Challenge: 50 Books discussion

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Finish Line 2013! Yay! > Amy's going for 50 in '13!

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message 1: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments Ahhh, another new year, and so many books still to choose from! I love a fresh start! :o)

1. My first read this year was The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain . I am happy to report that this one was a VAST improvement over the last Chamberlain book I read, The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes. It wasn't earth shattering in its brilliance, but was a definite page-turner.


message 2: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 2. The Killing Song by P.J. Parrish A very good, quick page-turner!


message 3: by Amy (last edited Jan 18, 2013 10:42AM) (new)

Amy | 181 comments 3. The Vendetta Defense (Rosato & Associates, #8) by Lisa Scottoline Just an 'okay' read - definitely not a favorite in the Rosato and Associates series.

4. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton I enjoyed this one immensely. It was one of those books that I tried to read more slowly, because I didn't want it to end!

5. War Brides by Helen Bryan This one was disappointing. I had such high hopes for it after reading its description, but I thought the story jumped around too much, the writing very choppy; there were some loose ends that the author didn't address, while others were tied up in a neat, little, highly unbelievable bow. I gave it 3 stars, but I was definitely in a generous mood.

6. The Fifth Assassin by Brad Meltzer I usually love Melter's books, but this one left me a little underwhelmed. I also rated this one a 3, but that's a bit deceiving, since it was MUCH better than War Brides!


message 4: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments UGH! Why do I always seem to forget about updating this thread?!? Here are my latest:

7. Courting Trouble by Lisa Scottoline Definitely not my favorite in the Rosato & Associates series. It dragged on...and on...and on.

8. Bubbles Unbound (Bubbles Yablonsky, #1) by Sarah Strohmeyer Silly little novel that didn't do much for me. I was really hoping to find an entertaining new series to get hooked in, but this was just a bad imitation of the Stephanie Plum books, without all the humor.

9. Private Berlin (Other Private Offices) by James Patterson I hate to sound like a broken record, but this one was just okay for me, as well. Maybe I was just in a reading rut.

10. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green Very good, although a bit too quick for me. :)

11. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes LOVED this book! I was so leery of picking it up, because it sounded like a sappy romance (not my favorite genre). It was so much more than that, however.

12. The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy Reading rut: gone! I loved this one, as well!

13. Here I Go Again by Jen Lancaster I'll admit it - this one was 'out there,' but I enjoyed it regardless. Jen Lancaster is more than a little nutty, and some of the stuff she comes up with just makes me laugh out loud. I found myself reading more than one passage to my husband when he started looking at me funny. :)

14. Abducted (The Lizzy Gardner Series, #1) by T.R. Ragan This was a cheapie I picked up for my Kindle and it turned out to be an excellent mystery. It was the first in a series that currently stands at three. Number 2 is already downloaded and ready to go. It just remains to be seen when I actually get to it.

15. Touch & Go by Lisa Gardner Probably my LEAST favorite Lisa Gardner book. It didn't read like any of her other novels, which would've been fine if it held my attention. Instead, I felt as if the same story could've been told with 100 pages less. I was relieved when I finally finished this one...


message 5: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 16. Don't Blink by James Patterson Typical Patterson book - very quick read, with lots of twists and turns. A page-turner, but not a stand out.


message 6: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments You know what's really sad? When you get so old that you can't remember what you've read in the past month or so! :) Actually, I remember the books I've read, I just can't really remember what was good/great/mediocre. Old age sucks! LOL

17. Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham

18. The Making of Us  by Lisa Jewell

19. Dead Ringer (Rosato & Associates, #10) by Lisa Scottoline

20. Hello, Gorgeous Becoming Barbra Streisand by William J. Mann I'm not a big Streisand fan, but this was a brand new book in the library, so I couldn't pass it up. All it did was cement my opinion that Streisand is an extraordinarily talented, extremely self-centered/selfish woman. Still not a fan...

21. Alex Cross, Run (Alex Cross, #20) by James Patterson The latest installment, it was better than the last few have been. It still doesn't live up to the earlier books in the series, but at least it kept me reading.

22. The Violin of Auschwitz by Maria Àngels Anglada This was a very short book that I picked up on a whim. While it was a beautiful story, I felt like it was somehow lacking in character development. I felt like I was just barely getting to know and love these people when the book was over. Perhaps something was lost in translation...

23. The Seamstress by Sara Tuvel Bernstein Okay, this one was tough to get through. And, I don't mean that it was poorly written. I mean that it just sucked the life out of you, reading what this woman and her family members went through during the holocaust. I had to limit the amount of this I read on a daily basis, because it was just so heart-wrenching and despicable. I've read some reviews of this one which criticize it for a certain detachment shown by the author when discussing specific facts. While I agree with that assessment, I can also CERTAINLY understand a level of detachment with this subject matter. It actually *hurt* to read this one.

24. Ruby Red (The Ruby Red Trilogy, #1) by Kerstin Gier I don't know where I first heard about this one, but I've wanted to read it for a long time now. I'm glad I did - it was a very quick read, but highly entertaining. I can't wait to get the next one in the series!


message 7: by Roberta (new)

Roberta (rolysj) | 77 comments Amy wrote: "You know what's really sad? When you get so old that you can't remember what you've read in the past month or so! :) Actually, I remember the books I've read, I just can't really remember what w..."


Hi Amy,

I hear you about not being able to remember what you read! By the way, I couldn't see the title for #23 even when I enlarged it. Could you send me the title? I really like bookis about the Holocaust. Thanks.


message 8: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments Sorry about that! Here's the link: The Seamstress Hopefully, this will work! :) Have you read The Hiding Place? I have it on my list, as I've heard it's wonderful! Also, if you're looking for something in the fiction genre during WWII, I can't recommend Those Who Save Us highly enough. I absolutely *loved* it!


message 9: by Roberta (new)

Roberta (rolysj) | 77 comments I put The Seamstress and Those Who Save Us on my to read list. I think I read The Hiding Place a while ago and liked it. Thanks for the recommendations.


message 10: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments Neglecting my updating duties again... :( The REAL problem with waiting so long between updates is that I typically forget what I liked or didn't like about a particular book.

25. Love Anthony by Lisa Genova

26. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

27. Sapphire Blue (Book 2 Ruby Red Trilogy) by Kerstin Gier

28. Yes, Chef A Memoir by Marcus Samuelsson I'm still not sure why I read this one, since I'm not a Samuelsson fan. This book didn't change my mind.

29. Guilt by Association (Rachel Knight #1) by Marcia Clark This was a Nook/Kindle cheapie, but it wasn't bad at all.

30. Dead Weight (The Lizzy Gardner Series, #2) by T.R. Ragan


message 11: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 31. The Soundtrack of My Life by Clive Davis I know Clive Davis is this wonderful musical genius, but I think he's a teensy bit too high on himself for my liking. ;o)

32. Paradise Falls by Jonnie Jacobs

33. Killer Smile (Rosato & Associates, #11) by Lisa Scottoline One of the better novels in the Rosato & Associates series

34. Perfect Reader A Novel by Maggie Pouncey Average, at BEST.

35. Family Pictures  by Jane Green

36. Service Included Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter by Phoebe Damrosch

37. Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon

38. The Last Trade by James Conway

39. The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman

40. Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline


message 12: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 41. Tapestry of Fortunes by Elizabeth Berg

42. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

43. All You Could Ask For A Novel by Mike Greenberg

44. The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout I noticed someone else in this group recently made a comment about this one - something along the lines of 'what's the big deal?' I felt the same way. In fact, one of the characters was just SO unlikeable that, at one point, I didn't even have a desire to read on. This one was just okay for me...


message 13: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 45. Beyond Belief My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill Just a whole bunch of craziness - downright scary stuff.


message 14: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 46. Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella This one was a big disappointment. I usually love Sophie Kinsella's books, but this one just fell flat. Not only were the usual laughs missing, but I was downright bored at times.


message 15: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 47. Pretty Little Liars (Pretty Little Liars, #1) by Sara Shepard

48. Going Clear Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright

49. Flawless (Pretty Little Liars, #2) by Sara Shepard


message 16: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 50. Fly Away by Kristin Hannah

51. Perfect (Pretty Little Liars, #3) by Sara Shepard


message 17: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments UGH - late in updating AGAIN. At least this time I have a good excuse - started my book blog (something that's been on my to-do list for years now)! YAY!

Anyway, here's my latest:

52. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer Sadly, I already don't remember much about this one, except to say that I really enjoyed it!

53. Inferno (Robert Langdon, #4) by Dan Brown Meh, I think I'm over the Dan Brown thing. They're all starting to meld together for me now.

54. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

55. Wonder by R.J. Palacio

56. The Godfather's Daughter An Unlikely Story of Love, Healing, and Redemption by Rita Gigante

57. Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars, #4) by Sara Shepard You read one, you've read them all! ;o)

58. Palisades Park by Alan Brennert This was a must-read for me since I grew up hearing the stories of this fantasyland from my parents. The story/writing was okay, but I enjoyed it (mostly) for the sentimental value.

59. The Iceman The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer by Anthony Bruno The Iceman lived in a town very close to where I work, so this was very interesting for me to read. In fact, a former co-worker of mine even danced with the killer at a random Rotary event years before anyone knew what a monster he was.

60. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah


message 18: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 61. The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna van Praag

62. Revenge Wears Prada The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger I was *so* looking forward to this one. Sadly, it was a disappointment.

63. VJ The Unplugged Adventures of MTV's First Wave by Nina Blackwood Yes, I admit I am old enough to remember the night Mtv went on the air. It was interesting to see that many of my first impressions/opinions of the various VJ's held true.

64. Joyland by Stephen King Loved it!!

65. The Tao of Martha My Year of LIVING; Or, Why I'm Never Getting All That Glitter Off of the Dog by Jen Lancaster Jen Lancaster is one funny woman. I can't count the number of times I had to read passages to my husband so he'd understand why I was laughing out loud.

66. The Time Between by Karen White

67. Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll My Life in Rock by Stephen Pearcy Never having been a fan of Ratt, I couldn't tell you why I had to read this book. The conclusion, though? I'm even less of a fan now.

68. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender Okay, NOW I understand all those bad reviews. It's a shame - the author had me through most of the book before she lost her mind.

69. Alex by Adam J. Nicolai

70. The Heist (O'Hare and Fox #1) by Janet Evanovich I'm glad to see Janet Evanovich has moved away from the Stephanie Plum series for a bit. I was pleasantly surprised by this book, although I did miss the laughs that Stephanie typically brings to a situation.


message 19: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 71. The Truth About Love and Lightning by Susan McBride

72. Angelina's Bachelors A Novel with Food by Brian O'Reilly

73. Second Honeymoon (Honeymoon, #2) by James Patterson

74. Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand


message 20: by Amy (last edited Jul 11, 2013 07:42AM) (new)

Amy | 181 comments 75. Big Girl Panties A Novel by Stephanie Evanovich SO disappointing. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but with an aunt like Janet Evanovich, I was definitely expecting more than what I got. I didn't enjoy anything about this book at all.

76. The Pretty One A Novel about Sisters by Lucinda Rosenfeld Another crappy book. On page 6, one of the main characters told her 2 year old 'you're driving me f***ing insane.' I should've known right then and there what a crappy book I was in for. :(

77. The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro After two duds in a row, this was one a pleasant surprise. My lack of knowledge regarding the art world didn't hinder the enjoyment of this book one bit.

78. Retail Hell by Freeman Hall If you've ever worked in retail, I think you'll like this. It made me laugh out loud a few times, and that's always a good thing.

79. The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick FINALLY read this one, after having it sit on my shelf for months. A good book, but I think I would've enjoyed it more had I read it *before* all the hype.


message 21: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 80. When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison

81. Unseen (Will Trent, #7) by Karin Slaughter

82. Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger by Beth Harbison

83. The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

84. The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Sean Greer

85. Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern

86. Always Watching by Chevy Stevens


message 22: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments I *really* need to start updating more often. :(

87. Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld

88. The 9th Girl (Kovac and Liska #4) by Tami Hoag

89. The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike, #1) by Robert Galbraith

90. Mistress by James Patterson

91. Justice for Sara by Erica Spindler

92. A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay

93. The Dinner by Herman Koch

94. How To Be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman

95. The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones

96. A Dark Mind (The Lizzy Gardner Series, #3) by T.R. Ragan

97. The Shining (The Shining, #1) by Stephen King

98. The Hit (Will Robie, #2) by David Baldacci

99. Omens (Cainsville, #1) by Kelley Armstrong


message 23: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 100. The Perfect Ghost by Linda Barnes

101. Guilty Wives by James Patterson

102. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King (*loved* it!!)

103. The Butterfly Sister: A Novel by Amy Gail Hansen

104. Margot by Jillian Cantor

105. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

106. No Way Back by Andrew Gross

107. Red Rain by R. L. Stine


message 24: by Alison (new)

Alison G. (agriff22) | 545 comments Should i read The Shining before I read Doctor Sleep??? Im glad u liked it!


message 25: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments Alison wrote: "Should i read The Shining before I read Doctor Sleep??? Im glad u liked it!"

I don't think it's a necessity at all - the story definitely stands up on its own. BUT, having read The Shining not too long before picking up Doctor Sleep, I definitely appreciated having the characters fresh in my mind. Whichever you go with, you'll have to let me know what you think!! I've found King's most recent books to be among his best (11/22/63, Joyland, and now Doctor Sleep). :)


message 26: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 108. The Execution of Noa P. Singleton I actually read this a few weeks ago, but somehow forgot to add it to Goodreads! :)


message 28: by Amy (last edited Nov 06, 2013 05:45AM) (new)

Amy | 181 comments 112. The Good Sister by Wendy Corsi Staub The Good Sister Wendy Corsi Staub's books always look so intriguing, but then I'm left disappointed. This one was just okay...again. :(


message 29: by Alison (new)

Alison G. (agriff22) | 545 comments I read 11/22/63 earlier this year and loved it! im glad you thought it was one of his best. It was my first King book.


message 30: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments Alison wrote: "I read 11/22/63 earlier this year and loved it! im glad you thought it was one of his best. It was my first King book."

I'm so glad your first King book was a good one! (While he's an amazing author, he's definitely had a few misses along the way.) As for 11/22/63, though, I've always read whatever I can get my hands on regarding the Kennedy assassination. So, combining that with a King novel = nirvana! LOL I knew I had to run out and get it as soon as it was released. I was so afraid of being disappointed, but thankfully that wasn't the case!


message 31: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments 113. The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott The Christie Curse

114. Twist (Frank Quinn, #8) by John Lutz Twist I picked this up while on vacation at the Jersey Shore - it just looked interesting. A very good read, as it turns out. I'll be checking out more by John Lutz in the future!

115. Truth Stained Lies (Moonlighters Series, #1) by Terri Blackstock Truth Stained Lies

116. Coreyography A Memoir by Corey Feldman Coreyography: A Memoir I was a Corey fan growing up, so this was a must-read.

117. Takedown Twenty (Stephanie Plum, #20) by Janet Evanovich Takedown Twenty Typical read - nothing new here. But, always good for a laugh or two.

118. Helga's Diary A Young Girl's Account of Life in a Concentration Camp by Helga Weiss Helga's Diary: A Young Girl's Account of Life in a Concentration Camp I hate to say that I don't care for any book centered around the Holocaust. It just seems wrong somehow. But, this one was a disappointment. I'm not sure why, but I never really felt any connection to Helga.

119. The Fate of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb The Fate of Mercy Alban Really enjoyed this one!

120. Cross My Heart (Alex Cross, #21) by James Patterson Cross My Heart


╟ ♫ Tima ♪ ╣ ♥ (tsunanisaurus) Hot dang! Excellent job this year, congrats on finishing!


message 35: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments Tima wrote: "Hot dang! Excellent job this year, congrats on finishing!"

Thanks! You *know* if I planned for this many books, I wouldn't have even made it to 20! LOL

I'm looking forward to starting again in another 8 days or so! ;o)


message 37: by Amy (new)

Amy | 181 comments One final book that I finished before the end of the year...just to make it official. ;o)

132. Dollface A Novel of the Roaring Twenties by Renee Rosen Dollface: A Novel of the Roaring Twenties


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