Challenges I've joined. This will continuously be updated throughout the year and can be reached from the sidebar link on the right. I only join challenges that run year long and that cover a certain type of book that I figure I read any way. This way my reading and the challenges fit together and I don't have to search out books for the challenges as they are already in my tbrs.
Memorable Memoirs 2012 - read 1-4 memoirs, autobiographies, diaries, letters, etc.
Read Dystopia Challenge 2012 - read 7-10 dystopian or post-apocalyptic
2012 ARC Reading Challenge - read 35 or more ARCs
Victorian Challenge 2012 - anything Victorian, books or movies, total of 2-6
2012 Picture Book Reading Challenge - read 24 picture books
The Telling Tales Reading Challenge 2012 - read 10+ fairytales/mythology anything goes
Clocks, Cogs, and Mechanisms Reading Challenge 2012 - read 1-3 steampunk books
War Through the Generations: WWI - read 1-3 books with WWI as a theme
100th Anniversary Titanic Reading Challenge - read/watch 6 Titanic related books/movies
A to Z Challenge V (2012) - read a book thaat begins with every letter of the alphabet for title and author for a total of 52 books
I'm currently involved in these perpetual challenges or projects:
Chronological Stephen King - I started this project in 2007, hit a snag a few years ago, then last year started off 2011 by reading a Stephen King book which helped me get going again nicely. This is a long term project for me. I have no goals of how many I'll read a year or when I'll finish it. I'd just like to at least read one book a year (if not more). This year, I'm again going to start January off with the next Stephen King book so as soon as I've finished whatever book \i'm currently reading. My first Jan. 2012 book will be "The Dead Zone". Besides reading the books, I also go off on side trips to watch certain movies (not all because some of the old ones are pretty dumb) and read graphic novels based on the books I'm reading. This currently leaves me in the middle of reading "The Stand" graphic novels and I have "The Stand" mini series still to watch.
1. Carrie
2. 'Salem's Lot
3. Rage
4. The Shining
5. Night Shift
6. The Stand
7. The Long Walk
8. The Dead Zone
9. Firestarter
Newbery Challenge (ongoing) - I intend on continuing this never-ending quest to read all the Newbery winners. However this year, unlike last year (and the year before), I pledge to read more than just the new winner ;-P
see progress here
Geographical Project - see progress here
"I will make a conscious effort to finish the Canadian provinces this year as every Canadian book I naturally read takes place in the same set of provinces and I only have two left to finish this stage of the project. I should also try and pay better attention to where novels take place, as I seem to have read all the 'popular' places, and most books continue to take place in these same states/countries." This is what I said at the beginning of 2011 and I still have those 2 Canadian Provinces left, so this year I will finish them off; I already have one book lined up. Otherwise I'm making good progress as faar as the States and Countries are going.
The Random Reading Bookshelf Project - Hoping to do better than last year's reading of 6 books and removing 2 of those from the house :-( see progress here
Finished in 2012
2nds Challenge 2012 - read 3 books that are either the 2nd in a series or the 2nd book you've read by the author. (FINISHED)
1. Dragon Seer's Gift by Janet McNaughton (2nd series & 2nd author)
2. No Such Thing as Dragons by Philip Reeve (2nd by author)
3. The Fathomless Fire by Thomas Wharton (2nd series & 2nd author)
Graphic Novels Challenge 2012 - read 12 graphic novels (FINISHED)
1. Power at the Plate by Scott Ciencin
2. Riptide Pride by Brandon Terrell
3. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 5 by Hiroshi Shiibashi
4. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 6 by Hiroshi Shiibashi
5. MOAH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 7 by Megumi Osuga
6. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 8 by Megumi Osuga
7.Green River Killer: A True Detective Story by Jeff Jensen
8. Super Dinosaur, Vol. 1 by Robert Kirkman
9. The Last Dragon by Jane Yolen
10. Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 7 by Hiroyuki Asada
11. African American Classics (Graphic Classics, Vol. 22)
12. Jellaby by Kean Soo
Saturday, December 31, 2011
2011 Read Your Own Books Challenge ~ FINISHED
Here is the perfect challenge for me! There is no limit to the number of books to read either so if I go obsessive with it I won't feel like the nerd sticking out of the crowd! Dates from now to year end. Dec. 31 2011.
The Challenge is hosted by Jamie @ For the Love of... and the sign-up and rules are here.
This fits in perfectly with goal #4 on my Goals for 2011 list. I've already randomly picked a bookshelf. I decided to pick from my Juv/YA shelves to make the goal more realistic and I picked the bottom shelf on the left because I couldn't see what was on it. The shelf is in a dark spot. The shelf is double stacked with books squeezed in for maximum use of space with no order, rhyme or reason to what is shelved together, though I do try to keep series books together.
So I will include these books, any book I already own and the backlog books from my 2009 ARC list only. Books currently owned as of now from my 2010 backlog ARC list and current ARC list will not count for this challenge. Just a little incentive imposed on myself to move the older books along.
2011 Read Your Own Books Challenge (Feb. 17 - Dec. 31. 2011)
1. Toy Story: The Mysterious Stranger by Dan Jolley
x. Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel
2. The Hollow People by Briank Keaney
x. Animal Hospital by Judith Walker Hodge
3. The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth by Scott Hahn
4. The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
5. Dragon Seer by Janet McNaughton
6. Winter's Child by Cameron Dokey
7. Journey to America by Sonia Levitin
8. Plenty of Fish by Millicent Selsam
9. The Cay by Theodore Taylor
10. The Seventh Princess by Nick Sullivan
11. The Joy of Being a Catholic Child by Rev. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv.
12. Assassin: The Lady Grace Mysteries #1 by Patricia Finney
13. High Flight: A Story of World War II by Linda Granfield
xx. Mouse Tales by Arnold Lobel
14. The Mass for Children by Rev. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv.
15. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
16. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan
17. Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel
18. Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop
19. The Gates by John Connolly
20. Little Henry to the Rescue by Eleanor Graham
21. Genesis by Bernard Beckett
22. John F. Kennedy: The Making of a Leader by the Editors of TIME for Kids
23. Canadian Starters (Moose, Beaver, Emily Carr & Alexander Graham Bell) by various
24. Yokaiden, Vol. 1 by Nina Matsumoto
25. Yokaiden, Vol. 2 by Nina Matsumoto
26. The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell
27. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
28. Bone 1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith
29. If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King by Ellen Levine
30. Bone 2: The Great Cow Race by Jeff Smith
31. The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
32. Bone 3: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith
33. The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of The Little Flower by St. Therese of Lisieux
34. Hanako and the Terror of Allegory, Vol. 3 by Sakae Esuno
35. Chi's Sweet Home, vol. 2 by Konami Kanata
36. Arthur's Honey Bear by Lillian Hoban
37. Twin Spica, Vol. 2 by Kou Yaginuma
38. Batman Returns: The Penquin's Plot by Michael Teitelbaum
39. Human Body by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
40. Canada's Maple Leaf: The Story of Our Flag by Ann-Maureen Owens & Jane Yealland
41. The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
42. Fables #15: Rose Red by Bill Willingham
43. Jack of Fables #8: The Fulminate Blade by Bill Willingham
44. The Boxcar Children #2: Surprise Island by Gertrude Chandler Warner
45. The Beginner's Bible illustrated by Kelly Pulley
46. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
47. The Long Walk by Stephen King as Richard Bachman
48. Mother Teresa: In My Own Words by Mother Teresa
49. Bone #4: The Dragonslayer by Jeff Smith
50. Bone #5: Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border by Jeff Smith
51. Marvin Redpost #1: Kidnapped at Birth? by Louis Sachar
52. Bone #6: Old Man's Cave by Jeff Smith
53. Bob and Shirley: A Tale of Two Lobsters by Harriet Ziefert
54. Everything is Grace: The Life and Way of Therese of Lisieux by Joseph F. Scmidt, FSC
55. Nola's Worlds #1: Changing Moon by Mathieu Mariolle
56. Canada, Our History: An Album Through Time by Rick Archbold
57. Nola's World #2: Ferrets and Ferreting Out by Mathieu Mariolle
58. Nola's World #3 Evem for a Dreamer Like Me by Mathieu Mariolle
59. Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the U.F.O. by David Adler
60. Small Pig by Arnold Lobel
61. Down the Yukon by Will Hobbs
62. My First Catechism by Father Lovasik
63. Gargoyles: Monsters in Stone by Jennifer Dussling
64: Bone 7: Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith
65. Bone 8: Treasure Hunters by Jeff Smith
66. Upchuck and Rotten Willy: Running Wild by Bill Wallace
67. Uncle Elephant by Arnold Lobel
68. Bone 9: Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith
69. Bone: Rose by Jeff Smith
70. Tommy O'Toole and Larry by Anna D. Cordts
The Challenge is hosted by Jamie @ For the Love of... and the sign-up and rules are here.
This fits in perfectly with goal #4 on my Goals for 2011 list. I've already randomly picked a bookshelf. I decided to pick from my Juv/YA shelves to make the goal more realistic and I picked the bottom shelf on the left because I couldn't see what was on it. The shelf is in a dark spot. The shelf is double stacked with books squeezed in for maximum use of space with no order, rhyme or reason to what is shelved together, though I do try to keep series books together.
So I will include these books, any book I already own and the backlog books from my 2009 ARC list only. Books currently owned as of now from my 2010 backlog ARC list and current ARC list will not count for this challenge. Just a little incentive imposed on myself to move the older books along.
2011 Read Your Own Books Challenge (Feb. 17 - Dec. 31. 2011)
1. Toy Story: The Mysterious Stranger by Dan Jolley
x. Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel
2. The Hollow People by Briank Keaney
x. Animal Hospital by Judith Walker Hodge
3. The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth by Scott Hahn
4. The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
5. Dragon Seer by Janet McNaughton
6. Winter's Child by Cameron Dokey
7. Journey to America by Sonia Levitin
8. Plenty of Fish by Millicent Selsam
9. The Cay by Theodore Taylor
10. The Seventh Princess by Nick Sullivan
11. The Joy of Being a Catholic Child by Rev. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv.
12. Assassin: The Lady Grace Mysteries #1 by Patricia Finney
13. High Flight: A Story of World War II by Linda Granfield
xx. Mouse Tales by Arnold Lobel
14. The Mass for Children by Rev. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv.
15. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
16. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan
17. Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel
18. Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop
19. The Gates by John Connolly
20. Little Henry to the Rescue by Eleanor Graham
21. Genesis by Bernard Beckett
22. John F. Kennedy: The Making of a Leader by the Editors of TIME for Kids
23. Canadian Starters (Moose, Beaver, Emily Carr & Alexander Graham Bell) by various
24. Yokaiden, Vol. 1 by Nina Matsumoto
25. Yokaiden, Vol. 2 by Nina Matsumoto
26. The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell
27. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
28. Bone 1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith
29. If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King by Ellen Levine
30. Bone 2: The Great Cow Race by Jeff Smith
31. The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
32. Bone 3: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith
33. The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of The Little Flower by St. Therese of Lisieux
34. Hanako and the Terror of Allegory, Vol. 3 by Sakae Esuno
35. Chi's Sweet Home, vol. 2 by Konami Kanata
36. Arthur's Honey Bear by Lillian Hoban
37. Twin Spica, Vol. 2 by Kou Yaginuma
38. Batman Returns: The Penquin's Plot by Michael Teitelbaum
39. Human Body by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
40. Canada's Maple Leaf: The Story of Our Flag by Ann-Maureen Owens & Jane Yealland
41. The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
42. Fables #15: Rose Red by Bill Willingham
43. Jack of Fables #8: The Fulminate Blade by Bill Willingham
44. The Boxcar Children #2: Surprise Island by Gertrude Chandler Warner
45. The Beginner's Bible illustrated by Kelly Pulley
46. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
47. The Long Walk by Stephen King as Richard Bachman
48. Mother Teresa: In My Own Words by Mother Teresa
49. Bone #4: The Dragonslayer by Jeff Smith
50. Bone #5: Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border by Jeff Smith
51. Marvin Redpost #1: Kidnapped at Birth? by Louis Sachar
52. Bone #6: Old Man's Cave by Jeff Smith
53. Bob and Shirley: A Tale of Two Lobsters by Harriet Ziefert
54. Everything is Grace: The Life and Way of Therese of Lisieux by Joseph F. Scmidt, FSC
55. Nola's Worlds #1: Changing Moon by Mathieu Mariolle
56. Canada, Our History: An Album Through Time by Rick Archbold
57. Nola's World #2: Ferrets and Ferreting Out by Mathieu Mariolle
58. Nola's World #3 Evem for a Dreamer Like Me by Mathieu Mariolle
59. Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the U.F.O. by David Adler
60. Small Pig by Arnold Lobel
61. Down the Yukon by Will Hobbs
62. My First Catechism by Father Lovasik
63. Gargoyles: Monsters in Stone by Jennifer Dussling
64: Bone 7: Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith
65. Bone 8: Treasure Hunters by Jeff Smith
66. Upchuck and Rotten Willy: Running Wild by Bill Wallace
67. Uncle Elephant by Arnold Lobel
68. Bone 9: Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith
69. Bone: Rose by Jeff Smith
70. Tommy O'Toole and Larry by Anna D. Cordts
Movies/DVDs/TV Seasons/Concerts Watched in 2012
This is a running list for the year. The list will include the movie and indicate whether it is a re-watch otherwise it can be assumed it was my first time watched.
(the year)(owned/rental/library/borrowed/theatre/Netflixed) and a brief review which could be just one word such as good, great, just OK, whatever. If I feel like expounding on the review I will. No rules here just a list with a bit of extra information. I will also note which ones I watched with my 11yo/12yo by starting off with a red (#).
January:
1. Mission: Impossible IV Ghost Protocol - (2011) (theatre) I don't have a lot to say about this. Dh and I went to see it on date night. We enjoyed it. Of course. We both like Tom Cruise (for different reasons, hehe) The movie was just what you'd expect but I didn't enjoy it as much as the others. It was just more *tame*. It certainly deserved its PG rating; we could have taken our son to see it. Their was lots of action but no real violence and Tom didn't even have a love interest! So no sexy bits. But still I loved the action. We enjoyed our time.
2.
(the year)(owned/rental/library/borrowed/theatre/Netflixed) and a brief review which could be just one word such as good, great, just OK, whatever. If I feel like expounding on the review I will. No rules here just a list with a bit of extra information. I will also note which ones I watched with my 11yo/12yo by starting off with a red (#).
January:
1. Mission: Impossible IV Ghost Protocol - (2011) (theatre) I don't have a lot to say about this. Dh and I went to see it on date night. We enjoyed it. Of course. We both like Tom Cruise (for different reasons, hehe) The movie was just what you'd expect but I didn't enjoy it as much as the others. It was just more *tame*. It certainly deserved its PG rating; we could have taken our son to see it. Their was lots of action but no real violence and Tom didn't even have a love interest! So no sexy bits. But still I loved the action. We enjoyed our time.
2.
Books Read in 2012
Books Read in 2012
Titles in green were read aloud to or by my 11/12yo.
January: 33 books
1. Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel (5/5)
2. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 5 by Hiroshi Shiibashi (3/5)
3. The Dead Zone by Stephen King (5/5)
4. Who Cut the Cheese? by Jo Nesbo (5/5)
5. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 6 by Hiroshi Shiibashi (5/5)
6. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 7 by Megumi Osuga (5/5)
7. The Translation of Bones by Frances Kay (4/5)
8. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 8 by Megumi Osuga (5/5)
9. Green River Killer: A True Detective Story by Jeff Jensen (4/5)
10. No Such Thing As Dragons by Philip Reeve (3/5)
11. Super Dinosaur, Vol. 1 by Robert Kirkman (4/5)
12. 50 Underwear Questions by Tanya Lloyd Kyi (4/5)
13. The Last Dragon by Jane Yolen (4/5)
14. Dotter of Her Father's Eyes by Mary M. Talbot & Bruce Talbot (4/5)
15. The Fathomless Fire by Thomas Wharton (4/5)
16. 14 Valentine Puzzles by The Garbachuck Family (5/5)
17. Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 7 by Hiroyuki Asada (5/5)
18. African-American Classics: Graphic Classics, Vol. 22 edited by Tom Pomplun & Lance Took (4/5)
19. It's a Snap! George Eastman's First Photograph by Monica Kulling (5/5)
20. The Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill (5/5)
21. 101 Puzzle Quizzes by The Garbachuck Family (5/5)
22. Out of Slavery: The Journey to Amazing Grace by Linda Granfield (5/5)
23. Jellaby by Kean Soo (3/5)
24. Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King by William Joyce (4/5)
25. Shot at Dawn by John Wilson (4/5)
26. Jellaby: Monster in the City by Kean Soo (3/5)
27. Irena's Jars of Secrets by Marcia Vaughan (4/5)
28. Crogan's Loyalty by Chris Schweizer (4/5)
29. The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby (4/5)
30. The Yellow House Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner (5/5)
31.The Coldest City by Antony Johnston (4/5)
32. The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett (2/5)
33. Fluffy, Fluffy Cinnamoroll, Vol. 1 by Yumi Tsukirino (3/5)
Feb:
34. The Flint Heart by Katherine & John Paterson (3/5)
35. Titanic 2012 by Bill Walker (5/5)
36. Women of the Titanic Disaster by Sylvia Caldwell (3/5)
37. How Do We Know About Dinosaurs? A Fossil Mystery by Rebecca Olien (3/5)
38. How Do We Stay on Earth? A Gravity Mystery by Amy S. Hansen (3/5)
39.
Titles in green were read aloud to or by my 11/12yo.
January: 33 books
1. Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel (5/5)
2. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 5 by Hiroshi Shiibashi (3/5)
3. The Dead Zone by Stephen King (5/5)
4. Who Cut the Cheese? by Jo Nesbo (5/5)
5. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 6 by Hiroshi Shiibashi (5/5)
6. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 7 by Megumi Osuga (5/5)
7. The Translation of Bones by Frances Kay (4/5)
8. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 8 by Megumi Osuga (5/5)
9. Green River Killer: A True Detective Story by Jeff Jensen (4/5)
10. No Such Thing As Dragons by Philip Reeve (3/5)
11. Super Dinosaur, Vol. 1 by Robert Kirkman (4/5)
12. 50 Underwear Questions by Tanya Lloyd Kyi (4/5)
13. The Last Dragon by Jane Yolen (4/5)
14. Dotter of Her Father's Eyes by Mary M. Talbot & Bruce Talbot (4/5)
15. The Fathomless Fire by Thomas Wharton (4/5)
16. 14 Valentine Puzzles by The Garbachuck Family (5/5)
17. Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 7 by Hiroyuki Asada (5/5)
18. African-American Classics: Graphic Classics, Vol. 22 edited by Tom Pomplun & Lance Took (4/5)
19. It's a Snap! George Eastman's First Photograph by Monica Kulling (5/5)
20. The Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill (5/5)
21. 101 Puzzle Quizzes by The Garbachuck Family (5/5)
22. Out of Slavery: The Journey to Amazing Grace by Linda Granfield (5/5)
23. Jellaby by Kean Soo (3/5)
24. Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King by William Joyce (4/5)
25. Shot at Dawn by John Wilson (4/5)
26. Jellaby: Monster in the City by Kean Soo (3/5)
27. Irena's Jars of Secrets by Marcia Vaughan (4/5)
28. Crogan's Loyalty by Chris Schweizer (4/5)
29. The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby (4/5)
30. The Yellow House Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner (5/5)
31.The Coldest City by Antony Johnston (4/5)
32. The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett (2/5)
33. Fluffy, Fluffy Cinnamoroll, Vol. 1 by Yumi Tsukirino (3/5)
Feb:
34. The Flint Heart by Katherine & John Paterson (3/5)
35. Titanic 2012 by Bill Walker (5/5)
36. Women of the Titanic Disaster by Sylvia Caldwell (3/5)
37. How Do We Know About Dinosaurs? A Fossil Mystery by Rebecca Olien (3/5)
38. How Do We Stay on Earth? A Gravity Mystery by Amy S. Hansen (3/5)
39.
Countries, States & Provinces 2011 Update
Here are my stats on reading around the world during 2011.
Canada - 11 provinces/territories - as of Dec. 31, 2011
This is a change of 0 from 2010, I still have NWT and PEI left. I'll get these finished this year; I already have my NWT book chosen. And I am not reading an LM Montgomery for PEI.
USA - 40 States - as of Dec. 31, 2011
This is an increase of 4 from 2010. Obviously I've read all the popular states and am going to have to look up which ones I'm missing and pay attention to where books are set. Now how many states are there? 50 or 52? Something tells me 50 states and 52 cards in a deck. Let me google ... Answer is 50 states plus Washington DC.
Countries of the World - 51 countries - as of Dec. 31, 2011
This is an increase of 19 from 2010. I started paying attention to where books were set and picking books with exotic locations on purpose. Doing well here, will continue to do so.
To view my list of books read and their locations visit my Around the World page.
Canada - 11 provinces/territories - as of Dec. 31, 2011
This is a change of 0 from 2010, I still have NWT and PEI left. I'll get these finished this year; I already have my NWT book chosen. And I am not reading an LM Montgomery for PEI.
USA - 40 States - as of Dec. 31, 2011
This is an increase of 4 from 2010. Obviously I've read all the popular states and am going to have to look up which ones I'm missing and pay attention to where books are set. Now how many states are there? 50 or 52? Something tells me 50 states and 52 cards in a deck. Let me google ... Answer is 50 states plus Washington DC.
Countries of the World - 51 countries - as of Dec. 31, 2011
This is an increase of 19 from 2010. I started paying attention to where books were set and picking books with exotic locations on purpose. Doing well here, will continue to do so.
To view my list of books read and their locations visit my Around the World page.
Movies/DVDs Watched in 2011
Movies/DVDs/TV Seasons Watched in 2011
I have noted which ones I watched with my 10yo/11yo by starting off with a red (#).
Jan: 2
(#) 1. Thunderball (1965) (re-watch) (library) - Since this was Dad's second last night with us we let him pick the movies for us to watch and last year we started letting ds watch the James Bond movies as long as they were the Connery or Moore ones. This is a Sean Connery one and thoroughly enjoyed by all. All the grown-ups had seen it before but none could remember having seen it more than one time. (My dad originally in the the theatre!) . A lot of this one takes place underwater as Bond searches for two stolen missiles that have been hidden off the coast of Nassau somewhere and the secret boardings of the enemies ship. Lots of action, lots of James getting information out of the girl between the sheets and lots of Sean Connery with no shirt on! Ds loved the action sequences to pieces, laughing his head off at some of the antics (the violence is so low-key in these movies) My sil and I commented that if the movie was made today they never would have let Sean get away with that gorgeous chest of his. He would have been waxed within an inch of his life and we both said at the same time "YUCK!" Can't stand men with waxed chests! Anyway back to the movie, it's a great one, not one of the most remembered though as it doesn't really have any famous scenes in it but it's actually got a good plot and is a good movie. Tom Jones did the theme song. I absolutely l-o-v-e Tom Jones! Watch the opening sequence with theme song here.
2. Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935) (library) - Dad's choice again. I watched a lot of the Charlie Chan movies as a kiddo but have no idea which ones I've seen before. This rang no bells in my middle age brain so I'll treat it as a first timer. I love the humour of these Chan movies. I know some people can't get past the 1930s representation of the Chinese people, but I have no problem with these particular movies. There are plenty of Asian actors in the movie (even if Charlie is a white guy) and never (from a 1930s mindset) are the Chinese people made out to be lesser human beings. Yes, there are stereotypes but from a 1930s pov it is not hateful in any sense. The movie was hilarious. Charlie Chan is the equivalent of a Chinese Hercule Poirot, very wise and solves the mystery with his mind. His Number One son, Lee, is his sidekick and they have a hilarious relationship, with Lee being an average American kid complete with slang, yet of course eager to please 'Pops' and show him his honorable Chinese side. Short 70 minute movie, for a fun mixture of humour and mystery. Unfortunately it got quite late and I fell asleep near the end of the movie and had to go to bed, so I just have to wait until Dad gets up to see if I was right as to whodunit. (ETA: Nope, I was completely wrong. The plot got even more wild at the end and I would never have guessed.)
Feb: 1
3. Therese: The Story of Saint Therese of Lisieux (2004) (library) - absolutely beautiful indie movie about the life of "The Little Flower". Our church has been run by Carmelites since the 1850s and the North American Shrine to Saint Therese is here in my hometown, which we visit often so it was very enjoyable to watch her story come to life. As an indie film it certainly isn't Hollywood standards, but a very nice job has been done and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My dh watched this with me and this is not his sort of movie. He told me straight off that he'd start to watch it with me but if it was too soppy or pious he was leaving. He didn't move an inch! It's wonderful to watch a thoroughly positive Catholic movie like this that also takes place in the not so distant past.
Mar: 1
(#)4. Gulliver's Travels (1996) (rewatch) (Inter-Library Loan) - After we finished reading our version of Gulliver (highly recommended, btw) I had planned all along on watching this TV mini-series starring Ted Danson with ds to bring the book further to life for him. This still being the most faithful rendition of the book to screen. There are still many, many, deviance's from the original but from our adapted version it was quite a satisfactory book to film experience. In the book Gulliver keeps going out on travels and coming home, then going back to sea again. But to create a better continuity for a movie, they made up a story where the movie begins with Gulliver arriving home after being gone all these years. As he tries to tell his story he is thought mad and put into an insane asylum. This is mostly due to the fact that another Dr. has taken over his practise and has been trying to get his wife to marry him. Most of this second story was over ds's head and I had to explain the deviousness that was going on with this part. But the actual Travel's part of the movie was wonderful and true to our version of the book; Ds loved it! We watched the mini-series over three nights.
Apr: 1
(#)5. The 1940s House (2001) (library) This is a British reality show and I've never seen any of the other House series. Having just finished studying the War, I decided this would be a good watch for us to get a feel for the homefront. I enjoyed this very much as this is the type of history that I enjoy and DS enjoyed it too, some bits went over his head but he really did appreciate the experience. I'm really glad we watched it!
May: 0
June: 0
July:2
6. Red Dawn. (1984) (Library) (re-watch) - I wanted to re-watch Taps; hubby wanted to re-watch this. The library had this and I had to put an ILL in for Taps, so we watched this first. I remember loving this when I originally watched it, which would have been at the movies in 1984. I've never seen it again since. So how did it hold up? Not very well. First of all, this is very much Patrick Swayze's movie and I was never a fan of his. This was Charlie Sheen's first feature film debut and he is such a cutie and has quite a decent part with lots of lines and screen time but hardly ever gets any close-ups which was disappointing. Story-wise, it was really over the top and felt like an extended episode of the A-Team with this small group of kids against a whole town full of enemy soldiers. We rolled our eyes a lot but took it for what it was, a movie of its times.
(#)7. Kicking & Screaming. (2005) (own) - This is hubby's movie not mine. I'm not a fan of Will Ferrell for the most part. Dh and ds were watching this and I decided to join in about 10 minutes into the movie to make it a family night. Pleasantly enough it ended up being a funny family movie. Ds didn't want to watch it at first as he does not like soccer but I convinced him that I even enjoyed sport movies sometimes (and he knows how much I hate it when his dad is watching any sports on TV). So in the end ds really enjoyed it and thought it was hilarious and so did dh. And I have no complaints for what it is, a fun, often silly, family comedy. An enjoyable evening.
August: 5
8. Taps (1981) (Inter-Library Loan) (re-watch) - As far as I remember I have only seen this when it originally came out. I have always had a spot in my heart as having loved this movie ever since. In the opening credits there are only two famous actors listed George C. Scott and a young Timothy Hutton. Brilliant performance for Hutton. I really enjoyed the movie again re-watching it this time as an adult but it didn't have the same impact on me. The rebel students who so endeared my teenage heart, now seem to be misguided youths with little plan and a false sense of what is right. So while the plot didn't exactly bowl me over this time, I did still enjoy the movie for the brilliant performances by said star Timothy Hutton and two newcomers who were only mentioned in the end credits, both very young but giving powerful performances were Tom Cruise and Sean Penn. This was Penn's first feature film. Cruise had had a bit part in a prior feature film and it is no wonder based on his performance here that he went on to be a part of the gang of young hotties in his next film, "The Outsiders"
(#)9. Charlotte's Web (1973) (Library) (re-watch) - I'd just finished reading the book to ds and had planned on us watching the original animated movie that I grew up watching on TV. It seemed like it was one of those perennial favourites that was shown once a year and I had fond memories of it. I haven't re-watched it since those days though and finally re-watching it as an adult it didn't really hold up for me. I had totally forgotten that it was a musical, and honestly it was a pretty slow movie. It was very true to the book though. Ds was glad that the movie followed the book, even the names were the same, something he's found often get changed when book turns to movie. But he hated the singing. Ds does not like musicals. He said there is no singing in the book, why do they have to sing in the movie? That annoyed him very much. But otherwise, he did enjoy the movie and enjoyed the humorous bits. In the book he loved the goose's double speak and was pleased as punch when the goose in the movie followed suit. I'd say that she was his favourite character, but of course he also liked Templeton, as did I. Though they made him much grumpier in the movie than in the book. Re-watching it has made me loose those warm, fuzzy memories I had for the movie but it does get an "A" for staying true to the book. We haven't watched the new version of the movie and I doubt we will as I can say we are both all Charlotte's Web-ed out for the time being.
10. The World According to Garp (1982) (Library) (re-watch) - Hubby and I have decided to watch all Robin Williams' movies in order, excluding the ones we know are really bad and the ones we've seen dozens of time. That means we skipped Popeye, which I had seen and thought was a terrible movie even as a young person. This movie was Robin's second feature film and he plays rather a normal guy, compared to what he'd done so far: said Popeye and Mork. I guess this would be classified as a dramatic comedy. It's quite a serious movie with a lot of humour from low key to witty to physical. Robin plays a find performance as T.S. Garp. I had previously seen the movie, but only once and originally at the theatre. Dh had not seen it ever before. I had thought the movie was wonderful previously and now with the re-watch it was only so-so. It was overly long, with long parts where nothing happened that seemed to stretch and it wasn't as funny as I remember it being. Dh, asked if he enjoyed the movie replies "Bits of it". OK but not great.
(#)11. Faerie Tale Theatre: The Tale of the Frog Prince (1982) (Library) - This is a continuation of the Robin Williams project. This is not a movie but a 55 min. TV episode of a TV Show that ran through most of the 80's with a few shows per year. Clocking in at 55mins, I would assume the TV shows were TV movie length 90mins episodes with commercials included. This episode was the first first to air and featured Robin Williams and since neither of us had seen it we decided to add it to our roster. Hubby thought it was ok, I really enjoyed it and ds had his funny bone tickled all the way through! So decent family entertainment all the way round. This is pure Robin Williams at this time of his life. Dressed up in a frog suit he is almost, but not quite, unrecognisable and he gives his stand up routines and impersonations making for a hilarious performance. Also of notice is Michael Richards role as the King who also performs with classic Kramer body language. Not recommended for young children though as there is disguised and blatant s*xual innuendo aplenty, the frog is called a "horny toad" and the princes is called "b*tchy". Really had fun with this. We may watch the whole series at some time or buy it if we find it cheap somewhere.
(#)12.Holes - (2003) (Inter-Library Loan) - Ds picked the movie. His teacher read the book to the class last year and they watched the movie but since ds only goes to school half days he only got to see a bit of the movie. He absolutely loved the book! As did I, which I read several years ago. I really enjoyed the movie. I'd call it a passive movie with lots of quiet humour and only a few moments of physical comedy. From what I remember the movie remained true to the book. Of course my memory of the book is fuzzy, by now. I enjoyed and loved seeing the big names show up we don't see too often Henry Winkler, Eartha Kitt and a very skinny Patricia Arquette. For some reason, the boys looked older than I had imagined they were in the book, but that may be memory again. Ds, on the other hand did not like the movie. He kept saying it was boring and nothing was happening. Too slow, too much talking and not enough actually happening for him. He got up several times and walked around the house before coming back to the movie. He did have his moments, where he enjoyed the comedy though. So for him, it was a case of the book being much better than the movie. While I enjoyed the movie, I wouldn't give it 5 stars, so I will have to concur with ds on this one.
Sept: 5
(#)13. Apollo 13 - (1995) (library) (re-watch) - I've only seen this the one time, on video, when it originally came out so I was pretty much watching it with fresh eyes. The whole family watched this movie together the actual reason being that ds had just finished studying about space travel and one thing he'd studied was the Apollo 13 mission so seeing the movie was rated PG I thought it would be fun to for him to watch. Dh wasn't looking forward to watching such a long movie, as his eyes get tired at anything 2 hours+ but even he stayed awake and enjoyed the movie as much as we all did. Ds talked through the whole thing though, asking all sorts of space/astronaut/vocabulary related questions. Even though he knew the outcome he twice asked me with a question in his voice that they did all survive, right? as the movie is quite intense. He absolutely loved the ending when they re-entered earth's atmosphere and then the parachutes opened. Myself, I enjoyed it very much, as if I'd never seen it before. If I gave ratings this would be one of the 5 star must see movies.
(#)14. The Goonies - (1985) (ILL) (re-watch) - What a fantastic family movie. Something to entertain and catch the imagination of kids (boys in particular, I'd presume). Secret hidden pirate treasure, a map to the treasure, bad guys on their trail and they're all trying to find the loot so that their parent's houses won't be foreclosed to make room for a golf course. Absolutely hilarious, a bit of a cross between Indian Jones and Stand By Me, with it's all kid cast of heroes performing the derring do of Indie. BTW the little Chinese boy from Temple of Doom is the same actor who is in this movie. Making big hits are child actors of famous parents Sean Astin of Lord of the Rings fame (Patty Duke's son) and Joss Brolin (James Brolin's son) along with the ever popular 80's kid star Corey Feldman. I loved it the first time and really enjoyed it again. I also liked watching the special feature of Cyndi Lauper's theme song video which had all the 80s wrestlers in it, from back in the day when I used to be a wrestling fan. Andre the Giant even makes an appearance! Dh hadn't seen the movie before and he really enjoyed, needless to say it was a huge hit with the ds. Great night at the movies had by all.
(#)15. Up - (2009) (library) - Just looking at lists of kids' movies and this one showed up as one we'd never got around to watching so I put a hold on it. Dh was sick in bed so just ds and I watched together. First time just the two of us watched anything in a long time and we picked a winner of a movie for our mum/son night! Just absolutely wonderful! A real feel-good movie without being syrupy or anything like that. The sequence at the beginning that shows the old man's life from childhood to the loneliness after loosing his wife is brilliant. It's a whole story before the movie even starts. Ds had a great time, laughing at all the funny parts and I really enjoyed the humour as well. Ds was thrilled that there was no singing! I thought Ed Asner was perfect for the role as he is the epitome of the grouchy old man. Love John Ratzenberger showing up for his cameo bit part. He's got a deal that he has to be in every Disney/Pixar movie made till death do they part, right? I'm not a dog person but gotta say the "squirrel" joke with the talking dogs was hilarious. Great movie, watch it, even if you haven't got kids; it's got a good message for all of us adults.
16. - Moscow on the Hudson (1984) (ILL) (re-watch) - Continuing along with dh and my project to watch all Robin William's movies in chrono. order. The next movie was supposed to be Survivors with Walter Matthau (sp?) but the library came up empty handed. So I put a request in for the next one and said I wanted a DVD "but" would except a VHS as a last resort and I ended up with the VHS. So I put a request in again for Survivors but this time asking for a VHS and I haven't heard back yet, this is usually a good sign. Anyway onto the movie. It's surprising how laid back and dramatic Williams' early movies were. I guess he really wanted to get away from being characterized as "Mork". Both dh and I had seen this when it first came out and had enjoyed it at the time. Watching again now we still enjoyed but would classify it as an ok movie. It showed its age. Soviet Russia of course is gone along with the defection of its performing artists, but mostly the idea that the movie permeates that America is the land of the immigrant's dream, where anyone can make it if they only try, has gone by the wayside. The message is jaded today and no such movie could be made today either. It does make one long for the good old days.
(#)17. Secondhand Lions (2003) (Library) - I chose this one as a family watch as it just sounded like a good plot and I love Michael Caine. Dh was working the late shift so just ds and I watched it and we really enjoyed it. A touching story of a boy who has a flighty mother, who has never had a home, actually been in the orphanage at one time and how is mother drops him off with two never been heard of before brother great uncles. They are basically grumpy old men and while for the boy it is a coming of age story, for the men they learn how to enjoy life again and how to love someone again. Beautiful story, quite humorous. I was only startled by the amount of language used by the old men. I hadn't expected it and it wasn't that bad with mostly d*mns and h*lls, but some of the language was rather vulgar too. It was appropriate for these men seeing as what their background was and once I realized it wasn't going to get any worse, I relaxed and enjoyed the movie with my son. A good one!
Oct: 6
18. Braveheart (1995) (watched on DVD at my sister's in Edmonton) - If you can believe it, I have never seen this movie before but have always wanted to. It's one of my sister's favourites that she has seen multiple times and she's always said we'll have to watch it together some day. All I have to say is Magnificent! I loved it! I am partial to Scottish history and wish England had never killed off the Scottish heirs to the crown so came into the movie a fan of the subject matter. And I love Mel Gibson; he's at his prime here. My husband hates watching long epic historical movies so I don't get much chance to watch them, even though I love them. FREEDOM!
19. My Own Worst Enemy: The Complete Series (2008) (my sister has Netflix) - Absolutely loved this show! Never heard of it before and it only lasted 9 episodes so it just ended right in the middle of everything. Very similar to Alias with the twisting, violent spy plot. Loved every second of it! One of those unfortunate awesome shows that gets canceled while the junk keeps on getting renewed.
20. The Secret Life of Bees (2008) (my sister has Netflix) - I've read the book and suggested this as a good choice we could watch with my 12yo niece. A good movie, I really enjoyed. The book was much better though and they changed/or left out enough bits to make it not as wonderful as the book. I still enjoyed it though. I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of May and Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson). So I give it an OK. On the otherhand my niece was bawling her eyes out and my sister was teary eyed several times. So not having read the book, the movie seems to make an impact.
21. Survival of the Dead (2009) (my sister's on Blu-ray) - Just me and my bil were home and he picked this movie to watch. I'm not into modern horror movies and thought it would be too gross for me. But it wasn't, just a good, fun, zombie movie with no real value to it. Stupid ending. Some fairly fake-looking scenes but some good zombie killing too. Had fun.
22. Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974 (2009) (my sister's DVD) This is the first in a trilogy of movies about unrelated serial killer sprees that took place in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. This where I (and my family ancestry) hail from. The movie was dark, grim and boring. We turned it off before it was finished.
(#)23. Zoom (2006) (WE GOT NETFLIX) Ds picked this movie for family night. Tim Allen is a defunct super hero who is recruited to train a new bunch of kids with special powers to form a new team of super heroes to combat at immenent visit by a super villain. Some superhero funnies but basically a bad movie, scriptwise and acting wise. No funny moments for Tim Allen. Interesting seeing Courtney Cox as his co-star. When we were finished I asked ds what we should rate it. I was thinking 2, dh said under his breath 1 and ds yelled out 5. I asked if he was sure, that 5's were for best movies ever, but he was adament. I'll go back later and change it to a 3 so our suggestions aren't skewed. At least ds enjoyed himself. And it is a clean, non-offensive, kid-safe movie, which are few and far between these days.
Nov: 1
24. A Beautiful Mind (2001) (Netflixed) watched this on my own. Hadn't heard of it before or the man the true story was based on. I thought it was a good movie. Slow at first but quickly picked up once the reveal was made. I love how they showed the first half of the movie through Nash's point of view so that the audience is just as confused as he is when his life starts to fall apart and he is confronted with mentall illness. A beatuiful portayal of a husband and wife committed to each other so much that they hold each other up as Nash decides to deal with his symptons in his own way without the mind altering drugs of the era. Frank Nash evenutally becomes a Nobel Peace Prize Recipient for his mathematical theories of economics. A heart-warming story that shows people overcoming, without "curing" their mental illnesses, by sheer determination and will power, behaviour modification and logical reasoning if all else fails. This man and wife could have ended it so many times but they didn't beccause they had had love, and weren't about to give it up because things were tough now. No, they went on to prove that with that love they could live with, live well and happily, with Frank's schizophrenia using Frank's ideas rather than by losing his mind to electrical shock treatment and drugs that took away his personality, reasons for being, and his desire for his wife. A long movie, not fast-moving, but dark, and one I'm glad I watched. I've only seen a handful of Russel Crowe's movies but I've loved those I've seen; I might just start picking a movie because he's in it and see if I become a fan.
Dec:
25. Arrested Development: Season 1 (2003-2004) (Netflixed) I've always wanted to watch this show. Prior to this I had only seen one and a half episodes on TV, the episode where Tobias is painted as a Blueman (not in season 1) and a bit of an episode where the father is hiding in the attic (again not in season 1) but those two samplings had me itching to get season 1 and watch the show as it seemed to be my type of quirky humour. I am not usually a 1/2 hr. sitcom type of person. I absolutely loved this, I will say though that the first half of the season was better than the second. Though the last episode where everyone is on Atkins and can't eat any carbs is funny. I really enjoyed the guest stars. Liza Minella in her extended story arc and Julia Louise-Dreyfuss's two episodes were hilarious. Aside from loving Jason Bateman since I first saw him on Little House on the Prairie and Silver Spoons, my favourite character on the show is Buster and after that George-Michael. Even though it is mentioned in the credits at first I guessed Ron Howard was the narrator right away and thought that was pretty cool too, especially with the Henry Winkler connection. All around fabulous comedy for those who like quirky. Can't wait to watch Season 2 and I hear a movie follow-up is in the works.
26. Survivors Season 1 (2008) (Netflixed) This is a short British TV show with only two seasons. A post-apocalyptic show that is supposed to be a remake of a British show from the '70s and is based on the book by Terry Nation (which I've added to my Bookmooch wishlist). An excellent show! The first episode is movie length and brilliant in itself as it tells the tale of a virus leaking onto the public in Britain and within 24 hours 95% of the world's population is dead. The show then focuses on a small group of survivors, how they meet, join up and others they come across and of course there is a mysterious government connection as well. I absolutely love the actor playing Tom, the ex-convict, who at first is a cold-blooded murderer but whose character develops during the show and one can't but start to like him. He seems to be playing his role very close to David Caruso and his mannerisms and even looks a bit like him but much more sexy. I also like the young boy who plays Najid (sp); he is often more grown-up than some of the adults since he was brought up in a working family where he also did his part to support the household. Really good show, watch it if you get the chance.
27. Sherlock Season 1 (2010) (Netflixed) Watched with my 22yo while he visited home for 4 days. This is a short British television series with only 3 hour and a half episodes. Looking at imdb, I see that season 2 will air with three more episodes in 2012 which look to have already been filmed. This is a fantastic show! Set in modern times, Sherlock and Watson are their modern day counterparts from the books. Much of the original characterization of the characters in kept with a modern twist. Watson has returned home from the war (Afghanistan) and they end up sharing a flat together the same way as in the books, a mutual acquaintance introduces them to each other when they both remark, who would ever want to roommate with them. There are tributes to Holmesian references for die-hard fans to notice. Holmes is an ex-addict who does not smoke but wears three nicotine patches. The actor who places Holmes is brilliant, just what you would expect from such a man today and played as an egocentric who probably has some sort of mental issue. Watson is also well played in a serious role rather than the old bumbling Watson we are often used to seeing. A fantastic show, great acting, intense and exciting cases with plenty of humour added to offset the darkness. Mrs. Hudson is used for comic relief. Along with the familiar faces already noted we also meet Inspector Lestrade, Mycroft and the maniacal Moriarty. Highly recommended for mystery fans.
(#)28. Hoodwinked! (2005) (Netflixed) Watched Christmas Eve. Both ds and I had wanted to see this one for a while. We all enjoyed it. Not the best animated movie but still good and enjoyable. Quite different than the usual animated movie as well. Other than one cute creature, everyone else was shady, sneaky, mysterious or not what they seemed. Probably a 3.5.
(#)29. The Adventures of Tin Tin (2011) (went to the theatre) First let me say this was my very first 3D movie at the theatre. Well, the new 3D, ykwim. I don't see the point. So, the movie has depth, big deal. I have perfect eye vision and I found the glasses annoying and kept going to take them off then remembering I had to wear them. There was no extra fun because of the 3D. I hope this gimmick fades away. Now on to the movie. Three adults, 2 50-yo and 1 40+, plus an 11 yo absolutely loved it. It was just like an Indiana Jones movie!. Same concept, same over the top adventures and near death get-aways, amazing duels/fights with the bad guys, trips all over the world, to find a hidden treasure. The 11yo laughed and commented throughout the whole thing. Good thing we were surrounded by other children LOL! I have never read a Tin Tin comic in my life but now I want to read them more than anything! The movie is based on volume 11: The Secret of the Unicorn which has a direct sequel in volume 12: Red Rackham's Treasure, so I'm sure we can expect a movie sequel as well.
I have noted which ones I watched with my 10yo/11yo by starting off with a red (#).
Jan: 2
(#) 1. Thunderball (1965) (re-watch) (library) - Since this was Dad's second last night with us we let him pick the movies for us to watch and last year we started letting ds watch the James Bond movies as long as they were the Connery or Moore ones. This is a Sean Connery one and thoroughly enjoyed by all. All the grown-ups had seen it before but none could remember having seen it more than one time. (My dad originally in the the theatre!) . A lot of this one takes place underwater as Bond searches for two stolen missiles that have been hidden off the coast of Nassau somewhere and the secret boardings of the enemies ship. Lots of action, lots of James getting information out of the girl between the sheets and lots of Sean Connery with no shirt on! Ds loved the action sequences to pieces, laughing his head off at some of the antics (the violence is so low-key in these movies) My sil and I commented that if the movie was made today they never would have let Sean get away with that gorgeous chest of his. He would have been waxed within an inch of his life and we both said at the same time "YUCK!" Can't stand men with waxed chests! Anyway back to the movie, it's a great one, not one of the most remembered though as it doesn't really have any famous scenes in it but it's actually got a good plot and is a good movie. Tom Jones did the theme song. I absolutely l-o-v-e Tom Jones! Watch the opening sequence with theme song here.
2. Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935) (library) - Dad's choice again. I watched a lot of the Charlie Chan movies as a kiddo but have no idea which ones I've seen before. This rang no bells in my middle age brain so I'll treat it as a first timer. I love the humour of these Chan movies. I know some people can't get past the 1930s representation of the Chinese people, but I have no problem with these particular movies. There are plenty of Asian actors in the movie (even if Charlie is a white guy) and never (from a 1930s mindset) are the Chinese people made out to be lesser human beings. Yes, there are stereotypes but from a 1930s pov it is not hateful in any sense. The movie was hilarious. Charlie Chan is the equivalent of a Chinese Hercule Poirot, very wise and solves the mystery with his mind. His Number One son, Lee, is his sidekick and they have a hilarious relationship, with Lee being an average American kid complete with slang, yet of course eager to please 'Pops' and show him his honorable Chinese side. Short 70 minute movie, for a fun mixture of humour and mystery. Unfortunately it got quite late and I fell asleep near the end of the movie and had to go to bed, so I just have to wait until Dad gets up to see if I was right as to whodunit. (ETA: Nope, I was completely wrong. The plot got even more wild at the end and I would never have guessed.)
Feb: 1
3. Therese: The Story of Saint Therese of Lisieux (2004) (library) - absolutely beautiful indie movie about the life of "The Little Flower". Our church has been run by Carmelites since the 1850s and the North American Shrine to Saint Therese is here in my hometown, which we visit often so it was very enjoyable to watch her story come to life. As an indie film it certainly isn't Hollywood standards, but a very nice job has been done and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My dh watched this with me and this is not his sort of movie. He told me straight off that he'd start to watch it with me but if it was too soppy or pious he was leaving. He didn't move an inch! It's wonderful to watch a thoroughly positive Catholic movie like this that also takes place in the not so distant past.
Mar: 1
(#)4. Gulliver's Travels (1996) (rewatch) (Inter-Library Loan) - After we finished reading our version of Gulliver (highly recommended, btw) I had planned all along on watching this TV mini-series starring Ted Danson with ds to bring the book further to life for him. This still being the most faithful rendition of the book to screen. There are still many, many, deviance's from the original but from our adapted version it was quite a satisfactory book to film experience. In the book Gulliver keeps going out on travels and coming home, then going back to sea again. But to create a better continuity for a movie, they made up a story where the movie begins with Gulliver arriving home after being gone all these years. As he tries to tell his story he is thought mad and put into an insane asylum. This is mostly due to the fact that another Dr. has taken over his practise and has been trying to get his wife to marry him. Most of this second story was over ds's head and I had to explain the deviousness that was going on with this part. But the actual Travel's part of the movie was wonderful and true to our version of the book; Ds loved it! We watched the mini-series over three nights.
Apr: 1
(#)5. The 1940s House (2001) (library) This is a British reality show and I've never seen any of the other House series. Having just finished studying the War, I decided this would be a good watch for us to get a feel for the homefront. I enjoyed this very much as this is the type of history that I enjoy and DS enjoyed it too, some bits went over his head but he really did appreciate the experience. I'm really glad we watched it!
May: 0
June: 0
July:2
6. Red Dawn. (1984) (Library) (re-watch) - I wanted to re-watch Taps; hubby wanted to re-watch this. The library had this and I had to put an ILL in for Taps, so we watched this first. I remember loving this when I originally watched it, which would have been at the movies in 1984. I've never seen it again since. So how did it hold up? Not very well. First of all, this is very much Patrick Swayze's movie and I was never a fan of his. This was Charlie Sheen's first feature film debut and he is such a cutie and has quite a decent part with lots of lines and screen time but hardly ever gets any close-ups which was disappointing. Story-wise, it was really over the top and felt like an extended episode of the A-Team with this small group of kids against a whole town full of enemy soldiers. We rolled our eyes a lot but took it for what it was, a movie of its times.
(#)7. Kicking & Screaming. (2005) (own) - This is hubby's movie not mine. I'm not a fan of Will Ferrell for the most part. Dh and ds were watching this and I decided to join in about 10 minutes into the movie to make it a family night. Pleasantly enough it ended up being a funny family movie. Ds didn't want to watch it at first as he does not like soccer but I convinced him that I even enjoyed sport movies sometimes (and he knows how much I hate it when his dad is watching any sports on TV). So in the end ds really enjoyed it and thought it was hilarious and so did dh. And I have no complaints for what it is, a fun, often silly, family comedy. An enjoyable evening.
August: 5
8. Taps (1981) (Inter-Library Loan) (re-watch) - As far as I remember I have only seen this when it originally came out. I have always had a spot in my heart as having loved this movie ever since. In the opening credits there are only two famous actors listed George C. Scott and a young Timothy Hutton. Brilliant performance for Hutton. I really enjoyed the movie again re-watching it this time as an adult but it didn't have the same impact on me. The rebel students who so endeared my teenage heart, now seem to be misguided youths with little plan and a false sense of what is right. So while the plot didn't exactly bowl me over this time, I did still enjoy the movie for the brilliant performances by said star Timothy Hutton and two newcomers who were only mentioned in the end credits, both very young but giving powerful performances were Tom Cruise and Sean Penn. This was Penn's first feature film. Cruise had had a bit part in a prior feature film and it is no wonder based on his performance here that he went on to be a part of the gang of young hotties in his next film, "The Outsiders"
(#)9. Charlotte's Web (1973) (Library) (re-watch) - I'd just finished reading the book to ds and had planned on us watching the original animated movie that I grew up watching on TV. It seemed like it was one of those perennial favourites that was shown once a year and I had fond memories of it. I haven't re-watched it since those days though and finally re-watching it as an adult it didn't really hold up for me. I had totally forgotten that it was a musical, and honestly it was a pretty slow movie. It was very true to the book though. Ds was glad that the movie followed the book, even the names were the same, something he's found often get changed when book turns to movie. But he hated the singing. Ds does not like musicals. He said there is no singing in the book, why do they have to sing in the movie? That annoyed him very much. But otherwise, he did enjoy the movie and enjoyed the humorous bits. In the book he loved the goose's double speak and was pleased as punch when the goose in the movie followed suit. I'd say that she was his favourite character, but of course he also liked Templeton, as did I. Though they made him much grumpier in the movie than in the book. Re-watching it has made me loose those warm, fuzzy memories I had for the movie but it does get an "A" for staying true to the book. We haven't watched the new version of the movie and I doubt we will as I can say we are both all Charlotte's Web-ed out for the time being.
10. The World According to Garp (1982) (Library) (re-watch) - Hubby and I have decided to watch all Robin Williams' movies in order, excluding the ones we know are really bad and the ones we've seen dozens of time. That means we skipped Popeye, which I had seen and thought was a terrible movie even as a young person. This movie was Robin's second feature film and he plays rather a normal guy, compared to what he'd done so far: said Popeye and Mork. I guess this would be classified as a dramatic comedy. It's quite a serious movie with a lot of humour from low key to witty to physical. Robin plays a find performance as T.S. Garp. I had previously seen the movie, but only once and originally at the theatre. Dh had not seen it ever before. I had thought the movie was wonderful previously and now with the re-watch it was only so-so. It was overly long, with long parts where nothing happened that seemed to stretch and it wasn't as funny as I remember it being. Dh, asked if he enjoyed the movie replies "Bits of it". OK but not great.
(#)11. Faerie Tale Theatre: The Tale of the Frog Prince (1982) (Library) - This is a continuation of the Robin Williams project. This is not a movie but a 55 min. TV episode of a TV Show that ran through most of the 80's with a few shows per year. Clocking in at 55mins, I would assume the TV shows were TV movie length 90mins episodes with commercials included. This episode was the first first to air and featured Robin Williams and since neither of us had seen it we decided to add it to our roster. Hubby thought it was ok, I really enjoyed it and ds had his funny bone tickled all the way through! So decent family entertainment all the way round. This is pure Robin Williams at this time of his life. Dressed up in a frog suit he is almost, but not quite, unrecognisable and he gives his stand up routines and impersonations making for a hilarious performance. Also of notice is Michael Richards role as the King who also performs with classic Kramer body language. Not recommended for young children though as there is disguised and blatant s*xual innuendo aplenty, the frog is called a "horny toad" and the princes is called "b*tchy". Really had fun with this. We may watch the whole series at some time or buy it if we find it cheap somewhere.
(#)12.Holes - (2003) (Inter-Library Loan) - Ds picked the movie. His teacher read the book to the class last year and they watched the movie but since ds only goes to school half days he only got to see a bit of the movie. He absolutely loved the book! As did I, which I read several years ago. I really enjoyed the movie. I'd call it a passive movie with lots of quiet humour and only a few moments of physical comedy. From what I remember the movie remained true to the book. Of course my memory of the book is fuzzy, by now. I enjoyed and loved seeing the big names show up we don't see too often Henry Winkler, Eartha Kitt and a very skinny Patricia Arquette. For some reason, the boys looked older than I had imagined they were in the book, but that may be memory again. Ds, on the other hand did not like the movie. He kept saying it was boring and nothing was happening. Too slow, too much talking and not enough actually happening for him. He got up several times and walked around the house before coming back to the movie. He did have his moments, where he enjoyed the comedy though. So for him, it was a case of the book being much better than the movie. While I enjoyed the movie, I wouldn't give it 5 stars, so I will have to concur with ds on this one.
Sept: 5
(#)13. Apollo 13 - (1995) (library) (re-watch) - I've only seen this the one time, on video, when it originally came out so I was pretty much watching it with fresh eyes. The whole family watched this movie together the actual reason being that ds had just finished studying about space travel and one thing he'd studied was the Apollo 13 mission so seeing the movie was rated PG I thought it would be fun to for him to watch. Dh wasn't looking forward to watching such a long movie, as his eyes get tired at anything 2 hours+ but even he stayed awake and enjoyed the movie as much as we all did. Ds talked through the whole thing though, asking all sorts of space/astronaut/vocabulary related questions. Even though he knew the outcome he twice asked me with a question in his voice that they did all survive, right? as the movie is quite intense. He absolutely loved the ending when they re-entered earth's atmosphere and then the parachutes opened. Myself, I enjoyed it very much, as if I'd never seen it before. If I gave ratings this would be one of the 5 star must see movies.
(#)14. The Goonies - (1985) (ILL) (re-watch) - What a fantastic family movie. Something to entertain and catch the imagination of kids (boys in particular, I'd presume). Secret hidden pirate treasure, a map to the treasure, bad guys on their trail and they're all trying to find the loot so that their parent's houses won't be foreclosed to make room for a golf course. Absolutely hilarious, a bit of a cross between Indian Jones and Stand By Me, with it's all kid cast of heroes performing the derring do of Indie. BTW the little Chinese boy from Temple of Doom is the same actor who is in this movie. Making big hits are child actors of famous parents Sean Astin of Lord of the Rings fame (Patty Duke's son) and Joss Brolin (James Brolin's son) along with the ever popular 80's kid star Corey Feldman. I loved it the first time and really enjoyed it again. I also liked watching the special feature of Cyndi Lauper's theme song video which had all the 80s wrestlers in it, from back in the day when I used to be a wrestling fan. Andre the Giant even makes an appearance! Dh hadn't seen the movie before and he really enjoyed, needless to say it was a huge hit with the ds. Great night at the movies had by all.
(#)15. Up - (2009) (library) - Just looking at lists of kids' movies and this one showed up as one we'd never got around to watching so I put a hold on it. Dh was sick in bed so just ds and I watched together. First time just the two of us watched anything in a long time and we picked a winner of a movie for our mum/son night! Just absolutely wonderful! A real feel-good movie without being syrupy or anything like that. The sequence at the beginning that shows the old man's life from childhood to the loneliness after loosing his wife is brilliant. It's a whole story before the movie even starts. Ds had a great time, laughing at all the funny parts and I really enjoyed the humour as well. Ds was thrilled that there was no singing! I thought Ed Asner was perfect for the role as he is the epitome of the grouchy old man. Love John Ratzenberger showing up for his cameo bit part. He's got a deal that he has to be in every Disney/Pixar movie made till death do they part, right? I'm not a dog person but gotta say the "squirrel" joke with the talking dogs was hilarious. Great movie, watch it, even if you haven't got kids; it's got a good message for all of us adults.
16. - Moscow on the Hudson (1984) (ILL) (re-watch) - Continuing along with dh and my project to watch all Robin William's movies in chrono. order. The next movie was supposed to be Survivors with Walter Matthau (sp?) but the library came up empty handed. So I put a request in for the next one and said I wanted a DVD "but" would except a VHS as a last resort and I ended up with the VHS. So I put a request in again for Survivors but this time asking for a VHS and I haven't heard back yet, this is usually a good sign. Anyway onto the movie. It's surprising how laid back and dramatic Williams' early movies were. I guess he really wanted to get away from being characterized as "Mork". Both dh and I had seen this when it first came out and had enjoyed it at the time. Watching again now we still enjoyed but would classify it as an ok movie. It showed its age. Soviet Russia of course is gone along with the defection of its performing artists, but mostly the idea that the movie permeates that America is the land of the immigrant's dream, where anyone can make it if they only try, has gone by the wayside. The message is jaded today and no such movie could be made today either. It does make one long for the good old days.
(#)17. Secondhand Lions (2003) (Library) - I chose this one as a family watch as it just sounded like a good plot and I love Michael Caine. Dh was working the late shift so just ds and I watched it and we really enjoyed it. A touching story of a boy who has a flighty mother, who has never had a home, actually been in the orphanage at one time and how is mother drops him off with two never been heard of before brother great uncles. They are basically grumpy old men and while for the boy it is a coming of age story, for the men they learn how to enjoy life again and how to love someone again. Beautiful story, quite humorous. I was only startled by the amount of language used by the old men. I hadn't expected it and it wasn't that bad with mostly d*mns and h*lls, but some of the language was rather vulgar too. It was appropriate for these men seeing as what their background was and once I realized it wasn't going to get any worse, I relaxed and enjoyed the movie with my son. A good one!
Oct: 6
18. Braveheart (1995) (watched on DVD at my sister's in Edmonton) - If you can believe it, I have never seen this movie before but have always wanted to. It's one of my sister's favourites that she has seen multiple times and she's always said we'll have to watch it together some day. All I have to say is Magnificent! I loved it! I am partial to Scottish history and wish England had never killed off the Scottish heirs to the crown so came into the movie a fan of the subject matter. And I love Mel Gibson; he's at his prime here. My husband hates watching long epic historical movies so I don't get much chance to watch them, even though I love them. FREEDOM!
19. My Own Worst Enemy: The Complete Series (2008) (my sister has Netflix) - Absolutely loved this show! Never heard of it before and it only lasted 9 episodes so it just ended right in the middle of everything. Very similar to Alias with the twisting, violent spy plot. Loved every second of it! One of those unfortunate awesome shows that gets canceled while the junk keeps on getting renewed.
20. The Secret Life of Bees (2008) (my sister has Netflix) - I've read the book and suggested this as a good choice we could watch with my 12yo niece. A good movie, I really enjoyed. The book was much better though and they changed/or left out enough bits to make it not as wonderful as the book. I still enjoyed it though. I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of May and Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson). So I give it an OK. On the otherhand my niece was bawling her eyes out and my sister was teary eyed several times. So not having read the book, the movie seems to make an impact.
21. Survival of the Dead (2009) (my sister's on Blu-ray) - Just me and my bil were home and he picked this movie to watch. I'm not into modern horror movies and thought it would be too gross for me. But it wasn't, just a good, fun, zombie movie with no real value to it. Stupid ending. Some fairly fake-looking scenes but some good zombie killing too. Had fun.
22. Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974 (2009) (my sister's DVD) This is the first in a trilogy of movies about unrelated serial killer sprees that took place in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. This where I (and my family ancestry) hail from. The movie was dark, grim and boring. We turned it off before it was finished.
(#)23. Zoom (2006) (WE GOT NETFLIX) Ds picked this movie for family night. Tim Allen is a defunct super hero who is recruited to train a new bunch of kids with special powers to form a new team of super heroes to combat at immenent visit by a super villain. Some superhero funnies but basically a bad movie, scriptwise and acting wise. No funny moments for Tim Allen. Interesting seeing Courtney Cox as his co-star. When we were finished I asked ds what we should rate it. I was thinking 2, dh said under his breath 1 and ds yelled out 5. I asked if he was sure, that 5's were for best movies ever, but he was adament. I'll go back later and change it to a 3 so our suggestions aren't skewed. At least ds enjoyed himself. And it is a clean, non-offensive, kid-safe movie, which are few and far between these days.
Nov: 1
24. A Beautiful Mind (2001) (Netflixed) watched this on my own. Hadn't heard of it before or the man the true story was based on. I thought it was a good movie. Slow at first but quickly picked up once the reveal was made. I love how they showed the first half of the movie through Nash's point of view so that the audience is just as confused as he is when his life starts to fall apart and he is confronted with mentall illness. A beatuiful portayal of a husband and wife committed to each other so much that they hold each other up as Nash decides to deal with his symptons in his own way without the mind altering drugs of the era. Frank Nash evenutally becomes a Nobel Peace Prize Recipient for his mathematical theories of economics. A heart-warming story that shows people overcoming, without "curing" their mental illnesses, by sheer determination and will power, behaviour modification and logical reasoning if all else fails. This man and wife could have ended it so many times but they didn't beccause they had had love, and weren't about to give it up because things were tough now. No, they went on to prove that with that love they could live with, live well and happily, with Frank's schizophrenia using Frank's ideas rather than by losing his mind to electrical shock treatment and drugs that took away his personality, reasons for being, and his desire for his wife. A long movie, not fast-moving, but dark, and one I'm glad I watched. I've only seen a handful of Russel Crowe's movies but I've loved those I've seen; I might just start picking a movie because he's in it and see if I become a fan.
Dec:
25. Arrested Development: Season 1 (2003-2004) (Netflixed) I've always wanted to watch this show. Prior to this I had only seen one and a half episodes on TV, the episode where Tobias is painted as a Blueman (not in season 1) and a bit of an episode where the father is hiding in the attic (again not in season 1) but those two samplings had me itching to get season 1 and watch the show as it seemed to be my type of quirky humour. I am not usually a 1/2 hr. sitcom type of person. I absolutely loved this, I will say though that the first half of the season was better than the second. Though the last episode where everyone is on Atkins and can't eat any carbs is funny. I really enjoyed the guest stars. Liza Minella in her extended story arc and Julia Louise-Dreyfuss's two episodes were hilarious. Aside from loving Jason Bateman since I first saw him on Little House on the Prairie and Silver Spoons, my favourite character on the show is Buster and after that George-Michael. Even though it is mentioned in the credits at first I guessed Ron Howard was the narrator right away and thought that was pretty cool too, especially with the Henry Winkler connection. All around fabulous comedy for those who like quirky. Can't wait to watch Season 2 and I hear a movie follow-up is in the works.
26. Survivors Season 1 (2008) (Netflixed) This is a short British TV show with only two seasons. A post-apocalyptic show that is supposed to be a remake of a British show from the '70s and is based on the book by Terry Nation (which I've added to my Bookmooch wishlist). An excellent show! The first episode is movie length and brilliant in itself as it tells the tale of a virus leaking onto the public in Britain and within 24 hours 95% of the world's population is dead. The show then focuses on a small group of survivors, how they meet, join up and others they come across and of course there is a mysterious government connection as well. I absolutely love the actor playing Tom, the ex-convict, who at first is a cold-blooded murderer but whose character develops during the show and one can't but start to like him. He seems to be playing his role very close to David Caruso and his mannerisms and even looks a bit like him but much more sexy. I also like the young boy who plays Najid (sp); he is often more grown-up than some of the adults since he was brought up in a working family where he also did his part to support the household. Really good show, watch it if you get the chance.
27. Sherlock Season 1 (2010) (Netflixed) Watched with my 22yo while he visited home for 4 days. This is a short British television series with only 3 hour and a half episodes. Looking at imdb, I see that season 2 will air with three more episodes in 2012 which look to have already been filmed. This is a fantastic show! Set in modern times, Sherlock and Watson are their modern day counterparts from the books. Much of the original characterization of the characters in kept with a modern twist. Watson has returned home from the war (Afghanistan) and they end up sharing a flat together the same way as in the books, a mutual acquaintance introduces them to each other when they both remark, who would ever want to roommate with them. There are tributes to Holmesian references for die-hard fans to notice. Holmes is an ex-addict who does not smoke but wears three nicotine patches. The actor who places Holmes is brilliant, just what you would expect from such a man today and played as an egocentric who probably has some sort of mental issue. Watson is also well played in a serious role rather than the old bumbling Watson we are often used to seeing. A fantastic show, great acting, intense and exciting cases with plenty of humour added to offset the darkness. Mrs. Hudson is used for comic relief. Along with the familiar faces already noted we also meet Inspector Lestrade, Mycroft and the maniacal Moriarty. Highly recommended for mystery fans.
(#)28. Hoodwinked! (2005) (Netflixed) Watched Christmas Eve. Both ds and I had wanted to see this one for a while. We all enjoyed it. Not the best animated movie but still good and enjoyable. Quite different than the usual animated movie as well. Other than one cute creature, everyone else was shady, sneaky, mysterious or not what they seemed. Probably a 3.5.
(#)29. The Adventures of Tin Tin (2011) (went to the theatre) First let me say this was my very first 3D movie at the theatre. Well, the new 3D, ykwim. I don't see the point. So, the movie has depth, big deal. I have perfect eye vision and I found the glasses annoying and kept going to take them off then remembering I had to wear them. There was no extra fun because of the 3D. I hope this gimmick fades away. Now on to the movie. Three adults, 2 50-yo and 1 40+, plus an 11 yo absolutely loved it. It was just like an Indiana Jones movie!. Same concept, same over the top adventures and near death get-aways, amazing duels/fights with the bad guys, trips all over the world, to find a hidden treasure. The 11yo laughed and commented throughout the whole thing. Good thing we were surrounded by other children LOL! I have never read a Tin Tin comic in my life but now I want to read them more than anything! The movie is based on volume 11: The Secret of the Unicorn which has a direct sequel in volume 12: Red Rackham's Treasure, so I'm sure we can expect a movie sequel as well.
291 Books Read in 2011
Books Read in 2011
I haven't posted reviews of the last few yet and I expect to finish the last 2 books today.
January: 21
1. Birth of a Killer by Darren Shan (4/5)
2. A Letter to Mrs. Roosevelt by C. Coco De Young (3.5/5)
x. Hide & Shriek by Sean Patrick O'Reilly (4/5) ds read this time
3. Incorruptible, Vol. 2 by Mark Waid (4.5/5)
4. Agatha Christie's Peril at End House by Didier Quella-Guyot (4/5)
5. The Zabime Sisters by Aristophane (4/5)
x. New Monster in School by Sean O'Reilly (4/5)
x. The Incredible Rockhead vs. Papercut by Scott Nickel (3/5)
6. Crogan's March by Chris Schweizer (5/5)
7. Luna Park by Kevin Baker (4/5)
8. Lola, A Ghost Story by J. Torres (4/5)
9. A Sickness in the Family by Denise Mina (5/5)
10. Jack of Fables: The New Adventures of Jack and Jack by Bill Willingham (5/5)
xx. Jimmy on Ice by Adam Beecher (3/5)
xx. End Zone Thunder by Scott Ciencin (4/5)
xx. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves by Matthew K. Manning (4/5)
11. Who Was Amelia Earhart? by Kate Boehm Jerome (3/5)
12. Two Generals by Scott Chantler (5/5)
13. Stuart Goes to School by Sara Pennypacker (3/5)
14. The Last Airbender Prequel: Zuko's Story by Dave Roman & Alison Wilgus (3/5)
15. Children of the Dust Bowl: The True Story of the School at Weedpatch Camp by Jerry Stanley (4/5)
16. Genkaku Picasso, Vol. 1 by Usamaru Furuya (3.5/5)
17. Fire in the Sky: A Tale of the Hindenburg Explosion by J. Gunderson (3.5/5)
xx. Emmett's Pig by Mary Stolz (5/5)
18. Taro and the Magic Pencil by Sango Morimoto (5/5)
xx. Fire Fighter! by Angela Royston (4/5)
19. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 3 by Megumi Osuga (5/5)
xx. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies adapted by Tony Lee. Based on Jane Austen (DNF)
xx. Escape From Pompeii by Terry Collins (3/5)
xx. Rescue in the Bermuda Triangle by Marc Tyler Nobleman (3/5)
20. Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 3 by Kiiro Yumi (5/5)
21. The Stand by Stephen King (5/5)
xx. Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish (4/5)
xx. Falcon's Gold: Canada's First Olympic Hockey Heroes by Kathleen Arnason (4/5)
xx. The Dynamic World of Chemical Reactions with Max Axiom by Agnieszka Biskup (3/5)
xx. The Whirlwind World of Hurricanes with Max Axiom by Katherine Krohn (3/5)
February: 27
22. The Whicharts by Noel Streatfeild (4/5)
23. Children of the Sea, Vol. 4 by Daisuke Igarashi (3/5)
24. Batman: Mad Hatter's Movie Madness by Donald Lemke (3/5)
xx. Grasshopper on the Road by Arnold Lobel (4/5)
25. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (5/5)
26. Bubble in the Bathtub by Jo Nesbo (3/5)
27. Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. 1 (5/5)
28. City in Peril! by Paul Collicutt (4/5)
29. Rust Attack! by Paul Collicutt (4/5)
30. The Indestructible Metal Men by Paul Collicutt (4/5)
31. Murder on the Robot City Express by Paul Collicutt (5/5)
32. Wonder Woman: Rumble in the Rainforest by Sarah Hines Stephens (3/5)
xx. How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro (4/5)
33. Ghostwriter by Travis Thrasher (3/5)
34. Superman: Cosmic Bounty Hunter by Blake A. Hoena (4/5)
xx. The Book of Revelation by John the Apostle
35. Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri (4/5)
36. Bone: Quest for the Spark, Book One by Tom Sniegoski (4/5)
37. Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol by Scott McCullar (4/5)
38. Jack London The Call of the Wild by Lloyd S. Wagner (5/5)
39. Saints in Limbo by River Jordan (5/5)
40. Toy Story: The Mysterious Stranger by Dan Jolley (3/5)
xx. Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel (4/5)
41. The Girl Who Became a Beatle by Greg Taylor (4/5)
42. Jonathan Swift's Gulliver by Martin Jenkins (5/5)
43. Incorruptible, Vol. 3 by Mark Waid (4/5)
44. The Hollow People by Brian Keaney (4/5)
45. Irredeemable, Vol. 5 by Mark Waid (5/5)
46. Shantorian: Trackers, Book 2 by Patrick Carman (4/5)
xx. Animal Hospital by Judith Walker Hodge (4/5)
47. Tegami Bachi, Vol. 4: The Letter Full of Lies by Hiroyuki Asasda (4/5)
48. Genkaku Picasso, Vol. 2 by Usamaru Furuya (4/5)
xx. Silly Lilly in What Will I Be Today? by Agnes Rosenstiehl (5/5)
49. The Chestnut King by N.D. Wilson (4/5)
March: 33
50. The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth by Scott Hahn (5/5)
51. Daytripper by Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba (5/5)
52. The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White (5/5)
53. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 1 by Hiroshi Shiibashi (5/5)
54. The Deadly Conch by Mahtab Narsimhan (5/5)
55. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (GN) by Eric Shanower (5/5)
56. Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann (5/5)
57. The Rukan Prophecy: Vermonia #4 by Yoyo (3.5/5)
xx. Super Hero Splash Down by Jane Mason (4/5)
58. Missile Mouse: Rescue on Tankium3 by Jake Parker (4/5)
59. The Dragon Seer by Janet McNaughton (4/5)
60. Winter's Child by Cameron Dokey (4/5)
61. There's a Wolf at the Door:Five Classic Tales by Zoe B. Alley(4/5)
xx. Chester by Syd Hoff (3.5/5)
62. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 4 by Megumi Osuga (5/5)
63. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (5/5)
64. The Stand, Vol. 1: Captain Trips by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (4/5)
65. Wither by Lauren DeStephano (5/5)
66. Slog's Dad by David Almond (3/5)
xx. Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renee Russell (DNF)
67. Journey to America by Sonia Levitin (3.5/5)
xx. Plenty of Fish by Millicent Selsam (3.5/5)
68. Travelers Along the Way: The Men and Women Who Shaped My Life by Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R. (4/5)
69. The Cay by Theodore Taylor (4/5)
70. Flight, Vol. 7 edited by Kazu Kuibishi (3/5)
71. The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry (5/5)
xx. Merci Mister Dash by Monica Kulling (4/5)
72. The Seventh Princess by Nick Sullivan (3/5)
73. Greek Myths retold by Marcia Williams (4/5)
74. Stink and the Ultimate Thumb-Wrestling Smackdown by Megan McDonald (5/5)
75. Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 4 by Kiiro Yumi (5/5)
76. Quiver by Holly Luhning (2/5)
77.The Joy of Being a Catholic Childby Rev. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv. (5/5)
78. Assassin: The Lady Grace Mysteries, Book 1 by Lady Grace Cavendish, Maid of Honor to Queen Elizabeth I by Patricia Finney (3/5)
79. Greek Myths by Ann Turnbull (4/5)
80. Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. II by Tsugumi Ohba (5/5)
81. Taro and the Terror of Eats Street by Sango Morimoto (2/5)
82. Mystify by Artist Arthur (3/5)
xx. DC Super-Pets: Royal Rodent Rescueby John Sazaklis (3/5)
83. The Mystery of Ireland's Eye by Shane Peacock (4/5)
April: 22
84. Lewis & Clark by Nick Bertozzi (4/5)
85. Excalibur, The Legend of King Arthur: A Graphic Novel by Tony Lee (5/5)
86. My Dad's a Birdman by David Almond (4/5)
87. Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum (2/5)
88. Nearly Nonsense: Hoja Tales from Turkey by Rina Stingh (3/5)
89. Riku vs. Gyuki, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 2 (4/5)
90. High Flight: A Story of World War II by Linda Granfield (4/5)
91. Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (5/5)
92. Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Wieners by Ursula Vernon (4/5)
93. In Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson (5/5)
94. More Stories from Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson (5/5)
xx. DC Super-Pets!: The Fastest Pet on Earth by J.E. Bright (3/5)
95. Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster by Ursula Vernon (3.5/5)
96. Graphic Classics Vol. 20: Western Classics edited by Tom Pomplun (5/5)
97. Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff (4/5)
xx. Mouse Tales by Arnold Lobel (5/5)
98. Love You More by Lisa Gardner (4/5)
99. The Mass for Children by Rev. Jude Winkler (5/5)
100. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See (4/5)
101. Aquaman: Deepwater Disaster by J.E. Bright (3/5)
102. The Lightning Thief Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan & Robert Venditti (3/5)
103. The Promises She Keeps by Erin Healy (5/5)
May: 27
108. Cinderella, Ninja Warrior by Maureen McGowan (3/5)
109. The Secret of the Silver Mines by Shane Peacock (4/5)
110. Why Catholics Are Right by Michael Coren (5/5)
xxx. Grimpow: The Invisible Road by Rafael Abalos (DNF)
113. Toy Story: Toy Overboard by Jessie Blaze Snider (4/5)
114. The Odyssey: Homer by Tim Mucci (2/5)
115. The Gates by John Connolly (4/5)
116. The Sindbad Trilogy: Sindbad (4/5); Sindbad in the Land of Giants (4/5); Sindbad's Secret (4/5) by Ludmila Zeman (4/5)
117. Genkaku Picasso, Vol. 3 by Usamaru Furuya (4/5)
118. Irma Voth by Miriam Toews (3/5)
121. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 5 by Megumi Osuga (4/5)
124. Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. 3 by Tsugumi Ohba (5/5)
125. A Study in Scarlett by Ian Edginton (5/5)
126. Alone in the Classroom by Elizabeth Hays (4/5)
127. Trickster: Native American Tales, A Graphic Collection edited by Matt Dembicki (5/5)
128. Yokaiden, Vol. 1 by Nina Matsumoto (5/5)
129. Yokaiden, Vol. 2 by Nina Matsumoto (5/5)
130. I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg (4/5)
131. Stones for my Father by Trilby Kent (4/5)
132. The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sanddell (4/5)
June: 16
133. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner (4/5)
134. Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 5 by Kiiro Yumi (4/5)
135. Nick of Time by Tim Downs (4/5)
136. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 3 by Hiroshi Shiibashi (4/5)
137. Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity by Dave Roman (3/5)
138. Bone 1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith (5/5)
142. The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (3/5)
143. Empire of the Ruins by Arthur Slade (5/5)
144. Bone 3: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith (5/5)
145. Story of a Soul: the Autobiography of the Little Flower by St. Therese of Lisieux (5/5)
146. Hanako and the Terror of Allegory, Vol. 3 by Sakae Esuno (3/5)
DNF. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (DNF)
147. Chi's Sweet Home, Vol. 2 by Konami Kanata (4/5)
July: 14
149: Fallen by Karin Slaughter (4/5)
150. Think of a Number by John Verdon (4/5)
xxx. Capturing Joy: The Story of Maud Lewis by Jo Ellen Bogart (4/5)
xxx. Picasso: Soul on Fire by Rick Jacobson (3/5)
153. William Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice by John F. McDonald (4/5)
154. Miguel de Cervantes: Don Quixote, Part 1 by Lloyd S. Wagner (5/5)
155. William Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet by John F. McDonald (4/5)
156. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (4/5)
157. Alexandre Dumas: The Three Musketeers by Bruce Buchanan (4/5)
158. The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo (3/5)
159. The Dusk Society by Sidney Williams & Mark Jones (4/5)
160. Fables #15: Rose Red by Bill Willingham (5/5)
161. Jack of Fables #8: The Fulminate Blade by Bill Willingham (3/5)
162. Taro and the Carnival of Doom by Sango Morimoto (4/5)
Aug: 29
163. Mercy by Jussi Adler-Olsen (5/5)
164. Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. 4 by Tsugumi Ohba (5/5)
165. Surprise Island by Gertrude Chandler Warner (4/5)
166. In Defense of the Realm by Sanjay Deshpande (5/5)
167. Photo Booth by Lewis Helfland (5/5)
168. The Flight of Dragons by Vivian French (4/5)
172. The Long Walk by Stephen King as Richard Bachman (5/5)
173. Mother Teresa: In My Own Words by Mother Teresa (5/5)
174. Bone #4: The Dragonslayer by Jeff Smith (5/5)
175. Bone #5: Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border by Jeff Smith (5/5)
176.The Leopard by Jo Nesbo (4/5)
181. Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier (4/5)
182. Frankie Pickle and the Mathematical Menace by Eric Wight (5/5)
184. Defiance by Carla Jablonski (5/5)
185. Bone Beds of the Badlands by Shane Peacock (5/5)
186. Sita: Daughter of the Earth by Saraswati Nagpal (4/5)
187. Space Race by C.E.L. Welsh (5/5)
188. H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds by Ryan Foley (4/5)
189. Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 6 by Hiroyuki Asada (4/5)
190. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 4 by Hiroshi Shiibashi (4/5)
Sept: 35
191. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 6 by Megumi Osuga (5/5)
192. The Color of Lightning by Paulette Jiles (4/5)
193. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol (5/5)
196. Vermonia Vol. 5: The Warriors' Trial by Yoyo (3/5)
197. After the Challenger: A Story of the Space Shuttle Disaster by Robert Marsh (5/5)
198. The Mysteries of Angkor Wat: Exploring Cambodia's Ancient Temple by Richard Sobol (4/5)
199. The Midnight Charter by David Whitley (3.5/5)
200. Nola's Worlds #1: Changing Moon by Mathieu Mariolle (5/5)
201. The Floor of Heaven: A True Tale of the Last Frontier and the Yukon Gold Rush by Howard Blum (4/5)
204. Nola's Worlds #2: Ferrets and Ferreting Out by Mathieu Mariolle (5/5)
205. Nola's Worlds #3: Even For a Dreamer Like Me by Mathieu Mariolle (5/5)
206. Hamlet & Ophelia by John Marsden (2/5)
210. Fevre Dream (Graphic Novel) by George R.R. Martin & Daniel Abraham (4/5)
211. The Tiffin by Mahtab Narsimhan (5/5)
212. Jeannie Out of the Bottle by Barbara Eden (4/5)
213. Still More Stories from Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson (4/5)
214. Treasures from Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson (5/5)
215. Small Pig by Arnold Lobel (4/5)
216. Breakfast in the Rainforest: A Visit with Mountain Gorillas by Richard Sobol (3/5)
217. Graphic Classics: Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery edited by Tom Pomplun (3/5)
218. Orcs: Forged for War by Stan Nicholls & Joe Flood (4/5)
221. The Clockwork Girl by Sean O'Reilly & Kevin Hanna (5/5)
Oct: 14
226. The Marvelous Land of Oz by Eric Shanower (5/5)
227. Good Little Wolf by Nadia Shireen (4/5)
231. Bleeder by John Desjarlais (5/5)
232. The Remains of War: Suriving the Other Concentration Camps of World War II by G. Pauline Kok-Schurgers (4/5)
233. Kaspar, Prince of Cats by Michael Morpurgo (3/5)
234. Avalanche Annie by Lisa Wheeler (3/5)
235. Mean Margaret by Tor Seidler (4/5)
236. Alone by Lisa Gardner (4/5)
237. Hide by Lisa Gardner (4/5)
DNF: Daddy's Girl by Lisa Scottoline (DNF)
Nov: 24
240. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley (5/5)
241. The Flash: Master of Mirrors by Laurie S. Sutton (5/5)
242. The Flash: Trickster's Bubble Trouble by Michael Dahl (3/5)
243. First Descent by Pam Withers
DNF. Our Daily Bread by Lauren B. Davis (DNF)
244. Tales From India: Stories of Creation and the Cosmos by Jamila Gavin (4/5)
245. The Dragon Turn by Shane Peacock (5/5)
246. Around the World by Matt Phelan (3/5)
247. My First Catechism by Fr. Lawrence Lovasik (5/5)
248. Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow by Daniel Nayeri (4/5)
249. In the Bag! Margaret Knight Wraps It Up by Monica Kulling (4/5)
250. Gargoyles: Monsters in Stone by Jennifer Dussling (5/5)
251. The White Ballets: Swan Lake, Giselle, and La Bayadere by Rajka Kupesic (5/5)
252. The X'ed-Out X-Ray by Ron Roy (4/5)
253. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (5/5)
254. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (5/5)
255. Felix on Stage by Kathryn Lasky (4/5)
256. That Fatal Night by Sarah Ellis (4/5)
257. Good vs Evil: The Awakening by Donald Lemke (5/5)
258. Exploding Gravy: Poems to Make You Laugh by X.J. Kennedy (3/5)
259. Healthy Snacks, Healthy You! by Sally Lee (3/5)
260. Holy Women by Pope Benedict XVI (4/5)
261. Blood and Iron: Building the Railway by Paul Yee (5/5)
262. Bone: Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith (5/5)
263. Bone: Treasure Hunters by Jeff Smith (4/5)
December:
264. The Children of the Lost by David Whitley (4/5)
265. Running Wild (Upchuck and the Rotten Willy 3) (3/5)
266. Uncle Elephant by Arnold Lobel (4/5)
267. The Exquisite Corpse Aventure edited by The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance (5/5)
268. Deadly Voyage: RMS Titanic, Jamie Laidlaw, Crossing the Atlantic, 1912 by Hugh Brewster (5/5)
269. Bone: Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith (5/5)
270. Prisoner of Dieppe: World War II, Alistair Morrison, Occupied France, 1942 by Hugh Brewster (5/5)
271. Bone: Rose by Jeff Smith (3/5)
272. Tommy O'Toole and Larry by Anna D. Cordts (5/5)
273. Library Wars: Love & Evil, Vol. 6 by by Kiiro Yumi (3/5)
274. Good vs Evil: Alien Snow by Michael Dahl (4/5)
275. Circle Nine by Anne Heltzel (4/5)
276. Death Note: Black Edition, Volume 5 by Tsuguni Ohba (5/5)
277. The Man in the Moon by William Joyce (5/5)
278. A Catholic Christmas by Kathleen M. Carroll (4/5)
279. The Incredible Vegetable Group by Marcia Aboff (3/5)
280. Happy Pig Day! by Mo Willems (4/5)
281. Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. 6 by Tsugumi Ohba (5/5)
282. Romeo & Juliet: A Graphic Novel by Martin Powell (3/5)
283. The Danger Box by Blue Balliett (4/5)
284. A Midsummer Night's Dream by Nel Yomtov (4/5)
285. The Luck of the Buttons by Anne Ylvisaker (3/5)
286. Power at the Plate by Scott Ciencin (4/5)
287. Drop In (Tony Hawk's 900 Revolution) by Donnie Lemke (3/5)
288. Riptide Pride by Brandon Terrell (4/5)
289. Aliens and Energy by Agnieszka Biskup (3/5)
will finish today
290. Vampires and Cells by Agnieszka Biskup
291. Dragon Seer's Gift by Jant McNaughton
I haven't posted reviews of the last few yet and I expect to finish the last 2 books today.
January: 21
1. Birth of a Killer by Darren Shan (4/5)
2. A Letter to Mrs. Roosevelt by C. Coco De Young (3.5/5)
x. Hide & Shriek by Sean Patrick O'Reilly (4/5) ds read this time
3. Incorruptible, Vol. 2 by Mark Waid (4.5/5)
4. Agatha Christie's Peril at End House by Didier Quella-Guyot (4/5)
5. The Zabime Sisters by Aristophane (4/5)
x. New Monster in School by Sean O'Reilly (4/5)
x. The Incredible Rockhead vs. Papercut by Scott Nickel (3/5)
6. Crogan's March by Chris Schweizer (5/5)
7. Luna Park by Kevin Baker (4/5)
8. Lola, A Ghost Story by J. Torres (4/5)
9. A Sickness in the Family by Denise Mina (5/5)
10. Jack of Fables: The New Adventures of Jack and Jack by Bill Willingham (5/5)
xx. Jimmy on Ice by Adam Beecher (3/5)
xx. End Zone Thunder by Scott Ciencin (4/5)
xx. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves by Matthew K. Manning (4/5)
11. Who Was Amelia Earhart? by Kate Boehm Jerome (3/5)
12. Two Generals by Scott Chantler (5/5)
13. Stuart Goes to School by Sara Pennypacker (3/5)
14. The Last Airbender Prequel: Zuko's Story by Dave Roman & Alison Wilgus (3/5)
15. Children of the Dust Bowl: The True Story of the School at Weedpatch Camp by Jerry Stanley (4/5)
16. Genkaku Picasso, Vol. 1 by Usamaru Furuya (3.5/5)
17. Fire in the Sky: A Tale of the Hindenburg Explosion by J. Gunderson (3.5/5)
xx. Emmett's Pig by Mary Stolz (5/5)
18. Taro and the Magic Pencil by Sango Morimoto (5/5)
xx. Fire Fighter! by Angela Royston (4/5)
19. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 3 by Megumi Osuga (5/5)
xx. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies adapted by Tony Lee. Based on Jane Austen (DNF)
xx. Escape From Pompeii by Terry Collins (3/5)
xx. Rescue in the Bermuda Triangle by Marc Tyler Nobleman (3/5)
20. Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 3 by Kiiro Yumi (5/5)
21. The Stand by Stephen King (5/5)
xx. Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish (4/5)
xx. Falcon's Gold: Canada's First Olympic Hockey Heroes by Kathleen Arnason (4/5)
xx. The Dynamic World of Chemical Reactions with Max Axiom by Agnieszka Biskup (3/5)
xx. The Whirlwind World of Hurricanes with Max Axiom by Katherine Krohn (3/5)
February: 27
22. The Whicharts by Noel Streatfeild (4/5)
23. Children of the Sea, Vol. 4 by Daisuke Igarashi (3/5)
24. Batman: Mad Hatter's Movie Madness by Donald Lemke (3/5)
xx. Grasshopper on the Road by Arnold Lobel (4/5)
25. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (5/5)
26. Bubble in the Bathtub by Jo Nesbo (3/5)
27. Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. 1 (5/5)
28. City in Peril! by Paul Collicutt (4/5)
29. Rust Attack! by Paul Collicutt (4/5)
30. The Indestructible Metal Men by Paul Collicutt (4/5)
31. Murder on the Robot City Express by Paul Collicutt (5/5)
32. Wonder Woman: Rumble in the Rainforest by Sarah Hines Stephens (3/5)
xx. How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro (4/5)
33. Ghostwriter by Travis Thrasher (3/5)
34. Superman: Cosmic Bounty Hunter by Blake A. Hoena (4/5)
xx. The Book of Revelation by John the Apostle
35. Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri (4/5)
36. Bone: Quest for the Spark, Book One by Tom Sniegoski (4/5)
37. Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol by Scott McCullar (4/5)
38. Jack London The Call of the Wild by Lloyd S. Wagner (5/5)
39. Saints in Limbo by River Jordan (5/5)
40. Toy Story: The Mysterious Stranger by Dan Jolley (3/5)
xx. Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel (4/5)
41. The Girl Who Became a Beatle by Greg Taylor (4/5)
42. Jonathan Swift's Gulliver by Martin Jenkins (5/5)
43. Incorruptible, Vol. 3 by Mark Waid (4/5)
44. The Hollow People by Brian Keaney (4/5)
45. Irredeemable, Vol. 5 by Mark Waid (5/5)
46. Shantorian: Trackers, Book 2 by Patrick Carman (4/5)
xx. Animal Hospital by Judith Walker Hodge (4/5)
47. Tegami Bachi, Vol. 4: The Letter Full of Lies by Hiroyuki Asasda (4/5)
48. Genkaku Picasso, Vol. 2 by Usamaru Furuya (4/5)
xx. Silly Lilly in What Will I Be Today? by Agnes Rosenstiehl (5/5)
49. The Chestnut King by N.D. Wilson (4/5)
March: 33
50. The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth by Scott Hahn (5/5)
51. Daytripper by Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba (5/5)
52. The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White (5/5)
53. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 1 by Hiroshi Shiibashi (5/5)
54. The Deadly Conch by Mahtab Narsimhan (5/5)
55. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (GN) by Eric Shanower (5/5)
56. Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann (5/5)
57. The Rukan Prophecy: Vermonia #4 by Yoyo (3.5/5)
xx. Super Hero Splash Down by Jane Mason (4/5)
58. Missile Mouse: Rescue on Tankium3 by Jake Parker (4/5)
59. The Dragon Seer by Janet McNaughton (4/5)
60. Winter's Child by Cameron Dokey (4/5)
61. There's a Wolf at the Door:Five Classic Tales by Zoe B. Alley(4/5)
xx. Chester by Syd Hoff (3.5/5)
62. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 4 by Megumi Osuga (5/5)
63. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (5/5)
64. The Stand, Vol. 1: Captain Trips by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (4/5)
65. Wither by Lauren DeStephano (5/5)
66. Slog's Dad by David Almond (3/5)
xx. Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renee Russell (DNF)
67. Journey to America by Sonia Levitin (3.5/5)
xx. Plenty of Fish by Millicent Selsam (3.5/5)
68. Travelers Along the Way: The Men and Women Who Shaped My Life by Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R. (4/5)
69. The Cay by Theodore Taylor (4/5)
70. Flight, Vol. 7 edited by Kazu Kuibishi (3/5)
71. The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry (5/5)
xx. Merci Mister Dash by Monica Kulling (4/5)
72. The Seventh Princess by Nick Sullivan (3/5)
73. Greek Myths retold by Marcia Williams (4/5)
74. Stink and the Ultimate Thumb-Wrestling Smackdown by Megan McDonald (5/5)
75. Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 4 by Kiiro Yumi (5/5)
76. Quiver by Holly Luhning (2/5)
77.The Joy of Being a Catholic Childby Rev. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv. (5/5)
78. Assassin: The Lady Grace Mysteries, Book 1 by Lady Grace Cavendish, Maid of Honor to Queen Elizabeth I by Patricia Finney (3/5)
79. Greek Myths by Ann Turnbull (4/5)
80. Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. II by Tsugumi Ohba (5/5)
81. Taro and the Terror of Eats Street by Sango Morimoto (2/5)
82. Mystify by Artist Arthur (3/5)
xx. DC Super-Pets: Royal Rodent Rescueby John Sazaklis (3/5)
83. The Mystery of Ireland's Eye by Shane Peacock (4/5)
April: 22
84. Lewis & Clark by Nick Bertozzi (4/5)
85. Excalibur, The Legend of King Arthur: A Graphic Novel by Tony Lee (5/5)
86. My Dad's a Birdman by David Almond (4/5)
87. Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum (2/5)
88. Nearly Nonsense: Hoja Tales from Turkey by Rina Stingh (3/5)
89. Riku vs. Gyuki, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 2 (4/5)
90. High Flight: A Story of World War II by Linda Granfield (4/5)
91. Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (5/5)
92. Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Wieners by Ursula Vernon (4/5)
93. In Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson (5/5)
94. More Stories from Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson (5/5)
xx. DC Super-Pets!: The Fastest Pet on Earth by J.E. Bright (3/5)
95. Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster by Ursula Vernon (3.5/5)
96. Graphic Classics Vol. 20: Western Classics edited by Tom Pomplun (5/5)
97. Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff (4/5)
xx. Mouse Tales by Arnold Lobel (5/5)
98. Love You More by Lisa Gardner (4/5)
99. The Mass for Children by Rev. Jude Winkler (5/5)
100. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See (4/5)
101. Aquaman: Deepwater Disaster by J.E. Bright (3/5)
102. The Lightning Thief Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan & Robert Venditti (3/5)
103. The Promises She Keeps by Erin Healy (5/5)
xxx. DC Super-Pets: Midway Monkey Madness by Sarah Hines Stephens (4/5)
104. The Door in the Wall by H.G. Wells (3/5)105. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan (3/5)
May: 27
xxx. Canadian Starters: People #3 - Alexander Graham Bell by Paul Miller
xxx. Canadian Starters: Wildlife #8 - Raccoon by Jim Bricknell
xxx. Canadian Starters: People #2 - Emily Carr by Paul Miller
xxx. Canadian Starters: Wildlife #5 - Moose by Jim Bricknell
106. The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (5/5)xxx. Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel (4/5)
107. Sleeping Beauty, Vampire Killer by Maureen McGowan (4/5)108. Cinderella, Ninja Warrior by Maureen McGowan (3/5)
109. The Secret of the Silver Mines by Shane Peacock (4/5)
110. Why Catholics Are Right by Michael Coren (5/5)
111. Twenty and Ten by Claire Huchet Bishop (4/5)
112. Cowboys and Aliens by Fred Van Lente & Andrew Foley (3/5)xxx. Grimpow: The Invisible Road by Rafael Abalos (DNF)
113. Toy Story: Toy Overboard by Jessie Blaze Snider (4/5)
114. The Odyssey: Homer by Tim Mucci (2/5)
115. The Gates by John Connolly (4/5)
116. The Sindbad Trilogy: Sindbad (4/5); Sindbad in the Land of Giants (4/5); Sindbad's Secret (4/5) by Ludmila Zeman (4/5)
117. Genkaku Picasso, Vol. 3 by Usamaru Furuya (4/5)
118. Irma Voth by Miriam Toews (3/5)
xxx. DC Super-Pets!: Heroes of the High Seas by J.E. Bright (5/5)
119. Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 6: The Man Who Could Not Become Spirit by Hiroyuki Asada (3/5)xxx. Little Henry to the Rescue by Eleanor Graham (4/5)
120. Genesis by Bernard Beckett121. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 5 by Megumi Osuga (4/5)
122. John F. Kennedy: The Making of a Leader by the Editors of TIME for Kids w/ Ritu Upadhyay (4/5)
123. Tales of an African Vet by Dr. Roy Aronson (4/5)124. Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. 3 by Tsugumi Ohba (5/5)
125. A Study in Scarlett by Ian Edginton (5/5)
126. Alone in the Classroom by Elizabeth Hays (4/5)
127. Trickster: Native American Tales, A Graphic Collection edited by Matt Dembicki (5/5)
128. Yokaiden, Vol. 1 by Nina Matsumoto (5/5)
129. Yokaiden, Vol. 2 by Nina Matsumoto (5/5)
130. I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg (4/5)
131. Stones for my Father by Trilby Kent (4/5)
132. The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sanddell (4/5)
June: 16
133. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner (4/5)
134. Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 5 by Kiiro Yumi (4/5)
135. Nick of Time by Tim Downs (4/5)
136. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 3 by Hiroshi Shiibashi (4/5)
137. Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity by Dave Roman (3/5)
138. Bone 1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith (5/5)
xxx. Pooches of Power by Sarah Hines Stephens (4/5)
139. If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King by Ellen Levine (5/5)
140. Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi (5/5)
141. Bone 2: The Great Cow Race by Jeff Smith (5/5)142. The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (3/5)
143. Empire of the Ruins by Arthur Slade (5/5)
144. Bone 3: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith (5/5)
145. Story of a Soul: the Autobiography of the Little Flower by St. Therese of Lisieux (5/5)
146. Hanako and the Terror of Allegory, Vol. 3 by Sakae Esuno (3/5)
DNF. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (DNF)
147. Chi's Sweet Home, Vol. 2 by Konami Kanata (4/5)
xxx. Arthur's Honey Bear by Lillian Hoban (3/4)
148. Twin Spica, Vol. 2 by Kou Yaginuma (5/5)July: 14
xxx. Batman Returns: The Penguin's Plot by Michael Teitelbaum (4/5)
xxx. Human Body by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld (4/5)149: Fallen by Karin Slaughter (4/5)
150. Think of a Number by John Verdon (4/5)
151. Canada's Maple Leaf: The Story of Our Flag by Ann-Maureen Owens & Jane Yealland (5/5)
152. The Devil All The Time by Donald Ray Pollock (5/5)xxx. Capturing Joy: The Story of Maud Lewis by Jo Ellen Bogart (4/5)
xxx. Picasso: Soul on Fire by Rick Jacobson (3/5)
153. William Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice by John F. McDonald (4/5)
154. Miguel de Cervantes: Don Quixote, Part 1 by Lloyd S. Wagner (5/5)
155. William Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet by John F. McDonald (4/5)
156. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (4/5)
157. Alexandre Dumas: The Three Musketeers by Bruce Buchanan (4/5)
158. The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo (3/5)
159. The Dusk Society by Sidney Williams & Mark Jones (4/5)
160. Fables #15: Rose Red by Bill Willingham (5/5)
161. Jack of Fables #8: The Fulminate Blade by Bill Willingham (3/5)
162. Taro and the Carnival of Doom by Sango Morimoto (4/5)
Aug: 29
163. Mercy by Jussi Adler-Olsen (5/5)
164. Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. 4 by Tsugumi Ohba (5/5)
165. Surprise Island by Gertrude Chandler Warner (4/5)
166. In Defense of the Realm by Sanjay Deshpande (5/5)
167. Photo Booth by Lewis Helfland (5/5)
168. The Flight of Dragons by Vivian French (4/5)
169. Spacebusters: The Race to the Moon by Philip Wilkinson (4/5)
170. The Beginner's Bible by Zondervan (4/5)
171. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White (5/5)172. The Long Walk by Stephen King as Richard Bachman (5/5)
173. Mother Teresa: In My Own Words by Mother Teresa (5/5)
174. Bone #4: The Dragonslayer by Jeff Smith (5/5)
175. Bone #5: Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border by Jeff Smith (5/5)
176.The Leopard by Jo Nesbo (4/5)
177. Marvin Redpost: Kidnapped at Birth? by Louis Sachar (3/5)
178. Bone #6: Old Man's Cave by Jeff Smith (5/5)179. Bob and Shirley: A Tale of Two Lobsters by Harriet Ziefert (3/5)
180. Everything Is Grace: The Life and Way of Therese of Lisieux by Joseph F. Schmidt, FSC (5/5)181. Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier (4/5)
182. Frankie Pickle and the Mathematical Menace by Eric Wight (5/5)
XX. Charlotte's Web: Wilbur's Prize by Jennifer Franz (3/5)
183. Hera: The Goddess and Her Glory by George O'Connor (4/5)184. Defiance by Carla Jablonski (5/5)
185. Bone Beds of the Badlands by Shane Peacock (5/5)
186. Sita: Daughter of the Earth by Saraswati Nagpal (4/5)
187. Space Race by C.E.L. Welsh (5/5)
188. H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds by Ryan Foley (4/5)
189. Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 6 by Hiroyuki Asada (4/5)
190. Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 4 by Hiroshi Shiibashi (4/5)
Sept: 35
191. MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 6 by Megumi Osuga (5/5)
192. The Color of Lightning by Paulette Jiles (4/5)
193. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol (5/5)
194. Crisis in Space: Apollo 13 by Mark Beyer (4/5)
195. Sinking Deeper or My Questionable (Possibly Heroic) Decision to Invent a Sea Monster by Steve Vernon (4/5)196. Vermonia Vol. 5: The Warriors' Trial by Yoyo (3/5)
197. After the Challenger: A Story of the Space Shuttle Disaster by Robert Marsh (5/5)
198. The Mysteries of Angkor Wat: Exploring Cambodia's Ancient Temple by Richard Sobol (4/5)
199. The Midnight Charter by David Whitley (3.5/5)
200. Nola's Worlds #1: Changing Moon by Mathieu Mariolle (5/5)
201. The Floor of Heaven: A True Tale of the Last Frontier and the Yukon Gold Rush by Howard Blum (4/5)
202. Canada, Our History: An Album Through Time by Rick Archbold (4/5)
203. Shimmer by Alyson Noel (4/5)204. Nola's Worlds #2: Ferrets and Ferreting Out by Mathieu Mariolle (5/5)
205. Nola's Worlds #3: Even For a Dreamer Like Me by Mathieu Mariolle (5/5)
206. Hamlet & Ophelia by John Marsden (2/5)
207. Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the U.F.O. by David Adler (4/5)
208. The Life of Rice: From Seedling to Supper by Richard Sobol (4/5)
209. Monster in the Mountains by Shane Peacock (4/5)210. Fevre Dream (Graphic Novel) by George R.R. Martin & Daniel Abraham (4/5)
211. The Tiffin by Mahtab Narsimhan (5/5)
212. Jeannie Out of the Bottle by Barbara Eden (4/5)
213. Still More Stories from Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson (4/5)
214. Treasures from Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson (5/5)
215. Small Pig by Arnold Lobel (4/5)
216. Breakfast in the Rainforest: A Visit with Mountain Gorillas by Richard Sobol (3/5)
217. Graphic Classics: Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery edited by Tom Pomplun (3/5)
218. Orcs: Forged for War by Stan Nicholls & Joe Flood (4/5)
219. Construction Zone by Cheryl Willis Hudson & Richard Sobol (5/5)
220. Ancient Egypt: Tales of Gods and Pharaohs by Marcia Williams (5/5)221. The Clockwork Girl by Sean O'Reilly & Kevin Hanna (5/5)
222. An Elephant in the Backyard by Richard Sobol (5/5)
223. One More Elephant: The Fight to Save Wildlife in Uganda by Richard Sobol (4/5)
224. Down the Yukon by Will Hobbs (4/5)
225. The Blue Umbrella by Mike Mason (5/5)Oct: 14
226. The Marvelous Land of Oz by Eric Shanower (5/5)
227. Good Little Wolf by Nadia Shireen (4/5)
228. Adelina's Whales by Richard Sobol (4/5)
229. Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon (5/5)
230. Green Lantern: Web of Doom by Michael Anthony Steele (4/5)231. Bleeder by John Desjarlais (5/5)
232. The Remains of War: Suriving the Other Concentration Camps of World War II by G. Pauline Kok-Schurgers (4/5)
233. Kaspar, Prince of Cats by Michael Morpurgo (3/5)
234. Avalanche Annie by Lisa Wheeler (3/5)
235. Mean Margaret by Tor Seidler (4/5)
236. Alone by Lisa Gardner (4/5)
237. Hide by Lisa Gardner (4/5)
238. Seal Journey by Richard Sobol (3/5)
239. Green Lantern: Savage Sands by J.E. Bright (5/5)DNF: Daddy's Girl by Lisa Scottoline (DNF)
Nov: 24
240. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley (5/5)
241. The Flash: Master of Mirrors by Laurie S. Sutton (5/5)
242. The Flash: Trickster's Bubble Trouble by Michael Dahl (3/5)
243. First Descent by Pam Withers
DNF. Our Daily Bread by Lauren B. Davis (DNF)
244. Tales From India: Stories of Creation and the Cosmos by Jamila Gavin (4/5)
245. The Dragon Turn by Shane Peacock (5/5)
246. Around the World by Matt Phelan (3/5)
247. My First Catechism by Fr. Lawrence Lovasik (5/5)
248. Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow by Daniel Nayeri (4/5)
249. In the Bag! Margaret Knight Wraps It Up by Monica Kulling (4/5)
250. Gargoyles: Monsters in Stone by Jennifer Dussling (5/5)
251. The White Ballets: Swan Lake, Giselle, and La Bayadere by Rajka Kupesic (5/5)
252. The X'ed-Out X-Ray by Ron Roy (4/5)
253. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (5/5)
254. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (5/5)
255. Felix on Stage by Kathryn Lasky (4/5)
256. That Fatal Night by Sarah Ellis (4/5)
257. Good vs Evil: The Awakening by Donald Lemke (5/5)
258. Exploding Gravy: Poems to Make You Laugh by X.J. Kennedy (3/5)
259. Healthy Snacks, Healthy You! by Sally Lee (3/5)
260. Holy Women by Pope Benedict XVI (4/5)
261. Blood and Iron: Building the Railway by Paul Yee (5/5)
262. Bone: Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith (5/5)
263. Bone: Treasure Hunters by Jeff Smith (4/5)
December:
264. The Children of the Lost by David Whitley (4/5)
265. Running Wild (Upchuck and the Rotten Willy 3) (3/5)
266. Uncle Elephant by Arnold Lobel (4/5)
267. The Exquisite Corpse Aventure edited by The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance (5/5)
268. Deadly Voyage: RMS Titanic, Jamie Laidlaw, Crossing the Atlantic, 1912 by Hugh Brewster (5/5)
269. Bone: Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith (5/5)
270. Prisoner of Dieppe: World War II, Alistair Morrison, Occupied France, 1942 by Hugh Brewster (5/5)
271. Bone: Rose by Jeff Smith (3/5)
272. Tommy O'Toole and Larry by Anna D. Cordts (5/5)
273. Library Wars: Love & Evil, Vol. 6 by by Kiiro Yumi (3/5)
274. Good vs Evil: Alien Snow by Michael Dahl (4/5)
275. Circle Nine by Anne Heltzel (4/5)
276. Death Note: Black Edition, Volume 5 by Tsuguni Ohba (5/5)
277. The Man in the Moon by William Joyce (5/5)
278. A Catholic Christmas by Kathleen M. Carroll (4/5)
279. The Incredible Vegetable Group by Marcia Aboff (3/5)
280. Happy Pig Day! by Mo Willems (4/5)
281. Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. 6 by Tsugumi Ohba (5/5)
282. Romeo & Juliet: A Graphic Novel by Martin Powell (3/5)
283. The Danger Box by Blue Balliett (4/5)
284. A Midsummer Night's Dream by Nel Yomtov (4/5)
285. The Luck of the Buttons by Anne Ylvisaker (3/5)
286. Power at the Plate by Scott Ciencin (4/5)
287. Drop In (Tony Hawk's 900 Revolution) by Donnie Lemke (3/5)
288. Riptide Pride by Brandon Terrell (4/5)
289. Aliens and Energy by Agnieszka Biskup (3/5)
will finish today
290. Vampires and Cells by Agnieszka Biskup
291. Dragon Seer's Gift by Jant McNaughton
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