ANNUAL READING GOAL CHALLENGE for 2015!

[dismom301930]

11/50
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - took a while for me to get into it, but I ended up loving it in the end.

12/50
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - I am going to go against most reviews, and say that I did not love this book. At all. I did not like any of the characters, and I did not find the ending surprising in the least. I know a lot of people on this thread loved it, though!

 

[timsprincess]

#16/75

2 a.m. at The Cat's Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino

2/5 stars

This book was hard to start as it was hard to keep track of the characters. The book bounces between them and some of the transitions are not clear. They also seem like random characters until the last 1/4 of the book. I totally disliked the ending. It felt like I had read the entire book for nothing.

From Goodreads:
Madeleine Altimari is a smart-mouthed, precocious nine-year-old and an aspiring jazz singer. As she mourns the recent death of her mother, she doesn’t realize that on Christmas Eve she is about to have the most extraordinary day—and night—of her life. After bravely facing down mean-spirited classmates and rejection at school, Madeleine doggedly searches for Philadelphia's legendary jazz club The Cat's Pajamas, where she’s determined to make her on-stage debut. On the same day, her fifth grade teacher Sarina Greene, who’s just moved back to Philly after a divorce, is nervously looking forward to a dinner party that will reunite her with an old high school crush, afraid to hope that sparks might fly again. And across town at The Cat's Pajamas, club owner Lorca discovers that his beloved haunt may have to close forever, unless someone can find a way to quickly raise the $30,000 that would save it.

As these three lost souls search for love, music and hope on the snow-covered streets of Philadelphia, together they will discover life’s endless possibilities over the course of one magical night.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

11/52


https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/baby-sitters-club-87-stacey/id881608894?mt=11

 

[threeboysmom]

11/50
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - I am going to go against most reviews, and say that I did not love this book. At all. I did not like any of the characters, and I did not find the ending surprising in the least. I know a lot of people on this thread loved it, though!

Funny how we're all so different!! I am currently reading this book and cannot put it down! Just read the part where the cell phone was found (not to give away any spoilers so trying to be vague) right before I had to head into my office to start my day! It's killing me not to be able to pick the book back up and continue on! Have to wait until lunch break, lol.



Finished #10/30

The Selection by Kiera Cass
It was okay – nothing spectacular, but good enough that I have already reserved book #2 in the series because I'm curious as to how the story plays out. Teen girls most likely would love this series (and it's clean!) and anyone that enjoys The Bachelor would probably find it an interesting read.

Simple enough plot - 35 girls are selected to live in the palace and compete against each other to win the love of the Prince and become his wife.

 

[nemofans]

LOL, I am reading this right now too!

 

[tiggrbaby]

#10/45: The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

It's been reviewed recently, so I won't go into detail, but I did enjoy it! It encouraged me to do research on the sisters!

5/5

 

[Christine]

Oh, I think I might be on #7/#50: I forget.

Finished The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain. I would give this a 3 out of 5. The story is about a young man who has custody of his 4 year old daughter. His mother, the child's caretaker while he works, dies in a house fire, leaving him and his daughter homeless. As he tries, unsuccessfully to find work, he gets caught up in an illegal and dangerous scheme to earn some quick money. While doing that, he meets a woman who has recently lost her own child and she takes an interest in the main characters. While the father goes to do his "illegal" work, he abandons his daughter with their new found friend and hopes she will cover for him while he tries to get some money. All hell breaks loose, as you can imagine. Along with this is a dual story going on that tracks the young girl's mother and why she left her. The two stories converge for a a happy ending.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

12/52


https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/baby-sitters-club-mystery/id903161539?mt=11

 

[jenny105]

I haven't updated here in awhile. I've completed 7 books so far this year. We are going on a cruise in 6 days so I'm sure I'll find time to finish another!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I just completed book #14 of 60. In the words of "In Living Color's 'Men on…'"-hated it! "No Place Like Home" by Barbara Samuel. I'd been warned it was sad, so that didn't bother me. I can't put my finger on why it didn't hold my interest at all. Just not my style! Next up, a cozy mystery-"All Fudged Up". Hopefully, this will be light fun.

 

[zippitydoo]

Book #23 of 50: Reign (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale, #4) by Chanda Hahn

From Goodreads:
Going to the Fae plane against Jared’s orders has cost Mina dearly. Her decision continues to haunt her as a new danger surfaces. The Grimms are fading.
To save her family’s future, Mina Grime will have to travel to the past with the help of her Fae Godmother and a magic pair of shoes.
She must go to where the Story first began, to the beginning of the dark prince’s reign. But can she finish her quest before her time runs out or will she be trapped in the past forever?

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

13/52

https://www.oysterbooks.com/book/NKVY63XEQRLAR4LHYENuQB/the-slumber-party-secret

 

[kt_mom]

I finished book 31 on Friday, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. I had a hard time getting into this book in the beginning but ended up really enjoying it. Although I was a little disappointed in the ending.

Now I'm reading Love you More by Lisa Gardner. I've never read anything by her before, but so far I'm really enjoying it.

 

[WowLookAtThat]

Book #9-15 The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling

Book #16 When I was a Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago

Book #17 Almost a Woman by Esmeralda Santiago

Book #18 Totlandia Book #1 Fall by Josie Brown

Book #19 Giant by Edna Ferber

Book #20 Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Book #21 The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan

Book #22 Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

Book #23 Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

Book #24 Dangerous Men by Mick La Salle

Book #25 Everything and the Moon by Julia Quinn

 

[timsprincess]

#17/75

The Hanging Hill by Chris Grabenstein

4/5 stars

I really liked this YA book. The story had enough creepiness with out being scary, enough action without being unbelievable, enough paranormal without being 'out there', and likeable characters. It is a second book in a probably series but I did not think I really did not know what was going on without reading the first book.


From Goodreads:
After narrowly escaping a malevolent spirit in The Crossroads, Zack and Judy are hoping to relax during the rehearsals for a show based on Judy’s bestselling children’s books. Little do they know that the director is planning to raise a horde of evil specters from the dead, and to accomplish this, he needs a human sacrifice . . . and Zack fits the bill perfectly.

This second book featuring the intrepid Zack and his stepmother, Judy, is full of the same humorous and spine-tingling storytelling that has made Chris Grabenstein a fast favorite with young and old alike.

 

[CajunMomof3]

14/35
A Clash of Kings- George R R Martin
More violence, intrigue, and sex. This book had more supernatural elements than the first book. While it was more violent and graphic than I usually prefer, I am definitely invested in the characters and will have to read the rest of the series to see what happens to them. I'm still undecided if I will watch the series...

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

#6 The Book of Lost Things
Was reading this to possibly pass to my daughter. Friend's child read and my daughter asked if she could borrow. I love fairytales especially in this type of way, but the story is dark and does not end in a way I thought my daughter would like. I discoraged her from reading and told her she might not like the way it ends. She decided not to and I was glad. Really creepy twisted fairy tales with at least one character I could really see bothering kids.

 

[ksjayhawks]

I am at 13/64. I had my list with titles/authors/info ready to go but have misplaced it. All are kindle freebies, all mysteries so far except one romance. Nothing by a famous author, but enjoyable and entertaining to read.

 

[CajunMomof3]

15/35
Team Rodent: How Disney Devours the World by Carl Hiaasen
I found this book at a yard sale, and since I had recently been told I needed therapy for my Disney problem, I decided to give it a try. It was a very short book (about 80 pages). While I found some of the negatives he discussed interesting, it didn't change my obsession. In fact, some of the "negatives" were part of Disney's appeal for me.

 

[nemofans]

Finished book #18 - Where All Light Tends To Go by David Joy

This is a dark, sad story about a boy growing up with messed up parents and not much hope in his life. I really felt for the boy and didn't like the way the author ended this story. Depressing and some parts were gruesome.

The area surrounding Cashiers, North Carolina, is home to people of all kinds, but the world that Jacob McNeely lives in is crueler than most. His father runs a methodically organized meth ring, with local authorities on the dime to turn a blind eye to his dealings. Having dropped out of high school and cut himself off from his peers, Jacob has been working for this father for years, all on the promise that his payday will come eventually. The only joy he finds comes from reuniting with Maggie, his first love, and a girl clearly bound for bigger and better things than their hardscrabble town.
Jacob has always been resigned to play the cards that were dealt him, but when a fatal mistake changes everything, he’s faced with a choice: stay and appease his father, or leave the mountains with the girl he loves. In a place where blood is thicker than water and hope takes a back seat to fate, Jacob wonders if he can muster the strength to rise above the only life he’s ever known.


Next Book: The Pocket Wife