Read 100+ Books in 2014 discussion

Cannot believe two months are gone. This year is flying. Now for March's selections.

1. Read a book whose author's name begins with O.
2. Read a book whose title begins with O.
3. Read the third book of a trilogy.
4. With Mardi Gras coming up, read a book about New Orleans or Louisiana or Rio de Janiero or Brazil.
5. With St. Patrick's Day coming up, read a book about Ireland.
6. I was in San Antonio in February so read a book about Texas or cowboys.
7. Read a book with a man's name in the title.
8. Read a book about construction.
9. Your choice.

It's already March! Now I can begin carrying my Medicare card with me!. My March's selections:

1. Read a book whose author's name begins with O.
2. Read a book whose title begins with O.
3. Read the third book of a trilogy.
"Mars Trilogy" by Edgar Rice Burroughs
4. With Mardi Gras coming up, read a book about New Orleans or Louisiana or Rio de Janiero or Brazil.
5. With St. Patrick's Day coming up, read a book about Ireland.
6. I was in San Antonio in February so read a book about Texas or cowboys.
7. Read a book with a man's name in the title.
8. Read a book about construction.
9. Your choice.

Now reading Edgar Rice Burroughs "Mars Trilogy."
Includes the following stories:
1. A Princess of Mars
2. A God of Mars
3. The Warlord of Mars

"Ever since A Princess of Mars was published in 1912, readers of all ages have read and loved Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom series. Now, 100 years later, this brand-new bind-up is timed with the recent release of a Disney feature film and contains the first three classic John Carter of Mars books: A Princess of Mars, The Gods of Mars, and The Warlord of Mars. Featuring an Introduction by Bruce Coville and illustrations from three classic fantasy illustrators—Mark Zug, Scott Gustafson, and Scott Fischer—this collection is an incredible value and will be treasured by existing and new fans."

How exciting!

So I just finished reading "Thou, Dear God". It collects the prayers of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr into one volume. I liked the there was historical context to this book since Dr. King was killed before I was born. I was saddened to see how it seems little has changed since Dr. King prayed these words. Many of the prayers are still relevant today. Good book.

Chuck wrote: "It's already March! Now I can begin carrying my Medicare card with me!. My March's selections:

1. Read a book whose author's name begins with O.
2. Read a book whose title begins with O.
3. Read t..."

Congratulations!

Here I go for March.

7/9, 16 books read

1. Read a book whose author's name begins with O--Primani by Laurie Olerich--finished 3/30/14.
2. Read a book whose title begins with O--Oodles of Poodles by Linda O. Johnston--finished 3/2/14.
3. Read the third book of a trilogy--Champion by Marie Lu--finished 3/4/14.
4. With Mardi Gras coming up, read a book about New Orleans or Louisiana or Rio de Janiero or Brazil.
5. With St. Patrick's Day coming up, read a book about Ireland.
6. I was in San Antonio in February so read a book about Texas or cowboys--Make Mine a Cowboy by Sandy Sullivan--finished 3/23/14.
7. Read a book with a man's name in the title--Much Ado About Jack by Christy English--finished 4/1/14.
8. Read a book about construction--Power Tools by Jayne Rylon--finished 3/13/14.
9. Your choice--The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien--finished 3/8/14.

Bonus books:
Cassie's Hope by Adriana Kraft--finished 3/6/14
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb--finished 3/11/14
Love Under Construction by Jayne Rylon--finished 3/15/14
Zelda by Nancy Milford--finished 3/21/14
Mayhem at the Orient Express--finished 3/25/14
3 beta reads for authors

Just finished Champion by Marie Lu. It was the 3rd book in her Legend trilogy. Action packed. I loved it. Hated for it to end. I love June and Day.

3-1-14
This is a well-written Amish novel. The characters are well-developed, and I enjoyed the storyline.

3-1-14
This is a well-written Amish novel. The characters are well-developed, and I enjoyed the storyline.

3-1-14
This was a well-written and entertaining suspense novel. I did think the romance element was rather far-fetched, which dropped it to 3 stars for me. It was a fast and fun read.

3-2-14
This was an interesting YA novel with fun characters. It took me a little while to really be get into the plot, but once I did, I really liked it. I'll definitely read more of the series.

3-4-14
This was a well-written and interesting mystery novel. The protagonist is really interesting, and I thought the author did well in fleshing out the other characters as well. It took me a little while to get used to the writing style, but I really liked the novel and its pace after I did.

3-6-14
This was an interesting novel about dealing with past hurts and present problems, about life in a small town, and about a woman with four kids who turns her psychic gift into a successful business after divorcing her alcoholic and abusive husband. I disagree that being a psychic is okay, but I found the book to be interesting and well-written despite that.

1. Read a book whose author's name begins with O./8. Read a book about construction. In the Skin of a Lion-Michael Ondaatje 3-25-14
2. Read a book whose title begins with O. N/A
3. Read the third book of a trilogy. To Honor and Trust-Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller 3-27-14
4. With Mardi Gras coming up, read a book about New Orleans or Louisiana or Rio de Janiero or Brazil. The Seamstress-Frances De Pontes Peebles 3-15-14
5. With St. Patrick's Day coming up, read a book about Ireland. N/A
6. I was in San Antonio in February so read a book about Texas or cowboys. Glass Houses-Rachel Caine 3-2-14 (set in TX)
7. Read a book with a man's name in the title. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry-Rachel Joyce 3-23-14
9. Your choice. A Life of Joy-Amy Clipston 3-1-14, A Season of Love-Amy Clipston 3-1-14, Zero Visibility-Sharon Dunn 3-1-14, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie-Alan Bradley 3-4-14, The Saints and Sinners of Okay County-Dayna Dunbar 3-6-14, The Gift of Rain-Tan Twan Eng 3-22-14, To Love and Cherish-Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller 3-26-14, Ready Player One-Ernest Cline 3-30-14, The Secret Keeper-Beverly Lewis 3-31-14

Rachel wrote: " 3-6-14
This was an interesting novel about dealing with past hurts and present problems, about life in a small town, and about a wo..."

Thanks for the review Rachel, sounds very interesting - added to my list of books to read.

So I finished "Persuasion". I am sort of in an Austen mood. This is probably my least favorite of her books, but I do like her boldness in writing. She has some great little zingers if you read carefully.

Next up for me is "A Tangle of Knots". It is a mystery, sci-fi combo recommended by my daughter. It also has some yummy cake recipes in it.

I finished "A Tangle of Knots". It was well-written and entertaining. I liked the characters and toward the end it was easy to see things coming together. Very cute book. Next up another freebie from Goodreads "Seaside Romance". I'll let you know.

Rachel wrote: " 3-1-14
This is a well-written Amish novel. The characters are well-developed, and I enjoyed the storyline.

3-1-14
This is a..."

I enjoyed Flavia in Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.

Colleen wrote: "So I finished "Persuasion". I am sort of in an Austen mood. This is probably my least favorite of her books, but I do like her boldness in writing. She has some great little zingers if you read ..."

Once I got into the cadence of the language I enjoyed Persuasion. I could not stand Emma.

Just finished reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. It's a series of short stories about a few soldiers in a platoon. It may be labeled fiction but there is a starkness and realism that tells me this author was there. Very powerful! This is the book chosen as The Big Read 2014 in Pittsburgh.

Sheila wrote: "Rachel wrote: " 3-1-14
This is a well-written Amish novel. The characters are well-developed, and I enjoyed the storyline.

3..."
I know. After finishing all of Austen's books I still like Emma though Sense and Sensibility, and Mansfield Park are also up there.

Sheila wrote: "Just finished reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. It's a series of short stories about a few soldiers in a platoon. It may be labeled fiction but there is a starkness and realism that..."

For many years I refused to read stories about the war in Viet Nam. Even though I wasn't in the military I had many friends that were - All were affected somehow.

When this book first came out I heard many positive reviews so I decide to read it and I'm glad I did. Tremendous stories and I still for all the friends and vets out there.

A must read for all.

My March's selections so far:

1. Read a book whose author's name begins with O.
2. Read a book whose title begins with O.
3. Read the third book of a trilogy.
"Mars Trilogy" by Edgar Rice Burroughs
4. With Mardi Gras coming up, read a book about New Orleans or Louisiana or Rio de Janiero or Brazil.
5. With St. Patrick's Day coming up, read a book about Ireland.
6. I was in San Antonio in February so read a book about Texas or cowboys.
7. Read a book with a man's name in the title.
8. Read a book about construction.
9. Your choice.
"San Miguel" by T.C, Boyle

Finished reading "A Princess Mars" by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Book ! of his Mar Trilogy.

Now reading "San Miguel" by T.C. Boyle.

"On a tiny, desolate, windswept island off the coast of Southern California, two families, one in the 1880s and one in the 1930s, come to start new lives and pursue dreams of self-reliance and freedom. Their extraordinary stories, full of struggle and hope, are the subject of T. C. Boyle’s haunting new novel.

Thirty-eight-year-old Marantha Waters arrives on San Miguel on New Year’s Day 1888 to restore her failing health. Joined by her husband, a stubborn, driven Civil War veteran who will take over the operation of the sheep ranch on the island, Marantha strives to persevere in the face of the hardships, some anticipated and some not, of living in such brutal isolation. Two years later their adopted teenage daughter, Edith, an aspiring actress, will exploit every opportunity to escape the captivity her father has imposed on her. Time closes in on them all and as the new century approaches, the ranch stands untenanted. And then in March 1930, Elise Lester, a librarian from New York City, settles on San Miguel with her husband, Herbie, a World War I veteran full of manic energy. As the years go on they find a measure of fulfillment and serenity; Elise gives birth to two daughters, and the family even achieves a celebrity of sorts. But will the peace and beauty of the island see them through the impending war as it had seen them through the Depression? Rendered in Boyle’s accomplished, assured voice, with great period detail and utterly memorable characters, this is a moving and dramatic work from one of America’s most talented and inventive storytellers."

3-9-14
Another Goodreads reviewer named Katherine pointed out several things wrong with this book, which I'm going to pull a few quotes from here for the sake of convenience: (view spoiler)[ [I'm]"...annoyed at the author's choice to completely ignore the style rule of punctuating dialogue with quotation marks. Hello? There's a reason for the rule, it alerts the reader that the words enclosed within those quotation marks are spoken words and allows the writing to flow smoothly.

Over the last few years we've seen more and more books published where writers attempt to be innovative or clever by messing with standard punctuation and in my opinion few have been successful at it. Here it's just plain silly, as if the author couldn't rely on her writing alone but had to resort to tricks to stand out. ...
The writing is good and quite lovely at times, especially in describing the food and the emotions it evokes for Rose. However, two things keep me from recommending the book. First, that Bender chose not to use quotation marks, I was hoping that after completing the book I would see a reason for the decision but I still see none. It's confusing to the reader and adds nothing to the experience that I can determine. Still puzzles me. And second that halfway through the book the author switches the focus from Rose and her special "gift" to her brother and the two stories never fully coalesce. Where Bender takes this tangent moves the story out of the realm of I-can-buy-this magical realism to the land of truly bizarre. She does attempt to tie the two together in the end but for me it was less than successful and ultimately unsatisfying." https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
(hide spoiler)]

Another thing that I found odd about the book is the complete absence of any character development; every single character felt like a cardboard cut-out.
So, for me, the writing was poor, the characters were poorly drawn, and the plot was strange. The only redeeming feature in this novel for me is the interesting descriptions of the layers of food Rose tastes. This will definitely not be a reread ever.

I finished 2 books, "Seaside Romance". It was cute but definitely a straight forward romance novel. Not much in the way of plot surprises. I also finished "Green Princess Saves the Day". It was a cute story for beginning readers. Both easy, light reads.

Next up is my cowboy choice "Time is the Oven". Should be interesting.

My March's selections so far:

1. Read a book whose author's name begins with O.
2. Read a book whose title begins with O.
3. Read the third book of a trilogy.
"Mars Trilogy" by Edgar Rice Burroughs
4. With Mardi Gras coming up, read a book about New Orleans or Louisiana or Rio de Janiero or Brazil.
5. With St. Patrick's Day coming up, read a book about Ireland.
6. I was in San Antonio in February so read a book about Texas or cowboys.
7. Read a book with a man's name in the title.
8. Read a book about construction.
9. Your choice.
"San Miguel" by T.C, Boyle
"Fish Heads & Folktales" by Peter M. Moran

Just started reading a short work "Fish Heads & Folktales" by Peter M. Moran, and loving every page of it so far - Highly recommend this read!

"Before Peter M. Moran was old enough to walk, he took a trip around the world that few people ever experience. Over the next thirty-plus years, he embarked on a journey of discovery that, although unique, many can relate to.

Moran was born in Seoul, South Korea, and was adopted by an American family at the age of seven months. When he arrived at his new home in Minneapolis, he was met by an older sister, the couple’s biological child, and he later became brother to three more adopted children.

Fish Heads and Folktales is Moran’s autobiographical account of growing up with dual identities as a Korean boy adopted by a Caucasian family, and the path that led him not only back to his motherland to discover his roots, but also to take a closer look at his life to discover acceptance and inner peace. A thoughtful, entertaining collection of short stories that summarize Moran’s life journey, it delves into topical issues such as race, culture, and overcoming stereotypes along with universal issues like the importance of family and falling in love."

Chuck wrote: "Sheila wrote: "Just finished reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. It's a series of short stories about a few soldiers in a platoon. It may be labeled fiction but there is a starkness a..."

We had a special book club for it at the library and it was interesting to hear what people had to say. I was a kid during the war. One of the women there had her husband in the war. Two were college students at the time and have a liberal outlook. There was also a gentleman from the community college who was sponsoring the Big Read and who works with veterans returning to college. He also had served in the Gulf War era and was deployed to Iraq. To hear the different points of view and how the book resonated for so many of them was fascinating. I'm glad I read it also.

Rachel wrote: " 3-9-14
Another Goodreads reviewer named Katherine pointed out several things wrong with this book, which I'm going to pull a few quotes from..."

I also read this book and it is definitely a strange one. The genre was magical realism. Very weird but likable in its own way.

Only a few more weeks until our 'Great Spring Break' camping trip begins - Time to start putting together the books I'll be taking with me.

1. Read a book whose author's name begins with O.
2. Read a book whose title begins with O.
"The Oath" by Frank Peretti
3. Read the third book of a trilogy.
"Mars Trilogy" by Edgar Rice Burroughs
4. With Mardi Gras coming up, read a book about New Orleans or Louisiana or Rio de Janiero or Brazil.
5. With St. Patrick's Day coming up, read a book about Ireland.
6. I was in San Antonio in February so read a book about Texas or cowboys.
7. Read a book with a man's name in the title.
8. Read a book about construction.
9. Your choice.
"San Miguel" by T.C, Boyle
"Fish Heads & Folktales" by Peter M. Moran

Now reading "The Oath" by Frank Peretti.

"Something sinister is at work in Hyde River, an isolated old mining town in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.Something evil.

Under the cover of darkness, it strikes without warning, taking life in the most chilling and savage fashion. The latest victim, nature photographer Cliff Benson, was brutally killed while camping in the mountains.

With little hard evidence to go on, Sheriff Les Collins closes the case, chalking it up to the work of a rogue bear - just like so many other unsolvable deaths and disappearances that have plagued Hyde River over the years.

But wildlife biologist Steve Benson refuses to let the cause of his brother's death remain a mystery. He is joined in his investigation by attractive, auburn-haired Sheriff's Deputy Tracy Ellis. She has grown up in Hyde River. She's seen enough things swept under the rug by local law enforcement to know that something's amiss."

3-15-14
This was a brilliantly written and entertaining historical novel. The characters were extremely interesting and well drawn. I really enjoyed learning about 1930s Brazil.

So I finished 2 books recently "Time is the Oven" and "The Quest for Paradise". Time is the oven is a historical fiction that is something of a coming of age story set in post Civil War Missouri. It was interesting and well written. It has me wanting to read Shakespeare's "A Winter's Tale". The second book was another children's book. It was another Geronimo Stilton book and was cute as usual. Good story that would keep kids interested the whole way through.

So I just finished "The Tender Years" by Janette Oke, my author whose last name starts with o. It was a very good coming of age story that could actually be read by young people. I liked it though it's obvious that reading some of her other books would have helped fill some of the character development. Good story overall.

3-22-14
This was an interesting historical novel. It has a thought-provoking plot and well-developed characters. I also enjoyed the narrative format.

3-23-14
This was an interesting novel with a few surprises along the way. Most of the characters were a little underdeveloped, but the descriptions of the English countryside and Harold's growth through his journey were quite good.

I just read "Mercy Watson thinks like a pig". It is another kids book by Kate Dicamillo. It is a wonderful kids book especially for beginning readers. Next up is Anne Rice's "The Wolf's Gift". Very interesting so far.

3-25-14
This was a decently written book, but I just didn't care for the characters or the plot.

3-26-14
This is a well-written and entertaining historical romance. The characters are well-drawn, and I liked many of them.

2 more weeks until our 'Great Spring Break' camping trip begins - Off to Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Arches and Zion National Park. Still haven't a clue what books I'm bringing along. Decisions, decisions!
1. Read a book whose author's name begins with O.
2. Read a book whose title begins with O.
"The Oath" by Frank Peretti
3. Read the third book of a trilogy.
"Mars Trilogy" by Edgar Rice Burroughs
4. With Mardi Gras coming up, read a book about New Orleans or Louisiana or Rio de Janiero or Brazil.
5. With St. Patrick's Day coming up, read a book about Ireland.
6. I was in San Antonio in February so read a book about Texas or cowboys.
7. Read a book with a man's name in the title.
8. Read a book about construction.
9. Your choice.
"San Miguel" by T.C, Boyle
"Fish Heads & Folktales" by Peter M. Moran
"Suspect" by Michael Robotham

Now reading "Suspect" by Michael Robotham.

"London psychiatrist Joseph O'Loughlin seems to have the perfect life. He has a beautiful wife, an adoring daughter, and a thriving practice to which he brings great skill and compassion. But he's also facing a future dimmed by Parkinson's disease. And when he's called in on a gruesome murder investigation, he discovers that the victim is someone he once knew. Unable to tell the police what he knows, O'Loughlin tells one small lie which turns out to be the biggest mistake of his life. Suddenly, he's caught in a web of his own making."

3-27-14
This is a well-written and entertaining historical romance. The characters are well-drawn, and I liked many of them. I preferred the first two books in the trilogy, but this one was also good.

So I finished Anne Rice's "The Wolf Gift". It was an interesting take on werewolf legends. The characters were interesting and the story holds you until the end. It does get a little talky toward the end. Now on to "Out of Oz".

3-30-14
This was a truly interesting novel with a unique premise. There were a lot of references to early computers and a bit about the history of gaming, but they were simply stated, and I didn't feel lost in the story despite knowing next to nothing about technology. It was written well, and I liked the character development. I found the world Cline created to be quite intriguing and believable. However, I found the ending to be rather abrupt and the romantic element to be rather unbelievable, which took away the possibility of a fifth star.

It's been a busy two weeks but I did manage to do several books. I read Zelda which is the biography about Zelda Fitzgerald, F. Scott's wife. What a tragic life. I also did 3 beta reads for authors.

3-31-14
Beverly Lewis has long held a high place among my favorite authors of Christian fiction, and this particular novel is good. It is written well, and the plot was unique as was the first and third of this series. I found the characters interesting, and they grew and changed during the course of the story. It is a new favorite, and I enjoyed it.