Annual reading challenge 2017-come join us

[disneychrista]

Week 23 - I read three books this week bringing me to 81/104.

The number of books you read is amazing. How much time do you spend reading each day?

 

[Tiggerish]

The number of books you read is amazing. How much time do you spend reading each day?

I read between two to four hours a day and am a fast reader. I am disability retired and do not have cable TV (by choice) so I spend a substantial amount of time reading or being on my "devices". I have a desktop computer, an I-pad, a Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi and an I-phone, so I am well connected. I have a service that send me three or four free kindle books each week and I live directly across the street from the main library, so it is easy for me to get books.

I have some mobility challenges so I am restricted to using a power wheel chair to get around. Fortunately, I have a van with a power lift to put my chair in and out so I am able to get out, go places and do things. To keep from spending all my time with my nose in a book, I have volunteered with my church, at a nursing home, at a local elementary school and with a local community group Art Prize - ArtPrize is an open, independently organized international art competition which takes place for 19 days each fall in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Any artist working in any medium from anywhere in the world can participate. Art is exhibited throughout downtown Grand Rapids—museums, bars, public parks, restaurants, theaters, hotels, bridges, laundromats, auto body shops, vacant storefronts and office spaces. In 2016, 1,453 works created by artists from 40 states and 44 countries were exhibited in 170 venues. ArtPrize is free and open to the public and now attracts over 500,000 visitors, making it the most attended public art event in the world.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

12 of 20: Rebel Rising by Beth Revis

When Jyn Erso was five years old, her mother was murdered and her father taken from her to serve the Empire. But despite the loss of her parents she is not completely alone—Saw Gerrera, a man willing to go to any extremes necessary in order to resist Imperial tyranny, takes her in as his own, and gives her not only a home but all the abilities and resources she needs to become a rebel herself.

Jyn dedicates herself to the cause—and the man. But fighting alongside Saw and his people brings with it danger and the question of just how far Jyn is willing to go as one of Saw’s soldiers. When she faces an unthinkable betrayal that shatters her world, Jyn will have to pull the pieces of herself back together and figure out what she truly believes in…and who she can really trust.

Meh. It was interesting to learn more about the main character from Rogue One, but it got really boring in the middle. 3 out of 5 stars.

 

[disneychrista]

I read between two to four hours a day and am a fast reader.

I am a slower reader and I can only get in an hour or so of reading per night. On weekends I can get in more. But it still takes me at least a week to ten days to read a book.

 

[willowsnn3]

#21/60
Last Light by Terri Blackstock
In the face of a crisis that sweeps an entire high-tech planet back to the age before electricity, Deni Branning's career ambitions have vanished. She's not about to let her dream of marriage go as well.

But keeping it alive will require extraordinary measures. Yesterday's world is gone. All Deni and her family have left is each other and their neighbors. Their little community will either stand or fall together. But they're only beginning to realize it - and trust doesn't come easily.

Particularly when one of them is a killer.


Pretty good. Starting the second in the series next.

 

[willowsnn3]

I am a slower reader and I can only get in an hour or so of reading per night. On weekends I can get in more. But it still takes me at least a week to ten days to read a book.

I am usually a fast reader. Usually go over my goal and read about 100 books a year but this year I lowered goal to 60 and don't think I am going to even make that.

But I used to have a lot of down time at work so could get a lot of reading done there and then at night when I got into bed I would read a lot more.
Now tho, it has gotten really busy at work so no more reading there, lol and I'm taking pain meds now that make me really drowsy when I try to relax and read so that has stopped most of my bedtime reads....plus I have not found a really good interesting book so far this year.....

 

[willowsnn3]

Finished book #31/70 - A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

This is a small YA book, but an emotionally powerful one. A definite must read and be prepared to cry. 4.5 stars

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.
But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…
This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.
It wants the truth.

I just finished A Monster Calls a few weeks ago & really liked it. Truthfully it has probably been the best book I have read this year, lol.

 

[tiggrbaby]

#41/80: Saving Sophie (Liam and Catherine #2) by Ronald H. Balson (4.5/5) (international suspense/trial)
I am reading this series backwards (by accident). History of the Middle East was informative.

#42/80: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (5/5) (nonfiction)
Fascinating story!

 

[disneychrista]

#20.5 - Woman of God by James Patterson

The world is watching as historic crowds gather in Rome, waiting for news of a new Pope, one who promises to be unlike any other in the Church's history. Some followers are ecstatic, but the leading candidate has made a legion of powerful enemies.
From a difficult childhood with drug addled parents, to a career as a doctor on the front lines in Sudan, to a series of trials that test her faith at every turn, Brigid Fitzgerald's convictions and callings have made her the target of all those who fear that the Church has lost its way--dangerous adversaries who abhor challenges to tradition. Locked in a deadly, high-stakes battle with forces determined to undermine everything she believes in, Brigid must convert her enemies to her cause before she loses her faith...and her life.

 

[Colleen27]

20/100 - Its All Too Much by Peter Walsh

Meh. A standard decluttering advice book. Like most, it had a few good tips and a lot of the same old, same old about redefining your relationship to your possessions and taking control. Honestly, I don't pick these things up because they're good reads. I pick them up (from the library!) because every time I sit down to read it refreshes my motivation, which is often in need of the boost.

21/100 - On the Beach by Nevil Shute

I first read this book in 8th or 9th grade, when I went through a huge sci-fi kick and raided my mom's old books at my grandmother's house. I loved it then but my copy went missing over the years, so when I saw this on an endcap at my favorite used bookstore I had to pick it up. It is the story of the winding down of human civilization following a devastating global nuclear war. The action takes place in Australia, where the last remaining submarine and crew of the U.S. Navy wait for the end, in the form of fallout carried by global weather patterns, along side the residents of a country that had nothing to do with the war.

 

[Tiggerish]

WEEK 24 – This week I read six books which brings me to 87/104. The books I read are:

Conversations with Saint Bernard by Jim Kraus. Christian fiction. After the death of his wife, George meticulously plans a year long road trip in a small RV which he plans will end with his suicide. Alex, an 8 year old with a history of severe medical problems gets a dog to celebrate his recovery. The dog, the runt of the litter, is small for a Saint Bernard but still is a big dog. Alex and the dog are in separable but the Alex develops a severe allergy to dogs. A chance meeting leads to George taking the dog with him on his RV trip while Alex starts a yearlong series of shots to desensitize his allergies. During the trip the dog causes George to break out of his shell and meet unusual people. He often talks to the dog who listens well and seems to respond with appropriate woofs and other dog behaviors. In the end, the dog prevents the suicide and is reunited with Alex. George restarts his life with a new friend he has met during his travels.

The Priority Unit by Susan Page Davis. Christian mystery and romance so it has a happy ending. But the story was interesting and moved along after a bit of a slow start. This is the first book in a series and I would read another.

Soho Dead by Greg Keen. This mystery was a free kindle download. It was definitely an ‘R’ rated book with language, violence and adult content. It was not good enough for me to overlook its adult content.

Lost in Love by Leah Atwood. Christian romance. A quick read with the usual happy ending. It is part of series where each book features a marriage of convenience that develops into a solid relationship.

False Identity by Jennifer Youngblood and Sandra Poole. Christian romantic suspense. It was a quick read. Also had a happy ending.

We Never Asked for Wings by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. This is by the same author as The Language of Flowers. I also seemed to be a slow start however I stayed with it and ended up liking it. Not as good as her other book but worth reading. The characters are Hispanics living in California and includes both legal and illegal residents. It is about what it takes to make a family and how to overcome mistakes.

 

[zippitydoo]

Book #14/50: The Fireman by Joe Hill

 

[Kirby]

I'd like to join in if you don't mind me starting in the middle of the year. I participated last year and then flaked out about this time so maybe you can say I took a break and am picking back up where I left off. But I'll set a new goal for 25 books.

1. The Little Old Lady Who Broke All The Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg. It is the first of a series about a group of people in a retirement home who are tired of the status quo and want some excitement in their lives. I give it a 3 out of 5, I'm not interested in reading the rest of the series.

#21/60
Last Light by Terri Blackstock
In the face of a crisis that sweeps an entire high-tech planet back to the age before electricity, Deni Branning's career ambitions have vanished. She's not about to let her dream of marriage go as well.

But keeping it alive will require extraordinary measures. Yesterday's world is gone. All Deni and her family have left is each other and their neighbors. Their little community will either stand or fall together. But they're only beginning to realize it - and trust doesn't come easily.

Particularly when one of them is a killer.


Pretty good. Starting the second in the series next.

I enjoyed that book and read the others. I thought that the story line was very interesting, made me think what I would do if something like that happened.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I'd like to join in if you don't mind me starting in the middle of the year. I participated last year and then flaked out about this time so maybe you can say I took a break and am picking back up where I left off. But I'll set a new goal for 25 books.

1. The Little Old Lady Who Broke All The Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg. It is the first of a series about a group of people in a retirement home who are tired of the status quo and want some excitement in their lives. I give it a 3 out of 5, I'm not interested in reading the rest of the series.



I enjoyed that book and read the others. I thought that the story line was very interesting, made me think what I would do if something like that happened.

Welcome

 

[Simba's Mom]

Just finished #27 of 60, "Murder at the Redwood Inn" (or was it Redwood Cove?) It renewed my faith in reading cozy mysteries-I thought it was cute. Lately, it seems that all the cozies I've read wait until almost the end to drop a little key fact that you needed to solve the mystery. I've always found that so annoying! But this didn't do that, was just straightforward, with likeable, somewhat quirky characters.

 

[willowsnn3]

#22/60

Night Light by Terri Blackstock
from Goodreads:
An era unlike any in modern civilization is descending without lights, electronics, running water, or automobiles. As a global blackout lengthens into months, the neighbors of Oak Hollow grapple with a chilling realization: the power may never return.

Survival has become a lifestyle. When two young thieves break into the Brannings' home and clean out the food in their pantry, Jeff Branning tracks them to a filthy apartment and discovers a family of children living alone, stealing to stay alive. Where is their mother? The search for answers uncovers a trail of desperation and murder . . . and for the Brannings, a powerful new purpose that can transform their entire community - and above all, themselves.

This is the second in the Restoration series. Pretty good.

 

[disneychrista]

#21.5 Every Second with You by Lauren Blakely

Book 3 in the No Regrets series. Every Second With You = Sex. Love. Addiction. Heartache. Pain. And Hope.


#22.5 Bone Box by Faye Kellerman

In this thrilling chapter in Faye Kellerman’s bestselling series, Rina Lazarus makes a shocking discovery in the woods of her upstate New York community that leads her husband, police detective Peter Decker, through a series of gruesome, decades old, unsolved murders, pointing to a diabolical, serial killer who’s been hiding in plain sight.

On a bright and crisp September morning, while walking a bucolic woodland trail, Rina Decker stumbles upon human remains once buried deep beneath the forest grounds. Immediately, she calls her husband, Peter, a former detective lieutenant with LAPD, now working for the local Greenbury Police. Within hours, a vista of beauty and tranquility is transformed into a frenetic crime scene. The body has been interred for years and there is scant physical evidence at the gravesite: a youthful skeleton, a skull wound and long dark strands of hair surrounding the bony frame. As Decker and his partner, Tyler McAdams, further investigate, they realize that they’re most likely dealing with a missing student from the nearby Five Colleges of Upstate—a well-known and well-respected consortium of higher learning where Rina works.

And when more human remains are found in the same area, Decker and McAdams know this isn’t just a one-off murder case. Short-staffed and with no convenient entry into the colleges, Decker enlists Rina’s help to act as the eyes and ears of campus gossip. Winding their way through a dangerous labyrinth of steely suspects and untouchable academics, Decker, McAdams, and Rina race to protect their community from a psychopathic killer still in the area—and on the hunt for a fresh victim.

Apparently there is an entire series of books with these characters. I seem to do that a lot. Pick up a book only to find out it is part of a series (and it's not the first book). It didn't seem to matter this time that I didn't read the other books first.

 

[Kirby]

#2 - Friday the Rabbi Slept Late by Harry Kemelman.

This was our book club pick for the month of June. I give it a 2.5 out of 4. It reminds me of Agatha Christie. I can usually figure out the murderer before the end but not on this one.

 

[Tiggerish]

Week 25 - This week I read four books which brings me to 81/104. The books I read this week are:

Then Came You by Becky Wade. Christian romantic fiction. This is the prequel to her Bradford Sisters series. It is the story of how the Bradford sisters' parents meet but since it is only the introduction to the series, it does not have the happy ending but more of a cliff-hanger ending with them meeting but not yet a couple.

The Luckiest Woman Alive by Nell Gordon. Mystery. This is the second book in the series. In the first book, Molly decides to recover from her divorce by moving to France, stumbles unto a murder, solves it and decides to make it a permanent home, buying a house and starting to remodel it into a B & B. In the second book, her best friend from America comes for an extended visit. Molly sees a older woman die and it turns out to be a murder by poisoning. She works with the local police chief to solve the murder but not before there are two more poisoning. The book ends with the murderer caught and Molly and the policeman lined up to start a romance.

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. Lewis is best known for his Chronicles of Narnia series but he wrote a number of other books also. This book is also allegory. The writer, in a dream, boards a bus and embarks on a journey through Heaven and Hell. It is an incredible study of good and evil and the ultimate consequences of everyday behaviors. It is a small book but I found I needed to read it in short sections as I needed time and space to digest what he was trying to get across.

If I'm Found by Terri Blackstock. Christian mystery. This is the sequel to "If I Run" and was just as good. Casey is still on the run after being set up for the murder of her best friend. Dylan is a former soldier with PTSD, who has been hired as a private investigator by the dead man's family to find Casey. In the first book, Dylan starts having doubts about Casey's guilt and lets her escape. In this book, he resumes tracking her while investigating the circumstances leading to her being on the run. In the meantime, Casey is still on the run and trying to clear her name. She stumbles across a suicidal man who has been falsely charged with child molestation. She is successful in exposing the actual molester. In doing so, she reveals where she is at and is tracked down by Dylan and the crooked cops. Dylan, now convinced of her innocence, acts as a diversion so she manages to get away again. There is a third (and final) book in the series, If I Live, but it is not going to be published until March of 2018 so I will have to wait to see how it all comes together.

 

[amberpi]

Is it too late to join in? I always try to read one more book than I did last year. Its pretty easy with Kindle Unlimited/Kindle to keep track. I read really heavy literature, or far more, bad sci fi. I'm not even apologizing for the latter!