Wicked

Book #163 (Unique books)
Book #17 in 2012

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

by Gregory Maguire

"When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?

Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to be the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil."

March 16th to April 30th -  46 days - 406 pages

Notes:

uggghhhh this took me so long. I gave up on it for a while. BUT I DID IT I FINISHED IT.

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Book #162 (Unique books)
Book #16 in 2012

Lola and the Boy Next Door

by Stephanie Perkins

"Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn't believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit—more sparkly, more fun, more wild—the better. But even though Lola's style is outrageous, she's a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket—a gifted inventor—steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door."

 April 28th to April 29th - 2 days - 338 pages

Notes:

I didn't like it as much as Anna and the French Kiss, but it was still cute.

(Except who names their kid Cricket?)

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Book #161 (Unique books)
Book #15 in 2012

 The Elegance of the Hedgehog

by Muriel Barbery

"Renee is the concierge of a grand Parisian apartment building, home to members of the great and the good. Over the years she has maintained her carefully constructed persona as someone reliable but totally uncultivated, in keeping, she feels, with society's expectations of what a concierge should be. But beneath this facade lies the real Renee: passionate about culture and the arts, and more knowledgeable in many ways than her employers with their outwardly successful but emotionally void lives. Down in her lodge, apart from weekly visits by her one friend Manuela, Renee lives resigned to her lonely lot with only her cat for company. Meanwhile, several floors up, twelve-year-old Paloma Josse is determined to avoid the pampered and vacuous future laid out for her, and decides to end her life on her thirteenth birthday. But unknown to them both, the sudden death of one of their privileged neighbours will dramatically alter their lives forever."

April 19th to April 24th -  6 days - 325 pages

Notes:

no. fuck this book.

Hoot

Book #160 (Unique books*)
Book #14 in 2012

Hoot
by Carl Hiaasen

"Unfortunately, Roy’s first acquaintance in Florida is Dana Matherson, a well-known bully. Then again, if Dana hadn’t been sinking his thumbs into Roy’s temples and mashing his face against the school-bus window, Roy might never have spotted the running boy. And the running boy is intriguing: he was running away from the school bus, carried no books, and–here’s the odd part–wore no shoes. Sensing a mystery, Roy sets himself on the boy’s trail. The chase introduces him to potty-trained alligators, a fake-fart champion, some burrowing owls, a renegade eco-avenger, and several extremely poisonous snakes with unnaturally sparkling tails."

April 13th to April 19th - 7 days - 292 pages

Notes:
Roy was the first fictional character I ever had a crush on. I was like 8. Sigh.

*I have read this lots of times but I'm counting it in my total because it's never been published here.

Catching Fire

Book #159 (Unique books)
Book #13 in 2012

Catching Fire
by Suzanne Collins

"By winning the annual Hunger Games, District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have secured a life of safety and plenty for themselves and their families, but because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly become the faces of an impending rebellion."

April 15th to April 16th - 1 1/2 days - 391 pages

Notes:
FINALLY GOT MY HANDS ON IT I BORROWED IT FROM SOPHIE
I started reading it at 7:30 last night and then I fell asleep mid-sentence at like 1 and then I woke up and started reading BUT I HAD DANCE TODAY I DIDN'T FINISH READING IN TIME SO I HAD TO PUT IT DOWN WITH LIKE 40 PAGES LEFT AND IT THE LONGEST HOUR OF MY LIFE UGH

and when I got to dance I had like 3 minutes so I was still reading and the MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP STUFF was happening and I was like hyperventilating and trying not to cry over fictional characters and it was bad

The Hunger Games

Book #158 (Unique books)
Book #12 in 2012

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

"In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place."

March 22nd to March 23rd - 2 days - 374 pages

Notes:
Yesterday morning I was like "I don't actually especially want to read this" and now I have read the entire thing and been to the midnight showing of the movie and I desperately need Catching Fire and there are 137 HOLD REQUESTS ON IT AT THE LIBRARY

A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Hostile Hospital

Book #157 (Unique books*)
Book #11 in 2012

A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Hostile Hospital
by Lemony Snicket

"Dear Reader,
Before you throw this awful book to the ground and run as far away from it as possible, you should probably know why. This book is the only book that describes every last detail of the Baudelaire children's miserable stay at Heimlich Hospital, which makes it one of the most dreadful books in the world.

There are many pleasant things to read about, but this book contains none of them. Within its pages, are such burdensome details such as a suspicious shopkeeper, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about a fire. Clearly you do not want to read about such things.

I have sworn to research this story, and to write it down as best as I can, so I should know that this book is something best left on the ground, where you undoubtedly found it.

With all due respect,

"

March 6th to March 12th(I think) - 7 days - 255 pages

Notes:
*I have read these lots of times but I'm counting it in my total because it's never been published here.

A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Vile Village

Book #156 (Unique books*)
Book #10 in 2012

A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Vile Village
by Lemony Snicket

"Dear Reader,
You have undoubtedly picked up this book by mistake, so please put it down. Nobody in their right mind would read this particular book about the lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire on purpose, because each dismal moment of their stay in the village of V.F.D. has been faithfully and dreadfully recorded in these pages.

I can think of no single reason why anyone would want to open a book containing such unpleasant matters as migrating crows, an angry mob, a newspaper headline, the arrest of innocent people, the Deluxe Cell, and some very strange hats.

It is my solemn and sacred occupation to research each detail of the Baudelaire children's lives and write them all down, but you may prefer to do some other solemn and sacred thing, such as reading another book instead.

With all due respect,

"

March 4th to March 6th(I think) - 2 1/2 days - 259 pages

Notes:
*I have read these lots of times but I'm counting it in my total because it's never been published here.

A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Ersatz Elevator

Book #155 (Unique books*)
Book #9 in 2012

A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Ersatz Elevator
by Lemony Snicket

"Dear Reader,
If you have just picked up this particular book, then it is not too late to put it back down. Like the previous books in A Series of Unfortunate Events, there is nothing to be found in these pages but misery, despair, and discomfort, and you still have time to choose something else to read.

Within the chapters of this story, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, encounter a brightly colored staircase, a red herring, some friends in a dire situation, three mysterious initials, a liar with an evil scheme, a secret passageway, and parsley soda.

I have sworn to write down these tales of the Baudelaire orphans so the general public will know each terrible thing that has happened to them, but if you decide to read something else instead, you will save yourself from a heapful of horror and woe.

With all due respect,

"

March 1st to March 3rd - 3 days - 259 pages

Notes:
*I have read these lots of times but I'm counting it in my total because it's never been published here.

A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Austere Academy

Book #154 (Unique books*)
Book #8 in 2012

A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Austere Academy
by Lemony Snicket

"Dear Reader,
If you where looking for a story about cheerful youngsters spending a jolly time at boarding school, look elsewhere. Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent and resourceful children, and you might expect that they would do very well at school. Don't. For 'the Baudelaires, school turns out to be another miserable episode in their unlucky lives.

Truth be told, within the chapters that make up this dreadful story, the children will face snapping crabs, strict punishments, dripping fungus, comprehensive exams, violin recitals, S.O.R.E., and the metric system.

It is my solemn duty to stay up all night researching and writing the history of these three hapless youngsters, but you may be more comfortable getting a good night's sleep, in this case you should probably choose some other book.

With all due respect,

"

February 28th to March 1st - 2 1/2 days - 221 pages

Notes:
*I have read these lots of times but I'm counting it in my total because it's never been published here.