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BEST & WORST BOOKS OF... > Best and Worst Books of the Summer 09 Challenge

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message 51: by Megan (last edited Aug 28, 2009 03:05AM) (new)

Megan | 15 comments Hmmm, I'm probably too generous with my stars, and not very consistent. But here are some of my favorites and least favorites
Faves:
The Grey King (Dark is Rising, Book 4) by Susan Cooper A String in the Harp by Nancy Bond The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle Inkspell (Inkheart, Book 2) by Cornelia Funke Far from the Madding Crowd (Penguin Classics) by Thomas Hardy

Unfaves:
A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb Onion John by Joseph Krumgold Penny from Heaven (Newbery Honor Book) by Jennifer L. Holm East by Edith Pattou


message 52: by Elizabeth (NC) (new)

Elizabeth (NC) | 184 comments Lisa wrote: "I'm new to the challenge group, but will post my best/worst reads of the summer.
BEST 5 stars:
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver[image error][bookcover:In the Time of the..."


I read Running with Scissors for this challenge too and I don't know how to rate it--it really struck me, but was also very disturbing. I read his brother's book as well (Look me in the Eye). They were interesting to read together.


message 53: by Jen B (last edited Aug 28, 2009 05:17AM) (new)

Jen B (jennybee618) | 885 comments I kind of stopped mid-challenge with too much else going on this summer, but I did read some books I enjoyed. My only five star was The Great Gatsby, which was a reread. I gave four stars to:

[image error] The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1) by Rick Riordan Queen of Babble (Queen of Babble, #1) by Meg Cabot

The two-stars I didn't really enjoy (but did actually manage to finish):
Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham Don't You Forget About Me A Novel by Jancee Dunn

Hoping I fare a little better this fall!



message 54: by Britta (last edited Aug 28, 2009 06:54AM) (new)

Britta (macdeath) Nicole wrote: "I love this! And I can finally practice using the add book/author feature!

My Five Star Books
Brave New World by Aldous HuxleyA Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, #1) by Libba Bray[bookcover:Rebel Angels|..."


Myaa, I love you! I loved Libba Bray's trilogy (A Great and Terrible Beauty, etc.) as well ^___^ Тhe end made me slightly sad *Cough*

Mmkay, here's my list! Since I don't have much time right now, I'll just post the names! Maybe I'll edit later with links and/or pictures ^^
(I also wasn't in the summer challenge officially, but I did read, of course.)

5 Stars!

The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy
So Long and Thanks For All the Fish
Mostly Harmless

A Great And Terrible Beauty,
Rebel Angels,
The Sweet Far Thing

Journey to he River Sea

Dragon Keeper

4 Stars

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Life, The Universe and Everything
Marley and Me
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

I'm too kind with my 1-Stars..I can't think of any books to put here! I suppose I'm good at picking good books :P


message 55: by Mary Beth (new)

Mary Beth (marybethbaker) | 134 comments Like many of you, I too am stingy with my 5 and 1 star ratings...especially the longer I am on GR. Sooooo....

5 Stars:
Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse, #9) by Charlaine Harris

4 Stars (and therefore worth a mention):
[image error]
Exit Strategy (Nadia Stafford, #1) by Kelley Armstrong
My Life in France (Movie Tie-In Edition) by Julia Child
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
[image error]

1 Star (and therefore REALLY BAD):
Jack with a Twist Engaging Your Adversary and Other Things They Don't Teach You in Law School (Brooke Miller Novel, Book 2) by Brenda Janowitz


message 56: by Manday (new)

Manday | 307 comments I really like this thread!!(I have two books left I plan to finish, but I don't think they will be five or one stars).


Five Stars

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

One Star
Away by Amy Bloom Wild Animus by Rich Shapero


message 57: by Rach (new)

Rach (rachlovestv) | 261 comments Great thread! I wouldn't say I'm stingy with my 5-stars, but basically, I give 5 stars to books I would definitely re-read again. I didn't give any books just 1 star this summer, and I only have one 2 star book. It's possible that I just didn't hate anything that much this summer (or just that I didn't hate anything as much as I hated reading Lemony Snicket last Spring, which is now my standard for "hate it-1 star" books).

Five Stars
These ones were my absolute FAVORITES of the summer:
[image error] Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell The Goose Girl (The Books of Bayern, #1) by Shannon Hale Nefertiti A Novel by Michelle Moran

The rest of my five stars - also great books. ;)
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody, #1) by Elizabeth Peters Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse, #4) by Charlaine Harris Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (Gallagher Girls, #3) by Ally Carter The Nazi Officer's Wife How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust by Edith Hahn-Beer Lion in the Valley (Amelia Peabody, #4) by Elizabeth Peters Enna Burning (The Books of Bayern #2) by Shannon Hale The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby


Two Stars
Torchwood Another Life by Peter Anghelides

These ones were Three Stars, but ones I feel qualify for my "worst of the summer" list:
The Debs by Susan McBride The Debs Love, Lies and Texas Dips by Susan McBride Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith


message 58: by Julia (new)

Julia (bambbles) | 114 comments You know, this thread made me curious about what I have rated 5 stars and what I have rated 1. The majority or my shelf falls in the middle...

I have only three 5 star books: The Time Traveler's Wife, Angels & Demons, and The Outsiders.

And I have only three 1 star books: Of Mice and Men, Eclipse, and Lord of the Flies.

I am very stingy it seems with my best and worst, haha!


message 59: by Jennifer (last edited Aug 28, 2009 02:07PM) (new)

Jennifer  (jml_417) My 5 Stars were -
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent Longitude The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time by Dava Sobel [image error] Of Mice and Men (Centennial Edition) by John Steinbeck Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, #1) by Eoin Colfer Night by Elie Wiesel

I had one 1 Star -
Citizen Girl by Emma McLaughlin

And one 2 Stars -
How to Be Good by Nick Hornby

I'm only going to have time to finish one more book for the challenge and so far, I know it will not be a 5 Star...probably a 3. Right now, it's a slow starter, but if it picks up some, it could possibly be a 4




message 60: by Amy (new)

Amy (signgirlamy) haha some of you guys are a psychologist's nightmare! Pick one end of the spectrum or the other as often as possible :)

That has to be a sign that my mind has been completely overtaken by psych and stats classes in college...


message 61: by Madeline (last edited Aug 29, 2009 02:30AM) (new)

Madeline | 54 comments This is a cool idea :) I'm a pretty easy grader, I have to be really bored/angry beginning to end for me to give something 1 or 2 stars. It doesn't happen too often, so I don't have any this summer. I do have some fives though.

My Five-stars:
[image error] Uglies by Scott Westerfield
The Woman in White (Penguin Classics) by Wilkie Collins The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Sisters Grimm Book 7 The Everafter War (Sisters Grimm) by Michael Buckley Sister Grimm: The Everafter War by Micheal Buckley
The Tale of Genji (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) by Murasaki Shikibu The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu
[image error] Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick
[image error] Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

:D


message 62: by Judith (new)

Judith | 48 comments Here are my top books.

The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff
[image error]
Pardonable Lies (Maisie Dobbs, #3) by Jacqueline Winspear
[image error]
The Westing Game (Puffin Modern Classics) by Ellen Raskin

And the worst, and I mean that...
Sound Bites Eating on Tour with Franz Ferdinand by Alex Kapranos
One True Thing A Novel by Anna Quindlen

And one so bad I abandoned it completely... Le Mariage by Diane Johnson


message 63: by Sera (new)

Sera Too fun!

Like Cait, I was also fortunate to read many excellent books over the summer. Here are my five star reads:

[image error]

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry


[image error]

The Pearl (Centennial Edition) by John Steinbeck

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Peony in Love by Lisa See

Only one "1" star book:

[image error]


message 65: by Kristen (new)

Kristen (kristenma) | 98 comments Some of my highest rated books of the summer:


The Killing Hour by Lisa Gardner Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6) by J.K. Rowling Rites of Spring (Break) An Ivy League Novel by Diana Peterfreund [image error] To the Nines (Stephanie Plum, #9) by Janet Evanovich

Some of my lowest rated of the summer:


English as a Second Language by Megan Crane [image error] Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin Girls' Night Out by Carole Matthews


message 66: by Nicole (last edited Aug 30, 2009 06:03PM) (new)

Nicole  | 116 comments Good thread, I love seeing my comparison on books to other people. Like many, I'm stingy with 5/1 stars, but here's what I had.
5 stars:
[image error] Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson
4.5 stars:
A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute Etta A Novel by Gerald Kolpan The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
1 star:
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler


message 67: by Nicki (new)

Nicki (luluminstrel) | 279 comments A new worst book of the summer for me:

The Sea by John Banville

Don't bother with it - it's awful!


message 68: by Jaclyn (last edited Sep 03, 2009 01:48PM) (new)

Jaclyn (jaclynr0806) | 22 comments Cynthia, I agree with you about Citizen Girl - it was terrible! I also agree about the Janet Evanovich books, they're hilarious! (I just didn't read them this summer)

Cait, I also agree with you about Lucy Sullivan... it almost felt deceiving b/c I was expecting a light hearted read and it wasn't at all!

Elizabeth and Sara, I'm so bummed I didn't get around to Goose Girl! It was on my list - oh well, I'll get to it sometime!

Here's my list:
5 Stars:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
I also really liked these though:
[image error] Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews [image error] Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin Lincoln's Dreams by Connie Willis The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time  by Mark Haddon

1 Star:
Citizen Girl by Emma McLaughlin Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
but there were several others that got 2 stars, so I thought I'd include them as well:
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky Turning Thirty by Mike Gayle The Night Before Thirty A Novel (Strivers Row) by Tajuana Butler [image error] Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married by Marian Keyes Watermelon by Marian Keyes

It was a fairly mixed summer for me reading-wise. This Fall I think I'll be more choosey!


message 69: by Juniper (new)

Juniper (jooniperd) Hello! I didn't participate in the summer challenge either, as I have only been on GR for the past month. However, I did read two really wonderful books this summer that rated 5 stars.

Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda by Anna Gavalda

Deafening by Frances Itani by Frances Itani

Like a few other posters have mentioned, I am also pretty stingy in giving 5 Stars to a book but, to me, these two books definitely deserve the highest rating.


message 70: by Alisha Marie (new)

Alisha Marie (endlesswonderofreading) | 107 comments I only participated in the Summer Challenge about half-way, but I did read a lot of great books this summer.

Five Stars:


Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
The Sweet Far Thing (Gemma Doyle, #3) by Libba Bray
The Tale of Despereaux Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo
Austenland by Shannon Hale
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
Every Visible Thing A Novel by Lisa Carey
It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Misery by Stephen King

I only had one two star book from June-August and that was:

Reading Lolita in Tehran A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi

but here are some that were kind of disappointing:

The Year of Pleasures A Novel by Elizabeth Berg
Evermore (The Immortals, #1) by Alyson Noel


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