Robin M Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Happy Sunday and Happy Easter to those who celebrate! Today is the start of week 14 in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Welcome back to all our readers, to all those who are 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 below in my signature. 52 Books Blog - New Book Releases and Readalong: Highlighted new books that caught my attentions - Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, Drunken Botanist, Wicked Plants and Manuscript Found in Accra. Yes I know, it's an odd assortment. Next week starts our readalong of 1Q84 by Murakami, a mind bending ode and chunkster to George Orwell's 1984. I stumbled upon Open Culture the other day and a post with audio including Samuel Beckett reading two poems from his novel Watts. Another new book which I just received an email about is The Selected Letters of Willa Cather which is being released April 2. With the end of march, comes the end of the first quarter of the year, (thanks for the reminder Shari) so it is a perfect time to do a progress check. How is everyone doing with the challenge and all the personal challengers you've set such as the 5/5/5, continental or mini challenges. What are you reading this week? Link to week 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 I should be reading Manuscript Bound to Accra but I got sidetracked thanks to Melmichigan with Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock Series and read Skinwalker. Finished it, liked it enough to start the 2nd - Blood Cross. What can I say, I'm a sucker for paranoral fantasy series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Happy Easter to you also, Robin. I read: I'm a Stranger Here Myself - 4 Stars MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Next week starts our readalong of 1Q84 by Murakami, a mind bending ode and chunkster to George Orwell's 1984. With the end of march, comes the end of the first quarter of the year, (thanks for the reminder Shari) so it is a perfect time to do a progress check. How is everyone doing with the challenge and all the personal challengers you've set such as the 5/5/5, continental or mini challenges. Picked up 1Q84 from the library yesterday, so I'm ready to go. I'm also about 2/3 of the way through Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, obviously another ode to 1984. The prose and plot in Little Brother are okay. I've read worse, but they're nothing too great. Things I do like about the book are the clear explanations of technology and some built-in history lessons. So far I have only read one chunkster, and I have read nine dusty books. For me, a book is "dusty" if I owned it before 2013. For my 5/5/5 challenge, I have read: Magic Realism - 1 Writing - 1 Poetry - 3 Dusty Novels - 3 Walt Whitman - 2 For the Dewey Decimal Challenge I have read a book each from the 000s, 100s, and 200s, and if I double count from my 5/5/5 books, 800s. For the Continental Challenge... I have only read a couple books specifically with the challenge in mind; they take care of Canada and Mexico, and I'm sure I've also read enough from the U.S. to consider myself done with North America. I finished The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. I liked it better than Fahrenheit 451.It was at times descriptive and beautiful, and at times funny and satirical. I like his method of writing short stories, publishing them in magazines, and then combining them into a novel. That seems... efficient and smart. I know he did that with both The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451. I don't know about his other novels. I also finished Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar. To this book, I would give 4.5. It had some amazing prose, and was conceptually interesting. Liked: It is a book that explores form through both form and content. I am like the characters in that I am reading a book that explores form and so are they. Octavio Paz, Ferlinghetti, Coleridge jazz, art, philosophy, alcohol repetition of words, ideas, characters the form of chapter 34 the unreality of defecation binary linguistics versus simultaneous wave/particle form of light Thorough. So many different forms were questioned: musical, narrative, societal and government structures and organization, employment and wealth, relationships (parenting, friendships, romantic relationships), acquisition of knowledge... Didn't Like: long passages in French - Can I get a footnote, please? From time to time I would realize I was thinking of something else as my eyes moved across and down the page; some parts were not engaging. Books I've read so far this year (*dusty books): 30. Hopscotch – Julio Cortázar 29. The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury 28. The Summer of the Black Widows – Sherman Alexie 27. A Midsummer Night’s Dream – William Shakespeare 26. Herland – Charlotte Perkins Gilman 25. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Other Poems – Samuel Taylor Coleridge* 24. The Country of the Blind and Other Science-Fiction Stories – H. G. Wells 23. The Island of Dr. Moreau - H. G. Wells 22. Leaves of Grass (1855 edition) - Walt Whitman* 21. Poems and Poetics - Edgar Allen Poe 20. The Invisible Man - H. G. Wells 19. Young Goodman Brown and Other Short Stories - Nathaniel Hawthorn 18. Like Water for Chocolate - Laura Esquivel* 17. The Gold-Bug and Other Tales - Edgar Allan Poe 16. Poetics - Aristotle 15. Frankenstein - Mary Shelley 14. Etiquette and Espionage - Gail Carriger 13. Principia Discordia - Malaclypse the Younger* 12. The Power of Half - Kevin and Hannah Salwen 11. The Story of the Stone - Barry Hughart* 10. The Reading Promise - Alice Ozma 9. Factotum - Charles Bukowski* 8. Dracula - Bram Stoker* 7. Nine Princes in Amber - Roger Zelazny 6. The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin 5. Jennifer Government - Max Barry 4. Apocrypha - Catherynne M. Valente* 3. Funniest Verses of Ogden Nash* 2. The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood 1. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I just finished Cloud Atlas. I gave it 2 stars on Goodreads. I found the middle chapter was irratating and pretentious. And I felt like the last chapter got way too preachy. I liked the idea of the novel, and I like how it was constructed, but he lost me in the 6th chapter, and even though I toughed it out to the finish, I didn't enjoy it as much. I'm starting Wind-up Bird Chronicle. I've read 3 pages and it's such a relief after Cloud Atlas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 This week I read The Honest Truth About Dishonesy by Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist. He shows how most people cheat in small increments when given the opportunity, but they don't think of themselves as dishonest. I also read Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat, my Canadian pick for this year. This was a surprise hit for me. It was reminiscent of 20th century books like My Side of the Mountain and Born Free, but with some sarcastic humor. If I have a future life, I want a chance to be a nature activist. I am currently reading Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale and am enjoying it more than the first Austenland book. It is my desert after eating my veggies. (just finished) Completed so far: All the Wrong Questions- Lemony Snicket The Rising Moon- Gladys Mitchell Twelve Horses and the Hangman's Noose- Mitchell Faintley Speaking- Mitchell Many Waters- L'Engle The Night Circus- Morgenstern Ring of Endless Light- L'Engle Excavating Jesus- Crossan Death Cap Dancers- Mitchell Paul and Jesus- Jacobs The Jewish Gospels- Boyarin Elephants Can Remember- Christie House Like a Lotus- L'Engle Austenland- Hale Ichabod Toward Home- Brueggeman The End of Overeating- The Mists of Avalon- (chunkster) Princess Academy- Hale The Worsted Viper- Mitchell Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene- Ehrmann The Honest Truth about Dishonesty- Ariely Never Cry Wolf- Mowat (Canada) Midnight in Austenland- Hale Half my books take place in Europe, so I guess I've got that covered. But since it is mostly Britain, I will probably look for something from another area as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I finished Michael Sokolove's Warrior Girls about the high injury rate (particularly devastating ACL tears) in elite women's sports. I thought it was very well worth reading. My youngest is a good athlete and loves soccer, but after reading this book I can say I don't want her playing at elite levels (eg college). I would rather her be able to walk without pain at age 30! But there was also some good information on what you can do to try to avoid these injuries which are largely overuse injuries. Still reading The Eyre Affair on the treadmill (which I haven't been on in days), and I'm also reading Dorothy Sayers' Gaudy Night, a book I picked up at the library book sale. It was my spring break read, but I haven't gotten too far yet! Books Read in 2013 13. Warrior Girls—Michael Sokolove 12. The Shape of the Eye-George Estreich 11. The Tiger’s Wife-Tea Obreht 10. The Hare with Amber Eyes-Edmund de-Waal 9. The Panic Virus-Seth Mnookin 8. Chi Running-Danny Dreyer 7. Speaking from Among the Bones-Alan Bradley 6. The Sun Also Rises-Ernest Hemingway 5. North by Northanger-Carrie Bebris 4. Train Dreams-Denis Johnson 3. Northanger Abbey-Jane Austen 2. Sense and Sensibility-Jane Austen 1. The Great Influenza-John M. Barry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Thanks for the mention of The Drunken Botanist, Robin. Looks like my cup of tea--or should I say adult beverage? I am a fan of Campari, a bitter herbal aperitif, that I suspect will merit a mention. Happy to report that I am keeping up with some of my personal challenges. Given the busy week that I have had with minimal time for reading, it is a wonder that I did not toss Paulo Coelho's novel Aleph back in the library bag. I had said I was not bothering with 1 star books which is probably all this one deserves. I am giving it 1.5 though for a single reason: there was potential for a good story about redemption being set on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Coelho did not write it though. The kernel of the idea was good--that was it. Oh--I have also checked off the Continental Challenge box for South America. Here is the root of the problem with Coelho's book, apparently an autobiographical novel. The author is so hung up on himself that he never bothers to walk the length of theTrans-Siberian train until they are about to pull into Vladivostok. 9289 kilometers and the guy can't condescend to check out the non-first class passengers or their cars until the end of the journey?? New age platitudes galore but Coelho seems unable to move out of his own head. Oh dear. I have not read any Lucretius this week nor have I made any progress with the archaeology text. Sigh. After a few days of New Age platitudes, I am more than ready to return to some Old Age (?) Classical ones. So I'll push on with those and a Dorothy Dunnett novel. Rating system: 5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Decently good; 2 = Ok; Not bothering with 1's... Chunksters (500+ pages) in purple. Personal challenges: Old Friends, Dusty Books, Sustainability, Dorothy Dunnett, the Continental Challenge 1) Gillespie and I (Jane Harris) 3.5 stars 2) The Feast Nearby (Robin Mather) 3 stars--Sustainability (1) 3) The View from Castle Rock (Alice Munro) 4 stars--Dusty Book (1), Canadian author in the Continental Challenge 4) The Good Food Revolution (Will Allen with Charles Wilson) 2.5 stars--Sustainability (2) 5) Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay (Chris Benfey) 4 stars 6) Tom Jones (Henry Fielding) 5 stars--Old Friend (1), Dusty Book (2)**This remains one of my favorite novels of all time!** 7) Uneasy Money (P.G. Wodehouse, audio book) 3 stars 8) Wolf Hall (Hilary Mantel)--4 stars 9) A High Wind in Jamaica (Richard Hughes)--3.5 stars 10) Too Many Cooks (Rex Stout, audio book) 3.5 stars 11) Excellent Women (Barbara Pym) 4.5 stars--Old Friend (2) 12) An Awakening Heart (Barbara Dowd Wright) 3 stars--Dusty Book (3) 13) The Swerve (Stepehn Greenblatt) 3.5 stars 14) Das Kapital: A Novel of Love and Money Markets (Viken Berberian) 4 stars 15) Aleph (Paulo Coelho) 1.5 stars Brazilian author in the Continental Challenge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 You know I never thought about looking at the recommendations for my kids on goodreads. Major "duh" moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I finished Half of a Yellow Sun and give it 4 stars. I'm going to be finishing a fluffy inspirational romance today and then will get back to some more serious reading tomorrow. [re: Great Gatsby] Its length is the only thing preventing it from being thrown across a room, drowned in a tub full of water, or torn to shreds and used as toilet paper. The first time I read this wretched book I also finished every book I started. Sometime after the age of 40 I lost that compulsion, which is why I ditched it last year part way through. Well, I finished Don Quixote and I have to say I LOVED IT! I enjoyed Part I more than Part II. Ok, I know I am simplifying the novel by what I am about to say and I understand there are many layers to the book that I did not get, but it reminded of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Aha, that explains why I loved one scene and mostly hated the rest of the book, with the exception of a few of the mis-sayings of his side-kick. In Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Meaning of Life I LOVED once scene in each movie and mostly hated the rest. There is one line from Monty Python and the Holy Grail that I have frequently said to my husband when he's being a bit goofy (in a fun way, not like that cartoon dog). ...I finally finished the insufferable dullness that is The Great Gatsby. My final review on this book is Who. the heck. cares? About the characters and their over-indulged, ridiculously boring lives? Their parties? Their "loves?" Their deaths? Just... who cares? And to those who love the book, I'm very sorry. I also hate Pride and Prejudice. There, I said it. I'm pretty sure this means I have to leave and never come back here, right? :laugh: Well, I hated The Great Gatsby but love Pride and Prejudice, so where does that leave us ;) ? Did you notice that both of these titles are alliterative? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I read 3 books this week: Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly (as interesting as Killing Lincoln,) The Giver by Lois Lowry (never read this before, excellent book!) and Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis ( story of a young girl who goes for a year to Uganda for missions work and ends up adopting 13 children--inspiring book.) I am now reading Book #25-- Speaking From Among the Bones by Alan Bradley--Flavia is back. Yay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Finished: Teaching Montessori in the Home The Preschool Years by Elizabeth G. Hainstock, Maggie Adams, Dancer by Karen Strickler Dean, and Curious Folks Ask by Sherry Seethaler. Currently Working On: Downstairs: The Connected Child by Karen Purvis, David Cross, and Wendy Sunshine Upstairs: Trapped by Arthur Roth Kindle: The Man Who Loved Jane Austen by Sally Smith O'Rourke IPhone: A Flower Blooms in Charlotte by Milam McGraw Propst Sweet Boy Read Aloud: The Yellow Fairy Book Angel Girl Read Aloud: The Wind In The Willows WTM: Don Quixote IPad: Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town by Stephen Leacock (for Canada) Total Finished in 2013: 28 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I finished John Dies at the End this week. After a few days and a few reads, I have decided that I really enjoyed it. Now I am working on the second book, This Book is Full of Spiders, and am loving it. It is just a good time. We finished listening to Little House in the Big Woods, and have started Little House on the Prairie. These are classics for a reason. :) They have sparked many discussions in the car. In addition to This Book is Full of Spiders, I have started reading Don Quixote. It is a chunkster and a dusty and a part of my original 5/5/5 challenge. This is the only book that applies to any challenge I have read, I think. LOL ETA: No, I think Outlander can be counted as a chunkster, so that's two books. So far this year: 21. Evolutionism and Creationism 20. John Dies at the End 19. Much Ado About Nothing 18. Little House in the Big Woods 17. Hooked 16. Anne of the Island 15. Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen 14. Anne of Avonlea 13. Anne of Green Gables 12. The Invention of Hugo Cabret 11. The Swiss Family Robinson 10. Little Women 9. How We Get Fat 8. The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye 7. Outlander 6. The New Atkins for a New You 5. A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows 4. Liberty and Tyranny 3. Corelli's Mandolin 2. The Neverending Story 1. The Hobbit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Next week starts our readalong of 1Q84 by Murakami, a mind bending ode and chunkster to George Orwell's 1984. I didn't realize it's a chunkster. That means I don't have to decide on my next chunkster. :) With the end of march, comes the end of the first quarter of the year, (thanks for the reminder Shari) so it is a perfect time to do a progress check. How is everyone doing with the challenge and all the personal challengers you've set such as the 5/5/5, continental or mini challenges. What are you reading this week? I kept my challenges to a minimum. Besides 52 books, I'm doing 1 chunkster per quarter and dusty books. So far I'm on track. Last week I finished 2 books - Anna Karenina and Mystral Murder. That puts me at 17 so far, and according to Goodreads I'm 5 books ahead of schedule. I'm sure being ahead will come in handy when I hit the inevitable wall sometime before the year is over. This week's books: Dusty book for April: The Scorch Trials. Kleine Hexe mentioned the Maze Runner series in another thread. Ds read the series over a year ago but I only read the first book. He keeps trying to get me to finish the series, and I finally decided to do it. Audiobook: The Picture of Dorian Gray I'm also still reading Bitch in a Bonnet. I'm almost through the commentary on Pride and Prejudice. The final book he discusses is Mansfield Park. I know he's currently blogging about Emma, but I hope he eventually gets around to Northanger Abbey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Happy Sunday and Happy Easter to those who celebrate! 52 Books Blog - New Book Releases and Readalong: Next week starts our readalong of 1Q84 by Murakami, a mind bending ode and chunkster to George Orwell's 1984. Happy Easter! A quick question about our readalong. Do we need to have read 1984 before 1Q84? I need to read 1984, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Happy Easter! A quick question about our readalong. Do we need to have read 1984 before 1Q84? I need to read 1984, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Been wondering that myself. Haven't read it since I was 14. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeemama Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 This week I read The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. It is a Newbery winner I chose for my DD12, but I found it just as entertaining as she did! It is reminiscent of Christie's And Then There Were None, complete with accusations of murder, unsuspecting heirs to a fortune, and handwritten clues. Quite a bit of humor thrown in as well. We both loved this mystery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 I FINALLY finished Catch-22 and have no desire to ever pick it up again. Dull, dull, dull. I love dry British humor so thought I'd enjoy the dark sarcasm. Nope. Just not my thing. I mean, it was well written and you got a good sense of the characters and I liked how you got to see events from different character's point of views and how it revealed greater depth in each one the further you read. But other than the technical merits, I couldn't enjoy it. I'm taking Mytwoblessing's advice and reading Heart of Darkness followed by Things Fall Apart. I'm almost done with the first and am picking up the second at the library on Tuesday. I'm really interested in this! 1 - All the King's Men – Robert Penn Warren 2 - A Stranger in a Strange Land – Robert Heinlein 3 - A Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood 4 - Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger 5 - Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury 6 - The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck 7 – Murder on the Orient Express – Agatha Christie 8 – The Illustrated Man – Ray Bradbury 9 – The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald 10 – The Hiding Place – Corrie Ten Boom 11 – The Square Foot Garden – Mel Bartholomew 12 - Catch-22 - Joseph Heller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Currently reading Marliss Melton's In the Dark (Navy SEALs, Book 2). This is a romantic suspense series that I've been reading out of order as I come across the various books. I'm enjoying the book. Wow, first quarter of the year is over. That's rather sobering. I've not been keeping track of my reading, simply enjoying. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 When I sat down to figure out my Challenge progress, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I have done better than I thought. According to Goodreads, I am 18% ahead of schedule on 52 Book Challenge (22 complete of 52). My 5/5/5 Challenges: Continents -- 1 of 5; Chunkster -- 4 of 5; Plays -- 2 of 5; Vintage Mystery -- 1 of 5; Foodie -- 0 of 5. Mount TBR / Dusty Book: 6 of 36 Book To Movie: 2 of 12 Oh, interesting! How do keep track of that on Goodreads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Oh, interesting! How do keep track of that on Goodreads? On your homepage, in the right sidebar, there should be something about the 2013 Reading Challenge. Just enter in how many books you challenge yourself to read in 2013. So long as you enter the date when you finish a book, it will be counted toward your challenge. The challenge keeps track of how far behind or ahead you are if you want to meet your goal by the end of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 This week I read The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. It is a Newbery winner I chose for my DD12, but I found it just as entertaining as she did! It is reminiscent of Christie's And Then There Were None, complete with accusations of murder, unsuspecting heirs to a fortune, and handwritten clues. Quite a bit of humor thrown in as well. We both loved this mystery. DD and I both thought that was splendid also! I'm not doing so good with the challenges. My 5/5/5 challenges: Visit old friends - 0 of 5, Children's classics I didn't read as a kid - 2 of 5, Business related books - 2 of 5, Humor 1 of 5, and Dusty books 0 of 5 :huh: On the plus side I just finished another Agatha Christie audiobook. I've started listening while I'm walking so that's a bonus that I'm enjoying walking and doing a lot more of it. Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie (audiobook) - probably in my top ten Poirot stories. I enjoyed it. The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino – This is a Japanese book and I wonder if the translator did a poor job because the dialog was terrible and most of the characters were thoroughly unlikable. However, it was an interesting story premise because you know the mind of the murderer and police throughout the book. In Progress: The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions by Meredith Gould Whom the Gods Love by Kate Ross The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (audiobook) Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (read aloud) 2013 finished books: 32. The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino (***) 31. Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie (****) 30. A Broken Vessel by Kate Ross (****) 29. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (****) 28. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (****) 27. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (****) 26. The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman (**) 25. Mrs. McGinty’s Dead by Agatha Christie (****) 24. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (***) 23. EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey (***) 22. The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren (*****) 21. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (*****) Amy's Rating System: ***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down **** - Very good *** - Enjoyable but nothing special ** - Not recommended * - Horrible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 I just finished reading Wheat Belly by William Davis, M.D. http://www.amazon.com/Wheat-Belly-Lose-Weight-Health/dp/1609611543/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364780639&sr=1-1&keywords=wheat+belly 2.5 stars. I'm not necessarily disagreeing with much of what the author writes, but much of his evidence is not scientifically backed-up even though he goes into quite a few scientific explanations in the book. The author often says things like 'research was never done in this area' or 'research needs to be done in this area' in regard to many of his theories. Much of his philosophy seems to be based on his physical observations but w/out the scientific evidence to back it up. I think much of what he says is probably right & is on track (& a few other things are over-simplified), but the extreme dietary changes he advocates & science studies he does quote are weirdly (off)balanced by his repetition that these ideas are based mainly on personal observation. Also, his manner of writing is almost provocative -- making it a bit of a stressful read, imo. Many dietary books recommend cutting out carbs anyway, and Davis does do that (w/ the caveat that all wheat be cut out completely & that wheat is the most-damaging carb for you). I just wish he had presented his info/stance in a somewhat different manner. Tried/slightly modified version of one of the recipes in the back of the book & liked it. Will try more of the recipes. Info re: cutting out wheat = probably good. Theories = various but most stated w/out scientific back-up or research. Presentation = so-so. Recipes = good/tasty &/or seem do-able. Still working on (well, have barely started) The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig. -------------------------- My Goodreads Page My PaperbackSwap Page Working on Robin's Dusty &/or Chunky Book Challenge. Working on Robin's Continental Challenge. Working on LostSurprise's Dewey Decimal Challenge. Complete Dewey Decimal Classification List here. My rating system: 5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Decently good; 2 = Ok; 1 = Don't bother (I shouldn't have any 1s on my list as I would ditch them before finishing)... 2013 Books Read: 01. Women of the Klondike by Frances Backhouse (3 stars). Challenges: Dusty; Continental – North America (Canada); Dewey Decimal – 900s. 02. Equator by Miguel Sousa Tavares (3 stars). Challenges: Dusty; Continental – Europe (Portugal) & Africa (São Tomé and PrÃncipe). 03. UFOs, JFK, & Elvis by Richard Belzer (2 stars). Challenge: Dewey Decimal – 000s. 04. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – North America (USA). 05. The Twelve Rooms of the Nile by Enid Shomer (3.5 stars). Challenge: Continental – Africa (Egypt). 06. The Hard Way by Lee Child (2 stars). 07. The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy (3 stars). 08. Daughters of Copper Woman by Anne Cameron (3.5 stars). Challenge: Continental – North America (Canada). 09. A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes (3.5 stars). 10. The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye by A.S. Byatt (4 stars). 11. Our Lady of Alice Bhatti by Mohammed Hanif (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Asia (Pakistan). 12. Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr (4 stars). Challenge: Dewey Decimal – 600s. 13. The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engelmann (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Europe (Sweden). 14. A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Asia (Pakistan). 15. Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley (4 stars). 16. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell (2.5 stars). Challenge: Dewey Decimal – 900s. 17. Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – North America (USA). 18. Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar (3 stars). Challenges: Dusty & Chunky; Continental – South America (Argentina). 19. The Tenth Circle by Mempo Giardinelli (3 stars). Challenge: Continental – South America (Argentina). 20. Nick & Jake by Jonathan Richards and Tad Richards (3.5 stars). Challenge: Dusty. 21. A Funny Dirty Little War by Osvaldo Soriano (3 stars). Challenge: Continental – South America (Argentina). 22. Winter Quarters by Osvaldo Soriano (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – South America (Argentina). 23. The Fifty Year Sword by Mark Z. Danielewski (3.5 stars). 24. Wheat Belly by William Davis M.D. (2.5 stars). Challenge: Dewey Decimal – 600s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Dusty book for April: The Scorch Trials. Kleine Hexe mentioned the Maze Runner series in another thread. Ds read the series over a year ago but I only read the first book. He keeps trying to get me to finish the series, and I finally decided to do it. I'm also still reading Bitch in a Bonnet. I'm almost through the commentary on Pride and Prejudice. The final book he discusses is Mansfield Park. I know he's currently blogging about Emma, but I hope he eventually gets around to Northanger Abbey. Nope, wasn't me. :) And bummer about Bitch in a Bonnet not having Northanger Abby in it as that's the one I'm reading right now. Darn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Nope, wasn't me. :) And bummer about Bitch in a Bonnet not having Northanger Abby in it as that's the one I'm reading right now. Darn. Hmmm. I thought it was. Now it's going to bug me until I find who it was. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 52 Books Blog - New Book Releases and Readalong: Highlighted new books that caught my attentions - Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, Drunken Botanist, Wicked Plants and Manuscript Found in Accra. Yes I know, it's an odd assortment. Next week starts our readalong of 1Q84 by Murakami, a mind bending ode and chunkster to George Orwell's 1984. ... With the end of march, comes the end of the first quarter of the year, (thanks for the reminder Shari) so it is a perfect time to do a progress check. How is everyone doing with the challenge and all the personal challengers you've set such as the 5/5/5, continental or mini challenges. Those books look great, Robin. I'm working on three challenges (& I'm counting them for more than one challenge if they fit more than one category). Overall, I've read 24 books this year. Dusty &/or Chunky: For 'dusty', I'm pretty much counting any book that I own (as I usually get my books from the library). Chunky = 500+ pages. So far, four books this year fit the challenge. Continental Challenge: Mostly, for this challenge, I'm trying to read a book set in a particular place that is also by an author from that particular place. So far, 13 books fit the challege (including treks in North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe). All of my South American reading (four books) were books & authors from Argentina -- not necessarily planned, but as a result of rabbit trails I took finding books. I want to beef-up my African & European reading as they don't necessarily cover my own criteria (setting should be same place as author's native area). Dewey Decimal Challenge: Five books so far, in categories 000s, 600s, & 900s. It will be easy for me to meet the 900 area of the challege (because it includes travel/adventure books & I love those), but I may struggle in some of the other areas. I also finished Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar. To this book, I would give 4.5. It had some amazing prose, and was conceptually interesting. Loved reading your comments about Hopscotch! I had said I was not bothering with 1 star books which is probably all this one deserves. I am giving it 1.5 though for a single reason: there was potential for a good story about redemption being set on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Coelho did not write it though. The kernel of the idea was good--that was it. :lol: (Yeah, that's kind of how I felt about Coelho after reading The Alchemist.) A quick question about our readalong. Do we need to have read 1984 before 1Q84? I need to read 1984, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I don't think so, but I've also wondered the same thing. I read 1984 back in 1984 (so it's been awhile... ;) ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Thank heavens for all the DI Banks books so I can have a page-turner to turn to when things get busy. This week it was Aftermath. Still in progress is the audio version of Our Mutual Friend. I love it, as I have said in each post I've made a post about this book. I'm half way through and STILL have at least another 15hours to go. What terrific characters, and I've come to realize that is what I most appreciate in a good book. It is what I love about Jane Austen and even Terry Pratchett! The DI Banks books are so compelling because of the characters -- I want to meet them. I hope to finish Evening in the Garden of Reason this week cause I only have it from the library for another week. I also have a boy home for spring break, so we'll see what I actually accomplish... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglei Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Wow - You all do some pretty impressive reading! Now for the lighter side! :) This week I finished: #17 - Just Passin' Thru: A Vintage Store, the Appalachian Trail, and a Cast of Unforgettable Characters, by Winton Porter. The author and his family pooled all their resources to purchase one of the support sites along the trail. The book is anecdotal and, except for some language, is rather good. Most of the characters have been various shades of colorful! Currently reading: #18 - The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap: A Memoir of Friendship, Community, and the Uncommon Pleasure of a Good Book, by Wendy Welch. Mixed feelings on this so far. The author and her husband left their jobs, pooled their resources and, without any planning and no knowledge of what they were getting into, opened a bookstore in a small area to which they were newcomers. The human interest aspect of running a book store, the various challenges of establishing both themselves and their business in a small town, and the assorted people who come by the store is enjoyable. Her writing style grates on me for some reason. Too chatty, perhaps? Trying too hard? I don't know . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 I've read 21 books so far this year. Some of my 5/5/5 challenges are not going so well. Classics: 2/5 Plays: 1/5 Religious or Inspirational Works: 0/5 :o Oops. Memoirs, Biographies, or Autobiographies: 4/5 "Best" Books (prize winners, ALA best books, NYT bestsellers, etc.): 2/5 Continental: I read a Canadian book, but haven't found a South American selection (yet). I need to work on that ASAP! I'm at my limit for Overdrive checkouts, so I can't check out 1Q84 until I return something! Eeeep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 So anyone else here not set any challenges this year? Okay, well I do want to attack my TBR pile. Other than that no challenges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyinNNV Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Currently reading John Dies at the End by David Wong. 22. Candide by Voltaire- I enjoyed Candide because it was humorous (one great character is a woman with only one buttcheek), slightly challenging (rather than overwhelming) and short. The length seemed to be that of a novella. Candide is the story of a young man who has a series of misadventures that lead him to travel to several locations including Germany, Italy, South America, England and France. Throughout the story, Voltaire uses the story to engage in social commentary. Much of the commentary is immediately understandable, but some flew over my head. Voltaire uses the story to poke fun at some contemporary writers. I was not familiar with those authors. A longer study of the work would be interesting. While I was reading, I often felt the story had much in common with Gullivers Travels, The Princess Bride and (gasp) Monty Python. While I recommend Candide, I'd mention that there are a few adult themes. 21. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand*****- I wrote a little about The Fountainhead last week. I was enjoying it. Well, I can state that I absolutely loved the book! It was thought-provoking on so many different levels. The characters were used to bring together the themes of the book, but this did not prove to make the characters any less interesting. Rand did use the characters to verbalize her philosophy. However, this did not bother me so much because I felt like I was less apt to misunderstand what Rand wanted to tell me. After finishing The Fountainhead, I know that I am definitely going to read Atlas Shrugged soon. 20. Spillover by Quammen 19. Lilith's Brood by Butler***** 18. Microbe Hunters by de Kruif 17. Cobra Event by Preston 16. The Demon in the Freezer by Preston 15. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Simonson 14. Moonseed by Baxter 13. Ark by Baxter 12. The Cassandra Project by McDevitt 11.The Passage by Cronin 10. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Skloot***** 9. The Wool Omnibus by Howey 8. The Companions by Tepper 7. Flame of Sevenwaters by Marillier 6. Zoe's Tale by Scalzi 5.One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Kesey 4. Pandora's Star by Hamilton 3. The Naked God by Hamilton 2. Grass by Tepper 1. The Neutronium Alchemist by Hamilton If I *****starred a book, I highly recommend it If I don't star it, I thought it was pretty good. If I give it a sad face, I don't like it at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 This week I read The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. It is a Newbery winner I chose for my DD12, but I found it just as entertaining as she did! It is reminiscent of Christie's And Then There Were None, complete with accusations of murder, unsuspecting heirs to a fortune, and handwritten clues. Quite a bit of humor thrown in as well. We both loved this mystery. I always loved The Westing Game! I'm going to read it to my dc soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Currently reading John Dies at the End by David Wong. 22. Candide by Voltaire- I enjoyed Candide because it was humorous (one great character is a woman with only one buttcheek), slightly challenging (rather than overwhelming) and short. The length seemed to be that of a novella. Candide is the story of a young man who has a series of misadventures that lead him to travel to several locations including Germany, Italy, South America, England and France. Throughout the story, Voltaire uses the story to engage in social commentary. Much of the commentary is immediately understandable, but some flew over my head. Voltaire uses the story to poke fun at some contemporary writers. I was not familiar with those authors. A longer study of the work would be interesting. While I was reading, I often felt the story had much in common with Gullivers Travels, The Princess Bride and (gasp) Monty Python. While I recommend Candide, I'd mention that there are a few adult themes. 21. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand*****- I wrote a little about The Fountainhead last week. I was enjoying it. Well, I can state that I absolutely loved the book! It was thought-provoking on so many different levels. The characters were used to bring together the themes of the book, but this did not prove to make the characters any less interesting. Rand did use the characters to verbalize her philosophy. However, this did not bother me so much because I felt like I was less apt to misunderstand what Rand wanted to tell me. After finishing The Fountainhead, I know that I am definitely going to read Atlas Shrugged soon. I have not read The Fountainhead, but I read Anthem and enjoyed it a lot. It is more on the novella side in length, as well, but there is so much in it that it feels bigger. I have only gotten about 1/4th of the way through Atlas Shrugged. I like it, but I got side tracked by other books and haven't picked it up in months. I would finish it as it definitely fits in with chunckster and dusty, but I started reading it last year. lol Oh, well. I'll get to it eventually. I hope you are enjoying John Dies at the End. I am almost finished with the sequel, This Book is Full of Spiders, and it is a trip! Candide sounds interesting, too. I think I will add it to my TBR list. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 My Invented Country by Isabel Allende: A fascinating expansion of my (vicarious) experiences of Chile. Allende's mixture of personal and national history is a delight to read. I love Allende. House of Spirits is my favorite of hers. Last night, I finished The Girl Who Chased the Moon I give it 4 Stars. Love this image and thought to share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 So anyone else here not set any challenges this year? Okay, well I do want to attack my TBR pile. Other than that no challenges. I didnt really set any chalenges other than not rerwading any books ... Or at least not counting them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 I finished the blasted book!!!! Happy Dance! :party: :party: :party: As I told my reading buddy, The Histories by Herodotus would be greatly improved, IMNSHO, by the exclusion of the first four books. They are interesting, I reckon, and could be put into a separate work entitled "The Mythologies and Practices of the Known World". Once I got to Book Five I was better, and then did well once I hit Book Seven. I was interested in the events at Marathon, Thermopylae, and Salamis. I was interested in the back and forth between the Athenians and the Spartans (and the rest of the Greeks in general) over who was more important than the rest. I'm glad to be done with it, though. Now I'm going to give my brain a rest and read my Continental Challenge book "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. After that I have to go through a whole pile of education and parenting books that I need to read regarding Little Miss. She has to repeat Kindergarten and I need to ensure that we're doing right by her. ETA: Heck if I know how I'm doing on my challenges. I can't even remember what they were! I know I busted my no-new-books vow. I'm still plugging away on TBRs, though not as well as I should. I'm trying to keep up with the Continental Challenge. Beyond that - ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Some Day You'll Thank Me for This. Cookbook. The official Southern Ladies guide to being a perfect mother. It's hysterical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Finished the Untold History of the US by Oliver Stone. Reading Nixonland and though it has rave reviews I am not liking it very much, it is a bit of a slogfest for me. When I can't take it anymore, I switch to Greywalker, interesting premise not very well executed but I will keep going as I hear they get better. Also plowed through Jeanine Frost's Night Prince #2 while spending another day at the ER with Mom. Love her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 re: Goodreads & Amazon Amazon also has their own site, Shelfari, and Shelfari users are worried that they won't get to keep that as is, as some of them prefer it to Goodreads. I, for one, hope they keep both up and active so people can stick with the one they prefer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 I went 2 weeks without picking up a single book, but last week finished "Along Came a Spider" by James Patterson. I always see his books lined up for miles in our Library reservation shelves, so I thought I'd give one a try. It was OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 What's the difference between Goodreads and Shelfari? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 I feel really blah about reading lately. blah blah blah blah blah I have no concentration and everything is vaguely dissatisfying. I'm trying to cure it by ignoring my challenges and ambitions, and even allowing myself to start a bunch of things from under my bed without expecting to finish them. I'm fishing for something to perk me up. :) Read a story by H. Beam Piper over the weekend and enjoyed his style. Picked up his stuff on the Kindle (free) after a Jo Walton recommendation. DH liked it too. My challenges: Dewey Decimal is coming along, only 400s, 500s, 700s, & 800s left and I have some of the remaining books picked out. Fiction Genre is down to mystery, western, & christian. Continental...eh. No focus. We'll see. Finally Finished. Same. Top Ten * Best of the Year ** 27. The Edge of the Knife by H. Beam Piper~classic science fiction, short story/novella, precognition 26. Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome~children's adventure, sailing. 25. Forever Odd by Dean Koontz~supernatural thriller. 24. The Fifty Year Sword by Mark Danielewski~horror, storytelling, sewing, performance art. 23. Dough: a Memoir by Mort Zachter~New York, immigrants, family. (Dewey Decimal challenge: 300s) 22. Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman~graphic novel, sleep, quest. (Fiction genre challenge: graphic novels) 21. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz~supernatural thriller, ghosts * 20. The Story of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang~science fiction, short stories (Fiction genre challenge: short stories) ** 19. Down the Garden Path by Beverley Nichols~memoir, gardening, humor (Dewey Decimal Challenge, 600s) 18. D'Aulaire's Book of Norse Myths by the D'Aulaires~Norse myths (Dewey Decimal Challenge, 200s) 17. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout~fiction, short stories, aging. * 16. Philosophy: a Discovery in Comics by Margreet de Heer~nonfiction, philosophy, comics (Dewey Decimal challenge, 100s) 15. Concrete Island by JG Ballard~fiction, isolation, survival 14. The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis~fiction, coming of age, chess ** 13. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine l'Engle~children's fiction, fantasy, coming of age 12. Way Station by Clifford Simak~science fiction, aliens, atomic age (Fiction genre challenge: Science Fiction) 11. Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Depression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish~autobiography, Depression, family (Dewey Decimal Challenge, 900s) * 10. Changeless by Gail Carriger~fiction, steampunk, series, werewolves/vampire, Victoriana. 9. The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman~fiction, family drama, Australia, miscarriage. (Continental Challenge: Australia) * 8. Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card~fantasy, alternative early America, witchcraft/magic. 7. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson~satire, American dream, drug trip. (Dewey Decimal Challenge, 000s) 6. Soulless by Gail Carriger~steampunk, vampires, werewolves, Victoriana. (Fiction genre challenge: Fantasy) 5. Away by Jane Urquhart~Ireland, Canada, emigration, magical realism, family saga. (Continental Challenge: North America/Canada) * 4. Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim~autobiography, Germany pre-WWI, gardening, women's roles (Continental Challenge: Europe) 3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer~fiction, WWII, letters, humor 2. The Little Book by Seldon Edwards~fiction, Vienna, time travel (Fiction genre challenge: General Fiction) 1. Mad Mary Lamb by Susan Tyler Hitchcock~biography, 19th century, women's roles, mental illness (Finally Finished challenge) Working: The House by the Sea (Sarton) Book of Imaginary Beings (Borges) Labyrinth & other stories (Borges) Replay The French Lieutenant's Woman (Fowles) Collected Works of H. Beam Piper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Finished listening to I'm Feeling Lucky the Confessions of Google Employee Number 59. The whole time I was thinking "why am I still listening to this?" but for some reason I plodded through to the end. I would rate it as "okay". Now I'm reading Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and started listening to Bonhoeffer on Audible. I was listening to Life of Pi but for some reason the Indian voice of the narrator is so soothing that I keep falling asleep - then I have trouble finding my place. I think I'll either have to watch the movie or switch to the written version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Just got this link on NOOK's FB page. Looked interesting so I thought I'd share it with you all. The Morning News Tournament of Books: http://www.themorningnews.org/tob/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Finished This Book is Full of Spiders. Completely satisfying, thoroughly enjoyed it. Just a really fun read. It does leave me hoping for third, so maybe not completely satisfied? ^_^ ETA: Just checked his website. Seems he's working on another book unrelated to the John series, but plans on a third one when he is finished with that one. :thumbup1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 What's the difference between Goodreads and Shelfari? Some differences: When you add a book to Shelfari's database, it only adds it to your own shelf. That book is not searchable. To combine or separate books so they are appropriately listed as two editions of the same book or different books, you have to put in a request; you can't do it yourself. The books are displayed on lovely shelves rather than a white background. The recommendations aren't particularly helpful. It recommends books by authors you have read and the next book in a series you've started. Duh. I believe there are fewer users. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 1, 2013 Author Share Posted April 1, 2013 Please think outside the box and try Picture Words! It's a book of words, in a printed flash card format or an audio app format. If you like words found in literature, you will find our unique 550 Picture Words, and 2750 synonyms and antonyms, a fun and entertaining supplement to your love of reading. Our original, funny, well-written, and factual sentences are contextual to the mnemonics, which evoke interest and learning in many real-life topics. Picture Words is endorsed for all ages, and for "students" of all abilities, including those with ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and Asperger's. And by the way, if you are unorthodox in your search for a good book, and you do choose to buy Picture Words, take a look at our mnemonic for the word "orthodox." We think you will laugh at this, and find yourself laughing with much of our content! Please check out our website: www.marieswords.com Erm, no thank you - reported Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 So anyone else here not set any challenges this year? Okay, well I do want to attack my TBR pile. Other than that no challenges. I'm not even doing 52 Books in 52 Weeks this year. I'm re-reading through all of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series before reading the final book. It's going to take me most of the year because every single book is between 500-1000 pages. I'm getting ready to start book 5 of 14. I really enjoyed that book! I picked it to read back when we had a "Choose a Book by its Cover" Challenge. It is one of my favorite covers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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