Challenge: 50 Books discussion

1. The Secret HistoryDonna Tartt (4 Stars) This took me a long time to read, but I am glad I stuck with it. I am happy to have this as my fist completed book of 2010.

2. The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan (4 Stars)

3. The Reluctant Tuscan: How I Discovered My Inner Italian by Phil Doran (3 Stars)

I just wish these books about remodeling a house would have a picture or two in them!

4. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (3 1/2 Stars)

5. The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin (4 Stars)

6. Persuasion by Jane Austen (4 Stars)

7. The Dante Club: A Novel by Matthew Pearl (3 Stars)

This book was filled with history of Boston's literary scholars. Very interesting if gruesome tale of murders that mirror the punishments in Dante's Inferno. I think I enjoyed the author's third book better though - The last Dickens.

8. The Curve of the World: A Novel by Marcus Stevens (2 Stars)

9. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (4 Stars)

10. Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder (3 1/2 Stars)

I think I liked Poison Study (the first book in the series) better.

11. An Irish Country Village by Patrick Taylor (3 Stars)

12. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (4 Stars)

13. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See (3 Stars)

14, Haunted Ground: A Novel by Erin Hart (4 Stars)

Uber Irish, but I liked it!

15. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford (3 Stars)

16. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich (3 Stars)

17. The Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie (2 Stars)

18. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (4 Stars)

19. Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley (3 Stars)

20. The Unicorn Road by Martin Davies (4 Stars) Beautifully written.

21. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick (4 Stars)

22. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga (3 1/3 Stars)

That's 3 1/2 stars ;^P

23. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (1 Star)

24. The Yellow House: A Novel by Patricia Falvey (4 Stars)

25. The Tattooed Map: A Novel by Barbara Hodgson (3 Starts)

26. A Painted House by John Grisham (3 1/2 Stars)

27. Still Alice by Lisa Genova (3 1/2 Stars)

28. Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt (3 1/2 Stars)

29. The Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd (3 Stars)

Wow - this book was really long and each section jumped big time periods. I would have liked it better if it had felt more continuous. It just wasn't the style of historical novel I enjoy. On the other hand, it was a great way to learn about a lot of Irish history.

30. The Forgery of Venus: A Novel by Michael Gruber (4 Stars)

31. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (3 Stars)

32. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (3 Stars)

33. Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen (4 Stars)
Great summer read! Really cute and funny.

34. Radium Halos: A Novel about the Radium Dial Painters by Shelley Stout (3 1/2 Stars)

35. Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell YA Book (Stars 4)

36. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (4 Stars)

This book was a bit odd and the ending was too...But I still enjoyed it.

37. The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell (5 Stars)

This book is set in two time periods and focuses on two women: one in post-war Soho, the other in present day London. Lexie leaves her family to make a life for herself as a journalist in the 1950's and Elina is a present day artist and new mother. These women's lives are intertwined, and the reason is part of the mystery. Each story was intriguing. I could really feel the atmosphere of Soho and the artistic people who were Lexie's friends. The present day story of Elina's life as a new mother will speak to anyone who has had a baby. It's a book I can't stop thinking about. Highly recommended.

38. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (4 Stars)

Great follow-up to The Hunger Games!

39. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (4 Stars)

40. Lake of Sorrows by Erin Hart (4 Stars)

41 I Married a Dead Man by Cornell Woolrich (4 Stars)

42. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (4 Stars)

43. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson (4 1/2 Stars)

44. The Conjurer's Bird: A Novel by Martin Davies (4 1/2 Stars)

45. One Foot in Eden: A Novel by Ron Rash (4 Stars)

Wow. You are almost there! I'm surprised that the Dan Brown only got 1 star from you. His previous ones weren't that bad, even though he beats around the bush a bit!

well done!

Thanks! Yeah I really didn't like The Lost Symbol. I just seemed pointless.

I am hoping to get to 75 this year.

46. The House of Stairs by Barbara Vine (4 Stars)

47. Saving Ceecee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman (4 Stars) Cute & uplifiting...