Book Lizard's 100 Books in 2010 Challenge

I'm going to copy Owlie13 and use this thread to keep track of all of my reading month by month.

I also noticed that some other people use this space to explain their scoring system, so I'll do the same.

5 stars is like an A
4 1/2 stars is like a B+
4 stars is like a B-
3 1/2 stars is like a C
3 stars is like a D+

4 or more stars are books I would recommend. 3 1/2 to 3 stars are books I didn't like, but you might like them. Under 3 stars, don't waste your time.

I also try to judge the books for what they are. A children's picture book, a romance novel, and Pride and Prejudice might all get 5 stars, but it doesn't mean that the picture book is as good as P&P - but it's a great picture book; better than most.

January

1. Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire (1/2) ***1/2
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (1/3) *****
3. Divine Misdemeanors by Laurell K. Hamilton (1/5) ****
4. One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (1/6) ****1/2
5. Unmasked by Virginia Henley (1/9) ***
6. Vampire Knight volume 8 Matsuri Hino (1/9) ****1/2
7. Covet by J. R. Ward (1/12) ****1/2
8. Remains of the Day (1/16) ****1/2
9. Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson (1/20) ****
10. Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? by Louise Rennison (1/24) ****
11. Demon Can't Help It by Kathy Love (1/25) ***1/2
12. Renegade Hunter by Lynsay Sands (1/28) ****
13. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies by Michael P. Spradlin (1/30) ***1/2
14. How to Catch and Keep a Vampire by Diana Laurence (1/30) ****
15. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (reread 1/31) ****1/2

February

16. A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole (2/7) ***1/2
17. Soulless by Gail Carriger (2/10) ****
18. Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (2/15) ****
19. Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton (2/17) ****
20. Weddings from Hell (2/18) ***1/2
21. I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It by Adam Selzer (2/21) ****
22. Desire Untamed by Pamela Palmer (2/28) ***1/2

March

23. Forever Princess by Meg Cabot (3/2) ****
24. Vampire Knight volume 9 by Matsuri Hino (3/5) ****1/2
25. The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin (3/15) ****1/2
26. Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (3/16) ****
27. The Proposition by Judith Ivory (3/18) ****
28. At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost (3/19) ****1/2
29. Beneath a Rising Moon by Keri Arthur (3/20) ***3/4
30. Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa (3/20)*****
31. Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (3/22)*****
32. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (reread 3/26) ****1/2
33. Bitten by Cupid by Lynsay Sands (3/28) ****
34. Simon's Cat by Simon Tofield (3/30) ****1/2
35. Superfreakonomics by Steven D. Levitt (3/31?) ****1/2

April

36. Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by Christopher Moore (4/1) ****1/2
37. Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick (4/8) ****

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire ***1/2

I was expecting more from this anthology since it includes stories from some big names in Young Adult and paranormal fiction. The title and blurb are misleading - they're not vampire love stories. A better title would have been "Encounters with a Vampire" or something. Some of the stories felt really unfinished, like they were a scene taken from a novel. I wouldn't recommend this to Twilight fans - it's more appropriate for horror fans.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins *****

Sequels are usually nowhere near as good as the original, but this book is the exception. If you haven't read The Hunger Games, do so now. I'll try to avoid spoilers . . . The Hunger Games may be over for now, but the danger hasn't passed for Katniss and those she loves. On her tour of the other districts, Katniss learns that the government is afraid that rebellion is brewing. With threats hanging over her head, Katniss realizes that her life will never be her own again, but she is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her family. The coming year marks the 75th anniversary of the Hunger Games and something special is planned for this, the third Quarter Quell, something unimaginable to Katniss, even in her worst nightmares. Survival will take every bit of her wit, strength, and courage.

The Hunger Games is at the library now with my name on it! I've heard so many good things about it.

I was really surprised by how much I liked The Hunger Games. When I first heard about it, I thought it was another gimmicky "reality television" novel, but it's not. It's like Lord of the Flies meets The Giver with a little bit romance thrown in. I never would have picked it up if I hadn't heard so many good things about it, but it's just so good, you have to read it. I'm thinking about borrowing it from the library again to make my brother read it. LOL.

I read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire last year and really like both. I'm glad you enjoyed them as well. I'm watching for the third book in this series. It can't come soon enough for me!

Amazon says August 24, 2010 for the 3rd book. That seems SO far away, but I keep reminding myself we're in 2010 so it's THIS YEAR at least.

Divine Misdemeanors by Laurell K. Hamilton ****

The latest book in the Merry Gentry series was good. Merry is back in L.A. working as a detective. The police call her in to help with a mass murder case involving the demi-fey (little fairies). The case seems to get put aside for a good chunk of the book while Merry deals with all the men in her life, but she actually gets some useful information from their sexcapades which ends up helping her solve the case. A satisfying quick read.

One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost ****1/2

I'm really loving this series. Romantic urban fantasy that I can devour like candy. I want to start the next one right away, but I have other books from the library that are due (or overdue).

Cat, a half-vampire, is working for a secret government agency that eliminates problem vampires. When the vampires she loves (and left 4 years ago) reappears in her life, he may be the only one who can keep her from being killed. But how can she be with him when it will be a betrayal of her family and her coworkers?

I didn't keep up with my reviews/comments for January. I'll try to do better in February.

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole ***1/2

I tried to read this book years ago and just couldn't, but I know so many people love this series, so I had to try again. I think the biggest turn off for me was the misleading cover - he's about to bite her neck, he has a hunger . . . like no other . . . but he's not a vampire; he's a werewolf. I was expecting a vampire romance novel and instead all the vampires were evil! No wonder I was disappointed.

People said the book got better as it went along, and they were right. I didn't end up loving it, but I liked it well enough that I'll eventually read the rest of the series.

Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz ****

I didn't like this book. Some parts were good. The Spanglish was lost on me. I can see why some people would like it, but I don't get why it won the Pulitzer.

Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton ****

The latest in the Anita Blake series is too short, but it's an interesting story.

Wow! 2 five star books in a row. I guess that requires comment, huh?

Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa is the true story of a resident cat in a nursing home in Rhode Island. Oscar somehow seems to know when patients are near death and goes and sits beside the dying person, "keeping vigil." He's not a lapcat otherwise, so it's more than mere coincidence.

The book is about more than just Oscar, though. Oscar lives in a locked floor at the nursing home - the ward for patients with dementia. Dr. Dosa interviewed family members of deceased patients to get their opinions on Oscar's special talent, and the stories of these families are so poignant.

The other book I read was The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but it totally drew me in. I stayed up until 3 in the morning to finish it. It's about a toddler whose family was murdered. The ghosts in a graveyard take him in and protect him from the killer who wants to finish the job and kill him.

Just want to second the good words about Making Rounds With Oscar. Received mine via LT Early Reviewer. Normally, I'm not a memoir person, but I couldn't put it down...the story is less about Oscar and more about dedicated families who are slogging through experiences with Alzheimers and dementia. But Oscar is the warm fuzzy link that connects them all. A great read for both cat people and those coping with elder care issues.

Catching up...

Yes, I loved The Graveyard Book too! But I've loved everything that Neil Gaiman has done.

You know, if I lived in the nursing home that Oscar hung out at, I'd be shooing him away at every opportunity. "Go away! I'm not going to die today, you stupid moggie!"

Flippancy aside, sounds like a very interesting story.