Challenge: 50 Books discussion

January
･ 11th (1) - Spartan Gold By: Clive Cussler
Great book. I love Clive Cussler's books in general, and I think the new characters introduced in this one (The Fargos) might just be my favorite yet. An addictive book - I highly recommend it.

･ 20th (2) - The Five Greatest Warriors By: Matthew Reilly
As I seem to say with every Matthew Reilly novel, I can't wait for the next one to come out! I could not put this book down, which is typical of his books, and would definitely suggest it (and the whole series) to anyone who is a fan of action packed thrillers. Not to mention, Mr. Reilly has managed to insert some good character development alongside all of this action - a rare feat.

･ 31st (3) - The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer By: Philip Carlo
This was without a doubt the best non-fiction book I've read in a long time, maybe ever. Although at times very chilling, it got me hooked instantly, and was very hard to put down. I can't wait to pick up another Philip Carlo book.

February
･ 3rd (4) - Spy By: Ted Bell
Very good book. My least favorite of the series, and still an excellent read which I found difficult to put down to return to my real life. I'll be picking up the next one any day now, I'm sure.

･ 4th (5) - The Skeleton in the Closet By: M.C. Beaton

･ 7th (6) - The Lost Years of Merlin By: T.A. Barron
Although not a difficult read, a really good book. I've enjoyed every book I've read so far this year and The Lost Years definitely keeps the streak going. I can't wait to find out what happens in the rest of the series.

･ 8th (7) - The Seven Songs of Merlin By: T.A. Barron
Really really good - intense and gripping. Most latter books in a series (in my experience) fall short of the first, but that certainly didn't happen here. I just finished Seven Songs a few minutes ago and intend to start the third book tonight.

･ 24th (8) - The State of Israel Vs Adolf Eichman By: Hanna Yablonka
The writing wasn't bad, and the information within was interesting. However, the book didn't have the ability to draw me in like some others do. The main thing that bothered me was that the author tended to use the same word repetitively, which became slightly annoying after a while (but not annoying enough that it should keep you from reading the book). Although I wouldn't rave about it to anybody, it was pretty good.

March
･ 18th (9) - Gaspipe: Confessions of a Mafia Boss By: Philip Carlo
A really good book, although I have to say I liked his other book that I previously read, "The Ice Man, Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer" somewhat better. Although the book did tend to always shine Casso in a good light, no matter the situation (most likely due to the author's relationship with Casso), the facts did all seem to be accurate and it was an enjoyable book to read. It had very short chapters which I love (always close to a stopping point), and was written almost like a fiction novel, which for me, made it easier to read than your average non-fiction book. And just a note - I rated four stars, but if I could have I probably would have rated three and a half.

･ 21st (10) - Death of a Witch By: M.C. Beaton
You know, as much as I like her Agatha Raisin Series, I think I like these even better. I could hardly stand to put this book down - their addicting! I hope she starts cranking out some new Hamish books soon. Or even more Agatha's would be good too. I definitely suggesting reading just about anything by this author.

･ 27th (11) - Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin By: Kathy Griffin
Loved it! Especially that you could tell it wasn't over-edited - her personal style was clear in the writing, and I could picture her saying every word. It literally made me laugh out loud at times, and others (although these were far fewer) I felt almost on the verge of tears. I normally can't stand biographies of any kind, even of people I like, but I love her stand-up/my life on the d-list so much I thought I'd give it a try, and boy was it worth it. Definitely not you're typical biography (and I mean that in a great way)!

April
･ 6th (12) - Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Wartime Sarajevo By: Zlata Filipović
It was really, really good. I was cautious to start reading this, because it's the type of book that I normally couldn't finish. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Zlata's writing was very innocent, and at the same time very profound.

･ 15th (13) - The Fires of Merlin By: T.A. Barron
As with the other books in this series, not a particularly challenging read, but a wonderful story. I've been reading plenty of slow-going non-fictions and long, drawn-out novels lately and this series was the perfect thing to give myself a little break without sacrificing quality

･ 17th (14) - The Mirror of Merlin By: T.A. Barron
Again, great read. Isn't all that difficult (it is, after all, young-adult fiction), but great if your looking for a light read that still has substsance to it. Can't wait to pick up the final book in the series. I'm sure it won't dissapoint.

･ 18th (15) - Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony By: Eoin Colfer
Again, not a terribly difficult read. I started this series years and years ago, and then moved on to other things and forgot about it. However, these are incredibly enjoyable books, and I'm glad to have come back to them. I finished this particular book in a night and a day, testament to how involving they are. I intend to start reading the next book later this evening - can't wait!

･ 20th (16) - Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox By: Eoin Colfer
A little frustrating at times, but overall very enjoyable. I can't wait for the seventh installment to be released this July - I will miss reading about the boy genius' exploits.

･ 22nd (17) - The Most Dangerous Game By: Richard Connell
This started out as just something, I had to read for my English class, but it turns out it's an excellent story and I would definitely suggest it. I'm not really sure if I should count it here, seeing as how it's so short, so I think I'll post it as my 17th book and then shoot for 51 books this year...

･ 22nd (18) - The Scarlet Ibis By: James Hurst
Really short and read for my English class, same as the last one, so again I think I'll list it on here but not actually count it in my 50. It was a pretty good story, but don't read it if you want a happy ending, because you'll be disappointed.

･ 28th (19) - Gideon the Cutpurse (AKA The Time Travelers) By: Linda Buckley-Archer
I actually discovered this book when my dad brought it home from the library for my baby brother, but he didn't want to read it (until he heard how good I thought it was). It looked like a good book, and I was in between books, so I figured why not read it? I thought this was a very good, very entertaining book. It drew me in from the beginning, but by the end I literally was up all night reading to find out what happened. As it is Young Adult Fiction, it isn't a tremendously difficult story, but it is definitely worth reading. I hope to pick up the rest of the series very soon!

May
･ 2nd (20) - Prisoner of Tehran: A Memoir By: Marina Nemat
Prisoner of Tehran is the memoir of a girl (Marina Nemat) growing up in Iran during the revolutionary years of the late 70s and early to mid 80s. The heart-wrenching tale follows her through her arrest at age 16 for speaking out against the Islamic government, and her subsequent torture, escape from execution, sentence of life imprisonment, and forced marriage to one of her interrogators, all set against the backdrop of the notorious Evin political prison.

Before the revolution, Marina was a regular girl who enjoyed reading books like The Chronicles of Narnia and Jane Austen. She went to a girls' school with students of varying religions (she herself was Christian), had friends, went to parties, thought about boys. Then the shah was exiled, and everything changed. This book, although sadly a work of non-fiction, reads like a novel, and features flashbacks to Marina's childhood in between the chapters about the goings on in Evin. The transitions are made smoothly, but if going back and forth regularly between times bothers you in a book, this one might not be for you. However, I consider this to be an excellent, well written story and one of the best, possibly the best, work of non-fiction I have ever read. On top of Marina's story it gives you a (brief, but solid) background of Iranian politics and the revolution, as well as of Evin Prison. This memoir reveals in a breathtaking way one girl's experiences behind the walls of the most infamous political prison in Iran, and while it's in places difficult, almost painful to read, I would highly suggest it.

･ 12th (21) - Tsar By: Ted Bell
Well, I guess I should start off by saying that if you're going to read this book, you should start at the beginning of the series (this is book five, the first four being Hawke, Assassin, Pirate, and Spy). Although you can read them as stand-alone novels, the characters develop more in each one, and each one holds a few small references to the previous ones. I love these books because they are relatively quick reads, but still have substantial plotlines and characterization; there is also some need to pay attention to detail, which I enjoy, but if you're trying to read with a lot of distractions around could potentially be problematic.

With that said, on to the plot. Russian politics take center stage here - the world is essentially back to the Cold War, with a definite possibility of the situation warming up to Nuclear. Vladimir Putin is sitting in Energetika Prison, and the strings in the Kremlin are being pulled by a madman with world domination on the mind - or at the very least, the old Soviet borders. The West is desperately trying to build up it's previously vast network of Russian spies to what it was during the Cold War-era, and who else could be at the head of this project (code-named Red Banner) but our daring hero Alex Hawke - along with friend and Scotland Yard Inspector Ambrose Congreve, CIA Director "Brick" Kelly, Stokely Jones, Harry Brock, and relatively new additions Pippa Guiness and Luis "Sharkey" Gonzales-Gonzales of course. Sent in undercover to Moscow, he must find the so-called "Dark Rider" and stop him from bringing on World War III. Unfortunately for Alex, World War III is exactly what this madman wants, and he, along with ex-SEAL friend Stokely both have personal ties that could destroy everything. From Jamaican gangs and Bermudan beaches to dazzling airships and KGB assassins, this novel has just about everything you could ask for in a thriller. All of that, and it's still my next to least-favorite in the Hawke series - however, I definitely think it's better than it's predecessor Spy (my least-favorite in the series) and it's definitely a good book that's (in my not so humble opinion) worth reading.

･ 15th (22) - The Time Thief (AKA The Tar Man) By: Linda Buckley-Archer
Not bad. Not bad at all. I liked the plotline of the first book better, but the writing was very similar in style and difficulty as the last one, so if you liked Gideon the Cutpurse (AKA The Time Travelers) you should probably enjoy this one too. Although, in fairness, this one is traveling between three times instead of just two like the first one, and thus could be construed as slightly more confusing.

･ 25th (23) - The Miracle Worker By: William Gibson
Not bad. I'm not a big fan of plays, but as plays go, this was probably the best one I've ever read.

･ 29th (24) - Columbine By: Dave Cullen
Excellent book. It took me forever to read, but not because I couldn't get into it or it was difficult, it just...took me forever. It goes back and forth every chapter or two between before the attack (the planning of the attack, Dylan and Eric's pasts, daily lives, friends memories of them, etc.), the attack itself (a minute by minute recap of events), and up to several years after the attack (the reaction of students, parents, the media, court cases, investigations, memorial services, etc.). If you're at all interested in knowing more about the motives and reasons behind this tragedy, or really anything else about it, this is definitely the book for you.

･ 29th (25) - The Wings of Merlin By: T.A. Barron
A really good conclusion to the series. It moved at just the right speed - slow enough to really get you into the relationships and such, but fast paced enough to keep you from getting bored. I'm only slightly embarrassed to say that I was tearing up at the end. I have other books I need to finish up with first, but I fully intend to read the rest of the post-Lost Years Merlin series' by this author. I would definitely suggest this book/author (but read the rest of the series first!).

June
･ 1st (26) - Foundation By: Mercedes Lackey
Mercedes Lackey has long been one of my top two favorite authors thanks to her numerous Valdemar novels, and this newest one doesn't disappoint. Great plot, flows well, good character development - 5 stars. Can't wait for the next one in the series to come out sometime later this year.


･ 7th (27) - The Romanov Prophecy By: Steve Berry
Really good. The first 100 pages or so were a little slow, but by the time I got about halfway through the book I was staying up all night reading, until I literally couldn't keep my eyes open. Definitely worth reading - and if you don't instantly get into the story, read a little more anyway. Give it a chance. Oh, and just a note: the plot is based on the fact that at the time of the novel's publication, Alexei and Anastasia Romanov's bodies hadn't yet been found and identified with the rest of their family's remains (the bodies were found in 2007 and identified in 2008). But the novel is historically accurate and it's still a really well-written, good story.

August
･ 9th (28) - Inside the Mind of BTK: The True Story Behind the Thirty-Year Hunt for the Notorious Wichita Serial Killer By: John E. Douglas
Good, informative read. If you're interested in true crime books, this is worth picking up. Douglas not only goes through some of the behind the scenes goings on at the FBI and how he came to his profile of BTK, but each crime in detail, and a mini-biography of BTK going back to his childhood as well. It also includes an exclusive interview with BTK after his arrest in 2005, and a breakdown of the events that led to that arrest, 31 years after he first started killing.

･ 12th (29) - Romeo and Juliet By: William Shakespeare
Ok, so let me start with this - I would rate it 2 1/2 stars instead of 2 if I could. I had to read this for my English class, and not only did I have a fair amount of trouble with the writing (it took me a ridiculous amount of time to decipher in some cases), but I found the story rather...uninteresting. At least until the very last 10 or 15 pages. Now this could be because I already knew the ending (who doesn't?), because I'm not a big fan of love stories, or because I don't particularly like reading plays, but it doesn't really matter. I just didn't like it. If you're a fan of dead English playwrights on the other hand, read it anyway. You just might like it. :)

･ 16th (30) - A Bone of Contention By: Susanna Gregory
Excellent! I had read another series of books by this same author, and was rather dejected to find out there weren't any others...until I realized the author was using a pseudonym and that Susanna Gregory was indeed Simon Beaufort (real name Elizabeth Cruwys). And this book didn't disappoint. You do, however, risk losing some sleep if you're anything like me because I just couldn't put it down until I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore.

Thanks for the kind words on my book Alex.

You're very welcome - I really enjoyed it.

Excuse me, but...who is BTK? When I clicked on the book icon to find out more, what I found is that there IS no more...no explanation and no reviews...

Oops, sorry, I linked to the wrong version of the book - I changed the link if you want to check it again. But BTK (AKA Dennis Rader) is an American serial killer who killed 10 people in Wichita, KS from 1974-1991. He also used to tease police, writing them notes, sending them items he stole from his victims houses, etc. And he named himself "BTK" in those notes - it stands for "Bind, Torture, Kill" (what he did to his victims). He was arrested in 2005, but since his last murder was in 1991, when KS didn't have the death penalty, he wasn't eligible for that. Instead he was sentenced to 10 consecutive life sentences, which requires a minimum of 175 years in prison without chance of parole, making his earliest possible release date in the year 2180. So yeah, there's your mini-biography of BTK :)

Thanks for clearing the identity up. Just wondered, I still have never heard of him. I lived in/around the Wichita area, but that was before his time there (came to CA in 1956).

You're welcome :) Glad to help.

September
･ 12th (31) - A Plague on Both Your Houses By: Susanna Gregory
Excellent! I loved the first book I read in this series (although it wasn't the first book in the series, as I couldn't get my hands on that one at the time), and this certainly wasn't a letdown, despite my high expectations. Just picked up the next one from the library today, and can't wait to start reading it.

･ 16th (32) - The FIRST TIME By: Cher
No great work of literature, but a must read for Cher fans. It's written in 1-2 page anecdotes from Cher's life, in chronological order, starting with her first memory and ending with giving Sonny's eulogy. It's an entertaining, enjoyable, quick read (and it's great for dr.'s office waiting room reading or other short spaces of time, due to it's short "chapters").

･ 25th (33) - Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West By: Gregory Maguire
Okay, I read a lot of fairly negative reviews on here about this book but I'm really glad I didn't let them discourage me from reading it, because this is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I knew of the musical before the book, so I knew the bare bones of the story coming in (although the book is certainly darker, and some of the story is quite a bit is different). So, picking up the book as a fan of the musical, I didn't get exactly what I expected. However, I came to love this book very much, in good part because it makes you think. About things political and religious, about the nature of good and evil, about the effects of prejudice on a society, just to name a few. Also, fans of the Wizard of Oz should know, that nothing in Wicked actually contradicts anything that happens in the Wizard of Oz. It more gives you a context to put the Wizard of Oz in. The obvious storyline is why the "Wicked Witch of the West" is a so called wicked witch, but also how the cowardly lion became cowardly, why Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West have the relationship they have, how the Wicked Witch of the East became known as such, a backstory for those well known shoes that Dorothy walked off in down the Yellow Brick Road, and many other anecdotes about many of your favorite Ozian characters. However, in the spirit of fair warning - I haven't met anyone who has read this book, including myself, who can look at the Wizard of Oz the same way again, so if you have a perception of Oz that you would really rather not distort, I might suggest against reading this book. All in all: I was into the story from the first page, couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed that it made me think, and come up with some conclusions of my own to the difficult questions put to the reader - there are no easy answers in this book. Based on reviews, people in general seem to either completely love it, or really hate it: I loved it.

･ 26th (34) - An Unholy Alliance By: Susanna Gregory
Yet another excellent installment in a wonderfully intriguing series (I accidentally starting reading them out of order, so I've read more than just the first two already).

October
･ 25th (35) - Putin's Labyrinth: Spies, Murder, and the Dark Heart of the New Russia By: Steve Levine
By far the best non-fiction book I've read in a long time - it's one of those that's informative, but that you don't want to put down either. It's somewhat different that others I've read in that it is more a collection of interviews and conversations that the author has had with major players in Russia than anything else, but in my opinion that makes it much easier to read than a typical non-fiction.

･ 27th (36) - Death of a Valentine By: M.C. Beaton
Another wonderfully cozy installment in the Hamish Macbeth series. Not much to say other than that it's a great book for a rainy day, thoroughly enjoyable but a quick read. M.C. Beaton certainly hasn't lost her touch for mystery writing over the years.

Thank you for your review of Wicked, I had only skimmed it before and probably read the parts where people were saying things prejudicial about the witch. A friend told me that she was kind to animals and that people had a misperception of her...so maybe I will try the book again. It was also daunting, being such a thick book.

You're very welcome. I saw several bad reviews, and felt like I should let people hear the other side of it too. And yes, people did have major misperceptions of due to her looks, which is one of the backing themes of the story. And belief in animal rights was a significant part of her character as well, yes. It is a thick book, but well worth it I think. Once I picked it up it was one of those I could hardly stand to put down.

November
･ 2nd (37) - A Death in the Venetian Quarter By: Alan Gordon
Well, it took me two tries to read this book. After the first hard push to get through the beginning, I enjoyed the middle pretty well and was absolutely in love with this book by the end. Now this difficulty could partly be due to the fact that I couldn't get my hands on the first two books - I started with the third one, so didn't know as well the characters or the historical context. Luckily, I've read some non-fiction in the past on the Crusades and Byzantine Empire, which gave me a bit of contextual knowledge. Now that I have a better idea of how it is used in the book however, and after that ending, I'm raring to read the next book in the series.

･ 4th (38) - Widow of Jerusalem By: Alan Gordon
Excellent! I liked this one much better than the last one in the series, and am definitely going to continue reading these books.

･ 13th (39) - Son of a Witch By: Gregory Maguire
As much as I enjoyed this book, it felt like an afterthought to Wicked's success. Not that I'm advising against reading it, but if your expecting a sequel that is as thought-provoking and intense as Wicked, you're not going to get it. Not that it doesn't make you think a little bit, and not that it doesn't have it's intense moments, but as far as I'm concerned it will never touch Wicked. Also it had a funnily unresolved ending. I don't know if that will be somehow mended in Lion Among Men, even though that follows a different character, or what. Anyway, four stars overall for a good read, but not what I was expecting coming straight off of Maguire's first Wicked Years novel.

･ 28th (40) - Jester Leaps In By: Alan Gordon
Entertaining book. I still haven't managed to get my hands on the first one in the series, so I'm kind of working backwards, and the ones I've already read are making more and more sense. Good series for light mystery reading, but I would suggest starting with book 1 if at all possible.

December
･ 1st (41) - Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea By: Chelsea Handler
Excellent! This is probably the first book I've ever read that I could honestly classify as laugh-out-loud funny. Particularly if you're a fan of Ms. Handler's show, and know her brand of humor. Definitely worth reading - I finished it in under 24 hours. Can't wait to pick up her other books.

･ 15th (42) - Hidden Children of the Holocaust By: Suzanne Vromen
Excellent! It typically takes me a while to get into non-fiction books, but I picked this up and was intrigued from page 1. It details the lives of WWII's "hidden children", the more than 2,000 Jewish children who were removed from their homes and families and given new identities to avoid deportation and extermination by the Nazis. The book focuses on the many children hidden in Catholic convents, and is separated into four sections: the lives of the hidden children, the nuns and priests who cared for them (the main focus is on the nuns in this book), the "escorts" who removed the child from the home and supplied their new identity, and the recognition and memorials of said clergy and escorts since the war's end.

･ 19th (43) - Gulag By: Sean Flannery

･ 21st (44) - Oedipus the King By: Sophocles

･ 22nd (45) - Oedipus at Colonus By: Sophocles

･ 24nd (46) Thirteenth Night By: Alan Gordon

･ 29th (47) - Antigone By: Sophocles

･ 30th (48) - The Lightning Thief By: Rick Riordan

Well, I came really close, but considering the tremendous amount of schoolwork I've had to deal with this year, among other things, I think 48 is a number to be proud of. Now time to get a jump start on 2011. :)