BookLizard's 131313 Category Challenge - Part Two

1. Juvenile 13/13 completed
2. YA 13/13 completed
3. SF 13/13 completed
4. Historical Romance 13/13 completed
5. Vampire Romance/Urban Fantasy 13/13 completed
6. Dresden Files 13/13 completed
7. Urban Fantasy (Other) 13/13 completed
8. Paranormal Romance (Non-Vampire) 13/13 completed
9. New-to-Me Authors 13/13 completed
10 Graphic Novels/Manga/Comics 13/13 completed
11 Mysteries 13/13 completed
12 Rereads/Second Chances 13/13 completed
13 Miscellaneous 13/13 completed

1. Juvenile completed

1. Lulu and the Dog from the Sea by Hilary McKay ****
2. Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George ****
3. Sunny Sweet Is So Not Sorry by Jennifer Ann Mann ****
4. Lulu and the Cat in the Bag by Hilary McKay ***1/2
5. Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynowski ****
6. Prisoner 88 by Leah Pileggi ****
7. Pet War by Allan Woodrow ****
8. Westing Game by Ellen Raskin ****
9. The Secret of the Mansion by Julie Campbell ****
10. Operation Bunny by Sally Gardner ***
11. Little House on the Praire by Laura Ingalls Wilder ****
12. The Celery Stalks at Midnight by James Howe ****
13. Royal Ranger by John Flanagan ****1/2

TBR:

Secret Promise by Paula Harrison
Sidekicked by John David Anderson

2. Young Adult completed

1. Fire by Kristin Cashore ****1/2
2. Runaway King by Jennifer Nielsen ****1/2
3. Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers ****
4. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore ****1/2
5. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor ****
6. The City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare ****
7. The City of Glass by Cassandra Clare ****1/2
8. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green ****1/2
9. Graceling by Kristin Cashore ****1/2
10. The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud ****
11. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher ****
12. The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross ****
13. Dodger by Terry Pratchett ***1/2

TBR:

Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher 4/23
If I Should Die by Amy Plum 5/7
Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood 6/18

3. SF completed

1. Rebel Heart by Moira Young ****1/2
2. Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin ***1/2
3. Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi **** 1/2
4. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout ***1/2
5. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey ****
6. Across the Universe by Beth Revis ***
7. Orleans by Sherri L. Smith ****
8. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion ****1/2
9. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline *****
10. Eve by Anna Carey ****
11. Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien ***1/2
12. Allegiant by Veronica Roth ****1/2
13. Horde by Ann Aguirre ****1/2

TBR:

4. Historical Romance completed

1. One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah Maclean ****
2. One Heart to Win by Johanna Lindsey ****
3. Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn ****1/2
4. What Happens in London by Julia Quinn ****1/2
5. The Lady Most Likely by Julia Quinn, Connie Brockway, and Eloisa James ****
6. Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas *****
7. Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas ****1/2
8. Tempt Me at Twilight by Lisa Kleypas *****
9. The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn ****
10. Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas ****
11. Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas ****1/2
12. The Seducer by Madeline Hunter ***1/2
13. Everything and the Moon by Julia Quinn ***1/2

TBR:

Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor
The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn 10/29
No Good Duke Goes Unpunished Sarah MacLean 11/26

5. Vampire Romance/Urban Fantasy completed

1. The Keepers by Heather Graham ***1/2
2. Immortal Ever After by Lynsay Sands **1/2
3. Lover at Last by J. R. Ward ****
4. Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost ****
5. Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris ****1/2
6. Affliction by Laurell K. Hamilton ****1/2
7. Bound By Night by Larissa Ione ****
8. Darkness Rises by Dianne Duvall ****
9. No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon ****
10. Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon ****1/2
11. Blood Seduction by Pamela Palmer ***
12. Time Untime by Sherrilyn Kenyon ****1/2
13. Vampire with the Dragon Tattoo by Kerrelyn Sparks ***1/2

TBR:

One Lucky Vampire by Lynsay Sands 9/24
Another One Bites the Dust by Jennifer Rardin
Biting the Bullet by Jennifer Rardin
Bitten to Death by Jennifer Rardin
One More Bite by Jennifer Rardin
Bite Marks by Jennifer Rardin
Vampire Dawn by J. R. Rain
Vampire Games by J. R. Rain

6. Dresden Files - completed

1. Storm Front by Jim Butcher ****1/2
2. Fool Moon by Jim Butcher ****1/2
3. Grave Peril by Jim Butcher ****
4. Summer Knight by Jim Butcher ****
5. Death Masks by Jim Butcher ****1/2
6. Blood Rites by Jim Butcher *****
7. Dead Beat by Jim Butcher *****
8. Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher ****1/2
9. White Night by Jim Butcher ****1/2
10. Small Favor by Jim Butcher *****
11. Turn Coat by Jim Butcher *****
12. Changes by Jim Butcher ****
13. Ghost Story by Jim Butcher ****1/2

7. Urban Fantasy (Other) completed

1. Iced by Karen Marie Moning ****1/2
2. Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs ****1/2
3. The Good, The Bad and the Undead by Kim Harrison ****
4. Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison ***
5. Cold Days by Jim Butcher ****1/2
6. Hexed by Kevin Hearne ****1/2
7. Hot Blooded by Amanda Carlson ***1/2
8. Hammered by Kevin Hearne ****1/2
9. Tricked by Kevin Hearne ****
10. Trapped by Kevin Hearne ****1/2
11. Hunted by Kevin Hearne ****1/2
12. Fifth Grave Past the Light by Darynda Jones ****1/2
13. Codex Born by Jim C Hines ****1/2

TBR:

Cold Blooded by Amanda Carlson 10/8

8. Paranormal Romance (Non-Vampire) completed

1. Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione ****
2. Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning ****1/2
3. Wild About You by Kerrelyn Sparks ****
4. Keeper of the Night by Heather Graham ***1/2
5. Darkest Night by Gena Showalter ****1/2
6. Keeper of the Shadows by Alexandra Sokoloff ****
7. Into the Dreaming by Karen Marie Moning ****
8. Dream Warrior by Sherrilyn Kenyon ***1/2
9. Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon ****
10. The Guardian by Sherrilyn Kenyon ****1/2
11. Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon *****
12. Sin Undone by Larissa Ione ****
13. Possession: A Novel of the Fallen Angels by J. R. Ward ***1/2

TBR:

9. New-to-Me Authors completed

1. Keeper of the Moon by Harley Jane Kozak ****
2. Urban Shaman by C. E. Murphy ****
3. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys ***1/2
4. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers *****
5. The Shifters by AlexandraSokoloff ****
6. The Wolven by Deboarah LeBlanc ***
7. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews ***1/2
8. The Edge of Never by J. A. Redmerski ****
9. Hounded by Kevin Hearne ****1/2
10. 11/22/63 by Stephen King ****
11. Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien ****
12. A Dangerous Love by Brenda Joyce ***1/2
13. Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines ****1/2

TBR:

Sins of the Heart by Eve Silver
Grave Witch by Kalayna Price
Earl of Darkness by Alix Rickloff

10. Graphic Novels/Manga/Comics - COMPLETED

1. Interview with the Vampire: Claudia's Story by Anne Rice ****
2. Moon Called: Volume 2 by Patricia Briggs ****
3. Charlaine Harris' Grave Sight Part 1 by Charlaine Harris ****
4. Charlaine Harris' Grave Sight Part 2 by Charlaine Harris ****
5. Charlaine Harris' Grave Sight Part 3 by Charlaine Harris ****
6. Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman ****
7. Breaking Down by Stefan Petrucha ***
8. The Sandman: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman ****1/2
9. Welcome to the Jungle by Jim Butcher ****1/2
10. How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You ****
11. The Dresden Files: Storm Front, Vol. 1 ****
12. The Dresden Files: Storm Front, Vol. 2 ****
13. The Dresden Files: Fool Moon, Vol. 1 ***1/2

TBR:

Rabbi's Cat

11. Mysteries completed

1. Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich ****
2. Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich ****1/2
3. Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich ****
4. Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich ****
5. Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich ****
6. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich ****
7. Inferno by Dan Brown *****
8. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich ***1/2
9. Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich ****1/2
10. Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich ****
11. Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich ****
12. Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich ****
13. Hiss of Death by Rita Mae Brown ***1/2

TBR:

12. Rereads/Second Chances completed

1. Written in the Stars by Nan Ryan
2. Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison ****1/2
3. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare ***1/2
4. To Say Nothing of the Dog; or, How We Found the Bishop's Bird Stump at Last by Connie Willis *****
5. Better Days and Other Stories by Joss Whedon ****1/2
6. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton *****
7. Bunnicula by Deborah Howe *****
8. Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (second chance) ***
9. Howliday Inn by James Howe *****
10. The Bride by Julie Garwood *****
11. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney ***1/2
12. The Wedding by Julie Garwood ****
13. The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett ****1/2

TBRR:

13. Miscellaneous completed

1. The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After by Julia Quinn ****
2. Side Jobs by Jim Butcher ****
3. The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Trials of Amanda Knox by Nina Burleigh ****
4. I Will See You in Heaven (Cat Lover's Edition) by Jack Wintz ***1/2
5. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller ****
6. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? ****1/2
7. Denmark (Cultures of the World) by Robert Pateman ***
8. A Girl's Guide to Fitting in Fitness by Erin Whitehead and Jennifer Walters ****
9. Virgin Diet by J.J. Virgin
10. The Edge of Always by J. A. Redmerski ****
11. Who Was Dracula? Bram Stoker's Trail of Blood by Jim Steimeyer ****
12. Waiting to Be Heard by Amanda Knox ****
13. Ghoul Goblin by Jim Butcher ****

TBR:

Ella Minnow Pea

OK, I had some weirdness happening while moving stuff to the new thread, but I think it's all good now.

Welcome to my new thread!

I spoke, er, typed too soon.

Weirdness happens when moving to a new thread.... or at least it does when I set up a new thread! Settling in to your new thread to see what you will be reading next.

Wow, you are making great progress in this challenge! Congrats on completing two categories!

Happy new thread! And wow, I didn't realize that Stephanie Plum was up to #20! Learn something new every day.

Thanks, everyone!

19> It's due out in November. I'm kind of stuck on #16 - I don't care if Vinny gets rescued or not. LOL.

90. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare. ****1/2



In the third book of the series, Clary is determined to head to the Shadowhunters' homeland of Idris in search of the warlock Ragnor Fell, the only person who can save Clary's mother. But Jace is just as determined to keep Clary safe in New York, as far away from the Clave as possible.

*sigh* Don't you just love it when a series works out just like you hoped and suspected it would? I don't know why there are 2 or 3 more books in the series. I'm satisfied now. Which is a good thing since the Kindle is due back at the library tomorrow.

Coming by to make sure I don't miss out on your new shiny thread!

I think Stephen King writes series and just hasn't realized it yet. Seriously, when one "part" of a 6 part book is over 200 pages - that's not a "part" - that's book 2 of the trilogy. I'm currently reading (and reading and reading) 11/22/63. This could have (should have?) been broken into 3 parts like The Lord of the Rings was.

No way could I have read this in hardcover. It's on the Kindle Keyboard I borrowed from the library - which I don't like as much as my Nook or Kindle with the built-in light. It doesn't have a touch screen - you have to press buttons/tabs beside the screen to turn the pages. And of course I'm always hitting them accidentally or hitting the wrong one because it's different than my Nook. I got completely lost once - somehow went back to the first page and it took me almost 10 minutes to figure out how to try to find my way back to where I was. (Thank God for Google - I also figured out how to see what page I was on.)

We're on Day 5 (and hopefully the last day) of a heat wave. It's been in the 90s with a heat index of 100+. I'm sure some of you deal with worse on a regular basis, but then some of you also have air conditioning. I don't - except in the car. I've been sitting in semi-darkness trying to stay cool. And trying to read, without a glowlight.

11/22/63 in hardcover is one door stopper of a book, that is for sure! Maybe King, with 11/22/63 had the same problem Diana Gabaldon has admitted to having: Just not capable of writing a 'normal' length novel?

So, I now know to not consider purchasing a Kindle that makes me press buttons to turn the page. ;-)

Here is hoping your heat wave will end soon and bring more normal temperatures your way.

91. 11/22/63 by Stephen King. ****



Jake Epping is an ordinary man given an extraordinary opportunity - the chance to travel back in time and prevent the assassination of President Kennedy. But this isn't a matter to be undertaken lightly. The time portal in the storeroom of Jake's favorite diner leads to the year 1958. If he wants to try to change the past, Jake will have to live there for several years. And the past doesn't want to be changed - if you mess with it, it will mess with you.

This is the first Stephen King novel I have ever read. I don't like scary stories. Never thought I would want to read Stephen King, then I reluctantly saw The Stand miniseries on TV and liked it - but not enough to read 800-1200 pages. When The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon came out, I tried to read that, but just couldn't. (Don't remember if I even started it.) So when SOMEONE in this group read 11/22/63 and posted a good review, I decided that maybe this would the Stephen King book for me to try. After several weeks of stalking, I finally got my hands on a library Kindle with the ebook on it, and I'm glad I did, because otherwise I might never had read it.

It wasn't a quick read, like some people have suggested. There were parts in the middle that seemed very slow to me, but I think I know why. This isn't a book about a man going back in time to try to stop the assassination of JFK. This is a story about a man who is given the chance to make a difference in the world. It's the story of a man who worries about how his decisions and actions will affect those around him. It's the story of a man who makes personal sacrifices for the greater good. A man who struggles to know right from wrong.

I think going in, I knew this could only end one way, and yet I kept reading wanting to find out if Jake was able to stop the assassination and what the effects were on the "future" if he did. When I realized that this book was about the journey, not the destination, I enjoyed it much more. The historical aspects were fascinating and the characters endearing. I'm glad I read it.

Great review of 11/22/63! I just might be tempted to buy the e-book. ;-)

I bought 11/22/63 at a FOL book sale and I was duly impressed with the heft of the book. I read most of it in bed propped up on a pillow to save my wrists and avoid a possible concussion if I fell asleep while reading. That being said, I'm glad it was not split up in more than one book. I am tired of publishers splitting up stories so that they can sell three or more times as many books. Especially those YA series that suffer from middle book syndrome where the second book is merely a bridge between the first and third and don't offer much in the way of plot or character development that could just have easily been part of one of the other books. I am just as frustrated by movie producers who feel that a book can be spread out over more than one movie (The Hobbit springs to mind).

27> OK, you're probably right about it being better as one book. I typed that comment in frustration before I finished the book and before I figured out that the ending wasn't what was important.

But I have to disagree a little bit about the movies. The reason many movies are nowhere near as good as the book is because they have to cut out so many details to fit the 2-3 hour time slot. Hobbit could have been 1-2 movies - no need for 3. Maybe the solution would be for screenwriters to write original *gasp* screenplays.

I had in mind Gone with the Wind, I think, when I said that. Much was cut from the book to fit in the movie (like the number of children Scarlett had) but I could not imagine it split into two or more movies.

What I don't understand about The Hobbit is the EXTENDED EDITION of Part 1 that will be released on DVD to coincide with Part 2's arrival in theatres. What could they possibly have left out?! They added so much to the original story already! My BF joked that it takes me less time to read the book than to watch the movie.

29> Scarlett had multiple children??? LOL. It's been a very long time since I've read the book (or seen the movie).

I think 4 hour movies are a thing of the past, but I wouldn't blame just the producers - the theaters want you to come twice and spend way too much on popcorn and soda.

30> Your BF is probably right.

92. Hammered by Kevin Hearne. ****1/2



Book Three of the Iron Druid Chronicles. Could have been filler, but managed not to be because the events in this book set into motion a chain of events that will have far-reaching consequences. We also get the backstories on a bunch of characters which again could have been filler, but were quite interesting and served a purpose in the plot.

93. Tricked by Kevin Hearne. ****



The fourth book in the series took me longer to read than the others. Middle part kind of lost me, but the ending was good.

94. Trapped by Kevin Hearne. ****1/2



Atticus' chickens are coming home to roost. As much as I love him, he kind of had this coming.

Ach, I need to get started on that series soon!

95. Affliction by Laurel K. Hamilton. ****1/2



A good addition to the series. Plenty of plot involving a possible zombie apocalypse. Lots of love, romance, and sex. Was hard to put down.

96. One Heart to Win by Johanna Lindsey. ****



It is what it is. If you like historical romances for their historical details and accuracy, look elsewhere. This isn't as good as some of Lindsey's earlier works - it isn't spicy, the whole plot is a bit convoluted and resolved rather quickly at the end - which could be annoying, but I just found funny (kind of like the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark where the bad guy does all the fancy swordplay and Indy just pulls out a gun and shoots him). It was what I needed now - a quick, fun, easy read.

97. Inferno by Dan Brown. *****



Fans of the Robert Langdon series will find much to love in this most recent installment. Langdon wakes up in a hospital bed, disoriented and suffering from short-term amnesia. He has no idea what has happened in the past 48 hours or how he got to Florence, Italy. When an assassin shows up in the ICU, Langdon's pretty young doctor helps him escape and the race is on.

This book in the series takes Dante's The Divine Comedy as its inspiration. I think what I like best about the book is that it presents a very real world problem with a villain who offers an immoral or amoral solution. It gives the reader something to ponder after the book is finished.

98. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, read by Kate Rudd. ****1/2



I've heard this book described as a tear jerker, so I had no desire to read it, because I don't like sad books. But someone at work recommended it, so I got the audiobook. It's about a girl with cancer who meets a boy at a cancer support group, so, duh, tear jerker. But the characters are so awesome and so funny and so irreverent that you just have to love them and laugh with them and cry with them. More laughter than tears and well worth a listen - the narrator did an excellent job.

Ooh, The Fault has gone of and come off my wishlist so, so many times, mainly because of the tear jerker angle. I guess the audio version will have to go back on for now... :)

40> I really liked the audiobook. Not sure if I would have enjoyed reading the book as much. The narrator does a great job of bringing the humor and emotion across. It's only 6 discs, so not too long. I think we do the book a disservice by calling it a tear jerker.

Some people (and many teens) seek out tear jerkers. I am jealous of people who can cry and not suffer any consequences. As for me, my eyes get so red and swollen that it affects my vision well into the next day. That is one reason I avoid those books. I love John Green and all of his books.

99. Into the Dreaming by Karen Marie Moning. ****



The edition of this novella that I read included bonus materials. The novella itself was OK, but I think I liked the alternate opening to Dark Highlander even better.

Recap for July

Books Read: 10

Categories:
4 Urban Fantasy
1 Paranormal Romance
2 Young Adult
1 Mystery
1 New-to-me Author
1 Historical Romance

July was another off month for me. I have chronic health problems and have been too sick and tired to read. Thank God I'm on vacation in 2 weeks. I hope I can make up for lost time then.

Hope you feel better soon, and enjoy your vacation when it comes!

I hope your vacation will be recuperative for you. Any plans or will you just relax?

I don't plan on going anywhere for my vacation. If I get bored staying home, maybe I'll go to Cape Cod for a day or two, but no plans.

100. Bound by Night by Larissa Ione. ****



I got this ARC from NetGalley. It's the first book in a new series from Larissa Ione. I don't like the mythology it uses for the origin of vampires, but the modern world is interesting.

I have to log a little bit of envy about vacation coming up - that's always nice, regardless what you do. :)

Feel better, BookLizard, and I hope you read some great books on your vacation!

Thanks for all the well-wishes. Counting down the days until my vacation.

101. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple. ****1/2



A funny story about perceptions versus reality and family dynamics. Eighth-grader Bee is the brilliant daughter of 2 brilliant, but eccentric, parents. Her father Elgin is a "rock star" at Microsoft while her mother, Bernadette Fox, was once an award-winning architect in L.A. Now they all live in Seattle where they have to deal with petty neighbors while planning for Bee's graduation present - a family trip to Antarctica.

Thanks to someone in this group for sharing this book with the rest of us. It was so funny. At the start, I wasn't sure if it was trying to be funny or not - the satire was rather subtle to start - but then it had many LOL moments as well as several poignant parts. I really identified with Bernadette, which has me a little bit worried. ;-) The only thing I didn't like was the very end - it felt too abrupt. Maybe I just didn't want it to end.

102. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. ****



Oh no! The aliens have arrived and they are NOT friendly. The first 4 waves of attack have decimated the human race. Cassie is a lone survivor who knows you can't trust anyone. But you have to trust sometimes, don't you? Otherwise, the aliens have already won. If humans let their paranoia keep them apart, the aliens can pick them off one by one. Is this the 5th wave of attack? This paranoia? Or is there more to come?

Some people love this book. I thought it was OK. I have enough paranoia in my life already - don't need any more.

Bernadette is a good book to check any and all normal thoughts prior to reading. It works as pure escapism but you are the ending seems to come out of no where and leaves the reader adrift, hopefully not on an iceberg.

What?! Aliens NOT friendly? I will happily dodge The 5th Wave. ;-)

103. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. ****



When a mysterious package arrives on his doorstep, Clay is excited until he discovers what it contains - 7 cassette tapes, each side numbered 1-13, that contain a message from a dead girl. Hannah committed suicide, and the tapes address the 13 people who played a role in her decision to end her own life. Clay doesn't understand why he would be included on the list, but the only way to find out is by listening to the tapes.

A sad, interesting look at small town life. It shows how everything you do can affect other people.

104. The Girl With the Iron Touch by Kady Cross. ****



Third in the series. A fun YA steampunk adventure. This book focuses on Emily.

Ok, jumping onboard with the book meme Lori introduced in her thread.

If you could eat dinner with 7 fictional characters, who would you choose and where would they sit? (Picture a circular table where you are situated between guest #1 and guest #7)

To keep this doable, I'm using only characters who appeared in books I read this year.

1. Harry Dresden (from the Dresden Files) - funny and noble wizard. I could share a few laughs with him.
2. Cat (from the Night Huntress series, also appears in Twice Tempted) - kick-ass half human, half-vampire. Her hubby Bones is intense, and I think she could use a laugh.
3. Atticus O'Sullivan (from The Iron Druid Chronicles) - funny iron druid. Would love to see if he hit it off with Harry or if they'd bicker non-stop because they're a lot alike. Either way will be entertaining for the rest of us.
4. Mercy Thompson (from The Mercy Thompson series) - her Native American ancestry and experience with the Fae differs greatly from Atticus' worldview. I think they could learn from each other.
5. Jean Claude (from Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series) - sexy vampire and Master of the City of St. Louis. Eye-candy for me, but Mercy likely will be immune to his many charms.
6. Violet Bridgerton (from The Bridgertons series) - the only other human, but a practical woman having raised 8 children on her own after her husband's untimely death. She's from the nineteenth century, so Jean Claude and Seth should be able to discuss topics familiar to her.
7. Seth (from the Immortal Guardians series) - hot, powerful leader of the Immortal Guardians. I'm not even sure what he looks like - it's his power that's the turn-on. He reminds me of Acheron from the Dark-Hunters series.

We would NOT be eating at the Double Dog Dare Cafe from Tricked. I'd ask Violet for help with the dinner planning.

I want to come to your dinner and meet your dinner guests! The druid and the wizard will probably have some interesting work-related conversations.

.... soooo, just what is wrong with the Double Dog Dare Cafe? Most curious, now!

58> Curious enough to read the series? LOL.

I cringe at the thought that I am curious enough to start another series.... hum, 6 books in the series doesn't sound too bad of a hit. ;-0

Thanks for the PM. Now I am even more curious, even taking into account the potential gross-out factor. ;-)

105. Darkness Rises by Dianne Duvall. ****



I love this series. It's like a cross between the Black Dagger Brotherhood and The Dark-Hunters, but better. *gasp* Did I say better? How can that be? Well, it has the best of both worlds without any of the foolishness. Did I just say "foolishness"? Why, yes I did and before you ask, I'm talking about the Lessening society. I mean really - if someone told you that the bad guys in a series were humans who had their hearts cut out and now smell like baby powder, what would you think? Honestly.

So about the Immortal Guardians . . . they're like Dark-Hunters in that they're vampires who aren't vampires, and they have a hot, powerful leader who is more than he seems. In the world of Immortal Guardians, vampirism is caused by a virus. Ordinary humans who contract it eventually go insane and become crazed killers. However, certain humans with special abilities (called Gifted Ones) can survive the turn with their facilities intact and are recruited by Seth (the hottie leader) to join the Immortal Guardians and protect humans from vampires.

So this wasn't my favorite book in the series, I think because male romantic lead wasn't particularly alpha and I just read his twin brother's story in a novella. But as in the BDB books, there are other things going on, besides the main love story, that advance the overall plot of the series and set up the next romantic couple.

So, I probably haven't convinced you that it's better than the BDB or DH series, but I think it is, and here's why. There's something in this series - a certain type of someone, shall we say - that I just can't take seriously in other romances, but that I totally bought into with this series. And I can buy into a lot, even zombie romance, but for some reason whenever I hear a romance is about one of these thingies, my eyes involuntarily start rolling and I just tune out. But I bought into the idea with this series. Maybe you will, too.

OK, so I'm changing one of my categories. Fairy Tales is going bye-bye. I was going to go back to dystopias, but that was too depressing last year, so I'm just going to call the new category SF.

I'm not going to do the moving just yet - touchstones aren't working right, so I'm going to wait to make the moves and changes.

106. Dream Warrior by Sherrilyn Kenyon. ***1/2



Cratus was once a god until Zeus stripped him of his godhood and forced him to live as an outcast among humans. Now a war is brewing and Cratus may be the Greek gods' only hope to win. Enter Delphine - a beautiful Dream-Hunter who must convince Cratus to fight on their side. Game on.

In general, I don't like the Dream-Hunters as much as the Dark-Hunters or even the Were-Hunters. This was OK, but too many characters to keep straight.

107. Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon. ****



Fang Kattalakis is a wolfwere (not to be confused with a werewolf, who his kind hate, except for his brother, but shhhh. . . that's a secret. I mean, it's a secret that his brother is a werewolf, not that he doesn't hate his brother. He loves his werewolf brother, but he can't stand his wolfwere brother (who he doesn't know is his brother) because they're too much alike). Confused yet? No? Good, because I haven't even mentioned how Fang's in love with Aimee, a bearswan with secrets of her own to hide. Bearswan? No, it's not 1/2 bear, 1/2 swan - it's a female bear shapeshifter. Duh! ;-)

Fang and Aimee have been in the background for a bunch of other people's stories. They're like the ultimate star-crossed lovers being different species and all, right? So their story should have been epic, right? Should have, but wasn't. A lot of it felt like old news since it covered a time period we've already seen in other books even though it's been awhile since I read those other books. It was just too convoluted to be a great read. It was good, but not great.

> 107 - I am sooooooo confused!!!!!! How on earth did you make it through that one? Quite a fun review, even if the book wasn't.

How many brothers are we talking about??? :)

66> I suppose when you hit Book 18 in a series, you have to try to mix things up to keep it interesting.

67> They're weres, so they have litters. But the only ones who actually appear in this book are Fang and 2 of his brothers (the wolfwere and the secret werewolf posing as a wolfwere LOL). I guess it's a good thing that I didn't mention Aimee's 11 brothers (including a set of quadruplets and 2 sets of twins).

"the wolfwere and the secret werewolf posing as a wolfwere"
Hmm, only slightly less confused. LOL! Yes, after 17 books, you'd better shake some things up. :)

69> In her mythology, weres were created by magic. You don't turn into a werewolf if you get bitten by one (at least, I'm pretty sure you don't). Werewolves are basically humans who turn into wolves while wolfweres are wolves that turn into humans. So their basic nature is different and that's why they fight. Allegedly.

Now you know why I said (in post 62) that I like the Immortal Guardians series better than the Dark-Hunters. LOL.

Good review on 11/22/63. I already had it on my WL but it's going near the top. Where'd You Go, Bernadette?: Who doesn't need some fun sometimes ?

->70 BookLizard:
LOL - indeed!

71> Thanks. 11/22/63 was a good read - I just wish I'd been paying more attention to his life and not worrying about how it was going to end. Keep that in mind as you read, and I think you'll enjoy it more.

Just finished telling one of my friends about Where'd You Go, Bernadette?. We currently have very different reading tastes, but it's funny and I think she'll like it.

108. No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon. ****



Samia was an Amazon queen who sold her soul to Artemis for a chance at revenge. Now she's a Dark-Hunter sent to New Orleans on a special assignment. Dev Peltier is a bear shapeshifter who serves as a doorman/bouncer for his family's bar, Sanctuary. When the two of them get together, sparks fly, and even though they both know a long-term relationship is out of the question, when Sam is threatened by a common enemy, Dev is compelled to do anything to protect her.

So, Dev is the brother of Aimee (see post #65, book #107) and also one of a set of quadruplets, but his family is mostly in the background in this book. Nowhere near as confusing as the previous book, probably because the timeline is compressed and it's happening in "real time" not at the same time as previous books in the series. Not my favorite book in the series, but an enjoyable read.

Now I just have to decide which category to put it into - paranormal romance or vampires? I'll have to see what I did last year with previous books in the series. I'm kind of prejudiced against female vampires - like they don't count as vampires since they're not sexy - well, not my type anyway. LOL.

> Thanks, I will.

109. Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon. ****1/2



Abigail Yager, orphaned at a young age, was raised by her adoptive Apollite family to hate and fear Dark-Hunters, especially William Jessup "Sundown" Brady, the one who killed Abigail's parents. Now Abigail has grown into a fighter who's determined to destroy Sundown, no matter what it takes. But when she meets the man, he doesn't meet her expectations of a cold-hearted killer and her own past actions are called into question. Is it possible that everything she's believed in has been lies? Is it possible for her to have a future with the man she thought she despised?

This novel in the series focused on a different mythology - Native American instead of Greek. It was a refreshing change. Sundown is a sexy cowboy. Abigail is strong. One of the better books in the series.

110. Denmark (Cultures of the World) by Robert Pateman. ***



Concise overview of the geography, history, and culture of Denmark. Pictures were very dated. This is the second edition published in 2006. The pictures were obviously the same as in the 1995 edition. One showed a movie theater with posters for Ghost and The Hunt for Red October (which both came out in 1990).

111. The Guardian by Sherrilyn Kenyon.****1/2



The blurb on the back cover of this book is misleading. I guess it would be hard for the blurbist to put a positive spin on a book that's mostly about torture - torture and betrayal and the healing power of love. Lydia is half Were-hunter, half Dream-hunter. She decends into a hell dimension to rescue her mentor, but is captured by the Guardian who has been torturing her mentor for information. Seth, the Guardian, has been tortured himself for almost as long as he can remember, and since he's immortal, that's a very, very long time. Even his memories of his early life are filled with pain and betrayal. How can someone who has known only pain ever learn to love?

Another good book in the series. I usually don't like the Dream-Hunter books as much as the rest, but this one was good. Seth gives new meaning to the term "tortured hero."

The movie theatre pictures even seem dated for 1995! That's funny, though, that they didn't change the pictures!

112. Dodger by Terry Pratchett. ***1/2



Set in Charles Dickens' England, this novel follows the exploits of young Dodger, a tosher (someone who scavenges in the sewers) who rescues a young lady from abduction.

I started this ebook a while ago but had to return it to the library and wait for it to be available again. It started out good, got a bit tedious in the middle, but picked up towards the end. Parts of it were funny, but overall, I wouldn't recommend it.

113. Eve by Anna Carey. ****



After her mother's death in a plague that killed off most of the population, Eve was sent to live in a school/camp with other orphaned girls. On the eve (no pun intended) of her graduation, she discovers that the powers-that-be have been lying about the fate of the new graduates, and she decides to make a break for freedom.

Nothing original here and some parts had me rolling my eyes (of course she's special), but overall it was an enjoyable, easy read and I plan to continue with the trilogy.

Recap for August

Books Read: 14

Categories:
4 Vampire
3 Paranormal Romance
3 Young Adult
2 SF
2 Miscellaneous

I'm back on track now. 56 books to go. 14 a month. 3 categories completed.

114. Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn. ****1/2



After the death of her father, Annabel Winslow goes to London looking for a wealthy husband to save her family from financial ruin. Her maternal grandparents attempt to arrange a marriage for her with the much older, repulsive, but wealthy Earl of Newbury. Newbury's son and heir has died and he needs a fertile wife to provide him with a new heir so his detested nephew Sebastien Grey does not inherit his estate. When a chance encounter between Annabel and Sebastien leads to something more, an attraction grows that may be too strong to be denied.

This was a fun and funny read. I immediately wanted to read a sequel. Unfortunately for me, there's isn't a sequel yet - maybe someday. It is, however, the third book in the Bevelstoke series, so I can go back and read the other two.

115. Prisoner 88 by Leah Pileggi. ****



Based on the true story of a ten-year-old boy imprisoned in the Idaho Territorial Penitentiary in 1885. Jake was convicted of manslaughter, but because they had no juvenile detention centers at the time, he was sent to prison with grown men and hardened criminals. The warden and guards aren't quite sure what to do with him, but Jake manages to make a home for himself in the prison and makes friends with some other inmates.

This was a touching story - short and easy to read. The book shows some of the prejudices of the time, particularly against Mormons and the Chinese. Most of the characters are well-drawn.

116. Pet War by Allan Woodrow. ****



Otto wants a dog more than anything, but his mother thinks he's not responsible enough to care for a dog, and his perfect older sister Lexi wants a cat. In order to settle the matter, they agree to a contest. Both have one month to try to earn $500. The winner will be able to get the pet of choice.

This was an amusing story that teaches lessons about responsibility and values. Enjoyable, even though Otto is a dog-lover.

117. What Happens in London by Julia Quinn. ****1/2



This is a first for me - reading a series backwards. I blame Overdrive, my library's ebook provider. They didn't say Ten Things I Love About You was book 3 of a series. I saw it was available and pounced. I really enjoyed it, then when I went to look for a sequel, I discovered that I was on the waitlist for the two "prequels." Book 2, What Happens in London, became available first, and since the couple from this book appeared in the one I had already read, I wanted to read it right away instead of waiting for Book One. It's interesting reading a series backwards. There were some things that were "spoilers" in Book Three, but in one instance, I think it's funnier reading Book Two knowing the secret revealed in Book Three (unless it isn't really a secret - I suppose it could have been revealed in Book One, but the prologue for Book Three makes much more sense if it's revealing the secret.)

I think it's easier to read a romance series out of order because you can kind of guess. . .

****SPOILER ALERT*****

. . . the couple ends up together.

****End SPOILER ALERT****

". . . the couple ends up together"
I'm shocked! :)

87> Go ahead and laugh . . . I still haven't forgiven Katie MacAlister for ending Zen and the Art of Vampires on a cliffhanger. Romance novels are NOT supposed to end on cliffhangers - and it wasn't even a good story up to that point, so I felt doubly cheated.

118. Hunted by Kevin Hearne. ****1/2



Another good entry in the series.

119. The Lady Most Likely by Julia Quinn, Connie Brockway, and Eloisa James. ****



After a brush with death, Hugh Dunne, the Earl of Briarly, decides it is time to heed his sister's advice and marry. The season has just ended, so his sister decides to throw a houseparty in the country and invite some prospective brides including Gwendolyn Passmore, the most beautiful and sought after debutante of the Season, and Katherine Peyton, a country miss who just might share Hugh's love of horses. Anything can happen at a house party, but which lady is most likely to fall in love?

At first it was confusing trying to keep so many characters straight. I mean, all the men have 3 different names - first, last, and title. I was also distracted trying to figure out which of the three main storylines was written by Julia Quinn, the author I've read and enjoyed. One author used a lot of "big words" which drew me out of the story a little bit. Might have been Quinn. When I was almost finished with the book, I cheated and went online to look and see who wrote what part. I might have to try something else by Brockway and James. I liked Brockway's alpha hero and James' story was a bit more sexy than the other's. Overall, it was a fun read and the collaboration between the authors worked well.

120. Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas. *****



Why didn't someone tell me Cam had his own book? I blame Lisa Kleypas or whoever runs her website. She has a page on "book-hopping characters" but Cam isn't even mentioned on it, even though he's in at least two other books before he gets his own. Even though it's mentioned that Lord Westcliff makes an appearance in Mine Till Midnight - Cam's book! Is it because Cam's part Gypsy? Is that why he doesn't even get mentioned??? *huff*

Anyhow, Cam finally gets his own book in the first of the Hathaway series. I'm hoping he'll appear in future books as well. The next book looks promising.

Romance novels are NOT supposed to end on cliffhangers - and it wasn't even a good story up to that point, so I felt doubly cheated.

LOL! The nerve of some authors! :-)

I am not much of a romance reader but I do love looking at the covers like your last two reads for the dresses.

121. Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas. ****1/2



The second book in the Hathaway series - has hints of Wuthering Heights with just the romance and not the insanity. As a boy, Merripan was the survivor of a gypsy hunt and was taken in by the Hathaway family. He became devoted to Win, the second eldest daughter, and by extention the rest of the family. Now Win is a beautiful determined woman, and she's determined to have Merripan, despite his belief that he's not good enough for her.

This was another great book in the series. Cam made plenty of appearances. On the waitlist at the library for the rest of the series.

122. Blood Seduction by Pamela Palmer. ***



Residents of Washington D.C. don't realize it, but there's another parallel city that overlaps their own - Washington V.C. (Vamp City). Some people inadvertently wander through portals into Vamp City and are never heard from again. Quinn (who is not a boy, even though she has a boy's name) can see the shadow city, but still stupidly wanders in there with her brother looking for their friend and they get attacked by vampires, separated, and enslaved.

Quinn is TSL (Too Stupid to Live) but lucky for her, she's special. She has special powers that she doesn't know how to use but the vampires need her so they can't just kill her but they can beat her and heal her and beat her and heal her and beat her and she just keeps taking it because she's stupid. Too bad they can't beat some sense into her.

The premise of the series - yes, it's a series, no, I won't be reading the rest of it - is interesting, but the characters have no redeeming qualities. Skip it.

Hahaha! I'm sorry the book didn't work out, but I was amused by your review, particularly the last sentence of your second para.

Thanks, rabbitprincess. It started out promising, then I kept waiting for it to get better, and waiting, and then she kept getting dumber but I was more than halfway through and I thought she couldn't get any dumber, but she did, but the book was never boring at least. Now that I think about it, it kind of reminds me of the movie Pirates of the Caribean only without any likeable characters. You know how the pirates keep double-crossing one another and when they're called on it, they just say, "Pirates!" like that explains everything? It was kind of like that except with "Vampires!" and Quinn was too dumb to figure it out or to try to double-cross them herself.

123. Tempt Me at Twilight by Lisa Kleypas. *****



Book Three in the Hathaway series. Poppy has always wanted a fairy tale marriage, but what happens when she marries the villain instead of the prince? Well, she'll have to save him from himself, with the help of her loving and hilarious family, of course.

124. Time Untime by Sherrilyn Kenyon. ****1/2



This title in the series is a sort of followup to Retribution. It's 2012 and according to legend, the world is going to end on December 21 - that is, unless the Mayan calendar is reset and the gates resealed keeping evil locked away. Kateri doesn't know that she's the only one who can save the world, but she learns quickly after supernatural beings start coming out of the woodwork to attack her. Then the man of her dreams - literally, the man she's seen in her dreams for years - shows up. But is Ren here to protect her or will he end up killing her as she's seen in a dream?

125. A Girl's Guide to Fitting in Fitness by Erin Whitehead and Jennifer Walters. ****



I got this book through the ER giveaway. It's designed to give teen girls an overview of fitness and some tips to get started or step it up a notch. I like that it focused on fitness and not weight loss. It goes over exercise, nutrition, and stress relief, but also talks about the importance of getting a good night's sleep. Two things I didn't like : 1. It talks about "boring Algebra class" - stereotype that girls don't like Math. 2. The "How Exercise Makes Me Feel" Mad Lib in Chapter 1 must have been written by a dog lover, because it doesn't work for cats - ". . . after you start doing it a lot, you'll be as energetic as a cat. And seriously, who doesn't want to feel like a cat?" Um, yeah, if I got 15-20 hours of sleep a day, I'd have more energy for those few hours I was awake.

Um, yeah, if I got 15-20 hours of sleep a day, I'd have more energy for those few hours I was awake.

Ah, the life of a house cat is an envied one, that's for sure. Ours had the run of the house and sleep whenever and wherever they felt like. At least they behaved when they would get active at 3:00 am and we only heard the occasional crash coming from a far corner of the house. ;-)

100> The weather has turned colder here, so 2 of my cats have been fighting over prime real estate on the bed (i.e. who gets to cuddle closest to Momma at night). They are not so considerate and have hissy, swatty fights over my sleeping body - or should I say, my previously sleeping body - at all hour of the night.

126. Virgin Diet by J.J. Virgin ****



I don't usually include nonfiction books like this in my challenge because I don't usually read them cover to cover, but this one I have mostly, except for some of the recipes which I skimmed, but other parts I've read repeatedly and I'm short of books this month, so I'm counting it.

I saw the author on a PBS special and what she said made sense. The diet is an elimination diet - for 3 weeks you eliminate 7 food types that can cause food intolerances: dairy, soy, gluten, eggs, peanuts, corn, and sugar/artificial sweeteners. Then you can start testing some of the foods to see if you can eat them without having a reaction. I've been doing it to feel better, not necessarily to lose weight, but I've still managed to lose 7-8 pounds. I'm sleeping better and I've learned that I can't have dairy or gluten. *sniffle, sniffle, SOB*

Glad to hear you're sleeping better, but oh no that you can't have dairy! Cheese is so delicious :(

103> No cheese or yogurt. No bread, cake, doughnuts. Basically, no processed food - you'd be surprised what they put soy and corn in - like everything. Soy in tuna fish and Perdue Chicken Short Cuts. High fructose corn syrup in everything including ketchup. Sucks to be me. Sucked to be me before the diet, too though. Now I just can't drown my sorrows in sugary goodness. LOL.

Recap for September

Books Read: 13

Categories:
6 Historical Romance
2 Vampire
2 Juvenile
2 Miscellaneous
1 Urban Fantasy

1 shy of the goal of 14 a month. 43 books to go. 3 categories completed.

127. Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien. ****



In a future dystopian world, sixteen-year-old Gaia has been an apprentice midwife, helping her mother deliver babies outside the Enclave wall and then "advancing" some to the authorities within the Enclave to be adopted by families inside the wall. Gaia has never questioned the system until her parents are brought in for questioning and do not return.

I listened to the audiobook. It was good, but a little slow at parts.

'Wow' to what you learned by going on that diet but you probably feel a lot better since you are sleeping better!

107> I sleep better when somecat isn't being a little orange PITA. He woke me like 5-6 times last night. Grrrrr . . .

The good news is I found some yummy chewy bars and cookies I can have. Although eating cookies isn't a good idea on the diet. LOL.

I sleep better when somecat isn't being a little orange PITA. He woke me like 5-6 times last night. Grrrrr.

Cat time and the human clock shall never meet harmoniously. ;-)

Cat time and the human clock shall never meet harmoniously.

The problem is more like cat time vs. work time. If I didn't have to go to work, I'd be happy to stay in bed all day with my cats and my books.

If I could live on cat time and still function in the real world, that'd be great! :)

Yeah, I think we'd have to hit the lottery to make that happen.

128. Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon. *****



There are three sides to every story - each person's side and somewhere in between, the truth. In Acheron, we learned about Acheron's horrific childhood and early life. Although he was the firstborn of twin sons, his family rejected him because he was the child of a god, not the king. His human brother Styxx, who stole Acheron's birthright, became a pampered and spoiled prince who hated his twin passionately. Their life forces were tied together by the gods, and although Styxx is technically human, he cannot be truly killed while his brother still lives.

In Styxx we discover that things aren't always what they seem and Styxx's childhood was no better than Acheron's. His own family hates and mistrusts him because of the circumstances of his birth. Others see only a spoiled, pampered Prince. His only friend and companion, his twin brother Acheron, was taken away from him when they were just seven. Now Acheron hates him, and Styxx often hates his brother as well. All Styxx wants is peace and oblivion, but he can have neither while his brother still lives.

The blurb inside the front cover focuses on the present day situation, but really, the majority of the book takes place in the past and re-lives previous events from Styxx's point of view. The first 600 pages are ancient history - Styxx (and Acheron's) birth through death (at age 21) and rebirth. The last 250 pages pick up with events from Night Embrace, the third book in the series. It's fascinating to see Acheron from a different perspective. He always seems so powerful and all-knowing, but his skills of prophecy don't allow him to see events that touch himself or those closest to him. He's been blinded by his emotions and because he refuses to have anything to do with his brother, he stays blind and continues to unwittingly hurt Styxx.

129. The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn. ****



Miranda has long had a crush on her best friend's older brother Turner. When the girls' make their debut, Turner is forced to come to London to support his sister. He's been hurt in love before - can he ever love again?

This wasn't my favorite book in the series (which I read backwards). It wasn't quite as funny, but it had its moments. I liked it but didn't love it.

130. To Say Nothing of the Dog; Or, How We Found the Bishop's Bird Stump at Last by Connie Willis. *****



The future and the past come together beautifully, and hilariously, in this clever time-travel romp. Mystery meets science fiction with a healthy dose of romance and comedy thrown in for good measure. (How's that for a blurb?)!

A group of historians, including Ned Henry, have been time-traveling to Coventry, England in 1940, trying to discover the fate of the bishop's bird stump which went missing during the bombing of the Coventry Cathedral by the Nazis. Their client, Lady Schrapnell, is having the cathedral rebuilt in Oxford at great expense and is demanding pure authenticity. While things from the past cannot be brought through the time-travel net, the historians can analyze the objects to make sure the replicas are as precise as possible. When one of his colleagues accidentally brings back an object from the Victorian era, Ned's superiors decide that a trip to Victorian times is just what he needs to recover from his time-lag (like jet-lag only hysterically funny).

I first read this book over 10 years ago. Part of the fun and funniness reading it the first time is trying to figure out what the bishop's bird stump is. I sort of remembered parts of the mystery and the whodunnits, so seeing the clues during my rereading was fun. Unless you're like my brother who hates time-travel because it confuses him too much, you'll find something to love in this book.

Five stars is great news - To Say Nothing of the Dog is high up on my wishlist. It was between this one and Doomsday Book, but I've been assured this is slightly better.

Great review of To Say Nothing of the Dog! I loved this book too. I've planning to read Willis's Doomsday Book soon.

I'm thinking of reading Doomsday Book next year. It's the first book in the series, but I don't feel like I missed anything reading this one out of order. I think the humor is what I love the most about this book, and the other books don't appear to have that. If you like historical fiction, mysteries, and literature (duh), then you'd probably like it.

Group read for next year?

"don't feel like I missed anything reading this one out of order"
Good to know - I'm normally religious about reading in order, but I think I'll make an exception in this case. If it turns out that it's not my thing, I will have wanted to read the "best" one. :)

I would have enjoyed a group read of Doomsday Book next year, but I might end up reading it before then. Our book club at work is doing a "time travel" theme for next month. Redshirts was the chosen book, but Doomsday Book was a close second, so some of us in the club plan to read that one as well. If you do end up organizing a group read for the book, I won't read it a second time right away, but I'll definitely drop in for the discussion!

I didn't realize Redshirts was time-travel. I'll be interested to hear how you like Doomsday Book.

Since you completely sold me on To Say Nothing of the Dog, and considering I haven't read any of Willis' books, count me in for a group read of Doomsday Book!

I do believe you just hit me with two books on this visit.... would have been three if the Quinn book was epistolary, but I should cut out now before you find more books to entice me with. ;-)

LOL. There are snippets from her diary throughout, but no, it's a plain old novel. It's only fair that you take a bullet or two from me, since I'm pretty sure you're at least partially to "blame" for Where'd You Go, Bernadette? Not complaining, especially since I was able to turn around and hit my RL friend with it.

If you're looking for another epistolary novel and don't mind YA books, wide open endings, and Australians, I'd recommend Letters From the Inside by John Marsden. If you don't like open-ended books, avoid it.

Absolutely love To Say Nothing of the Dog! Doomsday Book is good too, but it has a much more serious tone. I also recommend Bellwether, which is light and funny like TSNotD.

Thanks for the tip! Bellwether does sound like it could be funny.

131. A Dangerous Love by Brenda Joyce. ***1/2



Hero was born of a Gypsy mother, but raised by his English father after the lord's legitimate heir died. Heroine's mother was Jewish, but she was raised by her English father. They are country neighbors who have never met until a Gypsy caravan sets up camp on her father's land and the townsfolk react with bigotry.

This book is part of a larger "dynasty" series. The women in her family fall in insta-love, or so we're repeatedly told to explain why she acts so stupidly sometimes. The book starts off pretty well, has an interesting premise, but it just falls apart at the end. I found myself rolling my eyes and saying, "Get on with it!" (Not IT it, because they did THAT already - repeatedly - but hurry up and get to the Happily Ever After already.)

132. The Edge of Always by J. A. Redmerski. ****



The sequel to The Edge of Never. If you haven't read that book already, you should read it first. These are "New Adult" novels - aimed at the 18-25 year old crowd. I'm not 18-25 and I don't like chick lit or contemporary romance, but I can see why the first had such a strong following, and this one does its best to recapture the magic of the first. In fact, that's what this novel is about - keeping the magic alive, keeping your love strong when tragedy strikes and reality threatens your dreams.

Doomsday Book is one of my top 10 all-time favorite books. I really enjoyed To Say Nothing of the Dog as well, it''s much lighter in tone. I also read TSNOTD before DB and felt that I understood the time travel aspects of the story better because of it. DB doesn't go into the specifics of how "the net" works like TSNOTD does. There are people in my RL book club that re-read Doomsday Book every December (it's set at Christmas). It has it's flaws and is sort of depressing but the story is wonderful.

Good to know. I just suggested a Willis month for next year's group reads.

133. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. ****



When you're a multimillionaire, you're allowed to be eccentric - especially when it comes to writing your will. Sam Westing has gathered 16 potential heirs together, but in order to collect the grand prize of his 200 million dollar estate, the heirs will need to figure out who among them has taken his life! Let the games begin . . .

This was a fun read. I probably would have loved it if I had read it as a child. As an adult, I figured out parts of the mystery fairly quickly and had to force myself to just relax and enjoy the story without trying to "win" the game myself by solving the mystery. There were too many coincidences and perfect timing on certain things for my adult sensibilities, but as a child I would have loved those very things.

134. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich. ***1/2



In this installment of the series, Stephanie Plum's boss and cousin Vinnie has been kidnapped by a gangster who he owes a lot of money. It's up to Stephanie, Lulu, and Connie to come up with the money or rescue him if they want to keep their jobs . . . and keep Vinnie alive.

When I tried to read this months ago, I just couldn't get into it . . . mostly because it's hard to care what happens to Vinnie. This time I zoomed through the book. I was home sick in bed, which I think helped. I think the problem the first time was that the book isn't "unputdownable." It's a fast, easy read, but not compelling. Plan to read it on a weekend or whenever you can read it in one sitting, and you should be fine.

@ 131 -- I read The Westing Game last year, and I felt the same way! It's such a great book for kids, and I'm sad I never read it as a child...but even as an adult, there are lots of things to enjoy!

Very true. Some of the things that made me go, "Awwwww" as an adult, probably wouldn't even register to a child.

135. Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien. ***1/2



Second book in the Birthmarked trilogy. YA dystopian fantasy. Pretty standard stuff. I listened to the auidobook, but I think the books might be better - not because the narrator isn't good, (she is), but parts of the story are very descriptive, and found myself rewinding several times because I thought I had missed something, but I hadn't really - it was just so much description that I forgot what the conversation was about or who was speaking or whatever.

136. Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich. ****1/2



What a fun and funny quick read. Members of Team Ranger will enjoy this installment in the series.

Well, last year I read 134 books. So far this year, I've read 136, and there's still 2 months and 6 days to go. Yay me! LOL.

Congrats on already passing last year's reading total!

Wow. I can't imagine reading that many books in a year (well, less than a year) but then I was amazed last year when I managed 75 having thought the same thing about that number!

Woo hoo! Nice work!

Thanks, everyone! I'm hoping I can actually reach my target goal this year. Fell 10 books short last year, but I have a couple of "easy" categories left this year - Juvenile & Rereads. Those shouldn't be too hard, right? Famous last words. LOL.

137. Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovitch. ****



I was expecting more explosions in this one, but there was only the standard number of explosions for a Stephanie Plum novel. :-) Evanovich does a lot of cliffhanger-type endings to make you want to read the next book in the series. Sneaky, but effective. I've already started Notorious Nineteen. Then I'll have to wait a month for Takedown Twenty to come out, and then what? Wait and wait and wait some more. *sigh*

I don't remember why or where I left off on the Stephanie Plum series. It looks like I had better get back on the wagon, although I fear I'm still in the single digit books.

They're sort of like potato chips. Sure they get repetative after a while, but that doesn't stop you from eating the whole bag.

LOL.

138. Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich. ****



Not my favorite in the series, but enjoyable. A mystery that was easy enough to solve, a mysterious threat that could have been more threatening, and not enough lovin'.

139. Serenity: Better Days and Other Stories by Joss Whedon. ****1/2



Graphic novel. If you can't get enough of Firefly, you'll probably enjoy the graphic novels. It's been a while since I've watched the series. Might be getting close to the time to rewatch it and Serenity. This was a reread of sorts for me. I'd read Better Days before, but this had the added stories which were really good.

#144 Hahaha! Now what's with the 'Between the Numbers' books? Have you read those? Are they separate from the series even though they still involve Stephanie Plum?

>144 BookLizard:: And now I want potato chips! :P

The Firefly GN looks interesting. I still haven't seen the movie! Probably because once I watch it, there won't be any more "new" episodes for me to watch.

148> How to describe the "Between the Numbers" books . . . even more crazy than the real books in the series? They're not necessary to read to follow the real series. Stephanie stars in them, but Joe and Ranger only make brief appearances, so you don't have to worry about missing anything relationship-wise if you don't read them. They're generally more novellas than novels, so they're quick reads. They take place around various holidays and have a sort of supernatural element to them. One of the characters from them actually got his own spinoff series in Wicked Appetite and Wicked Business which I may have to read next year. If you don't mind supernatural-type elements, then I say go ahead and read them. They are funny, quick reads and one of the characters from Plum Lovin' does make a return appearance in Explosive Eighteen.

149> It would be better to watch the movie before reading the graphic novels because they contain some spoilers. Not sure how much sense they would make either, without having seen the movie first.

Have you watched Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? I liked the first couple of episodes I saw - had Whedon's trademark humor - but then The Originals premiered over on the CW, and I've been watching that instead.

>139 majkia:: I loved the Firefly series and the Serenity movie. I did read one of the graphic novels a few years back and didn't enjoy it very much. Possibly it was because I hadn't read many graphic novels at that point and weren't used to them, and it seemed a disappointment compared to the films. I probably should revisit them, though, as I could do with more of the Firefly world.

@ 150 -- I'm watching "S.H.I.E.L.D." and liking it so far...I've seen all but the most recent episode. It's no "Firefly," but it's a reasonably entertaining hour of television!

152> The group doesn't feel like a team yet - maybe once they work that out, it will be better? I might have to watch it online if possible.

140. Who Was Dracula? Bram Stoker's Trail of Blood by Jim Steinmeyer. ****



Any fan of Dracula knows that Stoker based his famous vampire on Vlad Tepes, AKA Vlad the Impaler - except what if he didn't? Steinmeyer delves into the life of Stoker and shows the real men who influenced him including his actor and boss Henry Irving, the poet Walt Whitman, and the playwright Oscar Wilde. This book is more about Stoker than about Dracula and does a lot to dispel many of the myths surrounding the world's most famous vampire.

Borrowed the DVD of Bram Stoker's Dracula from my brother so I can watch it on Halloween - after The Vampire Diaries, of course. The new Dracula series on NBC was pretty yummy last week. I hope it lasts.

I'll have to put the Steinmeyer book on the wishlist - I read Dracula recently and it'd be interesting to see how he created those characters.

Like I said, it's more about Stoker than Dracula, but it's still interesting. Stoker's position as an acting manager in a theater allowed him to meet many celebrities of his time.

141. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. *****



There's a reason Hinton's novel is on the list of 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. Although some of the slang may be dated, the story itself is timeless. There will always be tension between the haves and have-nots. And there will always be some things worth dying for and other things that are not. "Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold . . . " *sniffle, sniffle*

Sounds like I am due for a re-read of The Outsiders.... must remember to have tissues handy.

It is always checked out from this library. Kids still read it.

142. The Secret of the Mansion by Julie Campbell ****



I never read Trixie Belden as a girl. I think I would have liked her much more than Nancy Drew. I preferred The Hardy Boys and when desperate, read some of the Bobbsey Twins.

I LOVED Trixie Belden as a child. Never thought much of Nancy Drew in comparison.

Yes! I preferred the Hardy Boys as well! One thing that always bugged me about the Nancy books was that they kept going on about what she was wearing. I wasn't reading for fashion, I was reading for mysteries!

I loved The Outsiders when I was a kid, so I'm afraid to reread. :)

162> I don't even remember the clothes - just the boyfriend. I was in third grade when I read them - didn't care about clothes or boys.

163> I understand. For me that book is Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh - my favorite from childhood which I refuse to reread just in case it doesn't live up to the memories. The story of The Outsiders is as touching now as it was then. Got teary-eyed in a few spots, including one that probably affected me more as an adult than it would have as a kid.

Recap for October

Books Read: 16 (12 for the AlphaCAT)

Categories:

4 Mysteries
3 Rereads
2 Juvenile
2 Miscellaneous
2 New-to-Me
1 SF
1 Historical Romance
1 Paranormal Romance

142 read, 27 to go.

->164 BookLizard:
Well, that is good to know - perhaps I may dare a reread after all. :)

The slang is the biggest thing. It's funny because they call a cigarette a weed, so it took me a while to get used to that. LOL. And remember, Hinton was 15-16 when it was written and published, and it's told in the first person so it has a sense of realism about it that's hard to find in other books. It's not a well-crafted piece of literature - it's a great story that you're being told. Do you know what I mean?

The feeling of reality I got from it was why I loved it so much and I can very much disregard that it isn't great literature - I'm not even sure it was meant to be. I've been wanting to rewatch the movie, so that might nudge me into picking up the book first. :)

Read the book first. You don't want the handsome actors to be another distraction. LOL. I want to watch the movie again, too.

I watched Bram Stoker's Dracula again last night, which is good despite Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves. I have the book on the Kindle, waiting to be reread.

Yes, absolutely book first. :)

I have some issues with that version of Dracula, but Gary Oldman is fantastic, so I'll take it. :) The new audio-version of Dracula with Alan Cumming is spectacularly good if you do audiobooks.

143. Allegiant by Veronica Roth. ****1/2



Final book in the Divergent series. It's dystopian fiction - it's not supposed to have a happy ending, but it's YA so it has a hopeful ending.

144. Operation Bunny by Sally Gardner. ***



An orphan, a talking cat, and some fairies. And of course, the bunnies. The characters were more like caricatures. Some parts were funny and reminded me a little of A Series of Unfortunate Events, but overall, I felt like the author was dumbing down the story for younger readers or making it up as she went along.

Hooray! I reached my goal from last year! 144 books (12 times 12). Only 26 more to go for this year (13 times 13). And I've started 3-4 already. I'll probably finish Little House on the Prairie on audiobook this week.

26 left - you can do it!

.... and congrats on reaching your goal from last year!

Congratulations on reaching last year's goal!

Pity about Operation Bunny -- I have that one on the "maybe from the library" list. Admittedly I like the title best ;)

175> LOL! Well, if a talking cat isn't enough to make me love it, I don't know if several dozen colorful bunnies will make you love it. The illustrations, although in black and white, are adorable. It's under 200 pages, so it's not a huge time investment. It just felt like a bad mash-up of A Series of Unfortunate Events and Howl's Moving Castle, but poorly done. Like the author felt like she didn't have to do much world-building because there was nothing new or original here. Now that I think about it, it felt like a story being told in the first-person, but it was in the third person, so it didn't work. Do you know what I mean? You expect a third person narrator to be knowledgable and to construct the story in a clear, detailed, linear fashion. But with a first person narrator, you're more forgiving if it's like, "first this happened, then that, then this, and oh! I forgot about that!" Maybe it would be better on audiobook. If it feels like someone is telling you the story, you might not notice the flaws as much. In fact, some of the reviews I read on Amazon.uk were from parents who read it aloud to their kids. I bet it's better that way.

But then you wouldn't get the cute pictures. Drat! Do you have someone who'd like to hear you read it aloud?

Hm yes I can see what you mean about the first person vs. third person issue. I shall have to try reading it aloud. Maybe I can read it to my friend's two-year-old ;)

177> Maybe I can read it to my friend's two-year-old Or your bunny?

I borrowed the first 3 books of the Bunnicula series on audiobook yesterday. I know Howliday Inn was a childhood favorite, and I'm pretty sure I read Bunnicula too, but I don't think I ever went further in the series.

Alas, I am between bunnies at the moment, but that is a great idea! (I would definitely read it Bunnicula as well, if I had one.)

*sniff* So sorry to hear that you're bunniless at present. I hope the right one hops his way into your heart soon.

145. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. ****



Audiobook narrated by Cherry Jones who did a fabulous job. The dialogue seemed sincere instead of corny because of her talented narration. I never read this series as a child. Never thought I would enjoy it, but I did in spite of the historical racism.

146. Bunnicula by Deborah Howe. *****



Audiobook narrated by Victor Garber. Howliday Inn was one of my favorite books as a child, and I'm almost positive that I also read Bunnicula (out of order), so I'm counting it as a reread.

Just watched The Outsiders movie again. It's been a long time since I watched it. This time I was struck by how beautiful the cinematography is (as opposed to how beautiful the young actors are).

147. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. ***



I started this book on audiobook back in June. I don't recommend the audio version because the narrator for Sean just sounds too old. I think it tainted my feelings about the relationship between Puck and Sean, so I'd suggest reading the actual book instead. The story is interesting - two young people competing in an annual race on an island known for its killer water horses. I enjoyed it more once I started reading instead of listening, but it still took me months to finish, so I can't give it more than 3 stars.

@ 184 -- Ooh, I loved The Scorpio Races! Sorry it didn't work as well for you, especially because it seems like the bad narrator affected your enjoyment quite a bit.

148. Howliday Inn by James Howe, read by Victor Garber. *****



One of my favorite books from childhood was Howliday Inn. Victor Garber did not disappoint in this audiobook edition. The voice he used for Chester the cat reminded me a little of Stewie from Family Guy. The books themselves are quite amusing, but he just brings and added depth to them. Highly recommended.

185> It's amazing what a difference the narrator can make. The narrator for the Scorpio Races wasn't a "bad narrator" - he just wasn't right for the part. James Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman couldn't have done it better because it needed a younger sounding voice.

I bought a new Kindle Fire HDX . . . streaming video is seriously cutting in on my reading time. But on the bright side, I'm currently enjoying watching the short-lived TV series of the Dresden Files.

149. Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas. ****



The fourth book in the Hathaway series is the long-awaited culmination of the relationship between Leo Hathaway and Catherine "Cat" Marks, his sisters' governess and paid companion. The pair have been bickering for the past two books, so the attraction between them was obvious, but Cat harbors a secret that threatens to tear them apart forever.

I was a little disappointed in this book, only because I had such high expectations for it. I felt like once the bickering stopped, some of the passion left the relationship, and it happened too early in the book. There were still some of the LOL moments I've come to expect from Kleypas, and it was still a good read, I just expected it to be one of my favorite books in the series and it wasn't.

150. Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas ****1/2



The fifth and final *sniff* book in the Hathaway series.

151. The Seducer by Madeline Hunter ***1/2



First in a series. She's been raised in a boarding school until her protector realizes she's come of age and collects her. She wants to return to England (from France), become a governess, and find any long-lost relatives she may have. Her protector has other plans for her. But his plans go awry when he develops feelings for her.

152. The Celery Stalks at Midnight by James Howe. ****



Cats. Dogs. Vampire bunnies. Undead vegetables. What's not to love?

AWWWWWW! Love that title. :D

I do, too! The series is quite funny - and rather punny, which I find amusing, but some people might not. I think it's funnier hearing it on the audiobook, because one of the characters will say something and some response will just pop into my head, then the other character will say exactly what I was just thinking and that sets me off in giggles.

153. The Vampire with the Dragon Tattoo by Kerrelyn Sparks. ***1/2



Book 14 in the Love at Stake series . . . and it shows. He's convinced that she's his long-lost love reincarnated, so there's some instalove happening. The first part of the story has some humor, but the relationship is only so-so, and there's action at the end (I don't mean THAT kind of action), so it's a good read, but not great. There's also a possible setup for the next book in the series. I usually read them for the guys, but a female fox with 9 tails who eats mens' livers? That has potential. ;-)

And this finishes off another category - Vampires.

154. Waiting to Be Heard by Amanda Knox ****



If I ever make it to Italy, I will be avoiding Perugia.

#195 by BookLizard> Perugia didn't make a positive impression on me in the first Aurelio Zen book Ratking either.

155. The Royal Ranger by John Flanagan ****1/2



If you haven't read The Ranger's Apprentice series, you should. Or better yet, listen to the audiobooks narrated by John Keating. I listened to most of the series, but have had to resort to reading the last few books since my library didn't have the audiobooks. There are benefits to both. The audiobooks are awesome, but inconvenient. Or I should say, work was inconvenient since my commute is only 20 minutes and I always seemed to arrive when the story was at a good part. It took me a while to get through some of the books, since I only listen in the car. I started reading The Royal Ranger last night and finished it this morning - much more convenient . . . except now it's finished. :-(

156. Ghoul Goblin by Jim Butcher ****



This graphic novel tells an original Dresden Files story - i.e. not a retelling of a novel in graphic novel form. Harry is called to a small town to try to help a family of orphans from a cursed bloodline. While enjoyable, the graphic novels lack the humor of the novels. Just one of the drawbacks of the medium, I think.

157. The Bride by Julie Garwood. *****



So many books, so little time. Right? So this year I decided to have a category for Rereads and Second Chances. To give myself permission, nay encouragement, to reread some old favorites. (Did I really just say "nay"? LOL! Can you tell I just finished a historical romance?)

I used to love Julie Garwood. Her historical romances were funny, sensual, and engaging, and her characters were memorable. One of my favorites was the one about the two girls, one English and one Scottish, who became lifelong friends despite the hostilities between their two countries. So I asked my library to get the ebooks for The Bride and The Wedding so I could reread their stories. Well, this ain't it. LOL.

I was confused as all hell when I opened the ebook and started reading and it was set in the modern day. What the fluff? I didn't remember it being a time-travel romance. Well, it turns out it wasn't - that was an excerpt from Sweet Talk which looked pretty funny. I might have to try it even though I don't like contemporary romance, hate romantic suspense, and especially HATE that Julie Garwood stopped writing funny historical romances to write romantic suspense. *whew* (Glad I got THAT off my chest.)

So once I got to the real book, I remembered the Scottish lord whose first wife was buried in unhallowed ground because she committed suicide, even though there were rumors that her husband had killed her. I remembered the English lass he married and their journey back to his home in the Highlands. I remembered who the real killer was. But I couldn't figure out how the childhood friendship played into the story. I don't even want to know how long it took me to figure out that I had the wrong book. (Hey, I said Garwood's characters were memorable - not her titles. They're all the same: The Bride, The Wedding, The Prize, The Gift, The Secret, etc. Turns out the one I wanted is The Secret, so I had to go and request that one from the library as well.) But all's well that ends well. I do love Julie Garwood's historical romances, and Jamie and Alec's story was no exception. Even though it wasn't the story I set out to read, I'm glad I was able to reread and enjoy it.

You got me - another Audible add with The Ruins of Gorlan. BB taken. :)

158. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney ***1/2



This was both a reread and a second chance read. I listened to the audiobook a few years ago and didn't think it was that funny. Then I heard the author speak and he specifically mentioned how some of the jokes fell flat in the audiobook because the punchline was in the cartoon drawing which wasn't described. So I decided to try again with the cartoons . . . still didn't do much for me. Maybe the hardcover edition is funnier than the ebook?

200> Eva, I almost took a shot at you in someone else's thread when you mentioned how you love a good narrator. My older brother got hooked on the series just from listening to bits and pieces when I drove him grocery shopping, and he doesn't usually read children's/YA books.

He must have improved his audio jokes because I listened to Cabin Fever in my car and laughed out loud. I hadn't read or listened to any of his other episodes.

->202 BookLizard:
That's excellent - thanks!. Yes, the any book can be made magic when told right - that is after all how my mum hooked me on books all those years ago before I could read myself. :)

#197 by BookLizard> I see these are listed as YA. I have a marked aversion to teen angst so avoid the genre unless I know someone who's read them who can advise me on the issue. Please?

205> I wouldn't consider them angsty. They are coming of age stories, so there's some of the "growing pains" associated with that, but the books are told from the third person, which I think cuts out 95% of the angst right there. You only get what the characters say or do - not all their thoughts and feelings. And the books are more middle school than high school, so the boys aren't even interested in girls until well into the series. They really are "boy books" - the focus is on the adventure, not any unrequited love nonsense.

thanks!

159. The Wedding by Julie Garwood ****



Another reread for me. Second in the Lairds' Brides series, after The Bride. Not as memorable or enjoyable as the first. The heroine was too compliant. Still a good read.

Recap for November

Books Read: 17

Categories:

6 Rereads/Second Chances
4 Juvenile
3 Historical Romance
2 Miscellaneous
1 Vampire
1 SF

159 read, 10 to go.

160. Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines. ****1/2



"If books are indeed magic (and does anyone really believe otherwise?), then they're a collaborative magic between author and reader." - from the acknowledgements.

Isaac Vainio is working as a librarian in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The job is a cover for his real job as a cataloger for Die Zwelf Portenaere - an organization that controls magic and keeps ordinary humans from knowing about the magical world. Isaac is a libriomancer - he has the ability to reach into a book and pull out small items to use in the real world. He has been forbidden from using his power for a couple of years, but when a trio of vampires attacks his library, he has no choice but to defend himself with magic. He soon discovers that a war has been brewing between the Die Zwelf Portenaere, or Porters, and the vampires. Isaac finds himself drawn into the conflict to help one friend and avenge another.

This book was awesome and funny. Loved the characters. Loved the concept.

161. The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett ****1/2



A funny retelling of the Pied Piper tale set in Pratchett's Discworld.

162. Fifth Grave Past the Light by Darynda Jones ****1/2



Fifth in the series. Makes more sense if you start with the first book, First Grave on the Right . Charley Davidson is a funny, quirky private investigator who happens to see dead people. Her love interest is a smokin' hot bad boy.

163. Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich. ****



What you would expect from a Stephanie Plum novel.

164. Hiss of Death by Rita Mae Brown ***1/2



Reminded me of why I used to enjoy this series and why I stopped reading it.

That series is still going on? I lost track of that one. My favourite was Murder at Monticello (it was also the first one I read).

215> Yeah, that was 19 out of 21. I can't remember which one was my favorite, but the later books get too political/preachy and have too many infodumps.

165. Everything and the Moon by Julia Quinn ***1/2



One of Julia Quinn's earlier books. OK, but not up to the standards of her later books.

166. Sin Undone by Larissa Ione ****



Book 5 in the Demonica series - paranormal romances about a tight-knit family of demons who run a hospital for supernatural beings. I would probably have enjoyed this book even more if my RL hadn't been so messed up.

3 books to go - one is 1/2 read. 2 weeks to read them.

167. Codex Born by Jim C. Hines ****1/2



Sequel to Libriomancer. You really need to read that one first though. A lot of LT reviewers compared the series to The Dresden Files. I only had that thought once when reading the first book - the first time Isaac dons his trench coat. But really, just because they can both do magic and happen to wear trench coats does not make this series a rip-off of Butcher's. What else would you wear in UP Michigan to carry around your weapons? Don't most people (real and fictional) who carry sawed off shotguns wear trench coats to hide them? Don't most old school PIs wear trench coats and fedoras?

It's not a rip-off of The Dresden Files. The magic is completely different. But if you like that type of urban fantasy, then you might like this as well. If you like books, if you like science fiction and fantasy, then you might like this series.

168. Possession: A Novel of the Fallen Angels by J. R. Ward ***1/2



The fifth book in the Fallen Angels series. Ward tries to shake things up, but instead of being OMG! it's more like WTF?

169. Horde by Ann Aguirre ****1/2



The third and final book in the Razorland series. In a post-apocalptic world, a group of young survivors struggle against a horde of zombie-like mutants bent on destroying the human race. The series is actually much better than I make it sound. There are complex relationships and struggles and failures and it's really good.

The only problem I have is with part of the ending. The author tries to wrap it up neatly with a bow by making it seem like the story was written by one of the characters. Only problem is, the book is written in the first person - NOT by that character. And the character who allegedly wrote the books is a storyteller who embellishes his tales, so if he really had wriiten them, it would cheapen the whole reading experience. But since it's not believable that he would have written them, I just choose to ignore that part and suggest other readers do the same.

Congratulations on finishing the challenge!!

Hurray! Congratulations!

Always nice to finish a challenge with a good book! Congratulations!!!

Hurrah! See you in the next challenge!

Congrats on completing your challenge!

Congratulations on completing your challenge. I am also reading the Ann Aguirre series and hope to get to the third one next year.

Thank you, everyone! It's been a really tough month, so I'm glad I was able to finish this weekend. (So what if the Christmas presents didn't get mailed out on time? - the niece & nephew will get a nice surprise after Christmas!)

You're all invited to my 2014 thread:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/158118

Belated congratulations, BookLizard! Off to look at your 2014 thread...

Catching up on threads and wanted to add my congratulations. See you in your 2014 thread!

Year end meme: Just fill in the answers with books you read this year.

Describe yourself: Fairest of All

Describe how you feel: Iced, Trapped

Describe where you currently live: Welcome to the Jungle

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Denmark, Across the Universe

Your favorite form of transportation: The 5th Wave

Your best friend is: Prized, Allegiant

You and your friends are: Warm Bodies

What’s the weather like: Cold Days, Storm Front

You fear: Darkest Night, Grave Peril, Affliction

What is the best advice you have to give: Waiting to Be Heard

Thought for the day: The Celery Stalks at Midnight

How I would like to die: Immortal Ever After

My soul’s present condition: Bitterblue, Darkness Rises

Good meme answers!

Thanks! It makes it easier to come up with good answers when you've read 169 books! LOL.

Yes. The more, the better for that meme (although I had trouble witha category or two even with 191 completions).

Yeah, I can see where you ran into trouble - Hearse and Buggy. But I'd much rather live in The Family Mansion instead of Welcome to the Jungle! Although I suppose the jungle can refer to my tiger babies and my Widdle Weppid (he's not a Black Panther, he's a leopard). For Daughter of the Loom - are you addicted to making Rainbow Loom Bracelets, too? LOL.