lkernagh's Alphabet Book Read

I came across the group this evening and said "Now, this is the book challenge for me!". This will be my first LT reading challenge. After skimming my TBR pile I have decided to go for the Title Challenge, with each title being added to the alphabet list below as I commence reading the book. The books will not be read in alphabetical order and there is no time limit for completing this challenge. Separate posts in the thread will provide a summary of the book and my comments:

Books by Title:

A - Automatic World by Struan Sinclair
B - Border Songs by Jim Lynch
C - Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez-Reverte
D - Deloume Road by Matthew Hooton
E - East Fortune by James Runcie
F - The Fate of Katherine Carr by Thomas H. Cook
G - Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery
H - Haiku by Andrew Vachss
I - The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert
J - The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin
K - The King's Rifle by Biyi Bandele
L - The Last Bridge by Teri Coyne
M - Molly Fox's Birthday by Deirdre Madden
N - Naming Maya by Uma Krishnaswami
O - Once on a Moonless Night by Dai Sijie
P - People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
Q - Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg CAbot
R - The Rose Variations by Marisha Chamberlain
S - Something Missing by Matthew Dicks
T - There a Petal Silently Falls by Ch'oe Yun
U - The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
V - The Visibles by Sara Shepard
W - The Witness Tree by Brendan Howley
X - The Xibalba Murders by Lyn Hamilton
Y - The Year that Follows by Scott Lasser
Z - Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

Let the reading begin!

The "L" Book: The Last Bridge by Teri Coyne

The description for The Last Bridge by Teri Coyne caught my eye along with the following blurp on the front cover "A rewarding read you'll never forget ...a hypnotic portrait of an American family under attack from within, told with such unflinching honesty that you cannot take your eyes off the page."

Humm.... if it is the page turner it is billed to be, I am glad I am starting it on a Friday night! I will update this post with my comments on the book when finished.
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My Comments on the book:
Yes, this book did live up to its billing.... I was glued to it. I think I should mention that it is not an easy read. Coyne does an excellent job portraying the raw emotions and defense mechanisms of victims of abuse and brings across just how difficult it can be to put the past behind you. A fantastic debut novel.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Welcome! Hope you like it. Be aware, LT challenges are very addictive... :)

Welcome and good luck with your challenge.

#3 Not only are they addictive, other members posts are dangerous on the bank balance with so many books you just have to get hold of to read.

lkernagh,

Welcome and have fun:)

Hi Ikernagh, this is my first challenge as well, but since I joined this one, I've thrown my hat in the ring for the 1010 Challenge starting the January. So watch out, like bookoholic says, the challenges are addictive! Looking forward to seeing how you fill your categories in.

I have The Last Bridge on my TBR stack and so am looking forward to finding out what you think about it.

Thank you everyone for the welcomes and encouragement. This is going to be a lot of fun! I finished The Last Bridge and added my comments regarding the book up in message #2.....

Summary: A really good book!

The "F" Book: The Fate of Katherine Carr by Thomas H. Cook

I am a big fan of mysteries and this one caught my eye as a psychological mystery. The premise for the story: Travel writer George Gates is approached by retired missing persons detective Arlo McBride to help reconstruct the last days of the life of a woman that disappeared without a trace 20 years earlier.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
I have to say that I am not all that impressed with the book... for me there was just too much going on, too many different topics, scattered presentation, and a story that has, well, left me rather flat. I loved the angle of including Alice, the young girl suffering from progeria, in trying to decipher the mystery, but overall, there was just too much going on to follow the plot.

Rating: 3 Stars (and only because the ending helped to partially redeem the book in my eyes)

You're off to a good start Ikernagh! Welcome aboard and happy reading.

I finished The Fate of Katherine Carr and added my comments regarding the book in message #9 above.....

Summary: Overall it was okay, but not great.

The "E" Book: East Fortune by James Runcie

The brief description of the book caught my eye and enticed me: "As the three Henderson brothers head to their big childhood home in East Fortune for their annual summer gathering, they steel themselves against sibling rivalry, parental expectation and the vulnerability that comes with being with those who know you best. Intense, humane, humorous and subtle, East Fortune is a moving story about lives at the crossroads; about life and love, chance and hope-and how families survive."

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
This was such a good book to sink into. The focus of the story is on the life changes the three Henderson boys are experiencing, where comfortable family rituals are under scrutiny or even being torn apart. In all, a great story that delves into the ability we all have to make choices as well as suffering the consequences of choices that go wrong.

Rating: 4 Stars

Hola Lori. Welcome to the Alphabet Challenges! As others have stated, the challenges are addictive. Maybe we'll see you at the 1010 Challenge next year.

Thanks chrine. I have taken a glance at the 1010 Challenge and I am thinking about possible categories for that one!

I have finished the "E" book and have posted my comments in message #12 above.

Onwards through the alphabet I go.......

The "A" Book: Automatic World by Struan Sinclair

The story is about a patient (accident victim) in rehabilitation with no memory... his thoughts are stuck in the present tense. To try and piece together his past, the patient relies on the information provided by his friends, family and other witnesses to his accident that has left him with this memory loss. IN this process of discovering his own story, other stories surface. Between the threads of the various stories that emerge is the story of a train crash and of three minutes lost — three minutes that will prove a turning point in the lives of all the characters caught in this complicated clockwork.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
This is a complex book that takes the reader down various winding, seemingly unconnected paths with a descriptive zeal for story telling that makes it somewhat difficult to resume the book mid-stream after a few days absence. An interesting debut novel that I may re-read when I know I can give the novel my undivided attention from start to finish.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

The "K" Book: The King's Rifle by Biyi Bandele

Time for something different... The King's Rifle is set in 1944 during the Second World War and is the story of 14 year old Ali Banana and the black African soldiers of the Chindits, described as the "unconventional, quick-strike division of the British Army in India and their treks through the Burmese jungle, fraught with Japanese snipers.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
This was such any easy to appreciate, highly readable, fictitious presentation of D-Section Thunder Brigade of the British Army. Everything about it was great. As I am not a war buff, I can not comment as to the accuracy of the details of the weaponry and aircraft of the period. This is a book I would recommend to non-war buffs as the personal interactions are so well presented to the reader.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Hi. Looking forward to your comments about The King's Rifle as I am planning on reading it for one of my 1010 categories.

Hi Lori, I love the style of you reviews, you have intrigued me with Automatic World, I will keep my eye out for a copy in the uk. Thanks.

Hi DeltaQueen50 - I am currently 64 pages into The King's Rifle and really enjoying it so far. I will post my comments as usual when I finish it :)

Hi clfisha - thank you for the complement... I am striving to provide both commentaries - why I picked up the book in the first place (which is usually the description of the book) as well as my thoughts when I finish it. Sometimes these can be grossly divergent! This is to help me when I revisit the posts just as much as I hope it helps any one bouncing through for a read!

Happy reading!

The "G" Book: Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery

I loved Barbery's previous novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog so I was sooooo happy to find another Barbery book on the shelves. Gourmet Rhapsody is set in Paris where the world's greatest food critic is dying..... enough said, off I go to read!

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
I loved the book (all the mouthwatering descriptions of gastronomic delight... Yumm!), just not quite as much as I enjoyed The Elegance of the Hedgehog, but still an excellent feat of descriptive prose from Barbery and a highly enjoyable read.

Rating: 4 stars

I finished The King's Rifle this afternoon and have posted my comments regarding the book in message #16 above...
Quick summary: Loved it!

I finished Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery this afternoon and have posted my comments regarding the book in message #20 above...
Quick summary: Really enjoyed it!

The "V" Book:" The Visibles by Sara Shepard

The Visibles is described as a 'coming of age' novel and the lead character, Summer Davis, is clinging to an idea introduced by a substitute biology teacher about the role of DNA in defining a person's identity and destiny. The introspective teen struggles to make a connection with her abandoning mother, her mentally ill father, and her obsessive brother before embarking on a career in genetics.

Sounds like a good "V" book for me to pick up for the challenge!

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
A nice quick read with a somewhat predictable coming of age theme. It was the medical histories of some of the characters that held my interest more than the story itself.

Rating: 3 Stars

The "B" Book: Border Songs by Jim Lynch

I enjoy books that are situated close to home and Border Songs, focused on member of the Border Patrol that polices the invisible boundary between Canada and the United States, is a nice "B" book pick and my next read.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
I finished the book this afternoon and I have to say that I loved everything about it - the fantastic, quirky, like-able characters, the absurd and yet believably realistic events portrayed throughout the book made me fall in love the characters and their lives. This book hits on numerous topics for almost any reader: families and friendships, economic circumstances, politics, nature and medical conditions all gently tossed with a dose of satire. A book that had me happily chuckling to myself and one that I would recommend to others.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

The "O" Book: Once on a Moonless Night by Dai Sijie

I have to say that I loved Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress so I am looking forwarded to this book which is described as "full of tales and worlds within worlds, ranging from ancient Chinese empires through communist China to modern Beijing..." A cup of ginger and lemon tea in my hand and I will be ready to be swept away.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
An impressive feat of storytelling with vivid, descriptive prose that allows the reader to see and feel the stories, presented in narrative fashion. A beautiful novel that weaves history and linguistics with a gentle elegance as delicate as the silk scroll written in a now long-dead language that ties this story, and its various characters together. As one reads it is easy to get drawn into the lives of various individuals, from Emperor Puyi, to the French linguist Paul d'Ampere, to the Chinese greengrocer Tumchooq and the unnamed female narrator. The mystery surrounding the silk scroll and what happened to the two pieces plays a minor, albeit intricate role in the stories.

Rating: 4 Stars

#25 That looks interesting.. I have also added Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress to my wishlist. Thanks!

Hi clfisha - I hope you enjoy Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress... I found it to be a quick, interesting read!

I finished Once on a Moonless Night this evening and will post my comments regarding the book in message #25 above.

The "W" Book: The Witness Tree by Brendan Howley

Time for something different ... This one caught my eye when I read that it is billed as "A political epic based on the early life of Eleanor Dulles–sister of John Foster Dulles, Secretary of State, and Allen Dulles, the first head of the CIA–and the secret beginnings of modern Israel."

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
An easy to read, fast paced fictitious account of the American diplomatic dynasty, the Dulles family. The story focuses on Eleanor Dulles, her brothers Foster and Allen, and the roles they played during both world wars and the lead up to the UN vote in late 1947 that partitioned Palestine for the creation of Israel. Peppered with facts and true characters, it reads like the espionage thriller it has been written as and has peeked my interest to read more books based on the American dynastic families of the time period.

Rating: 4 Stars

The "P" Book: People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

I really enjoyed The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks so when I learned that there was to be a group read here in LT for this book, I leaped at the opportunity to join in and cross the letter P off my reading list at the same time.

I will post back here with my comments when the group read is finished.
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My Comments on the Book:
Two Geraldine Brooks' novels later and I am still a fan and look forward to picking up another of her books. Historical fiction writing is a strength for Brooks and I enjoyed the snapshots of time that she presents as the reader travels backwards in time to learn the provenance of the Hebrew manuscript that is the focus of the story. The modern day sections lacked the strength of the historical sections but overall, a good story.

Rating: 4 Stars

The "Z" Book: Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

I don't usually read two books at the same time but as the group read for People of the Book is scheduled to cover three weeks, I figured I could tackle two books at the same time! I have seen so many good comments from readers on LT regarding this book, I just had to dive in to check the book out for myself.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
Written as a first hand account of the events experienced by the Zeitoun family during hurricane Katrina and the aftermath. The book resonates with emotion - hope, compassion, frustration, anxiety, worry - a story that is easy lose yourself in.

Rating: 4 Stars

The "Y" Book: The Year that Follows by Scott Lassar

Following my tread of recently readings with a theme around family secrets and the search for answers, Lasser's story about a woman’s search for her brother’s lost son, orphaned in the wake of his sudden death and secret her father has kept from her that he now wishes to disclose has caught my eye.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
Well, lets just say my overall impression is the plot had some potential but was delivered with by flat, wooden 2-dimensional characters. The POV flip-flopped between the two main characters, Cat and her father Sam. I have seen stories with multiple POV's where it has worked, it just wasn't managed very well here. I was half tempted to abandon the book for something more enticing from my TBR pile but I persevered and finished the book. Not a book I would recommend.

Rating: 2.5 Stars

#30 I really must get aroun to reading Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. I don't think I have read a bad review on LT yet.

I finished The Year That Follows this morning and have posted my comments regarding the book in message #31 above.

The "M" Book: Molly Fox's Birthday by Deirdre Madden

This story was a 2009 Orange Prize shortlist and is set over the period of one day, June 21st, Molly Fox's Birthday. The story is told by the POV of an unnamed narrator - a playwright house sitting for Molly and uses the day to reflect on her own life, Molly's and their mutual friend Andrew's when writer's block sets in.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
This was a fast read with easy flowing prose. I don't consider the premise to be particularly captivating: it follows the unnamed narrator over the course of one day - June 21st, her friend Molly's birthday - while the narrator undertakes routine tasks, has chance encounters with friends and strangers and engages in mental examinations of some past experiences. At the end of the book, after a day spent joining the narrator in reflective thought, I realized that overall it wasn't all that memorable of a story for me.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

The "S" Book: Something Missing by Matthew Dicks

After finishing Molly Fox's Birthday I decided I needed a change of genre. Something Missing is billed as a humorous look at a career criminal with OCD tendencies. Martin, our career criminal, steals only those items that will go unnoticed by the homeowners and in fact spends hours in their homes looking through their photo albums and reading their journals. As a result, Martin starts to intervene in the unmet homeowners lives - playing the part of a rather odd guardian angel of sorts.

Yup... this should prove interesting. I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
Loved it! What a fun, quirky novel! Humor, mystery and suspense all rolled into one entertaining read. Martin is someone you cannot help but cheer for as he places himself in one disaster after another, all with the best interests of his 'clients' in mind. The fact that his clients don't even know of his existence, and he wants to keep it that way, makes his efforts as a 'guardian angel' so refreshing. The intro is a little slow, slightly OCD, so I recommend anyone that picks up the book to keep reading for at least the first 75 pages .... after that is when it starts to pick up the pace and the plot takes shape.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I finished People of the Book for the group read this evening and have posted my overall comment regarding the book in message #29 above.

I finished Something Missing last night and have posted my comments regarding the book in message #35 above. Not sure what to pick up next for the challenge as I have three books I want to dive into and they don't fit any letters of the alphabet that I still need!

The "J" Book: The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin

Diving back into my Alphabet Challenge I will now pick up what looks to be an intriguing historical mystery. The Janissary Tree is set in 1836 Istanbul where a series of crimes and murders are occurring, first a harem girl is found strangled and then men in the sultans new guard are murdered. All these events lead eunuch Yashim Togalu to examine the past regarding the corrupt elite troops known as the Janissaries to separate legend from truth. This is apparently the first in a mystery series that is to be based on Investigator Yashim.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
As a lover of historical fictions and mysteries, this book captured the best of both genres for me: descriptive historical background and a continual feeding of intriguing snippets of clues. The characters could have been fleshed out a little better but that probably has occurred in later books in the series (I assume anyways, I haven't check to see if others are available). And as an aside, I really liked the small chapters - most being 3-4 pages in length, making it a great "pick up and read anywhere" kind of book. Most chapters ended with a nugget of information to entice the reader to continue reading..... in summary, an intriguing historical mystery romp!

Rating: 4 Stars

#38 This book looks very interesting - I'm anxious for your comments.

I finished The Janissary Tree this morning and have posted my overal comments regarding to book in message #38 above. Summary: An intriguing murder mystery!

The "U" Book: The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist unable to locate touchstone for book

.... and now for something completely different! The Unit is described on the back of the book as "Logan's Run without the lasers, a sleek haunting depiction of extreme social engineering set on terrain that readers may find unsettlingly familiar, populated by figures we recognize a bit too clearly." The story is about Dorrit Weger, a woman that checks into the Unit where women over the age of fifty and men over the age of sixty are sequestered for their final years to contribute themselves for drug and psychological testing and ultimately donate their organs, little by little until their final donation. Hummm.... this one is taking me a little ways out of my usual comfort zone so we shall see how it goes.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
I found myself being carried away with Dorrit as she packs her bags, moves into the Unit and makes new friends. The book is a bit of a sleeper as the full emotional impact of what it means to be 'disposable' is brought forward.... a haunting story that depicts human emotions for what they really are... fear of dying, the need for love, companionship, support and the desire to have your life mean something and to be remembered after you are gone. The book left me with more questions than answers but I believe that is the intention given the diverse social issues it covers.

Rating: 4 Stars

#40 I think it sounds good, I've added it to my wishlist. I'm currently reading my "E" book, so "J" will be coming up soon.

I finished The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist this evening and have posted my comments regarding the book in message #41 above. Summary: Interesting and thought-provoking.

The "H" Book: Haiku by Andrew Vachss - touchstones not working

From what I can gather based on the book's description, Haiku centers around a group of homeless men living on the streets of New York. It is told through the voice of Ho, a Japanese-American man, formerly Sensei of his own dojo, who turned to the streets after his own arrogance led to the death of a student. The homeless band together to save the library of one of their own kind, stored in a building slated for demolition.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
I really enjoyed this one. The story starts out with an explanation as to the background of Ho and how he came to the decision to choice to live on the streets because he felt his arrogance was the cause for the death of his student and that he was unworthy of being a Sensei or teacher. His 'tribe', the loose group of homeless individuals that comprise his network, come from a broad cross section of society and their stories are told through the voice of Ho and his observations of the people that he feels responsible for. The group bands together to help one of their own protect the only thing he values in life, his collection of crime/detective paperbacks, from destruction. In the process, they all face their internal demons/ vices that brought them to a life on the streets in the first place. In all. A great introspective novel with good characters, interesting plot and punchy dialogue in places to keep things moving.

Rating: 4 Stars

I finished Haiku by Andrew Vachss while traveling and have posted my comments regarding the book in the message above. Summary: Quite a good read!

The "I" Book: The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert

I was in the mood for a thriller and found The Intelligencer recently in a thrift shop. The story captures two genres I enjoy: Historical fiction and Thrillers. The story flips between 1593 London England and present day. The premise: The historical chapters focus on the three weeks before the murder of playwright Christopher Marlowe and follows Marlowe as he is closing in on a new assignment as a spy in Queen Elizabeth I's secret service. The present day chapters focus on the investigation of a heist and murder that involves a mysterious, antique manuscript that has only recently been unearthed in central London.

I have to be honest and say that I am 148 pages in and loving it so far (traveling has put me behind in my postings!).
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My Comments on the book:
As far as spy thrillers go, this one is somewhat predictable, and a little cheesy in places. I found the chapters set in 1593 London that provide a fictitious account of the last weeks of playwright Christopher Marlowe's life interesting and helped carry the plot forward. Overall, an easy thriller to dive into at the end of a busy day.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I have 7 books to go to complete this challenge. I was hoping to have this done in time to start my 1010 challenge with no hangovers, oh well, no such luck but I do still have a few days left to make some headway!

The "X" Book: The Xibalba Murders by Lyn Hamilton

This one caught my eye as a perfect fit for this challenge - and a possible great lead-in to my 1010 challenge. This is the first in an archeological mystery series that focuses on the cases that former antiques shop owner and student of Mayan history, Lara McClintoch finds herself investigating. A good bedtime read, I think!

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
While it is not what is classified as a cozy, I found the story to be overall, enjoyable (along the lines of a cozy) and have posted my review on the book page. http://www.librarything.com/work/1378911/reviews

Rating: 3.5 Stars

@48 lkernagh, it's also a book with no reviews. Would you consider posting your comments on the book page as well?

@48 - that's what I chose for my "X" book as well. I'm still a few letters away from reading it, so I'll be interested to hear your thoughts.

AHS-Wolfy, I hadn't noticed that the book did not have any posted reviews.... so yes, I will post a review (once I figure out what to write!) and report back here when the review is posted.

owlie13 - If you like easy to follow murder mysteries with a 'locate the missing item/artifact' theme along with the 'who dunnit' theme, then I think you will find this to be an enjoyable little adventure!

I have posted a review of The Xibalba Murders and added my comments to message #48 above. Summary: an enjoyable mystery romp.

The "C" Book: Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez-Reverte

Continuing my fun with adventure romps (and my quest for new series to read) I have decided to pick up Captain Alatriste, the first in a series that is set in 17th century Spain and focuses on the adventures of ex-soldier, now swordsman-for-hire Captain Diego Alatriste. Sounds like fun!

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
As a HUGE Alexandre Dumas fan - as well as anything involving honor, chivalry and swordplay of the period - I really enjoyed this story. So much so that I have already placed a hold at the library for the second book in the series!

Rating: 4 Stars

Thank you lkernagh. I had a choice for my N author read and the decision was made in favour of the one without a review just so that the book in question could get at least somebody's thoughts on it.

#53 I read Captain Alatriste last year after several false starts over the 2 or 3 years prior to that. Once I settled down to it, though, I thoroughly enjoyed it and went on to the next book which I loved any more. I hope you like it as much as I did.

Thanks Wolfy and sjmccreary - I have posted my comments on Captain Alatriste in message #53 above. Summary: Loved it!

The "R" Book: The Rose Variations by Marisha Chamberlain.

Diving back into the present day - or near present day of 1975 Minnesota - where 25 year old Rose MacGregor takes on a temporary professorship at a Midwestern college where she is the only woman in the music department. The story is described as a journey of self-discovery and the struggle to find the balance between career and love, security and independence.

I will post back here with my comments when I finish the book.
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My Comments on the book:
What can I say.... hummm... the story follows the main character, Rose MacGregor, while she experiences life post graduation and travels a road of self discovery. While some of the characters are interesting, overall my impression is that 341 pages of Rose's insecurities (blind naivety at times) and self centered focus probably could have been covered as a short novella. As Rose's character is that of a female composer, somewhat of a rare career path for women in the 1970-1980's, music lovers may have a stronger connection to the story than I did.

Rating: 2.5 Stars

Captain Alatriste looks like a lot of fun, going to have down a copy at my library.

Happy New Year!

clfisha - Captain Alatriste was a fun and interesting historical adventure romp!

I finished The Rose Variations and will post my comments regarding the book in message 57 above as soon as I finish typing this post. Summary: Not impressed.

I see that I have only 4 more books to go and I will be finished the challenge! I will keep working on this challenge but the next book I plan to read, Moonlight in Odessa, is for my 1010 Challenge which starts today.

Good luck everyone with your challenges!

The "N" Book: Naming Maya by Uma Krishnaswami

Naming Maya is a charming coming of age story about a 12 year old Indian American girl named Maya and her summer visit to Chennai, India with her mother to try and sell Maya's grandfather's house. Maya's parents had divorced the previous year and this trip to Chennai reconnects Maya with her extended family, neighbors of her grandfather and the eccentric Kamala Mami who for years has been connected to Maya's family. During this visit, Maya struggles to understand her parent's divorce. It is the relationships that Maya establishes with her cousin Sumati and Kamala Mami that help Maya piece together the puzzles Maya is trying to unlock.

This quick read captures the sights and sounds of a bustling Indian town, insight into Indian culture and values, and the joys and pains of being a young girl. A great afternoon read.

Rating: 4 stars

I have been rather wrapped up in my 1010 Challenge this year and 'thought' that I was totally neglecting this challenge until today when I suddenly realized that I have completed both the "D" and "T" books that were missing:

The "D" Book: Deloume Road by Matthew Hooton

I picked up this book last month for a couple of reasons: The premise was intriguing, I love debut novels, and the icing on the cake, the novel was set in my 'backyard' of Vancouver Island so I was also attracted to the locale flavor of the story.

I posted a review of the book, which I thought was quite good, on the book page here: http://www.librarything.com/work/9334182/reviews/57461529

Rating: 4.5 stars

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The "T" Book: There a Petal Silently Falls by Ch'oe Yun

I picked this book up as an interesting read for my 1010 Challenge. Loved it and posted a review on the book page here: http://www.librarything.com/work/5615301/reviews/56280082

Rating: 4.5 stars

I now have only one letter left to complete this challenge - the letter "Q". I am off to find a book to fill this last category.

Happy reading everyone!

You've done really well! Congrats!

#64 - It always comes down to one last book. I will make an effort to complete this one, because there is no way I am quitting with only the letter "Q" left to be finished!

Quitting at Q would be just wrong! ;-0

Q shouldn't be that difficult - I'm more impressed that you found an "X" one!! :)

Oh, I see you're doing it by title! It's probably eQually difficult to find a title with a Q as an author with a Q!

I really should get around to reading a Q book and finish the challenge ;-)

After procrastinating for over a year, I have FINALLY read my last book to complete my challenge:

The "Q" Book: Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot

Lizzie Nichols, recent college grad, vintage clothing collector/connoisseur and aspiring wedding gown specialist, has arrived in New York City fresh from a summer in France, and is on the hunt for an apartment, a job and a long-term commitment from her French prince, Luke. Yup, you read right.... an actual prince, which Lizzie blames as her own fault for believing in fairy tales. The story is a entertaining bit of fluff read as we follow Lizzie's adventures in employment, friendship and lessons in life.

This is actually book two in the Queen of Babble series. I haven't read book one and really don't think I missed anything by reading the series out of order. As an added bonus, the book is interspersed with pages from Lizzie Nichols's Wedding Gown Guide - informative hints and tips for choosing the correct wedding dress for your body shape along with survival tips to get to and make it through that big day.

A fun, witty story.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Woo hoo! You did it!!!

Congratulations!

>70 PaperbackPirate: and 71 - Thanks! I am thinking I might start another alphabet challenge for 2012 using author's last names. Starting the challenge is easy - it's the follow through to completion that can be difficult!

If I do decide to do another one, I will start a new thread.

I have a semi-admin thread running as well -- so if you decide to join again - stop by and say hi there :)

Congrats on completing another challenge Lori!