Annual Reading Challenge 2019

Wish Upon A Shell by Kay Correll. Romantic fiction. Not Christian but not steamy so made a nice, relaxed read. It was very apparent that this book was the lead off book for a series, her Lighthouse Point Series.

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It’s the end of the month, so time for my monthly wrap up. This month I read 8 books, giving me a total of 24 for the year. This month I did a theme of music.

17) Satchmo Blows Up the World: Jazz Ambassadors Play the Cold War by Penny M. Von Eschen - History. From the mid-50’s through the late-70’s the US State Department dispatched America’s finest jazz musicians to Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America. Funding tours of these areas both to introduce the citizens of these areas to a unique aspect of American culture and to try counter the perception of America’s racism. The jazz musicians that went on these tours however had other ideas and would do more than the official narrative. 4/5

18) The Spitboy Rule: Tales of a Xicana in a Female Punk Band by Michelle Cruz Gonzales - Memoir. Gonzales’s memoir centers on her time in the late-80’s through the mid-90’s when she was a member of the all woman feminist punk band, Spitboy, and one of the few people of color in the punk scene. 3.5/5

19) Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M. T. Anderson - History/Biography. Anderson centers the siege of Leningrad (one of the longest sieges in history) around composer Shostakovich and his Leningrad Symphony. 4.5/5

20) My Voice by Angie Martinez - Memoir. Martinez details her 20+ year career as “The Voice of New York.” 4.25/5

21) Forever Words: The Unknown Poems by Johnny Cash - Poetry. A collection of never before published proms from the iconic musician. 3.5/5

22) The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux - Gothic Horror/Classic. The famous tale of the deformed “ghost” of a Persian opera house. 3.5/5

23) Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest by Hanif Abdurraqib - Essays. A collection of personal essays from Abdurraqib on the cultural impact of A Tribe Called Quest. 4.75/5

24) Hit So Hard: A Memoir by Patty Schemel - Memoir. Covering her time in the Seattle grunge scene as the drummer for Hole up through her addiction and recovery to now (‘17). 4/5
 
5/30 - Book of Kells by R. A. MacAvoy

A contemporary couple journeys back in time to ancient Ireland in this delightful fantasy by the author of Tea with the Black Dragon.

John Thornburn is an artist, mild-mannered and nonviolent. To make ends meet, he teaches some courses in Celtic design. And although his background is half Micmac Indian, he lives in Ireland for two reasons: his far more confrontational and warrior-like girlfriend, Derval O’Keane, and his fascination with the beautiful illuminated manuscript known as the Book of Kells.

But he’s about to take a journey to a far more distant place, one that he could not have imagined. Along with Derval, John will find himself in an ancient Celtic realm, where a Viking attack begs to be avenged and a fantastic—and sometimes terrifying—adventure awaits . . .

From a master of magical fantasy, the author of the Damiano Trilogy and a winner of the John W. Campbell Award, this is a tale of warriors, love, danger, and Irish history that will cast a spell on anyone who dreams of discovering treasures in long-lost worlds.


I wanted to like this book as it sounded right up my alley but I did not like the writing style at all and I felt it made no sense in many parts. I gave up half way through. Maybe I'll pick it up again sometime but was just not feeling it.

6/30 - Who Murdered Garson Talmadge by David Bishop

Matt Kile, ex-cop and ex-con, current smart-aleck, and a neighbor of Mr. and Mrs. Talmadge has built himself a comfortable career writing mysteries. Garson Talmadge sold weapons to Saddam Hussein, then moved out of France, came to America, and married Clarice, a woman half his age. When Clarice is arrested for murdering her husband, Matt becomes the investigator for her defense attorney, and quickly learns there is a line of suspects stretching from the US into Europe and the Middle East.

Not long after getting involved in the case, Matt learns that Garson Talmadge's weapons deals meant the FBI had an interest as well as the French Prefecture of Police. While Matt is simply trying to establish that Clarice is innocent, the FBI is trying to learn how Hussein got some of his weaponry, and powerful members of the French government and armaments industry wants to keep Matt from following the trail far enough to expose them.

Told in the first person, Matt shares his thoughts and wise remarks as he weaves his way through a mass of plot twists and turns to its conclusion, and learns who murdered Garson Talmadge.

This book was OK...it kept me entertained but was pretty predictable who the killer was.

7/30 - One Second After by John Matherson

New York Times best selling author William R. Forstchen now brings us a story which can be all too terrifyingly real...a story in which one man struggles to save his family and his small North Carolina town after America loses a war, in one second, a war that will send America back to the Dark Ages...A war based upon a weapon, an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP). A weapon that may already be in the hands of our enemies.

Months before publication, One Second After has already been cited on the floor of Congress as a book all Americans should read, a book already being discussed in the corridors of the Pentagon as a truly realistic look at a weapon and its awesome power to destroy the entire United States, literally within one second. It is a weapon that the Wall Street Journal warns could shatter America. In the tradition of On the Beach, Fail Safe and Testament, this book, set in a typical American town, is a dire warning of what might be our future...and our end.

Ok, this book shook me up, literally. Its about an EMP strike and what could happen to our cushy electronic based lives. It does not take long for society to completely fall apart. Its an eye opener on how truly dependent we are on technology and electronics. I am certainly no doomsdayer but this will make you think!

MJ
 


22/75 Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin

This was recommended here, and I agree that it’s a powerful book! I enjoyed the read about overcoming childhood ghosts and trauma.

I read this not too long ago and really enjoyed it.

11/50 - A Simple Charity by Rosalind Lauer. Genre - Inspirational

Although she is still in her twenties, Fanny Lapp has known a lifetime of love and heartache. Twice widowed, she has a home to maintain, a renovation in the works, and a family to raise - all without a husband. Fortunately, in the Amish community, help is never far away. To ease Fanny's burdens, the bishop sends Zed Miller to the Lapp house. Fanny is drawn to kind, handsome Zed, who suffers from sins of the past. But to everything there is a season, and Fanny cannot act on her feelings while mourning her husband.

Newly returned to his Amish roots after many years in the outside world, Zed knows he must prove himself to earn acceptance from his community. Without a second thought, he picks up a hammer and sets to work helping Fanny fulfill her dream of turning an old carriage house into a women's childbirth center. Soon Zed finds himself a part of Fanny's daily chores, sharing her laughter and sorrow. Knowing that time flows like a river, running slow and steady, Zed plans to wait on his love. But when their secret is discovered, how deep will the disapproval of their community run?


This is the third installment of a trilogy. I have enjoyed reading these books.
 
Did you enjoy the first book in the series? I read it years ago and remember really disliking the characters, but the second and third installments caught my eye and B&N the other day and I was thinking maybe I need to give them another shot. Because I would like to see how the story ends.

Yes, I did like the first one. I did like most of the characters but I really liked how it made you think..."OMG, this could really happen!" and the consequences were much worse than you might think.
 
5/25 The First Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer
I liked this book. I don't read a ton of historical fiction, and I did enjoy this than most I have read. Though this is much less fictional and more a fictional retelling of a plot to kill Washington. I felt the story was compelling though some more facts might have helped. This was more about the plot and the characters involved then it was about Washington and he played a much less role than the plotters. As I said I did enjoy the drama though there were more than a couple of time the author repeated things to build the drama, and it that technique annoyed me a bit. Aside from that a really enjoyable read. And surprised to read about the amount of espionage at that time.

As always If anyone is interested, I would gladly send a kindle gift version of any of my works “Written for You”, “Three Twigs for the Campfire”, “Cemetery Girl” or “Reigning”. You can see them all reviewed at Goodreads (Click on link to view books). If you are interested in reading any just message me here or at Goodreads.

Have you read The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington? It is an alternate history imagining that Washington is captured and brought to England to stand trial for treason.
 


Looking at my list for March, it seems that everything I read took place outside of the US!

#17/90: The Punishment She Deserves (Inspector Lynley #20) by Elizabeth George (5/5) (British detective)

A church deacon is accused of a serious crime and found dead while in police custody. Although his death is ruled a suicide, his father pushes to find the real reason. Havers and Lynley must work to pull apart the secrets in this town to uncover the truth.

#18/90: Kingdom of the Blind (Inspector Gamache #14) by Louise Penny (5/5) (Canadian mystery)

Gamache is dealing with both a perplexing will that leads to a murder and the lost opioids that led to his suspension from the Surete.

I just love these characters!

#20/90: The Cuckoo’s Calling (C.B. Strike #1) by Robert Galbraith (4.5 /5) (British detective)

Strike’s life is falling apart: he only has one client in his PI business, creditors are hounding him, and he has just broken up with his girlfriend and is now living in his office. But a new client appears. The man insists that the death of his adopted sister, a famous supermodel, was not a suicide, but a murder.

Think I found a new series to read!

#21/90: The Secret Place (Dublin Murder Squad #5) by Tana French (4/5) (suspense)

A year after the unsolved murder of a teen boy, a clue shows up at the private girls’ school where his body was found. Two rival groups of girls, including the daughter of another detective, appear to be involved in the mystery.

#22/90: Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d (Flavia de Luce # 8) by Alan Bradley (4/5) (mystery)

Flavia has returned from Canada to her father gravely ill. Anxious to escape the family home, she eagerly runs an errand for the vicar’s wife and comes upon a dead body. With her unending curiosity, she uncovers more than just the death of the man.

#23/90: Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (4.5/5) (fantasy/humor)

An angel and a demon, who have both become very accustomed to living on earth, must join forces to stop the upcoming Armageddon. Unfortunately, the Antichrist, who is now an eleven year old boy, is not living with the intended family. They must locate him if they want to stop the end of the world.

I decided to read this as it is going to be available on Amazon Prime soon. I was laughing out loud with some of the bits! I hope I won’t be disappointed by the series now.

#24/90: The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place (Flavia de Luce # 9) by Alan Bradley (3.5/5) (mystery)

Dogger takes the de Luce girls on a river trip to distract them from the family troubles. While dragging her hand in the water, Flavia hooks a dead body. Away from home and her cherished chemistry lab, Flavia finds that she can include her sisters and Dogger in solving recent and past deaths.
 
#20/50
The Widow by Carla Neggers
Four days after Abigail Browning's wedding, her life changed unimaginably: her husband was fatally shot along the rocky Mount Desert Island coast. Was it a random act of violence, or could someone have wanted Christopher dead?
That's the question that has haunted Abigail, now a homicide detective, for the past seven years. Determined to find her husband's killer, she returns to the foggy Maine island after receiving an anonymous tip. Is it just another false lead, or can she finally prove that Chris was murdered?
Owen Garrison, the search-and-rescue worker who located Chris too late to save him, still carries guilt from that fateful night. As he helps Abigail unravel the mystery, they learn that the layers of deceit and lies are even thicker than they could have imagined. Now it's up to Abigail and Owen to keep pushing for the truthand stop a killer from striking again.

Was just ok. Supposed to be the first in a series but don't think I'll be waiting for the next one.
 
#38/130 - The Lacemakers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri

This book is what chick-lit should be, in my opinion. Beautifully written, with the kind of detail that makes the setting - a small Gaelic-speaking town on the Atlantic coast of Ireland - almost a character in and of itself, and with a touch of Irish magic woven throughout. Although the main character does have a love interest, the focus of the book was the relationships between the women of the lace-making circle and how the arrival of an outsider changes and challenges long-established patterns. The characters were well written and very real, with their own flaws and insecurities and depth that supporting characters can sometimes lack, and the whole story was uplifting and just kind of left me with a smile on my face.

#39 - Havana: A Subtropical Delirium by Mark Kurlansky

When it comes to Cuba, I'm a total cliche - a newspaper reporter who admires Hemingway and harbors a long-running fascination with the place where he spent so much of his life - so when Scribd recommended this one for me, I had to check it out. If a biography can be written about a city, this is what it would look like. The book covers a lot of ground, from the multiple foundings of Havana by Columbus and his Spanish successors through to the state of 21st century Cuban baseball. It even included a few recipes from legendary restaurants from pre-Castro Cuba. At times, I would have liked more depth on some of the subjects introduced, but it was a very good overview of the economic, ethnic, political and religious convergences that made Havana such a unique city.
 
24/75. Grateful American by Gary Sinise

This is a reminder to everyone to appreciate the people who protect our freedom. It’s a recap of his life, his family, his career and the many “Call to Action” organizations he has volunteered with. What an amazing story.:thumbsup2
 
#38/130 - The Lacemakers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri

This book is what chick-lit should be, in my opinion. Beautifully written, with the kind of detail that makes the setting - a small Gaelic-speaking town on the Atlantic coast of Ireland - almost a character in and of itself, and with a touch of Irish magic woven throughout. Although the main character does have a love interest, the focus of the book was the relationships between the women of the lace-making circle and how the arrival of an outsider changes and challenges long-established patterns. The characters were well written and very real, with their own flaws and insecurities and depth that supporting characters can sometimes lack, and the whole story was uplifting and just kind of left me with a smile on my face.
Just put in a request for this one; thanks for the recommendation!
 
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An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn. Possibly my favorite Bridgerton book... no I think I like Colin's better but only by a smidge... and he's up next!
 
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Skeletons in the Closet by Jennifer L. Hart. The first in the series, "Misadventures of the Laundry Hag". I got this mystery story for free but it turned out to be improbable but light hearted and clever.

The Memories of Butterflies by Grace Greene. This was a family drama. Hannah is being raised by her grandparents in rural Virginia because a horrible traffic accident killed her parents when she was a baby. She about to graduate high school and go off to college when her grandfather dies. She decides to delay college for a year to help her grandmother and along the way becomes pregnant and gives birth the Ellen. The book chronicles her raising Ellen until Ellen is about to graduate from high school and leave for college. Then all the family secrets come tumbling out. This was a good read.

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#21/50 Never Tell by Lisa Gardner

A man is dead, shot three times in his home office. But his computer has been shot twelve times, and when the cops arrive, his pregnant wife is holding the gun.

D.D. Warren arrives on the scene and recognizes the woman--Evie Carter--from a case many years back. Evie's father was killed in a shooting that was ruled an accident. But for D.D., two coincidental murders is too many.

Flora Dane sees the murder of Conrad Carter on the TV news and immediately knows his face. She remembers a night when she was still a victim--a hostage--and her captor knew this man. Overcome with guilt that she never tracked him down, Flora is now determined to learn the truth of Conrad's murder.

But D.D. and Flora are about to discover that in this case the truth is a devilishly elusive thing. As layer by layer they peel away the half-truths and outright lies, they wonder: How many secrets can one family have?

Another great one from Lisa Gardner. She is one of my all time favorite authors.
 
25/75 Reliquary by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

I did enjoy it much more then Relic!
 
12/30-Fall from Grace by Danielle Steel

How was that? I have it on my "books to read" list. I've read several Danielle Steel books and had widely ranging reactions, from "best book ever" to "meh!".
 
Murder At Yappy Hour by Diana Organ. Murder mystery involving a bar that specializes in being dog friendly. It was a free download and worth exactly what I paid for it.

Mark of the Loon by Molly Green. Another mystery story. But this one was much more interesting. Madison is a real estate broker and flips houses for extra income. She comes across a estate sale home that would be ideal for flipping and manages to buy it despite the fact that the crooked estate lawyer was trying the make sure his buyer would get it. In the end the mystery of why the house was so valuable gets solved, Madison finds a love interest and the house is looking more like her forever home than a flipping project.

The Peacock Feast by Lisa Gornick. Historical sage that moves between a Tiffany mansion and a gardener's tenement apartment in 1916, stretching to a sixties commune through a death row unit and into beautifully decorated New York apartment where a 101 year old woman is waiting to die. The story is told by two woman, Prudence who was a four year old child in 1916 and Grace, her great-niece whom she meets for the first time in 2013. It took a bit to get into the rhythm of the story but it turned out to be a very worthwhile read.

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