Challenge: 50 Books discussion

So far this year I've read:
Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell
Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
The Host - Stephenie Meyer
Falling - Christopher Pike
Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris
Club Dead - Charlaine Harris
Dead to the World - Charlaine Harris
Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris
Definitely Dead - Charlaine Harris
From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris
Plum Spooky - Janet Evanovich
Marked - PC Cast & Kristin Cast*
Betrayed- PC Cast & Kristin Cast*
Hunted- PC Cast & Kristin Cast*
Chosen - PC Cast & Kristin Cast*

I got and read the whole twilight season over Christmas and that kicked off an abnormal interest in Vampire books, as you might be able to tell.

I usually oscillate between trashy reads and business books. I love Janet Evanovich and Marcus Buckingham.

Happening on to the Sookie Stackhouse series was a decent break for a trashy series find and I'd love to find another one. Any suggestions? (I read a lot of business last year; not ready to break the trashy streak.)

*BTW, I bought the whole House of Night Series at once and read it all 'cause I'm like that, BUT it was the worst piece of crap ever. Seriously, it saddens me that Marked was ever published. I'm sure it would only get a "C" grade in grade 8 creative writing. I seriously recommend you don't pick it up.

Cheers,
Faye

What about some of the Shopaholic books? Or the "Something Borrowed" series?

Thanks, Aprile. I haven't read either series. Maybe I'll check'em out.

Southern Fried

Undead and Unwed

Slam

How I Write Secrets of a Bestselling Author

All Will Be Revealed

I really enjoyed this one. Clever, intricate, but not forced. Interesting characters and rich setting. Worth checking out.

Strengths-Based Leadership

The Big Over Easy

Again, clever - both in the details and in the intricate plot. Lots of fun for an English language lover.

Mister B. Gone

meh... this was only okay.

Hey! Check out my general post title "A Novel Exchange." There's still a chance to get in on the fun.

A Dirty Job

Classic Moore.. Dark and funny.

Out: A novel by Natsuo Kirino

A masterpiece of a mystery! Check it out.

I just picked that book up on a whim...glad to see it is good!

Lolita

Vile. Repulsive. Well written.

Wanted to see what the fuss was about, but wouldn't recommend putting yourself through it.

Hi, what did you think of Outliers? I keep seeing it, and although I'm not usually much a fan of non fiction, it looks so interesting.
Fran
btw, I am just finishing my first Sookie audio book. What fun! I've never been into vampires but after all the heavy end of the world stuff I keep reading, it's been wonderful.

I love Outliers. Not only does Malcolm Gladwell pull together some very clever findings, he is able to do so in a manner that makes you feel like you are having a chat with an engrossing storyteller.

I read quite a bit of non-fiction for work, and some of it feels like work. However I consider Outliers a pleasure read.

The Tipping Point is what got me hooked into non-fiction. However, Blink didn't seem so engrossing as the other two.

I'd say these books are great for getting to you look at things differently and fuel some interesting conversations, but not really books that you are going to learn something concrete that you will be able to apply specifically and identifyably in work.

The Fourth Bear

Pure genius, as FForde can only deliver.

Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea

Entertaining. Same kind of read as Sedaris, David, but maybe a little shallower. Doesn't last a whole 3.5 hour plane ride.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Wonderful main character; clever mystery... a good recommendation for virtually any type of reader that likes a who-dunit.

Under the Dragon's Tail

Solid mystery. Based in late 1800's. Will probably pick up more in the series.

The White Tiger

Fast paced, intriguing glimpse into the life of a tenacious Indian that started at the bottom and made it to the top. Original. Again, a good recommendation for a variety of readers.

Special thanks to Norma for sending this copy to me!

numnber your books and I'll cheer for you

33. Whale Season A Novel

This is what I say "was a book." It was entertaining; I had no trouble turning the pages. It had style, consistency, developed characters and a plot. If you had a choice between this book and some other book - you'd have a 50/50 chance of picking the best book.

The author wrote like one would talk... could be annoying in some cases, but built the feel of the storytelling.

you missed a few hoorays!

34. Lullabies for Little Criminals A Novel

Wow! I laughed; I cried. Literally. This is what Jack Kerouac would have wrote if he had ever wrote as a 12 year old girl. A beautiful junkie romantic version of growing up incredibly poor in an urban centre. This will get my 5 stars, and I'm sure be remembered for years as one of my faves.

35. Poor Tom Is Cold

A solid mystery, but nothing outrageously special.

Running with Scissors A Memoir

A good read. Probably 3.5 stars. I seem to love reading about coming of age in urban insanity - if you do, too, this one's for you.

37. Grotesque

Wow! Natsuo Kirino is amazing. I love her characters. So deep and ugly. Like no others I've come across. I like how she's woven this story together.

The only complaint I could possibly have is that she's not a quick read, but it's hardly a complaint when you're reading such quality.

38. City of Bones

YA, for sure. Some slightly lame and predictable dialogue, but really a compelling and complete fantasy. I'm easily interested in reading the rest of the series.

39. City of Ashes

Even better than the first. An easy, enticing fantasy read.

40. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Incredible, heartbreaking characters. "Wonderful" and "amazing" seem wrong, but there's no doubt that it's memorably touching. I want to say I loved it, but I spent the last 150 practically sobbing and I'm glad it's over... I need to find something very fluffy and funny now...

41. A Case of Exploding Mangoes

Gets pretty interesting after the first 300 pages; I learned the hard way. Techinally good effort.

42. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Very quick read... 2 hours? But brought a smile to my face more than once. Easy, engaging, sweet, funny.

43. The Sexual Paradox Extreme Men, Gifted Women and the Real Gender Gap

Pretty interesting stuff. Not as easy to read as Gladwell Malcolm.

44. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

A (tragic) and well-layered story. The writing/narration might add authenticity, but was also a detractor. The narrator is low-brow, talking about the Dominican family history of a new American super-nerd w a fabulous vocabulary. Therefore, the reader is expected to know Spanish, street English and also some very big English words. Check these excerpts out:

In her twenties, sunny and amiable, whose cuerpo was all pipa and no culo, a "mujer alegre" (in the parlance of the period.)

For Eden it was, a blessed meridian where mar and sol and green have forged their union and produced a stubborn people that no amount of highfalutin prose can generalize.

Fully expect "draconian" and "broads" in the same paragraph. Or "isthmus" and "pussy." Or "copacetic" and "bro." and about an 1/8th of the rest of the text will be Spanish...

Read it, if you want, just bring a supply of dictionaries!

45. The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family A Leadership Fable About Restoring Sanity To The Most Important Organization In Your Life

Typical Lencioni. Thought provoking ideas, told simply through a nauseating, "fable." No idea how or if I'll incorporate this stuff into my life.

46. The Survivors Club The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life

A page-turned that's loaded with intersting facts and stories. And I'm not a survivalist junkie, either..

47. City of Glass

I'm old enough to realize there is good YA and bad YA. This is definately some very very good YA.

Never have I before (so badly) wanted a sister and brother to get together! Don't gross out; check it out. :)

48. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I had a tough time putting this down. It was so intricate and interesting - so many plot twists that all melded together perfectly. In the first part of the book I was worried that after hearing so much hype, the book wouldn't live up to my expectations, but after having read it, I am wishing I had the second book to start right away! Word to the sensitive - there are some disturbing scenes of violence.

49. SuperSense Why We Believe in the Unbelievable

hmm... this was okay. I think I'll still be intrigued by some points in years to come, but I didn't love the writing style. Perhaps this is a somewhat awkward attempt to change from academic writing to a pop style?

50. Finger Lickin' Fifteen

I've finished the 50! Nice to be completed with another solid dose of good fun from Janet Evanovich. Would you believe decapitations can be fun? That's our Janet.

51. Dead and Gone

Somehow I don't think Sookie Stackhouse is going to be required reading in Eng Lit classes now, or 20 years, from now, but I just gotta hand it to Charlaine Harris - this is one easy to read, tough to put down series.

52. Writers Gym

An inspiring collection. Pretty sure it wasn't meant to be read in one shot, but I was on a flight and it was easy enough to do. Lots of corners dog-eared for later.

53. Downtown Owl A Novel

Hmm... fairly "sticky" through the start, but was wondering what the point was by the end of it. Probably comparable to Whale Season A Novel in a way. Maybe a bit better.

54. Socialnomics How social media transforms the way we live and do business

Some interesting info on social media and how it's changing our business practices.