2013 BOOK CHALLENGE! Are you in?

[threeboysmom]

Originally Posted by paulasillars

I have finished the 6 Mercy Thompson books I have by Patricia Briggs - I think she's done her dash on those but I understand there is a 7th book. I thought they were ok - easy reading but I wouldn't recommend anyone going out of their way to read them.

The Werewolves were a bunch of male chauvenists in this series and drove me nuts. I must prefer the Sookie Stackhouse books where at least the various supes treat her as an equal for the most part.

I think next up might be Life of Pi - haven't fully decided that yet.

Its rated 4.2/5 on Amazon but not sure its really my cup of tea?

"The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes.

The ship sinks. Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow him to coexist with Richard Parker for 227 days while lost at sea. When they finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the jungle, never to be seen again. The Japanese authorities who interrogate Pi refuse to believe his story and press him to tell them "the truth." After hours of coercion, Pi tells a second story, a story much less fantastical, much more conventional--but is it more true?"

Yes yes yes!! This is one of my favorite books!

I was so skeptical when I first picked it up. How good can a book about a boy and a tiger stuck on a boat actually be??? LOL! I literally couldn't put it down!

The beginning is slow, but once he's in the boat, it's captivating! Months later, I'm still thinking about that book and what it means.

[threeboysmom]

Originally Posted by zippitydoo

you forgot about me

goal is 30

book #3 The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Welcome!!

Adding you now!

[nemofans]

I can see how Under the Dome would be good for a tv series. The whole idea of how a town can survive in a major catastrophe & the battle between greedy, evil people and good, normal people. I would watch it. There are a couple things I don't think they will be showing though that are not appropriate for tv.

[willowsnn3]

Originally Posted by kimblebee

Goal 50


#4 Defending Jacob

Hmmm, what to say about this book? Personally I didn't think it was a page turner until the final 100 pages or so. To me, a few things were just too convenient and not really believable. I don't want to say too much and I HATE when people do this but O.M.G the ending. Totally left me wanting more. Good read so I'll give it a 3.75/5 (is that even allowed LOL)

Next up is Life of Pi

Defending Jacob is on my list. My local library didn't have it on the shelf (and I have to read some of the others I have on hold before I request that one) so I checked out an earlier novel by the same author. Mission Flats....so far it is holding my interest.

[willowsnn3]

Originally Posted by threeboysmom

Yes yes yes!! This is one of my favorite books!

I was so skeptical when I first picked it up. How good can a book about a boy and a tiger stuck on a boat actually be??? LOL! I literally couldn't put it down!

The beginning is slow, but once he's in the boat, it's captivating! Months later, I'm still thinking about that book and what it means.

Oh, great. Another one for my list

[wvjules]

Finished #5. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover.

It was a teen-romance with some dark stuff thrown in. I enjoyed it enough that I read it in two days. (It was supposed to be my lake weekend book but once I started I coudln't put it down.) It has a couple of twists in it. One I definately wasn't expecting.

I'd give it a 3.75 out of 5.

Now i need to find something to read this weekend....

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Light Between the Oceans, or The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I need something that doesn't require a lot of full-time concentration since the whole family will be there.

[threeboysmom]

Originally Posted by wvjules

Finished #5. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover.

It was a teen-romance with some dark stuff thrown in. I enjoyed it enough that I read it in two days. (It was supposed to be my lake weekend book but once I started I coudln't put it down.) It has a couple of twists in it. One I definately wasn't expecting.

I'd give it a 3.75 out of 5.

Now i need to find something to read this weekend....

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Light Between the Oceans, or The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I need something that doesn't require a lot of full-time concentration since the whole family will be there.

We must have similar tastes. I have Hopeless in my "top 10" on my to-read list based on its reviews... but gosh, it's a teen romance??? How did I not know that? LOL!

I'm also waiting to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and The Light Between the Oceans. Guess I need to look up that Wallflower book too bc chances are that it'll turn out to be something I'm interested in!

After the weekend, you need to get back to Les Miserables!

[willowsnn3]

Looking back I think I either left out a book or numbered incorrectly. Mine so far should be:

Goal 72
#1 Light Between the Oceans--no star
#2 The Giver---5 stars
#3 Age of Miracles---1 star
#4 Wild---5 stars
#5 Gathering Blue---5 stars
#6 This Is How You Lose Her---0 star

Now maybe I can keep them straight

[CharityLynn]

Ok my goal was 30..I am down to 28 after my last post.

I finished Candle Bay by Tamara Thorne...the book was meh. It was about a hotel run by a hidden vampire family. Not very good at all.

Also finished Daimon (The prequel to Half-Blood) by Jennifer Armentrout.

This is description for it:
For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals—pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she’d been trained to fiulfll as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she’s pretty much accepted that she’s a freak by mortal standards… and that she’ll never be prepared for that duty.

According to her mother, that’s a good thing.

But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return—the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death… because she’s being hunted by the very creatures she’d once trained to kill.

The daimons have found her.

I really enjoyed it and I am now nearly done with Half Blood. It's a Young Adult series, but I found it enjoyable. I have boook 3 on hold at the library and will probably pick it up tomorrow.

So I am down to 26 books

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I'm pretty intrigued by Under the Dome now. I might have to add that one to my list.

[CharityLynn]

I loved Under the Dome until the end. I HATED the end and almost regretted reading the entire book (And its a big one)

[kimblebee]

I will be the Debbie Downer to Under The Dome. I LOVE Stephen King and have read most everything he's written. That being said I had a real problem getting into the book and staying interested. I know he likes to have a lot of details and a lot of characters but to me this book had too many characters. It didn't help that I would read a few chapters and then put the book down for a month but I had a hard time keeping everyone straight. I thought it was worth it in the end but I would only give it a 3.5/5. Hope that helps to have a different opinion.

[PigletsPal2]

Originally Posted by DisneyWalle

#2 Completed: The Devil in the White City
Goal: 28 of 30 remaining

Its a true story about the World's Fair in 1893 and a serial killer who used the fair to lure women to his hotel. I found the book to be very good -- it moved fast and was very interesting.

Next book: Shroud for a Nightingale by P.D. James

I've gotten so many good leads from this thread! I feel like I have to put in my two cents worth with recommendations.

Erik Larsen also wrote Thunderstruck, the true story of how Marconi's newly-invented telegraph is instrumental in capturing the notorious British wife-killer, Hawley Crippen.

He also wrote In The Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin. The American family just happens to be the family of the US Ambassador to Germany.

Both are fascinating books. Larsen's attention to detail and his through research are unmatched in my view. Enjoy!

Queen Colleen

[Christine]

Originally Posted by kimblebee

I will be the Debbie Downer to Under The Dome. I LOVE Stephen King and have read most everything he's written. That being said I had a real problem getting into the book and staying interested. I know he likes to have a lot of details and a lot of characters but to me this book had too many characters. It didn't help that I would read a few chapters and then put the book down for a month but I had a hard time keeping everyone straight. I thought it was worth it in the end but I would only give it a 3.5/5. Hope that helps to have a different opinion.

I think you are spot-on in your assessment. Stephen King is a great writer but the endings to his recent books have been hit or miss. I read Under The Dome a few years ago and was mildy entertained by it. It did have a lot of characters and details but I was ago with that. I do remember, that after all that detail and all that writing and all that investment, the ending fell flat.

And honestly, as one poster way upthread commented, it was eerily like that darned Simpson's movie!!!

I put off reading King's 11/22/63 because of my recent disappointments with King but, I have to say, he did a superb job on that book.

[K and K's Mommy]

I just finished #3. I didn't plan on reading it, but my DD 11 started it, and it was my favorite book when I was her age - Anne of Green Gables. Loved it as much as I did when I was 11.

I put Defending Jacob on hold at the library.

I have Les Mis here to read, but I don't think I want to start it before Defending Jacob. I have a couple of paperbacks I haven't read yet. I'll decide on one of those.