Challenge: 50 Books discussion

I'm a little (er, a lot) late to the group, but I'm going to give it a shot anyway :)

I've read a lot more than I realized so far this year, so 50 books shouldn't be a problem.

1. The Matchmaker of Perigord by Julia Stuart
2. Forest Born by Shannon Hale
3. By Bread Alone by Sarah Kate Lynch

4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (audio book)
6. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

7. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
8. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson (audio book)
9. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson (audio book)

10. The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène Du Bois
11. The Vintage Caper by Peter Mayle
12. Blessed Are the Cheesemakers by Sarah Kate Lynch

13. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
14. The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley
15. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

16. Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple
17. Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
18. Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

19. Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
20. The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
21. A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon

22. An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
23. The Good Son by Michael Gruber (audio book)
24. Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker (audio book)

25. The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva
26. The English Assassin by Daniel Silva(audio book)
27. Mark of the Lion by Suzanne Arruda

28. Stalking Ivory by Suzanne Arruda
29. Little Bee by Chris Cleave(audio book)
30. A Letter of Mary by Laurie R. King(audio book)

31. The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
32. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
33. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

34. The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz (audio book)
35. Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (audio book)
36. Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (audio book)

37. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
38. Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull
39. A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King (audio book)

40. Ape House by Sara Gruen (audio book)

The apes were the only characters I really liked, all the humans seemed like bad stereotypes-Russian, vodka-swilling stripper with a heart of gold? Really? Run-down motel manager referred to simply as "the fat man"? I wasn't crazy about her previous book, Water for Elephants, which I found predictable (in fact, the animals were my favorite characters in that one too!).

41. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

42. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Whew, I'm glad to be done with this one. I listened to the audio version, which was perfect since it's written in first person. The reader was excellent, slightly aloof and cool, which worked well with the spare, minimalistic, yet innocent tone of the book. I can't say that I liked or didn't like this book, but I will be thinking about it for quite awhile.

43. The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz

I needed something a little light after Never Let Me Go, so this was just perfect.

44. The Moor by Laurie R. King

Not my favorite of the series.

45. Ms. Hempel Chronicles Sarah Shun-lien Bynum

46. The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise: A Novel Julia Stuart
47. Wicked Appetite Janet Evanovich
48. A Small Death in the Great Glen A.D. Scott
49. Sarah's Key Tatiana de Rosnay

50. Oracles of Delphi Keep Victoria Laurie
51. The Curse of Deadman's Forest Victoria Laurie

52. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle David Wroblewski