ANNUAL READING GOAL CHALLENGE for 2015!

[Cogswel_Cogs]

I need to keep better track of my books, but one of the last ones I read was Echo Lake by Carla Neggers. I liked it and thought it was funny when it was mentioned that one of the characters mom's lived in Orlando Florida and was a hostess at a Disney restaurant!

Another question - if anyone receives advanced reader copies of books from publishers or authors, what do you do with them after you read them? They say not for sale. I usually give all my books to people at church but the last 3 I read had some inappropriate content for them. I just put them in the donation bag for a charity pick up but I am wondering if they just throw those out. Any info? TIA.

I am happy when one of my readers gives their book to public or school library. It's just one self-pubbers opinion, but I think most would be happy about it.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

Book 3/12: The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters. I'd give it a 4/5.

The first 2/3 of the book is outstanding and I got bored with the dragged out courtroom proceedings at the end of the book. It's a period piece set in post WW1 England about a mother and daughter who bring in tenants...with interesting results. I'd recommend this one.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

#7
Wicked Appetite (Lizzy and Diesel #1)
Janet Evanovich

Lizzy Tucker has inherited a historic house in Marblehead, Massachusetts, taken a new job as pastry chef for Dazzle's Bakery in Salem, and set her sights on a comfortable future. The comfortable future and any hope for normalcy evaporates when dark haired, dark hearted Gerewulf Grimoire and his nemesis, a blond beach bum named Diesel, enter Dazzle's and change Lizzy's life forever.


Grimoire has set his sights on the Stones of SALIGIA, rumored to have found their way to Salem. These seven stones, each representing one of the seven deadly sins, can bestow frightening powers upon its owner. Powers that would be dangerous in Grimoire's hands…


Diesel is a man with a mission: To stop Grimoire at all costs. In order to do so he'll need to convince the baker she alone has the ability to keep Grimoire from the stones. Once Lizzy and Diesel become a team, Diesel will have to guard Lizzy's body...day and night.


The Seven Deadly Sins pretty much cover everything that's wicked. Diesel thinks they also pretty much cover everything that's fun. And Lizzy thinks Diesel and The Sins cover everything her mother warned her about…

I have read this book before but it was after a pretty major surgery and I was all drugged up. I could really only remember the basic premise of the book.
I saw that there is another out in the series and wanted to reread this one before I picked up the next.

I like the story and the setting. I like the characters too, but I wish they were more developed. These books are no where near as good as the Stephanie Plum books in that sense, but still enjoyable. I liked how really off the wall it was. One part even made me laugh out loud which is rare for me (It involved Wulf and a clove of garlic).

 

[willowsnn3]

Goal 72

#15 The Summons by John Grisham

Good mystery as Grisham's books usually are. Not really exciting but good.

 

[zippitydoo]

Book #20 of 50: Refugee (The Captive, #3) by Erica Stevens

From Goodreads:
Whispers, rumors, and horror stories abound about The Barrens and the strange creatures that lurk within them. Determined to find the remaining vampires that stood against his father in the war, Braith knows that it’s dangerous to enter the inhospitable land, but that they must if they are to have a chance at gaining allies to help overthrow the king. Though he once knew the powerful vampires that are rumored to reside within The Barrens, he is unsure what to expect if they succeed in finding them. He will do whatever is necessary though to ensure a future for himself and Aria.

Aria is fearful of entering into the land she’s heard nothing but cautionary tales about, but she’s determined to help Braith locate the vampires that may help them with their cause. She is fascinated and amazed by the world they uncover within, one that is unlike anything she has ever seen before. However, the more immersed they become in a world that she doesn’t entirely understand, the more she realizes that it won’t be the war, or even the king that will eventually tear her and Braith apart.

Book #21 of 50: Salvation (The Captive, #4) by Erica Stevens

From Goodreads:
Imprisoned by Caleb and at the mercy of the king, Aria is determined not to let them break her. However, the more atrocities she witnesses, the more she realizes there are some horrors no one can withstand, and sometimes survival isn’t always the best option.
Tormented by the loss of Aria, Braith is forced to choose between his need to rescue her, and the impending rebel war he’s been chosen to lead. Fighting against the darkness which threatens to drag him into its tempting depths, Braith struggles not to become like the one thing he hates the most, his father.
Faced with their own separate challenges, Aria and Braith must come to terms with who they are, what they want, and the likelihood that they can never be together as the inevitable war looms on the horizon. A war that all of them will fight but not all of them will survive.

 

[nemofans]

Finished book #16 - Breaking The Silence by Diane Chamberlain

I really enjoyed this book! It's a great storyline with some surprises at the end. A few parts seemed far fetched but I just went with it.

Laura Brandon's promise to her dying father was simple: to visit an elderly woman she'd never heard of before. A woman who remembers nothing—except the distant past. Visiting Sarah Tolley seemed a small enough sacrifice to make.
But Laura's promise results in another death. Her husband's. And after their five-year-old daughter, Emma, witnesses her father's suicide, Emma refuses to talk about it…to talk at all.
Frantic and guilt ridden, Laura contacts the only person who may be able to help. A man she's met only once—six years before. A man who doesn't know he's Emma's real father.
Guided only by a child's silence and an old woman's fading memories, the two unravel a tale of love and despair, of bravery and unspeakable evil. A tale that's shrouded in silence…and that unbelievably links them all.

Next book: The Invention Of Wings

 

[FozzieFan]

6/25

Is everyone hanging out without me (and other concerns) by Mindy Kaling

This was good and funny, absolutely in Mindy Kaling's voice.

7/25
The Shining by Stephen King

I had never gotten around to reading this and the movie is one of my favorites. The book was good, definitely different than the movie and I can see where King had problems with Kubrick's telling of the story. I think the general feel was similar though.

Next up: Dark Towers II

 

[kmb584]

20/100: Total Control by David Baldacci

Sidney Archer has the world. A husband she loves. A job at which she excels and a cherished young daughter. Then, as a plane plummets into the Virginia countryside, everything changes. And suddenly there is no one whom Sidney Archer can trust. Total Danger Jason Archer is a rising young executive at Triton Global, the world's leading technology conglomerate. Determined to give his family the best of everything, Archer has secretly entered into a deadly game. He is about to disappear-leaving behind a wife who must sort out his lies from his truths, an accident team that wants to know why the plane he was ticketed on crashed, and a veteran FBI agent who wants to know it all...

 

[CajunMomof3]

13/35
Highland Scoundrel by Monica McCarty
Lust in the Highland dust- lol. I've read McCarty before so I knew what to expect- historical romance with alpha males who fall for strong women who ultimately tame them (to an extent). I enjoy a break from the deeper intrigues in The Game of Thrones and Outlander series every now and then, but next up is Clash of Kings....

 

[wvjules]

Finished 5/24 - The Girl on the Train. I thought it was a good book. Kept me turning pages so I finished it in 3 days. I had figured out the end right before it was revealed. I really liked Rachel.

Next up is All the Light We Cannot See, then The Last Letter from Your Lover and then I can FINALLY get back to Outlander. I miss Jamie and Claire! Weird, huh? lol

 

[MeeskaMooska13]

4/24 - A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson

This is a book I have read many times by, perhaps, my favorite author. It still makes me laugh out loud! The author and an old friend decide to hike the Appalachian Trail. They are, at the time, in their forties, and could not have been less prepared. Of course, it's a complete disaster from the start! I love how this author can find the most interesting facts and histories about where ever he travels and weave them into his writing in a captivating way.

 

[BonnieF]

Finished All the Light We Cannot See over the weekend.

It took me a little bit to get into it, but once I did, I was entranced. I do have to admit the time jumping confused me on more than one occasion, but overall that strategy worked well with this book I think. It created suspense that had me coming back for more (once I figured out where I was in the timeline of things first, lol).

However, I'm in turmoil reviewing this book because as much as I loved it while reading it, the ending disappointed me. I'm not sure if I missed something along the way? The whole book was building and building towards this one climax... and it wasn't much of a climax at all once you finally got there.

But I did love the storyline, I loved the author's way with words - the beautiful descriptions and the way his words made me feel, and I loved the characters and all the meaningful relationships they formed. It made me really think on how the littlest of things could impact lives and bring such joy to others.

This is the story of a young blind girl, Marie-Laure, and Werner, a soldier in Hitler's youth regiment, living on opposite sides of the war, their childhoods, and the impact they had on each other's lives.

I agree with you about the ending - it seemed as if it was rushed to meet a deadline! It wasn't as thought out or as thorough as it should have been. I really liked the rest of the book, as well.

 

[BonnieF]

7/40 - I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedian, Martin Short
8/40 - Not My Father's Son, Alan Cumming
Both very interesting looks into the childhoods of two very talented men.

Currently reading (9/40) The Girl on the Train - a very twisty plot!

 

[queenofthehive]

6/25 - Someone's Daughter: In Search Of Justice For Jane Doe

5 out of 5 stars. I could not put this book down.

Here is the summary from Good Read:
In 1954, two college students were hiking along a creek outside of Boulder, Colorado, when they stumbled upon the body of a murdered young woman. Who was this woman? What had happened to her? The initial investigation turned up nothing, and the girl was buried in a local cemetery with a gravestone that read, "Jane Doe, April 1954, Age About 20 Years."

Decades later, historian Silvia Pettem formed a partnership with law enforcement and forensic experts and set in motion the events that led to Jane Doe's exhumation and eventual identification, as well as the identity of her probable killer. The new Kindle version includes an Epilogue––with updated information on how the mystery finally was solved.

 

[Christine]

4/24 - A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson

This is a book I have read many times by, perhaps, my favorite author. It still makes me laugh out loud! The author and an old friend decide to hike the Appalachian Trail. They are, at the time, in their forties, and could not have been less prepared. Of course, it's a complete disaster from the start! I love how this author can find the most interesting facts and histories about where ever he travels and weave them into his writing in a captivating way.

The one he writes about Australia is really good too. Under a Sunburned Country or something like that.

 

[CajunMomof3]

I can FINALLY get back to Outlander. I miss Jamie and Claire! Weird, huh? lol

Not weird. I feel the same way about Jamie and Claire. Ok, maybe, we're both weird, lol.

 

[MeeskaMooska13]

The one he writes about Australia is really good too. Under a Sunburned Country or something like that.

Yes! In a Sunburned Country was the first Bill Bryson book that I read! It's great too!

 

[mumloveseeyore]

25 A new witch in town (maybe two) Dani corlee, a really quick fluff read , it was ok
26 Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban, somehow i missed the chamber of secrets in my re reads but i enjoyed this.
27 The rhesus chart by charles stross
from Amazon
The fifth Laundry Files novel by Charles Stross, but also a jumping-on point for readers new to the series, The Rhesus Chart sees hacker and supernatural spy Bob Howard take on the (literal) bloodsuckers running London's financial district.

LONDON CAN DRAIN THE LIFE OUT OF YOU . . .

Bob Howard is an intelligence agent working his way through the ranks of the top secret government agency known as 'the Laundry'. When occult powers threaten the realm, they'll be there to clean up the mess - and deal with the witnesses.

There's one kind of threat that the Laundry has never come across in its many decades, and that's vampires. Mention them to a seasoned agent and you'll be laughed out of the room.

But when a small team of investment bankers at one of Canary Wharf's most distinguished financial institutions discovers an arcane algorithm that leaves them fearing daylight and craving O positive, someone doesn't want the Laundry to know. And Bob gets caught right in the middle.

This was creepy and fun . i enjoyed it

 

[dizluvah]

Book 23 Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid
synopsis from goodreads “After losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can't help wondering what new torment fate has in store. To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan- aka Sir McHotpants- witnesses it all then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can't afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn- the focus of her slightly, albeit harmless, stalkerish tendencies- to make her an offer she can't refuse.”

Both main characters are quirky, which I liked, but some of the plot was a bit far fetched for my taste.
Gave it 3 stars

Book 24 Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz
synopsis from goodreads: Up until three months ago, everything in sixteen-year-old Camelia's life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades; an okay relationship with her parents; and a pretty cool part-time job at the art studio downtown. But when Ben, the mysterious new guy, starts junior year at her high school, Camelia's life becomes anything but ordinary
Gave it 2 stars

Up next...Austenland

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

#5 Outlaws of the Marsh by Luo Guanzhong
Reading Ready Player One caused me to remember my favorite video games, most of which were mentioned in the book. One game that was not mentioned, but was one of my favorites, was a game called Bandits Kings of Ancient China. It was an incredibly complex game where you had to control a number of the 108 (bandits, demons and hero's) of the book. They all build individual armies, and, as you become their leader you actually control their armies both in war and building,crops, skills, etc. You and your followers fight against Gai Qui, whom kicked many out of their posts in the royal army, though this was not known to me back then. The game was based on a book, (Water Margins) which was a translation of a 16th century Chinese classic. Outlaws of the Marsh is another translation of this work. The book is truly incredible and I loved it. It was amazing to read of these characters which are really greatly personified in the book and I could see why they were able to make each one one unique in the game. The middle of the book(like 600 pages) slows down a little but really picks up again near the end. Very violent, not gory, where it describes the events, but lots of beheadings, cutting off limbs etc.
Sometimes its very poetic and really gives you a fell of what life was like in military circles 13th century China, they drank lots of wine. A lot of wine. Really loved it even though it was longer than books I like to read.

As always, anybody who wants to read any of my works I would gladly send Kindle or Nook gift copies, just message me or like this post. They are also still running paperback giveaways on goodreads(Three Twigs for the Fire, Written for You and Cemetery Girl).