Book a Week in 2013 - week fifty two wrap up

[*Inna*]

 

1. How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal?  131 so far and I was able to complete the challenge I'd set for myself of reading 100 books in 2013.
2. What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories?  Top 5 least favorites? Top 5 favorites: Carry On, Warrior by Glennon Melton (no surprises here, I  love her blog), Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (haunting), Second person Singular by Sayed Kashua (thank you for someone recommending it in one of 52in52 threads), The Corfu Trilogy by Gerald Durrell (a re-read, but first time in English and unedited. Russian version was geared towards children/teens and omitted quite a few stories ). Going Postal by Terry Pratchett (a re-read as well, but I enjoyed reading it much more second time around. I think I'll have a Terry Pratchett reading marathon in 2014. :D )
3. One book you thought you would never read and was pleasantly surprised you liked it? The Maze Runner trilogy. Oh, and A Mango-Shaped Space.
4. Most thrilling unputdownable book? Running with Scissors. It's like watching a train wreck. Bewildering, disgusting and impossible to put down. Same goes for Gone Girl.
5. Did you come across a story that you enjoyed it so much, you turned around and read it again or plan on  rereading it again in 2014? Not sure about this one.
6. One book you thought you would love, but didn't? The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Sorry. I know there's quite a bit of people on this board that loved it. Instead of enchanting feeling I felt like an unwelcome guest in Mr. Gaiman's therapy session.
7. Which book or books had the greatest impact on you this year? Stormie by Stormie Omartian. And Same Kind of Different as Me.

 

[mumto2]

Happy Birthday to Lostsurprise!!!!

[LostSurprise]

Thanks the birthday wishes! :)

[Just Robyn]

The modern BBC version is worth a watch, I think.

 

Thanks, I'll check it out!

[Negin]

Negin, maybe a couple of books to check out...?

 

 

 

Or maybe the movie

 

:p ;) :laugh:

 

Stacia, I couldn't stop laughing! :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5:

 

 

 

 

[Paisley Hedgehog]

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[Stacia]

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[Stacia]

Happy Christmas Eve to all who celebrate! Everyone, I'm *so* enjoying reading all your comments & year-end wrap-ups. Love them!!!

1. How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal? Looks like I will end the year with 89. Fiction = 71, Nonfiction = 18

 

2. What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories? In no particular order and not including rereads: The Gods of Gotham (Lyndsay Faye); Cooked (Michael Pollan); Behind the Beautiful Forevers (Katherine Boo); The Handmaid's Tale (Margaret Atwood); Bring Up the Bodies (Hilary Mantel); Richard II (Shakespeare)

 

3. One book you thought you would never read and was pleasantly surprised you liked it? Richard II. I had always steered clear of Shakespeare's history plays and was positively mowed over by this one. Loved it.

 

4. Most thrilling unputdownable book? The Gods of Gotham

 

5. Did you come across a story that you enjoyed it so much, you turned around and read it again or plan on rereading it again in 2014? See above.

 

6. One book you thought you would love, but didn't? Night Film (Marisha Pessl). So much hype and it started off sooooo good but ended up the year's biggest disappointment.

 

7. Which book or books had the greatest impact on you this year? I'm not sure about impact, but I am most proud of the amount of Shakespeare I read this year. Six plays in total, four of which were new-to-me. Six!!

 

8. What book would you recommend everyone read? The Well Trained Mind, of course. If someone reads that book, they might find the website which might lead them to the message boards which might cause them to stumble across this thread :D

 

9. What was your most favorite part of the challenge? Did you do any of the mini challenges? I simply love talking about books and this group of readers is wonderful. I participated in several challenges and came close or completed all of them except the TBR Challenge. On that one, I said I was going to read 36 books that had been on my shelf a year or more; I actually read 16. Oops.

I definitely want to try The Gods of Gotham. LOL about reading the books on your shelves. 16 sounds like a huge number to me. (Not sure how many I read this year from my own shelves, but probably not 16. Ok, I just looked at my Goodreads page & it looks like I read 20 of my own books this year.) Too funny about your most-recommended book!

Stacia, I couldn't stop laughing! :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5:

 

• H
• What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories? Top 5 least favorites? Top 5 favorites: Carry On, Warrior by Glennon Melton (no surprises here, I love her blog), Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (haunting), Second person Singular by Sayed Kashua (thank you for someone recommending it in one of 52in52 threads), The Corfu Trilogy by Gerald Durrell (a re-read, but first time in English and unedited. Russian version was geared towards children/teens and omitted quite a few stories ). Going Postal by Terry Pratchett (a re-read as well, but I enjoyed reading it much more second time around. I think I'll have a Terry Pratchett reading marathon in 2014. :D )

Cool list. Love both Ishiguro & Pratchett. I also read the Kashua book & found it quite fascinating & a window into a world that is so different than mine.

[Stacia]

It's my birthday today. After taking my son to a medical appointment, we stopped by Goodwill. They had all these great cookbooks for $3.99! Birthday serendipity. :) My husband hid them in the oven and took a shelfie for me when we got home.

 

 

(Sorry for the sizing. My computer is toast and we struggled to post this on the Ubuntu computer for ages.)

Hey, I think your photos disappeared??? (If my dh hid my books in the oven, I'd probably somehow inadvertently cook the books. :glare: After all, the smoke alarm doubles as my kitchen timer. :tongue_smilie: )

1.

7. What book had the greatest impact on you this year?

Moby Dick or, The Whale (Herman Melville).

You almost, almost, almost make me want to try Moby Dick. I'm still on the fence, but am leaning heavily toward the reading side. Did you also read/use the book that has an illustration for every page?

My top five fiction books for 2013:

• We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
• The Light Between Oceans
• Night Circus
• The Orphan Master's Son
• Saving Fish from Drowning

My top five non-fiction books for 2013:

• The Swerve
• A Train in Winter
• Lean In
• My Stroke of Insight
• Losing Mum and Pup

The book I expected to hate and didn't: Moby Dick

 

Okay, ready for the yearly wrap-up!

• How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal? I stopped counting at 29 in August when my hard disk crashed and I temporarily lost my list. I decided I liked not counting, and just reading to read. I probably still came in at 52, plus or minus 5. Though I now notice a yearly wrap-up is easier with a list, so maybe I'll start one again just to remember what I've read!
• What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories? Top 5 least favorites? Best Fiction--Code Name Verity and The Light Between Oceans. Enjoyed all of Sayer's Harriet Vane/Lord Peter Wimsey books. Best Non-fiction (i.e. learned something, changed something in my life because of it): Chi Running (never want plantar fasciitis again and this seems to help), Warrior Girls (girls in sports and ACL injuries--hoping to avoid this with my young soccer player), Pandora's Lunchbox and Salt Sugar Fat (dietary/shopping changes to eat healthier), Mindset and The Smartest Kids in the World (tweaking educational approach). Best extended study topic: WWII. Currently reading 10th book on WWII. Coming at it from different books, different authors, different subtopics is really helping me understand this era better. Top 5 WWII books: Suite Francaise, A Train in Winter, No Pretty Pictures, Marrin's Hitler, and The Hare with the Amber Eyes.

After Christmas, I need to sit down & make a master list of everyone's top recommendations!!!! I will have great reading material for years to come.

[Jane in NC]

 

You almost, almost, almost make me want to try Moby Dick. I'm still on the fence, but am leaning heavily toward the reading side. Did you also read/use the book that has an illustration for every page?

 

 

Not MMV, but I recommend the University of California Press version of Moby Dick with woodblock illustrations by Barry Moser. Sitting on a Cape Cod beach while reading this is nice too.

 

[Robin M]

Merry Christmas to all!

 

 

 

 

 

We are definitely a family of readers, because the majority of packages under the tree are books.

[melmichigan]

 

1. How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal? I have finished 292 books as I'm typing this.  In the back of my head my goal for the year was 100,000 pages, which I have surpassed.

    

2. What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories? It's really hard to narrow to books, but my favorite authors for this year would be Nalini Singh, James Rollins, Ilona Andrews, Kresley Cole, Maya Banks, Jennifer Estep, Carrie Vaughn, and Kalayna Price Top 5 least favorites? Tangled by Emma Chase (I'm still amazed that it was a finalist on Goodreads for Best of 2013), Rapture: A Novel of the Fallen Angels by J. R. Ward (I just couldn't get into the main character again but wanted to continue with the series),  Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris, and Gone Girl, one of the few books I could not make myself finish.

 

One book you thought you would never read and was pleasantly surprised you liked it? Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard 

 

Most thrilling unputdownable book? many

 

Did you come across a story that you enjoyed it so much, you turned around and read it again or plan on  rereading it again in 2014? I don't tend to reread.

 

One book you thought you would love, but didn't? Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris, a major disappointment all around 

 

Which book or books had the greatest impact on you this year? Until I Say Good-bye: My Year of Living with Joy by Susan Spencer-Wendel

 

Do you have a favorite cover or quote from a story you'd like to share?  (Share a shelfie)  I'll have to edit to add later.

 

What book would you recommend everyone read?  Individual interests vary so much I wouldn't know where to start.

 

What was your most favorite part of the challenge? Reading what everyone else is reading and sharing with everyone on this thread.  Did you do any of the challenges? Around the World, Chunky- Have Mercy Baby, Spooktacular Theme, as for mini challenges I finished A book with a number in the title, a book from the Abandoned Book List, the next book in a series, a translated book, a book published in 2014, a cozy mystery, a book with a season in the title, and a contemporary thriller.  I had good intensions with the dewey decimal challenge but ended up dropping it.

 

[Robin M]

How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal?    Not including rereads, I read 140 books. I really didn’t have a set goal except to slow down this year and savor my reads more.

 

What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories?  Individual books were The Rossetti Letter by Christi Phillips, 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, N0S4A2 by Joe Hill, Distant Hours by Kate Morton and Adam and Eve by Jena Seter Naslund .  Series wise I devoured Faith Hunter’s Skinwalker,  Stephen King’s Dark Tower, James Rollins Sigma Force books and Dean Koontz Brother Odd

 

Top 5 least favorites?:  Michael Crichton Pirate Latitudes, Kim Harrison’s Hollows series, and Boris Pasternak’s Dr. Zhivago which I couldn’t even finish.

 

One book you thought you would never read and was pleasantly surprised you liked it?  NOS4A2 which is a psychological horror thriller.  I usually don’t like horror and the story was knuckle biting, cringe worthy at times, but I couldn’t stop reading it.

 

Most thrilling unputdownable book?  I’d have to say the Forever Odd series by Dean Koontz.

 

Did you come across a story that you enjoyed it so much, you turned around and read it again or plan on  rereading it again in 2014?  I reread the whole Laurel K. Hamilton Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series again and The Key of Light series by Nora Roberts.  Nora is one author that I continue to go back and reread her series time and again.  I’m contemplating revisiting her In Death Series in 2014.

 

One book you thought you would love, but didn't?  Dr. Zhivago – I couldn’t finish it. Too many characters and storylines to follow.

 

Which book or books had the greatest impact on you this year?  I can’t say any one book had an impact. I would read new to me authors which would make me want to read more of their stories.

 

What book would you recommend everyone read?  Any one of my favorites listed above.

 

What was your most favorite part of the challenge?  Besides hosting, I loved hearing about what everyone else is reading. Plus you guys introduced me to so many books I probably wouldn not have read, expanding my reading horizons quite a bit.

 

Did you do any of the mini challenges?  My buying ban lasted exactly one month  :lol:.  I completed the A to Z, managed to read at least one book from every Continent, read 14 Dusty books and  7 Chunky books.  Completely failed the inspiration reads (only read one book out of 12) and didn’t get to C.S. Lewis at all. Guess I’ll save him for 2014.  

 

:grouphug: and :cheers2:

 

[mumto2]

Just wanted to wish everyone here a "Happy Christmas" and I hope you enjoy today/tomorrow with friends and family and eat lots of chocolate. Plenty of chocolate seems to be the British way of celebrating most holidays! :lol: My Santa duties are done, the presents have magically appeared so I am off to bed. Have a lovely day!

[Negin]

Here are some more chuckles for you...

 

 

 

:laugh:  (I may actually request this book again & read it in the new year. It's always good to start the new year with a smile!)

 

 

 

Stacia, you read my mind exactly. When I posted yesterday, I remembered this book and giggled  :lol: . I was in a rush and didn't have time to post about it. You beat me to it and have made me laugh once again  :grouphug: . I don't even remember if I still have my copy. 

Just wanted to wish everyone here a "Happy Christmas" and I hope you enjoy today/tomorrow with friends and family and eat lots of chocolate. Plenty of chocolate seems to be the British way of celebrating most holidays!  

Merry Christmas to you also. Yes, I have fond memories of lots of chocolate at Christmas. :) I grew up in Wales. 

 

Merry Christmas to all!

 

[mumto2]

I was just looking at the free kindle books and discovered that there are three by Lara Adrian an author I discovered at BaW. A Touch of Midnight (Midnight Breed series), Heart of a Hunter, and White Lion's Lady, are the titles I found. :)

[Jane in NC]

Merry Christmas Fellow Readers!

 

 

[Robin M]

Hubby got me 1001 books you must read before you die and the book is amazing with photos and artwork from books. And this was pretty much a book Christmas for he and I. Plus amazon screwed up on one package, giving me a credit which I used on ebooks of course.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Since I haven't figured out how to post a picture from my ipad, go to my Facebook page linked below to see a picture of our book haul.

[Angel]

One book you thought you would never read and was pleasantly surprised you liked it? 

Not as much single book as a few genre series. I zipped through The Parasol Protectorate (Victorian London sort of steampunk fantasy with werewolves and vampires. 

 

These look cool!  Can you tell me PG, PG13 or R?  

 

Top 5 least favorites?:  Michael Crichton Pirate Latitudes,

 

 

The only Michael Crichton book I never finished.  It was almost like it was written by a different author!  Gave up on it early on!

 

I have enjoyed reading the wrap ups!  My Christmas break reading (well, Christmas break in general) was railroaded by a family crisis.  I have had no time to read and unbelievably, no desire either.  I guess we will see what the rest of the year brings to see if I can finish my Robert Jordan book.

 

Merry Christmas all!

[melmichigan]

I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday. I got gifts cards for e-books!  :001_wub:

 

 I"m back to James Rollins, I'm just starting The Judas Strain: A Sigma Force Novel.  Robin got me hooked on the series so I just keep plugging away at it.

[Lady Florida.]

This is a bit late, but I hope all those who celebrate had a very Merry Christmas.

[Robin M]

I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday. I got gifts cards for e-books! :001_wub:

 

I"m back to James Rollins, I'm just starting The Judas Strain: A Sigma Force Novel. Robin got me hooked on the series so I just keep plugging away at it.

Judas Strain is one of the best IMHO! Enjoy!

[ladydusk]

Merry Christmas! I hope you got books ... I did (and have a day of gifting to go)!

 

Book Loot:

 

[trinchick]

This was my first year doing the BaW, and I'm surprised I made it! There were times of sporadic posting, but I was reading all along. Here's my round-up. 

 

How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal?    I read 56 books this year, including audio books and a handful of read-alouds. I didn't think I'd make it to 52, so I'm pleased with the final total. 

 

What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories?  In no particular order:

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton 

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark 

 

Top 5 least favorites?:  Just a few here.

The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom 

The Mistress’s Daughter by A.M. Homes

Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman

 

One book you thought you would never read and was pleasantly surprised you liked it?   I had tried to read The Night Circus before and didn't finish it; when I tried it again on audio I loved it.

 

Most thrilling unputdownable book?  Those Kate Morton books are real page-turners. I'll say The House at Riverton since it's the one I just finished.

 

Did you come across a story that you enjoyed it so much, you turned around and read it again or plan on  rereading it again in 2014?  Probably not.

 

One book you thought you would love, but didn't?  Orange Is the New Black; so self-aggrandizing I ended up detesting the author.

 

What was your most favorite part of the challenge?   I love getting book suggestions from the good people on this thread. I think just completing the challenge has been the best part for me. The accountability was huge and made me force myself to do something I love that I usually don't make time for.

 

Did you do any of the mini challenges?  I started the continents challenge and made it mostly around the world, but fell short on South America despite having started and put down a couple of books along the way. I re-visited Dickens due to a mini-challenge and was introduced to Nora Ephron as part of the food challenge. All good.

 

Looking forward to participating again in 2014, though I don't think I can make it to 52 books again, as my commute is changing so I'll lose lots of audio time.

[mumto2]

http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/11/02/reviews/971102.02jamest.html

 

I was looking for the page count for Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami and found this article which I wanted to share. I'm looking forward to reading it! :)

[ladydusk]

I don't think I told you all that my BIL (Single, Math Teacher, 28 or so) was inspired by our 52 books in 52 weeks and decided to try himself.  He didn't think he'd get to 52, but told me yesterday that he will finish 89 books this year.

 

He approaches the challenge in an interesting way.  When he starts a new book, he writes out a plan on a post it for so much that must be read per day, then doesn't allow himself to do any leisure activities (tv, video games, etc) until he has read at least to that place in his plan for the day. 

 

I laugh about it, it's a very analytical way to accomplish what he sets out to do.  Any of you BaWers plan out your reading like that?

[mumto2]

I am trying to cleàn up my stack and finish my series reading that I started in 2013. "Let the Devil Sleep" is the third in John Verdon's series. I liked it almost as much as Think of a Number. Clever solution. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/v/john-verdon/let-devil-sleep.htm I also finished "The Poisoned Pilgrim" by Oliver Potzsch. It is the fourth in the Hangman's Daughter series which I have really enjoyed reading. This one was quite interesting with a bit of the mystical included with potential Golems.

[mumto2]

Ladydusk -- I only go analytical when I don't want to pay library fines! ;)

[Onceuponatime]

I finished The Gifts of the Jews by Thomas Cahill. I didn't like it. It seemed far too speculative with not enough real scholarship demonstrated. He also used too many universal negatives and postiives. This and that would "never" have happened if not for..... I'm not so sure about that.

 

I'm now reading For One More Day by Mitch Albom, which I found at a thrift store 2 weeks ago. (the book not Mitch) . He is about as "Inspirational" as I can stand these days.

 

 

ETA: Monuments Men was a hit with my Son-in-law. He kept sneaking off into a corner to read it. Shakepeare's Star Wars went over well here, too.

[Robin M]

http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/11/02/reviews/971102.02jamest.html

 

I was looking for the page count for Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami and found this article which I wanted to share. I'm looking forward to reading it

Great article and makes me want to read the story all the more. 

 

 

 

Hubby got me Nancy Pearl's Book Lust to Go: recommended reading for travelers, vagabonds and dreamers which is going to be perfect for our armchair traveling.  Thanks to Pearl's book and since January is Murakami month, I'm already looking at string theories.   Have downloaded Murakami's A Wild Sheep Chase and Yoko Ogawa's The Housekeeper and the Professor.

 

 

Bookriot is rerunning some of their favorite posts and came across two wanted to share:

 

3 Steps to Reading Harder, Better, Faster - I especially like the part about carving out your reading time and protecting it.

 

Go from Zero to Well-Read in a 100 Books - interesting list and can say don't agree with a couple (especially 50 Shades) but have read 20 and have several more on the shelves. 

[Onceuponatime]

I finished For One More Day in one sitting. That was a good (?) cry book. If you want a cleansing sob, look no further. Not exactly what I had in mind for the day, but it had a thoughtful  message.

[ariasmommy]

1. How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal? I didn't officially set a goal, but I was hoping to read at least 52 books. So far I've read 62 (two more than last year) and may finish one or two more before the end of the year.
2. What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories? Unbroken, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Nothing to Envy, The Iliad, How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare (with Leisure: the Basis of Culture and The Liberal Arts Tradition as close runners-up) Top 5 least favorites? Lady of Quality, The Corinthian, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Moonwalking with Einstein
3. One book you thought you would never read and was pleasantly surprised you liked it? I put off reading Unbroken and Leisure: The Basis of Culture, but although they were not easy reading (for different reasons), they were well worth it. I was also hesitant about The Iliad, but listening to an good audio version really helped.
4. Most thrilling unputdownable book? Probably Unbroken, but at this point in my life I have to be willing to put down my "unputdownable" books. ;)
5. Did you come across a story that you enjoyed it so much, you turned around and read it again or plan on  rereading it again in 2014? I may reread (or at least skim through) How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare next year.
6. One book you thought you would love, but didn't? After enjoying Cotillion last year, I was very disappointed by Lady of Quality.
7. Which book or books had the greatest impact on you this year? See my favorites. :)
8. Do you have a favorite cover or quote from a story you'd like to share?  (Share a shelfie) Nothing stood out this year.
9. What book would you recommend everyone read?  Unbroken
10. What was your most favorite part of the challenge? Reading :D - and reading the posts here. Did you do any of the mini challenges?  I only read books from four continents (North America, Europe, Asia and Africa - I started but didn't finish a couple of Australian reads). I am still only about halfway through Les Miserable, so no chunky books. :( I did finish one C.S. Lewis book (started last year) and several other inspirational reads.

 

 

Edited December 27, 2013 by ariasmommy

[JennW in SoCal]

Let's see if I can wrap up my wrap-up...

 

How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal?

I read 70 with an additional 2 short stories and a couple of re-reads I haven't counted. It is a new personal "best".  I had no goal, but found myself pushing for 70 this month!

 

What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories?  

Hyperion by Dan Simmons

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway 

The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

The Master and Commander series

and The Detective Banks series by Peter Robinson

 

least favorites?

a few books were forgettable, their titles not even worth jotting down!

 

One book you thought you would never read and was pleasantly surprised you liked it?

Count of Monte Cristo

 

Most thrilling unputdownable book? 

All the Detective Banks books, Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Count of Monte Cristo, some of the Master and Commander titles..

 

Did you come across a story that you enjoyed it so much, you turned around and read it again or plan on  rereading it again in 2014? 

I've been surprised at the responses to this question, that many of you never re-read a book.  I enjoy re-reading and re-listening to favorites, and have recently started re-listening to the Master and Commander books.  I will definitely revisit Hyperion one day soon.

 

One book you thought you would love, but didn't? 

French Lieutenant's Woman  I'm having a hard time motivating myself to finish it.

 

Which book or books had the greatest impact on you this year? 

There were two books which were very moving, and touched me personally:

The Little Way of Ruthie Lemming by Rod Dreher, with its story of family, community, home and grace

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe, about the books a mother and her adult son share during her year of cancer treatments.

 

Do you have a favorite cover or quote from a story you'd like to share? 

"Jack, you have debauched my sloth!"  Dr. Maturin to Capt. Aubrey in HMS Surprise

 

What book would you recommend everyone read? 

Any of the ones I've listed above!  

 

What was your most favorite part of the challenge? Did you do any of the mini challenges? 

I'm not here for the challenges but for the community of fellow book worms who all have such excellent taste!  This thread is a lovely place to meet throughout the week.

[Stacia]

Ok, I went to Starbucks for an hour today, to try to eke out a little reading time for myself during this very busy, hectic time, devouring The Goldfinch during my hour of reading. But, as I was finishing a page, I was trying hard to not let tears leak out the sides of my eyes. This is just such a wonderful book, but I may have to read the remainder (which is still quite a bit) at home where I can let the tears flow more freely. :blushing:

 

I had been looking forward to this novel since it is Donna Tartt's third novel & I have loved her other two. I made a pointed attempt to not know anything about the storyline ahead of time, just letting myself fall into an unknown & unexpected story. I succeeded in knowing nothing about it (other than it was highly recommended & has landed on lots of 'best of... 2013' lists) & am fascinated by the story so far. What a treat it is.

 

Really, it's a gorgeous novel so far. Gorgeous. I love Tartt's writing.

[Tullia]

1. How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal?  I'm on track to finish The Judgment of Paris (Ross King) which will put me at 41.  I'd hoped to read 52, but spent a lot of my reading time over the summer re-reading The Silmarillion and listening to podcasts from iTunes U. 
2. What are your top 5 (or more) favorite stories?  In no particular order: Cryptonomicon, The Magician's Twin, The Silmarillion, Across China on Foot, The Brontes: Wild Genius on the Moors Top 5 least favorites?  Jane Eyre, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Wizard of Oz, The Professor, Charlotte and Feodora.
3. One book you thought you would never read and was pleasantly surprised you liked it?  The Secret Holocaust Diaries because I sometimes find it hard to disengage from depictions of horrific events. 
4. Most thrilling unputdownable book? The Silmarillion.
5. Did you come across a story that you enjoyed it so much, you turned around and read it again or plan on  rereading it again in 2014? The Magician's Twin because I know I missed a lot the first time through.  Also, the page flipping option on the new Kindle makes reading non-fiction so much easier.
6. One book you thought you would love, but didn't?  The Mill on the Floss.  Started it but couldn't bear to read past the first few chapters. 
7. Which book or books had the greatest impact on you this year?  Dandelion Wine, This Fine Life: A Novel, Scenes of Clerical Life because all three gave me new insights.
8. Do you have a favorite cover or quote from a story you'd like to share?  (Share a shelfie)  I found this gem which set off my Charlotte Mason radar: "...but Lord Peter found himself confronted with a surly manner and what Lord Beaconsfield described as a masterly inactivity."  ~Whose Body?  Dorothy L. Sayers
9. What book would you recommend everyone read? Not sure I could make a universal recommendation from this year's list, but The Magician's Twin is something I would recommend to fellow Christians.  Earlier this year, I watched (from the sidelines) an uncivil discussion among Christians in which a group of sincere but ill-informed young people attributed opinions to C.S. Lewis without being aware that they were citing equally ill-informed sources who are guilty of quoting not Lewis' own opinions but his summaries of his opponents' positions. :banghead:
10. What was your most favorite part of the challenge? Finding out what other people are reading/enjoying and learning about newer works of fiction. For several years I preferred reading non-fiction and missed out on a lot! Did you do any of the mini challenges?  I think maybe a couple at the beginning of the year, but I simply cannot resist rabbit trails--it's a decades old pattern, and I'm too old and cantankerous to reform my undisciplined reading habits.

My 2013 List:

• 19 Lessons on Tea
• A Study in Scarlet
• Across China on Foot
• Agnes Grey
• Anne of Avonlea
• Anne of the Island
• Becoming Jane Austen
• Charlotte and Feodora
• Clouds of Witness
• Cryptonomicon
• Dandelion Wine
• Evening in the Place of Reason
• Fragile and Distant Suns
• Helena: Queen Victoria's third daughter
• Jane Eyre
• Middlemarch
• Night and Day
• Scenes of Clerical Life
• Shirley
• Snow Crash
• The Brontës: Wild Genius on the Moors
• The Diamond Age
• The Fresh & Green Table
• The Hound of the Baskervilles
• The Judgment of Paris (In progress)
• The Magician's Twin: C.S. Lewis on Science, Scientism, and Society
• The Nexus
• The Philip K. Dick Anthology: 18 Classic Science Fiction Stories
• The Pioneer Detectives: Did a distant spacecraft prove Einstein and Newton wrong?
• The Professor
• The Secret Holocaust Diaries
• The Sign of the Four
• The Silmarillion
• The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
• The Valley of Fear
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• This Fine Life: A Novel
• Villette
• Vitamin Water
• Whose Body?
• Wuthering Heights

[Rosie_0801]

 

Top 5 least favorites?:  Just a few here.

The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom 

 

 

Really? Why not?

[Robin M]

I don't think I told you all that my BIL (Single, Math Teacher, 28 or so) was inspired by our 52 books in 52 weeks and decided to try himself.  He didn't think he'd get to 52, but told me yesterday that he will finish 89 books this year.

 

He approaches the challenge in an interesting way.  When he starts a new book, he writes out a plan on a post it for so much that must be read per day, then doesn't allow himself to do any leisure activities (tv, video games, etc) until he has read at least to that place in his plan for the day. 

 

I laugh about it, it's a very analytical way to accomplish what he sets out to do.  Any of you BaWers plan out your reading like that?

 

That's awesome about your BIL. Tell him for 2014 he can leave comments on the 52 books posts each week or when ever he likes about the books he is reading.   I don't plan on the number of pages to read, but I try to figure out in advance what books which go with what mini challenges. Here's my sorta plan.

 

Elaina and a few of you may appreciate this. I've been enjoying the christmas break and vegging.   I went through my TBR Pile list and figured out the settings for each, plus genres for armchair traveling and rabbit trails. 

[Rosie_0801]

I didn't post my full list:

1. Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare 

2. Anne of Avonlea, Lucy Maud Montgomery

3. How to Make an American Quilt, Whitney Otto (I always like this book.)

4. Anne of the Island, Lucy Maud Montgomery

5. The Go-Between, L.P Hartley (Didn't like it. I never like deception stories.)

6. The Girl at the Farmhouse Gate, Julia Stoneham

7. Sabriel, Garth Nix (I love this series)

8. Lirael, Garth Nix

9. Abhorsen, Garth Nix

10. The Cardboard Crown, Martin Boyd (Forgot I'd ever read it. Still don't like it.)

11. Anne of Windy Willows, Lucy Maud Montgomery

12. Year of Impossible Goodbyes, Sook Nyul Choi

13. Incense: Rituals, Mystery, Lore, by Gina Hyams

14. Anne's House of Dreams, L. M Montgomery

15. Are You the One for Me? Barbara De Angelis

16. Anne of Ingleside, LM Montgomery

17. Rainbow Valley, LM Montgomery

18. Rilla of Ingleside, LM Montgomery

19. The Architecture of Happiness, Alain de Botton

20. The Magic Pudding, Norman Lindsay

21. The Art of Travel, Alain de Botton

22. Strange Country: Travels in a very different Australia, Mark Dapin

23. Chronicles of Avonlea, L.M Montgomery

24. The Boundary Riders, Joan Phipson

25. A Comedy of Errors, William Shakespeare

26. Further Chronicles of Avonlea, L.M Montgomery

27. The Art of Fermentation, Sandor Ellix Katz

28. The Family Conspiracy, Joan Phipson

29. People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks

30. Love's Labour's Lost, William Shakespeare

31. Angels of Aceh: The Compelling Story of Operation Tsunami Assist, Sophie York

32. The Last Samurai, Helen De Witt

33. Europe Speaks Arabic, Dr. V. Abdur Rahim

34. Verity of Sydney Town, Ruth C. Williams

35. Tamil Tigress, Niromi de Soyza

36. Bllinky Bill, Dorothy Wall

37. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bronte

38. This Fool's Journey, Cynthia Campbell Williams

39. Pyramids, Terry Pratchett

40. The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare

41. Our Woman in Kabul, Irris Makler

42. The Best Canadian Animal Stories, edited by Muriel Whitaker

43. The Great War, by Les Carlyon (a whopping 777 pages)

44. Animal Dreaming, Scott Alexander King

45. The Blue Fairy Book, Andrew Lang

46. Just So Stories,  Rudyard Kipling (audio)

47. Flower Fables, Louisa May Alcott (audio)

49. A Garland for Girls, Louisa May Alcott (audio)

50. Old Peter's Russian Tales, Arthur Ransome (audio)

51. We of the Never Never, Mrs Aeneas Gunn

52. (Little Black Princess, Mrs Aeneas Gunn- will be finished in the next couple of days.)

 

[trinchick]

Really? Why not?

I listened to it on audio, which may have been a factor. There were cheesy sound effects sprinkled throughout the reading. Bells, harps and such. Just too corny for me. The whole story just seemed contrived to be a tear jerker. I was really surprised when I saw it on some list of books everyone should read that was linked here a few weeks ago. Maybe this is a better post for the unpopular opinions thread :)

[trinchick]

Ok, I went to Starbucks for an hour today, to try to eke out a little reading time for myself during this very busy, hectic time, devouring The Goldfinch during my hour of reading. But, as I was finishing a page, I was trying hard to not let tears leak out the sides of my eyes. This is just such a wonderful book, but I may have to read the remainder (which is still quite a bit) at home where I can let the tears flow more freely. :blushing:

 

I had been looking forward to this novel since it is Donna Tartt's third novel & I have loved her other two. I made a pointed attempt to not know anything about the storyline ahead of time, just letting myself fall into an unknown & unexpected story. I succeeded in knowing nothing about it (other than it was highly recommended & has landed on lots of 'best of... 2013' lists) & am fascinated by the story so far. What a treat it is.

 

Really, it's a gorgeous novel so far. Gorgeous. I love Tartt's writing.

I bought The Goldfinch to give as a Christmas gift but couldn't part with it and kept it. And I NEVER buy myself books (huge library user). Your post has made me even more excited to read it. 

[ElaineJ]

I only finished 31 books this year, but I think that is more than I read last year. I enjoy keeping up with this thread and hearing what you all are reading!

Elaine

[Rosie_0801]

I listened to it on audio, which may have been a factor. There were cheesy sound effects sprinkled throughout the reading. Bells, harps and such. Just too corny for me. The whole story just seemed contrived to be a tear jerker. I was really surprised when I saw it on some list of books everyone should read that was linked here a few weeks ago. Maybe this is a better post for the unpopular opinions thread :)

 

Ugh. Bells and harps sound *really* off-putting. That would have made me hate it too!

[mumto2]

http://www.detecs.org/sistermary.html

 

This is an interesting site. I love clerical mysteries an plan to study it in more detail!

 

At the start of December I started requesting an even larger stack then normal from the library because my libraries would be closed for almost 2 weeks. What if bad weather forced us to read nonstop for those weeks? I needed books for everyone and I wanted some fun ones for the dc's. That is when I remembered an old "friend" Sister Mary Helen. It took some time to find the book because all I could remember was Sister Mary something and a San Fran setting but it was worth it. :) I just reread (yes, series are what I reread :lol:) the first one and it was a great cozy. Can't wait for dd to read it.

 

Fyi to Jenn, ds is currently reading "The Nine Taylors" and loving the chapter headings!

[Jane in NC]

With a nod to Viole(n)t Crown, who inspired several of us to read A High Wind in Jamaica this year, I offer a quote from E.M. Delafield's Diary of a Provincial Lady.  The following is one of her musings on her daughter Vicky:

 

(Mem.:  Would it not be possible to write more domesticated and less foreign version of High Wind in Jamaica, featuring extraordinary callousness of infancy?) Can distinctly recollect heated correspondence in Time and Tide regarding vraisemblance or otherwise of Jamaica children, and now range myself, decidedly and for ever, on the side of the author.  Can quite believe that dear Vicky would murder any number of sailors, if necessary.

 

Thanks to Violet Crown and other readers/posters for making my life richer throughout the year.

[ladydusk]

http://www.detecs.org/sistermary.html

 

This is an interesting site. I love clerical mysteries an plan to study it in more detail!

 

At the start of December I started requesting an even larger stack then normal from the library because my libraries would be closed for almost 2 weeks. What if bad weather forced us to read nonstop for those weeks? I needed books for everyone and I wanted some fun ones for the dc's. That is when I remembered an old "friend" Sister Mary Helen. It took some time to find the book because all I could remember was Sister Mary something and a San Fran setting but it was worth it. :) I just reread (yes, series are what I reread :lol:) the first one and it was a great cozy. Can't wait for dd to read it.

 

Fyi to Jenn, ds is currently reading "The Nine Taylors" and loving the chapter headings!

Sounds good, I'll look for her. I'm reading The Nine Tailors now and finding the same thing about the headings.

 

A friend who enjoyed Sally Wright's Ben Reese on my rec told me she released a new book this fall. Looking forward to that!

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

 

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[ladydusk]

I have a number of "Big Books" to read for next year.  I bought Kristin Lavransdatter (for Kindle) before vacation ... just in case ... and would like to tackle it. I'd like to re-read Island of the World by O'Brien.  I'd like to read SWB's histories.  I'm partway through Ancients (and, sadly, have been for years)

 

I'm planning out Narnia for our big lit unit in 2014, so CS Lewis is going to be a staple of my reading diet (I added The Magician's Twin that Tullia rec'd above).

 

I'd like to read Sally Wright's new book.  Plus several of my Christmas books.  I'd like to read the Bible.

 

Two of my Christmas books are education philosophy, I'd like to also read Desiring the Kingdom with Mystie's book club.  I've yet to finish a book club book, though.

 

I'd like to finish the Lord Peter Wimsey books; I'm on The Nine Tailors now.

 

Bringing Up the Bodies, the sequel to Wolf Hall, is on my radar.

 

And, maybe read some Austen :) And some memoirs.

 

I'm not a good "planner" or "assignment completer", so we'll see how some of those go, but I don't expect to get to 52 next year; maybe 30, and some of those are going to take some effort and, I'm afraid, I'll be posting "still ______" on many weekly threads.

 

I've already made my list unapproachable! LOL

 

ETA: and Bonhoeffer and Unbroken, both of which I started in 2012 ...

[Guest]

I started #51 last night - I have just been putting my head down and plowing through to get through 52! Almost there, the end is in sight! I started Sayers' Whose Body?; inspired by Ladydusk, who I noticed was reading the series.

 

I got SWB's history books for Christmas, and hope to read them next year, as well. I've been filling up my library Overdrive queue with a bunch of recs I've gotten here the last few weeks and I mostly just want to do some better reading. I'll be thinking more about "goals" over the next week. I've read a lot of chick lit and fluff this year and I haven't enjoyed most of it. 

 

I am super excited, my mom bought me a Kindle Paperwhite! I am still waiting for it to arrive, it's supposed to come Monday. I can't wait. I really hope to like reading on it better than the Fire; and I also look forward to not having little voices ask me if they can play Minecraft on it every 10 minutes, lol. I think I am going to actually purchase Goldfinch to read as my first book on it. :)

[Murmer]

I am currently 2 books shy of my 156 book goal this year....I think I will make it because I currently have 3 books that I am working on that are all close to the end.  I think next year I am going to aim for the 156 again.