Book Club Failure

Book Clubs are great, right? You gather with friends and meet new people—all people who like books enough to gather and talk about books. I love the idea of a book club. But that’s the problem—I’m better with the idea than the actual thing.

Last month, September, I was supposed to do two book clubs, one in person and one online. And, how convenient for my busy schedule, they were reading the same book: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Random Riggs! I could cover two clubs with one book! Well, I ended up having to back out of the first one early in the month because I RSVPed to a publishing industry event that happened to be the same evening as the book club ended up being scheduled. But the second one, it was online; I didn’t have to show up anywhere at a specific time, I just had to read the book and write a little blog post. Piece of cake! Except not. I requested the book from the library, but I became #49 on the holds list. Crossing my fingers I’d get the book in time because I really didn’t want to buy a book I didn’t know much about, I waited…too long. Even with two day Amazon Prime shipping the book just got here two days too late for me to finish writing the review by last Friday. Friday morning I was 100 pages away from finishing, and I was sure I could finish Friday night and post by Saturday and I’d only be 24 hours late. That’s not so bad, right? But Friday evening turned into date night and Saturday became errand day and Sunday was all about enjoying the fall weather and getting out of the city to go apple picking. Home for Peculiar Children sat on my nightstand, 100 pages away from completion all weekend. I’ve finished it now, but too late, even for the don’t-have-to-go-anywhere-online-book-club. My thoughts on it will be included in this month’s Reading Roundup (be on the lookout for it next Monday).

As for this month, I just received an invitation to the in-person book club. They’re so sweet for inviting me, even though I’ve only actually made it once in the past six months (told you I fail at book clubs!). The book selected is Swamplandia! by Karen Russell. I’ve heard good things about it, but it is an adult book and I never read those anymore! I think the library system will decide if I make it—I’ve put holds on both the physical and ebook versions! The online book club is still deciding on their pick, but it’s most likely going to be a great new teen release. (Want to join?) Seeing that I’ve preordered almost all of the books in question and they should be arriving in my mailbox any day now, I really have no excuse not to participate. At the very least, I’m going to try!

Maybe next month I can post a how-to on succeeding at book clubbing!

National Book Festival

This weekend I was able to visit my best friend, Heather, in Washington, DC—yay! It was so great to see her. We planned our get together this particular weekend because it was the National Book Festival.

Here are some of the highlights of the Saturday speakers:

Toni Morrison: Did you know that the Beloved author was also an editor for years and years? It was great to hear her talk about that side of her career!

Sarah Dessen: I loved her bit of writing ‘advice’: “I always eat two pieces of chocolate before writing.” Since she clearly had a fantastic writing career, I think I should just channel her talent by also having two pieces of chocolate before I write!

Katherine Paterson and John Rocco: I had already heard the fantastic Katherine Paterson speak last spring, but she surprised us by inviting John Rocco, the illustrator for Katherine and her husband John’s most recent book, The Flint Heart. I immediately liked John Rocco when he said: “I feel uneasy when I walk into people’s houses that don’t have books. As soon as I see bookshelves I feel comfortable. I know these are good people.”

Cassandra Clare: She told the most fantastic stories of her, Holly Black, and Sarah Rees Brennan doing research for their books. Like breaking into a deserted building on Roosevelt Island so Cassie could use it as a setting for her Mortal Instruments series and Holly horribly covering for her when the cops showed up…or Cassie driving Holly around in the trunk of her car so that Holly could accurately write about a kidnapping in her Curse Workers series…or the three traipsing around London taking pictures of Victorian buildings only to discover that there was a person in that window, and he was naked! Having met both Holly and Sarah I can just imagine the fun adventures they’ve had together!

Brian Selznick: He is a genius. I’m sure of it. The amount of research that goes into his books is astounding and the way he pursues his projects really shows he thinks book making is art; it’s not just about the plot or characters, it’s about what turning a page means and how each word or image interacts with each other word and image but also the reader. I just could not believe how thoughtful he was. I haven’t yet read The Invention of Hugo Cabret or Wonderstruck—the $30 price tag is a bit high for my budget—but I’m definitely checking them out from the library asap and will hopefully catch the movie adaptation of his first book, Hugo, this winter.

So, there you have my and Heather’s adventures…I hope to return to the National Book Festival again next year!

Reading Roundup

Dead End in Norvelt (ARC 9/13) by Jack Gantos

This middle grade coming of age story is actually historical fiction—my favorite! That being said, it wasn’t my favorite book ever because it’s a boy book. The main character, also named Jack Gantos, is interested in war memorabilia, baseball, and suffers from a bloody nose condition. The plot is amusing—since Jack is grounded for the summer he helps his elderly neighbor write obituaries for the unusual number of old women who are dying—and the adult townie characters are fantastic. It’s a well-written book, but not my type. (Historical Book Challenge #6)

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

One of my new at work goals is to read one Harper backlist book a month, starting with the award winners. Monster was selected for me and I so glad it was! It is the story of Steve Harmon, a 16 year-old black kid from Harlem who is on trial for murder during a convenience store robbery. It’s written in multiple formats: diary entries, the trial transcript, some illustrations. The best part about this novel is that although the jury comes to a verdict, the reader isn’t ever quite sure if Steve is innocent or guilty.

The Scorpio Races (ARC 10/18) by Maggie Stiefvater

I’m not quite sure how I feel about this novel. It’s so different than the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy which I adored. This novel is older, darker. It takes the mythology of deadly water horses and turns it upside down; in a small island community brave (or foolish) men capture these horses each November to race them. This year, for various reasons, Kate ‘Puck’ Connelley joins the men and begins a relationship with the race’s past champion, Sean. Their relationship isn’t the sigh-and-swoon type of Sam and Grace. I never actually felt really connected to them. I cared more about Sean’s water horse. But the language in this novel, especially the sparse dialog, proves once again that Maggie Stiefvater is a talented writer. (A very small side note: the UK cover is way prettier and more exciting that the US art…)

The Shreek of Wagons: 1848 Diary of Richard M. May, edited by Helfrich & Ackerman

This is a little different than my typical reading this past year. It’s my boyfriend’s great-great-great-grandfather’s Oregon Trail journal. And since I love history and I was traveling in Oregon this month I thought it was a great time to read it! And it was really interesting; he was one of the only diarists of the area to record meeting settlers coming back East with the gold they had found in 1849 and to mention traveling through a lunar eclipse. Now, of course, I want to play the Oregon Trail computer game!

The Unwanteds (ARC 8/30) by Lisa McMann

In this middle grade fantasy/dystopian children at the age of 13 are divided in three categories— intelligent and athletic “Wanteds,” helpful “Necessaries,” and creative “Unwanteds.” Society believes that the Unwanteds are sent to death, but in actuality they live in a secret world full of magic and prepare to fight the rest of the population. I first heard of this book at BEA—and saw the Kirkus Review calling it “Harry Potter meets the Hunger Games.” I naturally had to see if it lived up to that hype. Not only did it disappoint, I struggled to even finish it, only doing so so that I could write a review here. There are many problems with this novel; first, it is written in such a distant third person that I never felt like I knew the characters. I never was rooting for them and I didn’t care if they succeeded. Second, the world-building was far too cutesy for my taste. This is definitely a personal preference, although I love Savvy and the upcoming Bliss which use puns and clever world play. This took it too far; characters had names like Mr. Today and his daughter Claire Morning, the half-octopus was named Octavia. When the students battled they used neon yellow highlighters to blind opponents, or a dance from The Nutcracker to dance the Wanteds into submission. Last, (“spoiler”) the Unwanteds beat the Wanteds at the end of the book—but they win through creative fighting. Never once do the intelligent and/or athletic Wanteds even acknowledge that creativity is a useful skill. There needed to be a revelation at the end, because without it, I don’t know what the message is supposed to be…Overall, I can see the comparison to Harry Potter since the story takes place in school-like setting a magic world but that’s where the similarities ends: I didn’t care about the characters, world, outcome, or anything else.

Manuscripts: 4

Reading Roundup

Starcrossed  by Josephine Angelini

This teen novel is a fun modern retelling of Greek mythology—and I don’t even really like Greek mythology! The most interesting things about this story, though, is that I’m positive I’ve read it before…probably when it was on submission and I was interning at Bloomsbury Children’s Books way back in the summer of 2008! The tone, the Nantucket setting, and the main character who doesn’t fit in were very reminiscent of the original…and then there were very specific details that were both in Starcrossed and manuscript. The longer I’m in publishing I’m sure the more this will happen, but wow! I look forward to reading the sequel, Dreamless (next summer), where I’ve been told the romance gets very steamy.

Liesl and Po  (ARC) by Lauren Oliver

Lauren Oliver’s first foray into middle grade does not disappoint. It’s a modern-day fairytale with the best elements: sweet girl locked up in an attic, her friend a ghost, an evil stepmother, a dead father, and lots of magic. The supporting characters are just as rich as the main ones, and I hope we find out more about Mo the guard in a future tale. Available in October. A highly recommended read (indeed, my favorite for July).

Mo Wren, Lost and Found by Tricia Springstubb (twice)

A new program at HC for junior editors like myself involves reading an early draft manuscript of a novel and then the final book—and then talk with the editor about the how and why of the changes. What a great idea, right? Mo Wren, Lost and Found is this month’s selection. It’s a really enjoyable coming-of-age story with fantastic characters. I haven’t read the first book, What Happened On Fox Street, but it’s definitely going on my to-be-read list now.

Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions (ARC) edited by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong

This is a fantastic collection of paranormal stories from some of the hottest writers out there—and the stories cover such a range of topics and emotions. From the Wicked Lovely world in “Merely Mortal” by Melissa Marr to the futuristic “Leaving” by Ally Condie and from the humorous “At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show” by Jessica Verday to the sad (and beautiful) “Gargouille” by Mary E. Pearson there is something for everyone. I have particular links to “Scenic Route” by Carrie Ryan because I read it for my bosses during part of the interview process. I guess they liked what I had to say about it in my reader’s report! The anthology is available in hardcover and paperback September 20^th.

I Was Told There’d Be Cake essays by Sloane Crosley

The majority of books I read this months were egalleys or ebooks or manuscripts, all of which I read on my laptop at home. I needed something to read on the subway, so I picked up this collection of essays that my friend had lent me months ago. Now that I’ve read it, I can’t believe it took me so long. The author is no more than seven years older than me, so her childhood and early adult experiences—playing Oregon Trail, moving to NYC, having a unique name—rang true with me. She even worked in publishing (although, my experience is much better than hers!). Although this isn’t my typical read, the essays were both insightful and hilarious. Recommended for anyone of my generation.

Clean (ARC) by Amy Reed

I had been told a while ago to read Beautiful by Amy Reed and I just hadn’t gotten around to it yet. But when I got this novel by the same author as a free egalley I couldn’t resist. It’s a powerful story about six teens in rehab told in multiple formats: traditional narratives, script-like group therapy sessions, questionnaire responses, letters. The strength of this novel is how Reed manages to express both the individual and the collective experience. I’m totally rooting for these characters to stay sober now that they got out of rehab in the last chapter!

The Revenant  by Sonia Gensler

Willie, a seventeen-year-old in 1896 year, refuses to go back home when her mother sends for her. So determined to avoid a lifetime of farm work and step-sibling babysitting, Willie steals a classmate’s identity and becomes a teacher at the Cherokee Female Seminary. But she’s not the only one there with secrets—a suspicious death of a classmate a year earlier is still haunting the place. Although I am familiar with the Trail of Tears, this historical fiction novel brought to light the conflicts within the Cherokee nation itself (light skinned verses dark; rich and progressive verses poor and traditional) and highlighted the bustling town of Tahlequah. (Historical Book Challenge #5)

Full Manuscripts: 5

Reading Roundup

Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom collected and edited by Leonard S. Marcus

I received this book from HarperCollins when I started my job since Ursula Nordstrom was the legendary head of Harper Books for Boys and Girls from 1940-1971. Normally, I’m not one to enjoy nonfiction. But there are three reasons why this book resonated with me 1) It’s fascinating to see how HarperCollins was run ‘way back then’ and awesome to read letters from Ursula to classic children’s book authors and illustrators: E.B. White, Garth Williams, Margaret Wise Brown, Maurice Sendak, etc. 2) Ursula Nordstrom had spunk and it clearly comes through in her personable letters.  Some of her one-liners literally made me laugh aloud as I was reading the book on the subway. 3) My great-aunt (who worked at Horn Book but I don’t know much about her career) is thanked in the acknowledgements, giving the book an even more personal touch. This is a recommended read for anyone who works in publishing.

Emily the Strange: The Lost Days and Emily the Strange: Stranger and Stranger by Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner, illustrations by Rob Reger and Buzz Parker

The Emily the Strange series is one of my boss’s favorite projects and because she works exclusively on it it wasn’t necessary for me to read the series right away. But on the other hand, because this series is so important to her, I wanted to read it and find out why. The answer is simple: Emily is awesome. Quirky, crazy, gothic…who goes on absurd aventures. In addition to this, the Emily books are actually Emily’s journals and are illustrated in black and red with her drawings, scribbles and Top 13 lists. There is so much spunk and personality in this series you can’t help but fall in love with Emily. I look forward to continuing the adventures with Emily the Strange: Dark Times and the soon-to-be-published Emily the Strange: Piece of Mind.

Bright Young Things by Anna Gobersen

I really loved Anna Gobsersen’s first historical fiction series, which started with Luxe. The first book in this series takes country girls Cordelia and Letty to 1920s New York City, where they get tangled up in illegal speakeasies, mobsters and lecherous Broadway producers. The plotting is predictable, but the characters are interesting and the Roaring Twenties really comes to life. The next book, Beautiful Days, comes out in September. (Historical Fiction Challenge Book #2)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I had heard so many good things about this book and as it turns out it completely deserves the praise. Set outside of Munich during World War II, Liesel has a tough but enjoyable life, full of adventures including beating her best friend, Rudy, in soccer, and stealing fruit when the family’s rations aren’t enough. But when her foster family starts hiding a Jew in their basement, Liesel uses her newly acquired reading skills to bring hope to the entire village…even if that means stealing a few books in the process. The ending is heartbreaking, but luckily the unusual narrator, Death, likes to heavily foreshadow the events so readers know what to expect. And although Liesel is a young (13 years old) protagonist for a YA novel her story is so powerful and she’s amazing new addition to teen literature. A recommended read. (Historical Fiction Book Challenge #3)

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

I’ve been wanting to read this book ever since hearing Andrea Cremer speak at Books of Wonder in late March. Her ‘day job’ is a history professor at a college in Minnesota where she specializes in one of my favorite times: The Early Modern Period. This means she’s an expert in witch hunts and medieval war craft. Pretty cool, huh? And when she explained that that background went into the fantastical world she created for Nightshade, I was hooked. Overall, I liked the story but had a little bit of difficulty understanding the world. So many names were introduced without explanation and I couldn’t wrap my mind around the differences between Guardians and Keepers and Searchers for the longest time. The biggest downside-although this is silly one-is that Penguin is releasing all future books (the sequels, Wolfsbane and Bloodrose, as well as paperbacks for all the books) with a new cover image. I personally really like the original artwork, but even more to the point…now my series won’t match. L Oh well…I might just have to buy the first book again with the new cover!

Entwined  by Heather Dixon

This fairytale retelling is exactly what I want fairytale retellings to be: fantastical yet realistic, familiar yet original. I had previously mentioned this book and I’m so glad that I had that reason to push Entwined to the top of my TBR pile. The world Heather Dixon created is fabulous (I still don’t know if the dances she mentions are all real or not…but I believe in them!) and I particularly like some of the characterizations: Azalea, as the main character, is so relatable; her sister Bramble is so fun and her vocabulary is hilarious (she reminded me of a pants-wearing British woman from the 1920s if that makes any sense at all); and the King, their father, definitely grows the most and it was so nice to see him begin to care deeply for his daughters. Great retelling! A recommended read.

Manuscripts: 6

Reading Roundup

Jane by April Linder

In this modern retelling of the classic (and one of my favorite books of all time) Jane Eyre, plain Jane Moore has to drop out of school and become a nanny for rockstar Nico Rathburn’s daughter, Maddy.  To be clear, I never would have picked up this book had it not been a retelling- the plot on it’s own doesn’t appeal to me and although I have reservations about retellings, I can (and do) appreciate how the author manipulates and expands the story to suite their purposes (if you haven’t read another retelling of Jane Eyre, Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, I recommend it for its unique take on the story and beautiful language).  All that being said, Jane still didn’t work for me.  It’s a very quick and fun read, but that’s where the positives end. The writing was often unpolished and awkward; for example, every time Jane has a drink of water (it’s quite often!) she realizes how thirsty she was and the metaphors for sex are painful (“[I] let him unmake me into a thousand glittering pieces” [244]).  Worse, though, was the fact that Jane Eyre and Rochester’s relationship just didn’t translate well to Jane Moore and Nico Rathburn’s. It is difficult to pick up on Jane’s feelings for Nico unless you know the original and then they go from confessing their love, to having sex, to attempting to get married in a span of twenty-four hours. This is the twenty first century! She’s a well educated Sarah Lawrence girl, who’s never had a boyfriend. Her financial prospects might not be bright, but she was working towards a better future through hard work and effort- and then she sleeps with her significantly older employer and plans on getting married at age nineteen! The modern retelling aims to be realistic, and this had red flags all over the place for me. Normally my reviews aren’t so long, or so harsh, but I was quite disappointed with this cheesy book.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

When I picked up this book knowing that it was about a modern teen and a teen during the French Revolution, I expected traditional alternating chapters from each character’s point of view. I was so wrong. This is the first young adult book I’ve read in a while that felt like it had substance. Don’t get me wrong- I love YA, and I know a lot of YA novels deal with important issues well, but Revolution was much heavier and denser (literally- it’s nearly 500 big pages- and figuratively) than most novels that deal less successfully with the same subject of grief. Not only does Donnelly edgily explore modern day Brooklyn teen Andi’s depression after the death of her brother, but she also weaves together the musical history of a 18^th century composer and the story of Alex, a teen during the French Revolution determined to help Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette’s ill-fated son, the dauphin. Donnelly’s novel might be a tad too ambitious as the novel is really long and the multiple storylines a little difficult to follow, but the message and conclusion of the novel- through all the revolutions that take place- are incredibly satisfying.  A recommended read.  (Historical Fiction Challenge Book #1)

Her Fearful Symmetry  by Audrey Niffenegger

I was so excited about this novel. It’s by the author of The Time Traveler’s Wife (a MUST read) and takes place in London/Highgate Cemetery, an area that I love. This novel, though, didn’t work for me. It’s very episodic, to the point that I felt like I was missing major character developments and I would flip back thinking that the pages had stuck together. I just didn’t understand why the characters acted the way they did and the promised “romance that transgresses all natural barriers” (quote on the back of the book by Ron Charles, The Washington Post) was not romantic or compelling at all.  Without giving too much away, you barely see the two as a couple during the entire story! I sobbed after reading The Time Traveler’s Wife. I was vaguely curious reading this novel.  The twist at the end helps redeem Her Fearful Symmetry, but not enough for me to recommend anyone read this book.

Manuscripts: 5

Five Books

I was on a long bus trip this past weekend (okay, it wasn’t that long of a bus ride, it’s just that everyone else was sleeping and since I, too, was also supposed to be sleeping, I didn’t have anything to do) so I was musing about books (naturally).  And then, for some reason, my brain came up with a crazy what-if scenario.  The kind no book worm would enjoy:

What if you could only read five books for the rest of your life?  What would they be?

It’s easy to just pick your five favorite books.  But a lot of books I love are the beginning of series.  Would I be content with only reading the first book for ever and ever?  My answer to this was ‘yes’ when it comes to Harry Potter because the world and characters are so rich and magical (literally and figuratively), but my answer was ‘no’ to any of Tamora Pierce’s fantastic Tortall series because the growth of Alanna, Daine, and Kel are so necessary to the satisfaction readers get from reading the series, I could not be satisfied with just the first book.

And then there’s balance to consider.  I’m not sure if I’d only want to read classics for the rest of my life.  The same way I might not want to only read books aimed at 8-12 year olds. 

So what were the five books I chose?  Here they are, in no particular order:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  Although my favorite Jane Austen novel is actually the forgotten and much-maligned Mansfield Park, Pride and Prejudice is a much more enjoyable novel to read again and again because of the characters’ complexities.  Not only is the protagonist Lizzie wonderfully relatable in her foibles, but secondary characters like Mr. Bennett, Mrs. Bennett and even Lydia are well developed and help make this a very meaty novel.  And who can’t fall in love with Darcy?  Come on, now.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling.  As stated above, the vivid world Rowling creates and the characters that inhabit it are so lifelike and intriguing it is so easy to get lost in this book.  Although my favorite Harry Potter is The Goblet of Fire, The Sorcerer’s Stone sets up the magic that I am as much in love with now as I was when I first read it in seventh grade.

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray.  I read the three books in the Gemma Doyle trilogy very far apart, so it’s easy for me to think of each book on its own.   I’ve only read this book once (so far!) but I loved the combination of Gothic, Victorian and fantasy.  Plus it takes place in an all-girls boarding school in England. It’s all my favorite genres/settings in one!

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.  Anne Shirley is one of my favorite literary heroines from childhood.  I can’t help but love her spunk, imagination and ability to get into scraps.  Unlike some other childhood favorites, Anne is still as relatable to me now as she was when I was ten.  And besides, who isn’t in love with Gilbert Blythe?

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.   As I’ve stated above about A Great and Terrible Beauty, Jane Eyre combines so many of my favorite genres.  The growth of plain and meek Jane is one that every introvert can relate to so deeply.  I love many of the adaptations based on this novel (a rare thing for me), including the musical, and I'm looking forward to the movie coming out in a few weeks.

What five books would you pick?

Birthday Books

My birthday is this weekend, and to celebrate (mine and yours and everyone’s birthdays), check out this website which will show you what books were New York Times Bestsellers the week of your birthday.  I hate to say it but I haven’t read any of mine (I had planned on reading Beloved by Toni Morrison, which has been on my TBR list for forever, so I didn’t have to admit publically that I haven’t read it, but time got away from me!).   What books were popular when you were born? Check it out…and then check them out!

BBC Book Challenge List

This list comes up every now and then and I ran across it on Facebook the other day, so thought I’d pass it along to anyone who hasn’t seen it:  The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here.

(Ummm…who are these hypothetical people?  Clearly not those who have made it through typical high school English classes where so many of these books are covered!)

Anyways, the rules are to: Bold those books you've read in their entirety, italicize the ones you started but didn't finish or read an excerpt.  Plus, I put stars next to those I highly recommend.

1 Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen* 

2 The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien 

3 Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte*

4 Harry Potter series – JK Rowling (all)* 

5 To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

6 The Bible

7 Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte

8 Nineteen Eighty Four – George Orwell

9 His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman (all)*

10 Great Expectations – Charles Dickens 

11 Little Women – Louisa M Alcott*

12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy (still working on it)

13 Catch 22 – Joseph Heller 

14 Complete Works of Shakespeare (still working on it)

15 Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier* 

16 The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien

17 Birdsong – Sebastian Faulks

18 Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger

19 The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger*

20 Middlemarch – George Eliot (still working on it)

21 Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell

22 The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald 

23 Bleak House – Charles Dickens

24 War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy (the only book in all of high school I couldn’t make myself finish)

25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams

26 Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh

27 Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky (or okay, it could have been this one.  I am NOT a fan of Russian literature)

28 Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck

29 Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll

30 The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame  

31 Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy

32 David Copperfield – Charles Dickens

33 Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis (all)

34 Emma – Jane Austen

35 Persuasion – Jane Austen

36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – CS Lewis

37 The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini

38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Berniere

39 Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden

40 Winnie the Pooh – AA Milne

41 Animal Farm – George Orwell

42 The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown 

43 One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving

45 The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins

46 Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery*

47 Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy

48 The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood

49 Lord of the Flies – William Golding

50 Atonement – Ian McEwan

51  Life of Pi – Yann Martel

52 Dune – Frank Herbert

53 Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons

54 Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen

55 A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth

56 The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57 A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens

58 Brave New World – Aldous Huxley

59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon

60 Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61 Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck

62 Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov

63 The Secret History – Donna Tartt

64 The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold

65 Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas

66 On The Road – Jack Kerouac

67 Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy

68 Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding

69 Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie

70 Moby Dick – Herman Melville 

71 Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens

72 Dracula – Bram Stoker

73 The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett

74 Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson

75 Ulysses – James Joyce 

76 The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath

77 Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome

78 Germinal – Emile Zola 

79 Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray (still working on it)

80 Possession – AS Byatt

81 A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens

82 Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell 

83 The Color Purple – Alice Walker

84 The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro

85 Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert

86 A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry

87 Charlotte’s Web – EB White

88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom  

89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

90 The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton 

91 Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad  

92 The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery

93 The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks

94 Watership Down – Richard Adams

95 A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole

96 A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute

97 The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas

98 Hamlet – William Shakespeare

99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl  

100 Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

That makes 43 completed, 9 partials.  Not too bad compared to BBC’s 6 but plenty left to read.  Makes me feel guilty for not finishing all those lengthy classics sitting half read on my nightstand…must get to those!  Hope this list inspired you….go get reading!