shootingstarr7's 75 in 2010

I failed miserably at reading 75 books in 2009, but 2010 is another year with a fresh start. More than anything, I want to do a better job of staying involved with the group, because I feel like I fell off the map in 2009.

Haha, you and me both. I just got to #69 today--so close, yet so far!

Good luck this coming year!

Welcome back!

Ditto what you said in #1. So far I've been keeping up to date with all the 2010 threads but I'm sure that's not going to be the case for very long. Good luck with your challenge next year!

Good luck with your reading then, but remember, it's all about the journey, not the destination.

Welcome back! 2010 is a new year, so everyone gets a clean slate.

Thanks everyone for the welcome wishes. I'm so excited to start fresh next year.

Happy New Year, Shauna! Glad you are going to be with us again and I second your resolution to be here more frequently, 'cause I've missed you!!

Good luck with your reading:) It will be fun to follow you the upcoming year!

Happy New Year! Remember to have lots of fun!

Got ya starred again.

1. Schooled by Anisha Lakhani

This was a light read, and the perfect way to start my reading for the new year because it was fast and easy. It's essentially a cross between The Nanny Diaries and Gossip Girl, and though the constant name-dropping of designer brands became grating, it wasn't a bad little bit of brain candy.

Does not sound like my cup of tea, but I am glad you liked it.

Honestly, it's not my usual fare. But things have been pretty stressful lately (lots of upheaval at home and work, including potential unemployment again), so I needed something that didn't really require me to think. For the most part, I prefer literary fiction, historical fiction, and classics. I only read chick lit when I'm emotionally drained.

I understand - I am a very emotional reader myself and I know there are times when I just cannot take anything heavy.

2. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Considering this book is just over 200 pages long, it took me forever (like, 2 months almost) to read it. Honestly, though, I think that's for the best. I read the book in 2 or 3 page increments for a long time, due in large part to the fact that I could only deal with Holden for short bits of time. Halfway through the book, I hated it, but decided to persevere. Now that I've finished it, I don't hate it anymore, but I'm not really sure how I feel about it.

#16: I have still not read that one and really do not feel the need to. I think I am too old for it now :)

>16 shootingstarr7:. I finally read that last year I think, and I felt pretty much the same way. I didn't hate it, but...it's just not my type of book. I think maybe it's one of those books I'd enjoy talking about in English class? Like if I could see and discuss all the metaphors and symbolism in it I'd enjoy it more.

oh, I flew through that one in a matter of days and really liked it, but I was in college and had friends to discuss it with, so, i read it in a different place. Hope you're next one is better!

17: It's possible I'm too old for it at the ripe old age of 25. With the space of a few weeks between me and the book, I still feel it was self-indulgent and not my type of book at all. I am glad I can at least say I tried and just didn't care for Salinger's style.

18: You could be right. I actually had a friend who read it for fun my sophomore year of high school, and when our English teacher saw her, she kind of jumped on her for reading a junior level book. So I expected we would read and discuss it the next year. But the next year came and went, and that same teacher failed to assign the book. So I left it til now, and I'm thinking I probably didn't get as much out of it as I would have discussing the book with friends or classmates.

19: I think someone to discuss the novel with could have made a major difference. Unfortunately, years of English classes failed to assign this book, and the lack of on-campus community at my school pretty much made it impossible for me to have someone to read it with. Ah well. I'm hoping to have better luck with the rest of my reading this year

3. The Betrayal of the Blood Lily by Lauren Willig

This is the sixth book in Willig's Pink Carnation series, and it did not disappoint. I admit I was pretty hesitant about it, because I was afraid the story was starting to stray too far from the characters and storyline that piqued my attention in the first place: Scarlet Pimpernel-like English spies in Napoleon-era Europe. And to an extent, my fears were well-founded: this story was set entirely in India, and the floral spies are an afterthought with a lead character who had previously been a background character in a few of the previous novels. So in terms of the overall series, I feel like Willig is starting to lose her focus.

However, the story itself is intriguing. I know precious little about India, and almost nothing about India in the early 1800s. So it was great to read something new and refreshing. Penelope, the heroine of this novel, is far more bold than many of her predecessors (and is a shocking change from Charlotte, the heroine of the previous novel), which makes for some interesting situations.

The second part of this series, the part that is grounded with 21st century researcher Eloise, who is studying the Pink Carnation, also continues to move along at a decent pace. Part of Willig's foray into India is explained by Eloise: it may not have anything to do with her thesis, but it is interesting to see the ideas all fleshed out.

Ultimately, it was an entertaining novel, and this series is one of the few romance series I read. But I think it's time to start bringing the historical fiction aspect back to the Pink Carnation and start tying some loose ends together. This is the Pink Carnation series, after all, and we've been away from the Carnation for far too long.

4. The Intrigue at Highbury by Carrie Bebris

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher. It's the fifth book in the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mystery series, and this time, Elizabeth and Darcy's adventures take them to Highbury, where they meet up with the characters of Emma. Once again, they are called upon to solve a mystery: who murdered Edgar Churchill, the adoptive father of Frank Churchill? And is the murder connected to the thieves who robbed the Darcy's carriage on the road to Highbury?

One of the things I really love about this series is how true to Jane Austen's characters Bebris stays. The major canon characters don't act in ways that would make her turn over in her grave; they are recognizable and lovable (or not, in the case of Mr. and Mrs. Elton, who are as odious and ridiculous as ever). It was nice to see Elizabeth and Darcy interacting with Emma and Knightley, who are a fair match for them in many ways.

I very much enjoyed this installment of the series, and though I know it will be quite some time before the sixth book comes out, I can't wait.

22: I had no clue of this series and am intrigued. I've been reading all of Jane Austen's books this year (just finished Emma in fact) and it might be fun to dive into these after I've finished them up.

I'm glad you've said that she stays true to Jane Austen's characters because I had a bad experience with another author's "take" on Elizabeth and Darcy. It was so horrible and oversexed that I had to put it down after just a few chapters.

23: Sorry, just saw this message (I've been off LT for weeks, and I don't know how that happened).

I was really wary of this series because I'd heard about "sequels" that had Elizabeth and Darcy in and out of bed, and I didn't want to read that at all. So I was quite pleasantly surprised when I read it. Bebris clearly loves and respects the stories and characters as Austen wrote them, and I appreciate that so much about her novels. I mean, she has her own style, as all good authors do, but it feels like spending a few hours with old friends when I am reading her novels. It's a lovely feeling.

5. Life as I Know It by Melanie Rose
6. Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell
7. The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini

I'm very far behind on my reading and reviewing for the year, but I wanted to at least update the list to give some indication of where I was at. I really enjoyed Life as I Know It and Pieces of Happily Ever After. Both were engaging and interesting. I didn't really care for The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy at all. It read like poorly written fan fiction, and I found myself not liking any of the characters. In some ways, it actually reminded me of the 1940 movie version of Pride and Prejudice where the characters reacted to Lizzy and Darcy in weird ways (for example, characters that, in Pride and Prejudice were vehemently opposed to a match between Lizzy and Darcy ended their parts of the story by saying "Oh, I was just testing you." Not at all true to the way Austen intended the characters),

#25: Hey, Shauna. Glad to see you checking back in. I am adding Life as I Know It and Pieces of Happily Ever After to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendations.

I will skip the fanfic. I just cannot get into all these writers who have decided Jane Austen's characters need to be revived. They were perfectly fine as they were :)

Stasia, usually I stay away from the fanfiction, too. But I was in a strange mood when I bought it and read it. I'm sorry for it now. The one good thing is that it didn't take me long to read at all, and so I don't feel like I wasted a lot of time on it. I like Carrie Bebris's series, because I feel like she at least respects Austen and the characters enough to keep them somewhat canonical, even though she is creating new stories for them. But other than that, I am swearing off all Austen sequels and re-imaginings for good.

I hope you enjoy the other two when you read them. I thought they both provided an interesting look at how the decisions we make affect our lives and the lives of those around us, and how people are only as happy as they allow themselves to be.

8. My Abandonment by Peter Rock

I bought this on a whim from Costco the other night, and read it yesterday during the 24-Hour Read-a-thon. It tells the story of a 13 year old girl named Caroline who lives in the woods with her father outside Portland. At first, I thought I had a good idea what the story was based on, but as the novel went on, I became less confident of my supposition. Turns out my gut instinct was right. I was vaguely uncomfortable as I read the story, and at the end of the novel, I still had some unanswered questions. But it was a quick, captivating read.

9. The Frog Prince by Jane Porter

This was another really fast read for the read-a-thon. It was light and fluffy, and there's really not much to say about it beyond that.

I've been looking at the books I've read so far this year, and I feel like I haven't read much of substance. There's nothing that I've looked at and said, "Wow, I'm really glad I read that. It was life-changing. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed several of the books, but nothing has really hooked me. And I wonder if that's what is at the root of my reading slump. So I am going to take a look at the books on my shelves, refocus, and hopefully find some books that will break this slump and get me back to reading regularly.

29: Ah, I know what you mean about getting into a reading slump. The nice thing about this group is that you are sort of writing a reading diary and can see where you want to go next. I hope your next read is a more enjoyable and life altering experience! :)

What Marie said!

10. The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

Apparently one dark book set in the woods wasn't enough; I needed to read a second in less than a week. I generally try not to compare books, but I think I read this and My Abandonment too close together, because in some ways they're becoming a bit confused in my head. Like My Abandonment, I had an uncomfortable feeling while I was reading the novel, but at least I didn't walk away with unanswered questions. I think, on the whole, I actually preferred this novel.

#31: I already have that one in the BlackHole. I hope my local library gets a copy in soon.

32> It was an impulse pick-up, but I'm really glad I grabbed it.

#34: I love it when those impulse pick ups work out. It is like finding buried treasure.