Cinder & Scarlet - Marissa Meyer

Cinder

I've been wanting to read this book for a long time now. I just didn't get around to it and then someone returned it at work (the library) and I was like okay, it's time. I brought it home and decided to put everything else on hold and read it. I read through this pretty fast and I loved it.
    It's kind of a twist on the Cinderella story. It's set in New Beijing and it's a mix of humans and androids. From space, another type of people called lunar. There's also a deadly plague that is killing off the population. Cinder is a well known mechanic and a cyborg. She doesn't really know much about her past since she can't remember anything before the age of 11. She lives with her stepmother (who hates her) and two stepsisters. Unlike the Cinderella story, one of the stepsisters is sweet and her and Cinder love each other. Cinder is living a normal-ish life until the Prince stops at her table at the market to ask for her assistance. She falls for him and then things start to unwind for her as she's finding out more about herself than she ever knew.
    That's all I'm going to say. I know some of it sounds weird but it's really good. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book, Scarlet. Although, there is a wait at the library. I know there will be two more books in the next year and a half so that's exciting. I just hope she can stick to her writing and deliver on the next 3 books!

Scarlet
   This is the second book in this series. I plowed right through it. I just loved it. I just love the way different people spin fairy tales and this series is probably going to be one of my favorites. Scarlet is about "little red riding hood" in a way. It's not exactly the story itself but it's pieces of the fairy tale that have been imbedded in this story. It also ties in with the first book as a continuation but mostly about Scarlet. There's definitely a lot more characters now and I love them all. It's such a strange concept with the cyborgs and all that but it's definitely interesting. It's like a futuristic fairy tale. I'm interested to see where she goes with the next book, which I believe is Rapunzel.

Partials- Dan Wells

   I've had this book checked out several times in print and e-book. Every time I had to return/renew it without reading it. After months of this, I finally decided to take the plunge this week. I mean it was getting some pretty great reviews and it seemed to fly through the library. It is definitely a quick read, most teen books are these days. I am now not surprised why it has sat on my ottoman so long.
     It's basically a story about the human race being almost extinct after a war with the Partials, which are engineered to look identical as people. There's only tens of thousands of people left because of an RM virus. No babies are surviving because they die straight out of the womb and if not only hours later. They keep dropping the laws that make women/girls forced to become pregnant and have children. Now they are dropping the age down to 16 and it is mandatory to become pregnant before two months is up. Kira, who is 16 is a medic in training and she's tired of seeing these babies die. She takes it upon her self that she will find the immunity/cure to RM. She then decides that everything has been studied but an actual Partial. So she gets her friends to go on a mission to capture a partial to study it for the cure to RM.
      I don't want to give anything away but I have to say it was kind of a boring read. I think it was more with the authors writing style then the actual story. I just didn't really care for it. It was a quick read that kind of felt like it dragged. It just didn't capture me and I decided to return the second book because I wouldn't be reading it. Who knows, maybe it gets better with the second book but I really didn't want to chance it since there are so many other books I can't wait to read.

Reconstructing Amelia-Kimberly McCreight

  I loved this book! This was another recommendation from my Entertainment Weekly summer reads. I wasn't quite sure what it was going to be about and I just plunged in without reading about it. I'm glad to say I was not disappointed.
   Throughout the book the chapters alternate between mother and daughter (Amelia). It starts off the first day of her death and then throughout the book when the mom is trying to find out what happened, the alternating story of Amelia is actually telling you what happened. You don't find out until the end what really happened from both sides. It's like once the mom figures something out then it goes on to having the actual story told by Amelia.
   This is a great book to have teens read, I think. A lot of this had to do with gossip and bullying. Everything that happens to Amelia has something to do with all of those things. It also shines a light on how sometimes teachers, who you are supposed to trust, can be another person in reality. I flew through this book because I just couldn't wait to see what happened. I think it's important for teenagers to understand how things can be blown out of proportion and things are never really as bad as they seem. It's so funny to think back to when I was a teenager and thinking something was the end of the world. Now looking back, you just have to laugh and think how silly you were. Bullying is a huge part of society now and it's completely awful and there need to be steps in school systems to take actions before something awful happens. Maybe the school systems need to read this book too! LOL. Sometimes it's not just the students who are playing a part in gossip and bullying.

Matched- Crossed- Reached by Ally Condie

Matched

 I really liked this book. I bought it because the cover was pretty and ended up liking the story itself. I felt like the series had great potential. I mean who can't resist a triangle love story? This book is about a girl who goes to her "matching" banquet so they can reveal who her match is going to be. When they end up showing her the match, it skips out for a second and it flashes the face of someone else. Now she's all confused and over the course of the book she ends up falling in love with him. The catch is that he's not a part of the "real" society and more like an outcast. He ends up getting taken away and then she goes on a mission to find him. That's where this book ends. Overall, I really liked this first book and was excited to see where the author went with the series.

Crossed
   I remember checking this out from the library at one point and then becoming stuck in the story. I just wasn't too excited about it. Well over the last month I decided it was time to finish up this series. Well I was really confused at first and this book just didn't go in the direction I thought it could go. It really fell flat for me. I don't know if it's because of the writing or the story in general. I just feel like the whole book is one long search party and it kind of takes on a whole new theme. It's probably just me but I really didn't care for this book much. Like really, you can pretty much read this book out of order and you wouldn't be lost. I just felt like it was a completely different story. Then we get to the next book..

Reached
    Now I was already two books into this series and I didn't care for the second. So why, do you ask, would I read the last one?? Well to finish off the loose end. I mean, I already invested enough time, I might as well have seen if she redeemed herself in the last book. NOPE. I felt like this book was completely a whole different world and theme than the other two. This book alone was all about a PLAGUE. The whole entire book was about trying to find a cure to this plague and I just felt like she was reaching for straws to get three books out of this series. Lets just say the interest and excitement for the first book totally wore off. I'm a little annoyed that I read this whole series. I just feel like the story did not flow from one book to the other. I mean they are like three stand alone books, really. Besides the fact that some of the "love story" continues throughout, I just didn't these books being in one series. I know they are very popular and I'm wondering why. I just didn't like them.

    I'm so glad I only ended up purchasing the first book! I almost caved because I didn't want to wait for the library wait list for these books and almost spent a lot of money. So grateful I didn't now! Ugh. Oh well, this is just another case of quantity before quality.

Sisterland- Curtis Sittenfeld

  This was another recommendation from my Entertainment Weekly. This was an interesting, funny book! There's of course plenty of drama to go along with it. I have to say, I was not expecting for this book to take the turn it did.
   For the most part this book is about two twin sisters. They both were born with the "sense"  and can kind of see parts of the future. One of the twins doesn't like it and does everything she can to get rid of it, while the other practices it and makes it her career as a medium. They both have issues with each other, like most siblings, but always have each others backs. In this book it alternates chapters between the present and flashbacks of their past. It tells the story of how they grow up and face challenges and what happens to make them who they are today. The past were the parts I enjoyed the best. The present is where one twin senses that a bad earthquake is coming and the second twin then gets a sense of a horrible day. She then thinks it's the date of the earthquake and her sister goes on Live TV to predict it. This is how the rest of the book unfolds, leading up to the events of this date. What they both don't know is that the sense of the date being horrible was for a reason either one of them expected.
     I have to say I will be recommending this one at the library! I liked it and even though it took me a bit to get through, I didn't really mind it.

The Engagements- J. Courtney Sullivan

    For some reason this book was a little tough for me to get through. I feel like there was too much going on maybe. I was really excited about this book because it sounded so interesting but I didn't love it. It was just an okay book for me.
   Basically, it's the story of the lady who wrote for an AD agency, about diamonds and how "A diamond is forever" came about. Along with her story, it entwines 4 other stories along with it. These different stories start out at different points in time from the past to present. They all are at different points in life and somehow all these stories end up entwined with one diamond ring. There are five different parts to the book, each picking the story where the last part left off. Some of the detail became a bit too much. Some of the things I really didn't need to know about and made the book seem like it dragged on for a bit.
     All in all, the idea of the book had a lot of potential. It just ended up falling a bit short for me. I don't know if it was the writing style or just the actual plot. It was definitely interesting and some of the stories were a lot better than others. Some of the stories were just a bit boring. It's most likely the boring parts that made it hard for me to get through this book quickly.

He's Gone- Deb Caletti

    I grabbed this book from the shelf at the library because I saw it was new and the cover intrigued me. I read what it was about and was like, sure I'll go for it. Well, I'm glad I did. I've recommended it to a few people since and they have liked it as well.
    It's about a married couple who are having a few problems. They get into an argument one night and she ends up drinking a little too much and combining it with a pill. When she wakes up in the morning she has mud on her feet and her husband is nowhere in sight. She's still angry with him so she ends up doing some chores and waiting for him to come home because she thinks he's out blowing off steam. Well Sunday night comes and nothing. He wont answer his phone and she can't find him anywhere but his car is still parked in it's spot. Monday morning she decides to go report him missing and that's when all chaos starts to happen. Throughout the book they can't figure out what's going on and she starts to wonder if maybe she had a hand in his disappearance. You start to wonder yourself if she did or not... I'm not going to say more because I don't want to give it away but I really enjoyed this book. So have the others that I recommended it too.

Me Before You- JoJo Moyes

    I absolutely loved this book! I read this so fast because I just couldn't put it down. I was literally holding it in one and hand and cooking with the other because I just had to know what was going to happen next.

     It's about a girl (Lou) who gets laid off because her boss is moving back to his home country. She didn't go to college and she doesn't really care where her life is headed. She is in a relationship, that is just horrible. He is obsessed with his body and working out. Well he is a trainer but still, he is quite annoying. She then has no option but to take on a job of being an at home healthcare "nurse". She hates the idea of taking care of someone because all you think about is an old person who can't wipe their butt, right? Well that's all she thinks about. To her surprise he's actually young and he had a huge name for himself before he got hit by a car and became a quadriplegic. He is having a horrible time getting on with his life because he used to go all over the world and be very active. It's been two years and his mom hires her to help him with his depression. She thinks that Lou will be able to change his mind about something he's decided to do. Well they hate each other at first but fall in love over time. What happens at the end really did surprise me. It actually makes perfect sense for it to have ended the way it did though.

Between Shades of Gray- Ruta Sepetys

   This is a book that was in a magazine that "all ages should read." I tend to read whatever I want, even if it's a young adult or teen book. This book was fantastic.

    It's about a fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941 and her story. How she, her mother and younger brother get uprooted from their home and sent to a "camp". It's such a heartbreaking story and it's pretty much about faith, love, and hope. Even though, they go through some pretty unbearable times, they always have hope and never give up. This story is so powerful and can really move you. It really makes you think of what all we take for granted on a daily basis. Now because this is toward a younger audience it was a very quick read. I got through this book in no time. Also, you just can't stand to put it down. It grips you and just doesn't let you go.

The Hobbit- J.R.R. Tolkien

My husband. + Legalos. That's it.

I really do owe a lot of amazing books to him. He tried to get me to read The Hunger Games way before it's blow up and I denied him. After they decided to make a movie, it was on a cover of Entertainment Weekly and decided to read them. Loved them. I heard a told you so. The Mortal Instruments is by far my favorite series Ever. He also, tried to get me to read them and I said no. I was at a Barnes and Noble holiday sale and they had the first 4 books for 5 bucks each. I thought I'd give them a go and I absolutely loved them. Yet again, another I told you so.
         Now my husband loves the Hobbit and the whole Lord of the Rings trilogy. He's tried to get me to read them and there was no way. My father loved the LOTR trilogy and I spent countless times getting up and leaving the living room when they were on TV. I never got it, except seeing Orlando Bloom as Legalos. I loved him from afar and never thought to watch the movies to get more Legalos time. I even had a poster and thought the blonde was just so him. Well... fast forward to June 2013. My husband didn't see the Hobbit in December because there were a lot of mixed reviews. I brought it home from the library and that's when he watched it, while I was at work. Then I was on IMDB and they had a new trailer for the new Hobbit that comes out Dec. 13. My husband was like, "Wait, I want to see that!" So we watched it and what do you know... there is Legalos! So THEN I was like okay, I'll give this a try. So I read the Hobbit and really enjoyed it! What a surprise! haha. So then I brought home The Hobbit and watched it with my husband and that weekend we spent 9 hours watching the LOTR trilogy! I can't believe what I was missing! It only took a little over a decade haha. Even though, I should give the credit to my husband... I feel that it really goes to Legalos. He's what really got me to finally jump in!

     Anyways, about the book. I have to say, it was a very fast read. It was also very enjoyable. There's a lot of different things to happen to Bilbo on this adventure. I loved all the different types of characters. I do have to say that the book is better than the movie, who knew?! LOL I have to agree with my husband about The Hobbit feels like it's toward a younger audience while the LOTR is to a more mature audience. The Hobbit feels at times like it's tended for a younger audience in the style of writing. It's a lot "lighter" than the LOTR, which feels a lot "darker," if that makes any sense. All in all, I enjoyed it and I'm glad that I finally gave it a chance! I now can't wait for the next movie, even know I know it will not be as good as the book. How they made such a small book into 3 movies, I'll never know!!

Goal is 175

   This year my goal is 175 books. Last year it was 100 and I made it to 102. I'm at 110 so far. I have no doubt I'll be able to hit my goal. I think the reason was the first 4 months I didn't have a job and I just read all the time because I'm in a new city with no friends. HAH.
     Anyways, I now have a job at a library and I think it's made it more difficult because I just want to read so many more books. I have tons of books going in and out every time I work and most of the time I take home more than I take back that day! I have this pile on my ottoman and it's just growing  at an insane speed. It's okay though, I have found many more authors and book that I just love than I would have otherwise.
     I'm so glad I found Goodreads.com last year. It's just an amazing website and I love how easy it keeps track of what I'm reading an how I can update the pages I'm on. I have been reading A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin since like November last year and it's been a work in progress. I have the book for 14 day intervals because I have to be on a hold list for the ebook from the library. I refuse to pay for the hardcover and it's difficult for me to read the hardcover because it's so big. So I will have to keep at the holds list for the ebook until the paperback comes out in October! All the while, goodreads has kept up with the pages I've stopped on between each time I've had the book. I also love the recommendations that I find on there. I also love how it keeps track of the books I want to read and the ones I'm own and so on. This kind of sounds like I'm being paid to promote them, which I'm definitely not. lol

Where'd You Go. Bernadette? - Maria Semple

I work at a library- yes, shocker! This was the book of the month in June. I decided to give it a try. It was a quick read and I really enjoyed it. I'm always intrigued when a story has a little mystery in it.

   This is the story of a crazy mother. HAH. It's kind of a different writing style than most books. It's the story with the evidence written in along the way. It's told by the daughter and at the end she receives all these letters and emails that show what is going on, on the other side at the time. Her mom is a little all over the place and her daughter is embarrassed of her most of the time. Her dad is this computer genius and kind of a workaholic. The daughter goes to this rich private school and a lot of the book is a feud between her mother and the other women, one of them being a neighbor. The daughter wants to go on this huge trip to Alaska. They decide to go and the mom is just freaking out and has all this anxiety about traveling. When her husband is sure that she is going crazy, he finds a doctor to intervene. This is where the story gets interesting because she goes to the bathroom during her intervention and then suddenly disappears without a trace. The last half of the story is about the daughter trying to find her mom. I wont ruin in the end. Actually, this is the most I've probably written about the actual book. I don't like to give away the details.. Anyways, it's a really good book!

Man Up! Tales of my Delusional Self- Confidence- Ross Mathews

   I'm not sure about these kinds of books anymore. I usually get so excited to read books written by people who I find just so funny! For example: Ellen DeGeneres, Tina Fey, Chelsea Handler, Mindy Kaling.. So far it hasn't been working for me. I have been disappointed more than anything.

   I love Ross Mathews. He's hilarious and I just love how he owns himself and doesn't care what other people think. I was excited for this book because I figured he was going to knock it out of the park! Well... It fell flat for me. I did laugh at some points but I thought it he kind of was all over the place. He had A LOT more detail to a story than needed. It was like he would think  of other stories while he was talking about one story and be like, I want to add that too. It just didn't relate to the current story and it became too much. This trend happened a lot. I'd be reading about something happening to him during lunch and then he would add another two stories into this one tale. It just became a little unorganized and a lot of the times I felt like he was trying way to hard to be funny. I think I'm going to stay away from these types of books from now on...

While We Were Watching Downton Abbey- Wendy Wax

Time to read: 5 hours (three days)


I was browsing at Barnes and Noble when I saw this and decided I wanted to read it because I love Downton Abbey! Once I received it from the library, I was so excited! Well I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would.

   It's about 3 women who live in the same building and they are all at different stages in life. One is a writer who is taking a year off from working to write. Another who is a mom of two girls and recently divorced. The last is married but they are really rich. It is about how they all end up becoming friends through a weekly showing of Downton Abbey in the lobby of their apartment complex. Then they all end up helping each other out with certain difficulties going on in their lives. It's a sweet story and in a way too sweet. Sometimes when books end up with every single thing happening the perfect way and they all get their perfect happy ever after, I think BS. It started to get to the point that it was too much perfect. I don't know if that makes sense. Anyways, it was an okay book but not something I'd want to own because I'd never read it again.

Crazy Rich Asians- Kevin Kwan

Time to read: 6 hours (over two days)

     This is another book that was recommended from my Entertainment Weekly magazine. I loved this book! It's really funny and intriguing. I thought this book was just going to be another one of those books where the rich guy meets the girl, they fall in love, family hates girl, they overcome it and live happily ever after. Well that kind of happens.. but with so much more!

   This book really takes you into a whole other culture. It shows you what their customs and traditions are and how much they are similar/differ from other rich people. This book really takes you on the journey of so many other characters besides the main two. It's basically about his family and all their drama and how they react to a girl that is not from a "proper rich background." They go to Singapore for his best friends wedding and that's when it all just goes crazy. Every reason they can find to hate this poor girl, they do. Most of it has to do with her status and her background. She's from "mainland China" which apparently is a no-no. She ends up finding things out about her own life that her mother lied to her about. Basically, they have to go through all these events and try to stay together, which is a pretty hard thing to do. I was just so fascinated with this book.

The Lane at the End of the Ocean- Neil Gaiman

Time to read: 2 1/2 hours

    This is a really short book. I was surprised when I received it, how small it was! I ended up getting this recommended to me in my Entertainment Weekly magazine. I have to say, they have done pretty well with their recommendations. So far I'm 2/2.

  Anyways, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book. I kind of just plunged into it without reading much about it. Since it was such a small book I figured it wouldn't take long and no big loss if I didn't like it. Well, the story kind of surprised me. It's about a man who goes back to his hometown and then remembers some events that happened when he was a little boy. It's a fantasy type story that becomes quite dark. I am impressed on how detailed the story is and how he kept it so short. I like that. There's nothing worse than an author who goes into too much depth to make a book that's 400+ pages long. All in all, I really liked this book. I gave it 4/5 stars on Goodreads.

Gameboard of the Gods- Richelle Mead

I was really excited when I found out she was making and adult series. I really liked her previous works: Vampire Academy series & Bloodlines series. I wasn't quite sure what to expect because reading the synopsis on the book told me it was going to be A LOT different than her previous work. Boy, was I right! Although, it's different, I really enjoyed it. I have to say it was a meaty book. There was a lot to it that's for sure. This is a book based mainly on religion. The lack thereof, the belief of or lack of, in supernatural beings/instances. There is so much to this book that I'm not really going to get into it right now. I just know that this is going to be an either "i hate it" or "i love it" type of thing. Because so much of her fan base is on her earlier work and this is a lot different.

Too Far Series- Abbi Glines

Fallen Too Far, Never Too Far, & Forever Too Far

   I've read a lot of her books in the last few months, including another series (Existence Trilogy) and I seem to really like her. Now, I'm not a HUGE romance person. It tend to be scared of reading something really cheesy. I have to say, she does a pretty good job of being sweet but not too sweet. I was hooked with this story as soon as I started to first book.
 
           This about a girl who has had a rough life and lost her mother and twin sister. She goes to stay with her (really rich) dad and he ends up leading her to his step-sons place. He is a jerk, womanizer and the works and basically treats her like garbage. He finds himself being attracted to her and wanting to help her. Well they end up falling in love and the next three books are about their relationship. She ends up pregnant in the beginning of the second book and tries to keep it from him, which never works. Then the third book, which i read today, continues throughout her pregnancy and them battling with his crazy family issues.
          
         It's a pretty quick read. She is also making a couple spin-off books from this series with other characters, which I'm really excited about. Some of them are going to be pretty interesting because of the background information from these books. I can't wait!

Update! Update!!

WOW- It's been a long time!!!

Life has been a little bit CRAZY the last 7-8 months! With relocating and both my husband and I getting new jobs. I have found plenty of time to read though! :-)

I've absolutely have read more books this year so far than I did half the year last year. There are so many that I've read but here are a few that I highly recommend:

Slammed, Point of Retreat, This Girl, Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
    - She may be my new favorite author

Sharp Objects- Gillian Flynn
Infernal Devices (3 books)- Cassandra Clare
Coincidenc of Callie & Kayden- Jessica Sorensen
Easy- Tammara Weber
Beautiful Disaster & Walking Disaster- Jamie Mcguire
Bloodlines Series (3 books out and 1 to go) -Richelle Mead
The Promise of Stardust- Priscille Sibley
Fallen too far & Never too far -Abbi Glines
The Book of Tomorrow- Cecilia Ahern
Pillars of the Earth Series- Ken Follet
The Light Between Oceans- M.L. Stedman


These are some books that I think are excellent! The Series books, I haven't read them all this year. Some of them I read from the beginning that they were released.

I'M FINISHED!!!!

Well I finished my challenge with two months to spare! How awesome! Not only that now it gives me two months to read 10 books and get to my goal of reading 100 books this year!

   I do have to say that this was something definitely worth the time. It opened up a lot of different worlds to me. There's books that I never would have read on my own, without being "forced" to. At the same time, there are many books that I didn't enjoy. Now, I just no to avoid those authors.. I can't say it was easy though. A few times, I would be stuck in a really boring book or wouldn't want to read a book on my list and wonder, should i give up? But then my lovely husband would say, how would that make you feel though? Then i would just keep on going. I'm so grateful for him because not only did he help me get through it, he would also help me by reading a book first or reading a book with me. This happened twice. Both of them were books that freaked me out because they were pretty dark. By the way, they are on my "avoid author" mental list.

   Now, I decided to write a little bit about each book, just to keep track of how long it took me and whether I liked it or not. The time to read was just a general time frame. For example, day 1 was when i started the book and day 3 was the day i finished it on. Whether i read for an hour on each day, a few hours, or none at all. With work it's pretty impossible to just read straight through a book. Unless it's a smaller book, I can get through those pretty quickly. I am a fast reader though. There are some books I finished in the matter of hours. Those happened on my days off.

   I don't know that I would do this again. The list I had opened up a lot of new authors that will keep me busy for a while. Also, now I just pick a book or two every month from the best sellers list and add it to my "to be read" list. Some of them I already have read. I have found some pretty amazing books out there that are not on my list. I made a list of them (Books not on top 50 post), I have starred the ones that are my favorites so far.

Well that's all for now! Happy Holidays!

The Marriage Plot- Jeffrey Eugenides

Time to read: 1 day

This wasn't really that quick of a read. It was actually a little bit of a tough read. There is a lot of literature in this book! It jumps from character and can become confusing if you are not paying attention. It is basically about two characters, Madeline and Mitchell. It starts off in the present and then will go back in time A LOT. This is how the author tells the story.
    It starts off with Madeline and the day of her graduation, then it goes back from there. It enter-twines her story with Mitchell, who is one of her best friends. He, of course, is in love with her. She doesn't see him that way and ends up sending each of their lives down a different path. It's after the first recession and job outlook is horrible (Sound familiar?!) and they don't know what to do. There is  a ton of literature throughout this book. Madeline is an English major and loves old literature so it's referred too a lot. She ends up in love with a manic-depressed college classmate and her story becomes one crazy roller coaster.
      Mitchell becomes obsessed with religion and all the different religions and their meanings to all the different types of people. So after college he goes to Europe and then India traveling and learning about all different types of religion. So there is A LOT of references to religions and their backgrounds.
     In the end, the story has a pretty crappy ending. I do have to say I was hooked into the plot wondering if Madeline and Mitchell would end up together. Instead, it became a bit hard to get through with all the literature and religious references. Besides that the story was a bit troublesome as well. All in all, it was an okay read. I don't think I would be reading any more by this author. I think I really like this authors style.

The Best of Me- Nicholas Sparks

Time to read- 2 days

Well.. due to the super reading I was doing, I definitely had to take a break. I am now back to my habbit! I have read a few more books off my list. The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks was the first off my list.
    First, I do have to say I usually try to stray from his books because they are always so sad! Don't get me wrong, they are very good but always so sad. A lot of the time heartbreaking! This book was no exception!
I do enjoy his books but I have to be in a mood..When a friend suggests a book by him, I always say, "Who is going to die?" I always start off his books knowing some kind of death is certain. I did get through the book rather quickly! It only took me two days. I could have finished a lot quicker if I did not have life get in the way- haha!

  Anyways, I have mixed feelings about this book. He's had better. It starts off with a teen couple who has to whether being from different classes. He was from the wrong side of the "tracks". He also had a troubled up-bringing. He ends up living with a guy who is seen as "crazy" by the town. Anyways, there's a fork in the road when she has to decide to give up college to be with him or give him up. He ends it for her because he doesn't want to take that away from her. It kind of reminded me a lot of the Notebook type of story. Being split apart and then re-uniting later. Although, in this book it has a much different ending. Anyways, the guy who takes him in, Tuck, ends up dying. He has specific instructions about how they are to arrange things with his death. They both come back to town and end up realizing they still love each other. She has a husband and children though and in the end decides her responsibilites are what matters. She goes home to find out her son and husband have been in a car accident. I then realize what is going to happen. She ends up losing dawson (first love) and he ends up saving her sons life by being a heart donor.
It's a good book but it just seemed a little predictable and I feel like I've read the story before somewhere else. It's a good read just not great... Like I said, mixed feelings!

What the Night Knows- Dean Koontz

Time to read: 3 weeks

 When I first started this book, I had no idea it would take this long or what I was in for. I didn't really think I could get through it. I'm not really into paranormal-evil spirit type stuff. This book has all that and is pretty graphic when talking about the murders and intent of the
"evil" spirit.
    So if it wasn't for my AMAZING husband, I would have failed my challenge! This is the second time he has come to my rescue. He decided we should read it together. So that's what we have been doing. We have been reading together on certain nights (when we have free time together) out loud. This helped me get through this story.
   Now, to talk about how I liked this book... I REALLY disliked it! Not only was it not my taste but the descriptions of the "evil" spirits way to kill people was really groutesque. Another thing I really disliked about this book was the authors use of big words. I mean some words WE had no idea what he meant, so had to look them up. My husband is SUPER smart so if it stumps him, it's pretty out there.
     Now with the use of the big words, I mean this story had 3 kids in the book.. All 14 and under and they were the ones using these big words. I mean really, an 8 year old and 11 year old will not know these words, and then use them correctly!! He makes it conflicting because these kids are supposed to be really intelligent but then at the same time, he makes the 11 year old really stupid and dense when it comes to the plot. I don't know... It just didn't flow character wise. The 14 year old boy was another matter. Just about every sentence he used "dumbass" "stupid" "freakin" and any other way he could use "ass." I mean he just sounded pretty lame. It was very annoying!
     So I really didn't like this book! Or... It's just not my cup of tea!

V is for Vengeance- Sue Grafton

Time to read: 4 1/2 hours

I have to say, I'm almost to the end of this challenge, which has made me antsy. I can't wait to be finished so I can read the hundreds of books on my to be read list! Books I want to read and not HAVE to read. So I was pleasantly surprised when I turned out to like this book.

    It was definitely a very fast read. I'm pretty sure I read most of this during the car rides to and from Columbus and our parents house this weekend. The book is based on a series about a Private Investigator and all her cases. Then it will switch to a different character every so many chapters and back the the PI. Although, there's a web of characters and they all have different stories and then in the end they all end up being a part of the big case in the end. It's actually pretty cool the way they all end up coming together. It makes for a very interesting read and the fun of trying to figure out the mystery of it all.

   So if you are looking for a good mystery, this is one series to read. I will not be reading the rest in the series any time soon just because I have SO many other books I can't wait to read right now. But in the future, I will be adding these to my to be read list.

Inheritance- Christopher Paolini

Time to read: 6 days

I wasn't expecting this book to be so large! I really had a hard time getting into the story. I think mostly it's because I was reading a book that was 4th in the series without reading any of the others. I had seen the Eragon movie but you know how that goes.. the movies are never true to the books.
    So I was thrown into this story not knowing who all the characters where and what they meant. So it was pretty hard to get into. I think it took half way through the book to finally get into the story. I do have to say it snuck up on me and I became pretty interested in the actual plot of the book. It took a while to stop taking me back into all the past books but when the book finally started with it's own plot, it was pretty good. I do have to say the end wasn't as predictable as I thought it was going to be, which is good. I will not be reading any other of the books in the series. Although, I enjoyed a small portion of this book, I just didn't really care for the writing style from the author. I'm pretty sure I would have a hard time getting into all the other books as well.

The Art of Racing in the Rain- Garth Stein

Time to read: 2 days

   I would have to say this book was definitely interesting. A book about the point of view of a dog? I was skeptical as well. I wasn't sure how I was going to like this book or what exactly it would be about. I'm surprised to say there was an actual plot about the dog and his family.
   Most of this book is about him telling his life from the beginning to the present. He's about to die and starts to remember about the beginning of his life and then tells the story about how his owner and the family that comes later. I will say a lot of this book is sad quite a lot. Pretty much a struggle for this family through the book.
   I'm still unsure how I really feel about this book. It was interesting and boring at some parts. This particular dog was obsessed with race car racing and there was a lot of info about different racers and races, which became boring at some parts. It did make me wonder though, if animals can really understand everything and just aren't able to talk.. They say if walls could talk, but what about if animals could talk? LOL.

Death Comes to Pemberley- P.D. James

Time to read: 4 days

     I haven't really read any of the descriptions for the books on my list. So when I borrowed this book from the library, I was kind of excited that it took place as a sequel to Pride & Prejudice. I LOVE Pride and Prejudice. Then I read the book and I have to say, I was pretty disappointed!
    This book takes place 5 years after Pride & Prejudice. So the beginning was nice because it had a re-cap of the weddings and the kids they all had and where everyone was in life now. Then it quickly changed into the plot of the book. This book was a murder mystery that took place at Pemberley. This is the home of Elizabeth and Darcy. It quickly became pretty boring. Even though, I was a surprised with the ending, I just found myself wishing it was over. I was kind of confused with some aspects and I feel the author added too many different stories and plot points that really had no business. I get that the author was trying to keep the ending a surprise and who really did the killing, it was a little over-kill on all the "evidence." Then the ending wrapped up really quickly that made it pretty cliche. I didn't care for this book!

Zero Day- David Baldacci

Time to read: 2 days

    This was an okay book. It was further down the list on my excitement to read it but I got through the book pretty fast.
   It's another murder mystery, which I have found as a theme. A lot of the books on this list are murder mysteries. Should we be worried that this is what people prefer to read? Ha ha, just kidding.
     Anyways, this book is about an army personal being brought in to figure out who and why this family was murdered. It's a town in the middle of nowhere and what they end up finding out is that they are in the middle of a terrorist attack on the United States. I do have to say, I give props to the author for not making the "love interest" and the investigator, have that cliche ending. So you do get some surprises out of the book. Sometimes I get sick of the same endings for every love story. No offense, but love is not that easy and not everyone finds that one person, the same way, every time.
    So the book was just an okay. It was interesting enough to get me through it. Mostly, because I always have to know the answer to questions. Although, this book wasn't great to the point I couldn't put it down.

The Inn at Rose Harbor- Debbie Macomber

Time to read: 1 day

   I was surprised at how much I disliked this book. It had great reviews and I had to wait a long time to get it from the library because I was like number 40-something to request it on hold.
   This book starts off with the tale of the lady who ends up buying this B&B and her story. She then has two different people stay at the inn at the same time. They come to town with "heavy burdens" because she can tell. (Eye Roll #1) It will alternate chapters between each of the three main characters, telling their stories and what happens to them. There is a girl, Abby, who was in a car accident when she was younger and killed her best friend (accident but she was driving). A guy, Josh, who was kicked out by his step-father a few months before graduation. They both don't want to come back but they girl's brother is getting married and the guy's step-father is dying. The girl runs into an old friend and it was just like old times, with 15 years spreading apart the last time they have seen each other (eye roll #2) To me, this would be at least a little bit awkward. Anyways, there's a lot of things that happen during her story that had me rolling my eyes.. Seriously, it was so cheesy it was lame. The same thing happens in the guys story because he has his next door neighbor helping him and they fall deeply in love after 3 days... (eye roll #163) There's a lot of people talking to them from the dead and so on..
     I just was so surprised it was so lame. I was thinking I would like this book... but not the case. I don't know, maybe I'm just tainted by "real life" and how life does not tie up into a happily ever after in 3 days. I don't care who you are, life is not easy.  Oh, I think by the end of the book I had about 500+ eye rolls...

The Drop- Michael Connelly

Days to read: 6 hours

Today was a lazy,rainy day. I finished up another book I was on (non-challenge) and then started the Drop around 2pm. I have to say, I was pretty intrigued from the start. This about a detective who is in a DROP program, which they re-visit cold cases. It starts off with him wanting a case and ends up getting two in one day. One is very politically involved and current and the other is a cold case from 22 years ago. He tries to work both cases at the same time and does it in a way that keeps you hooked. It doesn't get confusing at all and you get caught up trying to figure out both cases! You also get some of the real life scenarios with his daughter and a love interest. It's not a book that's completely all about the cases, but i say this very lightly, it is the premise of the book after all. I really enjoyed this book. It's not the best murder mystery type book out there but it definitely was a good read.  I like that I didn't get bored, like some books will do. You also get a taste of how he is betrayed by his partner and then how they come back from this situation. Also, when he starts to feel  he is out of the game and he should hand in his badge to retire, he realizes what his job is really about and wants to be in for as long as he can.

The Tiger's Wife- Tea Obreht

Time to read: 2

Hmm... I'm not quite sure what to say. This book was weirdly interesting? I have to say, I had a hard time following. I was even more shocked to learn the author of this book is younger than I am!
    Anyways, this book is about a girl who is telling stories about her grandfather's life and the stories he's told her. The stories he is tells her, end up coming to life in her actual life. Her grandfather dies and she is on a mission to give free medicine to orphaned children. Her grandmother is convinced that she knew of his disease, which she did, and is mad at her for not telling her. There are little instances during her story that she is reminded of her grandfather and then will tell one of his stories. That's good and all but then in his story, she would go on about a particular person in his story and tell their story. It got a little hard to follow at that point. I don't know why but I felt some of the chapthers in this book were a little confusing. I'm still not quite sure how it ended. I was just lost, I guess. I really didn't care for this book.

Sarah's Key- Tatiana de Rosnay

Time to read: 4 HOURS

That's right!! It took me 4 hours to get through this book. I know that a lot of my other books were the same but because of work, i had to span it over two days. This book is fantastic! I loved it and it's a book that is not a real happy ending but it's full of emotion and makes you think about life and decisions.

    This book flips back and forth (every other chapter) between a little girl during in Paris, 1942 and a journalist in present day. The girl is a Jew and going through the time when Hitler was in charge but his influence in France. It goes back and forth and once you get the little girls tragic story, it stops and it's all about the present day journalist. She ends up on a road to discovery about her family and herself. It's such an sad story but amazing at the same time.

Locked on - Tom Clancy

Time to read: 2 days

This book was my nemesis. It was seriously the book I did not want to read at all. It just did not interest me at all from the description. It was also a pretty big book. Although, it was a faster read than Stephen Kings 11/22/63, which was about equal in length.
    I do have to say, I did not really care for this book. It just didn't interest me and I forced myself through it because I just wanted to be finished with it. He has some interesting plot twists and every few chapters has another characters point of view. I figured out the ending pretty quickly. There are a lot of times it was just plain boring and just hard to get through. There's A LOT of military terms and references. I wouldn't really recommend this book. Sometimes they say not to judge a book by it's cover, in this case, do it.

August SUMMER challenge!

   I recently found the awesome website of GoodReads! Actually, by recent, I mean today. Ha ha. Anyways, I think it's a great thing for readers! I look forward to finding so many more books to read and sharing what I have read. Anyways, there's SO many "book clubs" and that's awesome.
      They have so many different challenges as well. I decided to add one to the month of August. I don't think this is too much to take on with my current challange, since I'm pretty much close to finishing that. I only have to read 3 books because I've read 3 of them this month already. We just fill out the word SUMMER with book titles that start with the letter..

S- Starters- Lissa Price

U- Unearthly- Cynthia Hand

M- Moonlight- Rachel Hawthorne

M- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children-Ransom Riggs

E- Enchanted- Alethea Kontis

R- Rapture- Lauren Kate

:)

The Next Always- Nora Roberts

Time to read: 3 days

Oh, Nora Roberts... I read her books like crazy throughout high school and a little after. Then I kind of got sick of the repetitiveness... I haven't read a Nora Roberts romance novel in a long time, at least 4 years or so. I do have to say, I missed her. ha ha. I know all of her books start and end the same way. A pair, who are attracted to each other and can't figure out why, fall in love but pretend they aren't, and then have some major event come between them where they "break up" and then get back together and have this great reunion. I have to say, that sounds kind of negative. Even though, I know how it works, I just can't help loving them. You just get so caught up in the stories by situation. I think that's how she gets you. As always, her books are a trilogy or quartet.. You usually can figure out who is going to get paired up by the first book. I do love the bridal quartet. I just love the friendships and how strong they are and how they are always there for each other. This book seems to be going along the same way and I know that once I have some time and finish this challenge, I'm going to finish the trilogy. Although, I get sick of the formula, I love NR books... Weird but true, such as I am.

Wife by Wednesday- Catherine Bybee

Time to read: 2 days

This was actually better than I thought it was going to be. It's a cute romance story. It's about a man who has to have a wife ASAP to meet the demands of his dying father's will. Haven't you read a few books where this is the case? If not, I must read too much. haha. So he reaches out to a company that does match-making and he wants to give 10 million for a one year contract. She really needs the money to get her business really take off. Instead of having another girl, he wants her to do it. No sharing of a bed, no love and just strictly a business proposition. Yeah, fat chance. That never works out! Someone always ends up falling in love. Well, of course, the man who could never be caught, has fallen in love with her. She with him and so the story goes. It is definitely a sweet, quick read. Even though, it's quite similar to a lot of other books I've read, I still enjoyed it.

The Christmas Wedding- James Patterson

Time to read: 1 day

When I checked this book out from the library, the librarian couldn't stop talking about how much she loved this book. I have to say, I had to agree for the most part. It's a quick, fast read and sometimes can be a bit cheesy. It was really heart-warming and a great Christmas feeling story. It's about a women who her husband has passed and children are all out of the house and she keeps in touch through video chats. She decides to tell them all they have to come home for Christmas because she's getting married on Christmas day and tells them it's one of three men. She doesn't even tell the men which one it is, so throughout the story you have to kind of try and figure out like the rest of them which one it will be. This was a great story and very sweet but it wasn't by far one of his best books. I definitely liked some of his other books on my list better.

Sing You Home- Jodi Picoult

Time to read: 3 days

 The story of the book was pretty sad to start. It's about how this married couple has been struggling for children and seven months into her last pregnancy she loses the baby. It ends up breaking her marriage apart and she ends up finding a friend, who she then falls in love with and they try to start a family. They are fighting with for the rights of the embryos left from her marriage and so on. This book was written by the author to support gay rights and personal property. I'm not really going to state what I thought or how I felt or whether or not I liked this book. I'm not going to say whether I do/don't support gay rights. It's a personal opinion and belief and I have the right to feel the way I do. I just feel like anyone can do whatever they want and that's it. None of my business. It's also none of your business on how I feel about the issue. I just don't want to get into all the politics when this was not the point of this challenge. Good Day :)

The Litigators- John Grisham

Days to read: 5

This book had an interesting enough plot but it was just too much "litigation" for me. ha ha. get it? Anyways, it's about a man who ends up leaving his big fancy job to join a small town, low end office and how he ends up fitting in and saving it and so on... I mean, i know people enjoy these books because it was on the top 50 bestsellers but it's just not for me. It's so weird because I liked the Confession by Grisham but didn't like this book as much. I got through it okay but it was just too much court room business for me.

The Confession- John Grisham

Days to read: 3

  I'm not really into books or movies that are all about law cases and litigation. I do have to say, this book was so good. It's about a man who kidnaps, rapes and murders a high school cheerleader. The authorities are convinced her boyfriend the high school football captain is guilty. With no other evidence, he is tried and found guilty and given the death penalty. The guy who actually did it find it amusing that the authorities think they are so amazing for finding the murderer when they are wrong. Nine years pass and they are one week from the execution. The actual guy who is guilty is about to die and decides to do the right thing and confess. They do not want to believe him and he finally has to work had to convince them and tell them where, what and when everything happened, leading them to the evidence. The whole time you are trying to figure out whether they will have enough time to beat the execution of an innocent man. It's got some grey areas but really it's an interesting read.

Only 13 left!!!

So I only have 13 books left on my list!! I have 5 more months so I know it will definitely be  completed before the year is up! I have to say, I loved this idea.I definitely will not be doing it every year because it is a big time commitment. It's like something that looms overhead all year long. I am so glad that I did this because I have found so many more authors that I just thoroughly enjoy. I have also found authors that I don't enjoy as much, no offense, just not my style. I have re-read every book that I have read previously except for the actual Twilight book. I don't know, i do have 5 more months, so we will see.
       As of right now, I have just one book that i have to hurdle and that is Tom Clancy's Locked On. I have checked this book out several times and just never could open it up. It just sounds like a book I wont enjoy and it is H-U-G-E. I know that it will definitely take me a long time to read. I have gotten through the other books that I thought would be difficult and some of them were and some of them I really ended up loving. Like they say, can't judge a book by it's cover. I guess we will have to see if Clancy's is as bad as I think it will be.
         Also, one more thing I want to clear up... The "days to read" are not necessarily accurate. For example, if i say 2 days, it's because I had to work or something else came up and I had to span it out over a couple days. Although, if I had nothing to do, I would have finished in less than 24 hours for sure. Some of them I did, but I can't remember which. I guess I should have written my little info-bits about each book sooner than wait until I'm almost through the challenge. ha ha.

I think that's all for now... I will definitely be doing an update after I'm finished! Can't wait! Only 13 more to go!! Woot Woot!!

The Snow Angel- Glenn Beck

Days to read: 1

I really enjoyed this book! It is a story about a wife who is beaten by her husband. It is about how she struggles with freeing herself from him but keeping her daughter safe from what is going on at home. She ends up re-connecting with old family and finding out how strong she really is and making some life changes. The whole time you are just rooting for this girl to get away from her husband and hope she does so in the end. It is such a beautiful story of how she connects with her daughter and family. It is such a sweet book and very uplifting.

Bossypants- Tina Fey

Time to read: 2 days

 What can I say? It's Tina Fey! It was a bit longer than Ellen's book but I'm pretty sure I liked Ellen's a little more. Tina's book is more of a tell-all about her childhood and how she grew up and how she got to where she is now. Don't get me wrong, she is hilarious! It was definitely a book I really enjoyed. But I liked Ellen's more because hers was just so random. I think most of it is just "journal entries" that she randomly had throughout the years that she decides to share with everyone, unlike Tina's which is more kind of a biography. lol. It's definitely funny and I would have read it even if it wasn't on the list.

Red Mist- Patricia Cornwell

Time to read: 3 days

This book is so amazing! I usually don't like murder-mystery type books, just mystery, but this book I really enjoyed. The whole time you are on a journey trying to find out who committed this huge murder. They have someone in jail, they have suspicions and they end up hiring a medical examiner, Kay, who is just brilliant. Even though her life becomes threatened and those around her are being killed and hurt, she ends up solving this case and it's so intriguing. There are so many options that I didn't figure it out until just about the end. It was a great read and I will have to follow this author since she is making a series off the main character, Kay.

Seriously...I'm Kidding- Ellen Degeneres

Time to read: 1 day

Yep, this was definitely a quick read! I LOVED it though. I am already a huge fan of Ellen. I watch her show everyday, in season, and follow her on twitter. She's just so clever and hilarious? Whatever the word, she has it in this book as well. I wouldn't have doubted that anyways. One of the themes i got, she wants to do a finding nemo 2... ha ha. This is a book any of her fans should read. You will enjoy it! Sometimes I wish i was as cleverly funny as she is.

House of Night Series- P.C. & Kristen Cast

Time to read: 2 days

This is another series that I might be biased in because I already was a fan before I saw the last book was on the list. I've been following this series for quite some time now, probably 4 or 5 years. That would be because there are like 9 books in the series now, with the 10th coming out in October.

These are pretty much based on a young vampire who has to deal with evil vampires. Each book takes you onto a new journey and problem she has to face, such as, love, war, death, evil and good. They are very interesting you do get hooked into the story. These books are good but they are in no way written greatly. Since she co-writes with her daughter there are a lot of references to "in the times" slang and such. At times it can be a bit corny but overall they are great books. I think they are in the process of making this a movie? That will be interesting since there are now 10 books and going to be 12 in all. So we will see how it turns out.

Twilight Series- Stephanie Meyer

Time to read: 4 days

Of course, I had already read these books previously. I did not re-read the Twilight book but I did re-read the Breaking Dawn book. Also, just like all other movies from books, the books are always much better. No difference here with the Twilight Series.

These are really good books, I enjoyed them a lot. I do have to say my favorite book is Eclipse and my least favorite book would have to be Breaking Dawn. I just hate how fast she goes through the Breaking Dawn book. It was so rushed that it was disappointing, to say the least. I do like how she went from Bella to Jacob to Bella's point of view throughout the book but I hate how it is so rushed. I feel like a lot of things are just not explained and there's SOO many new characters and so much going on that you can get lost. I am nervous to see how this last movie turns out. I'm sure they are going to have to add a battle since they definitely don't do that in the book. We will see. Breaking Dawn is definitely my least of the series.

The Infernal Devices- Cassandra Clare

Time to read: 3  days

I have to say, when I saw these on the list, I was so excited! I LOVE Cassandra Clare. She is the author of the Mortal Instruments, which are just about my favorite series! I had wanted to start the Infernal Devices but never had the time. So when I saw the two books in the series on my list, I was stoked. Like the MI series, I love this series as well.

The series is a prequel to the MI series but it's not neccessary to read one before the other. You will have no problem following either series without the other and vice versa.

Clockwork Angel
This book is so thrilling! I love how it's so much more different than the MI series because it's way before the time and they are fighting a whole different war. There are many of the main (older) characters from the MI series in this series. They, of course, are younger and have so much more backstory in this book. I love how it connects the books in this one way. Although, the MI series is more of an Angel-vs- Demon war and this book is more a shadow hunter vs. mechanical (ie. robot) war.

Clockwork Prince
This book carries on the story as the previous book but now you just completely love the characters so much more. They are still fighting this war and in the end there's a huge twist that you just don't know if you should be sad or just plain in awe of how the last book (Clockwork Princess, not out yet) is going to be so amazing. She sets up for some pretty great things to happen and I can't wait to read it! March woot woot!!

I may be a little biased since I'm such a HUGE fan of the MI series but I do have to say she does out-do herself with this prequel. I really enjoyed these books just as much as the MI series and I was a little worried about how she was going to do this. Also, with any author you get nervous when a movie is coming from the books and wonder if they are just doing so for the money.. but i can say, it is not the case with these books. Loved them!!!

Witch & Wizard Series- James Patterson

Time to read: week and a half.

   Really, if I didn't have a job, I could have finished all three books in a couple of days. They are definitely a quick read. They are for teens so they are a pretty easy read. I didn't have the first book on my list so instead of just getting into the series in the middle, I decided to go ahead and start from the beginning. So I added another book to my count that was not on the list.

    Witch & Wizard
This was the first book and I have to say, the plot did keep me interested enough to want to read the last two books in the series. It's about a sister and brother that are being accused of being a witch and wizard (their parents hiding it from them) and taken into custody to be killed. It is about a government that wants to get rid of all those who have abilities or traits of being a witch and wizard. They end up being pretty powerful and get themselves out of the prison. It starts off the book with the two waiting in line to be executed and then takes you back to the beginning of the story. At the end of the book it takes you to the execution again and ... to be continued...

Witch & Wizard: The Gift
   The second book starts off with the execution of the sister and the brother trying to save her. She ends up being killed but not really. She was powerful enough to make them think she was dead. Throughout the book they become like renegades and try to save as many children they can from the prisons and making an army of their own. They start to find out more about their powers and how to use them.

Witch & Wizard: The Fire
This book is about their journey to fight "The One" government and find their parents. Of course you can probably guess how it ends.

These were good books for teens but they weren't great. There are definitely other books in the "teen" group that are better than these. I didn't hate them and didn't love them.. more like a middle ground.. haha.. Anyways, at least they weren't boring! That would have made them difficult to get through!

Night Circus- Erin Morgenstern

Time to read: 2 days

This book was interesting from the get go. It's a very quick read but the plot is catching. It's about how lives can be pre-determined before they even start and how the pride of ones can ruin your life. It goes through all the struggles and complications with a couple and a way for them to find a way out of the lives that were pre-determined for them by their mentors (one is a father). It's a big game and really you wonder how they are going to get out of the game without losing everything.
   I got through this book so quickly just because I had to know how this was going to work out. Not only that, it's a smaller book and I usually get through books pretty fast. It was definitely a book I'm glad I read but not one of my favorites out of all the books I've read so far.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children- Ransom Riggs

Time to read: 4 days

This book is definitely strange. There are a lot of pictures in it that are quite disturbing. I got through the first 2 chapters and became so freaked out i had to hide the book. When it comes to the photos, it kinda freaked me out. I refused to read it and told my husband that I was going to have to quit my challenge or switch out the book. I just couldn't make myself read it.
   He decided that he would read it and see how bad it really was. He got through it in two days and told me that I should read it because if not, i would feel guilty for not really completing my challenge, if i were to switch it out.
   So when he was home, I decided to give it a second go. This book turned out to be a little more interesting the further I got. I didn't quite like it as much as my husband did. There's a lot of strange photos and plot developments that were kind of strange.
    Even though, I'm glad I actually read it, I didn't like it. It was just too hard for me to get past all the creepiness that was in this book! I will say it is a really quick read and I'm sure there are many that would really enjoy it but this book was definitely not for me! That's totally okay though, I knew I wouldn't like all the books from this list. That was kind of the point, find new authors I like and ones that I know I don't like.

Janet Evanovich- Stephanie Plum Series

Time to read: 2 days

I started off this book with the very last book! Explosive Eighteen was the last book and the first I read. I also didn't realize it was a series! I really, really find these books enjoyable. I am now starting my collection of the books so i can read them all!

Explosive Eighteen
   For not knowing this was an actual series, it wasn't that hard to follow. Each book has the same characters and they grow throughout the series but they mainly follow a set of new cases throughout each. Even after reading this book i was anxious for the next book because of the love triangle! I didn't even get all of the storyline and I was excited for the possibilities!

Smokin Seventeen
     I should have read this book before Explosive Eighteen but I wasn't smart enough to put it together haha! I realized in this book that it does carry one case(person) into the next book which makes so much more sense now!

One for the Money
    I watched the movie after I read the book because I really enjoyed the book. I didn't think I'd like it from the previews but I was wrong. See what the world of books can do for you? :) This book is important because it introduces all the characters and the backstories to get you to understand her relationship with them all throughout the books.

I really like these books. They are funny, witty and quite enjoyable! I can't wait to finish my challage and I will be reading the whole series from start! I can't believe there are 10 books so far!!! I also found out she started another series the Lizzie one and I'll look into that after I get through the Stephanie Plum series.

Kill Alex Cross- James Patterson

Time to read: 4 days

I have many books on my list by this author and I have to say, I really enjoy his writing. This is one of my favorite books from my list by him. I know there are a lot of books in this series. I was worried about just being thrown into a series at the end but really, it's kind of not a sequence. It's just a different case with some of the same characters. I didn't realize that some of the books have already been made to movies, which i really enjoyed. So I will definitely be reading more in the Cross series. It's a book about a detective who tries to solve all these cases. I enjoy books like this because I always try to figure out the ending before I read it. Usually, I'm spot on but sometimes I get blindsided :)

The Help- Kathryn Stockett

Time to read: 2 days

I loved this book! This book is mostly in the point of the view of the maid. You get so much more back story and details than the movie, which i also loved. This book makes you question things and it pulls you into the emotions that they feel. It makes you laugh and the same time cry. It's so well written and the story is just so good.
   It is definitely a book I would recommend to everyone! It's also very eye opening!

Hunger Games Trilogy- Suzanne Collins

Total time to read: 6 Days

To be fair, I already had read these books. With the movie coming out, it made me want to re-read them and so I did. I fell in love with these books at least 6 months before I started my challenge. They are really great reads and I know they are a weird concept but it's totally worth giving it a chance. I promise, you'll love them!

Hunger Games
    The first book is packed of SO much information. I will say it is a lot different than the actual movie (better too). It gives you so much background information that you will need throughout the series. It gets you so hooked from the start.

Catching Fire
   This book was my favorite of the three. It has so much going on but the story is just thrilling. You go back to the games and this time the games are much worse. Catniss and Peeta's characters become so much closer in this book too.

Mockingjay
    This was my least favorite. Although, the ending is satisfactory, the book itself is a little disappointing. The book carries you through all these major events so fast. The ending just happens out of nowhere and SO much happens that you really miss out on. At one point, she wakes up and we are so far into the future with a whole different ruler and so on... It just all feels too rushed for me. The ending works but the way the author gets there is not so great.

Overall, I loved these books just like the rest of America. The story just pulls in from the beginning and you don't want to let go. The movie is also really good! Books are always better than movies though.

Stieg Larsson Millennium Series

Time to read all three: a little over a week

I loved this series!  I can say I ended up reading this whole series in a little over a week. That's fast for how lenghty these books are! The story is kind of out there, there are some things that are pretty graphic but really it's quite minor. I know most people have seen the movie, which is good but not the same. As the story goes when it comes to movies from books.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
    I will say though, the first 150ish pages of this book were brutal to get through. It was just so boring and so much random information it seemed. Once you passed this part of the book the story became way more interesting and so hard to put down. It opens up a whole can of worms that will come out throughout the series. Besides the opening of the book, it was a great read. It captures you into the story that you don't want to end!

The Girl Who Played with Fire
     This was my favorite book! It's so packed full of technology and turns that keep you fascinated. It really will make you fall in love with the main character, Lisbeth. I remember being through this book so quick and just going to buy the third so i could keep going in the matter of hours.

The girl who kicked the hornest Nest
    This was an amazing ending to the series! It starts off making  you wonder how in the world this girl is going to make it and she again proves how amazing she is. She is kept isolated and still she ends up doing things that save her life and you just wonder in amazement. I'm so glad I read these books because they are just amazing!

11/22/63- Stephen King

Time to read: 8 days

This is my first Stephen King book. I understand why he is such a popular author but he's not for me. This book was one on my list of "not too excited to read." It did take me a bit longer to get through but it was a HUGE book!
    The plot for this book is pretty much great. It was really a great story and I rather enjoyed it. It's about a man who comes upon a place he can time travel back to the same date every time, September 9, 1958. The guy (AL) who shares this time portal wants him to finish what he cannot (he's dying) and keep from Kennedy being assassinated. Al feels if he was not assassinated the world would be in a much better place. He decides to do this and while doing so he takes it upon himself to save the lives of some in his current world. He has to live in this world until he is sure of how to stop the assassination of Kennedy. The thing is, a few years before he is to stop the killing, he ends up in a town and ends up falling in love with a girl and the town. He ends up sharing what he is there to do with her and she tries to help him when the time comes to stop the assassination and ends up being killed. He goes back to 2011 to save her (reset time) and finds it has become a much worse place. I dont want to ruin the ending so that's all I'm going to say!
       In result, the story is great and interesting but the part I dont like is King's style. He DRAGS everything out so much. He has so much detail that it makes the story hard to follow. How can a book have too much detail? Well he managaes it and that is my problem with his book. Maybe I'm just too impatient! hah!

A Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin

Time to read: 6 days

Game of Thrones

I'm not going to lie, when i saw this on my list, i was not excited. I just think this was more my husbands type of book, which I'm not really into. Well, I was pleasantly surprised. This book does something a little different than most. Each chapter is about one of the characters in the book. There are several characters in this book but you get to glimpse into the thoughts and actions of all the main characters which is awesome. When something happens it always has a way of connecting with the characters that are in the book. Even if they are on opposite sides and so on.
   The only reason it took 6 days to get through this book, besides the length and font size, was that I had many things going on this week that wouldn't allow me to read. I was sucked into the world though. It's so complicated and such a beautiful tale. There are some pretty explicit things that happen from sex to death. He does add a lot of detail to his books and sometimes it can be a little much, therefore takes longer to get through.
   I am really excited for the next book, which is on my list! I'm waiting though because i went ahead and purchased them since I will want to read the whole series and so does my husband! This was a great read and I'm glad because the next one would be awful to get through if not! :)



Time to read: 3 days

A Clash of Kings

   I was sucked into this book, just like the first! I will say this was a big book. 969 pages of small print is a lot to get through! This book continues pretty much exactly where the first book ends. I just love how there are so many characters and plots to this book. At times you think it becomes overwhelming but then it just all clicks.  It amazes me how everyone has their own agenda and the way they plot to make them seem on one side but then really only being on their own. My favorite character so far is of a nine year old girl named Arya. She has her own point of view throughout the books. I'm excited to see where her story goes. I will say, there are so many deaths. I'm a little worried none of these characters will actually make it all the way through the series. I was actually surprised by the fact that the end of this book had a surprised ending! It was pretty exciting though because now the plot thickens... haha :-)