2010 Reading Challenges - Complete!

The constant reading overachiever that I am, means that I read way, way more than I was willing to blog about. While I did complete the reading challenges I had set up for myself (ahead of schedule, I might add), I did read less books than I did in previous years. And this is reading books beyond the ones in my challenge, 12 outside of my self imposed challenges. I read a total of 95 books. I believe my numbers for the previous two year was 101.

I started off with the 52 book challenge with a friend. We agreed to continue the different genre books and supplementing that with banned books, Pulitzer/Booker prize nominated books, name books and number books. The most challenging part of the challenge (pun intended!) were the prize books. They were not the usual easy reads. While I may not ever read a Pulitzer or Booker prize again, I am proud to have read some. I'm going to be bold and say it was the prize books that slowed down my reading. They required a little bit more thinking than my usual books.

I will admit that I am a bit burned out by the challenges. I think I am going to take a break from such specific reading challenges. But as always, I look forward to another great year of reading!

2010 Genre Challenge

* Biography/Memoir - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future by Michael J Fox 2010
* Biography/Memoir - My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster 2010
* Chick Lit - Big Boned by Meg Cabot
* Chick Lit - She Went All the Way by Meg Cabot
* Classic - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
* Classic - Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
* General Fiction - Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
* General Fiction - Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell
* Historical Fiction - Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin 2010
* Historical Fiction - Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon
* Horror - Lisey's Story by Stephen King
* Horror - The Passage by Justin Cronin 2010
* Humor/Comedy - Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
* Humor/Comedy - Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster
* Mystery/Thriller - Blood Game by Iris Johansen
* Mystery/Thriller - Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke
* Nonfiction - Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster
* Nonfiction - Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
* Romance - Full Blast by Janet Evanovich
* Romance - The Grand Finale by Janet Evanovich
* SciFi/Fantasy - Stork Naked by Piers Anthony
* SciFi/Fantasy - Jumper Cable by Piers Anthony
* Young Adult - Princess In Love by Meg Cabot
* Young Adult - Princess in Waiting by Meg Cabot

2010 Banned Books Challenge

* 1 The Giver by Lois Lowry
* 2 The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
* 3 Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
* 4 The Witches by Roald Dahl
* 5 Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
* 6 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
* 7 Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

2010 Booker/Pulitizer Prize Challenge

* 1 - Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
* 2 - What Was She Thinking by Zoe Heller
* 3 - Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
* 4 - Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
* 5 - The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
* 6 - The Clothes on Their Back by Linda Grant
* 7 - The Accidental by Ali Smith

2010 Read Your Doppleganger Challenge

* 1 - Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson
* 2 - Things I Want My Daughter to Know by Elizabeth Noble
* 3 - Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie
* 4 - Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner 2010
* 5 - Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay 2010
* 6 - Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie
* 7 - Crazy for you by Jennifer Crusie

2010 Number Challenge

* 1 - The 9th Judgment by James Patterson
* 2 - Eight Days to Live by Iris Johansen
* 3 - Sizzlin' Sixteen by Janet Evanovich
* 4 - Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
* 5 - One Day by David Nicholls
* 6 - Size 14 isn't Fat Either by Meg Cabot
* 7 - The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

2010 Published Challenge

* 1 - Apple Turnover Murder by Joanne Fluke
* 2 - Mistress of the Game by Tilly Bagshawe
* 3 - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
* 4 - Oolong Dead by Laura Childs
* 5 - Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke
* 6 - Swimsuit by James Patterson
* 7 - The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
* 8 - The Teaberry Strangler by Laura Childs
* 9 - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
* 10 - Vixen by Jill Larkin

2010 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge

1. Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner
4. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
5. Teen Idol by Meg Cabot
6. Shadowland by Meg Cabot
7. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
8. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
9. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
10. Unwed and Undead by Mary Janice Davidson

2010 TBR Challenge

1 - The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
2 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
3 - Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
4 - The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
5 - The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
6 - Her Fearful Symmetry by Audry Niffenegger
7 - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
8 - Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
9 - The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
10 - Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
11 - The Broken Window by Jeffrey Deaver
12 - Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

Misc Book List

* Dashing through the Snow by Mary Higgins Clark & Carolyn Higgins Clark
* Death Swatch by Laura Childs
* Eggs Benedict Arnold by Laura Childs
* Eggs in Purgatory by Laura Childs
* Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson
* Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell - reread
* Look Again by Lisa Scottoline
* Motif for Murder by Laura Childs
* Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
* Quickie by James Patterson
* Santa Cruise by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark
* Turn Up the Heat by Jessica Conant-Park & Susan Conant

2011 Page to Screen Reading Challenge

I found another fun reading challenge. Yes, I know I should stop but this seems like a fun and easy one. Read books that have been made into television shows or movies. Okay, I know normally I am not a fan of movies based on books but I think I can make an exception for a reading challenge, especially in 2011. I'll have a newborn and I can watch the movies and shows during the late night feedings!

Here's my tentative list:
P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern 2007
Shopgirl by Steve Martin 2005
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson 2007
About a Boy by Nick Hornby 2003
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine 2004
Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum 2002
Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum 2004
Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum 2007
Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi 2008
Last Song by Nicholas Sparks 2010

Anyway, the 2011 Page to Screen Reading Challenge is from Reading Extensively.

Rules:

* Read books that were made into movies or T.V. shows
* Books must be read between January 1-December 31, 2011
* Rereads count!
* You can also watch the movies/T.V. shows as part of the challenge but it is not a requirement
* If you watch T.V. shows, you should watch 2 hours of the show to be equal to one movie
* Books that are currently being made into movies also count as long as the movie will be released sometime in 2011
* Make a post about the challenge using my challenge logo and link your post below to sign up
* As stated above, reviews of the books/movies you watch/read are not required but they count as extra prize entries!
* Make a wrap up post at the end of the challenge and link it to my wrap up post

Reading Levels:

* Level one-Read 5 books that were made into movies/T.V. shows
* Level two-Read 10 books that were made into movies/T.V. shows
* Level three-Read 15 books that were made into movies/T.V. shows
* Level four-Read 20 books that were made into movies/T.V. shows

Reading and Watching Levels:

* Level one-Read 5 books made into movies/T.V. shows and watch the movies/shows
* Level two-Read 10 books made into movies/T.V. shows and watch the movies/shows
* Level three-Read 15 books made into movies/T.V. shows and watch the movies/shows
* Level four-Read 20 books made into movies/T.V. shows and watch the movies/shows

And to sweeten the pot, there is even a prize!

Prizes:

* One participant will win their choice of book worth up to $15 from Amazon.com or The Book Depository (for international participants in countries that Book Depository ships to).
* Participants must reach reading level one (5 books) by December 31, 2011 to be entered in the drawing.
* Reviews are not required but each review you post will give you an extra entry. So be sure to check back each month to link your reviews!

2011 TBR Challenge

Loved this challenge for 2010! Of course I will participate again for 2011. I even got my friend to join in, too.

So again from MizB's Reading Challenges, we have the 2011 Original TBR.

For this challenge you should…

** Pick 12 books – one for each month of the year - that you’ve been wanting to read (that have been on your “To Be Read” list) for 6 months or longer, but haven’t gotten around to.

** OPTIONAL: Create a list of 12 “Alternates” (books you could substitute for your challenge books, given that a particular one doesn’t grab you at the time)

** Then, starting January 1, read one of these books from your list each month, ending December 31. )

(for more information, please read the challenge FAQs)

NOTE: To sign up, there is a MR.LINKY at the end of the FAQ’s, below!

By the end of the year you should’ve knocked 12 books off of your TBR list! (of course, if you’re anything like me, you’ll have added *at LEAST* 12 more to the ever-growing pile by then! LOL).

The good news is, though, that you’ll be making some progress! ;o)

Additional rules/guidelines for this challenge:

* the challenge is to read 12 TBR books in 12 months — you can read those all in one month if you want, or one a month, or however you wanna do it.
* you should have a list posted somewhere for others to see
* you CANNOT change your list after January 1st, of the current year!!!
* you can create an Alternates list of MAXIMUM 12 books, if you want, in order to have options to choose from (you can read these in place of books on your original list).
* audiobooks and e-books ARE allowed
* re-reads are NOT allowed, as they aren’t TRUE “TBRs”
* you CAN overlap with other challenges
* OPTIONAL: you can join the Yahoo! Group created for participants of the TBR Challenge, if you want to have a place to keep your list, or just to share with others about how you’re doing!

Here's my TBR list:

1 The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larrson
2 The Help by Katheryn Stockett
3 The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
4 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
5 Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
6 House Rules by Jodi Picoult
7 Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
8 In the Woods by Tana French
9 The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
10 Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian
11 Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
12 Wicked by Gregory MacGuire

And here's my alternative list:

1 Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
2 Cloud Pavilion by Laura Joh Rowland
3 Katherine by Anya Seton
4 Red Tent by Anita Diamant
5 Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos
6 She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb
7 Beaches by Iris Rainier Dart
8 Willow by Julia Hoban
9 The Nanny Diaries by Emma Laughlin and Nicola Kraus - using for another challenge
10 Wake by Lisa McMann
11 The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
12 The Stand by Stephen King

Books in boldface have been read

Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011!

Just found a great new reading challenge on Book Chick City. It's a Mystery & Suspense Challenge. Totally right up my alley! It will actually be necessary to read all those mysteries that I love. Like I really need an excuse!

The rules are:
* Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011

* Rules: To read TWELVE (12) mystery & suspense novels in 2011 (12 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)

* You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

* You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

* At the beginning of Jan 2011, you will find a link to specific month to add your reviews. There will be a monthly prize too courtesy of the lovely Simon & Schuster - you must be signed up to the challenge and add the link to your review to be entered into the monthly prize draw.

And as an added bonus, publisher Simon & Schuster UK has been kind enough to offer all participants of this challenge a free ARC of The Survivor by Sean Slater. How cool is that!

Merry Christmas!!!

Woohoo! I finished all my challenges as of yesterday, Christmas Eve!

I really didn't think I could do it. It was getting really difficult towards the end. Especially with the Pulitzer and Booker Prize challenge that I left until the end. Those were really tough reads. There was one books that I really did not enjoy, so I really skimmed at least half the book. Then I'll have to admit that I might have cheated with the banned books. There were a few that were children's books: Alice in Wonderland, Bridge to Terabithia and Witches.

However, I persevered and actually finished a week ahead of schedule. I am so proud of myself!

2010 Book Reviews

So far I am on book 91. I'm thinking by year end I will have possibly read 2-3 more books. Maybe.

14/91 book reviews. That's about 15%. Less when I have my final total of books read. Not good at all. Obviously I am not meant to review books. I am horrible at it. I would just rather read. I have read some good books. I should just review the standouts. Maybe I'll try next year. It is too late for that this year.

ETA: Oops! Just checked and my first few posts of 2010 were actually about my reading challenges. So that is actually 3 less book reviews than I thought I had done. 11/91 book reviews is absolutely terrible! That's 12%! I could attempt to go back and do some book reviews for the books that I remember. Some do stand out more than others. I could try. Somehow I doubt I will, but I could try.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

About this book

In this stunning follow-up to the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown demonstrates once again why he is the world's most popular thriller writer. The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling -- a deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths . . . all under the watchful eye of Brown's most terrifying villain to date. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbol accelerates through a startling landscape toward an unthinkable finale.

As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object -- artfully encoded with five symbols -- is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation . . . one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon's beloved mentor, Peter Solomon -- a prominent Mason and philanthropist -- is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations -- all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.

As the world discovered in The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, Dan Brown's novels are brilliant tapestries of veiled histories, arcane symbols, and enigmatic codes. In this new novel, he again challenges readers with an intelligent, lightning-paced story that offers surprises at every turn. The Lost Symbol is exactly what Brown's fans have been waiting for . . . his most thrilling novel yet.

This was another fascinating book into the world of Free Masons. I also loved the tour of Washington DC and cannot wait to go to visit Washington DC and see it through new eyes. There were so many Free Mason references. I felt like I entered the secret society without the initiation.

With all the fascination and build up of suspense throughout The Lost Symbol, you have to anticipate that the ending cannot truly tell you what you want to know. Did one really think that a fictional novel will hold the secret of all secrets? It was the same with The Da Vinci Code. You get lost in the story and somehow came to expect to find out the secret of the Holy Grail. Of course you will not.

So while most of the book draws you in and Dan Brown tells a suspenseful thriller throughout, you cannot help but feel let down at the end of the book.

Blood Game by Iris Johansen

About this book

First comes darkness, then comes fear...

Eve Duncan is back! Blockbuster New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen’s latest thriller brings Eve closer to discovering her daughter’s killer…and into a web of danger from which she may not be able to escape…

Eve Duncan returns in a thriller that pits her against the most evil mind she has ever encountered: a ruthless killer who taunts her with his every move…and who has a special affinity for blood. When a Georgia senator’s daughter is found murdered, and her body drained of blood, Eve Duncan is drawn into the web of Kevin Jelak—a serial murderer who is on Eve’s short list of killers who might know something about her missing daughter Bonnie. When a goblet of blood is found in Eve’s refrigerator, she knows the taunting is over…and the games have begun. As Eve and Jelak engage in a dance of death, Eve must call upon those she loves and trusts the most…even if it means bringing them into the game as well.

I really enjoy the Eve Duncan series by Iris Johansen. However, Blood Game is a little weird even for my taste. I know that the last couple of books start delving into the supernatural but it is a bit more prominent in this book.

Eve is stalked by a wanna be vampire who happens to be on the short list of possible suspects of her daughter's kidnapping/murder years ago.

Somehow Eve gets on his radar again. He seems to believe that he must perform a series of sacrifices, ultimately ending Eve, in order to achieve his goal of being a true vampire.

Eve must act before too many lives are risked.

In the meanwhile, things are happening with Joe. Things that he is not comfortable with. In a prior book, he had contact with a woman whose apparent talent is to release latent powers within someone or to drive them insane. Now Joe is hallucinating, or so he thinks. He is on the hunt for the serial killer who is has killed a prominent politician's daughter. One and the same who is after Eve.

Joe has to decide whether he will let his new talents drive a wedge between himself and Eve.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

About this book Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

This is the first book in a dystopian trilogy. Katniss who comes from District 12, the coal mining district, has been been forced to fend for her family by learning to hunt in the forbidden forests after her father is tragically killed in the coal mines. When the annual Hunger Games come around and her little sister Prim, is chosen, Katniss automatically volunteers to take her place in order to save her sister's life. Petra, the baker's son, was the other chosen one. In a live press conference at the Capitol to introduce the Hunger Games tributes to Panem, Petra confesses is unrequited love for Katniss. Katniss is taken aback but assumes that it is part of the plan to garner sympathy and therefore sponsorship to get help during the games.

Katniss is a fierce competitor. Katniss' survival skills prove to be a tremendous asset for her.

The tributes are been thrown for a loop when it is announced that 2 tributes from the same District can be victors. So there is a scramble to everyone to find their fellow tribute. Katniss needs to find and team up with Petra. In the meanwhile she finds an ally in Rue, a little wisp of a girl from the agriculture district.

One by one, the tributes go down, including Rue. Katniss does eventually find Petra but he is in horrible shape. They play up their "love" for the viewers and are rewarded with sponsors' gifts and medicine for Petra.

At the end, with the final on command confrontation between the remaining tributes, Katniss and Petra are the last ones standing. They are the winners, or so they think. The rules are changed again and there is to be only one winner. Katniss in a fit of defiance declares that she and Petra will go down together by ingesting the poisonous berries she still had. The Capitol had no choice but to declare the lovebirds winners because there cannot be no winners.

The Hunger Games is definitely a must read! It is full of adventure and twists and turns that have you on the edge of your seat.

Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

About this book

Recipe for disaster: Celebrity chef Stanley Chipotle comes to Trenton to participate in a barbecue cook-off and loses his head – literally.

Throw in some spice: Bail bonds office worker Lula is witness to the crime, and the only one she’ll talk to is Trenton cop, Joe Morelli.

Pump up the heat: Chipotle’s sponsor is offering a million-dollar reward to anyone who can provide information leading to the capture of the killers.

Stir the pot: Lula recruits bounty hunter Stephanie Plum to help her find the killers and collect the moolah.

Add a secret ingredient: Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur. Enough said.

Bring to a boil: Can Stephanie hunt down two killers, a traitor, five skips, keep her grandmother out of the sauce, solve Ranger’s problems and not jump his bones?

Warning: Habanero hot. So good you’ll want seconds.

Janet Evanovich does it again! Finger Lickin' Fifteen is downright hilarious. The trouble and mischief that Stephanie Plum, Lula and Grandma Mazur get into is too funny for words.

Lula inadvertently witnesses a mob murder. So now she is a target. When it is determined that the unfortunate headless victim was a celebrity chef who had come to town to judge a babecue cookoff, Lula decides that she is going enter the barbecue contest. Not only enter it, but to win barbecue cook off as well. Lula is forgetting one little, very important, fact - she can't cook!

Lula destroys, I mean, cooks her way through Stephanie's apartment and Stephanie's parents' kitchen and backyard. And she enlists Grandma Mazur as her trusty assistant.

While Lula lives at her place, Stephanie crashes at Ranger's apartment and takes on a job at Rangeman as well. Sparks fly but Stephanie manages to deftly avoid them while she is figuring out her latest tiff with Morelli.

Another great read by Janet Evanovich. Counting the days until Sizzling Sixteen!

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby

About This Book

In December 1995, Jean-Dominique Bauby, the 43-year-old editor of French Elle, suffered a massive stroke that left him permanently paralyzed, a victim of “locked in syndrome.” Once known for his gregariousness and wit, Bauby now finds himself imprisoned in an inert body, able to communicate only by blinking his left eye. The miracle is that in doing so he was able to compose this stunningly eloquent memoir.

In a voice that is by turns wistful and mischievous, angry and sardonic, Bauby gives us a celebration of the liberating power of consciousness: what it is like to spend a day with his children, to imagine lying in bed beside his wife, to conjure up the flavor of delectable meals even as he is fed through at tube. Most of all, this triumphant book lets us witness an indomitable spirit and share in the pure joy of its own survival.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is the strange title for this inspiring memoir by Jean-Dominique Bauby. Or is it? It is the author's beautiful and apt description of what life was like after his unfortunate stroke.

First off, I am amazed at how he was able to communicate his thoughts and desires, let alone an entire book. I might have to borrow the movie to understand better how he was able to communicate.

It was just so inspiring that a man in his condition was still uplifting and positive. It makes you really open your eyes about the things you take for granted, how one needs to appreciate what one has and really not complain so much.

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows

About This Book

“I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.”

January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends --- and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society --- born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island --- boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

It was interesting reading a novel completely composed of letters. It made everything seem so much more personal. But still confusing to me because I kept reading the letters without reading who it was addressed to. So I'd read the first few paragraphs and go, wait, who is writing to whom? It's probably because I am impatient and want to find out the meat of the story, so I lose sight of the details.

In the beginning of the book, you get the sense that Juliet is a very independent sort of woman that has been through a difficult time, understandably as it is after World War II. We learn that she loses her flat after a bombing that hits her neighbor's home which takes half of her flat as well. We learn that she has difficulty maintaining relationships or even finding a man that interests her, for that matter. Which is why it was a bit difficult for me to understand how she falls into a whirlwind relationship with a wealthy American publisher. It just didn't seem to jive with the character that I've come to know. But I supposed that it would be flattering and welcomed to have a fun, carefree relationship after the hardships of the war. I can't fault her for that.

Needless to say, I wasn't too surprised that she didn't accept right away when marriage was proposed. Her escape was to Guernsey which she had fallen in love with through her letters with the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

The correspondence began with Dawsey who somehow ended up with a book that used to belong to Juliet. Dawsey writes in hopes that Juliet would point him in the right direction to get more books of that nature. He mentions the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which piques Juliet's interest and so the letters begin. One by one, the members of the society begin to write to Juliet sharing their stories about the Nazi occupation.

Juliet ends up visiting Guernsey under the premises that she will write an article about the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, but she ends falling in love with the people and the island.

Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich

About This Book According to legend, the Jersey Devil prowls the Pine Barrens and soars above the treetops in the dark of night. As eerie as this might seem, there are things in the Barrens that are even more frightening and dangerous. And there are monkeys. Lots of monkeys.

Wulf Grimoire is a world wanderer and an opportunist who can kill without remorse and disappear like smoke. He's chosen Martin Munch, boy genius, as his new business partner, and he's chosen the Barrens as his new playground.

Munch received his doctorate degree in quantum physics when he was twenty-two. He's now twenty-four, and while his brain is large, his body hasn't made it out of the boys' department at Macy's. Anyone who says good things come in small packages hasn't met Munch. Wulf Grimoire is looking for world domination. Martin Munch would be happy if he could just get a woman naked and tied to a tree.

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has Munch on her most-wanted list for failure to appear in court. Plum is the all-American girl stuck in an uncomfortable job, succeeding on luck and tenacity. Usually she gets her man. This time she gets a monkey. She also gets a big guy named Diesel.

Diesel pops in and out of Plum's life like birthday cake - delicious to look at and taste, not especially healthy as a steady diet, gone by the end of the week if not sooner. He's an uber bounty hunter with special skills when it comes to tracking men and pleasing women. He's after Grimoire, and now he's also after Munch. And if truth were told, he wouldn't mind setting Stephanie Plum in his crosshairs.

Diesel and Plum hunt down Munch and Grimoire, following them into the Barrens, surviving cranberry bogs, the Jersey Devil, a hair-raising experience, sand in their underwear, and, of course . . . monkeys.

Let me just say that only Stephanie Plum would get into situations like this. Plum Spooky is another funny book by Janet Evanovich. You have to be ready to suspend all belief when reading this book. Seriously, how else does Diesel and Grimoire do all that they do? Or even how does Stephanie Plum get into all the trouble she gets into? Noone is that unlucky, can they be? Yet at the same time be so lucky to have guys like Diesel and Ranger to clean up after her.

Definitely another fun, hilarious look into the life of Stephanie Plum!

Jumper Cable by Piers Anthony

About This Book

In the thirty-third thrilling escapade in Piers Anthony’s rousing Xanth fantasy series, an adventurous arachnid named Jumper must assume human form to save the enchanted realm from a cosmic peril.

A cataclysmic battle between two all-powerful Demons has severed a mystical connection that joins Xanth to our own world. The key to restoring it is hidden within a cryptic prophecy that Jumper discovers when he is suddenly transformed from spider to man. As he sets out to discern the prophecy's meaning, he gathers about him a half dozen alluring damsels who do their best to help him solve the riddle while vying for his attentions.

But a seductive siren and her demonic consort have determined to use their wiles to lure Jumper and his lovely companions away from their urgent mission. In a madcap adventure that is alternately harrowing and hilarious, they soon discover that danger, deception, and even true love may be found where they least expect it.

In Jumper Cable, master storyteller Piers Anthony spins a wild and witty web of wonder that is sure to captivate fans of fantastic adventure everywhere!

Let me preface this by saying I adore Piers Anthony. I love his fantasy books. They are the only ones I read in the fantasy genre. I adore Xanth. And I adore the puns. However, I do not adore Jumper Cable.

Piers Anthony began the Xanth series with the intention of it being a trilogy. Due to its popularity, Piers Anthony developed Xanth into a longer series. First a trilogy times three, then squared which would have brought the series to a whopping 27 books. Honestly, I think Piers Anthony should have stopped writing the Xanth series a while ago.

This book is a bit indulgent and is just all about S-E-X. Everyone just wants to sleep with someone or is trying to. It was getting a bit tiresome. And it just didn't seem to go with the whole Xanth vibe. It used to be a bit more wholesome and just hinted at naughty things. Now naughty things are said and done outright.

Definitely not one of my favorite Xanth books. Will I read his next one? Probably, but I won't rush excitedly to pick it up like I've done in the past.

Sam's Letters to Jennifer

I decided to go with Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson for my next read.




About This Book

Dear Reader,

Have you ever gotten a letter that changed your life completely? It happened to me once. I still can feel the urgency that overtook me as I opened the envelope and the hunger I felt for whatever that letter would say. It seemed as if my entire life hung in the balance as I read.

Sam's Letters to Jennifer is a novel about that kind of drama. In it, a woman is summoned back to the town where she grew up. And in the house where she spent her most magical years she finds a series of letters addressed to her. Each of those letters is a piece of a story that will upend completely the world she thought she knew - and throw her into a love more powerful than she ever imagined could be possible. Two extraordinary love stories are entwined here, full of hope and pain and emotions that never die down.

I hope you'll enjoy this novel as much as I've enjoyed writing it. It's not often that you get a letter that changes your life. But it should happen to everyone at least once.

Yours,
James Patterson

The book starts you off wondering "Who is Sam? Who is Jennifer? And who is Danny?" Are they involved? What happened to Danny? Are Sam and Jennifer couple? These were just a few, okay more than a few, questions that ran through my head as I started off the book.

The background is set. We learn that Sam, whoever he is, and Jennifer are extremely close. And that Jennifer is still, even after a year and a half, heavily mourning the loss of her husband, Danny.

Jennifer receives a phone call that tells her that Sam is in a coma and is needed by her side. Here we learn that Sam is Jennifer's beloved Grandmother who practically raised her and has been her support since her parents were gone.

Back in Grandmother Sam's home, Jennifer discovers a set of letters addressed to her. When she reads the first letter, a bomb is dropped. Grandmother Sam never loved her Grandfather Charles despite their 50+ years of marriage.

As Jennifer reads her letters from Sam, she learns that Sam finds love despite being in a loveless marriage. Jennifer also discovers that she can let herself love again when she finds romance with a childhood friend, Brendan, who is back in town visiting his uncle. She learns to live life to its fullest despite the losses she has suffered with her husband's terrible accident that cost him his life and her subsequent miscarriage. Brendan teaches her to live every day "from the crack of dawn until I closed my eyes."

When Sam wakes up from her coma, Jennifer is hit with more devastating news. Brendan who she is slowly falling in love with, has cancer. He has the kind of cancer that the only treatment is experimental, radical surgery with extremely high risks. Brendan had returned to his childhood haunt for one last enjoyable summer. But for her, Brendan is willing to take the risk. Sometimes you just have to take the chance for love...

I kept getting the feeling I read this book before. There were parts that I thought, hey I read this before, and then there were parts that were totally new to me. I am leaning towards my not having read this book before, but rather that the storyline is a bit predictable somewhat along the lines of Nicholas Sparks. It is a sweet, romantic read, nonetheless.

ETA: I've heard a new song lately called According To You by Orianthi. The sentiment of the song makes me think of the relationship Sam had with her husband.

Plum Pudding Murder by Joanne Fluke

Yay, my first book of the year. And I started with a good one.



Product Description

The Cookie Jar's busiest time of the year also happens to be the most wonderful time...for Christmas cookies, Hannah's own special plum pudding - and romance! Holiday orders are high, and Hannah's slated to provide dessert at the Reverend Knudsen's upcoming nuptials. She's busy as can be and loving it. She also gets a kick out of 'Lunatic Larry Jaeger's Crazy Elf Christmas Tree Lot', a kitschy carnival taking place smack-dab in the middle of the village green. Larry thinks he's crazy like a fox with his wild business schemes, but this time, the entrepreneur may have bitten off more than he can chew. Rumour has it that Larry's in the red - an idea that takes a sinister turn when Hannah discovers the man himself dead as a doornail in his own office...

It seems quite a few people would have liked to fill Larry's stocking with coal and then bash him with it - including his bitter ex-wife, his ex-partner's daughter, a woman he was wooing, and the Crazy Elf Tree lot's extremely exasperated investors...

Now, with so many suspects to investigate and the twelve days of Christmas ticking away, Hannah's running out of time to nab a murderous Scrooge who doesn't want her to see the New Year.

I really like the Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke. Plum Pudding Murder did not disappoint. Hannah Swensen is the resident cookie maker of picturesque Lake Eden with a knack for finding bodies. What is this, book number 12 for the series and a dead body for each? Something tells me that I would not want to live in Lake Eden, although Hannah's cookies might be strong temptation....

Hannah and Lisa, owners of the The Cookie Jar, have their hands full baking for the holiday season. Along with their regular customers, they are supplying the Crazy Elf Christmas Tree Lot with cookies to sell. Larry Jaeger is the crazy owner of the Crazy Elf Christmas Tree Lot with questionable business practices, as Hannah discovers through the Small Business Practice class that she is taking with her mother. Apparently Larry's motto is "We sell below cost and make it up on volume." Not exactly kosher business happening here. And it seems that someone else agrees. Hannah and Norman find Larry and his big screen television victim to a gun toting murderer.

Hannah sleuths around while baking delicious goodies, trying to keep Moishe (her cat) from destroying her Christmas tree and heirloom ornaments, tracking the whereabouts of Norman's mother to find out why she has been acting so mysteriously lately, and still bouncing back and forth about her feelings for the two men in her life, Norman and Mike. Yes, Hannah is a busy lady.

The discovery of the murderer is a bit convoluted, but very Hannah. And the ending leaves us with a major cliffhanger that you could see coming a mile away.

Oh, and the recipes.... there were so many recipes in Plum Pudding Murder that I want to try. I will be back to update how yummy or not so yummy they are.

2010 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge

Reading with Tequila has a great challenge that I want to try to. I know I'll be reading some great books! I am shooting for Level II, subject to change if I'm feeling ambitious.

1. Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner
4. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
5. Teen Idol by Meg Cabot

Level I met! Yay! I have a feeling that I might not get to Level II.

6. Shadowland by Meg Cabot
7. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
8. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
9. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
10. Unwed and Undead by Mary Janice Davidson

Level II! Success! Yay!

Book bloggers are my favorite source of book recommendations. More than any other source, they consistently introduce me to books and authors that impact my life. Therefore, I have created the Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge.

The Top 25

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling
2. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
3. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
4. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
5. Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick
6. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
7. Graceling - Kristin Cashore
8. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
9. Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
10. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
11. The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
12. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
13. Eragon - Christopher Paolini
14. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
15. A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle
16. The Host - Stephenie Meyer
17. The Thorn Birds - Colleen McCullough
18. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
19. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
20. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
21. The Clan of the Cave Bear - Jean M. Auel
22. The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
23. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
24. 11 Minutes - Paulo Coelho
25. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer

Click here to see the entire 2009 Book Blogger Recommendation List.

The Levels:
Level I - Read 5 books from the 2009 Book Blogger Recommendation List
Level II - Read 10 books
Level III - Read 15 books
Level IV - Read 20 books
Level V - Read 20+ books

The Rules:

• Challenge will run January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. Participants can join anytime throughout the challenge.
  
• Create an intro post, linking back to this post.
  
• Sign up with the MckLinky below. Please link to your challenge intro post, not your blog home page.
  
• Chose your own books from the list. You can decide to read books only on the Top 25 list or from the entire recommendation list. You do not have to make a list of books before the challenge begins.
  
• All forms of books acceptable (audiobooks, eBooks, etc.)
• Rereads do not count towards the completion of the challenge. The challenge is about discovering books that are new to you.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• Reviews, while always appreciated, are not mandatory.
  

2010 TBR Challenge

I've decided to tackle the 2010 TBR Challenge from MizB's Reading Challenges.



Here are the rules:

** Pick 12 books – one for each month of the year - that you’ve been wanting to read (that have been on your “To Be Read” list) for 6 months or longer, but haven’t gotten around to.

** OPTIONAL: Create a list of 12 “Alternates” (books you could substitute for your challenge books, given that a particular one doesn’t grab you at the time)

** Then, starting January 1, read one of these books from your list each month, ending December 31. )

By the end of the year you should’ve knocked 12 books off of your TBR list! (of course, if you’re anything like me, you’ll have added *at LEAST* 12 more to the ever-growing pile by then! LOL).

The good news is, though, that you’ll be making some progress! ;o)

Additional rules/guidelines for this challenge:

* the challenge is to read 12 TBR books in 12 months — you can read those all in one month if you want, or one a month, or however you wanna do it.
* you should have a list posted somewhere for others to see
* you CANNOT change your list after January 1st, of the current year!!!
* you can create an Alternates list of MAXIMUM 12 books, if you want, in order to have options to choose from (you can read these in place of books on your original list).
* audiobooks and e-books ARE allowed
* re-reads are NOT allowed, as they aren’t TRUE “TBRs”
* you CAN overlap with other challenges
* OPTIONAL: you can join the Yahoo! Group created for participants of the TBR Challenge, if you want to have a place to keep your list, or just to share with others about how you’re doing!

**************************************

Okay, I didn't strictly adhere to the rules because I only found out about this challenge 2 days ago and only decided to join last night! But I have created my list and promise not to change it after I post it today.

TBR List

1 - The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

2 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

3 - Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

4 - The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

5 - The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larrson - will read

6 - The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

7 - Her Fearful Symmetry by Audry Niffenegger

8 - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby

9 - Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

10 - Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

11 - The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

12 - The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Alternate List

1 - The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

2 - The Kite Runner by Khaled Hossein

3 - The 8th Confession by James Patterson

4 - Katherine by Anya Seton

5 - Life of Pi by Yann Martel

6 - She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

7 - The Stand by Stephen King

8 - A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

9 - Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian

10 - The Broken Window by Jeffrey Deaver

11 - Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

12 - Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

ETA - Titles in Boldface have been read.

2010 Reading Challenge

I have my new reading challenge for 2010. My friend, and fellow booklover, came up with this one. I will concede and even applaud her because now I do not have to think of one myself!

Our challenge is a 52 book challenge. It will be a hodge podge of challenges:
A) 24 books -- the genre challenge (2 books from each of the categories from last year)
B) 7 books -- from the banned books lists (from here and here)
C) 7 books -from award-winning books (like the Booker Prize or the Pulitzer)
D) 7 books that start with "J" or have the name Jennifer in them (our name)
E) 7 books with numbers in their title

I was surfing the web last night and came across a few other challenges that caught my eye as well:
2010 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge from Reading with Tequila
2010 Pub Challenge from 1morechapter.com
Countdown Challenge 2010 also from 1morechapter.com
2010 Reading Resolutions Challenge from Jenny Loves To Read
2010 DIK Book Reading Challenge from DIK (Desert Island Keepers)
2010 TBR Challenge from MizB's Reading Challenges

I know it's already the 4th of January but I am still thinking about which challenges to commit to. I like the Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge and the TBR Challenge and will most likely do those. I really like the Countdown Challenge but I believe that will prove to be too overwhelming for me. It would mean another 55 books on top of what other challenges I may decide to do. I think I will keep it in mind for next year....

2009 Reading Challenges

Okay, I didn't succeed in blogging about all my books. I really, really tried. I really did. But I realized that I'd rather read than write about what I read.

So on with my reading challenges. I started out the year with the intention to do a 50 book challenge. A friend, a fellow booklover who did a reading challenge with me in 2008 as well, and I decided to do the ABC Author challenge and the Genre challenge - reading 2 books from 12 different genres. I decided to up the ante by only recognizing new authors (authors I have never read before) for my ABC Author challenge.

As the year started, on one of the sites I frequent, I found out about the New York Bestseller's challenge and decided to go for that as well. I aimed for a 10 book goal.

Then as the year progressed, I had difficulty sticking to my challenges. I kept reading books that grabbed my interest - read books from authors I like; therefore not new to me. I soon realized that I read enough extra books to actually create a list for an ABC Title challenge. In that manner, I ended up with maintaining 4 challenges. I almost made it. I was shy one book for my ABC Title challenge. I was reading up to the last day of the year, but I fell asleep before I could finish the book and the year! I guess that's what happens when one reads well into the night for days in order to finish up a reading challenge! I'm not as young as I used to be and cannot keep up with all these late nights!

I am proud of what I was able to achieve. The book count, I believe, is at 101 books. I am not counting my childrens' books and books on CD.

This was a great year of reading for me.
- My New Author challenge forced me to read books from authors I am not familiar with. I confess that I am guilty to sticking with particular authors. Once I like an author I have tendency to read everything I can grab from them. I have read from at least 26 new authors last year. I know that is a first for me.
- I read a few classic which is something I have been wanting to do for some time but have been hesitant to commit to.
- I have begun reading an amazing series, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.
- I have been reading from genres that are out of my comfort zone - nonfiction, memoirs, classics and comedy.
- I have been introduced to new authors that I will definitely read from again - Katherine Howe, Cassandra Clare and Michelle Moran.
- I read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series in record time.
- I am part of two in real life book clubs that I actually keep up with.

Here's to hoping 2010 is just as good!

2009 New Author Challenge - DONE!!

• Albert, Susan Wittig - Thyme of Death
• Baer, Judy - The Baby Chronicles
• Clark, Mary Jane - Lights Out Tonight
• DuMaurier, Daphne - Rebecca
• Everson, Eva Marie & Shepherd, Linda Evans - The Secret's in the Sauce
• Fergus, Jim - One Thousand White Women
• Gabaldon, Diana - Dragonfly in Amber
• Harris, Charlaine - Dead Until Dark
• Irving, John - The World According to Garp
• Johansen, Iris & Roy - Silent Thunder
• Kalogridis, Jeanne - I, Mona Lisa
• Lutz, Lisa - The Spellman Files
• Meyer, Stephenie -Twilight
• Neill, Fiona - Slummy Mummy
• Osborne, Denise - Positioned To Die
• Pelecanos, George - The Turnaround
• Quinn, Sherrill - Seducing the Moon
• Roughan, Howard & Patterson, James - Sail
• Scotch, Allison Winn - Time of My Life
• Tyler, Anne - The Accidental Tourist
• Updike, John - The Witches of Eastwick
• Vanderbilt, Gloria - Obsession
• Wilshire, Taylor - The Book of Mom
• Xu, Xiaobin - Feathered Serpent
• Yates, Richard - Revolutionary Road
• Zutell, Irene - Pieces of Happily Ever After

2009 50 Book Challenge - Genre DONE!

• Biography/Memoir - STori Telling by Tori Spelling
• Biography/Memoir - What Time Is It? You Mean Now? by Yogi Berra
• Chick Lit - Queen of Babble Getting Hitched by Meg Cabot
• Chick Lit - Shopaholic and a Sister by Sophie Kinsella
• Classic - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• Classic - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• General Fiction - A Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg
• General Fiction - Firestorm by Iris Johansen
• Historical Fiction - The Nature of Monsters by Clare Clark
• Historical Fiction - The Other Queen by Phillipa Gregory
• Horror - Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
• Horror - Rose Madder by Stephen King
• Humor/Comedy - Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
• Humor/Comedy - The Yogi Book by Yogi Berra
• Mystery/Thriller - Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
• Mystery/Thriller - Death Walked In by Carolyn Hart
• Nonfiction - Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli
• Nonfiction - Marley & Me by John Grogan
• Romance - Foul Play by Janet Evanovich
• Romance - The Treasure by Iris Johansen
• Sci-Fi/Fantasy - City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
• Sci-Fi/Fantasy - The Dastard by Piers Anthony
• Young Adult - New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
• Young Adult - The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

NY Bestseller's Challenge DONE!

• 2/6 Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke
• 2/6 The Host by Stephenie Meyer
• 3/1 The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb
• 3/25 Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
• 3/25 Hold Tight by Harlen Coben
• 3/25 Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
• 4/20 Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
• 4/3 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
• 6/15 Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
• 7/17 The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

2009 Title Challenge :(

• Alchemist, The by Paul Coelho
• Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
• Catered Christmas, A by Isis Crawford
• Catered Murder, A by Isis Crawford
• Catered Wedding, A by Isis Crawford
• Cell by Stephen King
• City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
• City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
• Diva Runs Out of Thyme, The by Krista Davis
• Dragonwell Dead by Laura Childs
• Espresso Shot by Cleo Coyle
• Everyone worth knowing by Lauren Weisberger
• Fire Kimono, The by Laura Joh Rowland
• French Pressed by Cleo Coyle
• Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The by Stieg Larsson
• Heretic Queen, The by Michelle Moran
• Immaculate Reception by Jerrilyn Farmer
• Jed Hunter's Reluctant Bride by Susanne James
• Killing Me Softly by Nicci French
• Killer Smile by Lisa Scottoline
  
• Laced by Carol Higgins Clark
• Murder with Reservations - by Elaine Viets
• Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• Perils of Paella, The by Nancy Fairbanks
• Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
  
• Queen of Babble In the Big City by Meg Cabot
• Red Chrysanthemum by Laura Joh Rowland
• Scandal of the Season by Sophie Gee
• Shopaholic and a Baby by Sophie Kinsella
• Silver Needle Murder, The by Laura Child
• Simmer Down by Jessica Conant-Park & Susan Conant
• Steamed by Jessica Conant-Park & Susan Conant
• The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
• Truffled Feathers by Nancy Fairbanks
• Up in a Heaval by Piers Anthony
• Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
• Way of the Traitor, The by Laura Joh Rowland
• Wise Woman, The by Philippa Gregory
• X, The Dangerous Days of Daniel by James Patterson
• You Belong to Me by Johanna Lindsey
• Zenith by Julie Bertagna - finally finished 1/5 :(
  

2009 Children's Books

• The Case of the House of Horrors by Megan Stine
• The Mystery of Monster Mountain by Robert Arthur
• The Mystery of the Cranky Collector by M.V. Carey
• The Mystery of the Kidnapped Whale by Robert Arthur
• The Mystery of the Silver Spider by Robert Arthur
• The Mystery of the Two Toed Pigeon by Marc Arthur
• The Mystery of the Vanishing Treasure by Robert Arthur
• The Secret of Skeleton Island by Robert Arthur

Books on CD

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• The Little Giant of Aberdeen County