Whitney's 999 Challenge

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Whitney's 999 Challenge

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1Retrogirl85
Editado: Jun 28, 2009, 11:33 pm

I was a little intimidated to try the 888 Challenge this year but thought I'd be a little braver with my reading in 2009 so I'll give this challenge a try.

1. 1001 Books
2. Pages to Screen
3. Books Banned by Sarah Palin
4. Classics
5. Historical Fiction
6. Mysteries/Thrillers
7. Fantasy
8. Young Adult
9. Anything Goes

2Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:27 am

1001 Books
1. The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

3Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:26 am

Pages to Screen
1. Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup
2. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
3. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

5Retrogirl85
Editado: Nov 22, 2009, 10:18 pm

Classics
1. Emma by Jane Austen
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

6Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 27, 2009, 11:38 am

Historical Fiction
1. March by Geraldine Brooks
2. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

7Retrogirl85
Editado: Nov 1, 2009, 11:25 pm

Mysteries/Thrillers
1. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
2. The Bad Seed by William March
3. In The Woods by Tana French
4. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett
5. Mind's Eye by Hakan Nesser
6. Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott
7.
8.
9.

8Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:23 am

10Retrogirl85
Editado: Dez 6, 2009, 10:28 am

11sanddancer
Nov 18, 2008, 6:35 am

I love your Books Banned by Sarah Palin category! Do you know what she objected to about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? A world where children (or adults) can't read Roald Dahl books would be a very sad place.

12Retrogirl85
Nov 18, 2008, 10:06 am

No, I don't know why Sarah Palin banned Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; she's banned most of Roald Dahl's books, maybe they're too "out of the box" for her liking.

13socialpages
Nov 18, 2008, 9:46 pm

When I read the category "Books Banned by Sarah Palin" I laughed aloud. I'm in Australia and while I know who Sarah Palin is and have followed the election coverage, I haven't heard of the books she banned. Can you put it into context for me? What's the story?

14Irishoneyscotland
Nov 19, 2008, 7:23 am

What is wrong with reading Roald Dahl - they where my favourite books when I was growing up and I still read them ..... The world would be a sad place without him :( .... You have a great collection of books

15Retrogirl85
Editado: Mar 4, 2009, 1:28 pm

The list is here
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d3e_1220752423

And for all you Roald Dahl lovers, {such as myself} Dahl has a dirty mind.

16socialpages
Nov 20, 2008, 3:44 am

How can anyone object to James and the Giant Peach?

17RidgewayGirl
Dez 8, 2008, 1:06 pm

I'm in a solidly red state and my daughter's third grade teacher just threw a Lois Lowry book in the trash in front of her class because it had a "bad word" in it. We are now reading it together at home and the "bad word" referred to a female dog.

Shadow of the Wind is a fabulous book! And The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is my favorite Bronte novel. Villette is a little crankier. You have a fun list.

18DevourerOfBooks
Editado: Dez 8, 2008, 2:58 pm

Ahh! How can anyone throw Lois Lowry in the trash?

19ShannonMDE
Dez 8, 2008, 8:20 pm

oohh.. which one? I'm contemplating a re-read of some of her books soon. I saw her give a talk a few years ago and she took the pictures of the people on the cover of The Giver and Number the Stars. The girl on the cover of Number the Stars is now married with 3 kids. And there was a better picture for the cover of The Giver but it was before all the photo editing technology and the guy had a band-aid on his finger, so they had to go with a picture she liked less.

20Retrogirl85
Editado: Dez 9, 2008, 10:00 am

"How could anyone throw Lois Lowery in the trash?" I'm in complete agreement, The Giver and Number the Stars were two of my favorite books growing up, they're Y.A. classics in my opinion.

21RidgewayGirl
Dez 9, 2008, 12:02 pm

I don't want to hijack Whitney's thread! It was the book Stay!. It's excellent so far.

22Retrogirl85
Dez 9, 2008, 10:26 pm

You're not hijacking at all! Stay looks like a cute book, it reminds me of something I would have read in third grade.

23Retrogirl85
Editado: Jun 26, 2009, 9:58 am

Title: The Stone Diaries
Author: Carol Shields
Category: 1001 Books
Total Books: 1/81

The Stone Diaries reads like a biography but is in fact fiction; the tale revolves around Daisy Goodwill and her tragic life. From her mother dying in childbirth and being sent to live with her guardian, through two marriages and her eventual decline into death, you hear it all.

The first half of the novel or Daisy as a child and young adult is interesting and a good read, learning about her parent-less childhood with a co-guardian who has sexual feelings for 11 year old Daisy Goodwill but also reading about her brief marriage to her first husband who unfortunately falls out a window while on their honeymoon. it's all a quick read.

Unfortunately, as Daisy age and health starts to decline so does the book; she becomes too in-tuned with herself making the novel have a touchy feely vibe while rediscovering herself and begins to write a Q&A gardening column in the local paper and was reminiscent of "Dear Abby", it all started to feel like a self-help book. Luckily this was only a small part of the book and could quickly be skimmed.

Overall, this was a fun read and despite that small complaint I can defiantly see why this won the Pulitzer Prize in 1995.

24Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:28 am

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
Caregory: Books Banned by Sarah Palin
Total Books: 2/81
I hadn't read this series in several years and after receiving all five Harry Potter movies for Christmas I felt the need to reread the series again, only for the 20th time. While I still love these Young Adult books it was a little more juvenile written than I remember it being but at the same time I had to keep in mind that this is first and for most a novel published for kids. Even though I've read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone numerous times I still get caught up in it's fantasy world.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was first published in 1999 and it's amazing to think that after ten years these novels are still talked about and loved by readers of all ages.

25Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:28 am

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: J.K. Rowling
Category: Books Banned by Sarah Palin
Total Books: 3/81

{Spoilers}
n Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Harry, Ron and Hermione involve themselves in more mystery {and breaking about a hundred school rules in the process}. to get to the bottom of the Chamber of Secrets hidden underneath Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and uncover the heir of Slytherin, who has the ability to open the Chamber once again and has the power to control what lies within.

In the second installment of the series J.K. Rowling introduces several new characters into the mix.

First is Dobby the house elf who warns Harry, for his own good sir not to go back to Hogwarts School as it is not safe this year. Unfortunately, Harry brushes this advise aside and attends his classes, Dobby tries to no avail to detour Harry but nothing bears fruit and usually ends up doing more harm than good to himself and The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Second is the Weasley family, the reader is introduced to Mr and Mrs Weasley who become surrogate parents to Harry and treat him as one of their own. The other member is the youngest Weasley child and only girl Ginny who is starting her first year at Hogwarts.
The third new character is Moaning Myrtle, a girl who was consistently teased and tragically died fifty years ago under mysterious circumstances.

Lastly, and my personal favorite the new Defense Against the Arts teacher Gildaroy Lockheart, a big headed, international bestseller for such books as Magical Me and Gadding with Ghouls; and in truth can only talk the talk and not walk the walk so all in all is rather pathetic. I reread this series numerous time and still get a kick out of his disastrous magical attempts.

Of course we can't forget the main characters, Harry, Ron and Hermione, the writing for all three is much more developed and mature and through out the books J.K. Rowling makes apparent that the three are going through "growing pains" and maturing in general.

All in all this was a good young adult novel {I've read at least twenty times so it better be} and as the series progresses and builds more popularity as a crossover book the writing style improves and becomes a little less juvenile. Great read good author.

26Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:29 am

Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Author: J.K. Rowling
Category: Books Banned by Sarah Palin
Total Books: 4/81

I've read and reread this series I don't know how many times and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban always turns out to be my favorite of the seven books; I think this because I like the fact that Harry isn't facing Voldermort and get a little more insight of the death of Lily and James Potter

27Retrogirl85
Editado: Mar 8, 2009, 11:59 pm

Mensagem removida pelo autor.

28Retrogirl85
Editado: Jun 26, 2009, 10:06 am

Title: Slumdog Millionaire
Author: Vikas Swarup
Caregory: Pages to Screen
Total Books: 5/81
Slumdog Millionaire was so much better than the movie. Usually when the book is read after seeing the film the reader has an idea of what will happen but this was not the case here; the movie was based more on the theme of the novel, a kid from the slums wins a million {or in the books case a billion rupees} but with just a few comparisons, such as Ram Muhammad Thomas, our main character, and his friend Salim are tricked into an orphanage which consists of maimed or disabled beggar children and flee when they realize Mammand, their supposed guardian plans on blinding them.

The book revolves around Ram explaining to the police how he knew all twelve question in the quiz show who believe he cheated, how can a kid from the slums be smart enough to answer so many questions correctly? Thus begins Mr. Thomas's life story, the most minute details in his chopped up tale leave a lasting impression such as knowing the smallest planet is Pluto and who is the most famous actor in India, Armaan Ali, so with life experiences and a lucky coin he becomes the first and last billionaire on Who Wants to Win A Billion.

The ending of this fairy taleish story is extremely fast paced and makes you think back to the smallest details that at the time seemed insignificant, but in the big picture left a lasting impression.

29Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:30 am

Title: The Boy in Striped Pajamas
Author: John Boyne
Category: Young Adult
Total Books: 6/81

The Boy in Striped Pajamas revolves around Bruno a nine year old boy completely naive to the events around him. Bruno's father is a Nazi Officer and moves the family to a home just within sight of Auschwitz Concentration Camp {which Bruno pronounces Out-With} and while exploring his new surroundings befriends a boy in striped pajamas on the other side of the fence.

While this book was written for children it is still a good cross-over novel, and depending on how mature the reader is will determine how much the reader takes in as John Boyne leaves a lot up to the imagination rather than spelling out the details. An example would be Shamul, the boy on the other side of the fence describing his journey to the camp, discussing his family being taken from their home and his ride on the train, while Bruno cannot fathom the thought that there were no doors in train for them to get off. A Second example is the perception of the Concentration Camp itself, it's smokestacks and hut appear through the nine year old's eyes as if it's a retreat or a village of it's own instead of a death camp. But in the end no one is safe or superior.

30Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:30 am

Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J.K. Rowling
Category: Books Banned by Sarah Palin
Total Books: 7/81

In this fourth installment of the Harry Potter series, the young wizard is mysteriously entered into the Triwizard Tournament, a competition between Hogwarts and two other wizarding schools, Drumstrang and Bauxbatton and compete for the Triwizard Cup and glory for their respected school. Of course the three challenges are not for the faint of heart and result in deadly consequences.

It's interesting to reread these novels after completing all seven because even though you know the end result the reader is able to pick up on little details that may have seemed insignificant or of little consequence at the time.

Anywho, even though I'm aware I'm way past the recommended reading age {although I'm sure I'm not the only one} Harry Potter is still great fun; although I may have to renig my earlier claim of having "Azkaban" as my favorite in the series because "Goblet of Fire" has a great build up to Voldemort's reincarnation, the story and characters also become more developed and is just a fun book to read all around.

31LisaMorr
Fev 20, 2009, 7:40 pm

Uh-oh - there is a recommended reading age for the Harry Potter books! I have never read them before, and will be reading them all this year. And I'm sure I exceed the recommended age by A LOT! And looking forward to them anyway...

32bookwormjules
Fev 21, 2009, 11:42 am

Retrogirl85 - Just read your lists, Phantom of the Opera is one of my favourite books, I'll be interested in your opinion.thoughts when you read it. Also your books banned by Sarah Palin Category is a amusing.

LisaMorr - Any age can read and fall in love with the Harry Potter books! The way I see it, is the recommended age is also the age we uh. Feel. That's my excuse to read them even if I'm way past the recommended age.

33Retrogirl85
Fev 22, 2009, 11:46 am

LisaMorr - Even though they're young adult the reading level is used loosely and is really made for the young at heart I was just implying that I'm way past young adulthood and still love them.

bookwormjules - Glad to hear you enjoyed Phantom of the Opera, it's been on my tbr stack for too long and look forward to reading it.

34LisaMorr
Fev 22, 2009, 2:59 pm

Hey Retrogirl85 and bookwormjules - I should've winked - my comments were tongue-in-cheek. When the first books came out, I avoided them with the thought that they were for kids, but I've heard so much about them, and so many people, young and old, enjoy them, that I am really looking forward to them!

35Retrogirl85
Editado: Mar 29, 2009, 3:23 pm

Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K. Rowling
Category: Young Adult
Total Books: 8/81

{Spoiler}
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry's fifth year has a rocky start beginning with Harry and his cousin Dudley being attacked by Dementors in Little Whinging resulting in a wizarding hearing and tentative expulsion from Hogwarts for using underaged magic. The school year only goes from bad to worse when the Minister of Magic's Secretary {Hem Hem} Dolores Umbridge, becomes the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and reinforces the Ministry's believe that the Dark Lord has not returned.

The Order of the Phoenix is still my least favorite in the Harry Potter series but after numerous rereads it's starting to grow on me. Even though I still think Harry needs a major attitude adjustment in the fifth book, yelling at the people who actually believe his cock and bull story about the night Voldemort returned is not the smartest thing to do but he's still a little less PMSy than I remember him being.

Like most of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers Professor Umbridge is a teacher I love to hate. With her simpering Hem Hems sounding as though she is in the constant need for a cough drop, her hatred towards Dumbledore and Harry for spreading their crack pot lies punishing those who stand up for the tale, and her teaching or lack of teaching methods in class she's an easy target.

In the end the reader learns the true reason why Lord Voldemort tried to kill Harry Potter 14 years ago. The tragedy that is Harry Potter never seems to cease.

36Retrogirl85
Editado: Mar 29, 2009, 3:24 pm

Title: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author: J.K. Rowling
Category: Young Adult
Total Books: 9/81

{Spoiler}
In year six Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts to find the Severus Snape has finally achieved his goal of becoming the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with Horace Slughorn filling his position as the Potions Master, but in reality serves a great purpose.

As the battle rages on more members of the Order of the Phoenix are killed and/or wounded and are once again betrayed by another person who was thought to be trustworthy. Although, to reiterate once again that I've already read this series the reader can interpret or read into snippets that are shown from Harry's point of view.

As pathetic or corny as it sounds I was not as devastated at the end of this book as I was the first time around, since I had time to brace myself. This tragic ending {if you are half as obsessed/involved as I am} leads up to Harry's decision to leave Hogwarts in order to defeat Voldemort.

37Retrogirl85
Editado: Mar 29, 2009, 3:24 pm

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: J.K. Rowling
Category: Young Adult
Total Books: 10/81

{spoiler}

In the last installment of the Harry Potter series Potter and Voldemort finally face each other and determine what lies in the future for the wizarding world. Book seven is a hero's mission and not just for the search of the remaining Horcruxes but also completes the journey of the Boy-Who-Lived filling in the gaps of what happened on that fateful night sixteen years ago.

Harry's search for Horcruxes continues breaking down Lord Voldermort's soul little by little as each object is destroyed, eventually bringing about his worst fear, death. Along the way though he learns the who, what, when, where and how of the mystery that is Harry Potter, reveling the night that Lily and James Potter sacrificed themselves for their son and the consequences following the act.

Of course I can not forget Ron, Hermione and other major secondary characters. Ron and Hermione stay by their friend's side through thick and thin putting their own lives at risk with the usage of unforgivable curses and alliances they thought to be trusted. Neville kicks ass in The Deathly Hallows, becoming the ringleader of sorts at Hogwarts and finally standing up and fighting for what he believes in.

While I still thought J.K. Rowling's Epilogue or "Nineteen Years Later" chapter left something to be desired, resulting in Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione sending their children off to Hogwarts even though I'm sure the object was to show that life goes on it feels like all it's proving is that the Boy-Who-Lived can reproduce. Although if that's my only major complaint we're in pretty good shape.

38Retrogirl85
Mar 13, 2009, 12:12 pm

Mensagem removida pelo autor.

39Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 4, 2009, 11:21 pm

Title: The Easter Parade
Author: Richard Yates
Category: Anything Goes
Total Books: 11/81

"Neither of the Grimes sisters would have a happy life." This is the first sentence in Easter Parade and while it does ring true the author never makes the reader feel overly sympathetic towards the characters. The novel centers around Sarah and Emily Grimes beginning at their childhood going into their late forties. Through the sister's struggle with marriages/lovers, children and college/jobs they carry on feeling their responsibly toward said experience and feel compelled to for fill their obligations. In a way Easter Parade reminded me a little of The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields; I don't know if it was Richard Yate's writing style or the storyline but it kept creeping up in the back of my mind.

40Retrogirl85
Editado: Jun 26, 2009, 2:38 pm

Title: I, Toto
Author: Willard Carroll
Category: Anything Goes
Total Books: 12/81

I, Toto is the autobiography of Terry, the dog who was Toto. This was a short fun read and was extremely cute and witty. The Wizard of Oz told through a canine's P.O.V. is so humorous, describing the drastic transformations of the duel characters in the film i.e. Margaret Hamilton turning from Mrs. Gultch to the Wicked Witch of the West. Anyway, I know I'm starting to sound repetitive but I, Toto dictated by Willard Carroll was an adorable book and read it in a day.

41Retrogirl85
Editado: Jun 26, 2009, 2:41 pm

Title: Emma
Author: Jane Austen
Category: Classics
Total Books: 13/81

Emma Woodhouse is a bona fide matchmaker, playing cupid for all her acquaintances while she claims to never marry herself. Famous last words...

Emma's current assignment is her dear friend Harriet Smith and after a proposal that Miss Woodhouse deems far to beneath her puts in all her efforts to find a suitable husband for Miss Smith. I found Emma to be a buttinski, while cute and charming she was also very meddling, granite that's want a matchmaker does but it started to get on my nerves.

I felt so sorry for Harriet throughout the book, releasing her "true love" due to a friend's persuasion and then to have her heartstrings continually yanked around throughout the whole of the book. So while I did feel empathetic towards her I also found Harriet to be a sweet, innocent push over.

Jane Fairfax plays the sweet natured niece of Mrs. Bates, a neighbor of the Woodhouses and who Emma takes a dislike to but eventually comes around in the end to see the good everyone else sees in Jane.

Then there are the ladies love interests, Mr. Knightly, Frank Churchhill, Mr. Elton and Robert Martin. who all play ring-a-rosies with the girl's hearts but in Jane Austen's classic fashion hearts are broken and mended and eventually married off to suitable gentlemen.

Emma was very quick and witty, along the same ranks as Pride and Prejudice and earns a spot on my bookcase next to this great novel.

42Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 4, 2009, 11:21 pm

Title: March
Author: Geraldine Brooks
Category: Historical Fiction
Total Books: 14/81

March is the story of the absentee father from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and at the ripe old age of 39 enlists for the Civil War becoming a Union chaplain and later is assigned to teach free slaves {an oxymoron I know} to read and write. Mr. March, takes center stage in this novel having Marmee and his little women play secondary characters.

March is split in two, half being memories of years gone by, remembering the courting of Marmee, the births of their children and the March's beliefs on slavery, even becoming conductors on the underground railroad. By putting their money where their mouth is, give a large sum of money to a fellow abolitionist to support the cause, but unfortunately the deal goes sour leading to the March's financial decline.

The second part brings us to Mr. March's hellish present while teaching those on a cotton plantation who are willing to read and write he is reminded of Grace, another educated slave that he had an intimate relationship with and the physical humiliation she received when taking the blame for a young slave girl who he was teaching to read and write as well. The tale climaxes at a raid from the Confederates, resulting in murder of black and white by beheading and gunshots and the recapture of freed slaves to be sold back into slavery. Meanwhile, March scrapes by with the grazing of a bullet and soon after returns home to his girls but is still, and forever haunted by the gruesome events he has witnessed.

43Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 26, 2009, 4:48 pm

Title: The Golden Compass
Author: Phillip Pullman
Category: Fantasy
Total Books: 15/81

The Golden Compass follows 11-year-old protagonist Lyra Belacqua, accompanied by her daemon, from her home at Oxford University to the frozen wastes of the North, on a quest to save kidnapped children from the evil 'Gobblers,' who are using them as part of a sinister experiment. Lyra also must rescue her father from the Panserbjorne, a race of talking, armored, mercenary polar bears holding him captive. Joining Lyra are a vagabond troop of gyptians (gypsies), witches, an outcast bear, and a Texan in a hot air balloon.

I hadn't read Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy since I was a kid and on a whim decided to reread them. It was interesting to read this from an adult's perspective because of the religious reference spread throughout the book that I missed ten years ago. The main theme of The Golden Compass is Dust, Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter, the evil-doers in the novel decided to rid the world of this particle by cutting a child from it's daemon, which is basically an extension of it's soul severing the tie between the two. This so called Dust is to represent original sin beginning at the biblical story of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit. Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel think that but removing this connection between daemon and child before the said child's daemon settles to one form around the time the child reaches puberty they can rid the world of evil. Never the less this book does not shine in God's favor.

Lyra disagrees with this notion and sets out to save the bond that connects the two together and as for a poor analogy, human and daemon are like a man and his best friend. Anyway, Lyra's quest begins when she is given an alethiometer, a truth teller helping her make the right decisions {or most of the time} on how she should partake on her journey next.

44Retrogirl85
Editado: Jun 26, 2009, 2:50 pm

Title: Wicked
Author: Gregory Maguire
Category: Fantasy
Total Books: 16/81

{Spoilers}
Everyone knows the story of the Wizard of Oz or at least we think we do, but in truth the reader has a very one sided version from the innocent girl from Kansas, Dorothy Gale but what of the Wicked Witch? Was she just a misunderstood green girl or did she truly deserve and live up to her famed title of the Wicked Witch of the West?

Gregory Maguire magics up a vivid portrait of The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba Thorrp {Pronounced EL-fa-ba derived from the initials of the author of The Wizard of Oz, Lyman Frank Baum, L-F-B}. Beginning at her mysterious birth and her strange birth defect {or is it a gift hidden in disguise?} of the green hue to the color of her skin. There are many therories on this strange issue but all seem to end at the Clock of the Time Dragon a mysterious carnival like attraction and its operator, Mother Yackle.

Her father Frexspar is a very active unionist traveling around the lands of Oz to convert Ozians to trust in the Unnamed God using his disfigured daughters Elphaba and Nessarose {aka the Wicked Witch of the East} who has no arms as mechanisms to convert others to his believes.

After a short look at her childhood we are transported to Shiz University in the Gilikins where Elphaba unwilling rooms with a girl named Galinda and under unlikely circumstances become best friends. Later the two are joined by Nessarose who is holyer than now and clings to her religious believes. Galinda, who later drops the "Ga" in respect after the death of a Goat teacher who always mispronounced her name Glinda. Glinda takes the more glamorous route and studies Sorcery and Elphaba, after doing strenuous work with Doctor Dillamund about animals and Animals, {Animals being able to talk and have more human characteristics} gravities towards the Life Sciences.

After Doctor Dillamund's controversial death the Witch leaves university and goes underground in the Emerald City to become an Animal Rights Activist and also defies her father's religious beliefs by practicing atheistism, refusing to believe in souls. But no matter whether her heart is in the right place or not her aims always turn into failures, i.e. death of her lover and "espionage" plans turning sour.

After years of living secretiveley in the Emerald City trying to dash the Wizard of Oz's conniving ways into a Monarchy leaves to make amends with her lover Fiyero's family in the Vinkus and for unknown reasons takes along a boy named Liir. The Wicked Witch stays in the Vinkus castle for several years still trying to promote Animal Rights even going so far as to teach a flying monkey to talk.

Eventually, Elphaba returns to Munchkin Land to visit her sister who is now Ruler there but has sunk deeper into her faith earning her the Title of the Wicked Witch of the East {religion can be a very powerful and scary thing}. So while Nessarose is know for Wickedness do to the Unnamed God Elphie dubs the title Wicked Witch of the West do to opinions on politics
"That's why I call myself a witch now: the Wicked Witch of the West, if you want the full glory of it. As long as people are going to call you a lunatic anyway, why not get the benefit of it? It liberates you from convention." states Elphaba

And thanks to L. Frank Baum we all know what happens next, a house was dropped on the Wicked Witch of the East, who was giving out awards for perfect attendance at a Sunday School, {needless to say there was also perfect attendance at her memorial}. Glinda was first on the scene and because of stylish enterance and dress earned her the title of Glinda the Good Witch from the North. When Elphaba hears of her sister death she is devastated but not because of the loss of her sibling, but because Glinda has so generously given Dorothy the so called "murderer" {or saint depending which way you want to look at it}. her sister's Silver Slippers which are belivied to have magical powers. Of course Auntie Witch doesn't have to wait long as the Wizard has sent Dorothy to destroy her in order to go home to Auntie Em and Uncle Henry and of course to no avale the Wicked Witch of the West can not remove those slippers from the Kansas girl's feet and well you know the rest, the witch's broom catches fire spreading to her horribly out of fashion black dress and Dorothy, being the good Samaritan that she is throws a bucket of water on her to put the fire out. Elphaba's life long aversion to water takes into effect and her soul {or lack of soul} melts away.

And that is the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West turning the Land of Oz we knew up side down and into a horse of different color.

45Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 4, 2009, 11:22 pm

Title: The Subtle Knife
Author: Phillip Pullman
Category: Fantasy
Total Books: 17/81

Having unknowingly assisted in her best friend's death and crossing the bridge into another world Lyra meets and befriends another so called murderer, Will Perry and together set out to complete their destiny. First, finding themselves in somewhat of an underworld, Cittàgazze, where soul-eating Specters stalk the streets and wingbeats of distant angels sound against the sky. There Will and Lyra acquire The Subtle Knife a weapon that can cut through any matter, allowing the entrance of new worlds as well and is coveted by Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter both.

Through Lyra's alethiometer they find a scholar, Dr. Mary Malone who is also interested in Dark Matter or Dust, although in Mary Malone's Oxford is referred to as Shadows. In any event, the scholar chooses to help them in their work as she has the same theories and believes this will help advance her studies.

The Subtle Knife took more of a scientific, physics, evolution and such approach to religion discussing elementary particles but also describing it on an elementary level {which is great for me as science was my worst subject in school} but still keeps organized religion as an underlining theme throughout.

Nine times out of ten in trilogies the second book is usually filler, {well maybe except for Lord of the Rings} and this was right along with LOTR. Personally, I think The Subtle Knife could have been a stand alone book although at the same time there might be a little too much background story to skip The Golden Compass but when all is said and done this is a great second novel for a trilogy.

46Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:31 am

Title: The Reader
Author: Bernhard Schlink
Category: Pages to Screen
Total Books: 18/81

Michael Berg is 15 when he has an affair with Hanna, a mysterious older woman. Their relationship only lasts for a summer but leaves a lasting impression on Michael. The two meet after the kid's school has been dismissed for the day, it becomes the lover's ritual to shower, make love and afterward Michael reads to Hanna {hence the reader}. One day the kid, {Hanna's pet name for him} comes to her apartment at the appointed time only to find she has vanished without a trace.

Flashing forward, several years later Michael is now a law student and is observing a trial of five women guards to a concentration camp one being his former lover Hanna. As the trial progresses Micheal watches her dig herself deeper into a hole and finally realizes that she is trying to protect a secret that has been kept hidden including from himself and would rather serve prison time than admit to her so called disability.

Some people would say that the major theme in The Reader is the Holocaust but I think that is a mere sub-plot the main theme being pride. Throughout the entirety of the novel Hanna is too stubborn and proud to reveal her shameful secret, constantly changing jobs, declining promotions that may bring this issue into light or just moving away from the situation all together. Years later in the court room even after Michael figures out his former lover's secret, even though it may help her case he does not disclose the information because he knows it would devastate her.

To be honest I saw the movie before reading the book and liked the film better. I don't know if it was because I knew what she was hiding going into the novel therefore taking away some of the mystery or the unknown that surrounded Hanna or if I just liked the way the film was presented better. Either way it was a very interesting read making the reader question what is morally right.

47Retrogirl85
Editado: Jun 26, 2009, 2:55 pm

Title: The Amber Spyglass
Author: Phillip Pullman
Category: Fantasy
Total Books: 19/81

The Amber Spyglass is the last book in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy. Will and Lyra return, journeying to the land of the dead to save the poor unfortunate souls who reside there from ghouls, who haunt them making the afterlife a living hell. Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel join forces not to destroy but to save their daughter who has been put into grave danger. Lastly, Dr. Mary Malone walks through a window into a community of Mulefa, mysterious wheeled creatures with the power to see Dust.

For whatever reason I had difficulty getting into this, the beginning and end was good but the middle was a little difficult for me. I think it was because I did not enjoy the segments with Dr. Mary Malone and the Mulefa Village and since it switched back and forth so consistently between that and the other two stories in the novel I had trouble keeping attention. Putting this complaint aside The Amber Spyglass was a fun book with a very powerful ending with the children defeating the Authority although, while I enjoyed the ending and thought it was a nice conclusion it was a little sappy too. Overall, this was a fun read and a great trilogy but the third installment was my least favorite.

48Retrogirl85
Editado: Jun 26, 2009, 2:58 pm

Title: Oh, the Places You'll Go!
Author: Dr. Seuss
Category: Young Adult
Total Books: 20/81

I received this when I graduated from high school several years ago and just found it sitting forlornly in my closet. Oh, the Places You'll Go! only took a few minutes to read but is very fun inspirational and motivational book. {This is my kind of self-help book}. After I read this realized I'd forgotten how awesome Dr. Seuss is! Both his drawings and rhymes are great fun no matter what the age.

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.

49Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:32 am

Title: The Fellowship of the Ring
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Category: Fantasy
Total Books: 21/81

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien is the first in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy beginning with Frodo Baggins, a hobbit from the Shire who has inherited a dangerous ring from his cousin Bilbo; the One Ring that rules them all which is being search for by Rings Wraiths who are under the control of Sauron, the Dark Lord. After learning of this situation and the taking advice of a wise wizard he sets out on a quest with three pint-sized friends, Sam, Pippin and Merry to destroy the One Ring in the Cracks of Doom in Mordor.

The first part of the book shows Frodo's peaceful worry-free life in Hobbiton a utopia of sorts, at least until he inherits the One Ring of Power. Anyway, it shows the beauty that Frodo deems worth fighting for.

The Hobbits begin their quest and after being followed by Dark Riders for two nights they reach The Prancing Pony in the town of Bree. There they meet the lone ranger Strider who travels with them to Rivendale only to be ambushed by Ring Wraiths on the way there. When the group reaches the Elven City more or less in one piece the Elven leader Elrond holds a council to decided how to dispose of the fated ring. There forming a fellowship to continue the quest of destroying the One Ring, the fellowship includes the Elf Legolas, the Dwarf Gimli, the Wizard Gandalf the Grey and the Men Borimir and the lone ranger Aragorn.

From there the tension and adventure/action grows upon entering the Mines of Moria to the Dwarf Gimli's delight but the "short cut" ends in disaster. After resurfacing from Moria take refuge in the Elven forest Lothlorien before continuing on to the Great River. Where the Ring Bearer is betrayed by someone in the company. deciding to go it alone, but not without is trusty Sam!

I had a hard time getting into The Fellowship of the Ring until they got to Bree, I think it was the annoyingly lyrical Tom Bombadil, the hobbits met along the way the scene{s} just felt like filler and could of done without. But once there it's fabulous! My favorite parts in the book were the forming and breaking of the fellowship I think because that is when you are introduced to and really get to know the characters and their motives. Lastly, I hadn't read this series since high school which gave me just enough time to forget how amazing this trilogy is, I can't believe it took me this long to reread it!

50Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 26, 2009, 4:52 pm

Title: The Bad Seed
Author: William March
Category: Mysteries/Thrillers
Total Books: 23/81

Rhoda Penmark appears to be the perfect child, always wearing dresses with her hair in hang man braids and is self sufficient, neat, well mannered and respectful of her elders and will trade her parents "a basket of kisses for a basket of hugs". But the eight year old's sweet facade starts to unravel after an end of the year school picnic at a nearby lake, where Rhoda is seen taunting her classmate Claude Daigle, Claude had won a penmanship metal which Rhoda thought she should have received and spent the day trying to take it from him. Later that day Claude is found next to some pilings by the wharf, where the children were forbidden to go, he has drowned and his penmanship metal is gone.

While most children would be in hysterics, Rhoda remains disturbingly cool, calm and collected as "it was Claude Daigle who drowned not me." Rhoda's mother Christine is distraught over the child's death and begins to have doubts about her daughter's strange behavior bringing unwelcoming memories to the surface.

The Bad Seed questions the root of all evil, is it attributed by one's environment or is it an inherited trait? And what would motivate someone to commit such heinous crimes? The Bad Seed by William March is a suspenseful and chilling novel, the ending staying with you long after you've finished.

51Retrogirl85
Jun 26, 2009, 3:03 pm

Mensagem removida pelo autor.

52Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 26, 2009, 4:55 pm

Title: Sharp Objects
Author: Gillian Flynn
Category: Mysteries/Thrillers
Total Books: 22/81

Camille Preaker, has just been released from the Chicago psych hospital and returns to her job as a reporter at a second rate paper. Upon her arrival her boss gives her a murder case to report on which took place in her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri. Taking this assignment means that she will have to return to a place she hasn't visited in eight years and must face her haunted past which includes a hypochondriac mother, a sister who died when she was a preteen and another who she barely knows.

The murder victims are two young preteen girls killed a few months apart from each other. Both girls where dolled up so to speak {shaved legs or painted toe nails} both very out of character for Ann and Natalie. Afterward, they were strangled and had all their teeth pulled out. These heinous acts has everyone in the community questioning: who could have committed such a crime in this seemingly pleasant small town?

Sharp Objects is a well paced novel keeping the reader in suspense through out. I tried to savor the last thirty pages but became such a page-turner as the murderer became uncovered I had a hard time doing so. Even after it appears that it is solved, cased closed, the Epilogue tells us differently, it uncovers an accomplice of sorts and reveals where the girl's "missing teeth" were stashed. Gillian Flynn's debut novel is a fantastic addicting thriller and look forward to reading her second book, Dark Places.

53Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 26, 2009, 4:52 pm

Title: Dewey
Author: Vicki Myron
Category: Anything Goes
Total Books: 24/81

While collecting the books from Spencer Iowa's library book drop-off Librarian Vicki Myron discovers an alley cat who has been shoved down the return box; Vicki and her fellow librarians immediately fall head over heals in love with him making him their library mascot and dub him Dewey Readmore Books. After a little hesitation from fellow patrons Dewey works his way into the community's hearts and becomes the most popular cat in town.

Typically, I'm not one to read books about animals fiction or non-fiction but as this was a book club pick and I'd heard such good things about it I thought I'd give Dewey a try. I had issues with this book right from the start, At the beginning of the book people's allergies to cat dander is discussed and how it would effect their visits, I have a cousin who is allergic to cats of which I have two and has to take Benadryl after two hours of being in the house, I just think that a Public Library is a Public Service and wonder if that would hinder anyone from entering. Also, I personally would have issues with all the cat hair as Dewey had full range of its abode laying in the card catalog, book bags and shelves. Secondly, as I said before I have two cats who do a lot of the same things that Dewey Readmore Books did, trying to fit into spaces too small for them, playing with cat-nip and knocking pencils and such off tables exc exc. If I had only known that's all it takes to write a best-selling book...

54Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:16 am

Title: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Author: L. Frank Baum
Category: Young Adult
Total Books: 25/81

Dorothy is a kind, loving farm girl who gets caught in a cyclone carrying herself, her dog Toto and their home across the desert into the Land of Oz making a crash landing in Munchkinland. After the shock wears off she travels down the Yellow Brick Road in search of the City of Emeralds to ask the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz to send her back home to Kansas along the way making some strange new friends and some queer new adventures.

The Wizard of Oz was first published in 1900 and has since been reprinted and translated many times. This children's story resonates with persons young and old giving the reader a happy feeling every time they enter the fantasy world whether it be on page or screen for which it is probably better known for. Like most people I'm better acquainted with Oz through MGM's 1939 movie and thought it was about time I revisited this magical land.

55Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 26, 2009, 4:56 pm

Title: The Emerald City of Oz
Author: L. Frank Baum
Category: Fantasy
Total Books: 26/81

Dorothy and the Wonderful Wizard take Aunt Em and Uncle Henry on a fabulous tour of Oz. During their journey they encounter such amazing and amusing people as King Kleaver with his Spoon Brigade and Miss Cuttenclip of the land of paper dolls. But while Dorothy and her friends play, the wicked Nome King has joined forces with the terrible Whimsies, the fearsome Growleywogs, and the evil Phanfasms in a plot to capture the Emerald City. Will Dorothy's friends discover the danger before it's too late?

The Emerald City of Oz had trouble keeping my attention, other than visiting the Tin Man and Scarecrow I thought there were way too many side trips to different villages in Oz along with too many characters. There also seemed to be a lack of plot for most of the story, I think it would have been more enjoyable if L. Frank Baum had focused more on the Nomes attacking Oz. Also, I got very annoyed with Dorthy and Aunt Em, I found both to be constantly complaining, and Aunt Em being rather negative with Dorthy been a little self-absorbed/self centered. Overall, The Emerald City was an okay book but preferred The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

56Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 26, 2009, 4:58 pm

Title: The Gargoyle
Author: Andrew Davidson
Read by Lincoln Hoppe
Category: Anything Goes
Total Books: 27/81

The Gargoyle is told by an anonymous narrator who has received massive burns after driving through a guard rail and crashes into a ravine while on a bad trip. During his extensive recovery in the burn unit, undergoing countless surgeries and rigorous physical therapy he befriends Marianne Engel a patient in the physic ward who visits him regularly telling him stories of her life in the 13th century and is convinced that they were once lovers.

After he is released from the hospital Marianne Engel takes him to her home for his recovery. At first he sinks into a depression and becomes addicted to the morphine that has been prescribed to him. While the burn victim goes through a roller-coaster of sorts sculptress Marianne Engel carves away at her Gargoyle statues and continues to recount the tale of their life together.

The Gargoyle is a wonderfully lyrical book with a spellbind story, and while some of the descriptions of the burns may be rather graphic and all too real it is hard to turn away. Lincoln Hoppe did a wonderful job narrating this engrossing story and made it very enjoyable to listen to, and Andrew Davidson did a fantastic job mixing reality with fantasy. The Gargoyle is a book I can see myself reading/listening to again in the near future.

57Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 26, 2009, 4:59 pm

Title: The Marvelous Land of Oz
Author: L. Frank Baum
Category: Young Adult
Total Books: 28/81

The Marvelous Land of Oz is the story of the wonderful adventures of the young boy named Tip as he travels throughout the many lands of Oz. Here he meets with our old friends the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman, as well as some new friends like Jack Pumpkinhead, the Wooden Sawhorse, the Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug, and the amazing Gump. How they thwart the wicked plans of the evil witch Mombi and overcome the rebellion of General Jinjur and her army of young women.

The Marvelous Land of Oz was first published in 1904 and if felt like there was an undertone to the Women's Suffrage Movement as General Jinjur tries to overtake the Throne to the Emerald City as men have ruled for too long, how men are ungrateful and find it unfair the roles men and women play in life and so forth. although maybe I'm reading too much into this...

I really enjoyed this story, The Marvelous Land of Oz had a fun storyline and was a great sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, even if it didn't have Dorthy in it.

58VictoriaPL
Jul 1, 2009, 12:06 pm

I loved The Gargoyle. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

59Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 26, 2009, 5:00 pm

Title: The Magician's Nephew
Author: C.S. Lewis
Category: Fantasy
Total Books: 29/81

The Magician's Nephew is a prologue of sorts to the Narnia series but mainly to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Diggery, his friend Polly by bad luck somehow become guinea pigs to Diggery's Uncle Andrew's "experiment" of discovering other worlds through the use of magic rings, therefore being transported into the magical world of Narnia.

Like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe this Narnia book has some religious references as well. Mainly, Aslan representing God, or the creator of the land sending Diggery and Polly, a son of Adam and a daughter of Eve to a garden to retrieve a highly powerful apple to protect the World of Narnia from evil. Once at the garden the boy is warned that the fruit must not be eaten but can only be plucked if it is to go towards a "good cause". Of course this can not be an open and shut case, and an evil witch appears {representing the asp} egging Diggery on to eat an apple and also to take one home for his sickly mother. To this the witch's persuasions prove to no avail and the witch in turn eats an apple of her own in hopes to claim eternal life by digesting it, unaware that all who eat it without good means will live a cursed life.

While I enjoyed The Magician's Nephew it took me away to get into but had a fast-paced ending to make up for it. And while this has never been my favorite out of the Narnia Chronicles it's still a good/fun precursor to the rest of the series.

60Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 26, 2009, 5:03 pm

Title: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Author: C.S. Lewis
Category: fantasy
Total Books: 30/81

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe questions truth and lying, love and hate, forgiveness and revenge, good and evil all with respect to the reader's intelligence.

The book opens with four children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy staying with their uncle in the country during WWII and while playing hide and go seek Lucy goes into a seemingly deserted wardrobe which opens up into the world of Narnia and after having believed that she has been gone for hours Lucy finds her way back through the coats into the Spare Room only to discover that she has been gone only a matter of minutes. The excited Lucy tells her siblings about her adventures but all three find it difficult to believe her and go along to appease her but in truth think she's making it all up, only to be found wrong during another hiding incident.

The foursomes journey really begins after visiting the home of Lucy's friend Mr. Tummes the faun to discover that his home has been ransacked and has been taken prisoner by the White Witch. As Mr. Tummes has been so good to Lucy on prier visits she feels the need to save him from. Peter and Susan agree but Edmund tags along half haertedly. Soon after, Edmund manages to slip away from the rest of the party to find the castle of the White Witch "Queen of Narnia" who was met on a previous journey to the magical land has a great interest in meeting the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve.

After learning of Edmund's desert, the company travels to the Stone Table in order to fight beside the true leader of Narnia, the lion Aslan and save their brother from the evil hands of the Witch.

The Narnia Chronicles is a very enchanting series and is a great escapism from what is going on in the world.

61Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 26, 2009, 5:02 pm

Title: The Horse and His Boy
Author: C.S. Lewis
Category: Fantasy
Total Books: 31/81

During the Golden Age of Narnia, when Peter is High King, a boy named Shasta discovers he is not the son of Arsheesh, the Calormene fisherman, and decides to run far away to the North--to Narnia. When he is mistaken for another runaway, Shasta is led to discover who he really is and even finds his real father.

The Horse and His Boy was an enjoyable book, having fun agreeable characters and an amusing plot but felt it was still lacking something. I guess, sense this was a continuation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe I assumed the Pevensie children would be main characters in it and found that they had a smaller part in this novel. Other than that small complaint The Horse and His Boy was a good fantasy novel, and loved the ending battle scene with the "capture" of Rabadash the Ridiculous.

62Retrogirl85
Editado: Ago 27, 2009, 11:00 am

Title: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Author: Jamie Ford
Category: Historical Fiction
Total Books: 32/81

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet takes place in 1942 and is the story of 12 year old Henry Lee, a Chinese boy who befriends and later falls in love with Keiko Okabe, a Japaneses girl. Henry keeps this friendship against his father's wishes, putting an unrepairable wedge in their father son relationship.

Since it is 1942 and the United States is at war with Japan Keiko and her family are ultimately taken to an internment camp and the young couple promise to wait for each other by sending letters to each other throughout the war years, only to end in heartbreak.

Although this is the main focus of the book Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet opens in 1986 at the Panama Hotel were some belongings have been found in the basement, items left behind or hidden by Japanese families. Henry spends many hours in the time capsule of a basement looking for something of the Okabe's, to prove their existence and a time and love gone by.

Even though the setting takes place in a piece of history that has gone by but not forgotten, at the heart of this novel is young love that was lost due to unfortunate circumstances. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is beautifully written and kept me reading late at night, and appropriately enough had me feeling bittersweet to have finished it.

63Retrogirl85
Set 7, 2009, 12:45 pm

Title: In The Woods
Author: Tana French
Category: Mysteries/Thrillers
Total Books: 33/81

WARNING: I would not recommended reading In The Woods while actually in the woods!

In The Woods begins in the summer of 1984 when three twelve year old friends venture into the near by woods and after several hours past curfew only one boy is found, clutching a tree with blood in his sneakers and no recollection of what transpired during the hours spent in the wood.

Twenty years later Rob Ryan, the found boy is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and has kept his childhood experience a secret. With his past circumstance unknown, Rob and his partner Cassie Maddox are assigned to the murder of a twelve year old girl found in the woods and is eerily similar to the unsolved case twenty years prior bringing lost memories to the surface.

As I said earlier I would not suggest reading this book while staying in the woods. I thought of the clever idea to bring this book along on my family vacation in the U.P. of Michigan, where we stay in a semi-isolated area with generally no phone reception to speak of.

While Tana French's debut novel was not necessarily a horribly scary novel it was very suspenseful and had a myriad of twists and turns. Even though this wasn't a pee in your pants scary book it did have me jumping a little at things that go "bump in the night". So, despite my stupidity In The Woods was an excellent book.

64Retrogirl85
Set 7, 2009, 3:46 pm

Title: The Thin Man
Author: Dashiell Hammett
Category: Mysteries/Thrillers
Total Books: 34/81

Nick and Nora Charles with their dog Asta live in high society New York and in between witty remarks and martinis find time to solve crime. In The Thin Man Nick is asked to help find Richard Wynant and solve the murder of a young woman. During the investigation, the Charles socilize with Wynant's family, an ex-wife and his two grown children and must sift through the facts and falsehoods they are feeding the clever duo.

I love The Thin Man Series with William Powell and Myrna Loy but had never read the book the films were based on. The Thin Man is so quickly paced and witty that it hardly seems like a mystery at all and could see it as a supper club whodonit show. Hammett has such a unique writing style creating fun, loveable characters made for a great read.

65pamelad
Set 7, 2009, 5:21 pm

Also loved The Thin Man. Can they ever drink!

66Retrogirl85
Editado: Out 13, 2009, 9:15 am

Title: Mind's Eye
Author: Hakan Nesser
Category: Mysteries/Thrillers
Total Books: 35/81

Mind's Eye is the first novel in the Inspector Van Veeteren Mysteries series but is the fourth to be translated from Swedish to English. Hakan Nesser's book is a suspenseful story of a husband who is wrongfully accused of drowning his wife in the bathtub. After being found guilty he is committed to an asylum only to be found murdered in his "cell" soon after arrival. In steps Inspector Van Veeteren who had doubts about the prosecution and now believes the two murders are connected and sets out to find the true killer.

Inspector Van Veeteren could easly be compared to T.V.'s House, a very crabby unlikeable man who pulls through in the end solving the case and putting said evil doer behind bars. In other words, Van Veeteren is a character you love to hate.

The plot of Mind's Eye was very eye catching and put your mind to the test {excuse the puns} and found this book hard to put down. The interesting thing about Nesser's novel is he never really gives any indication of who the possible murder suspect could be. Sure, the clues are subtly given but nothing that screams out at you, and upon reexamining the book still don't think I could have guessed this twisted ending.

67Retrogirl85
Out 13, 2009, 9:14 am

Title:Julie and Julia
Author: Julie Powell
Category: Pages to Screen
Total Books: 36/81

Julie Powell is pushing thirty and feels like she has yet to accomplish anything interesting thus far. Her husband gives her the idea to start a blog and so begins The Julie/Julia Project, cooking her way through all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 365 days.

Um... I'm not really sure what to say about this... I didn't like it but didn't hate the book either. Julie and Julia was an interesting subject going through all the mishaps that occurred in 365 days, but that's about the only good thing I can say about it.

I found Julie to be extremely annoying and whinny and really didn't care if she completed the project or not. With what seemed like consistent complaints and almost manic behavior over finishing the recipes, such as searching all over New York for a cow's bone marrow,or worrying about going more than two days without posting to her blog because her readers or "bleeders" were counting on her, almost like they couldn't breath without updates from her project. Between all this I had a hard time feeling sorry or relating to Julie. Also, I couldn't stand the fictionalized bits about Julia and her husband Paul, how or why would you do that to someone you apparently admire? It would have been more interesting if these segments were more factual. In any event I could see why Julia Child thought Julie Powell was a little twit, that had wasted a year of her life.

68Retrogirl85
Editado: Nov 1, 2009, 11:27 pm

Title: Ghostwalk
Author: Rebecca Stott
Category: Mystery/Thrillers
Total Books: 37/81

After the mysteriously drowning of Elizabeth Vogelsang, Cameron Brown asks his former lover Lydia Brooke as a ghostwriter, to finish the novel his mother started, a biography on Isaac Newton focusing on his work on Alchemy. Lydia excepts the project a little hesitantly as she knows nothing on the subject, and immerses herself in the work learning everything she possibly can on the matter at hand. While upon the daunting task, divulges into Newton's seventeenth century and encounters two separate cases of murders, one from Newton's time and another from Elizabeth's therefore mixing the past with the present until they are one of the same.

The premise/idea of Ghostwalk was great and had great possibilities but began to loose interested after the first 200 pages. All the characters were so unlikeable and really didn't care to know the outcome of their story. To be honest while Ghostwalk was suspenseful and had it's fair share of espionage regarding Isaac Newton's theories but found it predictable too. While Rebecca Stott absolutely has a way with words, but the way she layed-out particular "hints" found it easy to guess or suppose what was upcoming in the plot, so there were no real surprises or shocking twists at the end. I think if I had more of an interest or understanding in science I would have found it more enjoyable, but I don't so found it to be just okay.

69Retrogirl85
Nov 10, 2009, 10:44 am

Title: Little House in the Big Woods
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Category: Young Adult
Total Books: 38/81

Laura Ingalls Wilder's story begins in 1871 in a little log cabin in the big woods of Wisconsin. There four year old Laura lives with her Ma, Pa, and sisters Mary and baby Carrie. She describes every day pioneer living with the hard work of providing for one's family through catching and growing what appears on their table but making sure to preserve enough for the coming winter. As this story is told through the eyes of a four year old Little House is not all work but also play, taking excitement in the small things that we may take for granted today.

One way they mix work with play is when butchering the family pig Pa promises Laura and Mary the pig's bladder and tail. With the bladder, it is blown up like a balloon and the girls pass the time by tossing it to one another, the pig's tail is cooked until blackened and crispy, similar to a boy scout cooking a hot dog over a campfire -- it's delicious! The Little House Books were by far my favorites growing up, and hadn't reread them in years, these books are an adorable informative way to learn about that particular period in history. Looking back, The Little House Series are written as if they could have been fiction rather than autobiographical, I am not listing this as a negative at all instead believe it is a positive as a young reader may pick up these books and learn without realizing it.

70Retrogirl85
Nov 14, 2009, 12:17 pm

Title: The Girl She Use To Be
Author: David Cristofano
Category: Anything Goes
Total Books: 39/81

Sandra Clarke, May Adams and Linda Simms, these are just a few of the aliases Melody Grace McCartney has gone by since entering the Witness Protection Program when she was six. Twenty years ago Melody and her parents witnessed a heinous act of murder committed by the Bovaro family mafia leading them to testify and "disappear" from life as they once knew it. After being in WITSEC for twelve years the program fails to promise their protection and Melody's parents are murdered by the mob leaving her truly alone. It has been eight years since her parents death and now switches identities every few months simply because she was bored. Finally, after almost forgetting or not caring who she really is anymore she meets a man who truly knows Melody Grace McCartney, Jonathon Bovaro the son of the man who planned her parent's death and a gangster with a heart of gold.

I know that last sentence was very cliche but that's how a lot of the mobster scenes felt. But with Jonathon's ultra Italian family calling him Little John or Johnny mostly applying an ie or y to many peoples given names; or with the feds and the mobs on a cat and mouse chase over this unlikely couple falling in love in a few short days, is very lion and the lamb if you will, it feels like an appropriate statement. In all honesty I enjoyed this book but it had a little "Pretty Woman" vibe to it, minus Richard Gere climbing up a fire escape with a dozen roses.

71Retrogirl85
Nov 22, 2009, 10:19 pm

Title: Pride and Prejudice
Author: Jane Austen
Category Classics
Total Books: 40/81

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have five daughters with no son to inherit their property. Therefore it has become Mrs. Bennet's obsession to marry her girls off well, especially her eldest Jane, who is the prettiest and best well mannered. But at the heart of this story is the second eldest Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, what transpires is a classic love story with the couple overcoming their pride and prejudice {hence the title} in order to unite.

Next to Gone with the Wind, Pride and Prejudice has one of the best, most entertaining love triangles ever. The clever, witty Elizabeth Bennett has her heart twisted by both Mr. Wickham, an officer to the regiment who puts Lizzy under the impression that he has led a hard life and has been treated unjustly by his childhood companion Mr. Darcy. Then of course there is Mr. Darcy himself, who while seems arrogant and proud in the end has good intentions and admires a pair of fine eyes from afar. What ensues is entertaining witty dialog and is one of the best love stories written to date.

No matter how many times I reread Pride and Prejudice I find myself sucked into Jane Austen's world and tend to neglect my present surroundings. It doesn't matter that I already know of Wickham's ill conduct and the reason behind Darcy's haughtiness, or the Miss Bennets love affairs; Pride and Prejudice is an engrossing classic that should be devoured many times over.

72Retrogirl85
Nov 28, 2009, 12:03 pm

Title: Little House on the Prairie
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Category: Young Adult
Total Books: 41/81

The big woods of Wisconsin have become too crowded, having the Ingalls family travel in their covered wagon to settle in the Kansas Prairies; which is virtually unestablished, with very few neighbors and an Indian tribe in the vicinity. Laura's family builds a new life for themselves and while becoming settled must deal with unexpected prairie fires, Indian thievery, and panthers who sound like a woman screaming.

I've always enjoyed this series and revisit it every few years. Little House books, while written for children are such an interesting glimpse of that time period one tends to forget the suggested reading level.

73Retrogirl85
Editado: Dez 6, 2009, 10:30 am

Title: On the Banks of Plum Creek
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Category: Anything Goes
Total Books: 42/81

The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as they leave their little house on the prairie and travel in their covered wagon to Minnesota. Here they settle in a little house made of sod beside the banks of beautiful Plum Creek. Soon Pa builds a wonderful new little house with real glass windows and a hinged door. Laura and her sister Mary go to school, help with the chores, and fish in the creek. At night everyone listens to the merry music of Pa's fiddle. Misfortunes come in the form of a grasshopper plague and a terrible blizzard, but the pioneer family works hard together to overcome these troubles.

I enjoyed this continuation of the Little House Series but began to feel tedious with it towards the end. I think this is because the last 50 pages or so deal with the Ingalls family coping with the harsh winter of Minnesota and began to feel slightly repetitive from this and other books in the series. And yes I feel horrible saying so, as that was truly the way it was. On the bright side I liked reading of the Ingalls exposure to "civilization" especially Mary and Laura's reaction and meeting familiar characters from the t.v. show, i.e. Nellie Olsen and her family, Rev. Alden and Miss Beadle. All in all an enjoyable read.