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

[portia9]

#10 The Old Curiousity Shop by Charles Dickens

#11 The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer-fun romance

#12 Lucia in London by E.F.Benson-funny series based on characters in a small English village and them all trying to outdo each other

#13 Good News for the Poor by Tim Chester

#14 Unreached by Tim Chester-the last two are both for my work

 

[portia9]

Goal: Undetermined number of books:

#5 - Dreaming Spies - Laurie R. King. This is a new series to me, recommended by portia9, We've discovered that we have similar tastes in books, so I was eager to start the series.

This is the next-to-the-most-recent book in a long series but I wasn't able to find any of the older ones. Whenever I start a new series, I try to start with the fist book so that I have the backgrounds of all the characters as I progress through the series. Fortunately, King's writing allowed me to learn as much as I needed to understand and enjoy the story, the most part of which takes place in Japan. The premise that Sherlock Holmes was married was a little hard to wrap my head around, but I got used to it and by the end of the book it seemed natural.

I'm still on the lookout for the first several books in this series and will read and review as soon as I get them.

Queen Colleen

I struggled with that too but the author made it work.

 

[portia9]

After seeing it mentioned in what feels like every second post I finally downloaded All The Light I Cannot See, it was pretty cheap too so doubly happy.

 

[Glynis]

Finished "Tears of the Moon" by Nora Roberts. This is the second book in the trilogy I'm currently reading. From Goodreads: "A talented songwriter, Shawn Gallagher spends his days lost in reverie and wonder, oblivious to the wiles of women and the ways of the world. He claims that he's content with his life, but his music tells a different story—one of loneliness and desperate longing…

No one understands why Shawn doesn't put his musical gift to profitable use—least of all Brenna O'Toole, a fiercely independent tomboy who has been secretly in love with him for years. But it is only when Shawn gives in to the mysteries of magic that he gets the chance to fulfill his destiny as a man and a musician—as the song in his head keeps time with the beating of a woman's heart…"

I am really enjoying this trilogy! Maybe it's my Irish roots, but I enjoy the weaving of the Celtic legend with the modern day romance.

 

[Colleen27]

I've read the first three. The first one was definitely the best, but that cliff hanger drove me nuts, because I had to wait another two months to read the next. The joys of being on the hold list at the library!

The fourth one is supposed to be a prequel but I currently don't have time to read it.

I have the ebook on my Kindle right now and I suspect the loan is going to expire before I read it. I did read Maze Runner, back before the first movie came out, but never got to the rest of the trilogy. I'm not quite sure why the prequel caught my eye, maybe because we went to see the second movie, but it just never seems to make it to the top of my to-read list.

Ooh I would love to get in on this...I have a goal on goodreads of 24 and have already completed 4. They were all YA so it was easy haha. I re-read a favorite from childhood, The Giver, and read all the companion books for the first time.

I love this whole series, probably my very favorite YA series of all time.

Finished "Tears of the Moon" by Nora Roberts.

I am really enjoying this trilogy! Maybe it's my Irish roots, but I enjoy the weaving of the Celtic legend with the modern day romance.

I've never been a huge Nora Roberts fan but my Irish roots got me to add this one to my list.

 

[E&Cmom]

.Book#3 out of 50:

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

From good reads

#1 internationally bestselling author Karin Slaughter returns with a sophisticated and chilling psychological thriller of dangerous secrets, cold vengeance, and unexpected absolution, in which two estranged sisters must come together to find truth about two harrowing tragedies, twenty years apart, that devastate their lives.


After debating between 3 or 4 I just have it a 3.5/5. Good Story with good twists but the middle dragged a bit. also I found the violent sciences extremely graphic and intense so I had to put it down more than I usually do n books. Good triller though.


I think after this book. Need a fluffier read. Lol.

 

[wilma-bride]

Got 2 more books to report on.

First: "Counting by 7's" by Holly Goldberg Sloan. From Goodreads: "Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life... until now.

Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read."

I enjoyed it, but it truly is a middle reader book. I read this, as one of my students recommended it, and I told them I would read whatever books they recommend. There was a lot to like about this book, but a lot that was unrealistic. Still, an enjoyable read.

This sounds interesting, might give it a go. Sometimes you have to read something a bit easier going.

Wishing you a smooth recovery!

This sounds really little silly but 5 books.
I used to read a book a week before kids but with 3 little ones I have only done 5 in 6 years!
First on my list is a book being released tomorrow called Evidence then A Helmet for my pillow.

Welcome aboard, a goal is a goal no matter how big or small. If you find you are doing a little better than expected, you can always increase it later in the year

Book number three. I finished it real quick after slogging through Dragonfly in Amber!

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

As a bigger woman I decided to pick this hope because it sounded like it would be a positive read.

Turns out I really hated the main character. She was extremely judgmental about everyone in her life. She also heard negativity toward her weight when there was none. She thought she didn't judge others on their weight, but she was always thinking negative things about them... she just managed to keep her thoughts to herself most of the time.

However, the plot was interesting and the writing style was very addictive. A quick little sometimes romance teen novel.

Although the premise sounds good, sometimes books like this end up being sheer stories of self-loathing, which can be a little bit depressing.

Finished book #5/65 - In The Woods by Tana French

As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.
Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a twelve-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox—his partner and closest friend—find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.

There are 2 mysteries going on in this story: 1st, present time murder of a girl and 2nd, a disappearance of 2 kids 20 yrs ago. It's a decent story and was able to pick up the clues pretty easily for the 1st mystery. It was the 2nd mystery, the 2 kids missing, that had me hooked. I really wanted to find out what happened. Well, you never find out!!! I was so disappointed when I got to the end that I had to reread the last few pages to make sure I didn't miss it. That was what kept me reading this book and then left hanging. This author had written 5 more books in this series, so I was hoping there would be more info in those to what happened, but no, she hasn't mentioned it at all. So annoying!

I have this book on my 'to read' list but I hate stories that don't end properly

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I heard so much hype about these books on the boards and was disappointed when I read the first one. I wasn't into it at all.

You are not the only ones who wanted to like these books! I made it through the first and second one before giving up on the series. I wanted to like them, but just couldn't get into them at all.

Same here!

I finished book number 2 and I am done with the Kingdom Keepers series. I just don't get it

Goal: Undetermined number of books:

#5 - Dreaming Spies - Laurie R. King. This is a new series to me, recommended by portia9, We've discovered that we have similar tastes in books, so I was eager to start the series.

This is the next-to-the-most-recent book in a long series but I wasn't able to find any of the older ones. Whenever I start a new series, I try to start with the fist book so that I have the backgrounds of all the characters as I progress through the series. Fortunately, King's writing allowed me to learn as much as I needed to understand and enjoy the story, the most part of which takes place in Japan. The premise that Sherlock Holmes was married was a little hard to wrap my head around, but I got used to it and by the end of the book it seemed natural.

I'm still on the lookout for the first several books in this series and will read and review as soon as I get them.

Queen Colleen

#6/72

The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison
Jodi and Todd are at a bad place in their marriage. Much is at stake, including the affluent life they lead in their beautiful waterfront condo in Chicago, as she, the killer, and he, the victim, rush haplessly toward the main event. He is a committed cheater. She lives and breathes denial. He exists in dual worlds. She likes to settle scores. He decides to play for keeps. She has nothing left to lose. Told in alternating voices, The Silent Wife is about a marriage in the throes of dissolution, a couple headed for catastrophe, concessions that can't be made, and promises that won't be kept.

Pretty good, quick read.

Sounds good - another one to add to the ever-growing, never-ending list

#10 - The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke

#11 - Long Live the Queen by Kate Locke

#12, 13, 14 - The Fifty Shades Trilogy by E.L. James

I am having an ongoing debate with my friend, who is encouraging me to read the Fifty Shades trilogy. Having started the first book when it first came out and not got further than a couple of chapters in, I have to say this is another series that holds no interest for me. I must be one of the few who has o desire to see the film either, despite the gorgeous Jamie Dornan

#10 The Old Curiousity Shop by Charles Dickens

#11 The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer-fun romance

#12 Lucia in London by E.F.Benson-funny series based on characters in a small English village and them all trying to outdo each other

#13 Good News for the Poor by Tim Chester

#14 Unreached by Tim Chester-the last two are both for my work

After seeing it mentioned in what feels like every second post I finally downloaded All The Light I Cannot See, it was pretty cheap too so doubly happy.

I tried to start that book last night and didn't get past the first few sentences. Maybe it's because I was tired but it just didn't make any sense to me. I will perhaps try again when it's not 11.30 at night and I am not dosed up on codeine

Finished "Tears of the Moon" by Nora Roberts. This is the second book in the trilogy I'm currently reading. From Goodreads: "A talented songwriter, Shawn Gallagher spends his days lost in reverie and wonder, oblivious to the wiles of women and the ways of the world. He claims that he's content with his life, but his music tells a different story—one of loneliness and desperate longing…

No one understands why Shawn doesn't put his musical gift to profitable use—least of all Brenna O'Toole, a fiercely independent tomboy who has been secretly in love with him for years. But it is only when Shawn gives in to the mysteries of magic that he gets the chance to fulfill his destiny as a man and a musician—as the song in his head keeps time with the beating of a woman's heart…"

I am really enjoying this trilogy! Maybe it's my Irish roots, but I enjoy the weaving of the Celtic legend with the modern day romance.

Never read anything by Nora Roberts, although I have friends who swear by her books.

.Book#3 out of 50:

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

From good reads

#1 internationally bestselling author Karin Slaughter returns with a sophisticated and chilling psychological thriller of dangerous secrets, cold vengeance, and unexpected absolution, in which two estranged sisters must come together to find truth about two harrowing tragedies, twenty years apart, that devastate their lives.

After debating between 3 or 4 I just have it a 3.5/5. Good Story with good twists but the middle dragged a bit. also I found the violent sciences extremely graphic and intense so I had to put it down more than I usually do n books. Good triller though.

I think after this book. Need a fluffier read. Lol.

Treat yourself to something 'fluffy' next

 

[NHdisneylover]

Welcome to the newcomers

Sorry, I got a bit behind with this thread. I had a minor operation on my shoulder a few days ago so have been drugged up and sleeping most of the time. The good news is I now have a week off to recover and so I am hoping to get plenty of reading done.

Hopefully I have got everybody's book count up to date now.

I hope you are recovering nicely and that the operation does what it was supposed to do and helps you

 

[Christine]

.Book#3 out of 50:

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

From good reads

#1 internationally bestselling author Karin Slaughter returns with a sophisticated and chilling psychological thriller of dangerous secrets, cold vengeance, and unexpected absolution, in which two estranged sisters must come together to find truth about two harrowing tragedies, twenty years apart, that devastate their lives.


After debating between 3 or 4 I just have it a 3.5/5. Good Story with good twists but the middle dragged a bit. also I found the violent sciences extremely graphic and intense so I had to put it down more than I usually do n books. Good triller though.


I think after this book. Need a fluffier read. Lol.

I had the same reaction to the graphic violence. Usually I have no problems with these sorts of books.

 

[wilma-bride]

I hope you are recovering nicely and that the operation does what it was supposed to do and helps you

Thank you, so far so good. Physio starts next week

 

[wilma-bride]

Book #8 of 50 - Kingdom Keepers: Disney at Dawn by Ridley Pearson

It's supposed to be a happy day at the Magic Kingdom-the return of the teenaged holographic hosts. But things go very wrong when a sudden lightning storm disrupts the celebration, and Amanda's mysterious sister, Jez, disappears. The only clue is the sighting of a wild monkey in the Magic Kingdom during the storm. The mystery deepens as Finn is contacted by Wayne, an old man he hasn't heard from in months. Wayne tells Finn that there's trouble at the Animal Kingdom: the evil Overtakers have gained control of one of the computer servers that will be used to operate Daylight Holographic Imaging there. That means that if any of the holographic hosts fall asleep, they will go into comas-permanently.

I'm not going to labour the point. I didn't enjoy this book, didn't really 'get it' and found myself skim reading it just to get it finished. As I said above, I am done with the Kingdom Keepers series. While I hate to quit reading a series part way through and I would have loved to read the one set on the cruise ship, I honestly couldn't take any more

 

[Christine]

Another person here not enthralled with The Kingdom Keepers. And I thought it was just me!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I am having an ongoing debate with my friend, who is encouraging me to read the Fifty Shades trilogy. Having started the first book when it first came out and not got further than a couple of chapters in, I have to say this is another series that holds no interest for me. I must be one of the few who has o desire to see the film either, despite the gorgeous Jamie Dornan

I really HATED the first book and don't get the hype AT ALL. I am totally one of those girls who thinks the relationship is abusive and not what it is portrayed to be(the dom/sub). The writing sucks etc...

BUT... I watched the movie during a girls' night out and it wasn't actually bad. I don't know what they changed, but I got a totally different vibe from the movie. I mean, I wouldn't watch it twice, but it wasn't horrendous.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

9/12

The hypnotist
Gordon Korman

it was okay one of those power though kid learns he has special powers and then learns his power came with a high price

 

[mummabear]

Welcome aboard, a goal is a goal no matter how big or small. If you find you are doing a little better than expected, you can always increase it later in the year

Well the book Evidence that was dying to read was meant to be out on Friday, it was pulled from the shelves due to legal action. Now that his conclusion has been announced (and I dont agree) I am not so gung ho to track it down. And so will start the next book on my list

 

[dizluvah]

I searched this thread and realized I called both my 1st and 2nd finished books my first. So I previously posted about 1. The Girls of Mischief Bay and 2. The Magicians. This week I finished book #3 The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai
Lucy Hull, a young children's librarian in Hannibal, Missouri, finds herself both a kidnapper and kidnapped when her favorite patron, ten- year-old Ian Drake, runs away from home.

I liked this one, gave it 3 Stars. I am in a book club with a mom's group and I think this one would spark some great discussion!


Book #4 The Secret of Everything by Barbara O'Neal excerpt from goodreads summary
Located high in the New Mexico mountains, Las Ladronas has become a magnet for the very wealthy and very hip, but once upon a time it was the setting of a childhood trauma Tessa can only half remember. Now, as she rediscovers both her old hometown and her past, Tessa is drawn to search-and-rescue worker Vince Grasso.

I am in the minority with this one (based on most goodreads reviews). I just didn't care about the big mystery - Tessa was fine, I didn't not like her I just didn't care. I liked the bits about Natalie, the oldest daughter of the love interest. I found it completely far fetched that she ......oh wait I don't want to spoil anything. Just not for me.

 

[BonnieF]

5/40 - The Secret Chord, Geraldine Brooks - the first time I've been disappointed by her. The subject - King David - what could be bad? The story of his becoming king and his reign, at least from her view, is so full of seemingly senseless violence that I found it hard to keep going. And I'm not squeamish!
Hope your recovery is a smooth one, wilma-bride!

 

[nemofans]

Finished book #6/65 - Freedom's Child by Jax Miller

Wow, I got hooked into this story fast & couldn't put it down. One of those books where you plan to read for a little bit, then look at the clock and realize 2 hours just went by. Yet you still don't want to stop reading. It's about this woman who had to give her kids up and go into witness protection. A lot of horrible things happen, and I mean horrible, and multiple events involved in this story keeps it fast paced. I definitely recommend this one.

Freedom Oliver has plenty of secrets. She lives in a small Oregon town and keeps mostly to herself. Her few friends and neighbors know she works at the local biker bar; they know she gets arrested for public drunkenness almost every night; they know she’s brash, funny, and fearless.
What they don’t know is that Freedom Oliver is a fake name. They don’t know that she was arrested for killing her husband, a cop, twenty years ago. They don’t know she put her two kids up for adoption. They don’t know that she’s now in witness protection, regretting ever making a deal with the Feds, and missing her children with a heartache so strong it makes her ill.
Then, she learns that her daughter has gone missing, possibly kidnapped. Determined to find out what happened, Freedom slips free of her handlers, gets on a motorcycle, and heads for Kentucky, where her daughter was raised. As she ventures out on her own, no longer protected by the government, her troubled past comes roaring back at her: her husband’s vengeful, sadistic family; her brief, terrifying stint in prison; and the family she chose to adopt her kids who are keeping dangerous secrets.

 

[zippitydoo]

Book #6/50: Evil Never Dies (Lizzy Gardner, #6) by T.R. Ragan

From Goodreads:
Private investigator Lizzy Gardner believed in law and order once. But after losing a loved one to a killer and watching too many vicious predators game the system and walk free, she’s traded flawed justice for perfect vengeance.

Together with her tough and trusted assistants, Lizzy is tracking down a list of Sacramento’s worst offenders and dealing out the payback they deserve. But she may be lethally outmatched by a new criminal, a murderer the papers have dubbed the Sacramento Strangler. This ritualistic serial killer is dropping corpses and cryptic clues at a shocking rate—and he’s growing bolder and bloodier the longer he’s at large.

In the suspenseful finale to the Lizzy Gardner series, bestselling author T.R. Ragan’s gutsy heroine lashes out against the relentless onslaught of evil as she desperately fights to hang on to her own humanity.

 

[Glynis]

I finished another book... number 9, I think. Might have lost count. "Heart of the Sea" by Nora Roberts. This is the conclusion to the trilogy that I've been reading. Another predictable, yet enjoyable read. From Goodreads: "Darcy Gallagher has always believed in the pull of fate, the magic of legend... and the importance of money. She longs to find a rich man who will sweep her away - into a world filled with glamour and adventure, and the exotic life that is her destiny...

A wealthy businessman with Irish blood, Trevor Magee has come to Ardmore to build a theater - and uncover the secrets hidden in his family's past. He thought he had given up on love long ago, but Darcy Gallagher tempts him like no woman ever has. She's gorgeous, intelligent, and she knows what she wants - and he's more than willing to give it to her. But as their mutual attraction flares into passion, they look into their hearts - and find out what happens when you truly believe..."

Next up for me is "The Whispering City" by Sarah Moliner. This is a book club read, and I have to have it done by Thursday. Wish me luck! I've got a ton of stuff going on, right now, and I hope I can get it done in time to discuss it with my group.