Book a Week in 2012 - Week 20

[Robin M]

Happy Mother's Day!!!!!:grouphug:

 

Today is the start of week 20 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.

 

52 Books Blog - Linky Love: Link to mother's day history and also linking up to a few interesting authors to get to know. Plus author's birthday's this week. I wasn't feeling too creative yesterday so short and sweet.

 

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

Link to week 19

[Robin M]

I just finished reading Iain Pears' The Raphael Affair." I love art mysteries. This was the first book in the art history mystery series and his debut novel. Wasn't as well written as the rest of his books but that's to be expected. His other books in the series as well as An Instance on the Fingerpost and Stone's Fall are excellent.

 

Last week I finished reading The Cottage at Glass Beach by Heather Barbieri. Beautiful writing but lacking somehow. Hints at Irish folklore and selkies myth and leaves you hanging with the storylines. You're never quite sure where she's going with it. One of those that you read the ending chapters a couple times because you think you missed something.

 

Next up - Neil Gaiman's Anasi Boys and Cherry Adair's Afterglow.

[Maus]

Completed:

Book #21 - "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli. I know, it's a young adult book... I'm trying to preview the books my local library claims have homeschoolers as a protagonist. I liked the book, but not for it's portrayal of homeschoolers. (Her weirdness is attributed to her having been homeschooled by the main speaker of the book.) I do like how her free spirit is eventually celebrated.

 

Book #20 - "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #19 -"Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #18 - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Book #17 - "Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month" by Deborah Taylor-Hough.

Book #16 - "Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy" by Jonni McCoy.

Book #15 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #14 - "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain.

Book #13 - "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett.

Book #12 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #11 - "Extraordinary, Ordinary People" by Condoleezza Rice.

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

[luvnlattes]

I haven't posted since I started reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King a few weeks back. Good call Stacia, on setting that one aside when you did! I stuck with it for about 350 pages or so but I just completely lost interest. I would pick it up and not care in the least with what was happening to the characters, so I finally gave up on it.

 

Since then I've read a couple of books but nothing that lit my fire :glare: . I read My Abandonment by Peter Rock, a fictional work based on a true story of a homeless family in Portland. I thought it might be inspirational but it just turned out weird by the end.

 

This morning I finished Ice Trap by Kitty Sewell, another mediocre book that brought my number of books so far this year up to 20. I'm not sure what I'll be reading next. I'm up to 'T' in my A to Z author challenge but I'm still #7 on the wait list for my T book. I haven't decided if I'll wait for it or read something else in the meantime.

 

I'm looking forward to hearing about what everybody has been reading this week. Maybe it will get me out of my book funk :tongue_smilie:.

[aggieamy]

I just finished reading Iain Pears' The Raphael Affair." I love art mysteries. This was the first book in the art history mystery series and his debut novel. Wasn't as well written as the rest of his books but that's to be expected. His other books in the series as well as An Instance on the Fingerpost and Stone's Fall are excellent.

 

 

 

That's a genre I haven't read at all but I like mysteries so I'm going to give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

I haven't posted since I started reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King a few weeks back. Good call Stacia, on setting that one aside when you did! I stuck with it for about 350 pages or so but I just completely lost interest. I would pick it up and not care in the least with what was happening to the characters, so I finally gave up on it.

 

Since then I've read a couple of books but nothing that lit my fire :glare: . I read My Abandonment by Peter Rock, a fictional work based on a true story of a homeless family in Portland. I thought it might be inspirational but it just turned out weird by the end.

 

This morning I finished Ice Trap by Kitty Sewell, another mediocre book that brought my number of books so far this year up to 20. I'm not sure what I'll be reading next. I'm up to 'T' in my A to Z author challenge but I'm still #7 on the wait list for my T book. I haven't decided if I'll wait for it or read something else in the meantime.

 

I'm looking forward to hearing about what everybody has been reading this week. Maybe it will get me out of my book funk :tongue_smilie:.

 

I had a streak like that earlier in the year where every book I tried was 'meh' or worse. Very frustrating. What's your favorite genre? Maybe we can recommend something awesome to read.

Edited May 13, 2012 by aggieamy

[luvnlattes]

Happy Mother's Day!!!!!:grouphug:

 

OH, and Happy Mother's Day to you too, Robin, and all the other lovely ladies that post on this thread :) !

[Zebra]

This week I read Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (31) finished Overtreated by Shannon Brownlee (32) and If You Ask Me (and of course you won't) by Betty White (33).

 

I liked Water for Elephants, didn't LOVE it. It was interesting to learn about some of the true things she weaved into the story. I also watched the movie this week. I had heard such terrible things about the movie, but I thought it was a pretty reasonable adaptation. The Betty White book was also fine. Not that long, not much to it.

 

In contrast, I can't say enough good things about Overtreated. It's a phenomenal book. A must read for everyone, truly. The medical institution is a complete nightmare, and there are so many factors at play. I have learned this the hard way over the years, and she just backed up what I have seen first-hand with hard evidence. She did a great job of explaining every angle of the mess, but I don't think the solutions she offered would actually work.

[Just Robyn]

This week I finished a young adult book:

 

34.) Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce - Part of my motivation for reading this book (or rather, for starting this series) is that Gail Carriger listed the third book in the series, The Woman Who Rides Like a Man, as one of her three favorite books. I'm not one to just read the third book in a series without reading the first two, even if people swear to me it won't much matter. My thoughts on the first book? I think Alanna would be a good book for an 11 or 12 year old girl. I wouldn't recommend it to an adult unless they are going to read it with their daughter or something like that. I think the writing is better in the Ranger's Apprentice series and The Tombs of Atuan - books I would consider similar because they are fantasy novels with children as main characters, set in the middle ages. However, neither has the strong, independent female protagonist found in Alanna. Tenar in The Tombs of Atuan is getting there, but is not as strong as Alanna. Alanna also offers something different in that it touches on the physical changes that come with growing up. It is a fast read, and I'm glad I read it because now I think I will buy it for a friend's daughter for her birthday.

[Ali in OR]

I finished two this week. I can't say I didn't like Death Comes to Pemberley, simply because I would probably enjoy reading almost anything that builds on Pride and Prejudice, but I must say that I actually found it a little boring. I think P.D. James does a nice job of capturing a similar tone to P&P, but the plot was rather plodding. I also finished Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson, which was a free book I was given in a park last month for World Book Night. The author writes beautifully, but the characters were a little too off for me to develop much sympathy or empathy for them. Two sisters are raised by their grandmother when their mother commits suicide, then when grandma dies, her maiden sisters-in-law care for them for awhile, until finally the girls' mother's transient sister who I think has a screw loose comes home to care for them. It was just okay.

 

Still reading Anna Karenina--I'm at the half-way point. Also The Night Circus came available from my library hold list, so I just started that.

 

Books Read in 2012 (* = contenders for my 2012 Top Ten)

36. Houskeeping-Marilynne Robinson

35. Death Comes to Pemberley-P.D. James

34. The Language of Flowers-Vanessa Diffenbaugh*

33. The Peach Keeper-Sarah Addison Allen

32. 11/22/63-Stephen King*

31. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer-Mark Twain

30. Quiet-Susan Cain*

29. The Paris Wife-Paula McLain

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

27. The Feast Nearby-Robin Mather

26. The Sugar Queen-Sarah Addison Allen

25. The Invention of Hugo Cabret-Brian Selznick

24. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks-Rebecca Skloot*

23. The Hunger Games-Suzanne Collins

22. Not a Fan-Kyle Idleman

21. Wildwood-Colin Meloy

20. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children-Ransom Riggs

19. The Mysterious Affair at Styles-Agatha Christie

18. A String in the Harp-Nancy Bond

17. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats-Jan-Philipp Sendker*

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

[Jennifer3141]

Hi everyone!

 

I'm still here and still reading. I suffered through the 50 Shades of Gray trilogy this week and when I made a list a few days ago of books I've read so far this year, I'm in my thirties. I was worried I was falling behind! :)

 

I'll pop in more often. I've missed you all.

[SunnyDays]

Happy Mother's Day!! :)

 

I didn't read at ALL this week, in fact, I haven't done a book yet in May. Oops. I need to get back at it.

 

A while back I started "Sushi for Beginners" by Marian Keyes and I'm going to pick that back up. So far I've done 26 books for the year, this will be 27 if I can ever get it finished!!

[LostSurprise]

42. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafrisi~non-fiction, memoir, Iran, literature. I ended up liking this more then I originally thought. I read the first 150 pages a few years ago and it read more as a 'why you should love the books I love (Gatsby, Lolita)' which bored me. I picked it up this week and finished it quickly. The second half is full of a lot more memoir and the author interprets a lot of what she sees through great English novels and poems. Okay, I didn't always agree with her about literature but I found her own story, and the story of her friends, compelling.

 

41. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris~fiction, France, WWII, food. This book kind of surprised me. I picked it up at Goodwill in the clearance section. I liked it better than Chocolat. It has the same sensuous addition of food to a storyline. Harris also did a masterful job revealing and hiding, revealing and stringing out the story of 3 children and a mother warped by migraines during WWII occupation. The characters always follow their own personalities and the story follows that. Nicely done.

 

40. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller~memoir, stories, Christianity.

39. Just Take a Bite! by Lori Ernsberger~non-fiction, food issues, special needs.

38. Suspense and Sensibility by Carrie Bebris~Jane Austen, Mystery.

37. Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris~Jane Austen, Darcys, Mystery, supernatural.

36. Superfudge by Judy Blume~fiction, classic children's book.

35. The Explosive Child by Ross Greene~non-fiction, behavior, children

34. Cyteen 2: The Rebirth by CJ Cherryh~science fiction, cloning.

33. The Peace War by Vernor Vinge~science fiction, future, technology.

32. Whiskey Breakfast by Richard Lindberg~memoir, Swedish Immigration, Chicago.

31. Corvus: a Life with Birds by Esther Woolfson~non-fiction, birds.

30. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen~classic literature.

29. Cyteen: The Betrayal by CJ Cherryh~science fiction, future, space, cloning.

28. Divergent by Veronica Roth~youth fiction, dystopian.

27. The Help by Kathryn Stockett~fiction, '60s, race relations.

26. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs~youth, fiction.

25. Below Stairs: the Classic Kitchen Maid Memoir by Margaret Powell~non-fiction, memoir.

24. Ender in Exile by Orson Scott Card~fiction.

23. Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks~non-fiction, memoir.

22. The Garden Book of Wisconsin by Melinda Myers~non-fiction, gardening, flowers and landscaping.

21. Putting Down Roots: Gardening Insights from Wisconsin's Early Settlers by Marcia Carmichael~non-fiction, history, gardening.

20. Gudrun's Kitchen: Recipes from a Norwegian Family by Irene and Edward Sandvold~cookbook, biography.

19. Twelve Owls by Laura Erickson~non-fiction, birds.

18. A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell~fiction, WWII

17. A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge~science fiction, space

16. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card~classic science fiction, read aloud.

15. Flour by Joanne Chung~cookbook, baking

14. Home to Woefield by Susan Juby~light fiction, humorous

13. Making the Most of Shade by Larry Hodgson~non-fiction/gardening

12. Growing Perennials in Cold Climates by Mike Heger~non-fiction/gardening

11. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson~mystery

10. Letters from Yellowstone by Diane Smith~historical fiction

9. The Circus in Winter by Cathy Day~fiction

8. The Alphabet in the Park by Adelia Prado~poetry

7. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman~non-fiction/medical

6. One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus~speculative fiction

5. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Woods~juvenile

4. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Jester~(read aloud) juvenile

3. The Alienist by Caleb Carr~Mystery

2. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton~Fiction

1. The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt~Fiction

 

Working on:

The Long Retreat (Krivak)

Blood Meridian (McCarthy)

The Essential Garden Design Workbook (Alexander)

[rwjx2khsmj]

I read Sarah Bishop by Scott O'Dell (The American Revolution from a different point of view) and The Maid by Kimberly Cutter (Joan of Arc). Both were interesting and well written. Neither will be placed on my must-read list.

 

This week I'm going to try to finish Dr. Zhivago and delve into the world of Sherlock Holmes.

[LostSurprise]

I also finished Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson, which was a free book I was given in a park last month for World Book Night. The author writes beautifully, but the characters were a little too off for me to develop much sympathy or empathy for them. Two sisters are raised by their grandmother when their mother commits suicide, then when grandma dies, her maiden sisters-in-law care for them for awhile, until finally the girls' mother's transient sister who I think has a screw loose comes home to care for them. It was just okay.

 

 

House-keeping was one of those novels that I completely re-rated after some time thinking about it. I didn't like it at first.

 

There wasn't really much of a plot. The writing was gorgeous. I spent a lot of time wondering if I was really *getting* it.

 

I went back and re-read it later because I found I was thinking about it a lot. Its a gorgeous representation of 2 girls losing their ability to be rooted to a town, family, other people. Its interesting because the sisters react differently to the basic understanding that they (we) are alone. You're not supposed to attach to any of the characters (the opposite really) which makes it a hard novel, but dang if it isn't beautiful. Those beautiful, tragic loner-seekers who refuse to use society or rigid structure to prop up the emptiness.

[Kareni]

I reread two excellent historical romances by Joanna Bourne ~

 

The Forbidden Rose

 

The Black Hawk

 

I recommend them highly.

 

I just completed Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James; it's contemporary romance and the first book that I've read by this author. It was enjoyable (but not as good as the books by Joanna Bourne).

 

Regards,

Kareni

[eaglei]

Will finish in about five more minutes:

 

#22 - Arabella, by Georgette Heyer. Totally enjoyed this! My second Heyer novel, but definitely not my last. I'll be coming back to her in upcoming months. :)

 

Will start later today:

 

#23 - Life Among the Savages, by Shirley Jackson. This has been in my stack-to-read for quite awhile, so it's up next. Cover art looks like it will be hilarious; back blurb concurs. I hope it delivers!

[Ali in OR]

House-keeping was one of those novels that I completely re-rated after some time thinking about it. I didn't like it at first.

 

There wasn't really much of a plot. The writing was gorgeous. I spent a lot of time wondering if I was really *getting* it.

 

I went back and re-read it later because I found I was thinking about it a lot. Its a gorgeous representation of 2 girls losing their ability to be rooted to a town, family, other people. Its interesting because the sisters react differently to the basic understanding that they (we) are alone. You're not supposed to attach to any of the characters (the opposite really) which makes it a hard novel, but dang if it isn't beautiful. Those beautiful, tragic loner-seekers who refuse to use society or rigid structure to prop up the emptiness.

 

Thanks for this perspective. This would be a great book for a lit class--there's a lot in there to think about, analyze, and discuss. Reading it on the treadmill probably isn't the best way to get the most out of it!

[Onceuponatime]

Recently finished A Wind in the Door. Working on Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. This is going to be one of my favorite books of the year. I'm feeling validated. ;-)

 

Books finished so far:

 

1. What the Dog Saw- Gladwell

2. How to Prosper in Hard Times- Hill

3. A Lantern in Her Hand- Aldrich

4. Beatrice and Virgil- Martel

5. Summer at Tiffany- Hart

6. Looking Backward- Bellamy

7. God of the Hive- King

8. Pirate King- King

9. I'm a Stranger Here Myself- Bryson

10. Ahab's Wife- Jeter

11. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy- Le'Carre

12. Can't Wait to get to Heaven - Flagg

13. The House at Riverton- Morton

14. Tuesdays With Morrie- Albom

15. In a Sunburned Country- Bryson

16. Have a Little Faith- Albom

17. The Last Week- Borg

18. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

19. Jesus- Borg

20. An Acceptable Time- l'engle

21. The Housekeeper and the Professor- Ogawa

22. The Hunger Games- Collins

23. The Telling- LeGuin

24. A Wind in the Door- l'engle

Edited May 13, 2012 by Onceuponatime

[Stacia]

 

 

An Instance on the Fingerpost

I hope to get to this one this year. I've had it sitting on my shelf for awhile now....

 

I haven't posted since I started reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King a few weeks back. Good call Stacia, on setting that one aside when you did! I stuck with it for about 350 pages or so but I just completely lost interest. I would pick it up and not care in the least with what was happening to the characters, so I finally gave up on it.

Glad to hear that I made the correct call on it! Hope you get out of your book funk soon.

 

This week I finished a young adult book:

 

34.) Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

My dd enjoyed that series. (I haven't read them.)

 

Also The Night Circus came available from my library hold list, so I just started that.

Oh, enjoy!

 

I'll pop in more often. I've missed you all.

:seeya: Hi Jennifer, good to see you on here again! :001_smile:

 

41. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris~fiction, France, WWII, food. This book kind of surprised me. I picked it up at Goodwill in the clearance section. I liked it better than Chocolat. It has the same sensuous addition of food to a storyline.

I read that last year & thought the author had such luscious descriptions.

Edited September 11, 2014 by Stacia

[Rosie_0801]

This week I finished a young adult book:

 

34.) Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce - Part of my motivation for reading this book (or rather, for starting this series) is that Gail Carriger listed the third book in the series, The Woman Who Rides Like a Man, as one of her three favorite books. I'm not one to just read the third book in a series without reading the first two, even if people swear to me it won't much matter. My thoughts on the first book? I think Alanna would be a good book for an 11 or 12 year old girl. I wouldn't recommend it to an adult unless they are going to read it with their daughter or something like that.

 

 

I read them every year. They're my happy, fluffy books :D If you're going to buy it for your friend's daughter, be warned that things get a bit intimate further on in the series. If that's going to bother your friend, you might try the Circle of Magic books. The kids in that series don't grow up so fast. :)

 

Rosie

[Stacia]

 

 

Today, I finished yet another sequel (even though I don't read 'series' books ;):lol:): The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man (book #2 of the Burton & Swinburne series) by Mark Hodder.

 

It's another fabulous installment of the Burton & Swinburne series! I love that Mark Hodder uses so much historical fact to create an alternate-reality, steampunk adventure. (And the history-lover in me enjoys the historical summaries that Hodder provides at the end to tell you who the main players/events were 'in real life' vs. how they appear in his story.) Great fun & lead-in for book 3 (which I'll definitely be reading)....

 

I :001_wub: this series & Hodder as an author.

 

Not sure what I'll start next.

 

----------------------------

My Goodreads Page

Completed the Europa Challenge Cappuccino Level (at least 6 Europa books: #s 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 19, & 21 on my list).

Completed Robin's Read a Russian Author in April Challenge (#24 & #26 on my list).

 

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 (4.5 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)

18. The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston (3 stars)

19. Cooking with Fernet Branca by James Hamilton-Paterson (4 stars)

20. Stone Junction by Jim Dodge (3 stars)

 

21. Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous (3 stars)

22. Colony by Hugo Wilcken (5 stars)

23. Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox (3 stars)

24. The Master & Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (4.5 stars)

25. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (3 stars)

26. The Dream Life of Sukhanov by Olga Grushin (4 stars)

27. Vanishing Point by David Markson (3 stars)

28. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley (4 stars)

29. The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man by Mark Hodder (4 stars)

[Just Robyn]

My dd enjoyed that series. (I haven't read them.)

 

Do you mind if I ask how old she was when she read them?

 

I read them every year. They're my happy, fluffy books :D If you're going to buy it for your friend's daughter, be warned that things get a bit intimate further on in the series. If that's going to bother your friend, you might try the Circle of Magic books. The kids in that series don't grow up so fast. :)

 

Rosie

 

Ack! I knew that was a possibility and determined to read the rest of the series before her birthday to be sure I wasn't starting her on a series she couldn't finish. Thanks for the warning and the recommendation. I'll check out those Circle of Magic books if her parents don't approve whatever I find in the other books in the series.

[Angel]

I am still enjoying the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mysteries. I finished The Matters at Mansfield this morning. I am only sorry I don't have the next one to begin. I have never enjoyed mysteries so much!

 

#18 "The Matters at Mansfield" by Carrie Bebris (****)

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare (*****)

"Juliet" by Anne Fortier (*****)

"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare (****)

"North by Northanger" by Carrie Bebris (*****)

"Yarn Harlot" by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (****)

"Suspense and Sensibility" by Carrie Bebris (****)

"The Tempest" by William Shakespeare (***1/2)

"Cotillion" by Georgette Heyer (*****)

"Pride and Prescience" by Carrie Bebris (****)

"Ophelia" by Lisa Klein (***)

"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" by Tom Stoppard (*)

"Hamlet" by William Shakespeare (***1/2)

"The Sisters Grimm" by Michael Buckley (***)

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J. K. Rowling (*****)

"The Lost Hero" by Rick Riordan (****)

"Henry V" by William Shakespeare (****)

"The Eyre Affair" by Jasper Fforde (***)

[-M-]

So many active bookmarks! So little time!

 

In progress:

 

■ The Shallows (Nicholas Carr; non-fiction)

■ Quiet (Susan Cain; non-fiction)

■ The Iceman Cometh (Eugene O'Neill; play)

■ The Devil All the Time (Donald Ray Pollock)

■ Exposure (Mal Peet; YA fiction)

 

Completed this year:

 

■ When You Were Mine (Rebecca Serle; YA fiction)

■ Are You My Mother? (Alison Bechdel; graphic memoir)

■ First Love (Ivan Turgenev; fiction)

■ The Night Bookmobile (Audrey Niffenegger; graphic novel)

■ Retirement without Borders (Barry Golson; non-fiction)

■ The World's Top Retirement Havens (ed. Margaret J. Goldstein; non-fiction)

■ Let's Go: Peru, Ecuador & Bolivia (ed. Michelle R. Bowman; non-fiction)

■ The Lifeboat (Charlotte Rogan; fiction)

■ iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsession with Technology and Overcoming Its Hold on Us (Larry D. Rosen; non-fiction, psychology/technology)

■ The Difference (Jean Chatzky; non-fiction, personal finance)

■ The Pen Commandments (Steven Frank; non-fiction, writing)

■ Timon of Athens (William Shakespeare; play)

■ Going Bovine (Libba Bray; YA fiction)

■ The Memory Palace (Mira Bartók; memoir)

■ Mr. Monster (Dan Wells; fiction)

■ I Don't Want to Kill You (Dan Wells; fiction)

■ The Fiddler in the Subway (Gene Weingarten; non-fiction, journalism/essays)

■ The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins; fiction)

■ The Taming of the Shrew (William Shakespeare; play)

■ The Power of Habit (Charles Duhigg; non-fiction)

■ Unpacking My Library: Writers and Their Books (Leah Price; non-fiction)

■ Sister (Rosamund Lupton; fiction)

■ The Scarlet Pimpernel (Baroness Emmuska Orczy; fiction)

■ 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; personal finance)

■ 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)

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

■ The English Teacher (Lily King; fiction)

[LostSurprise]

Today, I finished yet another sequel (even though I don't read 'series' books ;):lol:): The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man (book #2 of the Burton & Swinburne series) by Mark Hodder.

 

It's another fabulous installment of the Burton & Swinburne series! I love that Mark Hodder uses so much historical fact to create an alternate-reality, steampunk adventure.

 

O my goodness, is that Richard Burton the explorer and linguist and Charles Swinburne the poet?? And steampunk???

 

*drool*

[LostSurprise]

I am still enjoying the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mysteries. I finished The Matters at Mansfield this morning. I am only sorry I don't have the next one to begin. I have never enjoyed mysteries so much!

 

 

I've been reading those this year too, light and fun (if you don't mind a dose of the supernatural).

[Jen in PA]

I didn't finish anything this week but somehow managed to start more books! DS gave me several bookmarks for Mother's Day to help me handle this problem.:D

 

In progress:

Kill Shakespeare Vol. 1

Twelfth Night

This Book Is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All

Red Pyramid

Imagine: How Creativity Works

Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn From Educational Change in Finland?

[CAMom]

Working on both A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie and Grace Eventually: Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott.

 

In spite of being a much more conservative Christian than Anne seems to be, I am finding some really profound things in her writing. It really confirms my suspicions lately that we can all learn something from each other if we can just be charitable to one another. I cringe a little at some of her socially liberal positions but just find such comfort in statements like, "Sometimes grace is a ribbon of mountain air that gets in through the cracks."

 

Trying to catch up to 20. :D

[porque]

This week I finished:

#35 Orphans of the Living(non-fiction)

#36 Icy Spears by Gwyn Rubio

#37 Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz

#38 Open House by Elizabeth Berg

 

I don't know what DD9 has finished, she hasn't added anything to the "finished"pile, but I think she was trying to read a couple of volumes of the Childcraft encyclopedias.

[Stacia]

Do you mind if I ask how old she was when she read them?

 

12, I'm pretty sure.

 

O my goodness, is that Richard Burton the explorer and linguist and Charles Swinburne the poet?? And steampunk???

 

*drool*

 

Yes, yes, & yes. :D (Hope you try the series. They're completely awesome, imo.) Burton & Swinburne make a very good team in this series.

 

Wouldn't it have been cool to be Richard Burton??? Or to at least have known him???

[Heather in Neverland]

This week...

 

Started Reading:

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

 

Still reading:

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

 

Completed:

20. Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints

19. The Strength of His Hands

18. The Meaning of Marriage

17. Funny in Farsi

16. The Constantine Codex

15. What the Dog Saw

14. What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission

13. Gods and Kings

12. A Skeleton in God's Closet

11. My Hands Came Away Red

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

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[Maus]

Completed:

Book #22 - "Deconstructing Penguins" by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone. Thought-provoking. I'll have to try this with my kids. Maybe we can get DH involved and make it a family thing. They introduced a couple of books I haven't heard of, too.

 

Book #21 - "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli.

Book #20 - "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #19 -"Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #18 - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Book #17 - "Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month" by Deborah Taylor-Hough.

Book #16 - "Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy" by Jonni McCoy.

Book #15 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #14 - "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain.

Book #13 - "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett.

Book #12 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #11 - "Extraordinary, Ordinary People" by Condoleezza Rice.

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

[LostSurprise]

Wouldn't it have been cool to be Richard Burton??? Or to at least have known him???

 

I loved Mary Lovell's bio of Richard and Isabella Burton. He was an incredible linguist, writer, adventurer, and hell-raiser. He's almost unbelievable. The languages, the continents, the stories, the sheer bravado. I wish he was my uncle. ;)

 

Many blamed Swinburne's alcoholism and wild ways on Burton and his friends, and at least Burton was a bad influence in the (short) London years. I think toward the end the Burtons felt bad for Swinburne. Burton could be incredibly wild (drinking, sex) but he was always controlled. He could just quit for months or years at a time if that's what he needed for his goal. Swinburne couldn't.

 

Excited about the books now. Thanks!

[Negin]

In contrast, I can't say enough good things about Overtreated.

This one sounds really interesting. Added it to my wish list.

 

42. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafrisi~non-fiction, memoir, Iran, literature. I ended up liking this more then I originally thought.

41. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris~fiction, France, WWII, food.

I read Reading Lolita a few years ago. Cant' say I loved it, but I liked it well enough. I was born in Tehran, so it was quite relevant to me.

I keep meaning to read Five Quarters. :)

 

Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn From Educational Change in Finland?

I really want to read this.

[Pink and Green Mom]

I finished #31 The Widow of the South, by Robert Hicks. I wanted to love this book, I really did. But it was just - eh. It took a while to finish it which I guess says something. There was just no "there" there.

 

I'm starting a book called I Want My MTV - the 80s teen in me loves it. It is snippets from music people telling about the channel from its inception until the "M" became nonexistent. It has been interesting to hear how when it started, the station was broadcast on only a handful of cable systems and it only had 10 videos in rotation. Also tells how they got record labels to agree to do videos and to hand them over for free.

 

I'm desparately waiting for Book 2 of Outlanders - I ordered it from Paperbackswap 30 days ago and today it was officially declared lost in the mail and I'm getting one sent from somewhere else. I've picked up every other book in the series for $0.50 from book sales except Book 2. I hope that is up next after the MTV book.

 

Here is my list from my Pinterest board. http://pinterest.com/tswerner/52-books-in-52-weeks/

Edited May 14, 2012 by Pink and Green Mom
add list

[Jenny in Florida]

I slowed down a bit in the last couple of weeks, but I'm still on track. In fact, I'm a little ahead and considering making some changes to my personal challenges.

 

When I started this, I promised myself I would:

 

1. not count re-reads.

2. read at least 10 classics I hadn't read before.

 

Well, then I hit a slump where I couldn't settle into any one book. I discovered that there are new books coming out in at least two series I love and wanted the freedom to re-read the previous books before the new ones without falling behind in my overall count . . . and I lost interest in the whole "classics" concept. But, once I freed myself from those two rules, I fell back into lots of reading.

 

So, I'm now thinking I'll relax my self-imposed standards with regard to what I read and challenge myself to read more. I'm going to try for 100 books this year, allowing myself to count re-reads in the total.

 

That said, here's my current list of completed books:

 

29. The Secret History, Donna Tartt

28. Dead Until Dark, Charlaine Harris

27. Alice I Have Been, Melanie Benjamin

26. Carrier of the Mark, Leigh Fallon

25. Juliet, Anne Fortier

24. Wonderland: A Year in the Life of an American High School, Michael Bamberger

23. The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern

22. The Frogs, Aristophanes

21. The Name of the Star, Maureen Johnson

20. Hades, Alexandra Adornetto

19. Halo, Alexandra Adornetto

18. Oedipus Rex, Sophocles

17. Silence, Becca Fitzpatrick

16. Prometheus Bound, Aeschylus

15. Shockaholic, Carrie Fisher

14. Crescendo, Becca Fitzpatrick

13. Hush, Hush, Becca Fitzpatrick

12. The Peach Keeper, Sarah Addison Allen

11. Rainwater, Sandra Brown

10. A Stolen Life, Jaycee Dugard

8. Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins

9. The Girl Who Chased the Moon, Sarah Addison Allen

7. Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins

6. The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

5. Colleges That Change Lives, Loren Pope

4. The Physic Book of Deliverance Dane, Katherine Howe

3. Angelica, Arthur Phillips

2. What Colleges Don’t Tell You, Elizabeth Wizner-Gross

1. Clockwork Prince, Cassandra Clare

I had very much the same feeling about both Alice and Secret History. They started off such rich, chewy, immersive stories, but each had an ending I found unsatisfying. And both seemed to wander a bit in the second half. With Alice, I assumed it was because the author was bound to the facts of Alice's life. But the big crisis, which had been built up throughout the novel, turned out to be nothing more than what I assumed from the first pages. And, after that, there didn't seem to be much else to say.

The Secret History pulled me in from the beginning, in large part because it required me to think in order to keep up with the very smart characters. But most of the second half of the book just didn't go much of anywhere, at least not anywhere that wasn't entirely predictable.

In both cases, I wanted and expected more--more mystery, more layers, more something--that didn't happen. I enjoyed both books, but I didn't love them.

I'm reading Troy (Adele Geras) and Bringing Down the House: The Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions (Ben Mezrich) with my son for school. (The Vegas one is for our statistics unit.)

I'm read Tempest Rising (Nicole Peeler) in small chunks when the mood strikes. And I just downloaded the audio version of Everything Is Illuminated (Jonathan Safran) from the library this afternoon to listen to while walking and whenever I'm waiting in the car for a kid at a lesson or rehearsal.

[Violet Crown]

Stillllllll reading City of God, but took a break and read Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. And back to Augustine now.

[Negin]

I'm starting a book called I Want My MTV - the 80s teen in me loves it.

This sounds really interesting. :)

[Kim in Appalachia]

The still working on Kraken by China Mieville. It's a strange book. I'm finding it well written, with a bit of a confusing (but interesting) plot, but weak character building. I'm not caring about the characters as I should.

[NanceXToo]

COMPLETE

 

1. Envy, by J.R. Ward (Fallen Angels series)

 

2. Kiss of the Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

3. The Ramayana, A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic, by R.K. Narayan (with my daughter for school reading)

 

4. Dark Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

5. The Immortal Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

6. Spell of the Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

7. 11/22/63, by Stephen King (Loved this one!!)

 

8. The Traveler, by John Twelve Hawks (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 1)

 

9. Into the Dreaming, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

10. A Judgement In Stone, by Ruth Rendel

 

11. The Dark River, by John Twelve Hawks (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 2)

 

12. The Golden City, by John Twelve Hawks (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 3)

 

13. Forbidden Pleasure, by Lora Leigh

 

14. Relic, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

 

15. House Rules, by Jodi Picoult

 

16. Midwives, by Chris Bohjalian

 

17. Wind Through the Keyhole, by Stephen King (Dark Tower series)

 

18. The High Flyer, by Susan Howatch.

 

CURRENT

 

19. Ahab's Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslund, which I put aside temporarily to read:

 

20. Daughter of the Blood, by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels Trilogy, Book 1)

 

"Seven hundred years ago, a Black Widow witch saw an ancient prophecy come to life in her dazzling web of dreams and visions. Now the Dark Realm readies itself for the arrival of its Queen, a witch who will yield more power than even the High Lord of Hell himself. But she is still young, still open to influence- and corruption. Whoever controls the Queen controls the Darkness. Three men -sworn enemies- know that. And they know the power that hides behind the blue eyes of an innocent young girl. And so begins a ruthless game of politics and intrigue, magic and betrayal, where the weapons are hate and love...and the prize could be terrible beyond imagining..."

[LNC]

1. Daddy Longlegs, Jean Webster - Kindle

2. Dear Enemy, Jean Webster - Kindle

3. Bookends of the Christian Life, Jerry Bridges

-A Secret Kept, Tatiana de Rosnay (didn't like, quit)

4. Gospel Wakefulness, Jared Wilson

5. A Praying Life, Paul Miller - Kindle

-Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen - library on Kindle (didn't like, quit - not doing well with fiction picks this year!)

6. The Book of the Ancient World

7. The Book of the Greeks, both by Dorothy Mills

8. The Greek Way, Edith Hamilton

9. Organized Simplicity - Kindle

10. In the Garden of Beasts, Erik Larson - library on Kindle

11. Think, John Piper

12. Lit, Tony Reinke

-Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Foe - quit!

13.That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week, Ana Homayoun

14. Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners, Cindy West

15. I'm an English Major Now What, Tim Lemire

16. Suprised by Oxford, Carolyn Weber (love!!)

17. Discovery of Witches - library kindle on kindle

18. Left Neglected, Lisa Genova

19. I Capture the Castle, Dodie Smith

20. Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter, Lisa Patton

21. Yankee Doodle Dixie, Lisa Patton

22. American Heiress, Daisy Goodwin

23. Before I go to Sleep, S.J. Watson

24. Still Alice, Lisa Genova

25-28. Secret Society Girls #1-4 series Diana Peterfreund

29-31. Hunger Games series

32. Bunheads, Sophie Flack

33. The Sugarless Plum, Zippora Karz

34. A Voice in the Wind, Francine Rivers

 

35. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, E. Lockhart

36. Special Topics in Calamity Physics, Marisha Pessl

Edited May 15, 2012 by LNC

[Kareni]

I read with pleasure A Place Called Home by Jo Goodman. Goodman is one of my favorite historical romance authors, so it was interesting to read her first contemporary romance. I'll certainly read any other contemporary novels that she writes, but currently I favor her historical romances.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

I finished Unclutter Your Life in One Week by Erin Rooney Doland.

 

I'd give this 2.5 stars. There were a few helpful items in there, but overall this book didn't greatly appeal to me. First, her amount of clutter was not much (she was married, no kids, living in an 850 sq. ft. apt.) when writing this, so her timeline of a week is pretty unrealistic if you live in a larger place, have a larger family, etc.... Also, I think her methodology appeals to the list-making sorts of folks (not necessarily my style); I had a similar complaint about the book "The Happiness Project" (by a different author). She addresses both home & work life (which is helpful), but her plan to add it to your regular week (i.e., do a complete closet purge & clean-out before you head to work in the morning) is not very easy to implement, imo. Also, I think she doesn't address many of the reasons why people clutter (to help them overcome their stumbling blocks), leading me to think that the book doesn't necessarily offer a long-term, workable plan (unless you're pretty much streamlined & uncluttered to begin with). I do enjoy the unclutterer.com website, but didn't really care for the book.

 

A big 'meh' from me on this one. :lol:

[TravelingChris]

I haven't written down any books the last few weeks but have been reading so here are my new additions.

 

25. Murder with Peacocks- Donna Andrew Pleasant but not very taxing mystery

26. Robopocalypse- David H. Wilson Not the sort of book I usually read and now I know why- I wouldn't recommend it. Fiction about robots taking over the world.

27. Pale Horse Coming- Stephen Hunter. Again not a book I would have chosen but it was a mystery book club selection. The club was divided- many members didn't like the book so they didn't finish it. I didn't really like it but did finish it. Some really liked it. My problem with the story was 1) it was way too long- over 600 pages. 2) the descriptions of the guns went on for pages=I skipped these. 3) kind of stereotypical characters 4) not much of a mystery.

28. Still Alice- Lisa Genova. This is the first book by a neuroscientist. It is a fictional story of an early onset Alzheimer patient told mostly from her point of view. It was my other book club's selection and I really liked it. Learned a lot about Alzheimer's and particularly the early onset type.

 

 

and 29. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? -Philip k. Dick. A sci-fi classic which was the basis of Blade Runner, a movie that is one of my favorites. It was a pretty good story but a bit disjointed.

[Mom-ninja.]

Will start later today:

 

#23 - Life Among the Savages, by Shirley Jackson. This has been in my stack-to-read for quite awhile, so it's up next. Cover art looks like it will be hilarious; back blurb concurs. I hope it delivers!

 

That looks fun.

 

 

I finished Low GI and Gluten Free and I was not impressed at all.

[Robin M]

Finished Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys. Creative, interesting story which was quite entertaining.

 

"Fat Charlie Nancy's normal life is turned upside down when his father dies and a brother he never knew he had shows up at his doorstep. When that brother, Spider, starts to wear out his welcome, Fat Charlie learns that his father was not a man but the trickster god, Anansi, and both he and Spider have inherited some of Dad's godliness. This leads Fat Charlie to explore his own godly heritage in order to be rid of Spider."

 

Started Cherry Adair's Afterglow this morning.

 

"Former movie stuntman, now security expert Rand Maguire has a nightmare on his hands when a powerful aphrodisiac is unleashed at a celebrity wedding in the first of Adair’s Lodestone books after Hush (2011). Rapture in small doses completely loosens inhibitions and in large doses kills almost instantly. Only Dr. Dakota North, a chemist who helped develop the drug for manic depressives and the woman Rand almost married, can help him find the drug’s source. As they grudgingly work together, they stumble on a death scene in a bank, caused by a larger, airborne dose of Rapture. Dakota and Rand’s father, now in prison for killing his wife, are the only known survivors after the lab where Rapture was developed blew up. So who can be causing these incidents, and why? As Rand and Dakota grapple with their romantic past and deadly present, Adair, the mistress of adrenalin, pours on complications and setbacks in action-packed European locales and steamy hotel bedrooms."

 

Yep, it's sizzling hot. :lol:

[Maus]

Completed:

Book #24 - "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. A re-read. I was specifically wanting to remember about Eagle Scouts (that he moved them to the top of the hiring pool because he knew they were earnest.) What jumped out at me this time, though, was his football analogy about floundering trying to learn the "exciting" stuff if you aren't well grounded in the fundamentals.

 

Book #23 - "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson. One of those motivational books that managers are found of. Being a slow-to-warm mom of a slow-to-warm son, this message about dealing with change is something I needed to hear, though.

 

Book #22 - "Deconstructing Penguins" by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone.

Book #21 - "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli.

Book #20 - "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #19 -"Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #18 - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Book #17 - "Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month" by Deborah Taylor-Hough.

Book #16 - "Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy" by Jonni McCoy.

Book #15 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #14 - "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain.

Book #13 - "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett.

Book #12 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #11 - "Extraordinary, Ordinary People" by Condoleezza Rice.

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

[dangermom]

Oh dear. I don't think I've posted my books for a couple of weeks. Here is some catch-up:

 

Boomerang, about the global financial kerfuffle, very readable and engaging

Thank You, Jeeves--a great read-aloud for the kids! Only, you might want to pick a different Jeeves title maybe.

A Tale of Time City--I kind of went on a DWJ kick.

Inventing the Victorians--great history and rehabilitation of the Victorians' image. Might want to skim the last few chapters, which are TMI.

The Foolish Gentlewoman--very nice light fiction. Unusual ending.

Divergent--dystopian YA

From Newbury With Love --a collection of letters between elderly British bookseller and young family behind Iron Curtain. Lovely.

Also plus a few mysteries, but I am too lazy to link them all up.

[VeganCupcake]

I just finished Drop Dead Healthy by A. J. Jacobs. I saw myself in many of the chapters and laughed very, very hard. I think that was book 26 for me, so halfway to my 52 goal! :)

 

Just started Shanghai Girls by Lisa See.