amanda4242's 75 book challenge

I keep seeing this group and thought it looked interesting, so I thought I'd join.

Here's the list of books I've read so far this year:

1. Undead Kama Sutra
2. Bone Crossed
3. Turn Coat
4. White Witch, Black Curse
5. Blood and Iron: A novel of the Promethean Age
6. Tantric Stripfighter Trina
7. Grave Goods
8. The End of the Affair
9. The Gunslinger
10. Drawing of the Three
11. You Suck: A Love Story
12. Fool: A Novel
13. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
14. Jane Eyre
15. Coraline
16. Wizard's First Rule
17. Lady Chatterley's Lover
18. The Picture of Dorian Gray
19. The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde
20. A Room of One's Own
21. Mrs. Dalloway
22. Brideshead Revisited
23. Flashman at the Charge
24. Cry Wolf
25. Every Last Drop

Welcome to the group, Amanda. Always glad to have another Discworld fan around!

Cool, another Felix Gomez fan. Welcome!

Good mix! I've read and really liked quite a few of those, and most of the others are on my tbr :)

Welcome Amanda.

You read some very interesting books thus far this year. Jane Eyre remains one of my top three all time favorites.

Welcome! Nice list of books. I've got Blood and Iron on the TBR pile. What did you think of it?

I enjoyed it. I have the other books in the series in my TBR pile.

Welcome, nice to see a bit of Flashman. I have to ask was Undead Kama Sutra (and the series itself) good?

What did you think of Coraline? I remember that every one read it back in 3rd grade and freaked out because it was so scary. I have only read some of it, I stopped when everyone told me how scary it was.

Welcome.

I didn't think it was scary at all. It's just typical Neil Gaiman-style weird.

The Felix Gomez series isn't the greatest I've ever read, but the books are fun afternoon reads.

Hi, amanda4242. Saw the Dorian Gray and Jekyll and Hyde on your list. Have you tried Hambly's Those Who Hunt the Night?

It's been so long since I've read it that I'd forgotten about, so I should probably read it again.

>11 amanda4242: Yes but when you are 7 it is MUCH scarier. Would you recommend a re-read?

A belated welcome! I hope you enjoy the group!

Yes, I would recommend reading it again. I would also recommend Gaiman's Stardust and Neverwhere if you haven't read them already.

26. Reading Judas

(For a paper I'm supposed to be writing.)

>17 amanda4242: I will add them to my TBR. Thanks!

27. How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read

The title of the book is a little deceptive: it's not about how to fake your way through conversations, but is rather an exploration about how people relate to what they've read and how even if you haven't read a book you can still know it and have it effect you. I highly recommend it.

That sounds pretty interesting! And fairly relevant, considering the nature of this group... I'd say there's plenty of books we all know and have effect us in this group, though we haven't read them. Onto the list it goes!

I'm adding book # 27 to the TBR pile as well. I can't resist books about books.

That sounds good. On to the wishlist for me.

28. Beyond the Fringe

#24: How did you like Beyond the Fringe? I have read Bennett's The Uncommon Reader and The Clothes They Stood Up In but have not heard of Fringe until now.

It's a stage revue he co-wrote with Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, and Jonathan Miller. The sketches that Cook wrote are the funniest, but the entire thing is good.

29. The Darker Passions: Dracula

30. What the Butler Saw

31. Dead and Gone

32. Jailbait Zombie

#29: Have you read the other books in the Felix Gomez series? How are they, including Jailbait Zombie?

They're all pretty good. I don't sit around anxiously awaiting the next installment, but they're enjoyable.

How did you like Dead and Gone?

It wasn't as well developed as some of the others, but I liked it.

#31: OK, I will start looking for them. Thanks!

33. The Metatemporal Detective

34. Flash for Freedom

I highly recommend the Flashman series to anyone looking for a great read. The "hero" is a scoundrel and a coward, but still somehow manages to be a better class of person than those surrounding him (especially when he's around the great and the good). A hilarious series that should be read by everyone.

#36: A hilarious series that should be read by everyone.

Agreed! I have not read the entire series yet, but the ones I have read were very good.

35. The Mandala of Sherlock Holmes

An interesting and well written Holmes adventure, but the magical elements introduced towards the end of the book didn't really fit that well with the rest of the story.

#38: That one looks like a book I would enjoy, so I am putting it on the Continent. Thanks for the recommendation.

If you like Sherlock Holmes 'pastiches' (did I spell that right?) you might like the series of books by Larry Millett. The first one is Sherlock Holmes and the Red Demon. Millett places Holmes in Minnesota and ties him in to real life Minnesota happenings. The first one is about a famous Minnesota fire (fire=red demon). I found them to be very well written, especially compared to other non Doyle Sherlock Holmes works.

Thanks for reminding me of that one. I checked it out from the library once but didn't get a chance to read it. I'll have to give it another try.

Have you tried Laurie R. King's Mary Russell novels? Holmes takes on a female apprentice who is, for a change in these sorts of books, his intellectual equal. The first one is The Beekeeper's Apprentice and I think there are about eight more after it.

I have The Beekeeper's Apprentice on my TBR mountain - I actually own the book and it's waiting to be read! I've heard good things about the series, though it is hard to imagine Sherlock Holmes apprenticing a young girl, I must admit!

If you do get to check out the Larry Millett series, my favorite in the series so far is the Ice Palace Murder book. There is a great character in this series who is a friend/competitor to Holmes named Shadwell Rafferty. I think he really 'makes' the series.

I have the first book of Millett's on the Continent. One of these days I will get to it!

I was a little skeptical about Holmes having a a young female apprentice as well, but fortunately Mary Russell isn't a Mary Sue.

Don't you miss Watson?? Well, if the girl is such a match for Holmes, maybe that makes up for his absence...

Watson does make a few brief appearances, as do Mrs. Hudson and Mycroft Holmes.

36. The Pillars of the Earth

This is such an amazing book: I can't believe I put off reading it for so long!

46 - Great! I'll try to get to that book soon.

37. Wraith
38. Spectre

39. The Saint-Germain Chronicles

A collection of short stories about the elegant vampire count, Saint-Germain. Not great, but the second story, "Renewal", and the last one, "Cabin 33", were interesting because Saint-Germain is interacting with other vampires: something that rarely happens in the novels.

40. Less Than Zero
41. The Rules of Attraction
42. Lunar Park

I know that a lot of people don't like Ellis, but I really like his style. I find that it's better to not think too much while reading his books, but instead just kind of go with the flow.

If you're interested, I did post review of Less Than Zero and The Rules of Attraction (and will get around to doing one for Lunar Park eventually). Unfortunatley, I can't get a link to work from here so you'll need to hunt a little if you want to read them.

#51 All I have ever tried is American Psycho, which I loathed. Are those different it anyway?

They don't have all the violence or the mind-numbing attention to wardrode that American Psycho does, so they're nowhere near as grueling to read. Lunar Park is probably the least like any other book that he has written, so you might try that one.

43. Butcher Bird

It wasn't so much the violence but all the detail, I remember a section on business cards which was the point I started to skim! Anyway thanks for the info

44. Through the Looking Glass

I'm glad my mother didn't read the Alice stories to me when I was a kid; I would've had mightmares.

LOL I agree! I am reading Alice in Wonderland through Daily Lit right now, and Lewis Carroll certainly was a twisted man!

I read that book for a reading group and HATED it! I hate that it has no structure or plot. There's NO point that I can see. It's completely RANDOM. This bugs me beyond belief. I passionately HATE that book.

The randomness didn't bother me as much as the feeling that there was something terribly unwholsome lurking beneath the surface of the story.

45. Ethan Frome

Bleak but beautiful.

>59 amanda4242: And towards the end i just get a sense of hopelessness from the story and that makes me sad. The story is disturbed.

46. Neverwhere

I love the worlds that Gaiman creates: they are so easy to fall into.

47. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

A zillion times better than the movie.

48. Company of Liars

An Early Reviewer book that I finally got around to reading and reviewing. I don't think it really lived up to its hype.

49. Achilles by Elizabeth Cook

Kind of a meditation on the life of Achilles. Instead of a lot of dialogue or a bunch of highlights from Homer, Cook paints vivid scenes from the charchters' lives to advance the story. A quick, beautiful read.

#64: I don't think it really lived up to its hype. I completely agree with you.

#65: That one looks interesting. Thanks for the recommendation.

50. The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy

I was so happy when this book turned out to be more than just a simple retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Behind the scenes events take center stage and minor characters are filled out nicely. I especially like the development of Anne: she is still frail and sickly, but she has a good head on her shoulders and will probably put Lady Catherine in her place once she has reached her majority.

Unfortunately, the thing I loved most about Pride and Prejudice was missing: Jane Austen’s sharp wit. I suppose I can’t complain too much about that; it’s something that’s missing from almost all sequels/adaptations of her works. I do have to give Slater points for making Lord Byron a character, but must subtract several for treating him as little more than a pimp. If Lord Byron is going to be in it then at the very least he should be propositioning Darcy while shagging Caroline Bingley on the billiard table.

Despite its faults, I found myself wanting to know what happens to these wonderful characters after the book ends. And really, what more can one ask for in a book?

Nice review of The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy. I received a advanced copy as well and mostly enjoyed it. I liked the fact that the author made no effort to copy the style of Jane Austen. She took the characters from the original story and made them her own.

Hi there, nice list so far this year. Happy reading.

51. The Lion in Winter

A brilliant play that everybody should read. I also highly recommend the movie which stars Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn.

52. Eve of Darkness

A surprisingly good urban fantasy novel. Day, thankfully, doesn't overwhelm the reader with a bunch of useless exposition about the workings of her world, which is always a plus in this kind of book. An action-packed book with just the right amount of steamy sex, it reminds me of the early Anita Blake books. I definitely recommend this one.

53. Artemis Fowl

Pretty good book. I have high hopes for the rest of the series.

I LOVED those books when I was younger. I read every single one of them. Trust me, you will not be dissapointed.

Heck, I love the Artemis Fowl series now. LOL! So does my husband, in fact... and I've managed to get at least 3 other friends/family members hooked. Enjoy!

54. The Arctic Incident

Even better than Artemis Fowl!

55. Eve of Destruction

Second in the Marked series. Looking forward to number three.

Do you know what the worst part about being sick is? Not being able to read. Oh well, I made up for my forced break by finishing books three and four of the Artemis Fowl series in one day.

56. The Eternity Code

57. The Opal Deception

58. Sex With the Queen

About a thousand years worth of royal gossip. Kind of overwritten and repetitive at times, but interesting.

59. The Lost Colony

Artemis Fowl book 5

60. War for the Oaks

War for the Oaks was kind of predictable and the final showdown between Eddi and the Queen of Air and Darkness was a little lame, but it was a really enjoyable book. I definetly recommend this one.

61. In the Garden of Sin

I make no apologies for my bad taste.

62.Sandman Slim

Excellent read. This is the kind of book that I want to recommend to perfect strangers. Kadrey's Butcher Bird is equally awesome.

63. Something in the Water

A Torchwood novel to keep me going until the next series comes out on DVD.

Just took the book quiz and found out that I am 1984. I suppose I should get around to actually reading it now.

You're 1984!

by George Orwell

You have this uncanny feeling that you're always being watched. Thus
life has become a bit of a show as you try to portray yourself as much more reputable
than you actually are. All around you, people seem to accept an unending stream of lies
and propaganda without flinching. Your only hope may be a star-crossed love affair, but
pain seems stonger than love. If you have any older brothers, be very wary of
them.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

64. Eve of Chaos

65. Darkly dreaming Dexter

I love Dexter; he's such a great guy. So what if he has a socially unacceptable hobby?

#81: I am a fan of the Dexter books, too.

>81 amanda4242:. I haven't read the books, only seen the first season of the tv series. I assume the books are probably much better.... I should try to find them.

Actually, I like the TV series better. The books are enjoyable, but there not very well developed. The series has better story lines and more interesting characters.

66. Dearly Devoted Dexter

67. Regeneration

An amazing book that I cannot praise enough. I'll be posting a review of it soon.

I'm reading Regeneration right now and enjoying it a lot.

68. Mercy Thompson: Homecoming

A graphic novel origin story for the Mercy Thompson series.

69. Dexter in the Dark

Not great. There's this supernatural theme running through the book that makes it come off like a bad episode of the X-Files.

70. The Magicians

Reading this left me feeling dissatisfied. Not dissatisfied with the book, but with everything else. It was a little painful to have to leave the world that Grossman created and return to my own. I hope he writes a sequel.

71. Hunting Ground

72. Moon Called

73. Blood Bound

74. Iron Kissed

Having reached 74 books and being well into number 75 (I'm reading American Psycho in honor of the upcoming banned books week) I thought I might do a list of my best and worst reads.

Classic that I'm glad I finaly read: The Picture of Dorian Gray

I had to read this for a class I took and was awestruck by it. I had read and enjoyed Wilde's plays, but after reading his only novel I had an even greater respect for him as a writer.

Classic that I could have lived without reading: Jane Eyre

I know I'll probably get hate messages over this, but I really disliked this book. Jane is such a moralizing little ninny and the other characters, with the exception of the dreamy Mr. Rochester, are kind of two-dimensional. And have you noticed that characters that like Jane are almost always portrayed as virtuous and tend to get rewarded and the ones that don't like her are shown as malicious and get varying degrees of punishment depending on how mean they were to Jane? In short, Jane is that most dreaded of all literary creations: a Mary Sue.
Maybe I'm being a little hard on the book. I mean it has spawned some wonderful film adaptations (the Orson Wells version and the one on PBS a couple of years ago spring to mind). And without dearest Jane we would never have had Jasper Fforde's truly magnificent Eyre Affair.

Favorite new read: The Magicians

This is my favorite at the moment. I've seen it called Harry Potter for grownups, but that really isn't very accurate. You know all those dreams you had as a kid where you were a great wizard or whatever and magical worlds existed? In The Magicians that stuff's all real but it turns out that it's way less cool to someone entering college than to someone entering high school. Fans of Catcher in the Rye and Rules of Attraction should try this one.

Favorite reread: Lunar Park or maybe What the Butler Saw or...

This one's hard to decide because whatever book I happen to be rereading at the moment is my favorite. I'll probably change my mind several more times before the end of the year because I'm planning on reading a few more books that I love.

That's all for now, but I'll keep adding to this list until I can't think of anymore categories.

I like your list. All opinions are welcome here, and even though Jane Eyre may not be your favorite, it is OK to say so! lol

#96: Thanks! Everyone has been so polite here even when they disagree. I'm used to having to justify every dissenting opinion I have in very long, heavily footnoted essays. Ah, the joys of being an English major!

75. American Psycho

I can't believe it's taken me so long to post! Stupid life getting in the way. Anyway, if you're interested in what I have to say about American Psycho, you can find my review of it through my profile. I promise that someday I will learn how to include a link in a post.

76. Odd and the Frost Giants

This quickly became one of my favorite Neil Gaiman books. I hope he writes more stories of Odd.

77. Cirque du Freak

I picked this one up because the ads for the movie looked interesting. I enjoyed it, but I wish that it had about half the number of exclamation marks in it.

78. The Vampire's Assistant

Once I get started on a series I rarely give up on it. Fortunately this one isn't a chore to read.

Congratulations on reaching 75!!!

Congrats on 75!! You've had some good reads. I'm putting Odd and the Frost Giants on my TBR list.

Congrats!

congratulations!

First I'd like to thank the Academy...wait, wrong speech. Thank you all. It's been fun, but I have to go read some more ;)

The book Quiz part II is finally up. In addition to being 1984, I am apparently The Trial. Guess I'll have to read that one too.

You're The Trial!

by Franz Kafka

Cold, hopeless, inaccessible, and seemingly random, you tend
to fill others with equal parts admiration and dread. Few can deny your brilliance,
but still fewer want to hang out with you. You would claim that you merely remind
them too much of the parts of their lives they don't want to think about, but that
it's all the more important they do so for that reason. When you were young, you
almost died in a fire. There is a great deal of debate about how things should end
for you.


Take the Book Quiz II
at the Blue Pyramid.

I just looked at the clock and thought that maybe I should post before the ball drops here on the west coast.

My final reads for 2009 are:

79: Dexter by Design
I think I like the TV series better than the books.

80 & 81: The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle
And the reverse is true for this series.

82-84: On the Other Hand, Death, Ice Blues, and Third Man Out
From the dated, but still enjoyable, Donald Strachey mystery series.

85: Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict
Good except for the completley daft ending.

86: The Darker Passions: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
One of those books you read with your jaw hanging open in disbelief.

87: Entertaining Mr. Sloane
Joe Orton was one of the greatest playwrites of the twentieth century and his plays should be in every library.

I've probably read a few more that I've forgotten about, but since I can't remember them they couldn't have been that great. My only resolution for the new year is start doing in this in January, rather than May. Thanks to everybody; it's been fun!

Happy New Year, Amanda!

#107-Thank you! A happy New Year to you and everyone else!

I have three more books to round out my 2009 list: 1 that I finished before midnight last night and two that were unjustly forgotten.

88 & 89: A Liar's Autobiography and Graham Crackers
Both by the late Graham Chapman of Monty Python fame. Completely random, but very funny.

90: Storm Front Vol 1, The Gathering Storm
A graphic novel adaptation of the first book of the wonderful Dresden Files. My only complaint is that Harry looks a little coller than I've always pictured him.

And that, my dear fellow readers, is it for 2009!