ANNUAL READING GOAL CHALLENGE for 2015!

[willowsnn3]

Goal 72

#10 The Perfect Mother by Nina Darnton

From back cover:
A midnight phone call shatters Jennifer Lewis's carefully orchestrated life. Her daughter, Emma, who's studying abroad in Spain, has been arrested after the brutal murder of another student. Jennifer rushes to her side, certain the arrest is a terrible mistake and determined to do whatever is necessary to bring Emma home. But as she begins to investigate the crime, she starts to wonder whether she ever really knew her daughter. The police charge Emma, and the press leaps on the story., exaggerating every sordid detail. One by one, Emma's defense team, her father, and finally even Jennifer begin to have doubts. A novel of harrowing emotional suspense, The Perfect Mother probes the dark side of parenthood and the complicated bond between mothers and daughters..

I didn't really care for this one. The review made it sound a whole lot better than it was. Characters were unlikeable and had no depth. Wouldn't recommend.

 

[dizluvah]

Book #15 Enticed By Jessica Shirvington
Violet Eden is Grigori - part angel, part human. Her destiny is to protect humans from the vengence of exiled angels.
Knowing who to trust is key but, when Grigori reinforcements arrive, it becomes clear everyone is hiding something.
Book 2 in the Violet Eden Series, I liked it better than the first and gave it 4 stars

Book #16 It Had To Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
What if a woman who knows nothing about sports inherits a professional football team? The Windy City definitely isn't ready for Phoebe Somerville, the outrageous York knockout who’s taking over their home town team. And Phoebe is definitely not prepared for the Stars' head coach Dan Calebow, a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind.
Enjoyed this light, fluff chick-lit read, gave it 3 stars

 

[tiggrbaby]

Finished book #9 - Garden of Stones by Sophie Littlefield

This book gives insight to what happened after Pearl Harbor was bombed. America sent innocent Japanese Americans to a prison camp during WWII. This story is about a girl & her mother who were sent there & what is was like for them. It is a heartbreaking story & a few surprises at the end. I give it 3.5 stars.

Lucy Takeda is just fourteen years old, living in Los Angeles, when the bombs rain down on Pearl Harbor. Within weeks, she and her mother, Miyako, are ripped from their home, rounded up—along with thousands of other innocent Japanese-Americans—and taken to the Manzanar prison camp.
Buffeted by blistering heat and choking dust, Lucy and Miyako must endure the harsh living conditions of the camp. Corruption and abuse creep into every corner of Manzanar, eventually ensnaring beautiful, vulnerable Miyako. Ruined and unwilling to surrender her daughter to the same fate, Miyako soon breaks. Her final act of desperation will stay with Lucy forever…and spur her to sins of her own.

You might enjoy Farewell to Manzanar, which is a YA memoir of a girl's experience in the camp.

 

[tiggrbaby]

#4/45: The Moonlight Palace by Liz Rosenberg
From Amazon:
Agnes Hussein, descendant of the last sultan of Singapore and the last surviving member of her immediate family, has grown up among her eccentric relatives in the crumbling Kampong Glam palace, a once-opulent relic given to her family in exchange for handing over Singapore to the British.

Now Agnes is seventeen and her family has fallen into genteel poverty, surviving on her grandfather’s pension and the meager income they receive from a varied cast of boarders. As outside forces conspire to steal the palace out from under them, Agnes struggles to save her family and finds bravery, love, and loyalty in the most unexpected places. The Moonlight Palace is a coming-of-age tale rich with historical detail and unforgettable characters set against the backdrop of dazzling 1920s Singapore.

It was just okay. I kept thinking this must be a YA book, as some of it was so simplistic. 3/5

#5/45:Orphan Train: A Novel by Christine Baker Kline
This has been discussed here before, but I just had to say I loved it! 5/5

 

[JaneBanks]

#2/30: Pines by Blake Crouch

From Goodreads -

Secret service agent Ethan Burke arrives in Wayward Pines, Idaho, with a clear mission: locate and recover two federal agents who went missing in the bucolic town one month earlier. But within minutes of his arrival, Ethan is involved in a violent accident. He comes to in a hospital, with no ID, no cell phone, and no briefcase. The medical staff seems friendly enough, but something feels…off. As the days pass, Ethan’s investigation into the disappearance of his colleagues turns up more questions than answers. Why can’t he get any phone calls through to his wife and son in the outside world? Why doesn’t anyone believe he is who he says he is? And what is the purpose of the electrified fences surrounding the town? Are they meant to keep the residents in? Or something else out? Each step closer to the truth takes Ethan further from the world he thought he knew, from the man he thought he was, until he must face a horrifying fact—he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive. Intense and gripping, Pines is another masterful thriller from the mind of bestselling novelist Blake Crouch.

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars. I found the story fast moving and interesting. It certainly held my attention and I was always looking forward to getting back to the book in order to see what happened next. So I'm wondering why I'm left feeling it was just an okay, good book and not a great one. There were scenes that may have lasted a little too long and others that could have developed and delved in to just a little bit more. I feel like the ending may have been a little rushed as well.

Overall I thought it was a good book and I may read the next book in the series but it is not a "rush out and get it fast, I have to know what happens next" kind of book for me. I am looking forward to the TV show though.

Next up: The Lady of the Rivers by Phillipa Gregory.

 

[mumloveseeyore]

17 the thief taker by cs quinn
from amazon
The year is 1665. Black Death ravages London. A killer stalks the streets in a plague doctor’s hood and mask...

When a girl is gruesomely murdered, thief taker Charlie Tuesday reluctantly agrees to take on the case. But the horrific remains tell him this is no isolated death. The killer’s mad appetites are part of a master plan that could destroy London – and reveal the dark secrets of Charlie’s own past.

Now the thief taker must find this murderous mastermind before the plague obliterates the evidence street by street. This terrifying pursuit will take Charlie deep into the black underbelly of old London, where alchemy, witchcraft and blood-spells collide.

In a city drowned in darkness, death could be the most powerful magic of all.
i enjoyed this it was a fairly easy read. The end left a few loose ends for a future novel

 

[zippitydoo]

Book #11 of 50: Post-Mortem (Kay Scarpetta, #1) by Patricia Cornwell
Book #12 of 50: 1st To die (Women’s Murder Club, #1) by James Patterson

 

[lovegrumpy]

I'm finally getting around to starting

#1 James Patterson Second Honeymoon

A walk down the aisle, a resort hotel, a drink on the beach...for these unlucky couples, the honeymoon's over.

A newlywed couple steps into the sauna in their deluxe honeymoon suite—and never steps out again. When another couple is killed while boarding their honeymoon flight to Rome, it becomes clear that someone is targeting honeymooners, and it's anyone's guess which happy couple is next on the list.

FBI Agent John O'Hara is deep into solving the case, while Special Agent Sarah Brubaker is hunting another ingenious serial killer, whose victims all have one chilling thing in common.

As wedding hysteria rises to a frightening new level, John and Sarah work ever more closely together in a frantic attempt to decipher the logic behind two rampages. SECOND HONEYMOON is James Patterson's most mesmerizing, most exciting, and most surprising thriller ever.

#2-5 are from Fren Micheals
Texas Rich
Young Billie Ames naively fell for the exciting pilot Moss Coleman at the Philadelphia Navy Yard during World War II. Within a few months she was pregnant, married, and traveling across the country to Austin . . . to the 250,000-acre spread known as Sunbridge and into the tantalizing world of the Texas rich. In a vast land dominated by the industrious Colemans, Billie fights to maintain control of her life and her marriage.

This is the captivating story of four generations. There’s Moss, living in the shadow of a father whose obsession with power overshadows the needs of his only son; Jessica, the doomed mother who gave up everything to become the perfect Coleman wife; Moss and Billie’s children, desperately trying to live up to insurmountable expectations; and the grandchildren, heirs to a tarnished empire who just might fulfill their dreams. Most of all this is the triumphant story of Billie Ames Coleman, a woman of courage and strength who holds them all together—in a tale as magnificent as the land that inspired it.
Texas Heat
Maggie, the daugher of Moss and Bill Coleman, has invited all the passionate family, plus several hundred guests, to a July 4th barbecue to celebrate the new sense of family pride she's determined to forge. But whether its ambition, jealousy, rivalry, or passion, each Coleman has a drama of his or her own to face, and each will feed the flames of TEXAS HEAT
Texas Fury
From the exotic traditions of the Far East to the troubled oil fields of Texas, from the paradise landscapes of Hawaii to the snow-covered mountains of Switzerland . . . the lives, loves, and fates of the Colemans all come together in the name of family and in the name of their unforgettable Texas dynasty.
Texas Sunrise
Billie Coleman Kingsley, beloved matriarch of the clan and founder of a fabulously successful fashion empire, is dying. As her family gathers together in this time of heartbreak, the indomitable Billie offers new hope to heal the rifts that separate them. Even as her own strength fails, Billie instills courage, fortitude, and her conviction that life goes on after tragedy. From the seductive waters of Hawaii to the rustic splendor of Vermont, from the family’s sprawling Texas ranch, Sunbridge, to the exotic beauty and high-tech glamour of Japan, the Colemans have been driven apart by the passions and betrayals of a new generation. But now, as they deal with the shattering news of Billie’s illness, all the Colemans must transform their lives

 

[monarchsfan16]

Book 9 of 30. All this shoveling is slowing me down!

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

From Amazon:
Sometimes it’s the little lies that turn out to be the most lethal. . . .

A murder… . . . a tragic accident… . . . or just parents behaving badly?
What’s indisputable is that someone is dead.
But who did what?

Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads:

Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).

Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.

New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.

Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.



Wow. 5/5. Very well written book. I'm really liking this author's books.

 

[Christine]

Completed 6/50 - The Good Girl by Mary Rubica. I give this 3.5 out of 5.

Another book I enjoyed due to decent writing a pacing. This story is told before and after an abduction. The story is narrated by the abductor, the mother of the abducted woman, the police office investigating, and occasionally by the abductee.

A young woman is abducted to be held by a local criminal for ransom (her father is a high profile judge). The abductor-for-hire has a change of heart after he takes her and decides not to turn her over. He takes her and they go off to a remote cabin. During the story, you see a classic case of Stockholm syndrome emerge, but is it? There's a bit of a shocking plot twist at the end that makes this story not so predictable.

Next up: The Bone Clocks.

 

[kmb584]

13/100 was The Ludwig Conspiracy by Oliver Pötzsch. He authored my favorite series, The Hangman's Daughter, but this wasn't a smooth read for me. It was a good story, just took some time to plunder through. From Goodreads:

In 1886, Ludwig II, the fairytale king of Bavaria, was deposed after being declared insane by doctors who had never met him. He died mysteriously soon thereafter, his eccentric and beautiful castles his only legacy.

When an encoded diary by one of Ludwig’s confidants falls into the hands of rare book dealer Steven Lukas, he soon realizes that the diary may bring him more misery than money. Others want the diary as well—and they will kill to get it. Believing the diary to contain the secret truth behind Ludwig’s death, Steven and the detective Sara Lengfeld go on the run, investigating each of Ludwig’s three famous castles for clues. Just what in the diary could be so explosive that Ludwig's deranged modern-day followers will do whatever it takes to keep it hidden?

 

[FlightlessDuck]

3/12 - Obsession in Death by J.D. Robb

Eve Dallas has solved a lot of high-profile murders for the NYPSD and gotten a lot of media. She—and her billionaire husband—are getting accustomed to being objects of attention, of gossip, of speculation.

But now Eve has become the object of one person’s obsession. Someone who finds her extraordinary, and thinks about her every hour of every day. Who believes the two of them have a special relationship. Who would kill for her—again and again…

With a murderer reading meanings into her every move, handling this case will be a delicate—and dangerous—psychological dance. And Eve knows that underneath the worship and admiration, a terrible threat lies in wait. Because the beautiful lieutenant is not at all grateful for these bloody offerings from her “true and loyal friend.” And in time, idols always fall…

I was a little afraid I wasn't going to like this book. I used to watch the tv show Bones, and at one point there was a killer obsessed with Dr. Brennan. I found that story line tedious, and was afraid this book was going to feel the same way. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I do all of the Eve Dallas series.

Now I am caught up with that book series until Devotion in Death is released in September.



Next up: Either The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler or Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman. Both will get read at some point this year.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

#3 The Greatest Empire a Life of Seneca
Read for a project, it was very interesting. Really never knew much about him before I read. He went trough many periods in his life to eventually becoming advisor to Nero only to be exiled and then put to death. One of few to write both arts and philosophy. I never read a piece abot a person so early in history and it is interesting to see how little is really known about people from the time of Christ. Most of the beginning of the book really theorizes how Seneca felt and what he did, in part from his and his fathers writing, and also in part on what is known about time. I found the book enjoyable and did learn quite a bit.

If anyone is interested in reading any of my works, (Three Twigs for the Campfire, Written for You, and Cemetery Girl) they are currently doing Giveaways on Goodreads and as always would gladly send free gift kindle or nook copies. Just like this or send message end I will send to you.

 

[MeeskaMooska13]

#3 - Autobiography of a Face - Lucy Grealy

This is memoir of the author's bout with a disfiguring childhood cancer. I read Ann Patchett's Truth and Beauty, which is about Lucy Grealy, first. In hindsight, I probably should have reversed that...but then...I don't know. Beautifully, written, though.

 

[zippitydoo]

Book #13 of 50: Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich

 

[CajunMomof3]

6/35
When the Emporer Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
A historical fiction about the Japanese interment camps in America during WWII. It is told from multiple perspectives as this family recieves the notification, travels to the camp, returns home, and begins the process of returning to their lives. As I read this book, I realized that I don't know very much about this topic. It is a short book and an easy read, but I will be processing parts of it for some time.

 

[kt_mom]

Finished book 21- Killing Jesus by Bill O'Reilly I enjoyed this but not as much as Killing Lincoln or Killing Kennedy.

 

[PigletsPal2]

Goal: 30 books this year

#9 - Death Comes to London by Emily Lloyd. This is the second of the Kurland St. Mary Mysteries, and in it we find that Lucy Harrington and her sister Anna have accepted an invitation from their aunt and uncle to come to London for the Season so that Anna can find a suitable husband. Lucy has fewer hopes of success in this area, as she a little past her bloom, and rather more direct and independent-minded than most gentlemen desire in a wife. She has spent the last year serving as secretary and "unpaid drudge" to war hero Major Robert Kurland.

Shortly into Lucy's visit to London, Robert is summoned to London, where he learns that the Prince Regent intends to reward Robert's war heroism with a baronetcy, a hereditary title. However, Robert must remain in London for several more weeks to accomplish this ceremony.

Amid the dizzying whirls of balls and formal dinners, the focus shifts from mixing and matchmaking to murder when the dowager Countess of Broughton, the mother of an old army friend of Robert's, drops dead. When it's revealed that she's been poisoned, Robert's former betrothed, Miss Chingford, is accused, and she in turn points a finger at Anna. To protect her sister, Lucy enlists the aid of Robert in drawing out the true culprit.

This was an enjoyable light read. The end was different from what I expected, but it wasn't illogical. I'm going to look for the first book, Death Comes to the Village, and hope that Lloyd continues the series.

Queen Colleen

 

[K and K's Mommy]

#3 The One and Only by Emily Giffin - I really did not like this. The main character loves football, and that was all she could talk about. I have nothing against football, but it got a bit tiring. Plus, I did not like the love interest. It was weird.

#4 The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer - This was okay. It took me awhile to read, so it definitely is not a page turner. It is about six friends who meet at camp, and the book goes through their fifties. I liked most of the main characters, so I kept reading.

 

[Swimnoid]

14. No Angel by Jay Dobyns
This was a memoir about the author's service as an undercover ATF agent infiltrating the Hell's Angels. Last year I read another book about the same subject by a different author and a different motorcycle gang. This book was very similar to the other. The agent described in glaring detail how these guys live and behave. A large part of the book involved how he almost lost himself in in the process. It was very interesting.

15. Hope to Die by James Patterson
The latest in the Alex Cross series, Hope to Die picks up right where Cross My Heart leaves off. Alex's family has been kidnapped by a devious criminal who is trying to break Alex. Will he find them? Will they be alive? It was very satisfying.