The Pub ‘08 Challenge

The Challenge: Read eight books published in 2008. I am excited about this challenge, because I want to add more recent books to my TBR pile.

Mistaken Identity by Don & Susie Van Ryn
My Enemy's Cradle by Sara Young
Bliss to You: Trixie's Guide to a Happy Life by Trixie Koontz, Dog - as told to Dean Koontz
Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford
Creepers by Joanne Dahme
Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell

Can't wait to see what everyone else is reading.

Pickin' Books

I am currently reading My Enemy’s Cradle by Sara Young. I chose this book based on a review posted by Catherine at Catherine Wheels. So far, this novel is great! The last three books I read have all been wonderful, and they were all found through fellow bloggers. Coincidence? No way!

I started thinking about the books I have read this year that I did not enjoy. I picked all of these books, sure that I would love them. I'm starting to think I am not a good 'picker'! Whether it was the writing style, or the story itself, I had to force myself to finish them.


Hell House by Richard Matheson
2/5 Stars

I read this book because I liked I Am Legend so much. (Actually, I saw the movie first. The book is much better.) I enjoyed the first half of the book, but the second half seemed to fizzle out. I was waiting for a ‘bang-up’ ending, but was left a little bored.


New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
2.5/5 Stars

I have to say that Twilight is one of my favorites for the year. So, I expected a lot from New Moon. I was disappointed that this book was not about the romance between Bella and Edward, but branched off into other areas. I’ll take a vampire over a werewolf any day.


Lisey’s Story by Stephen King
2.5/5 Stars

I haven’t read a King story in a while, and that may be why I wasn’t satisfied with this book. The plot seemed a little vague and confusing. Many of the ideas seemed way too far-fetched to be very interesting. Not at all what I expected.


Wizard’s Daughter by Catherine Coulter
1.5/5 Stars

Every once in a while, I like to read a good romance novel. I consider Catherine Coulter to be one of the best authors in this genre. Unfortunately, in this novel Coulter attempted to weave in some magic and wizardry, which didn’t work for me at all. The love story itself would have been enough to sustain my interest. The paranormal elements of the story were convoluted and confusing. I think these ‘extras’ diluted the story too much.

I'm off to read some blogs and add to my wishlist.

Which Twilight Character Are You?

You're Edward Cullen - You have great taste for the finer things in life, a classic style, and you understand the way people work so you can manipulate easily. You have many talents and a bit of a temper, but you are mostly level-headed and rational.
Take this quiz!

The Painted Veil

The Painted Veil byW. Somerset Maugham
4/5 Stars
This story begins with the very unlikable Kitty Fane. She is selfish, vain, and is bored with her husband. After an adulterous affair, Kitty travels with her husband to an area stricken by cholera.

Kitty begins to work in the nearby convent while the nuns nurse those who have come down with the disease. During this time, Kitty attempts to repair her broken marriage. Just when she begins to make amends, tragedy strikes. Kitty is left alone to face her demons.

I enjoyed watching Kitty’s character evolve throughout the story. I first noticed the change when she began embracing the orphans in her care instead of being repulsed by them. She begins to understand that, in the face of so much suffering, her problems are very small. Kitty begins to empathize with others and make better choices. In the end, Kitty is stronger than she realizes and her tragedy is really the beginning of a new life.

I was captivated from the first page to the last.

The Kitchen Boy

The Kitchen Boy

by

Robert Alexander

5/5 Stars

I checked out this book on the recommendations of several other bloggers. I have always been interested in the fate of Nicholas II and his family, so it seemed a natural choice. I was pleasantly surprised. The Kitchen Boy was a quick and very enjoyable read.

Beginning as the Romanovs are in exile, Alexander traces their final days and the events leading to their execution. The story is told by Leonka, a servant, who works in the Tsar's kitchen. Because of his close proximity to the Romanov family, Leonka is able to show us the daily intimacies that the family shares. It was refreshing to see Nicholas II as a husband and father, rather than just a soldier and last Tsar of Russia.

I must say that Alexander's solution to the Romanov mystery was both creative and exciting. The suspense builds until the final page.

A - Z Reading Challenge

The Challenge: Read 52 books. Each author and title should begin with a different letter of the alphabet.

Authors

A - Alexander, Robert - The Kitchen Boy

B - Brown, Carolyn - Evening Star

C - Coulter, Catherine - Wizards Daughter

D - Dirie, Waris - Desert Flower

E -

F - Ford, Michael Thomas - Suicide Notes

G - Grealy, Lucy - Autobiography of a Face

H - Hooper, Kay - After Caroline

I -

J -

K - Koontz, Dean - The Darkest Evening of the Year

L - Lockhart, Zelda - Fifth Born

M - Matheson, Richard - Hell House

N -

O -

P - Picoult, Jodi - Nineteen Minutes

Q -

R - Ramsey, Dave - Financial Peace Revisited

S - Shayne, Maggie - Twilight Phantasies

T - Thomas, Abigail - A Three Dog Life

U -

V -

W - Walls, Jeanette - The Glass Castle

X -

Y - Young, Sara - My Enemy's Cradle

Z -



Titles

A - Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

B - The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

C - Crippen by John Boyne

D - Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster

E -

F -

G - The Goddess Rules by Clare Naylor

H -

I - I am Legend by Richard Matheson

J -

K - The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

L - The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

M - Miss Invisible by Laura Jensen Walker

N - The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin

O -

P - The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham

Q -

R - The Ruins by Scott Smith

S - Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder by Ann Rule

T - Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

U -

V -

W - Wideacre by Philipa Gregory

X -

Y - The Year of Living Biblically by A. J. Jacobs

Z -

100+ Reading Challenge

I have used my first reading challenge to set my goal for the year. I think 100 books is very realistic. We'll see how far I get.

1. After Caroline by Kay Hooper

2. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

3. Wideacre by Philippa Gregory

4. Twilight Phantasies by Maggie Shayne

5. Ten Days in a Mad-House by Nellie Bly

6. Doing Good by Pamela Morsi

7. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

8. Lisey's Story by Stephen King

9. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

10. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

11. The Widow Down by the Brook by Mary Macneill

12. Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster

13. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

14. The Goddess Rules by Clare Naylor

15. The Year of Living Biblically by A. J. Jacobs

16. The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughin

17. Wizards Daughter by Catherine Coulter

18. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

19. I am Legend by Richard Matheson

20. Hell House by Richard Matheson

21. The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz

22. Financial Peace Revisited by Dave Ramsey

23. Crippen by John Boyne

24. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

25. The Ruins by Scott Smith

26. Mistaken Identity by Don and Susie Van Ryn

27. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

28. Going Gray by Anne Kraemer

29. Fifth Born by Zelda Lockhart

30. The Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander

31. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham

32. My Enemy's Cradle by Sara Young

33. Desert Flower by Waris Dirie

34. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

35. Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

36. Miss Invisible by Laura Jensen Walker

37. Evening Star by Carolyn Brown

38. Lottery by Patricia Wood

39. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby

40. The Mistress's Daughter by A.M. Homes

41. To Dance With the White Dog by Terry Kay

42. Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder by Ann Rule

43. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

44. Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy

45. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

46. Bliss to You: Trixie's Guide to a Happy Life by Trixie Koontz, Dog as told to Dean Koontz

47. The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason

48. A Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas

49. Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford

50. Something Wickedly Weird by Chris Mould

51. Ghost in the Mirror by Leslie Rule

52. The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon

53. The Boy From the Basement by Susan Shaw

54. Creepers by Joanne Dahme

My New Blog

I have always been an avid reader. When I was younger, I would become so absorbed in a book that nothing else mattered until I reached the last page. My dad would tease me about this when, over a weekend, I seemed to finish a book every day.

As an adult, my obsession with books has only gotten worse. Every so often, my husband forces me to clean out the bookcases. Little does he know that this is just an excuse to acquire more books! After all, a bookcase should never be empty! I have gotten better at filling my bookcases. I now find books in the library, at Paperback Swap, and numerous websites.

In January, I read an article about a woman who claimed to have read 200 books in 2007. That got me thinking - How many books did I read in 2007? What about 2008? I decided I should keep track. So far this year, I am up to 29. Not too shabby, but not 200!

I will be posting about the books I read this year, as well as any book challenges I join.

Happy Reading!

Erin