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)