Crazy4reading (Monica) goes for 75 in 2014!!

Welcome to my thread for the New Year. Hopefully I will have some more great reads this year!!

My 75 book Challenge Tracker:




My 2014 Category Challenge Tracker:




If you want to check out my Category Challenge Thread just go Here

My ROOT Challenge Ticker:




15,000 pages in 2014 Ticker:




I have also been trying to lose weight and I did not do well in 2013 in keeping off what I lost and in trying to lose more. Here is a ticker to keep track of my weight. I will be updating it on Weds.




Well I received my SantaThing books and I will have to see if I can get one or two of them read this year. These are the books that I received:

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
To Die For by Linda Howard
My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

I have heard of Ann Brashares and Connie Willis but not the other authors. I look forward to discovering new authors this year. I had the Ann Brashares book on my wishlist and didn't even know that.

January reads:
1. Fantastic Beasts & Where to find them by Newt Scamander (1/2/14) 64 pages
2. Quidditch through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp (1/3/14) (54 pages)
3. Stranger in the room by Amanda Kyle Williams (1/5/14) (400 pg.)
4. Kennywood: Roller Coaster Capital of the World by Charles J. Jacques (1/1/14) (203 pg)
5. Time Keeper by Mitch Albom (1/15/14) (224 pg)
6. Memories of Anne Frank: Reflections of a Childhood Friend by Alison Leslie Gold (1/18/14) (135 pg)
7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (1/22/14) (309 pg)
8. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (1/30/14) (327 pg)

February reads:
9. The Christmas Letters by Lee Smith (2/2/14) (136 pg)
10. Broken Angel by Sara Samarasinghe (2/8/14) (252 pg)
11. Ines of my Soul by Isabel Allende (2/18/14) (336 pg)
12. Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland (2/21/14) (352 pg)
13. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (2/23/14) (341 pg)

March reads:
14. Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (3/1/14) (435 pg)
15. The Eye Unseen by Cynthia Tottleben (3/2/14) (294 pg)
16. The Shade of the Moon by Susan Beth Pfeffer (3/10/14) (288 pg)
17. Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers (3/18/14) (226 pg)
18. Real Vampires Live Large by Gerry Bartlett (3/22/14)(297 pg)
19. Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich (3/23/14) (166 pg)
20. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (3/31/14) (180 pg)

April Reads:
21. angus, thongs, and full frontal snogging by Louise Rennison (4/5/14) (247 pg)
22. My Water Path by Timothy Joseph (4/5/14) (312 pg)
23. Montana Bride: A Bitter Creek Novel by Joan Johnston (4/11/14) (406 pg)
24. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (4/16/14) (206 pg)
25. Love Story, with Murders by Harry Bingham (4/22/14) (385 pg)
26. Perfect Pitch: by Mindy Klasky (4/24/14) (174 pg)

May
27. Nantucket Sisters by Nancy Thayer (320 pg) (5/1/14)
28. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (474 pg) (5/3/14)
29. A Heart So Wild by Johanna Lindsey (368 pg) (5/6/14)
30. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares (326 pg)(5/15/14)
31. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (343 pg) 5/18/14)
32. Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey (426 pg)(5/22/14)
33. The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey (407 pg)(5/29/14)

JUNE
34. Say You Love Me by Johanna Lindsey (432 pg) (6/3/14)
35. The Present by Johanna Lindsey (352 pg)(6/8/14)
36. City of Thieves by David Benioff (258 pg)(6/18/14)
37. The Good Suicides by Toni Hill (352 pg) (6/19/14)

JULY
38. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (505 pg)(7/8/14)
39.

Hi Monica!

Hi Monica!! So Glad I found you for next year.. :)

HI Diana and Monica!! Glad to be here again. Will go make my tracker for this year.

Have a fabulous New Year, Monica!

Thanks Madeline! You too have a fabulous New Year!!

Welcome back for another year of great reading!

Thanks drneutron.

Nice to see you back again Monica.

I just finished A Discovery of Witches and was intrigued enough to snap up book #2 in the Kindle sale for $1.99. I'm not a big fan of Big Romances, so that part of it left me cold, but the history is fun and fascinating and it seems as if there will be a lot more of it in book #2. But I'll refrain from spoilers... Enjoy the new tomes!

Hi Paul it is great to be back again.

Suzanne Discovery of Witches looks so good. That is good to know that it intrigued you enough to snap up book #2. I may have to move it up on my TBR list.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hey Monica...

This is a heads up. I'm trying to get jessibud from BookCrossing (jessibud2 here on LT) active on LibraryThing. I pointed her to your thread. :D

Do you think you can keep her entertained while she's learning about this web site? I'll be here to root her on as well.

Thanks much!

Madeline I just saw her post in the welcome thread. I will be more then happy to entertain her as best I can. She will love this site!!

I know she will. I got her here last year, but I never got her to stay. Keep her here!! :D

I would really love to get more Bookcrossers over here.

I would love to see more Bookcrossers here too. I have books that I need to label (need to find my labels). I don't do bookcrossing as much as I would like but I keep trying.

Have you used the Little Libraries feature here on LT to find BookCrossing Zones?

Yes I have. I know there was one close to me but it closed in 2012. Now I just drop them off at either Goodwill or to a local library for their book sales.

Are there any Little Free Libraries near you? I have my own Little Free Library and have been registering all the books (my own and those donated) on BookCrossing.

There is one in Delaware. I think about 6 miles or more from my house. After I find my labels I may see if I can find the Little Free Library and add some of my books to it. There are more but I think they are a lot farther. There is one in Philadelphia but not sure exactly where.

I didn't used to get any journal entries from books I put in my own Little Free Library, but, now that I've been pushing BookCrossing on my LFL's Facebook page and telling other Bookcrossers where to find my LFL, the journal entries have increased! :D

About 3/4 of the Little Free Libraries in existence have not yet been mapped. This is a problem that both LibraryThing and the Little Free Library website are trying to work on. They can't be used if they can't be located. If you find any that are not listed on LT local, do add them!

I will. I had never heard of LFL until I saw the posts on here. I have been trying to find some but I haven't seen any that are really close to me. Maybe I will take a ride around and see if I see any in the neighborhoods.

Check out this map on the LFL website. They add new ones daily.

Thanks I will check that map out!

Let me know if you find any new ones near you!

Is this LFL nearer to you? I just added it to our LibraryThing data base.

http://www.librarything.com/venue/90076

ETA: Actually, it looks to be twice as far. Oh, well!

That one you just added to LibraryThing Data base is not on the LFL map. West Chester isn't to far or at least I know where West Chester is. I will let you know if I find any new ones or actually any at all. I have never seen one.

I just found that one by doing a search on Google. I can't do that for 7,500 more LFLs. There *will* be a better way to find them eventually. :)

I didn't know you could find them just by searching on Google. I should try that and see what happens.

Yeah, but if you find any, and they're not on LibraryThing...you really should add them here! :D

@# 12 - Hey! I heard that! LOL!

See, it's only because I am currently on vacation that I have the time (hours!) to sit at this computer and work it all out. In fact, I would really like to get past this learning curve hump before returning to school so it will be easier for me to just jump back in.

I'm working on it!! :-)

Haha! It's a BookCrossing party!!

A Party in my Thread!!



>30 jessibud2: - I work in a school district but I am not off. :( I have to work (like right now). You will get over the learning curve hump before you know it. I always try during this time of year to get all my threads set up and ready to go because once the students and teachers are back it is less time to get these things done during the day.

Found and starred! I love Connie Willis' time travel series. My favourite is actually Blackout/All Clear and even though both books are so massive I am contemplating reading them again.

Well I will have to start with the Doomsday Book first. I didn't realize it was part of a series.

ok so this started as a short explanation... and grew! Sorry for the info overload!

I think they can all be read separately (meaning out of order) as each book in the series involves different main characters (the time travelers) and different time periods in England. There are a few references to past books but nothing major. I read them in order because I like to read things in order.

Each book goes to a different time period and has a very different tone. The tone is usually a reflection of the era in literature/popular culture and their own problem/issue the time travelers need to resolve. Doomsday is very serious and contemplative set in medieval times during the Black Death. To Say Nothing of the Dog: Or How We Found the Bishop's Bird Stump at Last is set in Victorian times and is playful with lots of references to Three Men in a Boat.

Blackout/All Clear is the longest it's really one book that was so big it had to be split into two and set during WW2 and has multiple storylines/time travelers. The tone was of urgency and sheer determination and sometimes futility which reflected not only WW2 but also their own problem from the future that they are trying to resolve. It referred to or had something to do with the short story Fire Watch which Willis wrote first before all of the others which I haven't read but want to.

Kiwi thanks for the information overload. It is good to know that I don't need to read them in order. I do like to read series in order but have read some out of order. When each book continues with the story line from the previous book is when I really want to read them in order.

I saw the Fire Watch book and saw that it was considered a short story. I will have to see if I can find that book either at the library or at B&N.

Now I will definitely have to move them up on my TBR list.

@#32 - OOO! Pretty!

Yeah, School/work sure sucks up all my reading time! Hehe. But I have to pay for the habit somehow! ;-)

I am having friends over this afternoon (bookcrossing friends!!) but before and after I plan to play around here and get my threads as organized as I can. I have to figure out how I want to do this and then, DO IT! I may even take a stab at another ticker!

jessibud2 I love doing tickers. I remember when I made my first one. I get excited every year just to create a new ticker. Yes work and just trying to keep the house cleaned take up a lot of my reading time too. I have started listening to audio books which does held in completing books more quickly.

Have fun with your bookcrossing friends! I wish I had some near me. You will figure out what works best for you. I love looking at all the different threads and I see how creative some people are.

I love posting pictures into my threads. I go to This Thread when I need to figure out how to post pictures, links, make things BOLD, Italics and other stuff. I marked it as my favorite and go back to it every so often.

Have fun setting up your threads!

@#38 - Thanks for that link. I've saved it. I did manage to put a photo on my profile but as for posts, well, that's for another day!

I always have an audiobook going in my car. Otherwise I'd get one book read a year, lol! I'm good for about a few pages in bed at night before nodding off and during my teaching year, there really is no other time, other than during the commute. Thank goodness for audiobooks! I just finished Cutting For Stone and the reader was magnificent. He made an already excellent book just come to life! I returned it to the library and just yesterday started The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.

>#39 - The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a good one. I read that this year for my library book club. Cutting for Stone we also read for book club just not sure when. Sometimes the audio books are better then actually reading the book. I get a lot of my audio books through overdrive on my phone. Then I can listen at work and on my ride to work.

Glad you could use the link. I like to post pictures but sometimes I am in a rush to post my review. I always want to put a book cover in my posts but I never do. I think that will be a goal for me to do this year.

Hi Monica - had to look you up and star your thread here after seeing you in the Root 2014 group too.

HI SuziQ Thanks for stopping by. I will have to look for your threads!!

Happy New Year, Monica! I'm looking forward to once again following your reading adventures in 2014.

HI rosalite and Happy New Year to you too!! I have to go find your thread. I love following everyone's reading. The biggest problem is me adding books to my wishlist and TBR piles.

Well since 2013 is coming to an end here is a list of the books I have started and hope to finish in January.
Here is a list of books I have started or plan to start for 2014:

Kennywood by Charles J. Jacques
Stranger in the Room by Amanda Kyle Williams
Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
Time Keeper by Mitch Albom
Memories of Anne Frank by Alison Leslie Gold

I am doing a re-read of Harry Potter so I will be starting with:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

I will also be reading:

Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp

Fantastic Beasts and where to find them by Newt Scamander

I don't think I am taking on too many books for January.

Happy Reading all!!

Monica - If your #45 was the latest reincarnation of the fellow with the reindeers I would wish it to be Christmas every day.
Have a wonderful 2014.

47> Lol Paul. I'm sure there are many more that would wish she was too.

Well I am sitting here watching and listening to the Mummers Parade and trying to read at the same time. I am dog sitting a 9 month old Husky who has no self control or off switch. I have a 3 year old Beagle Basset mix and she is wanting to relax now. The Husky wants to do nothing but play. He just doesn't get tired. He leaves tonight around midnight and I am thrilled to get a break.

Here is a picture of my dog with my one cat:

I'm confused. Why isn't the lady in #45 wearing a shirt? That doesn't seem to be a very intelligent way to skate...

Happy New Year, Monica! Your pup is awfully cute. What's her name?

Steven I don't know why she is topless. I didn't even notice that until you said something. Anyone have an idea as to why she would be without a shirt? Thanks for stopping by.

Julia thanks. Her name is Samantha. The most confusing thing is I have a daughter and her name is Samantha too. At least my daughter doesn't live with me and I call her Samie or Sam.

Angular momentum from her spins shot the clothes off her back. And her front. :)

Physics is good for something after all!

Happy New Year, Monica! Looking forward to following your reading (and anything else that may crop on your threads) this year!

Jim now I learned something. :) I should have listened during Physics.

Happy New Year to you to Lori! Thanks for stopping by. Hoping to have some fun in this thread this year.

>45 crazy4reading:: Huh, for a moment I thought I'd wandered into Mark's thread...

Hi, Monica! Adorable animals you've got there!

Hi Amber! Thanks for visiting. I need to look more closely at some of the pictures I post. I just like the saying and didn't even look at the woman. Thanks!

Welcome back, Monica!

Thanks Darryl!! Great to be back.

Well I finished my first book of the year. Here is my review:

1. Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them by Newt Scamander

Well since I am a Harry Potter freak I figured I should finally read this book again. I just needed to read it again to reacquaint myself with the interesting beasts from all the Harry Potter books.

I loved the little hand written notation made by Harry and Ron.

5 stars

I hope to finish another book either tonight or tomorrow. I have a snow day and will be home all day. I plan to read as much has I can.

Finally finished another book. I should have had this finished earlier but I spent time talking to my son this morning and watching tv with him. Then I went out for a massage and get something to eat with my friend Amy. Now I am home and was able to finish a book.

#2. Quidditch through the ages by Kennilworthy Whisp

I love Quidditch and to read a book that tells you the history of a fantasy sport is just fun. Have you ever been to a Quidditch match? I have and it is interesting to see the muggles trying to create this game.

Learning about the teams and the moves that the players do to score or to try and score is interesting. If you have read the Harry Potter books you have some background but you learn more by reading this book.

5 stars

My current reads are:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Stranger in the room by Amanda Kyle Williams
Time Keeper by Mitch Albom
Memories of Anne Frank by Alison Leslie Gold

I would love to finish another book this weekend.

Happy Reading all!!

Monica - Starting off the year with 2 five star reads in 3 days bodes pretty darn well for the rest of the year.

Have a lovely weekend.

Thanks Paul. I think I will have a great year of reading this year. Going to be watching the NFL playoffs this afternoon so will be getting some reading done. Thanks for visiting.

Well I finished my 3rd book for January. Not a great read but I enjoyed it.

#3. Stranger in the Room by Amanda Kyle Williams

Stranger in the Room started out slow. We meet Keye Street again in this book. I have not read the other book that starred Keye Street. She is a recovering alcoholic that use to work for the FBI BAU until her alcoholism shattered that career. Now Keye is a private investigator.

She has a co-worker name Neil who I loved from the start. He was smart ass and entertaining. He is a tech geek that helps Keye on some cases. Keye does bail bond jumpers, investigates for a lawyer and also consults with the Atlanta PD where her boyfriend Aaron works in major crimes.

A Stranger in the Room centers around Keye and her cousin Miki. She has a stalker and a history of cutting and addiction problems. When the Atlanta PD are working on a murder case Keye feels that her cousin's stalker and the murders are related.

The story got interesting my Chapter 20. I found myself bored with a lot of the writing about Keye's alcohol addiction and Miki's problems. Always reading about how the alcohol tastes to an alcoholic got on my nerves when it came to the 3rd time reading it. That was the only thing that annoyed me the most.

4 stars

Going to read:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Kennywood, Memories of Anne Frank and Time Keeper. I need to finish Time Keeper by January 15th for book club.

Have a wonderful weekend, Monica!

Hope your great year of reading continues this weekend. xx

Hi Paul! Thanks for stopping by! The great year of reading continues!! I finished another book today.

#4. KennyWood: Roller Coaster Capital of the World by Charles J. Jacques

I had read this book when I first picked it up when I was visiting Kennywood back in the 1990's. I couldn't remember if I had finished the book so I decided to read it and finish it this time. I am glad that I did.

Kennywood started out as a Trolley Park. I can remember when I first went there with my in laws. Hearing my mother in law talk about the park and to try and give me a history was interesting. I am not sure if she had visited the park before with her kids.

One interesting thing I found in the book is my ex-husband's last name. There is a person mentioned in this book who was manager. I remember telling my mother-in-law about it and she swears that the person could be a relative of theirs.

This book takes you through the many changes that Kennywood goes through to be able to survive from 1898 through to the 1980's and still going. Kennywood was constantly changing and improving the park. They looked at what was popular and how things were changing in other theme parks.

I loved reading about the different rides that kept appearing. The pictures were treasures to look at. Seeing how the park looked back in the beginning is just astounding. Reading about rides that were successful and not so successful was interesting. Kennywood even survived a few fires that destroyed the dance pavilion and a few rides.

I am now looking to read more of the books about amusement parks since reading about Kennywood the Roller Coaster Capital of the World!! I do love Roller Coasters!!

5 stars

Different Pictures of Kennywood:

Found and starred you.

Hi Connie! Thanks for the star!!

Monica, I've never heard of Kennywood but the book sounds fascinating!

Monica, I have been to Kennywood in the 90's as well. It is only a couple of hours south of my home and I actually lived in Pittsburgh for a year only a 1/2 hr away from there. that book sounds cool.

Monica that is great that you lived so close to Kennywood. I grew up near Dorney Park and my dad's work used to have a company picnic there every year.

I finished my 5th book of the year!!

#5. Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

The time keeper is a wonderfully written work of fiction. It got me thinking about how time oriented we are. We are all so busy with work, activities, and just trying to fit everything into a day and not taking time to just look at life around us.

The Time Keeper is about father time, Sarah and Victor. Dor is a boy who starts counting and looking at how the sun and moon change. He starts telling day and night. With the sun he realizes that the day will be the same at some point. He is so wrapped up in doing this that when his wife Alli gets ill he wants to save her.

Dor is 'sentenced' to live in a cave until his time is up. He then listens to voices for thousands of years. He almost goes crazy. This is when he hears Sarah and Victor. He also draws pictures on the cave wall of his life with Alli. Once he reaches the end of what he remembers is when he is able to go into our time.

He has to save Sarah and Victor. Sarah feels like a nobody. She is not popular. She is a smart girl. She also feels that she is not pretty. Victor is an older man who is dyeing of cancer. He wants to freeze himself until there is a cure so that he can continue to live even without his wife.

I don't want to reveal the ending but I think this book is worth the read. Also take some time just to relax and enjoy your life and appreciate everyone!!

5 stars

I am still reading:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
Memories of Anne Frank by Alison Leslie Gold

I also have my newest book club book to start. That is audio so I can listen to that one and finish it quicker. I don't have to finish it until mid February.

Happy Reading All!!

Kennywood was managed by a relation of your ex.?

Glad you came unscathed through your own roller-coaster Monica!

I have often wondered what the short fiction of Mitch Albom was like. Got the impression that it is pretty spiritual.

Have a lovely weekend.

Paul not positive if it was a relation or not. My MIL thinks it could be because the last name is not very common and as far as she knows her husbands family is from Somerset so it could have been a relation. My daughter has time to research that information. I should tell her to check into it.

Yes Mitch Albom's work is spiritual but I don't find it overwhelming. He presents it in a nice way and doesn't preach.

Have a good weekend too.

I loved his Vijf ontmoetingen in de hemel.

Connie I believe I have that book but never read it. I need to read it.

Another book finished this weekend.

#6. Memories of Anne Frank: Reflections of a Childhood Friend by Alison Leslie Gold

I love any book about Anne Frank. I remember reading the Diary of Anne Frank many times as a young girl. I will even read it again, hopefully this year.

Memories of Anne Frank is the reflections of her best friend Hannah Goslar. This book also tells the story of Hannah and her family. How the war affected them. Hannah does not know that Anne and her family are in hiding. She thinks that Anne is in Switzerland. I found myself crying by the end of the book.

I will be reading more books about Anne Frank this year.

5 stars

Still reading:

Harry Potter, and Dead in the Family. I also need to start an e-book that is an ER book too.

Happy Reading All!!

> 77 - Monica: Ohh, Just place it on your TBR pile. Its really worth your while. I gave it

connie Now I just need to find the book.

Well I finished another book tonight.

#7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Well I still love Harry Potter. The Sorcerer's Stone is not my favorite Harry Potter book but I still enjoy reading it.

Harry Potter is an orphaned boy who doesn't know that he is a wizard until his birthday. Harry is left on his only living relatives steps after his mother and father have been murdered. Harry doesn't learn about how his parents died until he starts receiving letters from no one.

If you love fantasy, magic, and just a great story then you definitely need to read the Harry Potter books. I could go on forever about this book but then I would be spoiling the story for you.

5 stars

I will be starting some new books just not sure what it will be. Still reading Dead in the Family. I would love to finish it this weekend. These snow days are helping me with getting my reading done.

Happy Reading All!

> 79 Why are my stars not showing?
I gave it

I now what it was!! the " were " Italic.

Hi, Monica! I just read Anne Frank's diary for the first time last year, and I was simply astonished at how complex and talented her writing was. An amazing and heart-breaking story, and I'd love to read more about her, too!

connie I don't know why the stars didn't show up. Could be some little thing missing from it.

Hi Amber!! I was surprise by how well she wrote for her age. WW II is one war I enjoyed reading about and getting a perspective like hers was just different.

Monica I am technically quite deficient in the adding of graphics and gifs and stuff to the posts. Manage to play around with pictures and so on but I get easily stumped with getting pictures from my phone to the site.

Have a great weekend.

I just compared my numbers for January to last years challenge and I read 3 more books this January then last year. Hopefully that means I will be that much closer to my goal!

Paul I don't know if I have added pictures from my phone to the site. I will have to give it a try. Hope you have a great weekend!!

I finished another book late last night.

#8. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Well I really didn't care for this book. I found it boring at times. Sookie also got on my nerves with her blood bond with Eric. I just didn't feel for the characters this time. I like that Jason and Sookie are trying to have their relationship as brother and sister again.

The two natured have revealed themselves to the rest of the world. There is still some residual effects from them coming out. Some people just don't want to deal with those that they don't consider 'normal'. You have Shifters and Weres that are now being attacked and not necessarily physically.

There is a death of a Were whose body is placed on Sookies land. So you know that someone is after Sookie and wants her in jail or killed. Eric's maker arrives in this book and Sook can feel the bond of him through the bond of Eric.

The end is when I didn't want to put the book down because I wanted to know what would happen to Sook, the Were's that had betrayed the pack, Eric and his maker and the sibling. I am hoping the next book is better then this one.

3 stars

I will be starting my book club read. I cannot remember the title. I also will be starting book #2 in Harry Potter. I know I will finish at least one book this month. I also have a few ER books to finish.

#9. The Christmas Letters by Lee Smith

A nice book just to read during the holiday or even after. This book is filled with Christmas Letters and recipes. I found the letters interesting. It made me think about my Christmas and if my mom ever wrote letters to family.

I loved how the letters started out as just being written by hand to being carbon copies to being printed on a computer. Just added to the time line and seeing how things change. I enjoyed reading the recipes and wonder if I would be able to make any of them.

3 1/2 stars

I will be starting Chamber of Secrets. I am listening to Ines of my Soul by Isabel Allende.

Oh, that one sounds like one that my mom would *love* - adding it to my list of gift ideas for her. Thanks!

You mom will most likely love it. I enjoyed it and am glad I took the time to read it.

I finished another book today. I just started a game on Goodreads and I will be reading a book a week so this will help me get more books finished. I just started this book on Friday and finished it today.

#10. Broken Angel by Sara Samarasinghe

Well I received this book from the author for a review. I waited too long to finally get around to reading this book. Broken Angel is the story about a teenager and her mother dealing with the death of her father while deployed at war.

Sara grasps the many facets of loss for anyone at any age. Angel and her mother Dawn receive a phone call one night to tell them that her father was killed. Angel shuts down and avoids her friends. She doesn't want to be around anyone or anything that she did when her father was alive.

Angel spirals out of control and starts smoking, drinking and doing drugs. Everything happened in a very short time. She does meet a boy from school named Brent who is not from her usual crowd and she has a connection to him and is able to talk to him. I loved how they became friends and supported each other.

Angel finds Meditation to help her deal with grief and the loss of her father. This was interesting to just read about how meditation can help you in so many different aspects of your life. I am now interested in reading up on Mediation and finding more books written by Sara Samarasinghe.

5 stars

I am listening to Ines of My Soul by Isabel Allende and reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling. Not sure if I will be picking up another book. I need to finish Ines of my Soul by the 19th of February.

Happy Reading all!

I wake up this morning to learn that my all time favorite child star has passed. Shirley Temple Black has died at the age of 85. I have her autobiography and I want to read it again. I think it will be one that I read very slowly this year.

#11. Ines of My Soul by Isabel Allende

Not sure if this book was really interesting or not. The narrator did not capture my attention too much while listening. I find most historical fiction very interesting. It could be that this particular history was not of interest to me.

Ines of My Soul is a work of fiction on Ines Suarez. I found some of the story interesting and that I did chuckle at some things. I am not familiar with Ines Suarez which is why the story didn't capture my attention.

3 stars

I am still reading Chamber of Secrets. My ER book and started Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland. I know I will be reading this series. I started the book on Saturday and I am more than half way done. I need to finish it by Friday for a challenge.

#12. Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland

Wow! I really wish I had read this book earlier. Why I didn't read it when I first got it I'll never know. I was hooked from the very first chapter.

Any Given Doomsday is the first book in the Phoenix Chronicles. I wasn't sure what to expect. There are a lot of supernatural beings that I have never heard of before.

Elizabeth Phoenix is the strong women in this series. She is a psychic and doesn't like having it. She decides to use her ability for good.

Her foster mother Ruthie is brutally murdered and she now has received more gifts. She learns that she is the one that will have to fight all evil for the human race to survive.

Elizabeth or Phoenix is not too happy about this. She has to be trained by someone in her past name Sawyer. He scares her. Phoenix needs to open herself up to her ability and to be able to see visions without having to touch people.

She is on a mission to find out who killed Ruthie. Will she be able to handle the truth? Will she be surprised by what happens?

I can't wait to continue this series. Now I just have to decide if I want to buy the rest of the books.

5 stars

I am still reading my ER book The Eye Unseen by Cynthia Tottleben. I will be starting to listen to The Chamber of Secrets. I also have my newest library book club book to read. Not sure what else I will be picking up to read.

Hi Monica. I recently looked through the photos of our Philadelphia meet up. It was wonderful to see your smlie.

I've added Memories of Anne Frank: Reflections of a Childhood Friend to the TBR pile. I recently read Boy on the Wooden Box, a story of a man, who as a child was rescued by Schindler to work in his factory. You might enjoy reading this one.

All good wishes,

Hi Linda, Thanks. Boy on the Wooden Box looks like an interesting book. I will have to see if I can find a copy of it. I hope you are doing well.

Well another book down today.

#13. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

I still love this series. No matter how many times I read the books it still has the same effect on me each time. I listened to this book in 2 days.

Jim Dale does an awesome job on narrating this book. In the Chamber of Secrets we finally meet Lord Voldemort and learn more about him. We also meet a house elf, Dobby. So much happens in this book.

Harry, Ron and Hermione go to a death day party, try to figure out how is the Heir of Slytherin. Some Hogwarts students think the Harry is the Heir because he can speak to snakes. While Ron, Harry and Hermione think Draco is the Heir.

We also me the wonderful, charming Gilderoy Lockhart. All the witches are bewitched with him. He was the most annoying character in this book, yet entertaining none the less. We also learn a lot in this book that give you information towards the other books in the series.

4 stars

I am hoping to finish my ER book this week. Then I am not sure what i will be reading.

Monica: I love this series so much. I'm probably due for a re-read.

Suzi: I tried to re-read the series last year but got to GOF and never made it past that. I just got caught up in some other books. Hoping to make it through them all this year because I really need to re-read Deathly Hallows. I have not read that since it was published.

Well I finished another book today.

#14. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

I actually listened to the audio again. I loved this book again. I remember the first time I read it I didn't love it as much. The audio makes me like it more then reading it. Jim Dale does an awesome job with the voices. Some of the voices make me laugh.

Harry is again in for some trouble at Hogwarts. A very dangerous wizard escapes from Azkaban and is a threat to Harry. Harry doesn't know anything about the prisoner besides his name Sirius Black.

Harry does some under age magic when Uncle Vernon's sister Marge is visiting and gets under Harry's skin. Harry thinks he is going to be expelled from Hogwarts. He is surprised to learn that he won't be expelled.

Harry, Ron and Hermione learn about new dangers in the Dark Arts, in Magical Creatures and in Divination. There is so much information in this book and I don't want to reveal it all. I found myself tearing up while listening to the book. Now I can't wait to start book number 4.

5 stars

Almost all the HP books get 5 stars. I love them all for different reasons.

I am still working on my ER book The Eye Unseen by Cynthia Tottleben. Since I am reading it on my computer it is taking me longer to read. I then have another ER book to read which is also on my computer. I then have 2 print ER books to read. I am hoping to get a ROOT in there at some point. Plus I will be starting the 4 HP book.

I also have my Book Club book to read.

Well I finished another book tonight.

#15 The Eye Unseen by Cynthia Tottleben

Well I don't even know how to start with this review. It was a very weird book. I had read some reviews while I read the book and people are calling it horror. I haven't read much horror but this book reminded me of when I read The Lost Boy by David Pelzer. The abuse that he went through growing up. That book was fact.

The Eye Unseen is fiction and I felt it dealt with abuse but as I read the book I realized it was more then just abuse. Lucy, her mother Joan and her sister Brandy just seem to be crazy people. I felt like I was reading about schizophrenia in a family.

I enjoyed the story and found myself enthralled in the book. The things that Lucy goes through is horrifying but I guess if you think your child is the devil child it makes you do strange and dangerous things.

4 stars

I really am not sure how I felt about the book. I didn't love it nor did I hate it. It was a weird book.

Now I will be starting My Water Path by Timothy Joseph which is another ER book.

Happy Reading all!!

I finished a book last night:

#16. The Shade of the Moon by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Well I enjoyed this book and series. This book dealt more with Jon the youngest member in Miranda's family. He is the one that everyone would eat less so that he could have more food. His mother felt that her children were more important in surviving then herself.

The last book left us with them traveling to the enclave in Tennessee. It is in Sexton. He is considered a slip along with his step mother and her son Gabe. They got into the enclave because they had passes. He is accepted and not accepted. The 'real' clavers remind him of him being a slip.

The rest of his family is considered Grubs. Clavers think of them as poor and not deserving of any respect what so ever. They want everything handed to them. The Claver's talk down to the grubs who work in Sexton as house keepers, nannys, drivers etc.

A new girl arrives at school, her name is Sarah and Jon befriends her only to be told by the 'real' clavers that she is not welcomed. Supposedly she is just a grub that has someone with a strong leadership in ranks.

Sarah is different in that fact that she doesn't see people as being Clavers or Grubs. She sees them as people. Jon starts to realize how much he has been sheltered and given a better life due to his family giving things up.

Jon also goes through a period of feeling guilty about Julie's death. He blames himself until he learns the truth about how she really died. The pain he goes through and hating his family for being Grubs, and yet still loving him. Jon truly grows in this book. He learns a lot about himself and the world in general.

I don't know if this series is continuing but it could. This book also has questions at the end. I found the questions interesting and helps give you a different perspective of this series. Some things I noticed about this book I felt almost mimic how our society is really. The way we treat people differently if they don't look a certain way. If they do manual labor they aren't worthy of respect etc.

I felt that the people in the Enclave felt they are better then everyone else and entitled to everything. I also feel that the people in the Enclave are almost like politicians and celebrities. They think that they can get away with everything. They are entitled to do what ever they want like get drunk and hurt the grub girls, kill people, burn buildings without repercussions. They will blame the grubs for all the bad stuff just like celebrities, politicians and people in general try to blame others for the things they do.

4 stars

I am still reading My Water Path by Timothy Joseph. I will be starting my book club book because I have to finsih that in a week. I will also be starting Goblet of Fire

#17. The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

The Yellow Birds was an okay book. I wasn't blown away by it. I disliked the way the book went from one place to another each chapter. You start out in Iraq in 2004 and the next chapter you are in Fort Dix NJ in 2003. I found myself getting confused at first. I read the last chapters by skipping and reading the ones that went together.

I found the story line interesting about the war and how a person deals with the war, the training and after returning from the war. That part of the book I enjoyed I just didn't like the going back and forth in the book. I have read books like this before and have found the same thing, that I do not enjoy that writing style.

I would suggest reading this book just for the information and to see how our men and women deal with war.

3 stars

I am still reading My Water Path by Timothy Joseph and will be starting Real Vampires Live Large by Gerry Bartlett

Happy Reading all!!

Happy Reading to you too, Monica!

Thanks Connie!!

#18. Real Vampires Live Large by Gerry Bartlett

When I started the book I was confused since it has been awhile since I started this series. As I continued with the book I started to remember the first book. Glory is back and things are not quiet for her.

We are introduced to some very interesting things in this book. Like Energy Vamps (EVs). You also have the human Westwood still trying to kill Glory and any other vampire. I love how Glory is independent and yet needs a man.

I found myself enjoying the book more as I read. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

5 stars

I will be starting Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich. I am reading an ER book My Water Path by Timothy Joseph. I would love to finish another book this weekend.

Happy Reading all!!

Another book finished today!! I love easy books.

#19. Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
I know I need to read more of the Stephanie Plum novels. I really enjoyed this book. I found myself laughing at the dialog between Lula, Connie, Diesel and Stephanie.

Plum Lucky takes place around St. Patty's day. Stephanie's grandmother goes missing after she finds a duffelbag filled with money. Stephanie's mother is worried and sends her daughter out to find her.

She finds her in Atlantic City and that is when the fun begins. Stephanie, Lula, Diesel and Connie work together to rescue grandmom after she is kidnapped in Atlantic City. This is a fast pace story and easily read in a day.

5 stars

I will be reading my ER book My Water Path by Timothy Joseph. I would like to finish it this week so I can start a new ER book.

Happy Reading all!!

I am on track to make my goal. Hopefully if nothing interferes I may just be able to read 75 books this year.

I finished a book late last night. I am 2 books a head of schedule to make it to 75 this year. If I can keep up at this pace I may just make it to more then 75.

#20. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I finally got around to reading this book. I enjoyed the story of Gatsby. My daughter had me watch one of the movies before I read the book. I have to say that it seems like the book and the movie were pretty much the same.

Gatsby is a man that makes something of himself for a woman that he loves. He wants to be rich like she is and has to work to get there. Mr. Carroway is the only one who really becomes his friend in the whole book.

I did not care for Tom Buchanan in the book or movie. I found him very self absorbed and annoying. It is interesting to read about how life was in the early 1900's in fiction.

5 stars

I am still trying to finish My Water Path I would like to finish it this week. I will also be starting The Goblet of Fire either this week or weekend.

I finished a different book today. I had started it for a challenge on Goodreads yesterday and finished it this morning.

#21. Angus, Thongs, and full frontal snogging by Louise Rennison

This book was awesome!! I was chuckling to myself while reading it. This is the diary of Georgia Nicolson from England. She is a 14 year old girl.

You follow her through her holidays and school. She talks about boys, lesbians and life as a teenager. I had originally bought this book because of the glossary in the back to learn some English words while reading Harry Potter. I now can't wait to read the other books in this series.

5 stars

I am still reading My Water Path I am enjoying it. Not sure what I will pick up next. I have 5 more ER books to finish up plus listen to Goblet of Fire. I am also on task to reach 75 books this year if I keep up at this pace. I am 2 books ahead of schedule. Hoping to make it this year.

#22. My Water Path by Timothy Joseph

WOW!! This book was fantastic. My Water Path is the story of a boy named Jory who becomes and orphan after his father dies. He will have to go to foster care and the woman is a "witch" with a 'b'. So Jory decides to run away.

He is on the Mississippi in a boat that Jacob and Max found for him. He met Jacob and Max when he first ran away and they become friends and helpers to Jory. While Jory is asleep on his boat a storm starts and he is taken out into the current. This is when he meets Moses.

This story is set during the time of racism, the KKK and Civil Rights. Jory is a white boy who is saved my a black man and wants to live with him and his family. The story is one that I didn't want to stop reading unless I really had to.

I found myself crying at one point because Jory gets married and he has children. One of the children is born on April 4 1968. Which is a happy day and a sad day. I cried because that is the exact same day and year that I was born. It is happy and sad because of the birth of Jory's son and Martin Luther King was assassinated. Take the time to read this book.

5 stars

I have a book club book to start and a few ER books to read. I would love to finish another book this week during the Read A Thing. My Book club book is The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. I have to see what my next ER book would be.

Hi Monica! You are reading some interesting books.

Hi Connie. I have been doing a challenge on Goodreads that has made me really dig through my books to find something to read. It is great because I am finding books that I forgot I had.

Well I finished one of my ER books. Only 4 more to go but still need to receive one of them. I have a book club book to finish up by Wednesday hoping to finish that book this weekend.

#23. Montana Bride: A Bitter Creek Novel by Joan Johnston

Well I seem to have found another series to read and a new favorite author. Another great book from LT Early Reviewers program. Montana Bride is number 12 in the Bitter Creek Novels by Joan Johnston.

Montana Bride is the story of Henrietta Wentworth (Hetty). You meet Hetty when she is with Gracie, Griffin, Mrs. Templeton and Bao (pronounced like Cow). Mrs. Templeton, Gracie and Griffin are on their way to meet Mrs. Templeton's groom. Instead of Mrs. Templeton becoming the mail order bride for Karl Norwood, Hetty does and also becomes the mother of Gracie and Griffin.

The many stories that are intermixed with this book makes the story enthralling and page turning. You have orphans, innocent woman and people that are just pure evil. Gracie and Griffin are brother and sister and orphans. They hire Mrs. Templeton to pretend to be their mother and be a mail order bride. Hetty is someone they find when they decide to go through an abandon wagon.

I found Hetty's story heart wrenching. She was an orphan and was left for dead in the wagon after being attacked by savages. She is one of 6 siblings. The lies that she tells to keep herself and the children she has come to love are the lies that could also destroy the happiness she is starting to experience.

The ending of this story has me wanting to experience all the Bitter Creek novels.

5 stars

My book club book is Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. My next ER books will be: Perfect Pitch by Mindy Klasky (which is an e-book) and Love Story, with Murders by Harry Bingham. (actual book)

Happy Reading all!

#24. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

I don't think I would have picked this book up if it wasn't for my Library Book Club. I am happy that our group chose this book. It is a heartwarming and heartfelt lecture from a dying man. Randy Pausch was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. After he has a surgery and learns months later that the cancer has metastasized and only has months to live.

This book is about his last lecture and just dealing with death and life in general, for him, his family and people that he knows. Reading about Randy, his wife Jai (pronounced Jay), and their three wonderful children who are all very young.

I found myself tearing up at the end of the book. To feel the love that Randy and Jai have for each other is so heartwarming. And the love that he has for his children is something that he wants to leave for them to see.

4 stars

Now I have my ER books to finish.

Today I went dress shopping with my daughter for Mother of the Bride dresses. It was fun, exhausting and great to be done with it for now. I found a few dresses and bought 2 of them. I figure I would be able to wear the dresses to work too.

I didn't go for the typical MOB dresses. I didn't want a real fancy one. I even found another one that I liked but didn't buy it because it was missing the jacket. I will check another store to see if I can find one with a jacket.

My daughter and I have totally different tastes in clothes. She prefers plain boring things when I like a little color and flare to them.

I also need to lose some weight before I wear the dresses, so I am again starting on my exercising and eating right. Her wedding isn't until Oct of this year so I have a few months. I just need to make sure that I am diligent in my exercising and eating.

O I dread those days when i have to go out and buy a MOB dress. I'm so happy for you that you succeeded in finding 2!

I also dreaded going out for a MOB dress. I have been losing weight but gained some of it back this past year because I injured my wrist and shoulder. I was pleased with my sizes in the dresses I bought. My daughter kept trying to get me to buy plus sizes and I didn't have to. I was thrilled with that part. Now I just need to lose the weight I put on and maybe some more.

How much do you need to lose? I would like to lose some 10 pounds, but I'm not good at dieting and exercising.!

I need to lose about 50 lbs to be at a healthy weight. I will be happy to lose 30 lbs by the wedding or just tone up some of my muscles. I have been doing this lifestyle change for about 5 years now. I enjoy exercising but this winter just made it so hard to exercise. I wanted to stay in all the time because it was so cold out. I have been to the gym/Y 2 days this weekend and also did Walk Away the Pounds 3 mile too. I feel the difference when I exercise. I joined a web site sparkpeople which really helped me to get started on losing the weight.

Good job, Monica! You are starting...that's more than I can say about me. You Go!!!!!

Good for you Monica!

>115 crazy4reading: - Sounds like you have a game plan and are already putting the plan into action. Good for you!

Thanks Connie53, SuziQoregon, and lkernagh!

Well I updated my ticker with my weight and I lost 6 ounces. I am happy to see the scale moving in the right direction. Yesterday I didn't exercise real intense. I was exhausted from the previous few days of exercise. Today I plan to do some strength training along with some cardio.

I will be posting a new review today too.

#25. Love Story, with Murders by Harry Bingham

This is my first book by Harry Bingham and I was pleasantly surprised. I had never heard of the author of this book before winning this ARC.

This is the second book in the Fiona Griffiths series. I have not read the first one so not sure if that mattered. I still enjoyed the book. I now want to read the first and third books.

Fiona Griffiths is a cop in the UK. She is not your typical cop. Her adoptive father is a known criminal that has never been convicted. Fiona also has some problems with her mental state. I don't even know how to describe it.

There are two murders in this book that are connected but not by being committed by the same people. They are connected by Love. Fiona has her way of investigating which isn't always above the law. Her life is also put in jeopardy twice. She is left for dead in the freezing cold and the way she survives is interesting.

Fiona is also trying to figure out who she is. She starts investigating into her father's past and trying to find out why she was left in the back of her father's car one day during church. She feels that her father knows who her parents are and that there is a reason why he is her father. That is the part that really has me interested in the series.

3 stars

#26. Perfect Pitch by Mindy Klasky

This was a cute story with a baseball theme and music, which are two of my favorite things. The story starts with the Summer Beauty Queen be awakened by her phone. This is all due to DJ Thomas a pitcher making a comment about being stuck with the Summer Beauty Queen.

This is the set up for the potential romance between Samantha Winger and DJ Thomas. DJ apologizes and you can feel the attraction right from the beginning. Samantha wants to start a program called Musicall to bring arts back to the schools.

This is a series I will read just for pure entertainment.

4 stars

Still have some ER books to read.

Another book finished.

#27. Nantucket Sisters by Nancy Thayer

I won this book through Librarything's Early Reviewers program. I found the story very cute. The characters are Emily, Maggie, Ben, Tyler and Francis. Emily is a young girl of a rich family that visits Nantucket during the summer. Maggie, Ben, Tyler, and Francis are all island people. They live on Nantucket all year.

Francis is the mother of Ben and Maggie. She is a single mother that sews clothes for the locals and those that come during the summer. Tyler is Maggie's best friend on the island. Emily and Maggie are best friends too.

Your first meet them as they are young girls and call themselves Nantucket Sisters. Emily's family tries to tell her that she should be socializing with her own kind. Emily doesn't understand and enjoys spending time with Maggie and her brother Ben.

The years pass and you see them as they grow up. The changes they go through. The friendships change, and possibly end forever. Emily loves Ben and yet will they ever be together forever. Maggie doesn't realize who she loves at first. I loved the story and seeing how the relationships changed throughout time. I look forward to reading more books by Nancy Thayer.

4 stars

I am also reading The Good Suicides by Antonio Hill. I will be starting The Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling.

I worked my library's book sale this past weekend. I am a volunteer for the Friends of the library. I worked Friday, Saturday and helped break it down on Monday. I used some vacation time and decided to spend the time helping and getting a chance to shop for books. Here is a list of the books I bought:

Foundation & Empire by Isaac Asimov
Oedipus the King by Sophocles
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harried Beecher Stowe
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
The Last Algonquin by Theodore Kazimiroff
Where We Belong by Emily Giffin
Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
Fell by David Clement-Davies
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Xenocide by Orson Scott Card
Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card
Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
The Royal House of Windsor by Elizabeth Longford
Motherhood and Hollywood by Patricia Heaton
How to Lose your Ass & Regain your life by Kirstie Alley
Life is not a Stage by Florence Henderson
Death Walked in by Carolyn Hart
Death of the Party by Carolyn Hart
Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich
Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Promises in Death by J.D. Robb
The Last Catholic in America by John R. Powers
Bridget Jones Diary by Helen Fielding
Love Overboard by Janet Evanovich
Ghost Shadow by Heather Graham
The Goodbye Summer by Patricia Gaffney
The Bachelorette Party by Karen McCullah Lutz
Have your Cake and Kill him too by Nancy Martin
The Cassandra Compact by Robert Ludlum
The Hotel Hampshire by John Irving
Calico Joe by John Grisham
The Strangest Thing Happened by Ethel Barret
The Twelve Deaths of Christmas by Marian Babson
Light a Single Candle by Beverly Butler
The Hope of Spring by Wanda Brunstetter
Cursed by Carol Higgins clark
Shadow of Power by Steven Martini

I finished another book tonight.

#28. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

First time I listened to this book. I have read it so many times that listening was like reading it for the first time. The fourth installment of the Harry Potter series is on of my favorites. When it first read it I loved it. It is one of my many favorites from this series.

Harry is once again embroiled in danger of getting killed by Voldemort. This year at Hogwarts they are hosting the Tri Wizard tournament. We learn about 2 other Wizarding Schools. Dermstrang and Beauxbanton.

I love the friendships that are formed in this book along with the enemies they meet. Hermione makes friends with Victor Krum. Ron falls for a Vela. This is one of the best books I have every read/listened to.

5 stars

I have just started reading A Heart So Wild by Johanna Lindsey. I am also reading an ER book The Good Suicides by Antonio Hill.

I finished another book late last night.
#29. A Heart so Wild by Johanna Lindsey

I have wanted to read Johanna Lindsey for a few years now. A Heart So Wild is set in Kansas in 1868. The two main characters are Chandos and Courtney. When the first meet in 1868 it is not a pleasant one. Courtney is traveling with her father and step-mother from the east coast. They have stopped at a farm for the night and that farmer is attached by Indians for his role in the brutal murders and rapes of a Comanche tribe.

Courtney and her step mother Sarah are told to hide in the feed storage so they are protected from the Indians. They are discovered but not hurt because when Chandos sees Courtney he feels that she reminds him of his sister that was murdered and raped by the white man and he cannot to that to her.

Four Years later Sarah has re-married because she thinks Courtney's father is dead. Courtney works in the hotel that Sarah's husband owns. She keeps old newspapers just to know what is going on outside of Kansas. That is when she sees an picture of her father in a Texas papers. She is determined go to Waco to find him.

A gunslinger comes to town and that is who Courtney decides should take her to Waco. He will not do it at first. He is drawn to her and tells her to be ready in an hour. The tension between the two is just unnerving. They are attracted to each other but both are too stubborn to admit it. Courtney does not know that the gunslinger she is with is the Indian she met 4 years before. She just knows that she trusts him and his blue eyes.

I loved the whole story. The attacks that they went through. Chandos attacking Courtney to try and teach her that she should't have trusted him. Him not being able to hurt her and also him wanting to protect her from the beginning. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

5 stars

I will be starting The Good Suicides by Antonio Hill and my library book club book. Not sure what will be next after those two. Besides another ER book.

#30. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Well I finally took the plunge into reading this book and I was pleasantly surprised. I quite enjoyed the story of Carmen, Lena, Bridget and Tibby and their first summer apart.

Carmen bought a pair of pants at a thrift shop and never wore them. She was going to get rid of them the first summer they were all going away except for Tibby. While everyone is at Carmen's house the pants are spotted and the girls all try them on. Each girl is different in height and size but the pants fit each one. They are magical.

Carmen is going to visit her father in South Carolina, Lena is traveling to Greece to visit her grandparents with her sister Effie, Bridget is going to Soccer Camp in Baja California. Tibby will be staying home and working at her new job at Wallman's.

The adventures the girls and the pants go on is just so interesting. Carmen gets to her father's and learns that her father is getting married and has a new family. Lena's Grandmother wants to fix her up with a local boy named Kostos. And Bridget is the one that is just full of energy and sees a boy at the soccer camp very attractive. Tibby is making a documentary and meets a girl name Bailey.

The different adventures each one goes through both with the pants and without is entertaining. I found each of the girls to be very different and could be annoying at times. They were well written as teenagers.

I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading other ones in this series.

5 stars

I am still reading The Good Suicides by Toni Hill. I also need to start my book club book and finish that by Wed (5/21).

Finished my audio book for book club. Here is my review:

#31. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

This was my library book club read for this month. I had the audio version and not sure if it was the narrator or just the fact that the audio book didn't capture my interest in the story. I liked the story line but I just didn't feel it in the audio version.

I felt torn between the two women Isabel who keeps a baby that her husband finds on a boat near the light house they live in. Isabel has had miscarriages and a still birth. I felt for her but yet I just couldn't fathom keeping a baby just to please my need to be a mother.

The mother whose child Isabel finds is one that I couldn't like or dislike. She held onto the fact that her child must still be alive along with her husband because they never found any bodies. I felt for her but I also got annoyed with her after she was given her child back.

I will possibly decide to read the book to see if I have a different opinion.

4 stars

I am now reading Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey for a challenge on Good reads. I am still reading my ER book The Good Suicides by Toni Hill. I need to finish the Johanna Lindsey book by Thursday night. I am hoping to get a lot of reading done since I have 3 days off this week.

#32. Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey

I love this series. I wish I had continued this series earlier. I feel in love the the Malory's when I first picked up the books out of order. When I realized it was part of a series I went back and started at the beginning.

Gentle Rogue continues with James Malory and Georgina Anderson. James is a confirmed bachelor. He never plans to get married, that is until me meets Georgina Anderson in a tavern. She is not dressed in the normal lady attire. Instead she is in boys breeches.

Georgina is in England looking for her betrothed Malcolm. She would not be in England otherwise. Georgina is the only girl in the Anderson family. Her brothers are protective of her.

The tension between Georgina and James is priceless. Georgina and Mac are heading back to America and the first ship they are able to bored happens to be James Malory's ship. Georgina has to pretend to be a boy. She is James' cabin boy.

I loved the chemistry between James and George (the nick name James gives her) during the whole voyage back home. Also seeing the to family's together was a laugh a minute. The ribbing from both sides just makes you laugh out loud. I can't wait to continue with this series.

5 stars

I will continue with my ER book The Good Suicides by Toni Hill. Not sure what I will start for my next read for a game I am playing on GR.

#33. The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey

The Magic of You continues with the Malory and Anderson families. Amy Malory and Warren Anderson are the main focus of this book. Amy has her coming out and has already found the man she will marry. Even though he doesn't know it yet.

Amy is all of 17 when she has her party. Warren is one of Georgina's older brothers. The first time Amy meets Warren she knows that he will be her husband. This book was very entertaining. The seduction that Amy does to get under Warren's skin is delightful.

Warren has been hurt before and is a very angry and distrustful of women and of marriage. Amy is determined to change all that. Amy is a wonderful girl that has learned a lot from her Uncle's, James and Tony. I can't wait to continue this series.

5 stars

I am still reading The Good Suicides by Toni Hill. And I just won 2 more ER books.

Happy Reading All!!

And to you too!

Thanks Connie!!

Well I stayed up late last night to finish my book.

#34. Say You Love Me by Johanna Lindsey

I couldn't put this book down. I stayed up late last night to finish this book. I knew if I had tried to go to sleep I wouldn't because I wanted to reach the ending of this book. I also realized that this is the first book I had ever read by Johanna Lindsey. It had be about 10 years or more since I read this and I still loved it this time around.

Say You Love Me is the romance of Derek Malory, heir to the Marquis of Haverston and Kelsey Langton. Kelsey is a lady but Derek does not know this when he purchases her at an auction just to thwarts Lord Ashford who is known to beat his whores.

Kelsey is talked into selling herself to help her uncle avoid the creditors. She has to lie and she knows that once she does this she will never be able to marry. She has to tell a story of why she talks and acts like a lady.

When they start falling in love with each other it is interesting. And seeing Derek's Uncles James and Tony noticing how much Derek is smitten with Kelsey. Only one family member learns the truth and that is Reggie. She knew when she first met Kelsey at the dress makers that they would be great friends.

Lord Ashford kidnaps Kelsey as she is leaving the dressmakers one day. Luckily James has his butler tailing Lord Ashford and know that he has taken a woman. When James learns about it and hears the description he knows it has to be Kelsey. This is when I just couldn't stop reading. I needed to reach the end and know what would happen to Kelsey and Derek.

I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

5 stars

I will continue reading The Good Suicides by Toni Hill. I also have a bunch of ER books to read. Plus I have my book club book to start.

Another book finished:

#35. The Present by Johanna Lindsey

The Malory's celebrate Christmas all together in Haverston. Jason Malory lives at Haverston and all the Malory's come to visit for the Holiday. You have James, Georgina, Anthony, Roslyn, Derek, Kelsey, Edward, Charlotte, Reggie, Nicholas, Amy, Warren and all their children.

When all the families start arriving a mysterious present appears in one of the rooms. There is no note, no card or anything to say who it is from. When Amy first sees the present she has a feeling but then the feeling leaves. It is when all the family is there that Amy feels that this present will tell them about their grandmother and who she really is.

One night Amy talks Warren into going down and opening the present. It seems they are not the only ones that have thought of this. Soon the room fills up with all the adults. Amy opens the gift and they discover that it is sealed with a padlock and leather straps. They finally cut the straps and a letter falls out. Once the letter is read they realize that they must read the journal that their Grandfather Christopher and Grandmother Anastasia truth will be revealed to them.

I found the story interesting and entertaining. I saw all the different personalities in Christopher and Ana in all their children. I look forward to reading the next Malory novel.

5 stars

Now I will get back to reading my ER book Good Suicides by Toni Hill. I have 4 more ER books to read too. So I need to get this one done.

Today I went to B&N to use my 20% off coupons. I had two so I bought 2 books. I also bought an umbrella because I forgot to bring one with me and it looked like it could possibly rain. Here are the two books I bought:

When Passion Rules by Johanna Lindsey
Daddy's Gone a Hunting by Mary Higgins Clark

Johanna Lindsey's book was a hard back on sale for 6.98 and Mary Higgins Clark was a paperback so only 7.99 The umbrella was the most expensive thing I bought.

Ahhh, new books! Always nice browsing a book-store and finding some treasures! And you bought one by Johanna Lindsey to follow the books in >131 crazy4reading: and >132 crazy4reading: !

Yes, new books, I love finding ones I want to read. Not sure when I will get around to reading them. The Johanna Lindsey one is new and I don't think it is part of any series, yet. I love her writing and I hope this one doesn't disappoint.

Another book finished yesterday. I needed to finish it for my book club meeting.

#36. City of Thieves by David Benioff

I enjoy reading books based on actual events even if they are fictitious. I started reading this book and was really enjoyed it. I then had to listen to the rest of the book since I wanted to finish it before my book club meeting. The audio book was just as good. I read the book while listening to the audio.

The narrator was great with the different voices. This also helped with understanding the names of the characters by hearing someone actually pronouncing them. I also enjoyed the relationship between Lev and Kolya. They are 2 different personalities that are joined together for a very strange reason.

Lev is caught stealing from a dead German. He is then taken to see a colonel. Kolya is captured and considered a deserter. They are given orders by the colonel to obtain 2 dozen eggs to make a cake for his daughter's wedding.

The adventures they encounter on their travels to find these eggs by a given date are interesting and brutal at the same time. I am glad that my book club decided to read this book this past month.

4 stars.

I will be back to post my review on my ER book that I just finished today. I will be reading The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling. I started reading it last night at the library and I loved the beginning. I will also be reading another ER book. Hoping to finish both in a few weeks.

#37. The Good Suicides by Toni Hill

This is the second book in the Inspector Salgado series. I have not read the first book in this series, The Summer of Dead Toys. I will be looking for this book so that I can get to know the characters better.

Hector Salgado is back to solve another crime. Are the deaths of some Alemany cosmetics employees suicide or murder? You have Sara who is seen in the train station by some people and they say that she jumped. One of the kids takes the ladies cell phone and when the picture is discovered they return it to the police. The picture is of dogs hanging on trees.

I was drawn in to the story from the beginning. Why did Sara kill herself? What happened to Inspector Salgado's wife Ruth? These are the mysteries that drew me into the Good Suicides. The ending was very surprising and kept me guessing until the very end.

4 stars

>136 crazy4reading: - I have a copy of the Benioff book on my TBR bookcases so the 4 star rating and your review are happy news to me!

>138 lkernagh: lkernagh ~ hope you are able to read the book sooner then later.

#38. The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I had not expected to be drawn in from the very beginning but I was. J.K. does what she does best which is introduce characters and all their personality to make you either hate, or love them.

The Casual Vacancy shows you how people of different backgrounds act with in their kind and with those either above or below them. I am glad I took the time to read this book.

4 stars

I had to write that review during a thunderstorm last night. I am now reading Until I found you by Victoria Bylin. I also have to read the following: Catching Hell by Mindy Klasky, Reaching First and Second Thoughts by Mindy Klasky. They are all ER books so I hope to get through them quickly.

Happy Reading all!

I am now more the half way to my goal of 75 books. I want to continue this tread with a link but not sure how to do that. I thought there was something to click at the bottom to continue this thread in a new thread. I will see if I can figure it out at work. It could be because I am on Google Chrome. Sometimes things to show up when I use Chrome.

The continuation link shows up when you have more than 200 messages in a thread. We could put out a general call for folks to come by and post to get you over the threshold! :)

It looks like the continuation link has been fixed to show up sooner than 200 posts. I just saw it on a thread with 152 posts so bumping your thread to make the continuation link appear should be pretty easy. ;-)

I am not sure I am up for reading The Casual Vacancy but I do enjoying reading the variety of reviews I have seen for that one!

>139 crazy4reading: - I try to shoe horn my TBR books into my current challenge reading and keep on forgetting about the Benioff book. I will get around to it at some point, promise. ;-)

I swung by to say hello and see that I can also help you in your quest to get to 150 posts and a new thread. Howdy, Monica!

>141 drneutron: drneutron I did go searching and noticed that most of the threads were at 200 that were continued.

>142 lkernagh: lkernagh That is good to know that I only need about 150 to get a continuation.

>143 lkernagh: lkernagh I only read it because I wanted something different to read. Not sure if I would have read it otherwise.

>144 lkernagh: lkernagh ~ I have been trying to do that with my TBR books. Especially the ones that I own.

>145 rosalita: rosalita ~ Thanks for helping me reach 150 posts.

Have you read any of her Harry Potter books? I haven't and I love the movies too much to think about going back and reading the books now. Silly, I know.

And see, you are getting all that much closer to a new thread..... ;-0

Why Lori, I do believe we might have gotten her there?

>148 lkernagh: yes I have read the Harry Potter books and I love them. It is never too late to read them or even listen to them.

>149 lkernagh: & >150 rosalita: Yes I am there!! Thanks guys. Now hopefully the link will show up at some point so I can move onto a second thread.