The 104 Book Challenge - 2016 discussion

Life totally hijacked my goal last year, and going back to school this year will probably wreak havoc upon it as well, but I'm not one to give up... !! :) Still have tons on my TBR bookshelf, but I'm also using the library for newer releases. I've found some unexpected read thru other lists here, and look forward to seeing what I can find this year.

Numero uno for 2016! NOS4A2 4/5

#2 The Bazaar of Bad Dreams 3.5/ 5 Not that I don't like Stephen King - he's been a long time favorite - I'm just not enthralled with the short story format.

#3 Golden Son So not my usual fare - YA, war, political machination - but still so hard to put down. 4/5

Lyssa wrote: "#3 Golden Son So not my usual fare - YA, war, political machination - but still so hard to put down. 4/5"

In love with this series! Seriously excited for Morning Star to come out in Feb!

Erin wrote: In love with this series! Se..." So soon?? See, being behind on my reading means I don't have to wait as long for the next. ;)

#4 The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help Haven't sat and read a book straight thru in a long while. I've missed that. Not sure what I was expecting from this, but got a memoir about the other side of being an artist - not just the flash and packaging the record labels provide. Is her life experience for everyone? Nope. Mostly foreign to me. But still relateable as it all boils down to trust and the people you love. 4/5

#5 Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things I'd started another book, but then this one was available from the library, and I *have* to finish by the due date because they won't let you renew new books, and..... whew. Deep breath here.

More serious than the first book as she describes more of the feelings that come with her anxiety and depression and set up in an essay format rather than linear narrative. I thought my friend and I had some offbeat ideas, but Jenny can take a tangent to new places and sometimes makes the ridiculous seem relateable. 4/5

#6My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry The Swedish have such a different tone to their stories. All that I've read are so good;I don't understand why they don't promote more authors. This is about Elsa and the fairy tale land created by her grandmother and how Elsa copes in the aftermath of Granny's death. That so does not sum up the book, but how to describe it? 4/5

#7 Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef The library wouldn't let me renew again, so I only mostly finished, but I was losing interest anyway. Not a likeable person, and very surface explanations about personal things; she was very descriptive about food, but why so much about the green card marriage? She obviously liked his mother better than she liked him. 2.5/5

#8 Rumble Yell: Discovering America's Biggest Bike Ride Short read about the human interest side of RAGBRAI. 2.5/5

#9 Sacred Hearts After a lot of build up, sot of wraps up too quickly. The end didn't feelvlike it matched the rest of the book. Otherwise a decent way to scratch the historical fiction itch. 3/5 On to figure out what I'm in the mood for now... Decisions, decisions....

#10 Tell Me Where It Hurts: A Day of Humor, Healing and Hope in My Life as an Animal Surgeon Finally broke into double digits almost 4 months into the year. That's depressing. Maybe I *will* add my textbooks to bump my numbers. ;) This is a cute "day in the life" book about a veterinary surgeon. Because he's blending many days into one day, it just seems to lack the extra oomph. Then again, my first vet book was James Herriott, so the bar has been set pretty high. 3/5

#11 Brotherhood in Death Ooh, trip to the library and a free Sat afternoon ( and evening...). Love the characters, can't believe it's been 42 books. This one goes a little deeper into rough territory so not as easy a read as others in the series. 4/5

#12 Home is Burning Marshall isn't funny, is proud of being a "rich, white asshole" and generally brags about being a fat, alcoholic slob. I understand the reticence to give up your life and become a full time caregiver, but beyond that, it was just re-reading the same fart jokes, drinking stories, and "I don't wanna's" over and over. He gets an extra star for stepping up and being there for his dad even if he writes it like he was half assing it the whole time. 3/5

#13 Teaching Science to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Elementary Students Had to read this for class, so darned if I'm not adding it to my list! It does have some really good concepts and ideas if you're looking to supplement your child's science education or if you're involved in science education. 4/5

Wait- not what you read in your free time for fun? ;) Are you in an elementary ed program? Mine was so long ago books like this weren't around.... at least not in Texas where I was at the time!

Mary wrote: "Wait- not what you read in your free time for fun? ;) Are you in an elementary ed program?..."

Multiple subject credential and Masters degree... 10 week classes. If I gotta read 'em, they're going on the list. :) My program's focus is social justice, so inclusiveness is in all of our texts. It's been an eye-opener for sure. Ooh, this means I get to add all the YA books.... I may actually hit my goal! ;)

Sounds challenging, but important. Keep adding those books!

#14 Strings of Glass Got this as a free e book, otherwise I wouldn't have started at #4 - knowing what happened before would have helped explain a few things. Otherwise, a quick read good for my short lunch breaks. 3/5

#15 A Man Called Ove I don't remember why I initially added this to my "to read" list, but adding it was a good idea. :) Ove is a cranky old man, but there's more to him than that. Some of the plot points are obvious, but it peels back in layers and makes a good novel. Laughed at several of the lines, but my favorite is: "The slightly porky man on the other side of the Plexiglas has back-combed hair and arms covered in tattoos. As if it isn't enough to look like someone has slapped a pack of margarine over his head, he has to cover himself in doodles as well. " 4.5/5

#16The Museum of Extraordinary Things This is one I finished only cos I couldnt bear not to after finishing two thirds. 2.5/5

#17 Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer Read this for a childen's book analysis for class. Sophie moves from the city to the country, doesn't fit in, and is finding special chickens her Uncle Jim used to raise... and they have superpowers. Really cute book about dealing with changes and solving problems. And chickens with the Force. 4/5

#18 The Magician's Nephew Feeling nostalgic and decided to re-read a series. Then realized I don't recall ever reading all of the Narnia books. While published 6th, this book actually tells how Narnia began. 4/5

I liked this one. Did you read it 6th or 1st? I have strong opinions on almost all the books, so I'm interested in what you think. I mentioned to my 7th grade class that it's a Christian allegory and got 25 (out of 26) blank stares back. It was fairly amusing.

#19 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe So familiar that it was a very quick read. Too bad I have school, or I could finish the series by Thursday! :) 4/5

Mary wrote: "I liked this one. Did you read it 6th or 1st? I have strong opinions on almost all the books, so I'm interested in what you think. I mentioned to my 7th grade class that it's a Christian allegory a..."

I read this one first. The set that I have has the books numbered 1-6 so I'm reading them in that order. I've never actually read them with attention to the allegory, but now I read them and it's so obvious. At one point in this book, they even say the Witch is the daughter of Lilith. Did any of your students eventually come up with examples?

Most of them had only read Lion, Witch, Wardrobe (the best in the series, I think). The one kid who knew was explaining about Aslan=Jesus Christ and all the kids caught on - "Oh... that makes so much sense!" "Like the sacrifice with the stone table!" "Augh! You're ruining my childhood memories!!" - it was a fun discussion. None of them had read Last Battle, so that talk didn't happen.

#20 The Horse and His Boy Not really as much of the Horse as I would have thought. The era it was written is showing as the Tisroc and his country are made to be stereotypes. 3/5

#21 Prince Caspian This is a really good way to procrastinate homework. :) 3.5/5

#22 The Book of Paul Was reading this on my lunch breaks figuring it would eventually make sense. Nope. Pointless graphic violence, and a (to me) incoherent narrative style made me wonder what I just read. 1/5

#23 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory Non fiction in the tradition of Mary Roach, Doughty gives a behind the scenes look at a crematorium and the funeral industry. She also discusses death traditions and the prevailing tendency to distance ourselves from death. Lighter than it sounds, but still enough there to make you think. 4\5

#24 Lab Girl I'm at the wordless, arm flailing, everyone must read this book stage, so it's probably better I type less when posting from my phone. Jahren writes about her path as a female scientist (inherent sexism, funding difficulties, her amazing friend and co-worker). Smaller chapters about plants serve as metaphors for the upcoming chapters. I know more about plants than I ever thought I would and I am telling anyone I know with a daughter to have them read this book. Cussing appears as do some discussions of mental illness and childbirth, but nothing that can't be discussed with older children. 4.5/5

#25 No Dream Is Too High: Life Lessons From a Man Who Walked on the Moon So I geeked out this year at the book festival and got the man himself, Col Dr. Aldrin to sign my book. The handlers didn't allow for any conversation, but that's ok as he's pushing 90. I get it. Book is about the principles by which he lives his life, but the better parts are his anecdotes about the mission to the moon and how he's spent his time since. 4/5

#26 Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's 2.5/5

#27 You're Never Weird on the Internet I've loved watching Felicia Day on various sci fi shows ( go Charlie!) but didn't know much about her online presence, so picked this up. It's written how she speaks, so I was reading it in her voice the whole time. She covers home schooling, gaming, and her battles with anxiety and is open about her experiences in all. 4/5 for the woman who got Dean to cosplay. :)

#28 When Breath Becomes Air A profound exploration of death and dying by a young neurosurgeon diagnosed with lung cancer. Having worked in a nursing home and a medical office, I was interested in his perspective ~ patient insight, if you will. Then the last chapter, written by his wife after his death... that took longer to read as it was flat out ugly crying for me. He covered the internal, she described the external and his last moments with his infant daughter. 4/5

#29 Black Creek Crossing So I'm supposed to be doing homework... guess I'll start now that I've finished this one. Standard John Saul. Not a fan of the abrupt ending and I really wish he'd stop calling the neck vein the aorta. 2.5/ 5

Taking chunks of time to finish the pile of books I started then put down for whatever reason. If it has a bookmark, I'm digging back in. Today's selection: #30 Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine Read his book about where people are happy and liked it. Wasn't as engaged with his internal ponderings on religion. 3/5

#31 Learn Like a PIRATE: Empower Your Students to Collaborate, Lead, and Succeed Classes are giving me ideas, and I'm finding books like this to clarify and refine those ideas. I don't agree with everything he proposes, but he does have a great system for combining learning with life skills and provides the resources he used to develop his plan. Though this sounds like an amazing way to teach, not every administration will give the educator autonomy to implement this kind of learning. So I've marked the ideas that seem more doable (less "scary" to traditional admin) to use in my class. 4/5

#32 City of Blades Next in the series with a similar plot (missing folk, espionage, Divinities) but focusing on a different character from City of Stairs and a more personal journey. These are good books, but they just don't have the "oomph" for me that makes me want to re-read them. 3.5/5

#33 Sandman Slim Urban fantasy series I'd never heard of til I picked this up as an imexpensibe ebook. Main character Stark gets *thisclose* to being an arrogant ass for me, but generally works. Guess you have attitude if you're going to come back from Hell and kill the folk who sent you there and murdered your girlfriend,
then take a few minutes to save the world while you're on a roll. 3.5/5

#34 Morning Star Got this from the library yesterday and carved out a few hours to finish it this weekend. Not quite as good as the first two, but still an action packed finish to the series. 4/5

#35 Hounded The last Druid is in Tempe, AZ and he consorts with goddesses, werewolves and vampires. What could go wrong?? Easy lunchtime read. 3.5/5

#36 Hexed Witches! Evil witches and... neutral? witches. Fighting ensues. 3/5

#37 Hammered My 5 second synopsis: "Atticus! Don't do the thing! It will be bad!" Atticus does the thing anyway. "Oh, that didn't turn out good at all." Add an ending that just dangles there waiting for the next book and I 'm kinda glad I'm done with the set. 2.5/5

#38 Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War Liked some of her earler books better, bit not a bad read. 4/5

#39 Attachments Easy read with all the ups and downs and happy ending you'd expect. 3.5/5

#40 Starfarers Re-reading from the personal collection. Been a while since I read the series; amazing how some of the setting (politics, genetics, etc) are still relevant to today. Not rating this re-read.

#41 Transition Second book of the series down. Gotta get them in while I can before classes start up again.