8th Challenge Completed!

My theme for this challenge was "color" and I just now discovered that I completed it over 2 months ago!

Thank you Wendy from Caribousmom for hosting this challenge.

Themed Reading Challenge Reads:

The Bluest Eye (Morrison)
Anne of Green Gables (Montgomery)
My Life as a Furry Red Monster (Clash)
Black & Blue (Quindlen)


Here's my original list of books with links to my thoughts.

Favorite:

Anne of Green Gables (Montgomery)

Least Favorite:

The Bluest Eye (Morrison)

BLACK AND BLUE

Anna Quindlen

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Published: 1998

Personal Rating: 3.25/5

Yearly Count: 18

Black and Blue is Fran's story of being the battered wife of Bobby. Together they have one son named Robert. When Fran has finally had enough, she takes Robert with her to relocate and begin a new life.

I found the story to be told in a very realistic fashion; however, I didn't care for the order in which it was told. Sometimes, it felt disjointed. The characters all seemed to be anybody's neighbor with typical daily living experiences, yet with the possibility of holding their own secret. This book happened to be better than the first Quindlen book I read, but not enough to encourage me to read another.

MY LIFE AS A FURRY RED MONSTER

Kevin Clash

Genre: Memoir

Published: 2006

Personal Rating: 3/5

Yearly Count: 10

Even though I didn't find this book to be as bright and colorful as Elmo, I did find Kevin Clash to be as gentle and loving as they come. He shares parts of his childhood through his career as a puppeteer while using the character traits of Elmo as his guide. I enjoyed learning about puppeteering and the bits of 'behind the scenes' of Sesame Street, but it simply didn't match my expectations.

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

L. M. Montgomery

Genre: YA Fiction

Published: 1908

Personal Rating: 4/5

Yearly Count: 7

Anne is an orphan who accidentally gets placed in a home that was requesting a boy. She is quite a vibrant, prolific girl of eleven that wins the hearts of all those she meets, but not without some trials and tribulations.

Now this classic was gratifying. What astounds me the most is that the reader would never know that this was written in 1908. The themes of relationships, responsibilities, teenage thoughts, etc. all transcend time making this very much a good read for today, as I'm sure it did in the 1900's. Anne was a delight to meet and L. M. Montgomery must have had an active imagination herself in order to make Anne seem so alive. I want to follow Anne's life, so I will be continuing with the series.

THE BLUEST EYE

Toni Morrison

Genre: Fiction

Published: 1970

Personal Rating: 2.75/5

Yearly Count: 4

Well, my winning streak of chosen books has come to an end. This book brought flashbacks of Lolita (Nabokov) and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Angelou), both of which were not favorites of mine. With the many controversial issues presented, it would probably make a good adult book club read. For me, it satisfies my desire to read a Morrison novel and the pleasure of crossing it off of my lists.

COMPLETED: February, 2008

I joined this challenge to help me choose books and ensure my reading of those books. My theme may be silly, but it works for me.

Hosted By: Caribousmom

(4 books/January - June, 2008)

1. The Bluest Eye (Morrison)

(Finished: 1-8-08)

2. Anne of Green Gables (Montgomery)

(Finished: 1-13-08)

3. My Life as a Furry Red Monster (Clash)

(Finished: 1-18-08)

4. Black & Blue (Quindlen)

(Finished: 2-4-08)

ALTERNATE POSSIBILITIES:

Half a Yellow Sun (Adichie)

Purple Hibiscus (Adichie)

White Stag (Seredy)