2013 BOOK CHALLENGE! Are you in?

[Christine]

This may be a little off topic, but a conversation with my daughter last night got me thinking about this thread and how lucky I am.

Her English/History teacher has been listening to students whine about having to read "The Great Gatsby" and "Farenheit 451", and yesterday kind of got fed up. She asked the class to raise their hands if they've read a book (cover to cover) in the last year. Most of the class raised their hands, but the majority confessed that they were only reading the books because they were assigned for class. The next question was, how many had read a book in the last year for fun. Half the hands went down. How many had read a book in the last month for fun. Half of the remaining hands went down. How many had read a book in the last week for fun. By this point, only a couple of hands were up; my daughter's and maybe 2 other. Last question, how many are reading a book today, for fun. My daughter was the only one with her hand up.

As she lowered her hand, she heard one of the kids in the class whisper under his breath, "Nerd." She turned to him and said, "Yup. And proud of it!"

While I'm proud that my daughter enjoys reading, and stands up for herself, I'm saddened that so many kids aren't reading anymore. We live in a well to do area, where there are many libraries and book stores, so it's not like there aren't books available. I just don't understand it!

I'm so thankful for this thread, because it gives me hope to see so many people reading, and sharing what they've read!

I don't know what the cause of this is, but I have my suspicions. I am an avid reader. Neither one of my kids (ages 21 and 18) are. It saddens me. Both read well. I always thought their dislike of pleasure reading started in elementary school when the schools started in with all that "Advanced Reader" AR system where they had to rack up points and read at certain levels on their own time. They were still forced. My kids hated it. Prior that, we always read together and they always enjoyed going to library and getting books for themselves. Then AR kicked in (probably around 3rd grade) and the drudgery started. Now they associated reading with "school work" or a task rather than the pleasure it should be.

 

[nhrenee]

Zoo by James Patterson. This was a great book!! It's extremely intense and gripping from page 1. Have to say I didn't really care for the ending. It will make you think. It's basically about animals going insane and practically taking over the world. The way it was written makes me think it could happen in the real world!

Is there animal abuse in the book? I can't read anything with too much of that in it.

 

[BearcatsFan]

24/50 - Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

I started this yesterday afternoon and just finished it. It was really good. Again, didn't see the ending coming - this author is good with plot twists. Another very dark storyline, but I enjoyed it. It's time for something a little lighter for me, though.

4/5 stars

If I had to rank all the books by Gillian Flynn, I'd rank Dark Places first, then Gone Girl, and finally Sharp Objects.

Next Up: A Bend in the Road by Nicholas Sparks

 

[dolphinrescuegirl]

Is there animal abuse in the book? I can't read anything with too much of that in it.

No animal abuse. More like people abuse by the animals.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

23/50 - Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn




I gave up on Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I just couldn't get into it.

That is one of the few books I have abandoned.

 

[BearcatsFan]

That is one of the few books I have abandoned.

Which one - Midnight or Sharp Objects?

 

[CaliBear]

Book 10/40-I don't think I'm going to meet my goal at this rate, but I'll keep trying

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

From Amazon:

Young Fitz is the ******* son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated like an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him sectetly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill--and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family. As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.

I loved this book. My first 5 star read of the year. Waiting for the second in the trilogy to come in.

edit: One of the words in my c and p fom Amazon was censored. I didn't know we couldn't use that word. I'm sorry.

 

[Stefjp]

Book 10/40-I don't think I'm going to meet my goal at this rate, but I'll keep trying

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

From Amazon:

I loved this book. My first 5 star read of the year. Waiting for the second in the trilogy to come in.

edit: One of the words in my c and p fom Amazon was censored. I didn't know we couldn't use that word. I'm sorry.

Omg I have read this trilogy about 3 times, most recently at the start of this year. I love it so much!

I don't think ill meet my target this year. I just started book 1 of the Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. There's 14 in the series but I've never made it past book 5 as I get distracted and start something else then forget what's happening so have to start again!

Really hope you enjoy the Farseer Trilogy

 

[RunningGirl]

#28 - The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (YA book). I stopped reading another book when this one came up from the library.

Here's the description:

Spellbinding, haunting, The Age of Miracles is a beautiful novel of catastrophe and survival, growth and change, the story of Julia and her family as they struggle to live in an extraordinary time. On an ordinary Saturday, Julia awakes to discover that something has happened to the rotation of the earth. The days and nights are growing longer and longer, gravity is affected, the birds, the tides, human behavior and cosmic rhythms are thrown into disarray. In a world of danger and loss, Julia faces surprising developments in herself, and her personal worlddivisions widening between her parents, strange behavior by Hannah and other friends, the vulnerability of first love, a sense of isolation, and a rebellious new strength. With crystalline prose and the indelible magic of a born storyteller, Karen Thompson Walker gives us a breathtaking story of people finding ways to go on, in an ever-evolving world.

This was a book that got my expectations up high early on, but never really met them. It was good, but not a "must read" for me.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Thank you for the early bday gift I am working on being less of a drama queen but I started this tread to see if you would pick a different place to eat becuse I am considering it.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

#8
The Murder of My Aunt.
I never heard of the book before, but one of the people helping with editiing sugested reading it.
It is a really funny, dark and well written first person book. None of the characters are likeable but I enjoyed the book. The ending was amazing. It was written in the 30's and it seems like it definitely influenced many books after it.

 

[WowLookAtThat]

Book #40 A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

Review: Ralph Truitt sends a notice in the newspaper for a modest wife. Catherine Land answers it and he chooses her. However, once she arrives he discovers that the woman he thought was a modest wife is more complex, manipulative and cunning than he thought. The story unfolds as the life story of Ralph, Catherine and later Ralph's son by his first wife, Antonio is told and deceptions are uncovered.

On one hand I feel that this book's prose is strange, sometimes the dialogue is wooden and the plot is a little unbelievable. However, I found the descriptions to be intriguing. This is no thriller or love story but something strange. It also appears that all of the characters are not innocent about their lives and they know the awful things they have done in the past and present.

 

[CaliBear]

Omg I have read this trilogy about 3 times, most recently at the start of this year. I love it so much!

I don't think ill meet my target this year. I just started book 1 of the Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. There's 14 in the series but I've never made it past book 5 as I get distracted and start something else then forget what's happening so have to start again!

Really hope you enjoy the Farseer Trilogy

Thanks! I may try out the Wheel of Time books eventually, but I'd probably want to read them all in a row as well. I'm actually reading a non-fiction book while I wait for the second Farseer book because I'd like to stay immersed in that fiction world until I complete the trilogy.

 

[GILL635]

Thanks-I just added the "I heart" books to my to-read shelf. As soon as I read that they're for fans of Sophie Kinsella, that's for me! But tell me honestly, did you find the book to be similar to Sophie Kinsella? She's my favorite author. But not far behind is Laura Levine, of the cozy mystery genre. I just read "Killing Bridzilla" and enjoyed it. Funny, with eccentric parents and a typically stuck-up cat.

I'll be honest, I've not read as many Sophie Kinsellas as most, however I did really like them.

For me personally, I preferred Lindsay Kelk. I think her sense of humour is quite similar to mine. I do think though, that you reach a certain part of I Heart New York where Angela starts to come into her own as a woman, and it gets really good.

I love NY though, and would kill to get back there so that may have played a role.

Another one I like is Paige Toon. Her books are all linked, but you don't have to actually follow them in order if you don't want to


xx

 

[threeboysmom]

I think this is #18 out of 50 (can't see my signature to confirm, lol)

I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk

Being a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella, I did enjoy the humor and the writing style of this author. Most likely I will read the others in this series (and I didn't even know this was a series until I read some of your posts here on the DIS, lol).

However, I will be honest and say I didn't enjoy some of the subject matter. I'm certainly no prude, but I found it difficult to "like" the main character, Angela, when she was sleeping around with two men one right after the other. Little too much for old-fashioned me, lol.

The content makes it hard for me to 100% recommend, but if that's not an issue with you, you'll love this book. Like I said before, the author's style of writing & humor is very similar to Sophie Kinsella, and I most likely will read the others at some point.

For my next book, I just started Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, and let me just say, I'm thoroughly engrossed! The storyline is so... well... peculiar, lol... I just hope the author doesn't let me down in where he takes the story. It has so many possibilities right now!

And yes, it's YA which I didn't realize until I had already started it. I don't have a problem with YA novels at all. Just wanted to take a break from them and read some more in-depth books, but alas, I'm hooked now and can't wait to read more of this book!

 

[nemofans]

Finished book #30: Dark Passage- Kingdom Keepers book 6 by Ridley Pearson

This one takes place on the Disney Dream & is a little more violent. It looks like the next book (which won't be out til next spring) will take place at Disneyland.

The five Kingdom Keepers and their core friends have uncovered a startling truth: Maleficent and the Overtakers (Disney villains) are plotting a catastrophic event that could have repercussions far beyond the world of Disney.
Aboard the Disney Cruise Line's inaugural passage through the new Panama Canal, the Keepers and their holograms uncover a puzzle hidden within the pages of a stolen journal. The point of that puzzle will reveal itself in the caves of Aruba, the zip lines of Costa Rica, and the jungles of Mexico. A destructive force, dormant for decades, is about to be unleashed. The five Kingdom Keepers are to be its first victims.

Next book: The Maze Runner

 

[Simba's Mom]

I think this is #18 out of 50 (can't see my signature to confirm, lol)

I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk

Being a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella, I did enjoy the humor and the writing style of this author. Most likely I will read the others in this series (and I didn't even know this was a series until I read some of your posts here on the DIS, lol).

However, I will be honest and say I didn't enjoy some of the subject matter. I'm certainly no prude, but I found it difficult to "like" the main character, Angela, when she was sleeping around with two men one right after the other. Little too much for old-fashioned me, lol.

The content makes it hard for me to 100% recommend, but if that's not an issue with you, you'll love this book. Like I said before, the author's style of writing & humor is very similar to Sophie Kinsella, and I most likely will read the others at some point.

For my next book, I just started Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, and let me just say, I'm thoroughly engrossed! The storyline is so... well... peculiar, lol... I just hope the author doesn't let me down in where he takes the story. It has so many possibilities right now!

And yes, it's YA which I didn't realize until I had already started it. I don't have a problem with YA novels at all. Just wanted to take a break from them and read some more in-depth books, but alas, I'm hooked now and can't wait to read more of this book!

Thanks for the information (to both of you, but I can't figure out how to do multi-quote). And I'm right there with you about the sleeping with two men stuff. I guess I am a prude, because one of my biggest complaints with some romance books is how the couple seems to jump into bed as soon as they say "Hello". Then they still don't like each other (but they sleep together?) for a long time. That's one of the things I liked about my most recent book "Adopt a Dad"-just totally sweet (some may say too sweet) and no sex.

 

[Glynis]

Goal - 100 Books

Book #35 - "Sonoma Rose" by Jennifer Chiaverini

From the book cover: "With the nation in the throes of Prohibition, Rosa Diaz Barclay unwittingly discovers that her violent and jealous husband, John, has given over the duties of their Southern California rye far in favor of armed bootlegging. Fearing the safety of her four beloved children, Rosa flees, with little more than a suitcase filled with John's ill-gotten gains and her heirloom quilts. Accompanying her is Lars, a good but flawed man who is the father of two of her children.

Under assumed names, Lars and Rosa hire on at a Sonoma County vineyard, seeking not only refuge from danger, but convalescence for two of the children, who suffer from a mysterious wasting disease. The devotion of the Italian-American community to the craft of viticulture inspires Rosa to acquire a vineyard of her own, even as she discovers firsthand the inherent hardships and dangers winemakers face in such turbulent times."

My review: I have always enjoyed the Elm Creek Quilt series, but this book seemed a bit out of place. It was well written, but there was none of the gentle quilting lore from the other books. Still, it was engaging, with nice characters. I just hope she goes back to writing about quilting!

Next up: "Secrets Over Sweet Tea" by Denise Hildreth Jones

 

[Caseheidi]

Book 32 of 100 - How to Deceive a Duke by Lecia Cornwall

This was your typical Historical romance. Girl's family is in financial despair. Duke was a second son who was never suppose to be Duke, and is only surviving family is a Grandmother who hates him and only wants a Heir to raise how she deems appropriate. Girl and Duke meet at the arranged wedding, however girls sister was suppose to marry the duke and ran away. Girl marries him in her place, but he does not know that it is not her sister. He finds out the next morning. You can guess where it goes from there as it is a romance.

It was a quick easy read, and I was looking for something not too highly taxing at that moment so it fit the bill.

 

[StephMK]

24/50 - Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

I started this yesterday afternoon and just finished it. It was really good. Again, didn't see the ending coming - this author is good with plot twists. Another very dark storyline, but I enjoyed it. It's time for something a little lighter for me, though.

4/5 stars

If I had to rank all the books by Gillian Flynn, I'd rank Dark Places first, then Gone Girl, and finally Sharp Objects.

Next Up: A Bend in the Road by Nicholas Sparks

I have all 3 of these (read Gone Girl already) on waiting lists at the library. Bend in the Road just came up and I started it yesterday. I know he usually puts a twist in his books so I'm curious to see where this goes.

I need to look back, I think I finished book #20 but need to double check.