Annual Reading Goal Challenge for 2016 - Come and join us!

[wilma-bride]

I just found this thread! I'd like to join in: 20 books. I usually only read what my bookclub does - about 10 books a year but I'd like to challenge myself to read more.

Here is what we read last in 2015:

Thu 29-Jan-2015 The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown
Thu 05-Mar-2015 The Hours by Michael Cunningham.
Thu 09-Apr-2015 The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein
Thu 14-May-2015 The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Thu 18-Jun-2015 Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris.
Thu 23-Jul-2015 All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Thu 27-Aug-2015 The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
Thu 01-Oct-2015 Call Me Malala, by Malala
Thu 05-Nov-2015 The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Thu 10-Dec-2015 Florence Gordon, by Brian Morton

I'd like to join.

Just finished The Restaraunt Critic's Wife. Good mindless read.

My goal would be 45

to you both

@kahblue All The Light We Cannot See is on my 'to read' list. What did you think of it?

 

[BumbleB]

I DNF the last two books I tried -

Three Princes by Ramona Wheeler - read to 25% - After a great start, it just got boring and didn't hold my attention

Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel Jose Older - read to 28% - Did not like the writing style or the main character

so I haven't added to my books completed list yet this week.

 

[Glynis]

How did you like Boys in the Boat? I've had it for about a year but have yet to read it. I'm worried it is too technical about rowing.

I read it last year, and LOVED it! Easily one of my top 10 for the year! It's not too technical, at all. Very well written!

 

[kahblue]

How did you like Boys in the Boat? I've had it for about a year but have yet to read it. I'm worried it is too technical about rowing.[/QUOT

It was good. True story, of course. It's not technical at all. Really about relationships and how hard they worked to get where they did. If you google it, you should find a video of one or more of their competitions - pretty interesting.

 

[kahblue]

#2 - Eight Hundred Grapes

by Laura Dave (Goodreads Author)
3.59 · Rating Details · 7,694 Ratings · 1,073 Reviews
There are secrets you share, and secrets you hide…

Growing up on her family’s Sonoma vineyard, Georgia Ford learned some important secrets. The secret number of grapes it takes to make a bottle of wine: eight hundred. The secret ingredient in her mother’s lasagna: chocolate. The secret behind ending a fight: hold hands.

But just a week before her wedding, thirty-year-old Georgia discovers her beloved fiancé has been keeping a secret so explosive, it will change their lives forever.

Georgia does what she’s always done: she returns to the family vineyard, expecting the comfort of her long-married parents, and her brothers, and everything familiar. But it turns out her fiancé is not the only one who’s been keeping secrets… (less)
Hardcover, 260 pages

I chose this for my night to host my book club in March. It was good, kept my attention and can't wait to discuss it with my friends.

 

[rigs32]

#4 Austenland by Shannon Hale

A woman goes on vacation at a resort that mimics the settings of the Austen novels.

I am an Austen fan. Watched Pride and Prejudice many times. I thought this book was just OK. Some sections were tedious and repetitive. I'd watched the movie first so knew how it would end, which was too bad. I'm curious how the series continues.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Hadley, do you have an APO address? If you do, I'd be happy to send you some books (the international post is too costly, unfortunately). My tastes run generally to mysteries, but I have many other genres as well. One of my new year's resolutions was to purge my many book shelves, and I'd like to give my surplus books to a good home. Send me a PM with your address if you're interested.

Queen Colleen

Oh you are so sweet! I don't have an APO address though. I am seriously touched by the offer though.

I just need to make myself trek downtown on a day the German American library is open (unfortunately, the one day a week I am always down there is the one of the days they are closed)

I hope you can find a good home for your books--where they will be loved and appreciated.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I just finished my first of 12:

What Claims by Fire by Robin Rice

It's a young adult novel and will not be published until February 14 --- this was an advance copy for the author to get some reviews, etc. Here is what I had to say about it:


This is the first of Rice's books which I have read.

The story is quick to draw you in---I love how the author has the reader caring about an elderly lady who can barely speak and rooting for her from almost the beginning. Actually, I love the idea of a major player in a young adult novel being in her late 80s and in a nursing home--and it WORKS.

Many of the descriptions of magic and how it is found in nature and cooking are so real and engaging (note, it is best not to read this on an empty stomach!) Overall I found it easy to jump into the book and get lost in the care and changing world of Mayden---a likable and accessible main character. I also appreciate that it hits on some themes of inclusivity that are very relevant to many of today's youth (no more on that, no spoilers here!)

My only complaints are that the ending feels a bit rushed, and there is one character from the non magical side of life (Rod) who readers are introduced to early on and given just enough information to care about, but then he is never more than an after thought later on; it felt out of character for Mayden to concern herself so little with her friend, and I found myself wanting to know more of his story----in the end the character's presence was a bit distracting and it would have been best to leave him out altogether.

 

[rigs32]

#5 Tasting Beer: An Insider's Guide to the World's Greatest Drink by Randy Mosher

The title says it all. I read this for a book club meeting for the Girls Pint Out group I'm involved with. Lots of great information about the history of beer and the brewing process.

I gave it 4 out of 5 because it was written in 2007 and for any other beer snobs out there, a lot has changed in the last decade. Especially with sour beers. The book talks about gose being an almost extinct style and its come roaring back to life in the last few years. I would have liked there to be an updated second edition.

 

[Disneylover42]

I'll join in. My goal is 52 books and I've read 3 so far.

 

[willowsnn3]

4/72

Deep Freeze by Lisa Jackson

Her biggest fan is about to become her worst nightmare.
Former movie star Jenna Hughes left Hollywood for an isolated farm in Oregon to get away from fame. But someone has followed her---an obsessed fan whose letters are personal and deeply disturbing. And while Jenna's already shaken up by what she's seen on paper, she'd be terrified if she knew what Sheriff Shane Carter is investigating. It's a shocking case that started with the discovery of a dead woman in the woods. Now 2 more women are missing, one of whom bears a striking resemblance to Jenna.....As a winter storm bears down on the Pacific Northwest, a merciless killer's grisly work has only just begun. And Jenna is getting closer to meeting her biggest fan...

This one was very good. Fast paced with suspense mounting....
I've read several of this author's series books and they are all similar but good/exciting reads.


Wilma-bride, I had to set aside 'Bad Country' and read this one. Now will try to finish Bad Country but truthfully it is not grabbing my attention. Maybe it will get better.

 

[portia9]

I just found this thread! I'd like to join in: 20 books. I usually only read what my bookclub does - about 10 books a year but I'd like to challenge myself to read more.

Here is what we read last in 2015:

Thu 29-Jan-2015 The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown
Thu 05-Mar-2015 The Hours by Michael Cunningham.
Thu 09-Apr-2015 The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein
Thu 14-May-2015 The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Thu 18-Jun-2015 Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris.
Thu 23-Jul-2015 All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Thu 27-Aug-2015 The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
Thu 01-Oct-2015 Call Me Malala, by Malala
Thu 05-Nov-2015 The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Thu 10-Dec-2015 Florence Gordon, by Brian Morton

Would you recommend any of them?

 

[portia9]

Hi portia9! It's good to hear from you. I haven't read any of Lauri R King's books, but we're going to the bookstore today so I'll look for them. Should they be read sequentially or does it not matter? Looking forward to a new series. In return, I recommend Rainy Kirkland's Florida Heat series. They, too, can be downloaded to your kindle.

Hoping for more recommendations from you, a kindred reading spirit.

Queen Colleen

I'll try one. You recommended the Aunt Dimity series to me didn't you? I have read several of them. Probably time to download a couple more!

 

[portia9]

#8 A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Lauri R King-the second in the Mary Russell series. This was fantastic-great story and well written.

#9 The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham-didn't love this. Felt like it was missing something.

 

[PigletsPal2]

Oh you are so sweet! I don't have an APO address though. I am seriously touched by the offer though.

I just need to make myself trek downtown on a day the German American library is open (unfortunately, the one day a week I am always down there is the one of the days they are closed)

I hope you can find a good home for your books--where they will be loved and appreciated.

Well, send me a PM the next time you're back in the U.S. and I can bundle up a box of books (how alliterative - you'd think I was a writer or an editor LOL) and send it book rate very inexpensively to a domestic address. I bought two books today, so even with donations to my local library, I'll never run out of books!

Queen Colleen

 

[E&Cmom]

I read my first 2 books out of 50

Book #1 Shopaholic to the Rescue by Sophie Kinsella Not as good as the first few of the series but I did like it better than the previous one. I gave it a 3.5/5

Book #2 Attachments by Rainbow Rowell Fun cute read. The Y2K and pop culture references made me laugh as I was the same age as the main characters at the time. I gave it a 4/5.

Next up ....City of Bones (Mortal Instruments) by Cassandra Clare. YA series but I just watched the first episode on Netflix and enjoyed it so I thought I would try the books.

 

[PigletsPal2]

I'll try one. You recommended the Aunt Dimity series to me didn't you? I have read several of them. Probably time to download a couple more!

I did recommend the Aunt Dimity series, however did you remember that? I need to give you a heads-up on the Florida Heat series: the author, a very dear friend of mine, was having difficulties with her editors on the first two books and as a result there are many errors in the Kindle editions. I didn't feel like they detracted from the stories, but another reader might. At the risk of sounding immodest, the third book, Street Stalker, is much better - I was the editor. Anyone who has followed my posts on this board, and not only this thread, knows what a PITA I am about proper grammar, spelling, word usage, punctuation, etc. Rainy asked me to edit her book and I was excited to do it. I've done some minor free-lance editing, but this was my first book by a published author. She was happy with my work and now I'm her official editor. At any rate, I hope you enjoy the series.

I bought a Lauri King book today and it's next on my list to read.

Queen Colleen

 

[Colleen27]

I was out super-late last night (David Bowie double-feature, TOTALLY worth the late night!), so I decided today was a good day to lay around in my PJs reading and catching up on schoolwork. So I've finished book 6 and am well into book 7.

#6 - Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome--and Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting for all her life....

But Bill has a disability of his own: He's a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of--big surprise--murder. And when one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next...

Book one in the series True Blood was based on, I picked this up after binge watching the show over Christmas break. I'm glad I did. From this installment I'm thinking I'm going to like the books much more than the show, and I did like the show. The character development is more nuanced and certain characters are more interesting and/or more likable than their counterparts in the TV series.

 

[Kirby]

This thread caught my eye since I do read quite a bit. I'm going to set my goal at 80 though it's possible I'll exceed it.

I read several books last year that I enjoyed and the first one that came to mind is Confessions of a Prairie B***h by Alison Arngrim. It was so interesting reading about her life and tidbits of information on all the cast of Little House on the Prairie. It was a very good, easy read and I highly recommend it.

I've read two books so far this year:

1/80 - The Cinderella Murder by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke. This is a typical Clark book and their collaboration is good. It's about a television producer that has a cold case series. They has success with solving a cold case for their series premiere and begin another cold case investigation.

2/80 - An Unfinished Affair by William St. James. This is his first novel. He does a fairly good job. It is a political thriller. If you can overlook the punctuation errors and lack of editing I think that you will find that it is interesting enough.

I'm in a book club and our selection this month is Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb. This is a very good fantasy book. It's the first book of a trilogy which is followed by three more trilogies that all intertwine. Actually the fourth trilogy has expanded to a fourth book which I have in my book pile to read. I would highly recommend these books.

 

[portia9]

I did recommend the Aunt Dimity series, however did you remember that? I need to give you a heads-up on the Florida Heat series: the author, a very dear friend of mine, was having difficulties with her editors on the first two books and as a result there are many errors in the Kindle editions. I didn't feel like they detracted from the stories, but another reader might. At the risk of sounding immodest, the third book, Street Stalker, is much better - I was the editor. Anyone who has followed my posts on this board, and not only this thread, knows what a PITA I am about proper grammar, spelling, word usage, punctuation, etc. Rainy asked me to edit her book and I was excited to do it. I've done some minor free-lance editing, but this was my first book by a published author. She was happy with my work and now I'm her official editor. At any rate, I hope you enjoy the series.

I bought a Lauri King book today and it's next on my list to read.

Queen Colleen

I presume I remember because I think we pretty much spent a year reading the same books

I hope you like the Lauri King-I liked the first one and loved the second.

Thanks for the heads up on the editing-it would usually detract for me but if I am pre warned it will be ok.