Marie's 2015 Challenge (3)

(Same goes for non-fiction.)

Welcome! My name is Marie and this is my sixth year with the 75ers. I'm in my late twenties and a librarian living in South Carolina with my Air Force husband.

Pull up a chair and get comfy!

Previous Threads:

75 Books Challenge in 2010
75 Books Challenge in 2011
75 Books Challenge in 2012
75 Books Challenge in 2013
75 Books Challenge in 2014

Books Read In 2015

January
1. Chasers of the Light: Poems from the Typewriter Series by Tyler Knott Gregson
2. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
3. The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon
4. Library Mascot Cage Match: An Unshelved Collection by Bill Barnes
5. I'll Have What She's Having by Rebecca Harrington
6. Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman
7. The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery by Sam Kean
8. Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav
9. Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast
10. When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning
11. The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
12. The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander
13. The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander
14. Marriage Illustrated With Crappy Pictures by Amber Dusick
15. Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander

February
16. Chicken Every Sunday, My Life With Mother's Boarders by Rosemary Taylor
17. The High King by Lloyd Alexander
18. I Was Here by Gayle Forman
19. Blankets by Craig Thompson
20. Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda
21. The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
by Sam Kean
22. Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China by Paul French
23. Everything I Never Told You: A Novel by Celeste Ng
24. Museum of the Missing: A History of Art Theft by Simon Houpt

March
25. Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss
26. Holy Skirts: A Novel of a Flamboyant Woman Who Risked All for Art by Rene Steinke
27. The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory
28. NPR American Chronicles: First Ladies by NPR Staff
29. Charleston: A Novel by Margaret Bradham Thornton
30. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
31. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
32. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery

April
33. Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
34. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
35. A Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
36. Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
37. Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery
38. The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
39. Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

May
40. Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson
41. The Making of a Royal Romance: William, Kate, and Harry - A Look Behind the Palace Walls by Katie Nicholl
42. First Family: Abigail and John Adams by Joseph J. Ellis
43. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
44. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
45. The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
46. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

June
47. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
48. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham
49. All That Followed: A Novel by Gabriel Urza
50. NPR American Chronicles: Civil Rights by NPR
51. NPR American Chronicles: Women's Rights by NPR

July
52. Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination by J.K. Rowling
53. Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America's Gutsiest Troublemakers by Nick Offerman
54. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
55. Armada by Ernest Cline
56. White Oleander by Janet Fitch
57. Dead Wake by Erik Larson

August
58. Packing for Mars by Mary Roach
59. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
60. Brooklyn: A Novel by Colm Toibin
61. You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day
62. James Madison: The Founding Father by Robert Allen Rutland
63. The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium by Robert Lacey

September
64. Sydney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie
65. Sydney Chambers and the Perils of the Night by James Runcie
66. The Golden Compass Graphic Novel: Volume 1 by Philip Pullman
67. Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil by James Runcie
68. The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatness by Harlow Giles Unger

October
69. Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
70. What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler
71. Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz
72. Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell

November
73. Memories of a Catholic Girlhood by Mary McCarthy
74. The Bassoon King: My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy by Rainn Wilson
75. Wildflower by Drew Barrymore
76. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
77. Unstoppable by Bill Nye
78. Sidney Chambers and the Forgiveness of Sins by James Runcie

December
79. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
80. On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

2015 Challenges

President's Challenge:
1. Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
2. First Family: Abigail and John Adams by Joseph J. Ellis
3. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham
4. James Madison: The Founding Father by Robert Allen Rutland
5. The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatness by Harlow Giles Unger

Happy new thread, Marie!

>4 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky!

I'll attempt to catch up on reviews today.

Happy New Thread, Marie!

50. NPR American Chronicles: Civil Rights by NPR
51. NPR American Chronicles: Women's Equality by NPR

I love these "audio books". I almost hesitate to count them as books I've read since they are really just a collection of stories published on the radio, but here they are. There is an entire collection to listen to. I won one about the First Ladies through LT earlier this year. NPR truly does a great job of selecting the right reporter to speak with fascinating people. In particular, I really loved the one about Women's Equality. They selected women with very different view points and it was interesting to see the difference of opinion.

>6 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl!

52. Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination by J.K. Rowling

This is an illustrated commencement speech done by the one and only J.K. Rowling. It is simply beautiful and would make a great gift for anyone embarking on a new chapter in their life.

My favorite line: "Unlike any other creature on this planet, human beings can learn and understand without having experienced.” I think this is a beautiful sentiment and one especially true of any reader.

53. Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America's Gutsiest Troublemakers by Nick Offerman

This was an interestingly set up book in which Offerman offers up his own personal heroes who have a measure of gumption. It's told in Offerman's rather dry, but candid way of speaking. This may come off as monotone to some, but which is particularly pleasant to me. I don't know why, but it makes me take notice.

In any case, this book covers a wide variety of people. In the beginning few chapters he looks at the lives of our Founding Fathers - Jefferson, Madison, etc. and later segues into contemporaries like Wendell Barry and (surprisingly) Yoko Ono. Each chapter seems to take a different approach. Sometimes he stays on point and really talks about that person, but other times it seems more like a jumping point into talking about his views of same sex marriage, racism and other hot topic items. In that regard, I wish it had been more consistent. It is incredibly self indulgent at times, but I will continue to read whatever Offerman throws out there because I find him such an interesting author.

54. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything was a unique look into the life of a girl living in a bubble world because of her diagnosis of SCID. This rare disease makes her extremely susceptible to every kind of disease on Earth because of her extremely compromised immune system.

And so, until she turns 18 her life is fairly mundane. She's home schooled, reads a lot and hangs out with just her nurse and her mother after the death of her father and brother in an accident.

Until the cute next door neighbor moves in.

It's a cute love story made unique by their unusual situation. What is life if you can't fully experience it?

(This book comes out in September and at which point I hope someone reads it because there is a BIG TWIST and I want to talk to someone about it. I can't decide if I liked that part or not...)

Oh I love that header. I have been watching lots of students graduate this week from my office window - sounds like the Rowling would make a great graduation gift. I shall try to remember that for when it's relevant!

55. Armada by Ernest Cline

Did you like Ready Player One? I did. I was a big fan and for that reason I was really looking forward to Cline's second book.

For that reason, I was so unprepared to dislike this book. I truly mean dislike. I would have understood if the book had been underwhelming, but this book made me physically roll my eyes. The plot was so contrived and made so many homages to other pop culture/nerdy cultures that it felt extremely redundant. It was trying to be Ender's Game, even acknowledging Ender's Game, but was paced poorly and brought nothing new to the sci-fi genre. The whole plot hinged on a bunch of video game players saving the Earth from an alien invasion - in 8 hours! Wtf?

Second, the main character - Zack Lightman - made me gnash my teeth. He was the worst. He was this 18 year old brat with no motivation and an unhealthy attachment to his deceased father that died when he was one. Except that, of course his dad is alive. Eye roll! I mean, really unhealthy. I feel like I can say that as someone who lost a parent when they were young. It just got old really, really fast. Oh AND Cline slapped a sexy girl into the story just in the nick of time to try and give the plot some life. Grooooan.

I think I've said enough. I did not like this book and it made me really sad because I saw great things for this author after his debut novel.

Big mix of reviews. I hope your current read is much more enjoyable than your last review.

>13 rosylibrarian: :-(

>13 rosylibrarian: - Uh... oh... Not good. :-(

>14 MickyFine: Thanks, so far it is. I'm re-reading an old fav.

>15 norabelle414: >16 lkernagh: Maybe I will be in the minority, but I really, really did not like it. I can't wait to see other thoughts though.

>17 rosylibrarian: Your review is pretty consistent with what I've been hearing from others.

>13 rosylibrarian: What a disappointment! I loved Ready Player One too.

>13 rosylibrarian: Well, darn. I have Armada out from the library but I'm thinking I may not bother taking it on vacation with me next week in case it turns out to be a dud.

I read Very Good Lives, a few days back, too:) It seems we did not have a proper graduation from uni, at least not the way you do over there. Probably just the students finishing their MA that particular semester and the professors. Haha, no fuss and nothing big! I wish we could have had Rowling there;)

>19 ronincats: >20 bell7: Well, I always hate to give bad reviews in case it deters someone from a book they would have enjoyed, but I really disliked it.

>21 Apolline: I didn't go to my MLIS graduation, but I would have if Rowling had been there. :) I guess I should have gone to Harvard, ha ha...

Happy new thread, Marie!
I saw the new Offerman book while on vacation, but already had an armload. I do want to pick it up at some point, though, because I love him.

>23 scaifea: Thank you! And yes, please so pick this one up. I didn't love it as much as his first book, but, you know, still Nick Offerman.

>24 rosylibrarian: I wonder if there's an audio version - and he'd have to be the narrator, of course. I may have to investigate...

>25 scaifea: There is! I read the print version a few chapters in, realized there was an audio book and switched. He does narrate it. I mean, who else could? :)

>26 rosylibrarian: Awesomesauce!! I'll definitely be checking to see if my library has it!

After your high recommendation of The Golden Compass, I decided to order the books to the bookstore, so I can buy them there (don't have to pay the shipping myself then ;). I was kind of surprised and a little confused when I could hardy find a single copy of The Golden Compass at the company we order English books from. Well, needless to say, I did not know the book is called Northern Lights in the UK, or the other way around, that US publishers changed the name to The Golden Compass. *facepalm*

Well, at least I finally ordered all three books (it's three,right??:D), butit made me quite irritated that publishers change the title in a way that you can not recognice the books unless you already know about this, or if you read the description. I know a few terrible translations from English to Norwegian, and the consequence is that people buy the same book twice because they think it is a new book from the same author. (Translations are often delayed from English to Norwegian, the books never translated at the original ublishing date, and sometimes translated versions are published in Norway years after the first release). Well, the first title that comes to mind, is Jojo Moyes book Me before you, which in Norwegian is translated into Et helt halvt år (meaning A whole half year). Why not just stick to the original??

Sorry...todays little rant!

Hope your day is good:) And yes, can't wait to receive my books!

>28 Apolline: Oh no, I'm so sorry! I didn't even think about their other names when I recommended it to you. I actually own a copy of a first British edition that is signed by the author. It was a very thoughtful gift from my husband.

And yes, it is three books. There are a few novellas too. Once Upon a Time in the North and Lyra's Oxford. There have been rumors of a 4th book coming out, but I keep hearing that every year.

I hope you enjoy! Sorry about all the translation issues!

56. White Oleander by Janet Fitch

This was a re-read, though it has been a very long time since I've read it. This was one of my favorite books to read as a teenager. Ingrid's coming of age was angsty and raw - something I appreciated then and now.

Something a little different happened with this reading though. I thought more about Ingrid's mother. As a teenager, I saw her the way Ingrid did - beautiful, but distant and a little deadly. This time I saw her as an uglier person who couldn't take of a child who needed her. Her relationship with her daughter at the end of the book took on a new meaning.

Ah, the power of a good story with layers of meaning at different ages.

57. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson

This book is about the Lusitania and its eventual sinking by a torpedo during WWI. It's also about events at the time - in the United States, in Britain, in Germany. It's about President Wilson and the loss of his first wife and the wooing of his second. It's about the captain of the Lusitania and his long career with Cunard Lines. It's about the lives of the many passengers on board. Simply put, Larson orchestrates a spectrum of stories and creates a rather fascinating narrative. I find him to be an excellent author, good at integrating the human interest side of things into historical events.

By the way, I learned a lot about WWI in this book. For some reason I thought that the United States jumped into the war right after the sinking of the Lusitania. It took another two years!

June and July Summary

Books Read: 11
Presidential Books Read: 1

Favorite Book: Dead Wake by Erik Larson

Thoughts: It seems like a lot of people really get into reading during their summer months. It's always been the opposite for me. I always slow down in reading. I wonder why that is?

>29 rosylibrarian: I'm sorry! Didn't mean to take my frustration out on you! I just don't see why they HAVE to change the title all the time;) Confusing!

>32 rosylibrarian: I know what you mean. Earlier I have always slowed down my reading during summer, probably because of the climate and me spending most of my time outdoors. This year though, I've been on a roll, and I guess it might be because I work at the bookstore and talk about books all the time:) We'll see next summer if it is a permanent change or just a flicker.

>28 Apolline: There are even stranger examples of title changes. Lawrence Hill's novel was published as The Book of Negroes in Canada and as Someone Knows My Name in the US. There's not even an ocean separating us. Although odds are that US publishers that the book's sales would suffer with a title using a term that isn't strictly PC.

I really liked The Devil in the White City - I need to get round to this new one of his soon. I'm glad to see that you liked it!

>33 Apolline: >34 MickyFine: Really interesting. I guess novel names are changed for the same reason movie titles sometimes are. It's all about appealing to your demographic and making the most money. (Micky, you're probably right about US publishers. We do seem to love political correctness here... ugh.)

>35 scaifea: I think ship wrecks are kind of interesting and the infusion of WWI was right up my alley. I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

58. Packing for Mars by Mary Roach

I'm slowly making my way through all of Mary Roach's books and they are always delightful. Well, delightful if you like knowing some of the grosser things about the human body and what happens to it when you take gravity away and shoot it up into space. This book made me realize that I definitely could not be an astronaut. The amount of motion sickness talked about in this book made my head spin. I also could not deal with with the not bathing and being in such confined quarters part. Not to mention the whole no oxygen thing... honestly, the list goes on and on.

Going back to the book though, I want to mention that I love how Roach talks about her research methods. She doesn't insert herself into the narrative in a distracting way. Rather, she adds herself in when how she finds something out becomes just as interesting as the thing she found out. The people she interviews really make her novels compelling and sometimes that much more humorous.

59. Red Rising by Pierce Brown

The blurbs for this book all say the same thing. It's Ender's Game meets Game of Thrones meets Hunger Games and I enjoy all of those things and I did enjoy this book, but... is it weird that I feel like this book was written to become a movie? And is it more weird to be annoyed by that? I guess I'm just tired of authors writing books that they know play on the buzz of something popular now. Or is that just a publisher strategy? I shouldn't begrudge the success of authors and I know having a movie made of your book is great, but...

Wow, I just went down the rabbit hole, but I kept thinking about that the entire time I read this book and as it reminded me of everything else. But, I digress. If you like Ender's Game or Game of Thrones or the Hunger Games, you may like this book. ;)

60. Brooklyn: A Novel by Colm Toibin

In a twist of irony, I picked up this book BECAUSE I saw a movie trailer for it and the story looked delightful.

I'd never tried Toibin before, but I loved his writing. The story was actually rather uneventful, but his main character was enchanting. I really felt for her as she left home for the first time and moved to America from Ireland in the 1950s. I feel like I read a lot of characters that are bold and strong, but Toibin's main character was wonderfully ambivalent. She sort of went where her family told her to and fell in love with the first man that came along. When she finally has to make a decision for herself I was rooting for her to really follow her heart.

Looks like a good streak of decent reads for you, Marie.

I'm glad to see another fan of Brooklyn and Colm Tóibín. Nice review, Marie!

>39 rosylibrarian: A film? Oh wow. I'll look forward to seeing that.

Loved this book. Niamh Cusack (who has just the most beautiful voice) read an abridged version on the radio, so when I got hold of the book she kind of 'read it in my head' which was wonderful.

>22 rosylibrarian: Nope. I started reading it a few days later and finally gave up today. I'm 140 pages into it and find it exceptionally easy to put it down, so I finally decided why keep going? Glad to see the books you've been reading lately have been better.

>40 MickyFine: I know, I'm on a roll! I am having issues with which book to read next though...

>41 kidzdoc: Would you suggest another book by him?

>42 charl08: I love the actress they picked to play the main character. The movie trailer makes it look more like a love triangle though then I felt the book was.

>43 bell7: Sorry to hear you didn't like it either, but it makes me feel better that I wasn't alone. It's shocking to me that he produced something like Armada after Ready Player One.

61. You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day

I've been looking forward to this book for a few months now because I love Felicia Day. She's an actress that has pushed the bounds of entertainment into the realm of the Internet and gaming. You may know her from The Guild or Dr. Horrible's Sing Along. In this memoir she talks about her strange upbringing as a homeschooled military brat and her foray into acting, producing and owning her own business. It's a fun book and Day is a charming writer. It feels like hanging out with a friend for a few hours. My only complaint is that the book felt rather short and I hope she continues to work on a second book.

>44 rosylibrarian: Yes; I also enjoyed The Blackwater Lightship and The Heather Blazing. I hope to get to Nora Webster and The Master later this year.

>46 kidzdoc: Thank you, I appreciate it. I really did love his writing style.

>45 rosylibrarian: Yay! I'm glad to see your positive review for this one. My hold for this just came in this week (there are upsides to ordering books for the library as I often manage to be one of the first in line for things :P) so once I finish my latest Gabaldon novel (only 400 pages to go!) it's next up.

>48 MickyFine: Woo hoo! I miss being the one that orders books as I don't do that at my current job, but I'm still in the realm of books so it's okay.

When you finish I would love to get your thoughts on her childhood. Plus, there is a whole chapter on "gamer gate" that I found interesting. Ah, Internet culture!

>45 rosylibrarian: Mine arrived in the mail yesterday!

>45 rosylibrarian: Ooh that sounds good. *puts hold on and hopes it doesn't take forever*
Surprisingly, I've actually seen her in a TV show (Supernatural) - and that's surprising because of the small number of shows/movies I watch, not anything about her.

>50 norabelle414: Read it fast!

>51 bell7: I've always wanted to watch Supernatural, but aren't they on like...season 12? I can't even fathom doing that much catch up. The boys on it do look good though... :)

Speaking of cute boys, I started watching Gratchester this week. Holy goodness, James Norton!

>52 rosylibrarian: Season 10 is coming out on DVD on September 8. I caught up on nine seasons last year from August to Novemberish, I think, but not in time to watch the latest season when it was on TV. I'm fairly certain the only TV shows I watched last year were Doctor Who, Downton Abbey and Supernatural. I either watch a whole season in a week or I don't watch TV at all (well, okay, I watch sports & news, but not actual shows).

My brother-in-law and I are planning a binge watch when I go down to visit him, my sister, and my baby niece next week.

Grantchester did look good, but wasn't it on after Downton Abbey? Seemed a really late start, but if you all like it, I'd better look into watching online on PBS...

>53 bell7: PBS is GREAT for watching online, IF you watch within ~two weeks of the end of the show. After that they take them down.

>53 bell7: Ha ha ha, that is how I watch TV too. I'm not good at keeping up with it week to week. I tend only to do it with certain shows like Downton Abbey and the Big Bang Theory.

Grantchester is AMAZING! I finished it last night. I am in love with James Norton. Oh my good lord. I never thought I'd have a crush on a vicar.

>54 norabelle414: Good to know. I can't believe the next season won't air until 2016. Uuuuggggh.

62. James Madison: The Founding Father by Robert Allen Rutland

In continuing on with the President's Challenge... I tried five James Madison books before finishing this one. FIVE. I tried older ones, newer ones, larger ones, short ones. Every single one of them was dry and boring. This one was too, but I finally needed to move on.

I don't think it is because James Madison was a boring President. I think it is because authors aren't quite sure how to penetrate Madison's inner thoughts. In particular, this author didn't seem to have much to say about his Presidency, but focused mainly on Madison's several Congressional terms. I also wanted more about his home life, but that was not to be found in this book.

I hope someday someone writes a book that does Madison justice, or that someone can point me in the direction of one.

63. The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium by Robert Lacey

After slogging through my last book, this one was a lot more fun. Cut up into the 12 different months of the year, this book takes a look at life in the years around 1000 ACE in what is modern day England. It's not exceptionally deep and academic, but I found it interesting and it made me think about the human lives of long ago. As a side note, it is a little bit dated and kept referring to the new millennium - the year 2000.

>54 norabelle414: Oooh, good to know! I'd been wondering why I couldn't find past seasons of Downton Abbey and that explains it (I will probably get to pass on that info to library patrons too).

>55 rosylibrarian: Yep, that's me all over. And I shall place season 1 on hold. You and Nora twisted my arm.

I've seen season one of Grantchester too! Is there a season two coming up??

Oh yes. Shots of filming in progress were in the papers. I'm waiting with bated breath. (!)

>49 rosylibrarian: Her childhood was definitely out there. I did find it funny that she didn't realize she had no GED until writing the book. I also appreciated the insight into gamer-gate as I only saw occasional mentions of it (including the tumblr post Felicia included in the book) and didn't entirely get what was going on.

>52 rosylibrarian: Welcome to the Sidney Chambers fan club. :)

Hi! I'm here to lurk for book recommendations a little bit as I get my LT thread-watching groove back under my feet. :)

>58 bell7: Did you get it yet?

>59 Apolline: I think it hits the US next year. Not sure about Europe.

>60 charl08: Eeee!

>61 MickyFine: I loved that part too! And thank you. I love this fan club!

>62 Kassilem: I'm afraid I've been lurking too. September really got away from me. Work has been absolutely insane.

>63 rosylibrarian: Yes! And watched it all in a day. (What? There were only six episodes...)

ETA: They're based on books. As a librarian, I'm feeling the pressure to read one.

>64 bell7: I read the first book and found it decent but not so amazing I'm desperate to pick up another. I'm happy to stick with TV Sidney. But I'll be interested to see your thoughts on it if you do read it. There are some major differences between the stories in the first book and the first series.

>65 MickyFine: Maybe I will, but probably not for a few months anyway. I've almost maxed out the number of holds I can have on my card at this time and a bunch of them will be arriving in the next few weeks.

>64 bell7: >65 MickyFine: >66 bell7: I'm actually on the third Grantchester book right now. There are significant differences between the two. It really surprised me at first, but I'm learning to appreciate the two different mediums for what they are.

If I ever get a chance I will write down some reviews. I've been sick all week and am finally starting to feel human again.

*waves cast*

>67 rosylibrarian: Boo for sickness but I'm glad to hear you're on the mend. I hope you have a lovely, relaxing weekend.

Hope you're feeling OK now.

I read the first couple of Grantchester books and wasn't that taken with them (and was quite surprised that they were making them into a series!). Sidney in the tv series is considerably more, er, charismatic than the book suggested, for my money anyway. I suspected Robson Green's (Geordie) inclusion in the cast meant his role got beefed up, but I don't know the later books at all to know if that's really the case.

>68 ronincats: You're waving a cast?! I really need to catch up on your thread!

>69 MickyFine: Ah, the weekend came and went. Mostly relaxing, but I did go to a co-worker's lovely wedding celebration followed by a concert. We saw the band Dawes.

>70 charl08: TV Sydney is way more charismatic! So is Geordie. There also isn't as much from the minor characters such as Leonard or Mrs. Maguire, which I find really sad because I love their TV personas. The romantic plot line is also quite different... ah, it's hard to say without spoiling anything, but I can see why people like the TV show better.

(I'm doing a bit of skipping around on reviews to group a series together.)



66. The Golden Compass Graphic Novel: Volume 1 by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass is my favorite book. I love graphic novels. Two reasons why I should love this book, right? It turns out this was a terrible adaptation. I hated the style of the illustrations and I felt like the artist didn't capture the magic of the books... or read them, because a lot of the characters didn't match their descriptions. He made Lyra a brunette versus a blonde, etc. The layout was also oddly spaced and the text.... ugh.... honestly, I was really disappointed. I've had this book pre-ordered for months and could barely finish it.

64. Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie
65. Sydney Chambers and the Perils of the Night by James Runcie
67. Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil by James Runcie

As I've mentioned before, I watched the first season of Granchester on PBS and loved it. I loved the characters, I loved the story, I loved the mystery, I love, love, loved it. When I found out it was based on a series I hopped to and checked them all out.

The books are really quite different. It's hard to list why without spoiling a lot of the TV series, so I won't do so here. Suffice to say, a lot of the minor characters that I love in the TV series aren't as big of a deal in the books. Sidney's war background doesn't feature very heavily. The romantic plot line is also very, very different.

What is similar are some of the murders, the pacing of the plot and the struggles that Sidney feels as he tries to balance investigating crimes with his duties as a vicar.

It's hard to say that I like the TV show better than the books because they are so different it is hard to compare the two. The books feature an older, less charming Sidney Chambers, but one I enjoy reading about all the same.

>73 rosylibrarian: I was kind of disappointed that the TV series didn't do the Amanda gets kidnapped by crazy art collector story in the first book because that melodrama is just screaming for TV adaptation.

>74 MickyFine: Maybe it will be featured in the second season. That part of the book was particularly creepy. I wonder how they are going to handle the Guy thing because she breaks up with him almost immediately in the books, but he's still hanging around by the end of season 1.

>75 rosylibrarian: I know! That was driving me crazy (I read the first book before watching the series).

>67 rosylibrarian: I daresay by the time I get to the book(s) I'll have enough time since watching the TV show to be able to separate it pretty well in my head. Hope you're feeling better!

Feeling better, but it has been a crazy weekend for weather in Charleston. Work was cancelled on Friday and we were told to stay off the streets. Flooding hasn't been too bad where I am, but we did lose power last night. I think the worst of it is over, so I guess I'll just try and enjoy the rest of my Sunday. I hope the rest of the east coast stays safe while Joaquin goes by.

>72 rosylibrarian:: I'm halfway through the first book, and I like it so far. My father works at Svalbard right now, and he used to work there when I was younger. I actually went to visit him there when I was about nine, but sadly I didn't spot any panserbjørne;)

>79 Apolline: What, no panserbjørne? Waste of a good trip. ;)

68. The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatness by Harlow Giles Unger

Ah, what a relief to be done with the "Founding Fathers". Don't get me wrong, Monroe was a very interesting president. The author of this book certainly thought so. This isn't one of those unbiased accounts. Unger really thinks highly of Monroe and talks about his many accomplishments - for good reason. I did however wonder what lay beyond the "Era of Good Feeling" though.

August and September Summary

(I always forget to do summaries until it has been 2 months...)

Books Read: 11
Presidential Books Read: 2

Favorite Book: Brooklyn: A Novel by Colm Toibin

Thoughts: I'm holding steady at about one Presidential book a month. Madison nearly killed me, but I'm looking forward to Quincy Adams.

I was thinking how much more non-fiction I have been reading in the last year and a half. I used to read a lot more fiction with non-fiction sprinkled in, but the reverse feels true now. Maybe it will be the next stat I track.

Good for you on your presidential reading!

At this rate you'll pass me by quickly in the Presidential Challenge - I've been working on it for ages and I'm only just on Taylor...

>83 ronincats: >84 scaifea: I will say that it has been quite the history lesson and I enjoy that part of it. My eyes kind of blur when they talk about the nitty gritty ins and outs of law making, but on the whole it has been interesting.

>85 rosylibrarian: What I've been surprised about - although it makes sense if you think about it, I suppose - is how much more U.S. history I'm absorbing than I thought I would, since so much of it gets repeated from biography to biography because of the overlap among the presidents.

>86 scaifea: So true! I never studied the US Revolutionary War in depth, but now I feel like I have since all of the books I've read so far have touched on it, depending on how involved the future President was. Also... really ups my trivia game! (Hamilton won me a point last night and we took second!)

>87 rosylibrarian: Ha! I hadn't thought of the trivia aspect- result!

69. Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

Jenny Lawson, also known for her blog as the Bloggess, is back with her second book. Though I don't follow her blog, I did enjoy her first book with its zany stories. Her second book sets a different tone. She goes into depth about mental illness, anxiety and her issues with both. Of course this is an important topic, but one I wasn't quite prepared to read about. I had signed up for funny after having had a few weeks of nothing but stress. So, maybe I felt a little tricked through no fault of the author and the book is still funny and wacky, but it didn't grab me like her first book did.

70. What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler

Also a second book, What We Saw is Aaron Hartzler's first fictional book. The first one he wrote was autobiographical and dealt with his homosexuality in a very strict, religious home. I loved it and really loved him when I saw him at YALLFest. He's coming back next month so I wanted to make sure I picked this one up now.

Based on a true story, this YA book deals with a teenage rape case and how social media and small towns come together to distort the truth. It's told from the perspective of a girl who attends a party where the alleged rape takes place... though she can't remember anything from that night. It's a little bit of mystery story that comes together quite nicely. I found the pacing to be just right and it ended just the way I wanted to, which never happens to me, so I was pleasantly surprised.

I hope others read it because it would be a good book to discuss. If you're looking for a good book club book, try this one.

>90 rosylibrarian: Looks interesting. I've been meaning to read his memoir for a while now.

71. Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War
by Tony Horwitz

I'm the heart of Civil War land, living in Charleston. (Fort Sumter, ya'll!) Yet... as I am from Nevada, I feel very disconnected from that particular point in time. I mean, why does the South care so much about a war fought over 150 years ago?

Tony Horwitz, with little connection to the Civil War himself, set out to answer that very question. He traipses through South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia and just about anywhere else with a story connected to the Civil War.

It isn't a chronological story, but rather an author's journey to figure out the lasting effects of the Civil War. It's fascinating and Horwitz tells it in a candid, sometimes humorous way. He even joins a group of hard core reenactors and tries to live their way of life. I enjoyed it, especially because part of the book takes part in a city I live in, at a school I work for.

Fun aside! I did not know he was married to Geraldine Brooks, whose new book I would very much like to read.

I feel like a great deal of my knowledge about the American Civil War comes from Gone with the Wind and Little Women. So you're probably doing better than me. :)

>93 MickyFine: *snork!* I feel the same way about Gone with the Wind...

>92 rosylibrarian: That looks like one to search out, Marie.

Have a wonderful weekend.

>93 MickyFine: Me too, Micky. When I knew we were moving to South Carolina I read Gone with the Wind for the first time. One of the people that Horwitz visits with in the book is a Vivian Leigh look a like who pulls in over $50k a year doing social events all over the world. Crazy!

>94 scaifea: Sometimes it doesn't feel too far off. :)

>95 PaulCranswick: Tis a good one! Enjoy your weekend too, Paul.

>96 rosylibrarian: Not a bad way to make a living. Now if I could just meet the Clark Gable lookalike... :P

72. Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell

I've been really excited about this book, and it did not disappoint. I love Sarah Vowell, and after reading several Founding Fathers books, I've come to love Lafayette. Vowell tells his tale in the same humorous manner that she has come to be known for.

The only thing I was disappointed in was that it really didn't span the entirety of his life, with very brief mentions of what he did after the Revolutionary War. I can see why that wasn't really the focus of her book, hence the title, but it would make an interesting follow up book.

I'll leave you with this quote: “While the melodrama of hucking crates of tea into Boston Harbor continues to inspire civic-minded hotheads to this day, it’s worth remembering the hordes of stoic colonial women who simply swore off tea and steeped basil leaves in boiling water to make the same point. What’s more valiant: littering from a wharf or years of doing chores and looking after children from dawn to dark without caffeine?”

October Summary

Books Read: 4
Presidential Books Read: 0

Favorite Book: Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell

Thoughts: Dear lord, I only read 4 books. This month has been absolutely insane. I know it's the running gag to say, "Where did the month go?" BUT SERIOUSLY. I only felt ready to start carving pumpkins and pick out a costume on the day of Halloween. I just did not make reading a priority this month. Work has been very, very overloaded and stressful and the rest of the semester isn't looking much better... I can only hope I get to 75.

Hugs for you, Marie!

>98 rosylibrarian: I'm glad Lafayette was good! I'm looking forward to it.

>99 rosylibrarian: I'm hoping for 20 books read;) I know our goals are different, but sometimes you have to life as well! The books wont run anywhere, they are probably the most patient friends we'll ever have:)

I have already started my Christmas preparations, since we do not have any holidays we celebrate between June and December:)

Have a lovely weekend.

>99 rosylibrarian: Marie, I hope you'll have some more reading time this month than you did last month.

>100 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky. Always appreciated!

>101 norabelle414: Lafayette was an interesting historical figure, and Vowell's humor is well suited to his character.

>102 Apolline: Such a true statement. They are patient. Ah, Christmas sounds wonderful right now, mainly because we get two weeks off. I'm going to try and enjoy Thanksgiving though. Have a wonderful weekend too!

>103 aktakukac: Ah, thank you. I need to stop falling into bed the moment I get home and do a little more focusing... but it has been tough.

73. Memories of a Catholic Girlhood by Mary McCarthy

I stumbled upon a recommendation of this book in the New York Times and thought it would be interesting to read a memoir in which the author revisits her essays and comments upon their truthfulness some years later. Without this element, the book would have been straight forward. Mary McCarthy was orphaned at the age of six when he parents died of the Spanish Flu in 1918. She was raised by relatives in poor, and sometimes abusive conditions until she moved to Seattle and went to a boarding school. Through this she deals with matters of faith, family and coming of age. Because she interlaces the narrative with her thoughts of the truthfulness of her writings, I found it to be a really interesting look at how our memories can trick us and how hard it is to produce a good story, while staying true to the events of your life.

She was a beautiful writer.

74. The Bassoon King: My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy by Rainn Wilson

Rainn Wilson is best known as Dwight from the TV series, The Office. I love The Office. I love the character of Dwight K. Schrute. There is so much comedy and heart packed into that series that it feels like returning to a warm, comforting home every time I re-watch an episode. So, naturally, I was curious to read about Wilson's life.

Surprisingly, this was a meatier celebrity memoir than most. Sure, he dedicates a number of chapters on how he got started in acting, his time spent as Dwight and what he is up to now, but he touches upon a lot of things very central to his life - family, religion, charity. He doesn't sugar coat the weird upbringing he had, or the set backs he encountered, the drugs he took or the poverty he faced. He just seemed like a very thoughtful kind of guy, and this book altered my perception of him as a person - and not just Dwight.

>105 rosylibrarian: I really liked The Group and am a fan of reflections on reminiscences so will look out for this. Mentioning memory and its tricks, you've also reminded me I meant to do some digging on Studs Terkel- I caught the end of a radio doc talking about his life and meant to look for a memoir or bio about his reminiscence work.

>107 charl08: Studs Terkel, what a fantastic name!

Dun, dun, dun, dun! Book 75! It was looking a little dicey there, but I've been in a good reading place this past week or so.



75. Wildflower by Drew Barrymore

Lots of celebrity memoirs this month. I wouldn't say that I've followed Drew Barrymore her entire career, but I've enjoyed her brand of humor and the romantic comedies I've seen her in. I've long heard about her issues with family, drugs, marriages and what not, so I got curious and read this book. I should mention that I listened to it as an audio book and since Barrymore reads it herself, it felt like hanging out with her for a number of hours.

Barrymore is quite charming. This book is not really in chronological order, nor does it delve deep in her past issues with drugs and alcohol. (Also, not a single word about Tom Green, LOL!) It really focuses on the people Barrymore loves in her life and pays homage to how they have changed her. Watch out, there is one chapter that deals with three of her beloved dogs and it made me extremely teary eyed. All in all, a light-hearted, but delightful peak into Barrymore's world.

So, YALLfest was really fun this year and happened here in Charleston last week. I highly recommend going if you get the chance to. If you don't know, YALLfest is a Young Adult book festival that happens annually. They've expanded to have a YALLwest in California.

The following authors signed my books: Elizabeth Wein (Code Name Verity), Ryan Graudin (Wolf by Wolf), R.L. Stine (Goosebumps) and Rachel Caine (Ink and Bone). The last author comes with a funny story. In between panels my husband and I sat down to have lunch and unknowingly sat next to Rachel Caine and her assistant. As she was getting up, we both saw her name tag and I had just bought her book. She was lovely enough to sign it for me. I got on Twitter to tweet out what happened, and she re-tweeted me. It was neat to brush shoulders with an author, and I've almost finished her book.

Congrats on reaching 75 -- with plenty of time to spare!

Congratulations on reaching the 75 book mark--with a month to spare, no less!

Congrats on reaching 75!

Woot for 75!!

75! Yahoo!

> 111 >112 ronincats: >113 Kassilem: >114 scaifea: >115 lkernagh: Thank you, thank you! I'm sad I probably won't be hitting 100 this year. (I think I've hit 100 the past two years.) But... oh well.

76. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

After meeting the author last week and having her sign my book, I was pretty anxious to finish this one and it flew by.

The first in a series, Ink and Bone is a fun, YA fantasy book set in a world in which the Library controls everything. Original books are illegal and everything must be Library sanctioned. Our main protagonist, Jess, comes from a family of book smugglers who sell to the highest bidder. When his father sends him to the Library to go undercover, Jess must figure out where his allegiances lie.

This book had a good cast of characters and I loved the world Caine built around the Library standing for evil, rather than the good that I think it stands for in real life. Yet, the questions she raises about the freedom of ideas, and words and books is compelling. I'm excited for book two.

Congrats on 75!

>117 rosylibrarian: "the Library controls everything"

Instant. Wish. List.

(Though I'm not sure how long I'd last in Evil-Library-land.)

Congrats on 75!

Ink and Bones sounds great! It is now on the tbr pile.

Yep, adding it to my wishlist, too.

>118 drneutron: Thank you!

>119 swynn: I'm not sure how long I would last either.

>120 Whisper1: >121 scaifea: It's off to a good start!

Belated congrats on reaching the magic number, Marie. Looks like you've had a string of good reads. :)

>123 MickyFine: Yeah, I have been lucky these past few weeks.

Belated Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans. We did a bit of traveling and for that reason, we boarded our dog over the weekend. We normally don't have to do this, but our go to dog sitters weren't able to take him. So... we came back to find out that our dog had been dis-enrolled from the "day care" portion of his boarding because he was being too aggressive with the other dogs. Man, I felt like a parent whose child has been beating up the other kids at school. He is a little 5lb yorkie who thinks he is much bigger than he really is, but he's so wonderful with us that I was surprised, and a little embarrassed. Is there a trick to making your dog less aggressive, or is this a little dog thing?

77. Unstoppable: Harnessing Science to Change the World by Bill Nye

I'm a Bill Nye fan. What can I say? I was a child of the 90s. My science teachers showed his videos in class. I was also a fan of his last book, Undeniable, which was about evolution. This book is about climate change. I'll be honest, it's not a subject I've paid much attention to. This book was pretty enlightening for that reason, especially in light of all the climate control regulation talks happening right now. It's a troubling topic, and induces a lot of fear, but Nye's tone remained optimistic. Realistic, but optimistic.

There's a section of this book that was kind of funny. Nye talks about all the ways he has implemented energy efficiency changes in his own household and he's made it a sort of competition with his neighbor - Ed Begley, Jr. It made me dream about owning my own energy efficient home one day.

78. Sidney Chambers and the Forgiveness of Sins by James Runcie

I'm finally all caught up on the Sidney Chambers books, and since we've talked about Grantchester quite a bit already, I'll keep this brief. It was another solid addition to the series, and I find myself enjoying them more and more. I've never been a cozy mystery person... but maybe I haven't read the right books?

What are your favorite cozy mysteries?

>126 rosylibrarian: Anything Miss Marple.

>127 MickyFine: Oh yes, it is sad that I've only read one thing by Agatha Christie.

>126 rosylibrarian: Still no sign of Grantchester series two. Sigh. I like the county mysteries by Ian Sansom (and as there have only been two of them, I am all caught up on the whole series. Result!)

>129 charl08: I know, I can hardly wait. I think I've seen spring 2016 floating around, but who can say...

I will look into Ian Sansom, thanks!

>117 rosylibrarian: I enjoyed this one too.

>126 rosylibrarian: Anything from Agatha Christie, and the Louise Penny books about Armand Gamache. Not really sure if the last one classifies as cozy mysteries, but I think it is and that's good enough for me;)

>126 rosylibrarian: My librarian book club (the longer name is "Western Massachusetts Readers' Advisory Round Table" so I'll just go with librarian book club) is reading mysteries with an amateur sleuth, and I decided to read the first Sidney Chambers book as my "2nd title" (we're all reading Catering to Nobody and discussing it too).

I don't read a ton of mysteries including cozies, but I do like Agatha Christie and I enjoyed the Dorothy Sayers books I read too.

>133 bell7: My librarian book club sounds like way more fun than yours - we also call it Wine Club.

>134 Deedledee: Ha! Are you allowed wine on library premises, or is this strictly after hours? :)
We have more fun than the long title suggests - I get to talk about books for a couple of hours, usually go out to lunch with a friend, and then I only work for a few hours in the evening. (The morning counts as work too, but doesn't really feel like it!)

I just remembered another crime Author you might check out. it is a Swedish author called Camilla Läckberg. Her books might not be as cozy as Agatha Christie, but worth a try. Most of her books are translated to English.

And another author in the same category would be Josephine Tey, though I've only read one of her books, Brat Farrar.

Hope your days are good! Christmas is coming:):)

Hi Marie!
Years ago, I read one or two books in the Tea Shop Mysteries series by Laura Childs. They are set in Charleston, and are cozy mysteries. I also like G.M. Malliet's Max Tudor books, mostly for the small English village setting and because Max is a former James Bond-type agent turned priest.

>132 Apolline: I have the first book in the Louise Penny series. I do need to get to it.

>133 bell7: I don't read them very often either. I think I have read more this year than I ever have before. I'll look into Dorothy Sayers.

>134 Deedledee: That's the kind of book club I want to be in!

>136 Apolline: Christmas is coming! I've good things about Tey. I'll look into Lackberg. Thanks!

>137 aktakukac: You know, I have tried a few books set in Charleston and I haven't found one I really liked. I'll have to give Childs a go. The Max Tudor books sounds right up my alley, though!

Well, I have read a few books I need to review, but I am leaving for a Christmas cruise tomorrow and won't be back until the end of the year, so... I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Thanks for hanging out on my thread this year.

Way to celebrate Christmas, Marie! Where is your cruise going to?

>140 ronincats: It's a Western Caribbean cruise leaving out of Miami. We're going to Belize and Mahogany Bay and Cozumel and the Cayman Islands. So, so ready!

Wow. That sounds beautiful. Have a lovely trip.

Have an amazing trip, Marie. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and enjoy your trip!

Sounds like a great trip! Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Marie! I hope it will be wonderful!!:):)

Wow, a Christmas Cruise! Have a wonderful time!!

For my Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice/Holiday image this year (we are so diverse!), I've chosen this photograph by local photographer Mark Lenoce of the pier at Pacific Beach to express my holiday wishes to you: Peace on Earth and Good Will toward All!

Have a lovely holiday, Marie

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! We've returned from our Christmas cruise in one piece and have fully recovered from the fun of it all.

Some stats to bring closure to this thread:

Marie's 2015 Challenge

Books read: 80
Pages read: 25,116

Fiction: 38
Non-Fiction: 42

Top 5 (in no order):
Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander
The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery by Sam Kean
Chicken Every Sunday by Rosemary Taylor
Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

Lastly, come join me in 2016: Marie's 2016 Challenge

Happy New Year to all!