Challenge: 50 Books discussion

Last year's reading challenge, my first time doing such a thing, was fun and motivating, so here we go again!
No pre-arranged list for me, nor any strategies, guidelines or restrictions, just lots of reading for book groups and for pleasure. I can't wait to get started!
Happy New Year, everyone, and happy reading!

Happy New year and have a great time reading!!

Okay, I cheated a little, jumped the gun by a couple of days, but this first one is for a book group that will meet on Jan. 2, so I had to be sure and finish it on time. Please don't call the Book Police on me!

1. Beyond Our Selves, by Catherine Marshall ***1/2
This NF spiritual self-improvement book, dealing with accepting God's will and the power of prayer, was published in 1961, and has apparently helped and been revered by millions of readers world-wide. Although I am a Christian, I feel that religion is a private, personal subject, not for secular book group discussions, so this title was not my cup of tea in this instance, altho it could certainly foment heated debate during the upcoming group meeting. It was well written though, the author is well versed in the subject by virtue of her life experiences, and I will admit it gave me much food for thought. Marshall has also written several other well-known religious-themed books, such as Christy, and A Man Called Peter.

Hahaha don't worry I won't tell because I do that all the time so that I don't miss out on the discussions or be behind on them. :)

Linda wrote: "... No pre-arranged list for me, nor any strategies, guidelines or restrictions, just lots of reading for book groups and for pleasure. ..."

Free-form! I dig it :)

2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, by Robin Sloan ****1/2
If you're looking for a fast, fun read that's a mystery with cool computer-geek characters, a medieval cult of book decoders, and set in a peculiar bookstore in San Francisco, pick this one up. I couldn't put it down once started -- polished it off in a single day in 2 sittings, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Linda wrote: "2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, by Robin Sloan ****1/2
If you're looking for a fast, fun read that's a mystery with cool computer-geek characters, a medieval cult of book decoders, and s..."

I also loved "Mr. Penumbra". Good luck on your new year of reading!

Ann A wrote: "Linda wrote: "2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, by Robin Sloan ****1/2
If you're looking for a fast, fun read that's a mystery with cool computer-geek characters, a medieval cult of book d..."

Thanks! You, too!

3. Madame Bovary, by Gustave Flaubert ****
I reread this for the upcoming GR group discussion, and am glad I did. Beautiful writing, but unlikable characters except for Leon, and a tragic story of a woman unable to find happiness. Poor poor Emma. Understandably a classic that has stood the test of time.

4. Divergent, by Veronica Roth ***
Part one of the YA dystopian trilogy, about a 16-year-old girl named Tris who greatly resembles Katniss from Hunger Games. Entertaining, extremely easy read, suitable for ages 12 and up.

5. Name To a Face, by Robert Goddard ***1/2
Decent Western-European mystery/thriller, with mistaken identity, a centuries-old shipwreck, an avenging twin, and lots more being dealt with by the landscaper of a shady businessman. Better read it fast to keep all the characters straight!

6. The Truest Pleasure, by Robert Morgan ***1/2
Atmospheric look into the marriage of a NC mountain family in the late 1800s. Not much happens, but it's a sweet love story.

7. The Reason I Jump, by Naoki Higashida ***
A look inside the mind of a 13-year-old autistic child, told via questions and answers.

8. Once We Were Brothers, by Ronald H. Balson ***1/2
Touching story of two Polish boys who were once best friends, but who took dramatically different paths during WWII: one as a Nazi officer responsible for the deaths of thousands, and the other a Jewish holocaust survivor, who decades later recognizes his old friend and publicly accuses him of his crimes. There are lots of WWII novels out there to be read, and this one falls in the middle of the pack.

9. Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, by Jennifer Chiaverini ***
Ponderous account of Elizabeth Keckley, dressmaker/modiste for Mary Todd Lincoln, and her amazing life from slave to freewoman, to famous dressmaker for Washington, DC, society, and ultimately, her fall from grace. Historic fiction. A very slow read for me.

10. Necessary Lies, by Diane Chamberlain ****
Intriguing fictional story of a new social worker in '60s era NC and her reaction to the (actual) Eugenics Sterilization Program being involuntarily applied to some of her clients.

11. Radioactive: Marie and Pierre Curie, A Tale of Love and Fallout, by Lauren Redniss, ****
A sort of non-fiction graphic novel, filled with glow-in-the-dark illustrations, that tells the life stories of the Curies as well as the history of radioactivity and nuclear power. Very cool.

12. Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline ****
Fun, exciting story of virtual-reality gaming, and the race by teenager Wade and his avatar Parzival (along with the rest of the world) to solve an impossible V-R gaming puzzle in order to inherit a vast fortune.

Linda,

You are off to a Great start with a really interesting, eclectic group of books. I am definitely adding a few of these to my tbr list. :)

Thanks, Renee, it's been a fun year so far with all the different types of books. The 2 outside groups I'm in are really different from each other in their tastes, plus I'm easily tempted by the awesome reviews posted here on GR. Let's face it, I'm a book junkie! I'm finishing up another good one from one of the groups now: Chasing Chaos, a NF about the world of humanitarian aid. Fascinating stuff. But I'm still waiting to find a really GREAT book to spread the word about. Haven't hit one yet, but I have faith it will come.

13. Chasing Chaos, by Jessica Alexander ****
I really loved throwing all my preconceived ideas right out the window about the life of a professional humanitarian aid worker. It's definitely a hard way to make a living, and the benefits and pleasures are few, unless you simply can't resist the compulsion to try and help save the world. I definitely admire what they do, or try to do, and this book was really good. So glad my book group read it.

14. The World's Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette's, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family, by Josh Hanagarne ****1/2
Wonderful memoir about exactly what the subtitle says, as told by a fellow I'd love to meet someday. What a warrior he is, and throughout all his trials and tribulations (meaning the Tourette's, not the rest of his life, which was lovely and love-filled), he maintained a sense of humor. Very well done, and so inspirational.

I'm definitely going to look into 13 & 14!

Renee wrote: "I'm definitely going to look into 13 & 14!"

Great! As you can see, I really enjoyed them. For once they werent about horrible childhoods, abuse, and stuff like that, which most memoirs lately have been about. I felt like I learned things about topics of interest from both of the books.

Linda wrote: "Renee wrote: "I'm definitely going to look into 13 & 14!"

Great! As you can see, I really enjoyed them. For once they werent about horrible childhoods, abuse, and stuff like that, which most mem..."

Have you read Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness? That's another medical memoir that doesn't have a horrible childhood. I thought it was so interesting and a wonderful read.

No I haven't, Lindsey, but it sounds great! Amazon shopping cart, here I come. Thanks for the recommendation.

15. The Girl on the Cliff, by Lucinda Riley ***1/2
So-so historical/contemporary romance/mystery set in Ireland, featuring and narrated by a mysterious orphaned child, Aurora. Too many convoluted storylines, and I never really loved any of the characters, but it will probably make for a decent book group discussion.

16. The Birth House, by Ami McKay ***3/4
Enjoyable book about a young midwife in Nova Scotia during the WWI era, showing the superstitions, challenges and hardships women faced concerning their personal health and life in general. Bottom line: men back then didn't have a clue about women, and I'm sure glad I was born much later.

17. Wings Of Fire, by Charles Todd ***3/4
Book #2 in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series. Enjoyable, atmospheric WWI era mystery featuring the inspector and his ghostly sidekick Hamish, in which Scotland Yard reopens a multiple family-murder/suicide case in Cornwall, and Rutledge has to fight the wealthy family to prove his case.

Ooh. Sounds like a good one!

Renee, the first one in the series is A Test of Wills, I think. Rutledge is a really interesting characted, psychologically damaged from the war, but a very able detective. Good British-type mystery series, written by an American (I think) mother-son team under the name of Charles Todd.

18. Shopgirl, by Steve Martin ***
This was a short book (130 pgs), given to me by a friend, that was just okay, nothing to get excited about. The Shopgirl in question, Mirabelle, is a sad (ie depressed), socially maladjusted, romantically disappointed young woman who I surprisingly started caring about towards the end. But not enough to be thrilled about the book.

Steve Martin did a good job with the movie. Supposedly, the premise started as something about a guy who learns to be a good boyfriend from reading self-help books.

Renee wrote: "Steve Martin did a good job with the movie. Supposedly, the premise started as something about a guy who learns to be a good boyfriend from reading self-help books."

Hmmm, all three of the main characters could have benefitted from some self-help books, I think! :-)

Haha! Very good point!

19. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky *****
Now I know what all the fuss is about with this book: it's great! It leaves (in my opinion) Catcher in the Rye in the dust as a coming-of-age novel. Told through letters to an unnamed acquaintance, Charlie is a sweet, messed-up high school freshman with a big heart and an enormous crush, and following his touching story was a memorable experience.

I just saw the perks of being a wallflower movie. I loved it! usually I read the book first but I couldn't resist. I can't wait to read the book!

Alison wrote: "I just saw the perks of being a wallflower movie. I loved it! usually I read the book first but I couldn't resist. I can't wait to read the book!"

So glad to hear the movie was good! I missed seeing it when it came here in the theater, so hopefully it will be on Netflix soon.

I actually started The Perks of Wallflower but never finished it. I had really enjoyed what I read but got busy. Spring Break is in 6 business days (not that i am counting) and I have a plan of relaxing by the pool with this book!

Kelani wrote: "I actually started The Perks of Wallflower but never finished it. I had really enjoyed what I read but got busy. Spring Break is in 6 business days (not that i am counting) and I have a plan of rel..."

I might be wrong, but to me, this was one of those books that reads best all at once, not reading a chapter or two at a time. Luckily, I had the chance to start and finish it in two days, so the continuity and Charlie's feelings of emotion never abated. It was a pretty fast read.

20. Minding Frankie, by Maeve Binchy ***1/2
Sweet, cozy novel set in Dublin, about a close-knit neighborhood that helps raise a motherless baby. Easy read, predictable plot, vintage Binchy. Happy St. Pat's Day, everyone!

21. Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward ****1/2
Powerful, disturbing, fictional account of 12 days in a Gulf Coast family's life leading up to and through Hurricane Katrina. I can't rid my mind of some of the images.

I haven't read a Binchy in a long time. I'm adding Frankie to my list. I think I need something cozy.

Renee wrote: "I haven't read a Binchy in a long time. I'm adding Frankie to my list. I think I need something cozy."

Renee, after reading so many "serious" books lately, Minding Frankie provided a nice change of pace for me: fast and easy. It took about 50 pages to remember why I used to like her books, but once the plot and characters started developing (albeit with some loopholes and unresolved issues, which I ignored in favor of just reading for mindless pleasure), it was fun to be transported to Dublin for a few days.

22. The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss ****
Award-winning biography of Gen. Alex Dumas, father of the French novelist, who was a famous and heroic military figure during the late 1700s in France. Meticulously researched, well written, a riveting story, but a slow read.

23. Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened, by Allie Brosh *****
A wonderful graphic memoir-ish compilation of some of Allie Brosh's blog postings. I laughed out loud at the goose running amok in her house, I loved her dog storoes, and I wanted to hug her when reading about her bouts of depression. Great, thought-provoking stuff.

You are doing awesome! I agree with reading The Perks of being a Wallflower at once. I had to restart it! But sooooo good!

Kelani wrote: "You are doing awesome! I agree with reading The Perks of being a Wallflower at once. I had to restart it! But sooooo good!"

Thanks, Kelani. All this interaction with everyone on Goodreads is so motivating, don't you agree? I don't think I've ever read as much as I have in the year since becoming a member here.

24. Soul Songs, by Heidi Levan ****
Her subtitle is Reflections of Joy in Everyday Life, and that pretty much describes exactly what this book is about. It should be read slowly, leisurely, a few pages at a time, to savor and absorb the points she is making about appreciating nature, family, and living life to the fullest. Calming and soothing, blood pressure lowering. Makes me want to go out for a walk in the woods. I received this book in a First Reads giveaway.

25. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman ****
Meet London as you've never imagined it before. Urban fantasy and Neil Gaiman fit together like hand in glove. Easy, fun read that's chock full of scary, gory, exciting, witty, suspenseful plot developments, that kept me fully involved til the end. Really enjoyed it.