CHALLENGE: What's in a Name 3? Update

Challenge - What's In A Name 3 Challenge

Dates - January 1 - December 31, 2010
Host - Beth at Beth Fish Reads

Here are the books I've read, with linked reviews, for the categories in What's in a Name? It's a fun challenge to pick books for, and really stretches the imagination. This one goes all year, so there is still time to start and finish this challenge if it is new to you. What a great selection of books I picked!
Favorite book: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
Biggest Surprise: Nikolski (it won Canada Reads this year)

A book with a food in the title:
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley 01/26
- Short Review: New mystery set in 1950s England with Flavia de Luce, the 11 year old protaganist. I am waiting for the second book in the series.

A book with a body of water in the title:

The Swimming Pool - Holly LeCraw 04/9
- Short Review: What at the repercussions of a secret affair? Seven years later, the members of the two families are still connected in their Cape Cod summer.

A book with a title (queen, president) in the title:

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - Helen Simonson 02/27
-Short Review: Wonderful tale of a later romance, and the expectations we have for family members. Set in England in a small village, I recommend this to everyone.

A book with a plant in the title:
Purple Hibiscus - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 01/17
- Short Review: One family's breakdown in Nigeria during a coup. Not as strong as her Half a Yellow Sun novel, but a good read nonetheless.

A book with a place name (city, country) in the title:
Nikolski - Nicolas Dickner 02/17
- Short Review: Canada Reads Winner 2010. What makes family? How are we connected? Are we connected in large cities? Can a dump be considered an archeological site? Not a usual plot or structure, but a worthwhile read.

A book with a music term in the title:
La's Orchestra Saves the World - Alexander McCall Smith 03/14
- Short Review: La moves to the country during the second world war. She is at a crossroads in her life, and needs something to do. She forms and leads an orchestra, and gives some small bit of hope to the village. McCall Smith writes a stand-alone book with his usual charm.