GeorgiaDawn's 2015 Reads

I must do better in 2015 with regards to reading and participating in The Green Dragon. I've missed you guys!

I just got back from spending 2 weeks with my awesome grandson. We read The Little Red Caboose over and over and over. He has plenty of other books, but The Little Red Caboose is by far his favorite. I hope he continues to love books!

1. Mrs. Kennedy and Me by Clint Hill

Clint Hill was the Secret Service agent assigned to Jacqueline Kennedy. The book deals directly with Mr. Hill's professional relationship with Mrs. Kennedy and her children. He shared the good and the bad while putting her safety and the children's safety first and foremost. He was with her every day for four years. Mr. Hill's profound loyalty and respect is evident on every page. This is a very emotional book, and I found that I enjoyed it much more than I expected.

Looking forward to following your reading. After all, you have to set an example for the next generation. ;)

Hey Cindy, welcome back!
I started a reading thread, too. First one. Here's to 2015!

I look forward to reading the threads this year!

2. Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett

This is the final installment in Ken Follett's Century Trilogy. It picks up in 1961 and continues to follow the families through the trials and tribulations of the later part of the 20th Century. The civil rights movement, the Cold War, and the Berlin Wall were central themes throughout Edge of Eternity. Follett created believable scenarios for the characters as they lived through the vast changes in Europe and America. I enjoyed the stories of their lives and was able to not get bogged down in Follett's political views, which were prevalent in this final book of the series.

I'm lurking GD :)

My BIL loves Ken Follet's books. I enjoyed Pillars of the Earth but haven't gotten around to reading any others yet.

Pillars of the Earth and the sequel, World Without End, are my favorites! I hated to see that series end.

I'm doing a lot of lurking, too! :)

Dropping a star.

My son had two "favorite books, which I can still quote, ha! In case anyone wants to check them out, they are Sheep in a Jeep and The Reason for a Flower.

My daughter also loved the First Little Golden version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. The illustrations in that book are sweet, and funny.

I love that version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff! I'm collecting some of my favorite Little Golden Books for Hayes. They cost a bit more than when my boys were young! I will definitely check out Sheep in a Jeep and The Reason for a Flower. Thank you!

Next year, I should add Hayes in SantaThing. It would be interesting to see what he would receive.

I use Sheep in a Jeep to help teach force and motion. :) The sheep have a whole bunch of books.

>10 catzteach: "Sheep shove, sheep grunt, sheep don't think to look up front..." :D

Ruth Heller did a bunch of picture books, but we only had two, The Reason for a Flower and Chickens Aren't The Only Ones. The illustrations are superb, too.

3. The Deep Blue Good-By by John D. MacDonald

I decided to read this book after my son gave me a copy of The Executioners (later renamed Cape Fear) by John D. MacDonald.

The Deep Blue Good-By is the first book in John MacDonald’s Travis McGee series. Travis McGee is for hire to help people recover lost money, property, or just about anything else as long as they are willing to pay a hefty tab. He runs his business from his houseboat and takes on cases as he needs money. I was looking so forward to this series. The series, and this book, has received great reviews, and I was expecting a great read. For me, it was just okay. I wasn’t surprised by anything in the plot and did not find the characters appealing. The series may get better as it moves along, but I will probably not be reading the rest.

>12 GeorgiaDawn: Shame that one didn't work out for you. It's a series that I've often seen recommended also and have this starter book sat on my tbr shelves. Just haven't got around to reading it yet.

Yeah, me too. Ive had the Travis McGee series on the horizon for years, but never dipped in.

I admit I've prejudged the Travis McGee series based on someone once calling them, or maybe just the title character, misogynist in attitude. Not sure it's true, but with so much else out there to read in the broad, broad world, I don't have the time to find out.

I really wanted to like the series; my son enjoyed it. Try it!

4. Lock In by John Scalzi

In the not too distance future, a virus sweeps across the world leaving no one untouched. The virus presented like nothing more than the flu in many people. Others experienced symptoms similar to meningitis. A smaller group of the population experienced the worse part of the virus. Their bodies were unable to move or respond to any stimulus, but they were completely awake and aware of everything going on around them. They experienced what would eventually be known as “Haden’s Syndrome.” They experienced Lock In.

Lock In picks up approximately twenty-five years after the first wave of the virus when a young FBI agent is assigned to the task force that deals with Haden related crimes. His first day on the job he and his partner are assigned to a murder (or is it a suicide) that reaches across the United States and to the top levels of powerful corporations.

I listed to the audiobook version of Lock In and absolutely loved it! I found the concept of being “locked in” both terrifying and fascinating. John Scalzi has created a world that I wanted to know more about. Wil Wheaton was spot on with his narration. I hated to see it end.

I read the free novella Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden’s Syndrome, which I found fascinating. Then I read the opening chapters of Lock In online, but didn't pursue the book any further, simply because I'm not into that kind of detective fiction. What they've done with the audio versions is very interesting—giving readers the choice of a male or a female narrator, since the main character's gender is left unclear.

I'm listening to the novella now. Very interesting!

It provides a lot of social and political background to Lock In, as well as the medical details of the epidemic.

>17 GeorgiaDawn: Being "locked in" sounds very similar to Guillain barre syndrome. My coworker is suffering from it right now. She has full sensation, but isn't able to move any of her muscles. She is on a ventilator, and the family is ecstatic, because finally, after a month, she opened her eyelids half way. She is able to slightly move her thumbs, which is how they know she hears and understands everything, so, not totally locked in, but very terrifying.

>17 GeorgiaDawn: - I also read Lock In recently, and really liked it. I'll have to look for the novella.

You can read Unlocked online here:
http://www.tor.com/stories/2014/05/unlocked-an-oral-history-of-hadens-syndrome-j...

I started it, but my husband closed my tab. I'll try again later.

5. American Sniper by Chris Kyle

Due to the recent movie, I'm assuming everyone knows what this book is about, so I'll skip over that part. This is one of those books that makes it very difficult to say, "I really like this book," or "This is a great book." There were parts that I liked very much and portions that were very sad. I think it was an important book for him to write and probably helped his family with healing.

6. The Line: A Witching Savannah Novel by J.D. Horn

The Taylor family of Savannah is a powerful family of witches. They are well known, respected, and feared. Mercy Taylor was born without magical powers and was a “disappointment” to her Aunt Ginny, the family matriarch. Her sister, Maisie, grew up being tutored by her aunt to learn how to control the power she was given. When Ginny is brutally murdered, the family must find a replacement to control The Line that separates the world we live in from the evil and darkness lurking on the other side. As the family prepares for the replacement, Maisie and Mercy face long buried secrets that threaten to tear their world apart.

I enjoyed this book very much. As soon as I finished, I downloaded the second in the series.

7. The Source: A Witching Savannah Novel by J.D. Horn

This is the second in the Witching Savannah series, and it is much darker than the first. The story about the Taylors continues as Mercy learns to deal with long buried secrets about her family and friends.

8. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

I live less than three hours from Savannah and have visited many times, but have never read Midnight in the Garden and Evil. I won't get into a description of the book; there are plenty descriptions online. I was not as thrilled with the book as I had hoped. I found it drawn out and boring in many places. It was a bestseller and people went crazy over it when it was first published. I fail to see what all the fuss was about.

9. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

This is a different take on Jack the Ripper, and a very good YA book. I enjoyed reading it very much and look forward to reading the next in the series.

>29 GeorgiaDawn: This book is on my Mount Tbr. I'll have to move it nearer the top based on your good feedback!

Sakerfalcon, I just picked up the 2nd in the series, The Madness Underneath, from the library. A friend told me that she enjoyed it more than the first.

10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice is one of those books that I never tire of reading.

I'm currently reading Stung by Bethany Wiggins. Some of my students are reading this for literature circles and wanted me to read it. I'm enjoying it very much!

I'm also reading The Void: A Witching Savannah Novel by J.D. Horn. This is the third in the series. So far, I'm not happy with some things that have happened . I hope it all comes out in the wash.

11. Stung by Bethany Wiggins

This is a different take on a post-apocalyptic world. Because of the dwindling population of honeybees, clones were created in attempt to save them. A by-product of the sting of these clones was a bee flu. Most of the population died from this flu. The lucky few who were vaccinated turned into something horrid that made death look like a gift. Fiona is one the teenagers who received the vaccine. She is being hunted down by several different factions and she doesn't remember why. She isn't like the others.

There were times when I rolled my eyes and something didn't quite work for me, but, overall, I did like the book. My students who read it liked it very much.

12. Grave Peril by Jim Butcher

I heard Jim Butcher speak last year at Dragon Con and thought he was great. Maybe I can get the Dresden Files books read by the time Dragon Con rolls around again. I do love Harry Dresden!

>34 GeorgiaDawn: I can't believe you haven't read those yet! I know you love Sookie Stackhouse. :) After you read them all, you have to listen to them all read by James Marsters. Such fun!

Oh my, I just read some reviews for Stung. They were not favorable reviews.

I have read the first of the Dresden Files. I really want to read others, but our library doesn't carry them! Ugh. And I'd love to listen to Marsters read. He has such a great voice!

Mrs. Lee - I am listening to Book for and love the narration by James Marsters! He's perfect as the voice for Harry.

catzteach - You are right, the review for Stung are not very good.

14. Void: A Witching Savannah Novel by J. D. Horn

I liked the first two books and this final installment until the last few chapters. I felt like the author tied up all the threads, didn't like the results, and, "POOF," fixed everything so everyone would be happy. I didn't like everything that was happening to the characters, but it made sense. Then there was that last chapter. If I had been reading a book and not my Kindle, I would probably have thrown it against the wall.

On to another series!

15. Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

More Harry Dresden, more trouble. A war between the Winter and Summer Courts of the Fae puts Harry in a precarious position (no surprise there). As if this is not enough, The White Council and Vampire Red Court both would prefer to see Harry out of the way. Love these books!

>28 GeorgiaDawn: I think I saw the movie version of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, at a friend's house. All I recall is that I disliked it, intensely.

I never tire of Pride and Prejudice, either. :)

16. Death Masks by Jim Butcher

Still loving Harry!

I haven't read near as much lately unless I can count The Little Red Caboose and other children's books. I kept my grandson over Spring Break. He will be two in June. That's enough of an explanation!

fuzzi, I still haven't seen the movie. I'm not sure I will watch it.

>41 GeorgiaDawn: I love The Little Red Caboose! :) Nothing like reading to a child you love.

I'm glad you still love Harry. Sometimes he annoys me with his immaturity and lack of ability to forgive those around him who blow it, but I know he gets better at this, so I bear with him.

17. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Alfred Hitchcock would be proud of Paula Hawkins. You have to pay close attention to the dates at the beginning of each chapter or things may be confusing. I highly recommend this book for readers who like thrillers and suspense.

I'm beginning Blood Rites: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. The first sentence reads, "The building was on fire, and it wasn't my fault."

>44 GeorgiaDawn: oh, that's a GREAT opening sentence...

44 :) I'm enjoying seeing you enjoy the Dresden novels. I just started White Night, second read through. I'm not tired of him at all, even when he annoys me.

He is very annoying, but I want him for a friend. Who lives far away.

LOL! Yes

18. Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

For you Dresden fans, I have met Mouse!

I'm in the middle of several books now. I have a bad habit of picking them up at the library and then shifting between books. I'm not finishing anything that way. My reading will pick up soon. Two more weeks of school! Whoo hoo!

Yay! Look up Tibetan Mastiff for an image to keep in mind when you read about Mouse. I love his story.

Huge dogs! Poor Harry.

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

I started this book and put it aside, but I'm not really sure why. Neil Gaiman is a master in the art of story telling.

School's out! Friday was our last day with students. I still have a few more days, but I can read more!

20. Written in Red by Anne Bishop

There are many descriptions out there that summarize this book better that I can. I'll stick to my opinion.

Written in Red grabbed me from the first chapter. I was intrigued by the concept and the world Anne Bishop created. This is not another book simply about werewolves vs. humans. Amidst shifters, vampires, elementals, and other lifeforms that make up The Others, there is an innocence manifested through a young woman who comes to work for The Others. As was intended, I found myself pulling for The Others and the few humans who put their lives at serious risk in order to help them. I will be reading the next two in the series very soon.

21. The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson

Kitty, or is it Katharyn, is caught between two worlds. In one she owns a bookstore with her best friend; in another she is a wife and mother. When she wakes, she has no control over the world in which she finds herself. What is real? What is imagination? What choices did she make in the past that define her present?

Interesting novel about choices we make, our version of reality, and facing difficult times in life. The book bogged down a little through the middle, but it recovers nicely.

>46 MrsLee: >47 GeorgiaDawn: I've been duckin' and dodgin' for some time, but you Butcher fans have finally slammed me with a book bullet. Must be because I'm just one book away from the end (to date) of Pendergast. My first Dresden is on order.

>55 Meredy: I will be verrry interested to see what you think. I almost want to tell you to start with book four though, because book one is obviously a "first book," two was pretty good, and three was a relapse. This is the type of book you and I usually disagree on. :D

>56 MrsLee: I thought that might turn out to be the case! We'll see.

22. Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

More Harry, Bob, Mouse, and now Sue! This is the 7th in the Dresden Files series. The books get better and better!

23. The Brethren by John Grisham

This is another book that I started, put down, and finally picked back up to finish. While I thought the book was good, I thought it all tied up a little too neatly. That does not take away from the book; it was just unexpected.

I'm currently reading Real Murders by Charlaine Harris and Finders Keepers: A Novel by Stephen King.

Written in Red sounds like one I would really enjoy. I'll have to see if my library has it. I'm curious to see how you like Real Murders. I loved the Sookie Stackhouse books and have been wanting to try her other books.

Oh, and Happy Summer!!

>58 GeorgiaDawn:, >59 catzteach: I was disappointed by Real murders but really enjoyed the Lily Bard books - first one is Shakespeare's landlord.

I have read the Lily Bard books and enjoyed them very much! I put down Real Murders to finish another, but I should finish it in the day or so. It's moving very slow.

24. Finders Keepers by Stephen King

Finders Keepers is a sequel to Mr. Mercedes. Loose ends were tied up nicely, but there is an opening for a follow up novel. This novel explores what happens to people who were harmed because of the crime in Mr. Mercedes. Stephen King does a beautiful job of tying together people who seem to have nothing in common and no reason to ever cross paths. I was on pins and needles throughout this book.

25. Proven Guilty: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Jim Butcher gets better and better while he lets Harry get in more trouble.

I am currently reading Murder of Crows: A Novel by Anne Bishop. It's the second book in Anne Bishop's series about The Others. I'm in Chapter 10, and it's really dragging. The reviews are mostly good so I'm going to stay with it.

26. Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

I almost put this book down, but kept reading. I ended up enjoying it more than I thought. I will be reading the next.

27. Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall

I may need to reread this another time. I found it sad.

I don't want to say too much, so I'll give a brief description. Starla, the main character, is 9 years old. She lives with her grandmother, and her dad visits when he comes in from his job on the oil wells. Starla's mother left the family in search of her dream of being a star in Nashville. Starla runs away from home in search of her mother. She is forced to face reality along the way.

My goodness! I've been away fro a very long time! I spent most of the summer with my grandchild and traveling across 5 states in 11 days with my nephew and Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps. It was busy, exhausting, and a summer I will never forget! Then school started with a bang.

And, Dragon*Con! What fun!

28. Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
I flew through the first book in this series and could hardly wait to start this second installment. It was good, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the first.

29. Starhawk: A Priscilla Hutchins31. Novel by Jack McDevitt
This book takes you back to the beginning of Priscilla Hutchins' career as an interstellar pilot. Fantastic!

30. White Night: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Harry is at it again. The more I read of these books, the more I enjoy them.

31. Small Favor: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
More Harry, more trouble!

32. The Kidney Hypothetical or How to Ruin Your Life in Seven Days by Lisa Yee
Higgs Boson Bing has his future mapped out for him. He will graduate as valedictorian and attend Harvard, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Then his girlfriend asked what seemed to be an innocent and even silly question. Would Higgs give her a kidney is she were dying? That question sends Higgs into a downward spiral that he may not recover from.

A student wanted me to read this book, and I'm glad I did. It is definitely for teenagers, but it drew me in and made me worry for Higgs and his family.

>64 GeorgiaDawn: I'm at the same point with Dresden as you: those are my next two in the series, sitting on my night table right now. They're a great break from things I have to work at.

Welcome back!

*waves* Hey, you're back!!!

33. Kingfisher and Other Stories by Jake Martin

I have to brag on this book of short stories. My son wrote them! I have a couple of favorites among the six. It was fascinating reading through the stories and watching him weave his childhood and his reality with fiction. I hope he will try this again!

>68 GeorgiaDawn: What joy for you! Congratulations to both you and your son. :)

As @MrsLee says, congratulations to you both! How very exciting and satisfying it must be to experience the world through his eyes as well as through your own. But is there no touchstone?

I tried to add the touchstone, but could not. It's available at Amazon as an ebook. I need to work on a touchstone!

34. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Some of my students are reading this for a class, so I decided to read it along with them. They are doing great activities along with the daily readings. They are creating character profiles complete with drawings of the characters. Each day, they are making predictions and revising those as they move through the book.

This was a quick read that was okay, but not particularly interesting. The students are enjoying it, and that's the important thing.

35. Changes: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Oh, my goodness! Never has a book been more aptly named! Harry Dresden is faced with life changing revelations and events. I can hardly wait to get started on the next one to see what happens. Wow, what a cliffhanger!

36. Pretty Girls by Karen Slaughter

This book started out so interesting. It takes place in Athens, Georgia and Atlanta, Georgia. Early events in the novel center around The University of Georgia in Athens. Every real place mentioned was familiar to me, and that made it more realistic. I could envision the young lady walking to and from her dorm. I could see the college grounds covered in majestic, old trees. The scenes in Atlanta were familiar, and it was fascinating when the author mentioned Dragon*Con! This book had such promise! Then, it got too unbelievable. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that I wanted the last half of the book to be as fast paced and believable as the first part. That did not happen.

Reviews for Pretty Girls have varied from "one of the best thriller novels" to "boring and unbelievable." My opinion falls somewhere in between the two. I wanted to love this book, but it fell short of that. I would not discourage anyone from reading it due to the positive reviews. However, I would caution that the book is very violent and graphic. Crimes against young women are described in bitter detail. One the one hand, this helps to explain the mind set of selected characters and was necessary in that regard. On the other, it may have been a bit overdone.

>72 GeorgiaDawn: I'm reading your 35 again for the third time. In audio this time. :) I know what's coming next, even so, it is still exciting.

MrsLee, I love the audio versions!

37. Ghost Story: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Wow, this is an emotional book! So many things happened in Changes, and this book continued with the results of those changes. This was the most difficult of the books to read, but still a great book! I'm ready for things to straightened out for Harry, and that's all I'm go say about that.

38. The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

I wasn't sure about this book at the beginning. It started rather slow, but then something happens and it doesn't slow down until the end. Ceony Twill has just graduated and is ready to begin her apprenticeship. She is very upset when she discovered that she has been assigned paper! Paper? That's the last thing she wanted. Just as she is beginning to settle in, she is forced outside of her comfort zone and wishes she had paid more attention to her lessons.

This isn't a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, but it was a fun book.

39. The Passenger by Lisa Lutz

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley. I started reading Lutz's books with The Spellman Files and was hooked. Her last two have been very different. The Spellman Files and sequels are full of humor. The Passenger has very little humor. It's a non-stop journey with a young woman who is always on the lookout for her next identity.

The main character is literally traveling through life not knowing where, or who, she will be next. Her life is not her own. She wants to stop running, but she is forced along a path that was chosen for her.

I enjoy everything Lisa Lutz writes. This book was no exception. It be published in March 2016.

40. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

I love this book! With Christmas approaching, it was a great time for a re-read.

I think I took a bullet on The Passenger. Sounds interesting.

I'm only on the third Dresden Files book. I was trying it in audio. I love James Marsters' voice, but audits are hard for me. I kept losing my concentration on it. I think I'll get the paper book instead. I do enjoy Harry.