Book Awards II Challenge Wrap-Up

Yes, you read that right. I am finally done with the Book Awards II Challenge, and let me tell you that it was so much fun to do! I actually got out of my comfort zone and read some books that normally wouldn't appeal to me and I can honestly say I was not disappointed.

Here is my list w/ reviews linked to each title:

1- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon (2003 Whitbread Book of the Year Award) (completed - 1/07/09)

2- The Gathering - Anne Enright (2007 Man Booker Prize) (completed 10/29/08)

3- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson (2006 Glass Key Award) (completed 12/12/08)

4- Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris (Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original 2001) (completed 10/15/08)

5- Doubt: A Parable - John Patrick Shanley (2005 Pulitzer Prize) (completed 12/27/08)

6- Blindness - José Saramago (1998 Nobel Prize) (completed 1/11/09)

7- The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz (2008 Pulitzer Prize) (completed 11/6/08)

8- The End of the Alphabet - C.S. Richardson (2007 Alcuin Award) (completed 10/22/08)

9- Inkheart - Cornelia Funke (2004 Book Sense Children's Literature Award) (completed 12/17/08)

10- The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares (2004 YRCA Award) (completed - 11/13/08)

My initial post is here. Now off to work on the other 25 or so challenges that I'm also signed up for =D

Happy Reading!

Blindness by José Saramago

Firstly, I want to start by saying that this was one of the scariest books that I have ever read.

A city is hit by an epidemic of "white blindness" which spares no one. Authorities begin by quarantining the blind to an empty mental hospital, but there the criminal element holds everyone captive, stealing food rations and raping women. There is one eyewitness to this nightmare who guides seven strangers. I really liked the way that nobody in the story had a name (i.e.: the doctor, the doctor’s wife, the girl with the dark glasses, the man with the black eyepatch, the thief, the first blind man, the boy with the squint, etc.)... a blind person doesn’t need a name they are only a voice.

The writing style was a bit hard for me at first - there is no use of quotations throughout the whole story so it was a bit difficult to distinguish who was speaking- but I caught on quickly enough.

Saramago has a profound way of getting into the depths of human psychology. I found it to be difficult at times, but very thought provoking. What would you do? The world can no longer function as we know it and we are down to living in the streets and scavenging for food. It is an amazing look at humanity, kindness, and pure despair. I was addicted!

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Christopher Boone has one goal and that is to find out who the murderer of a neighborhood dog (Wellington) is. Although his search is for a dog-murderer, Christopher's quest ultimately uncovers some very important family secrets along the way.

It was fascinating to be able to read thru the point-of-view of an 11 year old child with autism - it definitely made for a compelling read. I loved reading about all the quirks (i.e. his hate of anything yellow or brown, his pain at being touched, how a certain amount of red cars or yellow cars would determine how his day went, how doing "maths" calms him down, etc.). Along the way, you also learn about his daily interactions with his father, teachers and neighbors.

This story provides great insight to those who want to understand what autism is. Most books revolve around people who care for an autistic person and I found this to be a fresh and profound view of living with autism. It was a quick and enjoyable read and an altogether great experience for the insight it provides.

Doubt by John Patrick Shanley

What a powerful piece. There are only 4 spoken characters in the whole book - yet so much goes on in such a short story/play. It is riveting and superbly written - considering it's only 60+ pages long.

The play takes place in a 1960's Catholic Church School where a nun suspects the priest is molesting one of his students. It's a story about doubt. Did he do it? Was she wrong? Right? You just don't know. You are left with DOUBT. I found that the ending was well suited for this piece and I highly recommend it.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

I must say Inkheart started a bit slow for me but I held out and became immersed in a fantastical adventure. Meggie's dad, a bookbinder named Mo, can enthrall you by reading out loud. He is so good at reading out loud that many years ago he "read" the villain Capricorn (along with some other characters) from a book called "Inkheart" into reality.... and from there the story unfolds. Meggie, Mo, Dustfinger, Elinor, Farid, Fenoglio all became so dear to me. The idea of reading a book and having its characters come to life was just amazing to me. The love of books, words, reading and literature in general is a big factor throughout this story- Ms. Funke is very passionate towards books. Although there were some parts that were a bit dark, there was nothing too terribly suspenseful, yet it was exciting enough to keep you interested throughout the book. I will admit that sometimes I found that it dragged just a tad, but upon reading the whole story I realized that every page was essential to the storyline. If you enjoy fantasy, in particular children’s fantasy, then this book will keep your attention.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I’ll be honest, I only picked this book up because it was being offered to me at a great price through amazon.com. I had somewhat heard the hype about it, but I just didn’t think it was something that I would be interested in. Boy, was I mistaken. It did start a little slow so it took me about two days to actually want to get into it (or try to get past the first 100 pgs.), but once I did get into it, it was hard to put down. It was a fast-paced, intelligent, whodunnit mystery. The character of Lizbeth Salander was totally kick-ass. There were some parts that were a bit hard to swallow, but overlooking that, it was a fascinating read. The only thing I wasn’t too big on were all the Swedish words that I know I butchered throughtout the whole novel. So in conclusion, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was all that it was said to be and more. It’s too bad I have to wait ‘till August 09 for the second book in the trilogy, The Girl Who Played With Fire. I can’t wait!

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

This book was adorable, fun and just plain girly. It’s the story of four BFF’s and their first summer apart from each other. I thought it was great how each girl was totally different from the other yet they had the perfect friendship - they made each other complete. Lena the shy one, Bridget the impulsive one, Tibby the honest one, and Carmen the latina and self-conscious one. I became instantly attached to the characters and couldn't put the book down. I just had to know what would happen in Greece with Kostos, how Bailey was dealing with her Leukemia, if things were heating up with Eric, and how Carmen's 'new family' was doing. I saw the movie a while ago and was pleasantly surprised when I saw the differences in the book. I think women of all ages can relate to this story in so many ways. We can relate to the friendships, first loves, and different personalities. Now I can’t wait to get my hands on the other three books.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

Firstly, I want to start by saying that if you do not understand Spanish, Spanish slang to be exact, you might not really grasp some of the neat terms used in this book. The story is told in a real New Yorker/Dominican voice - meaning lots of Spanglish. It is very graphic in nature, has a lot of cussing and has some tough patches that were a bit difficult to get through - but were needed to get gist of the story. There were huge footnotes, which tend to distract me, but had a lot of insight on the history of Santo Domingo, D.R. I found it to be hilarious, educational and brimming with "did he just write that" moments.

Oh, and if you were wondering about the title, the title of the book gets its name, from the thick-accented pronunciation of Oscar Wilde, becoming Oscar "Wao."

The Gathering by Anne Enright

I tried to read this book once before and couldn’t get past page 50. So I decided to give it a second go and can say I feel a bit proud of myself for trucking through. I found it a bit dull and the narrator (Veronica) never warmed up to me. I just didn’t like her - no matter how much I tried. I found the book to be well Very Irish - and there were certain sayings I just couldn’t understand. The plot jumps around all over the place. The thoughts were often disjointed. And to be frank, I just didn't care about a lot of it. Very depressing. My recommendation - pass this one on by.

The End of the Alphabet by C.S. Richardson

A dying man's wish to travel the world from A-Z... this beautifully written little story will give you pause to think about your own mortality. Ambrose has been told he has a month to live - seems like a rather depressing topic. But the emphasis is on "Live" - and live he does. Beautifully written. Not a single wasted word. Simplistic and enjoyable read.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

First I want to say that I absolutely love the name of the main character: SOOKIE STACKHOUSE - I find it so imaginative and creative. This book is junk food for the brain. It's also a little like crack, you just NEED that next book. I will admit I passed this book several times while at the book store and once I picked it up all I could think about was "one should never judge a book by its cover". Let's be honest, it's hard not to. Despite what this book's cover leads you to believe, the book is not for kiddies and a surprisingly fun read. A new take on the vampire genre that will leave you craving the next installment.

Book Awards II Challenge

10 months. 10 award winners.

Rules:
- Read 10 award winners from August 1, 2008 through June 1, 2009.
- You must have at least FIVE different awards in your ten titles.
- Overlaps with other challenges are permitted.
- You don't have to post your choices right away, and your list can change at any time.
- 'Award winners' is loosely defined; make the challenge fit your needs, keeping in mind Rule #2.
- SIGN UP using Mr. Linky below.
- Have fun reading!

Here is my list:
1- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon (2003 Whitbread Book of the Year Award) (completed - 1/07/09)
2- The Gathering - Anne Enright (2007 Man Booker Prize) (completed 10/29/08)
3- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson (2006 Glass Key Award) (completed 12/12/08)
4- Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris (Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original 2001) (completed 10/15/08)
5- Doubt: A Parable - John Patrick Shanley (2005 Pulitzer Prize) (completed 12/27/08)
6- Blindness - José Saramago (1998 Nobel Prize) (completed 1/11/09)
7- The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz (2008 Pulitzer Prize) (completed 11/6/08)
8- The End of the Alphabet - C.S. Richardson (2007 Alcuin Award) (completed 10/22/08)
9- Inkheart - Cornelia Funke (2004 Book Sense Children's Literature Award) (completed 12/17/08)
10- The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares (2004 YRCA Award) (completed - 11/13/08)