SugarCreekRanch in 2013

I'm SugarCreekRanch. Welcome to my journal!

I'd love to connect with other LT'ers that enjoy the same kinds of books I do. I like contemporary fiction, especially literary suspense. Or outdoor adventure. Or animals. Or set in the Pacific Northwest.

January:
0. A Cat Was Involved by Spencer Quinn
1. All She Ever Wanted by Rosalind Noonan
2. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
3. The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman
4. A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron
5. Hey, Nostradamus! by Douglas Coupland
6. The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart
7. The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers
8. Invisible by Carla Buckley

February:
9. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
10. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
11. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
12. The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson
13. Kiss River by Diane Chamberlain
14. Apt Pupil by Stephen King
15. Flush by Carl Hiaasen

March:
16. The Good House by Ann Leary
17. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
18. Beyond the Homestretch by Lynn Reardon
19. Deliverance by James Dickey
20. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
21. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
22. Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay
23. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
24. The Litigators by John Grisham
25. Plainsong by Kent Haruf

April:
26. Six Years by Harlan Coben
27. Is This Tomorrow? by Caroline Leavitt
28. Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner
29. Fifty Acres and a Poodle by Jeanne Marie Laskas
30. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
31. Riding Barranca by Laura Chester
32. A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash
33. Scat by Carl Hiaasen
34. The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers
35. Little Face by Sophie Hannah

May:
36. Her Last Breath by Linda Castillo
37. Death Without Company by Craig Johnson
38. Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows... by Sy Montgomery
39. Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
40. When I Found You by Catherine Ryan Hyde
41. The Round House by Louise Erdrich
42. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
43. A Whole Nother Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup
44. Paper Towns by John Green
45. The Girl With No Name by Marina Chapman

June:
46. Too Close To Home by Linwood Barclay
47. Monster by Frank Peretti
48. Always Watching by Chevy Stevens
49. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
50. Another Whole Nother Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup
51. The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian
52. Joyland by Stephen King

July:
53. Ten Thousand Heavens by Chuck Rosenthal
54. Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas
55. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
56. The Museum of Dr. Moses by Joyce Carol Oates
57. No Child of Mine by Susan Lewis
58. Smoky Mountain Tracks by Donna Ball
59. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
60. The Dive by Gordon Korman

August:
61. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
62. Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane
63. Envy the Night by Michael Koryta
64. Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson
65. Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
66. Accidents of Nature by Harriet McBryde Johnson
67. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley
68. Friday's Harbor by Diane Hammond

September:
69. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
70. Back of Beyond by C. J. Box
71. After Her by Joyce Maynard
72. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
73. You Are Not So Smart by David McRaney
74. The First Lie and Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
75. A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay
76. Crow Lake by Mary Lawson
77. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
78. The Sound and the Furry by Spencer Quinn

October:
79. Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt
80. The Shining by Stephen King
81. A Man of His Own by Susan Wilson
82. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
83. Thunderhead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
84. Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield
85. The Chronicles of the $700 Pony by Ellen Broadhurst

November:
86. My Own Miraculous by Joshilyn Jackson
87. Looking for Alaska by John Green
88. The Escape Artist by Diane Chamberlain
89. Tilt A Whirl by Chris Grabenstein
90. Mad Mouse by Chris Grabenstein
91. Whack A Mole by Chris Grabenstein
92. Hell Hole by Chris Grabenstein
93. Mind Scrambler by Chris Grabenstein
94. The Whole Golden World by Kristina Riggle
95. My Story by Elizabeth Smart
96. The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley

December:
97. The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb
98. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
99. Sycamore Row by John Grisham
100. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

Welcome back, Carol!

Animal books! I'm with you on that one. :)

Hello there! Starred again. Wishing you a wonderful 2013.

Welcome back!

Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to Keeping up with your 2013 reading!

Happy New Year, Carol! I've got you starred, and I'm ready for a brand new adventure!

Welcome back, Carol. Checking in!

Hi Carol, Happy New Year!

Yay, visitors already! Thanks for stopping by. :)

0. A Cat Was Involved by Spencer Quinn



This is a short story, not a whole book, I'm not counting it in my 75 challenge. Hence the number 0. This also affected my rating... it would have been a 4 star, but I was disappointed in the length. I knew it would be short, but it seemed really short.

This is a prequel to the Chet and Bernie series that I love. For the uninitiated, Chet is the dog partner of private investigator Bernie Little. The stories are told from Chet's point of view. This prequel tells the story of when Chet met Bernie, when Chet flunked out of K-9 training.

I've listened to the other Chet and Bernie books as audiobooks, but this story was only available on Kindle. I still heard narrator Jim Frangione's "Chet" voice in my head as I read. I see it just became available on Audible today.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Kindle

1. All She Ever Wanted by Rosalind Noonan



All She Ever Wanted is a story about the disappearance of an infant, who was in the care of a mother suffering from Post Partum Depression.

This book did a great job of illustrating the effects PPD. I really felt for Chelsea and all she was going through. She was very aware that her feeling were due to PPD, but was unable to get effective help due to an unsympathetic doctor and a bureaucratic insurance company. You could feel her desperation growing as she tried to keep her daughter safe, even while having horrible visions of her injuring her daughter.

I thought that the "mystery" aspect was okay, but not great. It did not feel as suspenseful as I'd expect a search for a missing infant to be.

Disclosure: I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Kindle

Hmmm - I don't think I know that series. It's a prequel. Does one need to be familiar with the series to really appreciate it since there's already a history established of the dog detectives.

Hi Lori -- I think that A Cat Was Involved is too short to be appreciated as a stand-alone. You wouldn't really get a chance to know and love Chet. I'd recommend starting with Dog on It instead.

2. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple



A quirky book that had me laughing out loud!

Agoraphobic architectural genius Bernadette Fox has disappeared from her Seattle home. The events leading up to her disappearance are told via emails, letters, voice mails and other correspondence compiled by Bernadette's fifteen-year-old daughter Bee. Bernadette is very funny in her complaints about Seattle, Microsoft (husband is a Product Manager), private school parents, and the like. Other parents at the school are hilarious in their gossiping about Bernadette and her family. There are amusing glimpses of Microsoft life, too.

But it's not just funny. There is also a very honest warmth in the family's love for each other, and their support of each other's dreams.

Rating: 5 stars
Format: Audiobook

Hi Carol, I'm dropping by to place my star. I see you've gotten off to a great start with 3 books completed already.

#15: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Carol!

Sounds like a fun book! Now it's on my wishlist.

I'm glad to see that Where'd You Go, Bernadette? has found another fan! It's one I might revisit on audio at some point.

I've had my eye on Where'd You Go, Bernadette?. It showed up on a lot of end of the year Best of 2012 lists. Sounds like the attention is well deserved!

Oh! Hadn't heard about Bernadette yet. Sounds great! Thanks. And good on your for three reviews already! I have read three, but nary a review. (Slinks off...)

Oh! Hadn't heard about Bernadette yet. Sounds great! Thanks. And good on your for three reviews already! I have read three, but nary a review. (Slinks off...)

Today is my son's eleventh birthday. In the wee hours of the morning, a very important letter was delivered via owl post.

>23 SugarCreekRanch: Too cool! What sort of festivities are you planning?

**marking spot**

Happy New Year!

Hi Carol, I am wondering whether I saw the Chet and Bernie books on your thread last year, because I have read the first two and LOVED them. I just couldn't remember whose thread I saw them on because I wanted to come back and say thank you for the excellent recommendation! I've got the third one reserved at the library. Where'd You Go, Bernadette sounds good - I will look out for it. Happy New Year!

I like the increase in visitors on my thread. Welcome and Happy New Year to all!

Rhonda: No Potter-related festivities beyond the Hogwarts Acceptance letter. We did most of our standard birthday festivities over the last weekend. We are planning to go to Universal Orlando this summer, and will be visiting the Harry Potter area. I'm sure we'll tease The Boy about getting all of his first year supplies while we're in Diagon Alley.

Susan: I'm glad you're enjoying the Chet and Bernie series, whether you got the idea from me or not! They do get a bit repetitive, but somehow I don't tired of them.

I love the Chet and Bernie series, too!

Out all the animal narrators of the books I've read....I have to admit, Chet's my favorite. I've always been curious as to the "incident" so I'll try to find A Cat Was Involved

3. The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman



In 1920's Australia, a lighthouse keeper and his wife discover a washed-up boat containing a dead man and an infant. Having just suffered the latest in a series of miscarriages, they decide to accept the infant as a gift from fate and raise her as their own.

I enjoyed this book, despite some lengthy slow parts. It illustrates the difficulty of deciding between right and wrong, when the choice is not very clear.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Kindle

Hi Carol! Just stopping in to wish you a fabulous weekend!

#29: I put that book on hold at my local library just last night. I am really hoping I like it.

Hi Ellen! I have another "dog narrator" book review coming up (next message)

Hi Mamie! Thanks for the weekend wishes. We were able to go skiing for the first time this winter, and were lucky to have beautiful (but cold!) weather.

Hi Stasia! I'll be interested in seeing your thoughts on The Light Between Oceans later.

4. A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron



This is a sequel to A Dog's Purpose. You will want to read that book first. I LOVED the first book, and really liked the second.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

5. Hey, Nostradamus! by Douglas Coupland



I listened to the audio version of this book. I chose this book because part of is narrated by Jenna Lamia (who is awesome), and the reviews on Audible were very positive. The full-cast narration was very well done.

But by the end of the book, I thought the story was disjointed and strange. And the ending had no closure. I had to double-check that I wasn't missing a "part 2" of the audio.

Rating: 2.5
Format: Audiobook

6. The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart



A read-aloud with my boy. This is a prequel to the Mysterious Benedict Society series.

Happy belated birthday to your son! The Hogwarts letter is a wonderful idea!

I read A Dog's Purpose and although I really liked it, I'm not sure if I'd want to read more of the same in a sequel. Is it the same premise?

Hi Joanne! A Dog's Journey is the same premise as A Dog's Purpose. The first book had a greater variety of dog experiences, and was more focused on "dog" than "human". In the second book, dog's lives are all tied to a single person - the granddaughter of Ethan from the first book. This book is focused on her life through the years, as seen by her dog(s).

I like the sounds of both. I'll have to read A Dog's Purpose

But, so all of the dogs die?

But, so all of the dogs die?
Yes, and no. It the same dog spirit throughout. He dies and is reincarnated as another dog multiple times; so he is never really gone. But there definitely are some parts where it would wise to have a tissue handy.

#35 - My boys are in a "I want to read to myself" stage, and I've been missing read alouds. I may have to read the Mysterious Benedict series to myself.

Popping in to say Hi! Now that I have written at least two reviews and don't have to be (as) embarrassed by your thread. LOL. Great reads here! Is it cold or what here?!?

Hi, Kim! Don't be embarrassed... my reviews are short and sweet, and yours are well thought out and insightful. And, apparently, hot. :)

Yes, it has been cold! But I like that so much better than the dreary wet we usually have. I kind of like bundling up in my warm fuzzy clothes, and heading out into cold weather.

7. The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers



The Comfort of Lies is told from the perspectives of three different women. Tia had an affair with Nathan (a married man), got pregnant, and gave the baby up for adoption five years ago. Caroline and her husband adopted the girl, though Caroline is not sure that she is cut out for motherhood. Juliette is Nathan's wife; on discovery that Nathan had a child from his affair, she becomes obsessed with the girl.

I felt very "meh" about this book. The characters are reasonably well developed, but are neither particularly likeable or detestable. There is some pretty strange behavior, but no major plot twists. The writing style is perfectly fine, but nothing that you'd feel compelled to quote. Overall, it wasn't bad, but there was nothing that really pulled me in, either.

Disclosure: I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 2.5 stars
Format: Kindle

And that seems like a perfectly well-thought out insightful review yourself! I think you have just saved me from a meh read. So thanks. I am loving the cold and the blue skies. I lived in MN for many years and this weather reminds of there. In fact, my sister has been rubbing in the fact that she has warmer weather the me! Wishing you a great weekend.

Thanks, Kim! I am bummed that the rain has returned. We'll hopefully get from fresh snow on the mountain, though.

8. Invisible by Carla Buckley



Dana Carlson has been estranged from her sister Julie for almost 17 years, when she gets a call Julie's daughter, Peyton. Julie is in the hospital. Dana rushes back to her hometown, but is too late. Julie has died from kidney failure. Dana discovers that Julie was suspicious that something was making people in the town ill, and Dana starts investigating.

This story is an environmental warning story, as Dana discovers a possible source for the increase in kidney in Black Bear. The potential toxin that Dana uncovers is an interesting topic, and it makes you wonder about the possible dangers of modern products.

But Invisible strength is really in its strong characterizations. This story is told in alternating chapters by Dana and by 16-year-old Peyton. Dana has a lot of 'baggage' left over from her choices as a teenager. Peyton is dealing with the death of her mother, followed by the arrival of a not-very-welcome aunt, and her dad seems to be drinking more. Both Dana and Peyton are well-drawn characters, but I particularly enjoyed Peyton.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Kindle

Hey! Do you want to meet at Annie Bloom's in Multnomah Village some night? OregonReader and I (we have just "met") are going to try.

That sound fun, Kim! Let me know the date/time that you two decide on, and I'll try to join you! :)

Great! Let me see is there are any fun events coming up there and I'll get back to you on this. Happy SUnday!

I just posted this in Oregon Readers. Hope this works for you....

I thought it might be fun to meet some local people, so I wanted to throw out the idea of meeting at Annie Bloom's in Multnomah Village, and then we could go next door to O'Connors for some drinks or food. I am proposing Thursday, the 28th of February. Why Thursday? Because that is the best night for SugarCreekRanch and the only restriction I know so far. And why not earlier? Because the 14th is Valentine's and the 21st is my Bday, so my family has dibs. Thinking 7:00ish? Sound good to anyone?

Kim - I just found that group a few minutes ago. The 28th will work great! Love the idea of going out for food/drinks, too. Can't wait to meet you!

Awesome! So glad this is working out. I can't wait to meet you, too!

Carol, just dropping by to say hi and that I'm looking forward to meeting you. We share a love of mysteries. I noticed your review of The Light Between the Oceans and I'm adding that to my TBR list.

9. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry



I liked it. But saying that makes me a curmudgeon, since everyone else LOVES it.

I am going to borrow from kraaivrouw's review, since they said exactly what I was thinking: "It stretches my credulity that everyone from Fort Smith, Arkansas through Texas, Northern Mexico, Nebraska, and on into Montana knows each other and run into each other on a regular basis. ... The notion that you would wander randomly through Texas and meet up with people MULTIPLE TIMES is just a bit much."

One the other hand, I loved the setting and several of the characters. And the story really does draw you in. I listened to this on audio, and 36 hours later I was sorry that it had ended. That was partly because the ending is somewhat abrupt, but mostly because I'd grown quite fond of the The Hat Creek Cattle Company.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

Hi! Nice review. I also remember liking but not loving this book.

10. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien



Oh, boy. If I was a curmudgeon for not loving Lonesome Dove, I can't imagine what I am for not loving The Hobbit.

I had read The Hobbit when I was a kid... a long, long, long time ago. I remember liking it, but I think what I actually liked was feeling pleased with myself for reading an "adult" book (many adults were reading it, so that's how I thought of it). I started to read the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but abandoned it fairly quickly.

So, now. My eleven year old son and I like to read aloud together, and with the movie out, this seemed like a natural choice. (We generally don't go see movies based on books until we've read the book.) But we didn't love it. The characters had some great adventures, but we didn't really get to know most of the characters. Even Bilbo seems more like a character sketch than a fully fleshed out protagonist. And I have to say, the prose is very awkward at times. Run-on sentences and weird rhythms made this a chore to read aloud. That's not even considering all the dwarf songs that I had to "sing".

My son and I agreed that it is a not a favorite, but I'm glad that we read it. He can't grow up not knowing who Bilbo Baggins is, after all.

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Kindle, read aloud

Don't worry. We still love you! An honest review must be honored.

Thanks, Kim! :)

Delurking to say that I haven't read the Hobbit and won't be reading it because I know it's not my kind of book so no worries if you found that you didn't love it!

I hope to get to Lonesome Dove later this spring.

I loved The Hobbit, but the fact that you didn't is what makes reading so special, I think. Each book touches each person differently. I actually like to read reviews where the person's opinion differs from mine because I always learn something or I learn to think about the book in a different way. Always interesting. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

I totally agree with what Mamie says above, so even though I loved Lonesome Dove, it's certainly ok that you "liked" it. I'm just glad that you didn't hate it! :)

Lori: Welcome, and thanks for delurking!

Mamie: You are absolutely right that reading reviews of differing opinions can be very interesting, and gives us new things to think about.

Judy: No worries, I did "like" Lonesome Dove" quite a bit! My impression suffered from the dreaded elevated-expectation-syndrome; I very much expected to love it.

11. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill



NOS4A2 is a supernatural horror story, in the tradition of Stephen King. (Joe Hill is Stephen King's son. He has his own style, but he is clearly a chip off the old block.)

This is a good vs evil story. On the "good" side, we have Victoria (Vic) McQueen. We first meet her as a child, then catch up with later as a mom with a child. On the "bad" side, we have Charlie Manx, a monster who steals children's youth to extend his own life. Both Vic and Charlie are able to travel to their "inscapes"... the worlds of their own imaginations, made real.

This is a long book at 700 pages, but the pages flew by. It's a tense ride, with strong writing that really pulled me in. The character of Vic McQueen is exceptionally well drawn, as are some of the supporting characters. I didn't feel that Charlie Manx was as well-developed as he could have been. I was actually more creeped out by his sidekick, a simpleton who gets tricked into helping Charlie. He seemed far more real than Charlie.

An obvious note of caution: If you don't typically enjoy supernatural horror, you won't enjoy this. It is very violent.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Book

12. The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson



The Cold Dish is the first book in a series featuring Walt Longmire, sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming.

This book reminded me a lot of William Kent Krueger's Cork O'Connor series, set in Minnesota. Both series are centered on a rural sheriff, include Native American culture, place a great emphasis on the beautiful but harsh setting, and have much more character development than the typical crime novel.

I loved the characters and setting of The Cold Dish. But at times I wished that the pace would pick up a bit.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

Oh yeah, a new Joe Hill! And what a great title. :)

Joe Hill sounds very interesting--I didn't realize Stephen King had a son that was also writing horror, but 'very violent' worries me. Do all his novels fall in this catagory (more so than his father?)

The Cold Dish, as well as William Kent Krueger's series bring together several elements I enjoy--I'll have to watch out for both.

Yeah, the apple doesn't fall far from the King. :)

I might try the Joe Hill - I did not know that was Stephen King's son! You learn something new every day! And I love the Walt Longmire books - the next one picks up the pace.

I've read a couple of Joe Hill's already and thought they were pretty good, so I will definitely be on the lookout for NOS4A2, and I love the Craig Johnson books as well, I plan on reading the third in the Walt Longmire series during March Mystery Month.

65: Welcome to my thread, Jim! Thanks for dropping by.

66: Hi, Janet! I would not say that Joe Hill is "more" violent/disturbing/graphic than Stephen King... but, yeah, these are on par with King's less gentle works. My favorite Joe Hill is Horns, but reviews are quite mixed.

68: Hi, Mamie! Yes, do try Joe Hill if you like Stephen King. I am glad to hear that the second Walt Longmire is a little faster moving. I may try it.

69: Hi, Judy! I'm looking forward to see what you think of the third Walt Longmire next month, and NOS4A2 sometime!

Hola!! I have not read Joe Hill, nor did I know he was related to the awesome King, but now I will have to look him up. Maybe not the 700-pager right now though....See you Thursday!

71: Hi, Kim! So sorry I missed meeting you and everyone else on Thursday. :(

13. Kiss River by Diane Chamberlain



I'd read nine of Diane Chamberlain's books before picking up Kiss River, and I had really enjoyed all nine. They've been very entertaining blends of suspense and character development, or moral issues and character development. But Kiss River was kind of a disappointment for me.

Kiss River is first and foremost a romance novel, which is really not my thing. There is a mystery element, but it doesn't make a lot of sense. A woman, Gina, drives across the entire US to check out a lighthouse, hoping to find a clue mentioned in an old diary. Gina didn't even verify that the lighthouse still exists before setting off thousands of miles to see it. And if she does find the clue, there is only a very slim chance that it would benefit her. And she could have simply made a phone call to ask the historical society or whoever if the clue exists.

But if Gina didn't drive to the east coast to see the lighthouse in person, she would not have met her hunky lighthouse guy. And the romance really is the main point of the novel.

My favorite parts of Kiss River were the sections from the old diary Gina had found. It was the diary of a teenage girl, and her sometimes awkward experiences with the local boys, and some wartime intrigue.

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Kindle

14. Apt Pupil by Stephen King



Reading NOS4A2 by Joe Hill put me in a Stephen King mood, so I cruised Audible looking for King books that I hadn't read yet.

Apt Pupil is the story of a seemingly All-American teenage boy associating with a Nazi war criminal, who is living under a false identity. Their individual evilness is used both against the other, and in alliance with the other. Creepy.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

15. Flush by Carl Hiaasen



A read-together with my son. He loved it. It's a pro-environment action/adventure story, with plenty of humor.

It seems to be targeted right at the middle school ages. It's a bit edgy for younger kids, with drunkenness, gambling, even a mention of a strip club. But these are generally depicted as loser-ish things.

Format: Read aloud

Hi Carol, I'm glad you liked the new Joe Hill book. I'm on the library's list but I didn't realize it was 700 pages! I may wait a bit - it's a bit of a chunkster. I really want to get to his dad's 11/22/63 first.

I really wanted to like A Cold Dish but was only able to get through about half of it before I stopped picking it back up. I may try it again but I found it awfully slow... I wonder if the rest of the series moves along at a faster clip?

I love Hiaasen's middle grade books. He doesn't talk down to kids and you're right - they are edgy. And fun!

Hi Carol--Yes, I was bummed you couldn't make the meetup, too. Hopefully there will be another and we can meet in person then!

I just now figured out the title of NOS4A2, LOL! A little slow here, glad you referred to it again. I love Hiaasen when he writes for adults and for kids! I will have to check this one out.

76: Hi Joanne! NOS4A2 is a chunkster, and so is 11/22/63. But they are both page-turners, so don't let the length dissuade you!

77: Kim, I am way slower than you. I didn't get the NOS4A2 meaning until it was given in the book. D'oh!

16. The Good House by Ann Leary



This is one of those audiobooks where the narrator steals the show. Mary Beth Hurt does an amazing job as the alcoholic-in-denial Hildy Good.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

17. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green



This is a very touching story about teens fighting cancer and falling in love. It will make your heart hurt.

I had just finished listening to this on audio, and was telling my 13 year old daughter about some little thing in the credits. She said "OMG! I just read that book last night and it is SO GOOD!". Let me explain that my daughter does not like realistic fiction, and avoids love stories like the plague. But she bought The Fault in Our Stars because John Green is apparently a youtube hero for nerdy teens, so she thought she'd find more of the same in his books. It wasn't much like his video work, but she absolutely loved the highly intelligent teens in this book. And then bought and read a John Green book every day, until she exhausted the catalog. That's my girl!

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

18. Beyond the Homestretch by Lynn Reardon



Non-fiction about a woman's efforts to start a re-training and re-homing program for Thoroughbred who are no longer race-worthy, due to either injury, age, or lack of speed.

It's an enjoyable book, but I didn't find quite as interesting as some other horse rescue books I've read. The stories of these horses are not as varied as when the horses come from many different backgrounds.

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Book

19. Deliverance by James Dickey



You all know this story from the movie. Four suburban men go white-water canoeing in the Georgia backwoods, and the natives are restless.

It wasn't quite what I expected at first. It starts out very slow, and the main character is already introspective and broody before he even runs into danger. But less than halfway in, it gets very intense and stays that way.

Rating:3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

I may have to see if my library has the The Good House on audio. I love a good narrator.

#80 - Carol - I loved the story about your daughter reading John Green's books one per day. I've read all of them too, and as much as I love his writing now, I wish that I had read them when I was a teen.

Hi Carol, The Fault in Our Stars has been on my wishlist for quite some time, but everytime I check at the library there is still a huge waiting list. I hope to get to it this year sometime, it's one of those books that most people seem to recommend highly.

Hi Carol! I loved the Fault in Our Stars, but now I have to follow in your daughter's footsteps and read more. And check out You Tube I guess!!

Joanne, Amy, Judy, and Kim -- Thanks for keeping my thread going while I've been MIA! I am behind in writing reviews. I try to catch up now, but they're going to be short and sweet!

20. Stardust by Neil Gaiman



A charming little fairy tale, made even better by listening to Neil Gaiman narrate. Love that man's voice!

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

21. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen



This was a read-aloud with my fifth grade son. We didn't like it as much as Flush -- it wasn't as funny, and it was hard to buy the main character's initial actions that set the whole thing in motion. But it did have the same kids-standing-up-for-the-environment message, and a maturity level that's hard to find (just skittering on the edge of adult themes). We will probably read another Hiaasen next.

Format: Read-aloud

22. Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay



This is fairly standard thriller/mystery fare, the kind of thing you read for pure entertainment, not enlightenment. But it was great entertainment! In this story, a man's teenage daughter leaves for work one day and does not return. The police are inclined to think run-away, but the father looks into the disappearance on his own. I appreciated that he did not turn into Amazing Amateur Super Sleuth; his actions, motivations, and reasoning were believable almost all of the time. There are twists, and the story stays interesting right to the end.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

23. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult



I love so many of Jodi Picoult's books. I've read them all, and as soon as a new one comes out, I must have it immediately. So I'm sad to report that I didn't love The Storyteller.

This is a story in three parts, with the first and last contemporary parts bracketing a historical middle part. The historical part was really very good. It was the story of a young Jewish girl and her experiences leading up to and including time in a concentration camp. But I thought the contemporary story was somewhat lacking. Usually Jodi Picoult's books have a "what would I do in this situation?" quality to them; but the situation presented here did not seem realistic. A young woman was asked to do something, but I never understood the motivation of the man making the request. He had other options that would have served his purposes better.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Kindle

24. The Litigators by John Grisham



This legal thriller gets bogged down and loses the thrill part way through. But it recovers nicely by the end.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Kindle

Pooh! I love Piccoult and I want to like this one. Maybe I will wait for paperback then. Bummer. Ditto your assessment of Hiassen's Hoot-- I liked it well enough and will read another. Are you loving the warm weather or what? I cleaned off my deck furniture today and we had dinner outside. : )

93: Hi, Kim! There are plenty of very positive reviews for The Storyteller, so don't let my judgment hold you back. I am slow in responding here, but yes, I LOVED the warm weather two weeks ago! Seems like a dream now.

25. Plainsong by Kent Haruf



Plainsong is about the people of a small town in Colorado, in about the 1980's. The central story is about a teenaged mother who finds a home with two older ranchers.

I give this book 5 stars for the writing style. Kent Haruf has a spare writing style, but it somehow creates very rich imagery and very real characters. A few words can be very powerful in the hands of this author.

But I was disappointed in the plot. There are several stories here, and only one of them comes to any kind of resolution. And the connection between the stories is loose at best. It was frustrating to come to end of the book, and not know why certain side storylines were included.

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Kindle

#95: Ooh, I have this one from the library, Carol! There's a sequel - Eventide - so maybe some of the loose ends are tied up in that?

26. Six Years by Harlan Coben



A very well done suspense-thriller. Jake Fisher comes across an obituary that prompts him to look up the love of his life, Natalie, who married another man six years ago. Then he discovers that nobody has seen Natalie in the last six years. Lots of twists and turns.

I listened to this on audio. Scott Brick is a great narrator.

Rating: 4 stars
Format Audiobook

96: Hi, Susan! I look forward to seeing what you think of Plainsong. My less-than-enthusiastic response is atypical... most people love it!

27. Is This Tomorrow? by Caroline Leavitt



Is This Tomorrow? is the story of a twelve year boy's disappearance in the 1950's. While the mystery is resolved eventually, and we do learn what happened to Jimmy, this is not a mystery, thriller, or suspense novel. It is a character study, showing how Jimmy's disappearance affects the lives of some of those who loved him -- his sister, his best friend, and his best friend's mother.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Kindle

28. Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner



Jennifer Weiner's books are hit-and-miss for me. This one was a hit.

The story is told with via the perspectives of four different women, surrounding a single pregnancy from an egg-bank egg, and carried by a surrogate mother. I listed to this on audio, and have four different readers for the four perspectives helped it to feel like these women were telling me their sides of the story. Enjoyed it.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

29. Fifty Acres and a Poodle by Jeanne Marie Laskas



I really enjoyed this warm, funny memoir of a city girl's first year living on the farm she'd dreamed of owning. I could relate to so much of it!

Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: Book

30. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson



Novella about a laborer/homesteader in early 1900's Idaho. There was one unexpected part of the story that really got my attention 3/4 of the way through, and was disappointed that there wasn't a greater focus on this part. (Sorry for the vagueness, but do not want to spoil.) Sparse writing that fits well with the story and setting.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

Sorry that Plainsong didn't work for you as well as it did for me. I have already picked up the sequel, Eventide. I think I would like Train Dreams as well.

Train Dreams sounds interesting. I've added it my evergrowing spreadsheet of books. I've been in the Idaho panhandle enough that I call it 'local' even though I'm over the mountain in Montana. The reviews say it mentions the 1910 fires which I think is an interesting topic. Have you read Timothy Egan's The Big Burn?

I have Plainsong and Fifty Acres and a Poodle sitting on the Planet TBR bookshelf.

Judy - I think you would like Train Dreams. The writing style is very similar to Plainsong... terse but eloquent.

Janet - There is a large fire that is a key event in Train Dreams. I hadn't realized it was an actual historical event; I had assumed it was part of the fiction. If I were a local like you, I would've caught that! I just looked at the page for the The Big Burn. That looks like a great read, too.

Sorry--I had wrong touchstone on The Big Burn. I've changed the one in my post to Egan's book.

You've been in abstentia as long as I have!! Hi there. : ) Great books. I particularly like Six Years-- I am in the mood for a murder mystery. Did you enjoy our great weather last weekend? Hope you did. I was stuck indoors a lot, but still loved it.

Hi, Kim! Yes, I've been gone from LibraryThing a while. I had an outstanding review that I didn't want to write, so I was avoiding LibraryThing. Mature, yes? The weather has been GREAT! I took my son (and dog and horses) camping last weekend to celebrate the sun. I don't think we've ever been camping this early in the season. :)

31. Riding Barranca by Laura Chester



When I first heard about Riding Barranca, a book blending a woman's personal journeys with her time on the trails, I immediately thought of Cheryl Strayed's excellent "Wild: Lost and Found on the Pacific Crest Trail". But this one would be on horseback, it should be perfect for me!

But Riding Barranca did not live up to my hopes. It read like a series of journal entries of specific day rides during one year, telling which horse she rode and where she went, without a lot of connection from one ride to the next. Friends came along on some rides, but their personalities were never illustrated. I'm not even sure the author's personality came through; the narrative voice was pretty distant. I didn't feel much emotional impact reading about the author's conflicted relationship with her mother, probably also due to the narrative distance.

I thought this book might include a deepening relationship between the author and her horse, Barranca. But Barranca was already a finished trail horse during the time span of this book, and their relationship was already well established. In fact, "Riding Barranca" is not really an accurate title, since the author has multiple horses and they played pretty equal roles in this book.

There were some interesting chapters in this book, particularly when Laura goes on vacations and rides in exotic locations.

I saw that the book will include many, many pictures, but they were sadly not visible in the pre-release version I received from NetGalley. If the photo on the cover is any indication, I missed out on some good stuff!

Rating: 1.5 stars
Format: Kindle

32. A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash



An emotional story about the effects an extreme (snake handling) evangelic preacher has on a small Appalachian community in the 1980's. It is told in multiple perspectives, of an older female church member, a young boy, and the local sheriff. The story is sometimes a bit convoluted, between the foretelling and the flashbacks. But overall, it is very good. And very sad.

I listened to this on audio, and probably would've preferred the print version. The reader for the "young boy" perspective has a man's voice, but uses youthful inflections. It was off-putting.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audio

33. Scat by Carl Hiaasen



Another shared read with my 11 year old hit. Another Hiaasen hit... The Boy is loving these young adult books. We are well into the next Hiaasen already.

Format: Read aloud

You had me on A Land More Kind than Home until I went to our library's catalog and discovered that it involves snake-handling. I won't be reading (or listening to) that one after all! (Our library had it in both print and audiobook formats.)

Hi, Lori! If snakes squick you out (they do me!), then A Land More Kind Than Home is a good one to skip!

34. The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers



When sisters Lulu and Merry are young girls, they witness their father stabbing their mother to death. The Murder's Daughters is the story of the aftermath and how each sister deals with being a "Murderer's Daughter". As they grow up, they have very different relationships with their convict father.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. It was very well written, with Lulu and Merry seeming like real people with very understandable reactions to almost incomprehensible situation. This would be a good book for a book club discussion, with the natural question: would you be more like Lulu or more like Merry?

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

35. Little Face by Sophie Hannah



I've enjoyed other psychological thrillers by Sophie Hannah, but this one, not so much. Too many crazies in one house, and the way they deal with each other just doesn't make sense. When the mystery is resolved, the characters' motivations don't add up. And the cops are kind of screwy, too.

Rating: 2 stars
Format: Book

36. Her Last Breath by Linda Castillo



"Her Last Breath" is the fifth book in Linda Castillo's fabulous Kate Burkholder series. Kate Burkholder is the police chief of Painter's Mill. Kate is formerly Amish, which gives her perspective but also presents challenges when dealing with the Amish community.

The series really should be read in order. There is a crime in Kate's background that is progressively disclosed and dealt with, and that storyline continues in this book. There is also a romance that waxes/wanes throughout the series.

This is one of my favorite series, but Her Last Breath is my least favorite of the series. I'd say it's a 4 star book in a 4.5 star series. But I tore through this book just as fast as the previous ones. And I will grab up the next Kate Burkholder the minute it's in print!

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Book

Hi Carol, I've had The Murderer's Daughters on my wishlist for quite some time, so I was happy to hear that you found it an enjoyable read.

Well, looks like you are all caught up on reviews!! Nicely done. The Castillo series sounds really good, even if this is your least favorite so far. Keeping my eye out for this one!

Hi Judy and Kim! Thanks your comments. :)

37. Death Without Company by Craig Johnson



This is the second book in the Walt Longmire series. I thought the first book was a little bit slow, though I really enjoyed the setting and characters. I liked this second book better... it kept the mystery central to the story, even though it continued with great character development. I'm sure I'll pick up the third book in the series soon.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

38. Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery



I did not realize that this biography was written for children, so I was disappointed in its simplistic language and glossed-over descriptions of what must have been fairly dramatic events. I would whole-heartedly recommend this biography for young readers, though. It would be especially appropriate for those on the autism spectrum or have another kind of "difference", as it goes beyond Temple's story and directly encourages readers.

Temple Grandin is an amazing person, and I still hope to read an in-depth biography of her life.

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Audiobook

39. Chomp by Carl Hiaasen



I read this book aloud with my fifth-grade son. We've now read all of Carl Hiaasen's young-young-adult novels together. These have really hit the sweet spot for my son... just edgy enough for a kid outgrowing "kid books".

Format: Read aloud

Happy Friday!! Love Hiaasen, adult or kid book. : )

Happy Friday to you too, Kim! I've loved all four of the young-young-adult Hiaasens I've read, but I wasn't as thrilled with the one adult Hiaasen I read. I think I should give him another try, though, when I'm in the mood for something light.

40. When I Found You by Catherine Ryan Hyde



One morning, hunter Nathan finds an abandoned infant boy in the woods. He wants to adopt the baby, but the baby's grandmother steps forward to take him in. Fifteen years later, the now-teenager has become difficult and the grandmother asks Nathan to raise the young man (Nat).

I did not like this book as much as I'd hoped. The Nathan character is far too "good" to seem like a real person. He shows very little emotion, just steadfastly goes about supporting Nat emotionally and financially, no matter what Nat throws at him. He's an admirable character, but his lack of frustration, regret or even conflicting emotions in this situation makes him an unrealistic character. And there is very little to explain his motivation to behave this way, other than a last-pages supposition by a minor character.

Nat's character is stronger. Even though he is less admirable, his emotions at least make him real.

Much of this book takes place in boxing gyms or boxing rings. That may add appeal for some readers; it didn't for me.

Rating: 2 stars
Format: Book

41. The Round House by Louise Erdrich



In The Round House, Joe (a Native American) recalls the summer when he was 13 and his mother was raped.

The central story is the investigation of the rape, and the difficulties surrounding the prosecution. But the narrative goes off on many tangents and circles back around. It ends up painting a very rich picture of the Indian reservation community and culture, while telling a story with unforeseen twists.

I listened to this on audio. The narrator's Native American cadence added to the authenticity, but be warned that is slow. Impatient readers/listeners may prefer the print version.

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Audiobook

42. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness



This will break your heart.

I listened to it on audio, and the narration was perfect for the story. Although I hear the print version has beautiful illustrations, so either format is a win.

Rating: 5 stars
Format: Audiobook

43. A Whole Nother Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup



This was a read-aloud with my eleven year old son. It's a silly adventure story, reminiscent of the Lemony Snicket novels. The Boy loved it and wants to read the sequel next. I was less charmed, but didn't hate it.

Format: Read aloud

44. Paper Towns by John Green



I read this on the recommendation of my nerd-fighter 14-year-old daughter. I didn't like it as much as The Fault in Our Stars, which I think had more cross-generation appeal. But Paper Towns is very good, and I can easily see why my daughter loved it.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Kindle

45. The Girl With No Name by Marina Chapman



Supposedly true story of a nearly 5-year-old child who was kidnapped, and then abandoned in the jungle. She was not "raised by monkeys" as the subtitle suggests, but did live among them and learned their ways in order to survive for a number of years. When she revealed herself to some hunters, she was returned to "civilization", where the humans treated her worse than her monkey family.

Now in her early 60's, the author has shared her early life with her daughters, and together they turned into a book. It's a well-written book that keeps the interest level high throughout. The story ends when Marina is around 14. I would like to learn more of her story -- how she learned to read and write, how she met her husband, etc.

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Audiobook

Hi Carol, so glad that you loved A Monster Calls, I probably went through a whole box of kleenex with that one!

Judy -- Yes, lots of kleenex!!! Funny how we can love a book that makes us so sad.

46. Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay



Another great thriller by Linwood Barclay. This one starts with a teenager, hiding in a trysting spot, who overhears a murder. Good pacing, good twists, a good way to spend a few hours being entertained.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

47. Monster by Frank Peretti



I really enjoyed this novel about a couple who goes camping in the backwoods is seemingly terrorized by a sasquatch. It was good fun escapist reading.

This book has a lot of "Christian" tags. This is due to an anti-science, pro-nature theme. It is not church-y. I avoid "Christian fiction", but enjoyed this.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

48. Always Watching by Chevy Stevens



This is Chevy Stevens' third book featuring psychologist Nadine Lavoie. The first two books, Still Missing and Never Knowing, are told by survivors as they talk with Nadine. This book is about Nadine herself, as she explores an old issue buried deep in her memory but brought to the surface by current events.

The first two books are far more suspenseful than Always Watching. This book was slow and fairly predictable. It was not a page-turner for me, the way the first two books were. But I did prefer the more traditional narrative style of this book to the first two.

Disclosure: I received a pre-release copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 2.5 stars
Format: Book

49. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay



This is the second book in the Dexter series. While I enjoyed the thriller/mystery aspect of this book, the serial-killer-as-wry-narrator that I enjoyed in the first book was a bit tiresome in the second. It was probably my mood more than the book, but for some reason it just didn't work for me as well as the first book.

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Audiobook

50. Another Whole Nother Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup



This was a read-aloud with my eleven year old son. It's the second book in a silly adventure series, reminiscent of the Lemony Snicket novels. Like the first book, The Boy loved it and I was less charmed, but didn't hate it.

If your son hasn't read Gordan Korman's I Want to Go Home, you need to locate a copy for him. It's a great book about a boy who really doesn't want to be on a camping trip. It would make a good read-aloud too.

Lori, that looks perfect for our next read-aloud! Thanks much. :)

51. The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian



I don't typically seek out historical fiction, but I do seek out Chris Bohjalian's books. Whether contemporary or historical, he tells a great story. This isn't one his best, but it's definitely worth reading.

The Light in the Ruins is a mystery and a family saga, taking place in 1943 and 1955 Italy. In 1943, the Rosati family struggles with their allegiances (Italy and Germany are allies, but uncomfortably so). In 1955, someone begins killing the surviving members of the Rosati family.

I didn't feel the characters were quite as richly portrayed in this book as in Skeletons At The Feast or The Sandcastle Girls. And it didn't seem real to me that the police woman would immediately assume the crimes were connected with events a decade earlier, with no real clues pointing to that. But those are minor quibbles. This book was a page-turner, and I learned about an aspect of the war that I'd never really considered before.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Book

52. Joyland by Stephen King



The cover image says this is "hard case crime", but it really isn't. There is a cold-case murder to be solved, but it doesn't feel like the focus of the book. It's a coming-of-age story, about college student Devin Jones who takes a summer job in an amusement park.

This book has very little of the trademark King supernatural/horror elements, but 100% percent of the strong characterization. Recommended even for those who think they don't like Stephen King.

Rating: 5 stars
Format: Audiobook

53. Ten Thousand Heavens by Chuck Rosenthal



This is the story of a spirited mare, Annie, and her unconventional owner/rider, "Bird". The first two-thirds of the book is about the building of the relationship. The final third has a desperate situation, where horses must work together on their own, and it has a kind of "Incredible Journey" feel to it.

Ten Thousand Heavens was difficult to read, because it is told from the horse's perspective and the horses have a different language and different ways of thinking about things. I can appreciate what the author was trying to do... after all horses DON'T think like we do. But it made reading feel like a chore.

Rating: 1.5 star
Format: Book

The Bohjalian book should arrive in the mail at the library the same day I return back to work. I could probably be first to read it, but I've got so many other things lined up this month. I'm sure I'll get to it one of these days.

143: I hope you enjoy it whenever you get to it!

54. Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas



I picked this up because I'd very much enjoyed Sandra Dallas' Tallgrass. But I didn't like this one as much.

This book reads like a bunch of short stories cobbled together to form a novel. The stories are entertaining, but the novel surrounding them is not. I got very weary of reading about quilting (do these women do NOTHING else?), and of stilted conversations whose main purpose was to lead to "I will tell you a story...".

Rating: 2 stars
Format: Audiobook

55. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman



Always a treat to listen to Neil Gaiman read his own work.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

I've requested the audiobook Ocean at the End of the Lane through my library. I'm afraid, though, it will take a **very** long time to get it.

I wonder if you've read any of Rita Mae Brown's Mrs Murphy series. Cat and dog detective duo, the humans are a vet and a horse trainer/master of hounds. She gets the horses right. ;-)

I'm finally reading the first of Craig Johnson's series, The Cold Dish. Not bad, although a bit slow at the start. And I'm not impressed with Longmire's blizzard survival skills. He obviously never had to go snow-camping with the boy scouts. ;-) I'll probably continue with the series.

Thanks for the Rita Mae Brown tip, Janet! I think I had been conflating Rita Mae Brown with Lillian Jackson Braun. I read a book by the "The Braun Cat Lady" and wasn't impressed, so never picked up a book by "The Brown Cat Lady". Now that I see my mistake, I've wishlisted the first Mrs. Murphy. :)

I recently read The Ocean at the End of the Lane but am still looking forward to my turn with the audio version from the library.

I've been disappointed by Sandra Dallas's more recent books but I really liked some of her older ones, including Tallgrass.

I've got The Ocean at the End of the Lane waiting on my shelf. I'd love to hear more about how you enjoyed it... :)

56. The Museum of Dr. Moses: Tales of Mystery and Suspense by Joyce Carol Oates



I found these stories odd and repulsive, rather than mysterious and suspenseful. Barely finished it.

Rating: 1.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

57. No Child of Mine by Susan Lewis



This is a pretty good read about a social worker who has a hunch that something isn't right about a girl she observes on a playground.

I enjoyed the book, but I think I would have enjoyed it even more if the story were tightened up. It's a 300 page story trapped in a 500 page book. But I did get absorbed in the story and didn't want to put it down, so the 500 pages went by quickly anyway.

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Book

58. Smoky Mountain Tracks by Donna Ball



Solid mystery read, made even better by featuring a Search And Rescue dog.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Kindle

59. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green



I read this at the urging of my John-Green-fan daughter. I can understand why my teen nerd loves it, but it didn't have quite the same appeal for this middle aged nerd. I liked The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns more.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Kindle

60. The Discovery by Gordon Korman



I chose this book for a read-aloud with my son because it is set in the Caribbean and involves SCUBA diving. I thought it would be perfect for us, as we heading out on a Caribbean dive trip.

But the book was not very engaging, with very lifeless characters. Worse, we felt cheated when we got to the end and figured out that this is only the first part of a trilogy and can not stand on it's own. It is only a set up for the next two books. We are not going to bother with the next two books.

61. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen



This was a favorite when I read it several years ago. This time I listened to it on audio, and loved it again.

Rating: 5 stars
Format: Audiobook

62. Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane



Twisty, gritty mystery.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Kindle

63. Envy the Night by Michael Koryta



Fast paced thriller with great characterization.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

64. Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson



Someone Else's Love Story is a quirky but touching story about a man and a woman who are thrown together as hostages in a convenience store robbery. Shandi is a young single mother of a precocious three year old. William is a young man mourning the loss of his wife and child in a car accident a year ago. Shandi is immediately smitten with William, and you wonder if they will end up together. But it is Someone Else's Love Story, so does that mean not?

This book touches on a lot of issues: religion, date rape, autism, giftedness, grief, denial and so much more. The characters are wonderfully flawed, wonderfully blessed, and very quirky. It's a very rich story, but told in a modern casual "voice" that belies the depth of sentiment.

Could not put it down.

Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: Book

65. Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger



Wonderfully written coming of age story set in the 1960's. The storyline has plenty of secrets and twists to keep it interesting.

Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

66. Accidents of Nature by Harriet McBryde Johnson



Accidents of Nature is about a teenage girl with cerebral palsy who goes to "crip camp" one summer around 1970.

It came up on a recommendation list for me, because I'd so liked The Fault in Our Stars, which is about teenagers with cancer. While there is some similarity in the themes, Accidents of Nature feels flatter and simpler in comparison. I didn't feel all that engaged in this book while I was listening to it. But now that I've finished, I do find myself thinking about it.

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Audiobook

67. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley



This was a re-read. I read it a few years ago, loved it, and recommended it to my daughter who also loved it. This year my daughter suggested that her brother might like it for our next read aloud. I didn't think he would, but he loved it, too. I guess we are a family of Flavia fans!

Rating: 5 stars
Format: Read aloud

68. Friday's Harbor by Diane Hammond



Friday's Harbor is a sequel to Hannah's Dream. Hannah's Dream is a charming, funny, and poignant story about a small zoo and a lonely elephant. It is one of my favorite books ever.

In Friday's Harbor, an orca (Friday) is rescued from a bad situation in a Columbian zoo and brought to the Max L Biedelman zoo. Friday's story is as appealing as Hannah's was.

The quirky main characters of Hannah's Dream take a back seat in this sequel, as newly introduced characters are featured. I love the main characters of Hannah's Dream, but not the main characters of Friday's Harbor. Still, Friday and his story are appealing enough that I like the book anyway.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Book

69. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ranson Riggs



Fun fantasy novel built around creepy old photographs. I read this on my teen daughter's recommendation, and liked it more than I expected to. I wish we had the physical book instead of the kindle version, so I could see the photographs more clearly.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Kindle

Wow, what a great run through of your most recent reads! I haven't read any John Green books yet so I think I will start with The Fault in Our Stars before attempting An Abundance of Katherines.

Flavia is the best... the imp in me just adores her! ;-)

I agree with Lori, you've had a great run of books recently. I am a William Kent Krueger fan, and can't wait until I get to Ordinary Grace, I also need to get back to Flavia, having only one of her books under my belt so far.

Thanks, Lori and Judy! It may look like I had a bunch of recent reads, but that's only because I put off updating my thread for so long. I had many weeks of books to add. I'm finally caught up now, but it probably won't last long. :)

Hi Carol, congrats on being all caught up, however long it lasts!

I've heard nothing but good things about Ordinary Grace and Krueger is an author I keep meaning to try. Have you read the other books in Lehane's Kenzie and Gennaro series? It's one of my favorite series and Gone, Baby, Gone was excellent!

I've got to start reading the Flavia series!! I've heard so many good things... Now, can I find the first one on my shelf?

You didn't like "The Cat Who" mysteries? I enjoyed them and some of Brown's too. I guess anything with a cat will do for me. :)

Hello stranger!! I have been gone from LT for quite a stretch. Hoping to make a comeback. And I am totally jealous because you are all caught up posting books!! Course I haven't read as much as usual, so I don't have a ton of entries... How is life? I am barely keeping above water (not to belittle Colorado) with all the back-to-school stuff. Life is VERRRRYYY busy!

Joanne - I've read a couple of other Lehane books (Mystic River and Shutter Island), but none in the Kenzie and Gennaro series. I didn't realize it was a series... probably should've started with book 1 instead of book 4!

Tina - I think I didn't like "The Cat Who"... but it was years ago, and only one book, so maybe I'm misremembering. How did we keep track of books before LT? lol

Kim - Hello hello hello! Welcome back! No need to be jealous of me being caught up, because I am already behind again. Life is busy here, too... but nowhere as busy as your house! I am actually slightly less busy now than during the summer, even with the school start-up craziness. I try to squeeze out every last drop of fun out of the summer months, then start hibernating in the fall.

70. Back of Beyond by C. J. Box



I was drawn to this book because I am in the very early stages of planning a Yellowstone pack trip for the summer of 2015, and this book takes place on a Yellowstone pack trip. But I didn't like it as much as I'd hoped. I really disliked the main character, there was a lot of lead-in before it got to the pack trip part, and there were so many killings it was just absurd. But it was in the backcountry, with horses, and there was one character I enjoyed, so it wasn't a total loss.

Rating: 2.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

71. After Her by Joyce Maynard



This is the story of a detective's young daughters, growing up in the 1970's when a serial killer is terrorizing their California community. It is a mystery/thriller novel, but even more it is about family bonds.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

72. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley



Since my son thoroughly enjoyed the second Flavia, we went back and picked up the first. It was a re-read for me, and I still liked it the second time around. Jolly good fun, by gosh!

Format: Read aloud

73. You Are Not So Smart by David McRaney



This book describes 44 ways in which humans deceive themselves. Many of them I already knew. But wait... one of the illusions is that when we learn something that seems obvious in hindsight, we think we always knew it. So maybe it was all new to me. Ha!

I found a lot of interesting tidbits in here. But I didn't like the author's style much. I probably won't read the follow-up book.

Format: Kindle
Rating: 3 stars

74. The First Lie and Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain




I was excited to see that Diane Chamberlain had a new book out, Necessary Lies. When I went to purchase it, I saw that it was a sequel to The First Lie, which somehow I had missed. So I immediately bought it, and went off on my camping trip with my new book.

Imagine my disappointment when I read a chapter two of The First Lie, and then it ended. Wha....? Yep, it's just a short story, not a whole book. It could've just been the prologue to Necessary Lies. And I was without internet access to get the rest of the story. Sigh.

But once I had Necessary Lies, I loved it. It is the story of a poor family on a North Carolina tobacco farm in the 1960s. In those days in North Carolina, social workers would facilitate or encourage the sterilization of impoverished families. Sometimes they overstepped the bounds. This book illustrated the issue with very real characters who had very real problems.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Kindle

About LJB (Cat Who)... I stopped mid-way through the series as I felt they were starting to sound the same. But again, that was before the days of LT and I was reading them close together. I remember them as just cozy mysteries with the enjoyable added flair of having two cats as characters that seem to spur the action at times. These aren't the talking cats like Rita Mae Brown's, but I still liked them. I'd be interested to see if I liked the books if I picked up the series now. I still have many, many unread sitting on my shelves waiting for me. Since there is the September Series theme, maybe I'll have time to read one? Hmmmmm.....

I think I liked Back of Beyond better than you did, but then I've been a fan of Box's series for awhile. I can understand why you wouldn't necessarily like the main character if this one was your first introduction to him though.

#176: Those internet-only prequels and in-between stories are maddening, aren't they? They seem to be increasingly common, too, particularly with series authors. Quite often I can't get the romance-y ones here in the UK, but I just checked the Chamberlain book and The First Lie is available here for 59p, so I will definitely remember to read it first. I love her books but I hadn't heard of Necessary Lies.

Thanks for stopping by, Tina, Lori, and Susan!

And me! And me! I am stopping by. Enjoy the rest of Sunday.

And Kim! And Kim! Good to "see" you. :)

75. A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay



Another great thriller by Linwood Barclay. This one features a private detective who is mourning the recent loss of his teen soon. The detective picks up a teen girl when she taps on his window and asks for a ride, saying that she had known his son. Mystery ensues before they reach her house.

One thing I really like about Linwood Barclay's stories is that they are very current technically, and include realistic use of things like Facebook, texting, and gps devices. But he never does the implausible, like teenagers hacking into a national security computer.

This particular novel was not my favorite of Barclay's. I really enjoyed the first three quarters or so. But at the end, I thought the motivations of the bad guy(s) were really far-fetched.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

76. Crow Lake by Mary Lawson



This book had been waiting patiently on my shelf for several years. The recent discussion on Lori's (lkernagh's) thread encouraged me to finally read it.

Crow Lake is a melancholy and thoughtful kind of book, perfect to curl up with on a rainy weekend. The main character is a young biologist is recalling her life growing up in a very isolated farming community in Canada. Her parents are killed in an accident, and her older brothers struggle to keep the family together.

There is repeated foreshadowing in this book, frequently referring to incidents that won't be explained until later. That should have annoyed me, but it didn't at all.

I loved the ending of this book. It was exactly right.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Book

77. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs



I read this book earlier this month, and thought my son might enjoy it. So we read it together. It's funny how you don't notice profanity when reading to yourself, but it's very apparent when reading aloud! But The Boy loved this book, and we're looking forward to the sequel.

Format: Read aloud

Stopping by to say hello and noticing you have had a great batch of reading. You Are Not So Smart sounds intriguing so on the future reading list it goes. Happy to see that Crow Lake was a good read for you!

Oh! I just read Miss Peregrine's Home and loved it! I am bummed I have to wait for the sequel. And no I haven't posted it yet...still catching up!

I've had Miss Peregrine's Home on my wishlist for some time, I guess I need to nudge that one up a little.

Ha! Posted my review. : )

Hello to Lori, Kim, and Judy!

And Happy October!!

Thanks! I love October.

I really need to get to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I have had it on my wish list for quite a while, but have yet to check it out of the library or go buy it!

Kim and Carrie - Happy November! Yes, I neglected my thread for a full month. I'm going to try catch up again now.

Tina - I have plenty of books like that, that linger on my wish list and I keep thinking I should get to them.

78. The Sound and the Furry by Spencer Quinn



Yay, another Chet and Bernie book!

Except... someone this one didn't charm me quite as much, at first. Chet seemed even more oblivious than usual, and he didn't "bring other skills to the table" as much. Eventually I warmed up to this one, though, and ended up enjoying it.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

79. Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt



Meh.

Rating: 3 stars
Format: Kindle

80. The Shining by Stephen King



This was a re-read. I wanted to refresh my memory before reading the new sequel, Doctor Sleep. It was as good as I remembered.

Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

81. A Man of His Own by Susan Wilson



I don't understand the title, "A Man of His Own". In this book, Pax the German Shepherd has a tight bond with TWO men. But no matter the title, this is a great read.

The heart of this book is that two men have a kind of claim on Pax. Rick raised Pax from a puppy. Keller was Pax's trainer and handler during their WWII tour of duty. Rick is gravely injured during the war, and needs his dog back. Keller has found his only "family" in Pax, and cannot bear to return him to Rick. The two men, together with Rick's wife, find a way to build an unusual family centered around the dog.

The dog is a crucial part of the plot. But there is more to the story is far richer than that. Rick returns from the war with a huge guilt burden, and feels "less than a man" with his diminished physical capacity. Keller's backstory is as touching as Rick's current struggles. Rick's wife is caught between the two men.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Book

82. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King



I didn't like this as much as The Shining. But c'mon, The Shining.... how can you live up to that?

But if you loved The Shining, you pretty much have to read this. And it will be worth your time.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

83. Thunderhead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child



This book had me rolling my eyes at first. When a young woman is attacked by men dressed as animals at a vacant ranch house, she doesn't call the police, or ask questions, or follow up in any way. Then when she discovers her home has been broken into, AND HER DOG IS MISSING, she doesn't call the police, or ask questions, or follow up in any way. Nope, doesn't even look for the dog beyond calling her brother to ask "is the dog with you?". But upon finding a letter that hints at a possible "lost city", she gets a logistical-nightmare of an archaelogical expedition funded, populated, coordinated and moving in just a few weeks. So yeah, eye roll.

Add another eyeroll for the only women in this book being young, beautiful, smart, and incredibly accomplished. And prone to cat-fights.

But I was soon swept up in the fast-paced drama and thrill of the expedition. It was great fun. And I may even read another by this author.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

84. Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield



Set in Victorian England, this is the story of a successful textile mill owner, William Bellman. As he loses people to death, he begins to notice the same unfamiliar man appearing at each funeral. Eventually Bellman suffers significant loss, and comes to a kind of understanding with the mysterious man. And the funeral business of Bellman and Black is born.

This book didn't have much emotional appeal to me. It wasn't even as creepy as I'd hoped it would be. Actually the most interesting aspect of the book was the details of how textiles were manufactured in that time. Not recommended.

Rating: 2 stars
Format Kindle

85. The Chronicles of the $700 Pony by Ellen Broadhurst



Literally laugh-out-loud funny! The book is now making its rounds to all of my horsey friends.

Rating: 5 stars
Format: Book

I listened to Thunderhead earlier this year and thought I'd never get through it. I think we are ordering the Setterfield this week for the lease books. I've had at least one person who had requested it, but your review makes me a bit cautious about it.

Oh dear,.... I have been waiting years for Setterfield to publish another novel. Have you read her first book, The Thirteenth Tale, and if so, how do they compare. I am waiting for my turn at a library copy so I more curious to see if she decided to do something different with Bellman & Black hat just didn't work well.

Glad to see you back!

Like Lori, I loved The Thirteenth Tale and have been waiting for Setterfield to write another book. Too bad, this one doesn't sound as if it's as good as her first one.

I never could finish The Shining when I was in high school because I got so creeped out... maybe I could try it again?

The plot of Thunderhead as you describe in your first few sentences does sound eye-roll worthy. I'm glad it evened out for you eventually. Too bad Bellman & Black fell flat for you.

Oh, The Chronicles of a $700 Pony has been on my wishlist forever!

Emilie, you should go order it now! I promise you'll love it!

Thanks to my visitors who stopped by almost a whole month ago! I wonder if some of you have had the chance to read Bellman & Black since then. Would be interesting to see if I'm alone in my disappointment. (Not that I wish a boring book on anyone...)

86. My Own Miraculous by Joshilyn Jackson



I hate this new trend of publishing a short story "prequel" to a novel. Seriously... shorten it and make it a prologue, or lengthen into a book of it's own.

But since I love Joshilyn Jackson, and loved Someone Else's Love Story, of course I had to buy and read the prequel. And I loved it, of course.

Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: Kindle

87. Looking for Alaska by John Green



My teen daughter's favorite book, so I had to read it.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Kindle

88. The Escape Artist by Diane Chamberlain



When Susannah's husband is award custody of their infant son, she runs away with the baby to start a new life.

This was a pretty good read, but it was written in 1997 and it does feel a bit dated. It's in that awkward spot of not being old enough to be reminiscent of an earlier time, but it just doesn't feel like today's world, either.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

89. Tilt-A-Whirl by Chris Grabenstein
90. Mad Mouse by Chris Grabenstein
91. Whack A Mole by Chris Grabenstein
91. Hell Hole by Chris Grabenstein
92. Mind Scrambler by Chris Grabenstein











These books are my favorite kinds of audiobooks... a first-person book, read by someone who really sounds like the main character. Since the main character is also a really likeable guy, and the plots are action-packed and have some twists, these books have been a very reliable "listen" this month.

I think I'll take a little break now, and listen to something else for a while. I'm sure I'll be back to pick up the rest of the books in the series pretty soon, though.

I'm sorry that I've forgotten who had these books on their thread a couple of months ago. Whoever it was, thanks!

Rating: 5 star (maybe 4 in print, but audio is great)
Format: Audiobook

94. The Whole Golden World by Kristina Riggle



The Whole Golden World is about a scandalous affair between a 17 year old student (Morgan) and her teacher (TJ). It opens with the beginning of a trial, then goes back to slowly build up the affair, discovery, and life after accusation.

I loved that this book was told from various viewpoints. Morgan is convinced that she and TJ are in love. Morgan's mother, Dinah, is devastated by the situation, but tries her best to help Morgan. TJ's wife, Rain, supports TJ and is sure that Morgan is the instigator. Each of these people is more richly drawn than I am describing here, and has other concerns and stresses beyond the affair. Nobody is a saint in this book, but the main characters all have reasons for acting as they do.

Rating: 4 stars
Format: Book

These books are my favorite kinds of audiobooks... a first-person book, read by someone who really sounds like the main character.

Those make the best audiobooks! I have been enjoying the Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton on audiobook because I really like the reader, Mary Peiffer's voice.... she comes across exactly how I picture Kinsey.

Hi Carol, You make me wish my library had the John Ceepak books available on audio. You certainly whipped through them!

My son keeps telling me to read Looking for Alaska. I really need to get to it.

So far i have only read the first John Ceepak book, Tilt-a-whirl but I have the next two on my shelves. Perhaps after that I will switch to the audio version.

Hi! You came back and I went missing. LOL. You have been reading great books. I wish I could find a way to make audio books a bigger part of my reading. I think I would enjoy them. Hmmmm...

I seem to have fallen off the LT wagon. I hope you will all forgive me as I finish out the year by just posting star ratings. I am not feeling inspired enough to write actual reviews, but I do want "the list" completed by New Years.

Thank you to all my visitors over the course of the year! I hope you all have a wonderful 2014!

95. My Story by Elizabeth Smart



Rating: 4 stars
Format: Audiobook

96. The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley



Rating: 4 stars
Format: Book

97. The Anteater of Death by Betty Webb



Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

98. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley



Rating: 4 stars
Format: Read aloud

99. Sycamore Row by John Grisham



Rating: 2.5 stars
Format: Kindle

100. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty



Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: Audiobook

RL has been impacting my LT time so I completely understand! Nice batch of recent reading, Carol. Stopping by to wish you all the best in 2014!

Hiya stranger. Guilty of RL interference as well. Nice to see you and here are some early wishes for a Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year! My daughter is also a big John Green fan and looking forward to the movie version of the Fault in our Stars