Challenge: 50 Books discussion
2010
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Michelle is going to read instead of sleep in 2010
41. EVIL AT HEART by Chelsea CainThe third book in one of my new favorite series. I actually didn't love this book as much, there was a lot of twists, maybe too many. Sometimes serial novels have to have a drag novel, setting up other plotlines that will take off in the future, or the author can't end the series well in the end. I did enjoy this, I just didn't like some of the "additional" killers that Cain added into the mix. Gretchen Lowell is plenty enough for me to stay interested. What a sick and twisted tale. I am looking forward to the next book, because I think there will be more.
42. BLESS ME, ULTIMA by Rudolfo AnayaSUCH a great book!!!!! And to think that I hadn't ever even HEARD of it??? Don't understand. I really don't have a lot of knowledge about Chicano literature (which is kinda crazy, being raised in a town with heavy Mexican influences) and my only other forays into this genre have been Love in the Time of Cholera, which I started and then put on the back burner. This coming-of-age tale is ripe with so many interesting themes, magic and spiritual faith and religion and family dynamics and on and on. The book had a smooth flow and there really wasn't any slow or boring parts, which is uncommon for a "classic" type book. Lots of dark themes, but had a enduring and uplifting vibe despite. Anyway, will definitely be open to checking out more in this type of literature from now on. Thank you Antonio and Ultima, for opening my heart and mind, and thanks to Marvin, for choosing it to be read. :)
43. ANIMAL FARM by George OrwellI'm really glad that I finally read this book. And I think it was much better to read it now than it would have been in high school, when I wasn't as aware of world politics and history. This story was so razor-sharp and extremely pointed in its attack and I can only imagine how radical this huge move was when Orwell first spoke out against Stalin. Go George! And everyone should read this. It really makes you question how things should be managed and run, which is always important.
44. BLOODSTONE by Nate KenyonEhh...it was alright. I liked some parts of this book, don't really want to say because it gives a lot away. My first Kenyon read, and I'll probably read something else of his, but I'm not in a hurry.
45. ETHAN FROME by Edith Wharton***********SPOILERS BEWARE!!! BEWARE!!!***************
Wow, what an effed up story. I'm glad I only had to suffer through the emotional wasteland and starcrossed-tragedy of Romeo and Juliet in school(pathetic enough for me, thanks), because that was enough torment for my adolescent heart to handle. I actually thought that this heavy story was told brilliantly, and am surprised at myself for liking it so much DESPITE the fact that every freaking character in it was a pathetic and terrible person. Each in their own specific way of course. I've read Wharton was speaking out against society's "relentless standards of loyalty", but this story felt morally heavy to me. If she was so against conforming, than why didn't she just end it with Ethan and Mattie riding off to CA and piss on Zeena?? And I think there are better ways to off yourself and your "one true love" (whom you've only been physically overcome enough to kiss, BTW) than attempting a sled/tree embrace. LOL How about if Ethan had enticed his "whinnying" horse that was super hungry into stomping them to death or better yet, they could have laid down on the incoming train tracks, possibly affecting Zeena's "new helper" or at least traumatizing her for life. Anyway, maybe my ideas are sick, but come on? Tandem sledding? I guess the reason this gets 5 stars is for the emotional reaction it stirs in me (mostly anger and self-righteousness, haha) and that its one I'll be thinking over often.
46. WISH YOU WERE HERE by Stewart O'NanWell, what can I say? Since O'Nan is one of my absolute favorite writers EVER, my review of this book may be biased. A family drama that takes place during their yearly week-long vacation in upstate New York, this story illustrates all of the good and bad (mostly bad) aspects of being a family. And particularly, a family in the aftermath of the death of the patriarch. All of the old wounds are open and festering, people's weaknesses are exploited, identities are questioned and through it all, these people actually love each other, which is how most families really are, I think. Good and bad. Anyway, if you haven't read O'Nan before, I probably wouldn't start with this novel, because a lot of people want a story with an arc and that is moved forward by an exciting plot line. This is more of a character study, err...SEVERAL character studies, which are all influenced by those of the others. Thumbs up, Mr. O'Nan.
47. A STUDY IN SCARLET by Arthur Conan Doyle
Ahh, finally! My first Sherlock Holmes, and its his first mystery. I have to say, I DID like this case but about halfway through I had to actually stop a couple of times and MAKE SURE that I was still reading the same story. It has two parts and goes into a TOTALLY different feeling tale. At the end, everything wraps up, but it was a little odd for me. I am interested in reading more of his stories, but not before I finish my reading challenge.
48. LOST IN TRANSLATION by Nicole MonesOkay, so I'm an idiot because I thought that this was the novel that the film was based on. In my own defense, it shares the same title AND takes place in China, where a woman is searching for her identity and place in the world. So...
It was a pretty good book. It had its faults, was slow at times. But I enjoyed the historical viewpoint, the political vibe (hello, if you're talking about China, you're going to go there) and I even liked the ending, which I'm pretty sure a LOT of people might hate.
And the idea of the woman who feels adrift finding her place and escaping the burden of feeling like she has to keep running away from her past was interesting, but I couldn't really attach myself to her as much as I thought I might. But I did enjoy reading about another world so different from my own(since I can't afford to travel the globe right now). Overall, a 3.5. And since this was Mones' first novel, I'd read one more before I decided one way or the other on her writing style. This one dragged a little.
49. THE TWO-BEAR MAMBO by Joe R. LansdaleHap and Leonard, how I enjoy spending a day with the two of you, traveling to a podunk white trash Ku-Klux-infested Texas town and laying down the law. Their inside jokes never get old, and my husband thinks I'm nucking futs because I'm laughing out loud at this book so much. I think my 50th read will be book 4 in this series, even though I want to pace myself a little slower. Soon I will be done with all the books that are out and hate waiting for the next book to come out, or worrying that one won't.
...Drum roll please...going for 100 books now.50. BAD CHILI by Joe R. Lansdale
This was really really fun (even for Hap and Leonard) and was one of the better mysteries. Started off a lot lighter sounding than it ended up, as usual. I especially liked Brett and her little confrontation towards the end of the book. What characters he writes. Will be reading book #5 soon!
51. UGLIES by Scott WesterfeldThis book reminded me of when I was staying up until all hours of the night to read the Twilight series. Then I would spend the entire next day regretting it and saying WHY DID I DO THAT? Of course, the idea is interesting and the plot is obviously enough to keep me reading all night, but there are a LOT of things that made me feel very irritated. But I'm on to the second book of the trilogy (how can it be a trilogy if there are 4 books BTW??)...
52. PRETTIES by Scott WesterfeldSo, the second book in the trilogy of 4...isn't that NOT a trilogy? LOL Anyway, I thought the author had an interesting way to explain how us humans did ourselves in, and there is a lot about the books that I like. I guess I'm just a nitpicker, but some of the "pretty" speak is like totally sleepy-making and boring-making. Haha...if it didn't bother me so much, these books would get four stars. I'll keep reading them though, cuz I'm ridiculous like that.
53. THE AWAKENING by Kate ChopinAnother book off of my bookshelf...YAY! This story is one I've been wanting to read for awhile and although I didn't know THAT much about it, it was very different from my expectations. I am realizing that I may not be the BIGGEST Victorian fiction fan, the style of writing more than the actual times or story...Henry James is the WORST! LOL But I liked the story of Edna and her struggles, even if I didn't necessarily like everything she did. I think she was struggling to break out of the mold and maybe making some rash decisions, because she had to make SOME decisions and felt like she couldn't or that people would say that she shouldn't. I'm sure that Women's Literature classes would consider this book a must-read. But I think that it was interesting that her husband was described as loving and wonderful until she started her "awakening" and realized she thought he was a total jerk. Hahaha...I can see why when this was written it was considered so radical.
My biggest problem with this book was that I just couldn't identify with Edna and her choices. I understand how she was facing some identity crisis and felt trapped by the social mores of her time and everything, but without ruining the ending for everyone who's reading this, as a MOTHER, I could not see how the choices she made were helpful to her children. Who cares about the controlling husband? She still had two boys, which I kept hoping she was going to want to be a mother to, but other than the one visit she took to see them, it was like she was the older sister, aloof and selfish for her own happiness. And the ending SUCKED! LOL
54. RUMBLE TUMBLE by Joe R. LansdaleSo this isn't goodbye, Hap Collins and Leonard Pine, but it IS catch you later. Sigh. I've read all of the volumes in the series I can get my hands on, so now I have to wait until I can order, beg, borrow or steal the last three books. THEN the real sadness will begin, when I no longer have their crazy antics and compelling mysteries to solve...come on Mr. Lansdale, keep em coming!
I don't normally post in strangers' threads but I had to tell you I love the title of your book journal. I wish I could read instead of sleep.
Hahaha...let's have a FREAKY FRIDAY then. I used to read in bed to wind down and fall asleep and now, if the book is good, I'm up almost ALL night reading it. With a 4 and 3 year old, this is NOT a good thing. :) Thanks for reading my thread! Take care and happy reading this summer.
55. HEAT WAVE by Richard CastleSo, I really love the show CASTLE. Don't normally keep up with a LOT of shows and I've never missed an episode. This book really kept the feel of the show and even went deeper into the personalities of the main characters. As if it was possible to like them anymore! :) So glad I got to enjoy this at the beach!!!
56. WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE by Shirley Jackson
Definitely an interesting and different take on horror. I am so glad I finally got to read this book!!! The longer I think about this book, the better it gets! The way it was told, the mass hysteria and terrible ways man will behave, this is a truly horrific tale on so many levels...will be looking for more of her works. Can't say much more without giving the tale away. Lots of twists though, some more obvious than others.
57. SPECIALS by Scott WesterfeldSo, I've been sucked into another YA series, and this one is better than TWILIGHT. I like a lot of things about it, the only thing that I could maybe complain a little about is that its being stretched out into 4 books and I thought it was a trilogy. Tally's identity crisis is interesting though, and if these books compel young adults to keep reading then I'm all for it! Bring it on book 4...
58. MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH by Ariana FranklinWhen I first started this book, I thought that my lack of knowledge of the historical setting, Henry II and the religious beliefs at the time may make this a difficult, or possibly boring, read. But this was a GREAT BOOK! VERY VERY dark murder mystery, but also, so much more than that was going on. I didn't expect it to be as dark and gruesome as it was, so I guess its okay that I read it instead of someone who DOESN'T lead a book group here called DARK FICTION! :) It reminded me of how much I enjoy Kay Scarpetta novels but set in a much more complicated time in history, when women WERE NOT respected for their minds or skills. Really interesting characters, loved the way so many cultures/religions/people were thrown together and that Franklin tried to be authentic with the differences in language and even threw in some romance, err...sex at least. :) I will DEFINITELY be reading the next in the series. Man, these novel series sets are killing my commitment to read the books I already own!!! :)
Michelle wrote: "58. MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH by Ariana FranklinWhen I first started this book, I thought that my lack of knowledge of the historical setting, Henry II and the religious beliefs at the time ..."
Michelle, I just nominated this novel to be read for another book club because I heard that it was very good. Based on your review, I'm glad that I did. Reading historical fiction in the time period of the Middle Ages, is always very interesting to me. If you look at other Goodreads reviews for the next three books in the series, the books just get better and better. Curious to see what you think of the next book!
I also noticed that you read a lot of Thriller/Mystery books. Have you ever read any books by Cody McFayden? He writes a series of books that had me on-the-edge-of-my-seat, that I read late into the nite. Just impossible to put down! Just beware, though, they can be quite gruesome. So, if you're not into graphic scenes, these might not be right for you.
Hi Nance, thanks for commenting on my list. I've tried NOT to read about the other books but I DO have the second one on my nightstand and plan on starting it tonight. I've seen some of the reviews and it sounds as if the series builds and improves, although I obviously already really liked it. :) So thats a good thing. This book wasn't a modern day classic like The Road or Middlesex, but it was an excellent historical fiction/mystery and I really enjoyed the female perspective, especially in the setting of medieval Cambridge. I hope that you enjoy the book too! I am going to invite you to join my club here called Dark Fiction. We have a folder called Buddy Reads where people can discuss books with other people who are reading, have read, or plan on reading them. Its a great way to get books read that you've put putting off or just not gotten around to yet. I haven't read anything by McFayden, but I HAVE heard his name before. Guess I'll have to check him out. I told myself I was going to focus on getting books I already owned read this year, and I've been doing that to an extent, but I've definitely been taking full advantage of my various library memberships and I've been finding some new authors that I really enjoy. I'm telling you, Goodreads is a dangerous place to go for someone who doesn't need to add any more books to their TBR lists! :) Take care, Nance. Enjoy your journey with Adelia!
59. EXTRAS by Scott WesterfeldWhen I first started this book, I said HUH? I wasn't thrilled with a whole new cast of characters to have to remember and wanted it to flow with the rest of the series. But after I finished, I can appreciate the way Westerfeld spread this arc out between the four YA books. I think they are interesting and compelling enough to keep ME reading, so definitely should hook a young adult. And props to him for wrapping up Tally's storyline. I wasn't looking forward to having to WAIT for the next book...a solid series, I think this has much better themes and lessons for YAs than the TWILIGHT series.
You've read a couple of my favorites so far, "Bless Me, Ultima" and "Animal Farm". I'm so glad you liked "Bless, Me Ultima" I had to read it back in high school, and because it was assigned reading none of my friends enjoyed it =P
I think it was AWESOME! It's strange, I started reading it and got in maybe the first 10 or 15 pages. Then I set it down, because I was already reading other things and since this was a pick from my local book club, I knew I still had time to read it. Then when I picked it up again, I didn't put it down! The flow of the story was excellent. It really didn't have any downtime, the story just kept going, not in an action-adventure way, but just constant suspense and I wanted to know what would happen. I mean, I figured Ultima would pass away eventually, but the way the story unfolded and the relationships among the characters and the folklore slant made it very interesting to me. Plus, I'm kind of a sucker for coming of age tales anyway. :) ANIMAL FARM has always been a book I wanted to read. Different schools assign different books and I never had to read it so I just didn't. But in a way, I'm glad I read it now because I really wouldn't have appreciated it back then anyway. What a powerful book for being only 130-some odd pages.
60. THE YEAR OF THE FLOOD by Margaret AtwoodAfter reading Oryx and Crake, which I loved, I snatched this book up from the Library Bookstore for $2! I was so excited at my great find and then I got overwhelmed with all the tasks going on in my life at the time, family crises and such, and trying to stay afloat with school, working parttime, raising my kids, my local book club reading, etc. I decided last week that I was going to find out how this catastrophic new world finally wrapped up and I think a little apprehensive to begin, mostly because I feared that Atwood may have written this because of her fans' requests to not leave us hanging after the ending of O&C. Sometimes when you try to continue on after a second book wasn't planned, it falls very short. But this book was GREAT!!! I thought the whole thing was basically the first book's storyline but told from different perspectives, and in some sense it was, but was also so much more. What sets Atwood apart, for me, (and I haven't read TONS of her work, but I have read several and want to conquer it all) is that she really comes in for the sneak attack. Characters who seemed really minor in O&C are highlighted in this novel and you feel guilty (sort of) that you didn't care about them in the first book. And the way she adds in the hymns and saints at first feels a little cheesy to me, but its actually quite brilliant in helping to build the whole tone of the novel, the ideas and philosophies and message she's trying to get across. Not to mention that the basic plotline is one of the more believable ways I can picture humans destroying themselves. Overall, I am really glad that I read this, but let down because now it is really over and its back to real life for me. Hopefully, we won't REALLY have to see a Waterless Flood but I guess you never know. (commence sinister chuckling...)
61. IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM by Stefanie PintoffI enjoyed this historical fiction/murder mystery novel and think it was a solid first effort. Will read the second book of the series, but I probably won't buy it. :) It was a nice change of pace to read a criminology/sociology based mystery that wasn't TOTALLY predictable, although I did solve the majority of the case before the end. It wasn't In the Woods, because the psychological aspects weren't really delved into and the characters were not as richly developed, but I did enjoy it and am looking forward to seeing how the rest of the books develop the relationships between Alistair, Ziele and Mrs. Sinclair.
62. A DOLL'S HOUSE by Henrik IbsenWow, this play was really good. Sure makes me appreciate the time that I live in, as frustrating as it sometimes is. I would not have enjoyed living within the social constraints of that time. The characterss were very vivid for me, and I found it to be very well-thought out. I think that if a 88-page play can produce such fully-developed characters, its interesting that so many several-hundred page novels can't. Me thinks I will be reading more of Ibsen's plays in the future. 5 stars.
63. SIZZLING SIXTEEN by Janet EvanovichThe latest installment in the fiasco of the life of Stephanie Plum, female bounty-hunter. This book was just what I expected and like from the series, light and fun to read. Plus, there's a crime to solve. I like all of the characters and was glad that, like SP, I didn't have to choose who she should be with either.
I wouldn't start this series unless you want to go the distance, the parts of it that are good are the relationships and arcs that take place throughout the entire series. But its definitely a fun series. 3.5 stars, just because it wasn't my favorite.
64. UNDER THE DOME by Stephen KingOkay, so if you look at my shelves, its obvious that I am a SK fan. But even as a fan, I don't LOVE everything he puts out. In fact, just last year I read The Stand, a book I'd been dying to read for a loooooooooooong time. And it was good, but it wasn't great. UTD was GREAT! In many ways, it reminded me of TS, but with more likeable characters (or unlikeable) and a more realistic and terrifying plot. And the twist towards the end was actually really great. I would highly recommend this to any SK fan, or any Scifi fan, or someone looking to read a book with LOTS of great characters and character interaction. The idea of what can happen to a society if its isolated and the external forces of control are removed is pretty hardcore.
65. THROUGH VIOLET EYES by Stephen WoodworthI picked this book to read because I needed it for a reading challenge I'm working on and I had to read a novel with a color in the title. I wasn't super excited to read it and thought that it wouldn't be very good, especially as the follow-up novel to Under the Dome. But it was pretty interesting, read quickly (in a good way, because I stayed interested) and there are more in the series that I will probably get around to reading soon. Love finding a random good book by accident. :)
66. DEAD IN THE FAMILY by Charlaine HarrisSo, I've gotta say...I've been REALLY looking forward to reading the next Sookie Stackhouse book for a while now. And the first 95% of the book was the normal experience I get with this series. Fun, fairly light, some mysterious happenings, familiar and loveable characters, etc. But as I was nearing the end of the book (which I could tell by the feeling of pages running out of my grip), seemed like the story had barely begun. Then the end wrap-up/cliffhanger was very abrupt. And I just didn't feel the satisfied sense of mid-series completeness that I usually get with this storyline and I felt like the ending wasn't in keeping with the characters I've come to know and love. Maybe I should start agreeing with all of the other fans who say that Harris HAS to wrap up the series soon. I'm hoping for a great finish, and there was a LOT of foreshadowing (I hope LOL) in this book, but I guess I'll be waiting another whole year (sigh, sigh) to see where this thing goes.
67. BLACKLANDS by Belinda BauerThis was SUCH an excellent novel, and its the author's FIRST?!?!?! Yay! I'm eagerly awaiting the next thing she decides to tackle. In this novel, a boy's (who's uncle was killed as a child) whole life has been affected by the strain of the murder of a child. He sets out to contact the serial killer who was imprisoned for the crime and the suspenseful plot continues. Without giving anything away, there was such a palpable sense of dread and tension all throughout the book, the characters were all so multi-dimensional (which surprised me, with the story being just about 220 pages) and the main character's actions were so dead-on believable. As for the serial killer aspect of the book, this was everything I want out of a book of this kind: credible, detailed (without becoming a teaching tool), incredibly well-written characters (brevity is the author's strong suit), and it's haunting me (a plus). Bauer reminds me of Stewart O'Nan, brevity + great lines + just all around great descriptions and writing style. Highly recommended to serial killer novel fans, or anyone who can stand to read a mystery novel that deals with child murders. 5 stars...
68. HORNS by Joe HillOh man, this book was soooo good. I kept taking breaks from it to make it last longer. Wasn't sure how I'd feel about reading a somewhat sympathetic tale of the devil, but Hill used his typical awesomeness to really round out a lot of popular culture factoids into an extremely interesting and believable murder mystery/horror tale. I really liked how all of the characters were so much more evil in many ways and truly deserving of the hell Ig was suffering through -- it was an ironic and interesting dynamic. This book had some really messed up moments as well. Makes me glad that I can't read people's thoughts, especially my family and closest friends...yikes! I think my husband is a little afraid of me now, because I was pretty steadily chuckling throughout my journey with Ig and his hell on Earth. Like father, like son...these boys can count on me as their loyal and Constant Reader.
69. THE COLORADO KID by Stephen KingI guess a lot of people don't case for this Hard Case Crime volume, as its an UNSOLVED mystery. But for me, part of the enjoyment was thinking about all of the possible situations that could have lend to the Colorado Kid's death. I also liked the atmosphere and characters in the novel, but wish it was more in depth, which King's books usually are. Overall, I liked it, didn't love it. I DO, however, love the show on SyFy "Haven", which is based on this novella.
70. MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne CollinsSooooooooooooo good. This whole series was just addictive and fast paced and compelling. Classified as YA, but has some pretty heavy themes. I was rewarded in that Collins saw to it that Katniss ended up with the person I WANTED her to end up with. Kind of sad to see it all end though.
71. NEVER LET ME GO by Kazuo IshiguroThis was a very bizarre read for me. It's love/hate, in that the story and background and characters in this book were so incredibly multi-layered that I was constantly drifting off into thought and so it took me much longer than I thought to finish this less than 300-pages-long novel. At the same time, there were things about it that irritated me. But while I was being irritated, I was thinking, the author MUST have done this on purpose to illustrate a certain point or person's characteristics and it IS quite brilliant sometimes to be irritating. That's what I tell MYSELF anyway! LOL
Michelle wrote: "71. NEVER LET ME GO by Kazuo IshiguroThis was a very bizarre read for me. It's love/hate, in that the story and background and characters in this book were so incredibly multi-layered that I wa..."
I really enjoyed this book. However I do remember it as being a very different experience. I read it some years ago but the images created in my mind, remain. The premise of cloning people to harvest organs, so horrifyingly brilliant, is enough to give one pause. The characters lives are so disconnected from reality -- the non-cloned world -- that I experienced that disconnect -- and the need to be loved and appreciated. The book really made me think.
72. ILL WIND by Rachel CaineI've never read another story like this. Urban fantasy and meteorology...can't be beat. Strong female characters, passionate/non-cheesy relations/betrayal and suspense. Very different and interesting, plus I got a quick restudy on my physical geography knowledge. :) Surprise ending too! Looking forward to getting my paws on the rest of the series.
73. EVERY DEAD THING by John ConnollyI've been wanting to start this series ever since I read The Book of Lost Things, which is one of my favorite books ever! My sister was right. This series is dark, gritty, psychologically intense and I like Charlie Parker. I'm glad that I have the next two books in the series, and plan on getting to them soon. Betrayal, gruesome murders, lots of twists and turns (plenty of potential suspects abound, but not in an obnoxious way), and a main character who is open-minded and has developed a certain level of moral ambiguity in response to the horrific slaying of his wife and daughter. This book left me thinking and wondering what Bird's next move will be. I'm looking forward to Dark Hollow.
74. THE TOWN THAT FORGOT HOW TO BREATHE by Kenneth J. HarveyThis book took me FOREVERRRRRRRRRRRR to read! I've never read a story set in Newfoundland (sounds beautiful) or anything with nautical/mythical beasts and creatures, so this was an interesting read. I enjoyed the book and the mysteries and characters in the story but I felt that it was a little long and could have been edited without compromising the story. Maybe the focus should have been concentrating on only a few of the characters' backstories and less trying to get to everyone. Overall, 4 stars for originality and overall spooky/suspenseful tone, and I would read something else by Harvey. But I hope it's been edited better. :)
75. THE GIRL NEXT DOOR by Jack KetchumOh, am I horrified and relieved (sort of) to have read this book. Horrified because it was more terrible than I had heard or thought it would be. Let me rephrase -- it was extremely well-written, suspenseful, masterfully executed, particularly in its ability to keep you reading as the levels of gruesomeness and darkly evil deeds continued to ratchet up. Horrible in that it was just so devastating and truly and shockingly sad. Just one of those books that drains you emotionally, makes you go in and check on your kids sleeping safely in their beds one more time, that makes you want to go and adopt a few more to show love to. And also, I had NO IDEA this story was based on an actual murder, so that was a shock for me as well. It takes a lot to get me riled up, honestly, since my husband works in law enforcement and is always telling me terrible criminal stories. And I've seen a lot of terrible people and heard about a lot of very sad and tragic things. But the knowledge that ONE woman was able to so irreparably screw up SO MANY KIDS right under the noses of their parents in a suburban neighborhood and to sink into the depraved levels of torturous madness that she did and visit it upon kids who had already survived so many challenges was truly sickening. Ketchum's writing was brilliantly sneaky, because he really did walk a fine line. If it had been any less suspenseful or any more terrible, I may have stopped reading it. But my sense of morbid curiosity and need for some type of positive resolution kept me going. Don't read this unless you have a VERY thick skin. My eyes are still red and puffy from last night.
76. BLOCKADE BILLY by Stephen KingI REALLY REALLY liked this novella. The only thing keeping it from a 5 star rating is that I wish it had been a little more drawn out, maybe a little more darkness or more about Katsanis' past. The way that an oldtime baller told the story to King through a casual conversation was genius and really appealed to me. Also, the way the story changed abruptly from something straight out of The Natural to a mystery to a pretty gory slasher tale was so smooth in its transition but still packed a punch. This is one of the reasons that I love you, SK. I've always liked baseball and joke that my DH has pushed me away from it by his obsession with ALL things sports related which is overwhelming and makes every sport LESS intriguing to me. This book may make me actually watch a game the next time one's on. :) Who am I kidding? I'll probably be reading. LOL!
Michelle wrote: "75. THE GIRL NEXT DOOR by Jack KetchumOh, am I horrified and relieved (sort of) to have read this book. Horrified because it was more terrible than I had heard or thought it would be. Let me re..."
Michelle, I think this may be the story of a girl I read about in Time magazine years ago...unbelievable to me at the time, in fact I couldn't finish the article, my interest was so dulled by the sheer magnitude of the crime. I gave up just two paragraphs short...
I realize that the book you are reviewing is not exactly the same story as the one I read, as the author no doubt took considerable license with the facts...but I noticed in reading the other reviews, there were all sorts of things that didn't match. One person said that it was a nanny that had been imprisoned, another said the girl had been left there when her parents died, and most of them spoke of a sister...that doesn't make sense, where was the sister when the girl was being tortured? Was she tortured too? At any rate, you can see what an impression this made on me, because after all these years, I'm still getting a bad feeling just thinking about what I read years ago. I don't need Ketcham to remember.
Well Carol, let's see. I didn't want to give away TOO many spoilers or be horrifying on a page where not everyone who reads it may like to read such dark fiction. But YES, the girl (and younger sister) was left with her mother's sister after they were killed in an auto accident (which the girls were also injured in). And yes, the younger sister was also tortured, but differently and not to death. Really, really graphic and hard for me to read. I also read the first few Dave Pelzer books about his childhood abuse at the hands of his mother starting with A Child Called "It". Read it when I was in high school and remember bawling my eyes out the whole way through. But he lives, so its got some themes of survival and hope for the endurance of a child or the human spirit, etc. This book didn't have any of this for me.
Michelle, I'm wondering though, the facts that you state, are they from the book or from the original article from years ago? I don't remember there being a mention of a sister in the original article, and I have not read the book so can't comment on the factualness of it. I really think it's the same story, though...
My apologies for elbowing my way into your conversation, Michelle and Carol, but I was so intrigued by this story that I did a little research. Here is a link regarding the true story:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvia_L...
Horrible.
Thanks Kerri. The date on the Time Magazine article which was referenced at the bottom of the Wiki article was May 6, 1966 - 44 years ago. And yes, it was the article I was talking about...and even though I had forgotten some of the relevant facts (such as there being a sister), the impact of it is so strong, it seems like yesterday...
77. ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND & THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS AND WHAT ALICE FOUND THERE by Lewis CarrollThis was the very first chapter book that Avery and I read together. I've never read it before and its always been one of the books I wanted to get to. Soooo glad Avery and I shared it. I'm sure she didn't catch the themes, political context, etc. but she LOVED the poems, and the silly conversations and she stayed engaged. She kept asking me to sing her the "Turtle Soup" song and she knows it by heart now. :) And it was cute to hear her giggling and excited and interested. Interesting vocabulary builder as well.
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)
More...
Okay, this was a "psychoerotic noir fairytale". Think a Chandler-eqsue detective novel, full of misogyny, machismo, and hard-boiled cop talk. Then throw in some kinky sex, hardcore torture and supernatural elements. Without giving too much away, yeah. Strange book but oddly interesting. Like a train wreck. I have to say, the first 1/3 to 1/2 of this book kinda dragged for me. Lots of great lines, and he can clearly write, but it just wasn't making me want to stay up late to read it. But the second half definitely picked up and got SUPER strange and went from one genre-novel to a whole other animal. Some people might hate that, but considering how much I enjoyed the 2nd part to the 1st, it was a welcome and smart move in my view. Worth checking out if you feel like reading something a little different. A strange thing to say, but Mr. S. clearly had some things to discuss with regards to male and female dominance and a woman's struggle for self-acceptance. Wonder who he asked about this. :)