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Megan's 2011 Reading Challenge
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Megan
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Jan 04, 2011 11:17AM
For 2011, I would like to challenge myself to read 50 books. I made it to 43 in 2010, so I think 50 is a reasonable number. I also pledge to be better about buying books...meaning I need to not buy so many as I need to catch up on my to-read shelf.
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1. The Help5 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book, couldn't put it down. It really made it think about the 60s, the South, segregation, and how people treat each other.
Stacey wrote: "Hey Megan! Good luck! I've actually challenged myself to read 50 as well. I've never really counted how many books I've read in a year before, so I may be setting my goal too high for myself... ..."Thanks Stacey. Good luck to you too on your 50 book challenge.
Now that you've mentioned it. I think I'll check my to read shelf here in GR again since I forgot all about it because I keep on finding new interesting classic novels which aren't included in my GR to-read list.My goal is also 50. Good luck to us! :)
5. Size 14 Is Not Fat Either3 out of 5 stars
I liked this book, the second in the series, better than the first book. It was a light, fun, easy read.
6. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1) 5 out of 5 stars
Wow, I was instantly hooked. A great, intense read. I thought the ending was a little abrupt, so I can't wait to read the second in the series.
7. For Love of Wildness: The Journal of a U.S. Game Management Agent4 out of 5 stars
This is Terry's second book detailing his career as a game warden. In this one, Terry is now a federal agent in California. The chapters are all short stories and deal mostly with waterfowl in this book. I think his third book is about his time in South Dakota, can't wait to read it too.
8. Breaking Dawn
3 out of 5 stars
This is the last book in the Twilight series. An entertaining and often comical read. Comical because even for a paranormal book, some of the events were a little farfetched.
9. The Paris Wife2 out of 5 stars
Won through the First Reads Program.
NOT a Hemingway fan. But this book is told from the point of view of his wife, so we shall see...
Not real sure how I feel about this book... I never would have read it if I hadn't won it. That being said it wasn't particularly wonderful but wasn't a bad book either. It was just ok. I find it difficult to read books such as this where a fictional book is based on a real person. I want to believe that it is a true account when it is not.
10. Smitten
3 out of 5 stars
I just love Janet Evanovich books. They are always fun and light. This one was no exception.
11. Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik 3.5 out of 5 stars
I think this book is meant for a slightly older generation of women with children, but I still really enjoyed it. It was a little slow getting into the book, but after the first decade I was hooked. I loved that the booked spanned multiple people through multiple generations and touched on the important and everyday aspects of life. Overall, I laughed, I cryed, I was touched by the women in the book.
12. Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips3 out of 5 stars
Finally read the book that has been on my to-read shelf the longest. I put off reading this one since the last few Susan E Phillips books I've read haven't been that impressive. But suprisingly I really enjoyed this one. It was a fun, light, easy read for the weekend.
13. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson5 out of 5 stars
I was a little confused to start as the second book didn't pick up where the first left off. But it quickly became very intense and I was hooked. Finished it last night and was very upset that it ended as a cliff hanger. And I don't have the third book yet because I was going to wait until it came out in paperback. Now I don't know I may have to go buy it this weekend...
14. One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey by Sam Keith3 out of 5 stars
I am a little on the fence about this book. A. Because I don't really care for books written in journal or diary format. B. However, Richard Proenneke was an amazing man who carved out a little piece of heaven in the Alaskan frontier. The detail and precision that went into the building of his cabin is certainly a lost art. The little tidbits of the wilderness that we gained from this short book would make anyone want to drop everything and head for the Alaskan wilderness. I certainly could have used a little more of these tidbits and a little less of the mundane day to day activities. But I suppose it is the everyday activities that make this book different that every other Alaska adventure.
15. Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler3 out of 5 stars
I liked this book but I wouldn’t say it was sensational. It was funny at times and just crazy at others. It was a very quick read with each chapter a new outrageous story. At times I even wondered how true the stories were and how much was just for comedic effect…
16. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson5 out of 5 stars
The best trilogy I've read in a while. Very gripping. I am sure this will be a series that I read over and over again. All three books have such detail and intricacies that I am sure each time I read them I will pick up on more and more of the finer hints and clues.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes intrigue and adventure.
17. Fletcher's Woman by Linda Lael Miller2 out of 5 stars
Definitely not one of my favorite Linda Lael Miller books. It was a little annoying as it seemed like every other character introduced turned out to be a villain. Seriously, how many villains does one romance need?
18. Austenland by Shannon Hale4 out of 5 stars
I liked this one a lot. It was a very light read. I liked the author's tone and writing style. I know that S. Hale mostly writes youth and young adult books, but I would like to see more adult books from her.
19. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake5 out of 5 stars
WOW!! Not really what I was expecting but a very good read. I wanted the story to keep going and not end, I wanted to know more. The whole book was very heart-wrenching. It really made you feel and yet you never really got too attached to one character. I am a crier, and yet I didn't cry once through the whole book. While many of the stories were heartbreaking and pulled at the heart-strings, they were told in such a matter fact way.
Maybe I need to back up and explain the book a little better since I don't think the back cover description is very good. So the story in a nut-shell without giving anything away… The story is set in the early years of WWII, before the US got involved. The book follows a few different characters. Iris is the postmaster of a small MA cape town called Franklin. Frankie is a reporter in London reporting back to the US. And there are many other Franklin characters that come into play. The Postmistress tells the story of how Frankie and the residents of Franklin are connected and how the war was reported to the US in the early 1940s. It tells the story of how Americans viewed the war before Pearl Harbor. It is a truly gripping tale of war but the focus is on the edges of the war, not the dirty, bloody, gritty fighting of a war.
20. Big Boned by Meg Cabot3 out of 5 stars
Hhhmmmm.... Well it was a quick & easy read. This series was not the most intellectual, but they were a good read between the more intellectual books that I enjoy.
21. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak5 out of 5 stars
I am somewhat at a loss for words on this one. Starting out I didn’t really care for it too much. It was different to say the least, but I kept at it and am thankful that I did. It was a little hard to follow because I wasn’t real sure who was telling the story. Additionally, the book pretty much starts out with the ending which some books do, but I found it a little hard to follow here. However, once I got past all that and really got into the book, it was truly great. In fact I think everyone should read this one. Although it is a fictional book, I could really picture that the events of this book were happening and they probably did happen.
The book is set is Nazi Germany and tells the war story from the perspective of a young German girl. Although the girl is not the one telling the story, rather Death is telling the tale of the book thief. I think it is interesting to have the story told by Death. There was certainly plenty of death during this time period. I think it is important to note that not all Germans were evil; rather many went along with Hitler to save themselves and their families from the same treatment that the Jews received. This doesn’t mean that it was right; it is simply the way it was. Some rebelled in their own ways, by hiding Jews or helping them is some small ways.
I think everyone should read this book to educate ourselves against racial / ethnic / religious / etc. extermination, which is still happening in parts of the world.
22. Mixed Messages by Linda Lael Miller1 out of 5 stars
This is by far my least favorite book by Linda Lael Miller. I love the occasional romance but this one simply one sexual romp after another with very little actual story line.
23. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood4 out of 5 stars
This is really a sad tale. Could this really happen? Could all of our freedoms be taken away from us like this? I like to think that something like this could never happen, but this book really makes you greatful for all that we have, even the little things.
24. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen5 out of 5 stars
I was a little hesitant to read a book about the circus and was avoiding this book. But I finally succumbed to the hype surrounding this book and loved it. I especially loved the portions told by Jacob as an old man. They had me laughing out loud and brought back memories of my grandpa.
25. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
2 out of 5 stars
I don’t know what I thought this book was about but I certainly didn’t think it was about racing – as in cars. Granted it isn’t just about racing but the book uses a lot of metaphors and comparisons of life and racing. It is told from the point of view of the family dog which is an interesting concept which I really enjoyed. However, the story is a bit depressing and deals with more than one tough issue (i.e. cancer, rape, death, etc.). The story was good, just not my cup of tea…
26. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott4 out of 5 stars
It is truely amazing that Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women in very little time. It is a great story about young girls and how they morph into young women. I can certainly see why it was an instant classic. I was also amazed at all the references to other great literature, poems, scientists, and such. A great story for every women, although I am not sure I would have got as much out of it if I had read it at a younger age.
27. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke4 out of 5 stars
Wouldn’t it be something if you really could read characters out of books. But maybe there should be some sort of limitations, like maybe they can only come out of books for an hour. There are certainly a lot of creepy, scary, grotesque characters that I wouldn’t want around for very long. Anyway, I really enjoyed Inkheart, although I think this may be one of the few movie adaptations in which I liked the movie better than the book. It’s a tough call on this one.
28. The Bake-off by Beth Kendrick
3 out of 5 stars
Won this one via firstreads; I never would have bought and read this book otherwise. But it had a cute story line using a baking contest to reconnect two estranged sisters as they must work together in order to be successful. I noticed lots of grammatical errors especially toward the end of the book, but it was an advanced readers copy… Overall a fun, light read.
29. Snowflakes on the Sea by Linda Lael Miller2 out of 5 stars
It took me forever to get through this one. Just didn't really care for it.
30. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich
4 out of 5 stars
Another great read from Janet Evanovich. This series is just so fun to read.
31. More than Words by Multiple Authors3 out of 5 stars
More Than Words really has 5 different stories by 5 different authors:
Queen of the Rodeo by Linda Lael Miller
Black Tie & Promises by Sherryl Woods
A Place in This World by Curtiss Ann Matlock
Hannah's Hugs by Jennifer Archer
Step by Step by Kathleen O'Brien
I won't go into the specifics of each story, but they all deal with autism, Down syndrome, or people in less fortunate financial situations. I felt compelled to read this book in September because of all the breast cancer awareness and other cancer awareness campaigns that are going on right now. Some of the stories were very touching, while others were less compelling.
32. As Husbands Go by Susan Isaacs2 out of 5 stars
I think that this book could be broken down into thirds:
The first third was the toughest to get through. Susie wakes to find that her husband is not in bed with her, therefore he is missing. She is instantly unreasonable and having a meltdown.
The middle, the police have discovered the husband dead in the apartment of a call girl and the call girl is missing.
The third portion, Susie doesn't believe that the call girl killed her husband so she begins to investigate things herself.
For the first part of the book to the end of the book Susie's character has changed drastically. It doesn't even seem like she is the same person. She goes from being very self obessed to inquisitive detective. I don't buy it. Also, the last chapter is very abrupt and it simply ends with a confession, although I won't tell you who's. It was like the publisher needed something and Susan Isaacs wasn't quite finished writing it story.
33. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
4 out of 5 stars
People have been telling me I should read this series for a while now, but I kept putting it off as I am not a huge fan of the whole vampire craze. I was inspired to finally pick it up as it is getting close to Halloween and it has been on my shelf for a while.
I was pleasantly surprised. It was a fun, quick read. And by the end, I just wanted to find out who the murderer was. I think I read the whole last half of the book in one sitting. I guess I will have to continue reading the books in this series.
34. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery3 out of 5 stars
Anne of Avonlea is the second book in the Anne of Green Gables series. I think I liked this second book better than the first. Anne is more matured and is now the school teacher for Avolea. While she still has her wild imagination, she is more toned down.
35. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
4 out of 5 stars
I am a little on the fence about this one. I absolutely loved the first 2 chapters in which you are introduced to the two main characters. The next couple of chapters I could have done without as it was really just a rant about sex and the characters weird associations of sex due to his screwed up childhood. Then the rest of the book was good if not a little strange with some pretty crazy plot twists. I never would have picked this book up if it hadn't been for book club.
36. A Superior Death by Nevada Barr
3 out of 5 stars
Another great book about Anna Pigeon, a National Park Service ranger at Isle Royale National Park in Michigan, in which Anna goes from being a desert rat to a sea faring (or rather lake faring) ranger in this the second book of the series. Once again a murder is committed in Anna’s park and she finds herself in the thick of the investigation. But how does one solve a murder committed nearly 200 ft beneath the surface of the lake?
37. The Grand Finale by Janet Evanovich
3 out of 5 stars
Another light fun book by Janet Evanovich. I liked it but not near as much as I love the Stephanie Plum series.
38. Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell3 out of 5 stars
I’m not real sure why I ever purchased this book. I am really not a fan of this type of chick lit. That being said, once I finally picked it up (it’s probably been on my shelf for more than 3 years), I just couldn’t put it down. Something about the characters really drew me into the story. I can’t really relate to the characters as they are all highly successful women in the entertainment and fashion industries, whereas I am low-man on the totem pole in the natural resource field. Anyway, surprisingly I liked it.
39. Ill Wind by Nevada Barr2 out of 5 stars
I didn’t care for this the third book in the Anna Pigeon series. Maybe I was just hoping it would be great since it’s located in my favorite state at Mesa Verde National Park. Once again a murder has occurred in Anna’s park, however this time she takes the death very hard. Anyway, I really can’t wait to read the 4th book as I have a strong connection to Lassen Volcanic National Park!
40. Glory, Glory by Linda Lael Miller3 out of 5 stars
I think I had been putting this one off since I haven’t liked the last few Linda Lael Miller books that I’ve read. However, this one put Miller back in my good graces. It was a very light, easy, fun read. Perfect for this time of the year.
41. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger3.5 stars out of 5
I really like the concept of this book, how time is variable. I absolutely loved the first 2/3 of the book. I felt like this book dealt a lot with fate. I loved the courtship between Clare and Henry which begins when Clare is just 6, but Henry doesn’t get to experience the courtship until much later because he is time traveling. Clare is destined to meet and marry Henry. And when Henry time travels, he can’t change the outcome of events even if he wants to. The last 1/3 of the book felt rushed to me and not as well thought out. The book is quite detailed and then the last two chapters have a very abrupt ending leaving the reader with lots of questions. I won’t go into details, but the book certainly waned for me toward the end. I must admit that I cried, but had I not lost similar loved ones, I don’t think I would have cried. I feel like I was crying more for myself than the characters in the book.
42. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
5 out of 5 stars
I absolutely loved this book. How have I never read this before? I do believe that I have a new favorite classic…
Although I love classics, I often find them difficult to read. The dialect and wording is sometimes hard to follow and I have to put a little more effort into understanding the story. I felt that this was not the case with Jane Eyre. It read like a modern love story.
Jane Eyre is written much like a biography and follows Jane from a young child into womanhood. I love that Jane is able to make something of her life even though her circumstances from a young age put her at a disadvantage. I love that Jane is described as plain and not beautiful and Mr. Rochester is also described as not handsome; it makes to story seem more real.
Yeah!!! I at least made it to 42 wish is the number of books I read last year. As the year is coming to a close, I don't think I will make it to 50 but I will try again next year.
Megan wrote: "6. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1) 5 out of 5 stars
Wow, I was instantly hooked. A great, intense read. I thought the ending was a little abrupt, so I can't wai..." You won't regret reading the rest of the trilogy , it is awesome :)
43. The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber3 out of 5 stars
I love reading Christmas books at Christmas time and Debbie Macomber has some great Christmas books. This one was cute and a really easy read, but wasn't my favorite.
Chicks On Lit
Books mentioned in this topic
The Perfect Christmas (other topics)The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (other topics)
The Time Traveler's Wife (other topics)
Jane Eyre (other topics)
Glory, Glory (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Debbie Macomber (other topics)Audrey Niffenegger (other topics)
Charlotte Brontë (other topics)
Linda Lael Miller (other topics)
Nevada Barr (other topics)
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