31. Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding (Completed 9/22/10) - Yay, Bridget!! I first read this novel in high school, but I'm sorry to say I didn't laugh as much as I should have. But I've always been obsessed with the movie (come on, how can you not enjoy "Fitz Herberts...because THAT is his name?"), so I figured I should reread this fantastic book in my old age. I GET IT NOW. I couldn't stop laughing - between Bridget and her singleton status to her adorable way of handling embarrassing situations, I fell in love with her all over again.
32. Twilight of Avalon - Anna Elliott (Completed 10/6/10) - I picked up this book when I was in severe Tintagel withdrawal. So naturally, I devoured the book immediately. Anna Elliot has recreated the Tristan and Isolde tale by going the Mists of Avalon route and allowing the women of the story to talk. Isolde is a powerful healer who has to watch her Tintagel under siege, run a kingdom, deal with the fact that her father was a traitor and her grandmother a witch, watch her husband die, marry an abusive man, fall in love with Tristan, lose Tristan, and then stand trial for witchcraft. Once again, a story like this one proves that we don't give famous historical women enough credit.
33. The Unwritten, Volume 2 - Mike Carrey (Completed 10/10/10) - I read the first volume of Unwritten the same time I read the first volume of Chew. My eyes feasted on great graphic novels that week. What draws me to The Unwritten series is the story within a story within another story, while referencing great works of literature and maintaining a graphic novel format. Mike Carrey has made story for comic book geeks AND literary nerds. Now, we can live peacefully.
34. Don't Look Now and Other Stories - Daphne du Maurier (Completed 10/20/10) - Another Cornish goddess!!! I've been a fan of Daphne du Maurier's since Rebecca, but I didn't understand her contribution to Cornish literature until I spent time in Cornwall. I read this back when I returned stateside with a new appreciation for this author. This book is a collection of short stories, proving that you don't need to incorporate blood, murderers, and gruesome details to scare the living daylights out of your readers. Sometimes a ghost story will do. It was a great October read.
35. Bizenghast, Volume 1 - M. Alice LeGrow (Completed 10/23/10) - If you choose to read Bizenghast, my advice to you is to keep reading. Trust me, the story makes sense after the third volume. I'm not finished with the series myself, but Dinah's story still haunts me. Ghosts and mental illnesses I can handle. But setting a story in an abandoned New England town? Now, THAT'S creepy.
36. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (Completed 10/31/10) - READ. THIS. NOW. As you can see, I read the entire series in a month. Enough said. Just make sure you have all three volumes at hand. You don't want to go running off in the middle of the night looking for the next volume. And read the books before the movies come out. You'll enjoy Katniss's story much more. But seriously, go read this now. I'll wait.
37. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk - David Sedaris (Completed 11/2/10) - Oh, David Sedaris. How can you make a chorus of anal leeches singing German drinking songs out of a hippo's bumhole something I still laugh about? And then couple the book with heartbreaking stories that remind us that we're all human, even though you're portraying your characters as animals? Because you're a writing genius.
38. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins (Completed 11/12/10) - Okay, why are you reading this? FINISH THE SERIES NOW!!!
39. Olympians: Athena, Grey-Eyed Goddess - George O'Connor (Completed 11/16/10) - My boyfriend and I met George O'Connor at a comic convention. He's a very cool guy, and I don't want to brag or anything, but he not only signed our copy of Athena, he also drew a picture of Medusa on the title page. What does this mean, you ask? That he's a nice guy, a talented artist and a great storyteller.
40. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins (Completed 11/18/10) - Oh, you finished? How great was it? Did you cry at the part where ---? What about the ending when --? Don't you just hate ----? What about the part with Gale? What about Peeta? How sad is Haymitch? What about the scene with the cat? What did you think about Rue and the flowers? Don't you want to bake Mockingjay cookies? I'm so glad we can finally have this conversation.
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