Here it is - the OFFICIAL 2014 READING GOAL CHALLENGE THREAD

[willowsnn3]

Goal 72

#59 One False Move by Alex Kava

Melanie Starks and her 17 year old son, Charlie, have been running one con job or another for as long as she can remember, the necessary survival moves of a single mother. But Melanie is getting sick of that life, and she's more than a little worried that Charlie is enjoying it too much.
Then her brother reappears in her life.
And everything goes terribly wrong.

 

[cousinbb]

Just finished the 3rd book of the Brotherband Chronicles. If was full of adventure and humor! I loved it. I have the fourth one to read next and can't wait!

 

[WowLookAtThat]

#63 Fallen Hearts by VC Andrews

#64 Gates of Paradise by VC Andrews

One more until goal hit!

#65 Web of Dreams by VC Andrews


Annnnnd I hit my goal. I would like to add 20 more books and make my new goal to be 85

 

[tiggrbaby]

#65 Web of Dreams by VC Andrews


Annnnnd I hit my goal. I would like to add 20 more books and make my new goal to be 85

Congrats!

 

[nemofans]

Finished book #56 - Authority by Jeff Vandermeer

Well, this didn't give me much more info. The bio says answers are revealed, but only a few are actually answered. I really want to find more about what is happening in Area X, but it looks like I am gong to have to read book 3 for that. Book 3 won't be released til Sept so I will have to wait. This series is frustrating & if book 3 doesn't explain what the heck is going on, then this series is one of the worst.

After thirty years, the only human engagement with Area X—a seemingly malevolent landscape surrounded by an invisible border and mysteriously wiped clean of all signs of civilization—has been a series of expeditions overseen by a government agency so secret it has almost been forgotten: the Southern Reach. Following the tumultuous twelfth expedition chronicled in Annihilation, the agency is in complete disarray.
John Rodrigues (aka "Control") is the Southern Reach's newly appointed head. Working with a distrustful but desperate team, a series of frustrating interrogations, a cache of hidden notes, and hours of profoundly troubling video footage, Control begins to penetrate the secrets of Area X. But with each discovery he must confront disturbing truths about himself and the agency he's pledged to serve.
In Authority, the second volume of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy, Area X's most disturbing questions are answered . . . but the answers are far from reassuring.

 

[threeboysmom]

#65 Web of Dreams by VC Andrews


Annnnnd I hit my goal. I would like to add 20 more books and make my new goal to be 85

Woo hoo! That's AWESOME!!

Have updated you!

 

[threeboysmom]

Finished #28 out of 30 (can't believe I'm almost there!)

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

I liked the author's style... I loved the premise to this book. I felt it could have been something SPECTACULAR, but in my opinion, it fell short. I just think there should have been more to it (?) - I was left feeling a little unsatisfied maybe. But apparently that's just me because everyone else seems to rave about this book.

Two women collide lives on a Nigeria beach. One must make a terrible choice. Two years later, they meet again and the story starts ...

Next up: The Art Forger - so far so good...

 

[K and K's Mommy]

Finished #28 out of 30 (can't believe I'm almost there!)

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

I liked the author's style... I loved the premise to this book. I felt it could have been something SPECTACULAR, but in my opinion, it fell short. I just think there should have been more to it (?) - I was left feeling a little unsatisfied maybe. But apparently that's just me because everyone else seems to rave about this book.

Two women collide lives on a Nigeria beach. One must make a terrible choice. Two years later, they meet again and the story starts ...

Next up: The Art Forger - so far so good...

I read Little Bee 2 or 3 years ago. I agree with you. I don't remember all the details, but I do remember not loving it. I think I only liked Little Bee in terms of characters.

 

[Cantw8]

Finished Mr Mercedes a few weeks ago and hated it. I think it was one of the most boring books I have ever read. I was really disappointed, I was thinking that King's books that were not supernatural was the way to go after reading 11/22/63 (my absolute favorite book) but I should have stopped with that Just started Goldfinch. It got off to a real sloooowww start for me but I'm about 39% through and it sure has picked up

 

[tiggrbaby]

#23/40: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

This was such a powerful book! Louie's transformation from a troubled kid to a dedicated runner, then the horrors of war and the scars of his treatment, and how he made peace with his life was so riveting. This book was amazing!

5/5 stars

 

[nemofans]

Finished book #57 - Help for the Haunted by John Searles

I read this in 24 hours! I liked it. It's about a girl & her unusual family. Her parents are "demonologists" which means they help people who are having paranormal difficulties. The older sister is a troubled teen who causes lots of turmoil in the family.

John Searles’s Help for the Haunted is an unforgettable story of a most unusual family, their deep secrets, their harrowing tragedy, and ultimately, a daughter’s discovery of a dark and unexpected mystery.
Sylvie Mason’s parents have an unusual occupation—helping “haunted souls” find peace. After receiving a strange phone call one winter’s night, they leave the house and are later murdered in an old church in a horrifying act of violence.
A year later, Sylvie is living in the care of her older sister, who may be to blame for what happened to their parents. Now, the inquisitive teenager pursues the mystery, moving closer to the knowledge of what occurred that night—and to the truth about her family’s past and the secrets that have haunted them for years.

Next book: Ghost Bride

 

[threeboysmom]

#23/40: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

This was such a powerful book! Louie's transformation from a troubled kid to a dedicated runner, then the horrors of war and the scars of his treatment, and how he made peace with his life was so riveting. This book was amazing!

5/5 stars

I agree! I LOVED this book! So very powerful! Cannot wait for the movie to come out!

 

[Glynis]

Goal - 70 books

Book #40 - "The Boys in the Boat" by Daniel James Brown

From Goodreads: Daniel James Brown’s robust book tells the story of the University of Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936.

The emotional heart of the story lies with one rower, Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not for glory, but to regain his shattered self-regard and to find a place he can call home. The crew is assembled by an enigmatic coach and mentored by a visionary, eccentric British boat builder, but it is their trust in each other that makes them a victorious team. They remind the country of what can be done when everyone quite literally pulls together—a perfect melding of commitment, determination, and optimism.

My review: This is one of the best non-fiction books I've read in a long time! I absolutely LOVED it! It reminded me a lot of "Unbroken" but without all the heartbreaking drama. This book was uplifting and amazingly "spiritual" without being preachy! Highly recommend this book!!!

Next up: "The Dead in their Vaulted Arches" by Alan Bradley

 

[tiggrbaby]

#24/40: Larger than Life by Jodi Picoult

This is a novella I downloaded for free on my Kindle (thanks to info from a poster here!). It was the story of a women who does research on elephants and rescues an orphaned baby, which she was not supposed to do. It actually is a backstory for a novel that is going to come out in October, so I will be watching for it!

5/5 stars

#25/40: Son by Lois Lowery

This is the final book in The Giver series. It actually ties all of the books together. It begins in the same time period as The Giver with a young girl who gives birth, but because she has complications, she is released from the birthing program. However, they forget to start her on the pills again, so she longs for the child they took away.

I really enjoyed the way all of the books were tied together in this final book. However, there were descriptions of how Claire worked out to be stronger for her quest that I felt were just there to make the book long enough.

4/5 stars

 

[wgeo]

#16-18 The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy by Nora Roberts.
The Last Boyfriend
The Next Always
The Perfect Hope

We were heading out on vacation and I wanted something fluffy and easy to read. I was excited to find a Nora Roberts trilogy that I hadn't read yet. Yes her books are predictable, but her stories are always well thought out and enjoyable.

 

[timsprincess]

I am behind on my reporting!

I reached my goal of 30 books and increased it to 50. Here are the books I have finished since my last post.

#27 I'll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark 2 stars

#28 True Believer by Nicolas Sparks 3 stars

#29 A Woman's Place by Lynn Austin 3 starts

#30 The Longest Ride by Nicolas Sparks 3 stars

#31 From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg 3 stars

#32 The All Girl Filling Station Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg 3 stars

#33 Murder at Fenway Park by Troy Soos 4 stars

#34 Kingdom Keepers #2 Disney at Dawn by Ridley Pearson 5 stars

Happy Reading Everyone!

 

[wilma-bride]

Book #35 - The One And Only by Emily Giffin

What if the only person in the world for you is the one person you can't have?

Thirty-three-year-old Shea Rigsby has spent her entire life in Walker, Texas - a small college town that lives and dies by American football, a passion she unabashedly shares. Raised alongside her best friend, Lucy, the daughter of Walker's legendary head coach, Clive Carr, Shea was too devoted to her hometown team to leave. Instead she stayed in Walker for college, even taking a job in the university athletic department after graduation, where she has remained for more than a decade.

But when an unexpected tragedy strikes the tight-knit Walker community, Shea's comfortable world is upended, and she begins to wonder if the life she's chosen is really enough for her. As she finally gives up her safety net to set out on an unexpected path, Shea discovers unsettling truths about the people and things she has always trusted most - and is forced to confront her deepest desires, fears, and secrets.

I have read and enjoyed previous books by Emily Giffin so I was looking forward to reading this one - and it did not disappoint. I have to admit that the synopsis threw me a little and I was still waiting for the 'unexpected tragedy' when the book was almost over. But I figure that must be because I'm just not as passionate about football as the people in the book Even so, this was a great read - fast-paced and moving - and I really felt for Shea, even though I struggled to understand some of her decisions. This would make a great holiday read

 

[portia9]

#72 Screwball Television: Critical Perspectives on Gilmore Girls by David Scott Diffrient and David Lavery.

I loved this. Essays about Gilmore Girls.

 

[WowLookAtThat]

Book #66 Entre Nous by Debra Oliver

Book #67 Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe by J. Randy Taraborrelli

 

[sj&k]

I'm trying to step up my reading in order to reach my goal, but finding it difficult because I'm currently in the middle of Written in My Own Heart's Blood and it usually takes me months to read a book in that series because I only read a chapter or two a night. Last night, though, I was all by myself in the family room for an hour and a half and my daughter had left The Fault in Our Stars on the table next to the couch, so I picked it up and read the whole thing, crying throughout. So book number six became the only book I have actually enjoyed this year, and it was a shock to me. I don't normally read her YA books, but it is her absolute favorite book ever and she'd wanted me to read it before I saw the movie with her, but I did not. I'd enjoyed the movie, and I enjoyed the book from beginning to end and now look forward to sampling some of John Green's other work.