Jen’s Comments (group member since Dec 17, 2013)

Jen’s comments from the The 104 Book Challenge - 2014 group.

Paula wrote: "Hi! I´m Paula and I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I´m a postgrad student doing my PhD in Biochemestry. Every day I have a 2 hours train ride to and from the Hospital and I spend every minute of ..."

Your English is far FAR better than my Spanish :)

#4 A Million Bucks by 30: How to Overcome a Crap Job, Stingy Parents, and a Useless Degree to Become a Millionaire Before (or After) Turning Thirty by Alan Corey

This is my January non-fiction choice, and I really enjoyed it. I figured a financial book was a good way to start the New Year, keep me interested and motivated in being more responsible yadda yadda yadda.

The author is a normal dude, and he talks like one. Its refreshing to read about a regular joe who just eats ramen for months and chooses to be a spendthrift to make a million, instead of 'get rich quick and easy' or 'preachy' self help finance books. His methods aren't for everyone, but a few are applicable to all, I think. He references pop culture, as you would expect from someone under thirty, but since it was written in 2008, some of the references are out of date. I found it amusing, honestly, to read about him buying the latest iPod or finding friends on MySpace.

I'd recommend this, short and quick and amusing.

I really enjoyed If I Stay and Where She Went, did you like them?

I'm fearful of the movie adaptation, though...

Kala wrote: "Yes there is. It just came out. Sadly it's a direct tv exclusive though. I'm not sure when/if they will release it. Probably not until they get all the money possible from the pay per view version."

Was it worth watching?

Kala wrote: "So I'm super late to this challenge but I have been keeping tabs on all of you! I'm may fluff my numbers up some with finishing books I started last year and never got around to finishing, and read..."

hold up. There's an Odd Thomas movie??

I loved the Book Thief, and I liked Death as a character. Though it was off putting at first, I didn't understand who was talking, but once I got it, it was really interesting.

#3 Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

My second Newbery for the year. This is an almost-sorta-kinda biographical tale of a summer Jack Gantos spent in his hometown of Norvelt. It's very funny, a few scenes (like checking to see if an old lady was dead while wearing his Grim Reaper Halloween costume) were downright hilarious to picture. Very well written, I enjoyed it.

Isn't Tim Horton's a doughnut place? (American here, only heard of it because of How I Met Your Mother) Why does a doughnut place have sad commercials?

I love cookbooks, but the only one I've ever sat down and 'read' is the America's Test Kitchen "The Best Recipe", because it's full of fascinating extra info about how they modified recipes and why and what effects different combinations had on the food.

But I would totally count them as non-fiction. And household/entertaining books like Martha Stewart and Emily Post. Those absolutely count.

Looks like you got a good start on your classics!

I love that series, I read that one aloud to my son a year or so ago, there's just enough interesting wildlife and lifestyle stuff to make him forget it's about little girls instead of little boys, which I liked because it is a good way to show him female protagonists are not a reason to skip a book.

#2 The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

This is the most recent Newbery Award winner, and I absolutely think its one of the best I've read in years. I loved Ivan and the other characters, the story was sweet and compelling, highly recommend it! Plus it only took a couple of hours to read, so there's no excuse for missing out.

Oh, I've seen that everywhere! It looks super cute, did you like it?

Ooh, I read that a few years ago, I enjoyed it. I think it does a good job of showing how eating disorders are a mental illness, not just bad habits.

They are turning that into a TV show called "Resurrection" this year, apparently.

#1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

I won't waste time 'reviewing' this one, since I'm pretty sure you'd have to be living in Azkaban to not know the big stuff about this one. But I do like this one because its really your first glimpse into how well-thought out Jo was in her writing.

Within my 104, I'm going to try and read:

-All the Newbery Award winners
-One non-fiction a month
-Re read all of Harry Potter (though I'm cheating by having done 1 & 2 in the last weeks of 2013)

Good luck everyone!

Judy wrote: "I might try to read more non-fiction. Maybe."

I've given this idea a lot of thought as well. I feel that now that I'm 30 I should care more about non-fiction....doesn't seem to happen that way.

Silver wrote: "I hope to read as many Rory Gilmore books as possible."
This is a wonderful and lofty goal! I approve!

Jennifer wrote: "Jen wrote: "Hi everyone! I'm Jen, I was part of the first annual challenge, but due to family and educational obligations I had to drop out after that. But I'm now officially a college graduate, ..."

LOL its ok, I'm super excited too! I've been lurking for a few too many years :D