March 2010 Book Challenge

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Wow. March. Ho-Lee Cow. You know what they say: In like a lion out like a lamb. Or is it the other way around? I don't remember. Anyway... welcome and, with that:

Now, repeat after me...

So, just by way of clarification (for comers both new and old), new and improved guidelines for the Book Challenge Thread are as follows:

1) Post the books you read ... or not
2) Post a recommendation ... or not
3) Number your book ... or not
4) Make a goal ... or not
5) Have fun with books (This one, unfortunately, is MANDATORY)


So, with that, avante, allons-y and a happy reading March to everyone!

2009's Thread can be found HERE
January's Thread can be found HERE
February's Thread can be found HERE

[Bufomander]

#51 How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford
4/5
#52 The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright
4/5

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Originally Posted by Bufomander

#51 How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford

The title alone makes me want to look this one up.

[fremontmama]

Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy

The title alone makes me want to look this one up.

Me too We just had a robot birthday party for our now 2yr old on Saturday. It was fun

[cathe]

Happy Dr. Suess Day everybody (or almost). Got lots of fun planned for my students this week

[Bufomander]

Originally Posted by Bufomander

#51 How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford
4/5

Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy

The title alone makes me want to look this one up.

Originally Posted by fremontmama

Me too We just had a robot birthday party for our now 2yr old on Saturday. It was fun

I vacillated between a 3.5 and a 4 on this one. The "Robot" in the title refers to the female protagonist whose mother often says she is heartless, cold, has no feelings, "like a robot". My favorite part was the late night radio show she and her friend listen to.

#53 A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
fictional island off the coast of Spain/France in 1936-37. didn't love it. YA. Reminded me of... oh the long title with the potato peel...pie...society?

[cathe]

I felt the same way about the robot one.

[Bufomander]

Originally Posted by cathe

I felt the same way about the robot one.

the planets have realigned, Cathe!

[mammastar2]

#15 - Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie

Nice, light re-read.

[cathe]

Originally Posted by Bufomander

the planets have realigned, Cathe!

What's funny is when you first posted Robot, it looked like you gave it a 4/5 so I thought, man I didn't like it that much . . .

So, YES! We're back, Buff.

[konamama]

7. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
- read this with my daughter, she liked all the details of how to survive “in the old days”

8. Little House on the Praire by Laura Ingalls Wilder
- read this with my daughter, I forgot about the racist part of the book…

9. Push by Saphire
- heavy book, still want to see the movie

[kbond]

#14 Making History by Stephen Fry
What if Hitler had never been born? What would the world look like? And, would you be able to put it back without consequence?

I really liked this book. I wasn't always in love with Fry's dialogue and the main character was a bit of a prat. But, I did love the book. It was engrossing, and secretly, the type of book I would love to write.

#15 Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch
I did not like this one at all. I felt like it was very predictable, didn't really make you think, and had a very abrupt ending that didn't seem to fit. The premise is frustrated, suburban wife makes a wish and ends up 7 years in her past with the one who got away. What does she do?

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

#7 Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls
by Steve Hockensmith

My review can be found HERE


#1 Tales from Outer Suburbia, #2 The Men Who Stare at Goats, #3 Under the Dome (Audio), #4 Benito Cereno, #5 Doctor Who: The Rising Night, An Exclusive Audio Adventure (Audio), #6 UR (Audio), #7 Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls

[snozzberry]

Originally Posted by Bufomander

#52 The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright
4/5

I remember reading that as a kid! Thanks for the reminder.

[Bufomander]

#54 Compound by S.A. Bodeen
Good stuff, reminds me of Margaret Peterson Haddix's stuff. To quote the very short passage on the book flap: "Eli and his family have lived in the Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone. Eli's father built the Compound to keep them safe. Now, they can't get out. He won't let them." Not sure what people here will think of it, but I liked it. I'm really trying to judge j-lit and YA with the audience they were written for in mind.

Originally Posted by cathe

What's funny is when you first posted Robot, it looked like you gave it a 4/5 so I thought, man I didn't like it that much . . .

So, YES! We're back, Buff.

Originally Posted by snozzberry

I remember reading that as a kid! Thanks for the reminder.

I totally read it as a kid. I felt a little funny reading it to my almost 6-year-old, but we just made it a "during the day" book -- not so much a bedtime book.

[Jenifer76]

The Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Nan revisits 721 Park, home of the moneyed but morally bankrupt Xs, and the boy she guiltily left behind in their inept care in this smart and sassy sequel to The Nanny Diaries. And though Nan has grown up a bit, married Harvard Hottie Ryan and traveled the world, the plight of the rich and stupid continues, as does Nan's new crusade to save former charge Grayer and his younger brother Stilton, renovate a crumbling East Harlem mansion and stick it out at a soulless Manhattan private school.

The book seemed a bit disjointed in the beginning like the authors couldn't get in sync with each other or the characters. It picked up a little as the story went along but still didn't flow very nicely. There were a lot of subplots that were left to dangle (perhaps to make room for the third installment "The Nanny Returns ... again").

[kbond]

#16 Darkborn by Alison Sinclair

This was a really good first start for a series. It's a fantasy book with a Victorian like setting, but it's not really steampunk. This book was very foundational, which could get a little boring, but I'm excited for the next one due out in June.

[Bufomander]

#55 The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
I liked this one. Reminded me of some of Margaret Peterson Haddix's stuff, in some different ways from the last one. From the book flap "...presents an unforgettable look at one human life and a glimpse into a possible future that may be closer than we think." bioethics, a slam on anti-bacterial soaps, and the extreme things a parent's love may drive them to -- what more can you ask for?

Also I have this song lyric stuck in my head "It never rains in southern California, girl, don't they warn ya" just thought you all should know.

[Bufomander]

#56 Liberated Parents, Liberated Children by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
by the authors of How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk
I'm about 1/3 of the way of the way through it and it's excellent!

[kofduke]

The Man in the Dark Suit, King

The Battle of the Labyrinth

4th in the Percy Jackson series -- I think its' getting better in the later books which is unusual.