DFed's 75-book for '09

Hello 75-bookers! I am making the move over from the '08 50-book challenge, having exceeded my expectations! I read over 100 books, but this year I hope to keep the pressure off and read what comes my way! I also add an additional challenge to myself: read one book in my TBR pile for every two books from my local library. Wish me luck!!

#1 - Horse Crazy by A. Bronwyn Llewllyn, 256 pages (own). A collection of essays about women and the horses that influenced them. Some of the stories were very touching and I also enjoyed the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter.

Welcome to the group!

I need to have a challenge such as yours for the library. Maybe I will give it a shot in 2009. 99% of my 2008 reads came from my local libraries, to the shameful neglect of all the books at home I have yet to read.

Good luck!!

#2 - Persian Nights by Diane Johnson, 352 pages (own). I enjoy Johnson's books and was pleased to find this one. However, I think the book requires more analyzing than I was able to give it over the holidays. A nice touch was the poetical introductions to each chapter.

#3 - I Am America And So Can You by Stephen Colbert, audiobook (library). Nothing is sacred in this book to Colbert! Many laugh-out-loud moments at the sheer chutzpah!

#4 - Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle, 256 pages (own). This was a sequel to A Year In Provence which I read last year. I always enjoy Mayle's books and this was a good follow-up! More vignettes of the Provencal lifestyle.

#5 - Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi, 144 pages (library). Yeah, more Satrapi! This was basically a conversation amongst the women in her family about life, love, men and sex.

#5 - Another book added to the TBR pile. Embroideries looks like an interesting read. Happy reading.

#7: I have read Satrapi's Persepolis books, so I will have to look for Embroideries too. Thanks for the mention.

French hubby and I spent our vacation in Provence last year. It's big!! I might have to check out those books as they keep cropping up :)

#6 - Such A Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster, 379 pages (library). The author's quest to lose weight - and she only succeeds when she decides to write a book about it. I appreciated her honesty and humor about the long, hard slog to weight loss.

#7 - The Tales Of Beedle The Bard by J.K. Rowling, 111 pages (own). I think enough has been said already regarding this book. I appreciated the addition to the Harry Potter series (big fan!)

Suslyn - oh, I'm so jealous! I think that since you've visited you'd really enjoy Mayle's books.

It was special but we tried to do way too much! The best part for us might have been finding a huge ammonite fossil (http://www.fossilmuseum.net/EdResources/AmmoImages.htm) embedded in the rock. If it had been even slightly loose we could have legally taken it. But along the roadside where we found it, we had to leave it if it didn't lift out... It was over 1 square foot in size -- really impressive. LOL and you thought it was the grapes, or the wine, or the... Sadly, the lavender didn't have the right conditions for a pretty season, so none of those famous purple rows... I was looking forward to that too!

Well, I've recently injured myself and had to stay home in bed for a few days, but that adds up to more reading time! What I've read recently:

#8 - Made From Scratch by Sandra Lee, 184 pages (library). A cute story of a young woman seeking a handmade lifestyle from her rental home in Idaho. She gets involved with raising chickens, rabbits and bees as well as teaching herself a musical instrument and making her own clothing - whew! There are lots of tips and tricks as well as a good reference section.

#9 - Chicken With Plums by Marjane Satrapi, 84 pages (library). Another graphic novel, this was about Satrapi's uncle and the story of his death.

#10 - Without Wonder by Joanna Campbell, 176 pages (own). A little explanation here - I used to religiously read the Thoroughbred series when I was younger. I came across some of the books on sale recently and snatched them up! Funnily enough, it wasn't that hard to dive right back in!

#11 - Fallen Star by Joanna Campbell, 176
pages (own).

#12 - Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster, 385 pages (library). I truly enjoy this author. I haven't had an author make me laugh so much in a long time! In this book, she basically rants and raves that her Chicago lifestyle is nowhere near that of Carrie Bradshaw in Sex In The City.

What fun reviews :) Glad you found an old friend to keep you company. Hope you're all better soonest!

#13: Hope you are doing better! Looks like you had some good books to keep you company any way.

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes! I'm slowly but surely getting better! I've also finished another book in the meantime...

#13 - Free For All by Don Borchert, 223 pages (library). A behind-the-scenes look at the library system through a librarian's eyes. This definitely made me re-think my dream of working in a library one day. It is also amazing how many of society's ills he deals with on a daily basis (latch-key kids, gangs, the mentally ill, etc.)!

#14 - The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, 277 pages (library). I can understand what all the buzz is about regarding this book - it was just lovely and toward the end there, I couldn't put it down!

#15 - A Can Of Peas by Traci DePree, 320 pages (own). I got this book cheap at a used bookstore and at first thought it was a little schmaltzy. Well, by the end of it I was almost in tears and am actually looking forward to the next one in the series! Who knew?

Msg 18 LOL -- I absolutely LOVE that review!

#16 - Tender At The Bone by Ruth Reichl, 282 pages (library). What an amazing and varied life Reichl has had! I own another book by her and can't wait to pick it up!

#20: I read Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have not yet read Tender at the Bone, although I recently purchased it. I better get it read!

#17 - Lost Laysen by Margaret Mitchell, 128 pages (own). Until I found this book, I did not realize that Mitchell had written anything other than Gone With The Wind. Very similar in style, this short story was written when Mitchell was sixteen. I had been given as a gift to her beau at the time, Henry Love Angel and uncovered many years later by his son. What I enjoyed most about this book, however, was the introductory biography of Mitchell and Angel. There were lots of photos and reproductions of letters between the two (these were also found with the story). He was enamored with her and I was sad to find out that they never married.

#18 - Garlic And Sapphires by Ruth Riechl, 352 pages (own). I read this in light of recently reading Tender At The Bone and with the recommendation by alcottacre! I enjoyed it just as much and can't wait to try some of the recipes! However, as she was a restaurant critic for the NY Times, she often had to wear disguises in order to ensure an unbiased view of the restaurants she reviewed. When she did disguise herself, she often embodied that "persona" and had a new personality to go with it! That, frankly, kind of creeped me out!

Oh wow, I HAVE to find a copy of Lost Laysen - I didn't know Mitchell had written anything else either!

#22: I did not realize Mitchell had written anything other than Gone With the Wind either. Cool beans! On to the Continent it goes!

I am glad you liked Garlic and Sapphires. I agree about her and her various personas, although I thought of them as a kind of acting job rather than the split personality type. Not something I would care to do, I know that much.

#19 - Crackpots by Sara Pritchard, 194 pages (library). I honestly don't know what to say about this book. The writing style was so different from what I've been reading lately. It is about a girl named Ruby and is snatches of her life all mixed up and told in various styles. Toward the end of the book, Ruby thinks that she's spent her whole life living on the fringes and never making decisions for herself. Basically, that thought sums it all up.

I picked up a copy of Lost Laysen at the library today. I cannot wait to read it!

alcottacre - I hope that you enjoy it! The story itself was good but I honestly got more out of the letters, etc. between Mitchell and Angel.

#27: To be honest, I probably will, too. I get a kick out of that kind of stuff.

#20 - Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot, audiobook (library). I enjoyed this mystery (I haven't read any in awhile) and will be reading the two sequels!

#21 - Princess Mia by Meg Cabot, 274 pages (library). I've said it before and I'll say it again - I love the Princess Diaries books!

Basically, it was a Meg Cabot kind of weekend!

Hey DFED, I read the last book in the Heather Wells trilogy just this past week, and I'd recommend just reading the first two and calling it quits there :) I quite enjoyed the first two, but Big Boned, not so much... I reviewed it in my thread, but I don't think I gave away any spoilers if you're curious...

#22 - The Great Husband Hunt by Laurie Graham, 358 pages (library). Here's another book where I don't know what to say about it! I am a big fan of Graham's books and highly recommend this one. To sum up, the book follows the main character, Poppy, throughout her life. She is misunderstood, misinformed, rich and has an overbearing family. This influences all of her life choices both good and bad.

#23 - Leisureville by Andrew D. Blechman, 244 pages (library). As a born and raised Floridian, I can really relate to this book. Blechman's elderly neighbors decide to leave his northern town to live in the central FL "paradise" of The Villages - a retirement community. Puzzled as to why they would do such a thing (they visited, purchased a home, and moved in a short period of time), he goes to visit them and is soon researching a book on the topic of retirement, aging, age segregation and the sprouting (in FL it's EVERYWHERE) up of retirement communities and their impact on society. This book taught me a lot about the sociological aspects of the elderly as well as how many towns/communities operate.

#24 - A Woman Of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsyth Hailey, 272 pages (own). I had been reading this for quite a while because I just didn't want it to end! I enjoyed the scope of this book and the letter format it was written in. I imagine that Bess' life is a model of so many others with love, loss, aging, etc. I admired her sheer spunk (she reminded me of Auntie Mame at times) and determination throughout. Highly recommended!

I finished Lost Laysen early this morning. The story was OK, but I really enjoyed the additional material at the beginning of the book. Thanks once again for the recommendation on this one.

#25 - Bitter Is The New Black by Jen Lancaster, 416 pages (own). Another hilarious read from Lancaster! Since I've read all of her books backwards, it was nice to get the background story of the other two I've read by her.

alcottacre - I'm so glad you enjoyed Lost Laysen!

I'm reading most of Jen Lancaster's books backwards too! Except for her new one - I forget the title. I have it wishlisted and I think it's going to take me a long time to get it on a book swapping site...

#26 - Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall, 438 pages (library). Wow, this book opened me up to world/ way of life that I knew very little about. I'm so glad that Wall found the strength to leave her sect as well as being able to tell her life story so well.

#27 - Size 14 Is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot, 344 pages (library). Second book in the Heather Wells series - loved the interesting (and open) ending!

#28 - Queen Of Babble by Meg Cabot, audiobook (library). I almost gave up on this as the main character, Lizzie Nichols, was so naive I thought I couldn't take it anymore! Well, she redeemed herself in the end.

It was another Meg Cabot kind of weekend!

Hmm, Queen of Babble is a bit frustrating, I see. Well, I haven't decided yet whether to read those ones... maybe I'll look for an audiobook version like you did, since I'm more tolerant when I'm listening to chick lit (probably because I listen when I drive, so I'm not losing valuable time from reading something else, lol).

#29 - Books by Larry McMurtry, 259 pages (library). This book was terribly frustrating for me. Though I found his anecdotes about various booksellers, etc. interesting and, at times, funny it was a bit like listening to a rambling grandfather. It seemed as if stories would suddenly pop into his head with no apparent rhyme or reason.

#30 - Walking Ollie by Stephen Foster, 177 pages (library). This is about Foster's relationship with his rescue dog Ollie. This is a good one for any owner who may have a "problem dog" as Foster had alot of troubles with Ollie.

#40: I read Books last year and was sorry I wasted my time on it. I think at least one other member of last year's group had the same reaction. A terribly frustrating book indeed.

#31 - Perfect Princess by Meg Cabot, 160 pages (library).

#32 - Princess Lessons by Meg Cabot, 128 pages (own).

Two cutesy offshoots of the Princess Diaries series.

#33 - The Flirt by Kathleen Tessaro, 374 pages (library). Wonderful novel about love. I enjoyed the intertwining of so many characters' lives.

#34 - Famous American Horses by Frederick Devereux, 117 pages (library). This book was very similar to a lot of horse books that I read as a child. However, I still learned some new things!

#35 - The Ungarnished Truth by Ellie Mathews, 276 pages (library). A memoir of Mathews' win in the million dollar Pillsbury Bake-Off Challenge.

#36 - Everything I Ate by Tucker Shaw, 496 pages (own). Not a book, per se, but endlessly interesting nonetheless! Shaw took pictures of everything he ate for one year.

On a side note, I gave up on Good Wives by Louisa May Alcott. I saw someone else had read this and I was so excited to find something else for me to read by Alcott from the Little Women series! I started looking familiar however and I then realized the Little Women edition that I already own has this "book" in it as well!

#37 - At Large And At Small by Anne Fadiman, 220 pages (library). I had a hard time getting into this book mostly because of the variety of subjects Fadiman writes about. Though many interested me, several did not.

#47: I do not care for that book of essays by Fadiman nearly as much as Ex Libris, which is one of my all time favorite books. If you have not read it, please give it a try. You will not be sorry.

alcottacre - I have read Ex Libris and enjoyed it very much! That's why I was excited to read At Large And At Small which did not live up to my expectations. Oh well, on to the next book!

#38 - Queen Of Babble In The Big City by Meg Cabot, audiobook (library). Okay, now this series has officially grown on me. And what's up with Cabot's tendency to very dramatic (and open) endings? Can't wait to listen to the next one!

#39 - American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld, 558 pages (library). This is the story of a first lady analyzing her life and how she became first lady. Heard alot about this being based on Laura Bush. Though I'm not sure about that, even if it was, it was done tastefully. I really enjoyed this.

#40 - West From Home by Laura Ingalls Wilder, 124 pages (library). Last year, it was my goal to re-read the Little House books and as many books as possible on Laura Ingalls Wilder and her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. This is a continuation of that goal.

#41 - Cindy's Bold Start by Joanna Campbell, 168 pages (library). Another comfort read from one of my favorite childhood series.

#42 - The Secret Lives Of Men And Women by Frank Warren, 144 pages (library). A Post Secret book. I urge everyone to visit the Post Secret website/read the books if they haven't already!

#43 - The Four Seasons by Laurel Corona, 378 pages (library). This was an introduction into a world I'd never heard about! Historical fiction, it follows the lives of two sisters in the Ospedale della Pieta in Venice, Italy - a sort of orphanage/nunnery for girls. In it, they are taught life skills, especially music and they, in turn, play concerts for Venetians. The composer Vivaldi makes appearances as he was known to write compositions for the Pieta in real life.

#54: That one looks pretty good! On to the Continent it goes.

#44 - Queen Of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot, audiobook (library). The last in the Queen Of Babble series with a happy, though unexpected, ending!

I thought I'd update this every three months or so regarding my additional "challenge" in order to keep track!

Library Books Read: 31

Owned Books Read: 13

I'm a little bit ahead of myself with library books. I'll have to step up with reading my own books!

#57: I do not even want to think how lopsided those numbers would be for me!

#45 - My Secret by Frank Warren, 144 pages (library). Another Post Secret compilation.

#46 - Wondermark: Beards Of My Forefathers by David Malki, 96 pages (library). A collection of the Wondermark web comics - hilarious!

#47 - Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros, 400 pages (own). My Early Reviewer book, review to be posted later.

#48 - Postsecret by Frank Warren, 288 pages (library). Another PostSecret book.

#49 - Take The Cannoli by Sarah Vowell, 219 pages (library). Saw this recommended on someone else's reading list. On the whole I enjoyed her essays but the one that stuck with me most was "What I See When I Look At The Face On The $20 Bill" as I knew almost nothing about the Trail Of Tears.

#50 - It's A Long Road To A Tomato by Keith Stewart, 276 pages (library). I love farming memoirs and I especially enjoyed this one! It's a series of essays that Stewart wrote for a magazine about the trials and tribulations of small-scale organic farming. Once again brings home the importance of eating locally!

#51 - The Anglo Files by Sarah Lyall, 270 pages (library). Interesting and funny insights into the lives of the British via an American reporter married to a Englishman and living in England. I appreciated a further look into aspects of the British that I never quite understood.

#63: That one looks like a fun book. I will look for it. Thanks!

#52 - Philistines At The Hedgerow by Steven Gaines, 326 pages (library). An interesting, though slightly dated, look into the Hamptons: its history, its residents, and its scandals!

#53 - Forgotten Fashion by Kate Hahn, 90 pages (own). This was an ARC given to me to review and that review is to follow!

#54 - Japanland by Karin Muller, 307 pages (library). Muller lives in Japan for a year in order to film a documentary as well as immerse herself in Japanese culture and to find "wa." Despite our modern times and Japan's modern culture, Muller proves Japan's inner culture to still be closed to outsiders.

How do you find the time to read all these books, yet I don't?

#55 - Dress Your Family In Corduroy And Denim by David Sedaris, audiobook (library). I don't know what to make of Sedaris. Laugh-out-loud funny at times, depressing at others...will probably give him another shot as I wonder if his other books are similar?

#56 - Big Boned by Meg Cabot, audiobook (library). Wanted to finish up the series. Exactly as dk_phoenix said, not much happened in this one other than a happy ending for Wells' romantic life!

#57 - The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby, 230 pages (own). Picked this up again after a pause in its' reading. Loved how similar Hornby's buy/read lists were to mine lately - imbalanced!!

#58 - Coop by Michael Perry, 368 pages (library). Another farming memoir, though I can't say enough about Perry's writing style. Rest assured, I will be reading more of his books!

#59 - Domino: The Book Of Decorating by Deborah Needleman, 272 pages (library). I read this awhile back but can't believe I forgot to list in on here! This book is chock full of decorating ideas; too bad the magazine has shut down!

#70: I am putting Coop on the Continent. Looks very good.

alcottacre - it was very good! Can't recommend it enough and I've already got Truck: A Love Story on hold at my local library!

#60 - Little Town At The Crossroads by Maria D. Wilkes, 343 pages (library). Another Little House YA series, this one is about Caroline Quiner-Ingalls, Laura Ingalls Wilder's mother.

#61 - Pretty In Plaid by Jen Lancaster, 365 pages (library). Lancaster's latest book. Had this on hold with my library the minute I heard it was being published!

DFED- Aack! I'm overcome with jealousy - I can't wait to get my hands on that book!!!
The waiting lists are all very long and I can't seem to bring myself to pay the high hardcover price for it...maybe if the local bookstore sends me a 40% off coupon...

#62 - Summer Pony by Jean Slaughter Doty, 121 pages (own). A cute YA story of a girl and her pony. Perfect reading for when one is sick.

amwmsw04 - I hope that you get a copy to read soon as well! I probably wouldn't splurge on a hardcover copy myself but I understand not being able to wait to read it!

#63 - Our Farm by Michael J. Rosen, 144 pages (library). A very nice children's book explaining life on a family farm from the viewpoint of the children.

#64 - Truck: A Love Story by Michael Perry, 281 pages (library). Why is that I always wind up reading an author's works backwards? A lovely story; Perry is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

#65 - A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg, 320 pages (library). I just adore cookbooks that you can read as well as cook from! It makes them so much more interesting, I think. This one is from the blogger of Orangette.

#66 - Eat This, Not That: Supermarket Survival Guide by David Zinczenko, 319 pages (own). This is one of those books that you read and immediately want to buy a copy for everyone you know! Thanks to ronincats' thread for mentioning this one!

#67 - The Lost Art Of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice, 368 pages (own). The best way to sum this one up is as a delicious little novel.

#68 - Apartment Therapy Presents by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, 264 pages (library). Anyone who is a fan of the Apartment Therapy website can appreciate this book. It showcases some of the apartments that they have featured in the past on the website. Being an apartment-dweller myself, it's always nice to see new takes/design solutions for my home!

#77: I am definitely going to have to find a copy of A Homemade Life. It sounds like my kind of book! I agree with you about the Eat This, Not That: Supermarket Survival Guide - I found myself making all kinds of notes when I was reading it and I keep my copy right next to myself when making grocery lists, lol.

#78: I am adding that one to the Continent, too.

#69 - Little Clearing In The Woods by Maria D. Wilkes, 315 pages (library). Another book in The Caroline Years series.

#70 - Laura Ingalls Wilder Country by William Anderson, 120 pages (own). A look at the people and places important to Laura Ingalls' life - with lots of pictures!

#71 - Horseplay by Judy Reene Singer, 288 pages (own). A funny book for those of the horsey set.

#72 - Eat This, Not That! by David Zinczenko, 304 pages (own). The prequel to the supermarket version. This one includes lots about restaurants and will be very helpful as well!

#73 - A Little Maid Of Old Connecticut by Alice Turner Curtis, 192 pages (own). This is a very sweet story - perfect for girls interested in history (ex. the American Girl books, etc.) or people like me who still want to read these types of stories even though they've grown up! I would love to look into the others in the series.

#74 - Little House In Brookfield by Maria D. Wilkes, 298 pages (library).

#75 - On Top Of Concord Hill by Maria D. Wilkes, 272 pages (library).

Two more in The Caroline Years series!

I've reached 75 books - yeah!!

It's time for a little update regarding my personal challenge:

Library Books Read: 21

Owned Books Read: 10

Not too bad! I'll have to keep up with reading my own books however - the pile is always growing!

Congratulations on reaching 75!

Thanks alcottacre!!

And, of course, there are always more books to read!:

#76 - Still Life With Elephant by Judy Reene Singer, 288 pages (library). I really enjoyed her other book, Horseplay, so I picked up this one as well. Horse lovers - don't be put off by the title! The main character in this one is also a horseperson!

#77 - People Of The Book by Geraldine Brooks, 372 pages (library). I really enjoyed this one and learned so much about both book preservation and Jewish history. I love good historical fiction, and I think this qualifies!

#88: People of the Book was on my memorable reads list for last year. Glad to see you enjoyed it!

#78 - Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, 334 pages (library). This is a book that I have been working on for quite a long time. I alternately disliked and enjoyed it. I guess I was finally in the right mood to finish it up! Kudos to Gilbert for "putting it all out there." I don't know that I would be able to write about my problems/spiritual journey as thoroughly as she has!

#79 - Wild Horses by Glen Rounds, 32 pages (own). Found this book that I remembered vaguely from my childhood at a library book sale this weekend. It has excellent illustrations.

#80 - Breakfast At Tiffany's And Three Stories by Truman Capote, 178 pages (own). I have always been a fan of the movie and was so glad to find this book at a yard sale (my library doesn't carry it). This was the first time I've read Capote, and I found the other short stories included in this book very good as well. I will definitely be reading more of his works.

#81 - The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys, 186 pages (library). Saw this one making the rounds on LT and checked it out myself. Though I'm glad I was forewarned about there not being a consistent plot to the book, I enjoyed Humphrey's vignette-style writing.

#82 - Second-Chance Horses by Blood Horse Publications, 222 pages (library). Stories of racehorses that made second careers for themselves after the track.

#83 - Team Player by Joanna Campbell, 170 pages (library). An additional book from one of my favorite childhood series.

#84 - Not Becoming My Mother by Ruth Reichl, 112 pages (library). A quick read from the noted food writer. However, this had nothing to do with food but rather was a treatise on her mother's life and feminism in general.

#92: Have you read any of Reichl's other books? I really enjoyed Garlic and Sapphires when I read it last year.

#85 - Parker's Passion by Joanna Campbell, 166 pages (own).

#86 - Bridal Dreams by Joanna Campbell, 176 pages (own).

Two more in the Thoroughbred series.

#87 - A Very Small Farm by William Paul Winchester, 229 pages (library). A simply beautiful little book that I didn't want to end.

#95: Oh, I love the kind of book that you never want to end. I will look for that one!

I have been on vacation for the past week and have only just been able to finish up my latest book:

#88 - I Make Horse Calls by Marcia Thibeault, 219 pages (library). The story of an equine vet. Is both humorous and informative, though her writing style is a bit rough yet. I'm already reading her sequel, More Horse Calls.

Also - big news! I became engaged over the weekend!! So, does anyone have any good suggestions for books about weddings/ wedding planning?

Congratulations!!

Congrats!!!

I have a great website suggestion... theknot.com

As for books, you'll have to decide what kind of bride you are and then find one of the billion books out there that reflects your "wedding personality" (unique vs. traditional, etc). I can't recommend any in particular, as I didn't use any for my wedding last year (just went with the crazy ideas in my head). But there's lots of stuff out there... at the very least, get a good planner with lots of space to write inside.

Thank you both for the congratulations! dk_phoenix - you'll be glad to know I am now a member of theknot.com!

And, of course, there's reading as well as wedding planning going on!

#89 - More Horse Calls by Marcis Thibeault, 182 pages (library). I recommend that you read I Make Horse Calls first before picking this one up. In it she mentions alot of people, horses and veterinary cases that are mentioned initially in the first book but there's no background given to them in the second book.

#90 - Bad Bridesmaid by Siri Agrell, 171 pages (library). Basically, a summation of what not to do to one's bridesmaids when planning a wedding!

#91 - Loving Frank by Nancy Horan, audiobook (library). The ending on this was completely unexpected for me! True event too!

#92 - Target Underwear And A Vera Wang Gown by Adena Halpern, 245 pages (library). I have been wanting to read this one for awhile now and am glad that I finally did. It's a look at how clothing can reflect the times/ people/ places in our lives and so much more!

#93 - Half-Assed by Jenette Fulda, 250 pages (own). A weight loss memoir where the author loses almost half of her body weight! However, don't expect any miracle cures/ diet advice in this one. She makes it very clear that no one thing equals weight loss for everyone and simply told her tale with good humor and honesty.

#94 - Dough by Mort Zachter, 173 pages (library). The author by accident finds out that his two bachelor penny-pinching "poor" uncles acquired millions of dollars throughout their days working at a wholesale bakery store. He tells the story of his family, the store and his discovery of their wealth.

#95 - The Black Violin by Maxence Fermin, 133 pages (library). A short but entrancing book about love and a cursed violin.

#106: That one looks interesting. Thanks for the recommendation!

#96 - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos, 165 pages (library). An absolutely hilarious book! The diary of a ditsy gold-digging flapper girl.

#108--and a very funny movie as well!

Prop2gether - you are so right! The movie is what prompted me to read the book.

#97 - The Carousel Painter by Judith Miller, 336 pages (own). My latest Early Reviewer book. Review to follow.

#98 - Jennifer Johnson Is Sick Of Being Single by Heather McElhatton, 292 pages (library). Jennifer Johnson ultimately has to make a choice about love and marriage. I haven't giggled this much at a book since I last read Jen Lancaster. Surprise ending though!

#99 - The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted by Elizabeth Berg, audiobook (library). This is a recommended read for all women. I have enjoyed Berg's books thus far and she was the one reading this audiobook. Has many tales of differents women's woes/life stories; some depressing, some not!

#112: I have read a couple of Berg's books, but not that one. I will have to look for it. Thanks for the recommendation!

I read The Day I ate Whatever I Wanted last year and really enjoyed it and I don't usually like short stories. Glad you liked it as well.

#100 - Farm City by Novella Carpenter, 276 pages (library). A farming memoir of a different kind. Novella tells the tale of her squatter farm on an abadoned lot in the ghetto of Oakland, CA. Besides growing vegetables, she raises chickens, turkeys, rabbits and even pigs!

Wow!! I can't believe I've read 100 books this year! I think I'm well on my way to beating my total number of books read last year - 129!!

#101 - French Milk by Lucy Knisley, 194 pages (library). A wonderful graphic novel of Lucy's trip to Paris with her mother. Was just as satisfying as Persepolis - I love how stories can be conveyed so well in graphic novel form (this is a new concept to me).

Congratulations on hitting 100!

Farm City looks good. I will have to look for that one.

Congrats!

Thanks for the congratulations everyone!

#102 - Milk Eggs Vodka by Bill Keaggy, 240 pages (own). A collection of grocerys lists found by the author and various other persons. Though it had its moments, this book wasn't as funny as I thought it would be. What I most enjoyed were the food facts written on the margins of every page.

#103 - The Barn House by Ed Zotti, 371 pages (library). Zotti rehabs an old mansion in the heart of Chicago. He has plenty of adventures in the rehabbing process including hiring a homeless man to watch over the house so tools won't get stolen! He also gives a great deal of research and commentary regarding the re-urbanization of Chicago and city growth in general. This book was very informative.

#104 - A Girl Like I by Anita Loos, 275 pages (library). A autobiography of the author of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She basically grew up with the movie industry in both Hollywood and New York and had a simply amazing life. Was chock full of movie star gossip and tidbits about famous people of the 20s and 30s. Would be a great read for anyone interested in the movie industry's history.

#120: A Girl Like I looks like one I would enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation!

#105 - The World In My Kitchen: by Colette Rossant, 227 pages (library). I love food memoirs and this one did not disappoint. Rossant has cooked and traveled extensively and truly has the world in her kitchen!

>122 DFED:: #105 sounds interesting, thanks.

#122: I am with Tad on that one.

#106 - Snow by Maxence Fermine, 100 pages (library). This was simply beautiful. I'm enjoying this author very much.

#107 - Mrs. 'Arris Goes To Paris by Paul Gallico, 157 pages (library). Saw this mentioned on klobrien2's thread. It sounded so cute that I grabbed it from my library! Wound up being sweet, funny and sad.

#108 - Girls In Trucks by Katie Crouch, 241 pages (library). This is a very bittersweet story of Sarah Walters' southern roots and her search for love.

#109 - The Red Leather Diary by Lily Koppel, 321 pages (library). The amazing story of a woman's four-year diary from her teen years found by the author decades later. The author then seeks out the owner of the diary and writes this book about her life.

#127: I am glad to see another good review of that one. I have yet to read it but have seen several reviews. I need to locate a copy.

#110 - The Matchmaker Of Perigord by Julia Stuart, 318 pages (library). Novel of a small town barber turned matchmaker. I admit that it got a bit confusing at times with all of the different people involved but it ultimately was a sweet and funny book. A perfect summation of what it's like to live in a small town.

#111 - A Series Of Unfortunate Events: A Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket, audiobook (library). I've finally got around to the Lemony Snicket series!

It's time for another wrap-up of the last few months!

Library books: 29

Books owned: 7

Though I am impressed with the total books I've read in the last few months, I'm certainly not reading as many books that I own as I should be!

Enjoy the Snicket books. Although I'm not sure enjoy is the correct word to use when reading a series where bad things continually happen to small children.
Belated congratulations on your engagement!

Lemony Snicket is hilarious... enjoy!

#112 - Population: 485 by Michael Perry, 234 pages (library). Another wonderful book by Perry! I'm now finished with all of his books and I can't wait until he writes another!

#113 - Sold To The Lady In The Green Hat by Emma Bailey, 228 pages (own). A biography of Vermont's first woman auctioneer. Interesting insight into circa 1960's country auctions. However, half of the book was taken up with outdated auction hints/tips.

#114 - Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like A Skank by Celia Rivenbark, 262 pages (library). I read another book by this author last year and have the same opinion on this one! Though her southern stories, etc. are funny she dates her books very easily by making pop culture references throughout.

#115 - The Duggars: 20 And Counting! by Jim Bob Duggar, 234 pages (library). It simply amazes me how the Duggar family functions - and this book helps to explain a lot of that!

#116 - Gentlemen And Players by Joanne Harris, audiobook (library). An absolutely superb book! And to think I never would have picked this one up in book form - thank goodness for road trips!

#117 - That Summer In Sicily by Marlena De Blasi, 283 pages (library). De Blasi and her husband (well known from her other books) travel to Sicily one summer for her work as a travel writer. Met with silence by the closed-mouthed communities there, De Blasi doesn't have much luck with her story until she comes across the extraordinary Villa Donnafugata and an amazing love story within!

#118 - Shanghai Girls by Lisa See, 314 pages (library). I enjoyed this tale of two Chinese sisters and their trials and tribulations throughout their lives. See reminds me very much of author Amy Tan. I'm also wondering if there might be a sequel to this?

#138: Shanghai Girls looks good. I will have to see if I can locate a copy. Thanks for the recommendation!

#119 - Trailer Trashed by Hollis Gillespie, 264 pages (library). Anyone who's a fan of Gillespie will appreciate this book. I believe that its a compilation of her newspaper essays?

I read Gentlemen and Players last year and really enjoyed it. I think it's one of Joanne Harris' best and I'm glad you liked it. I'm eager to read Shanghai Girls because I enjoyed Lisa See's other books and I love Amy Tan. Thanks for the recommendation!

#120 - Confessions Of A Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler, 293 pages (library). A wonderful read for the weekend. The story of modern-day Courtney Stone waking up in the England of Jane Austen.

#121 - Josefina's Story Collection by Valerie Tripp, 397 pages (library). The other day I was thinking about how much I used to enjoy the American Girl books. So, I went online and found out a few more American Girls had been issued since I last read the stories! Josefina is one of them - a New Mexican girl in the 1820's.

alcottacre and loriephillips - I hope you both enjoy Shanghai Girls as much as I did!

#122 - Real American Girls by Thomas Hoobler, 104 pages (library). I picked this up while searching for the American Girl series books. Is a compilation of letters from "real American girls" about a variety of subjects.

#123 - Bill Bryson's African Diary by Bill Bryson, 49 pages (loan). This is a re-read for me. I was looking for something light to read and came across Bryson's trip to Africa. I was happy to read it again however as I had forgotten most of the book.

This also brings up a question with regards to my challenge! What do I call a book borrowed from a friend/relative? I'm rating this one a "loan" as it is owned by my fiance.

#143: I have not read Bryson's African Diary. Thanks for the mention!

As regards to your question, I would think 'loan' appropriate.

alcottacre - "loan" it is!

#124 - Secret Hotels by Erik Torkells, 203 pages (library). Looking for potential honeymoon destinations...

#125 - Even Money by Dick Francis, 350 pages (library). Another by Francis and his son. I've heard mixed reviews about this one and I tend to agree that though the story sticks to Francis form, I think the ending was a bit too happily put together...

#126 - The Georges And The Jewels by Jane Smiley, 240 pages (own). I saw Jane Smiley this weekend at my local bookstore and she read from this first book from her new series for young adults. I bought a copy for myself and enjoyed it - I will be reading the others!

I'm thinking you might make 75 books this year :)

This was a busy reading weekend!

#127 - The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, 509 pages (library). Say what you will about Dan Brown's writing but his stories give you a heck of a ride!

#128 - The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket, audiobook (library). A continuation of the series.

#129 - Kit's Story Collection by Valerie Tripp, 386 pages (library). Another American Girl story collection that I had never read.

#130 - Post Secret: Confessions on Life, Death, and God by Frank Warren, 275 pages (library). The latest Post Secret book.

I have not read any of the Post Secret books. Do you recommend them?

#131 - Forever Princess by Meg Cabot, 383 pages (library). A great ending to the Princess Diaries series. I'm sad to see it end!

#132 - Bridget Jones's Guide To Life by Helen Fielding, 64 pages (own). This is probably best read after reading Bridget Jones's Diary (it's been awhile for me).

alcottacre - yes, the Post Secret books are great! Though, they are not books per se, but series of post cards sent to Frank Warren. They definitely make you think!

OK, I will look and see if my local library has any of the books in the series. Thanks for the info.

#133 - Walking In Circles Before Lying Down by Merrill Markoe, 288 pages (own). The main character Dawn leads a pretty messed up life until her dog Chuck starts speaking to her.

#134 - Hotel Pastis by Peter Mayle, 389 pages (own). A former advertising magnate opens a hotel in Provence. Madness ensues with typically unique Mayle characters.

#153: I may give that one a read. I have read several of Mayle's Provence titles and enjoyed them, although I did not really care for the one where the dog was the main character.

I have 3 Provence titles on my TBR mountain. I didn't even notice that one of them featured a dog. I hope I enjoy them like you did Stasia.

The one featuring the dog is called A Dog's Life.

Okay, I double checked and I have 4 of the Provence titles. When I get home I need to look again and see if one of them is A Dog's Life. I didn't know there were so many Provence books until I spotted a group of them at the library book sale and scooped them up!

#135 - Equine ER by Leslie Guttman, 240 pages (library). The author spends a year at the famed Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, KY. She shared the stories of several of the more interesting cases she came across but I thought she could've gotten more in depth about the everday workings of the clinic/vets. She also had alot of random commentary on the racing industry - it just didn't seem to flow well throughout the book.

I always enjoy Mayle's books though I did not know about A Dog's Life! alcottacre - you're right, it does look like one to pass on. I had started Encore Provence awhile back but I never have gotten around to finishing it...

After enjoying several of Mayle's books, A Dog's Life was a considerable disappointment to me. I hope you do get around to finishing Encore Provence, although I would recommend that you start the series with A Year in Provence.

alcottacre - I've read A Year In Provence and Toujours Provence and enjoyed them both! I also half-started Provence A-Z. I have the say the latter is not very appealing. I also have Mayle's Acquired Tastes at home to be read. Can you tell I'm addicted? :)

LOL!

#136 - Homer And Langley by E.L. Doctorow, 208 pages (library). This book just seemed extremely sad to me.

#137 - True Horse Stories by Sam Savitt, 90 pages (own). Found this little treasure in a used book store this weekend. I also vaguely remember reading this as a kid...

#138 - The Lady In The Palazzo by Marlena De Blasi, 317 pages (own). Another wonderful book by De Blasi. This time, she and her husband move to Umbria.

#139 - Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder: Pioneer Girl by Megan Stine, 112 pages (own). A children's book about the true life story of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

#140 - Freakin Fabulous by Clinton Kelly, 256 pages (own). I got this book because I'm a long-time fan of co-host Kelly's show, What Not To Wear. Amazingly, this had quite a bit of useful/interesting information in it even if it was given rather smugly.

#141 - Memories of A Lost Egypt: A Memoir With Recipes by Colette Rossant, 160 pages (own). I snatched this one up at my local library book sale this weekend. This is a more in-depth look, though rather short, into Rossant's childhood in Egypt which was made mention of in her other book, The World In My Kitchen. Unfortunately, some of the exact same information can be found in both books.

#142 - Not Buying It by Judith Levine, 288 pages (library). Levine and her partner giving up buying anything except neccessities (such as food) for a year. This obviously causes lots of internal and external debates about what is "necessary" and about capitalism in general. It is a bit dated as the author completes her experiment in 2003-2004. And I was disappointed. The book was moving along rather nicely, talking about her non-shopping challenges when the second election for Bush occurs. All of the sudden, the entire book was very political and doomsday-ish. Rather disappointing as that was not what I wanted to hear about!

I read Not Buying it a few years ago and I felt the same way. I really liked it, but I wanted to hear more about them and their year long adventure, not their political views.

#143 - Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix, 185 pages (library). A take-off of the Cinderella story. What if Cinderella's "happily ever after" is turning out not so happily?

#144 - A Woman Of Means by Peter Taylor, 144 pages (own). Is basically about a family of divorce - a man with a son marries a divorcee with two grown daughters. Perhaps meaningful and insightful when it was first published (1950), this is one of those books that went straight over my head.

#145 - How To Be Hepburn In A Hilton World by Jordan Christy, 208 pages (own). An Early Reviewer book. Review to be posted later.

Creeping up on 150! Congratulations.

alcottacre - thanks so much! I hadn't really thought about how close I really was to 150 - woo hoo!!

#146 - The Pursuit Of Love and Love In A Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford, 468 pages (library). I can't believe I haven't read these novels before! I adore books about crazy English gentry and would love to go back and re-read these one day! Perfectly enjoyable!

#147 - Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver, 359 pages (library). Not sure if this one counts as it is a cookbook but Oliver's books always seem readable to me! Interesting concept to this one as he is trying to get people to cook at home for themselves - and healthily!

#148 - My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler, 213 pages (library). Someone had read this on LT and said it was funny. Though it had its funny moments, this book was a little too raunchy for my tastes.

#149 - French Toast by Harriet Welty Rochefort, 119 pages (library). Though not a bad book, what got to me most was the review on the front cover: "witty and devastatingly funny!" It was not.

#150 - Cake Wrecks by Jen Yates, 191 pages (library). Hilarious cakes gone wrong. The blog is definitely worth checking out!

#151 - You Are What You Eat by Gillian McKeith, 223 pages (library). The title explains this book best. Apparently the author is a host of a show of the same name in the UK. Gave alot of great ideas for changing your diet as well as info. about supplements.

#152 - The Confederate General Rides North by Amanda Gable, 276 pages (library). Touching story of a girl with a troubled mother who relates her life to Civil War battles.

Congratulations on making it past the 150 book point!

alcottacre - thanks so much!!

#153 - Treehorn's Treasure by Florence Parry Heide, 63 pages (own). A children's book about Treehorn proving that money can grow on trees!

#154 - Almost French by Sarah Tunrbull, 320 pages (library). This was everything that French Toast was not.

#155 - Mother Of The Bride by Ilene Beckerman, 159 pages (own). Bought this at a used bookstore as a present for my mom but had to read it first!

#156 - The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte, 362 pages (own). A mystery based on a chapter of The Three Musketeers and a book called The Nine Doors. I really enjoyed this.

Well, since it's highly unlikely that I'll finish another book in 2010, I figure I'll sum up my "challenge" for the year!

For the last few months:
Own: 15
Library: 29
Loan: 1

Total for the year:

Own: 45

Library: 110

Loan: 1

Not bad for my challenge of two library books for every one on my TBR pile! Hooray!!

Well, those are my 2009 reads and I'll be starting a new thread on the 75-book challenge for 2010. Happy New Year everyone!

Happy New Year, Dawn!

Congrats Dawn! You reached your goal and then some (and then some, and then some, and then some...) Look forward to seeing what you read in 2010 :)