Challenge: 50 Books discussion

On to another year! 2010: 46 books, 2011: 31 books...2012: going for 50 again...the third time's the charm!

First book of 2012. Took me a sick day to finish it. This book is so overdue that I almost paid for it in full. The book was good...just hard to get any reading done during the holidays. I especially related to the cross-cultural situations...these boys reminded me of my middle school ESL students in so many ways! I admire her patience and sense of humor!
4/5 RatingNo Biking in the House Without a Helmet

#2 Planting Dandelions: Field Notes From a Semi-Domesticated Life

Not what I expected, I guess, although she is a good writer. I thought the essays were too egocentric, which was a turnoff for me.

3/5

#3 The Gap Year

Another 3/5. I really had trouble getting into this book. It was written from two points of view, and frankly neither viewpoint was that interesting. Fortunately, toward the end it got a little more enticing, but then it lost me once again and fizzled out.

On the positive side, I've been setting aside more reading time during this grey, wintery weather, so I'm right on track...3 books in 3 weeks!

#4 Then Again
2/5 Really didn't care for this one at all, and I'm a Diane Keaton fan.

#5 I Got This: How I Changed My Ways, Found Myself, and Lost What Weighed Me Down

3/5. I'm on a roll here....
I enjoyed reading about her healthy lifestyle tips via Weight Watchers, since I'm 60% of the way to my own weight loss goal, but otherwise there wasn't much substance to this book.

Wow...I'm behind in my logging!

#6 The Language of Flowers
4/5 Fairly enjoyable read. I didn't really relate to the characters, but it was well-written.

#7 Peas and Thank You
3/5 I enjoyed her healthy eating blog at first and thought I'd like her cookbook/"blog book," but it started to grate on me. I unsubscribed from her blog, too...

#8 The Paris Wife
3/5 Ugh...well-written but hated the story line. I should have figured...don't care for Hemingway, either!

#9 The Sugar Queen
3/5 I'm getting in a rut...predictable and not that enjoyable.

#10 A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life
3/5 This came with rave reviews, but I really don't see what the fuss is all about...rather boring, actually.

#11 Maine
3/5 Just all right...liked the character descriptions but the ending was just plain lame...took me from a 4 to a 3.

#8 The Paris Wife
3/5 Ugh...well-written but hated the story line. I should have figured...don't care for Hemingway, either!

Ohhhhhh this worries me - I've committed to reading this for the Goodreads 2011 challenge!!!

OK, I have 6 months of catching up to do...here goes!

#9 Gods in Alabama I really can't remember much about this book, but I gave it 2 stars, so enough said.

#10 Commencement
Another book I really couldn't get into. 3/5.

#11 Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake
Finally a 5/5 book. I'm a big fan, so that helps!

#12 3/5 I rarely pick up random books at the library, but this cover drew me in. I wish I had enjoyed it like I thought I would.Bond Girl

#13Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness I am lucky to make it through half marathon training two times a year...there is no way I would run an ultramarathon, but I still appreciated his effort and sage running advice. 4/5.

#14 Inherit the Wind 3/5 I was lucky enough to be hired to teach summer school American Lit, and I admit that I had never heard of this book until now! It was interesting historically, but not extremely well written. 3/5.

#15. I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman I had read this once before, but when this screenwriter of "When Harry Met Sally," Nora Ephron, passed away, I decided to reread it. I'm still a fan! 4/5

#16. I Remember Nothing: and Other Reflections Another tribute to Ephron read 4/5

#17 Write Beside Them: Risk, Voice, and Clarity in High School Writing With DVD ROM
Penny Kittle is the writing teacher I would love to have and the teacher I'd love to be. I am a huge fan! 5/5

#18 Gone Girl 5/5 The hype is merited. I can't wait for the movie version, although the rumor that Reese Witherspoon will play the lead has me confused. I definitely can't see her in the role, as she always plays the sweetheart.

#19 The Chaperone 4/5 This was a recommendation from my mom, and I enjoyed it!

#20 A World Away Wow...I can't remember why I decided to read this book or anything about it! I guess that's why it was a 3/5!

#21 Morning Girl I am now teaching high school ESL, and I wasn't sure which leveled readers would keep their interest, so I went with a book set that was already in my classroom. The students really didn't enjoy it very much, but it was useful for teaching elements of character analysis. 3/5

#22 Brothers in Arms Another leveled reader for my students. They loved this book! It was dramatic and romantic...a perfect combination. 3/5

#23 Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail Finally an adult read! This book was recommended by my eavesdropping at the soccer field! I enjoyed it but couldn't relate much. 4/5

#24 A Matter of Trust Another leveled reader. This wasn't as compelling as Brothers in Arms, which is from the same Bluford series, but my students enjoyed it ok. 3/5.

#25 Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life[bookcover:Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life 4/5 As a self-professed homebody, I thought I would love this book, but Happiness Project is better. I do give her an A for effort and for sharing her home nerdiness! I'm a fan.

It's very sad that the year is ending and I am nowhere near my 50 book goal. I guess that speaks to the crazy nature of this year--my oldest graduated and transitioned to college, I taught summer school for the first time, which really took a lot more effort than I was compensated for, and I started a new job and grade level this fall. My profession is really cramping my reading style! :)

I just finished Gone Girl last night, you are right the hype is merited! i love reese witherspoon but i am surprised if she would play Amy. i like thinking that she's as sweet in real life plans as the characters she plays

#26 Sharp Objects 5/5 Oh my, this was even better than Gone Girl! I am not a fan of the darker books, but this was a true thriller, and I was surprised at the ending, so it kept me in suspense until the very end!

#27 The Fault in Our Stars 5/5
My daughter loved this book and recommended it to me...I'm glad I read it, although it made me feel old to be so removed from the teen scene. The author truly has a handle on being a teen, and the added cancer twist made it even more poignant.

#28 The End of Your Life Book Club 5/5

So far, my favorite book of the year. This book is truly inspiring and life-changing for me, as I realize that I want to do more for my multicultural students to emulate the spirit of Mary Anne Schwalbe. It also encourages me to be a better daughter and reader.

#29 The Age of Miracles
I liked this one...the sci-fi premise made me think. I even had a bad dream about it, so I guess it got into my psyche! 5/5

Well, needless to say, I did not meet my challenge. 2013 is another year!