2013 BOOK CHALLENGE! Are you in?

[zippitydoo]

Book 9 of 30: Three Wishes by Stephanie Bond

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Done with 5 now on to 6 surprise endings

 

[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-Dressmake...TF8&qid=1362070014&sr=8-1&keywords=dressmaker
Historical fiction based on the Titanic. Liked it, did not love it.

Next up:
The Snow Child - http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Child-No...f=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362070079&sr=1-1&keywords=snow+child
The Round House - http://www.amazon.com/Round-House-L...F8&qid=1362070104&sr=1-1&keywords=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]

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.

 

[runsandjumps]

I know I have finished at least 8 books. Three historical settings, two paranormal books and more to go.

 

[threeboysmom]

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.

And I'd also suggest just to make sure that all your "date read" fields are marked as 2013 otherwise obviously they won't get counted in this year's challenge.

 

[threeboysmom]

I haven't been around much, but have been keeping up with everyone's posts.

I'm in the midst of reading Ken Follett's Fall of Giants. I've been reading it now for over a week and am only 290 pages in, so it'll be a while before I finish this book. Enjoying it though!! I love Ken Follett!

 

[Simba's Mom]

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.

Thanks-I thought I did that, but I'll do that again very carefully. Who knows-that might be it! I know that at work, someone had typed "2103" instead of "2013" and we had all kinds of problems as a result. Even when we were told that the date was wrong, it took us several long looks to find the error.

Almost done with "1225 Christmas Tree Lane". If you didn't read many of the Cedar Cove books, it may not be too enjoyable, as this story tends to wrap up a bunch of storylines from previous books. Now I have a great dilema-what to read next. I can't decide between "Stairlift to Heaven", "Mr. Right and Other Mongrels", or "Killing Bridezilla".

 

[dizluvah]

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!

Oh I love Brad Thor and have read all the Scot Harvath books published to date. Black List (which I think is Scot Harvath #11) was my ultimate favorite!

Have you read any Vince Flynn? His Mitch Rapp series is similar to Thor's Harvath books.

 

[Swimnoid]

Oh I love Brad Thor and have read all the Scot Harvath books published to date. Black List (which I think is Scot Harvath #11) was my ultimate favorite!

Have you read any Vince Flynn? His Mitch Rapp series is similar to Thor's Harvath books.

I read Black List first and loved it so I had to go back and start the series.

I'm going to put Vince Flynn on my list! Thanks!

 

[nemofans]

Finished book #13- The Enchantress: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott

This is the final book in the series. I enjoyed the way he ended the series w/2 major battles & a few twists. This is a great series for young adults w/lots of excitement, but it also teaches some history & mythology.

Next book: The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Book # 3
The Great Gatsby
I never read it before, so I figured I might as well read it before it comes out in the movie. Shocked how short it was.

 

[CaliBear]

Goal 40

I am so behind! I've had a full plate for two months, but I'm getting more time to read these days, thankfully. Despite the busyness, I've managed to read about 40 pages of this thread and I plan to catch up on the rest because I got some great suggestions from here so far!

Book 1: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

Apparently both Financial Times and Wall Street Journal considered this a best book of 2012. I thought it was just ok, 3 stars. His main premise is that habits are the result of triggers and reinforced by rewards. He then gives numerous assorted examples of how this process works, both in good and bad ways and both in people's personal and business lives. The examples are all fairly interesting, but there's nothing groundbreaking about his main point. I don't really get the hype for this one, but it was ok.

Book 2: When We Were Strangers by Pamela Schoenewaldt

This is a fiction book set in 19th century Italy and America. It follows Irma, an Italian girl who travels to the US from her small village and finds work as a garment-maker, eventually working for a dressmaker for fine ladies. I don't want to give too much away in case others read it, but it follows her life for many years after she arrives in the US, through all of life's ups and downs. At times it does seem like many more bad times than good for the heroine, bordering on too much, but I enjoyed the writing and the strong female friendships. I think 4 stars might be a bit too high for it, but it's better than just ok so I will give 3 and a half stars.

 

[RunningGirl]

17 - Brother Odd by Dean Koontz. Book 3 of the series. A good series, but not one that leads me straight from one book to the next.

18 - Defending Jacob by William Landay. Good book that kept me turning the pages.

19 - Still With Me by Thierry Cohen. Since I don't think it's been discussed here yet, here's the synopsis:

Since its initial publication in France, Still with Me has been published in 15 countries. The book won France’s Grand Prix Jean d’Ormesson in 2007.
Jeremy takes his life on his twentieth birthday after childhood friend Victoria rejects his love.

On his twenty-first birthday, he wakes up.

Victoria is at his side, blissfully in love with him. While Jeremy can’t remember the previous year, he savors the miracle of waking up alongside the woman he loves.

The next time he wakes, another year has passed and he finds himself a spectator of his own life. Victoria now carries his child, but the man alongside her is a disturbingly different person—a cruel, egotistical, seemingly unknowable Jeremy. Is it amnesia? Insanity? Or has the God Jeremy defied with his selfish act now cursed him?

This strange and beautiful novel tells the tale of a man lost between life and death, but connected by the love—as friend, lover, son, and father—given and taken over the course of a lifetime, a love that simply won’t let go.​

I enjoyed this book once I got into it. But I love books that play with time travel and things like that.

I'm now reading 20 which is The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan. I put this on my list after reading Mornings in Jenin.