Melissa wrote: "I finished Stiff The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers this morning on the train in. I would give it about 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4, rather than down. I liked Roach's humor in t..." I read this during the summer on the beach and was constantly reading out loud and laughing with everyone about Roach's humor! Our students read it for Reading Olympics, so I am glad this nonfiction book gets into more students hands!

I finished Stiff The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers this morning on the train in. I would give it about 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4, rather than down. I liked Roach's humor in this book. I think it made it a little easier to swallow the subjects she covered in this book. I think what stopped me from giving it 5 stars was really nothing to do with her writing, but just my discomfort with the treatment of animals by agencies and schools. I'm just a sucker.

I'm now working on something a little less morbid, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan.

I finished Confessions of a Shopaholic on the way into work. I enjoyed it. Gave it four stars. It was cute and quick. I found myself identifying with her financial issues a bit, too. Not nearly on the same scale. But, I liked the way everything turned around for her at the end. Just a feel good story. I'll probably pick up the next in the series from the library.

I finished The Stupidest Angel A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0 last night. Fun. After reading Lamb, I definitely didn't laugh as much, but I zoomed right through the book. It was nice having already read both Lamb and Lust Lizard, so I was familiar with most of the characters. Looking forward to reading The Island of the Sequined Love Nun, so I can get to know Tucker and Roberto the Fruit Bat a little better. Today, I'm reading Confessions of a Shopaholic - started it on the train last night. Should finish it before the end of the week. Wonder if I can beat my record of 7 books that I read last month!

I finished Lamb The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. This book easily made it onto my all time favorites list. Might be the best book I've read this year. Now, I'm starting The Stupidest Angel A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0.

Finished up Pretty in Plaid A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomanical, Self-Centered Smart-Ass Phase. Funny all the way through. Now, I'm going to focus on Stiff The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, while I'm on break this week from work.

Just finished What Do You Do All Day?. It wasn't entirely what I expected, but I liked it. It got better as it went on. I felt like Jennifer was very whiny and really didn't see what a good thing she had. At least she realized at the end.

Last night, before I went to bed, I read the first few pages of Pretty in Plaid A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomanical, Self-Centered Smart-Ass Phase -- I was already laughing, just 10 pages in. I can't wait to read more. I'm glad I brought it in to work with me!

So, here's my thinking for next year's challenge: 65 books, 20,000 pages. That's an average of a little over 300 pages per book. I also have a few books, I specifically want to have read by the end of the year. I'll start the list here and will surely add to it, as the pop up in my mind.

The Book Thief
The Book of Lost Things
Nine and Counting
The Girl With the Pearl Earring
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff

Just finished Dead to the World. The short break from work last week threw me off of my reading groove, but I did manage to get a few pages into another book on Saturday night. I started reading What Do You Do All Day? A Novel -- not sure how I'm feeling about it right now, it has a bit of a The Nanny Diaries vibe to it, and I HATED that book by the end. We'll see. I'm going to give it a chance. I almost always stick with books to the end. Though, Leigh is supposed to bring me a couple more of the Sookie Stackhouse books to read. Fluff reading that I can pick up and put down constantly at work, without feeling like I've missed something.

Now, it's back to Dead to the World.

Just finished reading The Dead Travel Fast Stalking Vampires from Nosferatu to Count Chocula. I'm so glad that I finally got around to reading this, since this was one of the first books on my TBR here! It was fun. Lots of history on Vlad Dracula and Bram Stoker. Lots of fun anecdotes on Nuzum's attempts to find "vampires" today, and traveling around the world in pursuit of an explanation.

Finished Confessions of a Backup Dancer. Not much work to do today, or many people to talk to, so I had a lot of downtime. I wonder if I have any unread books sitting in my desk?

So, I'm already thinking out my 2010 challenge. The last couple years, I haven't really done much of a challenge, beyond number of books. I think, I'm going to aim for a certain number of pages. What do you think? 100,000? 500,000? 1,000,000?

Just finished Club Dead. I think as I go along, the books get a bit better. I still think Sookie is a little hypocritical, but at least she seems to be realizing it herself. Definitely think I might be becoming a fan of Eric.

Before I start the next Sookie book, I'm reading Confessions of a Backup Dancer. The way this book is written is annoying as hell, and the fact that it's told through the eyes of a 17-year-old. The whole thing is grating my nerves, but it should be a quick read, so I will survive. I've had the book on my shelf for at least a few months, if not for a year. So, I want to read it.

Finished It's Not Me, It's You Subjective Recollections from a Terminally Optimistic, Chronically Sarcastic and Occasionally Inebriated Woman last night. Quick, fun read. Man, Stefanie Wilder-Taylor sure has led an interesting life. This morning I started Club Dead, the third Sookie Stackhouse book.

Finished Living Dead in Dallas. It was better than the first one, but Harris's writing is atrocious -- I found several glaring spelling errors throughout the book that actually caught me so off guard that I got confused about what really happened. I will keep reading though, because the series is entertaining enough. I am taking a break for a couple days, so I can read It's Not Me, It's You. This woman is seriously funny.

Finished Dead Until Dark. Started Living Dead in Dallas. A girl in my office is supplying me with the series, so she has someone to talk about it with. They're easy reads, so I'm all for it. While Sookie gets on my nerves from time to time, these books seem easier to swallow than Twilight. I'm not pissed off while reading! lol

Finished Which Lie Did I Tell? and Loch Ness Monsters and Raining Frogs The World's Most Puzzling Mysteries Solved. Starting Dead Until Dark either while I'm at work or on the train this evening.

Still working on Which Lie Did I Tell?.

Just finished Happiest Toddler on the Block How to Eliminate Tantrums and Raise a Patient, Respectful and Cooperative One- to Four-Year-Old Revised Edition. I like a good amount of the things this guy says, but I think these books could be half the lenght. After a while, you begin to see that all of the situations are solved by the same four or five solutions. We'll see how they work on my "spirited toddler"!

Glad you enjoyed it. It's gotten REALLY mixed review from people on GR (especially in TNBBC), but I liked it.

Just finished The Time Traveler's Wife. Pretty good book. It was a bit hard to follow, when I first started it, but it was a wonderful story. Now, I'm hoping to finish Which Lie Did I Tell?.

Finished Ghouls Just Haunt to Have Fun this morning. A little disappointed in this one. I mean, her writing has never been stellar (I feel like I'm reading something I wrote back in high school when I read her books), and I didn't get the creeps in this one like I did her first two. But, it wasn't a bad light read. Planning on starting The Time Traveler's Wife . . . FINALLY! I'm also taking my time reading Which Lie Did I Tell? by William Goldman -- it's sitting on my nightstand. I think I'll bring this in with me next week. The chapters are short.

Didn't finish the The 5th Horseman until last Friday -- the Senate went on recess, so I was enjoying all of my free time with Chris. While on recess, I also read Finger Lickin' Fifteen. I am currently reading Ghouls Just Haunt to Have Fun.

Cool! I put my Bookmooch account on "vacation" for a while, but I was planning on opening it back up this month. Awesome. Okay, so instead of grabbing Something Borrowed, I picked up Love Walked In -- I had started this book back in the fall or winter and then put it down. I should finish The 5th Horseman today, since we're going to have another LOOOONG day here at work.

Amen sista! I put Coraline in my bag--thought I'd read that (a youth book) then see the movie. Not sure where to go after that...have a laundry list (not to mention over 4 dozen books at home) TBR

I also have some books to pass off for you to put on BookMooch.

Finished Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas. I brought another quick read to work to read, too: The 5th Horseman. I'll most likely finish that tomorrow. Stupid debate on a nomination they already know they'll be confirming. UGH! Anyways, after that, I'm contemplating Something Borrowed. I'm trying to keep my reading at the moment to fluff stuff. I don't seem to have the brain power to keep up with more involved books.

Last week, I finished The Restaurant at the End of the Universe and today I finished The Devil and Miss Prym A Novel of Temptation. Now, I'm reading a bit of fluff for a challenge in one of the groups I belong to: Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas.

I finished that piece of crap A Dad-sized Challenge Building a Life-changing Relationship With Your Son. Have moved on to something that is intentionally funny . . . The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

Finished Naptime Is the New Happy Hour And Other Ways Toddlers Turn Your Life Upside Down. Am reading a book I'm sure will piss me off next, as a bit of fun . . . A Dad-sized Challenge Building a Life-changing Relationship With Your Son.

I put down Shoot the Moon, when Julie asked me to toss Revenge of the Spellmans to the top of my to read list. Finished that yesterday and started Naptime Is the New Happy Hour And Other Ways Toddlers Turn Your Life Upside Down. This is a quick read, as I'm already 72 pages in. Once I finish that, I'm going to hook up with Julie, so I can get Finger Lickin' Fifteen!

I just finished reading The Book of Other People. It was all right. Overall, I enjoyed it, but some of the stories were confusing, others were down right boring, and some were just bad. But, some were GREAT, and I really wish they were longer than they were. Really neat concept.

Am picking up Shoot the Moon again. Had planned on reading it in the hospital, when I had Chris last year, but only got about two pages in.

Wow, I'm a slacker!! I haven't read much in the last month! The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove

That makes 24 books, so far this year. Not bad. Not bad.

Finished Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason this morning!

Finished The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy today! I'm still working on finishing Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason, which is my train ride book.

Just finished Plum Spooky. I left The Tipping Point in my desk at work, so I grabbed Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason off of my nightstand. I'm hoping to finish The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy this week, too, because I just got The Restaurant at the End of the Universe in the mail yesterday.

I finished Breaking Dawn! I would definitely say that this was the best of the last three books. I was annoyed at how the book had nothing happen until the last 80 pages!! Ugh! I don't know if I'll be able to bring myself to read The Host A Novel.

I guess that wouldn't be a bad thing if you really getting moving on trying to sell.

1/2 day. Jordan just called b/c he realized that wet carpet could = mildew in basement. Don't know what he thought would happen. Guess this might be what causes us to pull the trigger on new carpet.

So, did you go to work, or did you have to take off? What a sucky day . . . seems to be that way for everyone!

Ummm, Stephanie Plum is the definition of quick read. Throw that in front to give you a sense of accomplishment. While sitting watching the carpet soak, I started Aunt Dimity and the Duke for the same reason.

No reading got done during the two week Senate recess. I should be finishing Breaking Dawn maybe today. I'm thinking about picking it up in a couple minutes. I only have about 75 pages left. She sure does wait until the last minute to get things going, huh?!

I brought in The Tipping Point, so I will start that. I keep putting other books on top of Plum Spooky, so I forget about it. I should pull that out and put it by my purse tonight, so I remember to bring it tomorrow. I think I need a quick read.

Nope. It's hell week (aka budget week) here at the Senate. I'm off next week and the week after. I'll be sleeping under my desk here at work.

Are you off now???

I finally finished Angela's Ashes A Memoir of a Childhood -- I did all of the reading on the train to and from work and ended up having three Fridays off in a row, so I feel like I fell really behind. I'm planning on getting back into Breaking Dawn and reading Plum Spooky in the evenings during the two week Senate recess.

I finished both Midnight Sun and The Fortune Cookie Chronicles Adventures in the World of Chinese Food. Might take a short Stephenie Meyer break so I can read Plum Spooky and Angela's Ashes.

I finished 5 People Who Died During Sex and 100 Other Terribly Tasteless Lists. For another challenge, I'm reading The Fortune Cookie Chronicles Adventures in the World of Chinese Food strictly on the train. I haven't been making much progress on it because the past two days I've only ridden the train in to work, so I've only had one opportunity to read it. I'm also working on Midnight Sun -- this is an e-book, so I'm reading it here at work. I'd like to finish it before I finish Breaking Dawn, so I can get a better feel for Edward, because I really don't see what's so great about him!

I stopped reading The Audacity of Hope until I can actually get out and buy the book. I felt rushed, but really want to take my time on it. This weekend, I finished Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay And Other Things I Had to Learn as a New Mom and English as a Second F*cking Language How to Swear Effectively, Explained in Detail with Numerous Examples Taken From Everyday Life. Not sure what I'm going to read next. I'd like to finish The Fortune Cookie Chronicles Adventures in the World of Chinese Food.

I finished The Graveyard Book over the weekend. Started The Audacity of Hope Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream yesterday.