Challenge: 50 Books discussion
2010
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Michelle is going to read instead of sleep in 2010
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Michelle
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Jan 01, 2010 12:46PM
This is the start of 2010's reading list. I made it to 72 (almost 73) in 2009, so I am pretty confident I can do it again. Good luck to everyone!
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Congrats! Such a good feeling to accomplish a goal! I headed over to the 75 books per year group because I hit 70 this year. You should come join us there too!
I joined the 100 group..didn't see the 75. I guess I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but that's why its called a challenge right?1. OTHER PEOPLE by Martin Amis
First time I've read anything by him but won't be the last. Really liked this novel. Don't want to give too much away, but mystereies involving amnesia, and the ideas of memory and relationships between men and women are all highly interesting.
2. IN THE WOODS by Tana FrenchExcellent book. Very well written and absolutely perfect character development. I just flat out loved her writing style. I'm really happy that I've got her second book sitting on my shelf at home, so I can start it when I get back tomorrow! :)
3. HELL HOUSE by Richard MathesonMeh. It was alright. The idea of being raped by evil spirits just doesn't scare me that much. It's just yuck.
4. ELSEWHERE by William Peter BlattyA much better ghost/haunted house story, it restored my love for the genre after the last book. Yay!
5. BEAT THE REAPER by Josh BazellSUCH a funny and entertaining book. I only put it down to make dinner, spend time with my kiddies, watch a movie with my hubby and then I read until my eyes were shutting. When I woke up to use the restroom, I finished the book. I don't even know how long I was up, but when I went back to bed, it was light outside. :)
6. NIGHT by Elie WieselAn important read for me. This and THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK should be mandatory reads for ALL humans.
7. THE GOLDEN CITY by John Twelve HawksThe last of a trilogy I've been following for years. I'm glad I got to see how it ends, even if its not the way I pictured. Still a satisfying read.
8. INFECTED by Scott SiglerBy far, the absoultely most horrendously read podcast ever! This is hopefully my worst read of 2010. :(
9. THE BOTTOMS by Joe R. Lansdale
Followed by the BEST (so far) book I've read this year and that I can really think of. It was dark, atmospheric and Lansdale is fast becoming one of my most favorite authors to read. This was an audiobook, too, and it was performed amazingly well, which restored my faith in the spoken word, especially after listening to INFECTED.
10. MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN by Jonathan Lethem
My first Lethem novel and not my last. This was entertaining and fun to read, and kept me guessing (well, sort of) until the end. I liked the characters and I liked the way he used the character's Tourette's to move the story along, instead of throwing it in there as a cheap characteristic, or for sympathy. Very good.
11. THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne CollinsPut off reading this for awhile, because I don't like to read things that are so hugely popular and the "it" book. And Stephenie Meyer sang its praises, which frankly, turned me off to it. So many of my friends had read it, and liked it that I decided to read it. I totally got sucked in. I will read the sequel FOR SURE and think it was an interesting story that was told with all of the horror and suspense but with a tasteful and not too graphic-just-for-its-own-sake. I read this in two days because I didn't want to wait to find out what happened.
12. GRAVE SECRET by Charlaine Harris The "supposed" final book in the Harper Connelly series, but I hope it's not. I enjoy this series in a "separate but equal" way compared to the Sookie books. I think they are just as good, but totally different and since murder mysteries are a guilty pleasure, I have really enjoyed this series. Definitely looking forward to whatever she puts out next (of course Sookie book #10!!) :)
13. THE CANAL by Daniel Morris
Bought the ebook quite a while ago and just hadn't gotten around to reading it. It grabbed my interest enough to actually buy it in that format, which I hate, so that's a good sign. The story was short, but surprisingly well-developed and I liked the ending. Looking forward to seeing what this author does next.
14. MUCHO MOJO by Joe LansdaleNot only is Lansdale moving quickly up the ranks of my favorite authors list, but the dynamic ass-kicking, ebony and ivory duo of Hap Collins and Leonard Pine are becoming two of my favorite fictional characters. This is an EXCELLENT series and I'm so thankful to my friend Marvin for leading me to it! Thanks friend! :)
15. WAKING LAZARUS by T.L. HinesFirst time reader of this guy and I will definitely read his other books that I got from the library. A very dark and suspenseful mystery novel from a Christian fiction author. Don't knock it until you try it!
16. ORYX & CRAKE by Margaret AtwoodStill thinking about how I feel about this book. I have the sequel to read before I can say if I appreciated the ending of this book.
17. U IS FOR UNDERTOW by Sue GraftonThis book was totally worth the wait. She really expanded her characters, the mystery was much darker than her other books and the book was longer in general. The more time I get with Kinsey, the happier I am. :) I'm starting to countdown and wondering what Grafton will do after Z.
18. THE DEAD WHISPER ON by T.L. HinesThis wasn't great, but it was good. This was the second book of his that I've read so far, and I like that the storyline was completely different. It reminded me a little of the movie White Noise, in that you shouldn't mess with the spirits of the dead. If I was afraid of spiders, this would have been a lot scarier...
19. THE NEVERENDING STORY by Michael EndeThis was one of my favorite movies as a child and the book totally lived up and surpassed my expectations. It makes me sad that the movie didn't cover more of the book's territory or that there weren't better sequels made. I DID prefer the film version of Bastian better though. Great book, I wish I had read this when I was young.
20. CANNERY ROW by John SteinbeckReally, what is there to say? It's John Steinbeck -- master of poetic brevity, excellent authentic storytelling with innumerable interesting characters in a fascinating time and setting. Fiction just doesn't get any better than this.
21. CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne CollinsI said I wasn't going to read the first book in this series and now I'm totally hooked and will have to wait around for the third installment. I knew there would be actions and surprises, but this totally blew my expectations away. Definitely a page turner.
22. DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER by Jeff LindsayI liked this book, but I didn't love it. Maybe it was hard to identify with a sociopathic serial killer, or it was just hard to read all of the "I don't have feelings, I'm a stone cold killer" interlaced with the funny little bits of humor. I think that the show will translate the character better than I did with him on the page. Still gonna to read the next couple of books, maybe I'll like the rest of the books better after the first set-up book.
23. DEARLY DEVOTED DEXTER by Jeff LindsayI liked this second and much more gruesome installment in the series that tries to get you to become a fan of a serial killer who only kills "bad people". It's a solid 3.5.
24. DEXTER IN THE DARK by Jeff LindsayThis series is growing on me, and I'm excited to start Netflixing the show...it plays on my twisted and dark sense of humor, like when Dexter takes the kiddies to the murder scene, haha. I'm really interested in how he comes across on screen. A solid 3.75, but still not in the land of I REALLY REALLY LIKE IT.
Michelle wrote: "11. THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne CollinsPut off reading this for awhile, because I don't like to read things that are so hugely popular and the "it" book. And Stephenie Meyer sang its praises,..."
I just finished this tonight....had the exact same response as you. Can't wait to read the next one.
Michelle wrote: "22. DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER by Jeff LindsayI liked this book, but I didn't love it. Maybe it was hard to identify with a sociopathic serial killer, or it was just hard to read all of the "I don..."
This is really interesting. I LOVE this TV series....had no idea it was based on a book. I rarely watch TV, but for some reason Dexter has pulled me in. Contemplating if I should read the books or not.......
Michelle, I love your thread....such interesting book choices and great reviews. I've already come away with a few titles to add to my TBR list and I'm sure I'll be coming back to check for more! Thanks for posting!
Thanks for taking a look and for commenting. I've known about the Dexter books ever since the first one came out. I just hadn't gotten around to them yet, and I hadn't started watching the show either. Not a good choice of TV watching for a mom of two little girls, since they used to get out of bed ANYTIME I watched anything. Now I wanted to start the show, but I figured I'd start with the novels first, since they're pretty easy to get ahold of. I'm really excited to see how Dexter translates onto TV. I know Michael Hall gets major kudos for the role, so it should be great!Don't you think that THG would make a great show/film?? If TWILIGHT can be made such a commercial success, I don't see why they won't try to do the same with this series...to me, its much more interesting and socially/politically relevant, but written in a way that is tangible for the young.
Check out my book club DARK FICTION. We have discussions going on some of these books and there's TONS of great book info to use when looking for a great book to read. These reviews on here are just snippets to keep my mind fresh, I sometimes write better (or longer anyway haha) reviews for my profile, but if the group is discussing, I save all my BIG POINT thoughts for them. :) You're welcome to join us! Now, I've gotta go and look at your books. :) Take good care and happy reading!
How funny, I was just thinking today what an awesome movie THG would make. I stayed up late last night to finish reading it and tried my hardest to stay away from the book store today to no avail. I was reading Catching Fire by 2pm and am planning on another late night! In regards to making movies from books...my daughter and I just saw The Lightening Thief and were so disappointed by how much they changed the story. I hate when that happens. If they ever do make a THG movie, I hope they keep it as is!I also got a chuckle about your obstacles of watching Dexter. I have 5 kids and sometimes watch Dexter episodes (from Netflix) while working out...I always panic when one of them wanders in.
I will definitely check out Dark Fiction!
Thanks for the info and note!
I'll be waiting to hear what you think of it, although I don't think I'll have to wait very long. Those books are VERY tough to put down!On a funny side note, my best friend worked on part of Percy Jackson and while they were in Las Vegas, I went and stayed with her for a couple of days. I haven't seen the movie or read the book, so I don't know if either is good or not, but I sure had fun in Vegas on the studio's dime, haha.
You are right.....you won't have to wait long...just finished and loved it, of course. I'll be anxiously awaiting #3. Vegas is a great place to be especially when it's free!!!
I haven't had time to check out Dark Fiction, yet... too busy reading and now I need to check out for the night. The mornings come too quick! I'll be looking at it as soon as I sign in tomorrow.
Thanks again for the info!
25. IN THE MISO SOUP by Ryu MurakamiOkay, I've never read SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, but this book is compared to it, but set in Japan. Particularly, in the Japanese Sex District. Very disturbing, but I really liked the style of writing. It was subtle, but got under my skin. Well, the writing, not the EXTREME violence. LOL...read at your own risk. You've been warned.
26. LOWBOY by John WrayI gotta be honest, I almost stopped reading this book. The beginning just wasn't hooking me and I started reading other books that were catching my eye. I picked it up again and just started liking it and that like kept building. Glad I didn't give up on this one, because the premise of the story was different than anything else I've read. Super scary to put myself in Violet's place, with a schizophrenic son unmedicated and loose in NYC. But the twist was cheesy for me and I thought the characters fell flat. Also, I didn't like Violet's twist.
Hey Michelle....still reading your reviews and DID check out "Dark Fiction." Thanks for the warning regarding "In the Miso Soup." Although I LOVE books with twists/turns/creativity/shock and "different from the norm," I'm not real good with horror whether it be blood and guts or physcological (have no idea why I like Dexter so much....must be because he's killing all the freaks). Rape stories and child abuse stories of any kind are particularly hard and distasteful for me to read. However, that being said, so many incredible books involve some of those issues. I will continue to check out your reviews and what you guys are reading on Dark Fiction for ideas. I've overextended myself a bit in different reading groups I'm involved in, but if it works out, I may pop in and out of Dark Fiction....if you guys don't mind.
No, we don't mind at all. You can be a less-than-often participating member. I know you will eventually not be able to resist our ploys and will end up being addicted to it, as I am. :)
27. THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY by Erik LarsonA very well-written and engaging non-fiction account of the creation and happenings of the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 juxtaposed with the crimes of H.H. Holmes, one of the most dark American serial killers I've read about. This author must have done LOTS of research and fit all the two storylines together well. I also liked how he worked in so many historical figures and innovations and cultural lessons. I feel smarter for reading this book. :)
I really enjoyed Devil in the White City as well. My local book club read that a few years ago and everyone gave it high marks. I was astounded to find out about HH Holmes who I had never even heard about. I was also absolutely AMAZED at all that went in to the World's Fair...I've never looked at a ferris wheel in the same way since. Fascinating book!
28. THE LITTLE STRANGER by Sarah WatersLetting my mind stew on this one...
29. LORD OF THE FLIES by William GoldingThis is one of those books that I've always wanted to read and I finally did. It was so worth it. Excellent, EXCELLENT book...very dark and sad and tragic, but very true. I am one of those people who gets mad when someone writes in a book or folds the pages and I actually highlighted some passages in this novel, that's how much I loved it. Everyone should read this.
30. MR. SHIVERS by Robert Jackson BennettThis book was a slow read for me, but very worth it. I've read several books on Death (as in Mr. Death) and found this to be pretty original and enjoyable. A very solid first effort and I'll be waiting for his next book.
31. I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER by Dan WellsA very decent debut novel about a teenage sociopath who fears he may become a serial killer without a set of specific rules and behaviors he adopts to control his inner "monster". This book reminded me alot of the Dexter books, but with a more subtle humor threaded into it, and I actually liked it more. It also has a more supernatural slant, which of course, is right up my alley. It's the first of a trilogy that I am looking forward to completing.
32. THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE by Katherine HoweThis was a very worthy, if heavy and scholarly, first effort -- a historical fiction novel about the Salem Witch Trials intertwined with a modern day doctoral student with a talent for spells. I wanted to love this book, really I did. But it dragged at times. The second half of the book was much much better than the first and it felt like if the focus of the book had been on different occurences it would have grabbed me more. Definitely worth a read, though, especially if the Salem Witch Trials or colonial history interests you.
Michelle wrote: "21. CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne CollinsI said I wasn't going to read the first book in this series and now I'm totally hooked and will have to wait around for the third installment. I knew there ..."
I absolutely love this series and I can't wait for part three, if I'd known when I was reading them that Stephenie Meyer rated them then I would probably have avoided them but I'm glad I didn't.
I do think they would make excellent movies, after all if they can make successful movies out of things like twilight then they should be able to do it with well written source material.
It sounds like you're plagiarizing my views, Karen. LOL I've said the EXACT same things. But I AM excited to see how Collins wraps this series up, because I think there is the potential for it to be hugely hit or miss. Especially since it's considered YA fiction, I hope she doesn't oversimplify anything or just write it up quickly to end it. I like to see everything either tied up nicely or to leave me spinning (in a good way).
33. THE WOMAN IN BLACK by Susan HillThis was a very difficult book to get my hands on. I've heard talk of what an excellent ghost story it is, and how so many plays are put on of it in England, and I think the hype may have been, well, mostly hype. I enjoyed it. It was a fairly quick read. But it was not all that original and I think it was a little too short, some more psychological terror or maybe more info about the horrors Mrs. Drablow suffered would have ramped it up. The ending WAS scary, but much less than it would have been if it wasn't so predictable. A solid three stars for atmosphere, but not much else.
34. HEARTSICK by Chelsea CainSo, so good. And SICK! I was surprised because I didn't expect it to be so gory, but I really liked her writing style and will DEFINITELY be checking out the other books in this series. I watched a YouTube videotour she gave of Portland too, and found her to be engaging and funny and interesting in real life too, which makes me like her even more. Don't want to give away too much, but if you like serial killer novels, check this one out!
35. THE SUICIDE COLLECTORS by David OppegaardI thought this dystopic story was pretty interesting. It seems like the author was trying to work his way through the grief of losing someone he loved to suicide. If not, he has a good handle on the emotions it brings to bear. I know some readers didn't like the somewhat vague ending, but it was Road-esque and I thought the novel was a very decent debut effort.
36. SWEETHEART by Chelsea CainSo, after finishing HEARTSICK I was anxious to get my hands on the sequel and ended up enjoying this installment just as much. It really is a fun read, which sounds strange, since it is about a female serial killer and is pretty violent and disturbing. But Cain's writing has just caught me and I find myself wanting to read it all day long, not that I can. The only copy of the 3rd book I could get is on audio, so I'll be listening to that during tomorrow morning's workout. :)
37. HATER by David MoodyI started this book LATE last night and did NOT want to put it down! It was scary, suspenseful and interesting. And I'm still not sure what characters I support, which is keeping me on my toes. It's also the first book in a series and I was not aware of that. I'm a little disappointed that I have to wait for the second book, but I'm looking forward to it and the movie that is supposedly going to be made from it. Highly recommended to fans of dystopia.
38. GOD CHICKS -- LIVING LIFE AS A 21st CENTURY WOMAN by Holly WagnerSo one of my dearest friends Nicole gave me this book for my 30th birthday, to enjoy before I attend a God Chicks Conference with her next month. I actually started reading it right before dinner tonight and finished it in the bath about an hour ago. I inhaled it. I found Holly to be engaging, if a little bit overly self-deprecating (for someone encouraging women to be proud of who they are) and I enjoyed her message. There were a lot of anecdotes and I like her openness and honesty. I am looking forward to attending the conference, but its mostly to grow in my faith with my friend. This book is good for Christian women, or any young women who needs to feel empowered.
39. THE NINTH LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX by Liz JensenThis was a creepy psychological tale about a family of three with a LOT of secrets. Louis Drax is an extremely accident-prone and psychologically disturbed child who ends up spending his "ninth life" in a coma after a family outing goes awry. Interesting story told in an interesting way. Will definitely be checking out Jensen's other stuff.
Challenge: 50 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Town That Forgot How to Breathe (other topics)Never Let Me Go (other topics)
Lost in Translation (other topics)
Hell House (other topics)
Sacred (other topics)
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