The Book Challenge discussion

In January I set a goal of 100 books for the year, though I may adjust that upward later in the year depending on my progress.

Since I've just found this group, I'm backtracking a bit. Here's what I've read so far:

1. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin (01/08)
2. Something Blue by Emily Giffin (01/08)
3. There's No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern (01/08)
4. ttfn by Lauren Myracle (01/08)
5. Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff (01/08)
6. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin (01/08)
7. Baby Proof by Emily Giffin (01/08)
8. Not Like You by Deborah Davis (01/08)
9. Margarettown by Gabrielle Zevin (01/08)
10. l8r, g8r by Lauren Myracle (01/08)
11. Teach Me by R.A. Nelson (01/30/08)

12. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (02/05/08)
13. Faking 19 by Alyson Noel (02/06/08)
14. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (02/07/08)
15. Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter (02/10/08)
16. Guitar Girl by Sarra Manning (02/11/08)
17. In Spite of Killer Bees by Julie Johnston (02/15/08)
18. The Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher (02/16/08)
19. The Frog Prince by Jane Porter(02/17/08)
20. Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn (02/23/08)
21. Things Left Unsaid by Stephanie Hemphill (02/24/08)
22. Shrimp by Rachel Cohn (02/24/08)
23. Kiss and Blog by Alyson Noel (02/25/08)
24. Cupcake by Rachel Cohn (02/28/08)

25. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan (03/02/08)
26. Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst (03/07/08)
27. A Version of the Truth by Jennifer Kaufman (03/13/08)
28. Beginner's Greek by James Collins (03/15/08)
29. Past Secrets by Cathy Kelly (03/19/08)
30. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella (03/22/08)

31. Naomi and Ely's No-Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (03/25/08)

Loved, loved, LOVED this book. Can't wait for more from this pair. Great characters, witty dialogue, unique formatting, and all the pop culture references, especially the Buffy ones, really hit home.

32. Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald (03/26/08)

Offered a unique perspective on cultural differences. Lots of twists and turns, but ultimately a satisfying ending.

33. The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood (03/27/08)

Bring your box of Kleenex cause this one's a weeper, but it's a beautiful story of healing.

34. Dream Factory by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler (03/28/08)

A somewhat odd premise, but an enjoyable story nonetheless.

35. The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst (03/29/08)

Horribly sad and discomforting. The animal cruelty was unbearable.

36. Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler (03/30/08)

Again, an unusual setting from this pair, but I found the plot more engaging and the characters more well-developed and likeable than in Dream Factory.

37. The Myth of You and Me by Leah Stewart (03/31/08)

38. Pop Princess by Rachel Cohn (04/02/08)

Fun story, but not as cleverly written or memorable as Rachel Cohn's other novels.

39. Bass Ackwards and Belly Up by Elizabeth Craft & Sarah Fain (04/04/08)

Good read. Reminded me a bit of the relationships in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. Can't wait to read the sequel, Footfree and Fancyloose.

40. Searching for Paradise in Parker, PA by Kris Radish (04/07/08)

Never got fully engaged in the story, but mostly an enjoyable read. The woman power (to the point of men-bashing this time) theme was a bit too heavy, compared to her previous novels.

41. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (04/09/08)

Very unique story concept. Interesting to watch all the pieces come together. Can't wait to see more from this author.

42. The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan (04/10/08)

I'm not usually one for memoirs, but this one sounded intriguing and had excellent reviews, so I figured it couldn't hurt to try. Fairly quick read, but engaging. Surprisingly, not so much of a weeper as I thought it would be.

43. Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner (04/12/08)

This was a reread simply to refresh my memory of where things left off before I read the newly released sequel. Even better the second time around.

44. Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner (04/14/08)

Enjoyable (with a weeper of an ending), but I didn't care for the direction that the character had gone in the thirteen years that transpired since Good in Bed. Plus, the inconsistency with Peter's age annoyed me.

45. The Key to the Golden Firebird by Maureen Johnson (04/15/08)

Quick read, good story, but I never felt totally invested in the characters.

46. Alabama Moon by Watt Key (04/16/08)

Fascinating concept, lots of detail, heartwarming ending.

47. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs (04/19/08)

Some similarities to The Knitting Circle, although most of the characters' stories weren't quite so devastating--until the ending caught me by surprise. Good story and character development, but I found the constantly changing POV to be a bit confusing.

48. Belong to Me by Marisa De Los Santos (04/23/08)

Not a quick read, but well worth the effort. Beautiful language, I adore the way this author describes things, or simply the way she strings words together. Interesting twist at the end that I didn't see coming.

49. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin (04/24/08)

After not-so-patiently waiting the several months that passed since I read the first chapter in the bookstore, my copy finally came in at the library. It was definitely worth the wait. While Elsewhere still ranks as my favorite book by Zevin, this one did not disappoint.

50. Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen (04/26/08)

Another amazing book from Sarah Dessen. What more can I say?

i guess i've really got to read some of Dessen's work!

alison:

Yes - I've loved every single thing she's written, but I think Just Listen is probably my favorite. Definitely check her out! :)

51. English as a Second Language by Megan Crane (04/27/08)

Quick read. Light and fluffy, but cute.

52. Everyone Else's Girl by Megan Crane (04/30/08)

Pleasant enough ending, but for a short book, it certainly took me a while to trudge through it.

53. Before I Die by Jenny Downham (05/01/08)

Gutwrenchingly sad and emotionally draining at points, but beautifully written, especially the end. Characters and plot were real and imperfect, and some loose ends were left untied.

54. How They Met, and Other Stories by David Levithan (05/10/08)

Finally getting around to reading David Levithan's solo work since I enjoyed his books with Rachel Cohn so much. This one took me quite a while to finish, as short story collections often do, but each story was quirky and cute. We'll see how his novels go.

55. Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (05/11/08)

Again with the quirky and cute, but overall a very enjoyable novel. The setting was a bit on the fantastic side, but who needs super-realism when the characters are so much fun?

56. Realm of Possibility by David Levithan (05/14/08)

Still making my way through Levithan's books, and I think this one is my favorite so far. Very unique format. I really liked how everyone's stories were interwoven, yet each was presented a bit differently. Only downside was the constant flipping back through the book to remember who was who.

57. Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin (05/18/08)

Great new one from Emily Giffin with a satisfying conclusion.

58. Fly on the Wall by E. Lockhart (05/18/08)

Cute, if a bit odd, story. I look forward to reading more from E. Lockhart.

59. Bras and Broomsticks by Sarah Mlynowski (05/20/08)

Frustrating, self-centered protagonist. The witchy theme was a bit awkward, but since things were left hanging, I guess I have to continue the series. Hopefully the rhythm improves.

60. Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr (05/21/08)

Good story, but it ended too soon. Could have been further developed.

61. Frogs and French Kisses by Sarah Mlynowski (05/23/08)

Big improvement over the first book in the series, Bras and Broomsticks. Protagonist actually had some redeeming qualities by the end, although protagonist's sister and mother got way more annoying to make up for it. We'll see how the third book goes.

62. The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart (05/26/08)

Idea of such a list was very relatable. Roo is a great protagonist, but her parents were a bit overdone and obnoxious. Looking forward to the follow-up, The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them.

63. The Boy Book: A Study of Habits and Behaviors, Plus Techniques for Taming Them by E. Lockhart (05/29/08)

Improvement over The Boyfriend List, mostly because the parents were not as present. Protagonist reminds me of an American version of Georgia Nicolson from the Louise Rennison books. I can only hope more Roo books are coming as this one did not end with enough issues resolved.

64. Things I Want My Daughters to Know by Elizabeth Noble (06/01/08)

Not quite as much of a weeper as I had anticipated, but really enjoyable nonetheless. Characters and storylines were well developed, worth getting emotionally invested in.

65. Rob Sara.com by P.J. Petersen and Ivy Ruckman (06/03/08)

Cute story of boy meets girl that kept me guessing. E-mail format has been done, but it's still fresh. More intriguing was the novel's backstory: The two authors actually emailed back and forth as the characters to create the story.

66. Wide Awake by David Levithan (06/05/08)

Another great work from David Levithan. I actually prefer this one to Boy Meets Boy (contrary to most reviewers here) because it wasn't so over the top. His vision of a near future society was optimistic but hardly utopian. His version of historical events that led to his present day was unique and thought-provoking. And, as always, I loved his random pop culture references.

67. Sweethearts by Sara Zarr (06/07/08)

Big improvement over Story of a Girl. While this one didn't have a Hollywood ending, it did have a bit more closure. I liked the slow reveal of the protagonist's childhood trauma, and her hidden insecurities were heartbreaking and familiar.

68. As Seen on TV by Sarah Mlynowski (06/09/08)

Cute story revolving around reality TV. Protagonist wasn't particularly likeable, even before she became obsessed with fame, but she redeemed herself in the end.

69. Mrs. Perfect by Jane Porter (06/10/08)

Great follow-up to Odd Mom Out. Insight into what drives Taylor certainly makes her a more sympathetic character than the first book. Also interesting to see her perspective of Marta.

70. Names My Sisters Call Me by Megan Crane (06/16/08)

More substance, better developed than previous reads from this author. Enjoyable characters.

71. Fishbowl by Sarah Mlynowski (06/19/08)

Another one from Sarah Mlynowski where the main characters weren't particularly likeable, but redeemed themselves (mostly) by the end. The bits with the omniscient narrator were probably the most entertaining.

72. Me vs. Me by Sarah Mlynowski (06/21/08)

Kind of like the movie Sliding Doors, but not so depressing. Satisfying ending, though the bits throughout with the MIL from hell were torturous.

73. Asking for Trouble by Elizabeth Young (06/24/08)

Had to look up a few of the britisms, but overall a really fun read with a very satisfying ending. Can't wait to read more from this author.

74. The Bitch Posse by Martha O'Connor (06/26/08)

What a ride--though I'm still not entirely sure what to make of it. Still digesting everything. The ending was quite a surprise.

75. The Beach House by Jane Green (07/01/08)

Great read. Possibly my favorite Jane Green novel. Loved all of the characters. Had a few twists that surprised me (and a few that didn't) and a nice happy ending. What more can you ask for?

76. Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos (07/07/08)

Finally got back to finishing this one, and it was well worth the wait. Beautiful storytelling, poetic language. Strange to have read this after the sequel (didn't know Belong to Me was a sequel until it was too late), but they are very separate stories in many ways.

77. The Year My Sister Got Lucky by Aimee Friedman (07/08/08)