Category — Reading Challenge

So life here for the last week or so has been all about books. I managed to get my hands on a copy of A Touch of Dead, which is a collection of Sookie Stackhouse short stories that go along with the regular Sookie Stackhouse books. I promptly sat down to read the ones that fell chronologically before the point I was at. Then because I only have the book for seven days and because I wanted to read the series in order I got to reading. At 9pm tonight I finished the last book, and now I must wait until May it appears to get more. I just love these books, they are such fun and I’m always getting a laugh from them that I just have to share.

Sookie isn’t the only reading that’s been done here either. I finished the Christmas Challenge with only a few hours to spare and my thought is I won’t be doing that again. I love the Christmas holiday, and all the joy and happiness that comes with it, but for the most part the Christmas challenged seemed more like work that fun.

• The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere – 12/7/2009
• The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans – 12/2/2009
• A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber – 12/15/2009
• Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb – 12/3/2009
• Christmas Jars by Jason Wright – 12/31/2009
• The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson – 12/26/2009
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – 12/24/2009
• The Chimes by Charles Dickens – 12/18/2009
• The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens – 12/21/2009

I also finished Kiss the Girls and 2nd Chance as part of the James Patterson and Women’s Murder Club challenges. Both were everything I’ve come to expect of Patterson and I’m looking forward to my next books off of each list.

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Hosted by The True Book Addict

Well it’s been a while since I updated my Christmas Reading challenge so in honor of Christmas Eve I will let you know where I stand.

First I finished The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere, and it was fun. You could see where it was going but it had a few cute twists and turns that kept it moving. It was the best one I had read so far.

Next up was A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber and despite the obvious story line it was fun, light and quick moving. My guess is that if you read all the Cedar Cove stories you will probably get more than I did out of it but it was fun.

Next I added two Dickens stories to the list because I couldn’t get my hands on other titles I wanted and my librarian recommended them. Both The Chimes and The Cricket on the Hearth were good quick reads, and there is just something about that time, a time when Christmas was almost lost, that really speaks to me. If you haven’t read these, I would recommend them.

Tonight we will read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens because that is what we do on Christmas Eve and then perhaps I will read The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

• The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere – 12/7/2009
• The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans – 12/2/2009
• A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber – 12/15/2009
• Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb – 12/3/2009
• Christmas Jars by Jason Wright
• The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
• The Chimes by Charles Dickens – 12/18/2009
• The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens – 12/21/2009

Christmas Reading Challenge

Books: 9 / 9 (100%)

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Hosted by The True Book Addict

Okay, I finished the second book on my seven book (current count) Christmas challenge list and I have to say this could be tougher than I thought.

The first book I read, The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans, was predictable beyond belief. I stuck it out because it wasn’t a difficult or unpleasant read, it was just way to predictable. I suppose that is to be expected to some degree with Christmas stories.

The second book, Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb, was just odd. I love Wally Lamb but this was so strange and kind of pointless that it kept me reading if for no other reason than I was wondering where it was going and when it was going to be about Christmas. It sort of got there at the end but I couldn’t go recommending this to anyone.

I’ve got two of the books on my list at home right now and I will start one of them tonight and see how it goes. Then I will have to decide what else if anything I want to do with this challenge.

• The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere – 12/7/2009
• The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans – 12/2/2009
• A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber
• Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb – 12/3/2009
• Christmas Jars by Jason Wright
• The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Christmas Reading Challenge

Books: 9 / 9 (100%)

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Hosted by The True Book Addict

I saw this a few weeks ago and knew I wanted to do it but didn’t want to post about it right away. Now of course we are a few days into the challenge but there is still plenty of time to play along if anyone wants to join.

Michelle at The True Book Addict has few rules for this challenge the most important being that you not start reading before November 26, 2009 and finish by year’s end, December 31, 2009. She originally stated the challenge was to read between one and three Christmas novels, books about Christmas lore or a books of Christmas short stories, but has since opened it to any number of books you chose to read. Children’s book are not acceptable but YA books are. She has some cool recommendations on her site and a Linky for signing up.

I checked out two Christmas novels today, and have a couple more on reserve so we will just have to see how many I find that I want to read and can get my hands on between now and December 31, 2009. I’ll update the list below and the progress meter as the challenge goes along.

• The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere
• The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans
• A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber
• Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb
• Christmas Jars by Jason Wright
• The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
• The Chimes by Charles Dickens
• The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens

Christmas Reading Challenge

Books: 9 / 9 (100%)

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Hosted by Book Geek 2.0

So I finished Under the Dome on early Monday morning bringing my read count to 43. It’s a good thing I like his writing or I’d be scared of the remaining 18 books. Of course, with my luck before I get around to finishing this there will be more, at least there’s no end to the challenge so I have plenty of time to read them all.

I really enjoyed Under the Dome it was a neat mix of old and new. The story opens with what appears to be a perfectly normal day in a small Maine town and quickly descends into chaos, fear, and the best and worst of human nature. While I’ve seen it compared to The Stand, and on some levels feel it’s accurate, Under the Dome covers a much shorter length of time and demonstrates just how quickly the best and worst can be brought out of us. The ending is simple and eloquent and came as a pleasant surprise to me.

Warning to the faint at heart the body count is high, the details are graphic, and the language not always pristine. Then again this is a King novel and none of that should come as a shock. A must read for all King fans and anyone who enjoys a book that is part thriller, part horror, part reflection on human nature.

Stephen King Challenge

Books: 43 / 61 (70%)

The Published Works of Stephen King

• 1974 – Carrie (2 times)
• 1975 – Salem’s Lot (2 times)
• 1977 – The Shining (2 times)
• 1977 – +Rage (as Richard Bachman)
• 1978 – Night Shift
• 1978 – The Stand (5 times)
• 1979 – *The Long Walk (as Richard Bachman)
• 1979 – The Dead Zone
• 1980 – Firestarter
• 1981 – *Road Work (as Richard Bachman)
• 1981 – Cujo (3 times)
• 1981 – Danse Macabre
• 1982 – The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
• 1982 – *The Running Man (as Richard Bachman)
• 1982 – Different Seasons
• 1983 – Christine
• 1983 – Pet Sematary (2 times)
• 1983 – Cycle of the Werewolf
• 1984 – The Talisman (written with Peter Straub)
• 1984 – Thinner (as Richard Bachman)
• 1985 – Skeleton Crew
• 1985 – The Bachman Books (as Richard Bachman)
• 1986 – It
• 1987 – The Eyes of the Dragon
• 1987 – Misery (3 times)
• 1987 – The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
• 1988 - The Tommyknockers
• 1988 – Dark Visions
• 1989 – The Dark Half
• 1990 – Four Past Midnight
• 1991 – Needful Things (2 times)
• 1991 – The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
• 1992 – Gerald’s Game
• 1993 – Dolores Claiborne
• 1993 – Nightmares & Dreamscapes
• 1994 – Insomnia (2 times)
• 1995 – Rose Madder
• 1995 – Umney’s Last Case
• 1996 – The Green Mile (3 times)
• 1996 – Desperation
• 1996 – The Regulators (as Richard Bachman)
• 1997 – Six Stories
• 1997 - The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
• 1998 - Bag of Bones
• 1999 – Storm of the Century
• 1999 – The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
• 1999 – Hearts in Atlantis
• 2000 – Secret Windows
• 2000 – On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (2 times)
• 2000 – Dreamcatcher
• 2001 – Black House (written with Peter Straub)
• 2002 – From a Buick 8
• 2002 – Everything’s Eventual: 14 Dark Tales
• 2003 – The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
• 2004 – The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
• 2004 – The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower
• 2005 – The Colorado Kid
• 2006 – The Secretary of Dreams
• 2006 – Cell
• 2006 – Lisey’s Story
• 2007 – Blaze (as Richard Bachman)
• 2008 – Duma Key
• 2008 – Just After Sunset
• 2009 – Under the Dome – 11/30/09

* – These titles were re-released in a collection called The Bachman Books in 1985

+ – Rage was included in The Bachman Books from 1985 to 1997 when it was removed at the author’s request.

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Hosted by Socrates’ Book Reviews

So I sat down this morning with my first cup of coffee and finished the first Alex Cross book, Along Came A Spider. I must admit that I had previously relied on the movie to get me through the few books I have read in this series, serious mistake.

Along Came a Spider by James Patterson

Along Came A Spider starts in typical Patterson fashion throwing us right into the middle of the action. We get a look not only inside the mind of Alex Cross detective/psychologist, but a look inside the mind of Gary Soneji/Murphy a brilliant serial killer/kidnapper who has been planning the ultimate crime for years.

This book was fast paced, gritty, and at times utterly and completely terrifying. There were just enough plot twists to keep it interesting, although the speed at which it ends is abrupt condsidering the amount of time building to the finish.

All in all a good read that I’d recommend to anyone interested in crime, thrillers, or just a good story.

Alex Cross Series

• Along Came A Spider – 11/24/2009
• Kiss the Girls
• Jack & Jill
• Cat & Mouse
• Pop Goes the Weasel
• Roses Are Red
• Violets Are Blue
• Four Blind Mice
• The Big Bad Wolf
• London Bridges
• Mary Mary
• Cross
• Double Cross
• Cross Country
• Alex Cross’ Trial (not part of the series)
• I Alex Cross

James Patterson Challenge

Books: 4 / 10 (40%)

I’m glad I’ve got one of these crossed off the list as I will be doing nothing but reading Under the Dome (Stephen King) for the next seven days. Got to love those non-reservable copies and the lady who was returning it as I walked out the library door. In I went right back in and it’s mine for seven days and seven days only. Wish me luck.

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Hosted by Socrates’ Book Reviews

Wow, I’d forgotten just how quickly Patterson reads. I think it has something to do with the short chapter length, keeps that feeling of moving forward ever present. Completing both of the Patterson Challenges may be easier than I thought.

1st to Die by James Patterson

This is definitely a jump right in kind of story, you are immediately thrown into the life and mind of Lindsay Boxer, a homicide inspector, who is facing a serious health crisis that causes her to question her life. She forms the “murder club” with Claire Washburn (medical examiner), Jill Bernhardt (A.D.A.), and Cindy Thomas (reporter) in order to help solve a series murders involving newlyweds. We get to see the story unfold not only from the perspective of these four amazing female characters; but from the perspective of the killer, who’s identity is a total surprise.

I really like how Patterson develops these characters, there is a real sense of who they are and how they view the world. The main storyline weaves nicely through the small asides that allow a deeper look into the main characters and their worlds. There were a few times I would have liked the pace to slow just a little but overall it was a great read.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery, suspense, crime, drama, and even a little romance.

Women’s Murder Club Series
• 1st to Die
• 2nd Chance
• 3rd Degree
• 4th of July
• 5th Horseman
• 6th Target
• 7th Heaven
• 8th Confession

Women's Murder Club Challenge

Books: 4 / 8 (50%)

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