2013 BOOK CHALLENGE! Are you in?

#6 out of 24 - The Death of Bees. Meh. I'd give it a 3 out of 5. There was nothing wrong with it. I wanted to know how it ended. It was easy reading but it just wasn't enough of a story for me. I don't know--just not all that enthused.

Basically, it is about 2 girls (15 and 12) who are raised by some atrocious, drug abusing parents. There's hints that the father may have molested one or both of them but that never really gets said. The story opens with both parents being dead. You are never quite sure who killed the father until later in the book. The older girl buries them in the back yard and tells everyone they are missing so her and her sister don't get sent to foster care. They are taken in by a lonely, kindly neighbor man who also happens to be on the sex offender list (a misunderstanding). They become somewhat of a family. Then enter the long-lost grandfather, who makes trouble.

The story is told by three narrators: the two girls and the neighbor who cares for them.

Again, a decent story but it didn't WOW me.
 
I have not checked in lately! Too busy reading, I guess. :)

Goal 30. So far

1. Boy in the Striped Pajamas ***
2. Fault Lines ***
3. Stand By Me ****
4. Promises to Keep ****
5. Ravenscraig ****
6. Come to the Table ***
7. Medicine Men: Extreme Appalachian Doctoring ***

Currently re-reading Outlander (*****), and I hope to re-read that whole series which will slow me down for a while. :)
 
Goal: 52 books this year.

#11 down and done.

1939: The Last Season of Peace by Angela Lambert follows the lives of the English debutants presented in the final social Season before the beginning of WWII, follows how they dealt with the changes the war made in their lives and how they were challenged and grew. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I like that era so I enjoyed it very much.

Coming up: Louise Penny's Still Life. the first Inspector Gamache novel. I'm very excited!

Queen Colleen
 

I just finished my 9th book... Dash and Lily's Book of Dares. It was a quick read but I didn't like the ending very much. I hate when that happens! :laughing:
 
I just finished my 9th book... Dash and Lily's Book of Dares. It was a quick read but I didn't like the ending very much. I hate when that happens! :laughing:

Hulagirl, since you like YA books and you live in Rochester, have you ever been to the Teen Book Festival? It's the biggest one of its kind in the country, and coming up in a couple of months! You can see David there and tell him you didn't like the ending very much. :laughing:
 
I finished up my books and had a quick read of St. Rose of Lima, since my daughter had to do a book report on it. It was a quick and interesting read with only 300 or so pages in it.
From GoodReads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/839257.St_Rose_of_Lima
St. Rose of Lima (1586-1617), Patroness of the Americas, is the first canonized saint of the New World. She was the tenth of thirteen children. Though exquisitely beautiful (hence her nickname, Rose), she refused to marry, and while helping support her family by needlework and growing flowers, she practiced heroic charity and lived as a Dominican Tertiary in her parents' home. Rose tenderly cared for the sick, even those with repulsive wounds, and she often obtained miraculous cures for people from the Child Jesus. On other occasions, Rose worked miracles in order to feed the members of her family, and became known as "Mother of the Poor." Rose continually prayed and offered her sufferings for the conversion of the idolatrous Incas. In the year 1615, through her prayers, the Blessed Sacrament and the people of Lima were spared attack by savage pirates. St. Rose was a friend and confidant of St. Martin de Porres, who lived in the same city. Her mystical experiences caused an ecclesiastical inquiry. Though dead at only 31, St. Rose's love of God was so intense that she was recognized as a saint in her own time and was canonized by the Church just 54 years later, in 1671. St. Rose of Lima has captured the imagination of the world and stands as one of the most popular saints in the history of the Church
 
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Just finished book 7, the likeness by tana French. This was book 2 in the Dublin murder squad, and it was very good. There was a slight lull in the middle of the book, but I overall, I really enjoyed, and enjoyed the author. Thinking I might retread a few of my Harlan Coben books next...
 
Goal 30
Book #10 Shaken (Mind Reader) by Susan Hatler

This one is a YA book about a young girl who discovers she can read minds. Suspense, some silliness and a little young romance round out the story.
I thought it was entertaining, and I hope there is a sequel.
 
Goal 50


#14 Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

3.5/5 Good book. Weird, but good. I don't hate it but I don't love it. I enjoyed it while I was actually reading it, but when I put it down I wasn't in a rush to pick it up again. If made into a movie, it HAS to be 3D. The descriptions were really rich and at times I wanted to be able to touch what they were talking about.

Next up is Rush Home Road- after I reread this thread. I made a list of books to read from this thread and had it stored on my phone. I had to reset my phone and lost the list. I am so sad because there were a few I really wanted to read. Hopefully I can find them again.
 
Went to the Library today to pick up some History books for the kids and picked up my next reads:

Chicken Soup for the Children's Soul (I like light reading to keep in my purse for when I am in lines or waiting for a quick bit)

Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot (I wanted fluff for this very tiring week)
 
Goal 100

Book #26 A Decline in Prophets by Sulari Gentil-these are an Australian mystery series set in the 1930's. I love how the author evokes that era.
 
Goal 100

Book #27 The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.

This was recommended by nemofans in this thread. I loved it. It was beautifully written and I was so drawn in by the main character. Highly recommended.
 
Glad you liked it! It is a great book! I was one of those stupid brides who chose yellow roses for my wedding bouquet! If I had only read this book b4 then. Oh well...
 
Goal 50


#14 Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

3.5/5 Good book. Weird, but good. I don't hate it but I don't love it. I enjoyed it while I was actually reading it, but when I put it down I wasn't in a rush to pick it up again. If made into a movie, it HAS to be 3D. The descriptions were really rich and at times I wanted to be able to touch what they were talking about.

Next up is Rush Home Road- after I reread this thread. I made a list of books to read from this thread and had it stored on my phone. I had to reset my phone and lost the list. I am so sad because there were a few I really wanted to read. Hopefully I can find them again.

My thoughts exactly on Night Circus. I loved it while reading it, although it was quite strange, lol, but not something I'm going to rave about.

You HAVE to put Into the Darkest Corner on your phone list! I am currently reading it (100 pages to go). I'm in a quandry - I want to read slow because I don't want it to end, but yet I want to keep picking it up and reading every spare minute I have because I need to find out what happens!!
 
17 of 75

Private London by Jame Patterson & Mark Pearson

A girl and her mom are kidnapped on her 13th birthday and her father refuses to pay the ransom. So the mother is brutally raped and murdered in front of the child just before the girl is rescued. Later when she is in college in England she is kidnapped again! Is it connected or not?

This is a good quick read with lots of suspense and a few good twists.
 
Is it okay if I start this now? I think I'll go for about 25 this year. I'm not sure how many I read last year, but I think it'll be a good place.

So far I've got 3 books done. And I'm working on my 4th.

Thus far:
1) The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
2) Looking for Alaska - John Green
3) The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks
4) *In progress* Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
 
Is it okay if I start this now? I think I'll go for about 25 this year. I'm not sure how many I read last year, but I think it'll be a good place.

So far I've got 3 books done. And I'm working on my 4th.

Thus far:
1) The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
2) Looking for Alaska - John Green
3) The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks
4) *In progress* Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson

Welcome amberg93! :wizard:

Keep checking back. We'd love to hear more of what you're reading this year! :)
 





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