2013 BOOK CHALLENGE! Are you in?

[Ginny Favers]

Book #11 of 50: The Bucolic Plague:

Michael Perry (Coop, Truck: A Love Story) meets David Sedaris (Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim) in this follow-up to Josh Kilmer-Purcell’s beloved New York Times bestselling debut memoir, I Am Not Myself These Days—another riotous, moving, and entirely unique story of his attempt to tackle the next phase of life with his partner… on a goat farm in upstate New York.

This was a pretty funny memoir about two Manhattanites becoming gentleman farmers-- I've always had the idea in the back of my mind of getting away from the rat-race and owning a farm, so I found this very interesting.

[Angiea1114]

Goal 15

#4. Ring of Lies by Victoria Howard

A quick read involving romance, crime and mystery. Gave this 4.5/5, just because it was too easy to figure some of the events that would happen at the end.

Still trying to figure out #5

[dizluvah]

Book 24 finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Stieg Larrson

This is the third in the trilogy and i did not enjoy it - I was excited to read it to find out all Salander's secrets and have things from the first two books explained but overall I was disappointed. This book had way to much background information about the Swedish security police and I found it a chore to slog through. I gave it 2 stars (I loved the first book - gave it 4 stars)

Next up for me: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

[nemofans]

Finished book #12- The Warlock: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott

This is book 5 of the series. This one is more preparation for the big battle in the final book.

Next is the final book of this series - The Enchantress

[Caseheidi]

Book 11 of 100

J.D. Robb's Calculated in Death (#36 In Death series)

From Good Reads:
On Manhattan's Upper East Side a woman lies dead at the bottom of the stairs, stripped of all her valuables. Most cops might call it a mugging gone wrong, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows better.

A well-off accountant and a beloved wife and mother, Marta Dickenson doesn't seem the type to be on anyone's hit list. But when Eve and her partner, Peabody, find blood inside the building, the lieutenant knows Marta's murder was the work of a killer who's trained, but not professional or smart enough to remove all the evidence.

But when someone steals the files out of Marta's office, Eve must immerse herself in her billionaire husband Roarke's world of big business to figure out who's cruel and callous enough to hire a hit on an innocent woman. And as the killer's violent streak begins to escalate, Eve knows she has to draw him out, even if it means using herself as bait. . .

This is one of the series that I can't wait for the next book. As how this book was, it was good, but not one of the best in the series. What I love about this write (Nora Roberts) is that she does such a good job developing the relationships. Over the course of the series, Eve Dallas has gone from being a grumpy loner to having a world filled with loved ones. We have watched her grow and discover family. I enjoyed this book, and it kept me wanting to read.

[zippitydoo]

Book 9 of 30: Three Wishes by Stephanie Bond

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Done with 5 now on to 6 surprise endings

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Originally Posted by tinkerbellandeeyor

Done with 5 now on to 6 surprise endings

Yours forever amazons summery

A romantic picnic on the beach, a dreamy ice-skating party, a New Year's kiss Christy has the ultimate Christmas break planned. Then she learns it takes more than careful planning for a guy to promise he is-Yours Forever

Christy can't wait to spend her Christmas vacation back in Newport Beach with her friends from last summer. Even before she arrives, all she can think about is arranging her schedule so she can spend every minute of her time with Todd. But her vacation fantasies turn to failures when all her careful planning alienates one of her best friends, makes Todd mad at her, and insults her aunt.

Will Christy figure out how to handle all her mixed emotions and mend these frayed relationships? Will her friends and God show her the true meaning of "yours forever"?


Get acquainted with Christy's friend Sierra by reading all twelve books in the SIERRA JENSEN SERIES, also by Robin Jones Gunn.

[Simba's Mom]

Done with "Stilletto Safari", on to "1225 Christmas Tree Lane" by Debbie Macomber, book #15 in the challenge. Although this is a very slow read for Debbie Macomber, I can't help but loving it as I do all her books. It's so refreshing to me to see that the only sex involves deep kissing from couples who are actually married-to each other! And they're a bit more "mature" in age than some books.

I do have a problem with Goodreads though. My challenge says I've read one less book than my "read" shelf. Somehow a book a few back never got "counted" in my challenge. Does anyone know why this might be and how to correct it?

[dismom301930]

Goal = 40

Book #9 - The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott http://www.amazon.com/The-Dressmaker...rds=dressmaker
Historical fiction based on the Titanic. Liked it, did not love it.

Next up:
The Snow Child - http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Child-Nov...62070079&sr=1-1&keywords=snow+child
The Round House - http://www.amazon.com/Round-House-Lo...ds=round+house

[Glynis]

Goal - 50 books

Book #21 - "Sapphire Blue" by Kerstin Gier

From Goodreads: Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

I really enjoyed this book! This is the second in a trilogy, and it was an excitin read! I can't wait until Fall for the final installment! I highly recommend this YA novel!


Next up: "Splendor of Silence" by Indu Sundaresan and continually slogging through "Team of Rivals"

[WowLookAtThat]

Book #16 Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Review: I have loved this book since I first had to read it in high school. While we were supposed to read it as a class, I read the whole thing that Friday night...that is how engaging the story was to me.

The Joy Luck Club is about the relationship between four Chinese mothers and their American born daughters. It goes deeper than that though but more about how these women survive during turbulent times. The book is structured into four parts, the mother and daughters narrate their own story except for June, whose mother has died a little bit before the book starts. However, she is the one who tells Suyuan's story and her "long cherished wish".

The mothers explain their youth in China and how life was for them. One notable story about Lindo and how she was arranged in her first marriage. Her family is gone and she is alone with her husband's demanding family. She and her husband have not consummated their marriage and this puts a lot of pressure on her by her mother-in-law however Lindo devises a plan to not only get out of the marriage but doing it without losing face.

The daughters explain their childhood in San Francisco and how their relationship with their mothers could be a little hard. Ying-Ying's daughter, Lena has to contend with her mother's heavy depression. Later on the adult daughters go through hard times such as divorce and you see how they confront these issues.

The Joy Luck Club is a complicated book that often means taking a look out of your own perspectives of life. Amy Tan's writing is very simple yet profound. I suggest it but be ready to get a little teary-eyed.

[dizluvah]

Originally Posted by Simba's Mom

I do have a problem with Goodreads though. My challenge says I've read one less book than my "read" shelf. Somehow a book a few back never got "counted" in my challenge. Does anyone know why this might be and how to correct it?

I would go to your "read" list on goodreads and make sure the "date read" field is filled in for the book that is missing. You just click the edit button under the
date read" field. That is my only suggestion to get goodreads to recognize the book you finished.

[Swimnoid]

23 of 75

The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor

From Goodreads: On the snow-covered slopes of Utah, the President of the United States has been kidnapped and his Secret Service detail massacred. Only one agent has survived -- ex-Navy SEAL Scot Harvath. He doesn't buy the official line that Middle Eastern terrorists are behind the attack and begins his own campaign to find the truth and exact revenge.

Very good thriller with lots of action and likable characters. I cant believe how lucky this guy is dodging millions of bullets!

24 of 75

Learn Me good by John Pearson

Jack Woodson is a thermal design engineer who is laid off from his job. He decides to go in a different direction and becomes a 3rd grade teacher. Learn Me Good is written in a series of emails to his friend at his old job about his adventures as a first year teacher.

The book is very funny and sometimes poignant.

[Kathi OD]

Finally getting somewhere...just finished 5 of 50; John Grisham's "Calico Joe."

Calico Joe is the story of a very talented baseball player in his rookie year who gets deliberately beaned by an arrogant, self-absorbed opposing pitcher (Warren Tracey), ending his short career. The story is told by the Tracey's son and concludes with Joe and Tracey meeting some 30 years after the event, as Tracey is dying of pancreatic cancer.

A quick read, that I thoroughly enjoyed...but then, I'm a baseball fan.

Next up, "Calling Invisible Women" by Jeanne Ray.