Susie's Challenge Part 2

Part One is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/104710#2368965
I started a new counter since I have reached my 75 books on Aug.21,2011 later than last year but I am still hoping to catch up and hit 120 books for the year!

I won't touchstone all these but you can go to my previous thread to see reviews:

#1-Room by, Emma Donoghue 1/5/2011 4 Stars
#2-The Eyre Affair by, Jasper Fforde 1/6/2010 5 Stars
#3-Wicked Appetite by, Janet Evanovich Audio narrated by, Lorelei King 1/7/2011 4 Stars
#4-The Demon Trapper's Daughter by,Jana Oliver 1/9/2011 3 ½ Stars
#5--Paper Towns by, John Green (Audio) 1/10/2011 3 Stars
#6-Revolution by, Jennifer Donnelly audio Narrated by Emily Janice Card, Emma Bering 1/14/2010 5Stars
#7-Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by, Helen Simonson 1/21/2011 4 ½ Stars
#8-I Shall Wear Midnight by, Terry Pratchett 1/22/2011 5 Stars
#9-Bloody Valentine by, Melissa de la Cruz 1/23/2011 3 ½ Stars
#10-Live To Tell by, Lisa Gardner 1/26/2011 4 Stars
#11- A Northern Light by, Jennifer Donnelly 1/28/2010 4 Stars
#12-Hungry for Happiness by, James Villa 2/2/2011 2 Stars
#13- Storm Front by, Jim Butcher 2/2/2011 3 ½ Stars
#14- You Know When the Men Are Gone by, Siobhan Fallon 2/3/2011 4 Stars
#15-Left Neglected by, Lisa Genova 2/7/2011 4 ½ Stars
#16-The Nobodies Album by, Carolyn Parkhurst 2/9/2011 4 ½ Stars
#17-Seer Of Sevenwaters by, Juliet Marillier 2/13/2011 4 ½ Stars
#18-The Sherlockian by, Graham Moore- Audio narrated by, James Langston 2/15/2011 3 ½ Stars
#19-If I Stay by, Gayle Forman audio narrated by, Kirsten Potter 2/18/2011 2 ½ Stars
#20-You Had me At Woof by, Julie Klam audio narrated by, Karen White 2/21/2011 4 ½ Stars
#21-The Reversal by, Michael Connelly audio narrated by, Peter Giles 2/23/2011 4 Stars
#22- Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by, Fanny Flagg 2/23/2011 5 Stars
#23-My Bonny Light Horseman by, L.A. Meyer 2/28/2011 4 Stars
#24-Madame Tussaud:A Novel of the French Revolution by, Michelle Moran 3/11/2011 5 Stars
#25-I Am Number Four by, Pittacus Lore 3/11/2011 3 Stars
#26-River Marked by, Patricia Briggs 3/15/2011 5 Stars
#27-A Discovery of Witches by, Deborah Harkness 3/18/2011 4 ½ Stars
#28-The Peach Keeper:A Novel by, Sarah Addison Allen 3/21/2011 5 Stars
#29-Love You More by, Lisa Gardner 3/24/2011 5 Stars
#30-Winter Ghosts by, Kate Mosse 3/27/2011 2 ½ Stars (barely)
#31-The Bluest Eye by, Toni Morrison 3/31/2011 2 Stars
#32-Year of Wonders by, Geraldine Brooks 4/1/2011 4 Stars
#33- The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy by, Mark Logue, Peter Conradi Audiobook narrated by, Simon Vance 4/5/2011 4 Stars
#34-Water For Elephants by, Sara Gruen 4/10/2011 4 stars
#35-Changeless by, Gail Carriger audiobook narrated by, Emily Gray 4/13/2011 4 ½ Stars
#36-The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers 4/13/2011 3 Stars
#37-Skellig by, David Almond 4/16/2011 4 Stars
#38-Blameless by, Gail Carriger audio edition narrated by, Emily Gray 4/18/2011 4 Stars
#39-O Pioneers! by, Willa Cather 4/20/2011 4 Stars
#40-Crunch Time by, Diane Mott Davidson 4/25/2011 4 Stars
#41-The Bird Sisters by, Rebecca Rasmussen 4/28/2011 5 Stars
#42-Lost in a Good book by, Jasper Fforde audio narrated by, Emily Gray 4/29/2011 3 ½ Stars
#43-The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot 5/4/2011 5 Stars
#44-Rapture of the Deep: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy by L. A. Meyer 5/9/2011 4 Stars
#45-Dead Reckoning by, Charlaine Harris 5/9/2011 4 Stars
#46-Look me in the Eye by, John Elder Robinson 5/13/2011 4 Stars
#47-The House at Riverton by, Kate Morton 5/17/2011 4 Stars
#48-Maisie Dobbs (Maisie Dobbs, #1) by, Jaqueline Winspear 5/23/2011 4 ½ Stars
#49-Water Witch by, Deborah LeBlanc 5/25/2011 3 ½ Stars
#50-The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly 5/27/2011 3 ½ Stars
#51-Running With Scissors by,Augusten Burroughs 5/27/2011 3 Stars
#52-City of Bones by, Cassandra Clare 6/6/2011 2 ½ Stars
#53-Trespasser by, Paul Doiron 6/9/2011 5 Stars
#54-Life by, Keith Richards audiobook narrated by, Johnny Depp & Jon Hurley 6/10/2011 4 Stars
#55-Bossypants by, Tina Fey 6/13/2011 3 Stars
#56-Abby Cooper Psychic Eye by, Victoria Laurie audiobook narrated by, Elizabeth Michaels 6/17/2011
4 Stars

#57-The True Meaning of Smekday by, Adam Rex audiobook narrated by Bahni Turpin 6/24/2011

What a fun book!! I also highly recommend listening to this one on audio Bahni Turpin’s narration is Fantastic!!

I wasn’t sure what I would think of a book about an alien invasion since I am more of a fantasy girl than a sci-fi one. However this is such a fun story I recommend it to teens and adults alike! Our heroine Gratuity “Tip” Tucci is 11 going on 40 she is assigned a paper for a time capsule on “The True Meaning of Smekday” but Tip’s story is not the usual fare and she doesn’t know where to start, should it be when her mother starts receiving alien messages from the mole in her back? Or when she meets and befriends one of the Boov named J-Lo? Or about her journey to Happy Mouse Land where the aliens are sending all the humans?

This is such a great adventure and hilarious to boot. I love Tip and J-Lo well actually every character in this book is so fun! I don’t know what else to say, I just feel like I can’t do it justice other than to say go get this book and enjoy it! You will not be disappointed!

5 Stars

Stopping by to say hello, yay for 5 star reads!

Hi Susie, just checking in. Wow - great way to start a new thread - a 5 star read!

Oh ya great way to start the new thread loved that book!

I have to let you know that I picked up your previous read Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye today. I hope to start it tomorrow or possibly tonight.

Nice new digs! The True Meaning of Smekday sounds like a whole lotta fun, perfect for summer!

#58-Smokin' Seventeen by, Janet Evanovich audiobook narrated by, Lorelei King 6/28/2011

Oh Janet thank-you so much for the the laughs I was laughing so hard for the granny panty scene I had tears running down my face! I love these books they always cheer me up with the humor and fun writing. Stephanie’s been cursed a couple of times by Morelli’s Grandma one isn’t so bad but it does seem to add more confusion to who Stephanie will choose and when it is removed it kind of backfires too!. Lula again brings me some hearty belly laughs “Did you just call me fat” thems fightin’ words for Lula and there always seems to be something fun coming when these words are uttered.

We have a new man in the mix and he cooks which I think would be a plus for Stephanie but he may not be as wonderful as her mother thinks he is. I do hope she eventually chooses Morelli.

There is a serial killer in the Berg and he/she seems to be targeting Stephanie by dropping dead bodies all over with notes to Stephanie attached to them. This may be the creepiest and scariest bad guy ever in one of these books.
What a crazy cliffhanger!! Oh Janet that was just plain mean! Warning the ending is very abrupt and a major cliffhanger!

As usual Lorelei King does a wonderful job on the narration of this audiobook!

4 Stars would have been 5 if not for the ending!

#59- Still Life by, Louise Penny 7/1/2011

This first book of the Three Pines Series I have read some later books in this series already so I wanted to go back and see how it all began. This one was a bit slow for me maybe because I’d read the later ones, this series gets much better as it goes along. So if you start with this one do yourself a favor and keep going because this series really evolves into something great!

This is hard to review because of my knowledge of latter books, and because I have already read about the future of these characters and how they have grown and changed.

This is a good story but it is obviously a first book. I do highly recommend this series though and it was interesting for me see just how far all the characters have come.

3 ½ Stars

#60-Praise Jerusalem! by, Augusta Trobaugh 7/3/2011

This is the story of three women from very different backgrounds, Miss Amelia was a well to do white woman who is down on her luck after her husband dies, Maybelline who has had some bad luck with men but Praises Jesus and sings hymns and decides that Jesus has told her to take care of Miss Amelia much to Miss Amelia’s chagrin, the two eventually meet Mamie or as she prefers to be called Mrs. Johnson a young black woman who helps the ladies out then decides to go with them on their journey to Jerusalem (Georgia) to get away from her abusive man. These three woman set off on a journey of self-discovery and new beginnings.

While on their journey Miss Amelia has all these memories of when she was a child being taken care of by Aunt Valley a black maid. These memories become very real to Miss Amelia like she is reliving them. So this book goes back and forth in time from when Miss Amelia was a little girl to the present time with her new companions.

Maybelline is quite a character and it’s cute the way Miss Amelia gets so frustrated with her, Miss Johnson’s character I didn’t feel was fully fleshed out and I think could have been much more.

This was a good book if a bit slow for me; I would consider it Christian/Southern fiction. Southern fiction I love, Christian fiction not so much.

I received this book from Librarything Early Reviewer program.
3 ½ Stars

#61-Immortal beloved by, Cate Tiernan 7/7/2011

Natasya or as her friends call her Nasty is an Immortal and a party girl since she looks barely 18 she has pretty much been partying for decades maybe even centuries. However, when her so called friends draw down some dark magick Natasya decides to go find the Immortals of Light, which is kind of a commune where everyone has to work the land and animals. She is trying to detox from her old life but things are odd and she is having memories from long ago and they seem to have to do with the gorgeous Reyn and why does she get sick every time she is in a circle or someone does magick around her.

It took me a little while to warm up to Natasya but once she started getting into more of her background/memories and her magick it really grabbed me and I am so curious to see where this story goes and to see where her and Reyn end up. There were times when it was hard to believe that Nasty is 400+ years old because she doesn’t seem that mature but when she talks about her life it does seem like she was the ultimate perpetual party-girl and that was all she cared about. It was interesting to be along with her on her self-realization of how she had been living and the people she had called friends who are now hunting her and she doesn’t really know why. She is also making enemies at the ashram/commune that I think will come back and bite her in later books.

I love Cate Tiernan her Sweep Series is one of my favorites, this one took a little for me to get into but, now I am hooked. I sure hope the next book in this series comes out soon because I really want to know what happens next!! There wasn’t a huge cliffhanger at the end just kind of a knowing that the story is not done.

I listened to this on audio with narrator Kelly Lintz she was a new narrator for me and I thought she did a really good job and I hope she continues to narrate this series.

4 Stars

#62-Save Me by, Lisa Scottoline 7/7/2011

This books starts out as one thing and morphs into something completely different. Lisa Scottoline wrote a unique book it is a story about tragedy, families, bullying, murder and the consequences of the choices you make, but they won’t happen the way you think you do. The twists and turns in this book will keep you guessing just when you think the story is going one way it flips around and becomes something else.

This was different than Lisa Scottoline’s other books but good none the less, it still kept me riveted and it was hard to put down. There was the legal part of this book and it was interesting to learn about the laws on what you’re really signing up for when you volunteer at your child’s school and what your liability could be if something should happen. The reporter Tanya Robertson was so Nancy Grace her witch hunt for Rose was just so far over the top but also so very true to life with the state of our media at present.

I did enjoy this book it was different and compelling.

I received this book from Librarything Early Reviewer Program

3 ½ Stars

The True Meaning of Smekday looks terrific! Thanks for the recommendation of that one, Susie. I will see if I can locate a copy.

Stasia you won't be disappointed!

#15: My local library has a copy, so hopefully I can get my hands on it soon.

#63-Heartless by, Gail Carriger 7/12/2011

We again have some great scenes with Alexia & Lord Maccon but we also have some good ones with Biffy and Lord Akeldama not to mention zombie porcupines, and an octomaton (a big metal octopus) attack who else but Gail Carriger would think of this! And don’t forget Madame Lefoux and I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more of Countess Nadasdy

The birth of the baby was great! And the aftermath of the child being born and the big surprise/cliffhanger at the end man oh man I want the next book now; it’s going to be a good one!

If you are a fan of the paranormal or steampunk with a great dose of humor give this series a try you won’t be disappointed!
I listened to this on audio and as always Emily gray does a great job at the narration!

4 ½ Stars

#64-Dragon's Time by, Anne & Todd McCaffrey 7/15/2011

In this book we have the finale of the story arc started by Todd & Anne McCaffrey in Dragon Kin. This one had a lot of hopping around time in it and could at times be a little confusing I feel like I need to go back and read this arc straight through.

I did very much enjoy this book it makes me want to immerse myself back into the world of Pern it is so much like visiting old friends. However, this book was not one of my favorites I felt like the ending was rushed and wish it had just a bit more. Don’t get me wrong I love this series and will continue to read them because I love the world of Pern it may be the fact that it has been awhile since I read the last one and think a full run through of the entire series is on order!

I have heard some people don’t like Todd’s take on Pern but, I for one think that Todd writes these books just as well as his mother, I have enjoyed the books Todd wrote on his own as well as with Anne and of course her original books are beyond compare and I look forward to more stories from Pern no matter which of the two writes them.

The entire Pern Series as a whole is fantastic if you haven’t read them I highly recommend starting at the beginning in publication order.

4 Stars

#17: I have book #3 to read and am very much looking forward to book #4. Glad to see that you enjoyed it, Susie!

I'm not that far ahead in the series. I have read 1-6 in publication order, and then the first three in chronological order. I'm glad to see that someone finally thinks Todd is OK, not that I can say so myself, but I was wondering if people really think Todd is ruining Pern, or they just don't like change. My plan next for the series is...I need to look that up, but I'll go in publication order until I hit the las book in chronological order, and then I'll read Todd's books.

Yes I think it's just his style is a little different from his moms but I still have enjoyed his books!

#65-Forever by, Maggie Stiefvater 7/17/2011

What a great and bittersweet read this book was! So sad to see this story end although she does kind of leave it up to the reader to decide just how it ends which is good and bad, it does keep me thinking about it but I have questions and I just hope my answers are right!

I loved Cole in this book to see the different sides to him we’ve never seen before. There was sadness here too *no spoilers*. I like Sam & Grace’s relationship and just want to believe that they made it the long haul! Isabelle was a bit frenetic in this one but it did show some growth in her personality too.

I don’t want to give anything away so this will be a short review. I enjoyed it and was happy with the way it ended but I can understand why some people were disappointed I am just Not one of them!

I listened to this one on audio and as usual Jenna Lamia does a great job as Grace I am glad she was the same narrator all the way through as the other characters were different every time. I must mention that Maggie Stiefvater herself narrates the part of Shelby and does a really great job!

4 Stars

#22: I have only read the first book in the series. I really must get back to it. I need to see if my local library has the other couple of books. Thanks for the reminder, Susie!

Spent the weekend with my grandkids and picked up a Nook Color so will hopefully be reading some different books from some new authors!

Cool beans!

#66-The Twentieth Wife by, Indu Sundaresan 7/25/2011

I am sorry to say this book didn’t do it for me. I wanted so much to like it but it just dragged on and on. There were parts that were interesting but for the most part I just wanted it over. This is supposedly a love story but I didn’t get that at all. Also the characters all just fall flat and I was glad I had a hardcover of this book to go along with the audiobook because it was hard to keep all the characters straight.

I can’t even really put my finger on just what I didn’t like. Maybe I wasn’t in the right mood maybe it was the writing I’m just not sure. So if this time period and India intrigue you give it a try because it might just be me. I probably won’t read the second book to this one as I just didn’t come to care about these people enough at all. Her historical details (from what I’ve been able to search for) seem like she does a good job at the accuracy.

2 ½ stars

I hope your next read is a better one for you, Susie!

#67-The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club: True Tales from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life by Laurie Notaro, Narrated by, Hillary Huber 7/27/2011

This book is absolutely hilarious! This is Celia Rivenbark for the single girl with a little bit more of a foul mouth. With Chapter names like; Ashes to ashes, bones to dust, my mother always said underwear a must, or It smells like doody in here or The useless black bra and the stinkin’-drunk twelve –step program .How could it not be funny!

These are little short chapters of true to life stories like Waiting for the bug guy you finally give up on him take off your bra and tada there’s someone at the door. I know I’ve done this waiting on cable, electricians etc. get into comfortable clothes take off your make-up and then they show up. And then to meet the bug guy, Fred, I think he may be inhaling too many fumes!

If you are looking for a great laugh out loud read I highly recommend this book/author. I listened to this on audio narrated by, Hillary Huber who does a great job her timing is spot on.

4 Stars

Glad you liked Notaro. She started as a columnist here in Phoenix and she's so funny. I've read four or five of her books.

>29 mstrust:- Have you ever read anything by Celia Rivenbark ? If you like Notaro you'll like Celia she is southern and writes a similar column for some southern newspapers.

Sorry you didn't enjoy The Twentieth Wife Susie. I may be the one who brought it to your attention. I loved it when I read it and probably raved about it. This year I read another one of hers called The Splendor of Silence and I didn't care for it at all.

Yes it was from you Judy but thats ok I liked it at first but it just seemed to drag on and on. And like I said it may have just been me.

#68-I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies): True Tales of a Loudmouth Girl by, Laurie Notaro narrated by, Hillary Huber 7/29/2011

Laurie has now gotten married I think I need to go back and find Autobiography of a Fat Bride: True Tales of a Pretend Adulthood I’m guessing this is the one I missed but I will definitely rectify that!

I loved the chapter about her mother’s trip to Italy that one made me laugh so hard! This book is fun because Laurie is married now but is still not interested in having kids and the chapters that deal with that are very funny! The Disneyland chapter will give you a good guffaw! And the trip to Mexico was too funny, her poor husband!

Laurie’s books are so fun and I highly recommend them to anyone with sense of humor!

4 Stars

>33 susiesharp: That's one I haven't read yet and it looks good.
No, I haven't read any Rivenbark, but thanks for the tip. I love discovering authors.

#69-The Legacy by, Katherine Webb 7/31/2011

This is a beautifully weaved multi-generational story of family secrets and the people those secrets created. Katherine Webb weaves these stories together so artfully each story told at the perfect pace, with a slow crescendo of curiosity to a very late night of I can’t put this book down!

The way she shows the path that was chosen, the choices made and the secrets they kept and how it affected everyone in their lives. This is also a story of sisters and mothers and daughters and how each generation affects the next.

I cared about all the characters and even had some sympathy for the cruel grandmothers. Our two sisters Beth & Erica were beautifully written, the sadness and the taut tension were palpable. And the childhood friendship that meant so much but was over so long ago the childhood feelings bubble up but so much time has passed is it really still the same. Caroline’s time in America was so well written her unhappiness leaked off the page in waves.

I really loved this book such beautiful writing and I highly recommend it!

If you are a fan of Kate Morton I would give Katherine Webb a try. I look forward to reading anything else this author writes, definitely an author to keep your eye on.

Full Disclosure- I received this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program

5 Stars

#70-Autobiography of a Fat Bride: True Tales of a Pretend Adulthood by, Laurie Notaro audiobook narrated by, Hillary Huber 8/3/2011

Laurie Notaro does it again! So many great chapters! The one about buying a new bra was so hilarious! And can you imagine your gynecologist calling you fat and other disparaging remarks.

Laurie actually finds a man who loves her despite all her faults AND possible scary things associated with her past. Oh her poor husband he puts up with a lot from her you just have to have sympathy for him, especially the toothbrush incident.

These books are so much fun and I don’t care if I look like a crazy person listening to these and laughing out loud I need the laughs!

Hillary Huber’s narration is really great, her timing on all the great stories that Laurie has written is just spot on!

4 Stars

#35: I will have to look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Susie!

You're on quite a roll with Notaro!

#71-The Art of Racing in the Rain by, Garth Stein 8/4/2011

This is an interesting book because it is narrated by the dog, Enzo. This book is bittersweet a dogs perspective on life in his family. A mix of sadness and humor as is real life. Parts of this book angered me the grandparents really made me mad! Enzo has seen enough on TV to think that if he is smart enough he will be reincarnated as a man.

When he gets left alone with the demon zebra stuffed animal that he must destroy is too funny. When they washed his stuffed animal I could just picture my old dog when I washed his toys. Also when Enzo got old it made me sad for my old dog who had a lot of the same problems when he got old and to hear it from the dog point of view was definitely something different and made me sad.

This book was so believable even if it was narrated by the dog it was a great look into the mind of a dog and as I have always believed that they understand everything. The racing jargon/talk may be a bit much for some but I enjoyed it. But it’s not really a story of a dog or racing but about a family and the crisis’ they go through and how Enzo is there to help them through!

Bark Twice!

Warning sad ending have tissues ready! Not a spoiler you will know it’s going to happen!

I listened to this on audio narrated by, Christopher Evan Welch who did a really good job! Would listen to him again.

4 Stars

#39: Dodging that BB as I have already read that one :)

Hi Susie, I read The Art of Racing in the Rain last year and loved it, although you are right, the ending required quite a few tissues!

#72-Variant by, Robinson Wells 8/7/2011

I’ll just start by saying I Want More!

This was a unique story, foster kid Benson gets a scholarship for a private school, thinking things are finally looking up he is excited to be given this chance, but as soon as he gets to the school everything changes and things are not at all what they seem.

This story kept me on the edge of my seat it was intriguing and action packed however it ended too soon and left me wanting the 2nd book right now! The writing was good and kept me guessing right along with Benson. I don’t want to give anything away so I will say I highly recommend this new Young Adult series and I believe Robinson wells is an author to watch out for!

This book was kind of a cross between Lord of the Flies and The Hunger Games but I don’t really feel it is dystopian because I think it is happening in our time and I got the impression that the world outside the school is normal to our present standards.

Full Disclosure: I received this eBook from Net Galley

4 Stars

#42: That one looks good! Thanks for bringing the book to my attention, Susie. Hopefully come October my local library will get the book.

I really enjoyed it but thats the problem with getting ARC's is its even longer till the next book comes out!

Well, I am definitely adding Variant to my wishlist, and I keep my fingers crossed that my library picks it up as well.

#73-Rules of Civility by, Amor Towles narrated by, Rebecca Lowman

This was an interesting look at a single woman’s life in the late 30’s it also gave a look at New York City in this time period. This was a great period piece post flapper, post depression a time when things were looking up for some who had lost everything and were building it back and those who tagged along for the ride. Katey Kontent is a great character trying to make her way on her own but soon realizes that everything in her life happens because of different people she has known. Her roommate Eve is well lets us just say I didn’t like her much, and the man she longs for Tinker seems to always be just out of her reach.

This was really beautifully written and just kind of a narrative/snapshot of Miss Katey Kontent’s life in the 30’s. It was written in such a way that you could picture it all in your mind’s eye and the atmosphere of the time surrounds you. It’s the jazz clubs, Rolls Royce’s, and taxi cabs, the fancy penthouses to the women only boardinghouses. Love the end when she reads all the Rules of Civility by, George Washington I think some of these are still very relevant today!

Rebecca Lowman narrated this audiobook and did a really good job at all the different characters.

This was a good book that is getting a lot of buzz right now and I think it deserves it if you like historical fiction, the late 30’s and strong female characters give this one a go!

4 Stars

#46: I already had that one in the BlackHole. I just need my local library to get a copy!

#74-We Thought You Would Be Prettier: True Tales of the Dorkiest Girl Alive by, Laurie Notaro audiobook narrated by,Hillary Huber

As usual Laurie Notaro’s look at life is hilarious her books are just so much fun. The story of the flippy hair guy or otherwise known as the day you realize you are no longer cool and have your mother’s voice living in your head! I loved this chapter!!

There was some funny stories about her book tour where only one person showed up and what happened before she went up on stage (in the bathroom) or losing your wallet or locking yourself out are all something that would happen to me or the shopping trip with your skinny friend where you can’t find anything in your size. I think that is why I enjoy her books because I am a bit sarcastic and kind of look at life in a similar skewed view that she does!

I listened to this one on audio and Hilary Huber does a great job on the narration these humorous books.

4 stars

Variant does look interesting. I will have to see if I can find it at my library some time. Laurie Notaro is so funny. I read one of her books this year and found myself laughing a little bit. Some of the stuff made me remember when I was young and stupid.

Oh for sure especially her first book now that she is married you have to feel for her husband at times!

I hope you have a terrific book picked out for #75, Susie!

Wating to see what book you choose to complete your 75 ...

And book #75 Drumrollplease The Weird Sisters by, Eleanor Brown 8/21/2011

This is the story of 3 sisters raised by a Shakespeare scholar who talks in quotes from the bard a mother who stayed at home but seemed melancholy at times, the sisters were close and not close 3 very different personalities Rose is the caretaker, Cordy (Cordelia) the wild child and Bean (Bianca) who wanted to make her way in the big city with all its trappings. Their mother has been diagnosed with cancer which brings Cordy & Bean home but is it the only reason or are there secrets that would have brought them home anyway?

I am glad I read this book on my nook so I was able to highlight the many many great quotes or I would have filled up a notebook writing them all down! Here are a few:

Instead, we were going to wrap ourselves in cloaks woven from self-pity and victimhood, refusing to admit that we might be able to help each other if we’d only open up. Instead, we’d do what we always did, the only thing we’d ever been dependably stellar at: we’d read.

“What I mean is, I still feel like me. It’s not like I wake up and think, I am a responsible adult. I just look in the mirror and see myself. The same stupid person I’ve been looking at for years.”

She never managed to find herself in these books no matter how hard she tried, exhuming traits from between the pages and donning them for an hour, a day, a week. We think in some ways, we have all done this our whole lives, searching for the book that will give us the keys to ourselves, let us into a wholly formed personality as though it were a furnished room to let. As though we could walk in and look around and say to the gray-haired landlady behind us, "We'll take it."

"There are times in our lives when we have to realize our past is precisely what it is, and we cannot change it. But we can change the story we tell ourselves about it, and by doing that, we can change the future."

"We all have stories we tell ourselves. We tell ourselves we are too fat, too ugly, or too old, or too foolish. We tell ourselves these stories because they allow us to excuse our actions, and they allow us to pass off the responsibility for things we have done-maybe to something within our control, but anything other than the decisions we have made."

This a book for the reader and lover of books it also reaffirms that you can go home again. These sisters each with their own set of problems 2 who ran far from home and 1 who never wants to leave. The growing up the looking at your life and analyzing everything you’ve done and how it brings you to who you are now. This was a very enjoyable book and I fell in love with these sisters and their parents watching the sisters bond through their troubles and differences.

I highly recommend this book to readers and book lovers whether you are a Shakespeare fan for not I think you will enjoy this character driven book.

4 ½ Stars

I started a new counter since I have reached my 75 books on Aug.21,2011 later than last year but I am still hoping to catch up and hit 140 books for the year!

WhooHoo!!!!

Congratulations for reaching 75!

Congratulations Susie. The Weird Sisters sounds good.

Thanks!And it was Judy I think you'd like it!

Wooooo! Congrats on 75! Here's to 140!

Congrats!

Thanks everyone!

#76-Ingenue (The Flappers#2) by, Jillian Larkin
8/24/2011

We start up this second book in the Flapper’s series in New York City, Gloria and Jerome hiding out from the mob, Lorraine working for the mob, Clara is back in the city that almost ruined her, can she stay away from her old life or is it too much of a temptation and Vera trying to find her brother and hopefully save his life and make up for what she had done in Chicago. Relationships go through some growing pains in this one! You’ll be surprised who ends up the happiest in the end.

This one was a lot of fun again with some major intrigue as the stories and people converged for the climax and what a climax it was! It isn’t really a cliffhanger but the end of one chapter and the next book will be a new one because parts of this story were wrapped up very well, yet with just enough mystery to keep fans reading to see what happens next.

I so enjoy the atmosphere in this series, the 20’s ,flappers, bootleggers, booze, gangsters and some famous people of the time play into this story! I love who Vera meets backstage at the Cotton Club and who engineers some of the bad things that happen! (No Spoilers)

I think this is a great YA historical fiction series that teens and adults alike will enjoy no fantasy involved just a look at life in a different time when women were just starting to come into their own, segregation is in effect except of course that it’s ok for the African Americans to entertain you but they must come in the back door and an interracial relationship will get you in trouble I think it gives a great look at a life we can only imagine and hope that we have moved far away from. I do love books that that show strong women and this one is full of them , women in 1920 leaving the notions and traditional roles their parents have laid out for them to make their way in the world on their own, scary as that is.

I look forward to the next installment of this series!

4 stars

No drumroll, just bouncy guy :)

Thanks Stasia!

I hope you make your new goal of 140!

Congratulations on surpassing 75!

#77-The Distant Hours by, Kate Morton 9/1/2011

Kate Morton does it again with this great gothic feeling story of the 3 Blythe sisters and the ward they kept during the evacuation of the children from London during WWII, Meredith. The story we have in the present day is Meredith’s daughter Edie finds a letter to her mother from Juniper Blythe youngest of the spinster Blythe sisters and Edie finds out her mother was billeted with them at Milderhurst Castle during the war a fact her mother has never spoken a word about, especially considering Edie’s favorite book as a child The Mudman was written by the Blythes father. So Edie decided to travel to the castle and find out what she can about her mother’s time there and the reclusive author of her favorite childhood book. But what she finds out about the Blythe family goes so far beyond her mother and the ramifications of the secrets of the past and how they have affected the sisters.

This book had the great twists and turns and family secrets that Kate Morton has become known for I didn’t want to stop reading/listening to this one and was sad when I had to stop! I just want to gush like a fangirl about Kate Morton I can’t say enough about how much I enjoy all her books. I also can’t say enough about the audio versions Caroline Lee’s narration is so good and I highly recommend all Kate Morton’s books in audiobook format. They are a great read either way and I can’t wait for a new book by this author since I have now devoured everything she has written so far!

4 ½ Stars

Congratulations Susie!!

#66: I need to get to that one. I have seen several good reviews of the book. Glad to see you enjoyed it, Susie!

#78-Fathermothergod: My Journey Out of Christian Science by Lucia Greenhouse 9/13/2011

I didn’t know much about Christian Science when I started this book except for the fact that they don’t believe in going to doctors that the Lord will heal them however, I did not realize it is the symptoms of an illness or sickness itself that they don’t believe in.

I also don’t understand when they say things like have you tried science when referring to Lucia who wants to get her eyes checked, isn’t medicine science? So, I do not understand the name Christian Science when they don’t use Science like going to the doctor.

This book was a rare and fascinating look into a religion that I had little previous knowledge of and Lucia’s narrative on her family and upbringing alternately makes your heartbreak, makes you angry and makes you shake your head in disbelief that anyone could believe some of the things after going through what they went through in the latter part of the book. I felt so bad for Lucia and her siblings but also even through it all, her parents.

What was amazing is how her parent’s belief in this religion impacted the extended family too and how her parents virtually cut themselves off from any non-believer so no one could see what was really happening. Also Lucia confused feelings of wanting to get help for her mother and wanting to protect her parents must have been so hard I don’t know how she stayed sane through it all.

This was a great read and was very hard to put down, if you like memoirs about different religions or dysfunctional families I highly recommend this book it is a fascinating read.

4 Stars

#79- Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay 9/14/2011

What a great book I had heard good things about it and can’t keep it on the shelf at the library but I didn’t realize just how good of a story this was.

The two stories merge together so flawlessly and you come to care so much for both Sarah and Julia. Sarah’s story is set during the holocaust in Paris during the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup where the French police rounded up all the Jews including thousands of children and sent them off to their deaths, but Sarah’s story goes so far beyond just the holocaust it is so heartbreaking. Julia is in modern-day Paris and a journalist hired to do a story about the roundup but what she finds hits so much closer to home than she ever imagined.

I loved this book it was so hard to put it down because I just had to know what had happened to Sarah. It also, like all good historical fiction should do, made me research the facts of this horrible day in France’s history because I like Julia had never heard of it and to me that is what this book is about as she says To Never Forget. This glimpse into history is a fictionalized account of the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup but it made me aware of it and the lives lost in a section of the Holocaust I knew nothing about. Also that these atrocities were carried out by the French Police on the orders of the Nazi’s not the Nazi’s themselves just seems to make it all the more heartbreaking.

If you follow my reviews you will know I love books that have a modern and a historical story and this one was no exception Tatiana de Rosnay beautifully blended these stories together. Ok I will stop gushing now.

I highly recommend this book, I listened to it on audio and narrator Polly Stone does a great job at bringing these characters to life.

5 stars

Hi Susie, I read Sarah's Key last year and thought it was a great story. I think (but not totally sure) there is a movie version coming out soon as well.

Yes there is a movie I will definetly go see it!

I too enjoyed Sarah's Key. I read it for out book club earlier this year. I can't wait to see the movie either.

#80-The Ballad of Tom Dooley by, Sharyn McCrumb 9/23/2011

I expected to really like this book but I didn’t. The chapters about the lawyer completely took me out of the story and I don’t think served any purpose he could have had the first and last chapter just to tell us what happened after Tom was hanged (no spoilers if you’ve heard the song you know that happened).

The characters in this book are all awful people, Pauline a syphilis carrier who has absolutely no qualms with spreading this disease to everyone she can. She comes to work for her cousin Ann who is a spoiled pretty girl who is having an affair with her childhood sweetheart Tom Dula in the bed right next to her husband who seems to be completely oblivious. Pauline uses her other cousin Laura to make Ann jealous and work her into frenzy and is very proud of her behavior even with the consequences she is actually a sociopath that has no feelings one way or the other.

I really wanted to like this book but it ended up just being ok for me.

2 ½ Stars
Received from librarything Early Reviewers Program

#81-The Borrower by, Rebecca Makkai Audiobook Narrated by,Emily Bauer 9/25/2011

This is a very odd unbelievable story as our children’s librarian tries to help out 10 year old Ian who may or may not be gay but his Christian parent’s think he may be so they send him to an anti-gay Minister/treatment and only want him to read God-filled stories. This author does have a good grasp on children’s literature with the quotes and characters from other books, however as a librarian not so much. When Ian runs away to the library and ends up in Lucy’s car they end up on a road trip and this where this story goes off the rails for me. Lucy talks about oh what I’m doing is wrong but she doesn’t take the boy home just because his parents don’t let him read the books he wants to read??I’m sorry as a librarian I am all for Intellectual freedom but I also believe that it is a parents right to decide what their child reads He Is 10 years old and who are you as a 20 something children’s librarian to decide what is good for him? I felt she was helping enough letting him read what he wanted while he was in the library and helping him smuggle out books but the whole road trip/kidnapping was just going too far.

Lucy and Ian are both a bit annoying and actually unsympathetic and I found it really hard to continue with this book but since I received this as an Early Review Copy I must finish, between the story, the characters and the Audiobook narrator this is really hard to keep going. Honestly I have tried 4 times to finish this one because I have to stop for awhile and get away from the grating voice and whiny narrator.

I listened to this on audio and I just want to clarify I listen to a lot of audiobooks in a month and I have heard some wonderful narrators unfortunately Emily Bauer isn’t one of them she sounded like a little kid while narrating Lucy then when she was doing the voice of Ian it was even worse and was extremely grating. If she was narrating as a child she may be ok but she is narrating the voice of an adult and sounds like a whiny preteen.

However her voice and the story grew on me… I wrote the above when I was half way through. The road trip as a whole had its cute parts but it was still really hard to understand why there wasn’t an amber alert and the parents weren’t on TV wringing their hands so I decided to kind of put it in my head it set in an earlier decade it was easier to suspend my thinking and just enjoy the story.

All in all this isn’t a bad book you just have to be willing to suspend your belief about the circumstances and just let the story tell itself.

Hovering between 2 ½ and 3 Stars
FYI My Rating System:
3 Stars- Good Book but some things didn't connect with me
2 1/2 Stars- just didn't connect to this book but was ok

Full Disclosure: I received this book from Librarything Early Reviewer Program

Sorry that one was a pain. 4 times to finish shows a tremendous effort. Now find something good to read!

#82-Lethal Lineage by, Charlotte Hinger 9/29/2011

This was a good little cozy that kept you guessing as to who the bad guy was and the twist at the end was great and unexpected! I found out after I was almost done that this is actually the second book in the series so I plan on going back and finding the first one. I enjoyed this enough to want to read more about Lottie and her little town. This one was a bit different from other cozies because Lottie is actually a police officer but some things were alluded to like how she became one that I’m guessing I will find out by going back and reading book #1.

I liked that she is a historian and undersheriff and how in this story she brought the two careers together to figure things out. So ,a little town, a historian turned police officer, and a dead body sounds like a great formula and I have to say this author pulled it off well some cozies you can see the end clearly but this really kept me guessing. I recommend this book if you enjoy cozy mysteries.

I listened to this one on audio narrated by the wonderful Karen White who as always does a great job!

3 ½ Stars

>82 susiesharp: That one is already on my wish list, Susie. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it.

>76 mstrust: - thanks I had to finish it since it was an ER or I would have given up on it!

>78 thornton37814:-Hope you enjoy it!

I think I would have a hard time with The Borrower as well. Although many books require you to overlook some facts, running away with a child would be difficult. So for me, a book to avoid.

#78 This sounds like an interesting book. Like you, I know very little about this religion and its practices. Thanks for the review.

#79 I have heard nothing but good things about Sarah's Key. It is in my TBR pile and I am looking forward to it. Thanks for the helpful review.

>#81- in re:#78- thanks it was very interesting and taught me a few things along the way.
in re:#79- it is excellent and now I want to see the movie!

#83- It Looked Different on the Model: Epic Tales of Impending Shame and Infamy by Laurie Notaro audiobook narrated by, Hilary Huber

Another fun book from Laurie Notaro! The chapter where she realizes that size M and an L are very different and her dressing room antics had tears running down my face!

And who hasn’t gotten those FWDFWDFWDFWD from your parents or in-laws with every hoax available to man and no matter how many times you tell them it’s a hoax they still send them along to you!

Ambien Laurie is freaking hilarious and makes me wonder what this drug is supposed to do because it didn’t seem to help her sleep!

I enjoy Laurie’s sense of humor its sardonic and sarcastic and I can relate to her very well. Laurie’s books are fun and will make you laugh if you like sarcastic humor.

As usual Hilary Huber does a great job at the narration!
4 Stars

#84-Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 10/3/2011

This combination of great story and spooky old pictures is a hit! I could not put this book down! This is the story of Jacob whose grandfather tells him ,what he thinks are tall tales, about a home he was evacuated to during WWII from Poland to Wales and the other peculiar children there. Interspersed in this book are great old photographs which enhance this story and serve to make you a believer too.

This quote from the book I think describes Jacob’s journey and this book well:
And that is how someone who is unusually susceptible to nightmares, night terrors, the Creeps, the Willies and Seeing Things That Aren’t Really There talks himself into making one last trip to the abandoned, almost-certainly-haunted house where a dozen or more children met their untimely end.

But what he finds is even more fascinating this is hard I don’t want to give anything away because I want you to have the pleasure of reading this magical book. This story will keep you on the edge of your seat as each secret is revealed I was riveted.

This was a great book I just want to gush about it and I am really hoping that we will get more of this story because I didn’t want it to end and would really love a second book. This was the perfect book to kick off my spooky reading month!

As you probably have figured out I highly recommend this book.

5 Stars

> 84 I really liked that one too and am awaiting the follow-up.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children seems to be one that appeals to lots of people. I have it on my wishlist and hope to get to it eventually.

Hello! Good review of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children! I am still on the hold list at the library for this one so it could be a while until I get to read it but I am looking forward to it!

Great review of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I hope my local library has a copy of this one.

>mstrust- Its good to hear I'm not the only one that wants more of this story!

>Judy- I hope you'll give this one a try its a quick read because you won't be able to put it down!

>Gogs81 & Whisper1- I was on the waiting list for awhile myself it was well worth the wait!

#85-The Night Circus by, Erin Morgenstern audiobook narrated by, Jim Dale 10/11/2011

This was a great book a little Romeo & Juliet a little Dr. Parnassus (from the movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus) with some fairytale elements thrown in. Celia & Marco have been raised to duel each other but they fall in love and this “duel” is more of a long rivalry no that’s not the right word either, Wow this is a very hard book to review and explain because there’s so much going on, there are a lot of sub plots or sub characters. Oh my I’m not making myself clear at all am I?

This book is at times confusing with so many characters POV’s going on but you just have to keep reading. I know some people won’t like all the different POV’s but I did and I felt like the Circus itself is a character the lushness the wonder.

I don’t understand some of the comparisons to this book; it is Not Harry Potter just because Jim Dale does the narration of the audiobook. It is also nothing like Twilight I don’t understand that comparison at all. This is a very unique book that I feel isn’t like anything else the closest I would say would be Mirrormask.

This book is lush and beautiful and full of imagination and wonder and if you go into it with that attitude I think you will find a great story.

I listened to this on audio narrated by the incomparable Jim Dale who as always does a wonderful job!

4 Stars

Glad you enjoyed The Night Circus! I have that waiting to be read next month, looking forward to it!

Thanks so much Susie for the tip about PBS doing "Case Histories", I'm really looking forward to it.

I am also planning to read The Night Circus next month as part of a group read. Looking forward to that as well.

#86- The Lantern by, Deborah Lawrenson audiobook narrated by,Gerrianne Raphael, Kristine Ryan 10/14/2011

I think that comparisons to Rebecca are unavoidable, there are the similarities, our heroine whose name may or may not be “Eve” is with a man who won’t talk about his ex-wife is she alive, dead or just missing, Eve needs to know but will the truth be something she can handle. Then there is the story of Benedicte her brother Pierre and her sister Marta who is a blind they lived in the house that Eve & Dom are now living in. There are a few different mysteries going on in this book plus a bit of a ghost story.

This book started out a little slow for me and really didn’t grab me until half way in, I did like the gothic feel and the reveal of all the different secrets well most of the secrets I’m still confused how the murders of the young women in the present fit in with the story.

I liked this book however there was just something that didn’t quite click I can’t out my finger on it. I would however say to give it a try it is a good book if you like Daphne DuMaurier or Kate Morton give this book a try.

I listened to this one on audio narrated by, Gerrianne Raphael, Kristine Ryan who are new to me and did a good job though at times the French accents got a little thick.

3 ½ Stars

#87-The Poisoned House by, Michael Ford 10/16/2011

Young Abi is an orphaned servant girl in the house of Lord Greave, the head of the household staff Mrs. Cotton, is the sister of the late lady of the house who rules with an iron fist. It has been a year since Abi lost her mother who was nurse/governess to Lord Greave’s son Samuel, Abi and Samuel grew up together and were closer than master & servant should be. In the year since her mother died Lord Greave has been slowly losing his mind and Samuel went off to war and came back injured. The worst thing is that Abi is seeing the ghost of her mother but what is she trying to tell her.

I really enjoyed this book it was hard to put down; it had just the right amount of spookiness and mystery. The build up to the reveal was great and what you think is going on is actually quite different then you are led to believe. The whole atmosphere of the story really took you back to 1856 Victorian England, the big house with its ghosts plus a little upstairs/downstairs. Abi was a great character as were the rest of the household staff I ended up really liking them and thought the postscript was a great touch!

If you like Victorian gothic with ghosts give this book a try!

I received this book from netgalley.

4 stars

The Lantern is already on my wishlist and now I am adding The Poisoned House. I love Victorian gothic with ghosts!

#88-Dracula by, Bram Stoker audiobook narrated by, Simon Vance AKA Robert Whitfield 10/20/2011

Since there are hundreds of reviews of this book out there this won’t be a long review but I wanted to just put down a few thoughts.

This is a re-read for me but the last time I read this was a very long time ago and I may have been too young to fully appreciate what a great book this is. What I find most intriguing though is imagining the people reading this for the first before the glut of vampire books and movies, because reading it now you know what a vampire is what Dracula is but people reading it when it was first published must have been on the edge of their seats not knowing or understanding what was happening to Lucy, Mina & Jonathan Harker.

This is great classic horror to me it is more psychological than gory which I like better anyway. Even with the knowing of the story it was still suspenseful and a great read/listen.

I listened to this on audio narrated by, Robert Whitfield AKA Simon Vance this production was done in 1998 and was an Audiofile Earphones award winner and well deserved, as always Simon does a fantastic job at the narration.

5 Stars

I read that one for the first time last year and look forward to reading it again. There's so much to it that I totally understand people studying it over and over.

I just realized I missed a book I finished 9/19/2011
Moon Over Manifest by,Clare Vanderpool
Narrated by,Jenna Lamia, Cassandra Campbell, Kirby Heyborne

Abilene Tucker is a motherless child (well it is a Newbery winner and I think this is a requirement) her daddy has sent her to Manifest, Kansas where he used to live there she meets some great characters and sets out to find out more about her father as a young man. This book goes back and forth between Abilene’s story during the depression in 1936 and the story of a young man named Jinx and his best friend Ned in 1918.

This was a good coming of age story filled with quirky characters, and a bit of mystery and it gives you a feel of the times both stories are set in. I fell in love with Abilene and Jinx I ended up rooting for them both in their different time lines, the stories melded together very nicely. This was an uplifting story and has a feel good ending. I highly recommend this to the young and old alike it’s highly entertaining historical fiction for all ages.

4 ½ Stars

#90-The Evil Genius by, Wilkie Collins audiobooknarrated by, John Bolen 10/22/2011

This book was so different than I expected from the title I expected a spooky gothic story like Woman in White but alas that is not what this book was it’s the story of a marriage breaking up, a meddling mother-in-law, a child who suffers through it all and a young girl who seems to be taken advantage of no matter where she goes. This was an interesting look at divorce in a by gone era if a bit outdated.

The narrator of this one John Bolen isn’t a favorite, I don’t like his women’s voices at all and Mr. Linley (sp-audiobook) sounded like Mad Eye Moody from Harry Potter. His regular reading voice is fine but it almost seemed like he was trying too hard at all the different voices.

Like I said this book wasn’t at all what I expected it to be but it is written by Wilkie Collins so it is so well written that I kept listening. It wasn’t a bad story it was just not what I was hoping to read if you want to try Wilkie Collins don’t start with this one start with Woman in White or The Moonstone.

3 stars

#91-The Woman in Black by, Susan Hill 10/26/2011

This was a good spooky ghost story not gory but psychologically suspenseful. Arthur Kripps is given the task of going through the papers of a woman he has never met her, but his firm is handling her affairs after her death. What Arthur finds in the town and house is something that will stay with him for the rest of his life.

This book was written very well with just the right amount of suspense and trepidation, as events happen to Arthur I found myself with butterflies in my stomach and was glad no one came up behind me while I was reading. I liked that the author made you feel the darkness, smell the marshes, and hear the sounds and that’s what’s great about this book it has great atmosphere and does a good job at pulling you in.

If you are a fan of Victorian ghost stories I highly recommend this book this will be a book I will recommend to anyone who likes ghost stories that are suspenseful without any blood & gore.

This was my first book by Susan Hill and after her descriptive writing in this book I will try others by her.

4 Stars

Great review of The Woman in Black. I haven't read Susan Hill before but your review makes me want to pick up that book!

#92-The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky FAber, on Her Way to Botany Bay by Louis A. Meyer audiobook narrated by, Katherine Kellgren 10/27/2011

Usually when you get to book #8 in a series the story has started to get a bit dull but this series is the exception to the rule I think this one is one of the best ones yet. Once again our Jacky gets herself in quite a jam leaving us to wonder just how she is going to get out of it this time. The adventures along the way will make you laugh and cry and wonder how she will explain these exploits to her fair Jaimy.

I love Jacky she is so fun and spunky and can always worm her way out of just about anything, but I do wonder if her and Jaimy will ever get married and if they should. I look forward to the next book in this series.

I listened to this on audio and as always Katherine Kellgren does a great job at the narration if you really want this series to come alive I highly recommend listening to these on audio the voices, the accents, the singing, Katherine Kellgren does it all with absolute perfection.

4 ½ Stars

#93-We Have Always Lived in the castle by, Shirley Jackson audiobook narrated by, Bernadette Dunne 10/28/2011

Why haven’t I ever read anything by Shirley Jackson before?? I don’t know but that will be remedied very quickly! This is a great book! It has the feel of a ghost story because these two sisters are like living ghosts and actually there were times in this that I wasn’t sure if they weren’t ghosts. (And honestly still not sure after finishing it)

This is a short book but packs a great punch, even though one of these sisters did something horrible you love them anyway with all their quirks and strange ways. Gosh this is a hard review to write because I don’t want to give anything away but I want you to know I loved this book and you should read it too!

I highly recommend this book on audio Bernadette Dunne was a great narrator and really brings Merricat & Constance to life.

I guess all I can say is read this book what are you waiting for??

5 stars

Glad you liked it! Great book and great writer.

Hi Susie, I think you were part of our discussion on having a "Neil in November" where we read a Neil Gaiman book during November. I've set up a thread and Here's the link . Hope to see you there.

Graet thanks Judy!

#94-Birds of a Feather by, Jacqueline Winspeare narrated by, Kim Hicks 11/2/2011

The first book introduced us to Maisie Dobbs and where she comes from and her history with a bit of a mystery, this one is more mystery. I love the time setting in this series it really gives you a feel of the time and the aftermath of war. Maisie is on the case of a missing young(Late 20’s?) girl is she missing did she runaway or is something more sinister at work? While on the case she finds that friends of the girl have been found dead, does this have anything to do with Charlotte’s disappearance or is it all about her cold father?

I really like Maisie she is so caring and compassionate even after the case is settled she still goes to Charlotte and her father and tries to fix their differences. Also her compassion for what Billy is going through I didn’t feel like she judged him I thought she was caring and just wanted to help him.

I enjoy this series I like the characters & the setting and will continue to read this series.
I listened to this on audio narrated by, Kim Hicks I thought she did a very good job at all the different accents.

4 Stars

#95-Hearts, Keys and Puppetry by, Neil Gaiman Audiobook Narrated by, Katherine Kellgren

I loved this story! This was a neat little fairytale retold at least that’s what it felt like to me. It has shades of Alice in Wonderland in fact there is a cute little epilogue I enjoyed too. I don’t want to say too much since it is a short story I don’t want to give anything away to detract from enjoying this one!

I must say that I am a Neil Gaiman fan and a Katherine Kellgren fan but I think even if I wasn’t I would have enjoyed this story!

This audiobook is only an hour and forty-five minutes long and well worth the $1.95 audible is charging.

5 stars

Looks like I am going to have to go and visit Audible - that sounds like a really good deal!

Hi Susie, I'm back again. I see that Mark has started the Night Circus Group Read Thread.

Night Circus Group Read

Hope to see you there.

Thanks Judy!

#96-Artemis Rising by, Cheri Lasota

This is the story of a young girl named Eve who is raised in the US by a catholic father and a pagan mother, they are on a boat at sea when Eve’s mother Arethusa does a ritual to give Eve her mother’s name and to promise her to the moon goddess Artemis but things don’t go as planned, as tragedy strikes Eve’s/Arethusa life will never be the same.

This is a mix of 2 myths Tristan & Isolde and Arethusa & Alpheus and how your beliefs can set you on a path of tragedy and/or love and how outside forces can affect everything you do until you take control of your own life and stop living for others.

I enjoyed this book very much it has a mythical fairytale quality to it, and I thought it was well written. I found myself cheering for Arethusa & Tristan; it is a love story yet so much more. I was afraid at first it would be to romancey (I know maybe not a word but there it is) but I was pleasantly surprised by the story and the atmosphere her descriptions of the coastline & the sea made me feel like I was right there and could feel the wind. There are some scenes that made my stomach knot in fear for our heroine and that is the mark of a good book.

I will definitely read more by this author.

**I received this book from the Member Giveaway Program on Librarything**

4 Stars

#97-Peace, Locomotion by, Jacqueline Woodson Audiobook narrated by, Dion Graham

This is the story of a brother and sister separated into the foster care system after their parents have died and Lonnie/Locomotion writes these great letters to his sister Lilli. I did feel like I missed a little of this one because this is actually the second book the first book is just called Locomotion but I will one day find that one and read it too.

This is a touching story that these two kids are able to stay in touch after being separated is really great and to see this young man come of age and into his own. It’s a very short read but still a powerful book.

I listened to this on audio narrated by, Dion Graham who did a great job with all the different emotions Lonnie goes through in this story .

I would recommend this to the Young Adult reader.

3 ½ stars may change to 4 after I read the first book.

#98-Ashfall by, Mike Mullins

Alex lives in Cedar Rapids Iowa his parents have left him home alone for the weekend but it’s not the weekend he is hoping it will be when something crashes into his house and burns it to the ground you’d think that would be the worst of it but it is only the beginning. A Supervolcano in Yellowstone has gone off and changed the world as we know it; Alex sets off to find his family in a trek of survival, starvation and terror. Along the way Alex’s will is tested he does find some nice people that help him along the way but he also runs into people who would do him harm. He ends up at the farmhouse of Darla and her mother but tragedy strikes there too so he and Darla set off cross country to find his family.

The vivid descriptions of our world after the volcano the ash fall, the blocking out of the sun, the noise, the snow, and just trying to survive. This book doesn’t show our government in a very good light but honestly I could see it happening. Alex is a strong willed boy but Darla is strong and being a farm girl knows things about survival that city boy Alex never could. They make a great pair and I don’t think either one could have survived without the other. It was refreshing to have a male lead character yes there is a female but she is later in the book and compliments our male lead very well.

This book was scary in the way that this could really happen and since I live only a few states away from Yellowstone it hit home a bit. This book also made me curious enough about the Supervolcano that I looked things up and watched the BBC movie Supervolcano.

One of the best quotes from this book about the inhumanity these kids saw was...

“For the first time ever, I felt ashamed of my species. The volcano had taken our homes, our food, our automobiles, and our airplanes, but it hadn’t taken our humanity. No, we’d given that up on our own.”

I enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down and look forward to the next installment in this series.

I received this book from netgalley and will definitely be buying this book for the city library I work at.

4 ½ Stars

>114 susiesharp:: Definitely one for the Someday Swamp. Thanks for the recommendation!

#99-American Gods by, Neil Gaiman 10th Anniversary Full Cast Audio Edition

I so wanted to Love this book its Neil Gaiman I really should love it but unfortunately this will not be on my list of favorite Gaiman novels. I liked Anansi Boys much better maybe it is because I liked Fat Charlie so much. Part of me did like Shadow though because; how confusing this must have been for him he is just along for the ride for the majority of this book.

Some major research had to have been done to find out about all the different Gods and of course Neil’s writing is great but I just couldn’t connect with this book it was way too easy to put it down/stop listening. There are parts that were interesting and parts that are cringe worthy.

I did like the second half of this book better than the first, but it still didn’t make me fall in love with it and then the end (prologue) got confusing again. I still love Neil and not liking one book out of so many is in no way going to make me stop reading him or change the fact that he is one of my favorite authors. In fact this makes me want to go back and read Anansi Boys again now that I have a little more background than I had when I read it the first time.

The concept of gods only existing because people believe in them is not new but the way Neil tells a story may be. There is so much going on in this book that it is hard to review or try to explain. There is a lot more sex and swearing in this book than I expected; yes, yes I know the gods are sexual beings but there are some very graphic scenes that I felt were over the top.

As I said earlier it is Neil Gaiman I feel awful giving this the rating I am giving and maybe after I’ve stepped away from it my rating may change or maybe someday I will came back and revisit this and see if my opinion changes.

I listened to the 10th Anniversary Full Cast production of this one I enjoyed all the narrators and thought it was very well done. Narrated by, Dennis Boutsikaris, Daniel Oreskes, Ron McLarty, Sarah Jones and Neil himself and many more they mention at the end but this was all they listed on audible.

3 Stars

I felt pretty much the same about American Gods although I rated the book a 4 star read simply on the strength of his story-telling. I do know that even a week after finishing it's still in my mind.

#100-We All Wore Stars by, Theo Coster

This was a very thought provoking book, we have all read her book or at least heard of Anne Frank but we’ve never heard about the kids from her class that survived. So many Jewish kids in the Netherlands went into hiding some were fortunate to be taken in with families that took good care of them some had freedom and some had to stay hidden.

This was a project that encompassed not only a book but a documentary too, (which I really want to see.) Theo Coster went looking for other classmates that also survived to see how they did it and to talk about Anne what they remembered of her, what was her personality really like and did as many boys have crushes on her as she wrote about in her now famous diary. Some of the survivors did end up in camps and some were in hiding with families risking their lives to help them, some hid in villages in the woods. A couple of the girls even saw Anne in Bergen-Belsen before her death.

These stories, as all stories of the Holocaust are so important to tell because the age of survivors is rising and their stories need to be remembered so these atrocities don’t happen again.

This book made me search out the documentary which I unfortunately could not find, but I did watch a different one about other hidden children of the Netherlands and the families that helped them are so amazing. But that is what a book like this should do is make you think, make you research and remember so nothing like this ever happens again. It also makes me want to go back and read Anne’s diary which I haven’t read in quite a few years.

I think this book should be a companion to The Diary of Anne Frank and any classroom that reads Anne’s diary should read this book along with it to hear from people that did survive to tell their tale.

I highly recommend this book.

5 Stars

I received this book from the Librarything Early Reviewers Program

That was one of the books I requested, but I won a different one. Your review makes me certain that I do want to get a copy of this book to read!

That sounds fascinating, and from an angle that had never occurred to me, as Anne seemed to speak for everyone her age. Thanks for the review.

>118 susiesharp: Susie, that sounds like an interesting book. I am currently reading I will Bear Witness which is a diary of the Nazi years between 1933 - 1941 by Victor Klemperer. The suffering and sheer evil is beyond belief, but Klemperer was there and recorded it day by day.

Alan/TT

>121 TheTortoise:-TheTortoise-- Thanks I'll have to check that out..I've been devouring alot of holocaust documentaries since I finished this book and plan on watching Masterpiece's Anne Frank this weekend.

#101-Explosive Eighteen by, Janet Evanovich audiobook narrated by, Lorelei King

This was one of the best Stephanie Plum books in awhile, at the end of Smoking Seventeen Stephanie was off to Hawaii this one starts out with her trip home, she mentions she left them both in Hawaii and has a tan line on her bare ring finger that she is unwilling to explain.

I was so glad I listened to this on audio because I think if I had the paperbook I would have been tempted to skip ahead to find out just what happened in Hawaii instead of letting the story unfold as it was supposed to.

I am hoping that Stephanie is getting closer to making her choice between Morelli & Ranger and IMHO I hope she chooses Morelli. As usual Grandma & Lulu steal the show at times and I should know better than to be eating or drinking anything while listening/reading these books these two have the best lines!

I just love this series especially on audio; Lorelei King’s narration brings these characters to life for me. And this one is no exception if you want a good laugh and a fun story I highly recommend this series especially on audio!

5 Stars

#102-The Prince of Mist by, Carlos Ruiz Zafon

As a huge fan of Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s Shadow of the Wind I was curious about his first novel , which is a Young Adult (actually I would say 5th grade and up) book.

I found this book a great read it is a fantasy with a ghost story feel which I think younger readers will enjoy very much. It may not be as beautifully written as Shadow of the Wind but is well written none the less. There were a few times I wanted to yell at Max and say why are you going there alone? But it made for a great story.

This book was hard to put down I had to find out what was going on and what would happen next. I liked all the characters and even though this is a short novel I was wrapped up in the characters and the story.

What I found refreshing was the ending ** No Spoilers** much different than most. And actually would have loved an epilogue, but was completely satisfied when I finished.

I would recommend this book to 5th grade and up including adults because I am way way past that age and enjoyed this book.

4 Stars

EDT:Just found out there is a second book must find now!!

#103-The Red Pyramid by, Rick Riordan audiobook narrated by, Katherine Kellgren & Kevin Free
I’m having a hard time writing this review I really wanted to like this book but it just didn’t do it for me , I’ve always been fascinated with mythology and ancient Egypt so this book should have been right up my alley but alas it was not to be. I am not saying this was a bad book it had some good moments but towards the end all I was looking forward to was it to be over. This was just ok to me and didn’t grab me enough it was very easy to put down and listen/read something else and didn’t make me want to run out and get the second book.

I listened to this on audio and as always Katherine Kellgren did a great job and new to me narrator Kevin Free was mostly good sometimes some of his voices of the gods and their minions were a bit to screechy for me, but other than that he was a good narrator.

Just a meh.

2 ½ stars

#104-Hide by, Lisa Gardner

This was a re-read of this book the last time I read it was back in 2008 and with the made-for-tv movie coming out this week I wanted to refresh my memory, which needed refreshing as I couldn't remember who the bad guy was so it was familiar yet still new.

I do love Bobby even with his hero complex and his need to rescue the damsel in distress with a little more feeling than he should have. I still don’t like DD much as I have said in other reviews of Lisa’s books but as always I could not put this down and read it in 2 days, so my rating from over 3 years ago stands at a solid 4 Stars.

I hope they do a good job on the movie so that there may be more of Lisa Gardner’s books made into movies , I think the one they need to do is Say Goodbye!

4 Stars

#105-A Christmas Carolby, well Dickens of course!: An Original Performance by Tim Curry audiobook
Because everyone knows this story whether from reading it or seeing one of the 100's of movies based on this book I will just be reviewing the audiobook version I listened to narrated by, Tim Curry. I must admit to being a huge Tim Curry fan I will watch anything if he has a role in it so when I found this audiobook at audible I had to get it. I was not disappointed!

Tim Curry’s narration is absolute perfection ‘nuff said!

5 stars

Oooh, Tim Curry narrating! Yes, he would make it worth the price.

#128 - Jen, I agree. Tim Curry has such a rich voice, it would be perfect for A Christmas Carol. Susie, did you get this audio version from Audio.com?

Yes on audible.com make sure you look for the title A Christmas Carol:An Original Performance by Tim Curry or just search under his name I also see he narrated the Abhorsen books by, Garth Nix I've read them already but may do a reread/listen just to hear him read it!

Thanks.

#106-Nothing With Strings: NPR's Beloved Holiday Stories by, Bailey White narrated by, Lorna Raver

This was a neat collection of southern short stories I’m not sure why they say they are holiday themed because really they’re not, but good none the less. I would say the theme is aging & gardening, southern style.
Some of these stories were sad/touching, some were funny, most were both but all left me wanting more. Just a warning these aren’t happy stories but they are good stories I would recommend this for southern fiction lovers.
I listened to this one on audio narrated by, Lorna Raver who as always does a great job.

3 ½ Stars

Susie, I owe you a thank you as am reading A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg which I believe you read and recommended last year. It a super Christmas read, sentimental but not overly so. I am really enjoying it.

So glad it's one of my favorites!!Thats what I liked about it too was it wasn't too sappy it was just a good solid story!

#107-Suicide Run by, Michael Connelly audiobook narrated by, Len Cariou

While on the waiting list for The Drop I decided to get my Harry Bosch fix with this collection of short stories. These were a good filler since I have missed Harry it will be great to read a Harry Bosch book not a Mickey Haller book with a cameo by Harry.

In one story there is even a nod to Terry McCaleb.

I listened to this on audio narrated by, Len Cariou who is and always will be the voice of Harry Bosch for me, however I have to say Len's age is starting to show in his voice but I wouldn't want anyone else as the voice of Harry.

On to the other short story book Angle of Investigation so my review of that one may be similar to this one.

Good book to get your Harry fix.

4 stars

#108-Angle of Investigation by, Michael Connelly audiobook narrated by, Len Cariou

This one had a Harry Bosch Christmas story how perfect! One thing you should know is that the stories in this book & Suicide Run are set before 9 Dragons.
I did have to stop this as soon as the teaser for The Drop started because that would just frustrate me as I have 5 more days on the waiting list for the audio of that one!

As I said in my review of Suicide Run, I listened to this on audio narrated by, Len Cariou who is and always will be the voice of Harry Bosch for me, however I have to say Len's age is starting to show in his voice but I wouldn't want anyone else as the voice of Harry.

If you are in need of a Harry Bosch fix check out these stories warning they will leave you wanting more!

4 stars

I have watched a few book to movie adaptations the last week or so from books I read this year 2 were extrememly disappointing those are:
The made-for-tv movie Hide by, Lisa Gardner they immasculated one of my favorite characters Bobby Dodge and changed so much of the story it was a huge disappointed especially considering Lisa Gardner claimed to love it.

A book I recently finished and absolutely loved Snowflower and the Secret Fan the movie was a HUGE disappointment they added a modern storyline to it that took away for the beautiful friendship story between Lily and Snowflower very disappointed mad I wasted my money on it.

However last night I watched Sarah's Key it is as Amazing as the book it is extremely faithful to the book and I didn't even mind the subtitles infact I felt like the language added an air of authenticity to it that made it even more real I would highly recommend it if you enjoyed Sarah's Key as much as I did give this movie a try!!

I guess I haven't posted my review of Snowflower yet because I want to wait till after our bookclub discussion so I don't influence anyone on my RL book club suffice it to say I Loved It and it will be on my best of 2011 list!

#109-Deck the Halls by, Mary & Carol Higgins Clark

I have read all the other Christmas mysteries this mother daughter team has written and thought I had read this one since it is the first but I hadn't. So this is the first meeting of Alvirah (Mary Higgins Clark’s lottery winner turned amateur sleuth) and Regan Reilly (Carol Higgins Clark's PI from her books). This is a cozy Christmas mystery that I enjoyed maybe not as much as the future books they would write together but it was good none the less.

The characters are fun especially Alvirah, she is quite a character! The one thing I found interesting was the red herrings were only for the characters because we as readers knew who kidnapped Regan’s father right from the beginning. It was a good book that I would recommend to fans of either of these authors and those who enjoy a cozy mystery.

3 stars

#110-Snowflower and the Secret Fan by, Lisa See

This book is heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time. I just want to go on and on about how much I loved this book. This book made me care so much about Lily & Snow Flower that the last part of the book broke my heart. Lisa See’s writing is so beautiful this story just flowed and was so hard to put down.

The foot binding part was so very hard to read about and the way women were treated was so appalling some of the things said that stood out:

The loss of a child is hard even if it is only a daughter.
Thank you Baba for raising a worthless daughter.
Better to have a dog than a daughter.

The relationship between these two women was so real, even with your best friend you will fight and make up and you may not be living the same type of life at the same time. The trials & tribulations these two women went through and the change of status was so fascinating to read helped along by the fluidity of the writing. As young girls Snow Flower seemed to have it all but thanks to Lily’s perfect little feet she found a prestigious match for a husband who I think through it all treated her with kindness for the most part in the day and age they lived in. Snow Flower was not so lucky and life was much harder on her.

I finished this book awhile ago for our book club and we will be discussing it tomorrow night so I waited so my thoughts wouldn’t influence what others thought of this book and they wouldn’t influence my review. I finished this about 2 weeks ago and am still thinking about it this book will stay with you and make you think and realize how far women have come!

I highly recommend this book to well everyone!

5 Stars

So glad you loved Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, one of my favorite books - ever. I remember when I read it, I could hardly wait to pass it on to my mother and sister - and they loved it as well.

I have Deck the Halls in one of my TBR piles or boxes and I keep wanting to read it. Now I have a reason to read it since I haven't read any of the other ones that these two have collaborated on.

Mary Boleyn: The Mistress of Kings by, Alison Weir

I have loved Allison Weir’s other books and was so looking forward to this new one, however the beginning is dull as dirt; do I really need pages and pages and pages of speculation of when Mary was born and still don’t ever get an answer. She starts out saying she wants to write a definitive biography of Mary but there is a lot of; well this is what is known, not known, speculated, but I still can’t give you any answer, so why am I reading if you’re not going to tell me anything?

I have to say I like Alison Weir’s fiction better than her non-fiction this one she just seems to be calling out other historians mistakes but she doesn’t really give the correct information just what others have said is wrong.

This did get better in the second half and kept my interest as I said I am a huge fan of Alison Weir however, this one won’t be up there with my favorites of her books.

I think this book should have been a biography of the Boleyn family there is so much more about Mary’s father, brother, sister and of course Henry VIII. I think I wouldn’t feel like she’s padding the book if it told you in the beginning that this is a biography of a family because we sure don’t really find much out about Mary, what does all Henry’s other affairs and illegitimate children have to do with a bio of Mary?

I am sorry as much as I like Alison Weir this one just didn’t do it for me I know she is a great researcher and that’s what this book is lots and lots of research told in a very textbook like manner, I think I will stick to Weir’s historical fiction rather than her non-fiction.

If you are new to Alison Weir don’t start here, start with Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey then The Lady Elizabeth I loved these 2 books, this one not so much.

I must give props to the undeniable amount of research Weir does. And the rating on this has to do with the fact that this book does not answer any questions about Mary and was about so many other people than her and there is a lot of guess work still going on. There is just too much, must have, maybe have, could have, and not enough really did!

3 Stars
***I won this book from Librarything early Reviewers Program**

#111-The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank

What a delightful Christmas story!

93 year old Theodora grew up in a happy home ( the home her and her children still live in) full of love, laughter and respect with great traditions every Christmas, but Theodora’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are the complete opposite and poor Theodora doesn’t know how to fix it. While growing up Theodora’s family had a housekeeper/cook/friend named Pearl who always made everything better Theodora wishes she could find another Pearl to fix her family but Pearl has been dead many years. But Christmas is a time for miracles and getting what you wish for; Christmas starts out awful for this family till a miracle named Pearl, working on getting her wings, and swoops in to fix this family.

This was a great story humorous and touching all about family and just what that means, also about miracles and believing in them. What was great was it was never preachy but just a great story. If only we all had a Pearl of our own to fix all the ills in our own family!

If you are looking for a good Christmas story give this one a try!

4 Stars

Another cute christmas short story (47 pages) I read it's not even cataloged here on LT but if you have a Nook or Kindle this one was either .99 cents or free

Steampunk Santa by,by Marc Vun Kannon
Description:Tomparasil is a very forward-thinking elf, embracing the technology of the 19th-century world. When Santa decides to go global, Tom decides his time has come. But there are those in the workshop who would rather he stayed in the boiler room where he belongs.

My Review:
This was a fun short story, the retelling of how Santa got his sleigh. It was a very imaginative take with a steampunk twist, the characters Tom & Flar were really fun and I hope the author writes another Christmas short story with these elves! I enjoyed this short story very much!

Susie, I love all of the books by Dorothea Benton Frank. I read that one the year it came out. Glad to see someone else who enjoyed it!

This was my first book by her and will be finding her other books!

I read Shem Creek first and went back and read the first three. Her novels are among the most popular for a lot of the readers at our library. I think folks who like Anne Rivers Siddons will like Frank.

#112-The Winter Sea by, Susanna Kearsley narrated by, Roselyn Landor

This was a nice mix of historical fiction and a modern day story set in Scotland, this was recommended to me because I love the Outlander Series. First off this doesn’t have time travel as I’ve seen some people say it has genetic memories which was a new device for me, but it worked well. It was interesting how modern day author Carrie is writing her novel and the characters in her head tell her how the story should go then she checks the historical records and they match perfect so there is this little bit of genetic memory, possible ghost story. I have heard from authors when they talk about their writing process that the characters decide where the story goes and not the writer and how they feel like their characters come to life, so this was kind of a take on this concept.

Both the present day and historical stories are blended well with the historical story set during the Jacobite rebellion of 1708 which was very well done and researched. There is romance in both stories that kind of mirror each other but both are kind of chaste and bittersweet neither is a big passionate affair just a nice addition to the story.

I enjoyed this story very much and would recommend it to fans of historical fiction. I will be reading more by this author!

Audio production: This was narrated by, Rosalyn Landor who is always a good narrator, for this one she had a lot to live up to since this was recommended to me because I love Outlander so she had Davina Porter to live up to and I must say she did a very good job!

4 ½ Stars

Susanna Kearsley is another author I have wanted to sample. There just isn't enough time to get to all the books I would like to.

I know what you mean Judy!Hope you have a wonderful Christmas & New Year!

Same to you Susie, happy holidays!

#113-The Boy in the Suitcase by,Lene Kaaberbøl narrated by,Katherine Kellgren

This was a good thriller/mystery that kept me wanting to read/listen to more. The story is told by two women, Nina who finds the boy in the suitcase and Sigita the mother of the child trying to piece together exactly what happened and trying to find her son. These two women have both lived hard lives and have both done things they regret but unbeknownst to each other are both trying to save the boy.

As the story plays out you’re never sure the reason behind everything so you are compelled to keep going so you can have your answers and to see if all these characters will get their happily ever after. And when the reason is slowly brought to light it wasn’t what I expected at all.

This has been hyped up and compared to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo I for one was not a big fan of GWTDT so I am happy to report that I liked this book much better! I’d recommend this to anyone who likes thrillers/mysteries and likes strong female leads. I hear this is a first in the series and if there is more I would definitely read more by this author.

Audio Production: This was my first adult book narrated by, Katherine Kellgren and as always she does a wonderful job, I just love the timbre of her voice. She also does all the different eastern European accents very well. A job well done!

4 Stars

#114-Blue Christmas by, Mary Kay Andrews

This is a Weezie & BeBe story, I have read Savannah Breeze and this one takes place after that story. Weezie wants to win the town’s Christmas decorating contest but she has some stiff competition when a great idea for her window display a Blue Christmas theme which was really fun. Between the stress of the contest, her rivalry with the new shop down the street and her boyfriend Daniel’s dislike of Christmas and the fact that someone has been sleeping in her window display.
This was a predictable story I figured out who the homeless lady was pretty early on. There were also times when the story felt a little disjointed and I was disappointed in the ending. But all in all a fun story especially Christmas dinner. I wish there would have been a better ending but it was still a cute read.

3 Stars

#115- The Drop by, Michael Connelly narrated by, Len Cariou

Oh Harry how I have missed you! It is so great to have a book that is just Harry not him as a secondary character. It was also nice to see how Harry is handling being a single dad and I enjoyed his relationship with his daughter.

Harry is working a cold case where the DNA samples don’t seem to add up and then he is called in on a new case but this is no cold case, this is a City Councilman’s son who has taken a header off a balcony at a local hotel and the Councilman wants Harry on the case. The Councilman and Harry have a history and not a good one but Harry is a good cop who goes after the truth no matter who is involved.

I love that being a single dad has not changed the essential personality of Harry or his attitudes towards people and that he’s still the flawed Bosch we all know and love! I really like the procedural cop that he is.

I’m really curious about the next Harry Bosch book because Harry is kind of betrayed by people he thought he could trust and I was surprised by one of them (it’s not giving anything away). At least I hope there will be another Bosch book this one wrapped up the cases but didn’t wrap up Harry so I have hope that there will be more from him!

As always I love Michael Connelly’s books especially Harry Bosch he is my favorite cop out there and this one is no exception glad to have you back Harry and please come back soon!

Audio Production: Len Cariou is and always will be the voice of Harry Bosch for me as I have listened to pretty much all the Bosch books on audio but Len’s voice is starting to show his age but since Harry is getting older too, (not sure how old he is supposed to be but retirement age), so I guess Harry is growing older too! So I am just going to go with that explanation because Cariou still does a great job.

5 Stars

I am off to spend the weekend with my kids & grandkids Happy Holidays everyone!

Merry Christmas Susie!

#116- Divergent by, Veronica Roth narrated by, Emma Galvin

This was an interesting dystopian YA book, Chicago been split into factions, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent), which were honestly a little confusing when listening on audio with no way to go back in the book to see what each of them are. I also have no idea if the entire country/world was split like this too or if it’s just Chicago , was Chicago the only place left with people I don’t know these were just a few unanswered questions I had.
When you are 17 you take an aptitude test to help you decide which faction you will choose most choose the one they grew up in but some don’t as is the case with Beatrice (AKA-Tris) but she is different she has an aptitude for more than one faction which is divergent and divergent is not a good thing to be. But there seems to be things wrong with this society and the factions seem to be starting to turn on each other and in some cases themselves.

A lot of people have compared this to the Hunger Games because it was the last big dystopian book but I thought it was kind of a cross between it and The Giver, because this is supposed to be a perfect society but of course in the light of day is not.

I liked the characters, Tris was strong yet so insecure but when pushed will kick some butt, the little romance you can see coming a mile away but I did like Four because his attitude was really for his own good and the good of others.

The ending felt a bit rushed, with everything leading up to it and then when the fight does come it all happens so fast. And what a cliffhanger, I look forward to the next book in this series.

Audio production: Emma Galvin was a new to me narrator who did a very good job at the narration of this one she sounded just the right age sometimes with a young adult book the narrator tries too hard to sound like a teenager but Emma was spot on as Tris. She reminded me a bit of Jenna Lamia which from me is a huge complement.

With all the hype surrounding this book I am happy to say I really enjoyed this one and wasn’t disappointed I may not have loved it as much as some but I still give it a solid 4 stars.

4 Stars

#117-And the last book of the year is Wishin' and Hopin' by, Wally Lamb

This book was just ok the concept was cute but the story didn’t really get entertaining till the last 25 pages or so, when the Christmas pageant started which you knew was going to go wrong but weren’t sure how.

I don’t have much to say on this one not going to be a favorite Christmas book.

2 ½ stars

Well I didn't read as many as I had hoped I had a couple slow months of reading but I ended up with 117 books plus a few short stories with the majority being 4 star books even if it was fewer than I had hoped to read it was a very good reading year with only a few clunkers!

*'d are audiobooks

Here is an overview of my 2011 reading:

2011-Books by Rating
5 Stars
Sarah’s Key by, Tatiana de Rosnay narrated by, Polly Stone*
Snowflower and the Secret Fan by, Lisa See narrated by, Janet Song*
Madame Tussaud by, Michelle Moran
Revolution by, Jennifer Donnelly Narrated by Emily Janice Card, Emma Bering*
The Bird Sisters by, Rebecca Rasmussen
River marked by, Patricia Briggs
The Peach Keeper by, Sarah Addison Allen
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by, Rebecca Skloot narrated by, Bahni Turpin & Cassandra Campbell*
The King's Speech by, Mark Logue narrated by, Simon Vance*
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by, Ransom Riggs
I Shall Wear Midnight by, Terry Pratchett
Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by, Fannie Flagg
The Eyre Affair by, Jasper Fforde
Love You More by, Lisa Gardner narrated by Kirsten Potter, Katie Macnichol, *
Trespasser by, Paul Doiron
The True Meaning of Smekday by, Adam Rex narrated by, Bahni Turpin*
The Legacy by, Katherine Webb
Dracula by, Bram Stoker narrated by, Simon Vance*
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by, Shirley Jackson narrated by, Bernadette Dunne*
We All Wore Stars: Memories of Anne Frank from Her Classmates by, Theo Coster
A Christmas Carol by, Charles Dickens narrated by, Tim Curry*

4 1/2 Star
The House on Riverton, The Forgotten Garden & The Distant Hours by, Kate Morton narrated by,Caroline Lee*
Changeless,Heartless, by, Gail Carriger narrated by, Emily Gray*
Nobodies Album by, Carolyn Parkhurst
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by, Helen Simonson narrated by, Peter Altschuler*
Left Neglected by, Lisa Genova narrated by,Sarah Paulsen*
Seer of Sevenwaters by, Juliet Marillier
You Had Me At Woof by, Julie Klam narrated by, Karen White*
A Discovery of Witches by, Debrah Harkness narrated by, Jennifer Ikeda*
The Wake of the Lorelei Lee by, LA Meyer narrated by, Katherine Kellgren*
Maisie Dobbs by, Jacqueline Winspear narrated by, Rita Barrington*
Ashfall by, Mike Mullins
The Weird Sisters by, Eleanor Brown
Ingenue by, Jillian Larkin
Hearts, Keys & Puppetry by, Neil Gaiman & the Twitterverse narrated by, Katherine Kellgren*
The Winter Sea by, Susanna Kearsley narrated by, Roselyn Landor*

4 Stars
Sidewalk Thoughts by, Mickey Renner
My Bonny Light Horseman & Rapture of the Deep by, LA Meyer narrated by, Katherine Kellgren*
Abby Cooper Psychic Eye by, Victoria Laurie narrated by, Elizabeth Michaels*
Year of Wonders by, Geraldine Brooks narrated by, the author*
O Pioneers by, Willa Cather narrated by, Kate Reading*
Live to Tell by, Lisa Gardner narrated by, Kirsten Potter, Rebecca Lowman, Ann Marie Lee*
The Prince of Mist by, Carlos Ruiz Zafron
Room by, Emma Donaghue narrated by, Michal Friedman, Ellen Archer, Robert Petkoff, Suzanne Toren*
Wicked Appetite by, Janet Evanovich narrated by, Lorelei King*
The Art of Racing in the Rain by, Garth Stein narrated by, Christopher Evan Welch*
A Northern Light by, Jennifer Donnelly narrated by, Hope Davis*
You Know When the Men Are Gone by, Siobhan Fallon narrated by, Cassandra Campbell*
The Reversal by, Michael Connelly narrated by, Peter Giles*
Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's by, John Elder Robison
Water for Elephants by, Sara Gruen narrated by, David Ledoux, John Randolph Jones*
Blameless by, Gail Carriger narrated by, Emily Gray*
Skellig by, David Almond
Crunch Time by, Diana Mott Davidson narrated by, Barbara Rosenblat*
Dead Reckoning by, Charlaine Harris
Smokin’ Seventeen by, Janet Evanovich narrated by, Lorelei King*
Immortal Beloved by, Cate Tiernan narrated by, Kelly Lintz*
Dragon's Time by, Anne & Todd McCaffrey
Forever by, Maggie Steifvater
The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club: True Tales from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life & I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies): True Tales of a Loudmouth Girl & Autobiography of a Fat Bride: True Tales of a Pretend Adulthood & We Thought You Would Be Prettier: True Tales of the Dorkiest Girl Alive& It Looked Different on the Model: Epic Tales of Impending Shame and Infamy by, Laurie Notaro narrated by, Hillary Huber*
The Poisoned House by, Michael Ford
Variant by, Robinson Wells
fathermothergod: My Journey Out of Christian Science by, Lucia Greenhouse
Rules of Civility by, Amor Towles narrated by, Rebecca Lowman*
Artemis Rising by, Cheri Lasota
Life by, Keith Richards narrated by, Johnny Depp & John Hurley*
Birds of a Feather by, Jacqueline Winspear narrated by, Kim Hicks*
The Night Circus by, Erin Morgenstern narrated by, Jim Dale*
The Woman in Black by, Susan Hill
Suicide Run & Angle of Investigation short storied by, Michael Connelly narrated by, Len Cariou*
Steampunk Santa (A Short Story) by, Marc Vun Kannon
Hide by, Lisa Gardner (Re-read)
Freaks (A Short Story) by, Tess Gerritsen
The Christmas Pearl by, Dorothea Benton Frank
Divergent by, Veronica Roth narrated by, Emma Galvin*

3 ½ Stars
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by, Jacqueline Kelly narrated by, Natalie Ross*
Still Life by, Louise Penny narrated by, Ralph Cosham*
Storm Front by, Jim Butcher narrated by, James Marsters*
Bloody Valentine by, Melissa De La Cruz
The Demon Trapper Daughter by, Jana Oliver
The Sherlockian by, Graham Moore narrated by, James Langton*
Lost in a Good Book by, Jasper Fforde narrated by, Emily Gray*
Water Witch by,Deborah LeBlanc narrated by, Xe Sands*
Save Me by, Lisa Scottoline
Lethal Lineage by, Charlotte Hinger narrated by, Karen White*
The Lantern by,Deborah Lawrenson narrated by, Gerrianne Raphael, Kristine Ryan*
Praise Jerusalem! by, Augusta Trobaugh
Peace Locomotion by,Jaqueline Woodson narrated by, Dion Graham*
Nothing with Strings: NPR's Beloved Holiday Stories by, Bailey White narrated by, Lorna Raver*

3 Stars
The Murderer’s Daughters by, Randy Susan Meyers
American Gods by, Neil Gaiman narrated by, Dennis Boutsikaris, Daniel Oreskes, Ron McLarty, Sarah Jones,*
Paper Towns by, John Green narrated by,Dan John Miller*
I am Number Four by, Pittacus Lore narrated by, Neil Kaplan*
Running with Scissors by, Augusten Burroughs
Bossypants by, Tina Fey narrated by the author*
The Evil Genius by, Wilkie Collins narrated by, John Bolan*
The Lottery and Other Stories by, Shirley Jackson narrated by, Carol Stewart*
The Haunting of Hill House by, Shirley Jackson narrated by, Bernadette Dunne*
Deck the Halls by, Mary & Carol Higgins Clark
Mary Bolelyn Mistress of Kings by, Alison Weir
Blue Christmas by, Mary Kay Andrews

2 ½ Stars
The Twentieth Wife by, Indu Sundaresan narrated by, Sneha Mathan*
City of Bones by, Cassandra Clare narrated by, Ari Graynor*
The Winter Ghosts by, Kate Mosse
If I Stay by, Gail Forman narrated by, Kirsten Potter*
The Borrowers by, Rebecca Makkai narrated by, Emily Bauer*
The Ballad of Tom Dooley by, Sharyn McCrumb
The Red Pyramid by, Rick Riordan narrated by, Katherine Kellgren & Kevin R. Free*
Wishin’ & Hopin’ by, Wally Lamb

2 Stars
Hungry for Happiness by, James Villa
The Bluest Eye by, Toni Morrison

And here is my 2012 75 book challenge

http://www.librarything.com/topic/129278#3123569