999 Challenge times 2

I am late (as usual) to the gate but I started doing this challenge January 1st and finished in May. So, I figured why not do it again? I had no idea that I read so much!

Good for you!

Thanks! I just wish I had of found this site a long time ago. I have been getting some interesting recommendations and now have a bigger TBR pile. It never ends does it? :)

The first challenge:

Chicklit:
Thanks For The Memories by Cecelia Ahern
The Smart One and The Pretty One by Claire LaZebnik
Certain Smile by Judith Michael
The Gift by Cecilia Ahern
Size 12 is not Fat by Meg Cabot
What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern
The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
Very Valentine: A Novel by Adriana Trigiani

Non-fiction:
The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston
Hurry Down Sunshine by Michael Greenberg
A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena De Blasi
The Ego Boom by Steve Maich
The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People by Toby Young
Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judith Levine
The Dream: A Memoir by Harry Bernstein
Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of the Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti

Award Winners/Nominees:
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
Deafening by Frances Itani
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Remembering the Bones by Frances Itani

Faves: Mudbound, Still Alice, Remembering the Bones and Book of Negroes

Suspense:
Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler
Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry
Bodies Left Behind by Jeffrey Deaver
Divine Justice by David Baldacci
Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly
Run for Your Life by James Patterson
Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child
Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian
Promises in Death by J Robb

Canadian Authors:
Inside Out Girl by Tish Cohen
After River by Donna Milner
Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand
Town House by Tish Cohen
No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay
Disappeared by Kim Echlin
Almost Archer Sisters by Lisa Gabriele
Still Life by Joy Fielding
Before I Wake by Robert J. Wiersema

Historical Fiction:
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
Coventry by Helen Humphries
Night Villa by Carol Goodman
Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors
Resistance by Anita Shreve
Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld
Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
Black Englishman by Carolyn Slaughter

Faves: Black Englishman, Beside a Burning Sea, Loving Frank & Before I Wake

Family Drama:
Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb
Waiting to Surface by Emily Listfield
Almost Moon by Alice Sebold
Goldengrove by Francine Prose
Dive From Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer
How to Be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward
Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
Strange Fits of Passion by Anita Shreve
Marshmallows for Breakfast by Dorothy Koomson

Newly Discovered Authors (ones I liked and have either read more of or am impatiently waiting for more from):
The Righteous Men by Sam Bourne
Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
Lost Recipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal
Ask Again Later by Jill Davis
Practically Perfect by Katie Fforde
She Went all the Way by Meg Cabot
Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel by Lisa See
Run by Ann Patchett

Books Made into Movies:
Ps I Love You by Cecelia Ahern
The Reader: A Novel by Bernhard Schlink
The Ruins by Scott Smith
Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
Midwives by Chris Bohjalian
Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Little Princess by Frances Burnett

Faves: Dive From Clausen's Pier, Midwives, Time Travellers Wife & Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Which ones have you finished?

All of them... I was just a little late in posting what I have read! Or maybe just too busy reading to do much else. But, in the name of getting more organized, I will spend time this weekend getting things down on 'paper' so to speak.

At some point, I will post the second lot. I am at 144 books this year in total. I really need to get more of a life!

999 Challenge Part II

Young Adult:

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Just Jane by William Lavender
There's a Boy in the Girls Bathroom by Louis Sachar
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Dear Canada: Orphan at my Door by Jean Little

Chicklit
The Diary by Eileen Goudge
All You Need Is Love by Carole Matthews
Lost Hours by Karen White
Once in a Lifetime by Cathy Kelly
True Colors by Kristin Hannah
Divided Loyalties by Patricia Scanlan
Hope in a Jar by Beth Harbison
Got You Back by Jane Fallon
Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder by Rebecca Wells

Silly touchstones are not working...

Library Books
The Outlander by Gil Adamson
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
The Department of Lost and Found by Allison Winn Scotch
The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha
Good Things I Wish You by A. Manette Ansay
Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
The Birth House by Ami McKay
Obedience by Will Lavender

Suspense
Cemetery Dance by Douglas Preston
Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer
True Detectives by Jonathan Kellerman
8th Confession by James Patterson
Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon
Do No Harm by Greg Hurwitz
Knock Out by Catherine Coulter
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles

Canadian Authors
Happenstance by Carol Shields
Wake by Robert Sawyer
Candymaking in Canada by David Carr
Prairie Bridesmaid by Daria Salamon
Unless by Carol Shields
Sad Truth About Happiness by Anne Giardini
Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews
Leaning, Leaning Over Water by Frances Itani
Swann by Carol Shields

Historical Fiction
Megiddo's Shadow by Arthur Slade
Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
The Devlin Diary by Christi Phillips
Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell

Family Drama
Trans-Sister Radio by Chris Bohjalian
The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Greer
Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian
Songs Without Words by Ann Packer
Summer House by Nancy Thayer
A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian by Marina Lewycka
Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald
While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky
The Girl She Left Behind by Karen Brichoux

Newly Discovered Authors
Girls in Trouble by Caroline Leavitt
The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson
Kindness of Strangers by Katrina Kittle
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Lacemakers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri
The Monk Downstairs by Tim Farrington
What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman
Piano Teacher by Janice Lee
The Saint of Lost Things by Christopher Castellani

Recommendations
Addition by Toni Jordan
As Good as it Got by Isabel Sharpe
The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Clayton
Random Acts of Heroic Love by Danny Scheinmann
How to Talk to a Widower by Jonathan Tropper
Girl Sleuth by Melanie Rehak
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Dead Man Walking by Helen Prejean
Now You See Me by Margaret Murphy

And with that, I am finished again. I just went on a book hunting trip to Chicago so now I will have to add some new categories for the next go-round. Non-fiction will definitely be one!

999 Challenge Part III
New Categories:

1) Deja Vu: Re-reads (this gives me a chance to re-read stuff and not feel guilty about the others I am not getting too)

2) And Then What Happened?: Sequels. I can finally finish the Outlander series in prep for the new one coming out soon (I need to re-read the first four and read the fifth one for the first time - kills a few spots in one go)

3) Things That Go Bump in the Night: Thrillers, suspense and/or horror. Seems to be the one staple category that I return to over and over again. Gotta love being spooked!

4) Homegrown Talent Eh: What can I say? I love my Canadian authors and I am always looking for new ones to add to the pile.

5) On a Deadline: Library books. They come in fast and furious so this is my chance to make room for them.

6) Now Why Would Someone Do That?: Social commentary and pop culture. I seem to have quite a few kicking around and now I can finally unlock the secrets of the human psyche. Watch out world, soon I will be armed and dangerous.

7) I Say Old Chap: Classics. They are always on my TBR list but never quite make it to the top. Now they will.

8) Now Where Did I Put That?: Speaking of TBR, these are ones that got so buried, I forgot I had them. Poor things. They desperately need sunshine and love.

9) Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home: And the old fallback, family drama. I love reading about families more messed up than mine. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

1) Deja Vu

2) And Then What Happened?

3) Things That Go Bump in the Night

Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
Six Suspects by Vikas Swarup
Physick Book of Deliverance Dane of Katherine Howe
Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver

4) Homegrown Talent eh

5) On a Deadline

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
The Wishbones by Tom Perrotta

6) Now Why Would Someone Do That?

Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

7) I Say Old Chap

8) Now Where Did I Put That?

9) Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home

Laughing over your titles as well as your explanations. Have you read Ellen Foster or This Boy's Life? They are 2 favorites that would both fit very nicely into category 9.

Nope, I haven't read either one. I think I was scared off the first one because it's an Oprah book (I have an irrational hatred for her book club). Of course, I have read quite a few of them and enjoyed them but only if they don't have the Oprah tag on them (neurotic, yes, but true).

I will put them on the maybe list and check them out. Maybe I can consider it therapy? :)

Totally! That's why I suggested them. You'll feel very fuzzy. I avoid Oprah stickers too whenever I can, but they were my favorites before they were her recs, so it doesn't bother me.

I read a couple before they were Oprah books too and will admit that she normally chooses decent books.

I think the problem I have with her book club is more to do with the fact that there are people out there who will only read something because she recommended it. Case in point - I worked in a book store back in my university days and a woman once came in looking for Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. It had just become the Orpah title that month so of course we were sold out. I tried to suggest other titles that were similar but the woman wouldn't even entertain the thought of reading something that Oprah didn't directly endorse. So maybe it's not such an irrational hatred. Maybe it's just irritation towards people who do things because they feel it's fashionable.

But enough of my band wagon! I will give them a go and let you know. :)

Great new categories and explanations. I lol'ed at #9's description. Oprah books would fit well in that one.

I think that Oprah got a lot of people reading who were otherwise not readers, so that's maybe why your customer wasn't interested in anything else. They want to just read and talk about that particular book. Well, I guess I'm just sort of repeating what you're saying, aren't? lol. Must have been annoying with so many good books to recommend, even more titles by Toni Morrison.

Hey, unsolicited advice here. Instead of deleting a message which still leaves the annoying space/evidence of it (which I didn't like in my thread, though it may not bother you at all) you can click "edit" - delete the words within and save for your next comments.

Thanks for that! I keep accidently opening up a new message to post a title and then I can't figure out how to get rid of them. They totally drive me nuts so thanks for the advice.

(Of course, I have now started a new post instead of editing one of the others. Good grief! One day I will figure this out... )

Maybe you can help me with non-working touchstones. What's up with those?

Some of them don't work, but sometimes I find that I didn't type in the exact right title. (e.g., The Boy in Striped Pajamas vs. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas). Usually, though, it's just touchstone. When the correct title doesn't come up, I'll bracket the author so your readers can click on it that way.

P.S. I should have said you click on the pencil to edit. It's right next to the x. Sometimes your submission is slow to go through. I used to press "submit" again which would give me double, even triple postings of the same comment.

Okay, so Six Suspects? Not very good. Sad because I liked Q & A. Good premise but horrible plot. With a more experienced author, I think it could have been much better.

But Physick Book of Deliverance Dane? I loved it! The writing reminded me of one of my favourite authors Barbara Erskine. It's historical but has a nice supernatural flavour to it.

Now what next?

My mom just finished Physick Book yesterday and also loved it. She's giving it to grandmom and then I get it. She didn't know about the author's history before reading the book so thought that was a nice twist.

I didn't know about her history either until I got to the end and read the blurb about her. It's neat when someone writes about something that they have a connection too (well, neat when they write well about it anyways!)

Let me know what you think when it gets to you.

In the interest of making things easier for me and others, I have now opened a new thread for the third challenge. I realized that this thread is now becoming increasingly misnamed!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/71643

So, I will y'all over there :)