Mo's 2010 Reading Challenge

Hello everyone. I was able to surpass my 75 book goal last year with 81 total books read. I'm going for 100 this year, but want to still participate in the challenge here.

So here goes...

1. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

I admit I saw the movie preview for this and was curious. All I have to say is that if the movie is only half as good as the book, we will be having an early blockbuster this year. I could not put the book down today. One warning, do not be afraid to cry while reading this one. It will happen.

Yes, I was crying through it too when I read it a couple of years ago. Great start to your reading year!

Welcome back!

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

This sat on my TBR shelves for a little over a year. I am kicking myself for not making time for this before now. It was an amazing story with great characters. There are many levels to the mystery that needs solved and my interest was held the entire time. I will have to buy the other two novels in the series now.

#5: I will have to buy the other two novels in the series now.

Definitely!

3. Promises in Death by J.D. Robb

I am almost caught up with this series. It is showing no signs of waning, in fact, I think it is getting better and better. I highly recommend this to anyone that loves mysteries.

#7: You do not need to convince me. I love the series.

Your first two books are ones I have already read and enjoyed. I must go check out The Lovely Bones movie. Peter Jackson is a brilliant director and the cast looks like a talented bunch, so it should be good.

I have just finished The Girl Who Played with Fire - absolutely brilliant and can not wait to get my hands on the third book.

I have read many Nora Roberts books, which I enjoyed. I will be on the lookout for the In Death series. They look good.

4. Talk to Me Like I'm Someone You Love by Nancy Dreyfus

I received this to review for my blog. Unfortunately, it is pretty darn terrible. I realize that I may not be the target audience for this type of book, but it was still terrible. It seemed like I was reading a big list of cliched advice.

#10: OK, one not to read.

I hope your next read is better for you!

5. Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner

I was surprised by this one. It was recommended by a friend, but I still had low expectations. It was actually a pretty good Dark Fantasy novel.

6. The Information Officer by Mark Mills

This was a nice historical fiction work centering on World War II with a serial killer mystery mixed in. A good read, I recommend it when it is released on February 2nd.

#13: I already have that one in the BlackHole, anxiously awaiting my library getting hold of it.

7. We the Children (Keepers of the School) by Andrew Clements

I received an advance copy of this from the publisher. It was a really good book. Keep in mind its target audience is 7-10 year old children. But I like that type of thing as well. It is the beginning of a series focusing on the upcoming destruction of a school and the mystery that may save it.

8. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I had started listening to it once before, but could not get into it. Once past the first chapter, I was hooked. But then again, I am a sucker for dark fantasy novels.

9. Truly, Madly by Heather Webber

This was a nice story. I was expecting more of a romance when I started reading it, but was surprised that it is mostly mystery/dark fantasy. The book is being marketed at Valentine's Day for the obvious tie-in with the main character's name and family business.

#17: My daughter Catey owns that one. I may have to steal it away from her and have a peek at it.

10. Arguing With Idiots by Glenn Beck

This is an offbeat look at what is wrong with our government. Glenn challenged both Democrats and Republicans in this book.

#19: I read Glenn Beck's Common Sense last year and enjoyed it, so I will give Arguing with Idiots a shot. Thanks for the recommendation, Mo.

11. One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

I received an early review copy of this one. It was good. The book is basically a collection of stories from assorted people's lives.

12. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters

This was an interesting experience. It still took quite a while to finish for me. The sea monster aspect was interesting, but not enough that I can say I enjoyed it. It was just ok for me.

13. The Copper Bracelet by Jeffery Deaver and multiple authors

I read The Chopin Manuscript last year and loved it. I was really looking forward to this sequel. My advice, however, is do not bother. This one has none of the magic from that first experiment. The whole thing seemed extremely disorganized, as if the authors were competing against each other rather than working towards a single novel.

#23: OK, skipping that one! I hope your next read is better for you.

14. Frostbite by Richelle Mead

This was a nice second book in the series. Often, the second book is a real stinker, but not in this case. The characters are developed much further and there is a real kick butt fight scene towards the end. Great book.

#25: I have not read any of the Vampire Academy books yet. I may give them a try.

15. The Genesis Secret by Tom Knox

This had been on my TBR shelf for quite a while before I read it. It was good. The story involves an interesting archaeological excavation as well as a deranged group of murderers. It was a little more gory than I expected, but I'm not opposed to that type of thing. Like most religious thrillers I have read, the ending left me a little unsatisfied.

16. Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine

Another good book in a good vampire series.

17. Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith

This book is way better than the other two in the group. I was a little cautious after Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. But Hockensmith pulls this one off marvelously.

18. Horns by Joe Hill

This was a pretty amazing read. It was not what I was expecting, and in this case, that meant a pleasant surprise. The story starts with a man waking up, hungover, to find horns sticking out of his head. I won't give away the plot, but be careful, you may find yourself cheering for the devil in this one.

#30, looks like a fun read. Onto the TBR mountain it goes. Thanks

19. The Haunted Vagina by Carlton mellick III

Jack and Mr. Grin was my first Bizarro novel. I thought I would give this a try, especially since the publisher was giving it away free for Valentine's Day. It was strange, very strange. I can't say that I hated it, but I'm not quite sure I can say I liked it either. It is definitely the weirdest thing I have read so far.

20. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

This was my first book by Nicholas Sparks. I read it partly out of curiosity and partly to fulfill my Read the Book, See the Movie reading challenge. It was not near as bad as I expected. I did find the characters a bit over simplified and the ending was one big mountain of cheese. I guess it could have been worse, but I won't be rushing out to read any of his other books.

#33: The only book I have read of Sparks' is nonfiction, Three Weeks with My Brother. It was not too bad.

21. The Last Child by John Hart

I won this from the Early Reviewers Group. I have to say, Wow! It looked like a good book before I started reading it. I think it is an amazing book now that I have finished it. I highly recommend this one.

#35: I already have that one in the BlackHole. I read Hart's Down River and liked it, so you might want to give it a try, Mo.

#36: Thanks for the recommendation. I will add that one to my monster-sized TBR shelves.

It looks like everyone had the highest of praise for The Last Child. Wow!

22. Fireworks over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff

I received a review copy of this book for my blog. It was a good read, nice romance story set during the time of World War II. My only complaint is that it was a predictable story, nothing surprising at all.

#39: I will keep that one in mind for when I need some light reading.

23. House Rules by Jodi Picoult

This was a great read. At first I was thinking, "Oh Great, another autism story", but this one was unique enough to keep my interest. This was also a captivating murder mystery that ended in an emotional trial. Well worth the time to read.

24. Changes by Jim Butcher

A good book in the series. In my opinion, not as good as the last, but still a solid read. Watch out for that nasty cliffhanger though.

25. She-Rain by Michael Gogdill

This was an interesting read. I enjoyed the overall story, the journey of a man who survived a broken childhood and his troubled life as an adult. At first I enjoyed the southern "twang" the author used to tell the story, but it got old for me as the book went along. Still, an interesting read.

26. Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy edited by Richard Brian Davis

This was another book that was interesting but not what I had hoped when I started it. There were some interesting correlations presented, but much of it I discarded as fluff.

#44: Too bad about that one. It sounds like one that I would have liked, but I do not want to wade through fluff in my nonfiction.

27. Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka and Francesco Sedita

This was an ARC that I received from the publisher for review. The book is aimed at children ages 7-10, but for some reason I enjoy this type of book as well. This one has that fun, wacky sci--fi feel to it. There are lots of science tidbits thrown in and lots of humor to sneak in some learning. I liked the book and think it will be a good book to get youngsters interested in reading.

28. Kindred in Death by J.D. Robb

Another great read in this series. I am almost up to date, one more to go. At least until November that is.

#47: I just finished Fantasy in Death this past week, which caught me up (until November). I am glad to see another fan of the series.

29. Elegy for April by Benjamin Black

This was a review book from the Early Reviewers group. I read Christine Falls last year and was not overly impressed, even though the book won several awards. I have to say that I was not impressed with this one either. I found the plot moved slower than a snail and the characters just did not appeal to me.

I started Christine Falls last year but did not get very far with it at all. I guess I can just bypass Benjamin Black completely.

Yup, snail's pace is about right. I'm passing on Elegy for April.

>44 mniday:: Ack! I have Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy sitting here to read/review for ER as well... so sad to hear it's disappointing! And it sounded like it had so much potential...

30. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

This series has become one of my favorite guilty pleasures. This book was absolutely amazing. There was tons of action and a few tearful moments as well.

31. The Executor by Jesse Kellerman

This was a good book. A very interesting story. The end was a bit weird for me, but not enough to make me not like the book. I enjoyed the author's style quite a bit.

32. Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

I loved this book. One of my favorites so far this year.

33. Feed by Mira Grant

This was a really good zombie novel. It is the first book in a new series. The story focuses around a group of bloggers that are covering a presidential race in the year 2040. The public has lost faith in the traditional news media due to their lack of acceptance at the beginning of the Kellis-Amberlee outbreak. Lots of action and high tech intrigue with this one.

Not a fan of zombie books myself, but I am glad you enjoyed it!

34. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

I used to read Grisham quite a bit, but lost interest a little while back. My mother recommended this one. It was actually pretty good. There were some moments near the end that reminded me of The Client, but it was still a good read.

35. Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Another great book in this series.

36. A Calculated Demise by Robert Spiller

This is the second book in the Bonnie Pinkwater math teacher mystery series. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. These books are similar in mood to Joanne Fluke's cooking mysteries. It was a quick read, but worth it.

#60: I like Joanne Fluke's books, so I will look for the Spiller books. Thanks for the recommendation, Mo.

37. The Overton Window by Glenn Beck

I am usually a big fan of Glenn's work. This book was a little disappointing. I was expecting a fictional thriller with a political message interweaved. Instead, I got a political message with a little bit of story thrown in to glue it all together. I agree with Beck's political views, so I'm not trashing the book based on that. I just think the story should have come first and let the reader figure out the message on his own.

#62: OK, skipping that one Mo. I hope you enjoy your next read more!

38. Carpe Corpus by Rachel Caine

Another good book in this vampire series. Started out kind of weak, but got better towards the end. There was no cliff hanger at the end of this one, though. Weird.

39. The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver

This was book 9 in the Lincoln Rhyme series. The story revolves around a killer using electricity to take out his victims. Lots of technical forensics geekery in the one. I enjoyed it very much.

'Forensic geekery?' I definitely need to read that one!

40. Lord of Misrule by Rachel Caine

I messed up and forgot to post this one earlier. It should have been #37, but I'll just leave it here so as not to mess up the whole list.

41. Eye of Vengeance by Jonathan King

This was a good listen for my commute. Not a great mystery though. I figured it out way before anyone else and that was just a bit too unbelievable for me.

42. Inside Out by Barry Eisler

This was a really good thriller. This is something you could expect to see reports of on your favorite news show. I can strongly recommend this one.

#69: I will look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Mo.

43. Foreign Influence by Brad Thor

This was a very action packed spy novel. It was a good read, maybe not all that believable, but I enjoy an escape now and then.

#71: My local library has that one, so I will give it a try. I read another of Thor's books, and as you say, it was not all that believable, but a nice escape.

44. The Passage by Justin Cronin

I should have known this book would disappoint based on how many people recommended it to me. Time jumps around all through the book and it seemed like every other page was a flashback of some kind. By far the worst vampire book I have ever read. It was a long read that left me wondering why I bothered to finish it. I will save myself from further pain by not reading the sequel.

#73: I am sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your latest read, Mo. I hope your next one is more to your taste!

I couldn't agree more.

>73 mniday:: I'm sorry to hear that. I liked Cronin's The Summer Guest and would have tried his other stuff just based on that.

>73 mniday:: Yikes! And I'd heard that it was a fantastic novel worth every moment... huh... sorry to hear it was a waste of time!

45. Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

This was interesting. It is a horror novel set in the Star Wars universe. It was an ok story, probably wouldn't have been without the Star Wars setting. Still, a good read. I enjoyed Han Solo and Chewbacca being part of the story.

46. The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose

This was a book from the Early Reviewers group. It is the third in a series, I haven't read the first two. It was really interesting. It is a thriller that focuses on stolen art and reincarnation. I will probably back up and read the first two now.

Kath (mckait) really liked the first couple of Rose's books. I am going to give them a try some day.

47. Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell

This was a read via NetGalley. The characters were enjoyable and the journey interesting. It seemed a little preachy about the environment and global warming. Overall, a decent read.

48. Think of a Number by John Verdon

This was another ARC I had received from the publisher. This was a good read, an intellectual murder mystery. I enjoyed all of the characters and the plot was truly unique. I can strongly recommend this one.

I just stumbled onto your thread. You've read some interesting books! I think I may add a few to my ever-expanding list. The last one sounds really interesting.

#82: I already have that one in the BlackHole. I ope my local library gets a copy soon!

49. Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb

Another great Eve Dallas book. I'm finally caught up with the series.

#85: I enjoyed that one too. I am looking forward to the next installment.

50. Running Dark by Jamie Freveletti

This was an Early Reviewers win. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. It is a nice action thriller concerning Somali pirates and bio-weapons. It made my visit to the DMV much more tolerable.

#87: It made my visit to the DMV much more tolerable.

It must be a real winner then! Congratulations on hitting 50 books, Mo!

51. Once Wicked Always Dead by T. Marie Benchley

I received this from the publisher for review. The whole thing seemed, for lack of a better word, clumsy. Sections ran together and the plot seemed like more a loose collection of ideas rather than one cohesive novel.

I seem to be having more bad luck with books this year than usual. Maybe I'll read a few that I know will be winners to offset. :)

#89: Maybe I'll read a few that I know will be winners to offset. :)

I hope you do!

52. Fudge Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

When all else fails, you can count on Joanne Fluke for a good read. I love this series of books. This is probably the best cozy mystery series around.

I like the Fluke series too - including the recipes I have tried. The only one I have not read yet is the latest one.

53. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

This was an awesome horror story. I loved Horns, his second novel, but this was better.

>89 mniday:: I received a copy of Once Wicked Always Dead and found it SO BAD that I started writing sticky notes every time I caught something that didn't make sense/poor grammar/bad editing and I plan to write a VERY LONG EMAIL to the publisher/marketers (the same people... I did some research).

I think it was very possibly the worst book I've ever read.

#94. I'm glad I'm not the only one that found it lacking. Sometimes I feel bad throwing a book under the bus. But I think it was justified with that one.

54. Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Another great read in the series!

55. Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne Fluke

I think this was my favorite in the series so far.

I am glad you are continuing to enjoy the series!

While we understand that not everyone will love every book, the book you received was clearly marked and offered an uncorrected proof copy. All uncorrected proofs may contain errors like those commented on.

I guess the post above was "uncorrected" as well.

No kidding. Not to mention that my issues with the book had nothing to do with copy errors... it was just really, really awful. A poorly crafted story, and very badly written. Plus there were some serious logical flaws -- like getting a blood test done & having the results back in five minutes at the doctor's office. Um, no. Not possible. I even asked a doctor to confirm this, because I couldn't believe how ridiculous it was.

56. Judgment and Wrath by Matt Hilton

This was a really good book. This is Matt Hilton's second novel. It's a fast paced thriller with lots of action and violence. I will probably add his first novel to my totally-out-of-control TBR list.

#102: I hate series, lol. They add multiple books to the BlackHole all at the same time!

57. The Bizarro Starter Kit (Orange)

This is a collection of several Bizarro stories. It's a really interesting genre, dark and twisted, yet intellectual. I didn't enjoy every story, but the majority of them were very good. A nice introduction to the genre if you're new to it.

58. Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Still loving this series!

#105: Good!

59. Hangman by Faye Kellerman

This was my first book by Faye Kellerman. I have read books by her husband and son previously. I think most of the talent in the family is with Faye. This books was well written and worked from beginning to end. I will have to back up and read this series from the beginning now.

#107: I have enjoyed several of the books in Kellerman's Peter Decker/Rita Lazarus series, Mo. I hope you enjoy them as well.

60. Magyk by Angie Sage

I still enjoy young adult fiction. This one was really good. I love the fantasy genre and this was somewhat fresh comparatively.

#109: I like that series too, Mo!

61. Payback Time by Carl Deuker

This was a read from NetGalley, also the first on my new Nook.

The story was interesting, it centers around football and the publishing of a school newspaper. The characters are quite interesting, but it really seemed as if the author could not think of a way to end the book, so just decided to not have much of an ending at all. Other than the ending, a pretty good read.

Congratulations on your new Nook, Mo! I love mine.

62. Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke

This woman is simply brilliant.

63. Chasing the Night by Iris Johansen

This was a book from Early Reviewers here at LT. I was blown away.
This is now one of my favorite thrillers of all time. I can't believe i have never read anything from her before. I was also pretty excited when I saw how many books she has written. My TBR list just got a WHOLE lot bigger.

#114: I just received my copy of that one yesterday. I hope I enjoy it as much as you did. I am a big fan of Johansen's Eve Duncan series.

64. The Fall: Book Two of The Strain Trilogy by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan

I loved the first book in the series and now I love the second book. The truly frightening vampires continue their assault on the world. This one digs into the story behind the evil creatures and the betrayal of one man that may have made everything possible. It will be hard to wait another year for the conclusion.

65. Dark Fever by Karen Marie Moning

Not a bad dark fantasy novel. Will give the second one a try.

66. Me, Myself, and Why? by MaryJanice Davidson

This was a cute mystery novel. As long as you can put yourself in a frame of mind to accept the impossibility of some of the situations, it is a good read. Cadence is an FBI agent with three personalities she refers to as her sisters. She investigates a serial killings that are just as screwed up as she is.

67. Flyte by Angie Sage

I was disappointed with this one for some reason. I liked Magyk, but this one just never really caught my interest.

#118: I have not heard of this one before by Davidson. Thanks for the mention. I will look for it.

68. When the Devil Whistles by Rick Acker

This was a good thriller. I learned quite a bit about whistle blower lawsuits. This one also transformed from a legal thriller into a military thriller. A nice surprise. This one is worth a read.

69. Caught by Harlan Coben

This was my first book by Harlan Coben. It was pretty awesome. It is mostly a story about a missing child, but there is so much more going on. Like any good thriller, once you think everything is wrapped in a pretty little bow, BAM!
I will be adding even more books to my TBR list.

#122: I still have not read anything by Coben. I better get to him soon! Glad you enjoyed your first foray into his books, Mo.

70. Naked Heat by Richard Castle

Another good book in this series. But, like the first one, there is so much more to it if you watch the TV series as well.

71. Reversal by Michael Connelly

Great book featuring both Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller. Connelly is one of the very best thriller authors out there.

#125: Connelly is one of the very best thriller authors out there.

I love his Harry Bosch series!

I am just posting so you will not have a problem posting after the spammer, Mo.

#129 Thanks, I appreciate the help. All sorts of idiots spreading garbage around the net these days.

Yeah, and this particular one went to town on at least 6 different threads last night.

72. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

The first book in the series was really good. This second book was fantastic. I loved it so much I went out and purchased the third and have started tearing through it already.

#132: I still need to read the third book in the trilogy. I keep getting distracted by other books though :)

73. Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner

This is a book in the D. D. Warren series. If you like emotionally charged, psychological thrillers, then this one is for you. I cried and cheered while reading this one.

#134: I have not read any of that series. I will have to look for it. Thanks for the recommendation, Mo.

74. Fade Out by Rachel Caine

75. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

Woo Hoo!! I met the 75 challenge. On to see if I can hit 100.

What a great book to reach 75 on as well.

Hooray for you! I like The Girl Who... series as well. Now I'm trying to decide if I want to see the movies.

Congrats! Great book, too...

76. Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane

This was a great book. Unfortunately, probably the last to feature Patrick and Angie.

#141: I think I am going to re-read the entire series before I tackle the last one. Too bad it is going to be the last Kenzie/Gennaro book.

77. Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine

78. Hell's Corner by David Baldacci

This is the newest in the Camel Club series. It was a really good thriller, but mainly focused on Oliver. The other members of the Camel Club were not around much for this one.

#144: I have only ever read the first book in the Camel Club series. You remind me I need to get back to it - one of these centuries :)

79. Killing Floor by Lee Child

This was my first Lee Child book. It was good, but somewhat predictable. I guess it is a bit old, though. Still a good read.

The series as a whole is pretty good. Killing Floor was about average. I just finished One Shot a bit ago, thought it was one of the better ones!

80. Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb

Another great addition to this massive series. I will be very, very sad when she retires this series.

#148: I will be very, very sad when she retires this series.

Me too!

81. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

This is the sequel to Hush, Hush. This second book was quite a bit better than the first. The story was deeper and the characters seemed more developed. Nice cliff hanger at the end as well.

#150: I still have not gotten to Hush, Hush yet. Good to know that the sequel is better though!

82. Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Awesome.

Glad to see you are continuing to enjoy the series, Mo!

83. Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

An awesome end to a great series.

84. Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

I did not find this as enjoyable as the critics did. Stephen King is one of my favorite authors, but recently his works have been hot or miss. This was miss for me.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Mo!

#156. Thank you. I did have a wonderful Christmas. I hope yours was great as well.

Yes, it was. Thanks!