LibraryLover23's 2015 Challenge

A new year, a new challenge! I'm not going to make any numerical goals as I didn't make it to 75 last year, but that's okay. It's more about the journey than the destination! I do have a rough plan for the types of books I want to read, which will allow me to continue to work on my challenges while still making time for things like rereads (which I feel I've sadly neglected in the last few years). Below are my previous threads, good luck everyone with your challenges!

2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014

Reading List

January
1. A Bad Day For Scandal by Sophie Littlefield
2. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
3. Open House by Elizabeth Berg
4. One Came Home by Amy Timberlake
5. Blaze by Richard Bachman
6. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
7. In The Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming

February
8. The Sound And The Furry by Spencer Quinn
9. Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery
10. I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being A Woman by Nora Ephron
11. How The Light Gets In by Louise Penny
12. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
13. Who Killed My Daughter? by Lois Duncan

March
14. Poems Of The American Spirit edited by David Stanford Burr
15. Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good by Jan Karon
16. Wild: From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
17. Duma Key by Stephen King
18. The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
19. Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene
20. Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker

April
21. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
22. Nights In Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks
23. A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
24. Why Do Cats Sulk?...And All Your Other Questions Answered by Arline Bleecker

May
25. Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich
26. The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
27. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
28. Gathering Prey by John Sandford
29. Rilla Of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery

June
30. Just After Sunset by Stephen King
31. Letters Of A Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart
32. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

July
33. Kitty Goes To Washington by Carrie Vaughn
34. Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
35. Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman
36. Across The Wide And Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary Of Hattie Campbell, 1847 by Kristiana Gregory

August
37. Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon
38. The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
39. The Soloist: A Lost Dream, An Unlikely Friendship, And The Redemptive Power Of Music by Steve Lopez
40. Bossypants by Tina Fey
41. Tea Time For The Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith
42. A Clash Of Kings by George R.R. Martin

September
43. Book Lust To Go: Recommended Reading For Travelers, Vagabonds, And Dreamers by Nancy Pearl
44. After Visiting Friends: A Son's Story by Michael Hainey
45. How To Start A Fire by Lisa Lutz
46. A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming

October
47. My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf
48. Out Of The Deep I Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming
49. Shepherds Abiding / Esther's Gift / The Mitford Snowmen by Jan Karon
50. Silas Marner by George Eliot
51. The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map To True Riches: A Practical (And Fun) Guide To Enjoying Life More By Spending Less by Jeff Yeager

November
52. Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee
53. A Storm Of Swords by George R.R. Martin
54. Buried Prey by John Sandford
55. Under The Dome by Stephen King
56. Paw And Order by Spencer Quinn
57. "C" Is For Corpse by Sue Grafton
58. Money Secrets Of The Amish: Finding True Abundance In Simplicity, Sharing, And Saving by Lorilee Craker

December
59. To Darkness And To Death by Julia Spencer-Fleming
60. So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year Of Passionate Reading by Sara Nelson
61. The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
62. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
63. A Little House Christmas Treasury: Festive Holiday Stories by Laura Ingalls Wilder
64. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
65. The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith
66. Dash And Lily's Book Of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
67. Saints: A Year In Faith And Art by Rosa Giorgi

Here's a list of the series I'm currently reading, or ones that I hope to start soon. I don't necessarily intend to finish all of these series this year, it's more a place for me to keep track.

Aidan, Pamela—Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series (read 1 out of 3) Next up: Duty And Desire
Alexander, Lloyd—The Prydain Chronicles (read 0 out of 5) Next up: The Book Of Three
Banks, Lynne Reid—The Indian In The Cupboard series (read 1 out of 5 but want to reread them all) Next up: The Indian In The Cupboard
Bradley, Alan—Flavia de Luce series (read 1 out of 7) Next up: The Weed That Strings The Hangman’s Bag
Castillo, Linda—Kate Burkholder series (read 6 out of 8) Next up: After The Storm
Castle, Richard—Nikki Heat series (read 2 out of 7) Next up: Heat Rises
Cronin, Justin—The Passage Trilogy (read 1 out of 3) Next up: The Twelve
Dobson, Joanne—Karen Pelletier series (read 2 out of 6) Next up: The Raven And The Nightingale: A Modern Mystery Of Edgar Allan Poe
Evanovich, Janet—Stephanie Plum series (read 21 out of 22) Next up: Tricky Twenty-Two
Grafton, Sue—Alphabet Mysteries (read 3 out of 24) Next up: “D" Is For Deadbeat
Harris, Charlaine—Harper Connelly series (read 2 out of 4) Next up: An Ice Cold Grave
Harris, Thomas—Hannibal Lecter series (read 1 out of 4) Next up: The Silence Of The Lambs
King, Stephen—The Dark Tower series (read 7 out of 8) Next up: The Wind Through The Keyhole
Littlefield, Sophie—Stella Hardesty series (read 3 out of 5) Next up: A Bad Day For Mercy
Lutz, Lisa—Izzy Spellman series (read 6 out of 6)
Martin, George R.R.—A Song Of Ice And Fire series (read 3 out of 7) Next up: A Feast For Crows
Montgomery, L.M.—Anne Of Green Gables series (read 8 out of 8)
Nix, Garth—The Abhorsen Trilogy (read 0 out of 3) Next up: Sabriel
Penny, Louise—Three Pines series (read 9 out of 11) Next up: The Long Way Home
Pullman, Philip—His Dark Materials series (read 1 out of 3) Next up: The Subtle Knife
Quinn, Spencer—Chet and Bernie Mysteries (read 7 out of 9) Next up: Tail Of Vengeance
Smith, Alexander McCall—Isabel Dalhousie series (read 6 out of 10) Next up: The Charming Quirks Of Others
Smith, Alexander McCall—No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series (read 11 out of 16) Next up: The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party
Spencer-Fleming, Julia—Reverend Clare Fergusson series (read 4 out of 9) Next up: All Mortal Flesh
Stewart, Mary—Arthurian Saga series (read 0 out of 5) Next up: The Crystal Cave
Tolkien, J.R.R.—Lord Of The Rings (read 1 out of 4) Next up: The Fellowship Of The Ring

These are the remaining Stephen King books I have to read as part of the King's Dear Constant Readers readalong. There's light at the end of the tunnel, although I'll be sad to see this challenge end as I've been working on it for years now.

I've read his bibliography up to this point, these are the ones that are left (I'm skipping some of the e-books and things). Titles came from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_King_bibliography although of course, more can be added at any time.

Blaze
Duma Key
Just After Sunset
Under The Dome
Blockade Billy
Full Dark, No Stars
11/22/63
The Dark Tower: The Wind Through The Keyhole
Joyland
Doctor Sleep
Mr. Mercedes
Revival
Finders Keepers
The Bazaar Of Bad Dreams

Hello! I managed to find your 2015 thread. I am looking forward to following you again this year :)

>5 NicolePatrick: Thanks Nicole! Happy New Year!

>3 LibraryLover23: Next up: “C” Is For Corpse
You have a ways to go... Fortunately I read them as they appeared.

Welcome back!

Happy New Year!

>7 qebo: Haha, I know. For a long time I would just reread "A" Is For Alibi over and over in an attempt to jumpstart the series but I finally got around to reading the second one. I wanted to mark it down so I wouldn't forget!

>8 drneutron: Thanks drneutron!

>9 scaifea: Thanks! Happy New Year to you too!

1. A Bad Day For Scandal by Sophie Littlefield (290 p.)
Third in the Stella Hardesty series. Stella is a no-nonsense middle-aged woman who helps other women deal with their abusive or otherwise unruly husbands using unlawful ways and means. Stella's special brand of justice often gets her attention from the law however, particularly from her crush, Sheriff Goat Jones. These books are funny, easy reads and Stella and her antics create just the kind of humor that I like.

So happy to be following your reading once again! I'm impressed by your reading all of Stephen King - he's been hit or miss for me, though several of my friends are enormous fans of his. They always seem to intimidating, but once you get rolling the pages do fly by!

Uh oh. I fear you may have just hit me with my first Book Bullet for the year with the Sophie Littlefield. ;)

>12 LauraBrook: Thank you Laura! A few of King's books were somewhat subpar for me, but I love the vast majority of them. In a way I'm excited to finish that challenge so I can go back and reread some favorites!

And the Stella Hardesty series is a lot of fun, but I'd recommend starting with the first one, A Bad Day For Sorry. :)

I really need to get back on the King challenge. I enjoy his books and the challenge was so much fun.

>14 cal8769: Yeah, you can jump back in! I think I'm about a year behind where the group is but I just go at my own pace. :)

2. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (275 p.)
A reread in preparation for seeing the play next month. Ten strangers are lured to a secluded island where they end up getting killed one by one in the same gruesome fashion described in a children's nursery rhyme. I remembered whodunit and why, but I couldn't remember how they did it. Of the few Christie's I've read this is one of her best, although my favorite so far is The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd.

Happy New Year!

I am already trying to catch up on threads!
A few years ago, I made a dent in King's bibliography, but I stalled on Duma Key. I really need to get back into it. He is very popular here in Maine :)

>17 jayde1599: I bet he is! There are a few of his I've been reluctant to start, but once I get going they're pretty much always worth it.

3. Open House by Elizabeth Berg (241 p.)
For all that divorce is such a common occurrence in today's world, I don't think I've read too many books on the subject. This one, an Oprah's book club pick, takes a look at divorce through the eyes of Sam, a woman who's blindsided when her husband leaves her. At first I thought the book would be a downer, but there were plenty of times I ended up laughing out loud. Berg's deft characterization reminded me at times of Anne Tyler's, but unlike with Tyler's books, I could see the ending of this one coming from a mile away. Still good though, and I'm glad I read it.

4. One Came Home by Amy Timberlake (Kindle library loan)
Very good YA historical fiction that takes place in 1871 in Wisconsin. Georgie feels responsible for her sister Agatha running away, when a body that might be Agatha is returned to their mother, Georgie doesn't believe it's really her and sets off on a journey to find out what really happened. I liked the characters and the setting and it was a fast, easy read, but I'm afraid I wasn't wholly satisfied with the ending. That brought my enjoyment down a bit, but I liked it nonetheless.

>20 LibraryLover23: Ooh, I loved that one when I read it last year - and it's set just down the road from me here in Wisconsin!

>21 scaifea: Awesome! Yeah, the sense of place was very strong in that one. I always enjoy that in my books.

5. Blaze by Richard Bachman (260 p.)
I knew nothing about this one going into it, based on the title and cover picture I thought it was going to be another "car" book like Christine or From A Buick 8. I also thought it would just be a stepping stone on my way to bigger and better SK books but I couldn't have been more wrong! I flat-out loved it, and as a Steinbeck superfan I particularly appreciated the Of Mice And Men homage. "Blaze" isn't the name of a car, but rather the name of a man who's a little slow, very big in size and who, along with his partner George, wants to get one big score by kidnapping the baby of a wealthy family and holding him for ransom. The chapters that flashed back to Blaze's upbringing were the best parts of the book I thought, although the book as a whole was fantastic.

Blaze was a great book. I was also surprised when I read it.

>24 cal8769: I was really impressed. And it should teach me not to judge a book by its cover!

6. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (280 p.)
I keep reading books from my TBR pile thinking that I can then pass them on without a guilty conscience, but this one was so, so good I don't think I can bring myself to get rid of it! After her mother leaves, Sal and her father move from their home in Kentucky to Ohio, where Sal has to adjust to a new school and new friends. One of these friends is Phoebe, a classmate who's also having family issues, but "underneath" Phoebe's story is what really happened to Sal's mom. It takes a cross-country trip to visit Sal's mom, while relating Phoebe's story to her grandparents, for Sal to really come to terms with what happened. Excellent book. I loved it.

7. In The Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming (308 p.)
Another great read, I've had a fantastic string of them lately. I won one of the more recent books in this series from Early Reviewers one time and I liked it so much I knew I wanted to go back and read the first book in the series someday. (Now I have to decide if I want to add the rest of the books to my series list or if I'll just read one here and there as I come across them…) This one follows Reverend Clare Fergusson who stumbles across a baby who was left out in the cold on her church's doorstep. Along with the child is a note asking that he be left in the care of a local couple. Clare is new to town (Millers Kill, NY), and she quickly befriends the local police chief, Russ Van Alstyne, who takes her up on her request to shadow him throughout the investigation as she has firsthand knowledge of the church and its parishioners, particularly the two who were asked to be the baby's adoptive parents. The mystery in this one was strong with twists and turns that I didn't see coming, along with great characters and an evocative setting. Since I read a later book in the series I know where some plot lines are heading, but the thought that I have all the others in between to enjoy is a very pleasant one.

January Books Read
1. A Bad Day For Scandal by Sophie Littlefield
2. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
3. Open House by Elizabeth Berg
4. One Came Home by Amy Timberlake
5. Blaze by Richard Bachman
6. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
7. In The Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming

January Books Acquired
The Hard Way: Jack Reacher by Lee Child (came from a bag of books a coworker was getting rid of)
Why Do Cats Sulk?...And All Your Other Questions Answered by Arline Bleecker (found in a pile of stuff my parents were getting rid of)

8. The Sound And The Furry by Spencer Quinn (311 p.)
Sixth book in the Chet and Bernie series finds the duo making their way to New Orleans to find a missing inventor. Chet in particular enjoys the sights and smells of the bayou, although not his run-in with a gator named Iko. Still funny and enjoyable, Chet's simple appreciation of life is what makes this series great.

9. Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery (256 p.)
It's always a treat to head to P.E.I. and visit with Anne and friends. This one shifts the focus away from Anne's family and instead focuses on their neighbors, the Merediths, a group which consists of an absent-minded father and his four rambunctious children. Although this was a pleasant interlude, the last few books have been hinting at trouble to come. So while I will finish this series eventually, I'm not wholeheartedly looking forward to Rilla Of Ingleside because I'm not quite sure what to expect for Anne, her kids and their friends.

10. I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being A Woman by Nora Ephron (audiobook)
I have this in book form but I got the audiobook version from the library, which was a good choice as Nora herself read the book, and she of course knew what she was talking about. At first I thought it was a little bit too "upper class/New York/first-world problems" but she won me over by making me laugh more than once (the best times were when she talked about things that were universal). I also particularly enjoyed her essays on the price of real estate in New York and the joy books brought to her life. Now that's something we can all agree on.

>30 LibraryLover23: I go for denial in those cases. If I pretend like there isn't another book, their lives go on how I want them to :-) This is why I refuse to read the third Bridget Jones- flat-out denial!

31-When I read it I felt the same as you. At first I was put off by her rich upper class problems but her humor won me over. I have to admit that everyone has problems and even if I don't understand them the problems cause difficulty and stress and that I do understand!

>32 jennyifer24: Good point! I'll keep that in mind for whenever I get to the last book. I'll give them a happy ending no matter what happens. :)

>33 cal8769: Yes, exactly. I liked it much better by the end than I did at the beginning.

11. How The Light Gets In by Louise Penny (405 p.)
Can this series get any better? I mean seriously. The way all the threads came together in the end (with resolutions for plot lines started way back in the beginning of the series) was just amazing. I got the impression that if the series were to end with this book (thankfully it doesn't), this would be the perfect stopping point.

I also find myself so invested in these characters' lives it's not even funny. I'm not going to go into how relieved I felt when certain characters got certain issues resolved (trying to be as vague as possible). And on a side note, I think Myrna in particular has it made—she runs the town bookstore, and lives above it, and for the first time I realized her store is connected to the bistro. I just love Three Pines.

12. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (337 p.)
I'm allowing myself more guilt-free rereads this year and this one was calling to me; one of the best end-of-the-world stories I've ever read. Miranda is a normal teenage girl when an asteroid hits the moon, knocking it slightly off-kilter and leading to all sorts of natural disasters. Since the book is in diary form, we see the changes happening slowly along with Miranda, and the sense of dread continues to build. I hate to say it, but I would suggest skipping the sequels—life gets progressively bleaker for these characters and in the fourth book things get downright weird. But as a stand-alone this is a very unsettling, yet still utterly believable account of what could happen if the world ends.

13. Who Killed My Daughter? by Lois Duncan (354 p.)
Another reread, although it's been a long time since I last read it. Duncan is one of my favorite YA authors, she was pretty prolific in the 70's and 80's and I love to reread her teen suspense novels. Anyway, this one is non-fiction, about the death of Duncan's youngest daughter, Kait, who was killed when she was driving home from a friend's house. The police called it a random shooting, but Duncan and her family believe Kait was privy to illegal drug activity and insurance scams in connection with her boyfriend, and was killed before she had a chance to come clean. Although the subject matter is terribly sad, Duncan's writing is so straightforward you fly through the pages (I read this in about a day). Still no word on whatever really happened to Kait (you can read about the case here: http://kaitarquette.arquettes.com/), but a fascinating look at how the system failed this family all the same.

February Books Read:
8. The Sound And The Furry by Spencer Quinn
9. Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery
10. I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being A Woman by Nora Ephron
11. How The Light Gets In by Louise Penny
12. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
13. Who Killed My Daughter? by Lois Duncan

February Books Acquired:
Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women Of Camelot by J. Randy Taraborrelli (a gift)

I also want to take a moment to acknowledge a book I didn't get this month. Back in November I won a copy of Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography by Laura Ingalls Wilder from Early Reviewers. (If there was ever a match made in Early Reviewer heaven, it was me and a new Laura Ingalls Wilder book.) Alas, four months later I still haven't received it. I marked it as "never received" on the Early Reviewer page; this is the first time this happened to me and ironically it's with a book I really, really wanted. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Ever get a book way past the month you won it? I might still hold out hope!

I have won 40+ books and only 1 I haven't received. The longest I have waited for a book was 13 months so there is hope!

>39 LibraryLover23: I've won 21 and received 19 (1 is recent, so it's really only 1 missing); I think the longest I've waited is about 2 months, certainly no longer than 3. I'm supposing you're not the only one who didn't receive that book; it has only 4 reviews, none with the ER icon. Have you reported to the ER group or directly to lorannen?

I have won 42 books over the years on LT. 4 of those books never showed up. 1 book doesn't appear to have ever been sent out by the publisher while the other 3 missing books were indeed received by other LTER readers. It is a bit of a crap shoot but based on my experience, to have only one book in every ten won not show up isn't bad odds.... I just grumble when they are for books I really, really want to read, and my local library never gets in a copy that I can borrow.

>40 cal8769: Wow, 13 months? Haha, you're right, there is still hope!

>41 qebo: That's a good point, I thought it seemed like there weren't too many reviews, but I didn't take note of the lack of ER icons. I haven't done anything beyond marking it "not received" but I'll look into my other options.

>42 lkernagh: You're right, they're not bad odds, and if I remember correctly at least one local library branch has a copy of it so I can always read it that way. And it's not like I don't have a million other books to read... I was just particularly pleased to win a copy of this one!

14. Poems Of The American Spirit edited by David Stanford Burr (231 p.)
Small volume of patriotic poetry. Some of my favorites were "A Tale of the Airly Days" by James Whitcomb Riley, "The New England Boy's Thanksgiving" by Lydia Maria Child, "The Old Camp-Fire" by Bret Harte, "Casey at the Bat" by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, and all of the ones by Walt Whitman.

15. Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good by Jan Karon (511 p.)
Most recent and final(?) novel in the Mitford series, about a retired Episcopalian priest, his wife, their family and all the townspeople who make up their lives. Like the others in the series it's told through brief vignettes focusing on different characters, but the main story always comes back to Father Tim. If this is the final novel in the series I'm happy with where things ended, although I'd also be thrilled if the story continues on as I love catching up with these characters in this small town.

I've won 50 books and not received 3 of them. Like Lori said in >42 lkernagh:, some people received the books from the publishers, so perhaps mine got lost? Two were books I wanted to read and the third was one I REEEEAALY wanted to read, so that one stung a bit more. Bummer! I'd be severely disappointed if I didn't get the Wilder book too - she's one of my favorites and I'm waiting to buy my own copy.

>46 LauraBrook: Thanks for the input Laura! I agree, it's not bad odds and I'm grateful they have the program at all. I have read some pretty great books through Early Reviewers. But yes, it definitely stings to miss out on one I really want and know that I would love!

16. Wild: From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed (Kindle library loan)
I love books like this—"survival" stories about people trekking through the wilderness, battling the elements. After her mother dies and her marriage ends, Cheryl decides to hike the PCT which runs from Mexico to Canada, through California, Oregon and Washington. Unprepared for the rigors of the trail, Cheryl presses on anyway, using the walk as a cathartic experience. Excellent book. This is the best kind of non-fiction in that there's nothing dry or boring about it.

>48 LibraryLover23: Did you see the movie? I thought it was very well done.

>49 qebo: No, not yet, but I'm looking forward to renting it once it comes out. I'm glad you liked it, I've heard nothing but good things!

>45 LibraryLover23: I need to get to the Karon book. We got it at the library, but I've been so busy reading other things that I haven't looked for it.

>51 thornton37814: It took me awhile to get to it too but it was worth the wait. I hope you like it!

17. Duma Key by Stephen King (611 p.)
Might fall somewhere in the middle of my ranking of King's works and, oddly, I think I liked it better the first time I read it. After Edgar Freemantle suffers a terrible accident at a construction site, he moves to Duma Key in Florida to recover from his injuries. While there, he discovers that he has a talent for painting that goes above and beyond anything he could have imagined…but it also draws the attention of an evil spirit who has wreaked havoc on the island before. I enjoyed it overall, just thought it seemed a little long this time around.

I have had Duma Key for ages but haven't tried it yet. I really need more time to read! LOL

>54 cal8769: Oh yeah, I one hundred percent agree! :)

18. The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks (362 p.)
Eh, I wasn't too crazy about this one, although it had a cool concept—instead of the bloodthirsty, wild, dangerous vampires we've come to know, Nina and her friends are weak, sickly and "reformed," they're trying not to bite humans and instead feed off of guinea pigs. When a vampire slayer kills one of their own however, Nina and her friend Dave follow a trail that leads them to the outback, where they find they may have to use some vampire skills after all. Overall a great concept, but I found it somewhat lacking in execution.

19. Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene (209 p.)
It was only fairly recently that I learned that Carolyn Keene is actually a pseudonym for a bunch of different authors who wrote this series of books, and I have to say, whoever wrote this one was maybe asleep at the wheel. It had so many outrageously coincidental moments (they're all like that, but this one seemed way over the top), and the mystery wasn't very compelling—Nancy helps a mailman find out who stole his mailbag, and a young woman finds out she's an heiress. That being said, there's still something charming about how old-fashioned everything is, and it's fascinating to see the world as it was then. But it's also laughably strange and disturbing too, there were some uncomfortable representations of African Americans, and this quote had my eyes popping out of my head: "Nancy proved herself to be a real girl, in that buying good-looking new clothes gave her a great thrill." (p. 101) I'm still a fan, I just have to mentally prepare myself before I read these books so I know what to expect!

20. Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker (228 p.)
I loved this one, although really she was preaching to the choir. My goal in life is an overall mutiny against excess (with the one glaring, obvious exception being my book habit of course), but some of the things that were eye-opening to the author were long-standing practices for me. Jen decided to focus on seven areas of her life that were out of control (clothes, spending, waste, food, stress, media, possessions) and for 30 days she would focus on each one in turn, whether it was giving stuff away, eating less, or unplugging from the TV and internet. Her goal was for religious reasons, she felt that all the "stuff" in her and her family's lives were getting in the way with her relationship with God. But I don't think you necessarily have to have the same religious beliefs to take away the message of the book, or to follow a similar example of general paring down and overall anti-consumerism. This is the kind of subject I LOVE to talk about, and really I could go on for days. But instead I'll just say that if this is the kind of thing that interests you, I'd highly recommend this book. I thought the author's style was engaging and she's laugh-out-loud funny to boot.

Interesting quote:
"How can I be socially responsible if unaware that I reside in the top percentage of wealth in the world? (You probably do too: Make $35,000 a year? Top 4 percent. $50,000? Top 1 percent.) Excess has impaired perspective in America; we are the richest people on earth, praying to get richer. We're tangled in unmanageable debt while feeding the machine, because we feel entitled to more. What does it communicate when half the global population lives on less than $2 a day, and we can't manage a fulfilling life on twenty-five thousand times that amount? Fifty thousand times that amount?
It says we have too much, and it is ruining us." (p. 3)

March Books Read
14. Poems Of The American Spirit edited by David Stanford Burr
15. Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good by Jan Karon
16. Wild: From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
17. Duma Key by Stephen King
18. The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
19. Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene
20. Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker

March Books Acquired
Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich (a gift)
The Signature Of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert (used)
The Long Way Home by Louise Penny (used)
A Feast For Crows by George R.R. Martin (used)

wow, that really makes me think!

>60 cal8769: Are you referring to the "7" quote? If so, I know what you mean! I love the whole process of "less," I read blogs about that kind of thing all the time. I'd definitely recommend the book if it sounds like something you'd be interested in!

21. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (213 p.)
Hard to read at times, I think because it was oh-so-realistic, Charlie makes friends with a group of older kids who teach him how to have fun and participate more in life. It was a quick read, I think I read it in only a couple of sittings, but the depictions of abuse (mostly skated over, but they kept cropping up), made it hard for me to stomach. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend it, on the contrary I thought it was a well-written depiction of teenage life.

Oh no LT ate my post again!

I am referring to the '7' quote. It's amazing how we can make so much money in comparison to the rest of the world but think that we are poor. I know that having less and needing less are good things but we live in a world of more, more, more. We were talking today at work about how Easter is the new gift giving holiday. I am shocked at how much is being spent and how much some kids get for Easter.

>63 cal8769: Oh I know what you mean. Everything just gets crazier and crazier it seems. People's perceptions get skewed and it's the whole "keeping up with the Jones" mindset. For me personally, I'm thrilled if I can just get some chocolate at Easter. ;)

22. Nights In Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks (212 p.)
Enjoyable romance about two people who fall in love while spending a weekend at an inn. I think I could tell what the ending was going to be by about page 3, but I liked it nonetheless.

23. A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (835 p.)
I finally finished it! And it's only been on my TBR Challenge list since 2009... To be honest I was rather intimidated to start it, and in fact, I did start it once before but it wasn't the right time for me so I set it aside. I was worried that the huge cast of characters would be too unwieldy for me to keep track of, but it turns out I had no problem keeping anybody straight (which might be a result of all the coverage the TV show has received, I was able to imagine certain actors as certain characters.) There were definitely some that I liked better than others (Arya, Dany, Jon and Tyrion), but I enjoyed the story as a whole. I feel like I should probably jump right into book 2 as I know my faulty memory probably won't hold me for long, but I might need to read it along with other books. I don't know that I can spend another solid month on just one, there are too many others I want to read!

24. Why Do Cats Sulk?…And All Your Other Questions Answered by Arline Bleecker (97 p.)
Short, informative little book about cats. Nothing earth-shattering here, as a lifelong cat owner I'm familiar with a lot of what was discussed. It did, however, cause me to frequently stop and fuss over the furball who sits beside me as I read.

April Books Read
21. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
22. Nights In Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks
23. A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
24. Why Do Cats Sulk?...And All Your Other Questions Answered by Arline Bleecker

April Books Acquired
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Across The Wide And Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary Of Hattie Campbell, 1847 by Kristiana Gregory
Little House In Brookfield by Maria D. Wilkes
Naked In Death by J.D. Robb
The Redbreast by Jo Nesbø (all used, can you tell I have a thing for prairie books, particularly ones with main characters named Hattie?) ;)

I want to read GoT! I really need to get it!

>69 cal8769: Yes, you should! I'm on book 2 now and thoroughly engrossed with the world Martin created.

25. Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich (296 p.)
Rather madcap, zany adventure/romance similar in style to the Stephanie Plum series, except this one takes place in Florida and only has one love interest. It made me laugh more than once, which is what Evanovich does best.

26. The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom (368 p.)
Excellent piece of historical fiction about Lavinia, a young girl who was brought over from Ireland as an indentured servant in the late 1700's to live and work on a Virginia plantation. Scared and alone when she arrives, the slaves on the plantation take her in as one of their own and become her adopted family. The chapters alternate back and forth between Lavinia and a slave named Belle; since Lavinia is a child and a newcomer when the story begins, events are sometimes made clearer and given more background when Belle is telling the story. The plot twists come fast and furious throughout, which made the book maybe a bit far-fetched at times, but it's a surefire page-turner all the same.

>72 LibraryLover23: This sounds like a really interesting story, will have a look for it at the library. Thank you!

>73 charl08: You're welcome! I hope you like it whenever you get to it. :)

27. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (345 p.)
More good historical fiction—Isabel and Tom live on an isolated island off the coast of Western Australia (Tom's the lighthouse keeper, and a decorated WWI soldier) when a boat carrying a dead man and a crying baby washes up onshore. Their actions regarding the incident reverberate throughout the rest of the novel. I enjoyed it very much and thought the writing was very lyrical, although the third part dragged for me a little bit. Still, I would recommend it.

28. Gathering Prey by John Sandford (407 p.)
There's nothing like a Lucas Davenport novel to get the juices flowing—I read this in about a day and a half. A group of "Travelers," people who live on the fringes of society and travel from place to place, find themselves caught in the crosshairs of Pilate, a Manson-type figure whose disciples follow his every whim. Lucas' daughter Letty befriends one of the Travelers and relates the story of Pilate to her father, who doesn't believe her at first. Once he digs a little deeper, however, he realizes there may be some truth to the rumors, forcing him to set out on an interstate chase to try and track them down. Action-packed, disturbing, and an overall excellent thriller.

29. Rilla Of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery (277 p.)
Final book in the Anne of Green Gables series. Anne's children are all grown up and when World War I hits, some are off to Europe to fight, while others stay home and keep vigil. This book is told from the perspective of Rilla, Anne's youngest child, who is forced to mature quickly as a result of the war. Incredibly sad at parts, there were at least three times when I was blubbering like a baby, but so, so good and a fitting end to the series.

May Books Read
25. Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich
26. The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
27. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
28. Gathering Prey by John Sandford
29. Rilla Of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery

May Books Acquired
How To Start A Fire by Lisa Lutz (won through LT's Early Reviewers)
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
If Morning Ever Comes by Anne Tyler
A Slipping Down Life by Anne Tyler
In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
A Mystery Of Errors by Simon Hawke
The Slaying Of The Shrew by Simon Hawke
Much Ado About Murder by Simon Hawke
Jim The Boy by Tony Earley
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
Undead And Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson
The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets Of America's Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley & William D. Danko
The Clock Winder & Celestial Navigation & Searching For Caleb by Anne Tyler (all of these were used, came from a library book sale)
Germinal by Émile Zola (also used, from a yard sale)

When will you upload the list for June? I am coming into this list later and would like to begin in the group with June...

Hi librarylover! I'm rather new and was just browsing and I noticed that we sure do have a lot of the same books. I loved Nights in Rodanthe (actually the movie was better), The Millionaire Next Door and The Light Between Oceans. I have in my TBR pile The Kitchen House.

Good luck with the reading!

>80 Tess_W: Hi Tess! One of the great things about LibraryThing is finding people with like-minded reading tastes...and finding new favorite authors and books as well. Thanks, and good luck with your reading too!

30. Just After Sunset by Stephen King (539 p.)
Solid collection of short stories but there was no one in particular that blew me away, no "Low Men In Yellow Coats" or "Everything's Eventual." Still, it's Stephen King, and I loved his notes in the back that explained where each story came from. My favorite was probably "Mute," about a man who picks up a deaf-mute hitchhiker, spills his guts to him, and then realizes he may not have been deaf after all. By far the grossest was "A Very Tight Place," about a man stuck in a porta-potty. I read that one with a grimace on my face the whole time.

31. Letters Of A Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart (282 p.)
Non-fiction; this is a collection of letters Elinore wrote after she moved to Wyoming in the early 1900's. All I could think while reading this was, "boy, this woman had moxie!" Self-educated and endlessly resourceful, her descriptions of the natural world around her are particularly well-done. And, bonus, this book is available for free on the Kindle, although I got my physical copy at a book sale one time.

'A Very Tight Place'-- Now that's a horror story!!

>83 LibraryLover23: I'm definitely going to start hunting for this book. Sounds amazing!

>84 cal8769: Tell me about it! I feel a little gaggy just thinking about it…

>85 jennyifer24: You should definitely be able to find a free e-version as it was published pre-copyright laws. I hope you like it!

>31 LibraryLover23: just got this free on my Kindle!

>87 Tess_W: Awesome! I hope you like it too. :)

32. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (337 p.)
Don't know how to describe this one really, so much happens and so many characters are doing so many different things it's hard to summarize. It begins in Italy, when Pasquale meets Dee, an American actress who thinks she's dying and comes to his small village for some peace and quiet. It ends with one of the best epilogues I've ever read, giving closure to all of the characters, including ones who were just glossed over earlier in the story. Suffice it to say, this is not so much a page-turner but rather one that's meant to be read slowly and savored.

June Books Read
30. Just After Sunset by Stephen King
31. Letters Of A Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart
32. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

June Books Acquired
Comes The Blind Fury by John Saul (free from one of those "take a book" racks at the train station)
Savages by Don Winslow
The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
Cheaper By The Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr. & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
White Oleander by Janet Fitch
Trixie Belden: The Secret Of The Mansion by Julie Campbell
Witness by William Kelley & Earl W. Wallace
Little House On Rocky Ridge by Roger Lea MacBride
Little Farm In The Ozarks by Roger Lea MacBride
Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty
Peace Like A River by Leif Enger
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
The Sense Of An Ending by Julian Barnes
Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright
Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman
Dash & Lily's Book Of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
McNally's Luck by Lawrence Sanders
The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Horns by Joe Hill
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
The Eyes Of The Dragon by Stephen King
The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan
Forever by Judy Blume
What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown
The Nine Lives Of Christmas by Sheila Roberts
In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
How I Write: Secrets Of A Bestselling Author by Janet Evanovich
Becoming Little Women: Louisa May At Fruitlands by Jeannine Atkins
Mommie Dearest by Christina Crawford
Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer by Patrick Süskind
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith
The Foxfire Book: Hog Dressing, Log Cabin Building, Mountain Crafts and Foods, Planting by the Signs, Snake Lore, Hunting Tales, Faith Healing, Moonshining, and Other Affairs of Plain Living by Eliot Wigginton
Foxfire 2: Ghost Stories, Spring Wild Plant Foods, Spinning and Weaving, Midwifing, Burial Customs, Corn Shuckin's, Wagon Making and More Affairs of Plain Living by Eliot Wigginton
The Dead In Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
The Cellist Of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen
Broken Harbor by Tana French (all from my favorite library book sale, which used to be held in April, total spent was $9 which comes to about 25¢ per book)
A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin (bought at a used bookstore while on vacation)
Tail Gate: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery by Rita Mae Brown (won through LT's Early Reviewers)
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
Out Of The Easy by Ruta Sepetys (all new, bought at the recently rediscovered Ollie's Bargain Book area…where all books are $2-$3 or less)
-and finally-
All The Single Ladies by Dorothea Benton Frank (bought at an author event where she gave a talk and signed our copies, she was very funny and personable, I'm glad I went!)

It looks like there's a correlation between the amount of books I buy and the amount of reading I get done. It seems the more I buy, the less I read. I'm trying not to be too hard on myself though regarding my low reading numbers, I have a full-time job, multiple side gigs, and an overall full life going on. That being said, reading definitely calms me down and gives a much-needed break to my day, so I still need to prioritize it, no matter what!

ETA: And also that list is just crazy. I really need to stop buying books.

>90 LibraryLover23:, >91 LibraryLover23: That list made me laugh. Looks like you keep hoping for inspiration and it rarely strikes. Been there.

>92 qebo: Haha, I know. My book buying is reaching hoarding heights, I really need to knock it off for awhile...

I think I'm in the same position, the more I buy, the less I read. I really did calculate that I probably have enough books to last me until I die..not kidding!

>94 Tess_W: Oh yeah, I can sympathize. It doesn't help that books are so cheap too, it's easy to keep acquiring!

33. Kitty Goes To Washington by Carrie Vaughn (342 p.)
Second book in an urban fantasy series about Kitty, a werewolf DJ who gets summoned to D.C. to testify before a Senate hearing on supernatural creatures. While there, she meets the vampire leader of the city, a pack of werewolves, and a creepy cult leader who collects supernatural followers. It was fun and fast-paced but it didn't have nearly enough Cormac, her love/hate interest who I hope shows up more in the next book.

34. Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (233 p.)
A young woman named Griet becomes a maid in the house of the painter Vermeer after her family falls on hard times, and eventually becomes the inspiration behind one of his greatest paintings. This is a reread of an old favorite, and as one of the review blurbs in the front of the book says, it's hard to imagine that it didn't happen this way, the story is so plausible. Rich, vivid, and without formal chapter breaks it's nearly impossible to put down.

>97 LibraryLover23: Loved Girl with the Pearl Earring! I also read Virgin Blue, but not quite as good as Pearl Earring.

>98 Tess_W: I agree. None of her others that I've read have lived up to the wonderfulness of Girl With A Pearl Earring. But it's such a great book that I always enjoy the reread!

35. Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman (201 p.)
This one was great! Especially since I purchased it on a whim during the fill-a-bag part of the library's book sale. Blake has always been the responsible older brother but when a mysterious woman grants him an invite to a midnight-to-dawn amusement park, he's horrified to learn that his reckless younger brother has gone in his place...and the park isn't what it seems. The rides described were sufficiently creepy, and the consequences of not completing all the rides before dawn (or "dying" during the ride's duration) were also pretty horrifying. All in all, a zippy little read that I'd whole-heartedly recommend to teens and adults alike.

36. Across The Wide And Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary Of Hattie Campbell, 1847 by Kristiana Gregory (168 p.)
A children's book written in diary form, detailing a young girl's journey from Missouri to Oregon along the Oregon Trail. I love any books/stories having to do with pioneer life, and this one, with its river crossings and food foraging, was no exception.

July Books Read
33. Kitty Goes To Washington by Carrie Vaughn
34. Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
35. Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman
36. Across The Wide And Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary Of Hattie Campbell, 1847 by Kristiana Gregory

July Books Acquired
The Stories Of Anton Chekhov by Anton Chekhov (a gift)
Heat Rises by Richard Castle (another gift)

37. Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon (956 p.)
Sort of a cross between The Stand and The Lord of the Rings. After a nuclear holocaust, different groups of travelers struggle to stay alive before meeting in an epic battle, while a man with a scarlet eye searches for a ring with magical powers. The characters were very well-drawn in this one, even the baddies had some redeeming qualities, which automatically gets a thumbs up from me.

38. The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (audiobook)
I love the narrator of this series, Scott Brick, he does such a great job differentiating between the different characters (male, female, different nationalities, etc.). I'll have to look and see what else he's narrated. The book itself is a typical fun Evanovich-type romp with Nicholas Fox and Kate O'Hare, a thief and an FBI agent respectively, who have to team up to steal a valuable artifact that belongs to the Chinese government. Good fun and great narration.

39. The Soloist: A Lost Dream, An Unlikely Friendship, And The Redemptive Power Of Music by Steve Lopez (289 p.)
Wonderful nonfiction about an LA Times reporter who befriends a homeless man who once went to school at Juilliard. A pretty unflinching look at mental illness and the atrocity of life along Skid Row, but ultimately uplifting.

40. Bossypants by Tina Fey (audiobook)
Fey's memoir about her childhood, time with SNL and 30 Rock, motherhood and more. She read the audiobook herself, which was good, but she kept talking sotto voce which was a little annoying as I felt like I missed some things. The book itself is funny though and I'm a big fan of Fey's, particularly 30 Rock which was just a crazy show. I'd recommend this to other Fey fans, of which I'm sure there are many.

41. Tea Time For The Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith (212 p.)
Another lovely entry to the series, the pace is as slow as molasses and forget trying to solve the mystery, it doesn't really matter anyway. That's not the point to this series, rather it's about the characters, the place (Botswana) and what's going on in their lives, whether it's Mma Ramotswe losing the tiny white van, or Mma Makutsi having to fight for the attention of Phuti Radhiphuti.

Chiming in as another big 30 Rock and Fey fan - I loved her book, too!

>108 scaifea: She cracks me up, I liked it when she "talked back" to her haters.

42. A Clash Of Kings by George R.R. Martin (1,009 p.)
Been reading this one on and off for ages. Certain characters' chapters made me reluctant to pick up the book between readings (Catelyn I'm looking at you), but any book that can hold my attention for 1,000+ pages is to be commended. And forget the side characters, with the first book I kept them all straight but with this one there was just no way. I do have all the main characters down though, and I almost feel like Daenerys' story is a whole other book. She's off with her dragons in a magical world while everyone else is in medieval land. She's one of my favorites though.

August Books Read
37. Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon
38. The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
39. The Soloist: A Lost Dream, An Unlikely Friendship, And The Redemptive Power Of Music by Steve Lopez
40. Bossypants by Tina Fey
41. Tea Time For The Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith
42. A Clash Of Kings by George R.R. Martin

August Books Acquired
Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography by Laura Ingalls Wilder (I got it! The book I won from Early Reviewers back in November! *does cartwheels of joy* Apparently the small South Dakota press that published it was inundated with orders for the book and we got kind of pushed to the wayside. Which is totally fine, I'm thrilled that it came at all.)
Team Of Rivals: The Political Genius Of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin (used)
Walt Whitman: The Song Of Himself by Jerome Loving (used)

43. Book Lust To Go: Recommended Reading For Travelers, Vagabonds, And Dreamers by Nancy Pearl (301 p.)
I love this series of books, even though I've never heard of about 75% of the books/authors she mentions. That's what makes it fun though, learning about all the series and subjects that are new to me. And I'm in awe, as always, of her reading prowess.

44. After Visiting Friends: A Son's Story by Michael Hainey (audiobook)
So good. So, so good. Hainey's father died when he was just six years old and as he got older, he realized that the story his mother told him about his father's death didn't quite add up to what the obituary said (which mentioned that his father died "after visiting friends"). This is the story of what Hainey went through to learn the truth. Listening to it on audiobook was a great choice, it was excellently narrated by Dan John Miller. And in fact, I'm not sure I was on Planet Earth while I was listening to it, I was that absorbed. Definitely one of my favorites for the year.

45. How To Start A Fire by Lisa Lutz (340 p.)
Enjoyable look at three friends' lives from college to middle age. It jumped in time, backwards and forwards, which I at first tried to keep up with, but then realized it was just easier to follow along and let the details emerge as the author saw fit. The tone and style of the book is similar to Lutz's other series, The Spellman Files, although this one was a little darker. Still it had moments of Lutz's trademark humor, which I definitely enjoy.

46. A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming (314 p.)
Second in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series about a priest and police chief (respectively) who team up to solve crimes, while also fighting their growing attraction to each other. I didn't find the mystery in this one to be that compelling, but the main draw of these books is the interaction between Russ and Clare which, as always, was excellent.

September Books Read
43. Book Lust To Go: Recommended Reading For Travelers, Vagabonds, And Dreamers by Nancy Pearl
44. After Visiting Friends: A Son's Story by Michael Hainey
45. How To Start A Fire by Lisa Lutz
46. A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming

September Books Acquired
Ellen Tebbits by Beverly Cleary
Otis Spofford by Beverly Cleary
Krakatoa: The Day The World Exploded: August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester
Double Cross: The True Story Of The D-Day Spies by Ben Macintyre
The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins
Empire Of The Summer Moon: Quanah Parker And The Rise And Fall Of The Comanches, The Most Powerful Indian Tribe In American History by S.C. Gwynne
The Invention Of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
Deadly Heat by Richard Castle
All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (all used, the first two from a garage sale, the others from one of my favorite book sales where they have a lot of new releases at very cheap prices.)

>116 LibraryLover23: a lot of new releases at very cheap prices
Local? On Sunday I bought 100 books for my Little Free Library, $0.25 each on half price day at the Lancaster Public Library book sale.

>117 qebo: Wow, that's a great deal! Was it at the Marshall Street one? Yes, the one I'm referring to is at Homestead Village, during their Homestead Village Days, or whatever it's called. I can always find gems whenever I go, they tend to have a lot of new releases for like a dollar or two, and at the end it's fill a bag for two bucks.

>188 Oh? I wasn't aware of that one, though my parents live there. Guess I should pay attention.

47. My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf (224 p.)
My first graphic novel ever! (And certainly not my last.)
This was recommended to me by a Postcrossing friend (definitely check out www.postcrossing.com if you have the time), Backderf went to high school with Jeffrey Dahmer, one of America's most notorious serial killers, and was actually friends with him. Not close friends though, he knew even back then that there was something "off" about Dahmer, but what's amazing about this book is how much sympathy he elicits for the troubled teenager, and shows how his home life was rocky, no adults really paid attention to him, and he actually tried to curb his dark urges by heavily turning to alcohol. It sheds a whole new light on things, even though he's still a murderer and everything else that came later. The drawings were interesting too, Backderf conveys a lot even in brief snatches. A fast read, but really powerful stuff.

>119 qebo: Haha, you should definitely check it out sometime! They have a white elephant sale too where you can find bargains, but the line can form out the door for that one. :)

48. Out Of The Deep I Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming (399 p.)
Third in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series. The mystery was stronger in this one than in the previous book, tying a decades-old event to a current missing-persons case, while still highlighting the complex relationship between Russ and Clare.

49. Shepherds Abiding / Esther's Gift / The Mitford Snowmen by Jan Karon (audiobook)
This was the first time I've listened to a Mitford book on audio, and could the narrator be any more perfect? I mean he sang, he did Uncle Billy Watson, he did Cynthia, he was just perfect. And don't even get me started on the book itself, this series is balm to the soul and just what the doctor ordered.

50. Silas Marner by George Eliot (Kindle)
I've wanted to read this one for ages, ever since I learned one of my favorite Steve Martin movies (A Simple Twist of Fate), is a movie version of this story. The story is about a miserly, lonely man who learns there are more important things than money when he takes on the care of an orphaned child. I also wanted to read it because it's been a long time since I've read a classic, and I'm very glad I picked this one up.

51. The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map To True Riches: A Practical (And Fun) Guide To Enjoying Life More By Spending Less by Jeff Yeager (239 p.)
Preaching to the choir but it did get me jazzed up about saving again. (Admittedly it takes very little to get me jazzed up about saving, I'm a personal finance junkie.) The author goes through his steps for getting your financial house in order and presents it in a funny, easy-to-read way.

October Books Read
47. My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf
48. Out Of The Deep I Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming
49. Shepherds Abiding / Esther's Gift / The Mitford Snowmen by Jan Karon
50. Silas Marner by George Eliot
51. The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map To True Riches: A Practical (And Fun) Guide To Enjoying Life More By Spending Less by Jeff Yeager

October Books Acquired
None! I also got rid of a couple of bagfuls.

52. Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee (audiobook)
Blech, this one was terrible. Bored me to tears because it had virtually no plot: Jean Louise comes home, learns her family is racist, The End. I kept listening to see if it improved but it was really pretty bad. And why, oh why, would you take one of the noblest characters in literature and turn him into a racist? Although I guess this one was written first, but still, blech. The only bright spots were when Jean Louise would recount stories from her childhood. But in that respect, if you want good stories about her childhood, just read To Kill A Mockingbird instead.

53. A Storm Of Swords by George R.R. Martin (1,177 p.)
If I had any reservations about this series before they're gone now that I've read this book, which was fantastic. Every character's storyline was compelling, all the chapters ended on cliffhangers, and I could have read a whole book just on Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth, who made the most delightful odd couple. I'd love to read more about them, I hope their storyline can continue in some way in the later books.

54. Buried Prey by John Sandford (audiobook)
This is a great mystery series, dark and full of twists and turns. I wasn't sure about the audiobook narrator at first (Richard Ferrone), but he quickly grew on me, his gravelly voice worked well with the gritty tone of the book. The mystery itself was fast-paced and interesting, the first half flashed back to Lucas's investigation of two missing girls, and the second half was set in the present day after the bodies were found. Tight plotting, with a villain that's appropriately creepy.

55. Under The Dome by Stephen King (1,074 p.)
This one was so intense I had to put it down in places, it was making me too upset. After a dome comes down and covers the town of Chester's Mill, Maine, the townspeople degenerate into a Lord-of-the-Flies, every man for himself situation, while the authorities on the outside scramble to figure out what's going on. Big Jim Rennie was one of the worst villains I've ever encountered in an SK book, my loathing for him knew no bounds.

56. Paw And Order by Spencer Quinn (304 p.)
Seventh in the Chet and Bernie series. With these books the mystery itself isn't important, (I'm not even sure I could tell you what happened in this one or how it was solved). What is important, however, is Chet's take on the world around him, particularly his relationship with his owner, Bernie. Funny, cute, and it describes a dog's personality to a "t."

57. "C" Is For Corpse by Sue Grafton (243 p.)
Another mystery, I can't get enough of them lately. I actually guessed whodunit, which is so rare it makes me think I must have read this one before. Anyway, Kinsey is a PI in a California beach town who gets hired to investigate an accident, only to have her employer, and now friend, get killed three days later. The final cat-and-mouse chase in the morgue at the end gave me chills, and I very much look forward to continuing the series.

58. Money Secrets Of The Amish: Finding True Abundance In Simplicity, Sharing, And Saving by Lorilee Craker (audiobook)
Pretty obvious really, without modern conveniences like cars and electricity, the Amish are understandably ahead of the game money-wise. But what's impressive in their case is their ability to save up enough money to own a large piece of premium farmland (and around here, that's saying something), along with enough to support large families of more than 10 children. Interesting. I love personal finance books.

November Books Read
52. Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee
53. A Storm Of Swords by George R.R. Martin
54. Buried Prey by John Sandford
55. Under The Dome by Stephen King
56. Paw And Order by Spencer Quinn
57. "C" Is For Corpse by Sue Grafton
58. Money Secrets Of The Amish: Finding True Abundance In Simplicity, Sharing, And Saving by Lorilee Craker

November Books Acquired
Journal Of A Novel: The East Of Eden Letters by John Steinbeck
Watership Down by Richard Adams (both from a local indie bookstore, bought during a Christmas shopping trip)

59. To Darkness And To Death by Julia Spencer-Fleming (311 p.)
Wasn't too crazy about this one at first, mainly because there wasn't enough focus on Russ and Clare, and the killers' actions seemed unbelievable to me. But by the end, as all the threads came together and the story shifted over to more of R & C, I was much happier. And it ended on a high note.

60. So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year Of Passionate Reading by Sara Nelson (242 p.)
The title explains it all: the author spends a year reading one book a week and writes about it. I liked it, didn't love it though, and I thought it could have benefitted from an index.

61. The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean (373 p.)
I found this to be a rather odd book. A young girl who has an imaginary boyfriend goes to Antarctica with her uncle and ends up on a life-or-death journey across the continent. The writing was very lyrical, and although it's considered a YA book, I felt at times it was more of an adult's book with a child protagonist. Or rather, the character's actions didn't ring true to me, she seemed way too advanced for her age. Overall this was not the book for me.

62. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (406 p.)
Gothic tale about a biographer who interviews a famous, reclusive author in order to write her life story. It involved "ghosts" and twins and crumbling English mansions. I liked the atmosphere of the story, loved the bookish parts, and actually guessed the solution to one of the mysteries which almost never happens.

63. A Little House Christmas Treasury: Festive Holiday Stories by Laura Ingalls Wilder (139 p.)
An annual Christmas reread.

64. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (80 p.)
Another annual Christmas reread.

65. The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith (211 p.)
The plots are very similar in this series about lady detectives in Botswana, but there's just enough character growth to keep things interesting. Phuti Radiphuti suffers an accident, minor mysteries get solved, and Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi go on a safari. Pleasant and low-key as always.

66. Dash And Lily's Book Of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (260 p.)
YA Christmassy romance where two teens leave messages for each other in a notebook that gets stashed all over NYC. I liked it okay while I was reading it, but I had zero desire to pick it up between readings which never bodes well.

67. Saints: A Year In Faith And Art by Rosa Giorgi (780 p.)
I've read this one all year, a page a day. It has a saint, anniversary or remembrance for each day of the year, accompanied by a picture of a related painting/sculpture, etc. The images were exquisite, mostly old, and I find it funny that we think of people back in the 14th, 15th centuries as primitive but they created these fantastic works of art. Interesting.

December Books Read
59. To Darkness And To Death by Julia Spencer-Fleming
60. So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year Of Passionate Reading by Sara Nelson
61. The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
62. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
63. A Little House Christmas Treasury: Festive Holiday Stories by Laura Ingalls Wilder
64. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
65. The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith
66. Dash And Lily's Book Of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
67. Saints: A Year In Faith And Art by Rosa Giorgi

December Books Acquired
The Vintage Teacup Club by Vanessa Greene
The Madonnas Of Leningrad by Debra Dean
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
Revival by Stephen King
Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales And Poems
The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan For Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey (all gifts)

And that ends the year for me! See you in the 2016 group.