2013 BOOK CHALLENGE! Are you in?

[Swimnoid]

I havent been around the boards for a few days and I am seeing some great ideas for future reads!

Goal = 75

#7 Double Take-- Catherine Coulter

“FBI agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock are joined by one of their own and a Virginia sheriff in an extraordinary case that immerses them in the world of psychic visions, mind benders, and communications with the dead.”

I usually like the Savich/Sherlock novels but this one was just a little too weird. Too many characters and too much coincidence.

#8 A Boy No More-- Paxton Davis

“When Paxton Davis and his fellow soldiers returned from WW II, they found a changed America. In A BOY NO MORE, Davis describes the world that awaited them--a world created by the generation that gave us our amazing triumph in WW II and powered our emergence as global superstar.”

This is the 3rd in an autobiographical series. I picked up the first one, Being a Boy, because the author grew up during the Depression in the town where I work. It was fun to hear him tell of playing with his neighbors who became standouts in the community and whose names adorn Hospitals and stadiums and such. The second one deals with his years in WWII. And this one how he enters adult hood after returning from the war.

#9 Bake Sale Murder-- Leslie Meier

“Ever since local developer Fred Stanton and his wife, Mimi, built five modular homes next door to Lucy Stone’s farmhouse, life just hasn’t been the same. With Mimi complaining about everything from the state of Lucy’s lawn to another neighbor’s lovable dog, quaint Tinker’s Cove, Maine, is now entangled in cul-de-sac politics and backstabbing. And when Mimi doesn’t show up for her shift at The Hat and Mitten Fund bake sale, the scent of burnt sugar leads Lucy to a shocking discovery: Mimi, face down on her kitchen floor—with a knife in her back.”

Cute , funny, quick read. Perfect for when you just want to be entertained.

 

[Caseheidi]

Goal: 50

Book #4: Murder On The House by Juliette Blackwell (part of the Haunted House Renovation series)

I enjoy this series. They are light hearted murder mysteries. Mel (short for Melanie) is a 40 something Divorcee who says she would like nothing better then to run away to Paris and wallow in self pity. Instead she is running her fathers business as a General Contractor specializing in restoring Historical homes in the San Francisco area. Oh, and in the first book of the series, she discovers that she can communicate with Ghosts.

For this book, Mel is asked to bid on a mansion in the Castro district. The client is looking at two contractors, and stipulates that the two contractors must spend the night in the house with the Ghosts. Needless to say, the night is filled with Ghosts and murder, and Mel us compelled to figure out what has happened.

A fun easy read. Mel and her friends are an interesting bunch, and I find myself wanting more. This was a good time for me to read this book as I have two more going that I cannot get into. Hopefully I will finish at least one if them!

 

[portia9]

Even more richly detailed, thrilling, and romantic then anything Rutherfurd has written before, Paris: The Novel illuminates thousands of years in the City of Lights through intimate and vivid tales of characters both fictional and true, and with them, the sights, scents, and tastes of Paris come to sumptuous life.

Oh that would be a great read. Have to keep an eye out for it.

My goal 100

#12 The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

1961 England. Laurel Nicolson is sixteen years old, dreaming alone in her childhood tree house during a family celebration at their home, Green Acres Farm. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and then observes her mother, Dorothy, speaking to him. And then she witnesses a crime.

Fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress, living in London. She returns to Green Acres for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday and finds herself overwhelmed by memories and questions she has not thought about for decades. She decides to find out the truth about the events of that summer day and lay to rest her own feelings of guilt. One photograph, of her mother and a woman Laurel has never met, called Vivian, is her first clue.

The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams, the lengths some people go to fulfill them, and the strange consequences they sometimes have. It is a story of lovers, friends, dreamers and schemers, play-acting and deception told against a backdrop of events that changed the world.

I loved the majority of this book. I did feel at one stage that the ends were being tied up a little too neatly but by the end I was happy.

#13 Madonna of the Seven Hills by Jean Plaidy

A fictional account of the early life of Lucezia Borgia. I am not a huge Jean Plaidy fan but I was interested in the Borgias.

 

[CharityLynn]

Okay got 2 more books read both are part of a series.

Pure and Deity by Jennifer Armentrout.

I really enjoyed this series but now I have to wait until November for the next book to come out.

After these I believe I am down to 24/30

 

[Ginny Favers]

Okay got 2 more books read both are part of a series.

Pure and Deity by Jennifer Armentrout.

Oh she's so sweet! I signed with her last August and she didn't even mind that I kept gushing for 3 hours about how I loved her books. Have you read the Lux novels?

 

[threeboysmom]

Okay got 2 more books read both are part of a series.

Pure and Deity by Jennifer Armentrout.

I really enjoyed this series but now I have to wait until November for the next book to come out.

After these I believe I am down to 24/30

Oh, I like how you put the challenge in your signature! Totally stealing that! I'm forever trying to remember how many books I've read so far this year (and it's not a lot, lol).

 

[Simba's Mom]

Goal: 50

Book #4: Murder On The House by Juliette Blackwell (part of the Haunted House Renovation series)

I enjoy this series. They are light hearted murder mysteries. Mel (short for Melanie) is a 40 something Divorcee who says she would like nothing better then to run away to Paris and wallow in self pity. Instead she is running her fathers business as a General Contractor specializing in restoring Historical homes in the San Francisco area. Oh, and in the first book of the series, she discovers that she can communicate with Ghosts.

For this book, Mel is asked to bid on a mansion in the Castro district. The client is looking at two contractors, and stipulates that the two contractors must spend the night in the house with the Ghosts. Needless to say, the night is filled with Ghosts and murder, and Mel us compelled to figure out what has happened.

A fun easy read. Mel and her friends are an interesting bunch, and I find myself wanting more. This was a good time for me to read this book as I have two more going that I cannot get into. Hopefully I will finish at least one if them!

Sounds like something I'd really enjoy-gotta add that to my "want to read" list. Thanks!

 

[willowsnn3]

Goal 72
# 8 Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien

Book 2 of the Birthmarked trilogy. I liked it even better than book 1 & can't wait to get book 3!
It is about midwife Gaia who escapes from one controlled community only to find herself in another.
5 stars---easily the best I've read so far this year.

 

[RunningGirl]

#7 - Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens--until the day its complacency is shattered by an act of violence. Josie Cormier, the daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened before her very own eyes--or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show--destroying the closest of friendships and families. Nineteen Minutes asks what it means to be different in our society, who has the right to judge someone else, and whether anyone is ever really who they seem to be./I]

I enjoyed this book - "typical" Jodi Picoult book, but a good read. I picked it up because I needed a paperback to read; now I'm heading back to my ebook "Mornings in Jenin". It's very good so far, but emotionally tough to read.

 

[stacy347]

Goal 30
Book #3

Wait For Me by Elisabeth Naughton

I am usually not drawn to romance type novels, but this was also listed as suspense. I am glad I gave it a shot, because I very much enjoyed it.
The author definitely likes to get her "romance" in there , but the story itself was very intriguing, with a bit of conspiracy (which I love).
I'd give it a 3.5/5 rating, because much of the story was predictable, but still worth reading.

Amazon description:
A woman without a past...

After a tragic accident left her with no memory, Kate Alexander struggled to fit in with a husband and world that didn't feel right. She's had no reason to question what friends and family have told her, not until her husband is suddenly killed and she finds a photo of a young girl in his office. A girl who can't be anyone but a daughter Kate didn't know she had.

A man desperate for a reason to live...

Ryan Harrison lost his wife in a plane crash five years ago. To cope with the pain of her loss, he dedicated himself to his job and to raising their daughter. Now a successful pharmaceutical executive, Ryan has everything a man could want--money, fame and power--but he'd give it all up in a heartbeat for just one more day with the woman he still loves.

I think I'll copy what some of you are doing and start keeping track in my signature, as my memory is terrible these days!

 

[kimblebee]

Goal 50


#7 Replay

5/5 What a great book! I'm not usually into 'what if you could relive your life' books but this one really had me turning the pages. Well written and thought provoking. Glad I followed the recommendations on this thread.

#8 Presumed Guilty by Jose Baez. I know, I know but I want to see how he could buy her lies.

 

[RunningGirl]

Goal 50


#7 Replay

5/5 What a great book! I'm not usually into 'what if you could relive your life' books but this one really had me turning the pages. Well written and thought provoking. Glad I followed the recommendations on this thread.

#8 Presumed Guilty by Jose Baez. I know, I know but I want to see how he could buy her lies.

So glad you enjoyed Replay!

 

[PigletsPal2]

Goal: 52 books this year.

I'm currently reading #7 and #8 at the same time.

#7 is Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly. I'm not a fan of O'Reilly, but he does write fairly well, and he's a former history teacher, so he's done his research. His descriptions of the Civil War battles are very vivid.

When O'Reilly's book gets too intense, I switch to something ligher; right now I'm also reading Dragonwell Dead by Laura Childs. Charleston teashop owner Theodosia Browning and her tea-blending expert assistant Drayton Conneley are compelled to find out who poisoned Mark Congdon in the middle of a garden party/orchid auction at which they provided the refreshments. This is one of a series, all named after a type of tea. Fun reads, pure fluff.

I never need encouragement to read, but this is a fun challenge. I'm going to go back through past posts to decide what to read next. Thanks for all the suggestions and reviews!

Queen Colleen

 

[penguin1102]

Goal 70

#5 Just Add Heat by Genevieve Jourdin
Justine is a boyfriend-less chef; at least, that's the last thing she remembers. After a fall wiped the memories of the last two years of her life, she is struggling to absorb her new circumstances. Apparently, she's the racy star of her own web-based cooking show and has become involved with a sexy younger man. Why would amnesia strike when her whole life has had such a major upgrade? Carter is living the life he's always dreamed of, a life with Justine, and he refuses to let a bump on the head derail his perfectly laid plans for a Happily Ever After. He'll do whatever it takes to remind her that they are the perfect couple, but how do you make the woman you love remember that she loves you? Luckily for the both of them, her recollections are tied up with her hormones, and they have all the ingredients they need for a happy life.

The author was giving this away on goodreads, I did not win it, however she gave me a free edition for my kindle. I really liked this book and cannot wait to read the next one in the series.

#6 Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich

In Ten Big Ones it explodes at a deli, and when Stephanie pegs a robber as a member of a vicious Trenton gang, they peg her as dead. Vice cop Joe Morelli fears she's in way too deep - even with the help of crime-solving, cross-dressing, bus driver Sally Sweet, and Stephanie's friend Lula riding shotgun as backup. With a notorious killer on her tail, Stephanie figures the best hideout is Ranger's secret lair...

I love the Stephanie Plum books. It is so much fun to see what trouble she is going to get herself into next time.

 

[portia9]

Challenge goal 100

Book #14 Marrying Up by Wendy Holden

Chick lit and not great chick lit.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Finally done with the first and get a move on with this goal!

#1-Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

I haven't decided on #2 yet. I will check back in tomorrow with my decision.

 

[threeboysmom]

#7 - Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens--until the day its complacency is shattered by an act of violence. Josie Cormier, the daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened before her very own eyes--or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show--destroying the closest of friendships and families. Nineteen Minutes asks what it means to be different in our society, who has the right to judge someone else, and whether anyone is ever really who they seem to be./I]

I enjoyed this book - "typical" Jodi Picoult book, but a good read. I picked it up because I needed a paperback to read; now I'm heading back to my ebook "Mornings in Jenin". It's very good so far, but emotionally tough to read.

I really enjoyed that book. Think I read it in early 2012 or maybe even 2011. Very thought provoking & emotional.

Goal 50


#7 Replay

5/5 What a great book! I'm not usually into 'what if you could relive your life' books but this one really had me turning the pages. Well written and thought provoking. Glad I followed the recommendations on this thread.

Oh, that books sounds intriguing. Going to look that one up! Thanks!

Goal: 52 books this year.

I'm currently reading #7 and #8 at the same time.

#7 is Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly. I'm not a fan of O'Reilly, but he does write fairly well, and he's a former history teacher, so he's done his research. His descriptions of the Civil War battles are very vivid.

When O'Reilly's book gets too intense, I switch to something ligher; right now I'm also reading Dragonwell Dead by Laura Childs. Charleston teashop owner Theodosia Browning and her tea-blending expert assistant Drayton Conneley are compelled to find out who poisoned Mark Congdon in the middle of a garden party/orchid auction at which they provided the refreshments. This is one of a series, all named after a type of tea. Fun reads, pure fluff.

I never need encouragement to read, but this is a fun challenge. I'm going to go back through past posts to decide what to read next. Thanks for all the suggestions and reviews!

Queen Colleen

I've had Killing Lincoln on my list for quite some time now. I think I'm scared to read it. I'm not a history buff whatsoever. Is it really heavy on the history.... meaning does it read like a textbook?

 

[WowLookAtThat]

Book #7 Diamond by Ruth Langan

Review: Ok, remember when I said after reading the biography of Zelda Fitzgerland,I was going to read something light? Boy, did I!

Ok, Diamond is about a young woman living in Texas during the 1870s. She is tough and has idolized her father, wanting to shoot, talk and walk like him. Her world is shattered when Onyx Jewel, her father is shot and killed. The blame is put on Adam Winter and the town of Hanging Tree wants to find justice for Onyx, a man who basically built his ranch from nothing and was not only powerful but gave so much to the town. However, Adam is found innocent from lack of evidence and reason. That doesn't stop Diamond from wanting him dead. However, she soon discovers that it wasn't likely that he was the one who killed her Pa. Diamond finds herself falling in love with this man unbelievably enough. Adam recognizes Diamond for the strong woman she is and despite their ...unorthodox introduction (he was in jail on suspicion and she hid a gun in her boot to finish him off) he loves her as well.
Add in the fact that Diamond has just discovered that her dad was keeping some little secrets...three sisters. Pearl, Ruby and Jade have come to pay their wishes to their father. The four sisters had no idea that the other existed and in their grief discover that they are not alone and are family.

I thought that Diamond was an entertaining read. The plot moves quickly and there is a mystery to who actually shot Onyx. (hint: Not Adam). Adam is a textbook romance hero, he is rugged, good looking, strong and had a tortured past. Diamond is very interesting. I have read romance books where the female is described as rebellious and strong-willed but those traits never show up in the book. Diamond is nothing like that, her actions show her to be a very rebellious and impulsive person. She is not a girly character and she is a sharp contrast to her very feminine sisters. My only problem with the writing is the term "riot of curls" was brought up a lot. It just means "tangled" to me and if Diamond was a wrangler, why didn't she just pin up her hair? I mean, her hair is always down and I wondered if it got in the way of doing her job. Its a small thing but I wondered about it.

I do have a HUGE complaint about this book. Onyx Jewel is mentioned many times as a wonderful father with a huge sense of humor, loving and ambitious. He clearly loves Diamond so much that she wants to be like him. Pearl,Jade and Ruby clearly mourn his passing. This is my problem. I love my dad but I would be TICKED if I discovered that he was keeping that big of secret from me. The book never gets into why he never told his daughters that they had family. Onyx clearly had an ongoing relationship with the mothers (Diamond's mom had died when she was a baby and it was unlikely that the three women knew of one another as they lived in different parts of the U.S.) but once they had died, why did he not tell Pearl,Jade and Ruby that they were not alone in the world as they had thought? I mean, didn't he think that his daughters should have known each other when he was alive? Onyx may have been a good dad to them but I think he was kind of a thoughtless jerk.


With that, I am going to continue the series because it is pure brain sugar.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I'm going to stick with Charlaine Harris, but take a break from Sookie.

#2-Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris

I wanted to add a description, but I'm on my phone so I will edit this tomorrow(late night at work tonight).

 

[quietgirll]

I'm going to stick with Charlaine Harris, but take a break from Sookie.

#2-Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris

I wanted to add a description, but I'm on my phone so I will edit this tomorrow(late night at work tonight).

Have you tried the aurora Teagarden series by charlaine Harris.,? Love them, some of my favorite books!