MobileRead Book Challenges discussion

Yay for book challenges!

Here's what I've read so far:

1. The Bottom Feeders and Other Stories by Aaron Polson
Finished January 1
Impressions: Mediocre horror stories, mediocre writing. At least it was free! 2 stars.

2. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
Finished January 3
Impressions: I read about half of this thinking it was good; not great, but good. And then somewhere along the way something happened, and while The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake probably won't make it onto my elite 10 Favorite Reads of 2011 list in December, I will always remember it with satisfaction and a wry smile. And I will certainly check out more Aimee Bender in the future. 5 stars.

3. The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker
Finished January 4
Impressions: Complicated people living sparse lives. This one may very well make it onto the 10 Favorite Reads list at the end of the year. Absolutely wonderful. I found myself reading it at ridiculous hours. 5 stars.

4. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Finished: January 9
Impressions: I'd avoided this book for a while because I thought it would be kind of dry, but it was very good! 4 stars

5. Bound by Antonya Nelson
Impressions: From the book description, I thought it would mainly be about Catherine and Cattie's relationship, but they don't actually meet until about three quarters of the way into the book. I really enjoyed the book, though, and would have kept reading if Antonya Nelson had kept on writing on it. 4 stars

6. The Grimly Queen by Shayna Krishnasamy
Impressions: Interesting but boring--does that make sense? 2.5 stars

Heather wrote: "6. The Grimly Queen by Shayna Krishnasamy
Impressions: Interesting but boring--does that make sense? 2.5 stars

Currently reading Into the Forest"

"Boring but interesting" I've gotten a few of them before :-)

I guess it's not completely uncommon. :) It was an interesting idea, and it started out well, but somewhere in the middle I stopped caring and just wanted to see it reach fruition.

7. Into the Forest by Jean Heglund
Impressions: The start was a little slow, with its frequent trips into story past, but once the focus moved solidly to the immediate story present, it really picked up, and I had a hard time putting it down. In the end, it was brilliant. 5 stars.

I sounds good. Considering how much you liked it, I suggest . It's great book (and if you get the hardback, it's beautiful).

8. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
Impressions: This is a re-read. I love this tragic story to bits. 5 stars.

9. We Disappear by Scott Heim
Impressions: I had hoped to love it, but I just liked it--I liked it well enough, and appreciated some of the risks it took; it just felt a little distanced and ploddy. Still, 4 stars for all the stuff i did like about it.

10. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
Impressions: Probably a great book for people who are into this kind of book (various supernatural creatures, a main character who didn't know he was supernatural, an organized supernatural societal structure, some humor, obviously more books planned with the characters). I wasn't all that into it, though. Average story, average writing. I was hoping that with the high average rating on Goodreads (4.25) it would be...more than it turned out to be. 3 stars.

11. How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu
Impressions: Reading this, I was reminded of both Douglas Adams and Chuck Palahniuk, but with more of a subdued (or maybe more accurately less of an "in your face") voice than either. Also, it was brilliant (though some may think it too clever (or, more likely, that the author thinks himself too clever)). Also, I teared up a little at the end--something I didn't see coming. I don't often re-read books, but I can see picking this one up again in a few years to enjoy what I missed the first time around, when I was too anxious to find out "what's next" to fully enjoy what was "now." 5 stars.

12. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Impressions: With so much of the story a mystery, it was easy for Dashner to keep me reading by feeding me a little bit of information at a time, so I often found myself reading into the next chapter (and the next), even though I'd told myself I would stop at the next chapter break and go do something else. So that was good. What was bad was that I wasn't engaged by any of the characters (not a one), Dashner did a lot of telling (and retelling--I really don't need to be beaten over the head with information), and I found myself skimming through pages at a time. 3 stars.

Heather wrote: "12. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Impressions: With so much of the story a mystery, it was easy for Dashner to keep me reading by feeding me a little bit of information at a time,..."

Heather, sorry to hear you didn't like Maze Runner that much, I really enjoyed it, and the next one The Scorch Trials. I think a 3rd is out later this year, I'll probably buy it. These books were recommended to me by someone who said they were similar to The Hunger Games...sort of, but not as good as The Hunger Games.

That's how they were recommended to me, too. I didn't dislike The Maze Runner--it just isn't going to stick out in my mind down the road.

I am sorry you didn't love The Maze Runner as much as I did, but I guess it's good that you did enjoy it. I actually loved both books, and liked them more than the Hunger Games.

13. Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk
The smartest kids are taken from their parents at a young age and trained and lied to by the government for political aims. Sounds a lot like the book I read just before this one--but oh so different. Hilarious and disgusting--and at times unexpectedly touching. It features, I think, some of the most sympathetic characters of any Chuck book (by the end, at least). I'm ranking it among my top three by him. 5 stars.

14. The Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer by Lucy Weston
Impressions: I think this was on par with Seth Grahame-Smith's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, although I'd say that Grahame-Smith's book was a liiiittle bit more clever about weaving history in (except that unfortunate bit about Elizabeth Bathory, which I may never forgive him). It was decently written, moved along at a good pace, and Elizabeth wasn't intolerable (although none of the characters actually spoke to or intrigued me). I was expecting worse of this book, so I was happily surprised to find it fairly solid for what it was...but not happy enough to give it more than 3 stars.

15. Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon
Impressions: I enjoyed this a lot. Didn't want to put it down. 5 stars.

16. Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby
Impressions: LOVED this one. It wasn't the book I was expecting, but I think I liked it better for what it was than what I'd thought it was going to be. 5 stars and added to my favorites list.

Currently reading: In the Woods by Tana French.