68 - Whiter Than Snow; Sandra Dallas

Whiter Than Snow; Sandra Dallas

(audio book: Narrated by Ali Ahn)

Whiter Than Snow is a novel set in 1920 that begins with tragedy. An avalanche buries nine school children, in the fictional, mining town, of Swandyke, Colorado. Only four of the nine children survive this horrendous event. The five who died are the children of Dolly and Lucy Patch, and their story along with the stories of other family members of the victims are linked together by this tragedy.

Lucy and Dolly Patch are estranged sisters, and adult daughters of a miner. Joe Cobb, a black man who came to Colorado from Alabama after much tragedy. Essie Snowball, a Jewish prostitute originally from New York, who dreams of a better life. Minder Evans is part owner of the mine; Grace is the wife of the mine manager. Each of these individuals stories are told as they are drawn together at the scene of the tragedy.

MY THOUGHTS: The author did a great job digging deep into the recesses of each of the characters in this novel. The importance of family and community is stressed. Long standing grievances that once tore people apart, now seem insignificant as the survivors are brought together by this terrible unforeseen event.

I enjoyed this author's books in the past, and once again she has written a story that leaves the reader with something to think about --- things sometimes do happen for a reason, although it often takes us a while to figure that out. If you have not read this author, give her a try. I enjoyed the audio version, as the reader did a great job. Recommended

Rating - 4/5 stars - Library Book

64 - Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things; Frost and Steketee

I'm a "tosser" not a "hoarder", but ever since I read about the highly publicized Collyer brothers, and began watching the television series, Hoarders, I've been interested in learning more about the subject.

What triggers someone to become a hoarder? When does collecting, become hoarding? In STUFF: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things, Randy Frost and Gail Steketee, share their expertise on the subject. They were the first psychologists to specialize in hoarding behavior. Having spent many years working with hundreds individuals suffering with this often puzzling psychological disorder, that effects nearly six million individuals. Using various case studies spanning years of field work, and drawing upon various case studies, the reader is able to gain more insight about hoarders.

Some theorists believe that some individuals with social anxiety disorders tend to form attachments to objects instead of people. It can begin as early as childhood, but often fully materializes in adulthood. Some of the tendencies of hoarders include: compulsive buying or acquiring of items, including free things; saving and never tossing anything, and no organization to the accumulated "stuff". I found it interesting to learn that hoarding tendencies are more prevalent in individuals who suffer from depression, impulse control disorders (compulsive spenders), autism, obsessive compulsive disorders(OCD), and attention deficit (ADHD) disorders. Many people who have hoarding issues cannot deal with the thought of anything being wasted or tossed. Most objects that they keep have vivid memories attached to them for the hoarder. For a non hoarder, hearing about these memories might be perceived as insignificant or downright silly. Hoarders truly fear for the loss of these memories if they no longer possessed the object.

Another area of hoarding discussed, that is even less understood, involves animal hoarders. "Most animal hoarders experienced neglectful, abusive, and/or chaotic childhood in which rules were absent or hopelessly inconsistent".

While this book is very informative and well written, I found it to be more of a resource/reference guide, for those that want to learn more about this disorder, or to help others with who have this problem. If you are interested in learning more about "hoarders", then this book might be a good place for you to begin.

RECOMMENDED  - 4/5 stars (Review Copy)

63 - Tinkers; Paul Harding

I am not really sure how I feel about a book that has won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize, is only 191 pages long, but took me almost (2) weeks to finish it.  Such was the case for Paul Harding's prize winner: Tinkers.

I thought this novel it was a combination of beautiful and flowery writing, with a boring memory based story.  For me, no matter how great the writing is, if the story doesn't work, it is tough to finish the book.

Briefly, Tinkers, is a story of three generations of New England men. We learn about them basically through the memories of a dying man.  George Washington Crosby spent his days repairing clocks, but now as he lies confines to his hospital deathbed, surrounded by clocks, dying of cancer and renal failure. He has nothing but "time" to reflect on the past.  As George prepares to be joined once again with his father Howard, who predeceased him, he reflects on what he remembers of his father's life. Howard was a Tinker, who traveled door to door selling his wares, up and down the coast of Maine.  His life was one of poverty, and, in addition,  he suffered from epilepsy. Since little was understood about epilepsy in the early 19th century, his wife thought he was mentally ill. When Howard learned that his wife was planning to have him institutionalized, he decided to abandon his family.  (Yes, there is a little more, but blah, blah, blah).

As a New Englander, I loved the imagery of the 19th century New England landscape. I thought the cover art was perfect for this cold, bleak novel set in Maine. The story line, or lack of a working plot just did not work for me. I thought the metaphor of time and life, just tick, tick, ticking away was, in my opinion, enough to depress even the most cheerful readers.  Had it not been that this book had won the Pulitzer Prize, I think I might have abandoned it early on.  I think this is one of those books that lovers of literary fiction will need to try for themselves and decide.

Rating (a generous) - 3/5 stars - Library Book

60 - Fast, Fresh and Green; Susie Middleton

Fast, Fresh and Green; Susie Middleton

"Eat More Vegetables", is something we've heard over and over again. We know it's good for us, but sometimes the same old vegetables, fresh or not, just gets to be a bit boring, in my opinion.  For me,  thanks to this cookbook,  that is about to change.

In part (1) of this new cookbook,  readers are given the tools needed to begin preparing some wonderful sounding veggie recipes.  You are told which essentials you should have in your cabinets: (25) different condiments, various sugars and dried fruits, spices, nuts and seeds etc.  Also, included in this section besides shopping preparations, is storing and cooking suggestions for all sorts of veggies.

In part (2) the actual cooking of the featured recipes begins. This includes tips for : quick roasting; braising; sauteing; stir frying and grilling vegetables. The dishes that are roasted also include cooking temps/times.

The cookbook is 219 pages, has great colored photos (by Ben Fink), and more than 90 veggies recipes.  Some of the recipes that looked especially appealing to me and that I plan to try are:

• Roasted Broccoli Florets with (2) dipping sauces (garlic butter) and a (Japanese sauce)
• Sauteed Carrots with warm olive and mint dressing
• Sauteed Asparagus with pancetta and parmigiano for two
• Brown sugar summer squash linguine
• Dark and crispy pan fried red potatoes
• Mini Gratin potatoes

If you love veggies, or need some ideas for creating some variety into mealtime side dishes, then give this book a try. The one thing I was a bit disappointed in was the fact that there were quite a few cheesy "gratin" dishes, as well as some others dishes which will pack on the calories, for those of us watching our caloric intake.  It is still a great book, but just keep that in mind.  The author is has been the editor of Fine Cooking magazine.

RECOMMENDED - 4/5 stars

(review copy)

57 - Caught; Harlan Coben

In this suspense thriller Wendy Tynes is a 30 something woman who lost her husband as a result of a drunk driver.  She is a driven woman, who has made a name for herself by catching child predators. She does this by luring these predators in internet chat rooms and then setting up a sting operation by arranging to meet them at a specific location.  Little do these individuals know that behind the scenes is a camera crew ready to film the entire scene ( imagine Dateline’s: To Catch a Predator).

Flash forward and the man who is "caught" is Dan Mercer, a social worker who works with troubled children and young adults.  Mercer claims he has a good reason for being at the location. When the Mercer case is thrown out, Wendy begins to question if her initial instincts were correct or whether Dan could have been framed.  There is also a seventeen year old girl who has mysteriously disappeared. Could there be a connection?

Without giving any spoilers, I’ll just say that although this audio book started out a bit slow for me, it quickly picked up its pace and kept me guessing along the way. The reader, Carrington MacDuffie, was very good as well.  Just when I thought I had the story figured out, out came a few curve balls and my theory was quickly debunked.

MY THOUGHTS: If you are in the mood for a good thriller, and one that drives home a moral message as well, give this book a try. Although this is the author’s 17^th novel, this novel, Caught, is a stand alone, so you need not worry if this author is new to you. 

RECOMMENDED – 4/5 stars (Library audio book)

42 - Waiting for Columbus; Thomas Trofimuk

Waiting for Columbus; Thomas Trofimuk

The audio version of this book is read by Grover Gardner who did a wonderful job with this novel.
At first I was not sure what to make of this unusual novel.

An unknown man is pulled from the Strait of Gibraltar, and when he wakes up, he finds himself in the Sevilla Institute for the Mentally Ill. The year is 2005, and the man claims to be Christopher Columbus.  To his lonely nurse, Consuela Lopez, and the psychiatric staff, the man who claims to be Christopher Columbus, details stories of his conquests including tales about the women he has loved. 

His stories move from the 15th century, rich in period details to the present day. Quite frankly, some of the details he reports to the staff, clearly seem to be of a man who has lost touch with reality.  He is obviously an intelligent man, and it is not long before nurse Consuela, who listens to his stories of love and adventure, day after day, begins to fall for this mystery man.  There is a puzzle to piece together here, and as a reader you will probably be wondering, like I did,  why is an Interpol agent from France is traveling to Spain looking for a mystery man, and possible assailant--is there a tie?

MY THOUGHTS - Boy, can this author can write.  The prose is simply beautiful, and for that very reason, I wish I had the print version instead of the audio book.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the audio book, however, the writing is the rare style made me wish I could savor some of the passages over and over again. With the audio version it was also hard to distinguish between some of the narratives, and there were times that I felt I should just stop, and try to get the book from the library instead.  I did not give up, as this book drew me in, and I was anxious to unravel the mystery.  It was one of those books you pick up and don't want to put down until you finish the story. I was not prepared for the ending, and I will be thinking about it for some time I am sure.  

Waiting For Columbus, is a book I probably would have never experienced had it not been for a few wonderful reviews that I had read. This novel is part mystery, part romance, part intrigue. If you don't mind a somewhat heart wrenching story, which demonstrates just how fragile the human mind and spirit can be, then I can't imagine being disappointed by this novel. RECOMMENDED (4/5 stars....probably would have been higher for the print version) (Library Book)

What an Animal Challenge III - 2010

I Couldn't Resist - I am Weak - Too Much Temptation
(completed )

Thanks Yvonne!

I love animal books. I even love animal books about animals I don't love. So how could I not sign-up for the What An Animal III Challenge? I have more than enough animal books on my shelves to sustain me through years and years of this challenge and I suspect I will just continue adding to the stash as time goes on.

Here are the rules:

1. Read at least 6 books that have any of the following requirements:

a. there is an animal in the title of the book

b. there is an animal on the cover of the book

c. an animal plays a major role in the book

d. a main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like).

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragon, mermaid, centaur, vampire, werewolf...you get the idea...


3. Challenge runs from March 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011. That’s a full year to read at least 6 books (you can read more if you’d like). You can still sign up after March 1st as long as you can get 6 books read by February 28, 2011 ;o).


4. Books can be fiction or nonfiction.


5. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or you can just list them as you find them.


6. Book titles may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with).


7. Crossovers with other challenges are permitted and encouraged.


8. You don't have to have a blog or write a review, but you can if you want to.


And here's my initial list:

1. Make That a Table for Seven; Davis - 4.5/5
2. Imperfect Birds; Lamott - 3/5
3. Beatrice and Virgil; Yann Martel - 4.5/5
4. Slow Death by Rubber Duck; Smith and Lourie - 5/5
5. Winging It; Jenny Gardiner - 4/5
6. One Good Dog; Wilson - 4.5/5 (audio)
7. Christian, the Hugging Lion; Richardson et al - 4/5
8. Men and Dogs; Katie Crouch - 3.5/5
9. Love is the Best Medicine; Nick Trout - 3.5/5
10. Biblioburro; Winter - 5/5
11. It's a Secret; Burningham - 4/5
12. Blind Hope; Meeder - 2/5
13. I Thought You Were Dead; Pete Nelson - 5/5 
14. I Love My Dad; Anna Walker - 5/5
15. Ape House; Sara Gruen -4/5
16. Interrupting Chicken; David Ezra Stein - 5/5 
17. Llama, llama Misses Mama; Dewdney - 5/5
18. Comet's Nine Lives; Jan Brett - 5/5
19. Zoo Story; Thomas French- 4/5
20. Fred Stays with me; Coffelt - 4.5/5
21. Llama, Llama Holiday Drama; Dewdney - 4/5
22. The Twelve Cats of Christmas; Kandy Radzinski - 5/5
23. What Cats Want for Christmas; Kandy Radzinski - 5/5 
24. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle; Haruki Murakami - 4.5/5 (audio)
25. Owen and Mzee; Hatkoff - 5/5
26. Mama; Jeanette Winter - 4/5
27. Oogy; Larry Levin - 4/5 (audio) 

Gothic Novel Challenge!

(I can't resist a good challenge - can you; Thanks Monica for hosting this challenge).

My Tentative List

1. We Have Always Lived in a Castle; Shirley Jackson - 5/5
2. House at Riverton; Kate Morton - 4/5
3. Bloodroot; Amy Greene - (audio) 4/5
4. Jamaica Inn;  D. DuMaurier - 4.5/5
5. Forgotten Garden; Kate Morton - 4/5 (review coming)

Gothic Novel Challenge

 You can participate in a few different levels:

Easy: Read 5 Gothic Novels (my choice)

Intermediate: Read 10 Gothic Novels

Expert: Read 20 Gothic Novels

Here is a link to help you choose some books.

This challenge will end Dec 31st, 2010 

The New York Reading Challenge

I am a sucker for a good reading challenge, especially when it's a simple one to be successful like this one. Did you hear about Fizzy Thought's New York Challenge?

The rules:
1. The challenge runs from February 1st through May 15th, 2010.
2. Between now and May 15th, read 1 (one) book set in New York City and post your review. You can certainly read more, if you’re the overachieving type, but I’m trying to get maximum participation. The book can be non-fiction or fiction, poetry or prose, graphic novel or audio book…whatever floats your boat. It can even be a guidebook. It just has to have New York City as its primary setting. And no fair using a book you’ve already read.  Full Details HERE!



I am hoping to read (1) of these (2) books:

• Nanny Returns; McLaughlin
• The Girl Next Door; E. Noble - 3.5/5

Come on, join, you know you want to!!!!

15 - Not My Daughter; Barbara Delinsky

Not My Daughter; Barbara Delinsky

First let me say that I always seem to enjoy a Barbara Delinsky book. Not just because she is a New England author, but because her stories most always about real life situations. This particular novel is about a subject that would make most mothers of teenage girls cringe: A Pregnancy Pact.

In a nutshell Lily, Mary Kate and Jess are three teenage girls, lifelong friends, who decide it would be a great idea to get pregnant at the same time, so that their babies too could be friends. The girls are smart and popular, and even the mothers of these girls (Susan, Kate and Sunny) are friends.  

Susan, the mother of Lily is the first to hear the pregnancy news. She thinks what her daughter has told her is a joke, but when she learns that she is serious, all the hopes and dreams that she had for the daughter she raised on her own, seem to be just that -- dreams.  Susan always taught her daughter to be independent, and that it was possible for a woman to raise a well-adjusted child on her own.

Susan speaks from experience, as she too was pregnant at seventeen. She decided to raise Lily on her own; her own parents basically sent her on her way, and were never involved in Lily's life. Lily's father Rick, a successful news reporter, is still somewhat involved in his daughter's life and truly cares about Susan. Meanwhile, Susan has done well on her own, and is now a high school principal, and yes, at Lily's school. She has much to risk professionally, when the news of this pact breaks.  Once it is out in the open, everyone seems quick to point the finger and place blame.

As I eagerly turned the pages of Not My Daughter, set in the small, close-knit (fictional) town of Zaganack, Maine it brought to mind a similar, true to life story I had heard about.  An real life pregnancy pact in another coastal town, this one in Gloucester, Massachusetts. In case you haven't heard about that one, here is the link to the June 18, 2008, Time magazine article.

MY THOUGHTS -  I enjoyed this book a lot. It was thought provoking, timely and emotionally gripping, but I was a bit disappointed by the ending -- to say more might spoil it for others who plan to read this book. Despite the ending, the book is an important story that is told and the book is RECOMMENDED - 4/5 stars

(Finished copy provided to me by Doubleday for review - many thanks)

6 - South of Broad; Pat Conroy

South of Broad; Pat Conroy

In Pat Conroy's first novel in some 14 years, the story begins in 1969 and spans some 20 years.  It is a story which takes place in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina, and is centered around some childhood tragedies.

The central character Leopold (Leo) Bloom King (named after James Joyce's Leopold Bloom in Ulysses), has been through a lot as a young boy. When he was just eight years old, his 13 year old brother Steve had commit suicide, and Leo found his brother dead in the bath tub.  The family is devastated by the suicide; Leo even spends time in therapy and a mental hospital as a child. Steve was the golden boy, the favored child of his mother Lindsay, a former nun, and now school principal, and his father Jasper, a high school science teacher.

The story jumps around a bit but begins in June of 1969, the summer before his senior year of high school Leo connects with some new friends, a motley crew, who will both improve and complicate his life over the next twenty years. These new friends, most of who are psychologically damaged like Leo in some way include: poor runaway Appalachian orphan siblings Niles and Starla, Twins Trevor and Sheba Poe, children of an alcoholic mother and a psychotic killer father, aristocratic siblings Chad and Fraser Rutledge, Chad's girlfriend Molly, a socialite, and Ike Jefferson, and African American, who was one of the first students integrated into the public school system in the 60s.

When the story moves to 1989, the majority of the old group still resides in Charleston except for Sheba, who is now a Hollywood movie star, and her brother Trevor. Sheba reconnects with the group to help her find Trevor, her gay brother who is missing and is believed to be in San Francisco. Although two decades have passed, the friends come together and help each other to heal some broken hearts in the process.

MY THOUGHTS - The audio version of this book was excellent and the credit goes to the reader Mark Deakins.  The writing is beautiful, the characters are real and easy to care about, and their stories are tragic. Nothing at all is predictable in this story,  the writing makes it seem almost magical. The author creates a marvelous sense of place with Charleston, and his love of the area is so evident in the writing. With themes such as racism, mental illness, sexual orientation, AIDS, suicide, division of class, love and loss, I think South of Broad would make an excellent book club discussion book.  RECOMMENDED  (4.5/5)

(The audio book I listened to was borrowed from my local library, but I also was fortunate to have received a review copy from Doubleday's Nan Talese - many thanks.)

5 - One Amazing Thing; Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

One Amazing Thing; Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

In an unnamed city in the US, an earthquake traps a small diverse group of people in the basement of the Indian Consulate. Among the trapped are Consulate employees Mr. Mangolam and Malathi, Uma, an Indian/American grad student,  Mr and Mrs Pritchett, an upper class Caucasian couple, Tariq, a radical young Muslim, Cameron, an African American war veteran, Jiang an elderly Chinese woman who grew up in India and her Goth grand daughter Lilly, most of whom are waiting for visa for travel to India.

While these nine individuals are waiting and hoping to be rescued, anxiety levels rise as water seeps into the basement, and oxygen levels have worsened. To try and calm the group, Uma suggests that they form a circle and take turns telling "one amazing thing" about themselves, so that they can get to know each other. Hesitant at first, the group, beginning with Jiang, begins to share very personal details about their lives.

MY THOUGHTS: I liked this book for several reasons, but it was not perfect. The writing is beautiful, and there were some passages that were really touching and made an impact on me:

• p. 90..."We think that that terrible events have made us into stone. But love slips in like a chisel---and suddenly it is an ax, breaking us into pieces from the inside."
• p. 108..."Uma wanted to say something about the treacherous nature of memory, how one painful event can overpower the many good experiences that came before."
• p. 179....."But after I saw the couple in the cafe, a great dissatisfaction washed over me. I remember the old man tilting his head attentively, listening to his wife make her menu choice. Her eyes had shone through her thick glasses as she watched him cut up their desserts for sharing. There was nothing like that tenderness in my life. And without it, what use were the things I'd built my life around ?"
• (PLEASE NOTE: These quotes come from a review copy and may differ in the actual book)
  

I addition to the beautiful writing, I loved the execution of this story, however, in real life under these circumstances, I doubt the stories would have flowed so beautifully.  The other problem that I had with this short novel (just 220 pages) was the fact that it was just too short of a book for the individuals to tell their stories in enough depth for me.  I wanted to know more about these individuals and the stories of their lives.  I was a bit disappointed in the way the book ended as well, but still  I found this novel to be a memorable and worthwhile read. (Rating - 4/5 stars)

(Thanks to Shelf Awareness and Hyperion Voice for providing this review copy).

3 - Remarkable Creatures; Tracy Chevalier

Remarkable Creatures; Tracy Chevalier

In this fascinating historical novel set in the 19th century, Elizabeth Philpot is a smart, middle-aged (25) spinster, who has recently moved with her sisters to Lyme Regis England. Since a spinster must have an interest, Elizabeth quickly finds pleasure in trolling the beaches for fossils, labeling her finds and researching fossils. 

Mary Anning is a local girl from a poor family who was struck by lightening as a child. Self educated, it appears that somehow for her having been struck by lightening gave her a intellectual advantage.  Mary is obsessed with fossil hunting as well. She tries to help her parents by selling her finds to tourists.  When Mary discovers an intact dinosaur skeleton she gets noticed in the male-dominated field of paleontology.

Based on the real life fossil discoveries and scientific contributions of Mary Anning and, her 20 year friendship with fellow fossil hunter Elizabeth Philpott, Remarkable Creatures was an informative and entertaining read, even though I really have no interest in paleontology. The author did a terrific job of transporting the reader to another time and place while at the same time demonstrating the inequality toward women in the field of geology. The beach setting created an amazing sense of place, and the writing was both witty and engrossing. Recommended - 4.5/5 Stars

(Advance Review Copy provided by Amazon Vine program).

2010 Reading From My Shelves Project - Link Your Reviews Here

 (My Progress)


As you complete a book challenge you can  LINK your reviews HERE:

(First name) and then (title of book) The URL link should be the link to that specific review at your blog).  Have Fun!

2010 - Books To Read Before I Die - Link Completed Reviews Here

(My Progess)


Sign ups have now closed for this challenge. Thanks to all who have signed up before the deadline. 

 As you complete a book from the list of books you created for this challenge you can  LINK your reviews HERE: 
 (First name) and then (title of book) The URL link should be the link to that specific review at your blog).  Have Fun!

2010 Pub Reading Challenge

Thanks to Michelle for hosting this challenge again this year.  I enjoyed this one in 2009.

Would you like to sign up (10 book minimum)? If so....Find out more details HERE

1. Remarkable Creatures; Tracy Chevalier - 4.5/5
2. Blacklands; Belinda Bauer - 4/5
3. Secrets of Eden; Chris Bohjalian
4. Making Rounds With Oscar; David Dosa M.D. - 5/5
5. Noah's Compass; Anne Tyler - 5/5
6. Not My Daughter; Barbara Delinsky - 4/5
7. Making Toast; Roger Rosenblatt - 4.5/5
8. The Girl Who Chased the Moon; S. Addison Allen - 4/5
9. Unfinished Desires; Gail Godwin- 4/5
10. The Solitude of Prime Numbers; Paulo Giordano - 5/5
11. Letter To My Daughter; George Bishop - 4/5 
12. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag; A. Bradley - 4.5/5 
13. The Wife's Tale; Lori Lansens - 5/5 
14. Wench; Perkins-Valdez - 4.5/5 
15. Imperfect Birds; Anne Lamott - 3/5 
16. House Rules; Jodi Picoult (audio) - 5/5 
17. The Language of Secrets; Dianne Dixon - 2/5 
18. How Not To Look Fat; Charla Krupp - 5/5 
19. The Long Song; Andrea Levy - 4/5 
20. Lost; Alice Lichtenstein - 3/5 
21. The Forty Rules of Love; E. Shafak - (audio) 4.5/5 
22. The Season of Second Chances; Diane Meier - 4.5/5 
23. Bloodroot; Amy Greene (audio) - 4/5 
24. Winging It; Jenny Gardiner - 4/5 
25. The Lake Shore Limited; Sue Miller - 3.5/5 
26. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks; Skloot - 4.5/5 
27. Caught; Harlan Coben - 4/5 (audio) 
28. How High the Moon; Sandra Kring - 5/5 
29. Fast, Fresh and Green; Susie Middleton - 4/5
30. Beatrice and Virgil; Yann Martel - 4.5/5 
31. One Good Dog; Susan Wilson - 4.5/5 (audio) 
32. Stuff: Compulsive hoarding and the Meaning of Things; Frost and Stektee - 4/5 
33. Perfect Reader; Maggie Pouncey - 4/5 
34. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake; Aimee Bender- 4/5 
35. Whiter Than Snow; Dallas (audio) 4/5 
36. The Postmistress; Sarah Blake - 2.5/5 (audio)
37. The Walk; Richard Paul Evans - 2/5 (audio)
38. Christian, the Hugging Lion; Richardson, Parnell and Bates - 4/5
39. Hot House Flower and the 9 Plants of Desire; Berwin (audio) 4/5
40. Private Life; Jane Smiley - 4/5 
41. The Murderer's Daughters; Randy Susan White - 4.5/5
42. Hotel Iris; Yoko Ogawa - 4.5/5
43. Men and Dogs; Katie Crouch - (audio) 3.5/5 
44. The Lovers; Vendela Vida - 4.5/5 
45. Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay; Beverly Jensen - 4/5 
46. Worst Case; Patterson and Ledwidge - audio 3/5 
47. Sea Escape; Lynne Griffin - 4/5 
48. Live To Tell; Lisa Gardner - 4/5 
49. House on Oyster Creek; Heidi Jon Schmidt - 3.5/5 
50. Love is the Best Medicine; Dr. Nick Trout - 3.5/5 
51. Backseat Saints; Joshilyn Jackson - 4.5/5 
52. My Name is Mary Sutter; Robin Oliveria - 5/5 
53. Biblioburro: a true story from Columbia; Winter - 5/5 
54. The Red Thread; Ann Hood - 4.5/5 
55. Blind Hope; Kim Meeder - 2/5
56. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet; Mitchell - 4.5/5
57. The Good Daughters; Joyce Maynard - 5/5 
58. The Lion; Nelson DeMille (audio) - 4/5 
59. Such a Pretty Face; Cathy Lamb - 4.5/5
60. Neighborhood Watch; Cammie mcGovern - 4/5
61. The Gendarme; Mark Mustian - 4.5/5
62. The Good Psychologist; Noam Shpancer - 4/5
63. Fragile; Lisa Unger - 4/5 
64. I Thought You Were Dead; Pete Nelson - 5/5 
65. A Secret Kept; deRosnay - 2.5/5
66. Room; Emma Donoghue - 4.5/5 
67. Mr. Peanut; Adam Ross - 4/5
68. You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know; Heather Sellers - 4/5 
69. Lady Matador's Hotel; Cristina Garcia - 4/5 
70. Resurrection in May; Lisa Samson - 3/5 
71. Fall of Giants; Ken Follett - 5/5 
72. The Heights; Peter Hedges - 2/5 
73. Girl in Translation; Jean Kwok - 4.5/5 
74. The Bells; Richard Harvell - 5/5 
75. Interrupting Chicken; David Ezra Stein - 5/5 
76. The Healer; Carol Cassella - 4/5 
77. Santa Fe Edge; Stuart Woods - 2/5 
78. Moonlight Mile; Dennis LeHane - 3.5/5 
79. Zoo Story; Thomas French - 4/5 
80. Monsters Eat Whiny Children; Bruce Eric Kaplan - 4/5 
81. Freedom; Jonathan Franzen - 4/5 
82. Strangers at the Feast; Jennifer Vanderbes - 5/5 
83. Oh No She Didn't; Clinton Kelly - 5/5 
84. Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That? ; Ina Garten - 3.5/5
85. By Nightfall; Cunningham - 4/5
86. Llama, Llama Holiday Drama; Dewdney - 4/5 
87. A Cup of Friendship; Rodriguez - 3.5/5
88. Last Days of Ptolemy Grey; Mosley - 4.5/5
89. The Lonely Polygamist; Udall - 4.5/5
90. Unbroken; Hillenbrand - 5/5

2010 Reading From My Shelves Project - COMPLETED!!

Details HERE

I'm hoping to read and donate (75) books from my shelves in 2010.

1. Jamaica Inn; D. DuMaurier - 4.5/5
2. The Handmaid's Tale; Margaret Atwood -(4.5/5)
3.  The Wayward Bus; John Steinbeck - 4.5/5
4.  Buckley's Story; Ingrid King - 4.5/5
5.  Worst Case; Patterson and Ledwidge (audio) - 3/5
6.  Blackwater Lightship; Colm Toibin
7.  Backseat Saints; Joshilyn Jackson - 4.5/5
8.  Mudbound; Hillary Jordan - 4/5
9.  Private Life; Jane Smiley - 4/5
10.  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lack; Skloot - 4.5/5
11.  Sacred Hearts; Sarah Dunant - 4/5
12.  The Lovers; Vendela Vida - 4.5/5
13.  Unfinished Desires; Godwin- 4/5
14.  Make That a Table for Seven; Davis and Davis - 4.5/5
15.  The Girl Next Door; Noble - 3.5/5
16.  My Name is Mary Sutter; Robin Oliveria - 5/5
17.  The Season of Second Chances; Diane Meier- 4.5/5
18.  Letter To My Daughter; George Bishop - 4/5
19.  The Lake Shore Limited; Sue Miller - 3.5/5
20.  The Long Song; Andrea Levy - 4/5
21.  Live To Tell; Lisa Gardner - 4/5
22.  Wish Her Safe At Home; Stephen Benatar - 4/5
23.  Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things; Frost and Steketee - 4/5
24.  Lost; Lichtenstein - 3/5
25.  Imperfect Birds; Anne Lamott - 3/5
26.  South of Broad; Pat Conroy - 4.5/5
27.  The Happiness Project; Gretchen Rubin - 3/5
28.  Winging It; Jenny Gardiner - 4/5
29.  Wench; Perkins-Valdez - 4.5/5
30.  The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag; Bradley - 4.5/5
31.  How High the Moon; Sandra Kring - 5/5
32.  Gilded: How Newport Became America's Richest Resort; D. Davis - 4/5
33.  Remarkable Creatures; Tracy Chevalier - 4.5/5
34.  The Disappeared; M.R. Hall - 3/5
35.  One Amazing Thing; Chitra Divakaruni - 4/5
36.  Blacklands; Belinda Bauer - 4/5
37.  The Red Door; Charles Todd - 3.5/5
38.  Secrets of Eden; Chris Bohjalian - 4/5
39.  Making Rounds With Oscar; David Dosa M.D.- 5/5
40.  Noah's Compass; Anne Tyler - 5/5
41.  Not My Daughter; Barbara Delinsky - 4/5
42.  American Rust; Philipp Meyer - 4/5
43.  Making Toast; Roger Rosenblatt - 4.5/5
44.  Sacred Hearts; Sarah Dunant - 4/5
45.  The Girl Who Chased the Moon; S. Addison Allen - 4/5
46.  The Solitude of Prime Numbers; Paulo Giordano-5/5
47.  Saving Gracie; Carol Bradley - 4.5/5
48.  The Language of Secrets; Dianne Dixon - 2/5
49.  Fast, Fresh and Green; Susie Middleton - 4/5
50.  Beatrice and Virgil; Martel - 4.5/5
51.  Perfect Reader; Maggie Pouncey - 4/5
52.  The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake; Aimee Bender
53.  Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay; Beverly Jensen - 4/5
54.  Sea Escape; Lynne Griffin - 4/5
55.  The House on Oyster Creek; Heidi Jon Schmidt - 3.5/5
56. Backseat Saints; Joshilyn Jackson - 4.5/5
57.  Blind Hope; Kim Meeder - 2/5
58. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet; David Mitchell - 4.5/5
59. The Good Daughters; Joyce Maynard - 5/5 
60. Such a Pretty Face; Cathy Lamb - 4.5/5 
61. Neighborhood Watch; Cammie McGovern - 4/5 
62. The Gendarme; Mustian - 4.5/5
63. The Good Psychologist; Noam Shpancer - 4/5
64. Fragile; Lisa Unger - 4/5 
65. A Secret Kept; de Rosnay - 2.5/5
66. Room; Emma Donoghue - 4.5/5
67. You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know; Heather Sellers - 4/5 
68. Pillars of the Earth; Ken Follett - 5/5 
69. Lady Matador's Hotel; Cristina Garcia - 4/5
70. Resurrection in May; Lisa Samson - 3/5 
71. Fall of Giants; Ken Follett - 5/5 
72. The Heights; Peter Hedges - 2/5
73. Girl in Translation; Jean Kwok - 4.5/5 (audio)
74. The Bells; Richard Harvell - 5/5 
75. We Have Always Lived in a Castle; Shirley Jackson - 5/5 
76. The Sun Also Rises; Ernest Hemingway - 5/5
77. Interrupting Chicken; David Ezra Stein - 5/5
78. House at Riverton; Kate Morton - 4/5 
79. The Healer; Carol Cassella - 4/5 
80. Moonlight Mile; Dennis LeHane - 3.5/5 
81. Blue Nude; Elizabeth Rosner - 5/5 
82. The Poisonwood Bible; Barbara Kingsolver - 4.5/5 (audio)
83. Freedom; Jonathan Franzen - 4/5 (audio)
84. Strangers at the Feast; J. Vanderbes - 5/5 
85. Shantaram; Gregory - 5/5
86. By Nightfall; Cunningham 4/6
87. Bury Your Dead; Penny - 4.5/5
88. Forgotten Garden; Kate Morton - 4/5
89. The Last Train; Titcomb - 5/5 
90. The Moonflower Vine;  Jetta Carleton - 4/5
91. A Cup of Friendship; D Rodriguez - 3.5/5
92. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey; Walter Mosley - 4.5/5
93.  Unbroken; Laura Hillenbrand - 5/5