ANNUAL READING GOAL CHALLENGE for 2015!

[nemofans]

Finished book #38 - Still Alice by Lisa Genova

This is about a woman's struggle with early onset Alzheimers. It was such a sad story to read. I found it interesting and scary being in this woman's mind, which should have had many more years to enjoy, and follow the decline. Her husband frustrated me, but I am sure there are husbands like him out there. It just seemed like he could have done more to make her daily living easier, like leave a note where he is going. Or instead of saying "I'll wait for you in the garage" actually stay with her to help her remember what she needs to do for them to leave. He left her confused a lot which could have been prevented.

Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty years old, she’s a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life—and her relationship with her family and the world—forever.

 

[threeboysmom]

I am so late to this thread but I just started browsing the different forums instead of only clicking on the "new posts" tab when I log on so I'm hoping that it is OK to jump in now! I'm on Goodreads with a goal of 75 this year so I'll throw my hat in here staying with 75.

I'm currently reading Tom Sawyer aloud with the family. Our boys loved the island at WDW so much last spring that I wanted them to kind of have a deeper grasp this fall when we return. I've been begged to read a YA series, Fablehaven, by both of my sons and I've made it to book 4 of 7 in a month. It's really that good! And lastly, The Epcot Explorer's Encyclopedia.

Welcome! So glad you found us!

I've added you to the first post with a goal of 75. Happy Reading!

 

[threeboysmom]

#21
Save Me by Lisa Scottoline

I found this story so unbelievable. The premise was so promising, but I feel the author totally missed the mark with this one.

Rose McKenna volunteers as a lunch mom in her daughter Melly’s school in order to keep an eye on Amanda, a mean girl who’s been bullying her daughter. Her fears come true when the bullying begins, sending Melly to the bathroom in tears. Just as Rose is about to follow after her daughter, a massive explosion goes off in the kitchen, sending the room into chaos. Rose finds herself faced with the horrifying decision of whether or not to run to the bathroom to rescue her daughter or usher Amanda to safety. She believes she has accomplished both, only to discover that Amanda, for an unknown reason, ran back into the school once out of Rose's sight. In an instance, Rose goes from hero to villain as the small community blames Amanda’s injuries on her. In the days that follow, Rose's life starts to fall to pieces, Amanda’s mother decides to sue, her marriage is put to the test, and worse, when her daughter returns to school, the bullying only intensifies. Rose must take matters into her own hands and get down to the truth of what really happened that fateful day in order to save herself, her marriage and her family. Save Me will have readers wondering just how far they would go to save the ones they love.

#22
The Last Town (Wayward Pines #3) by Blake Crouch

LOVED this series... although huh? Maybe he's planning on additional books?

#23
Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline

LOVED this one! I could not put it down!

Scottoline delivers once again with Keep Quiet, an emotionally gripping and complex story about one man's split-second decision to protect his son - and the devastating consequences that follow. Jake Buckman's relationship with his sixteen-year-old son Ryan is not an easy one, so at the urging of his loving wife, Pam, Jake goes alone to pick up Ryan at their suburban movie theater. On the way home, Ryan asks to drive on a deserted road, and Jake sees it as a chance to make a connection. However, what starts as a father-son bonding opportunity instantly turns into a nightmare. Tragedy strikes, and with Ryan's entire future hanging in the balance, Jake is forced to make a split-second decision that plunges them both into a world of guilt and lies. Without ever meaning to, Jake and Ryan find themselves living under the crushing weight of their secret, which threatens to tear their family to shreds and ruin them all.
Powerful and dramatic, Keep Quiet will have readers and book clubs debating what it means to be a parent and how far you can, and should, go to protect those you love.

Currently reading: Bird Box
LOVING this one... so far! I'm finding it a little scary though, lol. Have to keep my wild imagination reigned in while reading and fight the urge to close my eyes, lol! Keeps me on the edge of my seat and I don't want to put it down! I cannot even imagine how this one will end - so hoping I am not disappointed with the ending.

 

[willowsnn3]

Goal 72

#37 Before He Finds Her by Michael Kardos

From the jacket:
Everyone in the quiet Jersey Shore town of Silver Bay knows the story: On a Sunday evening in September 1991, Ramsey Miller threw a blowout block party, then brutally murdered his beautiful wife and 3 yr old daughter. But everyone is wrong. The daughter got away. Now she is almost an adult and has become tired of living in secrecy.....

This one was pretty good.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

7 of 12: The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes.

The most powerful man in the republic framed her, threw her in prison, and stole a priceless elven manuscript from her family.

With the help of a crack team that includes an illusionist, a unicorn, a death priestess, a talking warhammer, and a lad with a prophetic birthmark, Loch must find a way into the floating fortress of Heaven's Spire–and get past the magic-hunting golems and infernal sorcerers standing between her and the vault that holds her family's treasure.

It'd be tricky enough without the military coup and unfolding of an ancient evil prophecy–but now the determined and honourable Justicar Pyvic has been assigned to take her in.

But hey, every plan has a few hitches

Goodreads

4.5 out of 5. I love this book so much. Probably the best book I've read in a long long time. Very funny. Interesting characters. Lots of twists. Take a high fantasy setting, merge it with a heist story, with a sprinkling of race relations, Firefly-like character interactions, and jokes about sleeping with your enemies mothers.

Up next: either The Prophecy Con (the sequel to this book) by Patrick Weekes, or The Martian by Andy Weir. Whichever I don't read next will be the following book.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Currently reading: Bird Box
LOVING this one... so far! I'm finding it a little scary though, lol. Have to keep my wild imagination reigned in while reading and fight the urge to close my eyes, lol! Keeps me on the edge of my seat and I don't want to put it down! I cannot even imagine how this one will end - so hoping I am not disappointed with the ending.

One of my favorites so far this year.

 

[Carstairs38]

#61/100
Lullaby Town by Robert Crais (Cole/Pike #3) – 4

Elvis Cole is hired by a big Hollywood director to find his ex-wife and their son. After a decade of no contact, Elvis takes a little time to pick up the trail, but once he does, the shock at the end might have him in over his head.


The book started out great, but about a third of the way into it, the twist kicked things into high gear. The new characters are great and really show a lot of growth here, which made me love them more. Pike, Cole’s partner in the PI business, is still more caricature than character and the foul language could easily be cut in half and still make the point, but overall, I did enjoy this book.

#62/100
A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman – 5

One day while at the laundromat, teddy bear Corduroy decides he needs a pocket. His search for one introduces him to some strange new things. Can he find a pocket? Will Lisa be able to find him?


Even as a kid, I liked this book more than Corduroy’s first adventure. I think it’s because of the creativity. We know what Corduroy finds along his way, but his explanations for them are creative, logical, and fun. The illustrations capture the story perfectly, and will please kids and parents alike. This is one all ages can enjoy.

#63/100
Bless Her Dead Little Heart by Miranda James (Southern Ladies Mysteries #1) – 4

Sisters An’gel and Dickce Ducote are surprised when their college friend Rosabelle shows up unannounced on their doorstep and states that one of her family members is trying to kill her. But not too long after her family shows up to find Rosabelle, someone dies, and the evidence points to murder. Which of their house full of guests is a killer?


This is a spin off series from the author’s popular Cat in the Stacks Mysteries, but the fact that I’ve only read the first one of those didn’t hamper my enjoyment here at all. Instead, I was introduced to some wonderful characters, series and suspect, I am looking forward to getting to know in future books. The plot moved along great with lots of clues and conflict. Unfortunately, the ending was weaker than it should have been.

 

[keiraliz]

Book #3 - White Gardenia by Belinda Alexandra

From GoodReads: "In a district of the city of Harbin, a haven for White Russian families since Russia′s Communist revolution, Alina Kozlova must make a heartbreaking decision if her only child, Anya, is to survive the final days of World War II.

White Gardenia sweeps across cultures and continents, from the glamorous nightclubs of Shanghai to the harshness of Cold War Soviet Russia in the 1960s, from a desolate island in the Pacific Ocean to a new life in post-war Australia. Both mother and daughter must make sacrifices, but is the price too high? Most importantly of all, will they ever find each other again?

Rich in incident and historical detail, this is a compelling and beautifully written tale about yearning and forgiveness.

White Gardenia announces the arrival of a powerful new talent."

A wonderful book! I thought the first couple of chapters were slow, but I was hooked once I got into it. The details are amazing, and the story really grabbed me. I felt like I was a part of the book, and I felt like I got to experience the same trials and triumphs as the main character did. It was heartbreaking yet heartwarming and joyful. Plus, I learned a bit of post-World War II history! I'm glad I stuck it out because in the end, it was well worth the read. I gave it four stars on GoodReads.

Next book: Magnolia City by Duncan W. Alderson

 

[threeboysmom]

One of my favorites so far this year.

It must have been you then that recommended this! I couldn't remember how it ended up on my "to read" list - figured it must have been a DIS'er!

So many of my books come from this thread so a big thanks to ALL of you that continue to post updates & reviews!

Just finished #24 Bird Box which I loved! Even though the ending didn't give me the answers I was seeking, I'm not sure how it possibly could have ended WITH answers, lol. It's just one of those books that a "neat & tidy" ending wouldn't make much sense...

Onto #25 Written in my Heart's Own Blood - yay, I made it! Last book of the Outlander series! Really looking forward to this one!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

It must have been you then that recommended this! I couldn't remember how it ended up on my "to read" list - figured it must have been a DIS'er!

So many of my books come from this thread so a big thanks to ALL of you that continue to post updates & reviews!

Just finished #24 Bird Box which I loved! Even though the ending didn't give me the answers I was seeking, I'm not sure how it possibly could have ended WITH answers, lol. It's just one of those books that a "neat & tidy" ending wouldn't make much sense...

That's how I felt about it as well. I wanted answers! But then thinking about it made me realize that it wouldn't have made much sense if we got them right?

 

[nemofans]

Finished book #39 - Breath Of Scandal by Sandra Brown

I have read 2 of her books & if you remember, I said I wouldn't read any more b/c they were the same storyline. Well, I got this one b/c the synopsis sounded different that the other 2 and decided to try it. The 1st half of the book is different and really good. BUT then, the second half played out just like the 1st 2 I read. The story didn't flow right at all. I don't think this author knows how to write any other type of book than the gruff masculine male saving the strong sensitive female while throwing in some soft porn along the way making it trashy. So I learned my lesson.

On a rainy Southern night, Jade Sperry endured a young woman's worst nightmare at the hands of three local hell-raisers. Robbed of her youthful ideals and at the center of scandal and tragedy, Jade ran as far and as fast as she could. But she never forgot the sleepy "company town" where every man, woman, and child was dependent on one wealthy family. And she never forgot their spoiled son, who, with his two friends, changed her life forever. Someday, somehow, she'd return, exact a just revenge -- and free herself from fear, and the powerful family that could destroy her.

 

[zippitydoo]

Book #36 of 50: Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

 

[tiggrbaby]

#19/45: lost & found by brooke davis

From Goodreads: Millie Bird is a seven-year-old girl who always wears red wellington boots to match her red, curly hair. But one day, Millie’s mum leaves her alone beneath the Ginormous Women’s underwear rack in a department store, and doesn’t come back.

Agatha Pantha is an eighty-two-year-old woman who hasn’t left her home since her husband died. Instead, she fills the silence by yelling at passers-by, watching loud static on TV, and maintaining a strict daily schedule. Until the day Agatha spies a little girl across the street.

Karl the Touch Typist is eighty-seven years old and once typed love letters with his fingers on to his wife’s skin. He sits in a nursing home, knowing that somehow he must find a way for life to begin again. In a moment of clarity and joy, he escapes.

Together, Millie, Agatha and Karl set out to find Millie’s mum. Along the way, they will discover that the young can be wise, that old age is not the same as death, and that breaking the rules once in a while might just be the key to a happy life.

I had seen a glowing review of this in a magazine, so when I saw it on the counter of the library, I checked it out. I guess I was hoping for an adult version of Walk Two Moons (which is a great book!), but I found myself reading it just to finish the book. I felt the characters were quirky just for the sake of being so, and many of the situations didn't ring true.

2.5/5

 

[JaneBanks]

5/30

Dark Places - Gillian Flynn

From Goodreads :

Libby Day was just seven years old when her older brother massacred her family while she hid in a cupboard. Her evidence helped put him away. Ever since then she has been drifting, surviving for over 20 years on the proceeds of the 'Libby Day fund'. But now the money is running out and Libby is desperate. When she is offered $500 to do a guest appearance, she feels she has to accept. But this is no ordinary gathering. The Kill Club is a group of true-crime obsessives who share information on notorious murders, and they think her brother Ben is innocent.

Ben was a social misfit, ground down by the small-town farming community in which he lived. But he did have a girlfriend - a brooding heavy metal fan called Diondra. Through her, Ben became involved with drugs and the dark arts. When the town suddenly turned against him, his thoughts turned black. But was he capable of murder? Libby must delve into her family's past to uncover the truth - no matter how painful...

I really enjoyed this book but I was hoping for a different ending. 4/5 Stars.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

#9 The Lost Symbol
This is the second sequel I read in a row and both let me down. First Ransom Rigg's book and now this one.
I dthe prior two books(Angels and Demons and Davinci Code) but this one to me was predictable and the ending not nearly as well done or exciting. I guessed the bad guy pretty early on, and in the very beginning, I guessed the first two things that happened so quickly that I really wondered if he wanted the reader to do so. I will still read Inferno, and I know so many people pick on his writing but I like reading his books. They move really fast and I have a short attention span so they kind of work for me.

As always anyone who might want to read any of my works(Written for You, Three Twigs for the Campfire, Cemetery Girl or new one "Reigning", I would be glad to send free Kindle or Nook copies. If you are interested, just message me or like this post and I can reach out to you.
Also Cemetery Girl, Three Twigs for the Campfire and Reigning are all conducting goodread giveaways right now.

 

[willowsnn3]

Goal 72

#38 Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes

From Goodreads:
Detective Gabriella Versado has seen a lot of bodies, but this one is unique even by Detroit's standards: half-boy, half-deer, somehow fused. The cops nickname him "Bambi," but as stranger and more disturbing bodies are discovered, how can the city hold on to a reality that is already tearing at its seams?

If you're Detective Versado's over-achieving teenage daughter, Layla, you commence a dangerous flirtation with a potential predator online. If you are the disgraced journalist, Jonno, you do whatever it takes to investigate what may become the most heinous crime story in memory. If you're Thomas Keen, you'll do what you can to keep clean, keep your head down, and try to help the broken and possibly visionary artist obsessed with setting loose The Dream, tearing reality, assembling the city anew.

 

[Swimnoid]

WOW! It has been almost 2 months since I posted. I have a lot to catch up on.

40. Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Everyone knows what this is about. I listened to this one in the car. I started it way last fall and could not get into it at all. Then my daughter made me watch the first few episodes and once I could picture the characters I got more into it and finished it and then named my goldfish Arya and Bran. I have the next one on my ipod ready to go.

41. Roomies by Sara Zarr
After GoT I had to have something light. This book was about two girls who are graduating from High school. One lives on the east coast and the other on the west. They find out that they will be roommates in college and start communicating via email. They start out just coordinating who will bring what but then begin to share more of themselves over the course of the summer. That sort of sounds dull but it really wasnt. They alternated chapters and there was some interesting interaction.

42. Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay
From Goodreads: “The night they killed our neighbors, we never heard a thing.”
In a quiet suburban neighborhood, in a house only one door away, a family is brutally murdered for no apparent reason. And you think to yourself: It could have been us. And you start to wonder: What if we’re next?

I really liked this book. It starts with the murder of this family which is witnessed by their next door neighbor teenage boy. The boy cannot reveal he was witness and eventually becomes a suspect. Lots of good twists and turns.

43. The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore
From Goodreads: Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat diner in Plainview, Indiana is home away from home for Odette, Clarice, and Barbara Jean. Dubbed "The Supremes" by high school pals in the tumultuous 1960s, they’ve weathered life’s storms for over four decades and counseled one another through marriage and children, happiness and the blues.

This book was delightful. It is set in the era of their present life but flashes back to their teen years to explain how they have come to where they are. Each woman has different trials and they all support each other. Even my gruff husband enjoyed listening to this and remarked at a restaurant we visited..."This could be Earl's All-You-Can-Eat!"

44. Hold Tight by Harlan Coben
From Goodreads: Tia and Mike Baye never imagined they'd become the type of overprotective parents who spy on their kids. But their sixteen-year-old son Adam has been unusually distant lately, and after the suicide of his classmate Spencer Hill - the latest in a string of issues at school - they can't help but worry. They install a sophisticated spy program on Adam's computer, and within days they are jolted by a message from an unknown correspondent addressed to their son - 'Just stay quiet and all safe.'

Is their son in danger? Should they confront him and let him know they were spying on him? Then he disappears! A good taut suspense novel.

45. The Outsiders by SE Hinton
I loved this book as a young teen and re-read it many times. I picked it up again to re-visit an old friend. It's funny reading it now how dated it is (well, yeah, it's 48 years old) The language seemed hokie but the story is still solid and heartfelt.


Well, that's enough for now. I'll be back with more later. Right now the weather is perfect for going out and reading on the porch!

 

[zippitydoo]

Book #37 of 50: 14 by J.T. Ellison

From Goodreads:
Ten victims, each with pale skin and long dark hair. All have been slashed across the throat, the same red lipstick smeared across their lips.In the mid-1980s the Snow White Killer terrorized the streets of Nashville, Tennessee. Then suddenly the murders stopped. A letter from the killer to the police stated that his work was done.

Now four more bodies are found, marked with his fatal signature. The residents of Nashville fear a madman has returned, decades later, to finish his sick fairy tale. Homicide Lieutenant Taylor Jackson believes the killings are the work of a copycat killer who's even more terrifying. For this monster is meticulously honing his craft as he mimics famous serial murders...proving that the past is not to be forgotten.

 

[monarchsfan16]

#16/30: Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah
From Goodreads: Until recently, Dr. Julia Cates was one of the preeminent child psychiatrists in the country, but a scandal shattered her confidence, ruined her career, and made her a media target. When she gets a desperate call from her estranged sister, Ellie, a police chief in their small western Washington hometown, she jumps at the chance to escape.

In Rain Valley, nothing much ever happens--until a girl emerges from the deep woods and walks into town. She is a victim unlike any Julia has ever seen: a child locked in a world of unimaginable fear and isolation. When word spreads of the "wild child" and the infamous doctor who is treating her, the media descend on Julia and once again her competence is challenged. State and federal authorities want to lock the girl away in an institution until an identification can be made. But to Julia, who has come to doubt her own ability, nothing is more important than saving the girl she now calls Alice. To heal this child, Julia will have to understand that she cannot work alone and must look to others--the people in the town she left long ago, the sister she barely knows, and Dr. Max Cerrasin, a handsome, private man with secrets of his own.

Then a shocking revelation forces Julia to risk everything to discover the truth about Alice. The ordeal that follows will test the limits of Julia's faith, forgiveness, and love, as she struggles to ascertain where Alice ultimately belongs.

In her most ambitious novel to date, Kristin Hannah delivers an incandescent story about the resilience of the human spirit, the triumph of hope, and the mysterious places in the heart where love lies waiting.


Excellent book. 5 stars from me.

 

[Simba's Mom]

#16/30: Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah
From Goodreads: Until recently, Dr. Julia Cates was one of the preeminent child psychiatrists in the country, but a scandal shattered her confidence, ruined her career, and made her a media target. When she gets a desperate call from her estranged sister, Ellie, a police chief in their small western Washington hometown, she jumps at the chance to escape.

In Rain Valley, nothing much ever happens--until a girl emerges from the deep woods and walks into town. She is a victim unlike any Julia has ever seen: a child locked in a world of unimaginable fear and isolation. When word spreads of the "wild child" and the infamous doctor who is treating her, the media descend on Julia and once again her competence is challenged. State and federal authorities want to lock the girl away in an institution until an identification can be made. But to Julia, who has come to doubt her own ability, nothing is more important than saving the girl she now calls Alice. To heal this child, Julia will have to understand that she cannot work alone and must look to others--the people in the town she left long ago, the sister she barely knows, and Dr. Max Cerrasin, a handsome, private man with secrets of his own.

Then a shocking revelation forces Julia to risk everything to discover the truth about Alice. The ordeal that follows will test the limits of Julia's faith, forgiveness, and love, as she struggles to ascertain where Alice ultimately belongs.

In her most ambitious novel to date, Kristin Hannah delivers an incandescent story about the resilience of the human spirit, the triumph of hope, and the mysterious places in the heart where love lies waiting.


Excellent book. 5 stars from me.

Thanks for the recommendation! Added it to my "Want to read" list. I'm a fan of the author.