2014 Book Challenge

I just took a look at my post about my book challenge for 2014.  I said I would have the challenge go through December 30th, so that means I made it to 47 books last year.  Just a few shy of my goal of 50.  Since I have been really busy the past 2 years with volunteer activities in addition to every day life activities, I am proud of reading as much as I did.  I will once again keep the goal at 50 books for next year.  I love having an excuse to read.  And we certainly have enough books in our house to read!

Currently Reading:  The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

#47: Inferno

We recently listened to the audio book of Inferno by Dan Brown during our car rides at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This is book 4 in the Robert Langdon series.  It doesn't not really have any connection to Angels and Demons or the DaVinci Code, except that Langdon is the main character.  I don't think his previous adventures were even mentioned in the book.

The book starts out with a Prolouge of someone talking about being the Shade and then jumping from a building to his death.  Then in Chapter 1, we learn that Robert is in Florence in a hospital bed, but has lost his memory of the past 24 hours.  Two doctors come in to look at him and tell him that he has a gunshot wound in his head.  They then realize that someone is still trying to kill him and one of the doctors, Sienna Brooks, helps him to escape and goes on a wild ride with him through, Florence, Venice, etc.  Brooks remains at Langdon's side as they try to find the answers through clues in Dante's Inferno....

I enjoyed listening to this audio book.  It started off with lots of excitement and art history details.  It's always fun to guess the twist in a Dan Brown book.  My only complaint is that the end of the story was kind of anticlimatic.  I was waiting for some huge excitement in the last chapter, but it remained pretty steady.

#46: Drowning Ruth

I read Drowning Ruth by Cristina Schwarz over the past few weeks.  Someone on facebook had said it was hard to put down, so I thought I'd check it out.  It is set around a lake in Wisconsin and tells the story of two sisters.  Ruth is actually the daughter of Maddie (Mathilda) and and neice of Amanda (Mandy or Amy).  Lots of nicknames given throughout the book.  The story is told by Ruth and Amanda.  It gives details about the lives of all characters at different points in their lives.  Early on in the story, we are told that Mathilda disappeared one night and was later found in the icy lake.  Throughout the whole book we try to learn what really happened the night that Ruth and Mathilda "drowned".
This book started out really slow for me.  About 1/3 of the way through, it started to hold my attention more.  It's hard to go into too many details without giving away some interesting parts in the story.  At the end, I just felt like too many things were left unsolved.  The idea for the story was good, but the end was not all that I had hoped it would be.

#45: Killing Mr. Griffin

Okay.  I just finished Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan.  I'd first like to say that this book was good for a quick read.  I'd then like to say that this book was written by the same author who wrote I Know What You Did Last Summer, so that should give you a good idea of what to expect

This is the story of a group of students who want to pull a prank on their high school English teacher, Mr. Griffin.  Mr. Griffin is known as being a hard and unfair teacher.  He regularly gives C's where A's are deserved and isn't afraid to fail his students.  During class a student mutters under his breathe "I'd like to kill" him.  This gives his friend the idea of kidnapping Mr. Griffin and threatening to kill him until he begs to be let go and to start grading easier.  Or something along those lines.  A group of students gets together to kidnap him, but things don't go exactly as planned....

I can't really say more, or I will ruin the rest of the story.  The book was kind of predictable and cheesy, but it is good for a YA suspense book.  This is one of the books I would have loved reading in Junior High or High School.

Up Next:  Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz

#44: Dad is Fat

I just finished Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan.  This is Jim's story of raising 5 kids in a small NYC apartment and on the road.  I haven't really heard a lot of his comedy, but I've seen him on a few talk shows.  He is known as a "family approved" comic.  Not a lot of cussing or sex in his comedy.  This book was also very clean.  It really was about his kids and wife.  I found some of the chapters really funny.  Others are things that I think every parent thinks.  It you are looking for a light-hearted funny book about raising kids, then this is the book for you.

Up Next:  Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan (might be terrible, but we have several copies from the auction books)

#43: In Case of Emergency

In Case of Emergency for Courtney Moreno was one of the books from my McSweeney Book Club.  It's about a girl named Piper who is trying to become an EMT.  She starts on the shift and doesn't fit in right away, but tries her best to do good at this job.  Along with starting to be an EMT, who also learn other details about Piper's life such as her love history, parents' separation, brother's love, etc.  Piper starts a new love interest with someone who has some of the same social issues as Piper.  It was interesting to learn about medical terminology and the things EMTs and other rescue crews deal with.  It is understandable that Piper would have trouble sleeping while dealing with this job.  I could barely sleep just reading her story.  Other all, it was a pretty good story for Moreno's first novel.

Up Next:  Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

#42: Uncharted

I just finished Uncharted by Angela Hunt.  I have difficulties in deciding whether or not I like this book.  It's the story of 5 friends from college who get stranded on an island with little hope of rescue.  I do want to say that I got sucked in by the characters and wanted to see what would happen, but I don't feel the writing was the best.  Spoilers ahead....

The friends end up on the island after another college friend dies in a car accident.  At the funeral the man's wife asks the 5 friends to go to the Marshall Islands with one of the college professors to help build a school that he was planning to build.  On the way to the Marshall Islands, the friends all decide to take a boat over to the islands instead of waiting for a plane due to bad weather.  They shipwreck and the Captain, his son, and the professor don't make it to the island.  Once on the island weird things start happening.

On the back of the book, it says this story is comparable to Lost.  I would say it is a little like Lost based on the ending, but no where near as exciting as Lost.  I was really disappointed in the ending.  I understand the basic message, but have lots of questions.  Sometimes "religious" themed books just have you questioning more at the end than you did at the beginning.

Up Next:  In Case of Emergency by Courtney Moreno

#41: A Thousand Acres

I finished A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley.  This was the YMCA book club for this month and I finally got to go to a meeting again.  :) 

I have never read King Lear, but another book club member said it is very similar to the story of King Lear.  This is the story of 3 daughters of a farmer and the dad giving the farm signing the farm over to his daughters and their husbands.

This book took me a while to get into.  It felt really slow.  Once the Jess Clark character came around, I knew some excitement would be added.  I also liked that I could pick out a lot of the names, cities, and locations since the book takes place in Iowa.  In the beginning I felt sorry for Ginny and really wanted happiness for her, but after the Jess incident, I could only feel sorry for Ty.  Things got out of hand really quickly in the book and just started getting worse and worse. 

It's hard to talk about the book without giving anything that happens away.  Things just kept getting worse and it made me so angry.  I just wanted something good to happen, but nothing did.  Overall though, I really liked the book and was glad to read an Iowa book/author.

Now I kind of want to read King Lear....

Up Next:  Uncharted or In Case of Emergencies

#40: 'Til the Well Runs Dry

'Til the Well Runs Dry by Lauren Francis-Sharma was on the new books shelf at the library.  I hadn't heard of it before, but for some reason was drawn to it.

The beginning of the book had me interested, but I somehow got distracted a little ways in.  Once I got about 100 pages in, I was really interested again. 

It's the story of Marcia Garcia of Trinidad and Tabago.  She is a seamstress who meets an Indian man named Farouk Karam.  They "fall in love" and have children.  From the beginning of their relationship, the entire world seems to be against them.  Marcia has always had a bad life, but when she meets Farouk, her two boys are taken from her.  Farouk begins to have bad luck as well.

The book covers the story of hardship that they face through their lives together and apart.  Lots of sadness and trials of learning what is really important in life.

Some parts of the book I loved and some I didn't.  Overall it was a pretty good story, but things didn't end the way I would have liked.

Up Next:  A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley

#39: Sharp Objects

I have been waiting to read Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn for some time.  I really loved how addicting Gone Girl and Dark Places were to read.  This one was constantly checked out, so I finally reserved it and just finished.

I don't think I enjoyed this one as much as the other two novels.  I really wanted to find out what happened and was intrigued by the story.  I felt really sorry for the main character, Camille, and wanted something good to happen to her. 

I thought I had the killer figured out from the start, but then there was a twist in the last chapter of the book.  It wasn't a really shocking twist, but I was glad that there was something different at the end. 

I was sad that Camille didn't get a happy ending.  This book was a little "sicker" than the others and really made my head hurt after reading it.  But like Flynn's other novels, it was an addicting read.

#38: Speak

I finished Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson this morning.  This is one of the multiple copy books we got from the auction.  I didn't know anything about it, but it has a really pretty cover.  :)

This is a total teenage book, but I still loved it.  It's about a girl named Melanie who is going into 9th grade.  She currently has no friends because they are all mad at her for calling the cops at a party that happened over the summer.  We later learn the circumstances for why she called the cops.

Melanie basically turns silent during this year of high school.  She has no friends, skips class, fights with her parents.  Her only love this year is art class. 

I just felt really sorry for Melanie and wished she would be able to speak up.  I wanted someone to finally understand her.  It was just interesting to be in her mind.  I felt oddly connected to her.  Maybe because I am a quieter and insecure person.  I often wondered, if I was in this situation, would I be able to speak?

Up Next:  'Til the Well Runs Dry by  Lauren Francis-Sharma

#37: Stargirl

I just finished Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli.  We got multiple copies of this book in our auction book boxes.  I really didn't know what this book was about, so I didn't know what to expect. 

I liked this book.  I think it would be a great book for kids in middle school or high school to read.  It's about a strange girl that comes to the school and is anything but normal.  I think the best message gained from this book is that "it is okay to be who you are even if you are different from everyone else".  I felt really sorry for Stargirl in this book.  She is someone I would love to meet in real life.

#36: No More Perfect Moms

I just finished No More Perfect Moms by Jill Savage.  I really loved this book.  This book reminded me that it is okay to be me and to stop comparing myself to everyone else.  We all have our strengths and weaknesses, but no one is perfect.

My favorite chapters in this book were No More Perfect Friends and No More Perfect Days.  Finding genuine friends and being too busy are too of my biggest struggles in life.  I think I would also benefit from a chapter called No More Perfect Inlaws.  Maybe I should suggest it to the author.  :) 

I borrowed this book from a friend and she had highlighted some of her favorite parts.  While I agreed with a lot that she highlighted, I also realized that I didn't have problems in some areas that she did.  I think anyone who reads this book would be able to find a chapter that is most useful to them.

The only thing I didn't really care for was the last chapter called One Perfect God.  While I believe in God and love God, I don't really like when authors try to get too preachy with readers.  I know she is a Christian author, but I thought she may have came on a little too strong for some readers who wouldn't know she is a Christian author.

Up Next:  Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

#35: The Dive From Clausen's Pier

I just finished The Dive From Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer.  I got this book for free from the library summer reading program.  I thought this book would have great potential, but I was very disappointed.

It is the story of a young woman named Carrie Bell.  It starts out with her and her friends and fiance going to the lake for Memorial Day weekend.  She is currently mad at her fiance and he is trying to set things right.  He tries to impress her by diving into the water, but hits the bottom and becomes a quadriplegic.  Carrie's emotions are tested as she is trying to figure out if the accident made her love him more.  I liked the start of the book.

Then Carrie moves to NY and meets Kilroy.  Her life in NY is the majority of the book and I found this part awful.  She claims to fall in love with Kilroy, but I think she is confusing "love" with "porn".  It was awful and cheesy and have I mentioned awful?

Then she goes back to Madison to see Mike.  And emotions are tested again.  End was okay, but so many things were left unanswered (gown and robe!!!).  Anyway, not a great book.  And I really didn't like Carrie or Kilroy.

#34: What the Dead Know

What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman is a mystery type book about the disappearance of 2 young girls in 1975.  The book starts with a woman driving and reminiscing about her childhood.  She is involved in an accident and instead of stopping flees the scene.  She is found and taken to a hospital and claims to be one of the missing Bethany girls.  The rest of the book goes through flash backs of the woman's life.  The current police as well as the former police officer from the 70's work together to determine if she truly is who she says she is and finally solve the case.

I liked most of this book, but I felt that rather than focusing on the Bethany girls and their family, the author tried to add too many side stories.  She gave lots of private details about the police officers, detectives, attorneys, etc.  It just felt like lots of those details weren't needed.

There was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming.  Overall, I think I like how it ended.

#33: Further Joy

Further Joy by John Brandon was the first book I received from my McSweeny's bookclub membership.  This was a series of short stories.  Most of the characters in the stories weren't on the right track in their lives, either from career problems, social issues, breakups, etc.  I liked some of the stories better than others.  Some at the beginning were a little predictable, but others were open for interpretation.  The one thing I don't like about short stories is that they sometimes just end without a conclusion to the story and leave you wanting more.
My favorites in this book were probably Palatka and The Inland News.

Up Next:  What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman

#32: Me Before You

I just finished Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.  It's a good thing I'm done with this book, because I didn't want to put it down and really haven't gotten anything done the past 2 days.

This story was beautiful, funny, and sad.  I really loved the characters of Will and Lou.  It was a love story in the strangest setting.  It really makes you think about everything you need to do in life or not do to make someone happy.  Lou was faced with lots of hard decisions after meeting the Traynor family, but it really made her grow as a person.

The ending was powerful and I cried the last several pages.  A book I will recommend to many.

Still Reading:  Further Joy

#31: A Walk in the Woods

I just finished A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson.  Overall I enjoyed this book, but I did find some parts kind of boring.  There was a lot of history about the trail, areas, and war battles.  I was really interested in the hiking part rather than all the history.  This book was a different take on Wild by Cheryl Strayed.  She wanted to talk more about her emotions, health, and life, whereas Bryson wanted to talk more about nature and history.  I really liked the Katz character who traveled with Bryson.  Even if a lot of his character was fiction, he was still very entertaining.  We were just in the Appalachians in June, but only did a few small trails.  I would really love to go back and see some of the things mentioned in the Smoky Mountain part or maybe even other parts, but as a day hiker.  I don't think I'm meant to be that "at one with nature" to do hundreds of miles with no break.  :)

Up Next:  Further Joy by John Brandon

#30: I'll Fly Away

I had started Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, but had to give up.  It was just way too boring for me.

Needing another non-fiction quick, I searched my book shelves and found I'll Fly Away: Further Testimonies from the Women of York Prison.  This book was edited and introduced by Wally Lamb.  Lamb does writer's workshops at York Prison.  York Prison is the only women's only maximum security prison in Connecticut.  This is the 2nd edition of stories written by the prisoners.  The first is called Couldn't Keep it to Myself.  I think I'd love to go back and read that one.

Lamb introduced the project and the rest of the book was short stories and poems from the prisoners.  I really enjoyed the writings in this book.  Some were sad, some happy, and some funny.  All the stories had a deep down message about hurt or family or something else in the stories.  I really felt sorry for many of the women as they told their stories.  Murder is awful, but should a 19 yr old girl really go to jail for the rest of her life from killing someone while they are abusing her?  I don't know the full story, but based off her writing, I really feel bad for her and some of the others to be stuff in prison and never move on in their lives.

Up Next:  A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

#29: Lost Lake

I just finished Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen.  I remember hearing about this book a while back.  I seemed to think it was on one of the library posters that said "What should you read after Gone Girl?".  But maybe I'm wrong since it wasn't anything like Gone Girl.

I really liked the way this book started out.  There seemed to be a lot of mystery and family history at the beginning that was very interesting to me.  I liked learning about all the characters.  Towards the middle of the book, I was still really interested in the story, but I felt it started to get really cheesy and predictable.  It wasn't that I didn't like it, I just didn't like some of the weird things that happened towards the end that didn't seem to fit with the rest of the book.  It seemed like it had a few too many "super natural" occurrences.

Up Next:  Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

#28: The Awakening

I just read The Awakening by Kate Chopin.  I thought I remembered someone saying that they really liked this book awhile ago, but now I can't remember who said that.  This book was really short, so I thought it would be a quick read, but it wasn't.  If I had to sum the book up in one word it would be, "boring".

This book was written back in 1899 or something, so it is worded like a classic.  It is supposed to be about a woman having an affair during a time when no one wrote about this.  The main character, Edna, decides that she isn't happy in her life as a wife and mother.  I wouldn't say this is so much about an affair, as I don't know for sure that there really was one.  It was more about her wanting freedom.

I was really bored in parts and think I missed important details, but I didn't feel like going back to re-read any of it.

Up Next:  Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen

#27: Girlchild

I just finished the book Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman.  I found this book to be a pretty quick read.  If you are looking for a "happy" book to read, this definitely isn't it.  This book is very sad, especially the beginning.  I found some of the scenes, like with the Hardware Man, kind of hard to read.  The rest of the book I really liked though.  I loved how Rory's mom and grandma were both determined for her to succeed in life when they couldn't.  Even though they didn't have the best way of showing it, you could tell that they really loved R.D./Rory/Girlchild. 

I also liked how this book was written in really short chapters.  It almost made it feel poetic.  There were some things that I thought would happen in the story that never did.  Overall I really liked Rory's story.

#26: Ender's Game

I just finished Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.  I'm not really a science fiction fan at all, but this book did hold my attention.  I really had no idea what this book was about, but lots of people told me it was good. 

I liked the beginning of the book.  It really made me decide that I loved Valarie and Ender and didn't like Peter.  When Ender went to Battle School, I liked learning about how his mind worked and liked seeing him succeed.  The actual idea of these little kids being thrown "training" was really sad though.  I felt so sorry for Ender throughout the book, and I really think that is what the author wanted.

I was a little disappointed in the ending.  I guess I just wanted more for Ender.  I think the book is set up for the next books in the series and maybe that is why it ended like it did.

I'd give this book about 3 1/2 stars.  It's better than most Sci-Fi that I have read, but I really don't feel the desire to read the next books or watch the movie.

#25: Stori Telling

I am a member of the Friends of the Library Board and we have a book sale room.  I found the book Stori Telling by Tori Spelling for $0.50, so I had to buy it.  I used to love watching Tori and Dean: Inn Love when I had cable.  I know everyone sees her as a spoiled rich girl, but I really love her attitude on her life and how she is able to make fun of herself.

I read the book on the way to Memphis and finished it in one day.  It was a good car read.  Lots of laughs.  I really liked hearing the story of her first marriage and how she met Dean.  It also had some info on the torn relationship she has with her mother.  I know it's all in her own words, but it's kind of fun to see a different side of Tori Spelling.

Currently Reading:  Ender's Game

#24: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

I read The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman this week.  The title is beautiful, so I was expecting a really beautiful story.  Instead what I got, was weird and depressing.  It was actually really violent and gross in some parts.  While I did really like the characters of the boy, Lettie, and her family, I just didn't like the things that were happening.  They very unsettling.  I realize Ursula was a monster, but I was more scared by the way the boys family treated him.  I'm not sure if this was Ursula's power or just really how disconnected the boy was from his family. 

This was a quick read.  Not because I was so enthralled in the story, but because I really just wanted it to yet.

I'd recommend to people who like unique, mythical stories.

Up Next:  Ender's Game and Heart of Darkness (taking both on vacation with us)

#23: Reconstructing Amelia

I just finished Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight.  I didn't want to put this book down and ended up reading it in a day and a half.  I was really drawn to the characters in the book and was very curious about what happened to Amelia.

I really enjoy books that have the perspectives of different characters throughout the book.  I also like when the story is not necessarily in time order.  I think it just makes me read the book faster.  The format of this book kind of reminded me of a Jodi Picoult book, but the writing style was different.

I liked how I was guessing what happened up until the ending.  Some of the twists were not what I would have liked, but I think they were well written and most were a surprise. 

This was kind of a scary subject for me.  I hope my kids never have to deal with this kind of bullying and gossip.  I guess I don't remember this stuff happening when I was in high school, but maybe I just did a good job of avoiding it.

Up Next:  The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

#22: The HIstory of Love

I really loved The History of Love by Nicole Krauss.  The main character in the book is Leo Gursky, who feels all alone in the world.  He does very odd things just to get noticed each day so that somebody will see him the day he dies.  At first we learn about Leo's present and some facts about his life.  We also learn that he loves to write. 

We are then introduced to a teenage girl named Alma, who was named after the girl in The History of Love novel.  Her mother begins translating this book from Spanish and Alma decides she wants to learn more about the character she was named after.  She hopes this will give her more clues about her life and what kind of man her father was.

We also learn the story of Zvi Litvinoff, who was the author of The History of Love in Spanish.  We learn that he has carried with him a deep secret and needs to finally have it known on his death bed.

It's really hard to summarize such a beautifully written book.  I love books that have several different stories inside that all come together at the end.  If I could rename this book, I would call it "The History of the History of Love".  Just because we learn so much about how the book inside this book was written.

Up Next:  Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

#21: The Antelope in the Living Room

The Antelope in the Living Room by Melanie Shankle was recommended by some of my friends who work in childwatch with me.  It's a story of finding all the humor in the differences between husbands and wives in marriage. 

I found some parts of the book funny, but overall I found the wife, Melanie, funny in a very annoying way.  I did like some of the things suggested in the book.  I really liked the explanation of young love verses old love.  I can really see this in my own marriage.  I guess I can't really relate as much to this story as some people can since I don't really have a shopping addiction and my husband doesn't have a hunting addiction.  I think this book would be interesting for a newly wed wife to read.  And there were some funny parts.

Up Next:  The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

#20: Life As We Knew It

I just finished Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer.  I'm glad to finally read a good book after several not so good ones.

This story is written by a 16 yr old girl named Miranda.  It is done in journal entry form.  At the beginning of the book, there is talk of a meteroid and the moom being visible.  What happens instead, is the meteroid hits the moon.  This starts causing tsunamis, earthquakes, flooding, etc because the moon is too close to Earth and the gravitational pull is too strong.

The story goes on the follow the lives of Miranda's family and friends.  It is interesting to see how this "natural disaster" can completely change everyone's lives in a minute. 

The story is scary, but really interesting.  I think I learned a lot for it.  Time to start stockpiling non-perishable food....

Up Next:  The Antelope in the Living Room

#19: Smashed

I just finished Smashed:  Story of Drunken Girlhood by Koren Zailckas.  Let's just say I'm on a role for crappy books.

 I thought this book might be entertaining or have some eye opening story about drinking, but it was just boring and whiny.  Her main reason for drinking was boredom.  At the end of the book, I don't feel like she was very sorry for her alcohol abuse.  It's almost like she was proud of having this drunk bond with so many underage drinking teenagers.  I felt she was full of self pity, but I didn't really feel sorry for her.

Maybe it's the author, or the fact that I've never been drunk, or some other reason, but I just didn't like this book at all.

Up Next:  Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

#18: The Cherry Cola Book Club

I saw this book on the display table at the library.  I have been really interested in books about book clubs lately.  I think it's because I really miss my book club and because I love to get suggestions of other books based on what the club is reading.  I have to say I was throughly disappointed in this book.

In the book, a young librarian is supposed to find a way to keep the library open while the city council is threatening to cut funding.  Someone suggests a book club and this is her idea of how to get more people into the library.  This book was filled with horrible cliques and even more horrible dialog.  So many of the things in the book just seemed forced and the ideas seemed so predictable and cheesy.  For example, how can you be a librarian in the town for 7yrs and not have your best friend get a library card until the library is threatened to be closed?  And how is making a bouquet of balloons the most brilliant idea anyone has ever heard?

This book could have been so much more, but it was quite possibly one of the worst books I have ever read.  Another bummer, in the 5 month time frame of the book club, only 2 books were read and discussed. So I didn't even get any new book suggestions.  Not recommended, unless you are interested in seeing how bad it is....

#17: The Sleep Room

I just finished The Sleep Room by F.R. Tallis.  I had never heard of this book, but it could my eye twice on the "new arrivals" shelf at the library.  It is the story of a house turned into a hospital specializing in sleep therapy, sedatives, etc.  There is also some paranormal activity and other weird occurances.  It is classified as horror, but I didn't think it was horror at all.  Maybe a little unusual suspence.

At first I was really intrigued by this book.  I like learning about psychology/psychiatrists and the way things were done in the past.  A little while in I started getting bored and didn't understand why a "ghost" was introduced.  Then I started liking the story again.  There was a little suspence, but when Dr. Richardson said something like "I should have paid more attention to that at the time", the problem was never really answered.  At the end there was a twist, which made me feel really confused. 

If you are looking for something different to read, I would recommend this book.  It was an unusual story and very interesting at times.

#16: The Professor and the Madman

The Professor and the Madman is a very interesting story.  It is the true story of how the Oxford English Dictionary was made.  It covers the history of the OED, but the main character in this story is the "madman" Dr. W C Minor.

The story opens with Minor committing a crime and after being arrested, being taken to an insane asylum.  It then goes on the tell the story of Minor's life.  We learn that he had a lot of problems in his childhood and during his time in the war.  The story continues on with the making of the OED and the continually "crazy" behaviors of Minor.

At times the book was really boring, but the story of Minor's life and his friendship with Murray the professor, was so intriguing that I had to keep really.  A really unique story behind the making of a dictionary.

Up Next:  The Sleep Room by F. R. Tallis

#15: A Long Walk to Water

I read A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park.  This book is based on a true story.  It covers 2 stories in Sudan, one in 1985 and one in 2008.  This is a very short book and I read it in under 2 hours.  I really loved the way the 2 stories tied together.  I also love historical fiction, so it was interesting to learn about the Sudan war, even though it was just a tiny bit.

I bought this book for Mason at his book fair.  It intrigued me when I saw it.  I think he will really like it.  He really enjoyed her other book, A Single Shard.

Up Next:  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

#14: Nineteen Minutes

Okay, it's been awhile since I decided to tackle another Picoult novel.  My previous book club decided to make a list of books they thought their friends should read and this was one listed.  I hadn't read it yet, but some of her previous novels held my attention, so I thought I'd give this one a try.

At first I thought it had good potential to be a "real page turner".  The main storyline was of a bullied boy, Peter, going on a shooting rampage of his high school because he is constantly bullied.  The dilema in this book was whether we should feel sorry for Peter the victim or to side with the victims in the shooting.  Usually I really feel torn and want to seek justice, but this book just really didn't end up being that exciting.  I thought there were ways that we could have had more of a struggle between sides, but Picoult didn't use them in this case.

There is always some major twist in Picoult's stories as well.  Nineteen Minutes had the twist, but sadly I was able to guess it from the start.  I was also really disappointed that the twist in this story happened before the verdict was read instead of after.  Usually we get the twist later and then question whether that would have changed the outcome.  I just don't think this was "Classic Picoult".  Not sure if she is trying to change her writing style or not.

Anyway, I give this book 2.5-3 stars.  It will be awhile before I decide to pick up one of her books again.

Up Next:  Not sure- going to raid the book shelf right now.

#13: Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

I just finished Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik.  The title and cover of this book almost made me not want to read it, but I've learned you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover.  This was the story of a group of housewives with a 30 year book club and friendship.  I recently read Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood and this book reminded me of it, but I liked this one way better. 

Even though the books main character is Faith, we learn a lot about all the characters/book club members.  I loved seeing how their personal lives affected the books they picked.  I also really liked how all the characters were tied together over the 30 years.  I think this book club was really true to real life book clubs.  You might talk about the book for a few minutes, but then the rest of the time is spent socializing over personal things.  My only complaint is that in some chapters the book that was picked wasn't mentioned at all.

If you liked Ya-Ya Sisterhood you should definitely check out Bon Bons!

Up Next:  Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

#12: The Bookshop

I just finished The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald.  It was one of the book's on the display table at the library.  Usually these are books that are pretty well liked, but I've found them hit or miss for me.  This one was unfortunately a miss.  I felt bad for Florence, the main character who opened the bookshop.  It just seemed that no one wanted her to succeed.  I thought the book could have been so much more entertaining than it was.  The ghost had very little significance in the haunted bookshop and they characters didn't really develop into anything special.  I'd probably give it 2 1/2 starts.

Up Next:  Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

#11: The Sandcastle Girls

I just finished The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian.  This was a story of a woman writing about her grandparents' history during the Armenian genocide.  It is filled with interesting facts about the war between the Armenians and Turks, something that I had never heard of before. 

The story is mostly about the history of the war and how Elizabeth (an American) and Armen (an Armenian engineer) meet.  It is also filled with lots of supporting characters that help to fill in lots of gaps.  It covers love, loss, orphans, doctors, missionaries, and so much more.

Now that I am done with the book, I have decided that I really enjoyed the story.  While reading it, I felt that it dragged on and was hard to get into.  I also felt that the character parts jumped around too much and made the story a little hard to follow.  But at the end, I see how every character piece was necessary to complete the whole story.  I won't lie, it did take me about 80 pages to finally feel like the story was going somewhere, but I'm glad I finished it.

Up Next:  The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald

#10: I am the Messenger

I just finished I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak.  This was a very unique story.  After Ed helps capture a bank robber, he starts receiving messages on playing cards.  The messages are addresses or clues about how to find people.  During each of these messages Ed has the chance to change the lives of the people on the cards and improve himself at the same time.  I really enjoyed the characters in this story.  I believe the main "message" of this story is that helping other is a great way to help yourself.  A great book from Zusak.

Next up:  The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian

#9: The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells

I finished The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Sean Greer last night.  In this story, Greta has something tragic happen to her and she can't deal with it.  She goes to counseling and a variety of doctors and eventually the only thing the doctor thinks will work is electroconvulsive (electric shock therapy).  These therapies make her travel through time.  She is now Greta Wells in 1918, 1941, and 1985.  In each world the Greta has experienced something tragic to make her do the shock therapy.  She has the same people in her life in these world. her twin brother Felix, boyfriend Nathan, aunt Ruth, and the doctor, but in each world they are different.  It's an interesting idea for a book, that something impossible will happen to each of us.  Greta thought she had the time travel pattern figured out, but then the other Gretas would skip a session or something would happen to make them not travel to the world they thought they should be in.  I was surprised at the ending of the book, but don't want to give too much away.

Up Next:  I am the Messenger but Marcus Zusak

#8: Where'd You Go, Bernadette

I just finished Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.  I really liked the humor and emotions in this book.  Here is my review from Goodreads:  This book was really unique.  I loved the different letters, e-mails, faxes, etc that made up the book.  It was a fun way to follow the storyline while meeting all the different characters.  It's really interesting to see how much you can learn about a character just through their writing.  While I liked Bernadette's humor, I think what I enjoyed most was the correspondence between Audrey and Soo-Lin.  It just always had me laughing.

Up Next:  The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Sean Greer

#7: The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

I finished The Girl Who Fell From the Sky last night.  This was the story of Rachel, a bi-racial girl. She was the only survivor of a family accident when the family "fell" off of their apartment building.  We learn about Rachel's parents, grandmother, aunt, and some friends.  This story was sad.  It's hard to talk too much about it without giving out any spoilers.  I think this book deals a lot with repressed memories and how no matter how hard you try to block out memories, you still can't change your past.  I really liked the story and the main character in the book.

Up Next:  Where'd You Go, Bernadette

#6: Okay for Now

I just finished Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt.  Wow.  This book was amazing.  I didn't really know what to expect when I first started the book.  I thought it was about boys who were mouthy because of abuse from their father, but it was so much more.  The main character, Doug, was creative, intelligent, kind, and hardworking.  He turned all the negatives in his life into many positives, even though it took a long time to do so.

While reading the book, I couldn't tell whether I hated the dad or gym teacher more.  They both were so mean to Doug and he couldn't seem to catch a break from either of them.  Without giving away spoilers, I just loved how we were eventually able to see some good in both of these characters. 

I'm not a fan of birds, but I can see why they were significant in this story.  Doug was able to "take flight" in his life just like the birds did in the pictures.

This book was full of emotions for me.  I cried several times from happy and sad parts.  I felt sick to my stomach during some parts. And I was laughing during other parts.

Up Next:  The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow

#5: Double Dexter

I just finished Double Dexter (#6 in the series) by Jeff Lindsay.  It's been awhile since I read the other Dexter books, so I couldn't remember what was last happening.  I remembered that Dexter had a baby, but couldn't really remember the other stuff.  This book was okay, but I didn't like how sloppy Dexter was getting in his "hobby".  While I like him being a father, I just feel he's turning too much into a normal guy.

I'm really excited to finally watch the whole series now since it's back on Netflix. 

Up Next:  Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

#4: The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

I finished The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells yesterday.  I think the story behind this book is good, but I just thought some of the things brought up weren't compelling enough to make such family drama.  I also thought the dialogue of the book was really "cheesy".  There's only so many times I can hear the word "y'all" before wanting to gouge my eyeballs out.  I think this could have been a great story, but I think some secrets that should have been told weren't and others just felt rushed.  I also didn't really like the characters in the book.  I felt sorry for them, but not enough to really love the characters.  Maybe a little harsh since I didn't dislike the book.  I just thought it was okay.

Now reading:  Double Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

#3: The Yellow Birds

Today I finished The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers.  This was the story of war in Iraq.  It is the story of Bartle and Murphy.  Bartle makes a promise to Murphy's mom to keep his safe during the war.  The story covers their time in the war and Bartle's return home.  Like most war stories, it is very sad.  I have respect for soldiers, but I could NEVER fight in a war.  The images described by Powers seemed so realistic, most likely because he was actually in the war.  I just feel so bad for Bartle and can't imagine how he could ever get over what happened to him and Murphy and the others.  I don't always understand everything that happened and maybe that is for the best.....  A very sad, but well written read.

Up next:  Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

#2: The Bridges of Madison County

I just finished The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller.  I have never seen the movie and never really cared to read the book, but I would love to visit these bridges some day.  I saw the book at Levi's grandma's house.  She told me the book was terrible, even though she never read it.  I decided to bring it home and give it a try since it is short.  Here is my review on goodreads:

I liked this book more than I thought I would.  I wasn't expecting it to be good based off of what other people told me about the book and movie.  It was a very quick read and a "four day love story".  I didn't really care for the character of Francesca, just because I don't like people who have affairs.  I did like how the affair ended though.  I still feel sorry for Robert and wished things would have been different for him.  So not my favorite book, but better than I expected.

I'm glad I finally read the book.  I don't really have any desire to watch the movie, but I would love a trip to the covered bridges sometime this summer or fall. 

Up Next:  The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

#1: Rav Hisda's Daughter

I just finished my first book from my new book challenge.  The book was Rav Hisda's Daughter:  Book 1 The Apprentice by Maggie Anton.  This is a book about love, religion, and spells.  I found the whole story really interesting.  The main character is Hisdadukh or "Dada".  She is the youngest child of Rav Hisda.  The story starts out with Rav Hisda asking Dada which boy she wants to marry, Rami or Abba?  She in response answers "Both of them" and Abba says "I want to be the last one".
 We then see a struggle of jealousy between Rami and Abba to compete for her love by impressing her father in their studies.  Dada is the main character, but we receive a lot of information about all her family members, several students, and the local women who cast spells for people.  I was really attached to Dada and felt happy when she was happy and sad when she was sad.  I can't really tell too much about the story without spoiling some important parts, but I will say that I look forward to reading the 2nd book in this series when it is written.

Up Next:  The Bridges of Madison County