The 104 Book Challenge - 2011 discussion
Tolonye's 2011 Book List
Tolonye wrote: "1. The Thirteenth Tale2. Zora and Me
3. Mothstorm"
I know your question wasn't directed to me but I thought I would put in my two cents. I really enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale. I loved the premise, the story, the characters, and the way it was presented. It was a "close the end cover and smile with satisfaction" kind of book for me.
4. Put on Your Crown: Life-Changing Moments on the Path to Queendomby Queen Latifah This book was a lot more interesting then I thought it would be, read it from cover to cover.A friend recommended The Thirteenth Tale for me to read and even gave me their copy to read. It sat in my stack for so long that I returned their copy and purchased my own which continued to sit. Out of guilt I picked it up as my first novel of the year. So your question was,"how did I like it", well, it was alright. for me it wasn't one of those books that I couldn't put down until I'd gotten to the end. You know one of those books that consume you, so that even when your done you continue to think about the characters and all the what ifs. Actually, I found it a bit predictable, and on the melodramatic side.
Sorry for rambling. Based on Mary's scale from this morning I'd give it a 3.
I was given The Thirteenth Tale in audio and am really enjoying it. Am only about one-third of the way through so anything can change. With an audio book so much depends on the skill of the narrator. A good reader can make the most mediocre book sound interesting and conversely, a poor reader can make the best book seem lifeless.I have several books around the house in various stages of completion, but will eventually get them all read or listened to.
5. Mere Christianityby C.S. LewisThis was an audio book for me and I must say that I absolutely adored Geoffrey Howard's reading. It was as if I was listening to Lewis himself. I enjoyed his reading more then the essays to be honest. Two Stars
4. Queen LatifahPut on Your Crown: Life-Changing Moments on the Path to Queendom I think i logged this book in the wrong place previously.I really enjoyed this book, its obvious that she is paying attention to the state of our young women and wanted to offer some big sister advice. Inspite of a bit of profanity I definitly recommend it to high school age girls.
6. Persuasionby Jane AustenI love Anne Elliot. Anne is my all time favorite heroine of Austen's because she is this wonderful woman who is so utterly alone. Sure she has Lady Russell but she is not family. Though this was probably my third or fourth reading I found that I'd forgotten a great deal, perhaps because I've watched the movie (which leaves a lot out and even changes some things but I still adore it)to often.
I've only read Persuasion once ;-) but it's one of my favorite reads ever, and I can watch the movie (the BBC tv adaptation) over and over again and never get tired.I love it feels like Anne could be anybody, you or a friend of yours. There isn't really anything amazingly special about her, still Captain Wentworth adores her. That feels very real, how things work in the real world when there is a connection between two people.
Anne is all about quiet composure. She has lost the dashing Capt. Wentworth and is now forced to be in his company constantly as he seemingly makes love to another, and others speculate on who he will choose. Not to mention that his treatment of her. During all of this she has no one to confide her feelings too. She is so different from Austen's other heroines who are more similar to the the Musgroves, young and lively, full of opinions and feelings, sought out by friends, etc, etc. I think the only character who comes close to Anne character is the oldest sister in Sense and Sensibility.
7.Flygirlby Sherri L. SmithI loved this book. I love the way Ms. Smith made me love Ida Mae. Its been a really long time since a character has made me laugh and cry ad worry over them so much that I didn't want the story to come to an end. Most books that deal with "passing" are tragic but this one presented it in a completly different light. I highly, highly recommend this book. Oh yeah and how many people know about the W.A.S.P.? FIVE stars (it may not be perfect but its definitly a good story).
Tolonye, this sounds like a very interesting book, I am going to put this one on my ever growing TBR list!!
8. Chainsby Laurie Halse Anderson9.The Unusual Suspects byMichael Buckley
10. Michael BuckleyThe Problem Child
13. Wenchby Dolen Perkins-Valdez I found this book to be a light read of a very difficult subject. Four characters giving us four versions of possible outcomes of being a slave/mistress. Though I wanted to sympathize with the characters,share their pain I never did. I still recommend it for a topic to think about. 3stars
14. Darwin on Trialby Phillip E. JohnsonA bit more scientific then what I've read previously but I give it 3 1/2 stars.
15. A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah!by Harry Harrison So, this is the book that started "Steampunk". It was a quick read very, very detailed when it came to describing the machines. There was a level of intrigue and a bit of romance. Satisfying! 2 1/2 stars.
BeastlybyAlex FlinnI give this book 4 stars. Its a great retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales and I mean fairy tales not Disney tale. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author and I hope the new movie doesn't screw it up.
Fever Crumbby Philip Reeve3 StarsI didn't really think it was one of his best but on the other hand I read it through in one sitting.
I definatly agree with what you said about Beastly. I thought that this book was not only captivating but a great retelling of Beauty and the Beast
Darkwoodby M.E. Breen, An enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to what has to be a sequal because there is more to twelve year old Anne and her cat companions Isadore and Prudence's story.Though this story is nothing like it except for a young heroine and a cat companion, it still put me in the mind of the "May Bird" trilogy. I really loved May Bird but she is no Anne.
Sarah wrote: "I definatly agree with what you said about Beastly. I thought that this book was not only captivating but a great retelling of Beauty and the Beast"Sarah, have you heard about the movie version they say it sucks. Didn't you just know. Truth is I read the book because the movie trailer looked interesting.
19. Dreadnoughtby Cherie Priestthis book was such an adventure to read not to mention what an adventure the heroine "Mercy" was having. I've since discovered that this is the third installment of what is to be a five book story line. I really loathe zombies but looks like I'll be reading more about them since this steampunk alternate history universe has me hooked.
Eyes Like Starsby Lisa Mantchev
To be perfectly transparent it was the cover that drew me in first. Picked this book up because the idea of a girl growing up in a theatre with characters from plays as her companions seemed pretty interesting. The story dragged for the first hundred pages. I almost put it down several times. What kept me reading was that I flipped to the back of the book and didn't see the name of the character that interested me the most, a simple guy named Nate. Having found this book to be a bit tedious I doubt if I'll read anything else in the series.
Tolonye wrote: "21. The Secret Lives of Dressesby Erin McKean Good story" Sounds like a great story!
I stayed up all night to finish it. Its one of those stories where you know the destination but the companionship make the ride so enjoyable you don't want it to end. One of my favorite parts, are the dress stories. Ms. McKean even has a blog where she talks about vintage clothing and has more dress stories along with pictures of the dress that inspired it. If you like stories about the transformational magic of good clothes you should check out a book called
by Kathleen Tessaro, I've read it twice and given it to friends.
22. The House at Sugar Beachby Helene Cooper I have mixed feelings about this book. Her history of Liberia and her family in the first part of the book makes for good reading but her telling of her childhood was for me a bit tedious. Now the second portion of the book was interesting and I enjoyed it very much. After reading her Acknowledgements at the end of the book I think I understand why the telling of her childhood seemed forced but. So I recommend this book as a personal memoire of Liberia from the perspective of one of the privileged.
24. The Lightning Thiefby Rick Riordan I'd heard so much about this series that I was really looking forward to reading it, especially after seeing the movie. It definitly was a great deal better then the movie but I was still disappointed. Sure it had a lot of action and thankfully its well written but it was dull and predictable (not in a good way). 2stars
25. One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni This is perhaps the best of Ms. Divakaruni's novels. There are nine characters trapped together and they each have a story. I really drug this book out stopping in between stories and reading slowly because I didn't want it to end. Having read it in the mist of the worlds latest tragedy I can only hope that if faced with something simular I will respond like Lilly, Uma, and especially Cameron.
26. Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet by Sherri L. Smith I laughed so hard I almost cried while reading this book. When I made my purchase I didn't know it was about a fourteen year old but nevertheless I enjoyed Ana's big day. Ms. Smith who I'm a rescent fan of does a wonderful job of showing the similarites between people of different cultures,in this case Ana's grandparents, her mother is African American and her father is Chinese American. The friction arises over cooking Ana's graduation meal, since food and the sharing of a meal is important to every culture this was a great way to show case the family dynamic. The one thing everyone agrees on is there love for Ana and reading the grandmother's try to out do one another is hilarious. This book isn't really about cultural difference that isn't the friction in the family, this is simply about family and everyone can relate to that.
27. How I Live Nowby Meg Rosoff, it took me like seven days to read this two hundred page book. I just couldn't get in to it and the first cousin love affair just made me uncomfortable. I know that the critics went on and on about Ms. Rosoff's teenage irreverant tone but it was just annoying to me. The first quarter of the book just felt rushed. The book wasn't magical for me.
29. The Last Book in the Universeby Rodman PhilbrickI gave this book three stars but it's probably more like two and a half stars. There were parts of it that I really enjoyed and then others that I felt a bit ambiguous about. It's one of those stories that while your reading it, your thinking about how it reminds you of other stores. For instance there are sections that reminded me of movies like "Zardoz" and "Logan's Run" not that the story was just like it just that it put you in the mind of those stories. --- This book is geared toward a younger audience and for them even with the violence it gives them a lot to think about; as an adult reading it, I was left wanting.
Gathering Blueby Lois LowryI really enjoyed this book and liked the fact that it could be read as a stand alone novel or as the second in "The Gift" trilogy. I really liked the comparisons and contrasts of the two societies. Looking forward to reading the third book.
31.Goddess of Yesterdayby Caroline B. Cooney I enjoyed it a quick easy read and if your interested at all in the Trojan war its a good way to get the players down.
35. The Sugar Queenby Sarah Addison Allenreally enjoyed this one even if it is as light and sweet as the confections its names. A little mystery, a few secrets, and romance thrown in for good measure, along with a sprinking of magica realism, and a cherry of a ghost.
37. A Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home by Henry ColeA lovely little book, beautifully illustrated and written.
61. The Best Bad Luck I Ever Hadby Kristin Levine62. Book of a Thousand Daysby Shannon Hale
63. Activity Partnerby Nitanni Chionne
I'm not really sure where I left off on my count but here are the last few books I've read.91. Girl Partsby John M. Cusick
92. The Orange Housesby Paul Griffin
The 104 Book Challenge - 2011
Books mentioned in this topic
Nihon Nights (other topics)Have You Seen Her? (other topics)
The Dashwood Sisters Tell All (other topics)
Eyes Like Stars (other topics)
The Dashwood Sisters Tell All (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Trisha Haddad (other topics)Beth Pattillo (other topics)
Chicki Brown (other topics)
Lisa Mantchev (other topics)
Chicki Brown (other topics)
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2. Zora and Me
3. Mothstorm