2004 Year-In-Review : Books

Inspired by lucyinchicagoBest Books — The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; The Dive From Clausen’s PierBest Book Most Obviously Written With Me In Mind — A Year At The Movies: One Man’s Filmgoing Odyssey
Best Books with an International Setting — Cold Beer and Crocodiles: A Bicycle Journey Into Australia; In A Sunburned [...]

LADDER 49

December 29, 2004 at Movies 7, Sherman, Texas

THE LADY AND THE UNICORN by Tracy Chevalier

Genre: Historical FictionISBN: 0525947671How Acquired: BarnesandNoble.comReading Began: December 24, 2004Completed Reading: December 28, 2004
Overall rating: Six out of ten
Recommendation to others: Fans of the author will likely find this book enjoyable, though I recommend Girl With A Pearl Earring much more than this one.
Why I chose to read this book: When I purchased this book [...]

SKIPPING CHRISTMAS by John Grisham

Genre: Seasonal FictionISBN: 0385508417How Acquired: BarnesandNoble.comReading Began: December 21, 2004Completed Reading: December 24, 2004
Overall rating: Seven out of ten
Recommendation to others: See the movie if you want, but definitely read the book. Charming and fun.
Why I chose to read this book: John Grisham’s faith mirrors my own, so I was very intrigued by a story [...]

LEMONY SNICKET’S "A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS"

December 23, 2004 at Cinemark Town Center, Sherman, Texas

BOOKENDS by Jane Green

Genre: ChickLitISBN: 0140276521How Acquired: BookCrossingReading Began: December 16, 2004Completed Reading: December 21, 2004
Overall rating: Four out of ten
Recommendation to others: Only if you are a true fan of Jane Green’s style and chosen substance should you read this book. I’d redirect anyone to Helen Fielding, to Plum Sykes, maybe even to Candace Bushnell or Emma [...]

BOBBY JONES: STROKE OF GENIUS (rental)

December 17, 2004

OCEAN’S TWELVE

December 17, 2004 at Cinemark Town Center, Sherman, Texas

HOUSE UNDER SNOW by Jill Bialosky

Genre: Fiction and LiteratureISBN: 0151006857How Acquired: Half Price BooksReading Began: December 13, 2004Completed Reading: December 15, 2004
Overall rating: Six out of ten
Recommendation to others: This is a sad story yet completely engaging from beginning to end. And a quick read. It is for anyone who has loved someone in spite of themselves, and for anyone [...]

THE VIRGIN BLUE by Tracy Chevalier

Genre: Fiction and LiteratureISBN: 0452284449How Acquired: BookCrossingReading Began: December 6, 2004Completed Reading: December 12, 2004
Overall rating: Seven out of ten
Recommendation to others: A fine story by the author of Girl With A Pearl Earring. I’ve only just learned that this is actually her debut novel. The Virgin Blue is engaging and should be enjoyable for [...]

PRINCESS DIARIES 2: ROYAL ENGAGEMENT

December 8, 2004 at Movies 7, Sherman, Texas

REFLECTIONS ON THE CHRISTMAS STORY by Janette Oke

Genre: Religion and SpiritualityISBN: 1556615280How Acquired: unknown (it’s been on a shelf for years)Reading Began and Completed: December 5, 2004
Overall rating: Six out of ten
Recommendation to others: A nice quick exposition on the story of Christ’s birth.
Why I chose to read this book: One of my favorite series from adolescence is Janette Oke’s Canadian [...]

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME by Mark Haddon

Genre: Fiction and LiteratureISBN: 1400032717How Acquired: BookCrossingReading Began: November 24, 2004Completed Reading: December 4, 2004
Overall rating: Seven out of ten
Recommendation to others: A highly original narrative perspective makes this book very entertaining, and the surprise ending gives the book a tremendous amount of heart.
Why I chose to read this book: A review in Entertainment Weekly [...]

JUST A GEEK: UNFLINCHINGLY HONEST TALES OF THE SEARCH FOR LIFE, LOVE, AND FULFILLMENT BEYOND THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE by Wil Wheaton

Genre: Biographies and MemoirsISBN: 059600768XHow Acquired: BarnesandNoble.comReading Began: November 24, 2004Completed Reading: November 30, 2004
Overall rating: Six out of ten
Recommendation to others: For anyone who is familiar with Wheaton’s acting, especially in Star Trek: The Next Generation, or with his website, from which much of this book is taken. Beyond that, this may have little [...]