Unread Authors Challenge Completed

I completed the Unread Authors Challenge about a month ago but haven't had a chance to update my blog with a summary. I really enjoyed this challenge as I got to read books by new authors. There was only 1 book I really disliked and I ended up finding some new authors to read going forward such as Stephenie Meyer and Anna Quindlen.

I have many books sitting on my shelves by authors I have never read before so this is the perfect challenge for me.

The Challenge will run from September to February 2008. The challenge is being hosted by Sycorax Pine and more details can be found on her blog. The rules are:

1) Read six books by authors you have never read before.

2) You can choose one or two (or 3-5) unread authors and read several of their works, or you can choose six neglected (by you) writers and read a book apiece by them. Authors of fiction, non-fiction, genre fiction, graphic novels/comics, drama, and poetry are all welcome inclusions, although the individual works you choose should be book length.

My list for this challenge is:

Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards [completed Jan. 21st, 2008]
Mother of Pearl by Melinda Haynes [completed Feb. 7th, 2008]
Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman [completed Feb. 3rd, 2008]
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer [completed Jan. 29th, 2008]
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer [completed Feb. 11th, 2008]
Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen [completed Jan. 7th, 2008]

Mother of Pearl

Mother of Pearl by Melinda Haynes

Finished February 7th, 2008

Rating: 2/10

Unread Authors Challenge Book #5


From Barnes & Noble
Set in the Deep South in the late 1950s, Mother of Pearl vividly brings to life the extraordinary inhabitants of the small town of Petal, Mississippi. Central to the novel are the stories of Even Grade, a 28-year-old black man abandoned by his mother at birth, Valuable Korner, a 15-year-old white girl whose family history holds a trunkful of damning secrets, and Joody Two Sun, an enigmatic obeah woman who sees into the hearts and minds of the townsfolk from her riverside camp on the outskirts of town. Cast in a tragicomic passion play, Even, Val, and Joody find their destinies entwined as they search for the love and family that they have always been denied.


I knew about 60 pages in that I didn't like this book but I have this compulsive need to finish books that I start, I really need to get over that as the book never got any better. I found the writing to be confusing as it jumped around a lot. I didn't enjoy the storylines at all and just found it to be so boring. My first bad book of the year, hopefully they will be few and far between going forward.

Here on Earth

Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman

Finished February 3rd, 2008

Rating: 8/10

Unread Authors Challenge Book #4



From the Publisher
March Murray, along with her fifteen-year-old daughter, Gwen, returns to the small Massachusetts town where she grew up to attend the funeral of Judith Dale, the beloved housekeeper who raised her. After nearly twenty years of living in California, March is thrust into the world of her past. She finds that Mrs. Dale knew more of life than March could have ever suspected; that her brother Alan, whose tragic history has left him grief-stricken, has turned to alcohol as his only solace; and that Hollis, the boy she once loved, is the man she can't seem to stay away from.


This one was another winner for the Unread Authors Challenge. The author does a good job of making you care about the characters even though it is very difficult to like them. She takes you through a myriad of different emotions throughout the book as she allows the characters to grow even if the reader does not like the path in which they are growing. If you are looking for a happy ending, you are not going to find it with this book however it was very good read.

Twilight

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Finished January 29th, 2008

Rating: 7/10

Unread Authors Challenge Book #3



From Barnes and Noble

17-year-old Isabella moves to a small town in Washington State and gets more excitement than she bargained for when she falls for an enigmatic classmate -- who happens to be a vampire.


I was really excited to read this book as my fellow bloggers seem to have nothing but rave reviews for this series. I am also a big fan of the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer so this book was right up my alley. The book was good however I was not blown away by it as I expected to be. I think my expectations were so high I couldn't help but be a little disappointed. The writing was a little weak and I found the interaction between Bella and Edward to be somewhat odd. It just seemed liked all of sudden they were in love with each other. I may be in the minority but I don't think the author did a good job of conveying how the love developed between them as I didn't buy it at times. A good book but I wouldn't say a great book.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Finished January 21st, 2007

Rating: 6/10

Unread Authors Challenge Book #2




Synopsis from Barnes and Noble
On a winter night in 1964, Dr. David Henry is forced by a blizzard to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy. Yet when his daughter is born, he sees immediately that she has Down's Syndrome. Rationalizing it as a need to protect Norah, his wife, he makes a split-second decision that will alter all of their lives forever. He asks his nurse to take the baby away to an institution and never to reveal the secret.

But Caroline, the nurse, cannot leave the infant. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child herself. So begins this beautifully told story that unfolds over a quarter of a century in which these two families, ignorant of each other, are yet bound by the fateful decision made that long-ago winter night.


This book was an okay read for me however I don't think I would recommend it to others. I struggled a little bit throughout the book as I found that the book didn't hold my attention for very long. The plot had a lot of potential but unfortunately the characters didn't touch me and I found the story ended up being weak.

Black and Blue

Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen

Finished January 7th, 2008

Rating: 9/10

Unread Authors Challenge Book #1


From the Publisher
With daring and compassion, Anna Quindlen weaves a forceful, harrowing portrait of a woman and a marriage, capturing the profound intricacies of love and rage, passion and violence. At once heartbreaking and utterly riveting, BLACK AND BLUE is an extraordinary work of fiction and a brilliant achievement.

For eighteen years, Fran Benedetto kept her secret, hid her bruises, and stayed with Bobby because she wanted her son to have a father and because, in spite of everything, she loved him. Then one night, when she saw the look on her ten-year-old son's face, Fran finally made a choice--and ran for both their lives.


What a great read for my 2nd read of 2008. The plot wasn't over the top as Quindlen takes such a complex topic and manages to write a simple and realistic story about domestic violence. This was the first time I have read a book by Quindlen and I look forward to reading some more by her.

Unread Authors Challenge

I have many books sitting on my shelves by authors I have never read before so this is the perfect challenge for me.

The Challenge will run from September to February 2008. The challenge is being hosted by Sycorax Pine and more details can be found on her blog. The rules are:

1) Read six books by authors you have never read before.

2) You can choose one or two (or 3-5) unread authors and read several of their works, or you can choose six neglected (by you) writers and read a book apiece by them. Authors of fiction, non-fiction, genre fiction, graphic novels/comics, drama, and poetry are all welcome inclusions, although the individual works you choose should be book length.

My list for this challenge is:

Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards
Mother of Pearl by Melinda Haynes
Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen