~2014 Reading Challenge~ discussion

Wow, where has the beginning of this year gone! It seems that I've been lost in my own world. This year I am participating in the WV Reads 150 Challenge, which is a challenge for individuals or groups to read 150 books. Last year I managed to read about 100 books, so am hoping to be able to complete this challenge on my own, I'm off to a good start so far, but have already encountered a dry spell. Best of luck to everyone in meeting their reading goals, and remember, its not so much about reaching those goals as enjoying the journey!

Books of 2013 -

1. Queen of Darkness - Patti Larsen
2. Light and Shadow - Patti Larsen
3. Free Sould - Susan Kaye Quinn
4. The Arrival - Nicole McDonald
5. Awakening - Nicole McDonald
6. Fierce Dawn - Amber Scott
7. 44 (book 1) - Jools Sinclair
8. 44 (book 2) - Jools Sinclair
9. 44 (book 3) - Jools Sinclair
10. 44 (book 4) - Jools Sinclair
11. 44 (book 5) - Jools Sinclair
12. 44 (book 6) - Jools Sinclair
13. Odd Interlude - Dean Koontz
14. The Moonlit Mind - Dean Koontz
15. The Time Keeper - Mitch Albom
16. The Omen Machine - Terry Goodkind
17. Feel the Burn - Nicole McDonald
18. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - Frank L. Baum
19. Sassafrass - Patti Larsen
20. Beautiful Creatures - Kami Garcia/Margaret Stahl
21. Beuatiful Darkness - Kami Garcia/Margaret Stahl
22. Beautiful Chaos - Kami Garcia/Margaret Stahl
23. Beautiful Redemption - Kami Garcia/Margaet Stahl
24. Dream Dark - Kami Garcia/Margaret Stahl
25. Dark Promise - Patti Larsen
26. Red Run - Kami Garcia
27. The Angel Experiment - James Patterson
28. The Marvelous Land of Oz - Frank L. Baum
29. The Woggle Bug Book - Frank L. Baum
30. Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz - Frank L. Baum
31. The Road to Oz - Frank L. Baum
32. The Emerald City of Oz - Frank L. Baum
33. School's Out Forever - James Patterson
34. Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports - James Patterson
35. The Final Warning - James Patterson
36. Max - James Patterson
37. Fang - James Patteson
38. Angel - James Patterson
39. Nevermore - James Patterson
40. The Patchwork Girl of Oz - Frank L. Baum
41. Little Wizard Stories of Oz - Frank L. Baum
42. Unseelie Ties - Pattie Larsen
43. What I Didn't Say - Keary Taylor
44. The Ashes - Keary Taylor
45. The Raid - Keary Taylor
46. I Wish thta I had Duck Fet - Dr. Seuss
47. And to Think that I saw it on Mulberry Street - Dr. Seuss
48. Fox In Sox - Dr. Seuss
49. The Ghost Who was Afraid of Halloween - Samantha Brooke
50. The Berenstein Bears, The Bear Detectives
51. Allie Gator and the Easter Egg Hunt
52. Ancient Ways - Patti Larsen
53. Divergent - Veronica Roth
54. Insurgent - Veronica Roth
55. The Undying - Patti Larsen
56. The Guardian of Threshold - A.A. Volts

57. Maternal Harbor - Marie F. Martin
58. Mystics and Mayhem: Something Witchy - A. J. Myers
59. Rot and Ruin - Jonathan Mayberry
60. Fated - Alyson Noel
61. Echo - Alyson Noel
62. Mystic - Alyson Noel
63. 44 (Book 7) - Jools Sinclair
64. Mystics and Mayhem: Something Wicked - A. J. Myers

How in the world do you read so much! I must be the slowest reader in the world! LOL That is amazing. Which one of these has been your absolutely favorite?

Lol, I have to admit, with attempting to complete the challenge I pad some of the longer reads with a lot of shorter stories... It is a challenge, though, between work, school, my son's activities, and other social/family responsibilities.

I've thoroughly enjoyed almost everything that I've read so far. I get sucked into a lot of series and get completely invested in the characters and the worlds the authors create, especially Patti Larsen's Hayle Coven Novels, even if they are YA (love me some good YA). But the book that struck the deepest chord with me so far was Maternal Harbor by Marie F. Martin. I can't say it was the greatest book in the world, or had the best writing, or even the best plot, but I could identify with the main character, her fears, and what she was going through. It did have some romance, but it felt secondary to the primary story and took a backseat as a plot device, but still worked out O.K. for the story.

65. Me & Emma - Elizabeth Flock
66. Dust and Decay - Jonathan Maberry
67. Dead and Gone - Jonathan Maberry
68. Flesh and Bone - Jonathan Maberry
69. Shifting Loyalties - Patti Larsen
70. Enforcer - Patti Larsen
71. Coven Leader - Patti Larsen
72. Inferno - Dan Brown

I've missed on in here somewhere... I'm actually up to 73... but oh well...

Will start off with #74 since I do not know which one I left out...
74. The Monsters of Templeton - Lauren Goff
75. Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut
76. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters -Ben Winters
77. Dawn of the Dreadfuls - Steve Hockensmith
78. Tik-Tok of Oz -Frank L. Baum
79. The Clockwork Princess - Cassandra Clare
80. The Scarecrow of Oz - Frank L. Baum
81. The Last Call - Patti Larsen
82. The Help - Kathryn Stockett

83. Criminal - Karin Slaughter
84. Phantom Evil - Heather Graham
85. Lord John and the Hellfire Club - Diana Gabaldon
86. Take One - Karen Kingsbury

Been busy trying to catch up....
88. Lord John and the Private Matter - Diana Gabaldon
89. Lord John and the Succubus - Diana Gabaldon
90. Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade - D. G.
91. Lord John and the Haunted Soldier - Diana Gabaldon
92. The Unseen - Heather Graham
93. The Unholy - Heather Graham
94. Rinkitink in Oz - Frank L. Baum
95. The Lost Princess of Oz - Frank L. Baum
96. The Tin Woodman of Oz - Frank L. Baum
97. The Magic of Oz - Frank L. Baum

I will probably finish the Oz series while I wait for the books on my wait list at the library... Will then probably move on to trying to finish up with Sherlock Holmes series, which I started last year. This has been a pretty grueling pace, and I fell quite a bit behind, so am now pushing it so that I can finish the challenge. I am honestly looking forward to finishing up so I can take the time to read longer books and read them more slowly.

98. Glinda of Oz - Frank L. Baum
99. Daire Meets Ever - Alyson Noel
100. The Royal Book of Oz - Frank L. Baum
101. The Adventure of the Empty House - Doyle
102. The Adventure of the Norwood Builder - Doyle
103. The Adventure of the Dancing Men - Doyle
104. The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist - Doyle
105. The Custom of the Army - Diana Gabaldon
106. The Adventure of the Priory School - Doyle
107. The Adventure of Black Peter - Doyle
108. The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton-Doyle
109. The Adventure of the Six Napoleons - Doyle
110. The Adventure of the Three Students - Doyle
111. The Adventure of the Golden Prinz-Nez - Doyle
112. The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter-Doyle
113. The Adventure of Abbey Grange - Doyle
114. The Adventure of the Second Stain - Doyle
115. The Adventure of the Red Circle - Doyle
116. The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans-Doyle

117. The Adventure of the Dying Detective - Doyle
118. The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax - Doyle
119. The Adventure of the Devil's Foot - Doyle
120. His Last Bow - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
121. After the Fall: A Vampire Chronicle, Book 2 - Mary Ellen Gorry
122. Wait for Me - Elisabeth Naughton
123. Stolen Fury - Elisabeth Naughton

124. The Scottish Prisoner - Diana Gabaldon
125. A Plague of Zombies - Diana Gabaldon
126. Fable (Unfortunate Fairy Tale #3) -Chanda Hahn
127. The House of Hades - Rick Riordan
128. The Planeless - Patti Larsen
129. Second Seat - Patti Lasen
130. Allegiant - Veronica Roth

Not so sure I'm going to make it.. So much going on, but it was a good run. Hate to try and finish this off with fluff, but may have to if I want to complete the challenge.

131. The Longest Ride - Nicholas Sparks
132. Deeply Odd - Dean Koontz
133. Fire and Ash - Jonathan Maberry
134. Tooth and Nail - Jonathan Maberry
135. World After - Susan Ee
136. 44 Book 8 - Jools Sinclair
137. Wilderness - Dean Koontz
138. Horizon - Alyson Noel
139. Ruler - Patti Larsen
140. Mater's Birthday Surprise - Melissa Lagonegro
141. The Human - Keary Taylor

Did some reading with my son...

142. Weregirl - Patti Larsen
143. The First Phone Call from Heaven - Mitch Albom
144. The Magic School Bus: On the Ocean Floor - Joanna Cole
145. The Velveteen Rabbit - Adaptation by Kristine Lombardi
146. God Gave us Christmas - Lisa Tawn Bergren
147. The Ugly Duckling - Retold by Sarah Delmege
148. The Magic School Bus - Explores the Senses - Joanna Cole
149. The Magic School Bus: In the Time of the Dinosaurs - Joanna Cole
150. The Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth - Joanna Cole

And that concludes my challenge for this year. I definitely plan on taking a step back next year, have some big things going on and reading will take a back seat.

Holy Smokes. I could not have that if I added all the books I have read over the last three years! I applaud You!!!

Thanks, Missy. It definitely was a challenge, and I don't regret doing it, but fully intent to slow down and simply enjoy reading in the new year.