Challenge: 50 Books discussion
Finish Line 2009!
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Bookhookering of 2009
2. Breathing Lessons By Anne Tyler9th January 2009
My first Anne Tyler book. Certainly will revisit her as I enjoyed it very much. Many extremely funny married a long time moments! My husband keeps raving about Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant & Accidental Tourist, so they will be next no doubt. Have picked up a copy of Tourist and Dinner is on my wishlist
**** 4 Stars
3. The Diary of a Young Girl By Anne Frank14th January 2009
What an extraordinary young woman she was! Even though we all know the end of her story ,I still found myself hoping for the outcome to be different!
I personally wouldn't have come close to articulating my thoughts and emotions at the age of 13-15 as well as Anne did. Let alone see fault in my behaviour and flaws in my character, as she matured to do as the diary progressed. At the beginning there was traces of the classic female teenager (centre of the universe) as well as the second child syndrome (what about me & Marsha Marsha Marsha!).
Ultimitely she was extremely positive regardless of her environment 'What I'm experiencing here is a good beginning to an interesting life' I certainly doubt I could have been so pep about life after a year in the worlds first big brother house when eviction didn't mean driving away in a brand new car with a mobile phone it meant your prospects were either instant death or witnessing and experiencing the worst human nature has to offer.
My Heart bleeds for her father, who must have been unbelievably proud and surely gained great comfort from her physical memory of their time in the annex and yet unfathomably distressed by some of it's content. How lucky we are that he ultimately chose to share it with the rest of the world.
***** 5 Stars
4. Sylvia By Bryce Courtenay22nd January 2009
As the name suggests this book follows the life of a German peasant girl Sylvia Honeyeater from the death of her Mother through to her involvement in the Children's Crusade of 1212. I knew absolutely nothing about the Children's Crusade prior to reading this and after reading this book I know only marginally more. Granted it's fiction based around true events but I expected, more! What I got was an interesting genuinely like-able character repeating what at first was a clever talent but by the end I was expecting Bill Murray to announce it was Ground Hog Day because it was the same sequence relived every time a new character or group of characters was introduced. I love Bryce Courtenay's The Power Of One, but have found that the formula he uses in writing is becoming too obvious, and the character's are beginning to blend into one. Sorry to say that it will be the last book of his I will choose to read for quite a while.
* 1 Star
5.The Other Hand By Chris Cleave25th January 2009
This is a story basically about choices. Being faced with a terrible situation an English couple, Sarah and Andrew while on holiday in Nigeria have to choose what action they will take when they become involved in a regional war. The choices they make greatly differ from one another, yet the price they ultimately pay is for the other's decision.
It is a hard story to summarise without giving the plot away, so I'll finish by saying, it has some wonderful characters beginning and ending with it's central character a Nigerian refugee named Littlebee. You cannot help but fall in love with her!
***** 5 Stars
7. Promises in Death By J.D. Robb2nd February 2009
The twenty somethingth book in the series. Love Eve Dallas in this futuristic cop series set in New York, granted after 5 days you can't tell book No 3 from book No 24 but this is my 'guilty pleasures' series, I don't care!
**** 4 Stars (as always)
8. The Gargoyle By Andrew Davidson9th February 2009
I found this book to be a complete surprise package as I rarely read fantasy as it doesn't appeal to me at all. This book quickly swept me away with it's vivid descriptions (had my toes curling with the narrators account of his car accident and subsequent treatment for his injuries) and the two story lines plus individual tales blended past and present brilliantly. I found I rocketed through the first half of the book, then don't know whether the story slowed a bit or I was suffering readers block, but I didn't pick it up again for a couple of days. I did make my way slowly through the remainder of the book (which I thoroughly enjoyed). The Gargoyle definitely falls within the realms of Historical Fiction, which could be one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. Credit where credit is due though, and If this is Fantasy, it's certainly worth more of a look at in the future!
****4 stars
9. Night By Elie Weisel15th February 2009
The first of the three short volumes on his personal experiences of WWII the German concentration camps and his survival. Extremely honest particulary relating to his Father.
**** 4 Stars
10. Watership Down By Richard Adams24th February 2009
This book could have easily been my backyard growing up in Country Victoria so I related to it so easily, from the hills at the rear of our farm that were virtually inaccessible except on foot or on horseback, to the pair of wedge tail eagles that appeared out of nowhere and would circle to govern over their territory at the slightest indication they had unfamiliar company, and the rabbits through these hills and burrows you would fall down not realising they were there as they were often well concealed it's not so dissimilar to the picture painted of Watership Down. On top of that, add the fact that everyone loves an underdog story, which is exactly what Hazel and his small band of rabbits were in leaving the comfort of the only home they had ever know because of the intuition of a psychic runt bunny called Fiver. Excellent fantasy adventure tale that although is coming up to 40 years old is still relatable even today.
***** 5 Stars
11. Slumdog Millionaire A Novel By Vikas Swarup26th February 2009
A boy enters the Indian equivalent of 'who wants to be a millionaire' and wins by answering all the questions correctly. He then is arrested and accused of cheating, after all how is a boy with no education that lives in the slums able to win.
Love how this book was structured, as with each question that he is asked in the competition comes the story that explains his knowledge. Will definitely give his book Six Suspects a go later in the year.
**** 4 Stars
12. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close By Jonathan Safran Foer1st March 2009
A young boy suffering from the loss of his Father in the September 11 attacks, finds a hidden key in his Fathers belongings and sets out to find the lock to which it opens. Very unusually written, found it quite difficult to follow at first, very glad I persisted.
1st March 2009
***** 5 Stars
14. Sandstorm By James Rollins9th March 2009
The first in the Sigma Force series. Just your all round action adventure with a secret order and a sacred religious relic. Can't go wrong if that's what appeals!
**** 4 Stars
15. Year of Wonders By Geraldine Brooks15th March 2009
Year of Wonders is a story based around the true events surrounding the villiagers of Eyam, Derbyshire in 1666-1667 when they were visited upon by the plague. The village itself imposed a quarantine, thus losing 2/3's of it populace within the year.
The book's story follows the life of Anna Frith, Daughter, Wife, Mother & maid. By the end of the year she can add so much more to her array of titles, nurse, chemist, midwife, and many more though probably the most significant of all her titles would be simply friend. It is a story of monumental loss for both Anna and the village but it is also a tale of great kinship and community (good & bad).
**** 4 Stars
16. Look Me in the Eye My Life with Asperger's By John Elder Robinson24th March 2009
Having a child that has an ASD, I can certainly relate to the general reactions in this book that were displayed by those around John. Both to his general behaviour and his reactions to social situations. I have been guilty myself of judging those behaviours in relation to what would be considered 'normal'. I particulary related to the bluntness of his social statements and how people often percieve this as being rude, or when he explained how people were often offended by the titles that he gave them (he was totally unaware how people might find them offensive), to him they were just an obvious title, or that his facial expression didn't match the emotion of the situation that was required or expected.
Personally I've lost count of the times I've been left mouth agape trying to explain to a lovely elderly lady that my son didn't mean anything by it when he's commented 'OH NO! look how wrinkly your hands are'. Then will look at them really sweetly with a huge smile on his face and finish his conversation off with a 'that means your going to die soon' and then will leave me in his wake and skip off somewhere, totally oblivious to the disaster zone he's left me with.
Other than the fact I could relate to many of the tales that were relayed particulary in his childhood account. I enjoyed reading his perspective of the same situations I am usually on the other side of.
***** 5 Stars
17. Relics By Pip Vaughan-Hughes30th March 2009
Although I only gave this three stars I did actually really enjoy many things about this book, the text was easy to read, the characters were both believable, likable and not so likable. It has many of the classic elements of historical fiction thrown in, a Monk ,a Knight, a Bishop, some pirates? a Holy Relic or two and even a Princess. Relic is the first book of a series (three books so far), a tale that begins in England 1235.
Brother Petroc, both young and nieve is set up for the murder of a Deacon by a rouge ex Templar Knight. The tale is of his search for answers, first to the motivation for such violence and then the reason for his own involvement. It would probably be best discribed as action/adventure/historical/fiction/fluff. It was a goodread not a greatread, it was solid but not packed with what you would call history. I would and will read the next installment when I'm looking for something easy & fun!
*** 3 Stars
18. Stillwatch By Mary Higgins Clark3rd April 2009
Classic Mary Higgins Clark whodunnit. Solid as always!
** 2 Stars
You have some great picks and you are doing well! Night is one of my favourite books ever. Was Slumdog Millionaire any good? It's on my list :D
19. One Foot Wrong By Sofie Laguna7th April 2009
Whilst this story is of the horrendous abuse that Hester suffered at the hand of her religious zealous reclusive parents. I found it to be a story of a champion that never painted herself a victim. She creates for herself literally the tools of her own survival, spoon, pencil, axe & tree. With their friendship, she provided for herself the love support & companionship she was never allowed or given otherwise. They acted as her own nurture network, they gave her affection, praise, and encouragement (not always in the way that would be socially acceptable to us) but to her and her life in context I think they were always the proverbial angel at her shoulder rather than the devil. It's hard to explain further without giving away crucial elements, so I'll finish by saying that certain sections of the book are extremely graphic and disturbing, but as a whole I found I loved the style in which Hesters narrative took & I loved Hester.
***** 5 Stars
20. The Slap By Christos Tsoilkas11 April 2009
Fantastic choice for reading groups, lots of controversy here if that's what your after!
A family BBQ goes awry when a child is slapped and the slapper is not the parent. Lots of delving deeper into the makeup of the blended and extended family, genetic v's environmental influences on child rearing, private v's public education, friend v's family and much much more. Word of warning, if your not partial to the C word (& I'm not talking 'camping') you'll have to get used to it real quick if you want to give this a go. I was really tuff on this when I rated it. One of the reasons was in fact the swearing, I thought it wasn't essential language everytime the female genitalia was mentioned nor did I think that female genitalia need be mentioned so much. There is a second reason, but I can't really go into it without giving away crucial elements. So I won't!
Floating somewhere between *** 3 Stars & ****4 Stars (officially only gave it *** 3 Stars)
21. The Book of Love By Kathleen McGowan18th April 2009
2nd book follow on from The Expected One. Once again with the dual story line. Current and past. Maureen is back but this book follows her story less than in the first. To truly benefit from this book the first book's reading is really essential, if you have an interest in Christianity and your fairly open, particularly in your interpretation of the bible this might appeal, but if your a little more on the strict side you'll probably think that this is aptly categorized as fiction. I loved the first one. I thought it was loaded with intrigue, especially in the dedication and the author's notes. Thought this one McGowan backed off a little, my interpretation is that she was pretty heavily criticized by Historians for the first and was not putting herself on the chopping block so recklessly this time! I still really really enjoyed it and hope that in the Third she goes back to being Captain courageous and walks out on the limb!
**** 4 Stars
22.A Passage to India By E.M. Forster20th April 2009
The author used his experiences of two trips to India, one pre WW1 and one post to shape the story in every aspect, down to the finest detail. The novel centres on two visiting English women, an elderly woman whose son is a English government official in Chandrapore and a young woman she has the duty to chaperone as a potential fiance to her son, who has come to test the waters of the land that may be her future marital home. The two women want to see the Real India!
The result is not a pretty picture of India under British rule but I was convinced it was a fairly accurate one.
**** 4 Stars (would have given this 4 1/2 Stars)
Aprile wrote: "You have some great picks and you are doing well! Night is one of my favourite books ever. Was Slumdog Millionaire any good? It's on my list :D"I loved how Slumdog was structured, bit like Geraldine Brooks'- People Of The Book (just totally different subject matter). Been meaning to order another of his books called Six Suspects.
Thanks Aprile for the encouraging words
23. Bone by Bone By Carol O'Connell2nd May 2009
This is the first Carol O'Connell book I've read (still trying to get my hands on a copy of Judas Child). She was recommended to me as crime/thriller/suspense was my original first love in reading. She didn't disappoint, many of the characters in this book had a wicked sense of humour which was really just a bonus to a great who dunnit tale. Oren the central character has returned home after a long absence, to discover that someone has been leaving his missing Brothers bones on the verandah of his family home one piece at a time.
**** 4 Stars
24. The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood10th May 2009
The Handmaid's Tale is set in a very different World than the one we live in today. Predominantly set in the future, the World's birthrate is in heavy decline, and the handmaid's only value as a member of society is delicately balanced on her potential to provide a viable womb for the privileged. Her life hasn't always been this way, as you will see when her life as it was before is gradually drip fed throughout her current life's story.
It is a beautifully vivid picture that Atwood paints. One that makes me realise with absolute certainty that although it's the first of her books that I have read, it will definitely not be the last. My favourite book so far this year.
***** 5 Stars
25. A Reliable Wife By Robert Goolrick13th May 2009
Have to say that I found this a bit........... wanting. Wanting to have ends tied off not left to die off, wanting an ending that was fitting to the journey of it's characters. I think the book was perhaps edited too much, because it just seemed soft in the end & hurried! Maybe I was expecting too much as the reviews I had read had all been so positive. Set in the early 1900's a rural wealthy aging male places an add for a mail order bride in the city paper. He chooses a potential 'reliable wife', who happens to have a hidden agenda. Great start, o.k middle and boring, boring, snore.
** 2 Stars
Thankyou Aprile and thankyou Mary Todd especially for the ticker, you give me way too much credit. Literally! It will keep me going till I deserve it!!
sorry...I don't know how that happens...I check...I must be getting dippy in my old age! I know you'll make it!
NO WAY old age, that just makes you gifted in being unpredictable!
26. Kindred By Octavia E. Butler17th May 2009
When I started this book I didn't dream I would be eating my words so soon (2nd last book read, The Handmaids Tale I ranked as best book read this year). This book was so good I'll have to edit my profile for my favourite books EVER!
That is especially impressive as I don't usually do science-fiction. Kindred would be best described as time travel/historical fiction. The central character Dana, is a modern dayish (1976) African American woman that spontaneously gets sent back in time to the antebellum South, to save the life of the Son of a white plantation owner.
This book was so terrifying, so horrendous it could turn the strongest stomach nauseous, but few books have made me care for the characters more. I LOVED IT, I LOATHED IT, but I LOVED IT MORE, MORE, MORE. The easiest book to rate!
5 Stars *****
Cam: wrote: "26. Kindred By Octavia E. Butler17th May 2009
When I started this book I didn't dream I would be eating my words so soon (2nd last book read, The Handmaids Tale I ranked as best boo..."
WOW - sold. I loved The Handmaid's Tale and the description of this book sounds fascinating. Thanks!
I hope you like it Molly, regardless let me know how you go when your finished. I'm pretty confident though if you loved The Handmaid's Tale this book should be a sure thing. Best of luck!
27. The Messenger By Markus Zusak20th May 2009
I AM ON A ROLL, 3 out of the last 4 books have been a sensation!!!!!!!! This book is no exception, it's like a little slice of Markus Magic & Zusak is now officially my favourite author. Choosing between The Book Thief & The Messenger is like choosing a favourite child, you just can't do it! Well you probably technically could, on certain days and at certain times (the children that is)! only kidding B.I.& J. (or am I)??????????
This book made me cry & cry and cry but it was one of those happy cries that makes you smile inside all day , and I'm sure it will make me smile tomorrow, and the next day and the next. I LOVE THIS BOOK & MARKUS ZUSAK. I will now have to change my profile again!
5 Stars *****
I totally agree. I finished the library book and ordered 3 online to give to certain deserving people.It's on a par with To Kill a Mockingbird. Truly.
It is a book you just want to share. I've lent out my copy already and also looked after myself by ordering his other 3 earlier novels.
28. The Secret Fire By Martin Langfield25th May 2009
I greatly enjoyed the reading of The Secret Fire, the second of Martin's books. It has cemented my love of a dual story line.
This book however has a delightful twist on the usual. The Malice Box (the first in the series) is filled in from both sides with this account. One story line continues the path initialized with The Malice Box. Whilst the second works as a prequel, set mostly in Europe prior & during the Nazi/German occupation of France & the security threat that they posed to London during WWII.
I was concerned that my memory like a goldfish would penalise the reading of this as I read The Malice Box as a new release in 2007. But I needn't have worried, as it can easily stand alone. However if you like to do things in order, I would suggest with this, as with all series books, that you read them in order.
If you are not overly concerned with the finer details of the lead up to this book. Then I would describe it is an intricately woven multi-layered action/adventure/historical/fiction with a healthy dash of supernatural, that builds with intensity as the pieces fall into place. The historical fiction facet of this book has added a whole new dimension to the series. One I thought complimented beautifully with the existing characters & their development.
Bring on the next one I say, & quick!
4 Stars ****
29. Dewey The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World By Vicky Myron30th May 2009
All good things must come to an end. My good book roll is definitely over.
I found this story way too much librarian, not enough cat. And what was cat, was really, really, really bad cat......
Don't get me wrong, I'm a cat person & I'm really rather fond of the librarians I know. But in the future I think I'll just stick to Bunny books (The Velveteen Rabbit, Guess How Much I Love You & Watership Down). Yes! Bunnies are better!
1 Star *
30. The Giver By Lois Lowry8th June 2009
This books market could be anywhere from teenager and beyond.
Now having read this wonderful book can certainly see why it deserves the success of a 'classics' label among many others. It has a story to tell that is both unique and ageless. A book that I didn't want to end, but when it did I'd had my fill. Very satisfying read.
5 Stars*****
31. Revolutionary Road By Richard Yates15th June 2009
Found this quite hard going initially as I took a dislike to all the central characters, but about half way through it became less about my dislike for them and far more about the dynamics of their relationships with each other. I found I was utterly absorbed by the combination of personalities and how they bounced off one another.
Not the most uplifting book, but I really enjoyed this and am extremely glad I didn't give up on it.
4 Stars****
32. The Broken Shore By Peter Temple27th June 2009
This was great on two levels.
First my next door neighbour lent me this book as the two of us get really pathetically gushy about this author as he lives close by. For example. She's been in his house (when it was open for inspection before he bought it) and my cat used to go there for breakfast every day (previous owners). Yes & now you see how pathetic! But the neighbour ultimately wins our unspoken comp as she had actually read something by our gush worthy community member, whereas I had not!
But now I have!
I love a good crime thriller, and this is better than your average good. I know I have a connection & I know, I know many of the locations mentioned in the book & that his lead character Joe Cashin - in 'The Broken Shore' has two huge black poodles & every morning Mon - Fri they scare the absolute crap out of my Son & I on our morning walk to school (they have built in stealth (the neighbour & I have discussed) & never hit you at the same point of the fence line). So yes lots of funny connections, but on a more serious note this book won what's deemed as the most coveted award internationally for best crime novel 'The Duncan Lawrie Dagger'. Awarded books & myself usually don't hit it off all that much of recent but this is the exception. It is very Australian very Victorian (the State not the era), but I think the personalities & humour are universally appealing. The sequel of which is not far from release. The plot is your standard - somebody dies that shouldn't and you have to follow the story till the detective catches the who & why. However the writing and character development was far & above standard. I really enjoyed this & can't wait till the next. Would have given it 4 1/2 stars but can't, so it gets
4 Stars**** with a half held over for the dogs
Challenge: 50 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
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Sail: A Boat is Lost, But Then Comes a Message---The Dunne Family is Alive: unabridged on 7 CDs in hard, vinyl box (other topics)
Sail: A Boat is Lost, But Then Comes a Message---The Dunne Family is Alive: unabridged on 7 CDs in hard, vinyl box (other topics)
Florida Roadkill (other topics)
More...
2006 = 80 Books
2007 = 68 Books
2008 = 60 Books
Didn't join till April but have transfered reads starting 1st of January 2009
1.The Good Mayor By Andrew Nicoll
2.Breathing Lessons By Anne Tyler
3.The Diary of a Young Girl By Anne Frank
4.Sylvia By Bryce Courtenay
5.The Other Hand By Chris Cleave
6.The Choirboys By Joseph Wambaugh
7.Promises in Death By J.D. Robb
8.The Gargoyle By Andrew Davidson
9.Night By Elie Weisel
10.Watership Down By Richard Adams
11.Slumdog Millionaire A Novel By Vikas Swarup
12.Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close By Jonathan Safran Foer
13.Bird By Sophie Cunningham
14.Sandstorm By James Rollins
15.Year of Wonders By Geraldine Brooks
16.Look Me in the Eye My Life with Asperger's By John Elder Robinson
17.Relics By Pip Vaughan-Hughes
18.Stillwatch By Mary Higgins Clark
19.One Foot Wrong By Sofie Laguna
20.The Slap By Christos Tsoilkas
21.The Book of Love By Kathleen McGowan
22.A Passage to India By E.M. Forster
23.Bone by Bone By Carol O'Connell
24.The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood
25.A Reliable Wife By Robert Goolrick
26.Kindred By Octavia E. Butler
27.The Messenger By Markus Zusak
28.The Secret Fire By Martin Langfield
29.Dewey The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World By Vicky Myron
30.The Giver By Lois Lowry
31.Revolutionary Road By Richard Yates
32.The Broken Shore By Peter Temple
33.The Little Stranger By Sarah Waters
34.The Outsiders By S.E Hinton
35.I Have Life: Raped, Stabbed and Left for Dead - Alison's Story of Survival By Marianne Thamm
36.Oryx and Crake By Margaret Atwood
37.Bait By Nick Brownlee
38.Eucalyptus By Murray Bail
39.The Blind Assassin By Margaret Atwood
40.Getting the Girl By Markus Zusak
41.Sharp Objects By Gillian Flynn
42.The Elegance of the Hedgehog By Muriel Barbery
43.Wish You Well By David Baldacci
44.The Strain By Guillermo Del Toro
45.The Weight of Silence By Heather Gudenkauf
46.Florida Roadkill A Novel By Tim Dorsey
47.Perfume By Patrick Suskind
48.The Bell Jar By Sylvia Plath
49.Prophecy of the Sisters By Michelle Zink
50.Fledgling By Octavia E. Butler
51.My Life in France By Julia Child
52.Broken Fences By Camilla Noli
53.Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress A Novel By Dai Sijie
54.Hammerhead Ranch Motel By Tim Dorsey
55.Walking the Perfect Square By Reed Farrel Coleman
56.Sail By James Patterson
57.Tourist Season By Carl Hiaasen
1. The Good Mayor By Andrew Nicoll.
3rd January 2009
Didn't mind this for 3/4 of the book but the last quarter was just plain average, I thought it destroyed all that was good about it.
** 2 Stars