ashley21's 2009 book challenge

I'm afraid I won't read 50 for this year. My original goal is 35, but I'm going to try as many as possible.

Here is what I've read since the first of the year (in no specific order): {27 in all}

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
My Face to the Wind (Dear America series) by Jim Murphy
LOTR: The Fellowship of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
In the Woods by Tana French
LOTR: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
LOTR: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss
God is Dead by Ron Currie Jr.
Breakfast At Tiffany's by Truman Capote
1984 by George Orwell
The Royal Diaries: Nzingha, Warrior Queen of Matamba by Pat McKissack
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The End by Lemony Snicket
The Cider House Rules by John Irving
Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
The Island by Victoria Hislop
Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
Tribulation Force by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
Nicolae by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
The Reader by Bernard Schlink
Last of the Breed by Louis L'Amour

Hey Ashley! Looks like a good start to the challenge! How was Breakfast at Tiffany's? I read In Cold Blood by him and loved it and am interested in picking up another book by Capote.

Happy Reading!

Thanks!
Breakfast at Tiffany's was great! I loved that specific story anyway. The book has three other short stories that I really didn't care for. Overall it was awesome and a really quick read. How did you like In Cold Blood? I've never read it, but plan on doing so sometime.

I read In Cold Blood a few years ago and it stands out for me as a book that really made me think about the death penalty, good v. evil etc. Its very different to Breakfast at Tiffanys though that is a great book in its own right!

How did you enjoy the Cider House Rules? John Irving has been recommended to me by so many people but i have yet to pick up one of his novels........

Hi Ashely! Welcome and good luck with your challenge. It looks like you're nearly there! Happy reading :)

>4 Feefy: Bookbugg Just chiming in to say The Cider House Rules is fantastic. John Irving is a favourite of mine so I'm a bit biased, but even if that weren't the case, it is a very good book and it was my first Irving too!

Bookbug I have to agree with you on In Cold Blood. I thought Capote did a great job of honoring the family and presenting their story in a sophisticated way. And yet he was able to get you into the minds of the killers as well and present their story on how it all happened. It's a sad story but well-written and thought-provoking.

I thought The Cider House Rules was a good book. Not one of my favorites though. It was boring in some parts. John Irving is a great writer though. I did love The World According to Garp.
I would say, Bookbugg, you should read According to Garp first if it was your first Irving novel. That book is the reason I like Irving so much.

Ok I just ordered The World According to Garp and A Prayer for Owen Meany online, thanks for the advice, I'll let you know how I get on with them!

Jessuncw, I definitely agree with you re In Cold Blood, it was no mean feat to explore the minds of serial killers without disrespecting the victims, and yet Capote managed to do that.

I finally just finished The Shining. It was so hard to get into, but in the end it was really good. It felt like it took forever to read it.

28- The Shining by Stephen King

I plan on reading The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes next.

29-The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes
30-Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

31- The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
32- The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
33- Anthem by Ayn Rand
34- Soul Harvest by Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
35- Let Me Call You Sweetheart by Mary Higgins Clark
36- L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad

My new goal is 50!

Congrats on reaching the 35 goal! Looks like 50 will be easy for you! What did you think of Ayn Rand's Anthem. I've read part of The Fountainhead and really liked it but haven't finished it or picked up any other books of hers. And how about Lauren Conrad's book? I didn't even know she wrote one until I was in Target the other day and saw it. Is it really awful in a "I'm famous so I'm going to write a book" kind of way or is it decent? I actually really like her as a person but when I saw that book I wasn't sure what to think.

Anthem is a great book. I just wish it was longer. I hope to read more Ayn Rand soon. Atlas Shrugged is on my list for next year. I haven't read The Fountainhead, but I do plan on doing so sometime. Did you like what you read of it?
Lauren Conrad's book was good. It had a horrible ending though. I hope she makes a sequel to it, to make up for the bad ending. It reminded me a lot of Nicole Richie's book The Truth About Diamonds. They're similar. Really they're just about the trouble of being famous.
LC is a good writer though. The people sounded real and relate-able.

37- The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

38- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (REREAD)
39- Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
40- American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
41- V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
42- Brain Droppings by George Carlin
43- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (REREAD)
44- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (REREAD)
45- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (REREAD)
46- Wicked:The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire (REREAD)
47- Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire
48- The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs

Manga:
49- Tsubasa Volumes 1-3 by CLAMP
50- Tsubasa Volumes 4-6 by CLAMP
51- Tsubasa Volumes 7-9 by CLAMP
52- Tsubasa Volumes 10-12 by CLAMP
53- Tsubasa Volume 13 by CLAMP & Death Note Volumes 1 and 3 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
54- Absolute Boyfriend Volumes 1-3 by Yuu Watase
55- Absolute Boyfriend Volumes 4-6 by Yuu Watase
56- Negima! 1-3 by Ken Akamatsu
57- Chobits 1-3 by CLAMP

58- Negima! Volumes 4-6 by Ken Akamatsu
59- Chobits Volumes 4-6 by CLAMP
60- Chobits Volumes 7-8 by CLAMP and Negima! Volume 7 by by Ken Akamatsu