DS does the 75 book challenge for 2016

I'm a bit late starting the challenge. I used to keep up with my books in the morning before work, but I started going to the gym before work instead.....

1 The Cecelia and Kate Novels: Sorcery & Cecelia, The Grand Tour, and The Mislaid Magician Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Steverme
2 Terms of Enlistment Marko Kloos
3 Lines of Departure Marko Kloos
4 Angles of Attack Marko Kloos
5 Measures of Absolution (Frontlines) Marko Kloos
6 The Protective Groom Lucy McConnell
7 The Academic Bride Lucy McConnell
8 The Organized Bride Lucy McConnell
9 The Country Brice Lucy McConnell
10 The Queen's Poisoner (The Kingfountain Series Book 1) Jeff Wheeler
11 Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It Gary Taubes
12 Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen (The Vorkosigan Saga Book 17) Lois McMaster Bujold
13 My Best Friend's Brother: A Love Story (A Bashir Family Romance Book 1) Kennedy Claire
14 No One Lives Twice (Book 1) Julie Moffett
15 No One To Trust (Book 2) Julie Moffett
16 No Money Down (Book 2.5) Julie Moffett
17 No Place Like Rome (Book 3) Julie Moffett
18 No Biz Like Showbiz (Book 4) Julie Moffett
19 No Test For the Wicked (Book 5) Julie Moffett
20 No Woman Left Behind (Book 6) Julie Moffett
21 No Room For Error (Book 7) Julie Moffett
22 Off Armageddon Reef (Safehold Book 1) David Weber
23 By Schism Rent Asunder(Safehold Book 2) David Weber
24 By Heresies Distressed(Safehold Book 3) David Weber
25 A Mighty Fortress(Safehold Book 4) David Weber
26 How Firm a Foundation(Safehold Book 5) David Weber
27 Midst Toil and Tribulation(Safehold Book 6) David Weber
28 Like a Mighty Army(Safehold Book 7) David Weber
29 Hell's Foundations Quiver(Safehold Book 8) David Weber
30 Good Enough for a Princess Carol Moncado
31 Along Came a Prince Carol Moncado
32 Winning the Queen's Heart Carol Moncado
33 Hand-Me-Down Princess Carol Moncado
34 Protecting the Prince Carol Moncado
35 A Prince from Her Past Carol Moncado
36 Queen of Someday (Stolen Empire Book 1) Sherry Ficklin
37 Dealing with Dragons Patricia C. Wrede
38 Searching for Dragons Patricia C. Wrede
39 Calling on Dragons Patricia C. Wrede
40 Talking to Dragons Patricia C. Wrede

41 Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits--to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life Gretchen Rubin
42 The Billionaire's Marriage Contract (Scandal, Inc Book 1) Avery James
43 The Professional Bride: Billionaire Marriage Brokers Lucy McConnell
44 Romance: The Billionaire CEO Emily Cooper
45 Romance: Crossfire Emily Cooper
46 First Daughter (the Royals of Dharia) Susan Kaye Quinn
47 Second Daughter (the Royals of Dharia) Susan Kaye Quinn
48 Third Daughter (the Royals of Dharia) Susan Kaye Quinn
49 Across a Moonswept Moor Julie Moffett
50 A Double-edged Blade Julie Moffett
51 Everyday is Holiday George Mahood
52 The Billionaire's Touch JS Scott
53 The Duke's Temptation Addie Jo Ryleigh
54 A Matter of ChoiceLaura Landon
55 Intimate Deception Laura Landon
56 Seven Nights with a Pirate Christina Skye
57 The Tiger's Lady Christina Skye
58 Come the Dawn Christina Skye
59 Come the Night Christina Skye
60 Lady Beauchamp's ProposalAmy Rose Bennet
61 Royal Progress Pen Fairchild
62 The Right One Samanthya Wyatt
63 if Love Were Enough Susan Quill

x

64 Dark Space by Jasper T. Scott
65 Dark Space: The Invisible War by Jasper T. Scott
66 Dark Space: Origin by Jasper T. Scott
67 Dark Space: Revenge by Jasper T. Scott
68 Dark Space: Avilon by Jasper T. Scott
69 Dark Space: Armageddon by Jasper T. Scott
70 Summer of Eagles (Jessie Hazzard book 1 by Jackie Clay

71 Mistakenly Married by Victorine E Lieske
72 Shadows in the Curtain
73 The Reclusive Billionaire
74 Almost Everything
75 The Independent One by Cami Checketts

Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits--to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life by Gretchen Rubin

My sister-in-law suggested this book. it was very interesting and if you have any interests in habits at all I do recommend it. She explains how people can be considered to be one of 4 types: Upholder, Obliger, Rebel, Questioner.

Some of the reviewers on Amazon didn't like her use of anecdotes, or her "Number One Commandment: "Be Gretchen"". I am not sure what they don't like about focusing on being yourself, maybe it is the fact that she feels that it is important to 'be herself'? I think that she has a very good point. Many times we think we need to be doing something (get up early & exercise, drink less coffee, etc), whether it is because it is trendy and 'everyone' is doing it, or people we know are doing it and it works for them, but it really isn't something that we like/need to do.

Whether or not you agree with her conclusions it will give you food for thought.

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

Welcome back!

The Billionaire's Marriage Contract (Scandal, Inc Book 1) by Avery James
Format: kindle
Setting: DC & Wyoming
Characters: Amy & Ethan
Genre: romance
Source: Kindle Unlimited

Total score out of a possible 5 – 3.33

Character – 5
Plot – 3
Theme – 2
Style – 4
Setting – 2
Entertaining? 4

Amy is a workaholic who has a business that keeps her clients scandals from making headlines, and Ethan is her biggest client. He offers her a lot of money to marry him temporarily to help him seal a business deal.

While it is completely predictable it is still a good & quick read. The story is more about the characters and how they interact than about plot. It probably could have benefited from another 100 pages for a bit more character and/or plot development. I probably would have started with the backstory and had more character development.

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

Thanks for the welcome!

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes

Gretchen Rubin talked a little bit about this book in Better Than Before, and like so many people I (& my hubby) have weight issues so I thought that I would read it. I am so very happy that I did.

First it turns out that exercise does not help lose weight.

OMG what?!?!?!

I kept thinking but wait, isn’t that the total opposite of what we have been told? We are all getting fat & sick because we eat too many calories and don’t exercise? It is a total game changer.
Even if you are thin and have no health issues you should read this book, because I am pretty darn sure that you know at least one person who isn’t thin and this will help you understand what they are going through.

Apparently fat makes you hungry. Not eating fat, but being fat. Eating fat makes you less fat and less hungry. Dietary fat and cholesterol may not be the cause of health issues.

It is funny that reading this makes you question the message more. It turns out that most of what the American public has been told has been totally misleading & based on cherry-picked data with ambiguous results. Who can we believe? No one really, I think that you need to do a bit of research and make your own conclusions for anything & everything.

I am now reading Good Calories, Bad Calories. It is a bit more about the science & politics behind what we have all been told and is way more ‘dry’ and not as an easy of a read. I am finding it fascinating.

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

Clarification: exercise is still good for you, so I am not quitting my 3 mile/65 minute walk in the morning.

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

Reviewing the Kindle Unlimited daily deals and came across a book that was "a SciFi Alien Mail Order Bride Romance" and there are at least 7 in the series....haha

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-)

Dark Space series, Dark Space, The Invisible War, Origin, Revenge, Avilon by Jasper T. Scott

Format: Kindle
Subject: survival of the human race
Setting: Dark Space & the Imperium of Star Systems
Characters: Ethan, Alana, Destra, Hof, Atton
Genre: space opera
Source: Kindle Unlimited

Total score out of a possible 5 – 3.5

Character – 3
Plot – 4
Theme – 3
Style – 4
Setting – 3
Entertaining? 4

The story starts out 10 years after humanity has been all but whipped out by an alien race called the Sythian and revolves around Ethan.

Ethan is a Freelancer in Dark Space. Dark Space is where humanity sent its convicts, and is surrounded by black holes with only one entrance. Ethan was sent there after he was caught smuggling before the Sythians came to wipe out the human race.

Ethan owes the crime-lord Brondi money. Brondi makes Ethan an offer that he can’t refuse: sabotage the Valiant, the Imperial Star Systems Fleet carrier which stands guarding the entrance of Dark Space. Soon Ethan learns that not everything is what it seems.

It is a well written series, the plot moves along and themes are emerging, but the characters lack real emotional connection to the reader. I think that if the author had the tendencies of George R R Martin and killed off main characters regularly we wouldn’t feel too bad.

It seems to be that book 5 Dark Space: Avilon (which I am currently reading), is where the story really starts to get interesting.

DS
(Bruce'e evil twin :-))

Zoom! So I sort of past the 75 books in no time!

Next challenge:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/223999

Congrats!