Lifeguard

Lifeguard by James Patterson

Finished December 30th, 2007

Rating: 8/10

Reading the Author Challenge Book #3



No review for this one, just a rating of 8 out of 10.

Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge Completed

I just completed this challenge in the nick of time. The challenge introduced me to two new authors that I really enjoyed (Philippa Gregory and Lisa See). It's been a fun challenge traveling around the world!

Lesley located at A Life in Books is holding The Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge.

The challenge runs from July 1 through December 31, 2007 during which time you must read six books that fall under the ‘armchair traveling’ theme.

• Fiction or non-fiction works are fine, and do not need to be specifically travel related, as long as the location is integral to the book - I’ll leave that to your discretion. Locations must be actual places that you could visit, so no Middle Earths or galaxies far, far away.
  


• Books may be cross-posted to other challenges, but you cannot count any books read prior to July 1st.
  


• To join, make a post outlining your six choices and link to that post below. Because I like to have a little wiggle room, you can opt to switch out books throughout the challenge.
  


• And yes, there will be prizes!

I think this is the last challenge that I will join for a while until I complete some of my other challenges. My books for this challenge are:

Brick Lane by Monica Ali [Finished Dec. 25th,2007]
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert [Finished Oct. 31st,2007]
The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory [Finished Sept. 2nd,2007]
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini [Finished Nov. 13th,2007]
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See [Finished July 22nd,2007]
The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith [Finished Dec. 7th,2007]

Brick Lane

Brick Lane by Monica Ali

Finished December 25th, 2007

Rating: 2/10

Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge Book #6



From the Publisher

Monica Ali's gorgeous first novel is the deeply moving story of one woman, Nazneen, born in a Bangladeshi village and transported to London at age eighteen to enter into an arranged marriage.

Nazneen's inauspicious entry into the world, an apparent stillbirth on the hard mud floor of a village hut, imbues in her a sense of fatalism that she carries across continents when she is married off to Chanu, a man old enough to be her father. Nazneen moves to London and, for years, keeps house, cares for her husband, and bears children, just as a girl from the village is supposed to do. But gradually she is transformed by her experience, and begins to question whether fate controls her or whether she has a hand in her own destiny.

Motherhood is a catalyst -- Nazneen's daughters chafe against their father's traditions and pride -- and to her own amazement, Nazneen falls in love with a young man in the community. She discovers both the complexity that comes with free choice and the depth of her attachment to her husband, her daughters, and her new world.
While Nazneen journeys along her path of self-realization, her sister, Hasina, rushes headlong at her life, first making a "love marriage," then fleeing her violent husband. Woven through the novel, Hasina's letters from Dhaka recount a world of overwhelming adversity. Shaped, yet not bound, by their landscapes and memories, both sisters struggle to dream -- and live -- beyond the rules prescribed for them.


I really disliked this book. I didn't enjoy any of it but couldn't bring myself not to finish it once I started it. I didn't connect with the characters and didn't enjoy the writing. It was a painfully slow read. I would recommend skipping this book.

2008 To Be Read Challenge

I have decided to not sign up for many challenges for 2008 as I am expecting my first child in February so figure I will not have as much time to read as I normally have in the past. However I couldn't resist signing up for this one.

There is a blog set up for this challenge at http://tbrchallenge.blogspot.com/ and the general rules are as follows:

(1) Pick 12 books - one for each month of 2008 - that you've been wanting to read (that have been on your "To Be Read" list) but haven't gotten around to.

(2) The challenge runs from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008.

(3) Your Alternates list can only be 12 books long.

The books I have selected for this challenge are:

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Divide by Nicholas Evans
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Gone by Jonathan Kellerman
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Forever Odd by Dean Koontz
The Husband by Dean Koontz
The Birth House by Ami Mckay
Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult
Peony in Love by Lisa See
Three Weeks with My Brother by Nicholas Sparks

Alternatives
Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult
Capital Crimes by Jonathan Kellerman
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Daddy's Little Girl by Mary Higgins Clark

2nds Challenge Completed

I just recently completed the 2nds Challenge. It was a really good opportunity to read books from authors that you had only previously read one of their books before. All of my reads were Good to Very Good so it was a good challenge for me.

Joy at Thoughts of Joy is holding another challenge to take place after the Non-Fiction Five Challenge called the 2nds Challenge.

WHAT: Read 3 books by authors that you have only read one other

WHERE: Mister Linky will keep track of monthly books read on Joy's blog

WHEN: October, November and December, 2007

The books I have decided to read for this challenge are:

Ambler Warning by Robert Ludlum
Bloodstream by Tess Gerritsen
Chosen Prey by John Sandford

Bloodstream

Bloodstream by Tess Gerritsen

Finished December 12th, 2007

Rating: 8/10

2nds Challenge Book #3


Barnes & Nobles Synopsis
A terrible epidemic that causes irrational, violent behavior plagues the ironically named small town of Tranquility in Tess Gerritsen's latest medical thriller, Bloodstream. But the town may not be as sleepy and innocent as it appears, and possibly harvests a dark secret that threatens the son of Dr. Claire Elliott.


I was first introduced to the author Tess Gerritsen during the Medical Mystery Madness Challenge. I really enjoyed the book I read for that challenge so decided to choose another book by this author for the 2nds challenge. I originally intended to read Life Support by Gerritsen however it was not available at the library so I went with Bloodstream instead. It was an enjoyable read however there were some loose ends that I would have liked to have seen wrapped up. I am glad I was introduced to this author as she is quickly becoming one of my favourites mystery/thriller authors.

The Full Cupboard of Life

The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith

Finished December 7th, 2007

Rating: 4/10

Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge Book #5






From the Publisher
In the fifth book in the prodigiously successful series, traditionally built, eminently sensible Mma Precious Ramotswe continues her enterprise at the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in Gaborone, Botswana, a country that is indeed fortunate.

Still engaged to the estimable Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, Mma Ramotswe understands that she should not put too much pressure on him, as he has other concerns, especially a hair-raising request from the ever persuasive Mma Potokwane, matron of the orphan farm. Besides Mma Ramotswe herself has weighty matters on her mind. She has been approached by a wealthy lady to check up on several suitors. Are these men interested in the lady or just her money? This may be a difficult case, but it's just the kind of problem Mma Ramotswe likes and she is, as we know, a very intuitive lady.


This book was a big disappointment as the storyline was very weak in this one. I enjoy the different cases that Mma Ramotswe works on and having her solve them. However in this installment she only had one case and very little time was spent on it. I'm hoping the next book in the series is better.

November 2007 Reads

57. Chosen Prey by John Sandford - Rating: 7
[2nds Challenge]

58. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - Rating: 9
[Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge]

59. Honeymoon by James Patterson - Rating: 8
[Reading the Author Challenge]

60. The Ambler Warning by Robert Ludlum - Rating: 7
[2nds Challenge]


New Authors Read = 0
Male Authors = 4
Female Authors = 0