Allison's 2009 Reading Challenge

[Allison]

well of course!

[Laura]

Fiona wrote: "The Dark Tower - I have the first book of that and maybe the second or the third one I can't remember.

I want to read IT next, or mayby The Shining."

IT - so creepy. I went thru a King phase in H.S. when I dated a guy who loved him. I think IT was my first, after the Shining. Loved IT way better than Shining. My husband loved The Shining.

[Allison]

I am still waiting for The Stand to come in the mail from BookMooch...it better not have gotten lost! Now many things have come between us and it might be awhile before I get to it...

[Becky]

I have to agree with your husband Laura. The Shining is an absolute favorite of mine. That and The Stand are my two Stephen King stand-by books. If I'm undecided about what to read, my hand lands on one or the other of those two every time, without fail.

Allison, I hope that BookMooch didn't lose The Stand! That would be a tragedy!

[Allison]

Yay I got The Stand...I'm about to start it now, I think.

I just finished Jurassic Park--very good!!

[Laura]

Books do spread around here dont they? It seems like the best ones spread tho.

[Jill]

The nice thing about The Shining was the fact that it was about a man fighting his inner demons. It'd be easy to do a traditional haunted house story, but King opted to make it a lot more psychological by adding the alcoholism. I think that made the story far more creepy. When you're a little kid, one of your biggest fears is that your parents will be taken from you and you'll be left with some monster that only looks like your parents on the surface. (I had nightmares about my father becoming a vampire or a zombie and my mother wandering around without her head when I was a kid, for example.) The book explored that theme really well.

[Allison]

Augh. I need to get motivated to read! I'm kinda glad I fell asleep last night before I had a chance to get into The Stand very far, because I probably wouldn't have been able to sleep all night otherwise.

[Allison]

mmmkay...I had total Stand overload from reading so much on Sunday, so I took a break today and read another Stephanie Plum. Now I have about an hour and a half before I should go to sleep...back to The Stand!

[Becky]

There is no such thing!

[Kandice]

I agree with Becky. I can never get enough of ANY Stephen King.

[Allison]

haha...sorry. Its true. I read hard Sunday. If it makes you feel any better I stayed up waaaaaay too late last night catching up on the reading I missed.

[Jackie]

Allison, have you read the Stephanie Plum "Between the Numbers" books?

[Allison]

nope...I just read the first 4 for the first time. I do plan on working through the series though. Are they as good?

[Jackie]

I haven't read any. I was curious about them. Wasn't sure if they were part of the series or not.

[Allison]

I heard something about her being paired up with some other guy that isn't a part of the normal series? Not sure where I read that...its probably wrong, lol.

[Jamie]

The consensus on the between-the-numbers books is that they aren't nearly as good as the numbered ones. I've found that this is true, except for the most recent one, Plum Spooky.

[Jackie]

How do the between-the-numbers one work though? Are they part of the series or just stories all on their own? It's confusing to a freak like me who needs to read things in order. lol.

[Becky]

Jackie, I'm the same way! In fact, I'm so bad that I will put off reading partial series until they are all in print so that I can read them back to back. I have a bunch of books on my shelves that are part of a series that I would love to read, but I'm waiting until I can get all of the books before I start.

I'm neurotic. ;)

[Jackie]

LOL...that's why I love GR. I know that I'm not alone. I actually try to do the same thing when it comes to series. I hate wondering what is going to happen next and have to wait a couple of years to get the answer.

[Allison]

I had books 1 and 3 of the Gemma Doyle trilogy for weeks...maybe months. I was itching to start...made myself wait until I could get a copy of Rebel Angels from BookMooch.

LOL-now I have them and I've put too much in front of them and have no idea when I'll start.

[Kevin]

Wow! Your list is amazing! I am impressed! I bow to the puppy as well. :)

[Allison]

you guys should really check out Graceling. It was FANTASTIC.

[[deleted user]]

Great list Allison! I admire your ability to read 200! I really don't think I could read that many!

[Allison]

we'll see, I have some real bricks coming up. :)

[Allison]

uhhmmm...I need to finish The Stand, for one.

Bleak House by Charles Dickens
Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
Tea Rose/Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
the Rome series by Colleen McCoullough (which is like 6? Not sure.)

[Allison]

I do like The Stand, but I read it too fast and burned out, so I'm taking a break from it. I know I don't like it as much as Kandice and Fiona did.

I only lack like 350 pages or something I think (haha, I guess thats a lot).

[Allison]

lol, same thing!

I suppose it shouldn't take too long...it was just kinda dragging a bit for me where I stopped. I really hope I actually do pick it back up and finish, because right now I really don't have any desire to.

I hope Fiona doesn't read this, she might throw more rotten food at me...lol.

All that being said, it REALLY is a good book, so I'm not sure what my problem is...except maybe just my mood right now. When I do finish, I'll probably still give it 4 stars.

[Allison]

yeah, meanwhile I'm really enjoying North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.

haha...I'm a shameless promoter.

Speaking of, I read Graceling by Kristin Cashore yesterday and LOVED it, a definite 5 star read for me.

[Allison]

Fiona wrote: "Allison wrote: "lol, same thing!

I suppose it shouldn't take too long...it was just kinda dragging a bit for me where I stopped. I really hope I actually do pick it back up and finish, because rig..."

****SPOILERS: THE STAND******************

I don't even remember that well...dummy Harold was plotting to kill Stu, and they were coming up on their first big meeting, but Mother Abigail is gone.

So really...not slow, haha. I think its just my mood.

[Allison]

hmm.

Of course, since I'm a moron and I read your review, I know that someone dies...and who it is.

Perhaps I don't want to read that.

[Kandice]

I hope you revisit Stand, Allison. I know for me, King makes me care about the characters so much, that if I know someone is going to die, even on a re-read, I stall to avoid it. Fiona is right about his writer's block too. He hit a stall, which is reare for him, and you can tell by the style of the work at the time. Not as breakneck or engaging as usual.

[Becky]

You have to finish The Stand eventually Allison! I'll hold my breath until you do!

*takes a big breath and puffs out my cheeks*

Didja read it yet? I like breathing, you know!

[Allison]

Becky, you're turning blue! better let it out...

[Allison]

49. North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell

I really recommend this one, everyone should read it!

[Carol]

Oh I like your list. I´ll add you ok? So I don´t lose you on the way lol I intend to visit your bookshelves

And you ARE a book freak but hey!, it´s GBs, I think this is a compliment xD

[Allison]

:) thanks.

...and I am a freak, no worries!

[Jeane]

Kandice wrote: "I agree with Becky. I can never get enough of ANY Stephen King."

After reading The green mile about five years ago I don't feel like reading another King book anymore.

[Jeane]

Allison wrote: "uhhmmm...I need to finish The Stand, for one.

Bleak House by Charles Dickens
Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
Tea Rose/Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
..."


Allison, stop talking about the rome serie. I don't have place to put books I buy so I can't and I don't feel like taking them from the library...but it was already ahrd before you started raving about them, not making it better!!!!! It is 7.56am and I feel like jsut going out with the clothes I have on and buy the whole serie. stay inside the whole eekend, do nothing but reading the whole serie!

[Jeane]

Allison wrote: "Becky, you're turning blue! better let it out..."

haha, that was funny. are you okay becky?

[Jeane]

Carol wrote: "Oh I like your list. I´ll add you ok? So I don´t lose you on the way lol I intend to visit your bookshelves

And you ARE a book freak but hey!, it´s GBs, I think this is a compliment xD"

GB, please tell me what it means because I have a for sure different idea in my head.

[Becky]

Yeah... I started breathing again a while ago. Nice to know you guys care. *sigh* ;)

I just read The Green Mile, and I love that story. It's so touching and honest, how people let their prejudices dictate their lives, but also about how fairness and understanding can make all the difference to someone.

[Kandice]

It's a beautiful story. I'm a little sad Jeane didn't like it.

And Jeane-The Rome series was MINE!!!!

[Allison]

whew! read all the Stephanie Plums...I'm ready for another one now! (Only because I'm possibly in love with Ranger)

[Jeane]

Kandice wrote: "It's a beautiful story. I'm a little sad Jeane didn't like it.

And Jeane-The Rome series was MINE!!!!"

i know but you spreaded it!!!!!!!

[Jeane]

Kandice wrote: "It's a beautiful story. I'm a little sad Jeane didn't like it.

And Jeane-The Rome series was MINE!!!!"

It isn't that i didn't like it in some way but it was very heavy and the way the book was I prefer not to read more books like that.

[Allison]

just finished The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley...highly recommended

[Allison]

yeah...I got sick of updating this thread all the time so I quit :)

I made a shelf for them anyway.

[Jeane]

noooo, come back!!!