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

[zippitydoo]

#2/50: Lark (Lark, #1) by Erica Cope

From Goodreads:
The last time she checked, Mia Carrington was pretty sure that she was a normal girl with a completely ordinary life.

She goes to high school, has a crush on the gorgeous and mysterious new boy in town, and has strange dreams that she can’t help but feel are real somehow.

Okay, so maybe she’s not all that normal after all.

A freak accident changes Mia’s life forever when she is thrown into another world and left to deal with the revelation that she is the daughter of the King of the Light Elves. Throw in an ominous prophecy predicting that Mia will break a curse unleashing the Dark Elves on the world and well, things don’t look too good.

There is danger lurking at every corner in this strange world and Mia isn’t sure who she can trust…
The only thing she is certain of is that the Dark Elves know about her, and they will stop at nothing until they have her.

 

[willowsnn3]

And I'm reading The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (Stephen King). Its an old one and very good.

Loved The Long Walk! Read it more than a couple times, lol

Since I read Between Shades of Grey

Read this one last year. It was one of my favorites.

I have just started another 'The Accident' book - The Accident by C. L. Taylor, which is looking pretty good so far.

I'll add that "accident" to my list, lol. Linwood Barclay also has The Accident, which I read a couple years ago and was pretty good.

 

[CallieMar]

#4/60 - We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. The random bits of crazy formatting throughout the book were annoying, and it's hard to relate to the main character. The ending is..odd. But overall it was a quick read and kept me entertained.

 

[portia9]

wilma-bride, I read After You and I did like it. It was nice to see what happened to Lou. I really like her as a character, she's fallible.

 

[kmb584]

#1: The House by A. O'Connor - Definitely an enjoyable novel, focusing on a house's history as it's passed through generations. From Goodreads:

Can a house keep secrets?

1840’s – When Lord Edward Armstrong builds the house for his bride, Anna, the family is at the climax of its power. But its world is threatened when no heir is born. Anna could restore their fortunes, but it would mean the ultimate betrayal. Then the Great Famine grips the country.

1910s – Clara finds life as lady of the manor is not what she expected when she married Pierce Armstrong. As the First World War rages, she finds solace in artist Johnny Seymour’s decadent circle. Then the War of Independence erupts and Clara is caught between two men, deceit and revenge.

Present Day – When Kate Fallon sees the house it is love at first sight. She and her tycoon husband Tony buy it and hire the last Armstrong owner, architect Nico, to oversee its restoration.

As Kate’s fascination with the house grows, she and Nico begin to uncover its history and the fates of its occupants in centuries past. But then, as her husband's business empire faces ruin, Kate realises that they are in danger of losing everything.

#2: The Secrets of Armstrong House by A. O'Conner - Sequel to The House and again, enjoyable. From Goodreads:

Present day – Kate and Nico Collins are filming a docudrama about life in their home Armstrong House in Ireland during its golden age at the turn of the century. When they discover a cover-up of a terrible crime involving Nico’s great-grandfather Lord Charles Armstrong, they set out to solve a mystery over a century old.

1888 – Arabella Tattinger arrives to attend a glittering ball at Armstrong House as the family’s younger son Harrison’s fiancée. Her head is turned by the glamorous aristocratic family, and most of all by the eldest son and heir, the exciting but dangerous Charles. A chain of events unfolds from that night which casts the family into years of a bitter feud.

1899 – When American heiress Victoria Van Hoeven marries into the family, she is determined bring peace at last to the Armstrongs. But everywhere dangers are circling and secrets are ready to emerge from the shadows. Not just from outside the house but from within their golden circle. Victoria is stepping into the firestorm.

Kate and Nico press on in their efforts to uncover the truth – but are some secrets best kept hidden?

 

[WowLookAtThat]

Slow Weekend this week. Lots of reading done

1. 1/100 I saw the Light by Colin Escott, George Merit and William MacEwen
   
2. 2/100 The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson
3. 3/100 The Best Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson
4. 4/100 The Bad Seed by William March
   
5. 5/100 Christmas in Trace Hollow by CJ Samuel
6. 6/100 The Name Below the Tible Vol 2 by Rupert Alistair

 

[Christine]

#3/50: All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani.

I liked this book. I generally like this author's books. They aren't "OMG, you must read this" but they are always nice novels with good character development and settings.

This particular novel is based on a true story. In doing my own querying while reading the book, I realized a LOT of it was VERY true and not just minimally based.

The true fictional character in this book is Alda, a young woman from Padua, Italy who is a novitate in a convent serving unwed mothers in San Francisco. The mother superior determines that Alda is not cut out to be a nun and sends her to work as a secretary for a Hollywood family. This is where the true story comes into play. Alda becomes the personal assistant to Loretta Young, a Hollywood actress of the "golden age" who starred with such greats as Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, and so on. She has a secret affair with Gable, accidentally gets pregnant, and keeps the child but this is kept secret for probably 30 years.

I never realized any of this was true and it was all rather intriguing. And sad, and a definite different time!

The Catholic faith played a big part in this book, which is more than what this author usually does. As a non-Catholic I could have done without all of it, but in retrospect, it was a big part of the story.

Next up:

Sycamore Row - John Grisham
Pretty Girls - Karin Slaughter

 

[rigs32]

Wilma-Bride - I posted about not setting a goal. I found myself choosing quick reads or shorter books just to boost my numbers and I didn't like that.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I have a little book plug for you guys if you don't mind...

This book was written and recently published by my best friend's daughter. They were my neighbors at Ft. Hood TX and we got to be very close! I've watched her grow up from an annoying teenager to an awesome young adult. She emailed me the first few VERY rough chapters while she was in the writing process and it's very good! Not my cup of tea but some of you may enjoy it.

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Action-B...=1452448577&sr=1-1&keywords=love+is+an+action

 

[wilma-bride]

I'll add that "accident" to my list, lol. Linwood Barclay also has The Accident, which I read a couple years ago and was pretty good.

I finished The Accident and it was good, so worth a read. Just about to add my review. I have also read the Linwood Barclay version too. I love his books.

#4/60 - We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. The random bits of crazy formatting throughout the book were annoying, and it's hard to relate to the main character. The ending is..odd. But overall it was a quick read and kept me entertained.

I read that book last year and, while people were raving about it, I just didn't get it. It was just OK to me.

wilma-bride, I read After You and I did like it. It was nice to see what happened to Lou. I really like her as a character, she's fallible.

I have it on my 'to read' list so I guess I'll give it a go then.

Slow Weekend this week. Lots of reading done

1. 1/100 I saw the Light by Colin Escott, George Merit and William MacEwen
   
2. 2/100 The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson
3. 3/100 The Best Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson
4. 4/100 The Bad Seed by William March
   
5. 5/100 Christmas in Trace Hollow by CJ Samuel
6. 6/100 The Name Below the Tible Vol 2 by Rupert Alistair

#3/50: All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani.

I liked this book. I generally like this author's books. They aren't "OMG, you must read this" but they are always nice novels with good character development and settings.

Sounds like an enjoyable read.

 

[wilma-bride]

Wilma-Bride - I posted about not setting a goal. I found myself choosing quick reads or shorter books just to boost my numbers and I didn't like that.

I'm sorry, I must have missed your post. Do you want me to keep a running total on the list anyway?

I have a little book plug for you guys if you don't mind...

This book was written and recently published by my best friend's daughter. They were my neighbors at Ft. Hood TX and we got to be very close! I've watched her grow up from an annoying teenager to an awesome young adult. She emailed me the first few VERY rough chapters while she was in the writing process and it's very good! Not my cup of tea but some of you may enjoy it.

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Action-B...=1452448577&sr=1-1&keywords=love+is+an+action

Will take a look, nothing wrong with a plug

 

[zippitydoo]

#3/50 In the Shadows (Lark, #2) by Erica Cope

From Goodreads:
Mia Carrington is struggling to come to terms with the fact that she killed a man, while trying to find a balance between her role as the Princess of the Light Elves and attempting to lead the life of a normal human teenager.

Too bad her dual life doesn't come with an instruction manual.

Just when she thinks that fate can't throw anything else at her, the Duchess Isobel is found on the brink of death and Mia’s boyfriend Jacoby is the only suspect.

Despite the suspicion surrounding him, Mia is sure of the innocence of the boy she loves and she is determined to prove it no matter the risk.

The problem is, the one thing that can save Isobel and clear Jacoby can only be found in the shadows of the Underworld.

 

[wilma-bride]

Book #3 of 50 - The Accident by C. L. Taylor

A gripping psychological thriller about the deadly secrets your children can keep …

Sue Jackson has the perfect family but when her teenage daughter Charlotte deliberately steps in front of a bus and ends up in a coma she is forced to face a very dark reality.

Retracing her daughter’s steps she finds a horrifying entry in Charlotte’s diary and is forced to head deep into Charlotte’s private world. In her hunt for evidence, Sue begins to mistrust everyone close to her daughter and she’s forced to look further, into the depths of her own past.

Sue will do anything to protect her daughter. But what if she is the reason that Charlotte is in danger?

This was a quick, easy read. I got a bit confused at the beginning because, all of a sudden, a different story (it seemed) was introduced but it did all tie together in the end and I actually liked the forward/backward story telling style. I will definitely read more by this author.

 

[wilma-bride]

#3/50 In the Shadows (Lark, #2) by Erica Cope

From Goodreads:
Mia Carrington is struggling to come to terms with the fact that she killed a man, while trying to find a balance between her role as the Princess of the Light Elves and attempting to lead the life of a normal human teenager.

Too bad her dual life doesn't come with an instruction manual.

Just when she thinks that fate can't throw anything else at her, the Duchess Isobel is found on the brink of death and Mia’s boyfriend Jacoby is the only suspect.

Despite the suspicion surrounding him, Mia is sure of the innocence of the boy she loves and she is determined to prove it no matter the risk.

The problem is, the one thing that can save Isobel and clear Jacoby can only be found in the shadows of the Underworld.

Did you enjoy it? Have you got anything lined up next?

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Hey put me down for 12 please

My fav book last year was the longest ride

 

[rigs32]

#2 - Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming

This memoir is emotional and personal and utterly engaging. I've always been a fan of Alan and am so glad I read this. Highly recommended.

The bad reviews on goodreads seem to come from people who'd seen an episode of a BBC show chronically part of what the book discusses. But it's average rating there is 4 stars. I gave it 5.

And I don't need to be in the overall list for this thread. I'll number my contributions as I go.

 

[piglet too]

2/120 - Undertow by Michael Buckley (another one recommended here)
I was immediately pulled into this solely because the main character suffers from migraines like my daughter does. This is the first in a series and I will definitely read the others.

"First, we feared them. Then we fought them. Now they might be our only hope.

Sixteen-year-old Lyric Walker’s life is forever changed when she witnesses the arrival of 30,000 Alpha, a five-nation race of ocean-dwelling warriors, on her beach in Coney Island. The world’s initial wonder and awe over the Alpha quickly turns ugly and paranoid and violent, and Lyric’s small town transforms into a military zone with humans on one side and Alpha on the other. When Lyric is recruited to help the crown prince, a boy named Fathom, assimilate, she begins to fall for him. But their love is a dangerous one, and there are forces on both sides working to keep them apart. Only, what if the Alpha are not actually the enemy? What if they are in fact humanity’s best chance for survival? Because the real enemy is coming. And it’s more terrifying than anything the world has ever seen."

3/120 - Until We Touch by Susan Mallory
Another installment of the author's Fool's Gold series and a nice simple read. I do enjoy reading the romance series, because it's nice to keep seeing some of your favorite characters. A bit predictable, but when you're reading for pleasure, it doesn't all have to be serious and suspenseful.

I'm still waiting on three books I have on hold to become available. One is from another romance series, one is from Nora Roberts, the third is John Grisham's latest. I love using my library's online system (Overdrive) but get impatient having to wait. I've been waiting since early November for the Grisham novel.

 

[Sparkly]

Is it too late to join?

I would like to aim for 52 books- that's only one book a week so easy to reach.

 

[Christine]

I'm still waiting on three books I have on hold to become available. One is from another romance series, one is from Nora Roberts, the third is John Grisham's latest. I love using my library's online system (Overdrive) but get impatient having to wait. I've been waiting since early November for the Grisham novel.

I feel your pain! I have one or two that I've been waiting for since November also. Not sure why some are SOOOO slow and others aren't. I can see that there are multiple copies.

The waiting really slows me down because I often go a weeks here and there with no book. I'm too cheap to buy them!

 

[tiggrbaby]

wilma-bride, I read After You and I did like it. It was nice to see what happened to Lou. I really like her as a character, she's fallible.

I am currently reading that one! Enjoying it so far!

I would like to pledge to read 50 books this year! I am retiring at the end of the month, so I will hopefully have time!

I have actually read two books so far:

#1/50: At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen (4/5 stars) (WWII in Scotland chasing down the Loch Ness Monster)
#2/50: Special Circumstances by Sheldon Siegel (4/5 stars) (lawyer mystery; first in a series; Kindle owner lending library choice)