2016 Books Part 2
12. The Mourning Dove by Larry Barkdull. This is a really short book we read for book club and it is the story of a boy who goes to live with his grandfather when his parents die. It was sad and I felt like the author wrote the story around the advice and teachings he wanted the grandfather to pass on to his grandson. It was fine; not my favorite but there are some nice ideas in it.
13. Under a Painted Sky by Stacy Lee. This is the story of a girl who lives in Missouri back in the frontier days when Missouri is the edge of the wilderness. In an attempt to avoid a man attacking her she ends up killing him and running west to avoid the law. I liked the story and appreciated that it had some suspense to it. It has good characters and it is also a bit sad but it worked out and was a good book.
14. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George. This is a re-telling of the 12 Dancing Princesses and it was okay. I liked the characters but already knowing the story kind of ruined it for me. It was a fine book. Nothing super wonderful but certainly not a waste of time.
15. A Separate Peace by John Knowles. Another classic and this one I remembered from when I read it in 10th grade. It was another book club pick and I was glad that when I read it I actually remembered quite a bit of what we had discussed in high school, so well done Ms. Maurer. We had a good discussion at book club and I think it is a good book to study but it isn't one I would ever just pick up and read for fun.
16. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. This is a simple and sweet story that I enjoyed. It took me a little while to get into it but I came to like Valency and her desire to make a change and stick to it. Good book.
17. Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt. I loved and hated this book at the same time. I really liked the main character and how he told the story. It takes place in the 70s and it kind of reminded me of The Wonder Years, just a little later. But his dad is a total jerk and treats his family terribly so that was hard to read and it always made me so sad. All of the other characters are wonderful and interesting and I love how he interacts with all of the characters in his little town. By dealing well with a lot of tough situations and unkind people, he really helps those around him to overcome their challenges. It is a moving and wonderful story.
18. The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory. I actually re-read this one because a friend picked it for book club and I just really love Tudor England and that time period. I love historical fiction for the very reason that it fleshes out history that I kind of know into a really good story. It had been a few years since I had read it and I enjoyed the re-read.
19. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Seriously, is that the author's name? I hadn't even noticed before. Anyway, this was a slow start for me. It did finally get going and I thought it was rather interesting but for me it took a long time getting there. Kind of out there idea but I liked it enough to enjoy the story but not to continue reading the series. What got me the most was that the pictures in the book are all real pictures that the author found at garage sales and such. Those are some weird photos!
20. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. This book takes place in Sweden and has a Forest Gump feel to it. At first I thought it was pretty strange and I didn't like how the characters were treating death in a cavalier fashion but once I got to know the character better, it all made more sense. I especially liked when it flashed back to his life and how he got to be 100. He ended up somehow meeting ever fascist and communist leader in recent history and it was clever and fun how it all worked out. I liked that part more than the present day story but it was a different read for me and a good one.
21. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I am not going to say too much about this one because I read it for book club that we're having in two weeks but I didn't really like this one. I found it to be dark and weird and disappointing. I think the premise is interesting (a boy raised in a graveyard by the departed souls who are buried there) but there was too much of the fantastical and dark for me to hang in with the story. I'm curious to hear what my friends thought about it and I am curious if I missed something wonderful about it.
That's it for my 2016 reading list. My goal for 2017 is to read 30 books. Since my husband goes to bed early I often end up working on stuff or watching TV but I'm hoping to replace that with more reading. Let me know if you have any recommendations. I use goodreads.com to keep track of my books and to find new ones to read and it is really helpful. I love reading good books and this year might try to focus on ones that are a bit more happy since I read a lot of tough stories this past year. Although I suppose it is often in overcoming the challenges of life that we find the best stories. Happy New Year of reading to you all!
14. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George. This is a re-telling of the 12 Dancing Princesses and it was okay. I liked the characters but already knowing the story kind of ruined it for me. It was a fine book. Nothing super wonderful but certainly not a waste of time.
15. A Separate Peace by John Knowles. Another classic and this one I remembered from when I read it in 10th grade. It was another book club pick and I was glad that when I read it I actually remembered quite a bit of what we had discussed in high school, so well done Ms. Maurer. We had a good discussion at book club and I think it is a good book to study but it isn't one I would ever just pick up and read for fun.
16. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. This is a simple and sweet story that I enjoyed. It took me a little while to get into it but I came to like Valency and her desire to make a change and stick to it. Good book.
17. Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt. I loved and hated this book at the same time. I really liked the main character and how he told the story. It takes place in the 70s and it kind of reminded me of The Wonder Years, just a little later. But his dad is a total jerk and treats his family terribly so that was hard to read and it always made me so sad. All of the other characters are wonderful and interesting and I love how he interacts with all of the characters in his little town. By dealing well with a lot of tough situations and unkind people, he really helps those around him to overcome their challenges. It is a moving and wonderful story.
18. The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory. I actually re-read this one because a friend picked it for book club and I just really love Tudor England and that time period. I love historical fiction for the very reason that it fleshes out history that I kind of know into a really good story. It had been a few years since I had read it and I enjoyed the re-read.
19. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Seriously, is that the author's name? I hadn't even noticed before. Anyway, this was a slow start for me. It did finally get going and I thought it was rather interesting but for me it took a long time getting there. Kind of out there idea but I liked it enough to enjoy the story but not to continue reading the series. What got me the most was that the pictures in the book are all real pictures that the author found at garage sales and such. Those are some weird photos!21. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I am not going to say too much about this one because I read it for book club that we're having in two weeks but I didn't really like this one. I found it to be dark and weird and disappointing. I think the premise is interesting (a boy raised in a graveyard by the departed souls who are buried there) but there was too much of the fantastical and dark for me to hang in with the story. I'm curious to hear what my friends thought about it and I am curious if I missed something wonderful about it.
That's it for my 2016 reading list. My goal for 2017 is to read 30 books. Since my husband goes to bed early I often end up working on stuff or watching TV but I'm hoping to replace that with more reading. Let me know if you have any recommendations. I use goodreads.com to keep track of my books and to find new ones to read and it is really helpful. I love reading good books and this year might try to focus on ones that are a bit more happy since I read a lot of tough stories this past year. Although I suppose it is often in overcoming the challenges of life that we find the best stories. Happy New Year of reading to you all!
Comments
Post a Comment