Cherry Blossom Adventures

Ages and ages and ages ago I signed up for  reading challenge here which involved reading eight books in eight different categories during 2008 (with an allowance of up to 8 crossovers). Anybody that knows me in real life knows I am a reader…I have always been a reader, in fact my parents are not sure how but I apparently taught myself to read at age 3 and there are photos of me less than a year old pouring through old encyclopedias (and I unlike most babies I apparently wasn`t just trying to eat them).

I am not sure how many books I would normally read in a year but I would have put it at close to 80 (I originally thought more but have now reassessed)

My original list was on this blog post but due to an international move a couple of months ago when I was forced to leave some unread books behind in Japan I had to rewrite my list and take off the books I knew I wouldn`t be able to read this year. And well, last week I finally got around to uploading it to the 888 blog and now less than a week after that I am actually getting around to posting it on here so i am actually quite proud of my time management skills on this!

Here is my list- Those in green have already been read, those with asterix`s are books I owned already when the challenge started and just so you know I have seven overlaps meaning by the end of the challenge I should of read not 64 books but 57 and so far for this challenge I have read 48 I think. I have been keeping track of the books I read since I started journaling again last August but have now put it on my computer (somewhere?!?) since I was constantly forgetting the books I had read already (and it also helps me remember authors I like!)

Ok, enough rambling from me. Here is the list (Really!)

Favourite authors- Chose this category for obvious reasons

1. An offer you can`t refuse- Jill Mansell(Jun)
2. Change of Heart- Jodi Picoult (Jun)
3. Wife for Hire- Janet Evanovich (Cross over-mar)
4. Cage of Stars- Jacqelyn Mitchard* (Jan)
5. Prisoner of Earth- Jeffrey Archer (Cross over)
6. Dear John- Nicholas Sparks* (Cross over- Mar)
7. Lean Mean thirteen- Janet Evanovich (Cross over-Jan)
8. Black Cat- V.C Andrews (Cross over-Feb)

In a series- Chose this category since I have started a couple of different series but need to catch up on them, plus also already had a couple of these books on my shelves

1. Broken Flower- V.C Andrews* (Feb)
2. Scattered Leaves- V.C Andrews
3. Lean Mean thirteen- Janet Evanovich (Cross over-Jan)
4. Fearless Fourteen- Janet Evanovich (Aug)
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Harrows- J.K Rowling*(April)
6. Skinny Bitch- Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouim (Jan)
7. Key Lime Pie Murder- Joanne Fluke (Jun)
8. Honky Tonk Kat- Karen Kijewski

Read because I moved back to Australia and got new books!- Choose this because had an unplanned mid year move

1. Lessons in Heartbreak- Cathy Kelly (Jun)
2. You Drive me Crazy- Carole Matthews (May)
3. It`s a Kind of Magic- Carole Matthews (Jul)
4. Bad Behaviour- Shelia O`Flanagan (Aug)
5.Tales from the Crib- Jennifer Coburn (May)
6. The Babymoon- Melanie La`Brooy (Sep)
7. The Alibi- Sandra Brown
8. Second Chance- Jane Green

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller- Chose this since mysteries etc are one of my most read style of books, this and chick-lit

1. Bell, book & scandal- Jill Churchill*
2. Chocolate chip cookie murder- Joanne Fluke* (Jan)
3. Strawberry Short Cake murder- Joanne Fluke (Feb)
4. Count Down- Iris Johansen *(May)
5. Dream man- Linda Howard* (Feb)
6. Ricochet- Sandra Brown* (Apr)
7. Open Season- Linda Howard (Apr)
8. Play Dirty- Sandra Brown (Aug)

Chick-lit- What I read just as much, if not more than mysteries….

1. Baby Proof- Emily Giffin* (Jan)
2. You Could Do Better- Stephanie Lehman* (Feb)
3. Marshmallows for breakfast- Dorothy Koomson*(Jun)
4. Those Faraday Girls- Monica McInerney* (Mar)
5. Artistic Licence- Katie Fforde* (Sep)
6. Remember me- Sophie Kinsella (Sep)
7. Certain Girls - Jennifer Weiner (Jun)
8. Wife for Hire- Janet Evanovich (Cross over-Mar)

Young Adult/Children Fiction- Thought I should go back to some books that make me the reader I am today, and also read some other YA fiction that has had a lot of good reviews or awards!

1. Alison- Margaret Watts (One of my favourite books as a teenager- reread)*
2. Dear Venny, Dear Saffron-Libby Hathorn (same as above)*
3. The Book Theif- Marcus Zusak*
4. Gossipgirl- Cecily Von Ziegesar*(jun)
5. Kira Kira- Cynthia Kadohata* (Jan)
6. All American Girl- Meg Cabot* (Mar)
7. On the Jellicoe Road^ Melina Marchetta* (May)
8. Black Cat- V.C Andrews (Feb- Cross over)

Japanese authors/books about Japan- Live(d) Japan so thought I should try to read some more books that have come from here…

1. In Praise of shadows- Junichiro Tanizaki*(Cross over-April)
2. Snow Country- Yasunari kawebata* (Cross over-Jan)
3. Kitchen- Banana Yoshimoto* (Jan)
4. South of the border, west of the sun- Murakami Haruki*(Cross over-Aug)
5. Yakuza moon- Shoko Tendo* (Feb)
6. Goodbye Tsugumi- Banana Yoshimoto (Feb)
7. Losing Kei- Suzanne Kamata (May)
8. Bar Flower- Lea Jacobson (Apr)

Male Authors- I am trying to broaden my reading horizons a little bit and it seems that most of the books I do read are by female authors…Hopefully this will help me get started on my quest to broaden my reading horizons.

1. The Complete Polysyllabic Spree- Nick Hornby* (Feb)
2. For one more day- Mitch Albom*
3.South of the Border West of the Sun-Haruki Murakami (Cross over- read in August)
4. Dear John- Nicholas Sparks* (Cross over- mar)
5. Snow Country- Yasunari kawebata* (Cross over-Jan)
6. In Praise of shadows- Junichiro Tanizaki*(April)
7. Prisoner of Earth- Jeffrey Archer (Cross over)
8. The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini (Apr?)

So who else keeps track of the books they read? Or enters reading challenges?! I know that entering keeps me a little bit more focused and ensures I continue to read a little everyday even if it is just while on the train to and from work. I have read more books this year that are not on this list but only about 6 or 7 so as a total have only read about 55 books so far this year.

My favourite books from the list are Yakuza Moon, Losing Kei, Kitchen, The babymoon, Change of Heart, Count Down & The Kite Runner. Have you read any of these books? Which did you like?

So with 9 books left to read before December 31 I am sure I will fit them all in but wish me luck all the same- especially since their are a couple of pretty thick ones left to go!

Popularity: 7% [?]

In an effort to improve on my writing I have decided to sign up for Encyclopedia of me which started over at Bella Dia (and which I found out about by reading Laura`s blog here...)

*************************************************************************************

N is for Nancy Drew…

As a child I could always be found with my nose in a book…Once I bought 200 books at a school fete for $10 because it was the spending money mum gave me but I was on crutches so couldn`t go on any of the rides or walk much.

I am not sure when I first read Nancy Drew…or who gave it to me but I would say I was about nine and I think it was my mum who maybe gave me a three in one book which I probably went through in like a day! It was easy to get a lot of other Nancy Drew books second hand or at the public library!

I loved those books!!! I wanted to be Nancy Drew! eighteen, a blue mustang and a gorgeous boyfriend named Ned not to mention who two best friends (George and Bess I think it was?!) I thought she had it all…Not only that but she had curly strawberry blond hair and was smart enough to solve any mystery! She was a bit like the Scooby Doo Gang, except so muc cooler!

It isn`t even that my favourite books from childhood and adolecence were Nancy Drew (My favourite were Anne of Green Gables, The Orphan Series by V.C Andrews, Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta, Alison by Margaret Watts and Dear Venny and Dear Saffron….oh and maybe chuck in some Judy Blume books also!) but they were easy and fun to read and I must have gone through hundreds of them.

I donated most of them to a hospital when I moved to Japan for the first time but once I have children old enough to read Nancy Drew I am going to go out and buy lots of them for them. I do hope my children are big readers like me!!!

Mandy was a sweet valley high junkie! Do you still have them babe? While I never really got into Sweet Valley I did read a lot of teen trashy romance novels from the 80`s (I picked them up at that fete!)….I don`t remember the name of them….sweet teens or something?? Oh and lets not forget the Baby Sitters Club….I think I read all of them also! Actually I read everything including some of my mums mills and boons I think!!

Did anyone else read Nancy Drew? Or did you have a different favourite series and hero/heroine that you read? I have many favourite books from childhood and would love it if you could share yours also!!!!

Popularity: 29% [?]

• After reading Gala`s site yesterday and seeing that she had made a list of resolutions for her week I thought it would be a good idea for me to start doing the same, especially with only another 2 1/2 to 3 months left in Tokyo…My resolutions for this week are. Study for a minimum of ten hours, no eating after 9:30pm, Go for 2 big walks for exercise, Take more photos outside, Make a walking play list on my ipod , Start working on at least one more thing from my life list, Blog at least three times this week (This is my 2nd post already), Do two loads of washing before Friday, No coffee after 8pm and eat at least two pieces of fresh fruit each day (including weekends!). So I started yesterday and so far so good….Haven`t decided what I will work on from my life list though yet…any suggestions?
• My friend Jen from Somewhere, Something (formally Delightful Jen) has started her own business…It launched today! If you like buttons or things made from vintage fabric then go check out her store maxifunbutton now!
• I joined another book challenge, although this one is pretty simple in its rules….Read 100 books in the year. I can do that… Especially if I count some of the special kids books I read at work (I read about 20 kids books a week to the kids for story times plus when they ask me to read to them during free-time, not to mention the books I read with my private students so I might start recording some of those special ones I read with them, my favourites at least that I will one day want to read with my kids)….I keep a list of books I read in my journal already (Although I should one day add it to my blog) and am up to about 25 for the year so far I think!!
• 
• Yes you heard me right in the first point. Study…Am on a bit of a Japanese study kick at the moment…I want to do 1kyuu at the end of this year or the following year and kanji and reading are my biggest problem areas and it will take me at least six months to learn all the kanji I need! Probably longer! I am usually pretty good at studying when I am on a bit of a study kick…mind you I didn`t do any yesterday!!!
• It was my birthday yesterday, a post will follow about the adventures! Maybe in G is for…
• Where do you start when planning a wedding? How long does it take? I should get started on that!
• Last week I left my pencil case at a post office and an elderly lady ran after me yelling `moshi moshi, moshi moshi` and the reason I didn`t turn around straight away is because I thought she was on the phone…It has been on my mind since. I want to know if she yelled moshi moshi because I was foreign or if she was just a strange lady who would of yelled moshi moshi at anyone!
• I am already filling in dates with stuff to do, and people to catch up with before I leave…It will be sad to leave Japan again, but exciting all the same. I will miss my friends here though, so much…..There is always something exciting happening! And they are such great people to be around..
• Could of sworn I had more to blab on about, but I guess my giant sneezing fit 10 minutes ago knocked the thoughts right out of my head! Have a good week everyone!

Popularity: 41% [?]

Stumbled on this over at Enny`s blog which led me to here…The writing in Red is from Sarah at`He Loves Me Not`

Peach has taken this thought a step further. She’s recruited me, Ariel from From Fuck Up To Fab, Ms R from Woman of Experience and Vi from Village Secrets to put together a book for charity, written by bloggers. Here’s where you come in: we would like you to submit (to bloggersforcharity@yahoo.co.uk) a written piece about something you’ve been through from any aspect of your life that you want to share. It can literally be about anything: your relationships, your past, a road not taken, being a parent, an illness, or your regrets, etc. We’ve called it You’re Not The Only One to reflect the camaraderie of blogging.

Proceeds will go to War Child, and blatantly following in the same fashion as Shaggy Blog Stories, we will be publishing it through lulu.com. This is a no upfront fee Internet publishing site that will take $9.15 per book sold if we make it no longer than 200 pages. We’re pricing the book at $17.50 so $8.37 will go to straight to the charity. Because the cost lulu.com takes increases according to how many pages we want published, we do have to stick to the 200 page limit so we can’t guarantee you’ll get your submission in for sure. The absolute maximum length for submission is 1500 words (but we’d rather not have too many at that length. In fact you may stand more chance if your piece is on the less wordy side).

We’re really excited about this and think, if we get the quality we know is out there, we stand a good chance of getting some great PR.

A small note, we’d prefer it if you submit stories you’ve not published outside the blogworld. A piece from your own site is great, but not from a previously published hard copy book—lulu or otherwise. That makes this exclusive.

To summarize:

• You must be a blogger with a live blog
• It must be about something you’ve been through, amusing or serious or any style you like.
  
• You can submit in your blogname and remain anonymous, or not, up to you.
• It can’t be something previously published outside the blogworld, but anything from your blog, or something entirely new, is fine.
  
• Try to keep below 1500 words.
• You must pimp the book on your site and buy it if you make a submission to be in it!
  
• Please LINK BACK TO THIS POST to spread the word!
• DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 29th, 2008 for submissions.
• Send your submissions to me at bloggersforcharity@yahoo.co.uk

If it’s hugely submitted to, we’ll do another one later in the year… so get writing!

P.S. Does anyone fancy designing the cover for us? Get in touch (bloggersforcharity@yahoo.co.uk)!

So yeah, I have decided to submit something also..You should do the same!!! Even if my piece isn`t selected I will definitely be buying the book once it comes out…Congratulations to these bloggers for taking their love of blogging to another level…lets all help them out and support this wonderful charity!

Popularity: 26% [?]

After dropping my friend off in Shinjuku so he could catch the Narita Express to the airport I went over to Kinokuniya to pick up some Japanese text books (decided to start studying again) and stumbled upon `The Tokyo Look Book` by Philomena Keet with photography by Yuri Manabe….It wasn`t the first time I had seen the book…I had even seen it reccomended on a couple of blogs and had flicked through it a couple of times either in Kinokuniya or Tower Records in Shibuya….There are several English language books that delve into the Tokyo/Japan fashion scene but this is by far the best I have seen so far in my travels. So I bought it because my stomach was starting to hurt again and I wanted to get home to my warm (Ok well warmer than outside at least) apartment and sit down.

I like reading about fashion, while I am not a very fashion concisious person, nor do I know much about Japanese fashion labels or the styles of fashion seen in Tokyo, this book was easy to understand and a very fun read. Consisting of over 200 photos by Yuri Manabe and writings by Philomena Keet a British national who has a PhD in Anthropology the book takes you on a journey through the Tokyo fashion scene from the well known Shibuya Girls, the Cos play kids of Harajuku and the decked out Louis Vouiton and Chanel females of Omotesando and Ginza fame. Not to mention the last chapter titled `Young Men at Work`….I am always up for a look at the hot Japanese guys in suits and Nikka (work men pants). I live in the city and some of the things Ms Keet spoke about I would never have known if I hadn`t read her book….while I had heard of Sibuya girls, and the Lolita Cos players I had no idea that they were so influenced by their favourite music bands (most of which are visual-kei) or that certain brands were held at such high esteem.

I bought this book Sunday and had it finished by Monday morning (Monday was a public holiday) and I would of devoured it in one sitting If I hadn`t been so sleepy on Sunday night! Anyone into fashion, or who likes looking at pop culture or Japanese culture should check out this book….In fact anybody who is anybody should check out this book because I think you would be hard to find someone that walk away from reading it without feeling at least something!

The book also consisted of some profiles of popular fashion designers or shop owners here in Tokyo!

This book made me want to go out and take photos of all the crazy and cute fashion I see on the streets of Tokyo…although I am not sure if anybody would pose for me if I asked!

Popularity: 22% [?]

At the beginning of December I signed up for the Japanese Literature Challenge organized by Dolce Bellezza and you can read my post about it here (Ok the link for some reason will not work…Go to my Dec 4th post). The aim was to read three books by Japanese authors during December and January. I am happy to say i have now completed the challenge (I actually finished my final book on my return flight to Japan)

The three books I read were

The bells of Nagasaki- Takashi Nagai (Dec)

Snow Country- Kasunari Kawabata (Jan)

Kitchen- Banana Yoshimoto (Jan)

All three books were good and I think I read a good choice because one was N.F, one was more current fiction (well in the last 20 yrs), and an older fiction.

My favourite was definitely Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. It was a short book and it is hard to believe it was written by somebody so young. Most Japanese fiction that I have read has always been a little weird (You just need to look at Murakami`s books!) and this was no different. The book dealt mainly with loss and grief..with the main character losing her grandmother and then the other character losing his transsexual father to murder (so she was now his mother…if that makes sense). It discussed what it felt like to be left alone in the world. I also felt that the translation of this book was really good. Whenever I read translated Japanese fiction I feel that I am probably losing a lot of the meaning….but the person that translated this done an excellent job because I feel I finished the book with the message that you were meant to get from it…I will definitely be picking up another Banana Yoshimoto book soon!

Snow Country by Kasunari Kawabata was a beautiful book about a man that has a love affair with a local geisha in a mountain town (I just read that the town was at the base of the mountains i between Gunma and Niigata). When I finished it my first feeling was that I needed to read it again because I felt I missed something….I will definitely have to re-read it. I felt it a Little hard to follow at times but I think this had a lot to do with the translations….Kawabata is famous for the way in which he writes as it is said to be like poetry and I guess a lot of this was lost in the translation. Geisha in these provincial towns were a lot more like prostitutes than the geisha of big cities (Who are more like entertainers/ hostess`s). That said the scenes described in the book were beautiful. I can`t really comment on much more on this because I still feel as if I need to re-read it. Perhaps I will understand it more next time.

The bells of Nagasaki was a non-fiction book written by a doctor who later died to to radiation poisoning. It is his story of the day the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki and the days that followed. I have never been directly involved in war or directly affected by it so the bomb raids and deaths of war that are described by Nagai are sometimes hard for me to comprehend but the way he wrote made it seem like the readers were there with him. My history, especially Japanese history, is not great and reading books such as this that touch on such an important part of Japanese history always make me want to pick up a history book and get cracking. Anybody living in Japan or with an interest in Japanese history should read this book. I have never been to Nagasaki but I went to Hiroshima several years ago and my experiences there will always stay with me.

I am the worst book reviewer ever but thought I should do a wrap-up of the books I read so that others in the challenge can see what I thought of the books! I enjoyed all the books I read for this challenge and would recommend them to anyone. My only note is that if you were to read Snow Country make sure you read it in one or two sittings because I read it in short bursts over several days and I think this is one of the main reasons I had trouble understanding it.

Oh and in other news I have finished 6 or the 60 books I put down for m 888 challenge! Only 56 to go for the rest of the year!!!!

Popularity: 5% [?]

You would think because I live here in Japan that I am always reading Japanese books…definitely not the case. Of course I have read a few, and always have a few on my TBR pile but most of the time I tend to pick up something else to read first (Which is a shame because I often really enjoy the books by Japanese authors that I do read…Some favourites include Murakami and Tanizaki and even some non-fiction selections)

When I noticed this reading challenge happening on another blog I was quick to decide I was in!

So I bring you my list for the Japanese Literature Challenge…

It was my goal to read more books by Japanese authors next year for another reading challenge I am doing so it feels good to be getting a small start this month…although a couple of my choices for the challenge are also for the triple 8 challenge…But I promise not to read them before January starts!!!

Challenge hosted by: Bellezza at Dolce Bellezza

The challenge rules: Read three books by Japanese authors between November 30 2007 and January 30 2008 and post about what I thought of them. I can do that I think!

Any three of the following…Books with Astrix’s show the books I plan to read for other challenges.

Quicksand by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Bells of Nagasaki by Takashi Nagai

Snow Country by Kasunari Kawabata*

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto*

Yakuza moon: memoirs of a gangster`s daughter by Shoko Tendo*

Have you read any good books by Japanese authors lately?

Popularity: 4% [?]

I have read four non-fiction books in the last six weeks. This is a bit accomplishment for me since I think I have only read one other non-fiction book in the last year but I seem to have found a bit of a groove and actually have started to pick up non-fiction books off my overflowing shelves before picking up my normal reads, namely chick-lit and mysteries. All four of the books have been totally fantastic too!

I started journalling again a couple of months ago and have been keeping track of what I read each month (I have never done anything like this before, I estimate that I read more than 100 books a year but I couldn`t really be sure. It might be closer to 200! Last month I read ten books and so far I have read five books this month (This doesn`t include the numerous children`s books I read EVERY day at work)

I made a pile of books I wanted to finish before the end of the year and it looked like this

I have read 11 from that pile but 4 books I have read in the last six weeks were not even on that pile to begin with, they have been added in! I doubt I will finish them all, which means they will then go back on the bookshelves at the back!

Anyway the four non-fiction books I read were

- Story of my life- Helen Keller

- Eat, pray, love- Elizabeth Gilbert

- The Mother tongue- English and how it got that way- Bill Bryson

- Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis

They were all fantastic and I am so happy with myself for expanding my reading horizons a little more.

Helen Keller`s book is an amazing read just because the amount of things she achieved in her life despite the obstacles in her way was amazing. I remember reading about Helen Keller when I was younger and I had always meant to read her own work, I am so glad that I did!

Elizabeth Gilbert’s book was so great because I love reading about traveling adventures and she just made up her mind and went to Italy, India and Indonesia. I especially loved the different Italian words she dropped into her story from Italy….It is easy for me to relate to someone that has to learn to think and speak in another language. I think that this inspired me to read some more travel literature and non-fiction books of others travel adventures!!!

Bill Bryson`s book was fascinating. I had no idea that English had developed in the way he described. It is the first book by Bill Bryson I have ever read and I can not wait for the next one I read (Any recommendations?!). This book is such a interesting and funny read and I recommend it to anyone that is interested in writing or words but also people that know other languages, not just English because it touches on some interesting points! I had never really thought about where new words came from before!! For example dog, it popped up in the middle ages and no one knows why….up until then it had always been hound. It was also fascinating to see what words we use in Australia are considered British and which words are considered American. I am a terrible speller but was comforted by the fact that there were more than eighty spellings of Shakespeare`s name have been found and that Shakespeare himself often spelled his own name different each time!

Anthony Kiedis`s autobiography was written in a way that it felt like you were there with him going through the anguish he went through to kick his drug and alcohol habit. I have someone that is very close to me that struggles with addiction and this book made me realize the struggle that people must go through to quit drugs or alcohol….it touched very close to home. I saw the Red Hot Chilli Peppers live a couple of years ago and have always liked their music. It was interesting to read a behind the scenes of a band that I like. (OMG the concert must be close to five years ago now!) Thanks to my brother and Suzy for recommending this book!) I finished this book a couple of days ago now and it was great to finish it off on the sofa with a blanket listening to some RHCP music!

You can tell from my writing that I do not do good book reviews. But if you get the chance to read any of these books then it will be time well spent!

Popularity: 3% [?]

I have decided to participate in this reading challenge for next year…perhaps If I write down what I want to read then I will actually do it! The rules and more information is here but basically the rules are as follows

1. Challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2008.

2. Choose 8 categories of your own that you would like to read 8 books EACH in.

3. You will be allowed 8 overlaps, for a total of 56 unique book titles.

4. You may overlap these 56 titles with any other challenge.

5. You may change your list or your categories at any time.

I have used a lot of books I already own but there will be a couple I will need to borrow or buy! Some of the books haven`t come out either yet but will be coming out next year and I know that I will be wanting to read them. My categories and books are as follows, but if I find I can`t finish a book then I will substitute another one in…A couple of spaces are still open as I haven`t yet decided on everything (If you have any recommendations they are always welcome… I have also bolded the books that are overlaps the first time they appear in the list…(However there are alot of other book in the list that could have overlapped these are the ones I decided on)

Favourite authors- Chose this category for obvious reasons

1. An offer you can`t refuse- Jill Mansell
2. Change of Heart- Jodi Picoult
3. Thanksgiving- Janet Evanovich
4. Cage of Stars- Jacqelyn Mitchard*
5. Prisoner of Earth- Jeffrey Archer
6. Dear John- Nicholas Sparks*
7. Lean Mean thirteen- Janet Evanovich
8. Black Cat- V.C Andrews

In a series- Chose this category since I have started a couple of different series but need to catch up on them, plus also already had a couple of these books on my shelves

1. Broken Flower- V.C Andrews*
2. Scattered Leaves- V.C Andrews
3. Lean Mean thirteen- Janet Evanovich
4. #14 book in Stephanie Plum series- Janet Evanovich
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Harrows- J.K Rowling*
6. Morigans Cross- Nora Roberts*
7. Electric Blue- Nancy Bush

On my bookshelves for more than six months- Again obvious…I must get rid of them from my to be read list!

1. The Great Gatsby- F Scott Fitzgerald*
2. The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini*
3. The Mermaid Chair- Sue Monk Kidd*
4. Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte*
5. 1984- George Orwell*
6. Diary of Anne Frank- Anne Frank*
7. Running with scissors- Augusten Burroughs*
8. Kafka on the Shore- Murakami Haruki*

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller- Chose this since mysteries etc are one of my most read style of books, this and chick-lit

1. Bell, book & scandal- Jill Churchill*
2. Chocolate chip cookie murder- Joanne Fluke*
3. Killer Blond- Laura Levine
4. Shoes to die for- Laura Levine
5. Dream man- Linda Howard*
6. Ricochet- Sandra Brown*
7. Honky Tonky Kat- Karen Kijewski*
8. Count down- Iris Johansen*

Chick-lit- What I read just as much, if not more than mysteries….

1. If I were you- Julia Llewllyn*
2. Second Wives Club- Jane Moore*
3. Baby Proof- Emily Giffin*
4. You Could Do Better- Stephanie Lehman*
5. Marshmallows for breakfast- Dorothy Koomson*
6. Friday Night Cocktails- Allison Rushby
7. Scot on the rocks- Brenda Janowitz

Young Adult/Children Fiction- Thought I should go back to some books that make me the reader I am today, and also read some other YA fiction that has had a lot of good reviews or awards!

1. Alison- Margaret Watts (One of my favourite books as a teenager- reread)*
2. Dear Venny, Dear Saffron-Libby Hathorn (same as above)*
3. The Book Theif- Marcus Zusak
4. Gossipgirl- Cecily Von Ziegesar*
5. Kira Kira- Cynthia Kadohata*
6. All American Girl- Meg Cabot*
7. Rules- Cynthia Lord

Japanese authors/books about Japan- Live in Japan so thought I should try to read some more books that have come from here…The first six on the list are already on my bookshelves!

1. Kafka on the shore- Murakami Haruki*
2. Snow Country- Yasunari kawebata*
3. Kitchen- Banana Yoshimoto*
4. South of the border, west of the sun- Murakami Haruki*
5. Yakuza moon- Shoko Tendo*
6. In Praise of shadows- Junichiro Tanizaki*

Male Authors- I am trying to broaden my reading horizons a little bit and it seems that most of the books I do read are by female authors…Hopefully this will help me get started on my quest to broaden my reading horizons.

1. When we were Orphans- Kazuo Ishiguro*
2. The Complete Polysyllabic Spree- Nick Hornby*
3. For one more day- Mitch Albom*
4. The Winner- David Baldacci*
5. East of Eden- John Steinbeck*
6. Deception Point- Dan Brown*
7. Running with scissors- Augusten Burroughs*
8. Dear John- Nicholas Sparks*

I have four overlapped books meaning the total for the challenge will be 60, once I put in the other couple of books in the Japanese category and other categories missing books. I will also have to swap books if I read any of them before 2008 starts….but I have a pile of books to read that didn`t really fit into any of these categories to be read before the end of 2007 anyway so I should be fine. I should point out that I don`t expect this list of 58 books to be all I read next year…I’m not sure exactly how many books I read a year but I think it would be closer to 150. I don`t really do book reviews either, I will however keep track of what I have read and when on this blog, as well as perhaps giving some ratings!

The books that have *Astrix` * are already on my bookshelves!

Popularity: 3% [?]

Well technically I have finished the spring reading thing challenge because I reached my goal of ten books. To read about the challenge see here. I chose 20 books and had to read 10 of them between March 21st and June 21st.

I ended up sticking to what I know and like pretty much throughout the whole challenge. In other words, authors I like and chick-lit. Even though I have finished the challenge now, the rest of the books that were originally on my list are now on my `To be read` list…for anytime. My original post, that included my list can be found here

I didn`t end up reading any classics as such…despite a couple being on my list. I will get around to them eventually!!!!

I am not a book reviewer. I don`t think I could do it…but I thought I should at least post up the books I ended up reading for the challenge and give a comment or two.

At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks

I usually always like Nicholas Sparks` books. This one was good too. I just don`t think I liked it as much as some of his others….That said the story was still really well written, and I always enjoy books that have a twist at the end, even If I could see this one coming from the beginning. It is good though because I don`t always read a lot of books by males and I really should read more of them.

The Memory Keeper`s Daughter by Kim Edwards

Fantastic. Anyone who hasn`t read this should go buy a copy now. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I was in I couldn`t stop. I can see why this has been a best seller. I am taking it back to Australia so my mum can read it because I know she will love it too.

It makes you think a lot, about how you would handle having a mentally handicapped child. People deal with this everyday.But I doubt I am the only person, who when they imagines what their children are going to like, imagine a child that has problems or is sick.

Something borrowed by Emily Giffin

Chick lit. It is pretty much what I read most of the time. The books that I read that are non chick lit have usually been best sellers or by authors I have read before and loved (For example Nicholas Sparks, Jeffrey Archer, Murakami and Jodi Piccolt)

This book was really good. And while it was about a girl who has an affair with her best friends fiancee you can`t help but want her to win the battle because her friend is a bit of a bitch. I am sure everyone has had a friendship that was slightly toxic. Someone that you got on with really well but when the friendship ended you look back and think `What was I thinking, that person was a real bitch`…One of those people that always had to be better than you, put you down etc etc. Well if you have ever had a friendship like this (or are in one and think it is time you move on) then you should read this book!! Easy read, but not just a normal chick-lit quick read.

Under the Duvet by Marian Keyes

I like Marian Keyes. I usually pick up her books as soon as they come out. I almost always enjoy books by British and Irish females as well!!! This is a book of short articles, most of which have already been published in newspapers in Ireland etc. There were also a couple of other never before published pieces. I think I enjoy reading these kind of short articles/stories more now since I keep a blog. It makes me jealous though that people can spin out a fantastically written piece and put into words the way I wish I could put stuff into words.

The best thing about these sorts of books too is that you can read one story, put the book down and come back to it anytime. You can mix and match and read it back to front if you want to also!

Mad River Road by Joy Fielding

I am not sure how I cam across Joy Fielding in the beginning. I have a feeling though it has only been in the last year or so that I have started reading her books. She is a suspense writer i guess you would say. Her books are usually fairly easy to read, quiet compulsive and usually have a twist at the end. I love the twists. I didn`t see this one coming either!!! Anyone who likes suspense/crime novels, but isn`t into all the blood and gore that sometimes come with them, should check this book out! Or other books by her.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

I will definitely have to check out more books by this author. I have heard great things about her and am so glad i finally read this book. It is about four sets of mothers and daughters who are Chinese, and Chinese-American. It deals with cultural identity and the mother-daughter relationship that any female with a mother could relate too! I liked it…would love to hear a suggestion for the next Amy Tan novel I should try!!

Diary of a mad mum to be by Laura Wolf

I am always a sucker for books in diary form. I don`t know why. The first one I read as a kid was Zlata`s diary, I was about 10 or 11 and I couldn`t even contemplate how a girl my own age (at the time) could be living through what she was living through (A brilliant YA novel that everybody should read)

Anyway back to my love of diary form books, of course this one is not as thought provoking as Zlata`s diary it is still a good read. Fairly typical chick-lit book!!!! I liked her crazy friends!

Shopaholic and baby by Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella`s books are always good for an easy read, especially if you like chick-lit. I think I am just over the shopaholic series though. This one and the last one have been a bit too much…I still read them, and I wouldn`t say I didn`t enjoy them I guess I have just read a lot of other good books recently that it hasn`t rated really high on my good books list. I recommend the first two though!!!

The Botox Diaries by Janice Kaplan and Lynn Schnurnberger

It was just ok. I will read pretty much anything and this was ,like I said, Ok. I guess I am chick-litted out a bit though…Probably number 10 on the list of the books I have read.

Balzac and the Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie

Another great book. It is these types of books though that make me realize I really do not know enough about history. Anyone with an interest in history, especially Asian modern history should read this book. It makes you realize how lucky you are to have access to education, books, technology and freedom.

*********************************************************************************

I went on a little book shopping spree the other day with James too. He took me to Kinokuniya in Shinjuku. I have been to the one on the otherside of the station but never to the one connected to Takashimaya. I have no idea why I have never been before! I got new gossip mags (I am a sucker!) plus six new books. All of which are by authors I have read before….Two which I can not wait to read include Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult and Thinking of you by Jill Mansell. Have just started Thinking of you today….I want to read Nineteen Minutes so much but am saving it for the plane ride next week! I know If I start it now I will forget to pack, eat and possibly go to work!!!!

Popularity: 3% [?]