FrightFall Read-a-thon

I'm reading anyway, so I'm joining in on this fun read-a-thon. 

List
Finishing: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding
The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider
 The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle (SPOOKY)
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (SPOOKY)
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (SPOOKY)

Book 24: The Edge of Reason

 

Rereading this to get ready for the 3rd book coming out next month.  I love Bridget Jones's Diary and reread it every year, but it's been a while since I've read this one.

Book 23: The Mysterious Benedict Society

 

This is a book I'm reading aloud to my kids, we've read ch. 1 so far and they really like it so far.

Book 22: The Sandcastle Girls

 

This was a sad, but very interesting novel about the genocide of the Armenians in Turkey around 1914-1916.  I never knew about this period of history and I'm glad I read the book.

Book 21: Eleanor and Park

 

Really good YA.  Much better than John Green, in my opinion.  I really felt for Eleanor, and found myself thinking about her whenever I had to put the book down.  Which I tried not to do too much.  

Book 20: Orphan Train

 

Loved this book.  Wonderful historical fiction.  Another tear-jerker, but finally, a happy ending.

Book 19: The Old Man and the Sea

 

BORING.  Sorry, but it was.  I tried to appreciate it.  I tried to find meaning in it, and to a point I did.  I was disappointed in the ending to a certain degree, but was glad he had the boy to take care of him.  When the sharks arrived I seriously rolled my eyes and sighed.  I saw that coming.

Book 18: My Sister's Keeper

 

Oh, this book.  Another where I saw the movie first.  Most of the movie.  Ever since I've wanted to read the book and the ending was different.  Some books mane me teary, but I BAWLED with this one.  More than once.  And after when I was telling someone about it.  I've read a few Picoult books before and this one was by far the best.

Book 17: A Year in Provence

 

A man and his wife and their first year living in France.  It was a sweet book with quite a few funny moments, but it was kind of a slow read.  It did make me want good  French bread, cheese and wine though!

Book 16: Warm Bodies

 

I watched the movie first and that made me want to read the book.  That keeps happening to me lately.  It was a good story.  Gross at many points, but good.  

Book 15: Me Before You

 

I enjoyed this book.  A girl in England has to get a job and ends up finding one taking care of a paraplegic man.  I don't want to write anything that will give it away, but there's quite a few twists.  Another ending I didn't care for. 

Book 14: The Alchemist

 

I have seen this book everywhere, so I thought it was a book I need to read.  I was worried when after ordering it, I looked on Goodreads and saw really bad reviews.  Seemed to be a book  you either love or hate.  I went into it with an open mind and at first thought it would be a good story.  Unfortunately it wasn't that great.  I had to force myself to finish.  It was one of those short books that took me a while to read because I just didn't care about it and I was disappointed right through to the ending.  

Book 13: A Spot of Bother

 

I bought this because I really liked The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by the same author.  I liked this book, it was slow at times, but it was really cute and I laughed aloud more than a few times.  About a man in his 60's who starts to lose his mind.

Book 12: Cry, The Beloved Country

 

I've had this on my shelf for years and finally got around to reading it.  I really enjoyed it.  Beautiful and sad story set in South Africa, it made me cry more than once.

Book 11: Daddy-Long-Legs

 

Really cute book.  I had never read it when I was younger.  Reminded me a little of Anne of Green Gables.  I plan on having my younger daughter read it in a year or two when she might appreciate it more.

Book 10: Candide

 

Just one of those classics you always hear about, so I decided to read it.  It was fast and easy.  Ridiculous events of a man and all the terrible things that happen to him, but still he believes life is good.

Book 9: The Spectacular Now

 

This was a really good book, I read some YA and am usually not impressed.  I thought this was a good, solid story with a likeable protagonist.  Told in the first person, it's the story of a teenage boy, Sutter, with lots of charisma and a drinking problem.  He is dealing with his father abandoning him and his girlfriend breaking up with him.  He finds a new friend to help, but it's too bad he can't help himself.  I didn't like the ending.  Much better, in my opinion, that John Green books.

Book 8:

 

Ugh, I HATED this book.  I will admit it got slightly better, just slightly...towards the end.  It mostly didn't make much sense to me, maybe I'm just not smart enough to GET IT.  I don't know.  I understand the basic plot, it was just written bizarrely and I couldn't wait for it to be over.  Thankfully it's short.

Book 7: Amy and Isabelle

 

I really enjoyed this book, it is my second Elizabeth Strout book, I also read and enjoyed Olive Kitteredge.   It's a book about a single mom and a teenager daughter and the troubles they have that have caused them to grow apart.  I'm going to make sure I read all of Strout's novels since I think she's an author I will always enjoy.