October 2012 Book Challenge

[fremontmama]

So, just by way of clarification (for comers both new and old), 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 for how many books you want to read in 2012 ... or not
5) Have fun with books (This one, unfortunately, is MANDATORY) 

So, I think I'll just stop saying how surprised I am that it's the beginning of the month already, b/c I think I say that every thread! :)

Happy October reading friends!

[pokeyAC]

What fun!  I use Goodreads, and I am doing the reading challenge on there.  I committed to reading 35 books this year.  So far, I am on track to accomplish my goal.  I can't remember how many I have read.

I read the first 3 Twilight books most recently.  Right now, I am reading The Host which is also by Stephanie Meyer.  It's interesting by rather slow.

[zebra15]

January

1. Skipped Parts - Tim Sandlin  (Nook)

2. The Mill River Recluse - Darcie Chan (Nook)

3. I Used to Know That - Caroline Taggart (Nook)

4. Mom Still Likes You Best (audio book) - Jane Isay (Library)

5. The Snow Angel - Glenn Beck  (Library)

6. Hurricanes in Paradise - Denise Hildreth (Nook)

February

7. I Didn't Ask to Be Born - Bill Cosby (Library)

8. From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler (DS Copy)

9. House Rules - Rachel Sontag (Library)

10. On a Dollar a Day - Christopher Greenslate (Library)

11. Ella Enchanted - Gail Levine (Library)

12. House of Secrets - Tracie Peterson (Library) 

April

13. Victims - Jonathan Kellerman (Library)

June (no May, not much in April)

14. These Things Hidden - Heather Gudenkauf (library)

15. The Weight of Silence - Heather Gudenkauf (library)

16. The Help - Kathryn Stockett (library)

17. Live Wire - Harlan Coben (my copy) - this maybe titled something else as it's the canadian edition from a second hand shoppe

18. Sickened - Julie Gregory (library)

19. Maine -  J. Courtney Sullivan (library)

July

20. Who Do You Think You Are? - Alyse Myers (library)

21. One Breath Away - Heather Gudenkauf (library)

22. Swallow The Ocean- Laura Flynn (library)

23. Dead Reckoning - Linda Castillo (library)

24 Corpse on the Cob - Sue Jaffarian (library)

August

25. Come Home- Lisa Scottoline (library)

26. Save Me- Lisa Scottoline (my copy) second hand shoppe

September

27. Too Big To Miss - Sue Jaffarian (library)

28. The Curse of the Holy Pail - Sue Jaffarian (library)

29. The Last Lie - Stephen White (library)

30. Trust Your Eyes - Linwood Barclay (library)

October

31.

32.

33.

34.

35

Unfortunately #30 was so slow and predictable I stopped 3/4 of the way through.  Oh well onto #31- GO ME!

[kofduke]

The Flame Alphabet, Marcus
 

A terrible epidemic has struck the country and the sound of children’s speech has become lethal. Radio transmissions from strange sources indicate that people are going into hiding. All Sam and Claire need to do is look around the neighborhood: In the park, parents wither beneath the powerful screams of their children. At night, suburban side streets become routes of shameful escape for fathers trying to get outside the radius of affliction.
 

The premise for this one is so fascinating to me, but I felt something was lacking in the execution...the book felt like it was trying so hard to be literary that the characters and plot got a little lost to me.

Night Swimmer, Bondurant

n a small town on the southern coast of Ireland, an isolated place only frequented by fishermen and the occasional group of bird-watchers, Fred and Elly Bulkington, newly arrived from Vermont having won a pub in a contest, encounter a wild, strange land shaped by the pounding storms of the North Atlantic, as well as the native resistance to strangers. As Fred revels in the life of a new pubowner, Elly takes the ferry out to a nearby island where anyone not born there is called a “blow-in.” To the disbelief of the locals, Elly devotes herself to open-water swimming, pushing herself to the limit and crossing unseen boundaries that drive her into the heart of the island’s troubles—the mysterious tragedy that shrouds its inhabitants and the dangerous feud between an enigmatic farmer and a powerful clan that has no use for outsiders.

This book is beautifully written and so creepy.  The main character is well developed and the details - distance swimming, bird watching - are both fascinating and integral to moving the story along.  Only problem is -- I'm not entirely sure I know what happened at the end.

Grave Goods, Franklin

When a fire at Glastonbury Abbey reveals two skeletons, rumor has it they may belong to King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. King Henry II hopes so, for it would help him put down a rebellion in Wales, where the legend of Celtic savior Arthur is strong. To make certain, he sends Adelia Aguilar, his Mistress of the Art of Death, to Glastonbury to examine the skeletons.

At the same time, the investigation into the abbey fire will be overseen by the Bishop of St. Albans, father of Adelia's daughter. Trouble is, someone at Glastonbury doesn't want either mystery solved, and is prepared to kill to prevent it...

I've been back and forth with whether I liked this series, and this is by far the best, I really enjoyed it. 

[Igraine]

I have been extremely busy as of late, but I am back to reading for pleasure again.

42) The Enthusiast by Charlie Haas

"Henry Bay has his own America going. If there's an offbeat interest or extreme sport that's poised to sweep the nation, chances are there's a magazine for its enthusiasts, and chances are also good that Henry has worked there. He's a modern nomad, associate-editing his way from state to state, exploring the small worlds that make up modern America from "Spelunk to Ice Climbing, to Cozy, The Magazine of Tea."

But those are other people's interests--Henry's still looking for his own enthusiasm. He ends up finding more than he ever imagined in this energetic, hilarious debut novel from a surprising and promising new voice."

 

I enjoyed this book. It was not too heavy or too light. It was very funny at times and tender at others. A good book to get me back to reading for joy.

[mrsmischief]

48. What Went Wrong?: The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East by Bernard Lewis

49. Exploring the Geology of the Carolinas by Kevin G Stewart

[pokeyAC]

1. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

2. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

3. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

4. Most Talkative by Andy Cohen

5. You're Not Doing it Right by Michael Ian Black

6. Sleepwalk with Me by Mike Birbiglia

7. Stop Dressing Your Six-year-old Like a Skank by Celia Rivenbark

8. Does this Baby Make me Look Straight by Dan Bucatinsky

9. Divergent by Veronica Roth

10. Insurgent by Veronica Roth  This is a great series.  The third book is not out yet.

11. Let's Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

12. Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster

13. Why be Happy When you Could be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson

14. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin  This was really disappointing, not as interesting as I thought it would be.

15. My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster

16. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

17. Beyond the Sling by Mayin Bialik

18. Lit by Mary Karr  I highly recommend this book.  It was wonderful.  Her other memoirs are great too.

19. Where's my F*cking Latte - not really worth typing out the author's name

20. My Booky Wook 2 by Russell Brand

21. My Booky Wook by Russell Brand

22. The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson

23. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

24. The Sookie Stackhouse Companion by Charlaine Harris

25. Bossypants by Tina Fey

I generally enjoy reading non-fiction especially memoirs by funny people with odd lives.  I don't read a whole lot of fiction and what I do is mostly science fiction or a type of fantasy, hence the Sookie Stackhouse books.

[Igraine]

@ pokeyAC...

I am on a non-fiction kick myself.

How was #22 The Psychopath Test? Oh my and #7 looks very interesting!

[pokeyAC]

The Psychopath Test was really interesting.  The same author has another book that's good, it's about extremists.  I think it is called Them.  #7 was disappointing.  She has a series of memoirs.  I didn't find it that funny or interesting unfortunately.  She came up on Amazon because I like Jen Lancaster, but I think Lancaster's books are much funnier.

[Igraine]

43) Dancing Dogs: Stories by Jon Katz

A group of short stories about humans and their canine (and one feline for good measure) friends. I enjoy how Jon writes. I enjoyed the stories which ranged from tear-jerkers to laugh out loud moments.

[zebra15]

AC- just ordered #7 from the library - thanks!!

[zebra15]

January

1. Skipped Parts - Tim Sandlin  (Nook)

2. The Mill River Recluse - Darcie Chan (Nook)

3. I Used to Know That - Caroline Taggart (Nook)

4. Mom Still Likes You Best (audio book) - Jane Isay (Library)

5. The Snow Angel - Glenn Beck  (Library)

6. Hurricanes in Paradise - Denise Hildreth (Nook)

February

7. I Didn't Ask to Be Born - Bill Cosby (Library)

8. From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler (DS Copy)

9. House Rules - Rachel Sontag (Library)

10. On a Dollar a Day - Christopher Greenslate (Library)

11. Ella Enchanted - Gail Levine (Library)

12. House of Secrets - Tracie Peterson (Library) 

April

13. Victims - Jonathan Kellerman (Library)

June (no May, not much in April)

14. These Things Hidden - Heather Gudenkauf (library)

15. The Weight of Silence - Heather Gudenkauf (library)

16. The Help - Kathryn Stockett (library)

17. Live Wire - Harlan Coben (my copy) - this maybe titled something else as it's the canadian edition from a second hand shoppe

18. Sickened - Julie Gregory (library)

19. Maine -  J. Courtney Sullivan (library)

July

20. Who Do You Think You Are? - Alyse Myers (library)

21. One Breath Away - Heather Gudenkauf (library)

22. Swallow The Ocean- Laura Flynn (library)

23. Dead Reckoning - Linda Castillo (library)

24 Corpse on the Cob - Sue Jaffarian (library)

August

25. Come Home- Lisa Scottoline (library)

26. Save Me- Lisa Scottoline (my copy) second hand shoppe

September

27. Too Big To Miss - Sue Jaffarian (library)

28. The Curse of the Holy Pail - Sue Jaffarian (library)

29. The Last Lie - Stephen White (library)

30. Trust Your Eyes - Linwood Barclay (library)

October

31. Line of Fire - Stephen White (library)

32. Terrified - Kevin O'brien (Library)

33.

34.

35

[kofduke]

Bird Cloud, Proulx

Quote:

“Bird Cloud” is the name Annie Proulx gave to 640 acres of Wyoming wetlands and prairie and four-hundred-foot cliffs plunging down to the North Platte River. On the day she first visited, a cloud in the shape of a bird hung in the evening sky. Proulx also saw pelicans, bald eagles, golden eagles, great blue herons, ravens, scores of bluebirds, harriers, kestrels, elk, deer and a dozen antelope. She fell in love with the land, then owned by the Nature Conservancy, and she knew what she wanted to build on it—a house in harmony with her work, her appetites and her character, a library surrounded by bedrooms and a kitchen.

Proulx’s first work of nonfiction in more than twenty years, Bird Cloud is the story of designing and constructing that house—with its solar panels, Japanese soak tub, concrete floor and elk horn handles on kitchen cabinets. It is also an enthralling natural history and archaeology of the region—inhabited for millennia by Ute, Arapaho and Shoshone Indians— and a family history, going back to nineteenth-century Mississippi riverboat captains and Canadian settlers.

I thought this was okay...some of it was a lot of complaining about things most people would love to complain about.  I also think it must be difficult to have a house listed on the market for 2.6 mil when you've written a whole book about its problems...

http://fayranches.com/ranches-for-sale/wyoming/bird-cloud-ranch

the library, kitchen, and soak tub do look utterly amazing...

Running the Rift, Benaron

Running the Rift follows the progress of Jean Patrick Nkuba from the day he knows that running will be his life to the moment he must run to save his life. A naturally gifted athlete, he sprints over the thousand hills of Rwanda and dreams of becoming his country’s first Olympic medal winner in track. But Jean Patrick is a Tutsi in a world that has become increasingly restrictive and violent for his people. As tensions mount between the Hutu and Tutsi, he holds fast to his dream that running might deliver him, and his people, from the brutality around them.

Amazing book about a tutsi runner hoping for the olympics during the time of the rwandan civil war.

[nyssaneala]

Originally Posted by kofduke 

The Flame Alphabet, Marcus

The premise for this one is so fascinating to me, but I felt something was lacking in the execution...the book felt like it was trying so hard to be literary that the characters and plot got a little lost to me.

My book club read this in Sept, and I decided to skip that month, after seeing all the negative reviews. Plus, I had just entered Outlander world, and wasn't ready to take a break from those books yet!

Originally Posted by kofduke 

Running the Rift, Benaron

Amazing book about a tutsi runner hoping for the olympics during the time of the rwandan civil war.

This sounds like a great book! I work in the refugee resettlement world, and am always looking for uplifting stories that come out of conflict and war. Did you hear about the Sudanese refugee that ran in the London Olympics marathon this year? Also, if you google "Abebe Fekadu", he is a friend/former client of mine who has now been to two Paralympics. 

Originally Posted by pokeyAC 

1. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

2. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

3. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

4. Most Talkative by Andy Cohen

5. You're Not Doing it Right by Michael Ian Black

6. Sleepwalk with Me by Mike Birbiglia

7. Stop Dressing Your Six-year-old Like a Skank by Celia Rivenbark

8. Does this Baby Make me Look Straight by Dan Bucatinsky

9. Divergent by Veronica Roth

10. Insurgent by Veronica Roth  This is a great series.  The third book is not out yet.

11. Let's Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

12. Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster

13. Why be Happy When you Could be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson

14. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin  This was really disappointing, not as interesting as I thought it would be.

15. My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster

16. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

17. Beyond the Sling by Mayin Bialik

18. Lit by Mary Karr  I highly recommend this book.  It was wonderful.  Her other memoirs are great too.

19. Where's my F*cking Latte - not really worth typing out the author's name

20. My Booky Wook 2 by Russell Brand

21. My Booky Wook by Russell Brand

22. The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson

23. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

24. The Sookie Stackhouse Companion by Charlaine Harris

25. Bossypants by Tina Fey

I generally enjoy reading non-fiction especially memoirs by funny people with odd lives.  I don't read a whole lot of fiction and what I do is mostly science fiction or a type of fantasy, hence the Sookie Stackhouse books.

There are a lot of interesting books on your reading list! How was "Where's My F*cking Latte?"? 

[nyssaneala]

September was an incredibly busy month, so I was only able to finish one book. I didn't realize beforehand just how huge DG's books are!

August

23. Chronicle of a Death Foretold - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

24. Abarat - Clive Barker (re-read)

25. Days of Magic, Nights of War - Clive Barker 

26. Absolute Midnight - Clive Barker

27. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon

September

28. Dragonfly in Amber - Diana Gabaldon

October

29. Voyager - Diana Gabaldon

Currently reading The Origins of Humankind by Richard Leakey, but had to take a break from it to start Cutting for Stone for my book club. I'm hoping the next book in the Outlander series comes in from the library soon!

[pokeyAC]

nyssaneala - Where's my F*cking Latte was a quick read about assistants in showbiz.  It wasn't quite as scandalous as I thought it would be, but it was a fun read.

[Igraine]

44) The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson

This was a great book! Interesting, funny and very thought provoking...especially since I work in mental health. Thanks for the recommendation pokeyAC!

[kofduke]

Cypress House, Kortya

Arlen Wagner has seen it in men before-a trace of smoke in their eyes that promises imminent death. He is never wrong.

So when he awakens on a train one hot Florida night and sees death's telltale sign in the eyes of his fellow passengers, he abandons the train with 19-year-old Paul Brickhill. Soon, they stranded at the Cypress House-directly in the path of a hurricane. There are much deadlier threats than the storm in this place, and Arlen's eerie gift warns that they'll never leave. From its chilling beginning to terrifying end, The Cypress House is a story of relentless suspense from "one of the best of the best" (Michael Connelly).

 

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I really liked this spooky historical tale.  Interesting as there were paranormal elements, however the threat never came from them...the threats were all human.

A Murderous Procession, Franklin

In 1176, King Henry II sends his daughter Joanna to Palermo to marry his cousin, the king of Sicily. Henry chooses Adelia Aguilar to travel with the princess and safeguard her health. But when people in the wedding procession are murdered, Adelia and Rowley must discover the killer's identity, and whether he is stalking the princess or Adelia herself.

 

Really enjoyed this one...the continuing development of the relationship between Adelia and Rowley, the twist with the Cathars, the relationship between Adelia and the church.  It would have set up such an interesting conclusion as they had returned to england, however sadly I believe this is the last book written in the series as the author passed away.

[pokeyAC]

Originally Posted by Igraine 

44) The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson

This was a great book! Interesting, funny and very thought provoking...especially since I work in mental health. Thanks for the recommendation pokeyAC!

I'm so glad you enjoyed it!  He is a pretty funny writer.

[Igraine]

45) Ender's Game Orson Scott Card. I read this years ago. I know a movie is being made so my dh bought it as a read aloud with the kids. There is a fair amount of swearing in this book so I had to censor it. There also is a lot of violence that I forgot about which led me to stop it as a read aloud. I finished it on my own.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/375802.Ender_s_Game