Here Be Monsters!

Book #173 (Unique books)
Book #29 in 2012

Here Be Monsters!

by Alan Snow

 "Skulduggery is afoot!

Welcome to Ratbridge. But beware -- for there is skulduggery afoot. Young Arthur has fallen foul of the appalling outlaw, Snatcher, and is trapped alone in the town with every way home sealed. Meanwhile Snatcher and his men are working tirelessly in secret on a fiendish and dastardly plan to take over -- and destroy -- the entire town. With the help of Willbury Nibble, QC; some friendly boxtrolls and cabbageheads; Marjorie the frustrated inventor; and the rats and pirates from the Ratbridge Nautical Laundry, can Arthur thwart Snatcher's evil plans -- and find his way home?"

June 23rd to July 17th -  25 days - 529 pages

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Carnivorous Carnival

Book #172 (Unique books*)
Book #28 in 2012

 A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Carnivorous Carnival

by Lemony Snicket

 "Dear Reader,

The word "carnivorous" which appears in the title of this book, means "meat-eating," and once you have read such a bloodthirsty word, there is no reason to read any further. This carnivorous volume contains such a distressing story that consuming any of its contents would be far more stomach-turning than ever the most imbalanced meal.

To avoid causing discomfort, it would be best if I didn't mention any of the unnerving ingredients of this story, particularly a confusing map, an ambidextrous person, an unruly map, a wooden plank, and Chabo the Wolf Baby.

Sadly for me, my time is filled with researching and recording the displeasing and disenchanting lives of the Baudelaire orphans. But your time might be better filled with something more palatable, such as eating your vegetables, or feeding them to someone else.

With all due respect,
"

July 9th to July 12th - 4 days - 286 pages

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

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

Book #171 (Unique books)
Book #27 in 2012

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

"Eliot Rosewater—drunk, volunteer fireman, and President of the fabulously rich Rosewater Foundation—is about to attempt a noble experiment with human nature . . . with a little help from writer Kilgore Trout. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater is Kurt Vonnegut’s funniest satire, an etched-in-acid portrayal of the greed, hypocrisy, and follies of the flesh we are all heir to."

June 12th to June 26th -  15 days (2 weeks) - 190 pages

Better Than College

Book #170 (Unique books)
Book #26 in 2012

 Better Than College: How to build a successful life without a four-year degree

by Blake Boles

 "Do you need college in order to be taken seriously and earn a real living? Conventional wisdom says yes. But true success relies upon self-knowledge and entrepreneurship: two qualities that you can obtain effectively and inexpensively without traditional college.

Better Than College provides the step-by-step guidance and inspiration necessary to design your own higher education. This book teaches you how to find community, stay on track, and get hired or start your own venture, all without a four-year degree. Curious college students will learn to think clearly about their motivations, plan a gap year, or navigate life after school. And Better Than College will show parents how self-directed learning can lead to a lifetime of achievement—no expensive institution required."

June 7th to June 9th - 3 days - 144 pages

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Book #169 (Unique books)
Book #25 in 2012

 Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

 by Ransom Riggs

 "A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows."

May 20th to  June 5th - 17 days - 352 pages

Notes:

Love love love this book. The only reason I didn't finish it sooner was because of the conference.

I Was a Teenage Fairy

Book #168 (Unique books)
Book #24 in 2012 

I Was a Teenage Fairy

by Francesca Lia Block

"In this mesmerizing post-modern fairy tale, critically acclaimed author Block distills elements of fantasy and realism into an intoxicating blend of striking imagery and raw emotion. It is the story of Barbie Marks, who dreams of being the one behind the camera, and Mab, a pinkie-sized, magenta-haired fairy who may or may not be real."

May 16th to May 18th -  3 days - 186 days

Paper Towns (Re-read)

Book #23 in 2012

 Paper Towns

by John Green

"One month before graduating from his Central Florida high school, Quentin "Q" Jacobsen basks in the predictable boringness of his life until the beautiful and exciting Margo Roth Spiegelman, Q's neighbor and classmate, takes him on a midnight adventure and then mysteriously disappears."

May 13th to May 15th - 3 days - 305 pages

Of Mice and Men

Book #167 (Unique books)
Book #22 in 2012

 Of Mice and Men

by John Steinbeck

"They are an unlikely pair: George is 'small and quick and dark of face'; Lennie, a man of tremendous size, has the mind of a young child. Yet they have formed a 'family,' clinging together in the face of lonelinss and alienation.

Laborers in California's dusty vegetable fields, they hustle work when they can, living a hand-to-mouth existence. For George and Lennie have a plan: to own an acre of land and a shack they can call their own. When they land jobs on a ranch in the Salinas Valley, the fulfillment of their dream seems to be within their grasp. But even George cannot guard Lennie from the provocations of a flirtatious woman, nor predict the consequences of Lennie's unswerving obedience to the things George taught him.

'A thriller, a gripping tale . . . that you will not set down until it is finished. Steinbeck has touched the quick.' —The New York Times"

May 9th to May 11th - 3 days - 107 pages

Notes:

STUPID NICKY TOLD ME THE ENDING OF THE BOOK BEFORE I FINISHED IT THAT IS THE WORST THING HE IS ON MY BLACK LIST FOREVER GOD WHO DOES THAT

and also let's talk about that new york times quote. this book is not at all 'a thriller' or a 'gripping tale'. It's good, but not thrilling.

Cat's Cradle

Book #166 (Unique books)
Book #21 in 2012

Cat's Cradle

by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

"Dr Felix Hoenikker, one of the founding 'fathers' of the atomic bomb, has left a deadly legacy to the world. For he is the inventor of 'ice-nine', a lethal chemical capable of freezing the entire planet. The search for its whereabouts leads to Hoenikker's three ecentric children, to a crazed dictator in the Caribbean, to madness. Felix Hoenikker's Death Wish comes true when his last, fatal gift to mankind brings about the end, that for all of us, is nigh."

May 6th to May 9th - 4 days - 191 pages

A Barrel of Laughs, A Vale of Tears (Re-read)

Book #20 in 2012

A Barrel of Laughs, A Vale of Tears
by Jules Feiffer

"Prince Roger is sent on a quest, the purpose of which is to turn the carefree young prince into a sober man and worthy monarch. Roger gets everything wrong--except for the meaning of life, and that he gets right."

May 3rd (late. 10:30ish) to May 5th - 2 days - 180 pages

Notes:
♥