Here it is - the OFFICIAL 2014 READING GOAL CHALLENGE THREAD

[jenny105]

I finished Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead a couple nights ago. Book #21/30. Currently working on The Ninth Key by Meg Cabot (which is part of the Mediator series) and Last Sacrifice which is the last book of the Vampire Academy series.

I'd say read the Kindle books first, or if you can juggle more than one book at a time, keep the Kindle with you and read whenever you have down time, like waiting at the doctor's office, or waiting for your kid after school, etc. I recently spent 45 minutes in the dentist's chair, waiting for the goo to set for a new impression for a new dental plate, and I finished four chapters in my current book. I keep one "real" book on my nightstand and one on the table next to my recliner, so I usually have at least three going at one time.

Which reminds me, I haven't recorded my completed books for a couple of months. My project for tomorrow will be to count them all up and post on this thread.

Queen Colleen

I usually read my kindle books at work on the PC app when I have some downtime. (shh, don't tell). The real books I'll read during my lunch break or at home. Hopefully I can finish them all before they're due.

If you can manage it, turn your wireless off on your Kindle while you have those books. They won't go POOF until your wireless connects back and then they get pulled. I've had to do this a few times when I got too many books at once and needed to finish one.

I didn't know that. Thanks for the tip!

 

[tiggrbaby]

#14/40: An Innocent Client by Scott Pratt

From Amazon:
A preacher is found brutally murdered in a Tennessee motel room.

A beautiful, mysterious young girl is accused.

In this bestselling debut, criminal defense lawyer Joe Dillard has become jaded over the years as he's tried to balance his career against his conscience. Savvy but cynical, Dillard wants to quit doing criminal defense, but he can't resist the chance to represent someone who might actually be innocent. His drug-addicted sister has just been released from prison and his mother is succumbing to Alzheimer's, but Dillard's commitment to the case never wavers despite the personal troubles and professional demands that threaten to destroy him.


If you like John Grisham, then this book is for you! I liked that the main character was not perfect, but loved his family and wanted to do the right thing. I will definitely try the next book in the series.

4.5/5 stars

 

[K and K's Mommy]

#21 out of 30

Wow, I am doing really well on my book goal this time around!

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

I don't normally 5-star a book, but I did this one! I LOVED this book! It's not even my particular genre, and I don't think it's been mentioned on the DIS before, so not sure HOW it ended up on my list, but SO GLAD IT DID!

By far the best book I've read in 2014! This is one of those few & far between books that I read and just know the story & characters will stay with me for a long long time. Most books for me are forgettable (I just look at my list in my signature and can't remember what most were about! lol), but I won't be forgetting this book anytime soon.

Really good choice for a book club if anyone is needing a recommendation. It's the kind of book that makes you really stop and think long after you've closed the book for the final time.

In a nutshell, it's the story of a young woman, unhappy with her life, who takes on a job caring for a quadriplegic man. It's more than just a love story, it's a story that tackles some serious & mature topics. The author is delightful in her writing - I loved the ease in which she writes, I loved the realness of the characters, I loved the author's sense of humor (her writing in some parts reminded me somewhat of Sophie Kinsella, Shopaholic series).

Highly recommend! (Just have a box of tissues nearby...)

Next up: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

It's been so long since I updated, but I read this about a month ago. I don't even know how to review it because I'm still not sure about it.

 

[Kathi OD]

So THIS explains why my Nook books always last longer than 2 weeks! I very rarely have my wireless on with my Nook, and my books have always lasted much longer than the 2 week loan period. I was beginning to think it was a lie my library was telling me, LOL.

With my Nook, even if the wireless is off, if I somehow "close" the book, it will go poof. So, that means no doing anything else "at all" when I'm overdue.

 

[zippitydoo]

Book 36 of 50

Savage Drift(Monument 14 #3 of 3) by Emmy Laybourne

From Goodreads:
The stunningly fierce conclusion to Emmy Laybourne's Monument 14 trilogy.

The survivors of the Monument 14 have finally made it to the safety of a Canadian refugee camp. Dean and Alex are cautiously starting to hope that a happy ending might be possible.

But for Josie, separated from the group and trapped in a brutal prison camp for exposed Type Os, things have gone from bad to worse. Traumatized by her experiences, she has given up all hope of rescue or safety.

Meanwhile, scared by the government's unusual interest in her pregnancy, Astrid (with her two protectors, Dean and Jake in tow) joins Niko on his desperate quest to be reunited with his lost love Josie.

 

[Christine]

#21 out of 30

Wow, I am doing really well on my book goal this time around!

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

I don't normally 5-star a book, but I did this one! I LOVED this book! It's not even my particular genre, and I don't think it's been mentioned on the DIS before, so not sure HOW it ended up on my list, but SO GLAD IT DID!

By far the best book I've read in 2014! This is one of those few & far between books that I read and just know the story & characters will stay with me for a long long time. Most books for me are forgettable (I just look at my list in my signature and can't remember what most were about! lol), but I won't be forgetting this book anytime soon.

Really good choice for a book club if anyone is needing a recommendation. It's the kind of book that makes you really stop and think long after you've closed the book for the final time.

In a nutshell, it's the story of a young woman, unhappy with her life, who takes on a job caring for a quadriplegic man. It's more than just a love story, it's a story that tackles some serious & mature topics. The author is delightful in her writing - I loved the ease in which she writes, I loved the realness of the characters, I loved the author's sense of humor (her writing in some parts reminded me somewhat of Sophie Kinsella, Shopaholic series).

Highly recommend! (Just have a box of tissues nearby...)

Next up: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

I've been reading JoJo Moyes books all year. I read that one a few months ago. I really do like these books. I just finished "The Last Letter for Your Lover" or something like that. Also very good. There are two stories that run simultaneously: one in the early 1960s where a rich, socialite woman in a boring life falls in love with an unlikely reporter and their tragic love story. Woman gets in a accident and doesn't remember for a long time. Then, in present time, there is a minor story of a reporter who stumbles upon these letters and kind of solves the love story for the two 1960s characters, and she has her own saga going. I liked it. I really enjoyed the 1960s part of the story and the contrast on how women's roles have changed since that time.

 

[timsprincess]

Book #22 of 30

Small Acts of Amazing Courage (Rosalind of the Raj #1)
by Gloria Whelan

2 stars

It is 1918, six months after the end of World War I, and Rosalind awaits the return of her father from the war. While it is common practice for British children in India to be packed off to boarding school at the age of 6, Rosalind is unusual because she lives and is schooled in India because her mother insists. The heart of this penetrating story is Rosalind's coming of age set against the hardship of life for the Indian people, Rosalind's daily life in India, the rise of Ghandi and Rosalind's coming to make her own decisions and become her own person.

My take -- This book has interesting characters and places but it just never takes off with a story. And now that I see it is the first in the series, that explains much. This is written to set up the series, without much of an adventure to go on. The adventure must start in the next book.

 

[threeboysmom]

It's been so long since I updated, but I read this about a month ago. I don't even know how to review it because I'm still not sure about it.

Yes, I had to gather my thoughts before reviewing, but honestly I'm still sorting out my thoughts. This book would make for such a great book club discussion. I still have SO many different emotions swirling about inside me. And in my opinion, THAT'S what makes a great book - when it gets you to think even long after you've finished the book. A good book is not just about a happy ending or a fun plot or one that gives you a "warm & fuzzy" feeling, etc.

 

[threeboysmom]

I've been reading JoJo Moyes books all year. I read that one a few months ago. I really do like these books. I just finished "The Last Letter for Your Lover" or something like that. Also very good. There are two stories that run simultaneously: one in the early 1960s where a rich, socialite woman in a boring life falls in love with an unlikely reporter and their tragic love story. Woman gets in a accident and doesn't remember for a long time. Then, in present time, there is a minor story of a reporter who stumbles upon these letters and kind of solves the love story for the two 1960s characters, and she has her own saga going. I liked it. I really enjoyed the 1960s part of the story and the contrast on how women's roles have changed since that time.

Yes, that's the first thing I thought of when I finished the book - "I need to find more books by this author!" I just loved this author's style of writing. It's funny how some authors click with you and others it just doesn't happen...

That particular book sounds great! I need to add it to my list!

 

[PigletsPal2]

Goal: 100 books this year. (I dropped reading the Bible in its entirety because I'm so far behind. I'm still reading it, but it's no longer part of my challenge.)

#16 - The Alienist by Caleb Carr. I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but I guess it didn't make that much of an impression, because I can't even remember what it was about.

#17 - At Home With The Queen by Brian Hoey. The behind the scenes inner workings of Buckingham Palace. I'm a huge Anglophile, so I enjoyed it very much.

#18 - A Grosvenor Square Christmas by various authors. Stories of guests at one of Victorian London's most prestigious holiday parties.

#19 - How Not To Be A Tourist in London by P.K. Munroe.

#20 - The London Bucket List: 50 Places You Have to See in London. This was a Kindle freebie; since I've seen most of them, I wouldn't have paid for this book, but it would be very interesting for a novice London visitor. (Maybe pair it up with the book noted above...)

#21 - Mr. Darcy Came to Dinner by Jack Caldwell. Jane Austen fanfic.

#22 - Mr. Darcy's Proposal by Susan Mason-Milks. More Jane Austen fanfic.

#23 - My Year With Eleanor by Noelle Hancock. An unemployed social blogger tackles one thing that scares her every day. Some of her challenges are sky-diving, swimming with sharks, doing stand-up comedy, working with an undertaker. This was an interesting recounting of an interesting subject.

#24 - To Marry an English Lord by various authors. The true stories of American heiresses who married impoverished English aristocracy. Some of the American families featured are the Astors, the Vanderbilts, the Coopers, the Whitneys, the Jeromes, the Pulitzers, and the Whartons. Very interesting (to me!)

#25 - Upstairs at the White House by J. B. West. White House Chief Usher J. B. West recounts his career under the Franklin Roosevelts, the Trumans, the Eisenhowers, the Kennedys, the Johnsons, and the Nixons. He writes much more about the First Ladies than about the Presidents.

I've read more, but I have to track them down and record them.

Queen Colleen

 

[Caseheidi]

Goal: 60 ( all summary a from Goodreads)

It has been about 5 weeks since I last posted. Sorry for the long list.

Book 36: The Scandal in Kissing An Heir by Sophia Barnes
A typical Historical Romance. An enjoyable quick read, but not very memorable

He is the next Marquis of Wolvington…
She is a lady with nothing but beauty and wits…
Together they share a forbidden kiss.

Lady Rebecca is determined to find a husband on her own terms, rather than marry any of the aging suitors her greedy aunt and uncle foist upon her. Her chance comes at the Kingsborough Ball, where she meets several potential grooms…yet no one compares to the dangerously handsome Daniel Neville.

Daniel Neville, notorious rake and heir to the Marquis of Wolvington, is in need of a bride, but finding a lady who’s willing to accept his past, is an entirely different matter. When he spies a stunning woman across the ballroom, Daniel believes he’s found her…until scandal erupts around them. How can he convince Rebecca to take a chance on him…and on the love that could be theirs forever after?

Book 37: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Possibly the best book I have read thus far this year. I will not do a summary as it has bees reviewed several times on this and las years thread

Book 38: The Chase (Book 2 The Fox and O'Hare Novels) by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldburg
If you enjoy Janet Evanovich, you will like this series. I find it witty, funny and a good ride.

Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg, New York Times bestselling authors of The Heist, return in this action-packed, exciting adventure featuring master con artist Nicolas Fox and die-hard FBI agent Kate O’Hare. And this time around, things go from hot to nuclear when government secrets are on the line. Internationally renowned thief and con artist Nicolas Fox is famous for running elaborate and daring scams. His greatest con of all: convincing the FBI to team him up with the only person who has ever caught him, and the only woman to ever capture his attention, Special Agent Kate O’Hare. Together they’ll go undercover to swindle and catch the world’s most wanted—and untouchable—criminals. Their newest target is Carter Grove, a former White House chief of staff and the ruthless leader of a private security agency. Grove has stolen a rare Chinese artifact from the Smithsonian, a crime that will torpedo U.S. relations with China if it ever becomes public. Nick and Kate must work under the radar—and against the clock—to devise a plan to steal the piece back. Confronting Grove’s elite assassins, Nick and Kate rely on the skills f their ragtag crew, including a flamboyant actor, a Geek Squad techie, and a band of AARP-card-carrying mercenaries led by none other than Kate’s dad. A daring heist and a deadly chase lead Nick and Kate from Washington, D.C., to Shanghai, from the highlands of Scotland to the underbelly of Montreal. But it’ll take more than death threats, trained henchmen, sleepless nights, and the fate of a dynasty’s priceless heirloom to outsmart Fox and O’Hare. From the Hardcover edition.

Book 39: Sisters of the Confederacy (Book 2 Secret Refuge) by Lauraine Snelling
Book 40: The Long Way Home (Book 3 Secret Refuge) by Lauraine Snelling
I really enjoyed this series up to the last two chapters. I didn't like how there was just a quick wrap up of the story through some letters. I really just wanted the series to continue and go in depth for the next part of the characters lives. I would recommend this series.

When her sister fights to hold on to the family legacy, Louisa Highwood works tirelessly to save the lives of wounded soldiers. Putting her own safety n the line, she covertly ventures behind enemy lines to procure desperately needed supplies for the army hospital in Richmond, Virginia.
Meanwhile, Jesselynn Highwood and her ragtag band of freed slaves and Thoroughbreds seek refuge along the Oregon Trail, unable to imagine what awaits them.
An exciting tale of courage, adventure, and romance amid the turbulence of the Civil War.

Book 41:Top Secret Twenty-One (Stephanie Plum Series) by Janet Evanovich
If you know Stephanie Plum, you already know what to expect

Catch a professional assassin: top priority. Find a failure-to-appear and collect big bucks: top score. How she’ll pull it all off: top secret.

Trenton, New Jersey’s favorite used-car dealer, Jimmy Poletti, was caught selling a lot more than used cars out of his dealerships. Now he’s out on bail and has missed his date in court, and bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is looking to bring him in. Leads are quickly turning into dead ends, and all too frequently into dead bodies. Even Joe Morelli, the city’s hottest cop, is struggling to find a clue to the suspected killer’s whereabouts. These are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. So Stephanie is going to have to do something she really doesn’t want to do: protect former hospital security guard and general pain in her behind Randy Briggs. Briggs was picking up quick cash as Poletti’s bookkeeper and knows all his boss’s dirty secrets. Now Briggs is next on Poletti’s list of people to put six feet under.

To top things off, Ranger—resident security expert and Stephanie’s greatest temptation—has been the target of an assassination plot. He’s dodged the bullet this time, but if Ranger wants to survive the next attempt on his life, he’ll have to enlist Stephanie’s help and reveal a bit more of his mysterious past.

Death threats, highly trained assassins, highly untrained assassins, and Stark Street being overrun by a pack of feral Chihuahuas are all in a day’s work for Stephanie Plum. The real challenge is dealing with her Grandma Mazur’s wild bucket list. A **** job and getting revenge on Joe Morelli’s Grandma Bella can barely hold a candle to what’s number one on the list—but that’s top secret.

Book 42: Taken In Death (Eve Dallas -In Death Series short story) by JD Robb

Two young children disappear from their East Side home in New York City, their nanny killed in cold blood. As Lieutenant Eve Dallas begins to unravel the crime scene and search for the children, she's drawn into the twisted mind of a kidnapper who will stop at nothing to take revenge.

Book 43: Naked In Death(Eve Dallas - In Death Series #1) by JD Robb
I was in the mood for this series, so decided to start over again. Love these books.

It is the year 2058, and technology now completely rules the world. But New York City Detective Eve Dallas knows that the irresistible impulses of the human heart are still ruled by just one thing: passion.

When a senator's daughter is killed, the secret life of prostitution she'd been leading is revealed. The high-profile case takes Lieutenant Eve Dallas into the rarefied circles of Washington politics and society. Further complicating matters is Eve's growing attraction to Roarke, who is one of the wealthiest and most influential men on the planet, devilishly handsome... and the leading suspect in the investigation.

 

[BonnieF]

Hi all - it's been a while since I've posted. Winter just does me in. I thought the awful weather would have meant more reading, but no, the TV was too enticing. But I have made a start on my challenge. Here's my list so far:

1. The Invention of Wings
2.The Light Between Oceans
3. We are Water
4. The Aftermath
5. Left Neglected
6. Just One Evil Act
7. The Goldfinch

I'd recommend all except The Goldfinch. It started out quite well, but the endless tribulations and neglect became too much for me about 3/4 of the way through.

As of 6/28 -

8. Black & White (Dani Shapiro)
9. Cut Me Loose: Sin and Salvation After My Ultra-Orthodox Girlhood (Leah Vincent)
10. Fault Lines (Anne Rivers Siddons)
11. The Fault in Our Stars (John Greene)
12. Somerset (Leila Meacham)
13. The Museum of Extraordinary Things (Alice Hoffman)

All have been quite good and I'd recommend them all, especially #13 - it really captures New York just after the turn of the last century. The author's use of historical events as her backdrop, along with great descriptions of life in the city make it very interesting.
Somerset (#12) is actually a prequel to Roses - but since I read it first, I guess I made it a sequel! Roses is up next, #14.
I'm also making the Game of Thrones series my 'summer reading' and am well into vol. 1. Since I love the HBO series, I thought I'd see what they leave out. I'll list those as I get to them.

Happy Summer!!

 

[ksjayhawks]

eight more for me--so at 37

4 more kindle freebies
4 "real" books:
Seriously. . .I'm Kidding
Happy, Happy, Happy
Si-cology1
Heaven is Real

 

[wgeo]

#14. Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
I read this book to check it out for my 10 year old son. I enjoyed the book, very easy read but I did think there were a couple of scenes with content that was to old for my son. I will probably pick up the other 2 in the series because I enjoyed the premise.

#15. Tell No One by. Harlan Coben
I liked this book enough twists and turns to keep me interested. I've read other Coben books and will continue to read more when I can find them.

 

[amberg93]

Finished #7: The Maze Runner

It was good but not as good as some of the other dystopian novels that I've read. I'll read the sequels but I've got other books on my list to read first. I'll likely go and see the movie though.

Started #8: Emma by Jane Austen

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

#7
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)
by Rick Riordan
It was by the table as we were heading to the beach so I grabbed. I liked saw part of the movie with the kids in th house so I knew what was going to happen. I do not think my daughter is reading the other one so that pretty much will wrap it up for me as well.

"Written for You" Giveaway at Goodreads ends today if anyone is interested, and anyone with a Kindle or Nook would gladly send gift copies of any of my books.

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/93899-written-for-you

 

[Pig Pen]

19 of 25 - The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon.

I chose this book because it takes place in Vermont which is where I am from. Teenaged Ruthie comes home after a party and finds her younger sister home alone and their mom is missing. While searching the old farmhouse for clues to their mom's whereabouts, they come across some odd items that only serve to deepen the mystery. The story travels back and forth between 1908 when the ghost story begins, to the present. It managed to hold my interest and I recommend it as an easy, creepy read with some twists and surprises.

I am still working on Goldfinch between library books but "Inferno" by Dan Brown just came through on my library list so I will be tackling that one next.

 

[portia9]

#63 The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

I have loved other books of hers but felt this dragged a little.

 

[CaliBear]

I've been trying to get through A Game of Thrones but it is SLOW going for me. I'm finding it incredibly boring because so far it's everything I have already seen on the show(and I JUST binge watched it last month so it's still pretty fresh).

I'm going to start something else and maybe catch up on my goal.

I'm not giving up on GoT, but I'm not going to focus on only that anymore.

The first book was adapted quite literally, but the second book is SO much better than season 2. They started cutting a lot and making changes from season 2 onwards, so I hope you will give A Clash of Kings a shot.

 

[CaliBear]

#21 out of 30

Wow, I am doing really well on my book goal this time around!

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

I don't normally 5-star a book, but I did this one! I LOVED this book! It's not even my particular genre, and I don't think it's been mentioned on the DIS before, so not sure HOW it ended up on my list, but SO GLAD IT DID!

By far the best book I've read in 2014! This is one of those few & far between books that I read and just know the story & characters will stay with me for a long long time. Most books for me are forgettable (I just look at my list in my signature and can't remember what most were about! lol), but I won't be forgetting this book anytime soon.

Really good choice for a book club if anyone is needing a recommendation. It's the kind of book that makes you really stop and think long after you've closed the book for the final time.

In a nutshell, it's the story of a young woman, unhappy with her life, who takes on a job caring for a quadriplegic man. It's more than just a love story, it's a story that tackles some serious & mature topics. The author is delightful in her writing - I loved the ease in which she writes, I loved the realness of the characters, I loved the author's sense of humor (her writing in some parts reminded me somewhat of Sophie Kinsella, Shopaholic series).

Highly recommend! (Just have a box of tissues nearby...)

Next up: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

I've had this on my Kindle wish list for awhile now. Thanks for the review, will keep it in mind next time I go book shopping.