WilowRaven's 75

Hello All! I'm new here :)

Just started this year keeping a log of books I've read. I honestly don't know how many I read a year so this should be fun! I'm hoping I can hit the 75 mark.

I'm including a very brief description of each book - more like my feelings and thoughts then an actual synopsis. Also including the genre I catalog my books in. There are tons of discussions out there on the classification of book types...I have my own views - feel free to ask why I have book a particular book into a particular category :)

I'll start with the first 4 I read in January

Into the Mist by Patrick Carman
YA Fantasy / Children's Fantasy
Either the 4th book in the Land of Elyon series or the prequel. I personally see it as both. I think it's essential to the story line to read it between the official 3rd and 4th books of the series.

StarGazer by Patrick Carman
YA Fantasy / Children's Fantasy
The 4th official book in the Land of Elyon series. I love the world that Carman has created in this series. I was not disappointed in the way it ended and I can't wait to read them to my little girl one day.

The Sanctuary by Raymond Khoury
Thriller
In search of / discovery of immortality story. The ending really left me wondering what if...

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Classic Fiction
First time I have read this book (I say as I hang my head in shame). Can't believe I went so long with only the movie in my head for reference. Also didn't realize there were more stories of the March girls...I know...very very bad of me!

Ok, that's my try at a first post :) More to come soon.

Thanks for reading!

Welcome to the group, Wilow. Glad you finally discovered Little Women. Please do keep making comments--that's the fun in all this!

Thanks ronincats :)

Here are a few more....I think I'll start number them to help...

January

5. Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
YA Fantasy
2nd book in the series. Love the premise of these books and the setting is wonderful. For some reason though, like in the 1st book, the quotes at the beginning of each chapter were distracting and I found myself not reading them halfway through.

6. Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
YA Fantasy
3rd and final book in the series. The longest but not the best in my opinion. I didn't like how it ended and I really didn't like how Meggie and Farid's story played out. I would defiantly read this series again but I'm also glad it's over. Bittersweet.

February

7. A Thin Dark Line by Tami Hoag
Mystery
My first Hoag book. I assumed it would be predictable and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't. Not sure I like how Hoag portrays her female characters....but I have also been told her books are considered Romance by some...any thoughts?

8. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
YA Fantasy / YA Thriller
2nd in the series. Loved it as much as the 1st. Made me wish I was a turn of the century, English, boarding school girl with special powers :)

9. Hell House by Richard Matheson
Horror
Picked this up after reading I am Legend last year. Love Matheson's writing. Seemingly a typical haunted house story but extremely well told.

10. Lake Monsters by Joseph A. Citro
Mystery
Citro is a local (for me) author and I looked forward to reading this book. I have to say I was pretty disappointed. The writing was good but the story line was blah. I did not like main female character at all. Oh, and I know it's silly - but it bothered me that there was very little 'monster' in the book and almost no 'lake'.

Welcome to the group! You have made a good start already on your reading year.

Thank you alcottacre :)

I still have some catching up to do - cataloging wise - Here's another set. This is fun :)

March

11. Cry Wolf by Tami Hoag
Mystery
I gave Hoag another shot and I think I liked this one even less then the first of hers I read (#7 above). I really do not like how the female characters were portrayed. I have a stack of Hoag books a friend of mine gave me and I'm sure I'll read through them...just not sure how much I'll enjoy it :)

12. Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn
Fantasy
I love everything and anything that Shinn writes. One of her stand alone novels with great characters and a very nice story line. Nothing fabtabulous happens - just a really good story and a really good read.

13. Solstice by David Hewson
Thriller
Did not like this book at all. Premise of the story was good but I didn't think it was told very well and it didn't really capture me the way I thought it would. Oh well.

14. Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley
Fiction
This book has been on my shelf forever and I finally got around to reading it. I love the narrative feel to it and it's defiantly a book I would reread again and again. One of my favorite quotes from the book - "I would live in a world full of Christ-like humans bu tnot one full of Christians". The Celtic words and phrases were a nice touch.

ok - I'm now up to April - may get a chance to list again tonight. Ta ta for now!

April

15. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire
Fantasy, Retelling
I think I like this version of Cinderella better :) I would love to know how Maguire comes up with these ideas. There was a tiny twist at the end that I enjoyed. Not has epic as his Wicked series which was nice.

16. The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
Youth Fiction, Youth Fantasy
I have said this in other posts before - I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. I can't even really say what it is....it just didn't pull me in. There are more in the series but I'm not dying to get them read. Nicholas Flamel is a very interesting character nonetheless.

17. Romeo's Ex by Lisa Fielder
YA Fiction, YA Fantasy
This was a bargain bin find and I loved it! Romeo and Juliet told from Rosalind's point of view (mostly). Classic story with slight variations :) Very entertaining. Made me want to read Shakespeare again.

18. A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb
Fiction
A ghost story as told by the ghosts. Made me think. Loved the ending.

19. The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman
YA Fantasy
Strong female characters. Gobbled this one up in day :) Amazon tribe story.

20. The Sister's Grimm: The Everafter War by Michael Buckley
Youth Fiction, Youth Fantasy
I love this series! This is book 7 and the only bad thing I can say is that I hate how it ends on a cliff hanger :) I love how Buckley incorporates so many fairy tale characters into one world.

21. Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler
Sci fi
Butler's last book :( I will read anything she has written and I am never disappointed. A different view on vampires, less conventional, more 'real life'.

22. A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
Youth Fiction, Newbery
I have decided to read all Newbery Medal award winners and honors. This is my first one this year. Didn't realize until I saw it on the shelf at the library that Peck also wrote one of my favorite children's books - Ghosts I have Been. A Year Down Yonder was simply put, a story of a young girl and the year she lived with her grandmother in a small town. It was a simple story but a great one.

23. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
YA Fantasy
A reread for me before I move onto the 3rd in the Wicked series Fragile Eternity. I like the concept, I like the fey, I like the real world settings Marr created. Glad she took these characters further to created the series (3 books so far).

24. The Fall of Atlantis by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Fantasy
Very detailed with great character development. I don't know why but I always have problems with the names Bradley gives her characters :) A must have on my shelf - I reread it every couple of years.

Welcome! Nice list.

A lot of tastes in common here, Wilow! I'm a big fan of Summers at Castle Auburn--unfortunately, UPS lost my copy on its way back from my sister a couple of years ago. I like the Sisters Grimm series too, and I also didn't think The Alchemyst was anything special. Several people have been saying good things about Alice Hoffman lately, and I think I am going to have to check her books out.

Very nice list. I've read several and most of the rest are on my TBR pile.

Huzzah! Another reader of YA fiction! I like. I've also enjoyed the Elyon series, though I've not read the last 2 books yet (but they're sitting on my shelf, waiting!)

*starred* :)

I love YA fiction :)

Here are my last books from April - I think I should be all caught up...for a little while at least!

April

Not counting these two in my total count - read while killing time at the library one day - still want to record them though

26 Fairmount Avenue by Tomie dePaola
Children's, Newbery
Such a cute book! If I could write worth squat I think I would like to write a story like this.
Here We All Are by Tomie dePaola
A few more in this 'series' - I'm sure I'll read them soon.

26. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
YA
My first Diana Wynne Jones book and I very much enjoyed it. I like her style of story telling and I'm a sucker for a happy ending :)

27. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Children's
A very strange story. I'm not familiar with Gaiman's work but I think I'll pick up some more of his books. Wonder how good the movie was...anyone?

28. Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
YA
Second in the series. A reread for me before starting Fragile Eternity. I like the story but for some reason found it a little tedious to get through the second time around. Probably because it's the story that drew me in and I already knew how it was going to end.

Oh dear. I foresee yours being a dangerous thread to hang around. I've already added about 6 to my wishlist from your mini-reviews.

I just read Howl's Moving Castle in March, and it was my first Wynne Jones book too... I liked it, though I didn't think it was spectacular. But good nonetheless, and I'm going to look for more of her stuff too!

Coraline - the film - was pretty entertaining, and very creepy. Not as creepy as the book (is that even possible?) but worth watching!!! I had a good time. If you want to read more of his stuff, the people around here tend to recommend Neverwhere or American Gods for his adult stuff, and The Graveyard Book for his other VERY POPULAR children's book (just won the Newbery Medal too!). It's really good! I think about half of us here read it during Feb/March... LOL!

I haven't read Ink Exchange... might have to try that one!

ETA - Spelling, ack!

On the other hand, I tend to recommend Anansi Boys, or his collaboration with Terry Pratchett, Good Omens. As well as The Graveyard Book, but in conjunction with The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling.

With Jones, there is SUCH a variety. You can finish the Howl cycle with Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways, or go to Dark Lord of Derkholm and Year of the Griffin, or go to the Chrestomanci books or the Dalemark books or any of her many one-offs. Some of hers are basically children's books, some more satiric, and others work on both levels.

But all of the above are enjoyable.

I have heard some good things here on LT about Terry Pratchett and I have some books on my TBR list....which is very very very long - thank you everyone! :)

I only just discovered Dianna Wynne Jones and I can't believe what I have been missing out on! My town library as a fairly nice collection of her books and I'm sure I'll go through them all.

...almost halfway there... :)

oh...and in adding tags to my LT collection, I have rethought a bit on how I classify my genres. My tags now all make sense to me at least...if no one else :)

29. Holes by Louis Sacher
Youth Fiction, Newbery
Another Newbery winner. I love stories were all the pieces fit together in the end. Just the right amount of hardship and sadness for me - with a happy ending to round it all out.

30. House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
YA Fantasy
Ok - so anyone paying attention will notice that I read the first book in the Howl's Moving Castle series up there at #26 and this here is the 3rd book. Where is the 2nd you ask? It would be on the YA Fiction shelf of my local library and not with the Jones's other YA Fantasy books a few asiles away . My own fault for not checking :) Great book by the way! I want to live in that house!

31. The Safe-Keeper's Secret by Sharon Shinn
YA Fantasy
My first YA Shinn book. Shinn is one of my favorite authors and I have never been disappointed. I feel like this book could have been taken right out of my own head. I have always found intrigue in secret keeping. 1st in a series of 3. Touchstone doesn't appear to be working but you can find it here - http://www.librarything.com/work/134138

32. The Ghost Belonged to Me by Richard Peck
Youth Fiction
One of my favorite children's authors. I feel that Peck has the wonderful ability of being able to totally transport his readers to a different time with authentic settings, voice and depth of emotions.

I have the bad...um I mean good, habit of reading at least 4 or 5 books at a time and tend to finish them up around the same time as well :) Might be a week or so before the next batch is ready - but I'll be back!

#15: Some great reading there! I have added several of the titles to Continent TBR.

Ditto what Stasia said - some promising YA books there in your last batch !

WillowRaven

Welcome to our lively, well read and interesting group.

I discovered your thread this evening. I've not starred it and will be sure to check your posts regularly. You and I share a love of YA books.
I've read many of those you listed. And, like you, I'm determined to read as many Newbery winners as possible.

My favorite Newbery winner to date is kira kira by Cynthia Kadohata. It is a marvelous gem!

Also, I agree with you regarding A Certain Slant of Light Laura Whitcomb. It is one of my top reads in 2009.

yikes...my earlier post should have said "I've NOW starred it." I really should not send messages when I am very tired after a long day...
My apologies.

No problem Whisper...by the way...how does one go about 'starring' a post? If you don't mind answering another one of my questions that is :)

Ok - thanks to some help from Whisper and great directions from TadAd I'm going to try to attempt to post a picture of my next book. I'm a very visual person and love being able to 'see' the books I have finished as I read them :)
Here goes!



ok - going to see if this worked before posting my mini review...

...and...nothing...ok...weird...maybe I'll try another link....

ok....giving up for now...I'll try again soon...

WilowRaven, the URL you used was to an entire page, not to an image.

Was this the image you were trying to post?



If so, the tag to post it was:

<img src="http://www.melissa-marr.com/fragile_eternity/graphics/FragileEternity_m.jpg">

though, to course, with the part replaced by LT with an ellipsis filled in.

If you go to the very top of this post, and look to the right of where it says Group: 75 Book Challenge...... and you will see a grey star. Click on the star and it will become yellow. thats how you star a thread.

Then when you click on 'your starred' at the bottom of the 'your world' links on left hand side at the top, it will show you the threads you've starred.

Hope that makes some kind of sense, I'm not a very logical person so its hard for me to talk people through stuff!

Tad
You are always so very helpful! I simply want to say that you are a gem!

You guys are the best!

I did post the website, not the image link...

Let's try again - if it works, I'm posting more books tonight.

woo hoo - I got it! Doing a happy dance :)

Finished a few more books this week....



#33 Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Youth Fiction, Newbery
Another Newbery book. I loved "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself". I did find the ending abrupt but that might only have been because I was enjoying the story so much I wished it were longer :)

**Spoilers Warning**



#34 Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr
YA Modern Fantasy
I loved this book! I did however have some issues with it. I adore the characters that Marr as created but I did not like Aislinn at all in this book, the 3rd in the series. After Seth disapeared, she did almost nothing to actually find him. How was it that everyone else new where he was but her? She was closer to him then anyone and it never crossed her mind that he might have set out on his own to find a way to make himself fey after Keenan and Niall refused to help?
Out of the 3, this one was the largest but I also felt that it contained the least...it dragged on. Would still recommend it, and the others in the series as a great YA Fantasy read.

Congratulations on your success at importing the book covers!

#28: I am adding that one to the Continent. Thanks for the recommendation.

Congratulations also on mastering the art of importing book covers!

Always glad to pass along a recommendation...although at the rate I'm collecting my own I could read every day all day and never finish them all! Or could I ;)

*Spoilers below*


#35 The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
This was was so highly recommended by so many people I just had to read it and I wasn't disappointed at all. I have only recently discovered Gaiman's writing and have a bunch of his other books on my TBR list. Someone else here said it and I agree - I do wish Bod had been able to keep his powers. It seemed very sad to me that he lost his family twice. Would love to know what he went on to do with his life.

#36 The Truth-Teller's Tale by Sharon Shinn
YA Fantasy
2nd in the series - same world and timeline as first book with different characters. I love the worlds Shinn creates in her series. The story of mirror twins, Adele and Eleda - one is a Secret Keeper and one is Truth Teller. An easy read that really drew me in.

**Spoilers below**



#37 Infected by Scott Sigler
Modern Sci fi
Ew. Gross. Ick. Yuck. I did not like this book at all. I'm not squeamish at all about blood or gore but this book was just disgusting - in a bad way. An alien attack sci fi that IMO was little more then a gore fest of self mutilation. The protagonist of the story is one, of many humans, who has been infected by an alien life form. We don't learn of the others until almost the end of the book. Most of the book is spend in detailed, graphic descriptions of him basically cutting pieces of this alien life form out of his body (and taking pieces of his body with it...with the final piece being his penis). It does little to advance the plot. Throw in some token 'science' guys who 'discover' the truth (because of a feeling one of them has), the police, government presence trying to cover it all up while conducting a top secret investigation, with a 'yeah the good guys win' ending and there you have it. Oh, but wait, maybe the aliens aren't all dead, are we doomed after all?

#38 The Forest In The Hallway by Gordon Smith
Youth Modern Fantasy
A really cute book! Beatrize is 14 and when her parents disappear, and she is sent to live with her uncle, she discovers a whole other world on the 19th floor of his apartment building. Adventures follow, friends are made - all in the search for her parents. I liked the mix of the modern world with the world of magic. An easy quick read that I would recommend of any Youth or YA fantasy fans.

#35: That one sounds pretty good. I will add it to the Continent.

I'm adding A Forest in the Hallway. It sounds fun!

I read The Graveyard Book earlier this year too, and like you, I loved it! I would like to know what happened to Bod after the story ended.

And I agree with Stasia and Linda (good company, for sure) - The Forest in the Hallway is going on my TBR list!

Was in NY taking care of my mother after she broke her knee last week and I just happen to 'borrow' a few of my 13 year old sister's books - hehe :) I'll read a wide range of books but I love YA novels!

Was able to get a few more read this last week or so...



#39 Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
YA Modern Fantasy
A reread for me to help my sister with her book report. I hate how much hype this that the other 3 books in the series have gotten. I thought it was good but not great. I liked the story but didn't love it. It wasn't any worse the second time around :) I put it in the 'mindless read' category - helped take my mind to la la land for a while.

#40 From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
Youth Fiction. Newbery.
A very cute story written in 1967 about a brother and sister that run away from home and live at the MET for a week or so. With only about $30 dollars and a few changes of clothes they manage to feed themselves, take in some history lessons, discovery the secret of a newly acquired Angel statue and make friends Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. I have enjoyed every Newbery book I have read so far :)

I have Konigsburg's The View From Saturday in my bookshelf - looking forward to getting to it. I'd never heard of the one you read but it sounds like a good one as well!

I really enjoyed From the Mixed-up Files. I'll have to find a copy of The View From Saturday :)



#41 The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett
YA? Fantasy
My first Terry Pratchett book. I loved it! Very insightful. I really liked how the rats' thought process evolved throughout the course of the book. The Rat Kind did give me the willies though...especially after I did a Google Image search.
Pretty sure this is the first in a series? And there are other Discworld books?

I highly recommend The View From Saturday. It is delightful.
Message 40
WillowRaven, a few months ago I devoted most of my reading to Newbery books. Have you read Missing May, Out of the Dust or The Higher Power of Lucky? If not, I highly recommend these books.

I've gotten 5 Newbery Medal books and 1 Newbery Honor book under my belt so far this year but I have not read Missing May, Out of the Dust or The Higher Power of Lucky. Butthey are now on my TBR short list :)

Thanks Whisper!

The Amazing Maurice is YA, one of 4 designated as such by Pratchett on Discworld. (His Johnny Maxwell and Bromeliad trilogy books are YA but not Discworld--some of his earlier works. Nation, his latest book, is also not Discworld.) It is not closely related to any other Discworld book, but is very typical of his writing.

Lots of other Discworld books. For a chart on how they are roughly organized and related to each other, go to http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/index.html
and download a chart. Recommended starting points: Mort for the Death series, Guards! Guards! for the City Watch series, Equal Rites for the Witches series or, alternatively, start with the YA trilogy beginning with The Wee Free Men.

Thank you so much ronincats! I didn't realize how intricate the story line(s) was. I really enjoyed The Amazing Maurice and look forward to reading more Discworld books.

#42 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Confession time - never read this book before! Yikes! So thought I had too - oops :) Very much a classic in my mind. Not as complex or elaborate as I thought it would be, but still contained a ton of details I didn't realize where part of the story of Oz. My first ebook read as well - read it from my ipod touch as part of the "Classics" app....and um...no! I didn't read while at work...hehe.

Extra just for fun - Bunnicula
Youth Fiction book I would recommend to any 9 or 10 year old. Very cute! I loved that it was told from the point of view of the Harold the dog :)

#47: I am reading the Oz books for the first time this year, too, surprising since The Wizard of Oz is probably my all-time favorite movie. I have read the first two and hope to get to the third soon.

How many are there in the Oz series? I would like to read them all myself but can't remember the order....

I LOVED the Bunnicula series as a child! Laugh out loud funny...
I need to re-read the series, because I suspect I will still find them a little bit funny...
Another series I loved was the 'Wayside School' series, but I don't think they would stand the test of time as well as Bunnicula.

I had never even heard of the Bunnicula series until my partner Mike and I combined our households (and yes - our books - woo hoo!). I think we have 4 or so and I want to get the rest. I think my little one, who is now 2 1/2 will enjoy reading them.

#50: Here is the complete list:

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Marvelous Land of Oz
Ozma of Oz
Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
The Road to Oz
The Emerald City of Oz
The Patchwork Girl of Oz
Tik-Tok of Oz
The Scarecrow of Oz
Rinkitink in Oz
The Lost Princess of Oz
The Tin Woodman of Oz
The Magic of Oz
Glinda of Oz
Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz
Little Wizard Stories of Oz

Wow, Stasia - I think my brain just exploded, lol...I had NO idea there were that many Oz books...sigh...a reader's work is never done!

I was thinking the same thing amwmsw :) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was a pretty easy read so maybe I can get through the rest...um...soon?

Thanks for the list alcottacre :)

#54: Until I started reading the books myself, I had no idea there were so many either. I read an annotated version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which was great for all of the introductory material - I think the introduction alone was somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 pages, and gave a lot of detail and biographical info about Baum.

#55: You are quite welcome!

#43 The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan
YA Modern Fantasy - series extra
Some short stories and extra info into the Percy Jackson series. A nice accompaniment to the series. Quick read - reminded me why I like the series so much. I have the 5th and final book on my short read list. Sad to see the series end.

#44 Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones
YA Fantasy
The 2nd in the Howl's Moving Castle series. Out of the 3 I think I liked this the least. Still a good read though. I love how Jones interweaves her characters and plots and how everything works itself out in the end.

Of course, you are talking about the Baum series of Oz books, right? Because there is a market industry out there telling new stories of Oz and its inhabitants and visitors. I grew up reading my mother's copies of the original books and loved them. Especially Ozma of Oz and the ones with the Oz natives as leads.

I didn't even realize there was a series other then the Baum one until recently :) Pretty sure I'll stick to those though. I don't have much interest in book franchises.

I'm SO excited that you've discovered Terry Pratchett! I've been obsessed with him for the past month and more. The City Watch series is my favorite. You should try out Guards! Guards! because it's the first Watch book, but the other ones are better. You can definitely see a serious improvement over time. But they're all really, really good.

And! You like Diana Wynne Jones! YAY! Have you read the Chrestomanci series? I'm currently rereading The Lives of Christopher Chant which is one of my favorites. Oh, and The Pinhoe Egg. Really, I just love the Chrestomanci series.

I'm excited to see what else you uncover!

I'm excited too! I only recently discovered both Terry Pratchett and Diana Wynne Jones - thanks to the wonderful folks here on LT :)

ronincats posted a wonderful link to the Discworld series on post #45 and after looking at it (wow!) I'm pretty excited to start Guards! Guards! - and all the rest!

I have read Jones Howl's Moving Castle series. I was thinking of moving onto the Chrestomanci series next. Is Charmed Life the first one?

#45 Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Youth Fantasy
Another ipod 'Classics' read :) Somehow managed to miss this one too. I can't say that I'm that sorry though. Horrible thing to say...but I think I liked Disney's movie take better **gasp!**
Much sillier then I thought it would be. Easy quick read but I can't say I enjoyed it much. Oh well.


#46 The Dream-Maker's Magic by Sharon Shinn
YA Fantasy
One of my favorite authors. The last in her YA series. Part love story, part coming of age story, all fully fantastic fantasy!


#47 The Wish List by Eoin Colfer
YA Modern Scifi
If you liked his Artemis Fowl series I think you would like this book as well. Colfer as a style about him that draws you in - no matter what the subject matter is. A different take on Heaven and Hell. He hit spot on my mental image of St. Peter's personality :)

Some extras Just for fun...anyone dare me to read through the entire series? hehe...


Kristy's Great Idea Baby-Sitters Club (BSC) #1 by Ann M. Martin
So many memories attached to this series. I can remember having to wait for the next book to be published! I don't have a clue how many there are now but I would love to get through them all. A very wholesome set of stories that just make me feel warm and cozy inside :)


Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls BSC #2 by Ann M. Martin
hehe...when my cousin and I were little we made a home movie called The Phantom Phone Caller...

OMG Babysitter's Club!!! HAHAHAHA... what the heck, go on & read them all if you have them! Why not? LOL

seriously - I think I'm going to! I just finished the 3rd one today :)
Talk about a blast from the past!

#64 My daughter (who is now 30 years old) read a bunch of books from that series when she was a kid, and she still has them and loves to read one again every once in awhile. But good luck reading the whole series beause there are a ton of them!

Looks like a great bunch of books. I have added many to the TBR mountain and will be watching with interest to see where you go next.

LOL I was a HUGE Babysitter's Club fan when I was a kid. I actually subscribed to the monthly club through Scholastic where I received a few new books and other BSC stuff each month in the mail. My favourite character was definitely Stacey! Thanks for the flashbacks :)

The Truth about Stacey BSC #3 by Ann M. Martin
I can remember this being the first book I read that dealt with diabetes. My Grandmother was diagnosed when I was little and the whole family was worried. This book helped me :)
What I didn't remember was how much of a b***h Kristy was!


Mary Anne Saves the Day BSC #4 by Ann M. Martin
I'm reading way to much into these books! I found myself annoyed at the plot line involving 12yr olds babysitting 10 yr olds OR 12yr olds babysitting a 2 week old baby! I need to lighten up :) Still having fun though.

#48 A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
Youth Fiction
The 1st Grandma Dowdel book. I read the 2nd one already :) Each chapter tells of a week each summer that Joey and Mary Alice spend with their grandmother in her small Illinois town in the 40s and 50s. Grandma Dowdel is a wonderful character - smart and crafty with a heart of gold no one in town would ever acknowledge her of having out of fear for her and Grandpa Dowdel's old twelve-gauge Winchester.

I just found out that Peck wrote another Grandma Dowdel tale - yeah!
A Season of Gifts (touchstone not working -- see it here http://www.librarything.com/work/8436616/46325116)

Thanks for the link. I enjoyed the two books by Peck that featured Grandma Dowdel! I will check the latest!

#71: I am another fan of A Long Way from Chicago. Thanks for the info about another Grandma Dowdel book.

Haven't posted in a while and I'm falling behind! Mini reviews to come later but here are some I've finished up in the last couple of weeks.
Hope everyone is doing well! *fingers crossed* I'll get caught up on other threads sooooooon !

Dawn and the Impossible three BSC #5
#49 The Disreputable History of Frankis Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
#50 The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
#51 The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
#52 The Maze of Bones 39 Clues Book One by Rick Riordan
#53 The Secret Circle Vol 1 The Initiation by L. J. Smith
#54 The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Some nice recent reads!

Thanks Stasia!



#49 The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
YA Fiction.
I very much enjoyed this book. The protagonist, Frankie is smart, funny and constantly underestimated by her family, friends and especially her popular new boyfriend. Frankie is a student at Alabaster Preparatory Academy and her boyfriend is part of a "Good Old Boys" club called The Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds. Frankie knows she will never truly belong to this group but she is determined to discover their secrets and make her own mark in life - by beating the boys at their own game. Lockhart makes some interesting correlations between Alabaster and The Panopticon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon).

#50 The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
My first Sherlock Holmes read :) I absolutely love the BBC TV series starting the late Jeremy Brett and as I read this book I could 'see' him and his costar Edward Hardwicke playing the parts as I read through the story. I have most of the Holmes collection and plan on reading them all this year. I love the visual world Doyle creates and I love love love both Holmes and Watson's characters :)

#51 The Last Olympian Percy Jackson #5 by Rick Riordan
YA Modern Fantasy. Last in the Percy Jackson series :( ALTHOUGH! Riordan calls this series "The first Camp Half-Blood" series so maybe there are more to come? I would think that Percy's story is pretty much played out but there is a ton of material he could use for other story lines. A very good read - I found it very hard to put down especially as the battle was drawn to a close. I'm glad Percy made the decisions he did and I was pleased with the ending. I love the interplay between the characters and I very much enjoy Riordan's use of mythology. Re-read worthy.

#52 The Maze of Bones: 39 Clues Book One by Rick Riordan
YA Fiction. A great idea - 10? books written by different authors (some will write more then one). Amy and Dan are great characters - strong and spunky. They are trying to make their way through the mess that is their family legacy: 39 clues left all over the world that will lead to some kind of world changing ultimate truth. The story line is a pit unrealistic but it makes for a great adventure. As an FYI - the clue cards and online clue finding expedition are really supplemental and are not necessary to enjoy the series. I can see why kids are so excited about these books. I know I can't wait to find out what happens to Amy, Dan and the rest of their crazy family.

#53 The Secret Circle Vol I: The Initiation by L.J. Smith
YA. Oh my...I read just about everything Smith wrote when I was a preteen and only recently rediscovered her books. With the hype of Twilight her Vampire Diaries books as well as the Secret Circle books have been published as mini omnibuses. After reading The Initiation and picking up a few others of Smiths books at a used bookstore...I can only say - WHY? I love the memories I have associated with these books but the books themselves are horrible. The witting is poor and the storyline is weak. Forbidden love? Forget it! Written in the mid 90s this series is very dated...and I wonder if Smith did any updating before the re-release. My cousin told me this was done to the Sweet Valley High series - with updates done to include email, cell phones and the like into the everyday lives of these 'modern' teenagers. With so many great YA books out there now I almost want to warn younguns away from Smith's books! Harsh I know but they really are full of fluff!

I love the characters of Holmes and Watson as well. I know Holmes is cocky and Watson can be a little slow to catch on, but they are such a great team - and sometimes the dialogue between them makes me laugh out loud.

Hello there, just found your thread! You've got some good classic horror stuff here and I've got ya starred now to see more of what you read. A belated welcome!

#76 I also really enjoyed The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks.

#54 The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
This isn't usually the type of book I read but I picked it up at work and couldn't put it down. A very telling story. I'm still unsure about how I feel about the ending. Michael Berg was a very real character to me but I never really warmed up to Hanna. I also had problems with her big 'secret'....but I do recommend the book :)

#55 One False Note 39 Clues Book Two by Gordon Korman
At first I was distracted by the different writing style of Korman (The first book was written by Rick Riordan) but I warmed up to it pretty quickly. Amy and Dan continue with their journey - searching for their family's big secret. They never seem to make any progress which is very frustrating but at the same time they make some great discoveries and their adventures are very entertaining.

Emily
The Reader is a book that haunts me. I agree with you regarding the difficulty warming to Hanna. In the event you haven't seen the movie, I recommend it. Overall, I thought the book and movie were very complex and thought provoking.

Linda - you're the second person to tell me I should watch the movie :) I'm thinking I'll have to add it to my Netflix list.
Haunted is a good way to describe how I feel after reading The Reader. It's one of my top books this year.

Emily
The movie followed the book fairly well. Kate Winslet did a remarkable job in her portrayal of Hannah and I believe earned a well-deserved Oscar.

I have a bunch of catching up to do - posting wise :)

Quick list:
#56 Through a Brief Darkness by Richard Peck
#57 The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
#58 The Call of the Wild by Jack London
#59 Afraid by Jack Kilborn
Kristy's Big Day BSC #6 by Ann M. Martin

Oh! And I finally started my book review blog. I've been meaning to for a while now. It's still a work in progress but I did get my review of Afraid up there tonight.
redhousebooks.blogspot.com

Oh again! So when I was looking up info on the authors of the 39 Clues series I came across this passage on Peter Lerangis Wiki page (he wrote book 3)
"Lerangis's work includes...and more than forty books in the series The Baby-sitters Club and its various spin-offs"
Am I the only one naive to have though that Martin wrote all of them herself? I mean, including spin off books, there are 100s in the series but still...makes me a little sad. I'm not at all a fan of book franchises.

Congratulations on getting the book review blog going!

Thanks Stasia!
I'm having a great time posting reviews. Not sure I'll put up all the books I read on the site but who knows!

#56 Through a Brief Darkness by Richard Peck
Youth Fiction.
Karen must face the fact that her father isn't who she thought he was. His business associations have put her in danger and she must use all of her strength to survive. I love everything I have ever read by Peck; he is a great story teller.


#57 The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Fiction.
So many people love this book...I'm not one of them. It's not the type of book I usually read and I just could not get into the story. I thought it was very repetitive and extremely draw out. It's essentially a human interest story where the entire plot is summed up on the back cover and not much else happens. I can appreciate the writing but it just wasn't my cup of tea.


#58 The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Classic Fiction
Another classic that I somehow missed reading over the years. I can see myself reading this book again and again. Buck's unbreakable spirit is truly heartwarming.


#59 Afraid by Jack Kilborn
Thriller, Horror
I posted my review on my new blog - redhousebooks.blogspot.com

#93: I read Peck's book A Long Way from Chicago earlier this year and loved it. I will give Through a Brief Darkness a try. Thanks for the recommendation!

Ditto what Stasia said!

>94 alcottacre: If you haven't already, I recommend reading A Year Down Yonder as well. Another good Grandma Dowdel story. I have yet to come across a book by Peck I haven't really liked :) I'm slowly collecting them all - they even have their own special shelf.

#60
A Death in Belmont by Sebastian Junger
Non Fiction. Interesting read regarding the Boston Strangler. My review is here - http://redhousebooks.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-review-death-in-belmont-by.html

I read, and enjoyed your review. I'm adding this book to the tbr pile.

Thanks!

awww - thank you :)

>97 WilowRaven: Hi WilowRaven. Great review of A Death in Belmont. It sounds great and I'm adding it to the wishNotebook.

Thanks profiler :)

I've been slacking on updating this post! I've been really excited about my blog and trying to find the time to get everything done that I want to :) Please forgive the blog links for a few of these reviews...


#61
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Really really liked this one! I was wondering how I missed this one in school but I think I'm just a little too old - never made it onto those summer reading lists for me :) I love concept of Sameness and how it relates to the mentality of a society. Full review: http://redhousebooks.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-giver-by-lois-lowry.html


#62
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Oh wow - loved this book! Cannot not wait for Catching Fire :) I highly recommend this book to any YA Fantasy or dystopia fans. Full review: http://redhousebooks.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-hunger-games-by-suzanne-collins...


#63
The Dreadful Future of Blossom Culp by Richard Peck
Youth Fiction. I'm on a bit of a Peck streak this year :) This is the 3rd book featuring Blossom and I loved it :) Very cute, well told story in which all of the pieces fall into place in the end.

WillowRaven.
Yours is a dangerous thread. For now, I'm moving The Hunger Games up closer to the top of the tbr pile.

And, I really enjoy the books of Richard Peck..

Looks like you've had some good reads lately! I've not yet read The Giver but I've been meaning to. I'm also looking forward to the second book in the series by Suzanne Collins.

#101: The Giver is an absolute treasure of a book. Glad to see you liked it, too.

I have already pre-ordered Catching Fire - I did immediately after finishing The Hunger Games I liked that book so much.

What are the other books in the Blossom series? I have read a couple of Peck's books this year, but nothing with a character named Blossom.

Like Stasia, I'm curious about the Blossom books. I haven't heard of these. What is the first one?

I highly recommend The Giver to anyone who hasn't read it yet.
Has anyone read Gathering Blue or The Messenger? They recently packaged the 3 together as a boxed set but they aren't necessarily a series - correct?

Peck has written 4 books with Blossom. The first has her friend Alexander as the main protagonist / narrator and the other 3 feature Blossom (but Alexander is there with her as well)

In order:

The Ghost Belonged to Me
Ghosts I have Been
The Dreadful Future of Blossom Culp
Blossom Culp and the Sleep of Death

I have yet read the 4th but the other 3 are really good.

#106: I have read all 3 books of the trilogy, but IMHO, the other 2 books do not hold a candle to The Giver and yes, they are a trilogy, not really a series.

Thanks for the info on the Blossom series. I will have to see if my local library has them.

Thanks for the information regarding the Blossom books. I'll look out for them.

>107 alcottacre: - I own The Giver but maybe I'll see if my library has Gathering Blue and The Messenger. Thanks Stasia :)

#64 The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Fank Baum
So silly and fun! I plan to read all of Baum's Oz books as fast as I can find them all :) Anyone see the movie Return to Oz? It was made in 1985 and is one of my favorite 'memory movies'. Without having read the entire series, I'm not sure how much of the movie was pulled from the books but Jack Pumpkin Head is in it, as well as the Gump...but so is Dorothy...a strange movie all around but for some reason I love it!

#65 The Sword Thief: 39 Clues Book Three by Peter Lerangis
Youth Adventure.
I'm really enjoying this series. This book is the shortest so far but I liked it the best. I liked some of the inside views you got from other teams (both good? and bad?) I love how you can't tell who Amy and Dan should trust - make for an exciting read. My sister has the 4th book and I just may have to 'borrow' it on my next trip down to NY - hehe

#66 The Name of Annabel Lee by Julian Symons
Mystery. A straight out mystery adventure story. Reviewed as being a "British cerebral mystery" :) A little outdated by today's standards (it was written in 1983) but still very much enjoyable. Dudley Poter, who up until this point, has led a pretty mundane life, falls in love with the beautiful Annabel Lee. Lee, as she prefers to be called, is anything but typical, and when she disappears Dudley sets out on his very first real adventure - to find her and bring her back to him. Suspense, murder, sex, plot twists - everything you would expect to find in good mystery.

#67 Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
YA Fantasy. A very cute story based on an old Nordic tale. I would have loved for this book to be longer but I did really like it overall. Complete review on my blog - http://redhousebooks.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-review-sun-and-moon-ice-and-snow....

I like the sound of Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, its gone onto the wishlist.

#111: I am reading the series, too, but have not read book 3 yet. Thanks for the reminder - it goes on hold at my local library.

#113: That one sounds good. I will look for it. Thanks for the recommendation.

#68 The River Between Us by Richard Peck
Youth Historical Fiction. I think I need to say it again - I love Richard Peck :) hehe
This story was very very good. Mostly told from the point of view of 1 family in the 1860's South vs. North Illinois. There's a little twist at the end that I thought was a nice touch. Very well written.

#69 Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley
YA Modern Fantasy. This book was only so-so for me. The main character really annoyed me - she supposiatly learned a lesson in the end...but I'm not sure what it was exactly and I don't think she actually changed all that much. There are a slew of supporting characters that won me over and I really liked the format and layout of the book. Full review on my blog - http://redhousebooks.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-review-ghostgirl-by-tonya-hurley....

#116: Another Peck book to add to Planet TBR. Thanks for the recommendation!

Some quick adds...no pics this time...I have a really nasty cold and should probably be sleeping or something :)

#70 Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
Great YA Fiction book. The characters were very real to me - full review on my blog -- http://redhousebooks.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-review-memoirs-of-teenage-amnesia...

#71 The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg
Youth Fiction. Such a cute story - thanks for the recommendation Linda!

#72 Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow
YA Fantasy - just finished today and with almost the last of my energy today I managed to post my review on my blog :) -- http://redhousebooks.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-review-strange-angels-by-lili-st....

I hope you feel better soon!

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac and Strange Angels have both gone onto the wishlist.

Hi Emily
I hope you feel better soon!

I read The View from Saturday years ago, and recall that I also liked it very much. I am now eager to read Strange Angels and Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, so onto the wishlist they went.

Wow, I love your reading list! :) And you're almost done. I'm jealous. Here's an early "Congrats!" and a "Hope you get to feeling better!"

Btw, I'll have to check out your blog. I've read several of the books you've listed and share similar opinions, eg, The Memory Keeper's Daughter: very disappointing, I doubt I'll even watch the movie; The Reader: surprisingly good, as is the movie; the BSC, etc etc. I haven't read Tami Hoag in ages, so I'll have to give her a whirl again. She's more romance than I like, but I've heard good things about A Thin Dark Line.

Thanks for the well wishes guys!

I am feeling a bit better - I'm sure only working 10 hours this week helped :) Spend much of my week on the couch with my little one asking "Mommy, do you feel better yet?"

On the plus side I managed to finish up some books! Hope to get them posted soon. Been working on my blog also - thanks to those of you that stopped by to take a look!

First LibraryThing, then BookMooch, now blogging....I have very quickly become addicted to too many book loving outlets! Or have I? Never enough books I say! hehehe

I totally agree with you--never enough books! (And never enough hours in the day.) But I've had to limit my time online, because I realized I was spending more time here than actually reading. :D (sneaks back to her book)

Always a danger, Sara.

I like Jessica Day George a lot, but your latest by her I've not read yet. I'll put it on the library list. I read The View from Saturday this year and really enjoyed it as well.

Glad you are starting to feel better!

Thanks for the get well wishes guys :)
I am feeling better and I very much should be in bed right now finishing up on that sick sleep I need....but...the books are calling!
AND! I hit my 75 mark - woo hoo!

...no cover pics this time...and not quite all the reviews are up on my blog yet - but - here's another batch :)

#73 Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Youth Fantasy / Fairytale
After being enchanted at birth by a fairy, Ella must obey every command she is given. In an effort to break the curse she finds her Fairy Godmother, is almost eaten by Trolls and falls in love with a prince. The ending was a little too Cinderella-like for me - I would have liked to see more of an original ending but I still liked it very much

#74 Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
YA Urban Fantasy - release date, September 2009.
The author was kind enough to send me a ARC of her book and I loved it! Was able to get a review up on the blog tonight -- http://redhousebooks.blogspot.com/2009/08/book-review-once-witch-by-carolyn_10.h...

#75 Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman
YA Thriller
I actually read this one a while ago but forgot to add it to the list. A very unique story but watch out - it ends on a major cliff hanger! The second book (Ghost in the Machine) is due out Oct 1st --- blog review: http://redhousebooks.blogspot.com/2009/07/something-mysterious-is-happening-in.h...

A few more...

#76 A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck
Youth Fiction - due out September 17th
Managed to snag someone's ARC copy from BookMooch - woo hoo!
I love Richard Peck! hehe. This is the third he has written featuring Grandma Dowdel and it's a gem! A highly recommend to any fans of Richard Peck.

#77 Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales, Volume 1 by Melissa Marr
YA Urban Fantasy - Graphic Novel
Not sure why Marr has started writing graphic novels - short story supplements - to her Wicked Lovely series. Also not really sure on the time line of this one but it seems to be somewhere between the second and third books. It's very short and not really much happens. The artwork is pretty amazing though. In my opinion, it's not worth the $9.99 price tag but if you happen to see it - you could read it standing there while browsing the shelves.

#78 Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
YA Dystopia / Fantasy
I loved this book! To sum it up - it's a zombie story - but not like any zombie story you have ever read. The characters are great and the mystery behind it all draws you in and keeps you reading - I could not put it down! Very highly recommended!

#79 Beyond the Grave 39 Clues Book Four by Jude Watson
Youth Adventure
This books are getting better and better for me. The 3rd was my favorite before I read the 4th :)

ok...very very tired now!

night night!

Congratulations on hitting 75, WilowRaven!

Ditto to what alcottacre said (just without the effects)! :)

Congratulations on reaching the 75 goal! Like you, I enjoy the books of Richard Peck. I'll try to obtain the book you mentioned.

Congrats!

Got a blog review up for Wicked Lovely: Dessert Tales, Vol 1 --- http://redhousebooks.blogspot.com/2009/08/book-review-wicked-lovely-desert-tales...