bookaholicgirl's 2010 challenge

I am trying again this year and feel that I am off to a great start!

1. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman - this is an ER book and I highly recommend it. It is an amazing book full of interesting, strong woman characters and is both heartwarming and funny. A great book!

Glad to see that your reading year has gotten off to such a good start!

Welcome back!

2. A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer - I cannot say that I enjoyed this book but I don't think you can use that word to describe the experience of reading this book. I know that it is part of a trilogy, but I would have personally liked to know what happened to the mom and the rest of the family. I would also like to know why only one child in the family was treated this way. I was particularly disturbed to read that this case was the THIRD WORST case of child abuse in the history of the state of California. What the heck happened to the other two kids???!!!!

At this time, I do not think that I will read the next two books - I just don't know if I can take it.

There are two other books about Dave Pelzer's youth, but he also has a fourth book titled A Man Named Dave where the reader can see that despite all the awful things that happened to him as a child, Dave finally becomes free from his past.

I recommend reading the next three books because you can see the journey that Dave had to go through to finally face his demons and not all of it is pretty. It will hopefully ease your feelings of discomfort. I know it helped me forget that sickened feeling I had after A Child Called It regarding how some people can get away with abusing their children. It gave me some hope that maybe people are more aware of what goes on in some families.

jayde - Thanks for the recommendations. I am not sure if I will read the rest of the books. I know that I will not deliberately seek them out but may pick them up if I stumble upon them.

3. Eyes at the Window by Evie Yoder Miller - I really enjoyed this book which describes how the murder of an 8 month old baby effects the lives of various members of an Amish community. The book is set in the early to mid 1800s. Very good.

#7: I will look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation.

I second jayde's recommendation to finish the Pelzer books. His story is harsh, but the journey created the man.

4. The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim - a beautifully written and moving book. I really enjoyed this even though I didn't feel that the ending completed tied everything together. Highly recommend.

#10: I have that one in the BlackHole already. Glad to see that you enjoyed it!

#11 - I hope you read it soon! I would love to hear what you think of it.

5. Shelf Discovery by Lizzie Skurnick - a very entertaining book. A collection of essays about books the author (and a few other contributors) read as a teenage girl and continue to read today. I was not familiar with all of the books but did recognize many of them. This book could have used an editor though as there were many typos and misnamed characters. I am sure there were more mistakes than I picked up since there were books that I had not read and would not know if there was an error in those particular essays. I would recommend this to anyone who was a teenage girl in the 1970s to early 1980s.

#12: I just need my local library to get a copy :)

#13: That one looks good, too. I think I will see if I can find it.

Shelf Discovery sounds fun.

#14 - My library just got it as well and I was lucky enough to find it on the "new arrivals" shelf. Hopefully, your library will get a copy soon.

#15 - Shelf Discovery was a fun, easy read and I really enjoyed remembering so many of the books that I had read as a pre-teen/teenager.

6. The Pecan Orchard by Peggy Vonsherie Allen - memoir of the author's childhood and family history as poor sharecroppers in Alabama - very good

7. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy - this book was extremely violent but I do recommend it. Cormac McCarthy's writing style is very difficult to read but I still read this in only 1 day. Very good.

8. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay - story of a 10 year old girl who was taken with her parents during the French roundup of Jews and Julia Jarmond who is investigating the story 60 years later - wonderful!!!

Touchstones are not working right now. I will have to try to fix them next time I post.

eta: (2/14) fixed touchstones, hope they continue to work

#19: I have had that one in the BlackHole for a long while now. I hope my local library gets it soon.

#20 - I hope they get it soon as well. It is truly a wonderful book. I would love to hear your opinion of it once you have read it.

9. Halloween Party by Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot murder mystery - good

10. Still Alice by Lisa Genova - OMG!!! You have to read this book! It is absolutely fabulous and one of the most heart-wrenching books that I have ever read. I sobbed through a lot of this book except when I was reading it in public - and that was very difficult! One of the best books that I have ever read. This book will definitely make my Top 5 of the year.

I put Still Alice on my amazon.com wishlist. I don't want to cry bucketloads, but I don't want to miss out on a great read either!

I am an emotional weenie so perhaps you will not cry as much as I did! I look forward to hearing your opinion of it.

I already have Still Alice in the BlackHole. I guess I better get to it soon!

Stasia - I would definitely move it up towards daylight!

I put it on hold at the local library so hopefully I can get my hands on it shortly.

11. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - very good. I was very familiar with this story as I have seen the movie many times and the movie is very close to the book.

12. Nocturnes

13. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

(touchstones not working)

I keep saying I am going to get to Finger Lickin' Fifteen and I keep not doing it. One of these day . . .

Stasia - Finger Lickin' Fifteen is by no means a work of literary greatness but it is a nice mind clearer when you have been reading heavier fiction. I also do not think it had quite the "ooomph" of some of the earlier books but I still enjoyed it.

I had heard that it was a bit of return to the form of the earlier books which is why I want to track down a copy. Well, that and Grandma Mazur (whom I am growing up to be!)

Stasia - Even though Gradma Mazur was in the book quite a lot, I felt that her scenes were overshadowed by Lula. I missed her usual antics.

Well, I like Lula too, so I guess it is OK.

Stasia - I like her too but would have liked a bit more of Grandma. I think I want to grow up to be Grandma as well!

Ha! I am older than you, so I get to be Grandma first. lol

You can give me some tips when it is my turn!

Shouldn't you be getting to bed to get some sleep:).

I will be happy to pass Grandma's wisdom (and her .357 on!)

I will get some sleep about 2:30 or so this afternoon.

14. The Brothers K by David James Duncan - an excellent book that I absolutely loved!

#40: I have had that one in the BlackHole for a while now. I hope my local library gets a copy in soon.

Stasia - Does your library system have interlibrary loan? This book was published in 1992 so it may not be a book that a library would seek out.

#42: Yes, it does have ILL - but I found it available on PBS, so I am going to get it through that source.

I actually wish I had bought the book instead of getting it from the library. It is very, very good!

15. My Life at Grey Gardens by Lois Wright - a memoir of the author's time spent at Grey Gardens after the documentary was shot. This book was bizarre. I don't know who published it but they obviously do not employ an editor. There are mistakes on nearly every page! The woman who wrote the book is obviously mentally ill but no explanations are ever given as to why she chose to stay with the Beales or why she left. I have not seen the documentary so perhaps that offers some insight. If you have seen the documentary or know about the history of the Beales, I think you would find this book interesting. It is not a very long book and I read it in one day.

#45: I think I will skip that one - I know nothing about the Beales, have never seen the documentary, and the editing errors would drive me nuts.

Stasia - There were many times that I really thought about tossing the book aside because of the errors. It was kind of like a train wreck though in that I felt myself compelled to read on even though I didn't really want to do so!

The Beales were related to Jacqueline Kennedy and were mother/daughter recluses. I have heard that the documentary is quite interesting. There was also an HBO movie out last year or so starring Drew Barrymore which was about their lives.

#47: I may look for the documentary - but I am staying away from the book :)

I saw the documentary on Netflix and found it absolutely fascinating, but that was enough--not interested in the book or the recent movie. Given some of the other books you've read (A Child Called It, Still Alice) this year, I'm betting that you'll be fascinated by the documentary too.

P.S. Still Alice was one of my favorites last year too.

bonniebooks - I have the documentary in my Netflix queue and will be getting it as soon as I watch the movie that I currently have. I am not sure if I will watch the HBO one or not.

So far, I think Still Alice is the best book I have read this year and I have read a lot of good books this year.

16. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery - what a beautiful book! I loved this!

#51: I loved it too! Glad to see it has found another fan.

Stasia - It was slow getting into but the last half was amazing! Thanks for being one of the ones who recommended it!

#53: No problem! I think it is safe to say that without LT, I never would have found it.

17. Beowulf on the Beach by Jack Murnighan - very good analysis of 50 classics and their authors

18. Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson - YA selection about a boy entering his senior year in high school after being arrested for vandalizing the school - very good

(touchstones not working for the Laurie Halse Anderson book)

#55: Beowulf on the Beach seems to have a bunch of mixed reviews. I will have to check it out just to see which way I fall.

Stasia - I wouldn't say it was the most fascinating thing that I have ever read but I did find it interesting.

Unfortunately my local library does not have it, so I cannot vote.

Stasia - While I found it interesting, I think that I would recommend getting it from the library over purchasing it. If someone was interested in using it as a guide to read some of the books mentioned, it may be worth purchasing but even then, maybe not.

No, I was not going to run out and buy it. The book did not strike me as one I want to own - just one it might be fun to read.

19. Moral Disorder by Margaret Atwood - a collection of connected short stories - good but not my favorite of hers

20. Paper Towns by John Green - very good YA story. Highly recommend.

#62: I just finished that one this past week. Have you read any of Green's other books? I actually liked Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines a bit better than Paper Towns, so if you have not read them already, you might want to give them a try.

Stasia - I did read both Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines and really enjoyed them. I think I may have preferred Looking for Alaska the most but thought all 3 were very good. I just passed Paper Towns along to my 9th grader who is devouring it!!!

#64: Good for your 9th grader!

21. Nancy Drew and Her Sister Sleuths - a collection of essays on girl detectives in fiction - very interesting

#66: I will have to look for that one. I read Girl sleuth : Nancy Drew and the women who created her last year and liked it, so I may as well read more about girl detectives. Thanks for the recommendation.

Stasia - When I picked up Nancy Drew and Her Sister Sleuths, I actually thought it was the book you mention in your post. I had heard of a Nancy Drew non-fiction book and figured that was the only one. Well, I was wrong and am still on the lookout for the one mentioned in your post. I hope to find it soon.

Good luck with the hunt!

22. In the Woods by Tana French - very suspenseful, psychological thriller - excellent

#70: French now has a follow up book to that one if you are interested - The Likeness.

OOOOHHHH - I am definitely adding that to the list! Thanks!

#72: No problem. Enjoy!

I just told arubabookwoman (in real life we meet up about once a month for lunch and book talk) that I wasn't interested in reading In the Woods, then half an hour later--after she had left the store--I sheepishly bought a used-copy that I saw on my way to the check-out counter.

bonniebooks - I hope you like it!

23. Wild Romance by Chloe Schama - ER book - wasn't for me at all

24. Horns by Joe Hill - very creepy, enjoyed it immensely

#76: I just finished Wild Romance today too. It was not for me either.

I felt really guilty while I was reading it, Stasia, because I disliked it so much. I did my review though and checked the rest of them afterwards. It appears that most readers felt as we do about the book. That really didn't make me feel much better.

#78: The shame about it is I know she spent a lot of time doing her research. I just wish the book had been better.

#79 - I agree with you. The pictures also seemed odd to me as a lot of them seemed to be pencil drawings and some of them seemed to have absolutely nothing to do with the text.

#80: They just seemed to have been put in because they were pictures of 'old' times and places, didn't you think? And the one picture of Yelverton was not even a very good one, so why bother?

Stasia - I thought the same thing. I also wondered if the hardcover will at least have pictures that are big enough to be seen.

#82: The book I got was the hardcover edition. Nowhere did it say it was the ARC, so I assumed that it was the final edition. If so, the pictures were not all that large.

Stasia - Oh, dear. My book was an ARC and was paperback. The pictures were teeny, tiny little things that couldn't even be seen. Since I had not purchased the book, it was not as big a deal to me but I think that people who will actually purchase the hardcover will be more than a little annoyed at the quality of the pictures.

#84: I do not remember there being a full-page picture in the book I received or a half-page one, for that matter. I agree with you - I think people purchasing the hardcover are going to be very disappointed.

25. Animal Farm by George Orwell - I had read this before years ago but found it no less disturbing and alarming today than I did then.

26. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - YA - after Hannah Baker commits suicide, Clay Jensen receives a set of tapes made by the dead girl. On the tapes, she gives the reasons why she is going to kill herself. Very good and highly recommended.

#86: I read Animal Farm not too long ago and was surprised - given when it was written - at how pertinent it still is today.

I have Thirteen Reasons Why around my house waiting for me to get to it. Some day soon, I will.

#87 - Given how quickly you read, I think that you should be able to get through Thirteen Reasons Why in a matter of hours. I started and finished it yesterday.

#88: I think in the case of that particular book it is going to take the right mind set for me.

Stasia - It definitely does. We have some serious issues going on around here right now and I was not sure if I would make it through the book. The subject matter is handled very well though and it did not contribute to my anxiety levels at all.

27. What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell - a very good book set after WWII. Evie's stepfather comes home from the war with the secret that will change everything. This book has a definite film noir feel to it and is very well-written. A YA book (although I included it in my "Award Winner" category for my 1010 Challenge because it is a National Book Award Winner).

#91: I already have that one in the BlackHole. I will probably get to it some time this fall. Glad to see that you liked it.

Stasia - At least you make progress on your black hole! Lately, it just seems that I add to it and never take away because I just stumble upon other books in the library and take them. I hope the issue with your debit card is all cleared up now.

You've been reading some great books lately. I also loved Thirteen Reasons Why and What I saw and how I lied. In the Woods is on my tbr pile and I have already noted Joe Hill's Horns and your comment - very creepy does entice me to get onto it soon.

Have you read anything by Melina Marchetta? I only mention her because you seem to enjoy similar YA books. I loved her Saving Francesca and just finished the sequel which is set 5 years later, all her books have been great reads for me.

edit: fix link

#93: I am not sure I ever make progress with the BlackHole. For every one I read, about 3 more go into it!

The issue with the debit card seems to be resolved now, thankfully.

avatiakh - Thanks for the recommendation! I have added her to my list to check out.

28. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safar Foer - a wonderful book about a young boy who lost his father on 9/11. My library had this book in its YA section but I felt it had more of an adult leaning to it. Another LTer mentioned on the "What Are You Reading This Week" thread, that their libary had it in the adult section and they thought it was more of a YA book so go figure. I guess it all depends on your personal preference. I do recommend this book either way.

(touchstones won't load for some reasons even though they just did on the WAYRTW thread about 2 minutes ago)

#97 - I loved that one too - as far as I'm aware it has always been marketed as an adult book.

#97: I have that one home from the library now. I hope I enjoy it as much as you did!

Safran Foer's book is my favorite novel so far this year.

avatiakh - I thought it seemed more adult as well. I hope that they have a copy in the adult section because I know that some adults do not look in the YA section for books.

Stasia - I can't wait to hear what you think of the book.

bonniebooks - This book was definitely a favorite but I have read so many wonderful books this year that I wouldn't say it is my absolute favorite. It is definitely up there though.

29. the map of true places by Brunonia Barry - very good 2nd book by this author - much better than The Lace Reader - story of Zee Finch who goes home to take care of her ailing father after a patient of hers commits suicide

#102: I already have that one in the BlackHole. Glad you enjoyed it!

Stasia - We apparently have VERY similar taste in books!

Scary, isn't it?

30. Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You by Peter Cameron - YA book. I am not sure if I liked this book or not. As I was reading it, I thought the story was good but I really feel that the ending fell flat. And ANYTIME a blurb on the back compares a book to The Catcher in the Rye I am suspicious. I guess I would say that I guardedly recommend this one.

#105 - Yes, yes it is:).

That's the second time in as many days that I've heard negative comments about Lace Reader. It may go back to the library unread and unmissed.

bonnie - I didn't mean to imply that The Lace Reader was a bad book or that I didn't enjoy it. I actually liked it but felt that it could have been better. In her new book, I really feel like the author has fixed all that was wrong with the first. I would recommend that you try The Lace Reader for yourself.

I actually just read The Lace Reader yesterday and enjoyed it, though at the end, I went, "Huh? What did I miss?" and had to go back and reread parts of it again. It was interesting to reread parts and hear an entirely different voice with that added knowledge. Some of the places that didn't quite make sense to me before, now made sense (e.g., the boathouse) but others no longer quite worked for me anymore. It's great to be tricked, but a reader has got to be able to go back and fit the puzzle together at the end and I don't think she quite managed that.

bonnie - I am glad that you decided to read it. I read the book over a year ago so can't remember it too clearly (unfortunately my memory pretty much replaces whatever books I have read in the past with whatever I am reading now), but I do remember feeling somewhat unsatisifed at the end. I think she did a much better job with this newest book.

31. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson - interesting story of the life of a young slave in early America - I found the style a bit odd and difficult to read in parts but I did wind up enjoying this enough to want to read the second part.

32. Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James - an Early Reviewer book - while I found the premise of this book very interesting, and did read it very quickly because it kept my attention, in the end, I cannot say that I liked this book nor can I really recommend it. Part of the problem, for me, was that while the outside of this book looked like a book ready to be sent to the printer for hard copy, the inside was an absolute mess. There were so many typos and editing mistakes that it drove me to distraction. Perhaps this book would be better with more editing.

33. Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood - another winner from Margaret Atwood. Each book that I have read by this author has been completely different and I have loved them all. Highly recommend.

I have not yet read Cat's Eye by Atwood. I will have to look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation!

Stasia - I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks! Me too. Atwood is another one of my LT discoveries.

34. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - loved it and can't believe it has taken me this long to finally get around to reading such a wonderful classic.

#116: The nice thing about books is that they patiently wait until the time is right for us to get to them!

35. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan - a great book that gives the history of the Dust Bowl era - non-fiction (mine)

36. One Mississippi by Mark Childress - good but not great. This book seemed to kind of lose it for me somewhere in the middle and especially at the end.

#118: I agree with you about The Worst Hard Time - I thought it was a terrific book too.

Too bad about One Mississippi. I hope you enjoy your next read more!

Thanks, Stasia! I am currently reading The Law of Similars by Chris Bohjalian. Unfortunately, while I like it, again I am not loving it. Hopefully, it will pick up soon.

#120: Here's hoping!

37. The Law of Similars by Chris Bohjalian - unfortunately, I did not really enjoy this one. The sex scenes were, to me, uncalled for in this story and really seemed to be thrown in there because the author thought that's what women would want to read. Yuck! This could have been a very good book because it has an interesting premise - a homeopath is accused of causing the death of a patient - but the author completely went the wrong way with this one.

38. this must be the place by Kate Racculia - an ER book - an excellent story of a man who sets off to discover the story of his wife's past after she dies - I loved this book!

Congratulations on making it to the halfway point of the challenge!

I am adding the Racculia book to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation!

Stasia - You are welcome. If you would like, I can mail you my copy since I am finished with it. Let me know if you would like it.

39. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood - a completely believable story of the only man to survive the outbreak of a plague that wipes out humankind. Frightening and disturbing but wonderful.

#39: I loved that one when I read it last year. The first Atwood I had ever read :)

ETA: If you have not read The Year of the Flood yet, I would recommend it as well. It is a follow up to Oryx and Crake.

Stasia - I do have The Year of the Flood. My MIL gave me both books for Christmas this past year. I have it on the TBR pile and should get to it by the end of the summer or beginning of the fall. While I loved Oryx and Crake, I did find it depressing and way too realistic so thought I would take a break in between because I just didn't think I could take it!

#127: I did not read them back-to-back either. I do not even think that The Year of the Flood was out yet when I read Oryx and Crake. I cannot blame you for not reading the consecutively.

40. The Strange Case of the Composer and His Judge by Patricia Duncker - an ER book. I do not recommend this book.

I'm about 1/4 of the way through it and am leaning to not recommending it. I liked your review - it summing up how I feel about the book too. The thing that's most distracting for me is the odd bits of French thrown in - I understand in that region, German and French are both spoken, so I *think* the English bits are when the characters are speaking German and the French bits are when they're speaking French. Except when both sides of the dialogue are speaking French. Except sometimes I'm not sure whether the author is just throwing the French in for color, which really creates some dissonance.

Anyway, it's an interesting idea that I suspect won't hold up very well in implementation.

drneutron - I just felt that the French was thrown in there to say "Look, I know French". There is a way to get across the message that someone is speaking another language without throwing it in there just for show. For the first part of the book, I honestly thought that I was reading a book that had originally been written in French and then had a horrible translator put it in English. Once I read the author's bio, though, I realized I was wrong and the book was just annoying. I hope you end up liking it more than I did.

>131 bookaholicgirl:: had originally been written in French and then had a horrible translator put it in English. Once I read the author's bio, though, I realized I was wrong and the book was just annoying

LOL! What a great line.

42. Amsterdam by Ian McEwan - While I enjoyed this book, I can't really say that I loved it. None of the characters was the least bit likable and I sometimes found the writing style to be a bit on the awkward side. It was short, though, so didn't take much time to read!

edited because I can't count (as will the next few entries)

#133: It was short, though, so didn't take much time to read!

Well, at least it had something going for it, Denise!

I'll have to try Oryx and Crake. I've read so many of her books, I should read all of them. Plus, it helps that this one is so highly recommended, and I do like her work. I'm just not that fond of post-apocalyptic novels though.

Stasia - That wasn't all it had going for it although on some pages, it really did seem that way. The only other McEwan I have read is Atonement and I still can't decide if I like him or not.

bonnie - I do not usually like this type of book either but I really did enjoy this one. I did find it incredibly creepy and extremely plausible which disturbs me still.

#136: I have not read Atonement, and have no plans to, but I have read a couple of his that I really liked, most notably Saturday. You might give that one a shot. It could be that McEwan is just not an author for you.

Stasia - You may be right. I will have to check out Saturday and see if it is more my cup of tea.

I hope you like it!

43. The Best Short Stories 1989 - some were ok, some were good and a few were excellent.

(edited because apparently I REALLY like the number 41 for some reason as the last THREE books have all been marked "41" for some stupid reason)

#140: I read The Best Short Stories of the Century last year and it was a mixed bag, too. Only to be expected, I guess.

Stasia -I have that one as well. I think I will read a bit at a time though since it is so big.

#142: It took me a good 6 months to get through it. I kept having to recheck it out of the library :)

Hi! I'm catching up with 75-booker threads, and I came to yours. So many good books! I've added Still Alice and Beowulf on the Beach to my TBR list. Thanks for the recommendations!

Karen O.

Stasia - I bought a copy with a gift card since I knew I would never be able to finish it if I took it out of the library.

Karen - Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the books!

44. Gardens of Water by Alan Drew - story of two families - one Muslim and one American - drawn together after a devastating earthquake in Turkey - excellent book even though I wanted to smack the main character because of his beliefs about women. This was an ER book a few years ago that someone passed on to me.

45. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski - excellent although I was saddened by the ending. Even though this was an Oprah book, I recommend it. This book also happens to be mine. I have really been on a roll going through the TBR mountain.

#146: I have really been on a roll going through the TBR mountain.

Congrats on being able to do that!

46. Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny - my latest ER gift. A very well written mystery set in both Quebec City and a village called Three Pines. Even though I have never read the other books in this series, I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to reading the rest.

#148: Denise, you will want to start the series at the beginning. Normally with mystery series it is not that important, but with this series it most definitely recommended.

Stasia - Thanks! I will definitely start at the beginning. Sorry I haven't posted on your thread in ages! I am severely limiting my computer time and just don't have time to do much in the short timeframe I allow myself. Take care.

47. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - yes, I am probably the last person in the universe to read this. While I did enjoy the story, the book was very dark and hard to take sometimes. I do not know if I could handle seeing the movie so I may just skip it.

#150: No worries, Denise. I understand how RL interferes with the best laid plans.

#151: If you have not read A Thousand Splendid Suns either, I highly recommend it too. I actually preferred it to The Kite Runner.

Stasia - My MIL said that same thing about A Thousand Splendid Suns today while we were at lunch. I am definitely going to check that one out.

I second what Stasia said - I liked A Thousand Splendid Suns better than The Kite Runner as well.

#153: I look forward to seeing what you think of it!

Stasia - It will most likely be a very LONG time before I get to it - I currently have about 20 books waiting in the wings as well as about 300 or so in various places around the house as well as the THOUSANDS of books at the library that seem to call my name every so often!

#156: For some (unknown) reason, I completely understand that problem!

48. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford - wonderful story of two children - one Chinese and one Japanese - who are friends during WWII as well as the story of the Chinese boy when he is an adult. I loved this book!

#158: Sounds as if you liked that one more than I did, but I still enjoyed the read. Glad you did too!

49. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next two in the series.

#160: I loved that one! I am glad you enjoyed it too, Denise.

Stasia - Thanks! Have you read the other two? If so, what did you think?

#162: I have not yet read the other two. I have had Catching Fire since it came out, but when I heard that it ended on a cliffhanger I decided to wait until Mockingjay was out. I own it now too, but I am waiting for Carolyn as we are going to read the books together.

Stasia - I would probably have done the same thing. My son had to read Hunger Games for school and really loved it as well. I will probably get him the next two for his birthday or Christmas.

I am glad your son enjoyed the books too. If you get him the other two, you can sneak in reading them first, right? I mean, you would not want to get him something that was inappropriate for him to read at his age, so you would have to check them out :)

Stasia - I wish I could read them first. Unfortunately, he is almost 16 and there really is not much that I could claim was inappropriate for him especially in these books. I may be able to sneak reading them while he is at school as long as he doesn't take them with him!

#166: Well, if you are getting the books for him for Christmas, just order them early enough that you have time to sneak a read in before he gets them! lol

#167 - OOOHHH! Good idea - I'll just have to make sure I don't bend the spines or anything.

#168: I am sure you can read them without damaging the spines!

50. Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison - I cannot imagine what type of childhood the author had to be able to write a book such as this. While I enjoyed it, it was extremely difficult to read and I actually skimmed the climax scene at the end of the book because I just could not bear to read it.

51. A Call from Jersey by P.F. Kluge - my ER book for August. I can sum this one up in one word - meh. Didn't care for it at all and definitely won't be looking into any other works by this author. Oh well, they can't all be great!

#171: Oh well, they can't all be great!

Don't we wish they were! Better luck with the next one.

Stasia - So far, so good. I am reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and am really enjoying it!

52. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt - very good!

#174: That is a good one. Glad you are back on track with a good read!

53. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson - like many others on LT, I really enjoyed this book and will most likely read the other two.

#176: I am glad you liked that one, Denise!

54. I FINALLY finished Under the Dome by Stephen King - some good storytelling and an interesting premise but way too violent and a very unsatisfying ending.

#178: Not my cuppa at all. I think I will give that one a pass.

ETA: Congratulations on finishing it! I know that is a long one.

Stasia - There were parts of it that were so good and then, yuck, here comes that nastiness again. It did take forever to read too but that was partly because life kept getting in the way. I hope the next few go quicker.

For your sake, I hope the next few go quicker too!

55. Lord of the Flies by William Golding - my 10th grader read this in school and asked me to re-read it so we could talk about it and watch the movie together. I remember enjoying it the first time I read it and liked it again this time. I did come at it from a completely different perspective this time though and the thought of all of those kids on an island without any grown-ups to take care of them, especially the littl'ns really got to me.

#182: I hate to think how long it has been since I read that one. I probably should give it a re-read some time!

Stasia - I definitely recommend a re-read especially if you read it either as a teenager or young adult - you will certainly read it from a different angle and have a completely different perspective on it.

56. The Reckoning by Howard Owen - this was my ER book for October. I have never heard of this author but, after reading this selection, I will definitely be searching out more of his books. Very good.

(Touchstones will not load and, since I do not have all day to wait, I will have to try and come back later and fix them.)

#184: The Reckoning looks good. I will have to look for that one when it is officially out. Thanks for the recommendation, Denise!

Stasia - If you want, I can mail you my copy. I won't read it again and was only going to put it in the Goodwill box the next time I go.

#186: I would love to have it if you are so inclined, Denise. Thanks!

I will mail it out as soon as I get a chance. I will let you know when I do. I have been very scatterbrained lately so please nudge me if I haven't gotten back to you by the end of next week.

No problem!

57. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood - sequel to Oryx and Crake - good but very confusing (to me) as it really jumped around a lot and I had a hard time remembering sometimes if the time in the book was before the previous book or not. Very good though. Also, the ending implied to me that there will be at least one other book.

#190: I actually prefer Oryx and Crake to The Year of the Flood but am in the minority on that.

Stasia - Well, unfortunately, my brain is a sieve and, as soon as I finish a book, all information relating to said book pretty much drains out of my head. I think I may have preferred Oryx and Crake just a tad bit more than The Year of the Flood so I guess I am joining you in the minority.

I will try to get your book in the mail this week but I might not make it to the post office until next week. I didn't forget about you!

No worries, Denise. I need to get the other book back to you yet. I have not forgotten about it either and it looks as though the local library finally has it in, so I will send it your direction as soon as I am back from Joplin.

58. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris - ok but not great. The first half was definitely better than the second.

59. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane - OMG!!! I loved this book. It was creepy without being overly so, extremely well-written and a great story. I can't write too much without giving away key parts of the book so I have to stop here. I am definitely going to read more by this author.

#195: I still need to get to that one! I have enjoyed several of Lehane's books, but somehow I can never remember to read Shutter Island.

Stasia - You definitely need to read it. The ending is positively jaw-dropping!

I sent your book in the mail yesterday, finally! Hopefully, it will get to you quickly.

I will definitely have to locate my copy then.

Thanks for sending the book my way!

I wonder if the book is better than the film? I felt cheated by the ending of Shutter Island in the film... as if I'd just wasted several hours of my life that I was never going to get back...

#199 - I haven't seen the film yet but plan to watch it. My husband saw it on a flight to Germany and said the same thing you did. He loved the beginning but thought it completely fell apart at the end. If that is the case, it is totally different from the book. The beginning of the book is good but the end is amazing! Sounds as if they may have changed the ending in the movie. I have to go and see if it is available for Wii streaming so I can watch it soon!

60. The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne - I can sum up my opinion of this book in one word - blech! Unfortunately, it may be my inability to put down klunkers like this that will ultimately be the reason I do not reach 75 this year.

#201: I have not yet read that one by Hawthorne, although I love his A Scarlet Letter.

Are you joining us in the 2011 group, Denise? It is up and running: http://www.librarything.com/groups/75booksin20111

Stasia - I am joining in 2011 even though I have never read 75 books. Perhaps 2011 will be my year!

Good! I am so glad.

61. Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop by Otto Penzler - collection of short stories - very good

62. Ape House by Sara Gruen - excellent

63. Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane - newest selection by Lehane - very good but I didn't like it quite as much as I liked Shutter Island

Since it is the 30th and I am just starting a new book tonight, I do not think that I will finish any more books this year. Sixty-three in one year isn't seventy-five but I am happy with it anyway especially since I took most of the month of October to read Under the Dome. Without that book, I probably would have gotten to sixty-five or sixty-six. Maybe next year I will make seventy-five!

#206: Maybe next year I will make seventy-five!

I hope you do, Denise!

Stasia - Thanks! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you too!