Challenge: 50 Books discussion

I've been lurking here for the past few months, and I just couldn't wait any longer to start this thread! 50 will be ambitious for me since I am a slow reader, but I figured I would give it a shot.

Hey, I am mostly a lurker unless posting something but I have had such a great time reading posts and trying to keep up wiht people in this group. And when I have posted everyone has been so nice I am now a huge TBR junky just based on what I read and get recommmended. I just wanted you to know how much fun this group has been and how much they have encouraged my reading. Keep in touch if you would like, I would love to have someone to read with

Yay! 1 down, 49 to go...

1. Ain't She Sweet? by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
3.5/5

I enjoyed this book, but parts of it were problematic for me and it could have been shortened by at least 50 pages. It did make me think more than most romances: why people behave the way they do, can people change, what actions are forgivable and what aren't, etc. Colin is an interesting hero, sort of a modern Mr. Darcy and Rochester combined. The dialogue is quite witty, too. However, I liked the other book (Heaven, Texas) that I've read by Phillips better.

2. Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (The Spellmans #3)
3.75/5

I liked this one better than book 2 in the series, though not as well as book 1. I related more to Izzy in this than in Curse of the Spellmans, where I just sort of felt bad for her and wanted her to get her act together. As usual for the series, in book 3 there were a lot of different mini-mystery elements going on but the main focus was on Izzy and her dysfunctional family and friends and their relationships. My main complaint with the series is that I like more of an actual mystery novel with clues, suspense, danger, etc. Mystery without suspense is a bit boring, though the interesting writing style and snappy dialogue keep me reading.

And now for something completely different. Recently I've been trying to broaden my literary horizons, and I was in the mood for something less girly, so here's book 3:

3. Storm Front by Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files #1)
3.5/5

Wow. That's pretty much my first reaction. I don't generally read this genre, so I don't really have anything much to compare this to. I found the mentions of Harry's black duster in literally every scene to be almost comical (would make for a great drinking game, if you're into that sort of thing), but overall I liked Harry and am curious how he will evolve as a character in the rest of the series. Jury's still out on whether I will read any others in the series since it is a bit far out for my taste, though I notice that the later books have higher ratings.

4. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
4/5 (5 for concept, 3 for execution)

I wanted to love this book. I fell in love with the story as a child when Pierce Brosnan did a made-for-tv miniseries of Around the World in 80 Days, which my wonderful mom stayed up four nights taping for me. I was quite excited to find it on DVD a couple years ago, since my VHS tape is wearing out. The miniseries is awesome, actually much better than the book, though I usually prefer book versions to film. I thought the book was actually a little boring; I think if I had read the book first it might have been more exciting.

5. The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz (The Spellmans #4)
4.25/5

This is a series that must be read in order to get the most out of it. Over the series, the author really accomplishes personal growth in Izzy that doesn't seem forced or change basically who she is. I can't imagine that to be an easy feat in writing. The only reason I'm giving this 4.25 instead of 4.5 or 5 is because the last 20 pages or so were maybe a little schmaltzy (sp?), for lack of a better term. It's nice to see Izzy more introspective but it was a bit too over-sentimental and too much philosophizing (real word?) all at once. It felt like an end to the series, though I hope that is not the case.

JANUARY WRAP-UP:
1 chick lit/romance novel
1 fantasy novel
1 classic novel
2 mysteries (sort of)
Total: 5

I'm afraid of jinxing myself, but I can't believe I'm actually (slightly) ahead of schedule. I'm starting to wonder how I used to spend all those hours that I wasn't reading before starting this challenge...yes, I usually had a book "on the go" but I wasn't pro-active about getting page counts in every day, so sometimes one book would drag out for a month or more. I think I am also reading faster now than I was before. One thing is for certain: I haven't read five books in one month since I was in college, and probably not even then! Now, what to read next!?

I've found my new guilty pleasure....

6. Marked by PC Cast & Kristin Cast (House of Night #1)
4/5

YA vampire novel...I tried this on a whim and wasn't sure from the description whether I would like it. Well, by the time I was only halfway through, I had already ordered books 2 & 3. So much fun, and the pages just flew by. I really enjoy Zoey as a narrator; she's strong and intelligent and didn't irritate me (unlike Bella Swann, who I started out liking and ended up wanting to smack at frequent intervals - sorry, just had to add that). I can't wait to see where this series goes.

7. Flat Belly Diet! by Liz Vaccariello
3.5/5

My initial reaction to this book is that while it isn't perfect, it's pretty good for the genre and offers some solid advice. It's written by editors from Prevention magazine but doesn't push the magazine or re-hash articles.

The target demographic of this book is clearly women in their 40s and 50s looking for a relatively moderate (5-30 pound) weight loss. This is not me; I'm much younger and don't need weight loss (well, maybe 3-5 "vanity pounds"), but the principles seem pretty solid for anyone to follow. Nothing is too drastic or "fad"-ish.

The whole gist of the book is that incorporating monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) in moderation in your diet will actually help you lose fat. These are things like nuts, avocados, and olives.

The part of the book that I find most helpful is the 4-Day Anti-Bloat Jumpstart, which is intended as a preface to the diet itself. These Jumpstart meal plans are super-easy and not cooking intensive. Not many ingredients, either, and "normal" stuff that tastes fine, like grilled chicken or fruit.

The actual meals from the diet itself (28 days' worth) are a little more complex in that the author specifies particular brands (usually organic) and other ingredients that I've never even seen in my local grocery stores. I don't like that, though I realize it's probably necessary since all brands are not created equal in terms of healthy content. There are a wealth of different options, however, so I think even I could come up with a month of meals by mixing and matching. I also like that the meals (except for the recipe section) are single-portion sized and wouldn't require a whole lot of prep time.

I may try it for a month just to see if I could do it. However, I don't think I could stick to this diet exclusively in the long-term, but it does provide a start and a lot of great options that I probably wouldn't have thought of on my own.

There is a website that supposedly has even more meal plans, journaling options, and stuff like that. It's at www.flatbellydiet.com and you can get a one month free trial. I haven't used it but may check it out in the future just for the trial period.

8. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke (Hannah Swensen #1)
2/5 (if I'm generous)

I love a good cozy. I didn't love this. Flat characters, stilted dialogue, and overall bland writing. Fortunately the recipes look good, so it's not a total waste of my dollar.

9. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #1)
3.5/5

Here's one where I really wish Goodreads would allow half stars in their ratings because this was a solid 3 1/2 for me. I ultimately enjoyed it, though it took me a little while to get into it. I had expected it to be humorous, since I thought I had heard that was a trait of the series, but I didn't find it to be so, and there was more sexual content than I expected. Not complaints about the book, just observations... I think I will read book 2 in the future.

10. Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous by Esther Blum
2/5

What a great title! I had high expectations. This book is predominately intended for single women in their 20s and 30s - a Cosmo-reading, Sex and the City-watching audience. That should have fit me pretty well, and I like that the author seems to want to empower women and have a positive attitude. (Who would want to be a "Skinny Bitch" if you could be a "Gorgeous Girl?")

Unfortunately, the writing style of the book is far better suited to short magazine articles rather than a full-length book. The conversational attempt to be "cool" which seemed refreshing and modern on page 2 just seemed irritating and forced by page 102.

Most of the advice/tips/what-have-you is pretty straightforward. I don't need a book to tell me to avoid gassy foods or bad-breath foods on a date, for example. There are some nuggets of useful info, but not enough to make reading the book worthwhile (just my opinion).

The amount of discussion of various supplements also put me off instantly - as soon as I see words like "inositol" and "milk thistle," I tune out. It's just not practical for me or my lifestyle...or most people's, in my opinion. If you're really that interested in taking all these pills, I think you should be seeking help from a trained health care professional working with you personally, not reading a book.

Sigh. Glad this one is done!

11. Oscar Season by Mary McNamara
3.5/5

This is a pretty decent first novel from a L.A. journalist. It's a murder mystery set in a super-popular (fictional) Hollywood hotel in the weeks leading up to the Oscars. The inner-workings of the hotel are pretty interesting, and the plot is fairly good and relatively unique (at least to me). I did have a fairly strong feeling about "whodunit" by about the middle of the book, though the author does a pretty good job of planting doubts. There are a lot of characters, between hotel employees, fictional celebrities, and real celebrities (who are mentioning just in passing). The first few chapter were a bit difficult to keep straight as everyone was introduced.

I think I would have enjoyed the book more if it were told in first person narration by Juliette, the main character, though it was definitely a decent read. It was published in 2008, so it's not out of date yet, but it will be probably within 5 years or so.

Overall: glitz, glamour, murder, secrets, lies, a love triangle, and occasional sarcastic humor that I really enjoyed.

FEBRUARY WRAP-UP:
2 vampire novels (1 YA, 1 adult)
2 health-related non-fiction
2 mysteries
Total: 6 books

I'm really proud of myself so far for increasing my reading this year. After all, there are so many amazing books out there, it seems a shame not to read as much as possible!

This one slowed me down a little, though I did enjoy it...

12. What Time Devours by A.J. Hartley
3.75/5

This is sort of a Da Vinci Code-style novel revolving around the world of Shakespearean studies and a potential lost play. Hero Thomas is a poor substitute for Robert Langdon, though, and isn't especially likeable. He's got a lot of baggage. (I'm inclined to forgive him the chip on his shoulder because I share some similarities with him, though I think many readers might not.) I didn't realize it when I first started the book, but this is actually the second novel to feature Thomas. Knowledge of the plot of the first book isn't required, but it really drove me crazy that the background of his relationship with one character (Deborah) isn't explained in more depth. I know she must have appeared in the first book, but I don't know how or why they are friends/acquaintances. That drove me nuts, but she wasn't vital to the storyline. Overall, I'm glad I read it but I won't read the first book or any subsequent books in the series.

Lucky number thirteen...

13. Betrayed by PC Cast & Kristin Cast (House of Night #2)
4/5

The kind of book that makes me irritated with annoying distractions like work, sleep, etc...

Just love this series, though I still haven't admitted to anyone offline that I'm reading it.

14. The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig (Pink Carnation #2)
3.5/5

I read The Secret History of the Pink Carnation on a whim last year and really enjoyed it because of how different it was from most books I've read. The second book in the series follows the same mold. I like how accessible and humorous the author makes the historical romance parts, which usually don't appeal that much to me, and how she interweaves the mystery/adventure aspects.

At first I didn't like this book as much as the first since I liked Richard and Amy better than Miles and Henrietta, but it did grow on me. I wish there was a bit more suspense; it's fairly obvious who the villian is though the motive as to why the person became a spy is really never explained. Plenty of questions are left unanswered, and book 3 is set up nicely. I'll keep reading in the future.

15. Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum #14)
3.5/5

It had been a year or two since I had spent any quality time with Stephanie Plum, and I must say, I had missed her! This surely isn't the best in the series, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and it was a super-quick read.

MARCH WRAP-UP:
1 thriller
1 YA vampire novel
1 historical romance
1 mystery
Total: 4 books

Two quick reads, one average read, one slow read...still running ahead of schedule. Yay!

16. The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
4/5

Wow. I'm still processing this one. When I started it, I wasn't sure I would get through it because of the writing style, but breaking it into short chunks of reading helped. I wish I had read it when I was younger. It's amazing how a book can be obviously dated (primarily from the slang) and still be very timeless.

17. Fallen by Lauren Kate
3.75/5

This book has a lot going for it: a creepy reform school setting and colorful supporting characters. Initially, it seemed like it was going to be too-Twilight inspired (Daniel saving Luce from the falling statue, Luce's attraction to Daniel despite his warning her to stay away from him), but after about the first third of the book, it seemed more unique. The last few chapters are really different...as in way, waaaay out there, at least in my opinion. I may actually keep reading the series, though, since I am curious how it will play out.

For now, though, I think I need to go read a book with grown-up human characters...

18. Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet by MC Beaton (Agatha Raisin #2)
4/5

I really got a kick out of the first Agatha Raisin book (The Quiche of Death) when I read it a couple years ago. This one, too, was a delightful distraction and quick read, though not overly surprising in the conclusion. It seems rather dated now, but to me, that kind of adds to the charm. Agatha's definitely unique.

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19. Bread Alone by Judith Ryan Hendricks
3.5/5

I started out not liking this book very much; in fact, for the first half, I really just wanted to grab the narrator and give her a good shake. That is kind of the point, though, and it does give more appreciation for the way she changes over the course of the novel. Some interesting recipes are thrown in at random intervals, but a lot of the French terms and details of bread-making were lost on me.

20. The Denim Diet by Kami Gray
3.75/5

Of the diet/health books I've read so far, this one is probably my favorite. The writing style is engaging and humorous. The majority of the information is common sense and geared toward lifetime healthy living habits, as opposed to "dieting." I've never been interested in eating organically before, but I really am leaning towards trying to make it a part of my lifestyle. (I just wish organic foods weren't so expensive!)

21. American Idle by Alesia Holliday
3/5

Brain candy chick lit for fans of reality tv. Entertaining, but should be read with very low expectations.

Another one bites the dust...

22. Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund (Secret Society #1)
3.5/5

Quick-moving, melodramatic, and entertaining novel set at Eli (Yale) University. A couple things bother me about protagonist Amy: her nagging insecurity and her mistreatment of "nice guy" Brandon. I'm still going to keep reading the series, though.

APRIL WRAP-UP:
1 classic novel
2 YA (1 paranormal romance)
1 cozy mystery
1 women's fiction
1 health non-fiction book
1 chick lit
Total: A whopping 7 books!

Great reading month! I've definitely never read 7 books in a month before.

23. Dare to Die by Carolyn Hart (Death on Demand #19)
3/5

I've read all 18 of the previous books in this series. I discovered Death on Demand when I was about 13 or 14 and had completed all the original Nancy Drews, and I fell in love with the series instantly. In my opinion, however, the first 8 books are by far the best (my personal favorites are Something Wicked and Southern Ghost), and subsequent books have ranged from pretty good to only mediocre.

Sadly Dare to Die falls into the mediocre category for me. The writing wasn't up to par and the same non-plot-related comments were repeated over and over, yet it was difficult initially to keep track of all the suspects and their relationships. Oh, yeah, and it was quite obvious who the murderer was for the last 50 or so pages of the book.

Unfortunately, this was a chore to read, and I'm glad it's done.

24. Chosen by PC Cast & Kristin Cast (House of Night #3)
4/5

I needed a page-turner after book #23, and this one fit the bill. I'm totally addicted to this series, and now I've got my mom hooked too! This one seemed to be even more surprising in its twists and turns (definitely getting darker), and I can't wait to see what will happen in Untamed.

I have to say, however, that the edition I read was sadly in need of a good copy editor. Hardly a page passed that I didn't notice a glaring typo.

HALFWAY POINT!

25. Here Today, Gone to Maui by Carol Snow
3.75/5

Pretty good chick lit with a smart but neurotic heroine who is not too smart when it comes to men. Quite funny in places, and no explicit sex which seems to be fairly rare for the genre. I would read more by this author.

MAY WRAP-UP:
1 cozy mystery
1 YA vampire novel
1 chick lit
Total: 3 books completed

Well, this was a slow reading month due to a variety of reasons...drama with the significant other, downtime due to illness, never-ending yardwork, and other assorted time-sucking activities. I'm hoping to get back on track in June now that the weather's nice enough (and bright enough) to sit outside with a book on the patio for a few hours at night after work.

Currently in progress:
Dating Dead Men by Harley Jane Kozak
and
The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt

26. Dating Dead Men by Harley Jane Kozak (Wollie Shelley #1)
3.25/5

Finally, another book completed. I kept wondering why I didn't enjoy this book more. The writing style reminded me a little of Janet Evanovich, except it didn't make me laugh out loud. Mystery, romance, wild situations, and quirky characters...I should have loved it, but it was just okay for me. Maybe it's my present mood, maybe the book...who knows? I think the author has written other books featuring the main character, so maybe in the future I will try book 2 to see if I like it any better.

270+ pages in under 24 hours...definitely a personal record!

27. The Secrets of Skinny Chicks by Karen Bridson
4/5

Don't be turned off by the title. Overall, I found this book to be an excellent guide to developing and maintaining lifelong healthy eating and fitness habits.

Very motivational!

28. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
3.25/5

Most of the reviews/ratings I had seen of this book were mainly positive, so my expectations were pretty high. I thought it was okay overall, very different. I found the first half very tedious reading, but the second half flew by. I think I understand everything that happened. Some maps/diagrams at the beginning of the book would have been very helpful for all the geographical detail, which was a bit disorienting. On the plus side, Gen was a very interesting character.

I finally caved in and bought a Kobo. I was pretty anti-eReader, but I just discovered a library for lending free eBooks. And (after all discounts) the Kobo was only $54, so I just couldn't pass it up.

29. The Overnight Socialite by Bridie Clark
3.5/5

Pretty good modern re-telling of the Pygmalion/My Fair Lady story set in the world of New York celebutantes. Breezy summer reading with a villainess you'll love to hate. The only reasons this doesn't get 4 stars from me is that it glosses over a bit too much of Lucy's actual transformation and her mother isn't really a sympathetic character at all (at least to me).

JUNE WRAP-UP:
1 mystery
1 non-fiction health/diet book
1 YA fantasy adventure
1 chick lit
Total: 4

A somewhat slow reading month. I thought I would be reading more out on my patio during warm weather, but other things just seem to be eating up my time. Still ahead of schedule, though. :)

30. Torment by Lauren Kate (Fallen #2)
4/5

I think I liked this book better than the first in the series...not sure yet, I'm still processing it. I think I'll have to see how the series ends before I decide whether I like the whole thing or not. If I don't like how it all plays out in book 3, I'm gonna be majorly annoyed. I will say that the Thanksgiving dinner scene had me smiling and absolutely glued to the book.

My first library ebook completed!

31. Three Ways to Capsize a Boat: An Optimist Afloat by Chris Stewart
4.25/5

This was a charming little non-fiction read about a man's introduction to sailing and subsequent adventures. Quite funny in places. There were a lot of sailing terms left unexplained, but it didn't hamper my enjoyment of the writing.

32. Untamed by PC Cast & Kristin Cast (House of Night #4)
3.5/5

A bit too weird for my taste, but I'm still a fan of the series.

33. Fodor's How to Pack, 2nd edition
1.5/5

Not really much useful info here for me. If you are a total travel newbie, maybe there might be something helpful. I especially find it ironic how everyone extols the virtues of packing light, then includes lists of so much crap that I would need 5 suitcases to take all of it...sewing kits, first aid kits, Swiss Army knife, food, adapters, the list goes on...

34. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
4.75/5

Lived up to the hype in my opinion, probably one of the best books I've read this year. Both entertaining and well written. I've never read anything quite like it, and the amount of details are really remarkable.

35. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #2)
3.5/5

I decided to give this series a second shot due to its popularity. I'm still just lukewarm. This book was really like two books in one, with two totally unrelated mystery-ish plot lines. I guess the author couldn't come up with a full book's worth of material for either one separately. Usually books with multiple plot lines will converge at some point, or at least have some connection between them. I don't know - it just felt "off" to me. There were occasional lines that made me smile or kept me entertained, though, which made me increase my rating of the book. Not sure if I will keep reading any more of the Sookie books.

JULY WRAP-UP:
3 paranormal (2 YA)
2 non-fiction (1 sailing memoir, 1 guidebook)
1 general fiction
Total: 6 (3 ebooks!)

A good month for reading!

36. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
4.25/5

Very motivational (and fairly un-cheesy) book about one women's year-long quest for a happier life, which apparently started out as a blog. There's no great huge revelations here, and that's kind of the point: just establishing and implementing guidelines for a happier day-to-day life. If you have major issues, look elsewhere for help. If you're just a regular person who wants to be happier, you can apply (and customize) some of the principles to your own situation. I wish I had written this book.

37. A self-help book of a personal nature
3.5/5

No other comments about this one. I'm including it here simply to keep an accurate "books read" count.

Next up: The Lost Symbol

AUGUST WRAP-UP (a little late):
2 non-fiction books
Total: An absolutely unexcusable 2!

Wow, that was not a good month for reading, and I really have no excuse for not increasing the book count more since I was off from work for a week. I am almost done with The Lost Symbol fortunately, so hopefully I can get back on track.