2013 BOOK CHALLENGE! Are you in?

[Swimnoid]

Goal 50

#16 The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

I really want to give this book 0/5 because I HATED the ending. But, it was well written and really interesting to see things from another perspective. The story is told from the point of view of a 9 year old boy on the 'good' side of the fence. The boy is naive about things and this comes across in the writing. For example, he can't pronounce where he lives so it is just refered to as Out-With. It did take me a while to catch onto what he meant, and once I did I was like, oh man he lives by the concentration camp. I don't want to give anything away so I will only say again I HATED the ending. My daughter hasn't read the book but knows what happens so we are going to watch the movie on Netflix tomorrow night. To be fair, I will give this book 3.75/5

Not sure what is next. I just got Netflix so I am a little distracted by it LOL

Let us know how you compare the book to the movie. This is on my list but I'm not sure I want to read it since I saw the movie. I think it would be too painful.

 

[Ginny Favers]

Let us know how you compare the book to the movie. This is on my list but I'm not sure I want to read it since I saw the movie. I think it would be too painful.

Yeah, the movie just about killed me and any interest I had in reading the book. So sad.

 

[BearcatsFan]

I completely forgot about this thread! I had to go back and check my Kindle archive to get my total - I'm up to 8/30 for the year.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Finished a whisper and a wish book description coming

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

A whisper and a wish what amazon has to,say about it.

Book Description
Publication Date: September 1998
Christy Miller is convinced dreams do come true! What other explanation could there be for her family's sudden decision to move from Wisconsin to California? But Christy soon learns there's another side to this new life, which leads her to - A Whisper and a Wish

Fifteen-year-old Christy is thrilled that her family is moving to California! She'll be right back at the beach with all her friends from last summer. But her dreams of a beach reunion are dashed when she learns her family will be living in an obscure town farther inland. Christy has to start all over again, meeting new friends and trying to fit in.

At first, things seem to be going well. She is accepted by a group of popular girls, which launches her social life, and one of the most gorgeous guys at school seems interested in her. But while her new friends are fun, some of them are facing problems that Christy doesn't know how to deal with including a run-in with the police. As disappointments grow and things spin out of control, will Christy turn to God for help? Will her dreams and wishes come true?


Get acquainted with Christy's friend Sierra by reading all twelve books in the SIERRA JENSEN SERIES, also by Robin Jones Gunn.

Now on to yours for ever book 5, maybe I should go back to 12 books as my goal

 

[PigletsPal2]

Goal: 52 books this year

#15 down and done.

Proof of Guilt by Charles Todd. London, summer 1920. An unidentified body appears to have been run down by a motorcar and Inspector Ian Rutledge is leading the investigation to discover what happened. While the signs point to murder, vital questions remain: Who is the victim, and where exactly was he killed?

This was one of the most convoluted murder plots I have ever read in 50 years of reading mysteries! I'm still not sure I understand how Rutledge discovered who was the murderer. And the person I was sure was a baddie had nothing to do with it! In my admittedly weak defense, it took me more than two weeks to finish the book, and I had to check back often to see who was who.

Todd (who is really a mother/son writing team) writes extremely well, and I always look forward to his (their) latest book. I may re-read this one in a month or two and try to follow the story more closely.


Queen Colleen

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Goal: 52 books this year

#15 down and done.

Proof of Guilt by Charles Todd. London, summer 1920. An unidentified body appears to have been run down by a motorcar and Inspector Ian Rutledge is leading the investigation to discover what happened. While the signs point to murder, vital questions remain: Who is the victim, and where exactly was he killed?

This was one of the most convoluted murder plots I have ever read in 50 years of reading mysteries! I'm still not sure I understand how Rutledge discovered who was the murderer. And the person I was sure was a baddie had nothing to do with it! In my admittedly weak defense, it took me more than two weeks to finish the book, and I had to check back often to see who was who.

Todd (who is really a mother/son writing team) writes extremely well, and I always look forward to his (their) latest book. I may re-read this one in a month or two and try to follow the story more closely.

Queen Colleen

How do you read so fast?

 

[PigletsPal2]

How do you read so fast?

Haha! I'm retired, I have wonderful daughters who do most of my household chores for me, leaving me a lot of time to read, and I learned speed-reading in junior high (middle) school.

Reading for pleasure was greatly encouraged in my family and I've passed on that love to my daughters; if the morning paper was late, they'd read the back of the cereal boxes on the table. I think a love of reading is one of the greatest gifts you can give a child.

Queen Colleen

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Haha! I'm retired, I have wonderful daughters who do most of my household chores for me, leaving me a lot of time to read, and I learned speed-reading in junior high (middle) school.

Reading for pleasure was greatly encouraged in my family and I've passed on that love to my daughters; if the morning paper was late, they'd read the back of the cereal boxes on the table. I think a love of reading is one of the greatest gifts you can give a child.

Queen Colleen

Agree plus it helps if you are in the book

 

[WowLookAtThat]

Book #15 Royal Affairs by Leslie Carroll

I am a huge fan of history books. I have biographies of Marie Antoinette, Cleopatra and more on my bookshelves so the Carroll book seemed perfect. Royal Affairs shows how the term sex and power have gone hand in hand for years and how royalty have often stepped out and the impact it made, for instance the love affair between Wallis Simpson and King Edward was huge and he had abdicated his title to marry her. It is that decision that led his younger brother, King George VI to have the title and now his daughter, Queen Elizabeth is the ruling monarch. Another example is King Henry VIII...and I don't think that needs explanation.

The book goes more into a king or queen having an affair but explains the life of the lover. For instance, while most of Charles II of England had mistresses who were high born, Nell Gywnn was not and her candor made her a folk legend. It is easy to lambast the monarchs for cheating on their spouse but one has to remember that most of the royal marriages long past were arranged and the couple may not have even liked one another. The more sad stories are the ones where the spouse actually loved the cheater (and in some cases vice versa) but put up with the philandering (there ARE some exceptions).
Royal Affairs is an interesting read that is both fun and informative. The author has a way of narrating each scandal that makes Royal Affairs read like a tawdry novel than a historical non-fiction.

I totally suggest it. I got three more of her books at a sale but I am going to start on Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan for right now.

 

[Christine]

I *think* I just completed #7 (I'm losing track). It was Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella. I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.

This was my first-ever Kinsella book and I was very disappointed.

The story is about a woman who experience amnesia after an accident and forgets the last three years of her life. She has better hair, better teeth, a better body, and she's rich and she doesn't know how it happened.

I think the story line/plot itself had some promise but the author did a terrible job of explaining the rift between the main character and her old friends. She left a LOT out about what happened in those three years. And in the end, the main character didn't really get her memory back but appeared to be on her way.

I don't know--it seemed like a half finished novel to me.

Occasionally, I need some "fluff" and I was hoping this would be it. I have to say, I prefer Nora Roberts for fluff. I have also read Jill Mansell books, which are often compared to Sophia Kinsella, and Jill does a GREAT job with fluff!!!

Maybe I just read the wrong book?

 

[StephMK]

I finished book #10 last weekend. It's been sitting on my Kindle for a year and I think someone here mentioned that they read it? I'm not sure what made me read it finally.

The Secret Keeper - there was some religion in it but not overwhelming. The main character curses & is far from perfect so I liked that aspect. Definitely a fluff book, some parts were predictable but it was cute and held my attention. I LOL and cried during it in parts and will probably rent the next book through Prime in March.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I *think* I just completed #7 (I'm losing track). It was Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella. I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.

This was my first-ever Kinsella book and I was very disappointed.

The story is about a woman who experience amnesia after an accident and forgets the last three years of her life. She has better hair, better teeth, a better body, and she's rich and she doesn't know how it happened.

I think the story line/plot itself had some promise but the author did a terrible job of explaining the rift between the main character and her old friends. She left a LOT out about what happened in those three years. And in the end, the main character didn't really get her memory back but appeared to be on her way.

I don't know--it seemed like a half finished novel to me.

Occasionally, I need some "fluff" and I was hoping this would be it. I have to say, I prefer Nora Roberts for fluff. I have also read Jill Mansell books, which are often compared to Sophia Kinsella, and Jill does a GREAT job with fluff!!!

Maybe I just read the wrong book?

I think you read the wrong Sophie Kinsella book. I've read lots of her books, and "Remember Me" was my least favorite. I'll have to check out Jill Mansell.

 

[Kathi OD]

Finished books 3 and 4; "Sense of an Ending" and "The Giraffe, the Pelly, and Me."

"Sense of an Ending" was not as good as it's reviews. I was terribly disappointed.

I read "The Giraffe, the Pelly, and Me" to my class of multiply-disabled high schoolers. I have found that they Roald Dahl's silliness, and that silliness helps them to remember characters and setting. It also helps them to remember the sequence of events.

I think I'll read John Grisham's "Calico Joe" next. My class will be reading "Bunnicula - A Rabbit Tale of Mystery" by Deborah and James Howe.

 

[Glynis]

Goal - 50 books

Book #20 - "Snow Whyte and the Queen of Mayhem" by Melissa Lemon

This Young Adult book retells the story of Snow White. Perhaps the most interesting part about the book is that it is the sorcerer trapped inside the queen's mirror that tells us the story. He is able to watch the young princess grow up and reports what he sees.

All in all, I didn't love this book. I didn't hate it, either. It was just "meh". I found that the writing was really inconsistent, and sometimes downright patronizing. I don't appreciate that! I would recommend this for Middle School aged girls, but not sure anyone older than that would enjoy it.

Next up: "Sapphire Blue" by Kerstin Gier. This is the second in a trilogy, and I'm enjoying it so far!

 

[Ginny Favers]

Book #11 of 50: The Bucolic Plague:

Michael Perry (Coop, Truck: A Love Story) meets David Sedaris (Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim) in this follow-up to Josh Kilmer-Purcell’s beloved New York Times bestselling debut memoir, I Am Not Myself These Days—another riotous, moving, and entirely unique story of his attempt to tackle the next phase of life with his partner… on a goat farm in upstate New York.

This was a pretty funny memoir about two Manhattanites becoming gentleman farmers-- I've always had the idea in the back of my mind of getting away from the rat-race and owning a farm, so I found this very interesting.

 

[Angiea1114]

Goal 15

#4. Ring of Lies by Victoria Howard

A quick read involving romance, crime and mystery. Gave this 4.5/5, just because it was too easy to figure some of the events that would happen at the end.

Still trying to figure out #5

 

[dizluvah]

Book 24 finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Stieg Larrson

This is the third in the trilogy and i did not enjoy it - I was excited to read it to find out all Salander's secrets and have things from the first two books explained but overall I was disappointed. This book had way to much background information about the Swedish security police and I found it a chore to slog through. I gave it 2 stars (I loved the first book - gave it 4 stars)

Next up for me: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

 

[nemofans]

Finished book #12- The Warlock: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott

This is book 5 of the series. This one is more preparation for the big battle in the final book.

Next is the final book of this series - The Enchantress

 

[Caseheidi]

Book 11 of 100

J.D. Robb's Calculated in Death (#36 In Death series)

From Good Reads:
On Manhattan's Upper East Side a woman lies dead at the bottom of the stairs, stripped of all her valuables. Most cops might call it a mugging gone wrong, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows better.

A well-off accountant and a beloved wife and mother, Marta Dickenson doesn't seem the type to be on anyone's hit list. But when Eve and her partner, Peabody, find blood inside the building, the lieutenant knows Marta's murder was the work of a killer who's trained, but not professional or smart enough to remove all the evidence.

But when someone steals the files out of Marta's office, Eve must immerse herself in her billionaire husband Roarke's world of big business to figure out who's cruel and callous enough to hire a hit on an innocent woman. And as the killer's violent streak begins to escalate, Eve knows she has to draw him out, even if it means using herself as bait. . .

This is one of the series that I can't wait for the next book. As how this book was, it was good, but not one of the best in the series. What I love about this write (Nora Roberts) is that she does such a good job developing the relationships. Over the course of the series, Eve Dallas has gone from being a grumpy loner to having a world filled with loved ones. We have watched her grow and discover family. I enjoyed this book, and it kept me wanting to read.