I pretty much hated every character in this book and only finished it to see if their lives turned out to be as miserable as them. (January)

I'm unclear about what garnered this book such positive reviews. Another book in which I did not like any of the characters, but less dislikeable than those in "The Corrections." Made me realize that I am not one of those people who would reinvent myself if I had the chance. That's good. (February)

Some parts of this book aren't perfectly or satisfyingly resolved, but it's a fun and easy read. Plus, the cover is glow-in-the-dark and you can't ever beat that in a book! (February)

Now, I've read the entire encyclopaedia via A.J. Jacobs! I learned a lot of trivial knowledge reading this book. (April)

Was I this bad in high school? Fun novel to read and remember the thrill game of college applications. (April)

I loved many parts of this book and thought much of the writing brilliant! I wish I knew more about LOTR ... (June)

I'm mixed. I loved the "Love and Honor and Pity and Pride and Compassion and Sacrifice" (amazing title, right?), "Cartagena," and "Hiroshima," but the rest were difficult. Maybe I'm stuck in summer reading mode? (July)

More "field study" for the classroom. The writing is still terrible - the same thing is said at least nineteen times throughout the book: "Jacob is my best friend, but I don't love him" - but the story makes up for it! (July)

I think I've grown out of fairy tales. (August)

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. It's lovely to find a character with whom you so strongly identify - even if she is an eleven-year-old orphan, Kenya. It's a talent to write a novel like it's a short story. (September)

The first three-quarters of this novel is wonderful. I kept folding the corners of pages where I read the words, "Memory could be poked with a stick, savored in the mouth like a popsicle, you could never get enough." (November)