100 Books To Read Before You Die

I grabbed this from Brizmus Blogs Books. I'm not sure where this list originated but I thought it was a nice, varied list. So... I decided to re-post. :)

I'll cross out the books I've read and put in bold books on my wishlist/TBR pile.

Here goes. . .

1. Jane Austen – Pride & Prejudice

2. Harper Lee – To Kill A Mockingbird

3. JRR Tolkien – Lord Of The Rings

4. Jodi Picoult – My Sister’s Keeper

5. Stephanie Meyer – Twilight Saga

6. JK Rowling – Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone

7. Audrey Niffenegger – The Time Traveler’s Wife

8. Markus Zusak – The Book Thief

9. George Orwell – 1984

10. Raymond E. Feist – Magician

11. Khaled Hosseini – A Thousand Splendid Suns

12. Paullina Simons – Bronze Horsemen

13. Gregory David Roberts – Shantaram

14. Margaret Mitchell – Gone With The Wind

15. Bryce Courtenay – Power of One

16. Dan Brown – The Da Vinci Code

17. Dan Brown – Angels & Demons

18. Paulo Coelho – The Alchemist

19. Charlotte Bronte – Jane Eyre

20. Tim Winton – Cloud Street

21. Khaled Hosseini – The Kite Runner

22. Emily Bronte – Wuthering Heights

23. Arthur Golden – Memoirs of Geisha

24. LM Montgomery – Anne Of Green Gables

25. Joseph Heller – Catch-22

26. Elizabeth Gilbert – Eat Pray Love

27. Niv Mass Market Bible With Bible Guide – International Bible Society Staff and International Bible Society

28. JRR Tolkien – The Hobbit

29. Yann Martel – Life of Pi

30. AB Facey – Fortunate Life

31. Douglas Adams – The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy

32. Lewis Carroll – Alice In Wonderland & Through The Looking Glass

33. Diana Gabaldon – Cross Stich

34. Rohinton Mistry – A Fine Balance

35. David Pelzar – A Child Called It

36. Li Cunxin – Mao’s Last Dancer

37. John Marsden – Tomorrow, When The War Began

38. Frank McCourt – Angela’s Ashes

39. Frank Herbert – Dune

40. JD Salinger – A Catcher In The Rye

41. F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby

42. Gabriel Garcia Marquez – One Hundred Years Of Solitude

43. Bryce Courtenay – April Fool’s Day

44. Ken Follet – Pillars Of The Earth

45. Patrick Suskind – Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer

46. Matthew Reilly – Ice Station

47. Carlos Ruiz Zafon – The Shadow Of The Wind

48. Stephen Hawking – A Brief History Of Time

49. Christopher Paolini – Eragon

50. Louisa May Alcott – Little Women

51. Mitch Albom – Tuesdays With Morrie

52. Jane Austen – Persuasion

53. Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones

54. Ian McEwan – Atonement

55. Leo Tolstory – Anna Karenina

56. George Orwell – Animal Farm

57. Anthony Burgess – A Clockwork Orange

58. Antoine de Saint Exupéry – The Little Prince

59. Roald Dahl – Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

60. CS Lewis – The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe

61. Gabriel Garcia Marquez – Love In The Time Of Cholera

62. Bill Bryson – A Short History Of Nearly Everything

63. Fyodor Dostoevsky – Crime And Punishment

64. Anthony Bourke – Lion Called Christian

65. Arundhati Roy – The God Of Small Things

66. Paullina Simons – Tully

67. John Grisham – A Time To Kill

68. John Grogan – Marley & Me

69. Vikram Seth – A Suitable Boy

70. Alexandre Dumas – Count Of Monte Cristo

71. Neil Gaiman – American Gods

72. Cormac McCarthy – The Road

73. Aldous Huxley – Brave New World

74. Brendan Shanahan – In Turkey I Am Beautiful: Between Chaos And Madness In A Strange Land

75. Tim Winton – Breath

76. Bryce Courtenay – Jessica

77. Graeme Base – Animalia

78. Donna Tartt – The Secret History

79. Mario Puzo – The Godfather

80. Anne Rice – Interview With The Vampire

81. Steig Larrson – The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo

82. Stephen King – Stand

83. Helen Fielding – Bridget Jones’ Diary

84. Eckhart Tolle – New Earth

85. Matthew Reilly – Seven Ancient Wonders

86. Jung Chang – Wild Swans

87. Nicholas Sparks – The Notebook

88. Bret Easton Ellis – American Psycho

89. David Eddings – Belgariad Vol. 1: Pawn Of Prophecy; Queen Of Sorcery; Magician’s Gambit

90. Louis De Bernieres – Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

91. Melina Marchetta – Looking For Alibrandi

92. Celia Ahern – PS I Love You

93. John Irving – A Prayer For Owen Meany

94. Colleen McCullough – The Thorn Birds

95. John Kennedy Toole – A Confederacy Of Dunces

96. Terry Pratchett – Good Omens

97. Hunter S. Thompson – Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas

98. Joanne Harris – Chocolat

99. William Goldman – Princess Bride

100. Charles Dickens – Great Expectations


Wow! I really have a long way to go! *sigh*



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For more info, go to http://inwhichagirl.blogspot.com/2009/11/ginormous-100-followers-giveaway.html

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Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

“No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people.” –Pg. 156

Synopsis
Clay Jensen doesn’t want anything to do with the tapes Hannah Baker made. Hannah is dead. Her secrets should be buried with her. Then Hannah’s voice tells Clay that his name is on her tapes—and that he is, in some way, responsible for her death.

All through the night, Clay keeps listening. He follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his small town…

…and what he discovers changes his life forever.

Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher’s debut novel, is a brutally honest journey from page 1 to the last. I’m not sure if Hannah Baker was supposed to be a “likable” character—the reader gets enough of her story through the tapes to see where she’s coming from, to see each event that pushed her a little closer to the decision to ultimately take her own life, and the people who could have stopped her and didn’t—I think more than anything the reader is meant to sympathize with her. And I did. I wanted so much to talk to Hannah and convince her that life is short enough as it is and that it's worth living. . .

While there are some parts in the book—reasoning that Hannah gave—that just seemed too inconsequential for anyone to want to end their life over, I remembered, looking back to high school days, how every little thing seemed so important. I think that’s one point Jay Asher was trying to make. But no matter how trivial some of Hannah’s reasons might seem to some readers, they each tie into something more important; because it wasn’t just one thing that Hannah based her decision on, but thirteen reasons that left her heart used and broken. Jay Asher cleverly pieces this puzzle together to create such a powerful and haunting story that will make your heart heavy and perhaps even invade your thoughts for days after. However, this story is also a reminder that actions—something we, thankfully, have control over—have consequences. A hopeful, yet terrifying, message when you think of the people you may have had some sort of impact on without even knowing.

As much as I liked Thirteen Reasons Why, I could have done without the intro chapter. Also, Clay’s thoughts are scattered throughout the pages while he’s listening to Hannah’s tapes, where one moment you’re reading what Hannah is saying and the next (often while Hannah is speaking) you’re reading what Clay is thinking. A very good idea when it wasn’t occasionally slowing down the story for me. Finally, I couldn’t always grasp the emotion that Clay’s character was trying to convey while he was listening to the tapes; in my opinion, it sometimes felt forced and would take me out of the story.

Despite these occasional flaws, Jay Asher’s debut novel is well-written, captivating, and thought-provoking as he portrays the cruelties and realities of teen life.

My Rating:

Thirteen Reasons Why is included in my November giveaway--you can enter by using the link on the sidebar or by clicking here!

Catching up on the new entries that came in over the weekend...

And I wanted to remind you: There's only one week left to enter my giveaway.

So if you haven't entered, I think now is as good a time as any! Don't you?

You can enter by clicking here!

Or by using the link on the sidebar...

Thank you to everyone who has entered so far. : )

Good luck!

Dreamhunter (Book 1 in the Dreamhunter Duet) by Elizabeth Knox

Caution: You are now only 100 yards from the border to the Place.

Synopsis:
Laura comes from a world similar to our own except for one difference: It is next to the Place, am unfathomable land that fosters dreams of every kind and is inaccessible to all but a select few, the dreamhunters. These are individuals with the ability to catch larger-than-life dreams and relay them to audiences in the magnificent dream palace. People travel from all around to experience the benefits of the hunters’ unique visions. Now, fifteen-year-old Laura and her cousin Rose, daughters of dreamhunters, are old enough to find out if they qualify to enter the Place. But nothing can prepare them for what they are about to discover. In the midst of a fascinating landscape, Laura’s dreamy childhood is ending, and a nightmare is beginning.

First of all, the premise to Dreamhunter is fascinating, original, and brilliantly executed! The Dream Palace is like an Opera House; instead of chairs, there are beds. People travel from all over the world to sleep in the Dream Palace and experience the dreams—dreams for entertainment, healing, inspiration, etc—that are caught in the Place. The Place exists on a small piece of land in the woods; though, those eligible to enter the Place find that it’s a lot bigger than the piece of land it rests upon. How does one know if he or she is eligible? Well, on a designated day (when the experienced dreamhunters and TV crews turn it into an event), people travel from near and far to have their Try. They all walk towards the entrance of the Place, and if they find themselves wandering aimlessly into the woods after a few minutes, they’ve failed; but if they disappear into thin air, that means they’ve entered the Place. I’m tempted to give more information because what happens next, after a person enters, is very interesting, but I’ll stop there.

Dreamhunter is unlike any Fantasy or YA book I have read. New Zealander, Elizabeth Knox, writes with such elegant and hypnotic prose as she knits such an intricate and beautiful world—one that I would love to visit. When I picked up this book I knew it was labeled YA and Fantasy, but I was surprised by the dystopian elements as I read through this novel. As subtle as they may be, this book is disturbing and even gave me a few nightmares (which isn’t entirely surprising considering some of the dreams that are described). Rest assured, this book isn’t considered a horror novel. Like I said, it’s subtle, as in you’ll probably miss it if you’re not paying attention.

This story is told in 6 sections. My only complaint: this story has a slow start during the introductions to the characters and the setting. Of course, all of the information is necessary—setting a foundation for the rest of the novel—but it’s easy to put the book down after a few pages of reading. Thankfully, the story really picks up in the second section. Plus, the political and historical intrigue, complex characters, and subplots make this book difficult to put down once it gets going.

The ending to Dreamhunter points to the sequel, and conclusion to The Dreamhunter Duet, Dreamquake—which picks up right where Dreamhunter leaves off.

Overall, Dreamhunter is a compelling and well-written novel; though labeled young adult (which I think has more to do with the fact that the two main characters are teenagers), it must be said that Dreamhunter has the challenge, theme, and prose of an adult novel.

My Rating:

This book is included in my current giveaway, so if you haven't entered for your chance to win you can get more information and enter the giveaway by clicking here or by using the link on the sidebar.

Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?

Synopsis:
When “Perfect” Parker Fadley starts drinking at school and failing her classes, all of St. Peter’s High goes on alert. How has the cheerleading captain, girlfriend of the most popular guy in school, consummate teacher’s pet, and future valedictorian fallen so far from grace?

Parker doesn’t want to talk about it. She’d just like to be left alone, to disappear, to be ignored. But her parents have placed her on suicide watch and her counselors are demanding the truth. Worse, there’s a nice guy falling in love with her and he’s making her feel things again when she’d really rather not be feeling anything at all.

Nobody would have guessed she’d turn out like this. But nobody knows the truth.

Something horrible has happened, and it just might be her fault.

Courtney Summers’ first novel is outstanding and intense! Effortlessly mixing the present with flashbacks from the past, Courtney Summers gives the reader glimpses of the things that Parker is hiding from everyone else—the cataclysm that led to her sudden change. The interesting thing is that these glimpses come at moments when Parker is most vulnerable. (Don’t worry, I won’t give too much away.)

Courtney Summers has created an unusual heroine. Parker is reckless, rude, and does everything she can to alienate everyone around her. But you can’t help but be drawn to her and her secret; you can’t help but sympathize with her. I also couldn’t keep myself from appreciating her sarcasm and witty observations—she’s smart and a bit sardonic about what she’s going through but she’s real and straightforward.

Cracked Up To Be, like its heroine, refuses to sugarcoat anything, making this book both powerful and honest, but unsuitable for a younger audience with the profanity and heavy issues it deals with.

If you’re a fan of Speak and Thirteen Reason Why, you’ll want to pick up Cracked Up To Be pronto.

My Rating:

I am anxiously awaiting Courtney Summers' next novel, Some Girls Are.

_________________________________________

First few sentences of Cracked Up To Be:

"Imagine four years.

Four years, two suicides, one death, one rape, two pregnancies (one abortion), three overdoses, countless drunken antics, pantsings, spilled food, theft, fights, broken limbs, turf wars—every day, a turf war—six months until graduation and no one gets a medal when they get out. But everything you do here counts.

High school."


For a chance to win this book you can enter my giveaway here if you haven’t done so already. Giveaway ends November 30.

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

“Piper decided to jump off the roof. It wasn’t a rash decision on her part. This was her plan: Climb to the top of the roof, pick up speed by running from one end all the way to the other. Jump off. Finally, and most importantly, don’t fall. She didn’t make plans in the event she did fall, because if you jump off the roof of your house and land on your head, you really don’t need any plans from that point on. Even Piper knew that. So that’s what she did. She jumped clean off her roof. But before we get to what happens next, you’ll probably need to know a thing or two about a thing or two…” –page 1

Synopsis
Piper McCloud can fly. Just like that. Easy as pie.

Problem is, the good folk of Lowland County are afraid of Piper. And her ma’s at her wit’s end. So it seems only fitting that she leave her parents’ farm to attend a top-secret, maximum-security school for kids with exceptional abilities.

School is great at first . . . but Piper is special, even among the special. And there are consequences. Consequences too dire to talk about. Too crazy to consider. And too dangerous to ignore.

My Thoughts:
The Girl Who Could Fly starts out in a small town on a farm where Piper spends most of her time. Reminiscent of Anne of Green Gables before it transitions into science fiction, this story has a lot of heart! Though slow at times, I couldn’t help becoming emotionally involved in this story (confession: I cried!). Piper McCloud is a charming and memorable character with big ideas and dreams that extend farther than the small farm she was raised on.

“My ma told me that there isn’t anything in this life worth having that comes easy. She told me that every road I walk down’s gonna have a price. But what she didn’t tell me and what I learned since I’ve been here is that if you don’t choose the road you’re gonna walk, sooner or later someone else’ll do that choosing for you.” –page 208

What bothered me the most was that there was no real definition of when this story takes place. During the first half of the book, I imagined Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie, but—all of a sudden—there’s helicopters, TV cameras, black SUV’s, and men in black suits.

Apart from that, this whimsical tale is fun, funny, and engaging—a good reminder to be who you are, to value what makes us different, and never give up even when things are difficult.

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The Bottom Line: The Girl Who Could Fly is a quick and easy read with a great message and a certain charm to it that would appeal to many readers. An excellent debut!

I’m not sure if there’s going to be a sequel but with a few loose ends, the ending sets the story up for one. I grew attached to Piper and her friends by the end of the novel, so I’m not—in the very least—opposed to a sequel!

My Rating:

This book is included in the giveaway, so if you haven't entered, you can do so here!