I am attempting the 50 Book Challenge through LibraryThing Groups again this year. Last year I only made it to 32, and at this stage I don’t look like making 50 this year either. However by the time I work, study, eat and sleep, there isn’t much time for reading unfortunetly. Also this year I am trying to get through some of the Classics, and I always find these harder to read than most other novels.
Here’s the list so far:
| 16. Wuthering Heights / Emily Brontë. | |
| 15. Playing with the grownups / Sophie Dahl. | |
| This beautiful coming of age story is written by the granddaughter of the famous author Roald Dahl. Sopie Dahl is probably best known as a “realistic” sized model.I must admit I didn’t hold any expectations for this book, as I thought she couldn’t live up to the masterpieces her grandfather had created. I was pleasantly surprised.
This is the story of Kitty, told in the present and past, and of her unusual upbringing. |
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| 14. The lieutenant / Kate Grenville. | |
| This is the fictionalised story of William Dawes (Daniel Rooke in the novel), who arrived in Australia with the First Fleet in 1788, and his interactions with the Aboriginals who inhabitated the area around Sydney Cove.I enjoyed this book, however was slightly disconcerted when I began to read it, as Grenville has changed the name of all the historical figures in the book although this is not noted anywhere within the book, so I was a little concerned I had missed too many Australian History lessons. I definitely think future editions should note that the names have been changed. The story flowed smoothly throughout and was easy to read. | |
| 13. The catcher in the rye / J.D. Salinger. | |
| This was the first time I had read this book, somehow I missed it during my school years, I’m not sure how.Wow, what a book, for something that was written over 50 years ago, many of the themes still ring true. And for anyone to write about depression in such a enagaging and compelling way, let alone during the 1950′s when mental illness was very much misunderstood and rarely acknowledged, shows an intimate knowledge of depression.I don’t think that this is so much a coming of age story, but rather an accurate description of ones spiral into depression. Having suffered chronic depression since I was 16, I could see myself in Holden on so many different levels. I think that his view of the world and himself, like so many who suffer from mental illness, can best be described as apathetic.Salinger has created a masterpiece, with a main character, Holden Caulfield, who should be extremely dislikable, yet most people can relate to him on some level and thus creating an interest in where he is heading and how his story will end. I highly recommend this book to all readers, young and old. I just wish I had read it years ago. | |
| 12. The boy in the striped pyjamas / John Boyne. | |
| My sister brought this home from her school (she’s a High School english teacher) and suggested I read it. I had heard great things about it, and knew it was being made into a movie.This is a children’s book, probably aimed at children aged 10 and up. However it is also very suitable for adults and its subject matter, the Holocaust, would definitely keep adults intrigued.Told by Bruno, a nine year-old german boy, this is the story of what happened after “The Fury” came to dinner at his house, and his family and he had to move to “Out-With”. Some of it is repetitive, where Boyne is trying to capture how a nine year-old would think, which I found irritating, however overall this a a well told story, which is not only moving, but provides a wonderful insight into the innocence and humanity of children.A must read, especially for parents whose children are reading the book either at school or for thier own pleasure. Many children will have questions about the content and how the Holocaust was ever allowed to happen. | |
| 11. The host / Stephanie Meyer. | |
| This takes a totally different direction to Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ series, more sci-fi than fantasy, and is aimed at adults rather than teenage girls. I really enjoyed it.This is a thought-provoking novel, which explores the idea of an alien species not only taking over earth, but using human bodies as the species ‘host’. Wanderer, or Wanda as she eventually becomes known, is one of the aliens. She is implanted into the body of a human, who was once Melanie. However some part of Melanie still remains, and Wanda slowly realises that being human, despite all their flaws, may be the one thing she really needs. | |
| 10. Sex, lies and vampires / Katie MacAlister. | |
| Another installment in the “Dark Ones” romance series. Continuing my love affair with all things vampire! | |
| 9. The sonnets / Warwick Collins. | |
| 8. The name of the rose / Umberto Eco. | |
| I am not sure what I think or feel about this book. It took me a long time to read, compared with most books. I found it tedious and wordy, but still enjoyable.The fact that there are many phrases in latin, and other european languages, made it difficult to read, due to my monolingualism.I am the sort of person who reads a book for enjoyment, not to pick it to pieces and analyse to find “deeper meanings.” Therefore I probably missed most of the semiotics Eco intended. | |
| 7. Abhorsen / Garth Nix. | |
| The third book in “The Old Kingdom Trilogy”. | |
| 6. Lirael / Garth Nix. | |
| The second book in “The Old Kingdom Trilogy”. | |
| 5. Sabriel / Garth Nix. | |
| The first book in “The Old Kingdom Trilogy”, I read this about 5 years ago, and decided to revisit the series. It is aimed at young adults, but like most fantasy is suitable for adults also. Nix has created a world with strong female characters, magic and dead creatures which constantly try to escape death by reentering life. | |
| 4. The tales of Beedle the Bard / J.K. Rowling. | |
| 3. The bleeding dusk / Colleen Gleason. | |
| The third novel in “The Gardella Vampire Chronicles”. | |
| 2. Rises the night / Colleen Gleason. | |
| The second novel in “The Gardella Vampire Chronicles”. | |
| 1. The journal of Dora Damage / Belinda Starling. | |
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I have been wanting to read this since I saw a review for it when it was first published. It just seemed to grab me.I really enjoyed this book – what a fabulous first novel (and unfortunately last) from the late Belinda Starling, who passed away not long after she finished this. Her vivid imagery envokes the sights, sounds and smells of 19th Century London, and entices the reader to persue the (almost) lost art of book bindery. |
