Ann A's 2017 Reading Roundup

[Ann A]

Here we go - aiming for 100 again (although I should really try to read LESS this year and get to some other projects)!

[Ann A]

1 - A Reliable Wife
Mostly unpleasant and over-written. 2*

2 - Ace against Odds
As I love tennis and India, I found Sania's story interesting. 4*

[Tiffany, Administrator]

Ann A wrote: "Here we go - aiming for 100 again (although I should really try to read LESS this year and get to some other projects)!"

Good luck! :)

(And I sympathize with being torn between reading a lot, and reading less so you can accomplish other things. *sigh* :) )

[Ann A]

3 - Who Speaks For Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think
I learned a lot from this. Wish more people would learn more about the average Muslim. Just felt it was either too long or too short, depending on what was meant to be the main purpose of the book. 3*

4 - The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog
Didn't like the end, but always find myself chuckling at Peters' witty writing. 3 1/2*

5 - We Should All Be Feminists
Wonderful essay. 5*

[Ann A]

6 - What We Do Now: Standing Up For Your Values in Trump's America
An inspiring, disturbing, but important collection of essays (of course, some better than others - would have loved to see one by Michael Moore) 4*

7 - Bud, Not Buddy
Bud has to be one of my favorite characters encountered in my "Read the Newberys" project. 4*

8 - Moonglow
Maybe not my favorite Chabon, but the guy can't write a bad sentence. 4*

[Ann A]

9 - Cards on the Table
Sure wish I had the "little grey cells" of Hercule Poirot! Christie remains the Master of Mystery in my opinion. 4*

[Ann A]

10 - James Madison: A Biography
Long and often dry, but also mostly interesting. There was a lot to Madison's life, but unless you're a real history buff you might want to read a more condensed biography. 3 1/2*

11 - Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between
Loved this audiobook read by the author (and yes, I am a huge Gilmore Girls fan). 4 1/2*

12 - True Grit
I've had this yellow-paged copy for ages (not sure where it came from). I finally read it because it fit a reading challenge, and surprisingly I enjoyed it. Mattie is a great character. 4*

13 - News of the World
Even though the poetic, descriptive language got in the way a few times, this was a captivating story. 4*

[Ann A]

Yikes, I'm behind on my updates here.

14 - A Short History of Nearly Everything
Bill Bryson can make anything interesting. 4*

15 - Dead End in Norvelt
Newbery winner. I'm getting close to completing my project! 3*

16 - Born to Run
After reading his prose, I'm ready to listen to Springsteen with a new appreciation for his lyrics. 5*

[Ann A]

17 - Out of the Dust
Newbery winner. Powerful. This one will stay with me for awhile. 4*

18 - Julie of the Wolves
Another solid 4* Newbery.

19 - Not Dead Yet: The Memoir
I was pleasantly surprised at how good this book was. I might have even given it 5* if it hadn't been for the parts where I wanted to knock Phil upside the head! 4*

[Ann A]

20 - A Single Shard
Wonderful story (Newbery again) about a South Korean boy who wants to become a master potter. 4 1/2*

21 - Death of a Prankster
Hamish is such a lovable character, but I think this is one of the weaker ones in the series. 3*

22 - Last Stop on Market Street
One of the few Newberry winners meant for younger children (it's a picture book). I loved it. 5*

[Ann A]

23 - Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures
I'm trying to finish up my 'Read the Newberys' project by the end of May; hence all the children's books... This one was silly, good fun. 3*

24 - Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village An interesting project (written by a teacher) of 22 monologues set in medieval England. 3*

25 - Maeve's Times: In Her Own Words
I'm going to miss Maeve. 4*

[Ann A]

26 - Criss Cross
Newbery. Meh. 3*

27 - The Girl Who Drank the Moon
The most recent Newbery winner. This didn't really resonate with me (most everyone else seems to love it). 2 1/2*

28 - Alexander Hamilton
After reading bios of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison, I was happy to read a more sympathetic view of Hamilton. Chernow captures what a complicated, brilliant, flawed man he was. Now, to somehow see the musical!! 4*

[Ann A]

29 - Red Gold
Furst is a talented writer who is an expert in everything World War II. This one didn't quite measure up to his others for me - the flow seemed a bit too choppy. 3*

30 - The War of the Worlds (1001 books)
The 2nd half moved along nicely, but before that I got a little bogged down in the details of the "monsters". Still 4*

31 - Still Life with Bread Crumbs
Ok, it's a tad predictable but I like Quindlen's writing so much I don't even care. 4*

[Ann A]

32 - Amsterdam (1001 books)
I have mixed feelings about the ending, but this goes in McEwan's 'hit' column for me (there are a few in the 'miss' column). 4*

33 - Murder Is Easy
And... for a comfort read, I turn once again to Agatha. 3*

34 - March
I accept that the Civil War atrocities were an important part of the story, but I was able to look beyond them and inhabit the wonderful characters, especially the idealistic Mr. March. 5*

[Ann A]

35 - Murder in the White House
The first in the series, and I think the writer has hope so I may give her another chance. 2 1/2*

36 - Nancy's Mysterious Letter
It's fun to revisit my youth every now and then with the series that gave me a life-long love of mysteries. 3* for nostalgia.

37 - Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America
My top take-aways from this book: Criticial thinking. Independent research. Civility. Compassion. Yes. 4*

[Ann A]

38 - Something Rotten
A wacky, wild ride! 4*

39 - The Narrows
I like Connelly's books a lot, even though he carries the "macho" thing too far at times. 4*

[Ann A]

40 - The Crossover
I really enjoyed this Newbery about family, adolescence, and basketball! 4*

41 - The Tale of Despereaux
Cute Newbery-winning mouse tale (I originally misspelled it "tail" - and there are a couple of those in the story as well!) 3*

And....drum roll...I have finished my "Read the Newbery Winners" project (at least until next year's award). I started in May of 2011, so it took me six years of reading 15-20 per year to finish all 96.

[Tiffany, Administrator]

Ann A wrote: "And....drum roll...I have finished my "Read the Newbery Winners" project (at least until next year's award)."

Yay! Congratulations on accomplishing that goal!

[Ann A]

42 - Mink River
This grew on me until I loved it at the end. I've decided I'm a fan of northwest literature. Sadly, the author recently died of a brain tumor. 4*

43 - The Novel Habits of Happiness
It's always pleasant to spend a bit of time with A.M. Smith. 3*

44 - Peace Like a River
Lovely writing. This has been languishing on my shelves for years - glad I finally got to it. 4*

[Ann A]

45 - Siddhartha (1001 books)
I appreciate being left with a lot to think about. 4*

46 - Public Library and Other Stories
I probably won't be reading more from this writer. The best parts were the blurbs in between the stories, with different people ruminating about what their local public libraries meant to them while growing up. 2*

47 - A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
My favorite of 2017 so far. 5*

[Ann A]

48 - Kitchen (1001 books)
Hmmm. There's a definite similarity to Murakami. I liked it - didn't love it. 3*

49 - Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom
This little gem fit the bill for the past week of my goal to try to read something uplifting or inspirational every day. I especially loved Chapter 3, "Solitude is Luminous". 4*

[Ann A]

50 - Anne of Ingleside
It's always enjoyable spending time with Anne. 3 1/2*

51 - Treasure Island
Shiver me timbers! I can't believe I haven't read this rip-roaring adventure until now. 4*

52 - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Well-written play, but SO dated. 3*

[Ann A]

53 - Coming Clean
Sensitive and sometimes cringe-worthy portrait of life with a hoarder. 4*

54 - Borrower of the Night
I don't like Vicky Bliss as much as Amelia Peabody, but I'll probably give the series another chance. 3*

[Ann A]

Got way behind on my updates again...

55 - The Luminaries
I liked this a lot - just wish I'd read it a little more quickly. There are a lot of characters, and I kept losing track of them. 4*

56 - The Turn of the Screw
I appreciate the writing chops of Henry James, but the drama queen/governess began to get on my nerves. 3*

57 - The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales
Fascinating stuff, as usual, from Sacks. 4*

[Ann A]

58 - Conversations With Myself
What can I say about Nelson Mandela? He's a hero, and I love reading his wise words. 4*

59 - Ill Will
I read this because it was part of the Rooster Summer Reading Challenge (from the Tournament of Books folks). Although Chaon is a heck of a writer, this is possibly the darkest book I've ever read. 2*

60 - Three Junes
Julia Glass can tell a story. 4*

[Ann A]

61 - Hidden Figures: The Untold True Story of Four African-American Women Who Helped Launch Our Nation into Space
Really enjoyed reading about these amazing women. 4*

62 - The Nightingale
Great story, but I felt the writing didn't live up to it. 3*

63 - Commonwealth
Patchett has been hit and miss for me, but I loved this one. 5*

[Ann A]

64 - Al Franken, Giant of the Senate
Love Al, think he's a great public servant, and oh yeah, he's funny! Recommend the audio read by him. 5*

65 - As You Like It
I read this in preparation of seeing a live performance. For maybe the first time with Shakespeare, I enjoyed reading it much more than seeing the actual play. 4*

66 - A Mind to Murder
I do enjoy British murder mysteries, and James is one of my favorites. 4*

[Ann A]

67 - My Life in France
Fascinating! I wasn't expecting this to be such a page turner, but I really loved it. 5*

68 - The Lady and the Unicorn
Very interesting historical facts about medieval tapestries, but the characters didn't really grab me. 3*

69 - Sophie's World
Great review of/introduction to philosophy in the form of a novel. 4*

[Ann A]

70 - The Theory of Everything: The Origin and Fate of the Universe
Some of Hawking's lectures. Interesting, but 'A Brief History of Time' was better - editing does matter. 3*

71 - A Brief History of Time
Parts were certainly over my head, but much of it was very interesting. Now I feel like I need to research the advances that have been made since this was published. 4*

72 - Doomsday Book
Had to think about this a bit before rating it. Longer than it needed to be, and one section was difficult to read. In the end, I decided the author was brave for handling that subject realistically, and overall, it was a rip-roaring good read! 4*

[Ann A]

73 - To Have and Have Not (1001 books)
I'm not a Hemingway lover and I loved this less than usual. Another tick off the 1001 list, however. 2*

74 - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1001 books)
I'm always surprised when I really enjoy science fiction, but there's a reason this is a classic. 4*

75 - Crime Beat
Some of Connelly's crime reporting as a journalist. I always wondered what his background was (I'm a big fan of Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller). 4*

[Ann A]

76 - What Happened
I was enthralled by this. No political opinions here - I just felt this was an honest take on what Hillary felt happened during the campaign, the problems we face as Americans, and what she thinks we can do to come together and solve them. 5*

And....I'm caught up. Whew! I rarely write a 'real' review, so it's fun for me to look back on my brief comments on the 100-ish books I read each year.

[Ann A]

77 - The Closers
Another solid entry in the Harry Bosch series. 4*

78 - Einstein's Dreams
Very unique little book,imagining Einstein's dreams about different concepts of time. 4*

79 - This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection
I do enjoy memoirs from show business icons. I listened to this audiobook (read by Carol) and was totally entertained. 5*

[Ann A]

80 - Death of a Glutton
Hamish is a lovable guy, but this one was a little too unpleasant and silly for me. 2*

81 - Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers
I keep saying A.M. Smith's series' are losing steam, but I still keep reading them... 3*

82 - The Little Book of Mindfulness: 10 Minutes a Day to Less Stress, More Peace
Nothing ground-breaking, but good reminders/suggestions for taking a little time "out" each day.

[Ann A]

83 - Ageless Memory: The Memory Expert's Prescription for a Razor-Sharp Mind
Interesting techniques for improving memory. Now - to PRACTICE them and keep my mind sharp!! 4*

84 - This One Summer
Well-done graphic novel about early teen girls and the challenges of growing up. On the "10 Most Challenged Books" list. That's why I checked it out from the library and read it! 4*

85 - Drama
Also on the "list". Thoroughly entertaining, with great characters. 4*

[Ann A]

86 - The Sign of the Twisted Candles
I revisit my childhood pal, Nancy, a couple of times a year (during Dewey's Readathon). 3*

87 - Y is for Yesterday
I love the way Grafton writes, but this didn't grab me like most of her others have. 3*

88 - Midnight in Austenland
Liked the first one more. 3*

[Ann A]

89 - Atlas of World History
I hated history in high school, but now I find it fascinating. Go figure. 4*

90 - The Ultimate Happiness Prescription: 7 Keys to Joy and Enlightenment
I felt like this was slapped together (not very effectively) from his other writings. 3*

91 - George
Another one on the "most challenged" list. 4*

[Ann A]

92 - Death of a Travelling Man
More adventures with Hamish. 3*

93 - A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea
I enjoyed this somewhat random pick. I did have a few issues with it, but the writing was lovely and I'd read more by this author. 4*

94 - The Professor's House (1001 books)
I liked the first half better than the second, but Cather is one heck of a writer. 4*

[Ann A]

95 - The Reluctant Fundamentalist (1001 books)
Gripping fiction which made me think hard about some complex issues. 5*

96 - Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened
Ok, I didn't love the WHOLE book, but Allie gets 5* stars for courage and cleverness.

97 - The Far Side Gallery 2
Ha ha ha! 5*

[Ann A]

98 - Looking for Alaska
A good book, but I'd like to think these are not the typical lives of kids in boarding schools. 3*

99 - Appointment with Death
Dame Christie is a clever one. She fooled me yet again! 4*

100 - Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride
Fun fluff. 4*

And.....I reached my goal for the year!

[Ann A]

101 - The Age of Innocence (1001 books)
I got fed up with the "appearances above all else" society, but the writing! Oh, my goodness. 4*

102 - March: Book Three
These graphic novels are very effective in telling John Lewis' story. He's an amazing man. 4 1/2*

103 - The Man in the High Castle
Interesting premise for a novel, but I didn't especially connect with any of the characters and felt several times like I didn't really "get" what was happening. 3*

104 - Fire Watch
Liked some of the stories, disliked others - overall average 3*.

[Tiffany, Administrator]

Ann A wrote: "86 - The Sign of the Twisted Candles
I revisit my childhood pal, Nancy, a couple of times a year (during Dewey's Readathon). 3*..."

Good ol' Nancy :) I was staring at my stack of Nancy-to-reads the other day thinking about spending a day reading one. (I decided not to, though, and be a responsible adult and stick to my obligations. phhht.)

[Ann A]

105 - Family Matters (1001 books)
Mistry is a wonderful storyteller - plenty of sadness and misery, but also hope and beauty. 4 1/2*

106 - The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
I enjoyed "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" and decided to read the others in the Philip K. Dick omnibus I got from the library (Four Novels of the 1960s) He's got quite the imagination. 3*

107 - The Song of Achilles
Well-written and entertaining, but I'm not a huge romance or mythology fan. 3 1/2*

[Ann A]

108 - Ubik
Another in the PKD omnibus (see #106 above). 3 1/2*

[Ann A]

109 - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
Entertaining audiobook. I don' t know if I ever saw the movie, but I'll probably watch it now. 4*

That's it for me for 2017. I exceeded my overall goal, although I didn't get as many read from the 1001 list as I wanted to. Hope everyone had a great reading year!

[Tiffany, Administrator]

Ann A wrote: "That's it for me for 2017. I exceeded my overall goal, although I didn't get as many read from the 1001 list as I wanted to."

Congratulations! Trust me, those 1001 books will still be there for you next year ;)

Happy new year!