Annual Reading Goal Challenge for 2016 - Come and join us!

[wilma-bride]

Book #10 of 50 - The Life I Left Behind by Colette McBeth

Six years ago, Melody Pieterson was attacked and left for dead. Only a chance encounter with a dog walker saved her life. Melody's neighbor and close friend David Alden was found guilty of the crime and imprisoned, and the attack and David's betrayal of her friendship left Melody a different person. She no longer trusts her own judgment, she no longer trusts her friends. In fact, she no longer really has any friends. She's built a life behind walls and gates and security codes; she's cloistered herself away from the world almost entirely.

And then, soon after David is released from prison, Eve Elliot is murdered in an attack almost identical to Melody's. With the start of a new police investigation, Melody is suddenly pulled from her ordered, secluded life and back into the messy world around her. But as she learns more about Eve's murder, Melody starts to wonder if perhaps David hadn't betrayed her after all...if perhaps the killer is someone else entirely, someone who's still out there, preparing to strike again.

Narrated alternately by Melody and by Eve's lingering ghost, The Life I Left Behind is a taut thriller and an intimate look at two young women bound together in ways neither of them could ever have predicted.

This was a great book; it was an easy read and the storyline was good. It had a good pace to it and kept me guessing right until the end.

Book #11 of 50 - No Longer Safe by A J Waines

She was your best friend. Now she’s your deadliest enemy – and there’s nowhere to run…

When Alice receives an invitation from Karen, her charismatic University friend, to stay in a remote cottage in Scotland, she can’t wait to rekindle their lost friendship. But two more former students arrive – never friends of Alice’s – and as the atmosphere chills, Karen isn’t the warm-hearted soulmate Alice remembers. Barely is the reunion underway before someone is dead and the fragile gathering is pushed to breaking point.

As the snow cuts them off from civilisation and accusations fly, Alice finds herself a pawn, sinking deeper into a deadly game she can’t escape.

I am really torn with this book. I enjoyed it all the way through...until the end. It was a fabulous read, with a good (if somewhat a little unbelieveable) storyline. But the end seemed to come completely out of nowhere and was so far fetched, it wasn't even funny. I almost threw my Kindle across the room in disgust. I haven't read a book whose ending disappointed me so much since Handle With Care (Jodi Picoult). Despite that, because I enjoyed the writing style and storyline so much, I am going to read more by the same author.

 

[kmb584]

#12: A Man of Some Repute by Elizabeth Edmondson

Truth is rarely pure and never simple…

Selchester Castle in 1953 sits quiet and near-empty, its corridors echoing with glories of the past.

Or so it seems to intelligence officer Hugo Hawksworth, wounded on a secret mission and now reluctantly assuming an altogether less perilous role at Selchester.

The Castle’s faded grandeur hides a web of secrets and scandals—the Earl has been missing for seven years, lost without a trace since the night he left his guests and walked out into a blizzard.

When a skeleton is uncovered beneath the flagstones of the Old Chapel, the police produce a suspect and declare the case closed.

Hugo is not convinced. With the help of the spirited Freya Wryton, the Earl’s niece, he is drawn back into active service, and the ancient town of Selchester is dragged into the intrigues and conspiracies of the Cold War era.

With a touch of Downton Abbey, a whisper of Agatha Christie and a nod to Le Carré, A Man of Some Repute is the first book in this delightfully classic and witty murder mystery series.

#13: A Question of Inheritance by Elizabeth Edmondson

December 1953

Hugo Hawksworth is on the tail of rogue Cold War agents at a top-secret government facility, while back home at Selchester Castle they’re awaiting the arrival of the new Earl—an American, the long-lost son of the murdered Lord Selchester.

The town of Selchester, rich in scandal and gossip, is unsure what to make of the Earl or his teenage daughters, but they know that his sharp-tongued half-sister, Lady Sonia, furious at being deprived of her inheritance, won’t be a merry guest over Christmas.

The new Lord Selchester can cope with the strangeness of English country life, but he hadn’t expected stolen paintings—or a body in the hothouse.

What’s the link between Hugo’s investigations and the suspicious goings-on in the town and at the Castle? And will he and his allies get to the heart of the mystery before the murderer gets to them?

#14: The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory

Why would a woman marry a serial killer?

Because she cannot refuse...

Kateryn Parr, a thirty-year-old widow in a secret affair with a new lover, has no choice when a man old enough to be her father who has buried four wives – King Henry VIII – commands her to marry him.

Kateryn has no doubt about the danger she faces: the previous queen lasted sixteen months, the one before barely half a year. But Henry adores his new bride and Kateryn's trust in him grows as she unites the royal family, creates a radical study circle at the heart of the court, and rules the kingdom as regent.

But is this enough to keep her safe? A leader of religious reform and a published author, Kateryn stands out as an independent woman with a mind of her own. But she cannot save the Protestants, under threat for their faith, and Henry's dangerous gaze turns on her.The traditional churchmen and rivals for power accuse her of heresy - the punishment is death by fire and the king's name is on the warrant...

From an author who has described all of Henry's queens comes a deeply intimate portrayal of the last: a woman who longed for passion, power and education at the court of a medieval killer.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Finished another book. I think it's number 12 or 13. Not sure. Anyway, the book is "The Man Who Loved Books Too Much" by Allison Hoover Bartlett. This was our book club's selection this month. From Goodreads: "Rare-book theft is even more widespread than fine-art theft. Most thieves, of course, steal for profit. John Charles Gilkey steals purely for the love of books. In an attempt to understand him better, journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett plunged herself into the world of book lust and discovered just how dangerous it can be."

I enjoyed this book a lot! It was fascinating to see what motivated this man to steal rare books. It was amazing to see how easy it was for him to do it.

Next up: John Green's "An Abundance of Katherines"

So this is non fiction?

 

[Christine]

#10/50 - Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson:
After trying to help Benjamin Pearl, an undernourished, nearly feral eleven-year-old boy living in the Montana wilderness, social worker Pete Snow comes face-to-face with the boy's profoundly disturbed father, Jeremiah. With courage and caution, Pete slowly earns a measure of trust from this paranoid survivalist itching for a final conflict that will signal the coming End Times.

But as Pete's own family spins out of control, Pearl's activities spark the full-blown interest of the FBI, putting Pete at the center of a massive manhunt from which no one will emerge unscathed.


I don't think I liked this book very much. It got good reviews a few years back, I had it on hold at the library, and when it came it the first time I had too many books to read and just skipped it. Now I'm short of books so I went back to it.

It was very hard to get into and mostly NONE of the characters were likeable at all. Everyone was sort of seedy, on drugs, alcohol, etc. The book was just kind of gritty and depressing. Toward the middle, it picked up and I kind of wanted to know the story of the Pearl family; but I didn't like the non-resolution of the story with Pete's own daughter.

 

[nemofans]

Finished book #13/65 - Hollow Man by Mark Pryor

This one was boring and predictable. It's about a man who is a psychopath who decides to rob a man. He is quite a dull narrator bc he has no emotions at all. It was clear throughout the story how it would end. Don't bother

Dominic is a prosecutor, a musician, and an Englishman living in Texas. He's also a psychopath.
His main goal is to hide his condition and lead a seemingly normal life in hopes to pay off his debts and become a full-time musician in Austin's club scene. But on one lousy day his carefully-controlled world starts to shatter: he's demoted at work and accused of stealing a fellow musician's song.
He also meets a beautiful woman in a lime green dress--perhaps the biggest threat to his safety of all. At her urging, Dominic hatches a plan to steal a van he knows will be filled with cash. He picks two friends as accomplices, insisting on no guns and no violence. But a security guard catches them in the act and simple theft turns into capital murder.
Cracks start to show in the conspiracy and, with no allegiance to anyone but himself, Dominic has to decide whether to stick by his partners in crime, or let his true nature come out to play.

 

[MochaDrinker]

22/200 the dance of fear by Harriet learner

 

[Glynis]

So this is non fiction?

Yes. It was written really well. There were some things that I wish the author had clarified, but it was fascinating to go inside the mind of a rare book thief. Especially one who is willing to show how he committed his crimes.

 

[h518may]

Can I join in? Start me with 20 books and I'll see if I can do better then that. Since I've only finished one this year so far.

The one I just finished was The Way Of Sarrows by Jon Steele. This is the third book Ina trilogy. I had read the others last year. The trilogy follows angels and Demons to fight off the apocalypse.

I did enjoy all three books, but found them to be slow to read. There are lots of thinks going on kind of in all directions, so you really have to keep up with each area. But interesting stories in the end.

 

[Colleen27]

#23 - Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
#24 - All Together Dead
#25 - From Dead to Worse

Yeah, I'm a little fixated on this series. As the books go on, I find myself really enjoying the deviation from the series more and more. The writing can be a bit annoying at times because a lot of things are repeated in every book (in case someone decides to start reading at book 6, I guess?) and especially reading them back-to-back the way I am I just don't need the constant reminders of mostly irrelevant details (I think every book has mentioned the age of Sookie's house, for example). But I'm happy enough to skim over those parts and just keep reading. I have the next one in the series on my desk right now, along with a few other books I've been putting off as I binge Sookie Stackhouse novels.

#26 - Clockwork Angels by Kevin J Anderson

A remarkable collaboration that is unprecedented in its scope and realization, this exquisitely wrought novel represents an artistic project between the bestselling science fiction author Kevin J. Anderson and the multiplatinum rock band Rush.

The newest album by Rush, Clockwork Angels, sets forth a story in Neil Peart’s lyrics that has been expanded by him and Anderson into this epic novel. In a young man’s quest to follow his dreams, he is caught between the grandiose forces of order and chaos. He travels across a lavish and colorful world of steampunk and alchemy with lost cities, pirates, anarchists, exotic carnivals, and a rigid Watchmaker who imposes precision on every aspect of daily life. The mind-bending story is complemented with rich paintings by the five-time Juno Award winner for Best Album Design, Hugh Syme.

This book achieved something rare in my world... I checked it out of the library to read, and liked it so well that I ordered it from Barnes & Noble when I was done. Most of the time I only buy books when my library doesn't have them. But this story was so engaging and the artwork so beautiful that I wanted to own it. I'm a big Rush fan so the collaboration between the author and Neil Peart was the initial attraction, and it exceeded all expectations. Some of the symbolism could be a bit heavy-handed at times, much in the same style as the band's lyrics, but the world was a gloriously developed steampunk fantasy of technology and alchemy and impossibility that sucked me in right from the start with the idea that "The best place to start an adventure is with a quiet, perfect life . . . and someone who realizes that it can’t possibly be enough."

 

[willowsnn3]

#12/72

Shift by Hugh Howey

Donald Keene was recruited by the government to design an underground shelter. Over fifty years later Donald's design has been realised and the last remnants of mankind live in his silo. But no one can remember what life was like before. In fact, they're forced to forget. One simple pill erases a memory. And with it, any chance of hope
In a future less than fifty years away, the world is still as we know it. Time continues to tick by. The truth is that it is ticking away. A powerful few know what lies ahead. They are preparing for it. They are trying to protect us. ...

A complete world of people living in huge silos under the ground in this not so far future.
This is the second of the Wool Trilogy. Wool told us about the building of the Silos and introduced some of the characters that continue thru the series. Very good but took a while to get thru. May have to wait a bit before starting the third book.

 

[MochaDrinker]

23/200-Never Good Enough by Monica Ramirez Basco. About perfectionism

 

[Glynis]

Finished book #14 today. "The Firebird" by Susanna Kearsley. I really love this author! From Goodreads: "Nicola Marter was born with a gift. When she touches an object, she sometimes glimpses those who have owned it before. When a woman arrives with a small wooden carving at the gallery Nicola works at, she can see the object’s history and knows that it was named after the Firebird—the mythical creature from an old Russian fable.

Compelled to know more, Nicola follows a young girl named Anna into the past who leads her on a quest through the glittering backdrops of the Jacobites and Russian courts, unearthing a tale of love, courage, and redemption."

I love her writing style, and the subject matter that she deals with. It's historical fiction, with a little bit of paranormal written into it. I've enjoyed all of her books.

Now, to finish "An Abundance of Katherines"

 

[MochaDrinker]

24/200 Diana by Sarah Bradford. A biography of the late Princess of Wales

 

[NHdisneylover]

3/12 A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay

The Good Reads summary is awfully long, I hate t post it here. It is kind of a mystery when two middle aged siblings go back to where they vacationed as kids and one recalls some important information but has a car wreck when she goes to tell her brother and then forgets it with her injuries. The book is told from the point of view of the brother as he unravels what is going on.

It was OK, but nothing special---I more felt like I should finish it than really wanted to do so.

I'd give it 2.5 or 3 stars out of 5

 

[MochaDrinker]

25/200 Feel the Fear and do it anyway by Susan Jeffers

 

[threeboysmom]

Finished #7 - The Fifth Wave

I know it has received good reviews and is now a movie, but I just couldn't get into it at all. Glad it's done, but now not sure what to read. I HATE not having a book - I feel absolutely lost. I'm next in line for an ebook, The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult, so hesitant to start something new because I know that as soon as I do, that book will come in! Was hoping it would be in yesterday, nope... and so far nothing today either. I'm going to have to break down and find SOMETHING - maybe a short book with 200 pages or less.

 

[Christine]

Finished book #14 today. "The Firebird" by Susanna Kearsley. I really love this author! From Goodreads: "Nicola Marter was born with a gift. When she touches an object, she sometimes glimpses those who have owned it before. When a woman arrives with a small wooden carving at the gallery Nicola works at, she can see the object’s history and knows that it was named after the Firebird—the mythical creature from an old Russian fable.

Compelled to know more, Nicola follows a young girl named Anna into the past who leads her on a quest through the glittering backdrops of the Jacobites and Russian courts, unearthing a tale of love, courage, and redemption."

I love her writing style, and the subject matter that she deals with. It's historical fiction, with a little bit of paranormal written into it. I've enjoyed all of her books.

Now, to finish "An Abundance of Katherines"

Oh, good to know. I really like Kearsley's books too and didn't realize she had this one. I've not heard of it.

 

[willowsnn3]

Finished #7 - The Fifth Wave

I know it has received good reviews and is now a movie, but I just couldn't get into it at all.

I think I would have liked The Fifth Wave better if the author had started with a book on The First Wave, lol. I was kinda wondering what I missed with Waves 1 thru 4.....

 

[Glynis]

Oh, good to know. I really like Kearsley's books too and didn't realize she had this one. I've not heard of it.

It's kind of a continuation of several of the stories she references in other books, however, you don't need to have read any of them in order to understand this one.

 

[moniqueand2]

So I liked my latest book much better than the 3 from my last post. I'd recommend this one.

#9/30 The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

The summer that Nixon resigns, six teenagers at a summer camp for the arts become inseparable. Decades later the bond remains powerful, but so much else has changed. The kind of creativity that is rewarded at age fifteen is not always enough to propel someone through life at age thirty; not everyone can sustain, in adulthood, what seemed so special in adolescence. The friendships endure and even prosper, but also underscore the differences in their fates, in what their talents have become and the shapes their lives have taken.