Care to Join Me?

Care to join me in a little challenge?

I need to read books I own.  Like really really need to read them....

And I don't mean books I own that I have read, I mean all of the piles and piles and shelves and shelves of books I've never read.

They're taking over my house.  And yet I keep acquiring more.

So, here's my challenge:

Read X number of books that you own and have not yet read each month.

I'm going to shoot for 3 per month... and at least one of those MUST be one I've received for review.  Books for scheduled blog tours don't count.

How about you?  Going to join me?  How many books are YOU going to shoot for each month??

Reader's Choice-- July-October 2011

The new Reader's Choice list is here!!!
(And I already have a couple of these on my to read shelf!)

The Bells by Richard Harvell

Bliss, Remembered by Frank Deford

Crashers by Dana Haynes

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin

Don't Kill the Messenger by Eileen Rendahl

Farm Fresh Murder by Paige Shelton

Finder's Keepers: A Tale of Archaeological Plunder and Obsessions by Craig Childs (nonfiction)

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Gentlemen Poet: A Novel of Love, Danger and Shakespeare's "The Tempest" by Kathryn Johnson

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

The Holy Thief by William Ryan

The Lady's Slipper by Deborah Swift

Liar Liar by KJ Larsen

Mothers and Other Liars by Amy Bourret

On the Edge of Survival: a Shipwreck, a Raging Storm and the Harrowing Alaskan Rescue that Became a Legend by Spike Walker (nonfiction)

The Personal History of Rachel DePree by Ann Weisgarber

Power Down by Ben Coes

Red Station by Adrian Magson

Rise Again by Ben Tripp

Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

The Shadow War by Clen Scott Allen

Stormchasers by Jenna Blum

Sweet Misfortune by Kevin Alan Milne

Think of a Number by John Verdon

The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart

The Vanishing of Katharina Linden by Helen Grant

The Widower's Tale by Julia Glass

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley



Have you read any of these?  Where should I start?

Summer Reading Saturdays!!

Summer reading is here again!!

Okay, so it's been here for a month, but still.

The library adult program is once again reading 4 books plus 4 "free choice" options (which could also be reading books).  I'm done.  They need to make it more challenging.  (On the Goodreads group it's read 5 books from 5 different continents.  I'm almost done with that too.)

Anyway, the kids are ALL signed up this year-- Baby J with 5 minute sessions, Mister with 10 minute sessions and Boo with 30 minute sessions.

Overall, we're all doing a lot of reading... it's the timing and keeping track that I'm having a hard time with.

How about you, what are YOUR summer reading goals??

Nancy Drew Challenge-- Check!

Hey, I finally finished a challenge.... from last year..... whatever, at least I'm finished.

So I have officially read all 56 of the original Nancy Drews..... and I'm feeling seriously OVER Nancy Drew!  Holy Hannah.

I may never read another as long as I live.

But hey, I'm done.

:D

May I Gripe?

Like you could stop me. ;)

I am SO FREAKING SICK of Nancy Drew!!!!!

I swear, how many times can a) someone steal her car, b) someone kidnap Ned, c) someone deliver a threat before she even knows about the case.

PLUS I just found the same boat name used in two different books in two totally different locales.  :P

Honestly, there is one thing that is seriously bothering me: I loved George as a kid, but as an adult I can't stand her!  She's a jerk and a bully.  I had considered reading these with Boo, but I cringe everytime George harps about Bess' weight!  Which she does in EVERY STUPID ONE OF THEM.

Girls today are presented with enough reasons to hate their bodies-- Nancy Drew should not be adding to those.




Okay, I'm done now.

Only 16 more to go for the challenge.... then I may never read another one as long as I live.

2010 Year in Review

Since I skipped a couple of month-in-review posts, here's a quick summary--

November-- 13 books read, 7 were rereads and 3 were Nancy Drews... 1 VBT and 7 were library books

December-- 15 books read, 7 were Nancy Drews, 13 library and 2 received for review

So, here's a look back at the year 2010, by the numbers:

152- the number of books I read
+  2- that I sort of read
+  1- which I totally didn't get past like 30 pages in
=
155 books

120- the number of library books
+10- the number of books/ARCs for review (that's read, not received)
+11- the number of Virtual Book Tour books
=
19- The approximate number of books that were ones I own (not including received for review) (yeah, okay, I skipped some of the math.... never was good at showing all my work)

6- the number of Book Group books I actually read.... this isn't as bad as it seems, there were only 8  I still haven't gotten to the other 2

11- number of books that were rereads

Now let's review the challenges I participated in (or didn't, whichever)

Support Your Local Library-- 120 books!!  Woohoo!  That's 20 over my goal!  I plan to shoot for over 100 again this year.

Nancy Drew Challenge-- 32/56  Could be worse.  I've read one more since.  I plan to finish this up in the next couple months

Take Another Chance Challenge-- Let's face it, I bombed.  I read 2 whole books.  Oh well.

Shelf Discovery-- 2 again.  Yup, I suck at this whole challenge thing.

Support Your Local Authors-- 11 which isn't too bad, but with soooooo many amazing authors here it's shameful, really.  I WILL do better this year.

Reader's Choice Challenge-- 34  Not bad, but not amazing.  I did really well the second round after not doing too well the first round.  This year will be better!

My only other goals for the year-- DO NOT join a bunch of challenges! lol
And keep better track of books/ARCs received for review...

Anybody have a good system for that?  My "throw them on a shelf" technique leaves much to be desired. :D

Reader's Choice Reviews-- Jan- Apr 2011

Here again, leave a comment linking your review and I'll keep updating this with the list!!

New Round-- Reader's Choice Jan-April 2011

It's that time again-- Here's the new list of Reader's Choice books!!

The challenge, as always, is to read as many as you can/want between now and the end of April!  Leave a comment to sign up!!

Ark by Boyd Morrison-- adventure/thriller

Blonde Bombshell by Tom Holt-- Humorous. Action Sci Fi (aliens)

Book of Spies by Gayle Lynds-- Thriller

Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines-- humorous/romantic suspense

Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy Seals and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips-- NF

Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman-- character novel/romance

Council of Dads: my daughter, my Illness, and the men who could be me by Bruce Feiler --NF

Eye of the Red Tsar by Sam Eastland-- suspense/mystery

Hazard by Gardiner Harris-- mystery/mine accident

How High the Moon by Sandra King-- gen fiction/romance

Insider by Reece Hirsch--  thriller

Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer-- historical/WWII

Making Rounds With Oscar by David Dosa-- NF /cat

Miss You Most of All by Elizabeth Bass-- relationships/sisters

Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English by Natasha Solomons-- British, character novel, cry, laugh

Once a Spy by Keith Thomson-- funny caper novel

Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron-- relationships/mystery

Rebellion of Jane Clarke by Sally Gunning-- gen fiction

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman-- friendship/humor/Southern

Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard-- mystery

Tainted by Brooke Morgan-- suspense/romance

Things that Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley-- general fiction/futuristic/psychological

Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden-- gen fiction

Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch-- Paranormal/aliens/romance

Truly Madly by Heather Webber-- mystery / romance / chick lit

Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff-- relationships/character novel

Watermark: novel of the middle ages by Vanitha Sankaran-- historical fiction

Support Your Local Library 2011

1. The Spider Sapphire Mystery
2. The Castle in the Attic
3. The Sky Phantom
4. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt
5. The Strange Message in the Parchment
6. How High the Moon
7. The Battle for the Castle
8. How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe
9. The Fellowship of the Ring
10. The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes
11. The Mystery of Moonstone Castle
12. The Phantom of Pine Hill
13. The Mysterious Mannequin
14. The Secret of Mirror Bay
15. The Insider
16. The Two Towers
17. The Clue of the Dancing Puppet
18. The Mystery of the Fire Dragon
19. The Secret of the Golden Pavilion
20. Scumble
21. The Clue in the Old Stagecoach
22. A Quiet Vendetta
23. The Invisible Intruder
24. The Mystery of the 99 Steps
25. Island Justice
26. Flipped
27. Bulletproof Mascara
28. Throught Black Spruce
29. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax
30. The Secret of the Wooden Lady
31. These Things Hidden
32. Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion
33. The Ghost of Blackwood Hall
34. Watermark
35. The Quest of the Missing Map
36. The Secret in the Old Attic
37.
38.
39.
40.

Reader's Choice-- July- October!!!

It's that time again!  Reader's Choice time!

The winners from last time were:
Dog on It
Prayers for Sale
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

The #1 surprised me.  But whatever. :)  I still haven't read the other two.

The new list:
The 13th Hour (action/thriller)
The Affinity Bridge (sci-fi, steampunk)
Bad Things Happen (mystery)
Bound South ("Southern domestic fiction")
The Brick Layer (suspense)
The Crossing Places (mystery)
Darkborn (fantasy)
The Day The Falls Stood Still  (historical fiction)
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (paranormal, suspense, historical)
The Postmistress (historical)
A Quiet Belief in Angels (mystery)
The Rivers Run Dry (suspense)
Wife of the Gods (mystery)
Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter (humorous, southern fiction)
Untraceable (romantic suspense, "gentle read")
The Three Weissmans of Westport (loosely based on Sense and Sensibility)
The Tale of Halcyon Crane (paranormal)
Something Missing ("character novel")
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much (nonfiction)
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand ("gentle read", "feel good")
The Lost City of Z (nonfiction)
The Last Ember (action/thriller)
Jane Bites Back (paranormal)
Homer's Odyssey (nonfiction)
Henry's Sisters (women's fiction)
The Glassblower of Murano (historical)
The Goddess of the Hunt (romance)
A False Dawn (mystery)

(Most of those genre tags are from the Reader's Choice blog)

Sign up here if you want to play.... There may even be prizes involved this round.... :)

Reader's Choice Reviews!

Okay, rather than a bunch of review-link posts, we're going to keep them all here.

Comment on this post with a link to your review and I'll keep updating the list!



My review of Jane Bites Back

My review of The Day the Falls Stood Still   Alisonwonderland's review of The Days the Falls Stood Still

Alisonwonderland's review of The 13th Hour    My review of The 13th Hour

My review of Goddess of the Hunt

My review of Henry's Sisters

My review of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

My review of The Crossing Places

My review of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

My review of The Affinity Bridge

My review of Bad Things Happen

My review of Bound South

My review of The Lost City of Z

My review of A Quiet Belief in Angels -- Having read more than half, this is my favorite, I think.

My review of The Rivers Run Dry

My review of The Bricklayer

My review of Something Missing

My review of Homer's Odyssey

My review of Untraceable  Alisonwonderland's review of Untraceable

Alisonwonderland's review of The Postmistress  My review of The Postmistress

My review of The Last Ember

My review of Darkborn

My review of The Tale of Halcyon Crane

My review of The Man Who Loved Books Too Much

My review of A False Dawn

My review of Wife of the Gods

My review of Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter

The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig

5 Stars
nonfiction-- autobiographical
YA (can you call it YA if it's nonfiction?) or maybe even younger

Esther was 10 when the soldiers came, accusing her family of being capitalists and loading them onto a train headed for Siberian exile.

Interestingly enough-- they were Jews.  But the Russians got to them before the Germans did.  As bad a Siberia was, it wasn't a concentration camp.

Esther's story of Siberia was really interesting.  I wish it were longer, though.  I'm curious as to how they managed to rebuild after finally being allowed to return to Poland when Esther was about 15.

Highly recommended.  Very interesting and not as graphic or hard to read as, say Anne Frank's Diary.  (Not that I ever finished that one... I got bored.  Isn't that terrible?)  I think younger readers would get a lot out of this one.

I read this one for the Shelf Discovery Challenge and it counts for the Support Your Local Library Challenge!

Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark

4 stars
R-0

This has been sitting on my bookcase forever.  Along with a whole pile of other Mary Higgins Clark books...

I enjoy them, but they start to run together, you know?

In this one, twins are kidnapped and only one is returned, along with a note saying that the other was killed accidentally.

But as Kelly, the returned twin, continues to insist that her sister is alive and wants to come home, her mother believes the girls are communicating.  And as Kelly's information becomes more convincing, the FBI realizes they may only have a short time to find Kathy alive.

Not a bad story, though there are some things that feel like loose ends... or randomly inserted bits of flotsam and jetsam.  Not a ton, but slightly distracting.

Overall a decent read.  :D

This book is for the Take Another Chance Challenge!

THe Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene

Okay, so while I knew that the "yellow cover" Nancy Drew's were updated some (they're still older than I am, but whatever) I totally didn't realize that at least some of the originals had been rereleased.

And so I ended up with one such original when I checked out The Secret of the Old Clock.

And honestly.... I'm not sure how much was really changed.  Now granted, it's been more than a decade certainly since I read the yellow cover version, but just given the style and tone compared to the other yellow covers I've read.... I don't see it.

Okay, yes, in the original Nancy is only 16, which as a "modern" reader did kind of bug me.  In today's world a 16 year old should still be in school and really doesn't need a convertible.  :D

And I would imagine the conversations with the black caretaker are a little different in the updated version, but really I didn't think any of that was all that racist.  Stereotyped yes, but Nancy treats him with a reasonable amount of respect.  Her irritation with his drunkenness doesn't seem to be anything she wouldn't feel towards anyone else in the same circumstances.

I'm not sure if this next part has changed in the update, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE what it says in the original--
(This is a physical description when we first meet Ada Topham, a wretched girl Nancy knew at school.)

In spite of the expensive clothes she wore, she was anything but attractive, for she was tall and slender to the point of being "skinny".

I LOVE IT!  In today's world of scary-thin models and airbrushed pictures, I love the nearly disgusted tone at the idea of being "skinny".  Hilarious.  And beautiful.

Anyway, a fun romp.

Even though it's not technically the yellow cover edition, I'm still counting this for the Nancy Drew Challenge and it was my February pick for my book club. :D

Shelf Discovery by Lizzie Skurnick-- Challenge!

I tried to read the whole book.  I just wasn't in the mood.  It just wasn't going to happen.

I'll try again some other time.

Anyway... challenge.  List.  All that good stuff.

I've read 10 or 11 of the books in here.  Kind of sad, really.  But honestly, when I was the right age I was dying to read something really challenging.... so I read a lot of Crichton and Clancy and such.  I skipped a lot of preteen/teen books.

The challenge hosted by Booking Mama (which runs through the end of April... I've already missed half of it) is to read 6, but I'm feeling kind of OCD because there are 10 chapters!  Must Read Something From Each Section.....

I need a life.

Anyhoo. 

Chapter 1-- YA Heroines
My pick-- Harriet the Spy

Chapter 2-- Girls on the Verge
My pick-- The Long Secret

Chapter 3-- Danger Girls
My pick-- The Westing Game

Chapter 4-- Read 'Em and Weep
My pick-- Summer of My German Soldier

Chapter 5-- You Heard it Here First
My pick-- Don't Hurt Laurie

Chapter 6-- Girls Gone Wild (Wow, a section that I've read most of already!)
My pick-- The Endless Steppe (Done!)

Chapter 7-- She Comes by it Supernaturally
My pick-- A Gift of Magic

Chapter 8-- Him She Loves?
My pick-- In Summer Light  Nevermind, the library doesn't have it.  Fifteen then (done!)

Chapter 9-- Old Fashioned Girls
My pick-- A Little Princess

Chapter 10-- Panty Lines (Or I Can't Believe They Let Us Read This)
My pick-- Actually I'm skipping this one.  Call me a prude, but kids shouldn't be reading any of these.... and I don't really want to either.  So nevermind.

Alright, 9 books.  I can do that.  I think... by April.... sure.  No problem.  :D

I'll link reviews here as I go.....

Reader's Choice Challenge!

Who-- ANYONE!  If you live in the Salt Lake area, this is a program that the SLCO Library System does twice a year and you can fill out ballots with your local branch.  If you don't live in the Salt Lake area, play along anyway!!  I have found some of my FAVORITE books through this program!

What-- Twice a year, librarians choose between 22 and 28- ish books for this program.  My goal is to read them all, but how many you read is up to you!  This time around there are 28.

When-- This round runs from January to the end of April, EXTENDED to the end of JUNE 2010 (For those in the SLC area, remember, the library is no longer taking ballots.)

The Books--
Asta in the Wings by Jan Elizabeth Watson   Link your reviews HERE
All Other Nights by Dara Horn   Link your reviews HERE
Benny and Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti   Link your reviews HERE
Blue Heaven by C J Box   Link your reviews HERE
The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim   Link your reviews HERE
The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall   Link your reviews HERE
Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival by Norman Ollestad   Link your reviews HERE
Desolate Angel by Chaz McGee   Link your reviews HERE
Dog On It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn   Link your reviews HERE
Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff   Link your reviews HERE
Etta by Gerald Koplan   Link your reviews HERE
Fragment by Warren Fahy   Link your reviews HERE
Hello, Goodbye by Emily Chenoweth   Link your reviews HERE
Honolulu by Alan Brennert   Link your reviews HERE
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford   Link your reviews HERE
In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefani Pintoff   Link your reviews HERE
Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo   Link your reviews HERE
Lamentation by Ken Scholes   Link your reviews HERE
Little Bee by Chris Cleave   Link your reviews HERE
Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farhad Zama   Link your reviews HERE
Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron   Link your reviews HERE
Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg   Link your reviews HERE
Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas   Link your reviews HERE
The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson   Link your reviews HERE
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by C. Alan Bradley   Link your reviews HERE
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo   Link your reviews HERE
The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer   Link your reviews HERE
Woman Strangled, News at Ten by Laurie Moore   Link your reviews HERE

(Links will take you to the SLCO Library Reader's Choice post about the book, where you'll find a summary, picture of the cover, other links, and, for those in the area, links to place a hold.)

SO-- Mr. Linky below-- please sign up using a direct link to your post about this challenge. If you don't have a blog, sign up in the comments below!



Once you've read a book (and it totally counts if you've already read them!) link your review to the appropriate post (I'll have one for each book) and cast your vote in the comments on that post. Here's how the voting works-- you give the book a score 1-5, 5 being the highest. (Basically how many stars you give the book.) The book with the highest points at the end wins and we'll see how we match up to the county winner's list. :D
ETA-- I'm going to group the books for the review posts rather than making 28 separate posts.  Links will be on here soon!

Nancy Drew

I'm not going to review each of these as I go.

I had planned to, but really.... I don't think I'm going to have much new to say after the first couple.

'Cause they're really all very similar.

And they're hilarious.... unintentionally.  :D  Talk about the quintessential fluff mystery.

Not real well written.... not real complicated.... and yet they're classic and enduring and endearing.

And I have no idea why.

I'm wondering if kids still read them, though, because the language is a bit out of date.  Not quite as bad as the Curious George books maybe.... but still.  (Seriously, when was the last time you tried to actually READ ALOUD one of the original Curious George books?  Wowsers.  I rephrase a LOT.)

So why??   Why are these so blasted popular?  Why do I keep reading even as I'm laughing at how silly they are?

There's just something universal about them.

Anyway-- I've read The Clue of the Black Keys and The Scarlet Slipper Mystery and The Crooked Banister.  (Those being the 3 yellow-cover originals I own.)

The Crooked Banister totally has the coolest cover.  :D

Looking Ahead-- 2010

I'm not much of a formal goal person.  Goals for me exist as to-do lists and notes on calendars more than anything else.

BUT, I figured the beginning of the year would be a great time to look ahead and talk about challenges I'm doing this year.

So, there's the Support Your Local Authors! Challenge.  Lots of awesome authors in Utah.  Easy-peasy.  :D

Then there's the Take Another Chance Challenge.  I've made my list.  I've updated my list.  Now I just have to actually read something from the list.

Then there's Support Your Local Library.  I'm going for "super size me" since I read over 100 library books last year anyway.

And of course there's the Shelf Discovery Challenge.  ETA-- Post is up finally!!

And the Nancy Drew Challenge.  Who could pass this one up?  Even with how many of these I read as a kid, I'm not sure I've read all the originals!

And finally.... (last but not least, right?)  I hereby announce the Reader's Choice Challenge!  I'll have all the details and a Mr. Linky sign up (if I can figure out Mr. Linky...) in a couple of days!!

Whew!  That's quite a list....

What are you up to this year?

Support Your Local Authors! List

Books read in 2011 for the Support Your Local Authors Challenge

Books read in 2010 for the Support Your Local Authors Challenge

1. Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
2. Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
3. River Secrets by Shannon Hale
4. Forest Born by Shannon Hale
5. Devil's Food Cake by Josi S Kilpack
6. Lemon Tart by Josi S. Kilpack
7. English Trifle by Josi S. Kilpack
8. Too Stubborn to Die by Cato Jaramillo
9. The Mark by M R Bunderson
10. Key Lime Pie by Josi S. Kilpack
11. No Going Back by Jonathan Langford

Reader's Choice Links part 5

And last but not least.....

The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by C. Alan Bradley
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo
The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer
Woman Strangled, News at Ten by Laurie Moore

Link your reviews and rate the books in your comments!!