Well, 2008 was my first 50 book challenge, and I managed to read 63 books in a random manner. So, this year I've decided to go for 60, which I know is achievable, but set myself some targets within that challenge.

Since I am falling a bit behind on the whole 1001 book thing, I'm aiming for at least twenty books off that list this year. In addition, I'm aiming for at least ten non-fiction books, and the other thirty will be other fiction, rereads, and whatever I'm in the mood for. I'll try to keep track of the three lists here in my original post:













1001 books:
1. After the Quake by Haruki Murakami
2. Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell
3. Paddy Clarke HAHAHA by Roddy Doyle
4. A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka
5. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
6. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
7. The Awakening by Kate Chopin
8. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
9. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
10.Die Verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum by Heinrich Böll
11.The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Non-fiction:

1. The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale
2. Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin
3. Is Heathcliff a Murderer? by John Sutherland
4. Can Jane Eyre Be Happy? by John Sutherland
5. Road to Damascus by Elaine Rippey Imady
6. In Defence of English Cooking by George Orwell
7. Gather Together in My Name by Maya Angelou
8. The Bastille Falls by Simon Schama
9. How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
10. Where Was Rebecca Shot? by John Sutherland

All the rest:

1. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot
2. Voices: A Reykjavik Thriller by Arnaldur Indriðason
3. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
4. Sun and Shadow by Ake Edwardson
5. 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
6. Never End by Ake Edwardson
7. Frozen Tracks by Ake Edwardson
8. The Draining Lake by Arnaldur Indriðason
9. The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell
10. Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indriðason
11. Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elisabeth Peters
12. Tanz mit dem Engel by Ake Edwardson
13. Great Expectations: the Graphic Novel by Charles Dickens
14. Segel aus Stein by Ake Edwardson
15. Tintenherz by Cornelia Funke
16. Menschensöhne by Arnaldur Indriðason
17. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame- Smith
18. Crow: From the Life and Songs of the Crow by Ted Hughes
19. The Great Wall of China by Franz Kafka
20. The Snobs by Muriel Spark
21. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
22. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
23. Living Dead In Dallas by Charlaine Harris
24. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
25. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
26. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
27. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
28. All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris
29. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
30. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
Additional randomness:
31. Die Schattenfrau by Ake Edwardson
32. Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
33. The Return: An Inspector Van Veeteren Mystery by Hakan Nesser
34. The White Lioness by Henning Mankell
35. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
36. The Fire Gospel by Michel Faber
37. Street Haunting by Virginia Woolf
38. Rotes Meer by Åke Edwardson
39. The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton
40. Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indriðason
41. Bite by Laurell K. Hamilton et al
42. Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
43. A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris
44. Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
45. The Snow Cow by Martin Kochanski
46. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Message edited by its author, Dec 12, 2009, 9:39pm.

Although it feels a little bit like cheating, as I started this book before 2009, here's my first completed read of 2009:

#1: After the Quake by Haruki Murakami

#2: Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot

Some light bedtime reading

#3: Voices: A Reykjavik Thriller by Arnaldur Indriðason

I am really enjoying this series, and have a feeling that I will get the remaining translated ones (either into English or German) pretty soon, as I find them addictive. So much for focusing on my 1001 list...

#4: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Cute.

#5: Sun and Shadow by Ake Edwardson

This is the second book I've read in the Erik Winter series, and both times I've been a little disappointed with the ending. The suspense seems to build and build for ages, and then the denouement happens so quickly and briefly that it's a bit of a let down. Still, I liked it well enough to look out for others in the series.

Message edited by its author, Jan 12, 2009, 7:05pm.

#6: 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill

I did like this book, despite the fact that I don't normally go for short stories. I prefer novel as I enjoy getting drawn into the atmosphere of a story for a while, and short stories tend to be too short for that. That being said, I was really glad to get through some of these stories quickly- not because they were bad, which they weren't, but because they were a little too weird for me. This is the reason I read this book in smallish increments, a story or two at a time. A few stories I didn't like, a couple I really loved, most fell somewhere in the middle. Definitely a writer I'll remember and would be happy to read again, but not on my MustBuyMoreNow! list. Maybe if he wrote a novel...

Message edited by its author, Jan 11, 2009, 1:07am.

# 7: Never End by Ake Edwardson

A decent read. A little run off the mill, but well crafted and suspenseful.

# 8: Frozen Tracks by Ake Edwardson

Probably my favourite of the series so far. I will keep looking out for more of this series.

I like reading books on the 1001 books list, too. Lots of them are really great, although I think some of them aren't so good. I am hoping to read 10 to 15 of them this year. You are making great progress with your reading challenge! :)
--BJ

# 9: Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell

I seem to recall seeing this book added to the new updated version of the 1001 books list, so for now I'll add it to the 1001 category. I'll double check in the morning and edit if necessary. Well, if it isn't on there, it should be, as it's more deserving than some of the books I've seen on that list. A very good read, very human, well fleshed- out characters, and the despite the generally dark tone it was never really heavy going and even had a couple of hilarious slapstick moments. I'd definitely recommend and will look out for others in this series. That's right, I've now got one more series to keep track of.

Message edited by its author, Jan 24, 2009, 2:53am.

#10: The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale

I really enjoyed this book. I love books by or about Victorians, I love detective stories, and I am fascinated by real-crime accounts. Three for the price of one, and told in an unobtrusive yet very engaging way. Throw in some madness, family intrigue and mad conjecture by the masses, and voilà- the perfect read on a miserable January day. I would have enjoyed it even more had I not read the reviews here on LT, one of which unfortunately identified the killer's identity in the first sentence. Sigh. Still, even with that knowledge it was still a riveting read.

ETA: A shame also that I cannot get the touchstone for such a great book to work...

Message edited by its author, Jan 30, 2009, 2:37pm.

#11: Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin

I am a little ashamed that it took me so long to finish this, as it's a well-researched, well-written biography that strikes just the right balance between presenting facts and offering commentary. My only excuse is that there were much flashier books around that were keeping me distracted (although I'm not really sure that 'flashy' is the right word for the melancholy fare I've been reading recently), and flashy it ain't. A gentle, enlightening recount of Jane Austen's life and times. Recommended.

Message edited by its author, Feb 5, 2009, 1:47pm.

#12: The Draining Lake by Arnaldur Indriðason

While all Erlendur mysteries deal with how events in the past affect the present and how long-buried secrets can come back to haunt people, and usually the ones that deserve to leave it all behind, this particular one made me wish that it had had at least a B-story with something current in it. Yes, the story was sad and tragic, and as always, the book was readable, I felt it lacked the feeling of urgency that he previous ones had. I'm not sure. Three stars still for characterisation and readability, and yes, I'll still be reading the next in the series.

#13: The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell

It is a testament to Henning Mankell's skill as a writer that a story that had the potential to be completely and ludicrously unbelievable (Swedish policeman gets involved in post-cold war Latvian political intrigue and goes undercover under a fake identity to save the day) somehow manages to be both convincing and entertaining. Once again it's the protagonist that sets it apart- the whole situation that Wallander finds himself in scares the crap out of him, and his most heroic moments are always tempered by his humanity. Despite my initial reservations about the whole policeman goes abroad- storyline and the predictability of the outcome, I ended up thoroughly enjoying this.

Message edited by its author, Feb 28, 2009, 4:11pm.

#14: Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indriðason

This was an OK book. A quick read, and nothing offensive about it, but not all that gripping unfortunately. Considering that after his last novel I complained about him always going back to the past, I should have really liked this one, as there was a lot less back story than in any of his previous books, but somehow it left me a little unmoved. Three stars, also known as a friendly meh.

#15: Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elisabeth Peters

Finished this on the plane yesterday- just the right kind of book for a short flight: Cute, fluffy, and undemanding. Might get more of the series for future travel.

I haven't posted in almost two months due to a combination of holidays, sickness and sheer and utter laziness. I have now updated the books read in my initial post, and in the proccess managed to break the milestones for most books.

I haven't been doing much reading in the past month, so there's only four books to update:

#16: Paddy Clarke HA HA HA by Roddy Doyle

#17: A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka

#18: Tanz mit dem Engel by Ake Edwardson

#19: Great Expextations: the Graphic Novel by Charles Dickens

Great Expectations was my latest Early Review book- I shall post a review here shortly. It is a little bit of a challenge, as I am not exactly a Charles Dickens fan, but I hope I will get round to it in the next few days.

You have a nice list already! :) Which one did you like the most so far?

Thanks Tammiejx! :) I think my favourite book so far was The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell- very suspenseful and still managed to be funny.

I have finally managed to get my review done for Great Expectations: the Graphic Novel, so here goes:

Ok, first off I have to admit that I am not a fan of Charles Dickens. I know, sacrilege; but the only book of his I have ever managed to get to the end of is a Christmas Carol.
So, how do I review a book which is based on an author I normally don’t enjoy reading- do I just concentrate on how successfully it has been transmitted onto graphic novel format, or do I also review the original plot?
Unfortunately, I will not be able to judge how true it stays to the original text, as I’ve never made it past the first few chapters of that. However, what I can say is that I did not feel that there was any vital content missing- I felt that I had a good understanding of the story throughout, and that transitions from one scene to the next were fairly smooth.
I am not exactly a connoisseur of graphic novel artwork, but I thought that the drawings were beautiful and appropriate for the setting of the novel.
While I made it through to the end this time, did I enjoy it? Well, yes and no- I am glad that I now know the gist of what is generally considered a must-read classic, but will it make me read the original? No; because while I appreciated the execution, I never really managed to get into the story.
This however cannot really be blamed on the graphic novel; I simply found the main characters pretty unlikeable and was thus not really ever particularly interested in what may happen to them.
So, in terms of reviewing the original plot: I did not really enjoy it, and turning it into graphic novel format has not changed this.
However in terms of bringing the classics to a new audience, I still think this is a worthwhile approach- it is certainly a lot less painful to get through than the original book, and may thus introduce Dickens to a young reader who may not otherwise ever pick him up; and if, unlike myself, that reader likes the protagonists and enjoys the story, it may lead to further exploration of other classic works, which is always a good thing.

Did you enjoy The Suspicions of Mr. Whitcher I got it as an advanced reading copy and found it hard to get into.

Hi, Brochettes!
I was wondering what you thought of Dance with the Angel and A Short History of the Tractor in Ukrainian. You have so many interesting books on your list! Have a great day!
--BJ

bgale11- I loved The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, but then I think it that might have something to do with the fact that if someone who knows me went out to buy a book for me, they'd go: "So, what does she like? She loves mysteries, true-crime accounts, historical detective work, and oh yes, anything Victorian! Hmm I wonder what we could possibly get her?" Well, if there was a decent bookseller around overhearing this, they would come up with this book. So, I guess what I am trying to explain is that it would have had to be a pretty awful book for me not to like it. Which is not saying that I though it wasn't great- I'd like to think that despite my positive prejudice, I'd notice if it was badly written, and I think that it was excellently researched and brought together seamlessly. I would have enjoyed it even more if I hadn't read one of the reviews here on LT which reveals the identity of the killer in the very first sentence (thanks for that!), but it didn't greatly detract from the enjoyment of reading this for me.

billiejean, while I liked Dance with the Angel, it is not my favourite of Edwardson's Erik Winter series. It didn't seem quite as suspenseful as some of the others, and somehow I saw the big denouement coming a mile off. Still, if you're into Scandinavian detective fiction, I'd definitely recommend it, and the protagonist makes a pleasant change from grumpy old(ish) ones like Mankell's Wallander and Indridason's Erlendur. Now, I dearly love both of these characters, but it makes a refreshing change to read about a detective who's actually got a life;)
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian was a very enjoyable read, and one of those books I would recommend to pretty much anyone, even my dad, who is notoriously picky about the books I bring him. I just feel that unless you have a very specialised reading taste, i.e. you only read sci-fi or romance or horror, that you would get something out of this book. That being said, maybe because it was such a generically pleasant read, it didn't really leave all that much of an impression with me, and this is why I personally wouldn't put it on the 1001 books list. Sometimes, a book stays with me for a long time after I've read it, and those are usually the ones I argue with my dad about, and they are the ones that I would give to a friend as gifts after thinking long and hard about their reading tastes. This one, on the other hand, is one of those books I would give as a gift to someone I don't know very well, as I feel it's one of those can't-really-go-wrong-with-it- books.

Thanks for the comments :)

Now, speaking of Erik Winter, last night I finally finished

# 20: Segel aus Stein by Ake Edwardson. I really don't know what to say about this book. It took me a long time to finish, and I haven't made up my mind whether this was due to the book or external circumstances. What I do know is that I was a little irritated with the ending, and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone who likes their mysteries neatly resolved and wrapped up at the end of the book. I guess the thing that annoyed me about it is that there were two major stories- Erik Winter investigating the disappearance of an old flame's father in Scotland, and Aneta Djenali getting involved in some very murky happenings in Gothenburg, which involve a strange cast of characters who all may or may not be guilty of various things, including domestic violence, theft and abduction- and both are kind of left hanging at the end. While the book is certainly atmospheric, and especially the Swedish story managed to really bring on the menace, I was disappointed in the ending. It is one thing to leave a few things a little unclear and open to the reader's interpretation; quite another to leave pretty much everything in the air. This is not the first of Edwardson's books where I felt the ending was too abrupt, but he must be doing something right as I have the feeling that this is not the last of his books I'll be reading, despite my current annoyance- I enjoy his characters too much for that.

Oh dear, I get the feeling that I'm falling more and more behind, and that the temporary slump in my reading habits which started in March is becoming kind of permanent.. Oh well, I'm sure it's just a phase and things will pick up again. I am however tempted to abandon my longer books for now and read a few shorter ones just to catch up again; but I can't help thinking that that would be a little pathetic. Setting myself a target is one thing, making it influence what I'm reading and my enjoyment of it is another. I'll try to stick to what I'm doing for now, but watch me cave when the end of the year approaches and I'm getting desperate :)

Speaking of shorter, easy to read books:

#21: Is Heathcliff a Murderer? by John Sutherland. I read this when I needed breaks from longer tasks, as it's split into lovely short self-contained chapters which are fitted in easily here and there in between doing other things. Each chapter discusses a question the author raises about a popular 19th- century novel. Most of these are pretty entertaining, even those discussing books I haven't read (yet).
The chapters about books I have read made me question my own sloppy reading, as I would never even have thought to question many of these things. I do feel that I may have to reread at least a few of these.
It also means that I have even more books to add to my TBR list, as the plots of a few unknowns sound interesting. I am still no closer to having any wish to reacquaint myself with Dickens though.
And I guess that John Sutherland is a great Trollope fan, as it seemed to me that there were rather a lot of chapters about Trollope novels. Not that this is a bad thing; Trollope is an author I actually like, but I was wondering if he could have included a little more variety in terms of authors instead. Ah well, I guess I will have to get the follow-up books to see if they turn up there.

Message edited by its author, Maijs 6, 2009, 4:02pm.

Hi, brochettes!
That book sounds really interesting! Another good read on your list!!

I have also been feeling kind of in a slump because I am in the middle of several long books with no end to any of them in sight. They are all great books and I want to read all of them. But I also wanted to feel like I had finished something, so I picked up a shorter book today. I haven't finished it yet, but it is pretty short. After I read that I will go back to the others feeling a bit happier, I think. Have a great day!
--BJ

And I'm falling behind again, this time with my updates on here. I decided to get my enthusiasm for reading going again by reading a children's (or young adult, I'm not sure) book that many people had recommended to me,

#22: Tintenherz by Cornelia Funke. I wasn't disappointed: it was a lovely, easy read that pulled me right in and kept me engaged right up to the end. And here is my only problem with the book: It's another trilogy, so I will now have to go out and get parts two and three- as if I didn't have enough series to follow already...

#23: Menschensöhne by Arnaldur Indriðason. The first in the Erlendur series, it surprised me by starting off as a pretty run-off-the-mill crime novel, only to end in a slightly scary sci-fi vein. I am not sure whether this was really necessary to make this a good crime novel; I thought that the original crime and covered-up medical experiments were quite chilling enough by themselves. I guess the ending is within the realm of possibility, but I could have done without it. Still, a decent start to an excellent series.

#24: Can Jane Eyre Be Happy? by John Sutherland. In the same vein as Is Heathcliff a Murderer? and just as enjoyable.

If I want to stay on top of my reading, I'm going to have to finish another six books by the end of the month. Oh dear.

#25: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I expected a gimmick, and that's what it of course was, but still entertaining and in some parts quite funny. I would recommend reading it in small increments.

#26: Crow: From the Life and Songs of the Crow by Ted Hughes. Well it has certainly made an impact, but I'm not quite sure yet whether I can honestly say I liked it. Will need more time to digest.

#27: The Great Wall of China by Franz Kafka. Another very small book in a desperate attempt to make it to 30 by the end of June.
An interesting read, but I do feel that Kafka loses in translation, as I find long, convoluted sentences much easier to follow in German.

#28 The Snobs by Muriel Spark. Despite my desperate attempt to make it to thirty by the end of June by reading tiny books, I failed, only making it to 28, and that a day late. Ah well, at least it was an entertaining tiny book, making me wnat to read more of this author.

#29 Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. Light, entertaining, fluffy vampire novel. Undemanding, but a lot more entertaining and a lot less wordy than Twilight. I will definitely continue with the series for my no-brain-required reading needs.

#30 Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Meh. I vaguely recall having parts of this read to me as achild, but always falling asleep before a chapter was done (I'm sure my parents loved it!). Now I know why. It may well be a wondeful little book, but it just didn't hold my attention- not as a kid, and not now. At least that's another book crossed off the 1001 list...

#31 Road to Damascus by Elaine Rippey Imady

Finally finished my latest Early Reviewer book. A gentle, if slightly rambling recollection of life as a foreign wife in mid-20th century Damascus.
This is the memoir of Elaine Rippey Imady, who married a Syrian student she met at University in New York in the 1950s, and ended up accompanying her husband back to Damascus at the end of his studies to settle there.
What I really liked about this book is that it shows a positive side of life in an Arab family and avoids the usual clichés of subjugated wives and violently domineering husbands, while still dealing fairly realistically with issues such as culture shock and life in a country with a political and system different from our own.
It would be easy to accuse the author of looking at the past through rose tinted glasses, and I am sure this is true to a certain extent, but I feel that while it is clear that the author is happy with her lot on the whole, she doesn’t brush the negative sides of life in Damascus under the carpet.
The author weaves in and out of a fairly linear account of her life from meeting her husband in NY in the fifties to being an established minister’s wife and mother in Damascus in the seventies by inserting anecdotes of her husband’s family’s history. I found this a little distracting, and probably would have preferred that part to be dealt with in a separate chapter, but I guess that is down to personal preference and not really a major issue with the book.
One thing I found remarkable is how little appears to have changed, and how well I could relate this to my own experience of marrying into an Arab family, despite the fact that it took place about forty years later and a few thousand miles to the west in Morocco. I think this is one of the reasons I enjoyed the book: the sheer amount of times I nodded in agreement or recognition made me feel quite nostalgic about my own experiences, which were also, on the whole, positive.
I of course do not dispute that other women’s negative experiences with marrying into an Arab family are valid- I know quite a few women for whom the whole thing has been a complete and utter nightmare- but I am glad that there is a book which balances things out a little.
Of course, the family described in the book comes from a fairly privileged background, and there were times when I found the author a little too accepting of things (and had to remind myself that this did in fact happen 50-odd years ago), but it is clear throughout the book that this is far from a fairy-tale romance.
People who are looking for another sensationalist account of female Martyrdom in the Arab world will be disappointed in this book. People looking for a well- balanced view of everyday life in an Arab family could do a lot worse.

Message edited by its author, Jūl 12, 2009, 3:07am.

#32 Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

A quick and entertaining, albeit trashy read. Some of the more glaring grammatical errors and misuse of words made me wince (I am sure I've seen the "decapitated heads" thing coming up on a thread here recently), but I put the blame on the editor for this. I guess what made these errors less jarring is the fact that I can see the first person narrator make these mistakes, so I can almost convince myself that some of these were intentional.

The fast-paced narrative held my attention, the characters, if clichéd, were entertaining, and, while definitely violent, the gore wasn't overwhelming.

Just what I needed as a no-brain-required after-work read.

Yes, I guess that means another series to catch up with.

#33 Living Dead In Dallas by Charlaine Harris

I haven't really got much to say about this other than it was another enjoyable, quick read. I'll definitely continue with the series for now.

#34 Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

Still enjoying the Vampire fluff.

#35 In Defense of English Cooking by George Orwell

I am not sure why Penguin would name a small collection of essays after the shortest one (by far), but I guess the more political tone of the others would have scared potential readers away. An interesting read, but George? While I can see your point on the originality of some English foods, there's a pretty good reason why you don't get English sausages abroad. They have better ones themselves, you know, ones actually containing meat...

#36 Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

I think it's pretty obvious that I am really enjoying this series, as I seem to be going through them at the rate of about one a day. Might as well continue and get it over and done with so to speak- I'll finish off the series and then I'll concentrate on 'proper' books again. Or, you know, discover some other series.

Hi brochettes, you've read a great and varied selection of books this year. I keep meaning to tell you that whenever I see your name I think of a line (and an outrageous character) in The Maytrees by Annie Dillard. I think the line was talking about Revadere (not sure if I'm spelling that right) who "ran through six husbands like a brochette." Your LT user name always makes me smile.

Happy reading!

Thanks AMQS! I feel like I have some catching up to do now to do my name justice, as I'm still only on husband #1... I love the quote, and it makes me want to read The Maytrees now! Another one for my wishlist. In the meantime, I keep running through Vampire novels like a brochette:

#37 Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
Read this in one go last night, and I am now not sure whether to blame it on my insomnia, or whether to blame my insomnia on these books. Either way, I'm halfway through the next one now, after which I will have to have a short break while I wait for Amazon to catch up and deliver the next two.

Ooooh, lots of interesting-sounding reads here, especially the Arnaldur Indriðason book (#23, msg 27). Looking forward to seeing what else comes up here...

Thanks for the comment ljbwell! What comes up next will be a few more Southern Vampire mysteries until I've got them out of my system, and, when it comes out in October, the latest Arnaldur Indriðason book translated into English, which I've pre-ordered already. Other than that, I have an enormous TBR pile to work through , so I hope that there will be a bit more variety again after my Vampire Novel, Scandinavian Crime Novel, Vampire Novel, Scandinavian Crime Novel- phase...
For now though:

#38 Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
Number six in the series, and I wish I could continue straight away with book seven; but alas the Amazon order won't reach me until Monday at the earliest, more probably Tuesday or even Wednesday. I guess I'll just have to make do with something else in the meantime, or maybe catch up with some housework and errands :)

#39 Gather Together in My Name by Maya Angelou
I know that I should not judge an autobiographical work for its entertainment value, but I'm afraid that I found this volume mostly depressing. Valuable history lesson? Sure. Did I get any great message from it as I'm sure I'm supposed to have done? No. Will I continue with the other volumes at some point? Maybe.

#40 All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris and
#41 From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

Sigh. Yes, they do suck you in (no pun intended), but at least there's only one more to go (for now) before I can go back to focusing on real life, and the books I should be reading.

#42 Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

This is it, I've now completed the series so far and have managed to reach my first goal of the year: 30 random books. I guess it's time to concentrate on some non-fiction and especially 1001-books for a while. Still, something tells me that I'll still be reading a lot more random stuff before the year is over...

Message edited by its author, Jūl 25, 2009, 9:49pm.

>45 It is hard to criticise a person's life story, isn't it? Feels wrong somehow. But I know what you mean. I read Sidney Poitier's Measure of a Man a few years ago and was bored out of my skull.

Hi Brochettes! I am addicted to the Sookie series too! I was so sad when I finished the last one. My other favorite series is the Stephanie Plum series-- have you read anything from that series?

Thanks for the messages, spacepotatoes and jem907!
Jem, I have not read anything in that series as yet- I'll keep it in mind for when I've got a few other things off my TBR list :)

I've had a busy week, so haven't managed to get a lot of reading in, but I did finish
#43 The Bastille Falls by Simon Schama last Thursday.

While it was interesting, the French Revolution is not really a topic that particularly interests me, so I am not sure I would have finished a longer work on it. However, as it was one of the Penguin 70's series, I enjoyed it.

#44 Die Schattenfrau by Ake Edwardson

While this series has been a little hit and miss for me, I really liked this one. Only the second one in the series, it had just the right pacing to keep me engaged, had a neat twist or two, and managed to be believable throughout.

#45 Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

I loved this. Despite the gruesome subject matter this was humorous and actually quite gentle. Well written and entertaining- I'll definitely look out for her next one!

Message edited by its author, Aug 13, 2009, 3:05am.

#46 A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

This is a perfect example of why I prefer to read a book before watching the movie. I'd watched the movie many years ago and had hoped that it had been long enough for me to not automatically imagine everything as it was in the film, but unfortunately, the imagery was too strong and kept me from really forming my own ideas. That being said, I actually liked the movie (although I am not sure that 'like' is the right word to use in this case), and I found the book a surprisingly rewarding read. It took me a couple of chapters to adjust to the language, but once that was out of the way I enjoyed it. Again, not sure whether enjoy is the right word, but I think it definitely deserves to be on the 1001 list, and I am glad I finally got round to reading it.

#47 The Return (Aterkomsten) by Hakan Nesser

While nothing outstanding, a pleasant enough way to while some hours away.

Message edited by its author, Aug 17, 2009, 4:27am.

#48 The White Lioness by Henning Mankell

I really loved this book, which despite the lenght was a very quick read for me. The story was just the right balance between (rather depressing)backstory, action and oddly enough humour to keep me engaged. The next one in the series has just moved to the top of my to-be-purchased-next-payday list.

#49 The Awakening by Kate Chopin

This is a book that while I enjoyed reading it, I don't necessarily feel I needed to have read before I died. However, this is because it didn't have a huge impact on me, but I can imagine how it would have had a huge impact when it was first published, and for that alone I guess it deserves to be on the list.

#50 Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Meh. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Good enough to pass quiet periods on a night shift at work, the kind of book that's easy to get back into after constant interruptions. I may read more of the series, but not on my priority list.

#51 How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster

A very enjoyable and enlightening read. Whether I'll actually remember to apply this guide in practice remains to be seen, but I know I would be very grateful for it if I was a student- definitely a good starting point for someone who wants to get more out of their reading.

I've been away, and then kind of busy upon my return, so despite the lengthy absence I haven't managed to read that many books.

#52 The Fire Gospel by Michel Faber

Loved it. Very short, but packs a punch.

#53 Street Haunting by Virginia Woolf

I used to adore Virginia Woolf when I was was younger, but whether this is because it is not her best material, or whether I have outgrown her, or because I was simply distracted, I found it hard to focus on this, and find it difficult to recall anything about these stories in retrospect.

#54 Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Fantastic book. If I had to recommend a book as a great holiday read to anyone, this would be it. One of my favourite books of the year.

Hey brochettes...
I didn't realise Cloud Atlas was also one of the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - bonus!!

I also didn't realise you liked it that much - I'm even happier! It is now my official next-to-read, and I am looking forward to it.

Yes, Cloud Atlas really grew on me- at first I was a little puzzled, but as it went on I got more and more into it and couldn't wait to return to previous threads.

#55 Rotes Meer by Åke Edwardson

This one's been a bit of a disappointment for me. I have had this issue with this series before- the build up goes on and on and then the resolution falls flat. I know it's probably more realistic that way- I doubt that the solvings of many crimes in real life come with a grand spectacular finale, but it does leave me feeling a little deflated at the end. Still, quite an atmospheric read I suppose.

#56 The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton

Nothing special, but entertaining enough for me to continue with the series for now, and undemanding enough to read when too hungover to focus on anything more substantial.

#57 Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

While I really enjoyed this book, it took me a very long time to get through. I would read a chunk and then get distracted by something else, and it would take me weeks, sometimes months, to pick this up again to read the next chunk. I am not sure why that is, as I really did enjoy myself while reading it; but I guess it just didn't pull me in in a must-continue-now-to-find-out-what-happe... way. So, lovely book, great atmosphere, maybe a bit lengthy. Certainly more worthy to be on the list than some of the others, but still not necessarily must-read-before-dying material for me.

#58 Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indriðason

A very atmospheric mystery with a sad ending. Quite short, but despite the melancholic themes a satisfying read.

#59 Die Verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum by Heinrich Böll

A sobering look at the power of the tabloid press. Due to the unusual perspective this is narrated from, it took me a while to get into it; but once I got used to the style, I found this a very worthwhile read.

Well, as of last night, I have hit my target of sixty books for the year. Unfortunately, I still have ten books from the 1001 list to complete, and one more non-fiction book. Until I have hit those targets as well, I don't consider my challenge completed.

#60 Bite by Laurell K. Hamilton et al

# 61 Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

Meh.

# 62 A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

Very short book, the large print and double spacing making it feel like a bit of a rip off. Ah well, at least I've now read the Sookie short stories and have thus filled some knowledge gaps concerning Sookie's cousins, fairy and vampire alike.

#63 The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy

I hated this book. Well, maybe hated is too strong a word- I simply couldn't bring myself to like it. I found it really difficult to get into, and once the action picked up a little after the actual crime was committed, I just couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters. This is not necessarily because the protagonist is an unsavoury character- I have loved certain very unsympathetic antiheroes/ straight forward villains in the past- but because the prose removes me too far from the (rather messy) story to really care about any of the participants. The only person I felt remotely sorry for was Elisabeth Short who, after being horrifically murdered in real life in the first place, has now been used and maligned in a mediocre fictional version of her life and death.

edited to fix typos

Message edited by its author, Nov 9, 2009, 4:02am.

#64 Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

A vampire novel that gradually gets more and more disturbing, but unlike certain other books that I've read recently, the gruesomeness didn't stop me from loving the book. Tense and at times brutal, I was told that I often had a seriously distressed look on my face while reading, and yet I couldn't put it down. While so many vampire novels these days have glamorous vampires and their relationships with humans are idealized, this book shows the ugly and complex nature of human relationships and humanity's ability to do evil and good and the many shades of grey in between. The supernatural aspect is really only a catalyst of events, but doesn't conceal the ugliness of very human realities such as pedophilia, bullying, loneliness and alcoholism. A book that I would love to gift to certain Twilight lovers out there...

#65 Where Was Rebecca Shot? by John Sutherland

Another book in Sutherland's literary puzzles series, I found this mildly entertaining, but none of the questions posed really were really all that amazing. Still, at least this means I have now hit my second goal for the year, to read at least 10 non-fiction books. I somehow don't think I'll hit my last one, to read twenty books from the combined 1001 lists, as there are still nine to go. Unless it gets really really quiet in the run-up to Christmas (which I very much doubt), I don't stand a chance of plowing through nine more books of any kind before January. I'm still going to try though, and attempt not to get too distracted by my grand cookie baking scheme.

#66 The Snow Cow by Martin Kochanski

Part of the Early Reviewers program, detailed review to follow.

#67 The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

I loved this. Beautiful, descriptive language and interesting new tellings of familiar themes. While they tell familiar fairy tales from a new, feminist perspective, they still share the feeling of enchantment that a good fairy tale provides- even the most gruesoeme ones. This was my first Angela Carter book, but will definitely not be the last.