101 Books to Read Before You Die discussion

"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Although I suspect that Green may have captured important insights about the complex emotional issues of his adolescent characters dealing with cancer, I did not find his portrayal of the adolescents or their families to be remotely realistic.

Bringing the Psalms to Life by David Polish

This spiritual introduction to the Psalms was too superficial for my interest.

Finished - 3 Stars!

Geeky geneticist creates a questionnarie based on scientific approach to meet a future wife... Fun and quirky

My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Also Finished - 2 Stars.

We are reunited with Andy Sachs- 10 years after her memorable exit from Paris, didn't really care for this- I would say worth skipping...

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Fixer by Bernard Malamud

Malamud makes the reader feel the desperation, the agony, the growing hopelessness and emerging rage of this Jew falsely accused of murder in a virulently anti-Semitic Kiev around 1915. This is a brilliantly written novel, deserving of the Pulitzer, although the subject makes it a very unpleasant read.

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Everything changes for Estha and Rahel, 7 year old twins, and their family, everything stays the same for this rural Indian family and their society when Sophie, their London born cousin drowns. This story of love and jealousy, taboos and social expectations, of secrets and the unspoken common knowledge is written with brilliant, creative skill and a riveting unfolding story line. The characters, their fears and dreams, their desperation and wounds were as real as my own heart. I did not want this book to end.

Finished -- 4 Stars!!

Ballerinas, Barres, and Broken characters... After pondering this all day, I really connected to this book. More serious than one would think, and not a "feel good" book- beautiful writing and deeply drawn serious characters leaves me satisfied.

My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

That's interesting, Britany: the cover alone would normally make me shy away from it, but you do a good sale :) I may have to check it out after all...

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Paper doll characters cut from a generic fairy tale are slid across a contemporary landscape in this predictable novel of good-as-gold orphans, selfish foster mothers, spineless foster fathers and even Prince charmings. After nearly a decade in the foster care system, 17 year old Molly meets 91 year old Vivian who entered the foster care system in 1929 when train loads of orphans were transported from large east coast cities too serve as indentured servants for mid-Western farming families. Both find hope and new vitality in their budding friendship. Unfortunately, the reader rarely sees the two women interacting; their stories are narrated to the reader in unconnected threads. So, when the alteration is revealed, it is as incredible and magical as Cinderella’s coach and stallions appearing from pumpkin and white mice. I understand why this book is popular; it is very sweet. And, although I enjoy the marshmallow peep as much as the next person, I can’t handle page after page of flavorless sweetness.

The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic by Matthew Kelly

This has the feel of a self-help book written in the voice of a motivational speaker. Since I generally do not enjoy self-help books and motivational speakers, I did not really enjoy this book. Kelly’s premise is that commitment to daily personal prayer and on-going learning about the Catholic faith, generous sharing of one’s resources and joyful sharing of one’s faith will lead to a happier, healthier, more prosperous and meaningful life. Although I do not disagree that these can be valuable spiritual tools for a committed Catholic, I found this book to be extremely elementary and annoyingly repetitive.

Finished -- 3 Stars!

Unique characters, 3 different times in Tooly's life lead us on a journey of her complex life.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

I really wanted to love this book. It came recommended by a reader I respect. I loved The Secret History by Tartt. This won the Pulitzer after all. But this book felt like swimming through molasses. I believe it takes greater skill to carefully select a handful of perfectly placed details which convey a sense of the characters or setting, to offer two or three precisely chosen scenarios to draw the reader in, enable the reader to know the motivations and heart of the characters than to provide dozens and dozens of creatively described details, endless strings of cleverly written scenes in the hope that the reader will find a way in through one of these portals. In The Goldfinch we have the later. Fourteen years before the writing of the novel, the narrator’s mother died in a bomb explosion in a New York art museum, a blast from which he walked away virtually unscathed physically. The only child of separated parents, no extended family to call on, Theo’s life is completely disrupted. As he moves from the NY apartment of the wealthy, but dysfunctional family of his childhood friend, to the Los Vegas home of his alcoholic and largely absent father to the cozy, accepting N.Y. home of an antiques dealer who he hardly knows, we watch Theo devolve from sweet, studious honor student to alcoholic drug addict to swindler. The only constant in his life is a painting of a goldfinch which he took from the bombed out museum and the constant anxiety of possessing stolen art work of immense value. Between endless rounds of drugs and drink, of running from authorities, we are treated to sophomoric philosophical musings on the meaning of life, beauty, love and so on by various characters. I found many of the plot points unbelievable. With so many fans and critical acclaim, this must be an excellent book. I fear that the failure to love this book must be some short coming on my part.

Irene, I'm getting ready to start that one and am hestitant on how I'm going to feel about it... :/

Finished - 4 Stars!!

This was my second time reading this book, and I fell in love all over again... JoJo Moyes is one of my new favorite authors! Genius :)

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished -- 4 Stars!!

Strong characters, lost moments, a sister who committed suicide 20 years ago... Add in suspense, secrets, and a death, and you've got a book that will be hard to put down.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Irene wrote: "The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

I really wanted to love this book."

I cannot tell you the number of times I've had that same sentiment about a book! It's so highly touted, people love it (or claim they do, because it's supposed to be such a classic, etc), and you just can't get into it yourself. I had a feeling this would be one of those for me. I still intend to read it, but I get the impression I'll feel much the same way about it as you do.

I read the following this week:

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle

This was part of a GR group selection. I loved this one as a child, but had forgotten so much about it. It is obvious why this classic of children’s science fiction literature is a classic.


Secret Lives by Diane Chamberlain

I can not recall the last time I quit a book without finishing it. But, half way through, I just could not force myself to continue. I had figured out the “secrets” 10% into the novel and realized that all that remained was a sappy, rather incredible, soap-opera style romance.


Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier

Young Mary travels to live with her aunt upon the death of her mother and stumbles into a band of smugglers and murders. Despite her previously sheltered life and the danger to her own life, she acts with courage and resourcefulness. Du Maurier is a master of creating atmosphere.

Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

This novel narrates the events of the French Revolution through the eyes of Marie Grosholtz Tussaud, the famous wax sculptor. In the days leading up to the revolution, the Grosholtz family entertains the journalists, soldiers, philosophers and artists who would be the architects and leaders of the ensuing uprising. But, as the Reign of Terror unfolds, she comes to see these men as power-hungry tyrants and those they led as blind, irrational murderers drunk on blood. Although her sympathies come to lay with the virtuous and victimized royal family, the family must appear loyal to whoever is in power, partly to save their lives and partly to ensure their financial success. Despite reports of wide spread food shortages, we always see an abundance of food and clothing. Minor inconsistencies are sprinkled throughout the pages. The writing is clunky, inelegant, with the simple sentence structure of one who does not yet possess full mastery of the language. Historical and cultural references are explained to the reader as if the narrator were delivering a lecture.

Finished 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars!!

Brooklyn, 2 Russian 10 year olds, Magicians, and a wonderful narrator...

My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder

An ancient foot bridge in the Peruvian mountains collapses plunging five travelers to their death. Can we see some Divine purpose in this tragedy or do we have to accept the randomness of these deaths. The stories of these characters are narrated to discern if the more virtuous, devout, loved or socially necessary are spared while their opposites are not. I thoroughly enjoyed this very short novel and I suspect it will haunt me for quite some time.

Oi! I've got a list of things I'm reading right now....

The Robe
In Cold Blood
The Pearl
Sabotage: How Insecurity Destroys Everything
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
Jurassic Park

Way too many books to be reading, perhaps.

Finished -- 2 Stars

What a commitment! Needless to say, I guess I don't see what all the fuss is about. Think I'm in the minority on this one...

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Here is what I read this week.

The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin

This is a romance set among the upper crust of 19th century England. Will the roguish Captain Middleton choose to be the boy toy of the aging and unhappily married Austrian Empress or will he choose to marry the young, pretty, independent diamond heiress. I am not a fan of romance novels. I am also easily frustrated by books that are made unnecessarily long by multiple repetitions of observations about characters or situations. This could have been half as long with out omitting any element of the story.


The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

There is the potential for a thought provoking theme to be explored buried in this novel. To whom does a piece of art truly belong, the descendents of its creator from whom it was looted or its current possessor for whom it holds strong sentimental value? But, this plot line which supposedly holds the book together is so buried under cheesy romance, sexual tension and an implausible ending perfect for the Lifetime channel that the question can not be explored seriously. Rather than a serious novel about a thought-provoking topic, this was one more fluffy romance.

Finished - 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4!

Iceland, 1800s, and Agnes- a convicted murderer awaiting her execution... great read by a first time author! Looking forward to reading more by her!

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished 4 Stars!

Just love this book! Listened to it on audio this time around, and fell in love again! Post WWII- Nazi occupied Guernsey comes to life through their letters to London author Juliet Ashton.

my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

Finished 4 Stars!!

Tris Prior starts up literally right where she ended in Divergent. The book races through and is action packed, leaving little time to interpret too much. Leading up to a surprising conclusion. Can't wait to get my hands on the third installment.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

The writing is beautiful. The characterizations are superb. The story line is deceptively simple; it will stay with me long after the final page. I suspect that the next few books I open will suffer by comparison.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman has a knack for creating a child’s perspective. However, I am not a fan of child narrators. Nor am I a fan of fantastical allegories of maturation, which I perceive this to be. Many elements appear to have been inspired by Christianity; however, these images have been rather distorted. I read this for a GR group and would never have picked it up on my own.

Finished - 2 Stars.

1870s, horse hunting, photography, and a love triangle... Writing was ok, just didn't like the heft of this book and the way it ended for me was all for naught...

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Here are the books I have read since my last post.

How Reading Changed My Life by Anna Quindlen
I suspect I would have enjoyed this essay on the author’s experience of reading had she been an author I had prior experience with.

With Oil In Their Lamps: Faith, Feminism and the Future by Sandra Schneider
Slightly dated, but a nice overview. I did not read anything that was a new idea for me.

Lucy by Ellen Feldman
This is a fictional memoir of Lucy Mercer, mistress to FDR focusing exclusively on her relation with him. I have no way of evaluating the historical accuracy of the portrayal. I did not find the writing particularly engaging, however. The book left me rather distant.

I haven't heard of "Lucy," Irene, but your review makes it sound somewhat like "The Aviator's Wife" and those of that genre. That sound about right?

Yes, Alana, I would say it is in a similar category. One difference I would point out is that the Aviator's Wife offered a larger portrait of Anne where as Lucy only recounts her interaction with FDR. There is a gap of about 2 decades during which they have little contact and that period is covered in a few pages. The book begins with her coming to work for Eleanor and ends with his death. So, its scope is pretty limited.

How To Tell Toledo From the Night Sky by Lydia Netzer

At times, this book reminded me of Lucky Jim, not in the quality of the writing, but in the style of humor. Tragic situations with flawed characters odd enough to exist on the margin of plausibility devolve into a narrative that is mockingly ludicrous. At other times, the seriousness of the scene caused me to be embarrassed by my own snickers. George and Irene, brilliant but very odd astronomers, are employed by the same research institution where they immediately fall into passionate love. George has vivid hallucinations which are the inspiration for his unique cosmological theories. Irene is so emotionally frigid that she could be mistaken for a floating head. What neither know, but will soon learn, is that their mothers had been best friends who arranged the conception, birth and upbringing of these two so that they would be each other’s perfect partner.

Finished -- 4 Stars!

Golden Horses, Death Row inmates, and gorgeous dark writing sums up this wonderful book. Not for the faint hearted, but if you're up for it, it will surely stick with you forever.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished 4 Stars!!

Talk about an emotional rollercoaster! Cancer, Tension between father/daughter, book references, oh and an arrest for murder! Couldn't put this one down!

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished by Mary Alice Monroe-- 3 Stars!!!

Sea Turtles coming to shore mixed with family secrets unraveling all as Cara Rutledge comes home to help her mother...

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

We Two by Gillian Gill

I found this biography of the marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to be fascinating.

I'm currently reading Brave New World. I'm a die-hard 1984 fan, but still enjoying it very much :).

Before BNW, I read a Prayer for Owen Meany. Here's my review, for those that are interested.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Wow Talitha! That was an incredible review! Did you write that?? Brilliant :) Perfectly summed up the book!

Finished - 3 Stars!

I would recommend to those who enjoy YA Dystopian trilogies :)


My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Tnx Britany!!
Yes, I wrote it myself, glad you enjoyed it :)

Finished by Laurie Halse Anderson- 3 Stars!!

Historical fiction set in the 1790s. Yellow Fever strikes Philadelphia and its inhabitants. How will they survive without modern medicine...

My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just finished "The Enchanted" by Rene Denfeld.

Did you like it Irene?

I guess I am a bit ambivluent. For the most part, I liked it. I would give it a rating on the cusp between 3 and 4 stars. But, I fear my misgivings came more from not understanding what the author was trying to do or over thinking it. My greatest frustration was the use of the same narrator's voice when using the first person and when using the third person to describe events beyond the inmates view.

Finished by Kate Jacobs 3 Stars!!

Perfect sequel to The Friday Night Knitting Club :)

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished by Deborah Harkness- 2 Stars!

2nd in the All Souls Trilogy. While I'm enjoying the basic storyline, it's getting lost in the muck of the length.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

This is a novel of unraveling personal secrets among a group of suburban Kindergarten parents. From the beginning, the reader is aware of some tragedy at a school fund raiser that has prompted a police investigation. But, we do not learn of the victim’s identity or the exact nature of the situation until near the end of the book. Rather, we are treated to six months of tension and school politics, of family drama and individual anxieties, of misperceptions and deliberate deception among this very diverse group who live in the same neighborhood. The events are narrated by three women who share a friendship, with confused observations interjected by the multiple peripheral players. I thought Moriarty did an excellent job of spooling out the story, keeping the reader guessing while simultaneously feeling as if they were in the know. However, I found the ending a bit too neat, too predictable to fit the unpredictability of the rest of the book.

great review Irene... getting ready to start this tonight!

Finished by Robert Galbraith- 3.5 Stars!

Supermodel plummets to her death, murder or suicide? PI Cormoran Strike gets a job of lifetime to uncover what really happened. Can't wait to read the next one.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...