Challenge: 50 Books discussion
2010
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Steph's 2010 "50 book challenge with a twist"- 50 books with at least half by authors I have never read before
2. Made in the U.S.A.- by Billie Letts Rating it only 2 stars- The book started off promising but I rapidly lost the energy I had invested in it. Just okay. (book number one towards new authors for me)
Moving on to book number three for the year- Tall Grass by Sandra Dallas- has anyone read this?
#3 Tallgrass- by Sandra Dallas (second new author of the year for me) Overall, good book would rate it a 3 or 3.5. Good story and likeable characters but not the connection I usually like to feel with my characters..the kind of connection that really sucks you in.
1.Finished 1/13/10
2. Finished 1/18/10
3. Finished 1/19/10
4. Finished 1/24/10
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Roses by Leila Meacham (third new author of the year for me)
I really enjoyed this book and I had a hard time putting it down. I stayed up late each night just trying to get a little further along to find out what was going to happen next. The draw was there. However, I found the writing to be just on the avg/good level but not superb. Therefore, I would give it (3.5 for writing and 4.0 for storyline) - an overall average of 3.75.
Next up, A Conspiracy of Paper by David Liss
5. Finished 1/30/10
A Conspiracy of Paper- by David Liss (fourth new author of the year for me) 4.5 stars
6. Finished 1/31/10
Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin (5th new author of the year for me)
3.5 stars
7. Finished 2/8/10
Atonement- Ian McEwan(6th new author of the year for me)
4.0 stars
8. Finished 2/12/10
About a Boy by Nick Hornby 2.5 stars (7th new author of the year for me)
9. Finished 2/14/10
The Attack by Yasmina Khadra 4.0 stars (8th new author of the year for me)
Next up: The Museum of Innocence- Orhan Pamuk
and Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Stephanie wrote: "7. Finished 2/8/10 Atonement- Ian McEwan(6th new author of the year for me)
4.0 stars
"
I loved Atonement! You seem to have a diverse mix of books in your list. I love the idea of trying out new authors... I've been trying new ones myself and have been impressed so far.
10. Finished 2/20/10
Alice in Wonderland/Through a Looking Glass and what Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll 4.0 stars
(9th new author of the year for me)
How could I have missed reading this book when I was younger? What an unexpected treatit was for me to read this book now. I found myself smiling as I turned the pages of this clever little creation from Lewis Carroll.
11. Finished 2/21/10
The Pearl- by John Steinbeck 4 stars
12. Finished 3/16/10
The Museum of Innocence- by Orhan Pamuk 4.0 stars (10th new author of the year for me)
13. Finished 3/19/10
Sarah's Key- by Tatiana de Rosnay 4 stars (11th new author of the year for me)
14. Finished 3/27/2010
The Remains of the Day - by Kazuo Ishiguro- 4 stars
(12the new author of the year for me)
15. Finsihed 4/03/2010
Affinity- by Sarah Waters- 4 stars (13th new author of the year for me)
Wow! Not at all what I expected- but overall enjoyed her writing. The ending also took me by surprise.
Stephanie wrote: "14. Finished 3/27/2010 The Remains of the Day - by Kazuo Ishiguro- 4 stars
(12the new author of the year for me)"
Stephanie, that sounds like a good literary challenge, to read authors you haven't read before. There are many on my list, a lot of them well-known. Thanks for the inspiration.
Carol wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "14. Finished 3/27/2010 The Remains of the Day - by Kazuo Ishiguro- 4 stars
(12the new author of the year for me)"
Stephanie, that sou..."
Hey Carol- Your welcome :)
There are so many authors that I love and just want to injest everything they write. However, I set out this year with the hope of expanding my horizons by finding some wonderful authors that were new to me. So far, it has worked wonderfully. Of course, I left myself some leeway (having to read just over half by authors that are new to me). That way I can still fit a book in here and there written by " an old favorite" or be able to continue on with a series.
Happy Reading!
Stephanie :)
16. Finished 4/09/10
Nefertiti- by Michelle Moran- 4.0 stars (14th new author of the year for me)
Interesting historical Fiction. Nefertiti's younger sister is the narrator which was a great way to get a close look at the queen and also see how others viewed her.
I have moved the sequel, "The Heretic Queen" close to the top of my TBR list.
17. Finished 4/11/10
Knots and crosses- by Ian Rankin- 3 stars
(15th new author of the year for me)
18. Finished 4/18/10
Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto -by Mark Levin- 5 stars (16th new author of the year for me)
A well written book explaining in a clear and concise manner how America is being transformed and slowly but surely taken over by the Statist. Levin provides a good historical account of this change and how our country and liberty is quietly slipping away from each and every one of us.
I gave the book 5 stars for content and ease of reading on the subject matter. As Mark Levin says, America, we need to get busy, if we don't want to lose this great nation.
19. Finished 4/22/10
Super Freakonomics- by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
4.0 stars (17th new author of the year for me)
20. Finished 4/29/10
Pearl of China by Anchee Min- 3.0 stars (18th new author of the year for me)
This book helped me to learn a great deal about Pearl S. Buck's life and has inspired me to re-read The Good Earth as well as look into some of the other books Pearl wrote during her lifetime. However, that being said, I could not give this book more than 3 stars. Let me try and explain. Although I found the subject matter fascinating and I give Anchee Min a great deal of credit for trying to educate the reader about such an amazing woman, her story-telling ability fell short. Her characters were hard to connect with because Min tended to tell rather than show what was happening to these people.
I have heard wonderful things about the author Anchee Min and I would be willing to try reading some of her other works in the future.
21. Finished 5/2/10
Silas Marner- by George Eliot- 4.5 Stars
What a great story! I read it back in junior high but don't recall enjoying it this much. I am so glad I re-visited this book. This has definitely motivated me to read Middlemarch by the same author sooner rather than later..
22. Finished 5/10/10
The Good Earth- by Pearl S. Buck- 4.5 stars
So glad I went back and took the time to re-read this book which I was first introduced to in junior high school.
23. Finished 5/16/10
Cleopatra's Daughter- by Michelle Moran- 4.0 stars
24. Finished 6/12/10
A Town Like Alice- by Nevil Shute 4.5 stars
(19th new author of the year for me)
25. Finished 6/29/10
Of Mice and Men- by John Steinbeck 4.0 stars
Just hit 25 books with a day to spare for the half way point of this contest!
26. Finished 7/26/2010
Oh No! Were Gonna Die- by Bill Bell. 3 stars
(20th new author of the year for me.)
Amusing anecdotes about hunting and fishing in the great Alaskan Wilderness.
I have fallen behind in my reading with vacationing this summer. I will need to make an effort to catch up in the fall which arrives early here in Alaska!
27. One Man's Wilderness
By- Sam Kieth
3.5 stars. Mediocre writing but an amazing true life story of one man's experience living alone in the Alaskan wilderness.
(21st new author this year for me.)
28. Finished 8/18/2010
The Hobbit- by J.R.R. Tolkien 4.5 stars
I did not know what to expect with this book since I have never dipped into the realm of fantasy before. I must say, I was very pleasantly surprised; enough to put The Fellowship of the Rings on hold at the library.
(22nd new author of the year for me)
29. Finished 9/4/10
Still Alice- by Lisa Genova
4 stars. A book that can make me cry and have my heart go out to the main character like she was a real living person deserves at least 4 stars.
(23rd new author of the year for me)
30. Finished 9/12/10
by Glenn BeckOverall 3.5 stars. Let me explain : I would give 3.0 stars for the story telling- engaging enough to keep my interest but 4.0 stars for incorporating so many of the underlying principals our nation was founded on. It is what each and every citizen in our great nation needs to remember in order for the US to BE great and for all of us to remain Free.
(24th new author of the year for me)
31. Finished 9/28/2010
The Invisible Wall: A Love Story that Broke Barriers: by- Harry Bernstein4.0 stars- reminded me of Angela's Ashes.
(25th new author of the year for me-yay! I made that half of my goal- reading at least 25 books this year by new authors- now I just have to get to 50 books by December)
32. Finished 10/03/2010
By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept by Paulo Coelho4.0 stars- Every time I read a book by this author, I am inspired to work on being the best I can be in all aspects of my life.
33. Finished 10/09/2010
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery5.0 Stars- What a wonderful book! Highly recommended. I can not wait to read the next book in the series.
(26th new author of the year for me)
34. FInished 10/10/2010
Night - by Elie Weisel
4.0 stars- Powerful- a book that will not leave me for a long time.
(27th new author of the year for me)
Stephanie wrote: "34. FInished 10/10/2010 Night - by Elie Weisel
4.0 stars- Powerful- a book that will not leave me for a long time.
Stephanie, I felt the same way after reading it. Have you read The Book Thief yet? Amazingly haunting.
Helene wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "34. FInished 10/10/2010 Night - by Elie Weisel
4.0 stars- Powerful- a book that will not leave me for a long time.
Stephanie, I felt the same way after rea..."
Hey Helene-
I have not read The Book Thief yet but I have downloaded it to my Nook, so I plan on reading it soon. Now that you have given me your review, I will move it up.
BTW, I finished Anne of Green Gables and got the next one out of the library. On the back of the first book it said appropriate for 9-12 year old girls- so your daughter is definitely at the right age to read it. I can not believe I missed that series when I was a young girl growing up.
35. Finished 10/12/10
Tortilla Flat- by John Steinbeck4.0 stars
36. Finished 10/18/2010
Anne of Avonlea- by L.M. Montgomery 4 stars. A lovely follow- up to Anne of Green Gables. I am looking forward to the next book in the series as Anne enters the next chapter of her life.
37. Finished 10/22/2010
A Wrinkle in Time - by Madeleine L'Engle 4.0 stars
(28th new author of the year for me)
38. Finished 10/25/2010
The Wednesday Wars- by Gary Schmidt- 3.0 stars
(29th new author of the year for me)
39. Finished 10/29/2010
The Five People You Meet in Heaven- by Mitch Albom
Overall 4.0 stars
(30th new author of the year for me)
40. Finished 10/31/2010
Christmas Jars- by Jason Wright.
(31st new author of the year for me) Overall 4.0 stars
If you are going to read this book, you must go into it with the knowledge that you are reading it for the message, not for the story line or the quality of writing. I am giving this book a higher rating then I usually would for a book so poorly written solely because of the message it delivers. What a fantastic idea and a wonderful tradition.
41. Finished 11/13/2010
Wild Swans:Three Daughters of China- by Jung Chang. (32nd new author of the year for me)5.0 stars. What an eye opening book. Growing up in the West, we hear stories about how terrible it was living under Mao in China, but even in my worst nightmares, I never could have imagined such unnecessary cruelty and barbaric ways. The Chinese suffered so much under Mao and Jung Chang does an incredible job portraying what her family as well as the entire nation went through under his dictatorship.
42. Finished 11/15/2010 
Anne of the Island- by L.M. Montgomery 5.0 stars. What a great book! The end had me in tears. I can't wait to read #4 in the series.
Go, Stephanie, go! 8 more in 6 weeks - you can do it!
Dale wrote: "Go, Stephanie, go! 8 more in 6 weeks - you can do it!"Thanks for the encouragement Dale! I need it ! I can see the finish line in the far distance but it is slowly coming into focus.
Challenge: 50 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (other topics)Nutcracker and Mouse King and The Tale of the Nutcracker (other topics)
Anne's House of Dreams (other topics)
Anne of Windy Poplars (other topics)
Anne of the Island (other topics)
More...
1. Shanghai Girls- Lisa See
very good book but I think Snowflower and the Secret Fan was better.
I need to get off here and start book number 2 for the year. I have a pile by my bedside but I am always looking for suggestions. I love historical fiction, chick lit, actually just about anything that is well writen. Any suggestions??