Masterpiece
*****
Excellent
**** 1/2
Very good
****
Good
**** 1/2
Just okay
***
Not for me
**
Definitely not for me
*

April ’08 Monthly Report

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25. Belong to Me stars4.gif by Marisa de los Santos (2008, 388 pp.)
26. The Sister stars4h.gif by Poppy Adams (2008, 275 pp.)
27. Kanada stars3h.gif by Eva Wiseman (2006, 241 pp.)
28. Kaddish for a Child not Born stars4h.gif by Imre Kertesz (1990, 95 pp.)
29. Detective Story stars3.gif by Imre Kertesz (2008, 112 pp.)
30. The Mayor’s Tongue stars3h.gif by Nathaniel Rich (2008, 310 pp.)
31. The Cellist of Sarajevo stars4.gif by Steven Galloway (2008, 231 pp.)
32. Beloved stars4.gif by Toni Morrison (1987, 275 pp.)
33. Maus I stars5.gif by Art Spiegelman (1986, 161 pp.)
34. Maus II stars5.gif by Art Spiegelman (1991, 127 pp.)
35. Keeper and Kid stars3h.gif by Edward Hardy (2008, 294 pp.)
36. Things Fall Apart stars4.gif by Chinua Achebe (1958, 209 pp.)

Pages read: 2718 Pages read in 2008: 8874
Average number of pages per book: 227 pp.
New authors: 9
Female authors: 4
Male authors: 6
Challenges completed: Pub, Jewish Literature, Expanding Horizons, and Eponymous

Have you reviewed any of the above books at your blog? If you’d like, enter them in Mr. Linky below.

March ’08 Monthly Report

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19. Cat’s Eye stars4h.gif by Margaret Atwood (1988, 462 pp.)
20. Anne of Green Gables stars4h.gif by L.M. Montgomery (1908, 369 pp.)
21. Embers stars3h.gif by Sandor Marai (1942, 224 pp.)
22. Transformations by Anne Sexton (1971, 112 pp.)
23. The Only Road North stars4h.gif by Erik Mirandette (2007, 298 pp.)
24. Winter Haven stars4.gif by Athol Dickson (2008, 336 pp.)

Pages read: 1803 Pages read in 2008: 6156
Average number of pages per book: 300 pp.
New authors: 5
Female authors: 3
Male authors: 3
Challenges completed: Winter Reading, Book Awards

Have you reviewed any of the above titles at your own blog? If you’d like, enter them into Mr. Linky below.

February ’08 Monthly Report

February

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12. The Bluest Eye stars4.gif by Toni Morrison (1970, 206 pp.)
13. Life & Times of Michael K stars4.gif by J. M. Coetzee (1983, 184 pp.)
14. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! stars4.gif by Laura Amy Schlitz (2007, 81 pp.)
15. 2001: A Space Odyssey stars4h.gif by Arthur C. Clarke (1968, 236 pp.)
16. Sitting Practice stars3h.gif by Caroline Adderson (2003, 329 pp.)
17. Anthem stars4.gif by Ayn Rand (1938, 105 pp)
18. The Translator stars4.gif by Daoud Hari (2008, 178 pp.)

Pages read: 1319  Pages read in 2008: 4353
Average number of pages per book: 188 pp.
New authors: 7
Female authors: 4
Male authors: 3
Challenges completed: Sci-Fi Experience

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January ’08 Monthly Report

January
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1. Dreamers of the Day stars3h.gif by Mary Doria Russell (2008, 251 pp.)
2. The House at Riverton stars4.gif by Kate Morton (2008 in the U.S., 468 pp.)
3. The Cloud of Unknowing stars3h.gif by Thomas H. Cook (2006, 311 pp.)
4. The Bell Jar stars4.gif by Sylvia Plath (1963, 244 pp)
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone stars4.gif by J. K. Rowling (1997, 320 pp)
6. Strangers stars4h.gif by Taichi Yamada (1987 [2003 in U.S.], 203 pp.)
7. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time stars4h.gif by Mark Haddon (2003, 226 pp.)
8. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets stars4.gif by J.K. Rowling (1998, 341 pp.)
9. After Dark stars3h.gif by Haruki Murakami (2004 [2007 in U.S.], 191 pp.)
10. Silence stars4h.gif by Shusaku Endo (1966, 201 pages)
11. Independent People stars4.gif by Halldor Laxness (1934-35, 482 pp.)

Pages read: 3034
Average number of pages per book: 276 pp.
New authors: 8
Female authors: 4
Male authors: 6
Challenges completed: From the Stacks; Japanese Literature

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Books read in Dec ’07

I didn’t read any books in December last year! This was my best month in 2007, primarily because I wanted to complete some remaining challenges and reach 100 books. My favorites of this month’s titles are The Wreath and Suite Francaise.

89. Mr. Ives’ Christmas by Hijuelos (248 pp.)
90. This Year It Will Be Different by Maeve Binchy (210 pp)
91. The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder (133 pp)
92. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (194 pp)
93. Ishmael by Daniel Quinn (263 pp)
94. Last Evenings on Earth by Bolano (219 pp)
95. The Shipping News by Proulx (337 pp)
96. Kristin Lavransdatter I: The Wreath by Sigrid Undset (291 pp)
97. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (371 pp)
98. The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens (85 pp)
99. Suite Francaise by Nemirovsky (NYT) (367 pp)
100. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks (304 pp)
101. Queen of the Tambourine by Jane Gardam (226 pp)

Pages read in Dec: 3248
Total pages read in 2007: 27,290

Books read in Nov ’07

79. Mad Shadows by Marie-Claire Blais (130 pp)
80. Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro (288 pp)
81. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett (120 pp)
82. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (528 pp)
83. Buying a Fishing Rod for my Grandfather by Gao Xingjian (125 pp)
84. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (116 pp)
85. The Xanadu Adventure by Lloyd Alexander (145 pp)
86. Zia by Scott O’Dell (179 pp)
87. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells (154pp)
88. The Hours by Michael Cunningham (226pp)

Pages read in November: 2,011
Pages read for 2007: 24,042