2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE 2017
>
Alicia's 40 Books in 2017
Reading Goal Progress:
1. The Lovely Bones
2. American Gods
3. The Hotel New Hampshire
4. Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
6. Marie Curie: A Biography
7. Scrappy Little Nobody
8. Bluebeard
9. Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
10. In the Woods
11. Eleanor Roosevelt, Vol 1, 1884-1933
12. Room
13. The Remains of the Day
14. This Is a Book
15. The 5th Wave
16. Bossypants
17. Joyland
18. Big Little Lies
19. Slaughterhouse-Five
20. Twilight
21. New Moon
22. Eclipse
23. Emerald City
24. The Couple Next Door
25. Breaking Dawn
26. Into the Water
27. Dark Matter
28. 1Q84
29. The Girl with All the Gifts
30. Brave New World
31. Little Women
32. You
33. Angels & Demons
34. Commonwealth
35. The Da Vinci Code
36. The Lost Symbol
37. Murder on the Orient Express
38. Landline
39. The Likeness
40. Navel Gazing: True Tales of Bodies, Mostly Mine
BOOK #1: The Lovely Bones (Gift from Secret Santa (thanks, Sharon!))This book has been sitting on my TBR list for a long time and I was glad to finally have an excuse to read it. The beginning is so horrifying with the rape and murder of Susie Salmon, but that's not really what the book is about. The flow of writing didn't always jive with me but it was engaging enough that I read it in two sittings. I really hated the part when (view spoiler) WTF was that?
Rating: 3.25/5
BOOK #2: American Gods (January Group Read)I am having a hard time deciding whether or not I liked American Gods. The pace of the main story was so slow, but I enjoyed the interludes and the mystery of Lakeside. I didn't feel like my enjoyment of the book was in any way hampered by unfamiliarity with mythology. The only references I ended up looking up were Louise Brooks and Marie Leveau. I'm glad I read this, but I think it will take some time before I can decide a star rating.
This is my third Gaiman (after Good Omens and Stardust), and none of them really knocked my socks off. I've been recommended The Ocean at the End of the Lane by a few people so I'll probably add that to my TBR list, but I don't think I'll be jumping into another Gaiman book any time soon.
Tentative rating: 3/5
Alicia wrote: "BOOK #1: The Lovely Bones (Gift from Secret Santa (thanks, Sharon!))This book has been sitting on my TBR list for a long time and I was glad to finally have an excuse to read it. ..."
Ha ha I liked your spoiler comment. I forgot that part till I clicked on it.
BOOK #3: The Hotel New HampshireI never would have picked up this book if not for checking what the New York Times Fiction Bestseller was on the day I was born. I've read one other John Irving book (A Prayer for Owen Meany) and enjoyed it so I figured I'd give this one a try. It left me with only one thought: dafuq did I just read?
The book starts off pretty slowly following a family as they open a hotel in a small town in New Hampshire. Then it just goes off the rails. (view spoiler) I actually enjoy books that just follow a group of people through their lives, even if nothing monumental happens, kind of a slice of life. This book is not that. It is something else entirely, I'm just not sure what...
Rating: 2/5
Try Neil Gaiman's short stories - I think they showcase his talents if you are not too taken with the longer form; two of them have stories about Shadow in if you wanted to see how he was getting on. Of course he just might not be for you!
BOOK #4: Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to FilmI love Patton Oswalt. His comedy specials are amazing and his previous book, Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, was really good. I don't know what took me so long to finally pick this up. I read the first half of the book and listened to the audiobook (read by the author) of the second half. I'm not usually a huge fan of audiobooks, but it added a whole new level of enjoyment to hear Oswalt read it, especially the numerous footnotes.
In the narrative of the book, Oswalt refers to life-changing events in his life as Night Cafes (a reference to the painting by Van Gogh that is thought to have begun his downward mental spiral). They include (view spoiler)
My favorite parts of the book were Oswalt's recollections of the LA comedy scene in the nineties. How I wish I could go back to Largo in the beginning and see the infancy of the alternative comedy scene or to see a reading of The Day the Clown Cried (or the one-night-only show about not being able to do a reading of The Day the Clown Cried).
Rating: 4/5
BOOK #5: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyI picked up the Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy a few years ago and tried to read the whole series at once. I got pretty burnt out and only made it through the first three. I wanted to get around to reading it again so the February monthly read was a perfect opportunity to dive back in from the beginning.
I love this book. It's so absurd in the funniest way. It's like a Monty Python/Doctor Who mashup. Some of my favorite quotes:
Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.
“But the plans were on display…”
“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
“That’s the display department.”
“With a flashlight.”
“Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”
“So had the stairs.”
“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.”
And then, one Thursday, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change, a girl sitting on her own in a small café in Rickmansworth suddenly realized what it was that had been going wrong all this time, and she finally knew how the world could be made a good and happy place. This time it was right, it would work, and no one would have to get nailed to anything.
I don't want to die now!" he yelled. "I've still got a headache! I don't want to go to heaven with a headache, I'd be all cross and wouldn't enjoy it!
A Hooloovoo is a super-intelligent shade of the color blue.
Rating: 5/5
BOOK #6: Marie Curie: A BiographyI am lucky enough to have cards with two great libraries. An odd thing happened when I tried to take out a specific Eleanor Roosevelt biography. Both libraries showed the book as available and on the shelf with two or more copies, but when I got there the book was missing. The librarians had no idea what happened or where the book could be. After this happened at the second library, I got frustrated and grabbed the first biography of an important woman I could find. That's how I ended up reading Marie Curie: A Biography.
This book is written a bit like a book report. Everything is presented very straightforwardly without much insight or delving into what was happening in the world at the time. I also felt that the science of what Marie (and other contemporaneous scientists) were working on could have been better explained or expanded upon. That being said, Marie led an interesting life that was fun to read about. I learned a lot about her and her discoveries.
Rating: 3/5
BOOK #7: Scrappy Little NobodyThis book is fluff, which is what I needed right now. Anna Kendrick is obviously charming and funny and this book just skims the surface of her life, never getting too deep. Again, this is what I needed. I read it in two days and it took my mind off my worries for a while.
Rating: 3.5/5
BOOK #8: BluebeardI was a quarter of the way through this book before realizing that I have already read it, but I have no memory of when. I remember reading a Vonnegut about 15 years ago and leaving it in a store while I was halfway through. I can only assume it was this book because the ending was not at all familiar. Weird.
Not to be all Captain Obvious, but Vonnegut's writing is incredible. This fictional autobiography of Rabo Karabekian jumps around in time and place, but it is a quick read that is interesting.
Rating: 4.5/5
BOOK #9: Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and SexThis is a pretty interesting book about this history of sex research. It was thoroughly researched and never crossed the line into smut. There were a few graphic parts that made me cringe, but only in that they were detailed descriptions of surgeries.
My big issue with the book is the footnotes. I don't mind injecting a little humor or levity into a research book. That being said, some of the footnotes were so tangential that they didn't feel necessary, while others were just snide. The most egregious to me was her description of a child who died in an MRI machine due to the magnetism pulling in an air canister. Something about the phrasing (p. 196 "... an oxygen canister fatally beaned a six-year-old boy as he lay in the tube.") really bothered me. Was 'beaned' really the appropriate word to use? The kid was killed in a horrible accident, not hit with a basketball. There's another in which she makes fun of someone's name (p. 181). Is that really necessary? I realize this sounds so nitpicky.
Rating: 3.5/5
BOOK #10: In the WoodsBefore I even started this book, a friend saw it on my shelf and said that the ending was terrible. That's not a great way to go into a book and it meant that I had really low expectations. I ended up being pleasantly surprised. (view spoiler) That being said, this was an enjoyable read. The characters were flawed and interesting. The descriptive language was lovely (though some of the dialogue was a bit formal when it was supposed to be a child speaking).
Rating: 4/5
BOOK #11: Eleanor Roosevelt, Vol 1, 1884-1933I had the hardest time getting this book out from the library for some reason. According to the catalog, they had a bunch of copies but none of them were on the shelf. There was only one copy in the eBook library and I was on hold for 4 months before it finally became available. This is only the first volume of a three volume biography of Eleanor Roosevelt. It follows the history of the Roosevelts, her birth, through FDR being elected President. The first chapter or two were very difficult for me to get through. It was a thorough family breakdown of the Roosevelts through a few generations, and let me just say that it is a huge and complicated family. There were a lot of duplicate names and inter-marrying. Once Eleanor is born and it follows her life, the reading gets easier and more interesting. I went in knowing little to nothing about her life and beliefs. I was amazed at how many of her writings and speeches spoke to me.
Never be bored; and you will never be boring.
It is amazing how radical simple decency has been made to seem.
He has shown himself affected with the hopeless moral blindness of the man who, losing his sight in early youth, finds it impossible to visualize in his mind anything by the sights and surroundings of the world as he saw it long ago. This moral blindness is the distinguishing characteristic of the "standpatter." It is quite as dangerous to our country as downright crookedness. The crooked politician is at least anxious to make a showing of progressiveness in public reform, but the hopeless reactionary is a stumbling block in the march of civilization.
It is because so many should register and vote fail to do so that we often have what amounts to minority rule...
"If it is constitutional to use federal funds to save hogs from cholera, and cows from tuberculosis, it is constitutional to use them to save babies and their mothers from death." - Narcissa Cox Vanderlip
If anyone were to ask me what I want out of life I would say - the opportunity for doing something useful, for in no other way, I am convinced, can true happiness be obtained.
Rating: 4.5/5
BOOK #12: RoomPicked this up at the library on a whim after seeing it on so many "Best Of..." lists. I've got to be honest. I found the narration from a five-year-old to be pretty tiresome. It makes for a quick read and lessens the horror of the story, but I don't necessarily think that's a good thing. (view spoiler)
Rating: 2/5
BOOK #13: The Remains of the DayThis is a beautifully written book and such a deeply sad story. I've read one other Ishiguro (Never Let Me Go), which I enjoyed. This was a slow, quiet story made up of mostly recollections from an unreliable narrator questioning his life. The main character, Stevens, is so infuriating and pitiable in his complete lack of self awareness. The incident with his father's death sum up his character perfectly.
Rating: 4.5/5
BOOK #14: This Is a BookI generally enjoy books by stand up comedians or comedy writers in general. Some of my favorites are Michael Ian Black's two books, B.J. Novak's short story collection, and Patton Oswalt's books. I enjoy Demetri Martin's stand-up so I picked up this book and it was ok. I definitely read the whole thing with Martin's deadpan delivery in my head. The most impressive part of the book was writing an entire palindromic poem about a strip club.
Rating: 3/5
Alicia wrote: "BOOK #12: RoomPicked this up at the library on a whim after seeing it on so many "Best Of..." lists. I've got to be honest. I found the narration from a five-year-old to be pretty ..."
I have not gotten to "Room" yet, and I can imagine how the perspective from a five-year-old could get tiresome. Probably why it's still waiting for me on my Kindle :D I started it though and got a few pages in... does that count? lol
I have a feeling that I'll prefer watching the movie but I'm definitely going to give it another try.
Man, I have been in a real reading funk since fracturing my ankle last month. With all that sitting around, you'd think I'd get a ton of reading done. Nope, just lots and lots of TV watching. It didn't help that I was trying to power through a book I really hated. So, yesterday I finally decided that I needed a palate cleanser.BOOK #15: The 5th Wave
I don't usually read much YA but I needed something quick and easy. I picked this because the movie trailer looked interesting, but I hate seeing a movie before I've read the book. It was quick and compelling enough that I was able to read this in a day. I liked shifting the narrative between more than one character, but Cassie always felt like a man writing a young girl. It didn't feel natural at all. I was also a little uncomfortable with all the guns. It almost read like pro-gun propaganda at points. (I know this is a sensitive issue and people have very strong opinions. Not trying to start an argument, just giving my impressions). Finally, (view spoiler) I don't think I'll read further into the series.
Rating: 2/5
BOOK #16: BossypantsI'm definitely on a kick this year reading books by comedians. I waited until the hype died down on this one before picking it up. I am a fan of Tina Fey's work on SNL and 30 Rock. This book was pretty much exactly what I expected: funny, smart, sarcastic. It didn't blow me away or surprise me, but it was good.
Rating: 3/5
BOOK #17: JoylandThis was a good little summer read. I loved all the carny lingo and the amusement park setting. The story was fun and creepy.
Rating: 4/5
BOOK #18: Big Little LiesSometimes, when I can't decide what to read next, I'll go to the library catalog and just do a search for the most popular books that are currently available. That's how I ended up reading this book and I was actually pleasantly surprised. The story was compelling and the characters were interesting. I may wind up watching the miniseries now.
Rating: 4/5
BOOK #19: Slaughterhouse-FiveI haven't read Slaughterhouse-Five in many, many years so I was happy for a chance to re-read it when it was selected as the monthly read. I love the contrast between the first and second chapters when it switches from the author's perspective to the fictional Billy Pilgrim. There are some things that always stand out for me, like the Tralfamadorian concept of time and the war movie played backwards.
Rating: 5/5
BOOK #23: Emerald CityI was perusing a little used book store while traveling for work and I saw this collection of short stories sitting on top of a big pile. I really loved A Visit from the Goon Squad so I wanted to read something else by Jennifer Egan. I find that short story collections tend not to stick with me. I don't have time to connect with the characters. I enjoyed all the stories in this collection while I was reading them, but I don't know that I will be able to remember any six months from now.
Rating: 4/5
BOOK # 24: The Couple Next DoorI hadn't heard of this book until someone recommended it as a group read recently. I decided to get it from the library and I'm glad I did. I'm partway through reading a really dense novel that is split into three books, so I took a break at the end of book 1 to read this. It was a super quick read and the action starts pretty much right away. It's pretty straight forward and doesn't fall into the trap of some other recent mysteries I've read where they offer way too many red herrings. I enjoyed it.
Rating: 4/5
BOOK 20: TwilightBOOK 21: New Moon
BOOK 22: Eclipse
BOOK 25: Breaking Dawn
For some reason, I get very self-conscious about reading something like the Twilight series. I feel like I have to qualify that I know they are terribly written and the characters are the worst, but, whatever. I listened to these audiobooks on my commute and they entertained me.
Ratings: 2.5/5
I pride myself on saying that I don't believe in guilty pleasures, but I still have room for improvement because I felt that same self-consciousness just now when I added Gossip Girl to my TBR shelf. But whatever—I enjoyed the TV series and want to read the book(s). If it makes you feel less self-conscious, I read the series too! I thought Twilight was okay, really liked New Moon and Eclipse, and didn't like Breaking Dawn. I also really enjoyed the films and have watched them more than once. I can't help myself—I just love supernatural stuff, even if the vampires are ridiculously twinkly. And with how far technology and visual effects have come, such films have become really entertaining to watch; for a couple of hours I can suspend disbelief and immerse myself in a world where such speed and heightened senses are possible. =)
Nik wrote: "I pride myself on saying that I don't believe in guilty pleasures, but I still have room for improvement because I felt that same self-consciousness just now when I added Gossip Girl to my TBR shel..."Thanks, Nik! Glad to know I'm not the only one :-)
BOOK #26: Into the WaterThis was a very quick read. I finished it in a day. I was not a huge fan of the many (oh so many) POVs. The central mystery was okay, but it seemed pretty obvious what was going on early in the book. I will say, with all the women who were killed or died in this book, I was pretty creeped out walking my dog in the dark when I finished reading last night.
Rating: 3/5
BOOK #27: Dark MatterThis book read more like a screenplay than a novel. It was another very quick read with a compelling story. There is a lot of complicated physics in the book, but I think it could have actually used more scientific explanation.
Rating: 4/5
BOOK #28: 1Q84When I think about how long it took me to read this book, I think of a montage of calendar pages being flipped, seasons passing, the span of a star's life from birth through death. I don't mind reading long books, but the amount of repetition in this one made it a real slog. Literally every time Tengo's girlfriend was mentioned it had to be "Tengo's married girlfriend who was ten years older than him." Every. Single. Time. How many times did the author really need to describe Aomame's small, uneven breasts? Or Fuka-Eri's large, round breasts? Or their cute pink ears? The detailed descriptions of what every character ate didn't help either. Not only that, there are so many unresolved side stories. What the hell happened to Tengo's girlfriend, Aomame's cop friend, the professor, Fuka-Eri, the dowager...? Okay, vent over.
The main story was interesting, but could get a little tedious, especially in the end of book 2/beginning of book 3. Despite all my frustration, I'll give it 2.5 stars because I obviously liked it just enough to finish it.
Rating: 2.5/5
BOOK #29: The Girl with All the GiftsI really wish I didn't know anything about this book going in. The way the true nature of the main character is revealed is a nice slow build. I wouldn't normally be inclined to read a (view spoiler) book, but I decided to give this one a shot. It was really good. You really got to know every character and see things from their perspective. I think Dr. Caldwell got a bad rap in the book (though, as a scientist, I may be biased). I couldn't bring myself to see her as the enemy. She was just doing what she thought was right in order to save people's lives. In order to do it, she had to become detached from her emotions. Sure, she was a little too focused on the accolades she would get if she succeeded, but I think she really had good intentions.
Rating: 4.5/5
BOOK #30: Brave New WorldThis is one of those books that everyone and their mother has read, but somehow I've never picked it up. I am feeling kind of over the dystopian genre, but I saw this as I was perusing a nearby used bookstore and I needed a book for my commute home. I was expecting a YA novel similar to The Giver, but I was so wrong. The writing style was so interesting and unexpected.
Rating: 4.5/5
BOOK #31: Little WomenI've been trying to catch up on classics that I have never read. This is one of them. Some things were already spoiled for me, thanks to an episode of Friends. I can see why this book has endured. It is easy to become attached to the characters (especially Jo).
Rating: 3.5/5
BOOK #32: YouThis book kept me reading and wanting to know what happens next. It was an interesting switch to experience the stalker’s POV instead of the victim’s. That being said, I didn’t love this book. The stream of consciousness writing style gets old and there are too many pop culture references. In fact, before reading this book, you should probably watch Pitch Perfect and read the Da Vinci Code. I don’t understand how people view this as a romance or sympathize with the main character. Everyone in this book is a terrible person.
Rating: 2/5
BOOK #33: Angels & DemonsBOOK #35: The Da Vinci Code
BOOK #36: The Lost Symbol
I found an old iPod with a bunch of audiobooks. I listened to Angels & Demons over a couple of weeks in the car. I put on the Da Vinci Code and The Lost Symbol while I was painting a room and time flew by. Good mindless listens (except for Lost Symbol, which is pretty awful).
Rating: 3/5
I love the Dan Brown books! They really are a guilty pleasure, no literary value at all, but very entertaining! :)
BOOK #34: CommonwealthI read this as part of the November group read, though it's been on my to-read list for a while. I generally enjoy reading about dysfunctional families or groups of friends (Everything I Never Told You and The Interestings are great examples). This one missed the mark a little for me. I like reading a story from multiple perspectives, but I didn't feel particularly invested in any of these characters. Franny was probably the most fleshed out while we didn't really learn anything about Beverly.
Rating: 2.5/5
BOOK #37: Murder on the Orient ExpressI read this as part of the December Group Read. I have read it before so I generally remembered how it ended, but it was fun seeing how Poirot got there all over again. Christie is a great writer. She takes a complicated crime with a lot of characters and unique setting and just brings it to life.
Rating: 4/5
BOOK #38: LandlineIt's been very quiet at work this week and I'm kind of sick of all my podcasts so I decided to borrow an audiobook from the library. I ended up with this one because the premise sounded interesting and light. I've read Eleanor & Park and liked it. Well, the same can't be said for this book. Neal was intolerable and it was not remotely clear why the main character loves him or why we should root for them to work things out. He's sullen, arrogant, and has programmed his wife to not question him about anything. He plays the long-suffering husband because she is working hard at her career to live her dream and support the family. He's jealous because she has a male best friend, despite her constant reassurance that there are no romantic feelings and 15 years of marriage. Ugh. It was really frustrating.
Rating: 1.5/5
Alicia wrote: "BOOK #37: Murder on the Orient ExpressI read this as part of the December Group Read. I have read it before so I generally remembered how it ended, but it was fun seeing how Poirot ..."
Loved it too!
Alicia wrote: "BOOK #38: LandlineIt's been very quiet at work this week and I'm kind of sick of all my podcasts so I decided to borrow an audiobook from the library. I ended up with this one bec..."
Just 2 more books to go to reach your goal of 40 books for 2017! You're almost there Alicia!
Susy wrote: "Just 2 more books to go to reach your goal of 40 books for 2017! You're almost there Alicia!"Thanks, Susy! I actually just finished another book over my lunch break so I'm getting even closer!
BOOK #39: The LikenessI read the first book of this series (In the Woods) and I really liked it. I know that many people had issues because there was some ambiguity in the ending. This book didn't leave any questions, but it was still a great study of these flawed characters and a good mystery. You really felt like you were friends with these people and you were invested in what happens to them. The book demands that you suspend your disbelief that this detective happens to be basically the identical twin of the murder victim, but it's a leap you don't care about a few chapters in.
Rating: 4.5/5
Hi Alicia, I'm going to jump the gun and congratulate you in advance on reaching your goal for this year, as I'm sure you'll be able to meet it :) I noticed you've been all over the rating scale, but did you find any new favorites? :)
Lisa wrote: "Hi Alicia, I'm going to jump the gun and congratulate you in advance on reaching your goal for this year, as I'm sure you'll be able to meet it :) I noticed you've been all over the rating scale, b..."Thanks, Lisa! I did finish today. I am definitely all over the place in my ratings. It takes a lot for me to give 5 stars. I could never explain why I love certain books, but I know it when I read it. Happy reading!
BOOK #40: Navel Gazing: True Tales of Bodies, Mostly MineI generally try to read one or two books by stand-ups or comedy writers per year. I especially like listening to the audiobooks. I like books by comedians because they can make you laugh while exploring some truly difficult or uncomfortable topics. I've read Michael Ian Black's other two books (My Custom Van: And 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays that Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face and You're Not Doing It Right: Tales of Marriage, Sex, Death, and Other Humiliations) and enjoyed them both. This one wasn't quite as funny, but it was actually kind of sweet. It read like a love letter to his mom, who is in deteriorating health.
Rating: 3/5
Yes! You did it! Congratulations Alicia! 👏👏👏
2017 in Review:This has been both a wonderful and terrible year for me. In many ways, I have a beautiful life and have been very lucky. But... constant anxiety has been a real challenge for me this year. It ranges anywhere from kind of stressed to completely shutting down. I've needed books as an escape into another world and I think my reading showed that. I didn't read as much non-fiction as I usually do. I read a lot of mysteries where something terrible happens, but everything gets resolved in the end and the bad guy gets punished. I've read many books by comedians because I needed to laugh. I also feel like I've rated books a lot lower this year, which is probably more reflective of my state of mind than the quality of the books.
Top 5 Books I Read For the First Time This Year (in no particular order):
Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film
The Girl with All the Gifts
The Likeness
Dark Matter
Little Women
Least Favorite Books of the Year:
The Hotel New Hampshire
Landline
Room
2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Little Women (other topics)Room (other topics)
Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film (other topics)
Dark Matter (other topics)
The Likeness (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Michael Ian Black (other topics)B.J. Novak (other topics)
Patton Oswalt (other topics)
Patton Oswalt (other topics)
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (other topics)
-
Read at least one general history book: Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex- Finish reading Euripides collected works
-
Read something from a genre I don't usually go for: The 5th Wave-
Read the NYT fiction bestseller from the day I was born (The Hotel New Hampshire)-
Read at least one new Kurt Vonnegut book: Bluebeard- Read at least 3 biographies or memoirs about historically significant women: