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

[willowsnn3]

#20/72

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Narnia...a land frozen in eternal winter...a country waiting to be set free.
Four adventurers step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia--a land enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change...and a great sacrifice.

Second in the Chronicles of Narnia series. A quick read (and enjoyable) while waiting for books on hold to come in.
I love C.S. Lewis.

 

[Alyleth]

I just found this thread - but I'd like to add my hat to the ring. I have a goal on GoodReads as 104 books and I've currently read 34.

 

[BonnieF]

Hi - it's been a while since I've posted.
12/40 - The Burgess Boys, Elizabeth Strout - I listened to this while on vacation and realized I simply do not like the way Strout writes. The story was interesting, but then she goes on tangents and just took too long to wrap up the family's issues.
13/40 - The Orchardist, Amanda Coplin - set in the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the 20th century, a man establishes an orchard, and lives a solitary life until two young girls arrive and upset the apple cart (pun intended!) A wonderful book of quiet devotion and a window into the type of people who settled the wilds of the U.S.
14/40 - Boys in the Trees, Carly Simon - her memoir of her childhood and earl adulthood - if half of this is true, I'll eat my hat. I read it because I love her music , and JT's, of course. I was actually at his concert at Radio City when he announced they had gotten married. This book really lives up to the old adage "The rich are different" - some episodes seem too wild to be true.

Next up, the new Anna Quindlan - it's terrific!

 

[zippitydoo]

Book #16/50: Love Handles by Gretchen Galway

From Goodreads:
The world of fitness apparel isn't ready for Beverly Lewis. She hates the gym, is nice to everybody, and shops at Ross Dress for Less. When she's not teaching preschool, she's wearing yoga pants . . . to nap in. So when she inherits her estranged grandfather's fitnesswear company in San Francisco, nobody expects her to keep it. Fite Fitness needs a heartless suit to save it from bankruptcy, not a thirty-year-old woman who cries when her students leave for kindergarten.

Someone like Liam Johnson. A former Olympic swimmer, Liam is Fite's executive vice president. Unlike Bev, he's devoted his life to Fite's success. Managing one little preschool teacher—and his attraction to her—shouldn't be an issue. Right?

But Bev's tired of being underpaid and underrated, and refuses to step aside as an obedient figurehead. To everyone's shock and horror, she moves up to San Francisco, sets up an office, and dives into the business. Nothing—not mockery, not exercise, not sabotage, not a disastrously hot night with her aggravating VP—is going to scare her away.

As Liam realizes she's tougher than she looks, he discovers that losing Fite might not be nearly as bad as losing her . . .

Book #17/50: Bridesmaid Lotto by Rachel Astor

From Goodreads:
Josephine McMaster is pretty and smart, but very much a klutzy mess. Finally, at 26, she may have actually lost the dreaded ‘McMaster the Disaster’ nickname that has followed her around her whole life.

Josie’s quite content to be single, much to her mother’s disappointment. So when a bizarre contest is announced where a socialite is holding a lottery to pick her bridesmaids (and rake in a little extra cash), she can’t roll her eyes fast enough, even if it does mean meeting Jake Hall, her one and only movie star crush. Obviously, Josie doesn’t enter the bridesmaid lottery, so you can imagine her surprise when her picture pops up among the winners, thanks to Mom. With a little prodding -- okay bribing -- Josie agrees to participate.

The wedding turns into the event of the year, and Josie finds herself in the middle of a paparazzi feeding frenzy, which gets even crazier after Jake Hall takes a special interest in her.

Can Josie handle the pressure in the spotlight? Is it possible she might really have a chance with Jake Hall? And if she’s busy worrying about all that, how in the heck is she going to keep ‘McMaster the Disaster’ from showing up in front of the entire world?

 

[Christine]

#18/50: Wild by Cheryl Strayed - No need to describe this book. It's been out and popular for a long while. I enjoyed it. I don't know if I necessarily enjoyed the main person (Cheryl Strayed) in the book. Little to much, IMO, self-created drama in her life, but I found her hike and the changes it brought to her outlook quite interesting. We probably all need to do something like that when times get stressful!

 

[Kirby]

16/80 - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway - a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

This is my book club's selection for April. I really enjoyed reading it. It was like watching an episode of The Twilight Zone. I'm very disappointed that the author has not written any other books as of yet.

 

[zippitydoo]

Book #18/50: NYPD Red by James Patterson

From Goodreads:
It's the start of Hollywood on Hudson, and New York City is swept up in the glamour. Every night, the red carpet rolls out for movie stars arriving at premieres in limos; the most exclusive restaurants close for private parties for wealthy producers and preeminent directors; and thousands of fans gather with the paparazzi, hoping to catch a glimpse of the most famous and beautiful faces in the world. With this many celebrities in town, special task force NYPD Red is on high alert-and they can't afford to make a single mistake.

Then a world-renowned producer fatally collapses at his power breakfast, and top NYPD Red Detective Zach Jordan is the first one on the scene. Zach works with his beautiful new partner, Detective Kylie MacDonald-who also happens to be his ex-girlfriend-to discover who the murderer might be. But this is only the beginning: the most brutal, public, and horrifyingly spectacular crimes they've ever encountered are about to send all of New York into chaos, putting NYPD Red on the ropes.

Zach and Kylie know there's no way of telling what a killer this deranged will do next. With the whole world watching, they have to find a way to stop a psychopath who has scripted his finale down to the last explosive detail. With larger-than-life action, relentless speed, and white-knuckle twists, NYPD Red is the next mega-blockbuster from "The Man Who Can't Miss." (TIME)

 

[willowsnn3]

#21/72

Peace Like A River by Leif Enger

From Goodreads:
"Once in a great while, we encounter a novel in our voluminous reading that begs to be read aloud. Leif Enger's debut, Peace Like a River, is one such work. His richly evocative novel, narrated by an asthmatic 11-year-old named Reuben Land, is the story of Reuben's unusual family and their journey across the frozen Badlands of the Dakotas in search of his fugitive older brother. Charged with the murder of two locals who terrorized their family, Davy has fled, understanding that the scales of justice will not weigh in his favor. But Reuben, his father, Jeremiah—a man of faith so deep he has been known to produce miracles—and Reuben's little sister, Swede, follow closely behind the fleeing Davy.

Affecting and dynamic, Peace Like a River is at once a tragedy, a romance, and an unflagging exploration into the spirituality and magic possible in the everyday world, and in that of the world awaiting us on the other side of life. In Enger's superb debut effort, we witness a wondrous celebration of family, faith, and spirit, the likes of which we haven't seen in a long, long time—and the birth of a classic work of literature."

This is one of those books that when you finish you think "this would make a good Hallmark tv movie"
Not exciting or a real page turner, just a good book.

 

[nemofans]

Finished book #25/65 - The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

I did not like this book. It's about teens that think they are so arty and special that they call themselves "The Interestings". The story follows them as they become adults, still thinking they are so interesting. Only one of them actually has true talent. Most of the chapters are from the point of view of Jules, who is so petty & jealous, always judging others critically. It's sad that as adults, they still haven't faced reality. The title should have been "The Borings".

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.
In The Interestings, Wolitzer follows these characters from the height of youth through middle age, as their talents, fortunes, and degrees of satisfaction diverge. 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.
Jules Jacobson, an aspiring comic actress, eventually resigns herself to a more practical occupation and lifestyle. Her friend Jonah, a gifted musician, stops playing the guitar and becomes an engineer. But Ethan and Ash, Jules’s now-married best friends, become shockingly successful—true to their initial artistic dreams, with the wealth and access that allow those dreams to keep expanding.
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. Wide in scope, ambitious, and populated by complex characters who come together and apart in a changing New York City, The Interestings explores the meaning of talent; the nature of envy; the roles of class, art, money, and power; and how all of it can shift and tilt precipitously over the course of a friendship and a life.

 

[Kirby]

Finished book #25/65 - The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

I did not like this book. It's about teens that think they are so arty and special that they call themselves "The Interestings". The story follows them as they become adults, still thinking they are so interesting. Only one of them actually has true talent. Most of the chapters are from the point of view of Jules, who is so petty & jealous, always judging others critically. It's sad that as adults, they still haven't faced reality. The title should have been "The Borings".

Is this a stand alone book or part of a series?

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

10/15 - Carry On Warrior didn't like it at first, but stuck with it and found it very inspirational.

 

[Deffenm]

8/50 - Beach Town
9/50 - Under the Boardwalk
10/50 - This is not my life

 

[Kogo Shuko]

Book #14: Eat Q: Unlock the Weight-Loss Power of Emotional Intelligence by Dr. Susan Albers

Susan Albers, Psy.D. presents a groundbreaking three-step program for conquering emotional eating—a practical, prescriptive, proactive approach using Emotional Intelligence that will help you slim down, eat healthfully and mindfully, and keep the pounds off.

Introduced by the author of the bestselling The Hormone Cure,Sara Gottfried MD, Eat.Q. goes beyond traditional diet books to explore the link between emotions and eating, revealing how, when you increase your Emotional Intelligence, you naturally increase your ability to successfully manage your weight. Explaining the link between a high Eat.Q. and a good relationship with food, clinical psychologist Dr. Albers guides you through the most common emotional barriers to healthy and mindful eating, and offers 25 tools and techniques you can use to tailor the plan to your individual needs.

Grounded in dozens of clinical studies that associate a low Emotional Intelligence with poor eating habits—including eating past fullness, eating when your angry or bored, and overeating favorite foods—Eat.Q. offers hope and help that works for anyone, no matter how many times they've tried to manage emotional eating in the past.




This book is a life changer.

As someone who has always struggled with my weight, my self-esteem, and my boredom eating, this book has been a real eye opener and has given me new tools to help not only cope with how I deal with food, but also with how to make my life better in all aspects.

I picked this book up because I am studying Emotional Intelligence right now, but this was much more of a handbook in how to manage your emotions than the original textbooks actually are.

If you're tired of all the fad diets and want something that can explain how you feel and help you learn new habits, this book is right for you.

I can't give it enough stars.

***

Book #15: Physik: Septimus Heap #3 by Angie Sage

When Silas Heap unSeals a forgotten room in the Palace, he releases the ghost of a Queen who lived five hundred years earlier. Queen Etheldredda is as awful in death as she was in life, and she's still up to no good. Her diabolical plan to give herself everlasting life requires Jenna's compliance, Septimus's disappearance, and the talents of her son, Marcellus Pye, a famous Alchemist and Physician. And if Queen Etheldredda's plot involves Jenna and Septimus, then it will surely involve Nicko, Alther Mella, Marcia Overstrand, Beetle, Stanley, Sarah, Silas, Spit Fyre, Aunt Zelda, and all of the other wacky, wonderful characters that made magyk and flyte so memorable.

With heart-stopping action and a dash of humor, Angie Sage continues the fantastical journey of Septimus Heap.



This book was a lot better than the last two. You can tell the characters are growing up as they had hardly any help from adults this time.

The plot was interesting, the characters grew enough to be more likeable, and overall I'm looking forward to continuing this series.

 

[nemofans]

Is this a stand alone book or part of a series?

Stand alone. I read it for book club and I am interested to hear tonight what they thought of it, but for me, it was a complete waste of time.

 

[jenny105]

I finished book #9/30, Queen of Babble #2, by Meg Cabot. I'm still waiting on other books to come in from the library so I'm continuing my Meg Cabot kick with All American Girl #2. Light easy reads!

 

[moniqueand2]

#18/30 - The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami

A work of historical fiction nominated last year for Pulitzer and Booker awards.

The slave of a Spanish conquistador, Estebanico sails for the Americas with his master, Dorantes, as part of a danger-laden expedition to Florida. Within a year, Estebanico is one of only four crew members to survive.
As he journeys across America with his Spanish companions, the Old World roles of slave and master fall away, and Estebanico remakes himself as an equal, a healer, and a remarkable storyteller. His tale illuminates the ways in which our narratives can transmigrate into history—and how storytelling can offer a chance at redemption and survival.

 

[MochaDrinker]

34/200-Rosemary: the hidden Kennedy daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

35/200 Suspicious Minds: why we believe conspiracy theories by Rob Brotherton.

 

[Kirby]

Stand alone. I read it for book club and I am interested to hear tonight what they thought of it, but for me, it was a complete waste of time.

I'm curious also what they thought. The book club I'm in is more of a social book and the more bad the book, the more fun we have.

#18/30 - The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami

A work of historical fiction nominated last year for Pulitzer and Booker awards.

The slave of a Spanish conquistador, Estebanico sails for the Americas with his master, Dorantes, as part of a danger-laden expedition to Florida. Within a year, Estebanico is one of only four crew members to survive.
As he journeys across America with his Spanish companions, the Old World roles of slave and master fall away, and Estebanico remakes himself as an equal, a healer, and a remarkable storyteller. His tale illuminates the ways in which our narratives can transmigrate into history—and how storytelling can offer a chance at redemption and survival.

Would you recommend this book?


17/80 - Paging Dr. Right by Stella Bagwell

Beautiful heiress Mia Smith's arrival at Thunder Canyon Resort gets everyone'sattention - including staff doctor Marshall Cates. Handsome and successful, Marshall is one of Thunder Canyon's most notorious ladies' men. But after seeing Mia, he has a new mission: find the prescription to melt her heart.

Yet there's more to Mia than meets the eye, including a secret she can't forget. But even that won't keep her and Marshall apart. One thing's for certain - you don't need a medical degree to diagnose the lovesickness afflicting these two! But can true love heal all wounds?

This is a typical, sappy Harlequin with a little sex thrown in. While I have read some really good Harlequins, I wouldn't recommend this one.



18/80 - Fairest: The Lunar Chronicles, Levana's Story by Marissa Meyer

Mirror, mirror, on the wall.Who is the Fairest of them all?

Pure evil has a name, hides behind a mask of deceit, and uses her "glamour" to gain power. But who is Queen Levana? Long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress in The Lunar Chronicles, Levana lived a very different story - a story that has never been told . . . until now. New York Times - bestselling author Marissa Meyer reveals the story behind her fascinating villain in Fairest, an unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes a special full-color image of Levana's castle and an excerpt from Winter, the exciting conclusion to The Lunar Chronicles.

I have enjoyed the Lunar Chronicles series and am looking forward to reading Winter. I did not though enjoy this side track and felt that it was written as a quick after thought.

 

[moniqueand2]

Hi Kirby,

If you like historical fiction then yes, it does contain descriptions of brutality towards Native American populations and the treatment of slaves. It is not a terribly happy story but it is unique and I did learn from this book.

 

[Kirby]

Hi Kirby,

If you like historical fiction then yes, it does contain descriptions of brutality towards Native American populations and the treatment of slaves. It is not a terribly happy story but it is unique and I did learn from this book.

Thank you! I might check into it.