Dini's List for 2009 - 50 and ongoing

[Lisa]

Dini, The Thirteenth Tale is one of my favorites. I loved the gothic feel of the book. Since you liked it too, I'd like to recommend another favorite of mine.....The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It's another gothic suspense surrounding the mysterious author of a book that the main character finds in The Cemetery of Forgotten Books.

[Dini]

Thanks for the recommendation, Lisa. I think I've heard that title somewhere but didn't know what the book was about.

[Joanie]

Dini, I'm reading The Shadow of the Wind right now and it's great-definitely check it ou.

[Dini]

Alrighty, Joanie!

[Dini]

28. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Light and enjoyable, with Gaiman's usual touch of horror and the supernatural.

[Dini]

29. The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho

I enjoyed this book although some parts were a bit far-fetched. There were a few nice twists, especially in the ending, and some of the spiritual aspects were also inspiring.

[Dini]

30. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

My last and quite possibly favorite Austen novel. Now I can watch the movie! LOL.

[Dini]

31. The Wisdom of Whores Bureaucrats, Brothels, and the Business of AIDS by Elizabeth Pisani

A no-nonsense analysis on the AIDS industry that manages to be funny and personal but still balanced and informative at the same time.

[Leshawn]

Congratulations on 31 books and on finishing all of Austen,Dini! Enjoy the film adaptation!

[Dini]

Thanks Leshawn!

[Dini]

32. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Definitely trashy, though the mystery part was good. I don't think I'll be reading more of this series.

[Dini]

33. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

Not much of a page-turner, and Holly Golightly's character didn't manage to gain my sympathy either.

[Dini]

34. Cecilia dan Malaikat Ariel Kisah Indah Dialog Surga dan Bumi by Jostein Gaarder

Translated from Through a Glass, Darkly. Sweet and sad, but can get a bit draggy because it mainly consists of conversation between the two main characters.

[Dini]

35. The Children by Edith Wharton

This one exceeded my expectations. Wonderful in a bittersweet way.

15 more books to go!

[Dini]

36. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Fun and wacky, but a bit too long. A few characters less also would have been great.

[Dini]

37. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

Short and enchanting tales. My favorite is "The Fountain of Fair Fortune".

[Dini]

38. The Little Lady Agency in the Big Apple by Hester Browne

Just when you think you know where the story is headed, it turns the other way. A nice sequel -- I'll definitely read the next Little Lady book.

[Dini]

Hi Nicole. I'm finding Gaarder's shorter books very interesting, but the best so far is definitely Bibbi Bokken's Magic Library.

[Dini]

39. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

I finally finished this monster book! It was witty, snarky and funny, but some parts really dragged on too long. For "a novel without a hero", I'm glad the good characters get a good ending.

[Dini]

40. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows

A sweet and funny book for bibliophiles.

[Dini]

41. The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

I like the author's new take on the world of magicians. The book is dark and suspenseful but also very funny thanks to the hilarious, wisecracking djinni Bartimaeus -- one of the most interesting literary characters I've found in a while.

[Dini]

42. The Golem's Eye - Mata Golem by Jonathan Stroud

Still as funny and action-packed as the previous book. I find myself rushing the chapters told from Kitty's point of view because I would much rather read about Bartimaeus, but the part with Kitty in the mausoleum was very creepy. Especially when you read it at 1 AM like I did.

[Dini]

43. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

The writing style is dense though beautiful, and the main character irks me. But I think I understand why people appreciate this book.

[Dini]

44. Ptolemy's Gate - Gerbang Ptolemy by Jonathan Stroud

The final book in the Bartimaeus trilogy brings us magical rebellion and radical conspiracies, and in the end gets the three main characters closer than ever before. A fantasy series not to be missed.

[Dini]

45. Paris Lumiere de l'Amour by Rosita Sihombing

An interesting and informative non-fiction book, but lacks coherence as a whole.

[Dini]

46. Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata

A touching children's novel on sisterhood and family.

[Dini]

47. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I absolutely adore this book. I can't believe I hadn't read this sooner! Sara Crewe has officially entered my list of the awesomest female literary characters ever.

[Dini]

48. Oeroeg by Hella S. Haasse

Very short and leaves a lot to be desired. But I liked the descriptions of nature in it.

[Dini]

49. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

A bit dull at first but gets better as the story progresses. A great accompaniment if you want to learn about American history in the 1920s.

One more book to go!!

[Dini]

50. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

I like the Gothic feel of the book. The mystery keeps the reader guessing -- although there was one thing that I guessed right from the beginning.

FINISH LINE! YAY!!!!!

[KrisT]

Good job Dini and what a good book to make the milestone on. I loved it.

[Dini]

Thank you KrisT! :)

[Dini]

51. Life of Pi by Yann Martel

The bulk of the book when Pi was drifting on a boat in the ocean was rather dull, but some parts in the beginning and end were good. In the end it makes you think, which is something I like.

[Joanie]

Congrats on your 50 Dini! You read some dense ones-I think some should count for double! Happy New Year!

[Dini]

Thank you and happy new year, Joanie :)

[Dini]

52. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

Unlike some other Murakami works, I really enjoyed this one. It was inspiring and really makes me respect Murakami as a person and a writer.

[Dini]

53. Botchan by Natsume Soseki

The main character of this novel is annoyingly hard-headed and too simple for his own good. His misfortunes lend a rather comical aspect to the story, though.


That's it for 2009! I finished 53 books, so only one more from my record in 2008, but I still see it as a progress, haha. Here's for a better 2010! Over and out.