Book a Week 2011 - Week forty-one

[Robin M]

Good morning Dolls! Today is the start of week 41in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Welcome back to our regulars and to all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 books blog to link to your reviews. The link is in my signature.

 

52 Books Blog - Nora Roberts - celebrating Nora Roberts who is the diva of romance and romantic suspense and has written almost 200 novels in 30 years. Plus she writes a futuristic crime novel series about a female detective called the In Death series. Book # 33 just came out. To read her is to love her.

 

A reading challenge over on Novel Challenges just gave me another idea which will implement for 2012 - The Bucket List. Books you are dying to read but just haven't gotten to yet. Start thinking about it and add to your list for the new year.

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

Link to week 40

[Robin M]

I finished An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears. Long long book which really could have been shorter, but managed to read the whole thing. 4 sections of the book with 4 different narrators. With each section had to get used to the new narrator and 3 of 4 were very arrogant. Good historical fiction novel full of deception, spying, arrogance, and the politics of the time. More conversation than action and lots of thinking. Liked it but didn't love it.

 

Think I'm going to read Envy next. It is the 3rd novel in J.R. Ward's Fallen Angel series. But I need to read something light and fluffy first. Off to peruse my TBR pile. *grin*

[Osmosis Mom]

I just read I Don't Know How She Does It. Fluffy, but an OK fluff with a great ending.

[Negin]

This morning, in the very early morning hours, I finished Middlesex. I never thought I'd care for this book much. I absolutely loved it and am so happy that I finally read it after first hearing about it a few years ago. Didn't want it to end. All I can say is, "Wow!" :D

 

[eaglei]

This week I finished:

 

#62 - Gone for18 Minutes: To Heaven, To Hell, and Back, by Teresa G. Simmons

#63 - Garden Spells, by Sarah Addison Allen

#64 - The Sugar Queen, by Sarah Addison Allen

 

Currently reading:

 

#65 - The Girl Who Chased the Moon, by Sarah Addison Allen

 

Enjoying the Allen books. Not sure about some of the *magic* stuff, but page turners nonetheless; I don't want to say *goodbye* to the characters...

[Ali in OR]

I read Alice in Wonderland this week (our first MCT lit book). I have started John LeCarre's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy--have never read anything in this genre. Seems interesting enough to keep me reading. It's pretty thick, so it might take a few weeks.

[Stacia]

The Bucket List. Books you are dying to read but just haven't gotten to yet.

One I will probably have to put on there: One Hundred Years of Solitude

 

An Instance of the Fingerpost

Might be another one on my Bucket List. Not sure.

 

I just read I Don't Know How She Does It. Fluffy, but an OK fluff with a great ending.

Is the movie that's out now based on this book?

 

I finished Middlesex. I never thought I'd care for this book much. I absolutely loved it and am so happy that I finally read it after first hearing about it a few years ago. Didn't want it to end. All I can say is, "Wow!" :D

:D Loved it too!

 

I'm still working on Boneshaker (steampunk & zombies).

 

Review by Cory Doctorow:

 

"Cherie Priest's zombie steampunk mad-science dungeon crawl family adventure novel Boneshaker is everything you'd want in such a volume and much more.

 

Boneshaker is the story of the Wilkes/Blue family, a storied Seattle clan whose three generations unmade and remade the city through a series of scientific and martial adventures that are recounted with great relish and verve. First, there's Leviticus Blue, an arrogant mad scientist who developed a great tunnelling machine (part of a Russian-sponsored competition to improve Alaskan gold-mining) and undermined the city of Seattle, releasing the Blight, a poisonous gas that causes the dead to rise, and to hunger for the flesh of the living. Then, Maynard Wilkes, a prison guard in Seattle, committed an act of great mercy and bravery by releasing the prisoners in his care before they could be blighted, losing his life in the process, and becoming a hero to those left behind the walled-off city of Seattle, and a pariah to the settlers in the Outskirts beyond the wall. Then there's Briar Wilkes, the widow of Leviticus and the daughter of Maynard, who is scraping by in the Outskirts, trying to outrun her reputation but unable to, and unable to escape Seattle because of the great Civil War that is eating America with martial trains and dirigibles and great armies. Finally, there's Ezekiel Wilkes, the son of Briar and Leviticus, who has snuck back into the walled city, wearing an antiquated Blight-mask, to discover the truth about his father.

 

And that's where the action kicks off, with son and mother chasing one another through the Blighted city of Seattle, avoiding the zombies, befriending the Chinese laborers who run the great machines that suck clean air from beyond the wall into the sealed tunnels beneath the city, trying to escape the clutches of the evil Dr Minnericht, the self-appointed king of Seattle (who may or may not be Leviticus Blue), befriending rogue zeppelin pilots, armored giants, and steam-powered cyborg barmaids.

 

It's full of buckle and has swash to spare, and the characters are likable and the prose is fun. This is a hoot from start to finish, pure mad adventure."

Books read as of July 2011:

32. The Reluctant Entertainer

33. A Curable Romantic

34. A Reliable Wife

35. Living the Simple Life

36. The Music of Chance

37. The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise

38. Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui

39. The Book of Jhereg

40. The Lost Symbol

41. Storm Front

42. The Clutter Cure

43. Simplicity Parenting

44. Madame Tussaud

45. The Map of Time

46. The Somnambulist

47. The Island of Lost Maps

48. The Adventurer's Handbook

49. Garden Spells

50. Dracula The Un-Dead

51. The Gold Bug

52. The Rule of Four

53. Ilustrado

54. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

 

Stacia's Challenge/2011 Goodreads

Edited September 12, 2014 by Stacia

[dangermom]

I finally finished Albion! It was good, just really way too long. But if you love English literature, you'll love Albion.

 

And I read a super book called The Con, all about scams and how to avoid getting fooled. The meat truck guys weren't in there, but the stereo version of meat guys was. I would recommend this to anyone as a life-skills kind of book, like The Gift of Fear. Give it to your teenager!

 

Now I'm reading Victorian detective and ghost stories in honor of it being October. :)

[Stacia]

Now I'm reading Victorian detective and ghost stories in honor of it being October. :)

 

Any titles to share? :001_smile:

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I can't remember what I last posted, so here is my list:

 

52 Books for 2011

 

Listened to:

 

Evening Class by Maeve Binchy

The Adventures of Sally by P.G. Wodehouse

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Haddon

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

 

 

Read:

 

 

(Fiction)

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood

One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banarjee Divakaruni

Dream Angus by Alexander McCall Smith

The Neddiad by Daniel Pinkwater

The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig

The Deception of the Emerald Ring by Lauren Willig

The Seduction of the Crimson Rose by Lauren Willig

The Favored Child by Philippa Gregory

The Enchantment of the Night Jasmine by Lauren Willig

Meridon by Philippa Gregory

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily by Lauren Willig

Secret Son by Laila Lalami

Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt

The Tenth Song by Naomi Ragen

Blood Orange by Drusilla Campbell

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

L’heure des elfes by Jean Louis-Fetjaine

Babyville by Jane Green

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Malpertuis by Jean Ray

Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig

The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig

 

(Non Fiction)

Disconnected Kids by Dr. Robert Melillo

Why the Chinese Don’t Count Calories by Lorraine Clissold

Going Gray by Anne Kreamer

The Celtic Realms by Myles Dillon and Nora Chadwick

Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz

Why Don’t I Do The Things I Know Are Good For Me? by B.J. Gallagher

Children of the Self Absorbed by Nina W. Brown

Living Green by Greg Horn

The Anglo Files by Sarah Lyall

 

I started reading Outlander a couple of days ago.

[dangermom]

Any titles to share? :001_smile:

 

Well, years ago my MIL gave me an old Oxford collection titled "Victorian Tales of Mystery and Detection"--it's big! And I'm also reading "Roald Dahl's Ghost Stories," which is a selection of stories he liked, not stories by him. Both are good.

[prairiegirl]

I have 100 pages left of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". I am hoping to finish it tonight (if I could get off of the computer :D) I am so enjoying this book as much as I loved the third one. Once I am finished this book, I will move on to the newest Chevy Stevens book (can't remember the title right now.)

 

My Bucket List for books? Ohhhh! I have tons of books to go on that list! It would take more than a year to go through all of my "I need to read that book before I die" books.

[-M-]

Hope to finish Book 95 tonight -- The Sibling Effect (Jeffrey Kluger; on the Kindle). My list to date is reproduced below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

■ Before I Go to Sleep (S.J. Watson; fiction)

■ A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith; fiction)

■ 101 Things I Hate about Your House (James Swan; non-fiction)

■ DMZ: Volume 9: MIA (Brian Wood; graphic fiction)

■ The Leftovers (Tom Perrotta; fiction)

■ Barns of Illinois (Larry and Alaina Kanfer; non-fiction)

■ Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work (Tim Gunn; non-fiction)

 

 

■ The Time Machine (H.G. Wells; classic science fiction)

 

 

■ Umbrella Summer (Lia Graff; YA fiction)

■ Sarah's Key (Tatiana de Rosay; fiction)

■ Never Look Away (Linwood Barclay; fiction)

■ Blank Confession (Pete Hautman; YA fiction)

■ Joy for Beginners (Erica Bauermeister; fiction)

■ Boy Heaven (Laura Kasischke; YA fiction)

■ Feathered (Laura Kasischke; YA fiction)

■ Daytripper (Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon; graphic novel)

■ In a Perfect World (Laura Kasischke; fiction)

■ The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction (Alan Jacobs; non-fiction)

■ One Day (David Nicholls; fiction)

■ The Idle Parent (Tom Hodgkinson; non-fiction)

■ Drawing Birds (John Busby; non-fiction)

■ Be Mine (Laura Kasischke; fiction)

■ Suspicion River (Laura Kasischke; fiction)

■ White Bird in a Blizzard (Laura Kasischke; fiction)

■ Want to Go Private? (Sarah Littman; YA fiction)

■ Mid-Life (Joe Ollmann; graphic novel)

■ A Hope in the Unseen (Ron Suskind; non-fiction)

■ A New Culture of Learning (Doug Thomas and John Seely Brown; non-fiction)

■ The Accident (Linwood Barclay; fiction)

■ The Hypnotist (Lars Kepler; fiction)

■ This Beautiful Life (Helen Schulman; fiction)

■ Beginner's Guide to Traditional Archery (Brian Sorrells; non-fiction)

■ This Girl Is Different (J.J. Johnson; YA fiction)

■ Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout (Lauren Redniss; biography, graphic book)

■ A Short Course in Canon PowerShot S5 IS Photography (Non-fiction)

■ Short Stories (Doyle, Henry, Poe; fiction)

■ The Winter's Tale (William Shakespeare; classic, play)

■ Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card; science fiction)

■ The Sister Knot (Terri Apter; psychology)

■ My Man Jeeves (P.J. Wodehouse; fiction, audiobook)

■ Acceptance: A Legendary Guidance Counselor Helps Seven Kids Find the Right Colleges--and Find Themselves (Dave Marcus; non-fiction)

■ The Millionaire Next Door (Thomas Stanley; non-fiction, personal finance)

■ Fear the Worst (Linwood Barclay; fiction)

 

 

 

■ The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth (Alexandra Robbins; non-fiction, education)

 

 

■ Confessions of a Prairie ***** (Alison Arngrim; memoir)

■ Pitch Uncertain (Maisie Houghton; memoir)

■ The Silent Land (Graham Joyce; fiction)

■ A Midsummer Night's Dream (William Shakespeare; play, classic)

■ The Hound of the Baskervilles (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; fiction)

■ Robopocalypse (Daniel H. Wilson; science fiction)

■ Daughters-in-Law (Joanna Trollope; fiction)

 

 

 

 

■ Sempre Susan (Sigrid Nunez; memoir)

■ Gardening Step by Step (Phil Clayton, et al.)

■ John Brookes' Natural Landscapes (John Brookes)

■ Month-by-Month Gardening in Illinois (James A. Fizzell)

■ The New Gardener (Pippa Greenwood)

■ Glorious Gardens (Jacqueline Heriteau)

■ Midwest Top 10 Garden Guide (Bonnie Monte, ed.)

■ Midwest Gardens (Pamela Wolfe)

■ Low Maintenance Garden (Jenny Hendy)

■ The Complete Beginner's Guide to Archery (Bernhard A. Roth)

■ Know the Sport: Archery (John Adams)

■ Sherlock Holmes: More Short Stories (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; fiction)

■ The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton; YA fiction)

■ The Raising (Laura Kasischke; fiction)

■ The Life before Her Eyes (Laura Kasischke; fiction)

■ No Time for Goodbye (Linwood Barclay; fiction)

■ Too Close to Home (Linwood Barclay; fiction)

 

 

■ Things a Brother Knows (Dana Reinhart; YA fiction)

 

■ Illyria (Elizabeth Hand; fiction)

■ The Merchant of Venice (William Shakespeare)

■ Model Home (Eric Puchner; fiction)

■ Mouse Guard, Volume 1: Fall 1152 (David Petersen; graphic novel)

■ Mouse Guard, Volume 2: Winter 1152 (David Petersen; graphic novel)

■ The Worst Loss: How Families Heal from the Death of a Child (Barbara D. Rosof)

■ Beyond Tears: Living after Losing a Child (Ellen Mitchell)

■ Love Never Dies: A Mother's Journey from Loss to Love (Sandy Goodman)

■ After the Death of a Child: Living with Loss through the Years (Ann K. Finkbeiner)

■ Trapped (Michael Northrop; YA fiction)

■ Sherlock Holmes: Short Stories (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; fiction)

■ The Colony (Jillian Marie Weise; fiction)

■ The Sandman, Vol. 3: Dream Country (Neil Gaiman; graphic novel)

 

 

■ The Source of All Things: A Memoir (Tracy Ross; memoir, review copy)

 

■ Heaven Is for Real (Todd Burpo; memoir, religion)

 

 

■ The Nest Home Design Handbook (Carley Roney)

■ Decorating Ideas That Work (Heather J. Paper)

■ Speed Decorating (Jill Vegas)

■ Flip! for Decorating (Elizabeth Mayhew)

■ Home Decor: A Sunset Design Guide (Kerrie L. Kelly)

■ Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother (Amy Chua; memoir, parenting)

■ Macbeth (William Shakespeare)

■ The Other Side of the Island (Allegra Goodman; fiction)

■ A Lantern in Her Hand (Bess Streeter Aldrich; fiction)

■ Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (Winifred Watson; fiction)

[-M-]

As for a book bucket list... well, I acquire books at a much faster rate than I can possibly read them. I'd be happy to live long enough to finish what's on my shelves, though!

[Negin]

A reading challenge over on Novel Challenges just gave me another idea which will implement for 2012 - The Bucket List. Books you are dying to read but just haven't gotten to yet.

Would this be like the books I have on my amazon wish list? I just redid mine the other week. So excited about the books I plan on reading. Many are recommendations from here. :)

[nd293]

I'm not sure I have a Bucket List - there are books I feel I should read, but those are not necessarily books I'm "dying to read but just haven't gotten to yet". Some of my current "to-read" list comes from recommendations from this thread, but some come from other titles that pop up on Amazon when I research the original recommendations. I request books from the library as I hear about them, then panic when all the reservations come in at the same time.

 

This week:

37. The Snack Thief - – Andrea Camilleri (3rd in the Inspector Montalbano series – Italian police / crime novel)

36. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ – Philip Pullman

 

The Snack Thief was lots of fun, as I'm finding all of Camiller's Montalbano books. We're also enjoying watching the books as they appeared in the Italian TV series of the same name.

 

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ was one of the Canongate Myths series, and will probably be rejected by lots of readers outright, in between the author, the title and the subject matter. It's a thought provoking read, though, hypothesising twin brothers, Jesus and Christ, who represent the basic message of God's love versus the idea that the message needs to be institutionalised and adorned with miracles and rituals and rules to appeal to and influence people's behavior. Detailed reviews here and here.

 

This week: Dream Angus and A Thousand Cuts. I am also busy with a non-fiction book of essays, which usually means I start off with good intentions, and give up after two days, but I'm actually enjoying this one: The Veil: Women Writers on Its History, Lore and Politics.

Edited October 10, 2011 by nd293

[Storm Bay]

I'm reading When Listening Comes Alive by Paul Madaule(I don't know if it's on Amazon in English) and, for some humour, As the World Churns.

[ladydusk]

Hooray for vacation! We had a great time at the beach in Hilton Head, SC. I finished three books, The Help, The Waiting Sands, and (audio book) Prince Caspian. We also listened to Because of Winn-Dixie, but I'm not counting it as part of my list.

 

My 2011 Reviews:

 

1. Her Daughter's Dream - Francine Rivers

2. Island of the World - Michael O'Brien (AMAZING!)

3. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress - Rhoda Janzen

4. Cinderella Ate My Daughter - Peggy Orenstein

5. Devil's Cub - Georgette Heyer

6. Keeping a Nature Journal - Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E Roth.

7. Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization (Audio Book) - Anthony Esolen

8. Excellent Women - Barbara Pym

9. The Abyssinian - Jean-Christophe Rufin

10. In the Company of Others - Jan Karon

11. One Thousand Gifts - Ann Voskamp

12. Regency Buck - Georgette Heyer

13. Bath Tangle - Georgette Heyer

14. The Convenient Marriage - Georgette Heyer

15. The Organized Heart - Staci Eastin

16. Your Home: A Place of Grace - Susan Hunt

17. Christian Encounters: Jane Austen - Peter Leithart

18. Bambi: A Life in the Woods - Victor Salten

19. Aunt Jane's Hero - Elizabeth Prentiss

20. The Magician's Nephew (Audio Book) - C.S. Lewis

21. The Horse and His Boy (Audio Book) - C.S. Lewis

22. Beauty for Truth's Sake - Stratford Caldecott

23. A Mother's Rule of Life - Holly Pierlot

24. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

25. Persuasion - Jane Austen

26. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

27. Real Love for Real Life - Andi Ashworth

28. Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies - Marilyn Chandler McEntyre

29. The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction - Alan Jacobs

30. The Help - Kathryn Stockett

31. The Waiting Sands - Susan Howatch

32. Prince Caspian (Audio Book) - C.S. Lewis

[luvnlattes]

I read Vicious Cycle by Terri Blackstock last week. Pretty far fetched if you ask me.

 

It seems like I'll read one great book and then read 3 or 4 duds/so-so books before I find another great one. I guess I need to improve my book selecting skills!

 

Today I'll start Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher.

[Mom-ninja.]

I finished Bossypants last night.

[CAMom]

I've recently finished Peony in Love by Lisa See. Interesting.;)

 

Last week I read I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg and The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen. I'm hooked on both authors. I only have one Sarah Addison Allen book left to read and it looks like the library has it in.:)

 

I'll have to check the notebook where I've been keeping track but I think I've read 42 books so far this year. I really never thought I'd be able to do it but I'm so close now!

[Sparkle]

I didn't get a chance to post last week. I read Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith (love this series). I also read The Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg, which was just OK. Too precious, and not focused enough - too many characters and relationships going on. I liked the other book I read by her a couple of weeks ago better. I also read Three Stages of Amazement by Carol Edgarian. I enjoyed parts of it, other parts were a little too quirky. Finishing up The Tempest right now and going to start on Swimming in the Daylight by Lisa C. Paul, which looks good.

[Angel]

I missed last week's thread. We have been in various stages of sickness for about two weeks now and I didn't even feel much like reading. Now we are all feeling better and I'm hoping to get back to reading after catching up on laundry and housework (boo!).

 

I finished Much Ado About Nothing last night. I am doing a Shakespeare study with dd and some of her friends and it was our first play.

 

If I've counted correctly, that makes book 36. I'm a tad behind.

[6packofun]

I am reading The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. Very good, thoughtful, and melancholy in unexpected ways.

 

Up next: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Someone here mentioned it in another thread and I thought it sounded fascinating.

 

(Boneshaker is on my list, too!!)

[nd293]

Up next: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Someone here mentioned it in another thread and I thought it sounded fascinating.

 

I have it reserved at the library, but it's taking ages to come through. Let us know what you think.

[Stacia]

I am reading The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. Very good, thoughtful, and melancholy in unexpected ways.

 

Up next: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Someone here mentioned it in another thread and I thought it sounded fascinating.

 

I think The Remains of the Day is such a beautifully-written book. I just fell in love with Ishiguro's prose when I read that one. Love it.

 

I still want to read The Immortal Life... & just haven't yet. Please be sure to post your review!

[Lizzie in Ma]

Slowing down big time because my knitting has picked up for Christmastime!

Still reading the Sandman Slim series, halfway through book two.

So many things I want to be reading!

Guess I could do some books on tape but it isn't my favorite and I can never pay attention the way I do when reading.

[Angel]

I'm back to post one more. I finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire this evening. The movie just didn't do that book/story line any justice. My younger dd just finished the 5th book and is watching the movie now. After she's done, I'm going to watch the 4th movie so I can notice all the things they left out :D

[Storm Bay]

I just found did a search of most of these threads to see what I've actually finished,and here's the list.

1. Eldest

2. Simon Bloom: the Octopus Effect

3. The Hunger Games

4. Murder on Ice

5. The Invention of Hugo Cabret

6. Elsewhere

7. The Game of Sunken Places plus sequel

8. Brisingr

9. Fallen Angels

10. Nazareth’s Song

11. Whisper Tow

12. The Elevator

13. Ross Poldark

14. Earthly Vows

15. All Creatures Great and Small

16. Excellent Women

17. High Rising

18. The Girl Who Played with Fire

19. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

20. One Crazy Summer

21. Olivier and Parrot in America

22. A Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague

23. Fire by Kristin Cashore

24. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party

25. Graceling

26. Glittering Images

27. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

28. The Dark Shore

29. The Weed that String's the Hangman's Bag

30. A Red Herring Without Mustard

31.Tamar by Mal Peet

32. Children of God

33. Darwin on Trial

34. The Book Thief

35. Inkhear

36. Inkspell

37. Inkdeath

38. The Well Balanced Child by Sally Goddard Blythe

39. Incident at Hawk's Hill

40. The Myth of the First Three Years

41. Goliath

42. Confessions of a Prairie B*tch

43. As the World Churns

[eaglei]

Last week I read I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg and The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen. I'm hooked on both authors. I only have one Sarah Addison Allen book left to read and it looks like the library has it in.:)

 

CAMom - I started reading Sarah Addison Allen as a direct result of all the positive mentions of her books on here. I've read the first three and am currently reading her most recent, The Peach Keeper. I found with the first three books that I didn't want to say goodbye to the characters . . . I suspect it will be the same with the fourth, especially since it's her last for now.

 

I've never read anything by Fannie Flagg. Since you said you are hooked on her and Allen, may I ask how you would compare the two authors? The reason I'm asking is that I am wondering if, having enjoyed Allen so much, would I also enjoy Flagg? :001_smile:

[Jane Elliot]

Hooray for vacation! We had a great time at the beach in Hilton Head, SC.

 

I'm jealous of your vacation and your list. :tongue_smilie: I love Hilton Head and that's such a nice reading list. I'm looking forward to reading some of your reviews.

 

I recently finished Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. While not her best, it was still a lot of fun with plenty of lol moments. Watching Masterpiece Theater's adaptation afterwards was nothing but disappointing, except that dh was a real sport and watched it cuddled up with me.

 

Currently, I'm enjoying:

Whose Body? by Dorothy Sayers (insomnia reading)

History of the Ancient World by SWB (I'll never finish this in 2011.)

The Praying Life: Connecting With God in a Distracting World by Paul Miller (exactly what I'm needing right now)

Great Expectations by Dickens (a read aloud with my girls)

 

2011

1. Glamorous Powers - Susan Howatch (4/5 stars) 1/7

2. City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era - Michael Gerson and Peter Wehner (5/5 stars) 1/15

3. That Distant Land: The Collected Stories - Wendell Berry (4/5 stars) 1/27

4. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Written by Herself - Harriet Ann Jacobs 1/28

5. The Scarlet Pimpernel - Baroness Emmuska Orczy RA (4/5 stars) 2/2

6. The Warden – Anthony Trollope (4/5 stars) 2/5

7. Death of a Red Heroine – Qiu Xiaolong (3.5/5 stars) 2/9

8. Listen – Rene Gutteridge (3/5 stars) 2/21

9. Trusting God - Jerry Bridges (5/5 stars) 2/27

10. Remembering – Wendell Berry (4/5 stars) 3/2

11. Island of the World – Michael O’Brien (5/5 stars) 3/25

12. The Great Divorce – C.S. Lewis 3/26

13. The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins (4/5 stars) 4/3

14. Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins (4/5 stars) 4/8

15. Mockingjay – Suzanne Collins (4/5 stars) 4/15

16. "They Say / I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing – Graff and Birkenstein 5/9

17. Ultimate Prizes – Susan Howatch (3.5/5) 5/14

18. Scandalous Risks – Susan Howatch (4/5) 6/2

19. The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien RA (5/5) 6/6

20. Gone With the Wind – Margaret Mitchell RA (5/5) 6/7

21. Mystical Paths – Susan Howatch (3.5/5) 6/24

22. Absolute Truths – Susan Howatch (5/5) 7/12

23. Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen (3/5) 7/21

24. The Hiding Place – Corrie ten Boom (5/5) 8/10

25. Crossing to Safety – Wallace Stegner (4/5) 8/23

26. Boys Adrift – Leonard Sax (5/5) 9/4

27. Northanger Abbey – Jane Austen (4/5) 9/29

[Negin]

I've never read anything by Fannie Flagg. Since you said you are hooked on her and Allen, may I ask how you would compare the two authors? The reason I'm asking is that I am wondering if, having enjoyed Allen so much, would I also enjoy Flagg? :001_smile:

I'm obviously not CAMom ;). Just wanted to mention that I'm looking forward to reading some Sarah Addison Allens soon. I love Fannie Flagg. My all-time favorite of hers is Can't Wait to Get to Heaven.

 

 

Since I haven't read Sarah Addison Allen, I can't compare Flagg to her. Her books are just great. I've read them all.

[eaglei]

I'm obviously not CAMom ;). Just wanted to mention that I'm looking forward to reading some Sarah Addison Allens soon. I love Fannie Flagg. My all-time favorite of hers is Can't Wait to Get to Heaven.

 

 

Since I haven't read Sarah Addison Allen, I can't compare Flagg to her. Her books are just great. I've read them all.

 

Negin - Thanks for commenting! I've seen others mention Flagg in a positive light on here as well. I just checked the website for our local library and it seems they have a number of her books, including Can't Wait to Get to Heaven. Next trip in - to return Allen's book :D - I'll have to check out a Flagg book!

 

When you read Allen, I'll be interested in reading your thoughts. I read the books in the order in which she published them and, as I've said before, I don't want the books to end. In fact, one of the books, when I reached the last page of the novel, I kept *feeling* the page to make sure there wasn't another page stuck to it! :001_huh::001_rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Abeille]

I'm joining in late, but I think keeping a list of books read is an interesting idea so I'm giving it a try. I've been lurking these threads for a while, looking for book recommendations. :001_smile:

 

This week I've finished Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Middlesex. Two very different books, but I enjoyed both of them. I'm not sure what I'm reading next, as the IOS 5 update broke the reading program I use on my iPod (Stanza). It looks like my next project will be to find a replacement and to try and recreate my ebook library. :mad:

[Onceuponatime]

I haven't participated in a while, but I've been keeping track of my books.

Here's what I've read so far. This doesn't include books I didn't finish and books I've read out loud to the kids.

 

1. The Help

2. The Alchemist

3. A Briefer History of Time

4. The Last Lecture

5. Whimsical Christianity

6. Pilgrim's Regress

7. McGillicuddy McGotham (reread)

8. The Sunday Philosophy Club

9. Twelve Types

10. Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow

11. Pay It Forward

12. The Battle for God

13. The History of God

14. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

15. A Winter Yarn

16. Dressing Your Truth

17. The Five Love Languages

18. God's Universe

19. Rose Cottage

20. The Danger Box

21. Murder of Roger Ackroyd

22. Secret Adversary

23. Boomerang Clue

24. Moving Finger

26. Holy War

27. The Mouse That Roared

28. All Creatures Wise and Wonderful

29. The Bible (Karen Armstrong)

30. In The Beginning

31. Cards on the Table

32. Destination Unknown

33. Misquoting Jesus

34. Before the Flood

35. A Short History of Myth

36. Lost Christianities

37. Still Life

 

The Agatha Christie's were mostly rereads. I'm currently reading The Sisters of Sinai.

[laughing lioness]

We kid sat 3 extras all week-end and drywalled so by Monday we were exhausted. My ds 11 and I have been fighting something icky all week so school has consisted of very little schoolish stuff and lots of reading.

 

Monday we knocked out A Wrinkle in Time. Ds 11 and Dd8 loved it. For some reason I had forgotten how dark it got and was looking forward to a break from the stark realities of prarie life (we're reading Little House on the Prarie now). Jokes on me. Last night we started a Wind in the Door. Both notsolittles were a bit freaked (so much that dd8 came in to my bed at 3 a.m. asking about it and wanting to snuggle rilly, rilly close!) cause we left off where Jenkins disapears. BUT, they wanted to start the morning with more...they love it as long as we read it during the bright light of day :001_smile:

4 chapters- that's it! Then Latin and math! I promise!

I did finally finish A Circle of Quiet by L'Engle. happy, happy sigh. I love this woman. I'm getting the next 3- and ordering the set for my sis who is recovering from back surgery.

And I'm ordering Flagg from the library. I LOVE Allen. She is definilty my very new fav author!

[laughing lioness]

I'm joining in late, but I think keeping a list of books read is an interesting idea so I'm giving it a try. I've been lurking these threads for a while, looking for book recommendations. :001_smile:

 

 

You do know that there is an unofficial TWTM "required" reading list, right? :001_smile:

[Mom-ninja.]

You do know that there is an unofficial TWTM "required" reading list, right? :001_smile:

 

Starting with all Allen books.

[ladydusk]

You do know that there is an unofficial TWTM "required" reading list, right? :001_smile:

 

Hmmm ... I didn't know that ... do tell :bigear:

 

I'm jealous of your vacation and your list. :tongue_smilie: I love Hilton Head and that's such a nice reading list. I'm looking forward to reading some of your reviews.

 

I recently finished Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. While not her best, it was still a lot of fun with plenty of lol moments. Watching Masterpiece Theater's adaptation afterwards was nothing but disappointing, except that dh was a real sport and watched it cuddled up with me.

 

Currently, I'm enjoying:

Whose Body? by Dorothy Sayers (insomnia reading)

History of the Ancient World by SWB (I'll never finish this in 2011.)

The Praying Life: Connecting With God in a Distracting World by Paul Miller (exactly what I'm needing right now)

Great Expectations by Dickens (a read aloud with my girls)

 

2011

1. Glamorous Powers - Susan Howatch (4/5 stars) 1/7

2. City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era - Michael Gerson and Peter Wehner (5/5 stars) 1/15

3. That Distant Land: The Collected Stories - Wendell Berry (4/5 stars) 1/27

4. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Written by Herself - Harriet Ann Jacobs 1/28

5. The Scarlet Pimpernel - Baroness Emmuska Orczy RA (4/5 stars) 2/2

6. The Warden – Anthony Trollope (4/5 stars) 2/5

7. Death of a Red Heroine – Qiu Xiaolong (3.5/5 stars) 2/9

8. Listen – Rene Gutteridge (3/5 stars) 2/21

9. Trusting God - Jerry Bridges (5/5 stars) 2/27

10. Remembering – Wendell Berry (4/5 stars) 3/2

11. Island of the World – Michael O’Brien (5/5 stars) 3/25

12. The Great Divorce – C.S. Lewis 3/26

13. The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins (4/5 stars) 4/3

14. Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins (4/5 stars) 4/8

15. Mockingjay – Suzanne Collins (4/5 stars) 4/15

16. "They Say / I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing – Graff and Birkenstein 5/9

17. Ultimate Prizes – Susan Howatch (3.5/5) 5/14

18. Scandalous Risks – Susan Howatch (4/5) 6/2

19. The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien RA (5/5) 6/6

20. Gone With the Wind – Margaret Mitchell RA (5/5) 6/7

21. Mystical Paths – Susan Howatch (3.5/5) 6/24

22. Absolute Truths – Susan Howatch (5/5) 7/12

23. Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen (3/5) 7/21

24. The Hiding Place – Corrie ten Boom (5/5) 8/10

25. Crossing to Safety – Wallace Stegner (4/5) 8/23

26. Boys Adrift – Leonard Sax (5/5) 9/4

27. Northanger Abbey – Jane Austen (4/5) 9/29

 

We had a great time at HHI :) I love it too, the company my dad retired from has a condo there, and we've been going there 30 years or more. I'm happy to introduce it to my children.

 

Northanger Abbey is my least favorite (but I still like it) Austen. I doubt I'll be reading it this year, though. I really like your list, too; all that Howatch, Island of the World (spectacular), and the Hobbit. I started FoTR this week and am loving it much more than I used to, of course Two Towers is where I usually bog down, so we'll see. I really want to read some Wendell Berry too. But mostly, I wanted to laugh that I'm also reading the Paul Miller book on prayer! I'm finding it candid and approachable and helpful in an area I'm needing help. Are you sure we weren't separated at birth?

[Storm Bay]

Starting with all Allen books.

:D Okay, which Allen?

[Angel]

:D Okay, which Allen?

 

I started with The Girl Who Chased the Moon because of the beautiful cover but Garden Spells might be the first one. They are not sequential, at least those two are not, so it doesn't matter. Pick one and prepare not to want to put it down ;)

[CAMom]

CAMom - I started reading Sarah Addison Allen as a direct result of all the positive mentions of her books on here. I've read the first three and am currently reading her most recent, The Peach Keeper. I found with the first three books that I didn't want to say goodbye to the characters . . . I suspect it will be the same with the fourth, especially since it's her last for now.

 

I've never read anything by Fannie Flagg. Since you said you are hooked on her and Allen, may I ask how you would compare the two authors? The reason I'm asking is that I am wondering if, having enjoyed Allen so much, would I also enjoy Flagg? :001_smile:

 

I'm headed to the library today to pick up The Peach Keeper.:) I have my mom reading Garden Spells and she's loving it.

 

How would I compare Allen and Flagg? I think they are both great story tellers and draw you in. Personally, I like Allen's word choices, metaphors, and sentence structures better. I also love the magical touch of Allen's stories. :)

 

With Fannie Flagg, I feel like I live in the towns she writes about. Her books are light and fun like Allen's. When I read her books, I am really drawn into the characters lives. I am just as sad to see those end as I am Allen's books. Have you ever read the Mitford series? I feel like Fannie Flagg compares somewhat to those in a way that you want to live where her characters are.

 

So, to compare-I would say that they both write light, fun books that are definitely character driven. I feel invested in the characters of both. I think it's likely that those who really like Allen would like Flagg, too.

[eaglei]

I'm headed to the library today to pick up The Peach Keeper.:) I have my mom reading Garden Spells and she's loving it.

 

How would I compare Allen and Flagg? I think they are both great story tellers and draw you in. Personally, I like Allen's word choices, metaphors, and sentence structures better. I also love the magical touch of Allen's stories. :)

 

With Fannie Flagg, I feel like I live in the towns she writes about. Her books are light and fun like Allen's. When I read her books, I am really drawn into the characters lives. I am just as sad to see those end as I am Allen's books. Have you ever read the Mitford series? I feel like Fannie Flagg compares somewhat to those in a way that you want to live where her characters are.

 

So, to compare-I would say that they both write light, fun books that are definitely character driven. I feel invested in the characters of both. I think it's likely that those who really like Allen would like Flagg, too.

 

CAMom - Thank you! :) I've not read The Mitford series - at the time it was so hugely popular, I didn't want to get involved in a series that would take so much time and have to wait for each new volume to be published as well! One of these days, I will read it - it's on my wanna-read list!

 

Your comparison of the two authors is fantastic - thanks for putting so much thought into it! I am hoping to make a trip to the library either tomorrow or Saturday - Fannie Flagg is definitely on the list. Light, fun reading that pulls you in, with unforgettable characters - just my *cuppa* these days!

[eaglei]

I started with The Girl Who Chased the Moon because of the beautiful cover but Garden Spells might be the first one. They are not sequential, at least those two are not, so it doesn't matter. Pick one and prepare not to want to put it down ;)

 

This is the order in which Allen's books were published:

~Garden Spells

~The Sugar Queen

~The Girl Who Chased the Moon

~The Peach Keeper

 

HOWEVER, you are right - they are NOT written sequentially - each one stands alone - each one is different - different characters, plot, etc. They are only alike in that they are so utterly enjoyable page-turners with unforgettable characters - and those lovely book covers! :D

[Negin]

When you read Allen, I'll be interested in reading your thoughts. I read the books in the order in which she published them and, as I've said before, I don't want the books to end. In fact, one of the books, when I reached the last page of the novel, I kept *feeling* the page to make sure there wasn't another page stuck to it!

This is my plan also. To read them in the order of publication, even though I know that's not at all important.

Because of their gorgeous covers, I almost don't want to get the Kindle version. I hear you about feeling the last page for wanting more. I've done that also. :D

[luvnlattes]

They are only alike in that they are so utterly enjoyable page-turners with unforgettable characters - and those lovely book covers! :D

 

Pick one and prepare not to want to put it down ;)

 

All this Allen talk has given me hope that my next great read is just around the corner :D ! I ordered a couple of her books from the library today.

[Stacia]

I finished Boneshaker & found it to be an enjoyable steampunk/zombie romp. (I do believe this is the first 'zombie' book I've ever read.... :lol:) The action was a little slow in the beginning, but the second half of the book really picked up the pace, imo. Having visited Seattle a few times myself, I found the descriptions of the 'modified' city fun to read; parts reminded me quite a bit of the Underground Tour, lol. The descriptions were well done, providing a nice atmospheric touch for the action. I also greatly appreciated the strong female characters (and the cool cover art ;)). Overall, I'd recommend it to anyone interested in this genre.

[nowimscrappin]

I got a Kindle a couple of months ago and have gone crazy reading - its like I'm making up for the years that I was reading very little.

 

I tend to get hung up on an author and keep reading her/his stuff.

 

I'm currently reading books by Linda Goodnight - I'm on my 4th or 5th this week. She is a Christian writer and all of her books, while fiction, have faith interspersed throughout them. I love it when an author does several books with the same characters - so I'm currently on my 3rd book about characters in Redemption, OK. I just finished A Place to Belong this morning and getting ready to start The Wedding Garden. I finished Finding Her Way Home which was a bit tougher read because the "lost soul" character in that book had suffered through / lived through a very violent crime but I'm really enjoying this series. I don't always read faith-based fiction but I've gotten to enjoy this author.

 

I also read a 3 book series by Janice Thompson this week that started with Fools Rush In and was also Swinging on a Star and It had to be You. These are also faith-based fiction based in Galveston, TX.

 

Fern Michaels and Barbara Freethy are two other authors that I've been pouring over their books - can't get enough. I've read everything Barbara Freethy wrote and want more - still have a few Fern Michaels to read, but I read one and I didn't like the way she progressed the story, so I took a break from her and found who I'm reading now

[Just Robyn]

At the beginning of the year I wanted to do this, but then I didn't. In July I did start keeping track of the books I'm reading on shelfari though. Now it's looking like if I count the books I read aloud to my children, it's possible I'll be able to hit 52 books by the end of the year even though I didn't start counting until half way through. SO, here's what I've got so far:

 

1. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

2. Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater

3. Walk the World's Rim by Betty Baker

4. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

5. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin

6. The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin

7. Living and Learning by Lawrence Williams

8. The Writer's Jungle by Julie Bogart

9. Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin

10. Strong Start in Language by Ruth Beechick

11. The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

12. Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff

13. Comet in Moominland by Tove Jansson

14. The Other Wind by Ursula K. Le Guin

15. A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four (Two novels in one book) by Arthur Conan Doyle

16. Alberic the Wise and Other Journeys by Norton Juster

17. Before the Journey by Melisa Nielsen

18. Fluency Through TPR Storytelling by Blaine Ray and Contee Seely

19. A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor

20. The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz

21. Tales from Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

22. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

23. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

24. Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi

25. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

 

That's it. So, I guess my goal is 52 books in half a year - counting read-alouds, and I'm almost half way there. Since I won't have a long list next week I'll try to tell about the books I finished. I didn't want to take up two pages writing blurbs about 25 books, but if anyone has a question about any specific book(s) I'll be happy to give some info.

[Medieval Mom]

I finished reading The Water Babies to ds. I still can't say I like this book. Ds enjoyed it more. This is one of the very few books I've ever read where I'd much rather read a good abridged version, if there is one. All the derogatory remarks (which did NOT go over ds's head-- so I had to edit on the fly or stop and discuss) and all the snide comments (which went over ds's head, but not mine-- mainly about contemporaries of Kingsley with whom he disagreed) got VERY OLD, VERY FAST.

 

Sigh..

 

Anyone know of a good abridged version of The Water Babies, or should I just plan to skip it with ds#2? Ugh.

 

We've been putting AO on (an indefinite- perhaps permanent) hold for a few months in favor of reading from the 1000 Good Books list. One ds and I both greatly enjoyed this week is ]Abel's Island by William Steig. I highly recommend this book-- for all ages. :)

 

I'm still enjoying the Two Towers. I just love the Ents! :)