eschulenburg

I think I remember hating the first book she wrote. It's good to know I won't be missing anything by skipping this one.

Joshilyn Jackson's other two books are "gods in alabama" and "Between, Georgia". I thought both of them were brilliant.

Review - The Girl who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson Laurel can see ghosts. At least, she had always seen them, until she married her husband, David. Then they stopped. So when the ghost of her daughter's friend, Molly, appears to her just minutes before she finds Molly's dead body in her swimming pool, Laurel knows something is bad wrong. As she tries to find out what happened to Molly, she uncovers ghosts from her own childhood, and secrets her daughter is keeping from her as well. Having read and enjoyed Jackson's previous two novels, I was really, really excited for this one. I was expecting another complex, layered novel about buried family secrets and the possibilities of redemption. I expected a fascinating heroine, and well-developed supporting characters. I don't think I quite got either of those. About halfway through the novel, I had the sinking feeling that I knew where it was headed - unfortunately, I was almost 100% correct. I also found myself irritated with Laurel, the main character, throughout much of the novel. Her sister, Thalia, was much more interesting and complex. There were a couple of characters who could have been equally interesting, but just didn't ever get completely fleshed out. I think maybe I just had my expectations up too high, since I had loved both of her previous novels so much. I still enjoyed this one, but it didn't quite hit the highs I was expecting. Finished: 6/9/09 Source: Franklin Avenue public library Rating: 6/10

I am happy to hear a good review about this book - I loved the movie that was made of it (eons ago), but was nervous that that book wouldn't be as good. Now I'll move it up my list.

This looks like a great resource - also lots more countries for me to add. Thanks!

I would love that - thanks a lot! I'll remind you in a few days in case you get busy. =)

Review - The Girl who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson Laurel can see ghosts. At least, she had always seen them, until she married her husband, David. Then they stopped. So when the ghost of her daughter's friend, Molly, appears to her just minutes before she finds Molly's dead body in her swimming pool, Laurel knows something is bad wrong. As she tries to find out what happened to Molly, she uncovers ghosts from her own childhood, and secrets her daughter is keeping from her as well. Having read and enjoyed Jackson's previous two novels, I was really, really excited for this one. I was expecting another complex, layered novel about buried family secrets and the possibilities of redemption. I expected a fascinating heroine, and well-developed supporting characters. I don't think I quite got either of those. About halfway through the novel, I had the sinking feeling that I knew where it was headed - unfortunately, I was almost 100% correct. I also found myself irritated with Laurel, the main character, throughout much of the novel. Her sister, Thalia, was much more interesting and complex. There were a couple of characters who could have been equally interesting, but just didn't ever get completely fleshed out. I think maybe I just had my expectations up too high, since I had loved both of her previous novels so much. I still enjoyed this one, but it didn't quite hit the highs I was expecting. Finished: 6/9/09 Source: Franklin Avenue public library Rating: 6/10

I'm getting ready to do a review of it - the short answer is I didn't like it as well as her others. I want a book to keep me guessing, and unfortunately I figured out a bunch of the plot before I got there. It wasn't bad, just not up to the standard of her first two.

I will take recommendations from you on any of the countries! The challenge is supposed to be reading books set in those countries, and the person who set up the challenge listed these as good choices. I honestly just copied out her list - apparently needing to do a bit more research! Feel free to set me straight on anything I have that's messed up! =)

Welcome from another newbie!

Welcome from another newbie! I'll be excited to get recommendations from you, too!

Welcome from another newbie!

Just Finished: Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink Honk, the Moose by Phil Strong The Good Master by Kate Seredy (6/27/08, 7/10) Dobry by Monica Shannon (9/16/08, 7/10) Current: Invincible Louisa by Cornelia Meigs Next: Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze by Elizabeth Rivers Swift Rivers by Cornelia Meigs

Joseph Auslander (completed) Allen Tate (completed) Robert Penn Warren (completed) Louise Bogan (completed) Karl Shapiro (completed) Leonie Adams (completed) Elizabeth Bishop (completed) Conrad Aiken (completed) William Carlos Williams (completed) Randall Jarrell (completed) Robert Frost (completed) Richard Eberhart (completed) Louis Untermeyer (completed) Howard Nemerov (completed 7/19/08) Reed Whittemore (completed 9/19/08) Stephen Spender James Dickey William Jay Smith William Stafford Josephine Jacobsen Daniel Hoffman Stanley Kunitz Robert Hayden William Meredith Maxine Kumin Anthony Hecht Robert Fitzgerald Gwendolyn Brooks Richard Wilbur Mark Strand Joseph Brodsky Mona Van Duyn Rita Dove Robert Haas Robert Pinsky Billy Collins Louise Gluck Ted Kooser Donald Hall Charles Simic

Afghanistan - A Thousand Splendid Suns by K. Hosseini Andorra - Andorra by P. Cameron Antarctica - Decipher by S. Pavlou Australia - I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak Without a Backward Glance by Kate Veitch (8/2/08, 9/10) Austria - Homestead by R. Lippi Belgium - The Sorrow of Belgium by H. Claus Bosnia/Herzegovina - People of the Book by G. Brooks Canada - Barometer Rising by H. MacLennen China - Apologies Forthcoming by Xujun Eberlein (9/21/08, 8/10) Cuba - The Old Man and the Sea by E. Hemmingway Denmark - The Royal Physician's Visit by P.O. Enquist England - The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue Egypt - Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell Faroe Islands - Far Afield by S. Kaysen Finland - Cast a Long Shadow by Leena Lander Lang by Kjell Westo France - The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo Gibraltar - Gibraltar by C. Tepley Greece - Apartment in Athens by G. Wescott Hong Kong - The Language of Threads by Gail Tsukiyama Hungary - Embers by S. Marai Iceland - Under the Glacier by H. Laxness India - Beneath a Marble Sky by J. Shors The Forbidden Daughter by Shobhan Bantwal (9/4/08, 7/10) Iran - The September of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer Ireland - The Gathering by Anne Enright Israel - We Just Want to Live Here by Rifa'i and Ainbinder Italy - The Anatomist by F. Andahari Japan - The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama Lichtenstein - Ludmilla by P. Gallico Malta - Jukebox Queen of Malta by N. Rinaldi Nigeria - You Must Set Out at Dawn by W. Soyinke Norway - Naive.Super by Erlend Loe Pakistan - The Reluctant Fundamentalist by M. Hamid Papua New Guinea - The White Mary by Kira Salak (7/9/08, 9/10) Portugal - Alentejo Blue by Monica Ali Russia - The Madonnas of Lenningrad by D. Dean Rwanda - We Wish to Inform You....by P. Gourevitch Scotland - The Translator by L. Aboulela Sierra Leone - A Long Way Gone by I. Beah Spain - Shadow of the Wind by C. R. Zafon Sri Lanka - Reef by R. Gunesekera Sweden - Popular Music from Vittula by Mikael Niemi (7/4/08, 7/10) Turkey - The Sultan's Seal by Jenny White

A - The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman (2/9/08, 8/10) B - The Borrowers by Mary Norton (1/2/08, 7/10) C - Coraline by Neil Gaiman (2/24/08, 7/10) D - Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay (2/28/08, 7/10) E - Escape by Carolyn Jessop (1/13/08, 6/10) F - Face the Fire by Nora Roberts (3/21/08, 6/10) G - Good Dog. Stay. by Anna Quindlen (3/21/08, 8/10) H - The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star by Nikki Sixx (2/12/08, 7/10) I - I, robot by Howard S. Smith (6/16/08, 7/10) J - K - L - The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (9/5/08, 6/10) M - The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig (4/17/08, 7/10) N - The New Victorians: A Young Woman's Challenge to the Old Feminist Order by Rene Denfield (4/30/08, 8/10) O - Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody (4/20/08, 8/10) P - Popular Music from Vittula by Mikael Niemi (7/4/08, 7/10) Q - Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life by Tony Dungy (2/9/08, 8/10) R - Run by Ann Patchett (2/3/08, 9/10) S - Sundays at Tiffany's by J. Patterson & G. Charbonnet (5/25/08, 6/10) T - Tan Lines by J.J. Salem (7/17/08, 7/10) U - V - W - The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly (1/4/08, 7/10) X - Y - The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs (1/27/08, 7/10) Z - Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi (6/21/08, 9/10)

January - Young Adult The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman (completed 1/10/08, rating 7/10) February - Historical Fiction A Rose for the Crown by Anne Easter Smith (completed 2/24/08, rating 8/10) March - Short Stories Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman (6/27/08, 8/10) April - Classic Sci-Fi Foundation by Isaac Asimov (7/19/08, 6/10) May - Biography Living to Tell the Tale by Gabriel Garcia Marquez June - Western Zeke and Ned by Larry McMurtry July - Pick yer Poison The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (8/29/08, 6/10) August - New Author Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke September - Historical NonFiction Devil in the Shape of a Woman by C. Karlsen October - Scary Death from the Woods by Bridgette Aubert November - Retry a DNF The Way the Crow Flies by Ann-Marie McDonald December - Travel Skating to Antarctica by Jenny Diski

Here is a list of books I plan to read for this challenge - it will get bigger, as this is a perpetual challenge, and there are no real rules. Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan (7/10/08, 7/10) Farworld: Water Keep by J. Scott Savage (6/9/08, 8/10) The Bartimaeus Trilogy by J. Stroud The Hollow Kingdom by C. Dunkle Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by S. Clarke Solstice Wood by P. McKillip Ombria in Shadow by P. McKillip The Curse of Chalion by L.M. Bujold Waking the Moon by E. Hand The Earthsea Trilogy by U. LeGuin

Here is the list of books I plan to read for this challenge: Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith The Giver by Lois Lowry Earthsea Trilogy by Ursula K. LeGuin National Velvet by Enid Bagnold Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson The Illyrian Adventure series by Lloyd Alexander The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Here is my list for this challenge: 1 - I, robot by Howard S. Smith (finished 6/15/08, rating 7/10) 2 - Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi (6/21/08, 9/10) 3 - Foundation by Isaac Asimov (7/19/08, 6/10) 4 - In Her Name by Michael Hicks (9/15/08, 9/10) 5 - Til Human Voices Wake Us by Mark Budz (10/18/08, 7/10) 6 - All the Windwracked Stars by Elizabeth Bear (10/19/08, 6/10) 7 - The Host by Stephenie Meyer (11/4/08, 8/10) 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 30 - 31 - 32 - 33 - 34 - 35 - 36 - 37 - 38 - 39 - 40 - 41 - 42 -

This is the list of books I am planning to read for this challenge. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale (Samuel Johnson prize - finished 8/5/08, 5/10) Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson (Arthur C. Clarke award) Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie (Man Booker award) An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro (Costa and Whitbread) Mercy Among the Children by David Adams Richards (Giller prize) The Tin Flute by Gabrielle Roy (Governor General's award) Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (Hugo) This Blinding Absence of Light by Taher Ben Jelloun (IMPAC Dublin) The Known World by Edward P. Jones (IMPAC Dublin) Sacred Country by Rose Tremain (James Tart Black award) The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai (National Book Critics Choice) Atonement by Ian McEwan (National Book Critics Choice) Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Hugo and Nebula)

I am currently participating in 9 challenges. I should qualify that by saying that I have actually only signed up for 4 of those - the others are challenges that looked interesting, but I didn't get around to signing up for on time, or things I'm challenging myself to do personally. I am officially signed up for: The Book Awards Challenge - this challenge runs from August 1, 2008 to June 1, 2009. The challenge is to read 10 books which have won a book award during that time. There must be at least 5 different awards in the selection you choose. The Daring Book Challenge - this challenge runs until June 15, 2009 and is based on the book The Daring Book for Girls. At the end of the book, the authors give several recommended reading lists. This challenge is to read 9 books taken from any of the different reading lists supplied by the book. The 42 Science Fiction Challenge - runs until December, 2009. This challenge is to experience 42 science fiction tales, in the form of books, short stories, movies, television episodes, etc. Each story, episode, movie counts as 1 experience. The Fantasy Challenge - this is a perpetual challenge, and is just to read a whole bunch of fantasy. Woo hoo! I have also unofficially been participating in the following: The Monthly Challenge - runs through 2008. Each month has a different category of book to read. The A-Z Reading Challenge - runs through 2008. Try to read a book starting with each letter of the alphabet. Books Around the World - perpetual challenge. Try to read a book about as many different countries in the world as you can find. Poet Laureate Challenge - my own personal challenge. Read a book of poetry by each of the poet laureates of the US. Newberry Challenge - another personal challenge. I know there is a challenge out there to read all the Newberry award winners, but I am reading all the winners as well as the honor books.

My goal for each year is always to read at least 100 books each year. Since I'm starting halfway through the year, I won't list what I've already finished, but will start keeping track from here. I'm also going to keep track of the challenges I've entered, both officially and unofficially. I rate each book I read based on the following scale: 10 - Among the best books I've ever read. This book spoke to me, changed me, and, if it isn't already in my personal collection, I dearly wish it were. 9 - I couldn't put this book down. I carved out extra reading time just so I could finish it. This book got carted into the bathroom with me, read over meals, read at work, or kept me up late at night. If this author has more work, I will certainly read it. 8 - Excellent. This is a book I will be recommending to all my friends. 7 - It didn't break my heart to return it to the library, but it was still pretty darn good. 6 - Pretty good, but had some serious flaws that distracted me from enjoyment. 5 - So-so. Some parts of this book were enjoyable, but other parts were a real yawner. 4 - Ok. But whatever redeemable aspects there were to this book, they were not fleshed out enough for me to truly enjoy it. 3 - There was little to nothing enjoyable about this book. Certainly not one I would recommend to anyone. 2 - Don't waste your time. I only finished this one for the pleasure of a good roast in my review. 1 - It is a sad commentary on the state of publishing today that a tree actually died to produce this drivel. 0 - Among the worst books I've ever laid eyes on. I couldn't even finish it, it was so bad.

Welcome from another newbie, and someone who recognizes you from the LT blogring.