Best of the Spring 2013 Challenge

[Dlmrose, Moderator Emeritus]

What were your favorite books of the Spring 2013 Challenge?

[Elizabeth]

[Tammy AZ]

Life After Life

Life After Life: A Novel

The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat

[Aleksandra]

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe Fannie Flagg
Ru Kim Thuy
Fahrenheit 451Ray Bradbury
Little Face Sophie Hannah
Sweetgrass Mary Alice Monroe
Wonder RJ Palacio

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

Changeling
Notorious Nineteen
Keeping the Castle

[Jen]

My 5 Star Books of Spring:

The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne by Brian Moore - Funny & sad & does not relent or shy away from how lonely & pathetic life can be. I laughed & cried & cringed & absolutely loved this book.

The Love Song of Jonny Valentine by Teddy Wayne - Jonny Valentine is like a young Justin Bieber & this novel is like Wayne watched Justin Bieber: Never Say Never & let his mind go wild with all the stuff they didn't show about behind the scenes in a child star's life. Totally interesting & fun to read.

The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters - I love books that depict the heavy dread of pre-apocalypse & this is among the best I've read. Can't wait for the second of the trilogy to be released this summer.

The Tin Horse by Janice Steinberg - A very interesting story of a Jewish family in California that spans 60 years & a whole family history. Usually I find novels with Jewish characters set in New York. I really loved this different take.

& a notable 4 star book:

Blood of the Lamb by Peter De Vries - John Green was inspired by this novel when he wrote The Fault in Our Stars. I liked the lighter, funnier first half, but I've seen reviews touting the deeper, darker second half. Either way, a very worthwhile read.

[Candy]

[Lindsey]

♦Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
♦The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
♦The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
♦Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
♦Power Foods for the Brain: An Effective 3-Step Plan to Protect Your Mind and Strengthen Your Memory by Neal Barnard
♦Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
♦The Starch Solution: Eat the Foods You Love, Regain Your Health, and Lose the Weight for Good! by John McDougall
♦The Little Guide to Your Well-Read Life: How to Get More Books in Your Life and More Life from Your Books by Steve Leveen
♦Poison by Bridget Zinn

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

You had quite a few favorites.

[Lindsey]

Yeah :) I think I'm just getting good at picking books I will really like!

[Chaitra]

Kind of Kin by Rilla Askew
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Tell The Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
'Salem's Lot by Stephen King
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Which is not a bad list for under 70 books! :)

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

I loved The Help

[Tammy AZ]

I just finished by Tara Conklin. Great book!

[Janice]

My five stars this season were:

Sailing with Noah: Stories from the World of Zoos by Jeffrey P. Bonner

The Twelve Little Cakes by Dominika Dery

(I added both of these to my all-time favorites list)

and

Hunting Mister Heartbreak: A Discovery of America by Jonathan Raban

The Fur Person by May Sarton - a sentimental favorite

[Ann A]

Beautiful Ruins is probably my favorite of the year so far.

[Chris]

Wonderful. Can't believe I waited so long to read it.

The surprise hit of the challenge. Never even heard of it before this. A look at what happens to two high school students when something one of them says it accidentally taken as a "terroristic threat."

I am so glad a friend recommended this. Fascinating story of a woman who disguised herself as a man to drive a stagecoach.

Way better than expected.

I love Grisham's nonlegal stories, and this one had me enthralled.

[Lorna]

5 Star books :

Notable 4 Star books: