43. "These is My Words" by Nancy E. Turner 384 pages
I almost didn't want to read this book because I was afraid it would have horrible grammar throughout.And that would have been tragic because this is an epic sweeping love story reminiscent of "Gone With
the Wind." So I haven't exactly read or seen "Gone With the Wind"... I still know it's an epic sweeping
love story. I hope when I finally read it, it is as good as "These is My Words." The book is a diary of
Sarah Prine who lives in the Arizona Territories (so sometimes you have to do math to figure out how old
she is). Sarah is an extremely likable character. This book made me want to cheer, it made me want to
laugh and it made me want to cry. So I definitely liked it. Oh, and the grammar is not an issue at all.
44. "Legacy" by Kate Brian 243 pages
45. "The Eyre Affair" by Jasper Fforde 374 pages
I didn't really like this book. It was okay, but not something I would read again. To me, the time travelstuff is never explained enough. It felt similar to watching a 10 am to 11 am episode from the TV show
"24" without having seen the previous episodes: You can kind of figure out what is mostly going on, but
you are lost and confused for good portions of it, too. The book was very "meh" to me. The book "Jane
Eyre" plays a pretty big role in "The Eyre Affair." But I don't like "Jane Eyre" so I didn't really care if that
book / character was ruined forever. I realize that the last sentence doesn't really make sense unless you
have read "The Eyre Affair" but there it is anyway.
46. "How Do I Love Thee?" by Nancy Moser 325 pages
This is a fictional account based on lots of actual research and facts about the romance between ElizabethBarret and Robert Browning. The actual love story is pretty good (the fact that it really happened makes
it even better), but I found Elizabeth's internal narrative quite boring and weak and it actually made me
dislike her even though she is the heroine. Not a book I would recommend.
47. "Along for the Ride" by Sarah Dessen 383 pages
I liked this book. I thought Auden (the main character) and her dad and step-mom were particularlybelievable. I liked that Dessen didn't hit me over the head or preach with the "starting over" and "can
people really change?" themes. The plot is slightly predictable, but it was still enjoyable.
48. "Appointment with Death" by Agatha Christie 244 pages
I really liked "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie but I really didn't like this book. Themurder mystery is told three times over in the book. The character tells us what happened in their view.
Then the character tells the detective what happened in their view. Then the detective tells everyone else
what happened in the first person's view. This happens for every character. The plot wasn't weak but
the retelling of the story three times for each person drove me NUTS. It dragged. Not a winner.
49. "This Lullaby" by Sarah Dessen 345 pages
I like the other Sarah Dessen book I read but this one... I did not like a single character. Not one. Addgratuitous swearing and a weak plot and there is nothing to like about this book.
50. "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne 216 pages
This story is through the eyes of Bruno, a nine year old German boy raised in Berlin during World WarII. Even though it is narrated by a child, this story is definitely not meant for children. Bruno's father is an
important man to "The Fury." Bruno's father is promoted and moves the family to "Out With" where he is
in charge. Bruno can see the people in all the "striped pajamas" and wonders what they do in the fenced
in city. Bruno eventually becomes friends with one of the boys in the "striped pajamas" but still remains
oblivious to what is happening. I liked this book. When reading it, keep in mind that "The Boy in the
Striped Pajamas" is not a novel - it is a fable (it says so on the cover). Because it is a fable Bruno's
innocence about what is happening is greatly exaggerated. This can be frustrating if you start reading this
book thinking it is a novel. Because it is a fable all the characters are very static and one dimensional.
Again, this could be very irritating if you were expecting a novel. It's very well written and tells a very
broad tale. It will make you wonder about many things; including yourself.
51. "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown 509 pages
Dan Brown novels are always entertaining. There were a few plot twists that I didn't expect, butbasically it is a Washington D.C. version of "The DaVinci Code" or "Angels and Demons." I don't think
that's a bad thing because I liked those books. Nothing new from Dan Brown, but it's still good.
I really liked "These is My Words," too. There is a sequel, but I can't remember the title. I liked it, too, but not as much.
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