101 Books to Read Before You Die discussion

Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji - 5 stars! An instant favourite and highly recommended.

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

Lost and Found by Marilyn Harris

This book is a contender for the worse book I read in 2014. Stunningly beautiful, blond-haired, blue-eyed Bell who has the singing voice of an angel, an off-the-charts intelligence and a sunny disposition so brilliant that it dims the sun, is separated from her mother and brother at the age of three in a crowded train station. Over the next three decades, her life rockets from Salvation Army cot to an opulent estate that defies imagining, adored by all who encounter her sweetness and charm. Meanwhile, the ever-searching brother and mother serve the hungry, homeless and orphaned with a generosity and joy that would make Mother Theresa look like Scrooge. This story is saccharin and trite, the characters unrealistic, the writing below mediocre.

Finished by Liane Moriarty- 5 Stars!!!

Australia, Kindergartners, Gossip, and a sudden death forms the basis for this masterful novel. I laughed, felt sadness, and couldn't put this book down!

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

Finished by Margaret Atwood-- 3 Stars

Interesting concept, just didn't reach that level where I connected with these characters, and didn't particularly care for the vague ending...

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

Finished by Laura Lippman-- 2 Stars

A well known author travels back to her hometown to un-cover an unknown murder of an infant. Nothing really stood out in this one for me...

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

Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf

A social worker leaves her toddler in a hot van while she attends to another family’s crisis. On the same day, a little girl is separated from her drifter father and wanders into the pancake restaurant where the mother of that social worker works. This novel was simply filled with too many perfect people and perfect coincidences to be believable for me. Because I could not relate to this slightly marred slice of paradise, I could not care about its inhabitants or the drama that was unfolding in their lives.

American Psycho, an extremely dark read would be a kind statement. I surprised a book which contains the savage, sadistic, sexual content of this novel is on our list. I am not easily shocked or offended but this book tested my patience ( & I am a Cormac McCarthy fan). It will be interesting when the group takes it on...

Sweetgrass by Mary Alice Monroe

Strained family bonds are restored and painful memories are healed as a family comes together to offer post-stroke care for its patriarch and to save its family plantation from foreclosure. This domestic drama was predictably sweet. This is not my preferred reading material.

Finished by Anthony Doerr-- 4 Strong Stars!!

WWII, Museum locksmith, Two souls connected, Jules Verne all come together to craft a brilliantly written novel that exudes magic.

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

Finished by Susan Crandall-- 4 Stars!

Wonderful novel focused on 1960s, Southern Mississippi. Starla Claudelle- a nine year old girl, runs away from home to find her Momma. Racial tensions flare, and some important life lessons are learned...

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

Finished by Jonathan Tropper-- 5 Stars!

I absolutely loved this mess of a book! Pure perfection. Fell in love with the narrator, and his entire family, while they sat shiva in remembrance of Mort Foxman, the patriarch of the Foxman clan.

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

For Halloween, I finally got around to reading "Dracula" by Bram Stoker.

Irene wrote: "For Halloween, I finally got around to reading "Dracula" by Bram Stoker."

What did you think of it?

I was surprised how readable and engaging it was. I thought Stoker used the diary and journal format extremely well. The multiple perspective was effective in pacing the novel, just giving the reader little bits of info. We never knew more than those hunting the Count. Of course, this is such an icon that I knew the ending, which minimized the suspense. Nonetheless, the novel managed to draw me in.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've been intending to re-read it at some point, but it's not happening any time soon. haha.

Books that I'm currently reading:

Fall of Giants
The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History
An Echo in the Darkness
Watership Down

Britany wrote: "Finished by Robert Galbraith- 3.5 Stars!

Supermodel plummets to her death, murder or suicide? PI Cormoran Strike gets a job of lifetime to..."

Britany, the sequel just came out, which I just picked up from the library (although WHEN I'll have time to read it, I have no idea!) and I wonder, these seemed to come out awfully close together. Your opinion: do you think Rowling is really writing all of these herself, or is she using ghost writers? Or has she been doing that for years and I'm just now getting suspicious? Or is she really that prolific of a writer?

hmmm... I hate to think that she uses ghostwriters... :( BUT it could be the case... OR maybe she just had the story for these first two come to her quickly?! No idea.... but GREAT question!

Finished by Hazel Woods-- 3.5 Stars!!

A chess match played out by letter between a newspaperman, and a soldier across an ocean, a story about the strength of resilience, and the power of love.

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

Finished by Sanjay Gupta-- 3 Stars!!

Doctors, Chelsea General, botched surgeries, distinct flawed characters,...reminded me of Greys Anatomy, and I enjoyed it... Now to check out the show!

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

This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

A dysfunctional, sex obsessed set of adult siblings and their mother reunite to sit Shiva for their agnostic father It is a strong statement of my poor psychic space that I could not tune into the humor in this comedic novel, but rather found myself envying their relationships.

Mambo In Chinatown by Jean Kwok

A 22 year-old Chinese-American dishwasher finds her passion, innate talent, inner strength and love when she discovers ballroom dancing. Chinese culture adds some unique color to this predictable, sweet romance. Both the writing and story line were unremarkable. Several plot elements stretched credibility to the breaking point such as when the narrator was offered a position as a dance instructor at a top Manhattan studio after a single one-hour dance lesson.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

This story of a brilliant geneticist with Asperger syndrome who embarks on a methodical search to find a suitable wife put me in mind of “The Big Bang Theory”. I loved the dry humor, found the narrator’s voice well crafted and enjoyed the unique approach to the romantic novel.

Currently reading: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Currently listening to: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Next up: The Young Elites by Maria Lu

Finished by Heather Gudenkauf-- 3 Stars!

Cedar City, Iowa; A social worker whose work interferes with her own family to detrimental circumstances, and a lost little girl with an equally broken family come together in this novel.

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

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

Midway through this novel, the heroine attends a performance of Orpheus at the opera. This seems to be the myth that this novel is contemporizing. A pharmacologist is sent into the Amazon to check on a research station funded by his employer. When a letter arrives reporting his death from a fever, another company pharmacologist is sent to find out what happened. This novel seemed to meander, spending too much time on atmospheric details to be enjoyed as a story of suspense. The situations and characters were too implausible to work as a study of relationships or character. The ending was too abrupt and tidy to satisfy the Orpheus myth.

Irene wrote: "The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

This story of a brilliant geneticist with Asperger syndrome who embarks on a methodical search to find a suitable wife put me in mind of “The Big Bang Theory”. ..."

That made me think of The Big Bang Theory too :) If Sheldon were a little less obnoxious and looking for a wife...

Finished by Sarah Jio-- 3 Stars!!

Bainbridge Island, Washington; a hidden red velvet journal; love triangles; and a family that will be changed forever sets the stage for this novel. Didn't quite take it all the way for me but a fun, enjoyable read.

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

Angels Make Their Hope Here by Breena Clarke

This novel of love and lust, of degradation and dignity claimed packed a powerful punch. The characters vibrated with life. The rhythmic language went beyond story-telling to create atmosphere by the very sound of the words strung together. The unique setting of

China Dolls by Lisa See

I was quite disappointed in this novel of friendship between three young Asian-American women in the 1930s & 1940s. The characters were so generic that I was unable to distinguish them, frequently unable to recall who was narrating the alternating chapters. The theme of female friendship has been abundantly explored in contemporary literature, often with greater insight and sensitivity than found here. The reader was never allowed to observe, discover, independently conclude anything; every detail was explained over and over again. For me, this fell far short of other books I have read by this author.

Finished by Amy Tan-- 3 Stars!!

Four Asian-American mother-daughter pairs come together to share with the reader the stories that make up their lives. I wanted to love this so much more than I did.

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

Finished by Michael E. Gerber-- 2 Stars!

Interesting concepts, a little outdated, but still relevant.

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

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach-Lemmon

From the introduction, we learn that the author is a journalist with an interest in documenting female entrepreneurs in situations of particular difficulty such as war and female oppression. She went to Afghanistan to discover where and how women created economic opportunities for themselves under Taliban rule. This book is the story of one young woman and her sisters who built a successful tailoring business in their own home which provided financially for their family and many neighboring families. Although this was an inspiring story of personal courage, ingenuity and determination, it never became a record of a larger movement of female entrepreneurs in Kabul. The few references to other women assisting their families by finding a way to work despite restrictive Taliban policies indicated that this is one example among many, but these were never explored. I would have appreciated wider lenses to broaden this from a focus on one resourceful young woman to a story of the strong and determined spirit of mothers and daughters and sisters all over Afghanistan.

Finished by Erin Lindsay McCabe-- 3 Stars!

A women enlists in the Civil War to fight alongside her husband- a poignant look at an under-reported piece of American history.

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

Also Finished by Jayne Anne Phillips-- 3 Stars!!

A family goes missing, and Emily Thornhill- lead reporter does her best to track down what happened. A serial killer on the loose, and to top it all off- this was based on a true story!

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

The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio

“Mary Poppins” meets “Murder She Wrote” in this light mystery.

Dear Life by Alice Monroe

With her literary acclaim and awards, I had incredibly high expectations for this collection of short stories. These are certainly very well written, but not nearly as amazing as I had expected. I was surprised how many I had read previously.

I'm reading Castle in the Air, when i found out its the 2nd book of Howel's moving castle I just knew it'll be full of magic and adventure which is what I like .. It would just make it much more excited for me to imagine stuff .. I'm still at the beginning of the book and so far the only thing i don't like about it is the long relatives they have .. I know its like Arabian story, but the writer made few mistakes describing the Arabian parts such as "having as many wives as you want" there is no such thing !! I can't wait till I finish it

HEY every1 i'm currently reading Eat, Pray, Love and i'm recommending it! there is also a movie that i wanna watch in which Julia Roberts plays......
the last book i read i think it was Jane Eyre i also loved it
:D

Children of God by Mary Doria Russell

Even those who study history appear doomed to repeat it. In The Sparrow, the first in this two-part story, a space ship carrying Jesuit priests and international scientists travel to a distant planet to study, explore, and civilize a newly discovered culture. Like Europeans five centuries earlier, presumptions lead to disastrous misunderstandings. In this second volume, two survivors of that initial party remain, one marooned and determined to impart the best of liberal politics, the other maimed in body and broken in spirit is returned to Earth. There are many thought provoking themes surfaced in these books: the disastrous unintended consequences of arrogant actions, the nature of God and faith, forgiveness and the enduring strength of goodness and truth. Unfortunately, I allowed four years to pass between reading these two volumes, making it difficult to pick up the threads. Although I have to admit that this is well written, creative details and unique plot, I found it difficult to follow with its unusual names, foreign social structures and constant jumping around in time.

Finished by Diane Chamberlain-- 3.5 Stars!

What a twisted web of lies that was spun... slowly loosing control, and finally letting it catch up to you...

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

Finished by Ben Sherwood-- 3 Stars!

Marblehead, Massachusetts; Two brothers impacted by a terrible car accident. This book warmed my heart up, and was pretty close to the movie.

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

I just finish reading Transcendence by Shay Savage & Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover.

I have just finished reading Transcendence by Shay Savage & Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover. I really preferred Transcendence very good.

The Girl Who Chased The Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

I probably would have enjoyed this book had I read it 35 years ago. This is no longer my preferred type of book. This story of teenage love, of an orphaned adolescent moving in with a grandfather she never knew, of a town and family marked by secrets and magic was simply too juvenile in the themes it explored, the style of writing in the character development for my current taste.

At the moment I am reading Fighting the Truth by Tara Leigh.

Finished by Gillian Flynn-- 4 Stars!

Dark, Twisted, Grimy-- Camille Preaker has to go home to report about a series of murders happening in small town Missouri. Gillian Flynn does it again taking us to places we don't really want to go, but can't stop reading...

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

I finished "Middlesex" on Monday, but haven't seen a discussion thread started for it yet. Not sure what is happening.

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert

Alma Whittaker is the daughter of newly wealthy, extremely ambitious, brilliant and highly disciplined parents. Born in 1800 on an opulent estate outside Philadelphia and given an extraordinary education, she grows up to be a rigorous botanist and independent woman. But, there are things that rational investigation of the natural world can not reveal, things that can only be learned through relationships, through struggle, through the inevitable living of life. Although at times I was perplexed by the actions of the titular character, not able to reconcile them with what we had learned about her, I did enjoy the novel with its great writing.

Have A Little Faith by Mitch Albom

This is the third book I have read by this author and the first that I have not strongly disliked. Albom shares how his growing friendship with a rabbi and a minister enriched him, particularly in his appreciation of religious faith and traditions. The life-lessons which Albom gleans are not particularly unique or insightful, but they are of the type that are worth encountering many times in life. This felt more like a lengthy essay than a full-length book. And, in fact, if all the white space was removed and the redundancies were eliminated, this would only be the length of an essay.

The Ploughmen by Kim Zupan

I enjoy novels that explore the intersection of lives which is why I elected to read this novel. An elderly career criminal and hardened murderer and a young deputy sheriff who has developed a sensitive nature after a childhood trauma spend nights on either side of cell bars as guard and guarded. In the long dark hours, a friendship develops. But the old criminal’s self-revelation to the young deputy came with no preamble, no gradual slips of the protective armor; it came while he continued to act with cunning hostility toward the other law enforcement staff. I found myself unable to reconcile the vulnerable voice behind the bars with the ruthless killer encountered in other scenes. The narrative also moved between time frames and locations without any transition which I found confusing.

Finished by Elliott Holt-- 2 Stars!

Two little girls that are best friends, Charged relations between Russia and the USA, 1980s, and a letter to a political head that changed their lives forever...

Here's my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...