
This is the last of the Amish series. All ended pretty much as I expected except for someone who died. I didn't see that coming. They were good, but I'll be glad to move onto other things.

69. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (403 pages)
A good book, but I needed more information as I read it. A group of girls at a finishing school in Victorian England tamper with magic and the Realms. I think that the book would have been better if there had been more description of the Realms and exactly what they are. I kept thinking as I read the book that I must have missed some vital part of the book. Maybe I did. It was good and suspenseful, I guess, but there is a second book after this one, and I have no desire to read it.

I'm reading a huge book at the same time as I read this one. It looks as though it took me 2 weeks to read this book, but it didn't. I took a break from the big one to read this quick one.

I read A Great and Terrible Beauty and my reaction was much the same as yours.

I'm wrapped up in textbooks and not reading much for pleasure. When I do read for pleasure, I'm going through the Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris. I'm hooked!

I'm still reading this monstrous book (Cryptonomicon), but I have to take a break every now and then. Janet Evanovich is one of my little guilty pleasures. I read these two for fun:

70. Hot Stuff by Janet Evanovich and Leanne Banks (281 pages)
This isn't a Stephanie Plum book, but it's cute anyway, a predictable romance with a big, bumbling dog, a strange wannabe boyfriend, a mystery, and a great guy.

71. Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich (250 pages)
This is a "Between-the-numbers" book, as she calls them. It stars Stephanie, but it doesn't really involve her life as a bond agent too much. Diesel makes another appearance as his old mysterious self. Grandma Mazur finds a duffle bag full of money that belongs to the mob and decides to run off to Atlantic City with it. Stephanie must find her, escape the mob, and deal with her sidekicks Lula and Connie at the same time.

>137 hobbitprincess: It's a good thing you have no desire to read the sequel! I actually really liked A Great and Terrible Beauty, but I thought Rebel Angels was absolutely awful.

LOL, I, too, am reading Cryptonomicon basically in installments. One-third down (and the equivalent of another book read!) and more to go. I am enjoying the book, but the size is sometimes overwhelming.

I agree, Prop2gether! The book is great, but my hands actually get tired of holding the thing up to read it! Maybe I should have gone for the hardback version so I could at least lay it down on a table to read. I've actually got a copy of Quicksilver coming too because I've enjoyed Cryptonomicon so far. I think it's just about as big. I'm a little over a third through it, just like you.

Here's another quickie diversion:

72. Golden Twilight by Kathleen Y'Barbo (170 pages)
This is one of the little Christian romances I read sometimes, basically because getting the books in the mail gives me a thrill. (I'm weird, I know.) The basic plot of this one is pretty good, actually, although the author raced through it to get it in the prescribed number of pages. It's historical fiction; Fiona wants to become a doctor, but her father ships her off to her brother in Alaska instead so she can find a husband.

73. Let Sleeping Vets Lie by James Herriot (251 pages)
This is one of 5 books I found on a clearance table at Borders a few months ago. They were published in England, so I'm not sure what they were doing in Georgia! From what I read on the Internet, this book was included in the US book All Things Bright and Beautiful. I have read that book before, but it was probably when I was in high school. This book is simply delightful! In this one, Herriot has been practicing for a couple of years. WW II hasn't started; he is married at the end of the book.

74. Heaven and the Afterlife by James L. Garlow and Keith Wall (226 pages)
I've had this Early Reviewer book for way too long, and I finally finished it. I gave it 3 stars; it was ok. Rather than going on and on about it, you can read the review I posted here on LT. I am glad it's finally finished!

75. It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet by James Herriot (229 pages)
This is another of the books I found at Borders. It's great! It actually takes place before the last one I read (#73) because I picked up that first book out of order. This one covers, essentially, his 2nd year of being a vet. Wonderful!

I have read all of Herriot's All Things Bright and Beautiful series and think they are all very good. I hope you continue to enjoy his books, Beth.

Aren't they all wonderful? I adore James Herriot.

Yes, I'm still plodding through Cryptonomicon, but I've not finished yet. I keep taking side trips!

76. Christy Miller by Robin Jones Gunn (Volume 1) (489 pages)
A dear friend has a daughter who is all excited about reading, and she recommended this book to me. Since she's 13, I can see how she liked the book. This is a collection of 3 books, all Christian books written for the teenage crowd. The author actually does a good job of discussing relationships that brought back lots of memories that made me want to squirm! It reminded me that I wouldn't want to be 14 again for all the tea in China! Since I teach this age group, I might have the chance to recommend it to some young lady this year.

77. I Can Make You Thin by Paul McKenna (155 pages)
I read this book quickly, and I like what it says. We'll see. The premise is that if we can learn to listen to our bodies and recognize true hunger and only eat when we feel it, weight won't be an issue. I'd read some about this on the computer. I liked it because it's not faddish, it's not radical, it involves no drugs, and it makes a certain amount of sense.

Oh wow, I remember the Christy Miller series! She wrote another one after that about Christy's friend Sierra, and I remember liking that one a bit more as Sierra was slightly more quirky. They were well written for the age group, that's for sure. I believe they had quite the following when they were first released.

#146: I am going to hire the guy if he can make me thin! I will have to look for that one, lol.

#146 and #148 - I know when I'm hungry and when I'm not. Most of my eating is habit. I will take a look at this book. Maybe I'll pick up something that will help.

78. The Possibility of Everything by Hope Edelman (333 pages)
I don't have much good to say about this book. Here is the review I posted on LT. (It's an Early Reviewer's book)
I really dislike reviewing books badly since I can appreciate the effort the author put into creating the book. This book, however, did nothing for me at all. I don’t even see the point in it. Two thoughts kept coming to my mind over and over again: 1) Maya was a spoiled brat who was in need of discipline in a serious way; and 2) Edelman needed to come to terms with her beliefs and quit being so paranoid about them. I get the impression that she believes in virtually nothing that can’t be seen or touched or proven, yet she’s terribly afraid she might be wrong and is threatened by people who feel differently than she does. Added to these two thoughts are the endless descriptions of the Mayan culture, something that interests me not at all. (That’s a personal preference, I realize. Others might find those portions of the book interesting.) The description on the reverse of the book did not make me think I was going to read about a family vacation. I finished the book so I could be fair in my review, but it was a tedious, tedious read.

79. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson (94 pages)
I won't say much about this one since I have to be one of the few people around who hadn't already read it. A teacher friend is doing it with her 8th graders, but I think it might be a bit above them. I'm going to run it by my media specialist and see what she thinks. I enjoyed it, though.

Still trying to finish the giant book! My classes start on 8/18, and I already have a couple of books to read for those, so I need to focus my reading on my MLIS textbooks and YA lit for my students. It's going to be hard! I'm determined to finish Cryptonomicon!

#151 I'm pretty sure that that there are childrens and teen editions of Who Moved my Cheese?. Not sure what they are like though.

My academic reading has kicked in, so it appears I'm not reading as much when I am in fact juggling several books, of several types. This one was a quick diversion from the more serious stuff:

80. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich (308 pages)
My guilty little secret, these books. They make me smile, and sometimes that's just what I need!

#153: I am going to have to read that one some time myself, especially since I hear that Grandma Mazur has a starring role!

I'm about a third of the way through and it's better than the last few have been. 8^)

I agree! I laughed out loud and enjoyed it. I haven't done that in a long time.

I finally finished it! It's taken me long enough!

81. Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson (1130 pages)
Well, what can I say about this one? It is good, if long and a bit tedious in places. There are several different stories that run together, 2 in the WWII era and one in the modern era. Other than some of the characters (some in WWII, modern descendants in the modern times), it was hard to see how the stories all connected until about halfway through the book. All through the book, cryptography plays a major role. I won't tell you the ultimate purpose, though. Stephenson has a great sense of humor, and it's this humor that makes the book a good one. The book opens with a haiku composed by one of the WWII characters, who determines that the modern world is hard on haiku since the term "electrical generator" has 8 syllables and therefore can't be used when composing haiku in the heat of battle. I have Quicksilver ready to read, but it will be awhile. It's not as big as this one, but I'm back in school and need to do some other reading first.

#157--It's taking me longer LOL--since my copy is still on my coffee table with the book marks! Glad you enjoyed it because it means that as soon as I return my library books, I'm back to my ongoing books.

I read numerous books at one time. I just happened to finish 3 short ones today. The first one is one I've read before but just got through teaching again. I always read with my students, so it counts too! The other two were simply for pleasure.

82. Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix (160 pages)
A YA novel. In the US, parents can only have 2 children. Any others are illegal and are called Shadow Children because they must live their lives in hiding. Luke is one such child, but in this, the first of the series, he meets another 3rd child. This is an easy book to teach to 8th graders and is universally liked.

83. Vet in Harness by James Herriot (252 pages)
A continuation of Herriot's stories of being a country vet in Yorkshire. In this one, he is newly married. The book ends with his departure to do service in the RAF. As always, the stories are wonderful, funny, and touching, sometimes even sad.

84. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson (308 pages)
I've read this YA novel before too, but I wanted to reread it before reading the sequel. This book has so much subtle humor for adults with a great story line for the YA crowd. After years in foster homes, Alcatraz learns that he is the member of a special and talented family dedicated to freeing the world from the evil librarians that control it.

#159: I have really got to read the Sanderson book. I know I bought it. Finding it is the problem :)

I understand that one! I have these grandiose ideas about tagging my books by location, but I just can't seem to get around to it. Too many books to read first! I just finished the sequel:

85. Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones by Brandon Sanderson (322 pages)
The sequel is just as good as the first one. I love Sanderson's little asides at the beginning of each chapter. Hilarious! There is a lot of subtle, adult-type humor that I am sure the kids who read this don't get. In this book, Alcatraz gets to meet more of his family and does more heroic things. The book has a good ending with plenty of room for at least one more book because the Librarians are still essentially in control. Great read!

OK, that does it! I am tearing apart the library tonight in an effort to find the first book :)

I have only read the first book of the Alcatraz series and I loved it! I've got to get started on the others.

#162

I have images of books flying everywhere and a fraught Stasia on her hands and knees in a midst of falling down shelves.

I've been following Brandon Sanderson on Twitter, and he just finished his first very rough draft of Alcatraz 4 on August 31st. So, we have plenty more Alcatraz to look forward to in the coming year!!! :)

From his Twitter feed: Aaaaand.... Alcatraz Four is done. Kind of. The rough draft is very, very rough. But I met my goal, and am done by the end of Aug. 9:09 PM Aug 31st from Twadget

#164 I guess the good news is, lunacat, I only have 1 shelf. Of course, I have stacks of books everwhere all over the floor . . .which is why I can never find anything!

Here's a book I read with my reading class, plus one I read with my language arts classes. I've read them both before, but I always completely reread them every time I teach them.

86. Among the Imposters by Margaret Peterson Haddix (172 pages)
This is the second book in the Shadow Children series. It's just as good as the first, but mostly, it keeps my students' attentions. I have a class of low-level readers, so if I find something they like, I definitely stick with it!

87. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (204 pages)
The wonderful whodunit that takes place on an island. Ten murders, none left, just like the nursery rhyme.

I have read the first couple in the Shadow Children series. I really need to finish it. Thanks for the reminder, Beth.

Caught up... Glad you've had some good reads and congrats on 75!

Beth

I note you, like me, are on a quest to read the Newbery award-winning books. I just finished The Wednesday Wars and loved it. Next up is Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. Have you read this one?

No, I haven't read that one. I loved The Wednesday Wars though.

88. Vets Might Fly by James Herriot (240 pages)
Another one of the great books by the Yorkshire vet we all know and love. In this one, he heads off to RAF training but still recalls his many adventures as a vet. Delightful, as always.

The tremendous amount of reading I am having to do for school is throwing my pleasure reading behind! I'm still doing it, but not nearly as quickly as I was.

89. The Holy Bible - (1134 pages)
It took me a year, but I read this through, I think, for the 6th time. No comments necessary!

Good for you - what an accomplishment!

I don't get bored reading the Bible either. There are so many great things in there. I teach in a public school, so I have to be careful where I go when it comes to religion and talking about my faith, but I tell all my students that an educated person should read the Bible, no matter what their faith might be. Sometimes someone will say something about the Bible on my bookshelf, asking if I can have it there. I tell them that of course I can - it's great literature. That just might spark someone to read it; who knows?

90. A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon (980 pages)
I finally finished this one this morning; I reread it in anticipation of the long-awaited next book in the series, which I have, ready and waiting. Gabaldon's books are wonderful, and Jamie is indeed the perfect man. If you've not read any of them, start with Outlander. You'll be hooked!

congrats on your reading. I want to read the Bible in its entirety but so far, no dice.

I love, love love the Outlander series. My mom bought An Echo in the Bone but I think I am going to reread the series before I tackle it. She travels during the winter months and is taking it with her. *pouts*

My son read Among the Hidden in fifth grade, I think. I read it with him and we both enjoyed it a lot. We got the rest of the series but never read them (he's in ninth grade now, what does that tell you?). Maybe this year...

I am a huge fan of the Outlander series, too. I am currently reading An Echo in the Bone and loving it.

Buried in yet more academic reading, I'm still not finished with An Echo in the Bone. I took a tiny break to read these two books, however. I guess I want to savor Echo as long as I can!

91. Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork (312 pages)
I read this book at the request of my school's librarian. Her purpose was to see if it should be on the shelves of a middle school library. My answer to that is a most emphatic no. It is a great adult book, however, and it might work in a high school setting. Marcelo is autistic, and he is the one who tells the story. His father insists that he spend a summer working in the mailroom of his law firm, to get a taste of the real world. Many, many things happen there. This book is deep on many levels, from the insight to autism to some deep religious discussions to knowing when to do the right thing, even when it hurts those you love. I think this is a powerful book, and I highly recommend it - just not for 8th graders!

92. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (292 pages)
I had the pleasure of hearing the author speak at DragonCon this year, so of course, I had to read at least one of her books. I loved this! I bought it right after DragonCon, and it's been sitting on the table right in front of me since then, tempting me. I finally gave in. I'm not big on the vampire thing that's all the rage right now, but this was different in many ways. I will definitely keep reading the series, when I can find the time.

#178: Marcelo in the Real World is already in the BlackHole so I do not need to add it again. It looks very good and I hope I can find a copy soon.

93. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne - 224 pages
What a powerful book! I haven't seen the movie, so I can't speak for its faithfulness to the book, but this story is one that will stay with you. In fact, I'm considering it as a book to use in one of my classes, although I doubt I can find time to use it this year. I'm not going to say much about the book, other than I recommend it highly.

I haven't read the book, but I did see the movie recently and thought that it was incredibly powerful and very well done.
That being said, I usually enjoy the book more than the movie based on a book, so I'm not sure what you will think if you decide to see the movie.

I am adding the movie to my Netflix queue because I have read the book and am interested in seeing how they compare.

94. An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon - 820 pages
I finally finished it! It was great, but I won't say much about it, just in case there are some Claire and Jamie fans out there. I got a bit tired of the battle scenes after awhile, but the action sure picked up, especially towards the end. Gabaldon definitely leaves you hanging in the end, so there will most definitely be a sequel. Hopefully, we won't have to wait another 5 years for it to come out.

95. Vet in a Spin by James Herriot - 224 pages
I've been reading this series a bit at a time - they're so easy to read that way because each chapter is its own little story. I have one more to read. These stories are so touching, sometimes funny, always enjoyable.

#183: Thanks for not mentioning any spoilers of An Echo in the Bone, Beth, since I am currently reading that one (I am a huge Claire and Jamie fan!)

#184 - Let me know what you think of the book when you're finished!

I finally finished this short Early Reviewers book. This is the review of it that I posted:

96. Allegheny, Monongahela by Erinn Batykefer - 80 pages
Even though I have two degrees in English, I am just not a big poetry fan. While I appreciate the thought and time that went into writing these poems, most of them didn't do much for me. Part of it might be that the first poem just turned me off and set my teeth on edge, so to speak. It was too graphic and too disturbing. If that was Batykefer's intention, then she succeeded, but it made reading the remainder of the book difficult. Other poems were too violent for my taste. Perhaps the title misled me - I am familiar with that part of the country, and I do not find it violent or disturbing. Some of the poems dealing with her sister's anorexia were disturbing enough that I actually thought about sharing them with some of my students, just to discourage them from considering such a thing. Even though the poems didn't always appeal to me, I wish Ms. Batykefer success in her writing career.

#185: Sorry your poetry read was not better for you, Beth. I wish you better luck on your next book!

97. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - 528 pages
This was a good book - it certainly kept me on the edge of my seat! I've enjoyed all of Brown's books. This one centers in Washington DC. It certainly leaves you thinking and going to the computer to learn more! I highly recommend it.

98. Among the Betrayed by Margaret Peterson Haddix - 156 pages
The third book in the Shadow Children series, this one focuses on Nina rather than Luke. It's ok. My students liked it. I'm frankly getting tired of the whole idea, personally, but I'm not the intended audience!

#187: I may check The Lost Symbol out. I have read a couple of Brown's other books and while not great literature, they are entertaining enough.

I am slowly reading through the Shadow Children series, too. Among the Betrayed is next up for me.

I loaned out my copy of Among the Barons, which I think is the next Shadow Children book. I hope the student returns it after Thanksgiving so I can read it. If she doesn't, I'll get it from the library.

99. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris - 291 pages
This is the second of the Sookie Stackhouse novels. I liked it, but I don't know if I will read anymore. The plots are fine, but I'm tired of reading about blood all the time. I ran into the same thing when I read the Twilight books - by the last one, I couldn't get past the blood part.

100. Distant Waves by Suzanne Weyn - 330 pages
Although the title says 'a novel of the Titanic,' it really isn't until the end. It's mostly about a widow and her 5 daughters dabbling in the spiritualism movement of the early 1900s. The book is sprinkled with famous people from the era. It does culminate on the Titanic, but at the end, there's a strange twist that for me ruined the story. This is a YA novel.

Sorry to hear that the strange twist ruined that one for you. It sounded good to me up until I got to the point of your review, lol. I guess I will give it a pass now.

#100 sounds like it's worth a try. Seems like the spiritualism movement is chosen every year for at least one or two eleventh grade American History term papers at the school where I work. I think I'll enjoy reading about it from a less academic YA perspective.

Have you come across A History of Ghosts: the true story of seances, mediums, ghosts, and ghostbusters yet? Is written by Dan Aykroyd's father. Apparently, Dan's grandfather was a spiritualist and the family's had a history of interest in the subject. The Ghostbusters movies apparently grew out of this interest.

I haven't read it yet, so have no idea if it's any good. But it's in my next batch to get from the library, so I'll let you know what I think of it soon.

That sounds interesting, drneutron! I'll add it to my list.

It does sound interesting - I'm going to hunt for it.

It's been a bit since I've finished a book, although I have several going. Now maybe I can finish them, since my grad school classes are done for the semester.

101. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (139 pages)
I read this with my reading class. It's a simple, quick read, but it's one of my favorite YA books - I've read it several times with different classes. There's a lot of food for thought in it, and it generally makes for good discussion.

I'm giving finals today and decided to take advantage of the time I've spent just sitting here. I finished this book.

102. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (374 pages)
In a new country created out of the old USA, teenagers from their home districts must battle to the death as punishment for rebelling against the government. The winning district gets rewarded with food and plenty for a year. The idea of teenagers killing each other is one I find disturbing. The book was ok, but it isn't my thing, obviously. There is a sequel out now and another coming out soon, but I don't have any desire to read either one.

The sequel, Catching Fire, was better to me than The Hunger Games. However, the reasons that you did not care for the first one are still there in the second one.

103. Lord of the Fading Lands by C. L. Wilson (402 pages)
This is the first of a series of fantasy novels written by a Georgia writer. Wilson has created another world with some interesting characters. The Fey are immortals that have some connection to tairen, which are flying cats. Most of this novel, however, takes place in Celeria, which is much like Earth, with magical peoples and kingdoms surrounding it. I enjoyed this book and plan to read the others.

104. Patience and Fortitude by Nicholas Basbanes (556 pages)
One of my textbooks for my introductory library science class, I liked it so much, I decided to finish it. There is so much in this book; Basbanes traces the history of the library in an interesting way, introduces us to true bibliophiles, booksellers, collectors, and library designers, then looks at changing university and national libraries. This is an enjoyable, very readable book.

#198: I love the entire Basbanes trilogy! If you have not read A Gentle Madness I highly recommend it - it is one of my personal favorites.

Are you joining us for 2010, Beth? I hope so! The new group is up and running!

Yes, I definitely will join you! I'll do that as soon as I post here.

I plan on reading the other Basbanes books because I enjoyed Patience and Fortitude so much. Some of the people in my class didn't like it; I don't see how you could be a book lover and not enjoy every word of it!

My personal reading goal for 2009 was 110. I won't make it, but that's ok. Being in graduate school put a damper on my reading time, and that was to be expected. I read 109 in 2008, so I'm close for this year, anyway. These two books will probably be the last ones of the year for me.

105. The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall - 336 pages
One of the many Amish fiction books I read - this one is quite good. Cara was abandoned by her father after her mother's death and was raised in foster care. Years later, running from a stalker with her own daughter, she ends up in an Amish community through a hint in her mother's diary. She finds out more there than she ever expected to. The book "ends right", as my mother-in-law used to say. I get annoyed with Cara sometimes, but I can understand why she acts as she does.

106. Sunday's at Tiffany's by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet - 281 pages
If you like Nicholas Sparks, you'll like this one. It was a quick vacation read. Jane has a famous mother who largely ignores her, so Jane has an imaginary friend. As an adult, she meets her imaginary friend again and falls in love with him, only this time, he's real. It's an interesting concept. You have to read the book and just go with it, because the imaginary part is never fully explained - a touch of the supernatural, I guess.

Total pages read this year: 31339, down a bit from last year.

Glad to hear you liked Sundays at Tiffany's - it's been on my TBR for months. I'll shift it higher up, perhaps!

Happy New Year, Beth!