What I'm (not) reading - a partial review, brought to you by adult onset ADD

There is a large stack of books on my nightstand.  Some might look at it and think, wow, she's a big reader!  They would be mistaken.  I'm a big starter of books, but I rarely finish them these days.  Here's a quick run down of half of that pile...

The Black Book, by Orhan Pamuk

Set in Turkey, this book flashes between present day and past memories as remembered by Galip, our strange protagonist, whose wife leaves him for reasons unknown.  Reasons unknown to me, that is.  This book was gifted to me about 10 years ago and I finally got through the first 57 pages.  The last time I read it was on the beach...it's now February.  Probably safe to say I lost interest.

Wicked, by Gregory Maguire

We all know this one, it was a smash hit on Broadway.  I read ALL of Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister (gifted to me by the same friend who gave me The Black Book, thanks Amy!) first, and I really enjoyed that one.  Stands to reason I'd like Wicked, no?  No.  I mostly hated this book, but kept on reading until I got about 2/3 through it.  The more I read, the more I hated it.  This in and of itself was compelling, but I guess I just didn't hate it enough to finish it.

The Blind Assassin, by Margaret Atwood

Where the fuck did this one come from?  I have no recollection of purchasing this one.  I haven't even cracked it.  It's the winner of the Booker Prize.  What the hell kind of a prize for a book is called the Booker Prize?  That's like giving a carpenter the Woody Prize.  Seriously, it's a prize for writing well (I presume), but the people who came up with the name of the prize couldn't be more creative than Booker?  Have yourself, Booker people, I'm too good for your crackerjack award winners.

Brain in Your Pocket, by Christopher M. Strange

I know I read at least one nugget from this one and appreciated how it's not a long story, but rather a bunch of facts consolidated into a small, concise format.  Thus it ended up on the nightstand so that I might better appreciate the small, concise layer of dust it accumulated.

Dog On It, by Spencer Quinn

Got this one for Christmas 2009, and it looks intriguing.  A PI and his dog solve a mystery.  I like doggies, they have fur and waggy tails.  * Stares at own dog for five minutes instead of reading full synopsis *

Behind the Attic Wall, by Sylvia Cassedy

Ah, finally, one I've read!  When I was...ahem...maybe 11?  I read a lot as a kid...I were smarter then.

The Angel of Darkness, by Caleb Carr

I distinctly remember starting this one at my boyfriend's house.  That was four boyfriends ago.  I think at my last attempt I made it through Chapter 2 (of 59).

The Queen of the South, by Arturo Perez-Reverte

This one seems genuinely awesome.  It's about a female drug lord.  The first few chapters are riveting...she's giving an interview and recalling when her dealer boyfriend was shot and she had to flee her home because the murderers were coming for her too.  I'm totally going to get back to this one...OH LOOK, AN LOL CAT!