2013 BOOK CHALLENGE! Are you in?

[WowLookAtThat]

Book #2 finished!
Book of Summers by Emylia Hall

Review: LOVE IT! I would recommend this book. Books of Summers is about a woman named Beth who discovers that her mother, Marika had died in Hungary but her lover, an artist had sent a scrapbook to her. As Beth is going through the book and bringing out pictures throughout the years, she is reminded of the happy summers she spent in Hungary, the sweetness of a first kiss and the warm memories with her mother and Zoltan (her mother's lover) and of course the reminder of a past wound she could not forgive for years.

I don't want to give the ending away but I didn't see it coming. This book is bittersweet in the end but throughout there is a soft happiness that reminds me of flowers, honey and wild forests. The descriptions in the Book of Summers is vivid and fresh. The plot is engaging and I totally recommend it.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

My first one was
11th hour James Paterson.
The only series I really read by Paterson. Like the interaction between the four main women. I might not have read it but there are a couple of us who pass the books around. I give it four stars and did not like it as much as some of te other books in the series. It is by far the most books I have read in a series though.
BTW does this book count was about halfway through when the ball dropped.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

Yes! I just put it on hold. I'm 7th in line....grrrr. Also found out there is a 4th book, Son

My DD got "Son" for Christmas. She liked it and thought it wrapped up the series. She said number 3 was sad.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I'm in! I'll say 20. Most likely, half of those will be during the summer.

I've finished 1 - The Fault in Our Stars. I really liked it and am thinking I should read more young adult because I can read them quicker. This one is set in Indianapolis which was fun since I knew the places mentioned.

I am now reading "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" which I am sure I got from a thread on the Dis.

My favorite book of 2012 was "Cutting for Stone." I read it last Spring Break, and it is a more involved, takes some time type of book, but I loved it.

 

[Glynis]

My goal = 50 books.

Number 2 finished: "The Appeal" by John Grisham

At the opening of this book, a Mississippi court hands down a verdict to a large chemical company accused of dumping chemicals and causing cancer in a small town. They are hit with a large verdict, and the CEO swears that he will never pay. The rest of the book is filled with twists and turns as we see to what lengths "big business" will go in order to get a verdict overturned at the Supreme Court level.

I will admit that I usually like Grisham's novels, but this one left me feeling very uncomfortable. I'm going to have to think about this book for a while before deciding whether or not I liked it. Perhaps that makes it successful? This one will stay with me.

Next up: "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Piccoult.

 

[threeboysmom]

I did! I liked the character development and the plot. I couldn't put it down. It is dark and I have heard others say they didn't like the ending - but that is part of what I liked about it....

Same here! So many people were complaining about the ending, so when I read it myself, I was ready to be disappointed. How wrong I was! Yes, the ending is not a "conventional" ending, but that book was so twisted and oh so wicked, how could you have anything BUT a non-conventional ending? lol

 

[threeboysmom]

I am reading my #2 book - Defending Jacob based on a recommendation from a DIS'er on the other book thread.

Oh my gosh, I CANNOT put this book down!! I keep finding myself so immersed into the storyline (being a parent, I don't see how you cannot do that!) and I find myself questionning myself at every turn.... "what would *I* do in that scenario?"

Sometimes the way a book ends can kill a book, so really hoping the author pulls through for me.

I want life to completely stop this weekend so I can finish this book! (stupid housecleaning...)

 

[Christine]

I am reading my #2 book - Defending Jacob based on a recommendation from a DIS'er on the other book thread.

Oh my gosh, I CANNOT put this book down!! I keep finding myself so immersed into the storyline (being a parent, I don't see how you cannot do that!) and I find myself questionning myself at every turn.... "what would *I* do in that scenario?"

Sometimes the way a book ends can kill a book, so really hoping the author pulls through for me.

I want life to completely stop this weekend so I can finish this book! (stupid housecleaning...)

You won't be disappointed in this book. It finishes up pretty clean. It was one of the better books I read last year. I read it after Gone Girl (I was one of *those* people who loved Gone Girl but the ending ruined the book for me). Defending Jacob did not disappoint.

 

[ebtbmom]

#1 The Killing Kind by John Connelly

I rate it 2.5 and if I hadn't wanted to post a completion here I probably would have given up.

A former cop, now PI gets hired to investigate a questionable suicide. It involves a shady religious cult. The premise was interesting but I don't like authors who elaborate excessively on location. Such as, I drove down Main St and took a left on Walnut, there was construction on Beech so I cut through to Cherry ST. Ok, so you're familiar with the town, who cares?

 

[CourtasanSatine]

Next up: since TWD volume is good sized I'll be reading that one along with The Hunger Games.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

#1 The Killing Kind by John Connelly

I rate it 2.5 and if I hadn't wanted to post a completion here I probably would have given up.

A former cop, now PI gets hired to investigate a questionable suicide. It involves a shady religious cult. The premise was interesting but I don't like authors who elaborate excessively on location. Such as, I drove down Main St and took a left on Walnut, there was construction on Beech so I cut through to Cherry ST. Ok, so you're familiar with the town, who cares?

sounds like my kinda book! I love authors who give too much detail! makes me feel a deeper connection to the book and the story!!!

 

[Pixiedust34]

Goal = 30

#1 = The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

I normally wouldn't list a YA book, but this one has been the topic of a lot of discussions and has been used in schools. I saw the movie before I read the book, and both the movie and the book are disturbing. I think that in this case the movie is much better than the book, and I don't say that often.

 

[diznee25]

Goal: 24 books

What better time to finish a book when you've got the flu! DH and I got hit with the bug last night. He's watching a movie and I'm reading. Danielle Steel novels are a guilty pleasure of mine. If there's no other books out there that grab my attention, I usually just grab a book of hers.

#1. Now and Forever by Danielle Steel - Romance

Overview: Ian Clarke is a struggling writer, and his wife of 7 years, Jessica Clarke financially supports him. He has a causal indiscretion that threatens everything he and Jessica have built.

Review: I've been a fan of Danielle Steel's novels since I was a teenager, although this is my least favorite of her books. The story is engaging at first, but then it goes a little stale.....and then picks up during the last part of the book. There were a few parts with ancillary characters that didn't make sense to me. And I thought the main story would go in a different direction than what it did.

If I really like a book, I'll read it over and over again. This is not one of those books. ------ 2.5 out of 5 stars

Onto book #2.....not sure what yet!

diznee25

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

Goal:25
To go: 23

book: Trauma Junkie by Tom Hobbs
Summery: A burned out medic gets divorced from his wife and tries to end his life. the book fallows the trials of his next few months. Theres lots of drama!

I was shocked this book was so short (63 pages). I thought it was not only a good book but also pretty accurate with its facts. I would say at least a 4.5 outa 5. The two main charchters are devoloped well, and the story makes you wanna read on.

Off to read: Trauma Junkie Hypodermic Needle!

 

[disneyfanforever]

Goal 25

#2. Loyalty in Death by JD Robb/Nora Roberts

Rating 4 stars

This is the 9th book in the In Death series, and I really enjoyed it. This series follows cop Eve Dallas and her cases in a future New York City. She is married to a super hot entrepreneur named Roarke, and he helps her on her cases. This particular book had an interesting plot involving a terrorist group named Cassandra that was blowing up and threatening to blow up New York City landmarks, and Eve and her team racing against the clock to stop them. It had some very tense moments with a very exciting conclusion

Next up: I just went and bought 11/22/63 by Stephen King. Wow! That is a big book. I will probably be reading it for quite some time.

 

[Christine]

Next up: I just went and bought 11/22/63 by Stephen King. Wow! That is a big book. I will probably be reading it for quite some time.

I just purchased this for my Kindle for $3.99. Started it a few days ago. The thing with the Kindle is that you can't see how big the book is you are reading--so I have no idea!

 

[penguin1102]

Excellent book! Did you read the prequel/sequel "The Twelve" that just came out? That was a little hard to get into, since I read The Passage two years ago, but worth it.



I agree. Sometimes I like Jodi Picoult, sometimes I don't.

I'm in -- likely around 100. I can't wait to get Cold Days by Jim Butcher (on the hold list at the library, have like 10 books on the list). Don't remember what else is coming out.

So far this year:
a three-in-one by Nora Roberts
Northern Lights, Nora Roberts

How did you like Northern Lights? I read it last year and loved it. I watched the lifetime movie that they made based on the book and was not very happy with how it turned out.

 

[erincon23]

I am now reading "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" which I am sure I got from a thread on the Dis.

My favorite book of 2012 was "Cutting for Stone." I read it last Spring Break, and it is a more involved, takes some time type of book, but I loved it.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn -- I think I have to go back and reread this. I have an EARLY, old edition of this book -- my grandmother had bought it a long time ago and I found it in an old box in her basement, probably when I was a teenager. So good!

 

[willowsnn3]

Goal = 30

#1 = The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

I normally wouldn't list a YA book, but this one has been the topic of a lot of discussions and has been used in schools. I saw the movie before I read the book, and both the movie and the book are disturbing. I think that in this case the movie is much better than the book, and I don't say that often.

I read a lot of YA books!!
I don't think I could read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. The movie was very disturbing to me.

 

[RunningGirl]

Okay, if I continue to have free time on the weekends, I may have to up my goal from 40.

Just finished book #3 - "Replay" by Ken Grimwood. Excellent book. Here's the description:

Jeff Winston, forty-three, didn't know he was a replayer until he died and woke up twenty-five years younger in his college dorm room; he lived another life. And died again. And lived again and died again -- in a continuous twenty-five-year cycle -- each time starting from scratch at the age of eighteen to reclaim lost loves, remedy past mistakes, or make a fortune in the stock market. A novel of gripping adventure, romance, and fascinating speculation on the nature of time, Replay asks the question: "What if you could live your life over again?"

If you enjoyed 11/22/63, I'd highly recommend this one.