Read 100+ Books in 2016 discussion

Well, I've been reading a lot. I like retirement. Lots of time to read. I don't know how I worked 5 days a week. The weather is crazy. One day I'm in shirt sleeves. The next it's back to the winter coat. Go figure!

Now on to the themes:

1. Read a book whose author has a surname beginning with N.
2. The calendar says it's spring but I'm not so sure about that so read a book about or set in spring.
3. Read a collection of essays.
4. Since Earth day is in April, read a book about science.
5. Read a book recommended by a family member.
6. Read a book whose cover you like.
7. Read a book set in a place where you are going on vacation; or if you're doing a staycation, read a book set in your town.
8. Read a book based on a fairy tale.
9. Your choice

Here's my reads for April:

4/9, 34 books

1. Read a book whose author has a surname beginning with N.
2. The calendar says it's spring but I'm not so sure about that so read a book about or set in spring.
3. Read a collection of essays--Judging a Book By Its Lover by Lauren Leto--finished 4/27/16.
4. Since Earth day is in April, read a book about science--H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald--finished 4/13/16.
5. Read a book recommended by a family member.
6. Read a book whose cover you like.
7. Read a book set in a place where you are going on vacation; or if you're doing a staycation, read a book set in your town--Matthew: Bearly Saints by Becca Fanning--finished 4/9/16 .
8. Read a book based on a fairy tale.
9. Your choice--Jasmine and Stars: Reading More Than Lolita in Tehran by Fatemeh Keshavarz--finished 4/2/16

Bonus:
When I Was Built by Jennifer Thermes--finished 4/3/16
This Little Bunny Can Cook by Janet Stein--finished 4/3/16
Unleashing Mr. Darcy by Teri Wilson--finished 4/3/16
Deena and the Professor Bundle 1 by Trudy Judd--finished 4/5/16
Two for One by Ava Sterling--finished 4/2/16
Say You'll Love Me by Ally Broadfield--finished 4/6/16
Her Forbidden Alpha by Tabitha Conal--finished 4/9/16
Bait: A Billionaire Romance 2 by Colleen Charles--finished 4/9/16
Trust by P J Adams--finished 4/9/16
Unbreakable by Victoria Villeneuve--finished 4/10/16
Fawn by Colleen Charles--finished 4/10/16
Visions in Death by J. D. Robb--finished 4/16/16
Dragon Heat, Book 1 by Ella J. Phoenix--finished 4/17/16
Vampire Thirst by Ella J. Phoenix--finished 4/19/16
Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search ofr a Legendary Pirate Ship by Robert Kurson--finished 4/22/16
Wolf Hunger by Ella J. Phoenix--finished 4/25/16
Vampire Legacy by Ella J. Phoenix--finished 4/28/16
The Ocean at the End of the Lane--Neil Gaiman--finished 4/30/16
All Better by Henning Lohhlein--finished 4/30/16
Ocean Animals by Anton Poitier--finished 4/30/16
Panda in the Park by Anna Milbourne--finished 4/30/16
Big Pig on a Dig--Phil Roxbee Cox--finished 4/30/16
Raccoon on the Moon by Russell Punter--finished 4/30/16
Big Book of Big Sea Creatures--Minna Lacey--finished 4/30/16
Big Book of Big Machines--Minna Lacey--finished 4/30/16
Big Book of Rockets and Spacecraft by Louie Stowell--finished 4/30/16
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel--Virginia Lee Burton--finished 4/30/16
Aesop's Stories for Little Children--Aesop--finished 4/30/16

-James Patterson 4-3-16
This book is such a good beginning to an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

-James Patterson 4-4-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

-James Patterson 4-6-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

1. Read a book whose author has a surname beginning with N. N/A

2. The calendar says it's spring but I'm not so sure about that so read a book about or set in spring.
The 8th Confession-James Patterson 4-12-16

3. Read a collection of essays.
N/A

4. Since Earth day is in April, read a book about science. (forensic science)
1st to Die-James Patterson 4-3-16, 2nd Chance-James Patterson 4-4-16, 3rd Degree-James Patterson 4-6-16, 4th of July-James Patterson 4-9-16, The 6th Target-James Patterson 4-10-16, 7th Heaven-James Patterson 4-11-16, The 9th Judgment-James Patterson 4-13-16, 10th Anniversary-James Patterson 4-14-16, 11th Hour-James Patterson 4-17-16, 12th of Never-James Patterson 4-18-16, Unlucky 13-James Patterson 4-20-16, 14th Deadly Sin-James Patterson 4-21-16

5. Read a book recommended by a family member.
N/A

6. Read a book whose cover you like.
Blind Dates: The Perfect Match/Mattie Meets Her Match/A Match Made in Heaven/Mix and Match -Kristin Billerbeck et al 4-26-16

7. Read a book set in a place where you are going on vacation; or if you're doing a staycation, read a book set in your town.
N/A

8. Read a book based on a fairy tale.
N/A

9. Your choice
Sugar And Grits-DiAnn Mills et al 4-23-16, Attic Treasures-Wanda E. Brunstetter et al 4-24-16, The Bachelor Club: Joyful Noise / The Rescue / Right for Each Other / Stealing Home-Rhonda Gibson et al 4-25-16

Just like Sheila I love retirement! But working part-time at our local high school. And I enjoy it!

1. Read a book whose author has a surname beginning with N.
2. The calendar says it's spring but I'm not so sure about that so read a book about or set in spring.
3. Read a collection of essays.
4. Since Earth day is in April, read a book about science.
5. Read a book recommended by a family member.
6. Read a book whose cover you like.
7. Read a book set in a place where you are going on vacation; or if you're doing a staycation, read a book set in your town.
8. Read a book based on a fairy tale.
9. Your choice

Here's my April reading challenge:
7. "Massacre Pond" by Paul Doiron. Take place in the state of Maine. Hope to be visiting there in the very near future.
9. "The Cutting Season" by Attica Locke.
5. "Those Angry Days" by Lynne Olson.

Now reading "Those Angry Days" by Lynne Olson.

"In July 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt met with senators from both political parties at the White House in a final effort to persuade them to amend the Neutrality Act preventing America from aiding other countries. After drinks were poured, Roosevelt and his secretary of state, Cordell Hull, argued that the world was approaching a catastrophic war. The 74-year-old Republican senator William Borah, who had led the fight against Woodrow Wilson and American entry into the League of Nations in 1919, shook his head in disgust. “There is not going to be any war in Europe this year,” he said. “All this hysteria is manufactured and artificial.” Two months later Hitler invaded Poland, and England and France declared war on Germany.

Now that it has become the good war fought by the greatest generation, the ferocity of the disputes over entering World War II has largely been forgotten. But the story of America’s anti-­interventionist lobby is not only historically fascinating, it also echoes in debates today over whether America should engage abroad or hold back. The historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. — whose memoir, Philip Roth said, inspired his novel “The Plot Against America,” about an alternative reality where the isolationists, led by Charles Lindbergh, defeat Roose­velt for the presidency — recalled the dispute as the “most savage political debate in my lifetime,” eclipsing those over McCarthyism and Vietnam in its intensity."

Chuck wrote: "Now reading "Those Angry Days" by Lynne Olson.

"In July 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt met with senators from both political parties at the White House in a final effort to persuade them to amend the..."

This sounds good. I just recently heard about this book. I'm interested to know what you think about it.

Chuck wrote: "Just like Sheila I love retirement! But working part-time at our local high school. And I enjoy it!

1. Read a book whose author has a surname beginning with N.
2. The calendar says it's spring but..."

I started working part-time with my credit union. Two days a week. I'm still not sure how I ever found time to work.

-James Patterson 4-7-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

-James Patterson 4-9-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

-James Patterson 4-10-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

Sheila wrote: "Chuck wrote: "Now reading "Those Angry Days" by Lynne Olson.

"In July 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt met with senators from both political parties at the White House in a final effort to persuade the..."

"Those Angry Days" is this months book club selection . . . and what an eye opener it is! Finding out the behind the scenes what lead the US to World War II. A must read!

-James Patterson 4-11-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

-James Patterson 4-12-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

-James Patterson 4-13-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.
Note: the crimes in this book are extremely heinous and disturbing.

-James Patterson 4-14-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.
Supposedly I read this book in 2012, but if I did, I didn't remember the basic plot at all when I had for all the preceding books in the series, and I'm not sure why.

So I haven't posted in a while. I've read a lot. Over the past few months, I read all of the novels of Zora Neale Hurston. I love her writing. She describes her life and times well. I think my favorite was "Seraph on the Swanee" and I still love "Their Eyes were Watching God." I read a number of Star Wars books with Kenobi being my favorite of my recent reads. It fills in some of what Obi=Wan was up to while he watched Luke grow up. That was a great book. I just finished today "The Pittsburgh Crawfords: The life and times of Black Baseballs Most Exciting Team". It was interesting to read about my hometown and early baseball. I liked that the book was more a story about the players and owners rather than the game itself. Very interesting baseball stories and this is coming from a person who would not care if all sports ended tomorrow. I also read an interesting fantasy book called "My Real Children". It tells the story of one woman living two very different lives with two different universes happening around her. Excellent writing and story telling.

I just finished reading H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald. It is a NY Times best seller and won the Samuel Johnson Prize and the Costa Book of the Year 2014. It's a true story. The author decides to train a goshawk when her father dies. She has read a book or the diary of T. H. White, who wrote The Sword and The Stone, when he trained a hawk. As she is training the goshawk, she is depressed and so wrapped up in the training of the hawk that she feels she is one with the hawk. Eventually she realizes that she and the hawk are separate entities and she does get help. It was an interesting book. It's a bit slow at the beginning as I was trying to figure out what she is talking about and if she talking about herself or White. It was worth the read.

Can't believe the month of April is coming to a close!

1. Read a book whose author has a surname beginning with N.
2. The calendar says it's spring but I'm not so sure about that so read a book about or set in spring.
3. Read a collection of essays.
4. Since Earth day is in April, read a book about science.
5. Read a book recommended by a family member.
6. Read a book whose cover you like.
7. Read a book set in a place where you are going on vacation; or if you're doing a staycation, read a book set in your town.
8. Read a book based on a fairy tale.
9. Your choice

Here's my April reading challenge:
7. "Massacre Pond" by Paul Doiron. Take place in the state of Maine. Hope to be visiting there in the very near future.
9. "The Cutting Season" by Attica Locke.
5. "Those Angry Days" by Lynne Olson.
9. Blood Work by Michael Connelly (Terry McCaleb #1)

Sheila wrote: "Chuck wrote: "Now reading "Those Angry Days" by Lynne Olson.

"In July 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt met with senators from both political parties at the White House in a final effort to persuade the..."

Wow, what a story! World War II History 101? Nope, no way. Learned so many thing about the years prior to World War II, things they don't teach you in school.

Interesting how politics has not changed at all in the way we talk about world matters. A must read - 5/5 stars!

Now reading "Blood Work" by Michael Connelly (Terry McCaleb #1).

"'Blood Work' - that's what Terry McCaleb used to call his job at the FBI. Eight weeks ago he was a dead man, but now someone else's heart is keeping him alive. Then a newspaper report of his brush with death brings him an unwanted visitor. Graciela Rivers reveals to McCaleb that the anonymous donor of his heart was her murdered sister. Knowing that he lives because of a cold blooded killing, McCaleb takes the moribund investigation on. Nothing about the seemingly random killing makes sense but McCaleb is a tenacious man and little by little he realizes that someone is watching his every move - someone who has killed before and will kill again..."

I just finished Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship by Robert Kurson. It is an interesting read where the diving team had to do research on the pirate Joseph Bannister and the Golden Fleece. The author makes it easy to read as he explains salvaging and diving. You don't need to know anything about it because it is written in layman's terms. I also recommend his Shadow Divers.

Sheila wrote: "I just finished Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship by Robert Kurson. It is an interesting read where the diving team had to do research on the pirate Jo..."

Sounds interesting, that's for the tip!

April is coming to a close!

1. Read a book whose author has a surname beginning with N.
2. The calendar says it's spring but I'm not so sure about that so read a book about or set in spring.
3. Read a collection of essays.
4. Since Earth day is in April, read a book about science.
5. Read a book recommended by a family member.
6. Read a book whose cover you like.
7. Read a book set in a place where you are going on vacation; or if you're doing a staycation, read a book set in your town.
8. Read a book based on a fairy tale.
9. Your choice

Here's my April reading challenge:
5. "Those Angry Days" by Lynne Olson.
6. The Jaguar by T. Jefferson Parker (Charlie Hood #5)
7. "Massacre Pond" by Paul Doiron. Take place in the state of Maine. Hope to be visiting there in the very near future.
9. "The Cutting Season" by Attica Locke.
9. Blood Work by Michael Connelly (Terry McCaleb #1)

Yesterday afternoon I finished "Blood Work" by Michael Connelly. The story introduced a new character for me by Michael Connelly, Terry McCaleb, an ex-FBI agent. Great storyline that also included 2 characters from Michael Connelly's other series; Mickey Haller from the "Lincoln Lawyer" series and Keisha Russell, a reporter from the L.A. Times in the "Harry Bosch" series.

Now reading "The Jaguar" by T. Jefferson Parker, Book #5 of the "Charlie Hood" series.

"Erin McKenna, a beautiful songwriter married to a crooked Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy, is kidnapped by Benjamin Armenta, the ruthless leader of the powerful Gulf Cartel. But his demands turn out to be as unusual as the crumbling castle in which Erin is kept. She is ordered to compose a unique narcocoriddo, a modern-day folk ballad of the kind that have recorded the exploits of the drug dealers, gunrunners, and outlaws who have highlighted Mexican history for generations. Under threat of death, Armenta orders Erin to tell his life story - in music - and write 'the greatest narcocorrido of all time.' Allowed to wander the dark hallways of the castle retreat with only a guitar and a mysterious old priest to keep her company, Erin must produce the most beautiful song that these men have ever heard. As the mesmerizing music and lyrics of Erin's song cascade from the jungle hideout, they serve as a siren song to the two men who love Erin: her outlaw husband, Bradley Smith, and the lawman Charlie Hood - two men who together have the power to rescue her. Here, amid the ancient beauty and haunted landscape of the Yucatecan lowlands, the long-simmering rivalry between these men will be brought closer to its explosive finale."

Just finished Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It was weird. He is a wonderful storyteller which is why I continued reading it but I have no idea what the book was about. Sci-fi is not my genre.

So my collection of essays was "Of Moose and Men". It is Torey Martin's story of finding God in Alaska. It was hilarious at times and had me laughing out loud. Other times the book made me weep. I loved it. I also read "The Beautiful and the Damned" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It dealt with the lives of the privileged at the turn of the last century. The book was well written and blew me away with characters that have no interest in how any one else lives or even beyond there own convenience. Mind blowing to say the least. Waiting to see what May challenges are.

Sheila wrote: "I just finished reading H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald. It is a NY Times best seller and won the Samuel Johnson Prize and the Costa Book of the Year 2014. It's a true story. The author decides to..."
I would like to read this when you finish.

-James Patterson 4-17-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

-James Patterson 4-18=16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

-James Patterson 4-20-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

-James Patterson 4-21-16
This book was a brilliant addition to the Women's Murder Club series, which is an excellent mystery series. I really like the character development of both the good guys and the bad guys. Every book in the series has a unique murder mystery and further develops the ongoing plot between the main characters.

-DiAnn Mills et al 4-23-16
Fun southern novellas with connected themes and characters; a great read when you want to laugh and think about life, love, and Christianity.

-Wanda E. Brunstetter et al 4-24-16
A sweet collection of four connected Christian novellas either about falling in love or about family. I like these stories about four cousins who each chooses something from their grandma's attic to keep as a reminder of their childhood, which leads them one by one to something else they also needed.


-Rhonda Gibson et al 4-25-16
I love this one. Four light-hearted, Christian novellas about men who find out that being a bachelor isn't all that they thought it would be when they were kids.

-Kristin Billerbeck et al 4-26-16
This is a sweet collection of connected Christian romance novellas; in this one, four cousins are set up by their Grandma on dates because she really wants them all to have a great marriage like she did. I like this collection a lot and have read it several times.

Colleen wrote: "Sheila wrote: "I just finished reading H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald. It is a NY Times best seller and won the Samuel Johnson Prize and the Costa Book of the Year 2014. It's a true story. The au..."

I think Joyce has it.