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2013 Reading Challenge Round-Up -- Failed Edition

Not too bad this year.  I didn't have a ton of failed challenges...  but here they are.

Goal: 10/12 books

  1. Vampires — The Passage by Justin Cronin (1/20/13)
  2. Werewolves/Shifters –
  3. Fey — Iron’s Prophecy by Julie Kagawa (10/10/13)
  4. Angels/Nephilim — As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason (9/5/13)
  5. Mermaids –
  6. Dragons — Rose of Fire by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (10/21/13)
  7. Zombies — Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (6/13/13)
  8. Demons — The Bleeding Dusk by Colleen Gleason (8/1/13)
  9. Witches/Wizards — Valley of Silence by Nora Roberts (3/17/13)
  10. Ghosts — The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade (3/6/13)
  11. Aliens — The Host by Stephenie Meyer (8/24/13)
  12. Other (Djinn) — Ill Wind by Rachel Caine (1/12/13)

 Goal: 4/6 books

  1. The Postman by David Brin (5/27/13)
  2. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (6/20/13)
  3. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (12/6/13)
  4. 1984 by George Orwell
  5. Reahed by Ally Condie (7/12/13)
  6. Children of Men by P.D. James

Goal: 3/5 books

  1. Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George (3/2/13)
  2. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (3/2/13)
  3. Lost by Gregory Maguire (7/12/13)
  4. TBD
  5. TBD

Goal: 1/5 books

  1. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (10/27/13)
  2. All for Love
  3. The Devlin Diary by Christi Philips
  4. The Rossetti Letter by Christi Philips
  5. Pope Joan
  6. Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir

Goal: 2/5 books

  1. Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade (3/8/13)
  2. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (7/24/13)
  3. TBD
  4. TBD
  5. TBD

1 from TBR — Change of Fortune by Jen Turano (1/3/13)

2 from TBR — Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi (1/2/13); Wanted by Mark Millar(1/2/13)

3 from TBR — Locke and Key Vol. 1 (1/4/13), Locke and Key Vol 2 (1/4/13), Beauty and the Bitch by Jasmine Haynes (1/9/13)

4 from TBR — The Wedding Gift by Lucy Kevin (1/24/13), The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein (2/7/13), Cowboys vs. Aliens (2/9/13), Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman(3/30/13)

5 from TBR — One Day by David Nicholls (1/29/13), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain (6/22/13), The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Robert Kirkman (7/27/13), The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (8/17/13), Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (8/19/13)

1 from series — Fables Vol 17 Inherit the Wind (2/4/13)

2 from series — Locke and Key Vol. 3 (1/5/13), Locke and Key Vol. 4 by Joe Hill (1/6/13)

3 from series — Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris (6/6/13), The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs (6/13/13), Reached by Ally Condie (7/12/13)

4 from series — Heat Stroke (1/12/13), Chill Factor (1/13/13), Firestorm (2/16/13), Thin Air by Rachel Caine (2/22/13)

5 from series — Princess of the Midnight Ball (3/2/13),Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George (3/2/13), The Ghost and the Goth (3/6/13), Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade(3/8/13), The Impossible Cube by Steven Harper (5/4/13)

1 from 2013 releases — Fables 18: Cubs in Toyland (6/23/13)

2 from 2013 releases — And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (8/8/13), Max Stops the Presses by Colleen Gleason (9/5/13)

4 from 2013 releases — A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book (9/10/13); The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (9/29/13); Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith(11/7/13); 100 Days in Deadland by Rachel Aukes (11/11/13)

5 from 2013 releases — Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh (11/26/13)

1 from everyone but me — The Passage by Justin Cronin (1/20/13)

2 from everyone but me — The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (7/24/13), A Storm of Swords by George Martin (7/26/13)

3 from everyone but me — Every Day by David Levithan (8/15/13), The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (9/20/13); The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (9/28/13)

4 from everyone but me — Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (10/7/13); Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (10/27/13); The Road by Cormac McCarthy (12/6/13)

5 from everyone but me — A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (4/28/13), The Walking Dead Book Five (5/14/13), The Walking Dead Book Six (5/14/13), The Walking Dead Book Seven (5/17/13), The Walking Dead Volume 17 (5/17/13)

1 reread — Lost by Gregory Maguire (7/12/13)

2 rereads – Coraline by Neil Gaiman (3/21/13), The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (4/30/13)

3 rereads — The Host by Stephenie Meyer (8/24/13); Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne(9/10/13); The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman (10/9/13)

4 rereads — Persuasion (1/21/13), Mansfield Park (2/3/13), Emma (5/22/13), Pride and Prejudice (8/28/13)

5 rereads –

Free space — Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (12/3/13)

Point Total: 190/250

  1. Read the second book in a series – The Impossible Cube by Steven Harper (5/4/13)
  2. Read a book with water on the cover –
  3. Read a book with a colour in the title –
  4. Read  a book set in the 1900′s – And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini   (8/8/13)
  5. Read a book whose author name begins with M (First or last) – Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (6/13/13)
  6. Read a book published during your birth year – The Color Purple by Alice Walker (6/24/13)
  7. Read a book with a door, lock or key on the cover –
  8. Read a book with a flower/flowers on the cover – Wedding of the Century (8/14/15)
  9. Read a book with something ‘hot’ in the title (sun, fire, heat, etc) – The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs (6/13/13)
  10. Read a book whose author name begins with J (first name only) – The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga (7/27/13)
  11. Read a book currently on a bestseller list – The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (7/7/13)
  12. Read a book that shows a woman from behind – The Hostage by Susan Wiggs (5/22/13)
  13. Read a book with a moon or stars on the cover –
  14. Read a book with an adjective in the title – The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill by Mark Bittner (6/26/13)
  15. Read a book whose author name begins with J (last name only) –
  16. Read any book in one weekend (Friday to Sunday) – Fables Vol 18: Cubs in Toyland (6/23/13)
  17. Read a book with a child on the cover – Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (6/20/13)
  18. Read a book with over 400 pages – Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (5/11/13)
  19. Read a book with an animal on the cover – A Storm of Swords by George Martin (7/26/13)
  20. Read a book whose author name begins with A (first or last) – Emma by Jane Austen (5/22/13)

Point total: 245/250

  1. Read a book with a famous painting on the cover –
  2. Read a book with a man and woman on the cover – Beauty or the Bitch by Jasmine Haynes (1/9/13)
  3. Read a book by a new to you author – Locke and Key Vol 2 by Joe Hill (1/4/13)
  4. Read a book that you’ve read before – Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (2/3/13)
  5. Read a book whose author name begins with J (First or last) – Change of Fortune by Jen Turano (1/3/13)
  6. Read a book that’s a collection of short stories – Stories of Hans Christian Anderson (2/26/13)
  7. Read a book about family – The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (2/14/13)
  8. Read a book currently on the NYT Bestsellers list – Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (3/15/13)
  9. Read the first book in a series – Ill Wind by Rachel Caine (1/12/13)
  10. Read a book whose author name starts with F (first or last) – Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2/9/13)
  11. Read a bio/auto bio/memoir – A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah (1/21/13)
  12. Read a book with a first and last name in the title – Good Omens (Agnes Nutter) by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (1/3/13)
  13. Read a historical mystery – A Foreign Affair by Caro Peacock (1/22/13)
  14. Read a book by a female author – Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi (1/2/13)
  15. Read a book whose author name begins with M (first or last) – Wanted by Mark Millar (1/2/13)
  16. Read a cult classic – Locke and Key Vol 4 Keys to the Kingdom (1/6/13)
  17. Read a book no longer under copyright – Persuasion by Jane Austen (1/21/13)
  18. Read a fantasy/scifi/steampunk – A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (1/9/13)
  19. Read a book you got for Christmas – Locke and Key Vol 3 Crown of Shadows by Joe Hill (1/5/13)
  20. Read a book whose author begins with A (first or last) – Terror by Night by Ambrose Bierce (2/14/13)
tags: book bingo, dystopian, fairy tales, historical fiction, paranormal, RC Check-up, t4mc
categories: Reading Challenges
Thursday 01.02.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

road-book (1920).jpeg

Title: The Road

Author: Cormac McCarthy

Publisher: Vintage 2007

Genre: Dystopia

Pages: 241

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall into Reading; Dystopian; Monthly Key Word -- December; Book to Movie; Bingo -- 4 from everyone but me; NPR SciFan (perpetual); Fantasy Project (perpetual)

How I Got It: Library loan

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

Another meh book.  I can appreciate the stark simplicity of the writing, but I just wasn't a fan of the rest of the book.  Nothing grabbed me and kept me really interested in reading.  I'm fairly certain that I finished because it's only 241 pages.  Don't really see what all the hype was about.  I guess it just wasn't my kind of book.

road (1920).jpeg

Movie:

The movie added a ton of action beats that just don't exist in the book.  It also expanded the role of the wife.  I understand why they did it for a wide spread release movie.  The book just doesn't have enough to appeal to mass audiences.  Overall, I like the movie better than the book, but It still just wasn't something that really held my attention.

tags: 3 stars, book bingo, Book to Movie, Cormac McCarthy, dystopian, fall into reading, Fantasy Project, monthly key word, NPR SciFi/Fan
categories: Book Reviews, Movies
Friday 12.06.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

me-before (1920).jpeg

Title: Me Before You

Author: Jojo Moyes

Publisher: Viking 2012

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 400

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books -- W49; Bingo -- Free Space; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: Library loan (book club selection)

They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose . . .

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

Our book club selection for December.  After the last one (Middlesex), we needed something more readable and likable.  This one was the perfect choice.  It took me awhile to finish (baby time), but that doesn't me I didn't enjoy it.  I looked forward to the few minutes each night I could pick up the story of Lou and Will.  Amazingly complicated characters (in a good way).  A great storyline.  Lovely ending.  I was concerned that the ending would be too predictable and sappy.  Thankfully the author gave the story a real ending, something I could completely get behind.  I really enjoyed this one.  I will have to put the author on my TBR list.

tags: 5 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, book bingo, fall into reading, fiction, Jojo Moyes
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 12.03.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

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Title: Hyperbole and a Half

Author: Allie Brosh

Publisher: Touchstone 2013

Genre: Graphic novel; Memoir

Pages: 384

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Mount TBR; Bingo -- 5 from 2013; 52 Books -- W48; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: I own it!

FROM THE AUTHOR: This is a book I wrote. Because I wrote it, I had to figure out what to put on the back cover to explain what it is. I tried to write a long, third-person summary that would imply how great the book is and also sound vaguely authoritative—like maybe someone who isn’t me wrote it—but I soon discovered that I’m not sneaky enough to pull it off convincingly. So I decided to just make a list of things that are in the book:

Pictures Words Stories about things that happened to me Stories about things that happened to other people because of me Eight billion dollars* Stories about dogs The secret to eternal happiness*

*These are lies. Perhaps I have underestimated my sneakiness!

I have followed Brosh's blog for awhile now and always find myself moved by her posts.  Her raw honesty cuts right to my soul.  (Okay, that sentence sounded a bit crazy, but it's completely true).  I may not have her specific problems, but I think everyone can relate to believing themselves to be crazy and fucked up every once in a while.  It's nice to have that reaffirmation.  And it's wonderful to follow Brosh's stories in and out of the crazy in her life.  While reading, I laughed quietly to myself and loudly to everyone.  I teared up on my occasions.  I also found myself shaking my head in agreement to some of her more introspective stories.  This may look like a fun little collection of stories with illustrations, but it's so much more.  Brosh stands stripped bare before the reader allowing them to see all her flaws and all her beauty.  This is a must read!

tags: 5 stars, Allie Brosh, book bingo, comedy, fall into reading, graphic novel, memoir, mount tbr
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 11.26.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

100 Days in Deadland by Rachel Aukes

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Title: 100 Days in Deadland (Deadland Saga #1)

Author: Rachel Aukes

Publisher: Surprisingly Adequate Publishing 2013

Genre: Zombies

Pages: 450

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Zombies; Mount TBR; 52 Books -- W46; Bingo -- 4 from 2013; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: Free Kindle Read

A journey through Dante's Inferno with a shambling twist.

The world ended on a Thursday. In one day, the world succumbed to a pestilence that decimated the living. In its place rose a new species: vicious, gruesome, wandering zombies with an insatiable hunger for the living. There is no government. No shelter. No hope. Still in her twenties, Cash has watched her friends die, only to walk again. An office worker with few survival skills, she joins up with Clutch, a grizzled Army veteran with PTSD. Together, they flee the city and struggle through the nine circles of hell, with nothing but Clutch's military experience and Cash's determination to live. As they fight to survive in the zombie inferno, they quickly discover that nowhere is safe from the undead...or the living.

I started this book mainly because I needed another break from The Count of Monte Cristo.  Plus, it was on my iPad which meant I could read during night feedings.  To my surprise, I really enjoyed the book.  It's a good fast paced zombie thriller with interesting characters.  I really loved Cash and Clutch and Jase.  The zombies were scary and the human villains even scarier.  I loved the progression of the plot and even how it ended.  There's a nontraditional ending, but it completely fits with the story and the situation.  I love that we don't get a cliche.  My only complaint is the "romance" between the two main characters.   I had hoped that the author wouldn't go there, but she did.  For the most part, it wasn't a huge turnoff.  Although the sex scene seemed very out of place with the rest of the novel.  I think that couldn't have been edited out and nothing would be lost.  Overall, I really enjoyed this free ebook.  I might even pick up (and even pay) for the next book releasing this coming year.

Deadland Saga (DNFed series)

  • 1. 100 Days in Deadland
  • 2. Deadland's Harvest (2014)
  • 3. TBD
tags: 4 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, book bingo, fall into reading, mount tbr, Rachel Aukes, zombies
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 11.11.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith

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Title: Saving Wishes (The Wishes #1)

Author: G.J. Walker-Smith

Publisher: Amazon Digital 2013

Genre: New Adult

Pages: 370

Rating:  3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Eclectic -- New Adult; Mount TBR; Bingo -- 4 from 2013 releases; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: Free Kindle read

For Charli Blake, being seventeen is a tough gig. She's been branded a troublemaker, her reputation is in tatters and she's stuck in Pipers Cove, a speck of a town on the coast of Tasmania. Thankfully, it's temporary. Her lifelong dream of traveling the world is just months away from becoming reality. All she has to do is ride out the last few months of high school, which is easier said than done thanks to a trio of mean girls known as The Beautifuls. When Adam Décarie arrives in town, all the way from New York, life takes an unexpected turn. His arrival sets off a chain of events that alters her life forever, convincing her of one thing. Fate brought him to her. Saving Wishes is the story of a girl who doesn't quite fit the life she's living, and the boy who helps her realise why.

This isn't a bad book, but it isn't a good one either.  I am completely neutral when it came to this novel.  I liked the premise and storyline.  I liked the idea of having Charli find out what she wants from life.  I even liked the idea of Adam helping her do it.  But I didn't really liked how it was executed.  I felt like we spent way too much time reiterating how Charli always flees and her various defense mechanisms.  It become all too repetitive.  I kept waiting for the real story to get moving, but it just kept dragging and dragging.  I finished it, but probably only because I have been reading it during the middle of the night feedings and didn't want to switch books.  Overall, I'm just "meh" about this book.

The Wishes (DNFed series)

  • #1 Saving Wishes
  • #2 Second Hearts
  • #2.5 Sand Jewels
  • #3 Storm Shells
  • #4 Secret North
  • #4.5 Silver Dawn
  • #5 Star Promise
tags: 3 stars, book bingo, eclectic books, G-J- Walker-Smith, mount tbr, New Adult
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 11.07.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

middlesex (1920).jpg

Title: Middlesex

Author: Jeffrey Eugenides

Publisher: Picador 2002

Genre: Literature

Pages: 544

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction; Mount TBR; Book Bingo - 4 from everyone but me; 52 Books - W44; Rory Gilmore; 1001 Books; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: iPad Read (Book Club Selection)

"I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day of January 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of l974. . . My birth certificate lists my name as Calliope Helen Stephanides. My most recent driver’s license...records my first name simply as Cal."

So begins the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides and three generations of the Greek-American Stephanides family who travel from a tiny village overlooking Mount Olympus in Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit, witnessing its glory days as the Motor City, and the race riots of l967, before they move out to the tree-lined streets of suburban Grosse Pointe, Michigan. To understand why Calliope is not like other girls, she has to uncover a guilty family secret and the astonishing genetic history that turns Callie into Cal, one of the most audacious and wondrous narrators in contemporary fiction. Lyrical and thrilling, Middlesex is an exhilarating reinvention of the American epic.  Middlesex is the winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

This has been on my TBR list for years, but I've always been scared to dive in.  The subject matter is extremely serious.  How do we approach the subject of intersex?  Overall, I think Eugenides does a great job approaching the topic from a unique angle.  Cal is an intriguing character and narrator.  I found those the parts about Cal's life to be fascinating.  The first half of the book focusing on Desdemona and Lefty and Milton and Tessie dragged a bit.  The first half was difficult to connect to.  Because of my reluctance to dive completely into the book, I knocked off a star.

tags: 1001 Books, 4 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, book bingo, book club, Jeffrey Eugenides, mount tbr, Rory Gilmore Challenge
categories: Book Reviews
Sunday 10.27.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

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Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Author: Neil Gaiman

Publisher: William Morrow 2013

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 181

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Neil Gaiman; Book Bingo -- 4 from 2013; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: Library Loan

A brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from the modern master of wonder and terror, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is Neil Gaiman’s first new novel for adults since his #1 New York Times bestseller Anansi Boys.

This bewitching and harrowing tale of mystery and survival, and memory and magic, makes the impossible all too real...

I love how all of Gaiman's books and stories start out fairly normal.  You think you're in the world we know.  But then, a few pages or a few chapters in, something happens that is not normal.  Something appears to throw off our balance.  And we find ourselves in a world not quite like ours.  This story is no exception.  The first chapter lulls you into a sense of normalcy and then bam! you're thrown into something completely different.  I loved this little novel about a boy's adventures with "other" things.  Since it is told in flashback, I can even imagine the man sitting beside the pond recollecting long forgotten memories of childhood.  It's such a peaceful and yet disturbing moment.  And as with all Gaiman stories, I could not predict the ending.  I had no idea what was going to happen.  That made the story all the more fascinating and engaging.  Overall, a short but powerful piece.

tags: 5 stars, book bingo, fantasy, Neil Gaiman
categories: Book Reviews
Sunday 09.29.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak

book (1920).jpeg

Title: The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak

Publisher: Knopf 2007

Genre: Literature

Pages: 576

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; 52 Books - W40; Book Bingo -- 3 from everyone but me; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: iPad read

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

This book destroyed me. I was utterly helpless to its pull.  I had heard that this was a great book, but usually those popular books escaped me.  I just don't pick them up.  In this case, The Book Thief was chosen as our book club selection.  I started reading it and was intrigued but all a bit off balance.  The style of switching from the narrator to a third person point of view took some getting used to.  I was also thrown off by the interludes of bolded text.  I was a bit confused, but soon everything started falling into place.  I easily saw where the story was going (helped along by the narrator), but it was okay.  The strength of this book lies in the characters.  They are all amazing.  They all have such layers.  Usually the main characters have layers and the side characters are there solely to push the story forward.  In this volume, every character has layers.  I loved getting glimpses into the neighbor or the mayor's wife or even the members of the Hitler Youth group.  Each one has been crafted to appear as a real person.  Even the narrator has layers, something you wouldn't expect.  By the last 75 pages, I couldn't put it down.  Even as my eyes were dropping from lack of sleep, I had to finish this incredible volume.  Absolutely amazing!  I can't wait to see what the other book club ladies thought about it.

tags: 5 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, book bingo, ebook, fall into reading, Markus Zusak
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 09.28.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

graveyard-book (1920).jpeg

Title: The Graveyard Book

Author: Neil Gaiman

Publisher: HarperCollins 2008

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 325

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Neil Gaiman; ebook; Book Bingo -- 3 from everyone but me; The Fantasy Project

How I Got It: iPad read

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy.

He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead.

There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy-an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, a gateway to a desert leading to an abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer.

But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family. . . .

This book has been on my list for awhile now.  I participated in The Fantasy Project's Wheel of Fortune challenge and this book came up for September/October.  Truly I had forgotten what this one was supposed to be about and when I read the summary, I got a bit of a shock.  A few weeks ago I read Gaiman's M is for Magic short story collection.  That collection includes a story of Bod.  I enjoyed that story, but felt like there was so much more to tell.  Thankfully Gaiman thought so too and wrote an entire book around Bod.

This was a delightful little book.  I loved every minute of it.  Gaiman gives us a full story, but broken down into chapters that read almost like separate adventures.  The style reminded me of The Hobbit.  Each chapter is a story perfect for telling to children at bedtime.  I loved all of the characters, especially Silas.  I loved the adventures of Bod in and out of the graveyard.  I was sad but happy at the ending.  I wanted to read more about where Bod went after his time in the graveyard.  I wanted to learn more about the Honour Guard.  I wanted to see if Bod ever met with Scarlett again.  This book was amazing.  I think I will put it on the reading list for the boys.

tags: 5 stars, book bingo, ebook, Fantasy Project, Neil Gaiman
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 09.20.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book by Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman

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Title: A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book

Author: Elsie Larson, Emma Chapman

Publisher: Potter Style 2013

Genre: Photography How-to

Pages: 240

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nerdy -- How to; Bingo -- 4 2013 releases

How I Got It: Library Loan

Whether it’s of your sister’s smile, your morning coffee, or your new puppy, photos are a way to connect on Facebook and Instagram, keep a visual diary of our lives, and create momentos for future generations. Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman, creators of the mega-popular DIY style blog A Beautiful Mess, are in love with photographing everyday life. Here, they share that love with 95 all-new tips and photo challenges that will inspire you to style and snap better photos and then transform them into simple yet stunning projects and gifts.

I've followed the blog A Beautiful Mess for awhile now. I read about their book publication, but didn't seek out the finished project.  And then while perusing the new books section at the library, I spied it.  Flipping through, I was treated to gorgeous photographs.  When I started actually reading the tips, I found some great and easy ways to create beautiful photographs.  I may not follow every one of their tips, but I got some great ideas about how to classy up my pictures.  Plus they include some great little DIY projects using your photographs.  Very fresh.  Very fun.  Very useful.

tags: 4 stars, book bingo, Elsie Larson, Emma Chapman, Nerdy Nonfiction, photography
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 09.10.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

As Shadows Fade and Max Stops the Presses by Colleen Gleason

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Title: As Shadows Fade (Gardella Vampire Chronicles #5); Max Stops the Presses (Gardella Vampire Chronicles #5.5)

Author: Colleen Gleason

Publisher: Signet Eclipse 2009; 2013

Genre: Vampires

Pages: 342; 30

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Paranormal -- Angels; Monthly Key Word - Shade; Mount TBR; Seriously Series; Eclectic -- Romantic Suspense; Ebook; Bingo -- 2 2013 releases

How I Got It: I own it

Demons, enemies of both mortals and the undead, have found their way to Earth. To defeat them, Victoria Gardella proposes an alliance between her slayers and Lilith’s vampires. But the vampire queen wants the former slayer Max Pesaro in return for her cooperation—a small price for the world, but a price Victoria is unwilling to pay...

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An amazing conclusion to a great paranormal romance series.  I loved seeing where the story led.  And I'm super excited to find a happy ending, albeit one with a huge twist.  I can see the need for the twist, but holy crap it was a shocker.  My only complaint was that I wanted a bit more of an ending.  Thankfully, we Gleason made a short story to give the readers a bit more of a ending.

This is a short story (about 30 pages) that takes place after the end of As Shadows Fade, the fifth book in the Victoria Gardella Vampire Chronicles series.

And this is the story that helped me find a bit of closure for the characters.  Plus, it was a cute little short story to follow up.  Love it!

Gardella Vampire Chronicles:

  • #1 The Rest Falls Away
  • #1.5 Victoria Gardella
  • #2 Rises the Night
  • #3 The Bleeding Dusk
  • #4 When Twilight Burns
  • #5 As Shadows Fade
  • #5.1 Max Stops the Presses
  • #6 Roaring Midnight
  • #7 Raging Dawn
  • #8 Roaring Shadows
tags: 5 stars, book bingo, Colleen Gleason, demons, ebook, eclectic books, monthly key word, mount tbr, paranormal, Seriously Series, vampires
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 09.05.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

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Title: Pride and Prejudice

Author: Jane Austen

Pages: 279

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Jane Austen Etc.; ebook; Book to Movie; Book Bingo -- 4 rereads

How I Got It: Own It!

Book: Always a favorite. I have to reread the complete Austens once every few years.  This particular novel always rates highly with me.  Every time I reread it, I find something else new. This time I picked up the animosity between Wickham and Elizabeth after he and Lydia are married.  You could cut the tension in that room with a knife.  And yet, Elizabeth tries to be polite and cordial while giving Wickham the what for.  Love it!  As I have now read the main six novels, I guess I need to start over again next year.

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BBC Version: This is the definite version.  I love Colin Firth's standoffish manner.  I love Jennifer Ehle's version of Elizabeth.  Her spirit is just amazing.  The scene with Darcy emerging from the pond is a lovely piece of cinema, but I always have a bit of an issue with how completely out of time it is.  Overall, I'm just loving this version.

Movie Version: I'm not a huge fan of Keira Knightly.  In this film, I can see her as Elizabeth.  She's quieter and more reserved than Ehle's version, but it works in the mood of this film. Darcy is to die for in this one.  Love him so much.  My only issue is the scene in the field between Elizabeth and Darcy. The scene is not canon at all, but I do love the romantic feel of it.

tags: 5 stars, book bingo, ebook, Jane Austen
categories: Book Reviews, Movies
Wednesday 08.28.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Title: The Host

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Publisher: Back Bay Books 2008

Genre: Paranormal

Pages: 620

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Paranormal -- Aliens; TBR Pile; Book to Movie; Bingo -- 3 rereads

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

A reread for me.  With the release of the movie this year, I wanted to reread the book and do a bit of comparison.  I remember that I enjoyed The Host more than the Twilight series, but I wanted to see if my memories lived up.  They do live up to my memories.  I really enjoyed this book.  The story of the aliens taking over Earth through body snatching isn't anything new.  But Melanie/Wanderer's story of understanding and identity is nice and unique.  I loved following their slow realization that neither of them are the enemy.  And watching the love triangle (or is it a square?) develop did not annoy me like in the Twilight series.  This one felt genuine.  I loved rereading this book.  And I'll even admit to ugly crying in parts.

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Movie:

Overall, I quite enjoyed this adaptation. I'll admit that the voiceovers for Melanie and Wanderer's internal conversations were awkward, but the movie kept them to a minimum.  The actors actually portray their characters well.  The movie spent a lot of time following the searcher, but it added to the heightened fear of capture.  My favorite character was Jeb played by William Hurt.  He captured that exact mix of crazy and genius that I loved from the book.  I went into the viewing thinking I would hate the movie, but it turns out that I really enjoyed it.

tags: 5 stars, aliens, book bingo, Book to Movie, Bout of Books Readathon, fantasy, movies, paranormal, science fiction, Stephenie Meyer, TBR Pile
categories: Book Reviews, Movies
Saturday 08.24.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

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Title: Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic

Author: Alison Bechdel

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin 2006

Genre: Graphic Novel; Memoir

Pages: 232

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Women Authors; Bingo - 5 from TBR

How I Got It: Library loan

In this groundbreaking, bestselling graphic memoir, Alison Bechdel charts her fraught relationship with her late father. In her hands, personal history becomes a work of amazing subtlety and power, written with controlled force and enlivened with humor, rich literary allusion, and heartbreaking detail.

Distant and exacting, Bruce Bechdel was an English teacher and director of the town funeral home, which Alison and her family referred to as the "Fun Home." It was not until college that Alison, who had recently come out as a lesbian, discovered that her father was also gay. A few weeks after this revelation, he was dead, leaving a legacy of mystery for his daughter to resolve.

Going in, I didn't really know what to expect from this novel.  I was expecting a straight forward memoir, but instead got a wonderful mix of literary insight and family memories. Following Bechdel's narrative feels almost like an intrusion on her private self. She bares all as we move from her early childhood to ruminations on sexuality and the complexities of family and identity.   In many ways, it reminded me of Persepolis.  Instead of making an entertaining version of life, the reader gets an honest brutal look at life and growing up.  Definitely a powerful read.

tags: 4 stars, Alison Bechdel, book bingo, family, graphic novel, memoir, women authors
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 08.19.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Every Day by David Levithan

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Title: Every Day

Author: David Levithan

Publisher: Knopf 2012

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 324

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: New Author; Eclectic - LGBT; Blogger Recs; Book Bingo - 3 from everyone but me

How I Got It: Library Loan

Every Day is technically for young adults, but the premise of this unusual book goes much deeper. It asks a question that will resonate with the young and old alike: Can you truly love someone regardless of what they look like on the outside? The main character, A, wakes up every morning in a different body. Day to day, A can be male or female, any ethnicity, any size, and in any type of household. The only constant is that he (we'll go with that pronoun for convenience) is 16. A has been body jumping for as long as he can remember, and he has learned to not leave behind any trace of his presence--until he meets Rhiannon. For the first time in his life, A feels a true connection with another person. But can she love him back? Levithan handles their romance with great aplomb, building to a poignant and beautiful ending that took my breath away. --Caley Anderson

I'll admit that reading the summary for this book, I wasn't hooked at all.  I thought it would be some whiny teen romance book with a gimmick.  I am not afraid to say that I was wrong.  This was a very interesting insightful young adult aimed novel.  While the romance with Rhiannon kept the novel moving forward, I really zeroed in on the passages about what A has learned from being in so many different bodies.  I especially like the chapter where A discusses gender or the feelings of being genderless while body hopping.  It's an interesting take on identity and sexuality.  And I thoroughly enjoyed it!

tags: 4 stars, blogger recommendation, book bingo, David Levithan, eclectic books, new authors, young adult
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 08.15.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

2013 Book Bingo Reading Challenge

From Kristilyn at Reading in Winter:

Of course, a challenge isn’t really a challenge unless there are some rules and guidelines:

  1. Be awesome. If you’re not, this isn’t going to work.
  2. The challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2013.
  3. If you want to participate, you can join in any time of the year! Feel free to write up a blog post with the rules linking back to my and Anne’s blog in your sign-up post.
  4. If you read one book for the “1 book” in any category, you can’t change it later on when you read another book to “2 books.” Once a square is crossed off, it’s crossed off for good! (Feel free to print off the scoreboard to keep track!)
  5. Books read for one square are for that square ONLY and cannot be counted towards another category. This is all about reading ALL THE BOOKS.
  6. The FREE SQUARE isn’t really a free square. In order to cross it off, you must read a book by either:
    1. Reading a book picked by another participant, or
    2. Reading a book in a genre picked by another participant.
    3. You can start your board over again, but ONLY if you receive the stamp of awesome by completing a blackout. The “winners” of the challenge will be the ones who achieve the most winning combinations by the end of 2013.
    4. You can feel free to post your reading list for each category, though it’s not a requirement.
    5. Having a blog or writing reviews for books read is not required. So long as you want to have fun, you can participate!
    6. This isn’t a race, but don’t be afraid to rub your reads in the other player’s face. This will be seen as encouragement. Feel free to use the hashtag #2013BookBingo on Twitter!

While you can definitely “win” by the boring ol’ vertical or horizontal (or diagonal!) lines, the best ways to win are as follows:

Like it says in the guidelines, the ONLY way to start a new board is to become the SUPER READER! The goal is to read ALL THE BOOKS! To be a winner (thus, to become the awesomest reader around), you’ll want to accomplish as many wins as possible!

UPDATE: I had a question about when we will post updates for the challenge, so I decided that every 3 months I will post an update here and all participants can link to their own updates. Tentatively, an update post will go up April 1st, July 1st, October 1st, and December 31st. 

Will you participate in this challenge? Do you have what it takes to become a super reader? 

Holy crap!  This looks like so much fun!  I am jumping on this challenge and am hoping to be a super reader and fill the entire board!

tags: book bingo
categories: Reading Challenges
Wednesday 01.16.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Beauty and the Bitch by Jasmine Haynes

Title: Beauty and the Bitch

Author: Jasmine Haynes

Publisher: 2012

Genre: Erotic fairy tales

Pages: 114

Rating:  4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC -- Man and Woman on Cover (5 points); Genre -- Erotica; Women Authors; Ebook; Book Bingo -- 3 from TBR

How I Got It: I own it; Ebook form

Reporter Dexter King is about to get the story of a lifetime. Shelby Stewart was the hottest rising star in Hollywood until suddenly, she was cursed. Retreating to her mountain hideaway, far from that fairy tale life, she hasn’t been seen in ten years. Now Dex will ferret out the truth behind her fall from Hollywood grace. But will he find a beauty? Or a bitch?

In truth, I read this because it was free in iBooks and I needed something short to read in between colossal books.  I didn't have very high hopes, but I was pleasantly surprised after reading.  This is an interesting erotic retelling of Beauty and the Beast.  Except in this one the roles are reversed.  Dex is a great knight in shining armor and Shelby has a wonderful back and forth nature.  I really liked the storyline.  It was a nice short read while traveling back home.

tags: 4 stars, book bingo, ebook, fairy tales, Genre, Jasmine Haynes, romance, t4mc, women authors
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 01.09.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Change of Fortune by Jen Turano

Title: Change of Fortune (Ladies of Distinction #1)

Author: Jen Turano

Publisher: Bethany House 2012

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 202

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Sub Genre -- Mystery, Romance; New Authors; Mount TBR; Book Bingo -- 1 from TBR Pile; T4MC -- J Author (5 points)

How I Got It: I won it!  An ARC

Lady Eliza Sumner is on a mission. Her fortune was the last thing she had left after losing her father, her fiance, and her faith. Now, masquerading as Miss Eliza Sumner governess-at-large, she's determined to find the man who ran off with her fortune, reclaim the money, and head straight back to London.

Mr. Hamilton Beckett, much to his chagrin, is the catch of the season, and all the eyes of New York society--all the female ones, at least--are on him. He has no plans to marry again, especially since his hands are full keeping his business afloat while raising his two children alone.

Eliza's hapless attempts to regain her fortune unexpectedly put her right in Hamilton's path. The discovery of a common nemesis causes them to join forces and, before she knows it, Eliza has a whole retinue of people helping her. Eliza's determination not to trust anyone weakens when everyone's antics and bumbling efforts to assist her make her wonder if there might be more important things than her fortune and independence.

When all of Hamilton's and Eliza's best-laid plans fall by the wayside, it will take a riot of complications for them to realize that God just might have had a better plan in mind all along.

A good choice to help kick off my new's reads.  I won this ARC a few weeks back and decided to throw it in my suitcase for reading on the plane.  I didn't read it on the plane but devoured it in just two days before my trip back.  The romane, the adventure, and the mystery were all great elements.  I loved Eliza's spunk and Hamilton's devotion.  The rest of the characters were fun and useful.  Zayne and Agatha were by far my favorites.  Piper and Ben were the cutest children ever.  I really enjoyed read this book.  However, I have one issue: the Christian angle.  Suddenly about half way through the book more and more characters are bringing up their faith.  It felt a bit after the fact to me.  I didn't see it as an apparent main theme.  In that way, it seemed just a bit disingenuous.  If that's the angle taken, I would like to see it incorporated at the start of the book.  But even that little issue didn't keep me from enjoying the book.  Plus, I started my year off right with a good read.

Ladies of Distinction

  • #0.5 Gentleman of Her Dreams
  • #1 A Change of Fortune
  • #2 A Most Peculiar Circumstance
  • #3 A Talent for Trouble
  • #4 A Match of Wits
tags: 4 stars, book bingo, Christian, historical fiction, Jen Turano, mount tbr, new authors, romance, Sub Genre
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 01.03.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi

Title: Chicken with Plums

Author: Marjane Satrapi

Publisher: Pantheon 2006

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 90

Rating:  3 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Women Author; Mount TBR; Book Bingo -- 2 from TBR; T4MC -- Women Author (15 points)

We are in Tehran in 1958, and Nasser Ali Khan, one of Iran’s most revered tar players, discovers that his beloved instrument is irreparably damaged. Though he tries, he cannot find one to replace it, one whose sound speaks to him with the same power and passion with which his music speaks to others. In despair, he takes to his bed, renouncing the world and all its pleasures, closing the door on the demands and love of his wife and his four children. Over the course of the week that follows, his family and close friends attempt to change his mind, but Nasser Ali slips further and further into his own reveries: flashbacks and flash-forwards (with unexpected appearances by the likes of the Angel of Death and Sophia Loren) from his own childhood through his children’s futures. And as the pieces of his story slowly fall into place, we begin to understand the profundity of his decision to give up life.

Interesting story...  I must admit that I liked her Persepolis series much better than this one.  But this volume does have some redeeming qualities.  I loved the look into the head of Nasser Ali.  Instead of a linear story, we get flashbacks and almost stream of consciousness.  It's an interesting choice of style.  I liked it.  And the drawings were amazing as ever.  The stark black and white with figures really lends powers to the story.

tags: 3 stars, book bingo, graphic novel, Marjane Satrapi, mount tbr, women authors
categories: Book Reviews, Movies
Wednesday 01.02.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 
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