Friday, January 6, 2012

2011 GoodReads Book Challenge

Well I have decided to make a concentrated effort to blog again. Really for no other reason than to give me something to do.

Allow me to fill you in in what has been going on over the past year...um...let's see... yeah I got nothing. Since I am still out of (full-time or for that matter steady part time) work, life has become a cycle of bad daytime TV and pajamas changes.  Not to mention, Words with Friends battles with who ever challenges me (threepmcoffee)

With that being said, let us jump back in. Right into the deep end. Without even testing the water.

I am member of the social networking site for book nerds, Goodreads.com.  Goodreads wants you to challenge yourself to read as many books as you can in 365 days. Last year I had challenged myself to read 20 books. I was pumped for it too. All of the elements aligned: I was out of work, I lived by the beach, and I was given a Nook for my 30th birthday.

Here is a run down of what I read:



I know what you are thinking "wow that is an eclectic group you got there!" And you are right. I like all types of stories, genres, and writers. Not all of my choices were home runs (*cough* Interpretation of a Murder *cough, cough* A Desirable Residence) but there were a few that I really loved.

Columbine by Dave Cullen was heart-wrenchingly detailed.  I learned that a former drug addict and high school drop out Duff McKagan is an amazing writer (It's So Easy...) The Help was the story I didn't want to end. And Tucker Maxx makes me happy that I am not single (I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell. I wasn't crazy about his follow up Assholes Finish First.) 

The last two book pictured above are cropped for a reason. The first is The Count of Monte Cristo. I made the mistake of asking The Captain what classic novel he would recommend. That book was crap. I got as far as the Count meeting the children of the guys that put him jail (which I didn't realize were their kids.) To borrow a line from my favorite stage play Amadeus, "Too many notes." Seriously.  I mean it was ridiculous. 

With my deadline looming and being stuck on this piece of crap for weeks, I decided to bail and start The Night Circus. I was so happy I did. I LOVED that story. It was so visually stunning. I would love to see it on the big screen but lets be honest Hollywood would just destroy it. Baz Luhrmann would come in and make it a shitty Moulin Rouge-esque musical. BLAH.

Sadly, I did not finish it before my deadline. In the end I only read eighteen books. Technically, eighteen and three quarters.

How many books did you read in 2011? Have any recommendations for my 2012 challenge?

YDB

P.S. - I have challenged myself to read 25 (eek!!) books in 2012. Tina Fey's Bossypants is the first one to the plate.



1 comment:

  1. Wow, I thought you were gone forever... It's me, DPH, former co-worker. I'm mostly retired now, so I read book after book after book, average 3 a week, but mostly trash.

    I stole your review haiku idea and do all my reviews in haiku. On Goodreads, Dee_768

    Good to know you're still there... :)

    ReplyDelete