Challenge: 50 Books discussion

I didn't reach my goal of 75 books in 2013 (only 63). Let's see if I can get 75 in 2014!

1. Fangirl (audiobook)

I loved this book. I saw a lot of my college self in Cath, which I think helped, but the writing was great, the characters were great, and there was just enough drama to make it realistic but not over-the-top. I also really liked the narrator who read the audiobook. She did a great job. I didn't want to put this one down. Great read.

2. The Cuckoo's Calling

I really liked this book. I know a lot of people seem to dislike Rowling's adult novels, but I thought that both this one and The Casual Vacancy were quite well-written.

I will admit that I was wary at first, because I didn't like Strike all that much, but I have to say that he really grew on me as a character. I thought I had "whodunnit" figured out, but I was completely wrong. And, even though I totally didn't see the end coming, it made sense, even though it was unexpected.

Very fun murder mystery. I will definitely continue this series once more books come out.

3. My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover If Not Being A Dumb Ass Is the New Black, or, a Culture-Up Manifesto (audiobook)

I'm SO glad I gave Lancaster another chance after my so-so experience with her first book. But I adored The Tao of Martha: My Year of LIVING; Or, Why I'm Never Getting All That Glitter Off of the Dog and this one was just as good. Some real laugh-out-loud moments, and a really good message behind it all as well - while I'm not a reality-TV addict, I thought that her effort to "culture up" was a little inspiring. Maybe a bit of a "guilty pleasure" read, but I'm not ashamed of it. I really like her writing. Definitely plan on reading the rest of her stuff.

4. Belle Cora

I love historical fiction, so this book was right up my alley. I thought that Arabella was a brilliantly written character, and her story felt so real to me that it was easy to see how each event in her life led her to do the things that she did. I also liked that, despite being told from Belle's point of view, she never claims to be perfect or blameless. We're rooting for her, but not necessarily always backing up her moves.

My only complaint is that, at just over 600 pages, the book is a little long and dragged a little bit at the beginning. Maybe it's just because we know from the beginning what she's going to become that I wanted to rush to get there, but I feel like a little bit could have been cut from her younger years. Only a minor complaint, though. Most of the early stuff was still interesting and it was all well-written.

Not only a fascinating character piece about a woman doing what she has to do to survive, but also a thrilling look at the history of America at the time, especially the Gold Rush and what San Francisco was like at the time. Recommended for anyone who likes historical fiction, particularly the mid-1800s in America.

5. Mercy Thompson: Homecoming

I'm a bit behind on my Mercy Thompson novels, but I've had this one sitting on my shelf for a while and decided now was a good time to read it. A quick read, but really fun to see the back story - to find out how Mercy ended up in the Tri Cities, working at the garage, and her introduction to Adam and Stefan. An enjoyable read. I think it might be time for me to get back to the novels now...

6. The One and Only Ivan

I can see why this book won the Newbery this past year. A great story with a really unique point of view. A great read for kids and adults alike.

7. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (audiobook)

I had forgotten how funny The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was - I read it probably 10 to 15 years ago, enjoyed it, but never read any more of the series. I'm so glad I got back into this. Hilarious and randomly awesome.

Also, I listened to the audiobook, read by Martin Freeman (Arthur Dent in the 2005 movie). I don't know if he does ALL of the voices in the audiobook, but the voice work was insane. Highly recommend way of reading this one.

8. Shanghai Girls

As stated earlier, I love historical fiction. It's like stepping into new worlds, but plausible ones. Shanghai in the early 1900s (Shanghai at any point, really, since I've never been there), Los Angeles Chinatown during WWII, all fascinating new worlds to me. Plus, I really enjoy reading about Chinese culture (aside from foot binding, which this book didn't cover at all, so that was a plus - makes my skin crawl to read about that, sorry to say).

I liked the drama between Pearl and May (although I sometimes wanted to punch May in the face). I was actually going to complain that I didn't love the ending, but then I realized that there is actually a second book... so no complaints. Haha. Really good book about Chinese history and culture. Glad I read it.

9. The Golem and the Jinni

The easiest way to my reading heart? Apparently it's combining historical fiction with magical fantasy. I can't even comprehend how the author came up with this idea - writing a novel with a golem and a jinni as its main characters - but not only did she do it amazingly well, but it's her first novel. I will definitely be following this author's work. A wonderful immigrant story, as well as a story about love and friendship and believing in yourself. One of the best books I've read in a long time.

10. Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife (audiobook)

I'm on an audiobook roll this month!

This is a tough book for me to rate. I like Mary Roach - Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers is one of my favorite nonfiction books - and this is the third book of hers that I've read. The problem is that unlike books like Stiff or Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void, the science is a bit more flimsy. Nothing against the way she wrote or researched it, it's just that how do you prove or disprove the afterlife?

That being said, I like the way that she went about it. She's obviously a skeptic going in - she freely admits that - but she doesn't really try to prove or disprove anything. She presents the research and pretty much leaves it open ended. My reason for not liking this book as much as her other writings is simply because I prefer my science more concrete. But I really like the way she went about doing the research and her writing is always good. Looking forward to picking up her other books.

Oh I really enjoy Mary Roach! Packing for Mars is one I'm hoping to get to this year!

11. Glass

This book made me sad. But in a good way. It was a really well-written book, as Crank was, but while Crank was sad but hopeful, Glass was sad with a not so hopeful ending. Still really good, though. I love the way Ellen Hopkins writes verse.

Kate wrote: "9. The Golem and the Jinni

The easiest way to my reading heart? Apparently it's combining historical fiction with magical fantasy. I ca..."

I really, really loved this one as well. I feel the same way--how on earth does one come up with an idea as original as this one?

12. The Ghost of the Mary Celeste

This book is hard to review. As a story about the medium Violet Petra, I thought it was really good. I found Violet to be an intriguing character - not always sympathetic, but always interesting. I also liked the character of Phoebe Grant, whose interactions with Petra were the high points of the book for me. The Arthur Conan Doyle chapters were, to me, just okay. Well-written, but they just didn't interest me as much as the others, although his last little adventure was good.

What disappointed me most, however, was the shocking lack of mention of the Mary Celeste itself. Aside from the last section - 30 pages or so - very little of the story tied into the mystery at all. It was always there in the background - Conan Doyle's story, Violet's connection to the Captain and his wife - but had little to do with the story overall. I went into this book expecting an interesting take on the mystery of the Mary Celeste, but that wasn't what I was given.

So, as an interesting story about Spiritualism, I'd recommend it. I liked the characters and thought that Violet's story was fascinating. As a story about what might have happened aboard the Mary Celeste, however, it is severely lacking.

13. The Invention of Wings

This was a very good book. I wasn't expecting the turn it took, as it became more a book about abolition and less a book about the relationship between the two main characters, but that was my fault for not really looking into what the book was about. I didn't know that the Grimkes were real people, but I thought that Sarah's and Nina's stories were really impressive - all the more so for being mostly true. And, despite being less based in specific fact, I liked hearing Handful's story as well. Not perfect, but I can see why this book is generating so much buzz. Glad I read it.

14. The Magicians

People have described this as "Harry Potter for adults", but honestly I found myself comparing it more to The Chronicles of Narnia than Harry Potter. (And, yes, I think that Harry Potter is just as much for adults as it is for kids, but The Magicians is very much not for kids).

I think this book could have been divided into two - one book describing (and fleshing out a little more) Quentin's time at Brakebills, and one book about Fillory. But that's a minor complaint. I loved the school storyline, felt "meh" about the after school drama, and was fascinated and surprised by the Fillory storyline. Overall, not perfect - parts could have been taken out, other parts could have done with more detail - but a really enjoyable read. While this could easily have worked as a stand-alone (or a two-parter, if it had been divided into two), I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

Didn't get through much in February. Need to step it up in March if I'm going to meet my goal this year!

15. Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook (audiobook)

To be honest, Anthony Bourdain is a little rough and bitter for me. I've watched his show before, and what I've watched has been interesting. I'm a big fan of the Travel Channel food shows - Man vs. Food and Bizarre Foods, especially - but I am a much less regular viewer of No Reservations, and I've never read Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. While I enjoyed this book - found it interesting and, at times, amusing - I find that Bourdain is a little too bitter and, at times, vulgar for my liking. I still liked the book, and I would like to read Kitchen Confidential at some point, but I didn't love this one.

16. The Maze Runner

This was a fun book. I had been wanting to read it for a while now, but finally moved it to the top of my list because I heard there was going to be a movie coming out. I'm glad I did. An interesting take on the dystopia genre. Looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.

17. The Museum of Extraordinary Things

Excellent book. It's actually the first of Alice Hoffman's books that I've read, but I'll definitely pick up more in the future, because I liked her writing style. The story ended up being different from what I was expecting - I was expecting more of a story involving the "freaks" of the museum, most of whom ended up getting not much more than a passing mention - but I ended up liking the love story/murder mystery that the book ended up being. Well-written, interesting characters, a good story, a great historical setting. Glad I read this one.

18. Locke & Key, Vol. 6: Alpha & Omega

Wow. Just a great end to the series. Wish it wasn't over, but if you're going to end it after 6 volumes, it's a great way to go. Some of the best comic writing and artwork I've ever come across. Fantastic books.

19. The Chaperone

I haven't quite decided how I feel about this one. It was good, but it wasn't great. It was well-written and the characters were interesting - although not all that sympathetic - but I had a hard time getting into it. Decent read, and it's always kind of fun to read historical fiction based on real people, just not one of my favorites.

20. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (audiobook)

I went back and forth on how I felt about this one - some of her personal stuff was a little much and I just wanted her to get back to the trail stories. But I really liked the trail stories. I can't imagine being able to hike something like the Pacific Crest Trail. And even though she was insanely unprepared for it - and I sometimes felt like I did while reading Into the Wild, when I was annoyed with the main character for going into something with so little preparation and having no pity for him when something then went wrong - it was impressive that she never gave up. Glad I read it.

21. Me Since You

I'm glad I read this book... but I'm really glad that I'm DONE reading this book. It was intense. Very well-written and the characters were great, but it was so hard to see, and feel, Rowan go through what she was going through. Seemed like a very realistic portrayal of what suicide does to the surviving family and friends, though. Great book. I would actually really recommend it to anyone who KNOWS someone who is dealing with a suicide in the family more than someone who is going through it - it really gives a great insight into what the survivors are feeling and what good, supportive friends can do for them.

22. The Daring Ladies of Lowell

Okay, I'll admit that I picked this book up, not only because of the small amount of buzz that it was getting before it came out, but also because I know Lowell, MA. I lived nearby and worked in Lowell, and I always like reading books that take place in areas I know.

Very enjoyable historical fiction story about the mill workers in the area. Great characters - I loved Alice. I thought she was both strong and vulnerable and she was a great character to follow. Quick pace, good writing, excellent characters all make this for a great read. Recommended.

23. Brave New World

I never read this in high school - didn't read 1984 until I was an adult either - and I've been meaning to get to it for years now. I'm glad I finally did.

I've been reading my share of dystopian fiction lately, and while this book is kind of in the same vein, it's actually an interesting portrayal of what a successful utopian society would look like. Because while we, on the outside, might see this society as strange, off-putting, and at times downright awful, everyone in this society was happy. No wars, no disease, no unrest. Just happy until they die. Is that really so bad? Of course, I'd rather have the suffering if it meant that I get to have good experiences - family, close relationships, reading, quiet time, being able to make my own decisions - but it's definitely the kind of book that makes a person think.

24. Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops

I used to work in a bookstore, so I just had to read this book. It was as funny as advertised. Quick read. Glad I picked it up.

25. The Weight of Blood

This was a really good mystery novel. Set in a small town where everyone knows everyone and outsiders are not tolerated, and where secrets are more prevalent than anyone realizes. I really liked the way the discovery of a missing girl and the disappearance of Lucy's mother years before were tied together, and I thought that Lucy had a really interesting voice - although I ended up also enjoying the way that the POV moved around among some of the other characters. A really fun murder mystery that reminded me a bit of Gillian Flynn, but had its own interesting voice. I would read more by this author.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

26. Orange Is the New Black (audiobook)

This was a really interesting book. I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started, but was pleased to learn that Kerman was a relatively normal person who made a few mistakes that landed her in prison. I think that this made the book a lot more interesting, since it became more of a story of what I would experience in prison if I ever ended up there. (Not that I plan on ending up there...)

There were a few preachy moments, but mostly it was just stories about what her life was like in prison. And even the preachy moments weren't bad (America puts way too many people in prison for minor drug charges). Overall a really interesting story.

27. The Sworn Sword: The Graphic Novel

This was a fun, quick read. I love the world that George R. R. Martin has created for his books, so it was fun to see it through the stories of other characters.

28. Bridge to Terabithia (audiobook)

I never read this as a kid, but picked it up as part of my ongoing quest to read all of the Newbery winners. I'm not quite sure how I would have felt about this book had I read it when I was young. I kind of wish I had.

At the same time, it was really interesting reading this from an adult mindset. First thought: Saddest book ever. But after thinking about it more, it's really an uplifting book with a really good message and mostly happy. Just also really sad.

Anyway, glad I read it. Absolutely fantastic book.

29. Brilliance

Wow, I really liked this book. Had a bit of an X-Men meets The Bourne Identity meets, uh, fighting terrorists vibe to it. (Blanking on a good terrorists-hunting movie).

Cool science fiction, really interesting characters. A great premise. Can't wait to read the next one.

30. The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It was very interesting. I had never heard about these people or what they had done before - at least not until the movie came out earlier this year - so it was kind of fascinating to see what they were able to accomplish. When I started I thought that the notion was kind of crazy - should these people really be worrying about art when people around them are dying - but then I think about if all of these beautiful and important pieces of art and historic significance had been destroyed what the world today would be missing out on. My one complaint is that the book was a little long and a little dry in parts. I understand the author wanted to tell the whole story - all the stories - but it could have been cut down just a bit. Worth a read, though.

31. A Tale for the Time Being

Books should not be allowed to reference quantum mechanics. It hurts my brain.

Aside from that, I really liked this story. I can see why it was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Very interesting plot (even without the alternate-worlds stuff that messed with my brain). Honestly - I might have even given it a higher rating if it had been more straightforward and not included quantum mechanics...

I loved the voice of Nao. I loved hearing her story and her drama with her father and the students at school and especially of the time she spent at the monastery. Ruth's voice I didn't love as much, although her husband amused me, but I can see why it was necessary to have Ruth's point of view. I just wish she hadn't been quite so whiny.

Still, a really interesting book. I had no idea where this book was going when I started it, but I found myself under its spell shortly after I began. Excellent read.

32. Dreams of Joy

Really good follow-up to Shanghai Girls. It wasn't always an easy read - the parts about how the communes were dealing with the famine was tough to get through at times - but it was a really great story. Glad I read both of these books.

33. Fallout

A good conclusion to the story. I was wary at first, since we wouldn't be hearing this book from the point of view of Kristina/Bree, but rather from the alternating POVs of three of her children, but I think it ended up being a really great way to tell the story. Very sad, but also uplifting. I'm glad I read these books.

I wasn't sure if I'd continue with this past Crank, but now I'm intrigued.

Donna wrote: "I wasn't sure if I'd continue with this past Crank, but now I'm intrigued."

Donna, I think they're definitely worth reading. Crank was probably the best of the bunch, but the other two were really well written and interesting as well.

34. The Lost Sisterhood

I enjoyed this book. It reminded me a lot of The Da Vinci Code, which - if you take away all the crazy drama about the 'truth' of the story - was actually a pretty enjoyable thriller. This book was written in a very similar story, and was about the ancient Amazons - the group of warrior women who pop up in mythology around about the time of the Trojan War.

I liked the way this story was told, alternating the story of Diana in present day, looking for evidence of real-life Amazons in history, with the story of Myrina, a warrior woman whose story intertwined with Paris of Troy, Agamemnon, Helen, and a few others you'd recognize if you're familiar with the Iliad.

Fun, thrilling, and historical but not too serious. An enjoyable summer read.

35. Sum It Up: 1,098 Victories, a Couple of Irrelevant Losses, and a Life in Perspective (audiobook)

Pat Summitt is awesome.

I knew OF Pat Summitt, of course, simply from watching NCAA Womens Tournaments, but I didn't know a lot about her. When she retired recently, due to Alzheimers, it caught my attention. Shortly after her retirement, I caught a 30 for 30 documentary about her, and I was fascinated. When I saw that she was putting a memoir out, I knew I had to get my hands on it.

Summitt is an incredible woman, Alzheimers or no. She came in at a time when no one cared about womens basketball and made success not only for herself, but also for the University of Tennessee and the sport as a whole. I really enjoyed finding out about her life story and recommend this book to anyone who cares about college basketball.

It's been a busy few months. I've got to start reading more, if I'm going to keep on schedule!

36. The Collector of Dying Breaths: A Novel of Suspense

I was so excited to read this book, but I'm sad to say that I was very disappointed in it. The idea behind the story was intriguing - using old-world alchemy to try and bring a person's soul back through their last breath, captured in a jar. I was expecting historical fiction mixed with magical realism. Unfortunately, at least for me, it ended up being more Harlequin romance mixed with a historical fiction. Not my cup of tea.

Some of the historical storyline was still interesting enough that I kept reading, but the present-day storyline just did nothing for me. I didn't like the characters, and couldn't identify with the protagonist at all. Such a let down. Might still be enjoyable if romance is your genre of choice, but it just isn't mine.

37. The Martian

I absolutely loved this book. It had a lot of suspense and drama, obviously - having the main character stranded alone on Mars will do that - but it was also really funny. The majority of the book is told from the point of view of the stranded astronaut, Mark Watney, in data logs, and he had a wicked sense of humor. I loved every moment we were stranded with him. A great read.

38. Burned

I really do love the way that Ellen Hopkins writes teenagers. I was never a fan of novels in verse before reading her, either, but I think that her stories work so well in that format that they've converted me.

I thought Hopkins did a great job in this book dealing with tough issues, just as she did in Crank (religion and abuse in Burned, drug use in Crank), writing about them in a way that feels real and that, I think, can really relate to teenagers. I also liked the way this one ended, leaving things open, and I think that she could have left it that way... but I know there is a sequel, so I'm sure I'll pick it up to find out where the story ends up.

39. The Truth About Alice

This was a really short book, but it packed a punch. It also makes me glad that I never have to live through high school again, even though I (thankfully) never went through anything like what Alice goes through. But I thought that the author wrote the teenage characters really well in this book and made them all seem like believable people, with real motivations for doing what they did. A really well-written story about the damage that rumors can do.

Thanks to the publishers for an advanced copy through NetGalley.

40. The Chocolate War (audiobook)

This was a really great young adult book. I think that Robert Cormier wrote books for teens in a way that very few do today. He didn't talk down to his readers and assumed that they would be able to see beyond the immediate reaction (you know, the reaction that got this book banned over and over again).

The characters are what make this book. The characters feel real and honest, and Archie Costello is one of the most hateful characters I've ever come across in literature. Really well-written, and still relevant to kids today.

41. Em and The Big Hoom

It's hard to review a book like this. There isn't really a plot, nothing much happens - it's just a book about a family living in Bombay, trying to hold their family together while the mother suffers from bipolar disorder. The book is completely about the characters, but it works, and it's great, because the characters are amazing. So well-written and complex. Glad I read it.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy through NetGalley.

42. Goliath

This was a great end to the trilogy. I loved the way that Westerfeld blended history with science fiction, setting the story at the start of World War I and incorporating a lot of historical figures and events into the story. I enjoyed the whole series, but agree with others that this might have been the strongest book of the three. Great story, lots of action, lots of emotion, and a wonderful ending.

43. Boy, Snow, Bird

I'm not quite sure about this book. I thought that the writing style was great, but didn't go in for all of the plot points. Some of the characters were really interesting, some were not. To elaborate, I really liked Boy at the start of the book, but didn't love her in the third act. I liked Bird, but felt indifferent about Snow. Was she evil? Was she good and Boy was evil? Was no one evil and everyone paranoid?

This was another downfall of the book - too much was left unexplained. Or maybe I just wasn't "deep" enough to figure out the meanings. Did Bird really talk to spiders and not show up in mirrors? She's either a highly imaginative child, or she's crazy, or these things are really true and she's something else. But I don't know which!

As for the issues addressed, I thought she did well with the race issue, and that it was handled in a very interesting way. Issues of sexuality, however, didn't seem to fit in with the story and could have been left out completely, in my opinion.

Mostly enjoyable read, but a little too confusing and over-elaborate for me to have loved it.

44. More Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops

Quick, funny read. Makes me miss working in a bookstore just a little bit.

45. A Better World

Sequel to the book Brilliance, which I read back in May.

I'm so glad I stumbled upon this little gem of a series. Part science-fiction, part terrorism thriller. Once again the concept is very "X-Men" - a small group of people (1% of the population, in this case) is born with a genetic advantage, which the average person isn't exactly comfortable with. At the end of Brilliance, we were left realizing that the people in control had manipulated things to try and start a war against the 1%. In this book, the repercussions of releasing that information to the public are seen. Great political thriller with a sci-fi element thrown in. Can't wait for the third book.

46. Bird Box

Wow.

This book was seriously scary. I can't imagine living in a world like this. Knowing something is out there and if you even glimpse it for a second you're dead. Truly terrifying. Great idea and very well written.