A Kind of Failure

Well, the end is past and I did not manage to complete my reading challenge. Despite about a month of finishing a book every day and significant dependence on audio books as I hiked there just never seems to be enough time. I'm still happy with the 91 books I did read (an average of 1 book every 4 days instead of every 3). Maybe one day I'll get to be a faster reader, or a more dedicated one, and actually read 121 books in a year. For now I think I'll settle for 100.

#91 "Girls in White Dresses" by Jennifer Close

This book was refreshingly unpredictable and annoyingly unresolved. It tried too hard to be the novel version of He's Just Not That Into You, and failed to completely tie up any of the story lines. The hours spent listening to this book while weeding were at least productive, as there was nothing entertaining enough in the text to keep me from focusing on which plants to pull up and which to leave.

#90 "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs

This cover was just intriguing enough to get me to borrow the audio book. Once started I of course had to finish it. But OH MY GOD! No! This book lands no where near my top 50 books read this year. In comparison to the intrigue and complex relationships that Rebecca Wells generated for Ya Ya this book wouldn't even be counted as airplane-book-worthy. I was very disappointed in myself for even bothering to finish it. Maybe not the worst thing I read this year, but far too predictable for anyone else to pick up.

#89 "The Jane Austen Book Club" by Karen Joy Fowler

This was a re-read for me. While I didn't find the book very Austen-approved the first time through, the $0.99 copy stayed on my shelves long enough to lure me in one more time. This time round the plot went faster, I was not so traumatized by the drama, and the choppy writing was easier to handle. Plus it gave me a good reason to re-watch the movie, which I kind of love. This little pink book will keep moving around with me I guess.

#88 "An Object of Beauty" by Steve Martin

Well I forgot to finish writing these posts...

This book was not a favorite of mine, but Steve Martin writing and reading any book catches my attention. I kind of love this man! The plot was twisty, and in a Breakfast at Tiffany's sort of way, the main characters were aggravating. Martin's voice made up for a lot of it.

#87 "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" by Rebecca Wells

I was a little young when this book, and later the movie, peaked in popularity. Finding a copy in a B&B in Ireland I jumped at the opportunity to rediscover the story with an older perspective. I have to say, I love it, and I totally understand why it was such a long standing bestseller. It's not making it onto my favorites list, but if you haven't read it or have only seen the movie, the book is worth your time.

#86 "Pain, Parties, Work" by Elizabeth Winder

Another biography, this one focusing on one summer early in Sylvia Plath's life. The book was well written enough and intriguing. Certainly I feel more comfortable exploring Plath's work now, after she's been painted as a happier person, than under previous gloomy descriptions.