Book a Week in 2012 - Week 10

[Robin M]

Good Morning! Today is the start of week 10 in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Welcome back to all our readers, welcome to all those just joining in 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 - Gabriel Garcia Marquez: March 6 is Marquez's birthday. He is the author of 100 years of Solitude and incorporates alot of magical realism into his stories. Spotlighting his books.

 

Moby Dick - I'm halfway through. For those reading also, how are you doing?

 

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

Link to week 9

[porque]

I am still working on Moby Dick, not quite half way through. At times I quite like it, at others I find the long descriptions quite tedious.

1.Paradise, by Toni Morrison.

2. Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman.

3.Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat.

4.What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Dayby Pearl Cleage.

5. What Einstein Told His Cook(non-fiction)

6. Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts.

7.Backroads byTawni O'Dell.

8. Boys Adrift by Leonard Sax, non-fiction.

9. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende.

10. Calico Bush (read a aloud)

11. Ahab's Wife Really Enjoyed!!

12. Gap Creekby Robert Morgan,

13. A Map of the World by Jane Hamilton.

14. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone read aloud

15. Struggle for a Continent read aloud

16. Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay.

17. River Cross my Heart by Breena Clarke

18. Tara Road

19. Indian Captive (read-aloud)

20. The Sign of the Beaver (read-aloud)

21. Mother of Pearl

22. The Minds of Boys

23. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (read aloud)

 

 

Continuing

Your Money or Your Life (non-fiction)

The Magic of Reality (read aloud)

Johnny Tremain (read aloud)

Moby Dick

Buzz (non-fiction/memoir)

 

DD9 had finished

1.Ginger Pye

2. Secret of the Golden Pavilion

3. Pinky Pye

4. Mary Queen of Scots: Queen Without a Country

5. Nzingha, Warrior Queen of Matamba

6. Meet Molly

7. Molly Learns a Lesson

8. Molly's Surprise

9. How I Survived Middle School: P.S. I Really Like You

10. How I Survived Middle School: How the Pops Stole Christmas

11. How I Survived Middle School: Into the Woods

12. Among the Impostors

13. Miss Popularity Goes Camping

14. How I Learned to Fly (goosebumps book)

15.Among the Impostors

16. Among the Betrayed

17. Double Identity

18. The Babysitting Wars

19. Bad Girls

20.Molly Saves the Day

21. How I Survived Being a Girl

22. Yesterday's Horses

23. Happy Birthday Molly

24. StarCrossed

[Robin M]

Halfway through Moby Dick. Woohoo!

 

Finished Dead Ringer by Lisa Scottoline, one in a series of books about Bennie Rosato's a lady lawyer. Pretty good, story with a humorous heroine. The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens. First book in new fantasy series about 3 orphaned children. Not sure when the next book coming out, but very well done. Both new to me authors.

 

Currently reading and working my way through Revision and Self Editing by James Scott Bell. Just started The First Cut by Dianne Emley.

 

My reads for February

 

 

 

1. The Passage - Justin Cronin
   
2. Close Case - Alafair Burke
   
3. Why Read Moby Dick - Nathaniel Philbrick.
   
4. Trouble in Mudbug (#1 Ghost in law series) - Jana Deleon (ebook)
   
5. Prime Suspect #1 - Lynda La Plante (TLC Tour)
   
6. Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance # 1) - Larissa Ione (ebook)
   
7. Fade to Black - Leslie Parrish (ebook)
   
8. Goblin King - Shona Husk (ebook)
   
9. Hard to Hold (hold trilogy #1) - Stephanie Tyler (ebook)
   
10. Celebrity in Death - J.D. Robb
    
11. Prime Suspect #2: A Face in the Crowd - Lynda La Plante
    
12. Prime Suspect #3: Silent Witness - Lynda La Plante
    
13. Dead Ringer - Lisa Scottoline
    

All new author reads except for J.D. Robb

[Melinda in VT]

I read The Human Factor by Graham Greene. Stephen King recommended several Greene novels in his book On Writing that I read last week. I knew from alphabetizing the paperbacks left in the basement by the former owners of our house that we had several of Greene's novels. They weren't the ones King recommended, but I picked this one because the cover quote said "Probably the best espionage novel ever written."

 

This isn't a genre in which I am particularly well-read, so I can't evaluate that claim, but I did enjoy it.

[-M-]

I picked up Immortal Bird after reading a favorable review in Entertainment Weekly.

 

~~ SPOILER ALERT! ~~

 

The memoir deals primarily with the illness and death of the writer's oldest son, Damon, and the ways in which healthcare professionals failed to provide Damon with appropriate care post-surgery. But the book is also Doron Weber's love song to his son, and it may simply have been too soon for him to pen those lyrics.

 

In a nutshell? I wanted it to be a better, *truer* book than it was. Weber's wife and other two children are, at best, tertiary characters in this "family memoir," and Damon is so over-praised that he fails to become real to the reader.

 

I'm reading The Scarlet Pimpernel with the Misses (a re-read for me and a lightweight one, at that), and I should finish Sister (Rosamund Lupton) this weekend.

 

Other than that, I have so many "active bookmarks" that it's almost embarrassing.

 

Books read in 2012

 

■ Immortal Bird (Doron Weber; memoir)

■ Defending Jacob (William Landay; fiction)

■ Sweet Tooth Vol. 4: Endangered Species (Jeff Lemire; graphic fiction)

■ Sweet Tooth Vol. 3: Animal Armies (Jeff Lemire; graphic fiction)

■ Sweet Tooth Vol. 2: In Captivity (Jeff Lemire; graphic fiction)

■ Sweet Tooth Vol. 1: Out of the Woods (Jeff Lemire; graphic fiction)

■ The Art of Hearing Heartbeats (Jan-Philipp Sendker; fiction)

■ Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher; YA fiction)

■ Stop Acting Rich... And Start Living Like a Real Millionaire (Thomas J. Stanley; non-fiction)

■ Our Town (Thornton Wilder; play)

■ Wool 5 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ The Crucible (Arthur Miller; play)

■ Wool 4 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ Wool 3 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ Adventure Unleashed (______ __. _________; unpublished fiction)

■ Wool 2 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ Wool (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ The Project (Brian Falkner; YA fiction)

■ Like Shaking Hands with God (Kurt Vonnegut, Lee Stringer; non-fiction)

■ The Autobiography of an Execution (David R. Dow; non-fiction)

■ Feed (MT Anderson; fiction)

■ Coriolanus (William Shakespeare; play, classic)

■ Artist's Journal Workshop (Cathy Johnson; non-fiction, art)

■ The English Teacher (Lily King; fiction)

[Jen in PA]

This week I thought I would get no reading done due to distraction (good distraction, though -- DH getting a job). In the end, everything settled down and I got quite a bit of reading in.

 

29. Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future by Robert Reich. I always enjoy Reich's clear explanations and found this book interesting -- it was written before the Occupy movement, which it practically predicts.

 

30. Death Comes for the Fat Man by Reginald Hill. This is one of his Dalziel and Pascoe mysteries, and I have somehow ended up reading them out of order, although it doesn't seem to be much of an issue.

 

31. Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James. The library finally had this available! I practically inhaled it. Upon reflection, it wasn't as good as Austen, and not as well-written as most P. D. James novels, but it felt like visiting old friends, and it was a lot of fun.

 

32. Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman. One of my librarians recommended this to me. It was an interesting and highly readable look at recent research in neuroscience, with an emphasis on the implications for understanding criminal and other antisocial behaviors.

 

I have a big stack of options for this week, mostly mysteries and graphic fiction. I'm also planning to finish What Is Intelligence?: Beyond the Flynn Effect, which is a book mentioned in The Shallows.

[Melinda in VT]

I'm reading The Scarlet Pimpernel with the Misses (a re-read for me and a lightweight one, at that), and I should finish Sister (Rosamund Lupton) this weekend.

 

This is my current elliptical machine book. I've never read it before, but I'm realizing just how many times I must have watched the movie in college. :tongue_smilie:

[Negin]

I'm reading The Scarlet Pimpernel

 

Loved this and wish I still had them all. I've read most of them. We really enjoyed the movies also.

 

In the past week, I finished:

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons - okay. Not the worst, not the best. Light and fluffy.

 

Why We Get Fat - very interesting, a real eye-opener for anyone interested in weight loss, health, etc. This book has really gotten me thinking and has changed my mindset greatly. I'm considering giving his approach a go.

 

[Just Robyn]

Finished this week:

 

19.)Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See - I saw this book SO many times on this thread I had to finally read it myself. It started strong. I felt it started to drag, and kept on dragging, after, I don't know, the foot binding chapter or so? I already returned it to the library, so I can't look back to see. All in all it was pretty good though. I did find myself checking out Lisa See's other books last time I was at the book store. Has anyone read any others?

[Narrow Gate Academy]

I finished The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Aiken this week and reviewed it on my blog. I'm making progress on both The History of the Kings of Britain by Monmouth and my reread of The Well Trained Mind. In addition to continue those I have Johnny Tremain and another book by Susan Cooper called The Boggart that I grabbed off the library shelf when getting DD2 the remaining books in Cooper's The Dark is Rising series. Hopefully, I'll get at least one finished this week.

 

Books for 2012

 

8. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Aiken

7. Winning His Spurs by Henty

6. The Song of Roland by Sayers

5. Sink Reflections by Cilley

4. A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare

3. Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Verne

2. Beowulf by Heaney

1. Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half by Economides

Edited March 4, 2012 by Narrow Gate Academy
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[Zebra]

Finished this week:

 

19.)Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See - I saw this book SO many times on this thread I had to finally read it myself. It started strong. I felt it started to drag, and kept on dragging, after, I don't know, the foot binding chapter or so? I already returned it to the library, so I can't look back to see. All in all it was pretty good though. I did find myself checking out Lisa See's other books last time I was at the book store. Has anyone read any others?

 

I read Shanghai Girls before Snow Flower, and I think I liked it better. I liked Snow Flower okay, but I thought the movie dragged even worse than the book.

[Zebra]

I just saw this thread and thought, "What, has she gone crazy? It's SATURDAY!!!!!" :confused:

 

Um, turns out...I'm the "pot" who's going crazy :lol:!!!!

 

This week I completed Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom by Amy Chua(15) and The Myth of Me and You by Leah Stewart(16).

 

All I have to say about the Amy Chua book is Wow, wow WOW! I cannot believe the way she pushed and pushed her children, and I cannot fathom admitting in a book that you treat your children that way. BUT, I get her point on a small level, that sometimes we are too easy on our kids. I feel SO MUCH BETTER about how hard I push my daughter (which isn't very hard, :lol:!). I really believe you need to raise your children to be competent adults who live their own lives. It's one thing to insist your child practice an instrument, but she was INSANE about it, give them a break! It's not worth killing yourself to be a world class musician, unless the kid is driven themself to do it. What a great read though, I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend it, particularly on a day your child is telling you how awful you are to them :lol::lol::lol::lol:!

 

The Myth of You and Me was just a fluffy read about the friendship of two women-perfect after Amy Chua blew my mind!

[Negin]

19.)Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See - I felt it started to drag, and kept on dragging, after, I don't know, the foot binding chapter or so?

I tried and really tried with this book a few years ago. The foot binding stuff started to get on my nerves and I wasn't able to finish it.

[prairiegirl]

I'm still on Book #9 and I will be here for awhile. It's 11/22/63 by Stephen King. It is 800 pages long, I'm sick and do not have th energy to hold up that honkin' big book. It is just easier to mindlessly watch the Mystery channel on TV than read a book.

[Stacia]

I'm currently in the middle of Stone Junction by Jim Dodge -- loving it so far. The main character, Daniel, is homeschooled by the way... handwriting taught by a forger, structural engineering from an explosives guy, etc.... :lol:. (FYI, this book does have 'bad' language & a very straightforward attitude to sex, if that's info you need to know.) To me, it seems like a mix between Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, On the Road, and an R-rated Harry Potter. Plus, for some strange reason, every time Volta (the head of the AMO) is mentioned, I think of Magneto from X-Men. :lol: (I don't know why I think that because I don't even know very much about X-Men.) There are some fabulous characters in this novel. So far it's a completely rip-roaring, funny, irreverent tome of a book. (And I've really enjoyed it as I'm currently recovering from pneumonia, so it's nice to get some laughs.)

 

From Publishers Weekly:

"A short but remarkable life leads wizard-in-training Daniel Pearse to the "junction" (entrance) of the legendary philosopher's stone, but not before this novel chronicles his extraordinary education. Daniel's unwed mother, Annalee, raises him in a shack that serves as the hideout for an ancient counterculture society, the Alliance of Magicians and Outlaws (AMO). Annalee falls for AMO poet Shamus Malloy, whose plot to steal plutonium results in her violent death. Young Daniel, in pursuit of his mother's betrayer, joins AMO and discovers a faculty that includes Wild Bill Weber on meditation and survival; rancher Mott Stocker on sex and drugs; Willie the Click on safecracking; and Bad Bobby Sloane on poker. Daniel wants to learn who betrayed Annalee, but is distracted by the task of stealing a glowing, perfectly spherical diamond from the White Sands Proving Grounds, an easy proposition for the well-schooled youth. But instead of relinquishing the stone to AMO leader Volta, as he had sworn to, Daniel surrenders to total obsession with its mysteries. Aptly subtitled "an alchemical potboiler," and smartly crafted, Dodge's ( Not Fade Away ) third novel may be his first cult classic."

My Goodreads Page

 

2012 Books Read:

01. Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees (3 stars)

02. Oh No She Didn't by Clinton Kelly (2 stars, if you're in the right mood, lol)

03. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt (4 stars)

04. In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut (4 stars)

05. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (5 stars)

06. The Infernals by John Connolly (3 stars)

07. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (2 stars)

08. The Coral Thief by Rebecca Stott (3 stars)

09. Zeroville by Steve Erickson (4 stars)

10. Broken Glass Park by Alina Bronsky (4 stars)

 

11. Hygiene and the Assassin by Amélie Nothomb (2 stars)

12. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner (3 stars)

13. The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall (4 stars)

14. The Nun by Simonetta Agnello Hornby (4 stars)

15. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (5 stars)

16. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim (3 stars)

17. The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino (3 stars)

Edited March 4, 2012 by Stacia

[Stacia]

52 Books Blog - Gabriel Garcia Marquez: March 6 is Marquez's birthday. He is the author of 100 years of Solitude and incorporates alot of magical realism into his stories. Spotlighting his books.

 

I haven't read 100 Years of Solitude yet -- it has been on my to-read list for soooooooo many years now. I tried reading it when my dc were toddlers & found I just didn't have the concentration to read it then. I definitely plan to read it. Has anyone else read it?

 

The only book by GGM that I've read is Love in the Time of Cholera (which I really, really disliked).

 

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens. First book in new fantasy series about 3 orphaned children. Not sure when the next book coming out, but very well done.

 

My ds really enjoyed that one.

 

 

Shanghai Girls before Snow Flower

 

I keep wondering if I would like these.... I've seen them recommended so many times.....

[Storm Bay]

Well, I finished the Flavia mystery, and enjoyed it better than I expected. In order of best to least good, I'd say

 

the first book

the third book

the fourth book

the second book

 

I'm enjoying The Housekeeper and the Professor, in part due to the math. Dd, who is going to major in math, won't read it because it doesn't have enough action, though. I'm not sure which of the other books I have that I"m going to start next yet, but I am also still reading the book I mentioned a while back. Winning with People.

[Ali in OR]

I finished Barbara Kingsolver's The Lacuna this week (our book club pick for April). It took me awhile to get into it, but eventually I couldn't put it down. It is beautifully written and I think I learned a lot. The main character has a Mexican mother and American father and spends time living in both countries--the book covers roughly 1920s-1951. I learned about Trotsky (and Stalin), Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, communism, American anticommunism and McCarthy, Mexican history, Mexican cooking, and probably a bunch of other stuff too. A lot of my reading is on the lighter side and I enjoyed reading a book with identifiable themes and ideas. Good stuff.

 

Now I have a couple that became available from my library hold list. Of course they are titles I saw here first. I am starting with The Art of Hearing Heartbeats since it is a 14 day book. I worried about whether or not I would be able to finish it in time, but I started it yesterday and am approaching the halfway mark already. I'm enjoying that a lot. I also have A String on the Harp which I will begin when Heartbeats is finished. The girls and I continue with Wildwood--I do wish that one had been edited down to a shorter book.

 

Books Read in 2012

16. The Lacuna-Barbara Kingsolver

15. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows-Alan Bradley

14. Garden Spells-Sarah Addison Allen

13. The Prince and the Pauper-Mark Twain

12. Romeo and Juliet-William Shakespeare

11. The Shallows-Nicholas Carr

10. The Handmaid’s Tale-Margaret Atwood

9. Mudbound-Hillary Jordan

8. The Other Wind-Ursula Le Guin

7. What the Dog Saw-Malcolm Gladwell

6. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall-Anne Bronte

5. Tehanu-Ursula Le Guin

4. The Scarlet Pimpernel-Baroness Orczy

3. The Paleo Diet-Loren Cordain

2. Peter Pan-James Barrie

1. The Farthest Shore-Ursula Le Guin

[laughing lioness]

I just finished The 9 Tailors- the 4th Sayers mystery I've read in the past couple of weeks. One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. I've reviewed it here.

[VeganCupcake]

Finished this week:

 

19.)Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See - I saw this book SO many times on this thread I had to finally read it myself. It started strong. I felt it started to drag, and kept on dragging, after, I don't know, the foot binding chapter or so? I already returned it to the library, so I can't look back to see. All in all it was pretty good though. I did find myself checking out Lisa See's other books last time I was at the book store. Has anyone read any others?

 

I read On Gold Mountain, which is the non-fiction account of her family's history. It read like fiction at the beginning, but then started to feel more like family history. It was ok. I'm interested in reading some of her fiction to see if I like it better.

 

I finished Barbara Kingsolver's The Lacuna this week (our book club pick for April). It took me awhile to get into it, but eventually I couldn't put it down. It is beautifully written and I think I learned a lot. The main character has a Mexican mother and American father and spends time living in both countries--the book covers roughly 1920s-1951. I learned about Trotsky (and Stalin), Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, communism, American anticommunism and McCarthy, Mexican history, Mexican cooking, and probably a bunch of other stuff too. A lot of my reading is on the lighter side and I enjoyed reading a book with identifiable themes and ideas. Good stuff.

 

 

Oooh, for some reason I have never read this Kingsolver book. I think I'll put it on my to-read list.

[Onceuponatime]

This week I finished I Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg. It was very refreshing.

 

I've started on Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country and am loving it.

[Maus]

Completed:

Book #11 - "Extraordinary, Ordinary People" by Condoleezza Rice. Basically, a tribute to her parents and their encouragement of her. The insider view of Birmingham, Alabama in the 1950's and 1960's was very enlightening. I need to get back into reading Biographies.

 

Book #10 - "The Pig in the Pantry" by Rose Godfrey

Book #9 - "The Virgin in the Ice" by Ellis Peters

Book #8 - "The Leper of St. Giles" by Ellis Peters

Book #7 - "St. Peter's Fair" by Ellis Peters.

Book #6 - "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua.

Book #5 - "Monk's Hood" by Ellis Peters.

Book #4 - "Flash and Bones" by Kathy Reichs.

Book #3 - "Spider Bones" by Kathy Reichs.

Book #2 - "One Corpse Too Many" by Ellis Peters.

Book #1 - "A Morbid Taste for Bones" by Ellis Peters

[rwjx2khsmj]

I'm still reading Moby Dick. I now know more about a sperm whale's head than I ever thought possible.

[TN Mama]

I haven't had much time to read in the past two weeks, but last night I finished Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton. This was a recommendation I picked up from the 52 books/weeks threads. Thank you, Beth (Night Elf). What a fun read! I just placed the next book in the series on hold at the library.

 

Just downloaded The Knight by Steven James (Bk 3 in Patrick Bowers series). I love being able to check out books from the library for the Kindle.

 

So, for the year I've read:

 

1. Moon Over Manifest - Clare Vanderpool

2. Room - Emma Donoghue

3. The Pawn - Steven James

4. The Rook - Steven James

5. Drowned Maiden's Hair - Laura Amy Schlitz

6. The Girl Who Chased the Moon - Sarah Addison Allen

7. Kisses from Katie - Katie Davis

8. Hannah's Gift - Maria Housden

9. Mudbound - Hillary Jordan

10. Aunt Dimity's Death - Nancy Atherton

[TN Mama]

Subing

[K in MI]

I finished #13,14, and 15. I really enjoyed this series, covering the lives of the Biblical kings Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh. The author did a good job of adding a believable and interesting storyline that complements the 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles accounts of these kings. I had a very hard time putting the books down.

 

2012 Books completed:

15. Among The Gods (Book 5) (Austin)

14. Faith of My Fathers (Book 4) (Austin)

13. The Strength of His Hand (Book 3) (Austin)

12. Song of Redemption (Book 2 of Chronicles of the Kings) (Austin)

11. Farewell to Manzanar (Houston)

10. Gods & Kings (Book 1 of Chronicles of the Kings) (Austin)

9. Simple Courage (Delaney)

8. All My Patients Kick and Bite (Wells)

7. Amazing Medical Stories (Burden & Grant)

6. The Death Cure (Dashner)

5. The Scorch Trials (Dashner)

4. The Maze Runner (Dashner)

3. When Crickets Cry (Martin)

2. Every Patient Tells a Story (Sanders)

1. Earthquake at Dawn (Gregory)

[Kareni]

I read a few more historical romances this past week --

 

Marry Me by Jo Goodman -- this takes place in Colorado in the 1880s and was a new read for me.

 

A Season to Be Sinful by Jo Goodman -- this is a Regency romance set in England and it was a reread for me. I enjoy Jo Goodman's books because she uses unusual plot elements.

 

Dancing with Clara by Mary Balogh -- this is an older title from this author. I enjoyed it though I doubt I'll reread it.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Mom-ninja.]

All I have to say about the Amy Chua book is Wow, wow WOW! I cannot believe the way she pushed and pushed her children, and I cannot fathom admitting in a book that you treat your children that way. BUT, I get her point on a small level, that sometimes we are too easy on our kids. I feel SO MUCH BETTER about how hard I push my daughter (which isn't very hard, !). I really believe you need to raise your children to be competent adults who live their own lives. It's one thing to insist your child practice an instrument, but she was INSANE about it, give them a break! It's not worth killing yourself to be a world class musician, unless the kid is driven themself to do it. What a great read though, I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend it, particularly on a day your child is telling you how awful you are to them !

 

 

 

Maybe I should read it to my boys when they complain about me telling them to practice piano. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

I finally finished The Rose Labyrinth. I expected to like it more than I did. I like Dan Brown books, but this one fell really short. Of course it doesn't help that I became irritated with a minor inconsistency I came across. I'm one of those people that will catch little things that don't make sense and pick up on mistakes. My dh hates watching movies with me. :lol: I get it from my dad. Anyway, so the main character of the book has had a heart transplant, and is on immune suppressants. This means she has to be careful about germs. So during the book, her doctor turned boyfriend, is always paranoid about hand washing and clean germ free food. The author makes a point in a scene in which he recommends grilled chicken over salad as a salad would not be safe. Okay so far. Then a little while later he makes something for her to eat. He says, "I don't think we can trust the butter," when referring to making her toast. So, what does he feed her? Toast with honey on it. :001_huh: Really? I mean really? Honey? How did the author and her editor not pick up on that inconsistency? Drives me batty. Don't make a big stink out of being so cautious about "clean" food and then feed her honey. :glare:

 

Whew. I needed to get that out!

Edited March 5, 2012 by Kleine Hexe

[SunnyDays]

I just saw this thread and thought, "What, has she gone crazy? It's SATURDAY!!!!!" :confused:

 

Um, turns out...I'm the "pot" who's going crazy :lol:!!!!

 

This week I completed Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom by Amy Chua(15) and The Myth of Me and You by Leah Stewart(16).

 

 

 

Just wanted to respond on two points...

 

1. Thanks for the review of "Tiger Mother"... I have been wondering whether I want to read that. I'm going to, it would be interesting.

 

2. Thank GOODNESS I'm not the only one who has no idea what day it is. :D Seriously, I've been off all week.

 

Reading for me...

 

I read 7 books in February. The one I read this week was Joanne Fluke's newest, "Cinnamon Roll Murder." Short, fun read.

 

This week, I have the next two Percy Jackson books lined up. I also have "Garden Spells" by Sarah Addison Allen that I might start. Finally, I just received "The Latin Centered Curriculum" yesterday, and I want to start that too. Decisions, decisions...

 

I may actually have to spend less time on the computer so I can read more. Oh, the humanity!!! ;)

[Zebra]

Just wanted to respond on two points...

 

1. Thanks for the review of "Tiger Mother"... I have been wondering whether I want to read that. I'm going to, it would be interesting.

 

2. Thank GOODNESS I'm not the only one who has no idea what day it is. :D Seriously, I've been off all week.

 

 

I was literally shocked it was Sunday....:lol:!

 

You may not love "Tiger Mother" but I just felt SO MUCH BETTER ABOUT MYSELF after reading it, which is always nice ;)!

[Heather in Neverland]

This week...

 

Started reading:

My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay

What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell

Parenting Teens with Love and Logic by Fay and Cline

 

 

Still reading:

What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission by Kevin DeYoung

 

 

Completed so far:

10. The Omnivore's Dilemma

9.Dead Heat

8. Redeeming Love

7. Family Driven Faith: What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God

6. Organized Simplicity

5. Year of Wonders

4. The Holiness of God

3. The Paris Wife

2. The Peach Keeper

1. Relic

[jenL]

Last week I read 2 books that I really enjoyed.

 

I completed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. I chose it from recommendations here, and once again, this board has not failed me! I loved the story, and I feel as if I learned a great deal about what it means to be female in China. I know not all of China follows the filial hierarchy anymore, but there are villages that still do. The lonliness and yearning the 2 main characters felt was often tangible, and I really connected with their dynamics. I definitely recommend it.

 

The second book was Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America by Michael Yankoski. Although a little simplistic in his writing style and dialogue, the premise of the book, the author leaving a life of luxury for living on the streets to determine if his faith in Christianity is viable, opened himself (and the reader) to many questions as to how we are viewing "the least of these" as Jesus commands. It made me rethink how I am helping those in need within my city. I like books that challenge who I am as a Christian, and this book did that.

 

I began Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore last night. I'm about 4 chapters in, and I am enjoying it. I love when books switch between narrators as this one is written. I should have it done fairly quickly despite it being a busy week.

 

Here's my list so far...

• Radical by David Platt
  
• Made to Crave by Lysa Terkhurst
  
• The Eve Tree by Rachel Devenish Ford
  
• Breaking TWIG by Deborah Epperson
  
• Chasing Rainbows by Kathleen Long
  
• Clockwise by Elle Strauss
  
• Parenting Children with ADHD: 10 Lessons That Medicine Cannot Teach by Vincent Monastra
  
• Imaginary Jesus by Matt Mikalatos
  
• The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey
  
• They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti
  
• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
  
• Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America by Michael Yankoski
  

[dangermom]

I'm behind on my blogging, but I put up The Picture of Dorian Gray (bleh), Out of My Mind (super kids' book, read it!), and The Merchant of Venice.

 

I failed to blog about a very interesting book called Brandwashed, and my great book on classical education, The School of Freedom. Better get on that.

 

Now I'm reading The Book of the City of Ladies, Herodotus, and whatever else comes my way.

[eaglei]

I just finished The 9 Tailors- the 4th Sayers mystery I've read in the past couple of weeks. One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. I've reviewed it here.

 

I just read your review. Wow - can you ever write good reviews that make a person want to read.that.book.now! Mysteries are a genre that I lost interest in long years ago - sometime after reading a bunch of Agatha Christie's back around middle school. Your enthusiasm for the Lord Wimsey books sent me scurrying to the library's website to see what they have - they have five mysteries and one non-fiction. The mysteries include The Nine Taylors. So maybe - just maybe - I'll try one oh - sometime between now and then - if I ever get some real reading time again!

 

Completed:

Book #11 - "Extraordinary, Ordinary People" by Condoleezza Rice. Basically, a tribute to her parents and their encouragement of her. The insider view of Birmingham, Alabama in the 1950's and 1960's was very enlightening. I need to get back into reading Biographies.

 

 

I've been wanting to read this, too. Glad to see a good review of it.

 

I read a few more historical romances this past week --

A Season to Be Sinful by Jo Goodman -- this is a Regency romance set in England and it was a reread for me. I enjoy Jo Goodman's books because she uses unusual plot elements.

 

Never heard of this author till yesterday. Stopped by a yard sale and rifled through the books, knowing I wouldn't purchase any because books right now are not a need :glare: - nonetheless, I picked a book up by Jo Goodman three times and put it back down . . . Their books had been reduced to half price, which meant the hardback book would've been 12.5 cents . . .

 

Last week I read 2 books that I really enjoyed.

The second book was Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America by Michael Yankoski. Although a little simplistic in his writing style and dialogue, the premise of the book, the author leaving a life of luxury for living on the streets to determine if his faith in Christianity is viable, opened himself (and the reader) to many questions as to how we are viewing "the least of these" as Jesus commands. It made me rethink how I am helping those in need within my city. I like books that challenge who I am as a Christian, and this book did that.

 

This has been on my wanna-read list for a quite some time now. Our library doesn't have it and I try very hard to limit what I request. So what do you think - is it worth requesting that a small library purchase this book? You commented that the writing is simplistic but the content challenging . . .

[eaglei]

This week I am still reading:

 

#10 - Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott. Though hers is a much earthier style of writing than I generally read or that I suspect mine will ever be, I am enjoying this. While I don't see myself as a page-turning fiction writer, many of her ideas and comments have encouraged me, particularly since I realized that some of her thoughts mirror the changes that my writing style has been naturally undergoing for at least two years now.

 

Stephen King's On Writing is next up.

[MamaBearTeacher]

I just finished The Grapes of Wrath. I loved the book but did not like the ending.

[Night Elf]

Continuing my light, relaxing books:

 

#18 The Cat Who Went Underground

#19 Aunt Dimity's Death

#20 The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts

#21 Aunt Dimity and the Duke

[Night Elf]

I haven't had much time to read in the past two weeks, but last night I finished Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton. This was a recommendation I picked up from the 52 books/weeks threads. Thank you, Beth (Night Elf). What a fun read! I just placed the next book in the series on hold at the library.

 

Oh I'm so glad you liked it! The next book is about Emma and Derek Harris. It's still a great book! However, Lori isn't in it at all. But the third book goes back to Lori and Bill.

[Halcyon]

reading book #20. Holy Roller Girl-it's a lot of fun. A biography of a woman who was raised in a family of traveling preachers.

[Pink and Green Mom]

May I join in? I used to read so much but have fallen off the past few years. Here is what I have for 2012:

 

11. The End of Normal - A Wife's Anguish, A Widow's New Life; by Stephanie Madoff Mack (so-so book written by Bernie Madoff's daughter-in-law; you cannot help but feel sorry for the loss this woman and her young children have suffered, but it also seems like she is trying way too hard to convince you that her life was perfect and wonderful before the Madoff scandal. That said, I read it in a day and could not put it down.)

10. The Shallows - What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains, by Nicholas Carr (LOVED this)

9. Gunn's Golden Rules - Life's Little Lessons for Making it Work, by Tim Gunn (very cute and fun, and he seems very genuine. I ended up liking him more than I did before)

8. Drive - 9 Ways to Motivate Your Kids to Achieve, by Janine Caffrey

7. A Separate Peace, by John Knowles

6. Red Badge Of Courage, by Stephen Crane

5. The Book of Awesome: Snow Days, Bakery Air, Finding Money in Your Pocket, and Other Simple, Brilliant Things, by Neil Pasricha (easy read and put a smile on my face)

4. A Season In Purgatory, by Dominick Dunne (a fictionalized version of the Martha Moxley murder)

3. Imperfect Justice - Prosecuting Casey Anthony, by Jeff Ashton (hanging my head in shame but I really loved this book)

2. Fatal Charms and Other Tales of Today; and The Mansions of Limbo, by Dominick Dunne (I had read these years ago - a collection of his articles from Vanity Fair)

1. The Wilder Life - My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie, by Wendy McClure (I wanted to like this, but it was just ok and a bit too long in some parts).

 

No idea what I'm reading next, but I have The Year We Left Home (Jean Thompson), Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks), and Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It (Maile Meloy) checked out from the library.

[aggieamy]

Finished this week:

 

Nothing yet!

 

In progress:

 

Ginger Pye by Elanor Estes YA (our current read aloud)

The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison (my current audiobook)

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (recommended here - going to read for my ladies book club)

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway

 

 

2012 finished books:

 

18. All Quiet on the Western Front by Enrich Maria Remarque (*****)

17. Arabella by Georgette Heyer (****)

16. The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie (***)

15. The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer (***)

14. Nim's Island by Wendy Orr YA (***)

13. Abandon in Old Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (*)

12. The Moving Finger: A Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie (***)

11. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor YA (****)

10. The High Window by Raymond Chandler (****)

9. Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson (**)

8. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (****)

7. Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler (****)

6. What I Wore by Jessica Quirk (**)

5. How Not to Look Old by Charla Krupp (*)

4. The Georgraphy of Bliss by Eric Weiner (***)

3. The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty YA (*)

2. The Anybodies by NE Bode YA (**)

1. The Little World of Don Camillo by Giovanni Guareschi (****)

 

 

Read alouds 2012:

 

The Twenty One Balloons by William Pene du Bois YA (****)

[TN Mama]

Oh I'm so glad you liked it! The next book is about Emma and Derek Harris. It's still a great book! However, Lori isn't in it at all. But the third book goes back to Lori and Bill.

 

I was perplexed about that when I read the synopsis. Glad to know Lori & Bill will be back!

[Kareni]

 

Never heard of this author [Jo Goodman] till yesterday. Stopped by a yard sale and rifled through the books, knowing I wouldn't purchase any because books right now are not a need :glare: - nonetheless, I picked a book up by Jo Goodman three times and put it back down . . . Their books had been reduced to half price, which meant the hardback book would've been 12.5 cents . . .

 

 

What? Books aren't a need???

I think I'd have enjoyed that yard sale .... In any event, there's always the public library where, if you can find one of her books, you might read it for free.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Negin]

I'm currently in the middle of Stone Junction by Jim Dodge -- loving it so far.

Kindle version is at a decent price. Just ordered it. :D

Hope you're feeling better. :grouphug:

 

This week I finished I Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg. It was very refreshing.

I've started on Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country and am loving it.

I love Fannie Flagg and that one was the first one I read, also my favorite. :D

Never read Bill Bryson. Some of his books are on my wish list.

[Mommyfaithe]

Finished Life as We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer. Teen fiction of the aftermath of a meteorite hitting the moon, written in journal form. It was ok......

 

I am now reading Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother. I know she is controversial, but I think Amy Chua is my new hero.....

 

Faithe

[Just Robyn]

I read Shanghai Girls before Snow Flower, and I think I liked it better. I liked Snow Flower okay, but I thought the movie dragged even worse than the book.

 

Thanks!

[jenL]

 

This has been on my wanna-read list for a quite some time now. Our library doesn't have it and I try very hard to limit what I request. So what do you think - is it worth requesting that a small library purchase this book? You commented that the writing is simplistic but the content challenging . . .

 

I think it could be valuable for a library because it does't just deal with the author's faith, but also with the state of homelessness in America. It reads like a novel, making it read faster than some non-fiction. The author doesn't shove his Christianity down the reader's throat, so I think it could also resonate with those who are seeking because it's really about his journey of self and where he is with his belief system. The simplicity of the writing makes it accessible to a variety of readers as well - it's not like reading a classic or non-fiction that may be heavy with technical terms which would only appeal to certain readers. HTH! :)

[luvnlattes]

I finished 2 books last week.

 

#11 was Over Salad and Hot Bread by Mary Jenson. I thought this would be an inspiring read about the friendship between two unlikely women. I ended up not particularly caring for the author and thought the book was rather blah.

 

#12 was Child of the Jungle by Sabine Kuegler. It's the story of a woman whose parents are missionaries in the New Guinea jungle. The focus was on what it was like for her grow up in that culture and how she has transitioned to European life as an adult. Three quarters of the book focuses on her jungle experiences with the rest about transitioning. I enjoyed this one.

 

Right now I'm in the middle of Sister by Rosamund Lupton.

[thessa516]

I completed two books this week:

 

17. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin - my review here - in short, loved it!

16. Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic

 

---

 

15. The Cay by Theodore Taylor

14. Losing Control and Liking It by Tim Sanford

13. A String in the Harp by Nancy Bond

12. Simple Country Wisdom by Susan Waggoner

11. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

10. Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney

9. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

8. A Chicken in Every Yard by Robert and Hannah Litt

7. Imperfect Birds by Anne Lamott

6. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

5. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

4. Ahab's Wife: or, The Star-Gazer by Sena Jeter Naslund

3. At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson

2. Mitten Strings for God by Katrina Kenison

1. Little Sugar Addicts by Kathleen DesMaisons

[ladydusk]

16. Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic

 

I read this earlier in the year and loved it.

 

I'm still working on Peter Pan and The Roots of American Order. Both book club selections. I have two weeks for Peter Pan and will be working on Roots for like 10 more weeks or so (but it is *fabulous*!)