Reading challenge 2021

[bobbiwoz]

2/50. Maude by Donna Mabry
Maude was born in the 1890’s and was Donna’s grandmother by marriage. What an amazing life Maude had, and the changes in America that she lived through are all there. The influenza of 100 years ago and women’s right to vote and so much more are all mentioned. It’s a very poignant story, Maude did the best she could, and I am glad the story is told. It’s the story of a woman of her time.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

All of these books I read are novellas

1/30 The Unlikely Suitor by Angelica Rose - Hollywood actor spends time with Amish family to prepare for upcoming movie role. Didn't like it.

2/30 A (kinda) Country Christmas by Krista Phillips - SIngle mom finds love with her best friends brother. Faith based. Enjoyed it.

3/30 A Sandys Seashell Shop Christmas by Lisa Wingate - Very emotional read. Military widow finds hope and love during the holidays.

4/30 Love at First Bark by Dana Mentink - Romance writer and cowboy find romance. Cute dog too. Liked it.

5/30 Donkey Island Rendevous by Dana Mentink - Equine vet and professional football player reunite and find their happily ever after. It was ok.

6/30 Gentleman of Her Dreams by Jen Turano - Historical NY 1800 humorous romance where two old friends realize their true feelings for each other. Very funny at times.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Lumpy1106 0/20
Formatted for the OPs convenience. I assume the 1st number is # of books completed so far in '21?

 

[willowsnn3]

2/50. Maude by Donna Mabry
Maude was born in the 1890’s and was Donna’s grandmother by marriage. What an amazing life Maude had, and the changes in America that she lived through are all there. The influenza of 100 years ago and women’s right to vote and so much more are all mentioned. It’s a very poignant story, Maude did the best she could, and I am glad the story is told. It’s the story of a woman of her time.

Adding to my new list.

 

[Tiggerish]

Dog Catcher in the Rye by Ellen Riggs, A Bought the Farm Mystery. Features a crime solving sheep dog. It was just interesting enough to read to the end but not interesting enough to try anything else in the series.

A Cowboy's Reunion by Carolyne Aarsen, The Family Ties Series Book One. Christian romantic fiction with the standard happy ending.

A Hungarian Portrait by Orly Krauss-Winer. Fiction. When her sister needs an expensive operation, Darya tracks down a rumor that her family had left valuable assets in Hungry when they emigrated to Israel after WWII. Along the way her family's history of how they survived in the war is recounted, she finds their property and a new love interest. It was a free download and probably not worth the effort it took to get through it.

Grateful American: A Journey From Self to Service by Gary Sinise. Autobiography. This was a quick and interesting read. Gary Sinise's has a large body of work in film and theatre but is best known as Lt. Dan in the Forest Gump movie. He tells the story of how a struggling high school under achiever makes a home for himself in the theatre and in Hollywood. But the focus of the story is on his work with veterans and the military. It was a worthwhile read.

1-4 of 102

 

[willowsnn3]

02/60 North of Montana by April Smith
FBI Special Agent Ana Grey debuts in this electrifying thriller marked by psychological acuity and unfaltering suspense. After Ana Grey pulls off “the most amazing arrest of the year,” the squad supervisor—who doesn't like irreverent, tough-minded young women—gives her a reprimand instead of the promotion she deserves. As a test, she is assigned a high-profile case involving a beloved Hollywood movie star and an illegal supply of prescription drugs. It doesn't take Ana and her partner, Mike Donnato, long to realize "this is not a case” but “a political situation waiting to explode”—and they're holding the bomb. As the boundary between her private and professional lives begins to blur, Ana's own world collides with her investigation, and she is forced to confront the searing truth about the nature of power and identity, and the mystery of her past.

This seems to be the first in a 'new to me' series so I will probably read the next one.

 

[MGMmjl]

1/30 - Next to Last Stand by Craig Johnson

This is novel #16 in the Longmire mystery series. I was first introduced to Longmire on the A&E (and later Netflix) TV series. I really liked the show, and decided to start reading the books. I have read all the books, and have liked all of them. As good as the show was, I like the books better. The latest one is no exception, and I eagerly await the next novel that is scheduled to be released in September.

 

[mgarbowski]

I maybe should not have picked a 1,230 page book for my first one of the year.

 

[Shellsbutt]

#1/25- All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot-This was a very amusing book, I enjoyed it a lot. I'd heard about it for quite some time but had never gotten round to reading it, very glad I did. I've become hooked on Masterpiece Theatre and they are coming out with a new series based on the books, starts tomorrow night on PBS if anyone is interested.

 

[Tiggerish]

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder. I will not spark controversary with a discussion of the contents but everyone needs to read this book! I could teach a whole semester of civic classes from this very small book.

Thank you so much Colleen27 for leading me to this book. You posted about it on January 1st. When I read about it, I searched for it and finally was able to order it from another library to be picked up at my local library. It came the day after the incident in D.C. this week.

When you pick up books at my library, each book has a slip of paper with your name and the title of the book printed on. When I picked it up, the young lady manning the desk behind the plexiglass shield, looked at the book, looked at me, looked at the book and said do you mind if I keep the slip, "I need to add my name to the waiting list for this book." I told her sure but added, "But there was no waiting list when I ordered it." Her response, "I hope there will be one now."

5 of 104

 

[OKW8297]

1. World Without End by Ken Follett. Outstanding continua of his Kingsbridge series

 

[HiStitch626]

4/100 The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

A couple with a troubled marriage moves to a new home and things begin to happen due to a murder. There are literally no likeable characters in this book. One "twist" you can see coming from a mile away and the other makes no sense at all. Waste of time and I should have stopped reading after the first few chapters 1/5

 

[mini22]

I would like to join in again this year. My goal is 30 books.

1/30 The Sleeping Beauty Killer by Mark Higgins Clark & Alafair Burke
2/30 Sweet Promise by Janet Dailey

 

[bobbiwoz]

3/50 Whispers from Yesterday by Robin Lee Hatcher

 

[nw6675]

100 for me. I've read 3 in the last two days to keep from watching the news.

 

[mrs. magoo]

1/24 The Tattooist of Auschwitz - I am a big reader of historical fiction and read many books from World War 2. This was not one of my favorites. While I appreciate the story I felt like there were way too many holes in the story. When I read the afterword and saw it was supposed to be a screen play that made a little more sense but still not one of my favorites. I would rate it a 2.5 out of 5.

2/24 - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - I loved the Hunger Games trilogy; read them in a weekend so I absolutely loved this book. It was a great read and really made me understand President Snow. I was also astonished that Snow was like 82 during the 74th Hunger Games. If you liked the first books you will like this one too. I would rate it 4.5/5. Not perfect but close.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I’m in if it’s not too late to sign up!

I tend to read more in the summer than during the school year, but who knows what this summer will be like, so I'll stick with the “21 in 21” idea and hope to beat it.

1/21 so far.

The one I finished this weekend is called Aprons and Silver Spoons, by Mollie Moran. It's the story of a girl who started as a scullery maid in the 1930s, and worked her way up. It was recommended by one of those “If you liked Downton Abbey” lists, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

 

[Liddypool]

1/21 - Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May

I typically don’t read a large amount of nonfiction, but this book was the right book for me at the right time. It’s hard to describe this book, because it’s part memoir, part nature writing, and part psychology. Basically, the author examines personal, metaphorical winters and shows how they are a normal, sometimes necessary, part of life, just like the season of winter. It was a more comforting read than I expected, and it was a great way to start my 2021 reading.

2/21 - Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

I am planning to re-read the entire Princess Academy trilogy. It’s been years since I first read this book, and I enjoyed it just as much this time. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun middle grade fantasy with strong female characters and a setting that feels like a character itself.

 

[OKW8297]

2. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Very good. Makes you think about your own life.

 

[Wendy1985]

1/6 new kid

Loved it but I was kinda suprised it was a graphic novel for a sunshine state book most teachers discourage graphic novels