Here it is - the OFFICIAL 2014 READING GOAL CHALLENGE THREAD

[PigletsPal2]

Goal - 70 books

Book #35 - "In The Company of Others" by Jan Karon

From Goodreads: Father Tim and Cynthia arrive in the west of Ireland, intent on researching his Kavanagh ancestry from the comfort of a charming fishing lodge. The charm, however, is broken entirely when Cynthia startles a burglar and sprains her already-injured ankle. Then a cherished and valuable painting is stolen from the lodge owners, and Cynthia's pain pales in comparison to the wound at the center of this bitterly estranged Irish family.

My review: I really enjoy the books of Jan Karon. This was no exception. It was nice to see new characters, and read a new storyline. I love her gentle humor and faith-based writing that is not too over the top. I would recommend this.

Next up: "The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America" by Erik Larson. This is our book club pick, so I need to get it done in record time before our meeting!

I love the Jan Karon books, too. Does she have a new one out yet? I think you're going to love the Erik Larson book, too. My DD#2 turned me on to his writing, and he's another one who doesn't write fast enough for me!

Queen Colleen

 

[Glynis]

I love the Jan Karon books, too. Does she have a new one out yet? I think you're going to love the Erik Larson book, too. My DD#2 turned me on to his writing, and he's another one who doesn't write fast enough for me!

Queen Colleen

Not sure about a new Jan Karon book. I've had this one in the stack by my bed for about a year. Finally got around to it.

I'm really like the Erik Larson book. Quite a unique style of writing!

 

[tiggrbaby]

#20/40: Rain Girl by Gabi Kreshlehner

From Amazon:
Veteran homicide detective Franza Oberwieser prefers her job in the winter. Summer is for growing, not for dying. So when the body of a beautiful young woman is found on the autobahn, dressed in a glittering party dress and bathed in June rain, Franza is determined to give her justice.
Revealing victims’ hidden lives is part of the job, but as Franza and her partner, Felix, peel back the layers shrouding the girl’s disturbing past, darker mysteries emerge. Everyone has something to hide—even Franza, who must face her own secrets to reveal the truth.

This was one of my Kindle First selections. I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. It is a translation, but it read easily. It isn't a happy story. There are some short chapters that are flashbacks/in the mind of someone other than Franza. It did leave me wondering where some of the characters would go now in their lives.

3.5/5 stars

 

[Pig Pen]

#22 (I think) - "What Alice Forgot"

Alice wakes up after hitting her head at the gym and cannot remember the last 10 years of her life. She thinks she is 29, newly married and pregnant when in reality she is almost 40 with three unruly kids and on the brink of divorce. After "lying" to her doctors about her memory, she returns home and tries to piece together her life. Besides being totally unrealistic, it was also not memorable (no pun intended).

Next up "Divergent."

 

[Kinziepoohsmom]

#20 Unlucky 13 by James Patterson This was a good story line and easy to follow. I Love all the James Patterson books and this one was no exception. A good summertime book!

 

[zippitydoo]

Book 40 of 50

Innocent in Las Vegas(Tiffany Black Mysteries #1) by A.R. Winters

From Goodreads:
Cupcake-loving croupier Tiffany Black is determined to leave her job at the casino for good. She's one small step away from acquiring her Private Investigator license, and has her eye on the prize.

Accepting her first real case - investigating the murder of casino-mogul Ethan Becker - should be exciting. Instead, things spiral out of control and Tiffany finds herself in over her head, as she confronts secretive suspects, corrupt casino henchmen and her mysterious, ex-Special Forces bodyguard.

Tiffany's poker-hustling Nanna and pushy parents want her to find a nice man and settle down, but Tiffany just wants to track down the real murderer before he finds her first.

 

[willowsnn3]

Goal 72

#54 Survival Games by Charles Gaines

Just ok. Characters had no depth to them. Hard to care about what happened to them, lol.

 

[tiggrbaby]

Book 40 of 50

Innocent in Las Vegas(Tiffany Black Mysteries #1) by A.R. Winters

From Goodreads:
Cupcake-loving croupier Tiffany Black is determined to leave her job at the casino for good. She's one small step away from acquiring her Private Investigator license, and has her eye on the prize.

Accepting her first real case - investigating the murder of casino-mogul Ethan Becker - should be exciting. Instead, things spiral out of control and Tiffany finds herself in over her head, as she confronts secretive suspects, corrupt casino henchmen and her mysterious, ex-Special Forces bodyguard.

Tiffany's poker-hustling Nanna and pushy parents want her to find a nice man and settle down, but Tiffany just wants to track down the real murderer before he finds her first.

Is this like a Stephanie Plum book?

 

[Colleen27]

Duly noted! I'm envious you can read so many books!

It comes at a price... sometimes I feel like home is just a distant memory, and you don't want to see the laundry that is waiting there for me! But long days at the county fair and twice a week doubleheaders give me plenty of time to find a shady spot and get some reading done.

51/100 - Clockwork Prince
52 - Clockwork Princess both by Cassandra Clare

The first book proved a bit of a slow start, but by the end I was happy I stuck with this trilogy. The ending shed new light on certain storylines in The Mortal Instruments books and one of my favorite characters from that series was instrumental to the action in the latter part of the trilogy.

 

[DisneyWalle]

#38 - The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

from Amazon:
Esther Greenwood is brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under—maybe for the last time. In her acclaimed and enduring masterwork, Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that her insanity becomes palpably real, even rational—as accessible an experience as going to the movies.

#39 - How to Raise Goats by Carol Amundson

from Amazon:
Whether you want to raise a dairy barn full of milkers, one hundred meat goats for market, a herd of Angoras for mohair fiber, or a few Pygmies as pets, this book is for you. Expert, hands-on advice makes it easy to get started raising a healthy herd. Longtime goat farmer Carol Amundson describes the breeds popular in the United States and Canada and explains all the helpful dos and don’ts. You’ll find information about traveling with goats, marketing, treating illness, and more, including a glossary of caprine terms, tables and charts for easy reference, and a list of breed associations. Illustrated in full color, this guidebook is an indispensable resource for those who want to raise their very own goats

#40 - The Meat Goat Handbook by Yvonne Zweede-Tucker

from Amazon:
Longtime goat rancher Yvonne Zweede-Tucker draws on twenty years of hands-on experience to help you raise your own meat goats. Illustrated throughout with color photography, this instructive handbook includes advice about breeds, feeding, housing, safety, health, kidding, butchering, and selling product. Included is a glossary and a resources appendix. Essential reading for every meat goat owner!

I made my goal! Probably won't get to read much after next month - as my first goats arrive on my farm the middle of August. Lots to learn.

 

[wilma-bride]

Finally got a new Kindle (after it became apparent that the thieving git who took my old one wasn't going to return it). So have sped my reading up a bit but still behind the curve and probably not going to make my target. still, I don't want to adjust it down any further so I will continue on...

Book #26 - Between The Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Delilah knows it's weird, but she can't stop reading her favourite fairy tale. Other girls her age are dating and cheerleading. But then, other girls are popular. She loves the comfort of the happy ending, and knowing there will be no surprises. Until she gets the biggest surprise of all, when Prince Oliver looks out from the page and speaks to her. Now Delilah must decide: will she do as Oliver asks, and help him to break out of the book? Or is this her chance to escape into happily ever after? Read between the lines for total enchantment . . .

The best way to describe this book is like a literary version of Once Upon a Time. The premise is very clever and the storyline moves along well but I just couldn't get to grips with it at all. It is intended for a YA audience so maybe that was the issue - I can imagine a starry-eyed teen who still believes in 'movie love' would adore it but I suspect that, sadly, I am just too much of a realist to be able to enjoy it.

Book #27 - Stolen Grace by Arianne Richmond
A marriage on the rocks.
Their little daughter caught in between.
And a woman who will stop at nothing.

Sylvia and Tommy Garland and their five-year-old daughter Grace have moved from the bright lights of New York City to the peaceful wilderness of the Wyoming countryside. But with the recession on their heels, Tommy leaves for LA for a job interview, and Ruth, a friend of Sylvia's comes to stay.
In an unexpected turn of events, a family tragedy forces Sylvia to leave Ruth in charge of little Grace for just one day. A decision that will tear their lives apart.

Stolen Grace is a roller coaster of emotions with twists and turns, a tale of lies and deception, of redemption and forgiveness.

And ultimately, a story about love.

This is the first book I have read by this author but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fast-paced, exciting and full of twists and turns. It was a real eye-opener and actually quite frightening, in that you don't realise just how easily something like this could happen. It left me asking myself how much you can ever really know somebody you meet on the internet

 

[WowLookAtThat]

Been gone due to moving and not having the internet so here it goes...

#48 Young Victoria Alison Plowdon

#49 Longbourn by Jo Baker

#50 Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

#51 Charming the Prince by Teresa Medeiros

#52 The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan

#53 The New Year's Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

#54 Betsy Ross and the Making of America by Marla R Miller

#55 Cordelia Knott: Pioneering Business Woman by Christiane Salts

#56 Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

#57 Aunt Jo's Scrapbag by Louisa May Alcott

#58 All God's Creatures by Carolyn McSparren

#59 Wild Stars of Heaven by Victor Villasenor

#60 With this Ring by Celeste Bradley

#61 Heaven by VC Andrews

#62 Dark Angel by VC Andrews

 

[threeboysmom]

I made my goal! Probably won't get to read much after next month - as my first goats arrive on my farm the middle of August. Lots to learn.

Congrats on making your goal.... and on your new goats! Good luck!!

 

[threeboysmom]

Finally got a new Kindle (after it became apparent that the thieving git who took my old one wasn't going to return it). So have sped my reading up a bit but still behind the curve and probably not going to make my target. still, I don't want to adjust it down any further so I will continue on...

Grrrr, that's so aggravating! I HATE it when these low lifes get away with their thievery. Burns me. Sorry about your stolen Kindle.

 

[threeboysmom]

Have finished #24 & 25 out of 30:

#24 - Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers

Spanning from the 1950s to present day, Her Daughter’s Dream is the emotional final chapter of an unforgettable family saga about the sacrifices every mother makes for her daughter—and the very nature of unconditional love.

I really liked this series - the characters were genuine and the writing superb. Francine Rivers is probably my favorite Christian author.

#25 - The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian

This book had me laughing out loud in some parts,but yet it made me sad too. I don't want to get any older! LOL! It's the story of an elderly couple - John who suffers from Alzheimers and Ella with terminal cancer. Together they take off in their RV for one last road trip across the country to Disneyland despite the disapproval of their grown kids and their doctors. It's a trip to escape from "old age" and all the demands that come with it... a trip to reminisce about younger days and the trips they took as a family with their kids... a trip that serves another more meaningful purpose.

Ultimately it is the story of Ella and John: the people they encounter, the problems they overcome, the experiences they have lived, the love they share, and their courage to take back the end of their own lives.

Really liked this one too. It was a quick read - only 270 pages or so. It was poignant, but humorous too, and I really liked Ella.

Next up: Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas

This was a freebie I've had on my Nook for ages. Finally making myself read it to get it off my list, lol. I usually end up not really liking "freebies (they're usually free for a reason, lol!), but really hoping it'll surprise me!

 

[wilma-bride]

#25 - The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian

This book had me laughing out loud in some parts,but yet it made me sad too. I don't want to get any older! LOL! It's the story of an elderly couple - John who suffers from Alzheimers and Ella with terminal cancer. Together they take off in their RV for one last road trip across the country to Disneyland despite the disapproval of their grown kids and their doctors. It's a trip to escape from "old age" and all the demands that come with it... a trip to reminisce about younger days and the trips they took as a family with their kids... a trip that serves another more meaningful purpose.

Ultimately it is the story of Ella and John: the people they encounter, the problems they overcome, the experiences they have lived, the love they share, and their courage to take back the end of their own lives.

Really liked this one too. It was a quick read - only 270 pages or so. It was poignant, but humorous too, and I really liked Ella.

Oh, I love the sound of this. Going to have a look on Amazon UK for it.

 

[willowsnn3]

Goal 72

#55 Split Second by Alex Kava

Second in the Maggie O'Dell series. Loved it!

 

[zippitydoo]

Book 41 of 50

Saving Grace by Pamela Hutchins

From Amazon:
Katie Connell is a high-strung attorney whose sloppy drinking habits and stunted love life collide hilariously during a doomed celebrity case in Dallas. She flees Texas for the Caribbean and escapes professional humiliation, a broken heart, and a wicked Bloody Mary habit, but ends up trading one set of problems for another when she begins to investigate the suspicious deaths of her parents on the island of St. Marcos. She’s bewitched by the voodoo spirit of an abandoned house in the rainforest and discovers that she’s as much a danger to herself as the island’s bad guys are.

 

[zippitydoo]

Is this like a Stephanie Plum book?

Yes, they are very similar.

 

[Momof3dogs]

28/50 Beautiful Oblivion---Jamie McGuire
I love this author and this particular series of books. They are good, quick reads. I recommend them to everyone!

29/50 Me Before You----JoJo Moyes

From Goodreads: Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time

*** I was reluctant to read this book at first since so many people were talking about it. I'm super happy that I overlooked that and picked up this book. What a story! I simply can't wait to read more by this author!!