JechtShot - Shooting for 75 in 2012

Hi All! I surprised myself by reading more books last year than ever before (should be 75 or 76 by years end) so I am back for a second run in 2012. I am looking forward to discovering and sharing great reads in the new year with this fantastic group.

Reading Goals (in no particular order):
- Continue reading the works of Stephen King in chronological order. I started last year and I am currently up to 1978. I have a long way to go. Next up: The Stand. Goal will be to read at least 5 more this year. Complete!



- Work my way through at least 25 books from my list of 295 (and growing) TBR books



- Read 10 books from the 1001 Books to Read Before you Die list



Links to previous challenge threads:
75 Book Challenge for 2011
50 Book Challenge for 2010

Books Read in Quarter 1 of 2012:

January:
1. Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron (3 stars) - Review
2. Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes (4.5 stars) - Review
3. Legacies by F. Paul Wilson (3.5 stars) - Review
4. Zodiac by Neal Stephenson (4 stars) - Review
5. Darkness, Tell Us by Richard Laymon (2.5 stars) - Review

January Stats:
Total Books Read: 5
Pages Read: 1728
Pages/Day: 55.74
Average Rating: 3.5

February:
6. The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson (5 stars) - Review
7. WWW: Wake by Robert J. Sawyer (3 stars) - Review
8. The Stand by Stephen King (5 stars) - Review

February Stats:
Total Books Read: 3
Pages Read: 2365
Pages/Day: 81.55
Average Rating: 4.3

March:
9. The Cemetery Club by JG Faherty (4 stars) - Review
10. Shatter by Michael Robotham (4.5 stars) - Review
11. WWW: Watch by Robert J. Sawyer (3.5 stars) - Review
12. Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold (3.5 stars) - Review

March Stats:
Total Books Read: 4
Pages Read: 1422
Pages/Day: 45.87
Average Rating: 3.8

=================
Q1 Results
Total Books Read: 12
Pages Read: 5515
Pages/Day: 60.60
Average Rating: 3.86

Books Read in Quarter 2 of 2012:

April:
13. WWW: Wonder by Robert J. Sawyer (3.5 stars) - Review
14. The Games by Ted Kosmatka (3.5 stars) - Review
15. Cuts by Richard Laymon (2 stars) - Review
16. Sloppy Seconds by Tucker Max (3 stars) - Review
17. Ghoul by Brian Keene (3.5 stars) - Review
18. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (3.5 stars) - Review
19. Watership Down by Richard Adams (5 stars) - Review

April Stats:
Total Books Read: 7
Pages Read: 2384
Pages/Day: 76.90
Average Rating: 3.42

May:
20. 13 Bullets by David Wellington (3 stars) - Review
21. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (4 stars)- Review
22. Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn (2.5 stars) - Review
23. Watership Down by Richard Adams (5 stars) - Review
24. The Dead Zone by Stephen King (4 stars) - Review

May Stats:
Total Books Read: 5
Pages Read: 1804
Pages/Day: 58.19
Average Rating: 3.7

June:
25. AMPED by Dougle E. Richards (3 stars) - Review
26. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (4 stars) - Review
27. 12.21 by Dustin Thomason (3.5 stars) - Review
28. Firestarter by Stephen King (3 stars) - Review
29. Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander (3.5 stars) - Review

June Stats:
Total Books Read: 5
Pages Read: 1744
Pages/Day: 58
Average Rating: 3.4

=================
Q2 Results:
Total Books Read: 17
Pages Read: 5932
Pages/Day: 65.18
Average Rating: 3.5

H1 Results:
Total Books Read: 29
Pages Read: 11447
Pages/Day 62.89
Average Rating: 3.60

Books Read in Quarter 3 of 2012:

July:
30. The Kid Who Climbed Everest by Bear Grylls (312 pages, 3.5 stars) - Review
31. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (638 pages, 4 stars) - Review
32. Survivor by J.F. Gonzalez (373 pages, 3 stars) - Review
33. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (304 pages, 4 stars) - Review
34. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (102 pages, 3 stars) - Review
35. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (100 pages, 3 stars) - Review

July Stats:
Total Books Read: 6
Pages Read: 1829
Pages/Day: 59
Average Rating: 3.41

August:
36. Among the Missing by Richard Laymon (400 pages, 1.5 stars) - Review
37. Danse Macabre by Stephen King (512 pages, 3 stars) - Review
38. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (592 pages, 4.5 stars) - Review
39. Island by Richard Laymon (504 pages, 3 stars) - Details

August Stats:
Total Books Read: 4
Pages Read: 2008
Pages/Day: 65
Average Rating: 3.00

September:
40. Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn (288 pages, 2.5 stars) - Review
41. Dracula by Bram Stoker (398 pages, 3.5 stars) - Review
42. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (309 pages, 4.5 stars) - Review

September Stats:
Total Books Read: 3
Pages Read: 995
Pages/Day: 33
Average Rating: 3.5

=================
Q3 Results:
Total Books Read: 13
Pages Read: 4841
Pages/Day: 52.6
Average Rating: 3.3

Books Read in Quarter 4 of 2012:

October:
43. The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger (256 pages, 3.5 stars) - Details
44. Deathbird Stories by Harlan Ellison (394 pages, 3 stars) - Review
45. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (1280 pages, 4.5 stars) - Details

October Stats:
Total Books Read: 3
Pages Read: 1930
Pages/Day: 62.25
Average Rating: 3.66

November:
46. Conspiracies by F. Paul Wilson (416 pages, 3.5 stars) - Review
47. Kill Decision by Daniel Suarez (400 pages, 3 stars) - Details
48. Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (832 pages, 4 stars) - Details

November Stats:
Total Books Read: 3
Pages Read: 1648
Pages/Day: 54.93
Average Rating: 3.5

December:
49. Cujo by Stephen King (320 pages, 3.5 stars) - Details
50. Locke and Key: Clockworks by Joe Hill (152 pages, 4.5 stars) - Details
51. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson (336 pages, 4.5 stars) - Details
52. Bite Me: Love Story by Christopher Moore (320 pages, 2.5 stars) - Review
53. 102 Minutes by Jim Dwyer (384 Pages, 5 stars) - Details
54. Bonk by Mary Roach (321 pages, 3 stars) - Review

Hi Nick! Starred you. I noticed one of your goals is books from 1001 Books. A few I read and liked: The Remains of The Day, To Kill A Mockingbird, and In This House Brede. Also Mark and some others are hosting a Steinbeckathon. There's lots of Steinbeck on 1001 list. Happy Reading in the New Year!!

Hi! From the 1001 list I have read these ones:
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, The War of the Worlds, The Godfather, Of Mice and Men and Lord of the Flies

All of them are masterpieces I would recommend to anyone :)
I want to read too more Stephen King books next year.

Starred!

Hi Nick- Happy New Year and welcome to the 75! It's the place to be! Hope you enjoy the Stand. It's one of my favorites. I received 11/22/63 for Christmas.

Hi Nick, Welcome to the 75er's group :) Got you starred, Happy reading in 2012.

Hi Nick and welcome!!
The Stand is one of my all time favorite King book :) It's a tomb but I think it's worth the time :)
got you starred and off to browse your 2011 thread!

10 from the 1001 list is a cool goal. :)

Glad to see you back with us again, Nick! Good luck with your reading goals for 2012.

Hi Nick, dropping in to leave my star

Welcome back Nick! I, too read more books last year than I've ever done before as well, and that is with a baby at home! This group totally made the difference in helping me set and achieve the goal of 75+ books. Here's to another year of great readings. :)

Welcome back!

Hi All, thanks for stopping by! I love this group - recommendations for reading before the New Year is upon us.

Tammy - Thanks for the recommendations. I have read a few of the 1001 Books and so far I have found the results to be either amazingly brilliant works or complete an utter stinkers. Any help I can get wading through this vast list is greatly appreciated! I read To Kill a Mockingbird many, many years ago, but I may need to dust that one off and re-read it. I remember it being an incredible read.

Joaquín - Thanks for your recommendations. Thank you for reminding me that I need to read War of the Worlds a fairly short read and free on the Kindle!

Mark - I read The Stand several years ago and it is in my King top 3. I am really looking forward to re-reading it for my personal Stephen King challenge. My other favorites include It and Under the Dome. I have heard great things about 11/22/63. I am torn with keeping with my chronological challenge or making an exception and reading that now. I am afraid if I wait it will be 11/22/2063 before i get to it :)

Curlysue - Thank you for checking out my 2012 thread and dropping off a star. The Stand is an incredible journey, a time commitment, but well worth it! Do you have any other Stephen King favorites?

Ren - I am hoping that a goal of 10 is possible. I just get distracted with all kinds of other shiny things to read as the year progresses.

Jolerie - This group has done amazing things for my reading. Not only am I reading more, I am also discovering amazing new books and authors almost everyday!

Monica, Stasia, Chelle, Jim - Thanks for visiting! Looking forward to a great year of reading in 2012.

Happy New Year, Nick!

for his older ones:
Salem's Lot
Carrie
The Shining
I have a soft spot for Christine and Cujo because they were my first 2 King books I swiped from my aunt :)

for his newer ones:
It
Full Dark, No Stars (good short story one)
Dreamcatcher for some reason this one really grossed me out in a good way :)

Happy New Year, Nick!

The Shining is on the 1001 list. Two birds with one stone. :-)

Hi Kara - Thanks for sharing your list. Salem's Lot, Carrie and The Shining were all memorable King reads for 2011. I think The Shining was my favorite of my Stephen King reads from last year. And from the newer list, It is doorstoppingly huge and creepy, but very good (until the end when things got a little too bizarre).

Hi Roni - Thanks for stopping by! Happy New Year!

Hi Tammy - It is??? How did I miss that. I read The Shining last year, so I unfortunately won't be able to use that for 2012... I'm going to have to scan through the list again and see if I missed any others that I have already read. Thanks for the info!

In the spirit of borrowing good ideas from other threads, here is my list of Favorites from 2011:

Fiction:
Room - Emma Donoghue
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Once a Runner - John L. Parker, Jr.
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

Non Fiction:
Columbine - Dave Cullen
Confessions of an Amatuer Peak Bagger - Kevin Flynn
Getting Things Done - David Allen

Horror:
The Shining - Stephen King
Castaways - Brian Keene
Resurrection Dreams - Richard Laymon

Science Fiction / Fantasy:
Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
The City and the City - China Mieville
A Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin
The Hunger Games (trilogy) - Suzanne Collins

Graphic Novel:
Locke and Key (series) - Joe Hill

1. Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 288
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Format: Hardcover
Challenge/Goal Category: 25 books from TBR List

Review on Book's Main Page

A young couple, Ivy and David, host a yard sale with the intention of clearing out their new home in preparation for the birth of their first child. An acquaintance from the couple's past, Melinda, stops by the sale and is last seen entering the home with David. No one witnesses her leaving and David quickly becomes a "person of interest". What follows is a web of lies that is slowly unraveled as a wife searches for proof of her husbands innocence. Did he do it? Do the lies from David's past erode his facade of perfection? The plot twists and turns until the truth is finally unveiled.

Never Tell a Lie falls into the category of a decent vacation read. The writing is a bit adjective heavy in the beginning, but does calm down to a tolerable level once the actual story is underway. As I was reading the story I was reminded of a farfetched crime solving show such as CSI. The crime was a little too perfect and the ending just a bit too tidy. Recommended if you are looking for a quick mystery/thriller read.

Columbine...*sigh* I have not read that one, heard great things about it but.........
Maybe this year since I need to read more NF :)

#23: I think I will give that one a pass for now. I hope your next read is better for you, Nick.

I can't bring myself to read Columbine. There are some things I still idealize and high school is one of them. This year is my son's last year at our Christian Day school. He will go to the public high school next year, so I don't want to think about bad things.

2. Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes



Rating: 4.5 stars
Pages: 304
Genre: Running, Autobiography
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: 25 books from TBR List

Review on Book's Main Page

On the morning of his 30th birthday Dean Karnazes wakes in a state of panic, fearing his life is reaching an end and he is no longer moving forward. He is rising up the corporate ladder, drinking in excess and at risk of losing his family. A change was needed. Dean comes home from a drinking bender strips down to his boxer shorts and starts running - for 30 miles. This was Dean's indoctrination into the world of ultra-running.

Ultramarathon Man is a motivating read. The stories of Dean's adventures are candid, heartfelt and brutally honest. Running 100+ miles in a given day is no walk in the park, but it does speak to how far the human body can be pushed. This book is about running, but I don't believe his message is that everyone should strap on shoes and start training for a Marathon. The message is that everyone should find something they love and though it may be a challenge, persevere and push until you achieve your goals

I run because long after my footprints fade away, maybe I will have inspired a few to reject the easy path, hit the trails and put one foot in front of the other, and come to the same conclusion I did: I run because it always takes me where I want to go.

24>Hi Kara, I have a hard time with Non-Fiction. If the content does not immediately resonate with me, it takes me months to finish a book that should be done in days. That said, Columbine was an incredibly well researched, informative and educational book that completely altered my perception of the tragedy. So, read it :)

26>Hi Tammy, I can understand your hesitations in wanting to pass on the book for a while. Perhaps, when your son is done with school you can reconsider.

#27: The message is that everyone should find something they love and though it may be a challenge, persevere and push until you achieve your goals

On that basis, I will read the book if I can find it. I am in no way a runner - bad hips, knees, and ankles.

If the content does not immediately resonate with me, it takes me months to finish a book that should be done in days.
yup, that's me.......

I will give Columbine a go this year :) I have not heard a bad thing about that book while cruising the LT threads.

Hi Stasia - Thanks for stopping by this years challenge thread. I hope you enjoy Ultramarathon Man if you can find it. I think this book would be enjoyed quite a bit by non-runners and runners alike. His writing style is very candid and it is pretty incredible what he has achieved both in life and in endurance running.

Hi Kara - lol! Glad to know I am not the only one who sometimes has trouble with non-fic.

3. Legacies by F. Paul Wilson



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 424
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Alicia Clayton, a doctor who suffered a very traumatic youth, returns to New York City to run a center for Children born with HIV. Her father passes away and leaves Alicia with everything, including a very cryptic will that alludes to secrets within her childhood home. Alicia wants nothing to do with her father or any of his possessions, but something was left behind and millions of dollars are being offered to her to sell the property. What lies in these haunted walls that a Saudi Arabian will kill countless people to retrieve? Why is a Japanese diplomat in pursuit of this same mystery? Repairman Jack is called to the case and in true "just Jack" fashion he teams up with Alicia, hunts the hunter and unravels a riddle that is literally worth billions and has the potential to change the world.

Fans of Repairman Jack will enjoy the second book in the series, Legacies. The writing is a bit more polished and the supernatural element that persisted throughout "The Tomb" is disbanded and replaced with a bit more of a realistic storyline. Legacies is an action packed thriller ripe with Repairman Jack goodness.

Nick- I loved your best of the year list! Some very fine reads. Columbine was outstanding. And I'm a big fan of The Kite Runner, The Book Thief, Locke & Key, A Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games...you get the idea.

4. Zodiac by Neal Stephenson



Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 320
Genre: Science Fiction, Eco-Thriller
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: 25 books from TBR List

Review on Book's Main Page

Boston Harbor is under attack by corporations flooding the waterways with toxic waste. Fish are floating belly up, Lobster livers are puddles of PCB infested ooze and several citizens are developing a nasty rash. Sangamon Taylor, eco-warrior and former chemist, utilizes his brilliance to solve eco-crimes and expose the polluting mega-corporations. Zodiac resounds with Neal Stephenson's trademark wit and satirical storytelling ability. The characters are primarily caricatures and the book somehow maintains the reader's interest in spite of several multi-page chemistry lessons. Zodiac is a story that only Neal Stephenson could pull off. Highly recommended.

The simpler the molecule, the better the drug. So the best drug is oxygen. Only two atoms. The second-best, nitrous oxide - a mere three atoms. The third-best, ethanol - nine. Past that, you're talking lots of atoms...Atoms are like people. Get lots of them together, never know what they’ll do.

Hi Mark - Glad you liked the list! Last year was a great year for reading and I'm hoping it only gets better. I'm bound to read some stinkers (some intentionally probably), but so far 2012 has been pretty good... lot of year left though.

5. Darkness, Tell Us by Richard Laymon



Rating: 2.5 stars
Pages: 392
Genre: Horror
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: 25 books from TBR List

Review on Book's Main Page

A run-of-the-mill horror tale about a group of college students convinced by an entity named Butler to search for "loot" in the mountains. The group sets out on the quest for fortune despite ominous warnings from their English professor. Needless to say, the journey does not quite go as expected.

Laymon is pretty hit or miss for me and this one is definitely a miss. The horror aspects, though disturbing, are quite minimal as most of the story focuses on one of the very virginal male characters constantly trying to get a peek of coed skin. Pages upon pages are dedicated to these sexual fantasies that add very and I mean very little to the plot. Laymon also touched on one of my author pet peeves: overusing a word so bad that I notice it! I noticed it so much in fact, that I nearly started a "jar of redundant language" that I could drop a quarter in every time this word came up. I would probably be a lot closer to retirement had I acted on this. The word: "rump". Not even a good word. A solid R rated horror novelist could have done much better. I cannot anti-recommend this book enough.

6. The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson



Rating: 5 stars
Pages: 784 (27 hours and 28 minutes)
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Audiobook
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

The Lord Ruler is dead and Ruin has been freed from his earthly prison to continue his plight to destroy the world. Ash now falls on the land so heavily that crops can no longer grow. Earthquakes and volcanoes ravage the landscape. The mist which was once confined to the evening sky flows throughout the day seeking out and ending the lives of many. Elend and Vin travel the world on a quest to unravel the mysteries of the Lord Ruler's contingency plan that was set in motion over 1000 years ago in hopes that they may find a way to stop Ruin and Preserve humanity.

The third novel in the Mistborn trilogy brings gratifying resolutions to the many story-lines, characters and open questions left unanswered in the previous two novels. Brandon Sanderson has crafted a masterful universe in the Mistborn series with a unique magic system that evolves throughout the novels and characters that grow as their worldview expands. Mistborn is a series that should not be missed.

TWiRL (This Week In Reading Life)

The Stand by Stephen King - I just crossed over the 50% mark on this Stephen King epic this morning. What a ride! I read this book a few years back and I forgot how addictive it is. This is his first novel where, in my opinion, he is truly in his element. A large cast of characters in a battle of good vs. evil. Right now, Randall Flagg (The Walkin' Dude) and his army of evil are gathering in Sin City. Meanwhile, Mother Abigail and her troops are trekking to Boulder, CO. It may take a few more weeks to get to the end of this tome and I am going to enjoy every word of it.

WWW:Wake by Robert J. Sawyer - I am currently listening to this on Audiobook. The story is intriguing so far. There are three seemingly unconnected threads running right now. Thread 1 - A blind high school girl is participating in an experimental medical procedure that may cure her blindness, but is so far unsuccessful. A side effect of the procedure is that she is able to sometimes visualize the WWW. Thread 2 - A hacker becomes aware that the Chinese government has cut off access to all external communications and he suspects a conspiracy of some kind is underway. Thread 3 - The first inter-species web cam chat is occurring between a chimpanzee and an orangutang. I am curious how the author is going to suture these plots together.

your update on The Stand brings back memories :)

"He smiles a lot. But I think there might be worms inside him making him smile." — Stephen King (The Stand)

Hi Kara - Glad to hear that my recap brought back some fond memories for you! Stay tuned for next week as I continue to make my way through this monstrously large and wonderful book.

Just stopping to say Hi and check up on you.

7. WWW: Wake by Robert J. Sawyer



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 368 (12 hrs and 13 mins)
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

In WWW:Wake, the first book in the WWW trilogy (Wake, Watch and Wonder), Robert J. Sawyer kicks things off with three seemingly unconnected threads. Thread 1 - A blind high school girl participates in an experimental medical procedure that may cure her blindness with the welcome side effect that she can now "visualize" the WWW. This visualization reveals there are cellular automata residing in the background of the Internet, which may indicate the presence of an artificial intelligence. Thread 2 - A hacker becomes aware that the Chinese government has cut off access to all external communications and he suspects a conspiracy of some kind is underway. Thread 3 - A different view of intelligence is forming as we witness the first inter-species web cam chat occurring between a chimpanzee and an orangutang.

The story started out a bit slow for my taste, which is usually the case when I have to read the painful acclimation rituals of a teenage girl starting out at a new school. However, once we got past that pain point the science fiction aspects kicked in and the story started to propel forward. I will not spoil with revealing the "how", but I found it fascinating "how" the author gave birth to a consciousness in the background of the Internet. The other two story lines really have not converged with the primary thread yet, but there are two more novels in the series. Sawyer earns points for creativity and I will give the second book in the series a go. No promises on book 3 as of yet.

8. The Stand by Stephen King



Rating: 5 stars
Pages: 1213
Genre: Horror
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: Stephen King Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

A biological weapon, a super-flu, is accidentally exposed to the public and a plague nearly eradicates the entire human race. As a result, an evil rises in the West and his name is Randall Flagg, the Walkin' Dude. He sets up shop in Las Vegas and those of a slightly more sinful heart are drawn to him. However, with evil must come good, we welcome Mother Abigail, the oldest woman left on the planet and a devout Christian. Those who were not drawn to Flagg flock to Abigail and begin to reform the democracy that was left behind. The two congregations are currently waiting to see who will strike first and as Winter draws closer "the stand" between good and evil draws nigh.

This is the first novel where Stephen King is truly in his element. A large cast of characters are placed into a situation (e.g. plagues, domes, etc...) where they fall into the general category of good or evil. The "situation" moves the plot along, but the characters truly drive the story. King is an absolute master of keeping a reader engaged in spite of the numerous characters that many authors could only dream to keep track of. The Stand is truly one of Stephen King's greatest accomplishments

41> Hi Tammy! Thanks for stopping by for a visit. Feel free to stop by anytime. This thread is open 24 hours a day.

Glad to see you loved The Stand. It is my favorite Stephen King, with 11/22/63 coming in a close second

Hi Chelle! Another vote for 11/22/63... it is getting tough to put this one off much longer. I had this grand plan to read the SK books in chronological order, but I am thinking I will have to deviate with all of the positive press surrounding his latest masterpiece. I read The Stand a few years back and somehow forgot how delightful it was. I must say though, there is a point towards the middle where it felt like King didn't know where the story was going. All was well in Colorado and things were coming together in the West, but there was no catalyst to push the groups towards confrontation. Even with the minor slow section, this is still easily a 5 star book for me.

9. The Cemetery Club by JG Faherty



Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 254
Genre: Horror
Format: Paperback, Early Reviewer
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

The town of Rocky Point has a very tainted past. Heinous acts of murder have plagued this community for centuries leading to an evil energy spawning beneath the soil. Twenty years ago, a group of four teenage outcasts believed that they had put an end to the evil below, but now in the present, this evil returns and spreads its seed throughout the townsfolk creating an army of zombies. The Cemetery Club must come together once again to wage war against the zombies and try to close the circle of evil for good this time.

J.G. Faherty presents a very addictive page turner with The Cemetery Club. There are no unexpected "surprises" or "twists" in this novel as the story follows the tried and true formula that every decent horror movie and novel uses. The result is a thrilling zombie tale with well developed characters fighting for their life and the survival of their town.

10. Shatter by Michael Robotham



Rating: 4.5 stars
Pages: 496
Genre: Mystery
Format: Paperback, Early Reviewer
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Joe O'Loughlin, the unlikely protagonist in this page turner, is a professor of Behavioral Psychology who suffers from the early stages of Parkinson's Disease. O'Loughlin has moved his family to the English countryside in hopes of learning to cope with his disease and migrate away from his formerly hectic life in London. However, just as Joe is settling in to his new life, the police request his immediate assistance to help with a suicide attempt in progress. What follows is a murder investigation that matches O'Loughlin's wits against a trained military agent who uses psychology in a very different way. Robothan has pieced together a thrilling murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. Highly recommended.

11. WWW: Watch by Robert J. Sawyer



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 352 (12 hrs and 4 mins)
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

WWW: Watch is the second novel in Robert J. Sawyers WWW trilogy (Wake, Watch and Wonder). The second book focuses on the continued emergence of Webmind and his utilization of the infrastructure of the WWW as its consciousness. However, a branch of the NSA known as WATCH is on to the emergent AI and has begun making plans to eradicate this potential intelligence threat. Webmind must figure out a way to survive in a world where his very existence is considered a risk to national security.

Rarely is the second book in a series better than its predecessor, but in the case of Watch this is definitely the case. The characters become more believable and the author presents some very viable arguments and considerations on the future of Artificial Intelligence. Another unique perspective that I enjoyed is that Sawyer presents an AI that does not mean to harm the human race, but rather wants to help and save as many as he can. One element of this book I could have done without, is the teen angst that comes with a 16 year old protagonist. Caitlin is a great character... until she goes on and on and on about boys. If I could strike these sections this book has 4-5 star potential. If you are interested in reading accessible science fiction I would recommend the WWW series (or at least the first two books).

12. Falling Free by Lois McMaster bujold



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 320
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: 25 books from TBR List

Review on Book's Main Page

The "Quaddies" are a genetically manufactured human-like species designed to function best in a zero gravity situation. Why? They have four sets of arms, which turns out is far more useful for space related manufacturing operations than two-legged humans. The "Quaddies", though human-like are in fact considered capital equipment of mega corporation GalacTech. As capital equipment, the "Quaddies" do not have nor or they aware of basic human rights. They are a race of disposable slaves. In Falling Free, an engineer, Leo, is sent to train the "Quaddies" only to find that he may become a hero for a new breed of human.

The first quarter of the year is past and I must say I am a bit behind where I hoped I would be by now. The good news is that there is still plenty of year left.

My Top 3 for Q1 are:

(1) The Stand by Stephen King - One of King's greatest writing achievements.
(2) Mistborn: The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson - The entire Mistborn trilogy was incredible. Brandon Sanderson has become one of my favorite fantasy authors.
(3) Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes - The story of how a man went from flat-lining in corporate America to ultra-marathon running. Inspirational!

Q1 Results
===============
Total Books Read: 12
Pages Read: 5515
Pages/Day: 60.60
Average Rating: 3.86

If you liked Falling Free, you will probably love the rest of Bujold's books.

13. WWW: Wonder by Robert J. Sawyer



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 354 (11 hrs and 8 mins)
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

WWW: Wonder is the third novel in Robert J. Sawyer's WWW trilogy (Wake, Watch and Wonder). WebMind, an emergent ariticial intelligence who was born in the novel 'Wake', in a matter of months, has consumed every bit of information available on the internet. In short, he is the smartest entity on the planet. The comforting fact is that as WebMind is not your standard take-over-the-world-evil-AI-villian, he is one of the good guys and just wants to make the world a better place. After all, where would WebMind be if the humans expired and no one was left to create new information for him to consume.

The third novel closed out the series well. There were certainly parts of this series I could have done without. Namely, teenage girl drama. Fortunately, this is pretty minimal and those sections can easily be skimmed without missing a whole lot. As a series, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

14. The Games by Ted Kosmatka



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 368
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Format: Hardcover, Early Reviewer
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

In the not to distant future, the Olympics has expanded to include an event that showcases the genetic engineering prowess of the major global powers. Each country spends an exorbitant amount of money to genetically engineer a gladiator that cannot be comprised of any human DNA. The United States, in order to maintain home field advantage, will go to any lengths to win this event. A super computer with an embedded Virtual Intelligence is created to generate the ultimate fighting machine. The parameters are fed to the machine and the Olympic committee, eager to win, blindly follows the blueprint with no understanding of the end result. The VI may have an agenda beyond creating a winning gladiator.

The Games is an enjoyable thriller reminiscent of Michael Crichton. The book was a bit bleak and depressing at times, but overall an enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more books by Ted Kosmatka.

15. Cuts by Richard Laymon



Rating: 2 stars
Pages: 301
Genre: Horror
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Albert is a young man with a fetish for cutting up young women; the slower the better. Half the book is spent following Albert on his cut-a-palooza across the US and the rest felt like a bizarre game of Clue with a slue of wacky characters trying to hook up with each other. To me, this book felt much more like 'gore erotica' than a horror novel. The book was a quick read with a few very gruesome scenes, but for the most part was disjointed and uninteresting.

16. Sloppy Seconds by Tucker Max



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 288
Genre: Humor
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

You either find Tucker Max hilarious or you don't. There is no in between. I am sure this says horrible things about my character, but I find Tucker's shenanigans pretty darn funny. Sloppy Seconds is composed of leftover stories that didn't quite fit into his three other books. As an added bonus, he decided to pass this gem on to his readers for the cost of $0. For those unfamiliar with Tucker Max, he is a womanizing, arrogant, egomaniac who shares his stories of drunken debauchery with the masses. This book was worth a few good laughs and you cannot beat the price.

52>ronincats - Thanks for the tip on Bujold! A friend of mine gave me several books in the series and I am looking forward to eventually reading them all. If Falling Free is any indicator of her style, I think I am in for a treat.

17. Ghoul by Brian Keene



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 341
Genre: Horror
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Timmy, Doug and Barry are 12-years old and best friends for life. Summer vacation has finally arrived and months of adventure await. However, the purity and naivety of youth is upended when our three brave adventurers learn that there are monsters in their midst. A Ghoul has been unleashed in the neighboring graveyard and is consuming corpses and seeking human women to breed with. Of course grownups don't believe much in monsters, so it is up to the trio to discover the secrets of the graveyard and save a town in peril. The boys learn much that summer. Monsters are not necessarily born, sometimes they are made. Abusive parents can be just as bad as the literal monsters.

Ghoul is a solid horror novel with well developed characters. Brian Keene expertly captures the sanctity of youth and embellishes parental flaws to demonstrate how much of an influence a parent truly has on their child. I enjoyed the parallels the author explores between the Ghoul in the graveyard and Timmy, Doug and Barry's parents. You will hate the adults in the novel far more than the Ghoul and I have a feeling this was the intention of the author. Once again, Keene delivers.

*waving* at Nick

I am not touching your last read with a 10-foot pole. Horror is just not my thing! lol

Hi Stasia! Horror is definitely not for everyone... but there is some good stuff out there :)

Hope all is well!

18. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 256
Genre: Horror
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: 25 books from TBR List

Review on Book's Main Page

Dr. Montague, in pursuit of proof of the paranormal, devises a plan to invite a group of strangers with ties to the paranormal to stay in the haunted Hill House. The invitees arrive and almost immediately the house begins to take hold on its unwelcome guests. Doors mysteriously close, the sound of a cane is heard banging on the walls and messages appear on the walls that seem to single out one of the guests in particular. Dr. Montague gets more than he bargained for when one of his scientific subjects is completely consumed by Hill House.

Shirley Jackson has spun quite a delightful ghost story with The Haunting of Hill House. Shirley Jackson does a masterful job of capturing human interaction. Often times the characters will be in conversations, and much like "real people", minds wander and characters rarely say what they are actually thinking. The Haunting of Hill House is a quick and enjoyable read, just remember to keep the lights on after you put the book down.

Within, its walls continues upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.

19. Watership Down by Richard Adams



Rating: 5 stars (only because that is as high as LT will let me rate)
Pages: 476 (15 hrs and 51 mins)
Genre: Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

I am not even going to try and attempt to summarize Watership Down. I am pretty sure others have done a fine job with that already. I will say this, if you haven't read this book, read it. If you have, read it again. I first read this Richard Adams classic 10+ years ago and decided I was past due for a re-read, but this time through I listened to the Audio version. I remember enjoying my first journey into this wonderful world of rabbits, but this time through I was absolutely hooked. Rarely does a book stick with me like this. As I listened to the last few sentences of Watership Down, with a tear in my eye, I could not help but start from the beginning so that I could listen to it all again. The world, the characters and the storytelling are absolutely brilliant.

20. 13 Bullets by David Wellington



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 336
Genre: Horror
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

13 Bullets starts off with a bang! The book opens in the 1980s with SWAT, US Marshalls and the FBI on stakeout to take out a vampire. What ensues is a spectacular limb severing bloodbath with law enforcement getting annihilated by the vamp. One agent manages to survive, Jameson Arkeley. Fast Forward to present time where another vampire is on the loose. Arkeley is on the hunt and Laura Caxton, a state trooper, is about to be indoctrinated into a world she can scarcely believe.

13 Bullets is a decent vampire thriller. Wellington's portrayal of the vampire is far more animalistic than most. Yes, in order to kill his vampires the heart must be destroyed, but good luck with that. If a vampire has recently visited the local blood buffet they are damn near unstoppable. The characters were a bit flat and the story felt a tad disjointed at times. This is the first in a series of books and I am interested enough to see where the story goes. At this point, I am a little hesitant to recommend, but I may change my tune after delving into the next book

21. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut



Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 288 (5 hrs and 53 mins)
Genre: Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Challenge/Goal Category: 1001 Books Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck from time. He lives in random moments of life; his marriage, his alien abduction by the Tralfamadorians and mostly his time as a prisoner of war in Dresden during World War II. Billy Pilgrim has seen his own death and the deaths of many. So it goes.

Kurt Vonnegut served in World War II and was a prisoner of war during the burning of Dresden in February of 1945. At first, I thought Billy Pilgrim was Vonnegut, but later learned this not to be the case. My opinions on the story are mixed and I think I may need to go through this one a few times before I "get" it. Themes of anti-war and fatalism are prevalent throughout the story, but I still feel a bit dizzy and confused after my first read through. I am still unsure if Billy Pilgrim is actually unstuck from time, if this is purely a series of hallucinations following the aftermath of a terrible wartime event or if he even survived Dresden at all.

Recommended, but keep an open mind. The book takes random hops through time and frequently switches narration styles. However, once you get past Vonnegut's stylistic choices you may find that you enjoy the life and death of Billy Pilgrim. So it goes.

22. Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn



Rating: 2.5 stars
Pages: 288
Genre: Non Fiction, Running
Format: Paperback, Early Reviewer
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Adharanand Finn, or just Finn, moved his family to Kenya for six months in hopes of learning the secrets of Kenyan runners. Is it their barefoot running style or just plain necessity that has set the Kenyans as the gold standard in distance running? Finn sets out on his ambitious journey to not only run with the Kenyans, but also to compete.

Finn's book fell flat for me. The story started out well, an English mid-pack runner sets out with visions of grandeur to become one with the Kenyan running lifestyle. However, once Finn arrives in Kenya the story becomes dull and repetitive. Most chapters of the book went something like this: Finn meets world famous athlete, running times are shared, everyone eats and Finn goes to sleep. Next Chapter: Finn goes out for a run and is slower than everyone else, but is improving. Next Chapter: Finn meets world famous athlete, running times are shared, everyone eats or watches television, and Finn goes to sleep. Rinse, Repeat. I think another reviewer put it best... this would have been a brilliant magazine article, but there was just not enough content to keep the reader interested for the entire book.

23. Watership Down by Richard Adams



Rating: 5 stars (only because that is as high as LT will let me rate)
Pages: 476 (15 hrs and 51 mins)
Genre: Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

A book I loved so much I had to listen to it again.

Delurking to say hi! If you are looking for a good book about running, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes and The Greatest Race The World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall was one of my favorite books last year.

Hi Tammy! I've been thinking about picking up that book for a while now. I have heard nothing but good things. Are you a runner? Just curious what prompted you to read Born to Run.

Born To Run was a rec from Mark. I'm not really a runner, bad knees and not enough discipline. But I like to be outdoors much of the time. The book was not only about running. It was about people and places and it kind of inspired me to get moving again.

24. The Dead Zone by Stephen King



Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 416
Genre: Horror
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: Stephen King Challenge

25. AMPED by Douglas E. Richards



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 384
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

26. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card



Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 352
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

The human race is convinced that an alien species will be returning to destroy the planet Earth. The only hope of saving the world is to hand select children of genius caliber intelligence (ages 6 and up) and train them as soldiers. The mind of a child works much differently of than an adult and creativity and "out of the sandbox" thinking is needed if there is any hope of our species surviving.

I came away from this read with mixed feelings as I could not wrap my brain around a six year old coming into "battle school" to kick ass and take names. This just doesn't happen. On the other hand it is fiction and therefore it is the authors prerogative to have six year old geniuses running the military. Unfortunately, my wee little brain could not suspend my disbelief enough to come to terms with Ender being able to mentally and physically annihilate all competition regardless of age or physical stature. Therefore, I took advantage of my own reader liberties and added 10 years to Ender right off the bat. Problem solved. A genius level 16 year old I could deal with and with that modification in place I thoroughly enjoyed the book!

27. 12.21 by Dustin Thomason



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 336
Genre: Fiction
Format: Paperback, Early Reviewer
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Book Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

The end of the Mayan long count calendar is slated to end on December 21st, 2012. Many speculate that this will be the end of the world, most will view it as just another day. Dustin Thomason paints a somewhat believable 12-21 scenario in which a Doctor from the CDC and an expert in Mayan history are paired together in a battle against time to find the source of a deadly virus. The virus is theorized to have originated in an ancient Mayan tomb and the secrets are buried in a Mayan codex that few have the smarts to decode. Will they find the tomb and potentially a cure in time or will 12-21 truly mark the end of civilization as we know it? Dustin Thomason has delivered a well written solid medical-Mayan thriller. Recommended

28. Firestarter by Stephen King



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 416
Genre: Horror
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: Stephen King Challenge

29. Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 256
Genre: Young Adult
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

30. The Kid Who Climbed Everest by Bear Grylls



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 312
Genre: Non Fiction
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

I have read several personal accounts of Everest climbs and Bear Grylls' (yes, the one from Man Vs. Wild) is one of the most thought provoking and personal. The story begins with Bear having a near fatal parachuting accident while in the British Army and being literally on bed-rest for several months. Surviving this incident stirs something in his being and the quest for the summit of Everest begins. After figuring out the logistics and funding for this endeavor, Bear and a friend from the Army embark for The Himalayas. Bear starts this story as a young 23-year old with ambitions taller than his age and an ego to match, but he is quickly humbled by the deadly majesty of Everest. It becomes clear to him very fast that he will summit Everest only if Everest will allow it.

We never conquered any mountain. Everest allowed us to reach her summit by the skin of our teeth, and let us go with our lives where others died. We certainly never conquered her. If I have learnt a deep understanding of anything it is this. Everest never has nor ever will be conquered.

Looks like you've been busy reading Nick! I had to chuckle at your review of Ender's Game. For some reason having little boys be the heroes is the exact reason why I found it fascinating. If it were like you said, some 16 year old teenagers, then the story wouldn't have the same appeal for me. Another reason why I love LT and everyone's takes on different books! :) Hope your having a great summer!

31. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson



Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 638 (27 hrs and 31 mins)
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Audiobook
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Books Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

The Elantrians - a once god like people who could heal the wounded, transform food from waste and travel great distances, all through the use of drawing characters in the air known as Aons. In order to join the noble faction of Elantris one must be chosen; pauper or nobleman were all candidates. However, 10 years ago a curse befell the Elantrians, the Shaod, in which the recipient was transformed into a blotchy skinned human-like creature without the powers once granted to the chosen few.

The story centers around the relationship between two characters, Raoden and Sarene. Raoden, the once crown prince of the land is stricken by the Shaod and sequestered to Elantris. There he strives to learn the secrets of the city and hopes to cure the Shaod and restore hope to his people. Sarene, the lanky princess who is slated to marry Raoden, attempts to restore hope and prosperity to the people from outside the grim walls of Elantris.

Elantris is not quite as strong as Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy, but it is a solid standalone fantasy novel. Fans of Sanderson's attention to detail, especially to that of magic, are sure to enjoy this epic tale.

32. Survivor by J.F. Gonzalez



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 373
Genre: Horror
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

This book is not for everyone. Heck, I am still not sure it was for me. I have a pretty strong stomach for extreme horror and this novel made even me cringe. The story centers around extreme S&M and the business of snuff. The author does not skimp on the details of these taboo topics. Before you pick this book up, do yourself a favor and read some other reviews to ensure you know what you are getting into. Not a bad story, but extremely graphic.

77>Hi Jolerie! I have been trying to keep up with the reading, but the 75 mark is looking a bit iffy at this point in the year. If I could just stop working... Thanks for sharing your opinion on Ender's game. I am a little jealous that you didn't have issues with the ages of the kids in the story :) Have you read any of the other books in the Ender-verse? I really liked the story as a standalone novel and I don't have any burning open questions that are keeping me awake at night. If you have read more, please share your thoughts on whether or not it is worth picking up the next book. Happy reading!

Great review for Elantris. I have that on my shelf as well as the Mistborn series for years now. I keep hearing great things about them, but other books just keep getting in the way!
I read the first couple of books in the Ender series and I must say the first and the second book, Speaker for the Dead are my two favourites out of all the books. Speaker for the Dead is a completely different take and direction than the first book but equally intriguing. Xenocide, Children of the Mind and Ender's Shadow are worth pursing, but I read Shadow of Hegemon and felt it was rather a letdown.

Personally, I thought Ender's Shadow was the best (after Ender's Game, of course). :)

33. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury



Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 304
Genre: Horror, Fantasy
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

The Dark Carnival storms into town just after midnight a week before Halloween with promises of freak shows, rides, mirror mazes and more. Two young boys, Jim Nightshade and Will Halloway are drawn to the carnival as boys would and should be. However, this is no ordinary fair passing through town. Along with the magic and mystery of the carnival, evil lurks behind every tent and your greatest wishes may be granted for the price of your soul.

Ray Bradbury spins a magical story with Something Wicked This Way Comes. The story reads more like a poem with lyrical prose and imagery. The story is mostly a dark fantasy centering around an evil carnival, but it touches on one of the topics most of us have dwelled on at least a bit. Aging and death. As a young spry early teenager you can't wait until the years pass by and you are old enough to be respected as an adult. As you approach your early twenties things are pretty fine and you feel immortal. Once middle age strikes you wish you could turn back time and relive those early teenage years before you are too old to remember what it was like to not have a care in the world. This concept is most evident with Will, the young teen and his 50 plus year old father, Charles. Charles is envious of his sons youthful curiosity and energy. He spends hours alone with books, remembering the early years and fixating on his eventual death. The Carnival brings promise of life eternal and Charles must decide if he will give in to the temptation of youth or continue to live life as-is, with his wife and son that he does love dearly.

Something Wicked This Way Comes is a novel that can be appreciated by just about anyone. Don't let the fact that is considered "horror" turn you away. Pick up the book and get lost in the magical journey of this story

Yeah, I guess that really cements the fact that I NEED to read a Bradbury book at some point this year. Something Wicked Comes This Way is already on my WL but your review just reaffirms that I made the right choice. :)

81>Hello Again, Jolerie! If you are going to read your Sanderson (which you should) I would start with Mistborn. Elantris was good, but the Mistborn trilogy blew me away. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Orson Scott Card books. Looks like at some point Ender and I will meet again.

82>Hi The_Hibernator! Thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts on Ender. I appreciate the info.

84>Jolerie - I have not read any Bradbury since the mandatory reading of Fahrenheit 451 in High School. I really enjoyed this and I am looking forward to checking out some of this other work. Something Wicked This Way Comes was a very enjoyable read! You are in for a treat once you get to that level of your wishlist.

34. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 102
Genre: Fiction
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge, 1001 Books Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Alice, a young potentially schizophrenic British lass, is transported to a world of wonder upon following a white rabbit down the rabbit hole. What follows is a disjointed series of events as Alice explores Wonderland, the world of her dreams. Your reaction to this book probably varies based on where you happen to be on life's journey. A small child may view this is to be an amusing story full of talking animals and fantastical situations. Someone a little further on in their years may view this as a handbook of things not to do. For example, if there is a cup on a table with a sign that says "drink me"... don't. If there is a piece of cake next to aforementioned drink with a sign that says "eat me"... don't. Aside from Alice's somewhat poor decision making skills, this is a fun children's classic that everyone should read at least once

I have this one of my shelf waiting to be read. I've seen many different movie/show adaptations so it's probably a good idea to read the actual book at some point. :)

35. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 100
Genre: Fiction
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge, 1001 Books Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Our dear friend Alice sets out once again on an adventure through Wonderland. However, rather than following a rabbit down a hole this time she travels through a mirror (looking glass) to a chess-like version of this magical realm. We follow Alice across the "squares" as she advances from the land of pawns to that of the queens. I prefer the story of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland slightly to this, but still a very enjoyable and fun read.

88>Jolerie - I had this one sitting on my shelf for ages. Finally, finally picked it up and started to read it. I probably will never re-read, but I am glad I took the time to enjoy the stories. The film adaptations are great and actually are pretty true to the story. As I was reading the book I kept having flashbacks to the Disney version and thought... "yep, turns out Carroll was the one on drugs and not the animators..."

36. Among the Missing by Richard Laymon



Rating: 1.5 stars
Pages: 400
Genre: Fiction
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Another Laymon crapfest. When will I learn? In Among the Missing, a young couple sets out for a weekend canoe trip when they stumble upon a man cuddling up with the corpse of a decapitated woman. The man, startled from his necrophile nap, grabs the head of the woman and takes off across the river. This triggers an investigation into 'who dun it' and a soap opera horror story ensues.

I'll start with the positives. This was a quick read, fun at times, and Laymon managed not to have his leading man be an obsessive nerdy teenager in an endless quest for top notch tail. Now the bad. The ending made no sense. Laymon was going for a "shocking twist", but I think he came up with this idea after he was nearly done with the book and neglected to go back to his earlier chapters to make sure that it freakin' made sense. The eventual resolution was not terribly shocking, but I was hoping there would be a somewhat respectable attempt at an explanation. I would summarize the ending as follows: A group of three hikers spot a bear in the woods. The bear is terribly hungry, frothing at the mouth, and he mauls one of the unfortunate onlookers. We have two witnesses who watched the whole event and it is pretty clear to all that the bear is responsible for this grizzly act. At the end of the book a zebra walks by with the hikers blood crusted throughout his black and white coat. Clearly we have our killer. Makes perfect sense , right? No, not at all, but now you know how I felt during the last 30 pages of this clunker.

37. Danse Macabre by Stephen King



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 512
Genre: Non-Fiction, Horror
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: Stephen King Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Danse Macabre is Stephen King's essay/opinion piece on the horror genre from 1950-1980. The writing style is very conversational, but if you are not well versed in the books and movies from the selected time period much of the content will float right on over the readers head. The problem with a book like this is that it is stuck in time, and the level of enjoyment for the reader is directly proportional to the readers age and the readers exposure to writing from this time period. Fortunately, Stephen King provides an appendix of recommended reads to help the reader expand their horror horizons. For me, I am hoping to beef up my wishlist, read some horror novels that I was previously unaware of and maybe come back to this book when I can fully appreciate King's expert opinion.

38. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis



Rating: 4.5 stars
Pages: 592
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

The history department at Oxford has an innovative way to study the past; traveling back in time to witness the events first-hand. Kivrin, a young history student, is sent to the year 1320 to study Medieval England prior to the onslaught of the Black Plague. However, upon her arrival a flu epidemic strikes in present day (2050) forcing a quarantine of Oxford and a suspension of all time travel. Times are tough for Kivrin as well, and the most pressing issue is, will she find a way to return back to modern time?

One of the issues that frequently comes up when dealing with Time Travel is how to handle the inevitable paradox questions. Willis' answer to this is to impose a set of physical laws of time travel which are enforced via 'The Net'. Few details are given, but basically if the time travelers presence would change the course of history, the time travel attempt would not be allowed. There is an implication that there are other laws to time travel, but the primary focus is the avoidance of paradox.

I was a little trepidatious to start this novel as I tend to suffer from frequent yawning spells when I attempt historical fiction. However, Willis broke the curse. Her descriptions of the places, believable characters and engaging story line held my rapt attention to the very end. Highly recommended.

39. Island by Richard Laymon



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 504
Genre: Horror
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

I loved Doomsday Book! It was one of my favorites when I was a teenager.

95>Hi The_Hibernator! I concur, Doomsday Book was great. Have you read anything else by her? I have Blackout sitting on my shelf... I suspect that one will be inching its way up the top of the TBR pile very soon.

Don't start Blackout without having All Clear on hand! It's a great epic, two-volume story. And I love To Say Nothing of the Dog, an homage to Victorian novels (especially Three Men in a Boat), which is a much more light-hearted adventure for the time traveling team.

I have both Blackout and All Clear but didn't realize that there was another book that came before those two! I guess I have another reason to go buy it now. :)

I feel I might be needing a reread of Doomsday Book. Sadly I think my copy is at my mum's in a room piled high full of furniture. That could be a problem..........

>96 JechtShot: I haven't read any more of her Time Travel series, though I agree with Roni--make sure you're ready for All Clear if you start Blackout. I've read Passage and really liked it.

You don't need to read To Say Nothing of the Dog first, although it is a lot of fun. There's no connection between that story and the one in Blackout/All Clear except the Oxford time travel lab.

Hi All! Thanks for the Connie Willis advice. I will definitely be moving on to Blackout and All Clear in the very near future. Stay tuned!

40. Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn



Rating: 2.5 stars
Pages: 288
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Kitty Norville is the host of her own late night radio show called "The Midnight Hour". Her shtick is to provide advice to those suffering from the woes of vampirism and lycanthropy. Oh yeah, and Kitty is a werewolf. I was hoping for a fun, witty, urban fantasy novel, but instead I was given a flat and uninteresting "mystery". I am done with this series after book numero uno.

41. Dracula by Bram Stoker



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 398
Genre: Horror
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge, 1001 Books

Review on Book's Main Page

Dracula was not at all what I expected; and I mean this in a good way. I made presumptions early on that this would be a dated, heavy, wordy, literary and somewhat boring tale of the Vampire Dracula and thus hesitated cracking open this book for many years. However, once I read the first page and realized that the story was told from the viewpoint of multiple characters via personal journals, diaries, memorandums etc... my interest was piqued. The story of Dracula is pretty tame overall, but if you have been hesitating to read it for reasons similar to those described above, I would dust off your copy and read the first couple of pages. My guess is that you will get sucked into Mr. Stoker's world just as I did.

42. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling



Rating: 4.5 stars
Pages: 309
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Books Challenge

*Re-Read*

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone; the book that started the Harry Potter phenomenon that is still thriving years after the final book was released. I picked up my first Harry Potter book in an airport many years ago and continue to return to this series again and again. The first, where not the best in the series, sets the stage well. Book one gives us our first glimpse into the 'Potterverse'. Hermoine, Ron and Harry solidify the friendship that binds them through the series. We already see glimpses of Harry's courage, spirit, love and passion to always follow your gut and do the right thing, we get our first glimpse of Lord Voldemort and we, the fortunate readers, begin our love/hate relationship with Severus Snape. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to read this book in my lifetime

I felt the same as you did about Kitty and the Midnight Hour, although I know many love the series. I think I'll go ahead and read Dracula for the October Halloween thread--I never have and so many of you have written such good things about it. And I enjoy rereading the HP series periodically as well--they are such good fun.

43. The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 256
Genre: Non Fiction
Format: Hardcover
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Books Challenge

44. Deathbird Stories by Harlan Ellison



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 394
Genre: Horror
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Books Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

It is always challenging to write a review for a collection of short stories. It is especially difficult when this short story collection represents your first encounter with an author. It may be especially, especially difficult if that author is Harlan Ellison. Deathbird Stories contains nineteen short stories centering around the theme of a God or Gods. Of the nineteen, there were a few standouts: "Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes", "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" and "The Deathbird". None of the stories in this collection were "bad" per se, but to be honest, more than a few times I found myself finishing a story and thinking... "huh?". I may need to come back to this collection after I familiarize myself a bit more with the author.

I dunno--I think that Ellison often elicits a "huh?" from his readers. He just delighted in being way out there.

So "huh" is not an uncommon reaction to Ellison? That makes me feel a bit better. After reading through other reviews I was concerned that my reading level was too low for this collection :)

Yeah, besides some bright shiny moments, Ellison's always gotten a "huh?" from me.

I have "plans" to read Dracula this month so hopefully I get "sucked" in as you say. :)

Hi Jim - Care to elaborate on some of the brighter shinier moments? I enjoyed the stories that didn't confuse me and wouldn't mind reading more, but I would appreciate guidance.

Hi Valerie - LOL... pun so not intended. However, once you sink your fangs into Dracula I think you will have a bloody good time :)

A Dog and His Boy, or some of the stories turned into Twilight Zone episodes are my favorites. Beyond that, I think he tends to be pretty out there.

Yeah, I remember reading his original Dangerous Visions and A Boy and His Dog has certainly stayed in my memory over the years.

Yep, that's it, not my faulty memory's version of the title!

45. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson



Rating: 4.5 stars
Pages: 1280 (45 hrs and 37 mins)
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Audiobook
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Books Challenge

46. Conspiracies by F. Paul Wilson



Rating: 3.5 stars
Pages: 416
Genre: Horror
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Books Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Repairman Jack has been called to action to help a husband find his missing wife who has disappeared under rather mysterious circumstances. The woman in question was deeply involved in alien conspiracy theories and was planning to share her findings on a "Grand Unification Theory" with other like-minded individuals. Days before unveiling her theory, she vanishes, but manages to send a message to her husband declaring that only Repairman Jack can help. How does this woman know Jack? Is there more to these conspiracies than unstable individuals parading around wearing tinfoil caps? Jack is sucked into a paranormal world of conspiracies where he must suspend his own beliefs in order to discover the truth.

47. Kill Decision by Daniel Suarez



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 400 (13 hrs and 6 mins)
Genre: Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Books Challenge

48. Eye of the World by Robert Jordan



Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 832
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Books Challenge

49. Cujo by Stephen King



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 320
Genre: Horror
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Books Challenge

50. Locke and Key: Clockworks by Joe Hill



Rating: 4.5 stars
Pages: 152
Genre: Horror, Graphic Novel
Format: Hardcover
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Books Challenge

51. Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson



Rating: 4.5 stars
Pages: 336 (10 hrs and 51 mins)
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Audiobook
Challenge/Goal Category: 75 Books Challenge

52. Bite Me: Love Story by Christopher Moore



Rating: 2.5 stars
Pages: 320
Genre: Humor?
Format: Hardcover
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Bite Me, is the third (and hopefully last) installment of Christopher Moore's Love Story series. The action starts with Abigail Von Normal, minion of the countess with an IQ of -12, nesting in her love lair with her science- oriented and manga haired boy toy, Foo-Dog. The lovers bizarre mating rituals are interrupted when the city of San Francisco is plagued by a herd of Vampire Cats, with Chet, the fat shaved cat, as the alpha cat-vamp. Jody and Flood are released from their bronze prison to try and once again thwart this city-wide crisis. The humor in this book went from funny to foul as quickly as a fish left in a desk drawer overnight. Christopher Moore is normally an accomplished humorist, but this book fell short. If you have invested the time to read the first two books in the series you may want to pick this one up for closure reasons, but if you haven't and you happen to be reading this then run! Run fast and find something else to read.

53. 102 Minutes by Jim Dwyer



Rating: 5 stars
Pages: 384
Genre: Non Fiction
Format: Paperback
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

Glitterfy.com - Christmas Glitter Graphics

I want to wish you a glorious celebration of that time of year when we all try to unite around a desire for Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward All. Merry Christmas!

54. Bonk by Mary Roach



Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 321
Genre: Non Fiction
Format: Kindle Edition
Challenge/Goal Category: TBR Challenge

Review on Book's Main Page

Bonk, tackles the subject of sex and sexuality from a somewhat scientific perspective in a way that only author Mary Roach can. Roach takes a unique approach to her topics of choice by combining feverish amounts of research with her trademark sarcastic sense of humor. The result is an educational and entertaining romp that leaves the reader not only engaged, but frequently laughing out loud while doing so. The topics covered in Bonk run the gamut from various and assorted mammalian sex practices to complex mechanical intercourse simulators. If you have ever been curious about, well, just about any topic or practice in this "space", it is probably covered. The one negative aspect of this book is that the sheer volume of topics covered coupled with numerous footnotes results in a disjointed flow that I found distracting at times. Overall, I would recommend this book for those looking to have a good laugh while learning a bit about the science of sex.

Here's to a great new year ahead!