2013 BOOK CHALLENGE! Are you in?

#91 Rainbow Valley by LM Montgomery
Review: This is the 7th in the Anne of Green Gable series. It doesn't really involve Anne and her family but rather the reverend John Meredith's children. I don't really understand why this book was added to the collection. Sure, it does mention the Blythes but there were other collection of LM Montgomery's books that mention the Blythes and they were not added. It isn't a bad book though.

#92 Rilla of Ingleside by LM Montgomery

Review: This is the last of the Anne of Green Gables collection (there is one more I have to read next month, 'The Blythes are Quoted") and is so different from the other books in the series. Anne's daughter Rilla is fifteen and wants to be considered an adult and wishes for excitement. Once World War I occurs, she is put to the test by volunteering, taking care of a war baby and waiting for her three brothers who left to war, Walter, Jem and Shirley to come back. The book takes a look at how families at the homefront were dealing with the War.

#93 The Middlesteins by Jami Attenburg
Review: It is a little strange to go from the Victorian sweetness of the Green Gables series and into the bleak world of the Middlesteins. The book wasn't bad but it was a quick read.
Basically, Edie is 350 pounds and can't stop eating. During her second diabetes related surgery, her husband leaves her because he cannot stand to see her eat herself to death. With this abandonment, her children Benny and Robin are left to help their mom.
 
#44 - The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - something about a pp's review intrigued me so I read it. I think it was also described as weird, which I totally agree with. Odd book. The food thing I could understand but her brother was beyond what I could understand. I feel like the author had some message there that I wasn't getting.

#45 - Happiness at Home, Gretchen Rubin - I'd read her first book a few years ago and enjoyed it. This was ok, I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first but a quick, interesting read.

I'm not sure what to read next so hoping Kindle will give me some good recommendations.
 
Finished book #78- City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

This is the 5th book of the Mortal Instruments series. I liked this one the best b/c it was a little more creepy. I know I am going to forget the whole storyline by the time the 6th book is released next summer.
I am now reading the prequels to this series, Clockwork Angel.
 
Goal 72

#78 Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger

About a young woman who realizes she is not who she thought she was & the web of lies & intrigue keeping the truth from her.
Was ok, but kinda long and drawn out. Ending didn't resolve much for me. Probably would not recommend.
 

I have read 79 out of 80 books so far. Only have one more book to read now and then I will have meant my goal of 80 books for this year! I am currently reading five books right now. Only trying to read them real fast because the books go back to the library next Wednesday.

Curiosity Thrilled The Cat by Sofie Kelly

Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich

Death, Taxes, and Green Tea Ice Cream by Diane Kelly

Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich

Also, the thirteenth book in the Stephanie Plum series that I can't remember the name of right now. Also don't have the book in front of me. Also by Janet Evanovich
 
Goal - 28 books COMPLETE :dancer:

Book #28 - 11/22/63 by Stephen King - It's a time travel book with the usual time travel conundrums. King chooses to address some and ignore others. The gist of it is, there's a way to go back in time, the protagonist goes back to stop the Kennedy assassination and falls in love (not with JFK!). I liked the book a lot but King did leave a few questions open that I felt needed to be answered.

Next up - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling - I never read this because I have a serious aversion to hype. I started the movie but didn't even care enough to finish it. But, TBM says that it's really great and Stephen King included it in his recommended reading list at the end of "On Writing" so, here we go.
 
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Finished book #78- City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

This is the 5th book of the Mortal Instruments series. I liked this one the best b/c it was a little more creepy. I know I am going to forget the whole storyline by the time the 6th book is released next summer.
I am now reading the prequels to this series, Clockwork Angel.

How many books are in that series?? I read the first one but it didn't hook me.
 
I'm very far behind in updating but I hit my goal of 52!! We'll see where I end up at the end of the year. I honestly can't believe I read so many books!
 
Goal - 100 Books
Book #66 - "The Apothecary's Daughter" by Julie Klassen

From Goodreads: "As Lilly toils in her father's apothecary shop, preparing herbs and remedies by rote, she is haunted by memories of her mother's disappearance. Villagers whisper the tale, but her father refuses to discuss it. All the while, she dreams of the world beyond --- of travel and adventure and romance.

When a relative offers to host her in London, Lilly discovers the pleasures and pitfalls of fashionable society and suitors, as well as clues about her mother. But will Lilly find what she is searching for --- the truth of the past and a love for the future?"

My review: This was an enjoyable freebie for my Nook. It wasn't spectacular, and I feel like the ending kind of fell apart. The beginning and middle showed promise, but things got really scattered toward the end, and I was a bit disappointed.

Still reading: "The Telling Pool"
 
Book #80 - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Alice is twenty-nine. She adores sleep, chocolate, and her ramshackle new house. She's newly engaged to the wonderful Nick and is pregnant with her first baby.

There's just one problem. All of that was ten years ago . . .

Alice has slipped in a step-aerobics class, hit her head and lost a decade. Now she's a grown-up, bossy mother of three in the middle of a nasty divorce and her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her. This is her life but not as she knows it. Clearly Alice has made some terrible mistakes. Just how much can happen in a decade? Can she ever get back to the woman she used to be?


I absolutely loved this book. Having read The Husband's Secret and been somewhat disappointed, I was in two minds as to whether to give another of Liane Moriarty's books a go. I am so glad I did. This book was everything The Husband's Secret wasn't. I loved the characters and the relationships between them, particularly between Alice and her sister Elisabeth. This book made me smile and it made me cry - what more could you want from a book! Highly recommended :thumbsup2
 
Book #80 - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Alice is twenty-nine. She adores sleep, chocolate, and her ramshackle new house. She's newly engaged to the wonderful Nick and is pregnant with her first baby.

There's just one problem. All of that was ten years ago . . .

Alice has slipped in a step-aerobics class, hit her head and lost a decade. Now she's a grown-up, bossy mother of three in the middle of a nasty divorce and her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her. This is her life but not as she knows it. Clearly Alice has made some terrible mistakes. Just how much can happen in a decade? Can she ever get back to the woman she used to be?


I absolutely loved this book. Having read The Husband's Secret and been somewhat disappointed, I was in two minds as to whether to give another of Liane Moriarty's books a go. I am so glad I did. This book was everything The Husband's Secret wasn't. I loved the characters and the relationships between them, particularly between Alice and her sister Elisabeth. This book made me smile and it made me cry - what more could you want from a book! Highly recommended :thumbsup2

This reminds me of 13 Going on 30 which I LOVE! I'll have to check it out. I love this thread! :)
 
Book #94 Slimed!: An Oral History of Nickelodeon's Golden Age by Matthew Klickstein

Review: This one was really good! Basically the actors, producers, directors,etc who were a part of Nick's Golden Age talk about their experience with the channel when it was first starting. There are discussions about how the creator of Ren and Stimpy got fired from his own show or what the Slime was really made of.


Book #95 The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini

Review: Was the first book of the series and is nice to see how it all came together.
 
Book #80 - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Alice is twenty-nine. She adores sleep, chocolate, and her ramshackle new house. She's newly engaged to the wonderful Nick and is pregnant with her first baby.

There's just one problem. All of that was ten years ago . . .

Alice has slipped in a step-aerobics class, hit her head and lost a decade. Now she's a grown-up, bossy mother of three in the middle of a nasty divorce and her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her. This is her life but not as she knows it. Clearly Alice has made some terrible mistakes. Just how much can happen in a decade? Can she ever get back to the woman she used to be?



I absolutely loved this book. Having read The Husband's Secret and been somewhat disappointed, I was in two minds as to whether to give another of Liane Moriarty's books a go. I am so glad I did. This book was everything The Husband's Secret wasn't. I loved the characters and the relationships between them, particularly between Alice and her sister Elisabeth. This book made me smile and it made me cry - what more could you want from a book! Highly recommended :thumbsup2

I liked this book also. I just fnished reading The Chaperone by the same author and I really enjoyed it. I didn't *love* it but I found it interesting and I definitely wanted to see how it ended. It's a very different type of book though.
 
How many books are in that series?? I read the first one but it didn't hook me.

There are currently 5 with the 6th coming out next summer. Then there is a prequel series with 3 book currently. I don't know if there will be more or not.

I also liked What Alice Forgot.
 
Goal - 100 Books
Book #67 - "The Telling Pool" by David Clement-Davies

From Goodreads: "Young Rhodri Falcon and his Crusader father become entangled not only in a war of religious zealotry but also in the schemes of a seductive sorceress who literally steals men's hearts. "

My review: I really enjoyed this book. This was written for a YA audience, but anyone interested in the Arthurian legend would enjoy this. Written beautifully, with wonderful characters, and all the myth and fantasy that Excalibur can bring! I highly recommend it!

Next up: "Little Century" by Anna Keesey
 
Just finished Going Bovine by Libba Bray. Book 25 of 25. Met my goal!

Up next is Just One Day by Gayle Forman. I loved If I Stay so I hope I like this half as much!
 





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