30 Book Challenge by JB

[jb]

This year I actually picked 26 books I wanted to read (from a another group challenge).


1. The Illustrated Dracula excellent book
2. The Twelve
3. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
4. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
5. Driving Sideways
6. Eat, Pray, Love
7. I Know This Much Is True
8. The Cookbook Collector currently working on but man it is boring
9. The Night Circus
10. Her Fearful Symmetry
11. Alphabet Weekends
12. Skippy Dies
13. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
14. Anna Karenina: Russian Literature
15. Les Misérables : French Literature currently reading
16. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats : German Literature
17. The Pillars of the Earth : British Literature
18. The Monster of Florence : Italian Literature
19. The Cellist of Sarajevo : War Literature
20. Imajica : Horror Literature
21. The Memoirs of Cleopatra : Egypt Literature
22. Lonesome Dove : Western Literature
23. Cathedral of the Sea : Spanish Literature
24. Helen of Troy : Greek Mythology Literature
25. Wide Sargasso Sea : Jane Eyre Literature (a take on the madness of the wife)
26. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan : Chinese Literature

[Adriana]

Welcome to the group jennbunny! I saw you in the yearly challenges somewhere but never said hey so hey! Interested to see what you think of The Memoirs of Cleopatra. I haven't read it myself but it sounds really good (:

[jb]

Craig wrote: "I also have a good few of these on my TBR Jenn - can't wait to hear your thoughts on some of them :)"

I hope so....every year I try to pick a set amount of books I want to read. Then I pick a set amount of books that are owned and need to be read. I own all of these and really need to read them! I think my ambition was set a bit high with so many large books.

[jb]

Adriana wrote: "Welcome to the group jennbunny! I saw you in the yearly challenges somewhere but never said hey so hey! Interested to see what you think of The Memoirs of Cleopatra. I haven't read it myself but it..."

My friend had gotten that book as a present a few years ago, but she never finished it. I found my copy in a used bookstore for $1! I am looking forward to it, but it is such a large book.

[jb]

1. Dracula ~ This was an excellent book and five stars for sure. I own The Illustrated Dracula, but I actually bought the audio book from Audible as Tim Curry was the narrator for Van Helsing! Wow all the narrators did a fantastic job bringing this old tale alive. I am a horror fan anyway, but this really kept me on the edge and wanting to finish the story.

[jb]

2. Driving Sideways ~ This book turned out to be okay. They story was overall a good idea, but I ended up not liking one of the main characters. Then I ended up getting annoyed with the other main character because of how she let the other girl control her decisions.

[jb]

3. Alphabet Weekends ~ Again another okay story. The concept was good, but at first I thought the author was trying to incorporate too much into the story, but it all came together okay. I would have liked a bit more details on the main two characters. There was one part where I was like really....forgiven just like that?

[jb]

4. The Monster of Florence ~ This turned out to be a very good account of the serial killer in Italy and a harsh look at the Italian government and judicial system. NOTE to self: never commit a crime in Italy!

[jb]

5. Wide Sargasso Sea ~ I heard about this book and read some detailed reviews beforehand. This book is about the "mad wife" from Jane Eyre. The read at first was a bit confusing and jumbled, but since it was a small book I plunged into it. It actually turned out better than I thought it would at the beginning. The book lends a sort of madness of its own.

[jb]

6. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan ~ This book is very well written and the author certainly gives a voice to the time and the women. That being said, I did not like the book. The story was certainly there, but the way the women treated each other just left me feeling stranded. I would like to think women would treat each other better in such circumstances instead of with bitterness and hatred. The feet binding was horrible too, but the general lack of love was the worse part.