Fall into Reading 2012 - Wrap up post

I realize that this is late, but with the Christmas season, I got a bit lazy about a month prior to Christmas and with me traveling around the end of fall and the beginning of winter, it was just a little more hectic than usual.

As I look at the books I wanted to complete during this year's  Fall into Reading, I realize that I completed every single one of them.  Of course it helped that two of them were for my book club and one was for a readalong, but nonetheless, I was able to finish all of them this time around.

I even finished one of the books that was on my probable list as well, Taming of the Shrew, and read a number of books that weren't on the list of three and ended up finishing Les Miserables a few days after Fall into Reading 2012 finished (I went to the movie opening day).  I am looking forward to Spring Reading Thing 2013.

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
File Size (Pages): 860 KB (288 pages)
Published: 2010
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia
Challenges: None
Edition: E-book
Source: Personal

Description: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts:  I personally didn't like this as much as the other two books in the series and I personally thought that it was not as strong as the first two.  I think part of the reason was that the first two books had the games as the central thing that happened and I felt that Collins wrote the book just to wrap up the series too quickly and that she didn't really give what the readers got in the first two books.  I also felt that Gabe was sort of shunted to the side and no notion of what happened to him.  True I understand that the story centered on Katniss and Peeta, but really no mention of what happened to Gabe?  The final chapter seemed to be a bit rushed and as though she wanted to just wrap up the story with the final chapter of the book.

Bottom line:  Read this book if you have read the first two in the series, otherwise you are going to be lost as to what is going on.

Rating:  3.5/5

Pages for 2012: 23542

Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

Title: Les Miserables
Author: Victor Hugo
Pages: 1232
Published: 1985 (originally published in 1862)
Genre: Classics, Historical Fiction
Challenges: Back to the Classics, Historical Ficiton
Edition: Paperback
Source: Personal Library

Description: Victor Hugo’s tale of injustice, heroism and love follows the fortunes of Jean Valjean, an escaped convict determined to put his criminal past behind him. But his attempts to become a respected member of the community are constantly put under threat: by his own conscience, when, owing to a case of mistaken identity, another man is arrested in his place; and by the relentless investigations of the dogged policeman Javert. It is not simply for himself that Valjean must stay free, however, for he has sworn to protect the baby daughter of Fantine, driven to prostitution by poverty. A compelling and compassionate view of the victims of early nineteenth-century French society, Les Misérables is a novel on an epic scale, moving inexorably from the eve of the battle of Waterloo to the July Revolution of 1830. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: What can I say? It was amazing.  It was one of those books that took your breath away, even though there were moments in the book that I honestly really didn't feel should have been apart of the book, but when reading it, one realizes that it does have to be apart of the book, especially towards the end of the book.  And, yes, I did read the unabridged version of the book.

Bottom line: I would probably recommend this book to those that enjoy reading long books or that enjoy reading books that are of an epic nature.

Rating: 5/5

Pages for 2012: 23254

A Winter Dream - Richard Paul Evans

Title: A Winter Dream
Author: Richard Paul Evans
Pages: 266
Published: 2012
Genre: Christmas
Challenges: Support Your Library, Christmas Spirit
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: The author of the bestselling phenomenon The Christmas Box presents a new holiday novel about family, fate and forgiveness.

Joseph Jacobson is the twelfth of thirteen siblings, all of whom are employed by their father’s successful Colorado advertising company. But underneath the success runs a poisonous undercurrent of jealousy; Joseph is his father’s favorite and the focus of his brothers’ envy and hatred. When the father seems ready to anoint Joseph as his heir, the brothers make their move, forcing Joseph from the company and his Denver home, severing his ties to his parents and ending his relationship with his soon-to-be fianceé. Alone and lonely, Joseph must start a new life. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:  I read this book a couple of weeks ago and so my thoughts about the book have been somewhat forgotten, but I can tell you that I thought the book was pretty good up until the final few chapters.  The story seemed to be fairly realistic, but it seemed that once I got into the final chapters, it got into the stereotypical way of making sure that a story wrapped up nicely and quickly.  But other than that, I enjoyed it.

Bottom line: If you have read the others books, you will probably enjoy this one as well.  Its a nice light read for those that don't have a lot of time to read, but would like something to read during the Christmas season.

Rating: 3.725/5

Pages for 2012: 22022

Virtual Advent Tour 2012 - A little late

I am really sorry for being late, but due to some very late nights reading the last few weeks, I seem to have forgotten things or have nearly forgotten about things.  My brain has become mush and I should have put a reminder in my calendar to remind me.

In any case I wanted to talk about something that is slowly becoming a part of my Christmas.  About a year ago, I was looking for something to do, specifically something that I could volunteer at and it was suggested that I could help out with Help-Portrait, which was being organized locally and had been held in my town the year before.  Thinking it was a good thing to do, I volunteered and I really enjoyed it.

Again this year I helped out with the registration of individuals who were getting their portraits taken.  To explain what Help-Portrait is, it is a community of photographers that come together across the world to use their photography skills to give back to those in need.

We see a lot of individuals and families that come recommended from a variety of organizations that provide services to those in the community and the two years that I have done it, I have come away with a warm feeling in my heart that we have made somebody's year/life just that a little more brighter.

There are lots of ways that people chose to spend the Christmas/Holiday season to make the lives of those who are less fortunate than us, whether it be filling a shoebox for a kid in a part of the world that doesn't have a lot (Samartian's Purse) or we collect change (Salvation Army Kettles) or we help out an individual family (Christmas Bureau).

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas/Holiday season and remember to hug those who you love, even if you don't feel like it.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley

Title: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Author: Alan Bradley
Pages: 400
Published: 2009
Genre: Mystery, Fiction
Challenges: None
Edition: Paperback
Source: Personal

Description: The summer of 1950 hasn’t offered up anything out of the ordinary for eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce: bicycle explorations around the village, keeping tabs on her neighbours, relentless battles with her older sisters, Ophelia and Daphne, and brewing up poisonous concoctions while plotting revenge in their home’s abandoned Victorian chemistry lab, which Flavia has claimed for her own.

But then a series of mysterious events gets Flavia’s attention: A dead bird is found on the doormat, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. A mysterious late-night visitor argues with her aloof father, Colonel de Luce, behind closed doors. And in the early morning Flavia finds a red-headed stranger lying in the cucumber patch and watches him take his dying breath. For Flavia, the summer begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw: “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”

Did the stranger die of poisoning? There was a piece missing from Mrs. Mullet’s custard pie, and none of the de Luces would have dared to eat the awful thing. Or could he have been killed by the family’s loyal handyman, Dogger… or by the Colonel himself! At that moment, Flavia commits herself to solving the crime — even if it means keeping information from the village police, in order to protect her family. But then her father confesses to the crime, for the same reason, and it’s up to Flavia to free him of suspicion. Only she has the ingenuity to follow the clues that reveal the victim’s identity, and a conspiracy that reaches back into the de Luces’ murky past. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this read and considering that I have been reading some pretty dense books and that this has been on my shelves for almost three and a half years, I was glad for the break.  I also listened to the audio as I read the book and felt that the reader who narrated the book did a really good job.  I like how Flavia was a pretty typical 11-year old, except that she really isn't a typical 11-year old. I love the quirkiness that is Flavia and how she figures things out and I also like how she interacts with the people in her village.  There was something about the book that made me smile as I read the book and also chuckle as I read the book.  Its a really enjoyable book and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Bottom line: I would probably recommend the book to most readers that like to have a fairly light read on hand.  Its something that one can read in the matter of a few days or less and can delight almost anybody.

Rating: 4/5

Pages for 2012: 21756

The Taming of the Shrew - William Shakespeare

Title: The Taming of the Shrew
Author: William Shakespeare
Pages: 304
Published: 2003 (originally published 1590)
Genre: Drama, Classics
Challenges: Support Your Library, The Classics Club
Edition: Paperback
Source: Library

Description: Lucentio falls in love with Bianca, the apparently ideal younger daughter of the wealthy Baptista Minola. But before they can marry, Bianca's formidable elder sister, Katherine, must be wed. Petruchio, interested only in the huge dowry, arranges to marry Katherine -against her will- and enters into a battle of the sexes that has endured as one of Shakespeare's most enjoyable works. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: I saw this play in September and quite honestly this play reaffirmed my belief that Shakespeare's plays are better watched than they are read, but there are some where I could read and see them and they would be effective both ways and this isn't one of them.  It should be noted that I am writing this when I am really tired and am unable to concentrate really well and quite honestly all I can remember is that while it was a quick read, it wasn't exactly a memorable one, as the play has a lot of innuendo that is put to better use on the stage.  If you are of a certain age, you may remember a movie called 10 Things I Hate About You; this is the play that it is based.

Bottom line: I would haven't read the play but because I was going to a production of the play, I was reading it. Its probably not one of Shakespeare's greatest plays and its a play that can easily be forgotten in the midst of the various other plays that Shakespeare is more well known for.

Rating:  3/5

Pages for 2012:  21356

Mansfield Park - Jane Austen

Title: Mansfield Park
Author: Jane Austen
Pages: 507
Published: 2003 (first published 1814)
Genre: Classics
Challenges: 2012 Chunkster, Classics Club
Edition: Paperback
Source: Personal collection

Description: Taken from the poverty of her parents' home, Fanny Price is brought up with her rich cousins at Mansfield Park, acutely aware of her humble rank and with only her cousin Edmund as an ally. When Fanny's uncle is absent in Antigua, Mary Crawford and her brother Henry arrive in the neighbourhood, bringing with them London glamour and a reckless taste for flirtation. As her female cousins vie for Henry's attention, and even Edmund falls for Mary's dazzling charms, only Fanny remains doubtful about the Crawfords' influence and finds herself more isolated than ever. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: This wasn't my favourite read by Jane Austen and it was also a book that basically nothing happened for the vast majority of the book, which made the book hard to read at times.  I enjoyed reading it, as I have seen the Mirmax film version of the film several times and its one of my favourite films to watch, but compared to some of the other books by Jane Austen, this wasn't as funny and it seemed to me that Fanny was a character that developed very little, if at all.  She almost seems to stay the same through out the book, or at least her outlook on life seems to stay the same.  Maybe there were subtle shifts in her character, but I didn't notice anything that made me feel any differently about her.

I can understand why she married who she did (not wanting to spoil it for those of who haven't read it), but I think she could have married somebody who would have put her in a better financial position.  It also seemed to me that the majority of the characters seemed to stay the same, except maybe for Sir Edward, who seemed to change his perspective on the relationship between Fanny and Edmund.

Bottom line: If you are a Jane Austen fan, you will probably enjoy this one, but it is not as light as some of Austen's other work that most fans seem to enjoy (Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, Emma).  Its a pretty good read, but it gets wordy at times and the action in the book seems to drag at times and the pacing seemed to be slow at times.  I would probably recommend this book for die-hard Jane Austen fans.

Rating:  3.5/5

Pages for 2012: 21052

The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie - Wendy McClure

Title: The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie
Author: Wendy McClure
File Size (Pages): 475 KB (352)
Published: 2011
Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir, Humor
Challenges: 2012 Support Your Library
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: Wendy McClure is on a quest to find the world of beloved Little House on the Prairie author Laura Ingalls Wilder — a fantastic realm of fiction, history, and places McClure has never been to yet somehow knows by heart. She traces the pioneer journey of the Ingalls family—looking for the Big Woods among the medium trees in Wisconsin, wading in Plum Creek, and enduring a prairie hailstorm in South Dakota. She immerses herself in all things Little House — exploring the story from fact to fiction, and from the TV shows to the annual summer pageants in Laura’s hometowns. Whether she’s churning butter in her apartment or sitting in a replica log cabin, McClure is always in pursuit of “the Laura experience.” Along the way she comes to understand how Wilder’s life and work have shaped our ideas about girlhood and the American West. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: I really liked the book and when I came across it late last year, I knew that this was the sort of book for me.  Yes, I am a fan of the Little House books (my favourites being the final 3 books in the series) and yes, my parents have taken to me to two of the sites, including De Smet, where we saw the Surveyors House and the house in town that her parents resided in after Laura married.  And yes, I did have romantic notions of the family when I was growing up, only to have them dispelled when I was 12.  But despite the fact the information that I have learned over the years, I still love them, as they represent a time and place that really doesn't exist and sort of reminds me of what my ancestors who settled in Kansas and Oklahoma must have gone through, to a degree.

What I like, in addition to Wendy's own story, was learning about the truth about the Ingalls family, or so what I was told. It was pretty interesting and really made me rethink the books and how much they were edited.  And it even goes into the debate of who actually wrote the books (there is discussion out there that the books were actually ghostwritten by Rose, Laura and Almanzo's daughter.

But that being said, I quite enjoyed it and understood it to was meant to Wendy's journey rather than what Laura and her family experienced.

Bottom line: I would recommend this book to Little House fans, but beware that some of your notions of the Ingalls family and their journey west will probably dispelled.  Overall, its a pretty good book.

Rating:  4/5

Pages for 2012: 20545

The Litigators - John Grisham

Title: The Litigators
Author: John Grisham
File size (Pages): 2532 KB (352)
Published: 2011
Genre: Fiction
Challenges: 2012 Support Your Library
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: The partners at Finley & Figg often refer to themselves as a “boutique law firm.” Boutique, as in chic, selective, and prosperous. Oscar Finley and Wally Figg are none of these things. They are a two-bit operation of ambulance chasers who bicker like an old married couple. Until change comes their way—or, more accurately, stumbles in. After leaving a fast-track career and going on a serious bender, David Zinc is sober, unemployed, and desperate enough to take a job at Finley & Figg.
 
Now the firm is ready to tackle a case that could make the partners rich—without requiring them to actually practice much law. A class action suit has been brought against Varrick Labs, a pharmaceutical giant with annual sales of $25 billion, alleging that Krayoxx, its most popular drug, causes heart attacks. Wally smells money. All Finley & Figg has to do is find a handful of Krayoxx users to join the suit. It almost seems too good to be true . . . and it is. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I was pretty lukewarm about this book and the book was pretty much the same as most of his other books that he has written.  In otherwords, it was a quick read and didn't require a lot of thought to read it, although I enjoyed the case with the lead-tainted toy more than the main story. 

Bottom line: This is a book that would be good for reading when waiting for an airplane or while on vacation.

Rating: 2.5/5

Books for 2012: 20193

All Things New - Lynn Austin

Title: All Things New
Author:: Lynn Austin
File size (Pages): 1367 KB (416)
Published: 2012
Genre: Christian fiction, Historical fiction
Challenges: Support Your Library, Historical Fiction
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: In the aftermath of the Civil War, Josephine Weatherly and her mother, Eugenia, struggle to pick up the pieces of their lives when they return to their Virginia plantation. But the bitter realities of life after the war cannot be denied: their home and land are but shells of their previous grandeur; death has claimed her father and brother; and her remaining brother, Daniel, has returned home bitter and broken. The privileged childhood Josephine enjoyed now seems like a long-ago dream. And the God who failed to answer any of her prayers during the war is lost to her as well.

Josephine soon realizes that life is now a matter of daily survival--and recognizes that Lizzie, as one of the few remaining servants, is the one she must rely on to teach her all she needs to know. Josephine's mother, too, vows to rebuild White Oak... but a bitter hatred fuels her. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: I thought that the book was okay.  It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either; it felt like it was middle of the road and much like a number of Lynn Austin's current books and felt that it could have been better.  I felt irritated with the relationship between Josephine and her mother evolve a little differently and felt that their relationship was sort of made "nice" in relative short order and that Daniel really didn't face any real consequences for his actions in the book; it felt too unrealistic in that Daniel basically got away with his actions and I am sure that if that had really happened during the reconstruction period, that he would have been arrested and put up on trial for his actions.  I wish that Christian writers wouldn't put things in nice and tidy bows and assume that people got away with things of that sort of seriousness.

Bottom line: Overall, I quite enjoyed the book and look forward to more of Ms. Austin's writing.

Rating: 3/5

Pages for 2012: 19841

Home - Toni Morrison

Title: Home
Author: Toni Morrison
Pages: 160
Published: 2012
Genre: Literary fiction, Historical fiction, African-American literature
Challenges: 2012 Support Your Library, 2012 Historical Fiction
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: An angry and self-loathing veteran of the Korean War, Frank Money finds himself back in racist America after enduring trauma on the front lines that left him with more than just physical scars. His home--and himself in it--may no longer be as he remembers it, but Frank is shocked out of his crippling apathy by the need to rescue his medically abused younger sister and take her back to the small Georgia town they come from, which he's hated all his life. As Frank revisits the memories from childhood and the war that leave him questioning his sense of self, he discovers a profound courage he thought he could never possess again. A deeply moving novel about an apparently defeated man finding himself--and his home. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: This was my first Toni Morrison book and I am glad I started out with a shorter novel instead of reading something that I may have given up on.  I had heard good things about the book and thought I would give a chance.  Overall, I quite enjoyed the book and while I was reading the book, I was able to get lost in that world to the point that I know that I glazed over some parts of the book (I also had to get the book back to the library, otherwise I  would have gone back and re-read some parts).  I like how Morrison enveloped me into the story and made me like I was actually there, like I was with Frank on his journey.

The only complaint I have about the book is that it was almost too short.  It felt like it was something could have been a little longer than it actually was and like something that should be re-read to effectively understand the book.

Bottom line: I would recommend this book to those that have enjoyed Morrison's books in the past or for those that are wanting to read something of her's and unsure of whether to venture into her work.

Rating: 3.375/5

Pages for 2012: 19425

Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë

Title: Wuthering Heights
Author: Emily Brontë
Pages: 384
Published: 1985 (Originally published 1847; my actual copy is different then one pictured; am just using this photo because I have it in my album)
Genre: Classic, Historical fiction, Gothic
Challenges: The Classics Club, readalong through Unputdownables, Historical Challenge
Edition: Paperback
Source: Purchased

Description: It's the story of Heathcliff, an orphan who falls in love with a girl above his class, loses her, and devotes the rest of his life to wreaking revenge on her family. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: I first read this book when I was about 14 years old and at the time, I couldn't make sense of it and by the end of the book, I was wanting to throw the book across the room and probably because of the fact that I was unable to get myself to read the book again.  Of course I was able to understand it more after watching the BBC miniseries that came out a few years ago, I was able to make more sense of the story and the readalong that I participated through Unputdownables really helped me understand the story that much more.  And based on this last reading of the book, I was able to give the book a full appreciation of really how good the book was and it makes me wonder that if Emily had been able to live for a long time, how good her work could have become.  Maybe she would have become a one-hit wonder, or maybe she would have been a prolific writer, like her sister Charlotte, who wrote a number of well-known books through out her lifetime.

One thing that I liked about the book was that the book was basically told like a story that is being related to another individual.  I realize that this is stating the obvious, but understanding this fact, helps with the reading of the book, because you don't see Mr. Lockwood that much and hear mostly Nelly's retelling of the story between the two families that clearly dominate the area.  Another thing that I like about the book is that its a very complex novel, despite the fact that it really is a pretty simple story line. And that Emily Bronte is able to bring out complex emotions in not only her characters that are so vivid for a number of reasons, but also complex emotions in those that read the book.  Its almost a love-hate relationship with the book; there are characters that I absolutely adore and want more of (Cathy Linton [not her mom, who is also named Catherine]) and there are characters that I really do come to loathe (Heathcliff and Isabelle Linton-Heathcliff and possibly Edgar Linton).  

There also something extremely dark that kept me wanting to find out what it was and it felt like you got absorbed into that world, just like Cathy [the daughter] did after coming to Wuthering Heights. I think what Bronte does effectively is create a world that is both foreboding, but also inviting, almost like she is seducing the reader to continue on with the book, as though there is something forbidden behind the front doors of Wuthering Heights.

Bottom line: If you enjoy books that have a gothic feel to them, you will enjoy this.  I would say that if you are new to the classics, you may want to hold off on the book for a bit, as it is a bit complex and maybe something lighter would be easier to digest.

Rating:  4/5

Pages for 2012: 19265

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

Title: Gone Girl
Author: Gillian Flynn
File Size (Pages): 2113 KB (467)
Published: 2012
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Fiction
Challenges: Support Your Library
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet? (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts:  Wow; what an amazing book!  It took me awhile to get going with this book, but once I was able to get into the storyline the other day,  I was really hooked with the story.  I can't really say a lot about the story without giving too much away, but I can say that once you get your way through the first part of the book, you will be hooked and I can see why a lot of readers like this one.  It not only has the literary aspect that I really like, it also has an excellent mystery attached to it.  I will say this: one of the characters in the book must have been inspired by Nancy Grace and the other shows that have spawned off of hers. 

What I also liked about the book is that the book really did play with my emotions and threw me for an enjoyable loop. I don't know that if this book will turn me into a fan of the mystery/suspense/thriller novel, but it certainly has make me open to the book.

Bottom line: I think most readers would enjoy this book, as the author gives each of the main characters enough sympathy that you root for them...to a point.  Highly recommended.

Rating: 3.5/5

Pages for 2012:  18881

Quiet - Susan Cain

Title: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
Author: Susan Cain
File Size (Pages): 2099 KB (352)
Published: 2012
Genre: Non-fiction, Pop Psychology
Challenges: Support Your Local Library
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled "quiet," it is to introverts that we owe many of the great contributions to society--from van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer.

Passionately argued, impressively researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so. Taking the reader on a journey from Dale Carnegie’s birthplace to Harvard Business School, from a Tony Robbins seminar to an evangelical megachurch, Susan Cain charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal in the twentieth century and explores its far-reaching effects. She talks to Asian-American students who feel alienated from the brash, backslapping atmosphere of American schools. She questions the dominant values of American business culture, where forced collaboration can stand in the way of innovation, and where the leadership potential of introverts is often overlooked. And she draws on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to reveal the surprising differences between extroverts and introverts.

Perhaps most inspiring, she introduces us to successful introverts--from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Finally, she offers invaluable advice on everything from how to better negotiate differences in introvert-extrovert relationships to how to empower an introverted child to when it makes sense to be a "pretend extrovert."

This extraordinary book has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how introverts see themselves. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: I quite liked the book and felt that the most important part of the book was the last half of the book.  There were things in the first couple of chapters that didn't sit well with me and I disagreed with, but as I went through the book, there were more and more things that I could easily identify with.  I suppose as a bookworm I should have expected that, but I didn't realize how much I was able to identify with what the author was writing about.  Since I was reading this in e-book format through my phone and through my Kobo Vox, I was unable to write the amount of notes that would have wanted to as a result, but I did like the fact that Ms. Cain used a number of examples of different types of introversion and how people who are introverts are able to exist in a extrovert world.

Bottom line:  I would recommend this book probably for most people, because whether we know it or not we interact with introverts, whether through our families or our work places or just about going about our daily lives.

Rating:  4/5

Pages for 2012: 18414

A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway

Title: A Farewell to Arms
Author: Ernest Hemingway
File Size (Pages): 568 KB (332)
Published: 2012 (First published 1929)
Genre: Classics, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Challenges: The Classics Club
Edition: E-book
Source: Purchased

Description: Set in the waning days of the First World War, A Farewell to Arms (1929) is the epic love story of American ambulance driver Frederic Henry and British V.A. D. Catherine Barkley, drawn together yet torn apart by the tides of war. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: It was okay.  While I liked the overall story of the book, I just felt that Hemingway's use of voice wasn't my style and felt that the interaction between Frederic and Catherine was basically surface level type of conversation and that they really had no depth to their relationship.  And if it weren't for my book club group reading the book, I probably wouldn't have read it.  Its not that its a bad book, its just that I felt that there wasn't really anything deep between them and felt that Frederic's relationship with the men that he interacted with on a regular basis was more realistic than what he had with Catherine.  Then again, Hemingway is hard to understand and that it was my first venture into anything he had written and hopefully I will read another book of his.

Bottom line: I would recommend this book to those that are fans of writers of the 1920s and 1930s, basically if you are a fan of Hemingway's contemporaries.

Rating: 3/5

Pages for 2012: 18062

A Race to Splendor - Ciji Ware

Title: A Race to Splendor
Author: Ciji Ware
Pages: 526
Published: 2011
Genre: Historical Fiction
Challenge(s): Support Your Library, Historical Fiction
Edition: Trade Paperback
Source: Library

Description:  "Blindly, she inched along a floor pitching as violently as the deck of a boat in a midwinter storm. Her hands touched the threshold opening onto the ninth floor foyer at the instant the glass transom over her head exploded into a thousand pieces. Reflexively, Amelia cast her right arm in front of her face, but not before blood spurted from her scalp and ran down her checks. She crumpled beneath the doorframe, curling into a ball. Amelia screamed again as a twenty-five-foot expanse of wood paneling and masonry pitched outward and plunged nine stories to Montgomery Street below. She knew that no structure on landfill, no matter how well built, could withstand much more shaking without collapsing.

Then, just as suddenly, the convulsions subsided."

Early in 1906, the ground in San Francisco shook buildings and lives from their comfortable foundations.

Amidst rubble, corruption, and deceit, two women-young architects in a city and field ruled by men-find themselves racing the clock and each other during the rebuilding of competing hotels in the City by the Bay.

Based on meticulous research, A Race to Splendor tells the story of the audacious people of one of the world's great cities rebuilding and reinventing themselves after immense human tragedy. Filled with courage, passion, and conflict, Amelia Bradshaw's spirit will capture your imagination as she strives to redraft her life amidst the ruins with both help and hindrance from a wayward son of privilege who pulls her into worlds she'd never have known. (from Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: For the most part the book was pretty good and was easy to get into and I enjoyed it, but thing I didn't like about the book is that the author turned the book into a romance.  Sure I don't mind it when a book has a bit of romance in it to move the story along, but when the romance becomes the overwhelming driving force of the book, it can turn me off.  And this book did turn me off slightly with that sort of mindset.  I would have liked to see more of Amelia's struggle as a female architect rather than her falling in love with somebody who comes across as her boss.  It was also a story that should have taken me a few days rather than three months to read.

Bottom line:  I would recommend the book for those readers that like having a bit of romance mixed in with their historical fiction.  Despite its length, one should get through it in a few days, if you fully concentrated on it.

Rating: 3.5/5

Pages for 2012: 17730

The Crown - Nancy Bilyeau

Title: The Crown
Author: Nancy Bilyeau
Pages: 409
Published: 2012
Genre: Historical  Fiction
Challenge(s): Historical Fiction, Support Your Library
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the sacred rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London.

The ruthless Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, takes terrifying steps to force Joanna to agree to spy for him: to save her father’s life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may hold the ability to end the Reformation. Accompanied by two monks, Joanna returns home to Dartford Priory and searches in secret for this long-lost piece of history worn by the Saxon King Athelstan in 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain.

But Dartford Priory has become a dangerous place, and when more than one dead body is uncovered, Joanna departs with a sensitive young monk, Brother Edmund, to search elsewhere for the legendary crown. From royal castles with tapestry-filled rooms to Stonehenge to Malmesbury Abbey, the final resting place of King Athelstan, Joanna and Brother Edmund must hurry to find the crown if they want to keep Joanna’s father alive. At Malmesbury, secrets of the crown are revealed that bring to light the fates of the Black Prince, Richard the Lionhearted, and Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, Arthur. The crown’s intensity and strength are beyond the earthly realm and it must not fall into the wrong hands.

With Cromwell’s troops threatening to shutter her priory, bright and bold Joanna must now decide who she can trust with the secret of the crown so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life. This provocative story melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and critical moment in England’s past. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: I actually quite enjoyed the book and being a fan of English history, especially the history of the period around the time of Henry VIII.  Partly it has to do with the fact that the political climate in the country changed so much in such a short time and also because so much has been written about that particular time period. I suppose the TV series The Tudors had something to do with that fascination as well.  But what I like about the book is that the action is quick throughout the book and it doesn't lack for any sort of slow down, a thing that sometimes makes me less engaged in a book.  Another aspect of the book that I enjoyed about the book is the development of Joanna.  While I sometimes got the impression that she was this sort of superwoman type, you also the humanity in her actions.

Bottom line: Overall its a pretty good book and would recommend the book to those that have an interest in English history, particularly around the time of Henry VIII.  While it is a 400 page book, it is a fairly quick book and keeps the reader engaged.  Recommended.

Rating: 4/5

Pages for 2012: 17204

Fire - Kristen Cashore

Title: Fire (Graceling Relm #2)
Author: Kirstin Cashore
Pages: 461
Published: 2009
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy fiction
Challenge(s): Support Your Library
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description: It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. The young King Nash clings to his throne while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. The mountains and forests are filled with spies and thieves and lawless men.

This is where Fire lives. With a wild, irresistible appearance and hair the color of flame, Fire is the last remaining human monster. Equally hated and adored, she had the unique ability to control minds, but she guards her power, unwilling to steal the secrets of innocent people. Especially when she has so many of her own.

Then Prince Brigan comes to bring her to King City, The royal family needs her help to uncover the plot against the king. Far away from home, Fire begins to realize there's more to her power than she ever dreamed. Her power could save the kingdom.

If only she weren't afraid of becoming the monster her father was. (via Goodreads.com)

Thoughts: Thought that this particular book was the best book in the series so far (am comparing this with Graceling) and the story in this book was fairly straight forward.  There wasn't anything mentioned from Graceling that made it feel like you had missed too much from the previous book.  As the subtitle on the cover suggests, it seemed to be more of a companion piece than a sequel to Graceling.  And while there were times that I felt like that I had lost the storyline, it was always quickly found again and one could make their way back into the story.  It was coherent enough that I am seriously considering finishing off the series.

Bottom line: As with Graceling, this is for individuals who like their fantasy in a medieval type of world and would also recommend it for those that have read the Song of Fire & Ice series (Game of Thrones) and would like something similar.

Rating: 3.5/5

Pages for 2012: 16795

Lady of Milkweed - Julie Klassen

Title: Lady of Milkweed Manor
Author: Julie Klassen
File Size (Pages): 5678 KB (411)
Published: 2010 (first published 2008)
Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction
Challenges: Support Your Library, Historical Fiction
Edition: E-book
Source: Library

Description: Even a proper vicar's daughter can make a mistake—and now Charlotte Lamb must pay a high price for her fall. To avoid the prying eyes of all who know her, she hides herself away in London's forbidding "Milkweed Manor", a place of mystery and lore, of old secrets and new birth.

But once there, she comes face to face with a suitor from her past—a man who now hides secrets of his own. Both are determined, with God's help, to protect those they love. But neither can imagine the depth of sacrifice that will be required. (via British Columbia Libraries)

Thoughts: It was a quick and easy read for me.  While it took me only three days to finish the book, I probably could have easily the book in about a day's read.  If it had been a book that I had purchased, it would have been a book that I would have put in those free libraries that have been sprouting up in various places around the world.  It was nothing memorable and basically it was fluff.

Bottom line:  If it hadn't been for the fact that I had borrowed one of Ms. Klassen's later books from the library, I probably wouldn't have picked up this book.  Its a great book for the beach as its basically a ball of fluff and there wasn't much substance to the book.  Recommended for the beach or a plane trip.

Rating: 1.5/5

Pages for 2012: 16334