2011 Challenges Completed: Fall Into Reading

My goal was to read six to eight books.

The original list:

The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman.
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan. 
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
And Be A Villain by Rex Stout.
Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy Sayers.
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin.
Agatha Christie: An Autobiography.
Claudius the God by Robert Graves.

What I actually read:

The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus #2). Rick Riordan
The Sunne in Splendour: "A fascinating portrait of the controversial King Richard III--a monarch betrayed in life by his allies and betrayed in death by history." by Sharon Kay Penman.
Murder Must Advertise. Dorothy L. Sayers.
The Woman in White. Wilkie Collins. 
Wonderland Creek. Lynn Austin.
Frankenstein. Mary Shelley.
The Nine Tailors. Dorothy L. Sayers. 
Busman's Holiday by Dorothy L. Sayers
Hercule Poirot's Christmas. Agatha Christie.  
Doomsday Book. Connie Willis.

The Fellowship of the Ring. J.R.R. Tolkien.
The Two Towers. J.R.R. Tolkien.
The Return of the King. J.R.R. Tolkien.


My thoughts: I didn't exactly stick with my list. (Six are from the original list; seven are not). But I am pleased with what I was able to read. Some of these books were just wonderful like Woman in White and Sunne in Splendour! And it was so WONDERFUL to finish the Lord Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy Sayers!!!! That was a big goal of mine. And I've been meaning to read The Lord of the Rings since 2007-2008. So it was so satisfying to read those!!!! 


© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Challenge Completed: RIP

Here's what I read for the challenge:

1. A Pocket Full of Rye. Agatha Christie.
2. A Murder on the Links. Agatha Christie.
3. Human.4 Mike A. Lancaster.
4. The Five Red Herrings. Dorothy L. Sayers.
5. Mister Creecher by Chris Priestly
6. This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel
7. The Wikkeling. Steven Arntson.
8. Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow. James Rollins.
9. Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx. James Rollins.
10. The Woman in White. Wilkie Collins.
11. Frankenstein. Mary Shelley.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

2011 Challenges: Fall Into Reading

Fall Into Reading hosted at Callapidder Days. The info post is here. The sign up post goes up September 23rd. (I'll link to it when I can). 
The challenge is from 9/23 to 12/21.

My goal is to read six to eight books. I'll probably list twice that much! But I hope to read at least six of the following:

The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman. I've been reading this one since August--I think it's been that long--but it's a LONG, LONG book, close to a thousand pages. And you do have to be in the right mood for it. I definitely want to finish it up this fall!

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan. I admit I obsessively checked my library's catalog just to make sure I got a good spot on the waiting list. (It worked!) So I definitely plan on reading the second in Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This is not a new read to me, though I do try to read it "new" each time. I have signed up to read this one for the Classics Circuit tour. But I was planning on reading it anyway. I just love it so.

And Be A Villain by Rex Stout. I discovered Rex Stout last spring, and I'd love to spend some time this fall reading more of his Nero Wolfe mysteries. There are three books that go together--And Be A Villain, Second Confession, and In The Best Families. I don't know if I'll get to all three for this challenge. But I would love to get a good start on it!!!

Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy Sayers. My goal is to read all the Lord Peter books in order. The next to come--for me--is Murder Must Advertise. Then if I'm feeling ambitious, I need to read The Nine Tailors and Busman's Honeymoon. Sayers is another discovery new to me in 2011! I discovered her and Agatha Christie in January, and, well, things have DEFINITELY changed around here.

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. I've wanted to read this one for a few years now. I have really enjoyed almost all of Collins' novels, so I'm looking forward to this one!

Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin. I am a big fan of Lynn Austin! And this one is about a librarian!

Agatha Christie: An Autobiography. I discovered Agatha Christie this year and I would love to read her autobiography.

Claudius the God by Robert Graves. I'd love to read the sequel to I, Claudius.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Spring Reading Thing Completed

Spring Reading Thing was hosted by Callapidder Days.

I didn't read exclusively from my list. (I rarely do). And I've chosen some of my favorite spring reads to add to the post. The "not on the list" books are books I read during the time of the challenge that I hadn't planned on reading "for" the challenge.

My favorite book originally on the list would have to be The Last Chronicle of Barset by Anthony Trollope. (But I loved and adored Mansfield Park too. More than I ever thought I would. I fell for Henry Crawford, I must admit!!!)

I don't know that I could pick just one favorite that wasn't on the list! I mean that's why I'm including them here! So I can try to persuade people to give them a try. If I had to pick a top three from the not on the list it would be: The Golden Spiders. Rex Stout, The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton, and Doggirl. Robin Brande.

I do have an un-favorite. I just hated Bumped by Megan McCafferty. 

From the list:

1. Mansfield Park. Jane Austen.
2. Jubilee by Margaret Walker
3. Persuasion by Jane Austen
4. Matched. Ally Condie.
5. XVI. Julia Karr.
6. Wither. Laura DeStefano.
7. Elizabeth and the Prince of Spain. Margaret Irwin.
8. Wickham's Diary. Amanda Grange.
9. The Throne of Fire. Kane Chronicles #2 Rick Riordan.
10. Bumped by Megan McCafferty.
11. The Story of Britain From the Norman Conquest to the European Union by Patrick Dillon.
12. The Last Chronicle of Barset by Anthony Trollope
13. Front and Center. Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Not from the list:

1. The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton
2. Doggirl. Robin Brande.
3. The Black Orchid. Rex Stout
4. The Silent Speaker. Rex Stout
5. Some Buried Caesar. Rex Stout
6. The Golden Spiders. Rex Stout
7. Death of a Doxy Rex Stout
8. Three at Wolfe's Door Rex Stout
9. Too Many Cooks Rex Stout
10. Fer-de-lance. Rex Stout
11. Kinfolk. Pearl S. Buck.
12. East Wind: West Wind. Pearl S. Buck.
13. The Virginian. Owen Wister.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Once Upon a Time Challenge Completed

The Once Upon a Time challenge was hosted by Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings. I completed Quest the First.

1. The Ropemaker. Peter Dickinson.
2. The Land of the Silver Apples. Nancy Farmer.
3. Inside Grandad. Peter Dickinson.
4. The Spellcoats. Diana Wynne Jones.
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. C.S. Lewis
6. The Throne of Fire. Kane Chronicles #2 Rick Riordan. 2011. Hyperion. 464 pages.
7. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
8. The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton
9. The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde

My FAVORITE, FAVORITE book that I read was The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton. My second favorite book was The Land of Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

2011 Challenges: Signing Up for Spring into Summer Readathon

Enna Isilee of Squeaky Books is hosting the Spring into Summer Readathon. It is June 17th and 18th. To be precise, it is Friday, June 17th 8AM MST. (9AM CST) to Saturday June 18th 8PM MST (9PM CST).

I am SO excited. I haven't decided if I'll be reading YA books or mysteries...or a little bit of both!

There are so many books I want to read right NOW. 

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Once Upon a Time V

Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings is hosting his fifth Once Upon a Time challenge.
March 21st through June 20th.
Quest the First. 5 Books. Folklore. Fantasy. Fairy Tales. Mythology.
 
1. The Ropemaker. Peter Dickinson.
2. The Land of the Silver Apples. Nancy Farmer.
3. Inside Grandad. Peter Dickinson.
4. The Spellcoats. Diana Wynne Jones.
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. C.S. Lewis
6. The Throne of Fire. Kane Chronicles #2 Rick Riordan. 2011. Hyperion. 464 pages.
7. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
8. The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton
9. The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde

This is one of my favorite challenges of the year. Mostly because of the great company. But I *do* enjoy focusing on these four genres (or sub-genres).

I don't have time to list *every* book that I *might* read for the challenge.


The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales.
The Game by Diana Wynne Jones
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci volume 1 by Diana Wynne Jones
Conrad's Fate by Diana Wynne Jones
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci volume 2 by Diana Wynne Jones
The Pinhoe Egg by Diana Wynne Jones
The Spellcoats by Diana Wynne Jones
Drowned Ammet by Diana Wynne Jones
Cart and Cwidder by Diana Wynne Jones
Crown of Dalemark by Diana Wynne Jones
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (#1 Heroes of Olympus)
The Throne of Fire. Kane Chronicles #2 Rick Riordan.
The Dragon's Apprentice (#5 in Imaginarium Geographica) by James A. Owen
Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus by R.L. LaFevers
Theodosia and the Last Pharaoh by R.L. LaFevers
I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett
The Necropolis by PJ Hoover
Geek Fantasy Novel by E. Archer
Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky
The Story of the Amulet. E. Nesbit.
Enchanted Castle. E. Nesbit. 
The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.

I do have a few books that I'd LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to recommend for you if you're joining this one...

A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
The Boneshaker by Kate Milford
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card
Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
Cloaked in Red by Vivian Vande Velde


© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Spring Reading Thing 2011 -- The List*

Spring Reading Thing 2011
Hosted by Callapidder Days: (Sign Up Post), (Announcement Post), (How-To Post)
Dates: March 20, 2011 - June 20, 2011

This will be my fifth time participating in Katrina's Spring Reading Thing reading challenge! My goal is to read eight to twelve of these books.

1. Mansfield Park. Jane Austen.
2. Jubilee by Margaret Walker
3. Persuasion by Jane Austen
4. Matched. Ally Condie.
5. XVI. Julia Karr.
6. Wither. Laura DeStefano.
7. Elizabeth and the Prince of Spain. Margaret Irwin.
8. Wickham's Diary. Amanda Grange.
9. The Throne of Fire. Kane Chronicles #2 Rick Riordan.
10. Bumped by Megan McCafferty.
11. The Story of Britain From the Norman Conquest to the European Union by Patrick Dillon.
12. The Last Chronicle of Barset by Anthony Trollope
13. Front and Center. Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Classics

Mansfield Park. Jane Austen. 1814/1998. Norton. 520 pages.

Persuasion. Jane Austen 1818/1992. Knopf Doubleday. 304 pages.

Jane Eyre. Charlotte Bronte. 1847. Norton. 552 pages.

The Last Chronicle of Barset. Anthony Trollope. 1867.  928 pages.

Gone With The Wind. Margaret Mitchell. 1936. Simon & Schuster. 1048 pages.

Modern Adaptations/Retellings

Suspense and Sensibility: Or, First Impressions Revisited. Carrie Bebris. 2007. Tor. 304 pages.

Wickham's Diary. Amanda Grange. 2011. Sourcebooks. 208 pages.

Captain Wentworth's Diary by Amanda Grange. 2008. Penguin. 304 pages.

Edmund Bertram's Diary by Amanda Grange. 2008. Penguin. 304 pages.

Children & Young Adult Books

The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales. 1944/2005. Pantheon/Random House. 880 pages.

The Throne of Fire. Kane Chronicles #2 Rick Riordan. 2011. Hyperion. 464 pages.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (#1 Heroes of Olympus) 2010. Hyperion. 576 pages.

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan. 2011. Random House. 384 pages. 

Wither. Laura DeStefano. 2011. Simon & Schuster. 368 pages.

Bumped by Megan McCafferty. 2011. HarperCollins. 336 pages.

Matched. Ally Condie. 2010. Penguin. 369 pages.

XVI by Julia Karr. 2011. Penguin. 272 pages.

The Summer I Turned Pretty. Jenny Han. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 288 pages.

Front and Center. Catherine Gilbert Murdock. 2009. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 256 pages.

Waiting for Normal. Leslie Connor. 2008. HarperCollins. 304 pages.

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. 1966/2007. Simon & Schuster. 224 pages.

Historical Fiction

Jubilee. Margaret Walker. 1966. 512 pages.

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. Betty Smith. 1943/2006. Harper. 528 pages.

The Sunne in Splendour: "A fascinating portrait of the controversial King Richard III--a monarch betrayed in life by his allies and betrayed in death by history." by Sharon Kay Penman. 1982. 944 pages.

Elizabeth and the Prince of Spain. Margaret Irwin. 1953/2011. Sourcebooks. 336 pages.

Mary of Carisbrooke: The Spellbinding Story of the Imprisoned King Charles and the Girl Who Would Not Betray Him. Margaret Campbell Barnes. 1956/2011. Sourcebooks. 352 pages.

Nonfiction

Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy. Albert Marrin. 2011. Random House. 192 pages. 

Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart. Candace Fleming. 2011. Random House. 128 pages.

The Story of Britain From the Norman Conquest to the European Union by Patrick Dillon. 2011. Candlewick Press. 352 pages.

Margaret Mitchell's Gone With The Wind: A Bestseller's Odyssey from Atlanta to Hollywood. Ellen Firsching Brown and John Wiley. 2011. Taylor Trade Publishing. 379 pages.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

2011 Challenges: Chunkster

Chunkster Blog
February 1, 2011 - January 31, 2012.
I am aiming for the "Mor-book-ly Obese" level. Eight or more chunksters. Three of the eight have to be over 750 pages. The rest have to be over 450 pages. Adult books only.

1. Our Mutual Friend. Charles Dickens. 1864/1865. 880 pages.
2. Little Dorrit. Charles Dickens. 1855-1857. 928 pages,
3. Framley Parsonage. Anthony Trollope. 1861. 576 pages.
4. The Small House at Allington. Anthony Trollope. 1864. 752 pages.
5. Jubilee. Margaret Walker. 1966. 512 pages.
6. The Pickwick Papers. Charles Dickens. 1836/1837/1999. Penguin Classics. 810 pages.
7. The Last Chronicle of Barset. Anthony Trollope. 1867.  928 pages.
8. The Sunne in Splendour: "A fascinating portrait of the controversial King Richard III--a monarch betrayed in life by his allies and betrayed in death by history." by Sharon Kay Penman. 944 pages.
9. The Woman in White. Wilkie Collins. 1860. 672 pages.
10. Katherine. Anya Seton. 1954/2004. Chicago Review Press. 512 pages.
11. I, Claudius. Robert Graves. 1934. 480 pages.
12. A Heart Revealed (Winds of Change Series #2) Julie Lessman. 2011. Revell. 500 pages.
13. Grapes of Wrath. John Steinbeck. 1939. Penguin. 619 pages.
14. The Help by Kathryn Stockett. 2009. Thorndike Press. 722 pages.
15. Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages. 


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

TBR Challenge 2011

I am excited to join the 2011 TBR Challenge. Here are the books I'll be reading.

Original Twelve

Mrs. Mike: "The Heartwarming Classic Story of the Boston Girl Who Married A Rugged Canadian Mountie." by Benedict & Nancy Freedman. 1947. 284 pages.

First sentence: The worst winter in fifty years, the old Scotsman had told me. I'd only been around for sixteen, but it was the worst I'd seen, and I was willing to take his word for the other thirty-four.

Tisha. "The Wonderful True Love Story of A Young Teacher in The Alaskan Wilderness." Robert Specht. 1976. 342 pages.

First sentence: Even though it was barely eight o'clock and the sun had just come up, practically the whole town of Eagle had turned out to see the pack train off.

The Sunne in Splendour: "A fascinating portrait of the controversial King Richard III--a monarch betrayed in life by his allies and betrayed in death by history." by Sharon Kay Penman. 1982. 944 pages.

First sentence: Richard did not become frightened until darkness began to settle over the woods.

The Pilgrimage: The Unforgettable SF Masterpiece of the Strangers Among Us: The First Book of The People. Zenna Henderson. 1961. 255 pages.

First sentence: The window of the bus was a dark square against the featureless night.

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. Betty Smith. 1943/2006. Harper. 528 pages.

First sentence: Serene was a word you could put to Brooklyn, New York. Especially in the summer of 1912. Somber, as a word, was better. But it did not apply to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Prairie was lovely and Shenandoah had a beautiful sound, but you couldn't fit those words into Brooklyn. Serene was the only word for it; especially on a Saturday afternoon in summer.

The Franchise Affair. Josephine Tey. 1948. 304 pages.

First sentence: It was four o'clock of a spring evening; and Robert Blair was thinking of going home. The office would not shut until five, of course. But when you are the only Blair, of Blair, Hayward, and Bennet, you go home when you think you will. And when your business is mostly wills, conveyancing, and investments your services are in small demand in the late afternoon. And when you live in Milford, where the last post goes out at 3:45, the day loses whatever momentum it ever had long before four o'clock.

A Shilling for Candles. Josephine Tey. 1936. 240 pages.

First sentence: It was a little after seven on a summer morning, and William Potticary was taking his accustomed way over the short down grass of the cliff-top. Beyond his elbow, two hundred feet below, lay the Channel, very still and shining, like a milky opal.

The Story of the Amulet. E. Nesbit. 1906. 228 pages.

First Sentence: There were once four children who spent their summer holidays in a white house, happily situated between a sandpit and a chalkpit.

Enchanted Castle. E. Nesbit. 1907. 304 pages.

First sentence: There were three of them -- Jerry, Jimmy, and Kathleen.

Our Mutual Friend. Charles Dickens. 1864/1865. 880 pages.

First sentence: In these times of ours, though concerning the exact year there is no need to be precise, a boat of dirty and disreputable appearance, with two figures in it, floated on the Thames, between Southwark Bridge which is of iron, and London Bridge which is of stone, as an autumn evening was closing in.

The Woman in White. Wilkie Collins. 1860. 672 pages.

First sentence: This is the story of what a Woman's patience can endure, and what a Man's resolution can achieve.

Framley Parsonage. Anthony Trollope. 1861. 576 pages.

First sentence: When young Mark Robarts was leaving college, his father might well declare that all men began to say all good things to him, and to extol his fortune in that he had a son blessed with so excellent a disposition.

Alternate Twelve

East of Eden. John Steinbeck. 1952/2003. Penguin. 608 pages.

First sentence:  The Salinas Valley is in Northern California. It is a long narrow swale between two ranges of mountains, and the Salinas River winds and twists up the center until it falls at last into Monterey Bay.



Grapes of Wrath. John Steinbeck. 1939. Penguin. 619 pages.

First sentence: To the red country and part of the gray country of Oklahoma, the last rains came gently, and they did not cut the scarred earth. 

Jubilee. Margaret Walker. 1966. 512 pages.

First sentence: "May Liza, how come you so restless and uneasy? You must be restless in your mind." 
"I is. I is. That old screech owl is making me nervous."

To Love and Be Wise. Josephine Tey. 1950. 224 pages.

First sentence: "Grant paused with his foot on the lowest step, and listened to the shrieking from the floor above. As well as the shrieks there was a dull continuous roar; an elemental sound, like a forest fire or a river in spate. As his reluctant legs bore him upwards he arrived at the inevitable deduction: the party was being a success."

Miss Pym Disposes. Josephine Tey. 1946. 240 pages.

First sentence: A bell clanged. Brazen, insistent, maddening. Through the quiet corridors came the din of it, making hideous the peace of the morning.

The Singing Sands. Josephine Tey. 1952. 224 pages.

First sentence: It was six o'clock of a March morning, and still dark. The long train came sidling through the scattered lights of the yard, clicking gently over the points.

Whose Body. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1923. 224 pages.

First sentence: "Oh damn!" said Lord Peter Wimsey at Piccadilly Circus. "Hi, driver!"

Little Dorrit. Charles Dickens. 1855-1857. 1024 pages.

First sentence: Thirty years ago, Marseilles lay burning in the sun, one day.

The Small House at Allington. Anthony Trollope. 1864. 752 pages.


First sentence: Of course there was a Great House at Allington. How otherwise should there have been a Small House? Our story will, as its name imports, have its closest relations with those who lived in the less dignified domicile of the two; but it will have close relations also with the more dignified, and it may be well that I should, in the first instance, say a few words as to the Great House and its owner.

The Last Chronicle of Barset. Anthony Trollope. 1867.  928 pages.

First sentence: 'I can never bring myself to believe it, John,' said Mary Walker, the pretty daughter of Mr. George Walker, attorney of Silverbridge.

Secret Life of Bees. Sue Monk Kidd. 2002. 336 pages.

First sentence: At night I would lie in bed and watch the show, how bees squeezed through the cracks of my bedroom wall and flew circles around the room, making that propeller sound, a high-pitched zzzzzz that hummed along my skin.

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. 1966/2007. Simon & Schuster. 224 pages. 

First sentence:  Not long ago in a large university town in California, on a street called Orchard Avenue, a strange old man ran a dusty shabby store.

Neither the 'original' or 'alternate' lists can change after January 1, 2011.

What I read:

January: Whose Body? Dorothy L. Sayers.
February: Mrs. Mike: "The Heartwarming Classic Story of the Boston Girl Who Married A Rugged Canadian Mountie." by Benedict & Nancy Freedman AND Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
March: Framley Parsonage. Anthony Trollope. Little Dorrit. Charles Dickens. Small House at Allington by Anthony Trollope.
April: Jubilee by Margaret Walker. The Pilgrimage: The Unforgettable SF Masterpiece of the Strangers Among Us: The First Book of The People. Zenna Henderson.
May: The Last Chronicle of Barset. Anthony Trollope.
June:
July: The Story of the Amulet. E. Nesbit.
August: Grapes of Wrath. John Steinbeck.
September:
October: The Woman in White. Wilkie Collins. 1860. 672 pages.
November: The Sunne in Splendour: "A fascinating portrait of the controversial King Richard III--a monarch betrayed in life by his allies and betrayed in death by history." by Sharon Kay Penman. 1982. 944 pages.
December: A Shilling for Candles. Josephine Tey. 1936. 240 pages.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

2011 Challenges: New Author Challenge

Literary Escapism is hosting the 2011 New Author Challenge.

I am aiming for 50 new authors.

1. The Mysterious Affair At Styles. A Hercule Poirot Mystery. Agatha Christie.
2. Whose Body? Dorothy L. Sayers.
3. Five Flavors of Dumb. Antony John
4. Backtracked. Pedro de Alcantara.
5. Everybody Kills Somebody Sometime. Robert J. Randisi.
6. Heart of a Samurai. Margi Preus.
7. The Rock & Roll Queen of Bedlam. A Wise-Cracking Tale of Secrets, Peril, and Murder! Marilee Brothers
8. A Study in Scarlet. Arthur Conan Doyle.
9. The Vanishing of Katharina Linden. Helen Grant.
10. Mrs. Mike: "The Heartwarming Classic Story of the Boston Girl Who Married A Rugged Canadian Mountie." by Benedict & Nancy Freedman
11. The Witch's Guide to Cooking With Children. Keith McGowan.
12. Divergent. Veronica Roth.

13. The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To. DC Pierson.
14. Across the Universe. Beth Revis. 2011. January 2011. Penguin. 416 pages.
15. Small Persons with Wings. Ellen Booraem.
16. Night of the Living Trekkies. Kevin David Anderson & Sam Stall.
17. The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas.
18. Passport Through Darkness: A True Story of Danger and Second Chances. Kimberly L. Smith.
19. Lady in the Mist. Laurie Alice Eakes.
20. Operation Bonnet. Kimberly Stuart.
21. Mary Poppins. P.L. Travers.
22. A Man Lay Dead. Ngaio Marsh.
23. Face Down in the Marrow-Bone Pie. Kathy Lynn Emerson.
24. Lovers' Vows. Elizabeth Inchbald.
25. Pinocchio. Carlo Collodi.
26. The Night Bookmobile. Audrey Niffenegger.
27. Nightlight: A Parody. The Harvard Lampoon.
28. Love Amid the Ashes. Mesu Andrews.
29. The Ropemaker. Peter Dickinson. 
30. The Pilgrimage: The Unforgettable SF Masterpiece of the Strangers Among Us: The First Book of The People. Zenna Henderson.
31. Wither. Laura DeStefano.
32. Matched. Ally Condie.
33. XVI. Julia Karr.
34. Sharp North. Patrick Cave.
35. A Brief History of Montmaray. Michelle Cooper.
36. The Door in the Wall. Marguerite de Angeli.
37. Jubilee. Margaret Walker.
38. What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist -- The Facts of Daily Life in 19th Century England. Daniel Pool.
39. Through Gates of Splendor. Elisabeth Elliot.
40. How To Study The Bible. R.A. Torrey.
41. East Wind: West Wind. Pearl S. Buck.
42. Black Orchids. A Nero Wolfe Mystery. Rex Stout.
43. The Virginian. Owen Wister.
44. The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus. Margaret Atwood.
45. Ruby Red. Kerstin Gier.
46. The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. Lilian Jackson Braun.
47. Legend by Marie Lu.
48. Crocodile on the Sandbank. Amelia Peabody Mystery #1. Elizabeth Peters.
49. True Grit. Charles Portis.
50. The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic. Jennifer Trafton.
51. The Boy at the End of the World. Greg van Eekhout.
52. Small Acts of Amazing Courage. Gloria Whelan.
53. Legend by Marie Lu.
54. Oscar Wilde and a Death of No Importance. Gyles Brandreth.
55. To Dream in the City of Sorrows. (Babylon 5: Book #9). Kathryn M. Drennan
56. Pompeii: City On Fire. T.L. Higley.
57. Saint Training. Elizabeth Fixmer.
58. How Huge the Night. Lydia Munn and Heather Munn
59. Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself. Joe Thorn.
60. China Cry. Nora Lam with Richard Schneider.
61. Mirror Ball. Matt Redman.
62. Am I Really A Christian? Mike McKinley.
63. Tombstones and Banana Trees: A True Story of Revolutionary Forgiveness. Medad Birungi with Craig Borlase.
64. The Search for Wondla by Tony DiTerlizzi.
65. Heidi. Johanna Spyri.
66. Heidi Grows Up. Charles Tritten.
67. The Light Princess. George MacDonald.
68. Star-Crossed. Linda Collison. 2
69. Possession. Elana Johnson.
70. Cover Her Face. P.D. James.
71. City of Tranquil Light. Bo Caldwell.
72. The Trumpeter of Krakow. Eric P. Kelly.
73.  Swift Rivers. Cornelia Meigs.
74. The Twenty-One Balloons. William Pene du Bois.
75. Huge. Sasha Paley.
76. The Private World of Georgette Heyer. Jane Aiken Hodge.
77. The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared. Alice Ozma.
78. Let God Change Your Life: How To Know and Follow Jesus. Greg Laurie.
79. My Life Undecided. Jessica Brody.
80. Wrapped. Jennifer Bradbury.
81. Human.4 Mike A. Lancaster.
82. Mister Creecher. Chris Priestly.
83. This Dark Endeavour: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein. Kenneth Oppel.
84. Home to Harmony. Philip Gulley.
85. The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb. Melanie Benjamin.'
86. Wings of a Dream. Anne Mateer.
87. The Doctor's Lady. Jody Hedlund.
88. Deeply Devoted. Maggie Brendan.
89. The Merchant's Daughter. Melanie Dickerson.
90. The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
91. Eve. Anna Carey.
92. The Secret History of Tom Trueheart. Ian Beck.
93. Gideon The Catpurse. Linda Buckley-Archer.
94. The Fat Man: A Tale of North Pole Noir. Ken Harmon.
95. The Sunne in Splendour: "A fascinating portrait of the controversial King Richard III--a monarch betrayed in life by his allies and betrayed in death by history." by Sharon Kay Penman.
96. I'll Be There. Holly Goldberg Sloan.
97. Sparrow Road. Sheila O'Connor.
98. A Year Without Autumn. Liz Kessler.
99. Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow. James Rollins.
100. The Wikkeling. Steven Arntson.
101.  Who Stole My Church? Gordon MacDonald.
102. The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. Ree Drummond.
103. Do I Know God? Finding Certainty in Life's Most Important Relationship. Tullian Tchividjian.

Here are the guidelines:

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011.
2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels. They can definitely be from other challenges. However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels.  Anthologies are a great way to try someone new, but only a third of your new authors can be from anthologies.
3. I want this to be an easy challenge, so you can pick to do either 15, 25 or 50 new authors.  It all depends on how fast you read and how adventurous you want to be.  For me, I’m trying another 50 new authors.  If you reach your goal halfway through the year, don’t stop.  Any new author you try can be added to Mr. Linky.  We all want to know about your new experience.
4. After reading your new author, write your review and then come back here and add your link to Mr. Linky.  Make sure you include your name and the author, but adding the title is completely up to you.
5. Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

2011 Challenges: Historical Fiction

The Historical Fiction Reading Challenge is hosted at Historical Tapestry. A new post each month will be up so participants can share their progress/links to their reviews. I'll be joining at the 'undoubtedly obsessed' level of fifteen books.

1. Heart of a Samurai. Margi Preus.
2. The Last Full Measure. Ann Rinaldi.
3. The Girl in the Gatehouse. Julie Klassen.
4. Courting Miss Amsel. Kim Vogel Sawyer.
5. Serendipity. Cathy Marie Hake.
6. Mrs. Mike: "The Heartwarming Classic Story of the Boston Girl Who Married A Rugged Canadian Mountie." by Benedict & Nancy Freedman.
7. Lady in the Mist. Laurie Alice Eakes.
8. When Calls the Heart. Janette Oke.
9. The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas.
10. Hearts Aglow. (Striking a Match #2) Tracie Peterson.
11. A Heart Most Worthy. Siri Mitchell.
12. Bathsheba. (The Wives of King David #3) Jill Eileen Smith.
13. The Teacher's Funeral. Richard Peck.
14. Come Juneteenth. Ann Rinaldi.
15. Face Down in the Marrow-Bone Pie. Kathy Lynn Emerson.
16.  A Bond Never Broken. Judith Miller
17. Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller. Sarah Miller.
18.  A Red Herring Without Mustard: A Flavia de Luce Novel. Alan Bradley
19. Love Amid the Ashes. Mesu Andrews.
20. A Brief History of Montmaray. Michelle Cooper.
21. Jubilee. Margaret Walker.
22. Elizabeth and the Prince of Spain. Margaret Irwin.
23. Wickham's Diary. Amanda Grange.
24.  Peony. Pearl S. Buck.
25. The Virginian. Owen Wister.
26. Our Only May Amelia. Jennifer L. Holm.
27. William's Midsummer Dreams. Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
28. Small Acts of Amazing Courage. Gloria Whelan.
29. Crocodile on the Sandbank. Amelia Peabody Mystery #1. Elizabeth Peters
30. True Grit. Charles Portis.
31. Oscar Wilde and a Death of No Importance. Gyles Brandreth.
32. Hope Rekindled. Tracie Peterson.
33. In Grandma's Attic. Arleta Richardson.
34. More Stories from Grandma's Attic. Arleta Richardson.
35. How Huge the Night. Lydia Munn and Heather Munn.
36. Saint Training. Elizabeth Fixmer.
37. Pompeii: City On Fire. T.L. Higley.
38. Martha. Diana Wallis Taylor.
39. My Theodosia. Anya Seton.
40. Dragonwyck. Anya Seton.
41. The Hidden Gallery (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place #2) Maryrose Wood.
42. The Trumpeter of Krakow. Eric P. Kelly.
43. Swift Rivers. Cornelia Meigs.
44. City of Tranquil Light. Bo Caldwell.
45. Star-Crossed. Linda Collison.
46. Mine is the Night. Liz Curtis Higgs.
47. The Merchant's Daughter. Melanie Dickerson. 2011. Zondervan. 285 pages.
48. Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages.
49. The Help by Kathryn Stockett. 2009. Thorndike Press. 722 pages.
50.  Alice I Have Been. Melanie Benjamin. 2009. Random House. 352 pages.
51. The Sunne in Splendour: "A fascinating portrait of the controversial King Richard III--a monarch betrayed in life by his allies and betrayed in death by history." by Sharon Kay Penman.
52. Wonderland Creek. Lynn Austin.
53. Love on the Line. Deeanne Gist. 2011. Bethany House. 365 pages.
54. A Necessary Deception. Laurie Alice Eakes.
55. Wrapped. Jennifer Bradbury.
56. Mister Creecher. Chris Priestly.
57. Katherine. Anya Seton. 1954/2004. Chicago Review Press. 512 pages.
58. I, Claudius. Robert Graves. 1934. 480 pages.
59. The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb. Melanie Benjamin. 2011. Random House. 425 pages.
60. Wings of a Dream. Anne Mateer. 2011. Bethany House. 319 pages.
61. The Doctor's Lady. Jody Hedlund. 2011. Bethany House. 384 pages.
62. A Heart Revealed (Winds of Change Series #2) Julie Lessman. 2011. Revell. 500 pages.
63. Deeply Devoted. Maggie Brendan. 2011. Revell. 335 pages.
64. Still More Stories from Grandma's Attic. Arleta Richardson. 1980/2011. David C. Cook. 160 pages.
65. Treasures from Grandma's Attic. Arleta Richardson. 1984/2011. David C. Cook. 160 pages.
66. The Colonel's Lady. Laura Frantz. 2011. Revell. 412 pages.
67. A Most Unsuitable Match. Stephanie Grace Whitson. 2011. Bethany House. 336 pages.




© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

2011 Challenges: Crusin' Thru The Cozies Reading Challenge

Hosted by Socrates' Book Review Blog
January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011
Level 2: Investigator: Reading 7 to 12 books

1. The Mysterious Affair At Styles. A Hercule Poirot Mystery. Agatha Christie.
2. Whose Body? Dorothy L. Sayers.
3. Unnatural Death. Dorothy L. Sayers.
4. Murder on the Orient Express. Agatha Christie.
5. Strong Poison. Dorothy L. Sayers
6. Murder at the Vicarage. A Miss Marple Mystery. Agatha Christie.
7. The Matters at Mansfield: Or The Crawford Affair. A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery. Carrie Bebris.
8. Have His Carcase. Dorothy L. Sayers.
9. Gaudy Night. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1936
10. The A.B.C. Murders. (Hercule Poirot). Agatha Christie.
11. The Body in the Library. (Miss Marple) Agatha Christie. 1941
12. Five Little Pigs. (Hercule Poirot) Agatha Christie. 1941
13. A Murder is Announced. Agatha Christie. 1950
14. 4:50 From Paddington. Agatha Christie. 1957
15. The Intrigue at Highbury: Or, Emma's Match. Carrie Bebris. 2010.
16. Cards on the Table. Agatha Christie. 1937.
17. Appointment with Death. Agatha Christie. 1937
18. Cat Among the Pigeons. Agatha Christie. 1959
19. At Bertram's Hotel. Agatha Christie. 1965
20. Sad Cypress. Agatha Christie. 1939
21. The Moving Finger. Agatha Christie. 1942
22. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Agatha Christie. 1926
23. A Caribbean Mystery. Agatha Christie. 1964/
24. The Big Four. Agatha Christie. 1927
25. Evil Under the Sun. Agatha Christie. 1940
26. Taken at the Flood. Agatha Christie. 1948
27. Dead Man's Folly. Agatha Christie. 1956
28. A Man Lay Dead. Ngaio Marsh. 1934
29. Face Down in the Marrow-Bone Pie. Kathy Lynn Emerson.
30. A Red Herring Without Mustard: A Flavia de Luce Novel. Alan Bradley
31. The Silent Speaker. Rex Stout. 1946/1994.
32. Black Orchids. A Nero Wolfe Mystery. Rex Stout. 1941/1942.
33. Some Buried Caesar. Nero Wolfe Mystery. Rex Stout. 1938.
34. Fer-de-lance. A Nero Wolfe Mystery. Rex Stout. 1934
35. Clouds of Witness. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1927
36. Nemesis. Agatha Christie. 1971
37. The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1928
38. The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. Lilian Jackson Braun. 1966. Compass Press. 227 pages.
39. The Cat Who Turned On and Off. Lilian Jackson Braun. 1968. Penguin. 265 pages.
40.The Cat Who Saw Red. Lilian Jackson Braun. 1986. Penguin. 250 pages.
41.The Cat Who Played Brahms. Lilian Jackson Braun. 1987. Penguin. 256 pages.
42. Too Many Cooks. A Nero Wolfe Mystery. Rex Stout. 1938
43. Death of a Doxy. A Nero Wolfe Mystery. Rex Stout.
44. Three at Wolfe's Door. Rex Stout.
45. The Golden Spiders. Rex Stout.
46. Crocodile on the Sandbank. Amelia Peabody Mystery #1. Elizabeth Peters
47. Elephants Can Remember. Agatha Christie.
48. Cover Her Face. P.D. James. 1962.

She directs participants to Cozy-Mystery.Com which lists authors alphabetically. I *know* I'll be reading Josephine Tey and Dorothy L. Sayers. Probably Agatha Christie as well.

My list:

A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey
Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey
The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey
Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey
To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey
The Singing Sands by Josephine Tey
Whose Body by Dorothy L. Sayers
Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers (library)
Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers
Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers
The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers (library)

Unfortunately, the site seems to be experiencing *some* difficulty in loading--so I can't go through the authors section. But. I will be back to add to my list!

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

2011 Challenges: War Through the Generations: Civil War

I'll be joining Anna and Serena's War Through The Generation's Civil War Challenge for 2011.  I'll be signing up to read 3 to 5 books. (January 1 - December 31, 2011)

1. The Last Full Measure. Ann Rinaldi.
2. Come Juneteenth. Ann Rinaldi.
3. Jubilee. Margaret Walker.
4. The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb. Melanie Benjamin
5.

I *know* I'd like to read Jubilee by Margaret Walker because it's been on my TBR list since college. Iola Leroy, or, Shadows Uplifted by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper looks good as well.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

2011 Challenges: Victorian Literature Challenge

I am joining Words, Words, Words' Victorian Literature Challenge. This is another reading challenge that was "easy" for me to join! I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Victorian literature. I do. The challenge is for all of 2011. It covers books written between 1837 and 1901. 

I'll be reading Anthony Trollope, Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, Elizabeth Gaskell, and perhaps some George Eliot or a Bronte sister or two. Of course, I might add a few more authors along the way!

I am joining at the Great Expectations level--5 to 9 books. It will probably be closer to five than nine. But I *hope* to get to at least five of these in 2011!

1. A Study in Scarlet. Arthur Conan Doyle. 1887.
2.  Our Mutual Friend. Charles Dickens. 1864/1865. 880 pages.
3. North and South. Elizabeth Gaskell. 1854-1855. 452 pages.
4. Framley Parsonage. Anthony Trollope. 1861. 576 pages.
5. Little Dorrit. Charles Dickens. 1855-1857. Penguin. 928 pages.
6. The Small House at Allington. Anthony Trollope. 1864. 752 pages.
7. The Pickwick Papers. Charles Dickens. 1836/1837/1999. Penguin Classics. 810 pages.
8. The Last Chronicle of Barset. Anthony Trollope.
9. The Light Princess by George MacDonald
10. The Woman in White. Wilkie Collins.
11. Oliver Twist. Charles Dickens.

Our Mutual Friend. Charles Dickens. 1864/1865. 880 pages.

First sentence: In these times of ours, though concerning the exact year there is no need to be precise, a boat of dirty and disreputable appearance, with two figures in it, floated on the Thames, between Southwark Bridge which is of iron, and London Bridge which is of stone, as an autumn evening was closing in.

The Woman in White. Wilkie Collins. 1860. 672 pages.

First sentence: This is the story of what a Woman's patience can endure, and what a Man's resolution can achieve.

Framley Parsonage. Anthony Trollope. 1861. 576 pages.

First sentence: When young Mark Robarts was leaving college, his father might well declare that all men began to say all good things to him, and to extol his fortune in that he had a son blessed with so excellent a disposition. 

The Small House at Allington. Anthony Trollope. 1864. 752 pages.

First sentence: Of course there was a Great House at Allington. How otherwise should there have been a Small House? Our story will, as its name imports, have its closest relations with those who lived in the less dignified domicile of the two; but it will have close relations also with the more dignified, and it may be well that I should, in the first instance, say a few words as to the Great House and its owner.

The Last Chronicle of Barset. Anthony Trollope. 1867.  928 pages.

First sentence: 'I can never bring myself to believe it, John,' said Mary Walker, the pretty daughter of Mr. George Walker, attorney of Silverbridge.

Little Dorrit. Charles Dickens. 1855-1857. 1024 pages.

First sentence: Thirty years ago, Marseilles lay burning in the sun, one day. 

Other possibilities:

Miss Marjoribanks by Margaret Oliphant
Hester by Margaret Oliphant
Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell
Life of Charlotte Bronte by Elizabeth Gaskell
Adam Bede by George Eliot
Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
Shirley by Charlotte Bronte
Vilette by Charlotte Bronte
The Daisy Chain by Charlotte Yonge
Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

If I should finish the three Trollope, I've got the Palliser novels to begin!

Can You Forgive Her?
Phineas Finn
The Eustace Diamonds
Phineas Redux
The Prime Minister
The Duke's Children

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews