NOVEMBER READS

131. Gossamer (Lowry)

Those Deep Elm Brown's Ferry Blues (Gay)

132. Uglies (Westerfeld)

Closure and Roadkill on Life's Highway (Gay)

Sugarbaby (Gay)

Standing By Peaceful Water (Gay)

133. Good 'Til Now (Gay)

The Lightpainter (Gay)

My Hand is Just Fine Where It Is (Gay)

134. I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down (Gay)

135. What the Dog Saw (Gladwell)

136. I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This (Woodson)

137. Sweethearts (Zarr)

138. The Christmas List (Evans)

* Short Story (not counted)

BOLD titles made my Best Reads List

Clicking on a title will link you to "Thoughts of Joy...".

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Monthly - Yearly Genre Stats:

Chick-Lit: 0 - 5

Classic: 0 - 1

Fiction: 1 - 32

Memoir: 0 - 7

Mystery: 1 - 21

Non-Fiction: 1 - 2

Non-Fiction Graphic Novel: 0 - 1

Short Story Collection: 1 - 5

Thriller: 0 - 23

True Crime: 0 - 2

YA Classic: 0 - 1

YA Fiction: 2 - 20

YA Graphic Novel: 0 - 4

YA Non-Fiction: 0 - 1

YA Science Fiction: 1 - 7

Children's Historical Fiction: 0 - 1

Children's Thriller: 0 - 1

Children's Sci-Fi/Fantasy: 1 - 4

Short Stories: 8 - 60

Audiobooks: 5 - 80

Books: 3 - 58

Total: 8 - 138

Best Reads: 0 - 16

Series: 2 - 50

DNF: 0 - 6

THE CHRISTMAS LIST

Author: Richard Paul Evans

Genre: Fiction, Standalone

Published: 2009

Personal Rating: 4/5 (very good)

Yearly Count: 138

In the throws of a divorce, James Kier is presented with his obituary in the local newspaper. He then reads unfavorable comments regarding his person on the internet. After some thought, he absorbs the shame and tries to make amends.

There was nothing fanciful about this Christmas story. It was a realistic, enjoyable and interesting book. I thought James's transition from "bad" to "good" had substance and was done very well. Listening to this book added a great deal of pleasure - the narrator did a fabulous job of not making James seem soft after he had a change of heart. I could imagine him very clearly and was able to feel his emotions.

SWEETHEARTS

Author: Sara Zarr

Genre: YA, Standalone

Published: 2oo8

Personal Rating: 3.75/5 (better than good)

Yearly Count: 137

Jennifer and Cameron are both outcasts in elementary school. They develop a friendship and understand each other, until one day Cameron is gone - presumed dead at the age of 9. Jennifer suffers his loss, but eventually is able to create a new life for herself when her family moves to a new town.

I liked this. It was a somewhat quiet book, but it had a huge suspense component. I listened to it in one fell swoop (as I was preparing Thanksgiving dinner) and quickly grew to like the characters. They all were realistic, as was the story line. I believe Zarr captured the essence of many high schoolers - yes, there's drama, but this didn't portray anything over the top. This was the first book I have read by her and anticipate many good reads ahead.

I HADN'T MEANT TO TELL YOU THIS

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Genre: YA, Standalone

Published: 1995

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

Yearly Count: 136

Marie and Lena, two 8th grade girls that have little in common, discover that neither of them have a mother in their life.

This story delves into the emotions and results of their commonality. Also, race, abuse and friendship play a big role. I don't think this was a powerful, statement-making book, but I was drawn in right away and kept listening. Woodson's ability to develop sound characters that speak from the heart is demonstrated once again.

WHAT THE DOG SAW

Author: Malcolm Gladwell

Genre: Non-Fiction, Articles

Published: 2009

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

Yearly Count: 135

Product Description:

What is the difference between choking and panicking? Why are there dozens of varieties of mustard-but only one variety of ketchup? What do football players teach us about how to hire teachers? What does hair dye tell us about the history of the 20th century?

In the past decade, Malcolm Gladwell has written three books that have radically changed how we understand our world and ourselves: The Tipping Point; Blink; and Outliers. Now, in What the Dog Saw, he brings together, for the first time, the best of his writing from TheNew Yorker over the same period.

Here is the bittersweet tale of the inventor of the birth control pill, and the dazzling inventions of the pasta sauce pioneer Howard Moscowitz. Gladwell sits with Ron Popeil, the king of the American kitchen, as he sells rotisserie ovens, and divines the secrets of Cesar Millan, the "dog whisperer" who can calm savage animals with the touch of his hand. He explores intelligence tests and ethnic profiling and "hindsight bias" and why it was that everyone in Silicon Valley once tripped over themselves to hire the same college graduate.

"Good writing," Gladwell says in his preface, "does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade. It succeeds or fails on the strength of its ability to engage you, to make you think, to give you a glimpse into someone else's head."What the Dog Saw is yet another example of the buoyant spirit and unflagging curiosity that have made Malcolm Gladwell our most brilliant investigator of the hidden extraordinary.

This is my third book by Malcolm Gladwell, so I'm very familiar with his style and for the most part - I enjoy it. However, in this book of articles, I found that it was hit or miss. Some articles droned on about something I wasn't that interested in and others had me listening intently. Overall, it was good, but nothing special.

I HATE TO SEE THAT EVENING SUN GO DOWN

Author: William Gay

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down, 2002

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good )

(ss) Yearly Count: 134

There wasn't much diversity in the emotion department in this collection. All the stories were filled with sad, depressing or gloomy feelings. While most of the stories were engaging, I did become tired of experiencing dreariness. And, the lack of quotation marks was not helpful either. However, overall I enjoyed the writing, especially the fact that Gay was able to draw me into his stories even when I knew they were not going to turn out well. The average rating of all 13 stories correlates with my general feelings by the end of the book.

The following are the individual titles and links to my thoughts:

1. I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down

2. A Death in the Woods

3. Bonedaddy, Quincy Nell and the 15,000 BTU Electric Chair

4. The Paperhanger

5. The Man Who Knew Dylan

6. Those Deep Elm Brown's Ferry Blues

7. Crossroads Blues

8. Closure and Roadkill on Life's Highway

9. Sugarbaby

10. Standing By Peaceful Waters

11. Good 'Til Now

12. The Lightpainter

13. My Hand is Just Fine Where It Is

MY HAND IS JUST FINE WHERE IT IS (13 of 13)

Author: William Gay

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down, 2002

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good )

(ss) Yearly Count: 60

Another affair. Another tragedy.

A new emotion arises in this story of infidelity, but that's about it. As most of the stories in this collection - a good read, but nothing earth shattering.

THE LIGHTPAINTER (12 of 13)

Author: William Gay

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down, 2002

Personal Rating: 3.75/5 (better than good )

(ss) Yearly Count: 59

Parents allow their daughter's friend to live with them in order to keep her from an unstable home.

I appreciated the effort and emotions of the main character. He was interesting to watch develop. The story kept my attention throughout.

GOOD 'TIL NOW (11 of 13)

Author: William Gay

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down, 2002

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good )

(ss) Yearly Count: 58

A couple have an affair and somebody gets hurt.

This one was interesting in its details of the couple, but other than that - it was just a typical story about an affair.

A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD

Author: Julia Spencer-Fleming

Genre: Mystery, Series #2

Published: 2003

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

Yearly Count: 133

Police chief Russ Van Alstyne and Rev. Clair Fergusson both reside and work in Millers Kill, New York. The small town is questioning whether a piece of land is pollutants-free for building, and there are several men attacked - one resulting in a death. The two become partners of sorts, because Rev. Fergusson is the one to discover the dead body.

I'm still not so sure about this series. In the first book, I liked the plot and did not care for the main character's relationship all that much. In this book, I didn't care for the plot and still didn't care for the relationship between the two; however, it did feel a bit more realistic. I don't think I will be in a hurry to get to #3. I'm not avoiding it, but there's not much draw for me either.

STANDING BY PEACEFUL WATERS (10 of 13)

Author: William Gay

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down, 2002

Personal Rating: 3.25/5 (better than just okay)

(ss) Yearly Count: 57

The house, in which he and his family lives, was built by his grandfather's own two hands. This house of generations is now being taken over by the government.

A good story in theory, but I wasn't too keen on the man or the ending.

SUGARBABY (9 of 13)

Author: William Gay

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down, 2002

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

(ss) Yearly Count: 56

A husband makes an extremely, rash decision (not infidelity) and suffers the consequences.

Yes, another down-trodden story - and one that is written well, but what is the point of drab, dreary and depressing tales? Admittedly, Gay's style brings you into the fold of the character's lives with a gentleness. You are on a slippery slope, but you are led there one step at a time. However, couldn't he use that talent to write about the opposite end of the emotional spectrum. Maybe he has; I'm just stuck with this collection of stories. They are good, and for the most part he doesn't clobber you over the head with dread, but again - where's the pleasure in reading dismal stories? Isn't it ironic that his name is Gay (the happy definition)?

CLOSURE AND ROADKILL ON LIFE'S HIGHWAY (8 of 13)

Author: William Gay

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down, 2002

Personal Rating: 3.75/5 (better than good)

(ss) Yearly Count: 55

A husband is wallowing in sadness and needs to find closure after his wife has left him after only a few years of marriage.

This was a good story. The side character added some interesting drama that has left a little wonder in me. I found the ending to be satisfying, but it brought no surprises. Overall, I enjoyed it - nothing extremely compelling, but a good read.

UGLIES

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Genre: YA Science Fiction, Series #1

Published: 2005

Personal Rating: 4.25/5 (better than very good)

Yearly Count: 132

In Uglyville, at the age of 16, you gleefully and thankfully receive an operation to become pretty, then you can live in Pretty Town. With her operation only weeks away, Tally befriends Shay (whose operation is also around the corner), and she sheds a new light on the much awaited change.

I love suspense. Especially when I don't want to put the book down. This one was like that for me. It is another science fiction novel that has realistic elements that holds it together, which helps me accept it. As for the plot - it never stopped and even surprised me a time or two. And, interestingly enough, I even joined in on a few rides - too fun!

I teetered between a 4 and 4.25/5 because while I thought it was very good, I thought the YA showed through with its simplistic language. Unfortunately (for me), I don't like to feel like I'm reading a YA book when in fact it is. Despite that, keeping up the suspense and intrigue warranted the higher rating.

Give-Away Winners!

WHAT THE DOG SAW WINNERS:

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WHAT THE DOG SAW

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Give-Away Ends: November 10

CROSSROADS BLUES (7 of 13)

Author: William Gay

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down, 2002

Personal Rating: 2.5/5 (eh)

(ss) Yearly Count: 54

A wife leaves her husband, but he remains in love with her. The story is told from the husband's perspective.

I felt that this story was a little awkward. There were some odd character names and shifting scenes, and I was confused a time or two. Also, the way in which the husband expressed his emotions didn't seem authentic to me. BUT, I'm not a husband and didn't have my wife leave me. (???)

I'm mid-way through this book, and I am now officially annoyed that these stories do not have quotation marks!

THOSE DEEP ELM BROWN'S FERRY BLUES (6 of 13)

Author: William Gay

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down, 2002

Personal Rating: 3.75/5 (better than good)

(ss) Yearly Count: 53

An older man who is losing the ability to think clearly is living with his son. The son's concerns are steadily increasing.

This was a sad one (a sad one? really?!), both the father and the son are enduring difficult circumstances and wonder about their future. There were some very important descriptive scenes that I thought were well done. They really gave a clear sense of the confusion the father was experiencing. The ending was a troubling surprise.

GOSSAMER

Author: Lois Lowry

Genre: Children's Sci-Fi, Standalone

Published: 2006

Personal Rating: 4/5 (very good)

Yearly Count: 131

Littlest One is in training as a dream-giver, and she gets the privilege of bestowing dreams upon a foster child.

I thought this was a very cute book. All the characters were enjoyable, and the story line kept me engaged the whole way through. One thing that I consistently like about Lois Lowry's writing is that she doesn't make fantasy seem silly. The Gossamer characters did not come across as caricatures at all. Also, I loved the wide range of emotions and topics that were explored, and most of all the fantasy of dream-givers.