READ 100+ BOOKS IN 2017 discussion

Wow! Summer's practically over. School has begun. It's cold outside but I refuse to turn on the furnace because it will go back to the 80's and 90's. So here's September's categories:

1. Read a book that begins with D.
2. Read a spy thriller
3. Banned Book Week begins September 24, so read a banned book.
4. Since September 1 is National College Colors Day and September 2 is National Tailgating Day and football season starts, read a book about football.
5. As I write this list TCM is running Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello Beach Party movies so read a book set in the 1950's.
6. September is National Guide Dog Month and National Service Dog Month so read a book about or with a dog.
7. Since September's birthstone is sapphire, read a book with a blue cover.
8. Read a book about a culture different from yours.
9. Your choice.

Here I go:

8/9, 26 books

1. Read a book that begins with D--The Dinner by Herman Koch--finished 9/14/17 .
2. Read a spy thriller,--At the Table of Wolves by Kay Kenyon--finished 9/1/17
3. Banned Book Week begins September 24, so read a banned book.
4. Since September 1 is National College Colors Day and September 2 is National Tailgating Day and football season starts, read a book about football--Head in the Game by Lily Cahill--finished 9/29/17
5. As I write this list TCM is running Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello Beach Party movies so read a book set in the 1950's--Charlotte's Web by E. B. White--finished 9/16/17 .
6. September is National Guide Dog Month and National Service Dog Month so read a book about or with a dog--Due or Die by Jenn McKinlay--finished 9/15/17 .
7. Since September's birthstone is sapphire, read a book with a blue cover--Midnight by Erin Hunter--finished 9/8/17 .
8. Read a book about a culture different from yours--Amith Truth and Grace by Marisa Meyer--finished 9/24/17 .
9. Your choice--The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich--finished 9/11/17 .

Bonus:
Memory in Death by J. D. Robb--finished 9/6/17
The Bachelor Auction by Rachel Van Dysen--finished 9/13/17
Shadow of a Honeybun by Sam Cheever--finished 9/15/17
Is Sunday School Destroying Our Kids: How Moralism Suffocates Grace--Samuel C. Williamson--finished 9/18/11
Seduced by the Stranger--Allison Gatta--finished 9/18/17
I Am Not a Whore, at Least Not Yet--Emma Hor--finished 9/24/17
A Croissant to Die For --Rachel White--finished 9/24/17
Pop-Up Truck and Peril--Harper Lin--finished 9/25/17
A Mother's Work is Never Done--Caroline Warfield--finished 9/25/17
Harry's Spooky Surprise--N. G. K.--finished 9/26/17
Captain No Beard--Carole P. Roman--finished 9/26/17
How to Catch a Monster--Andy Wallace--finished 9/26/17
Mother Bruce--Ryan T. Higgins--finished 9/26/17
Hotel Bruce--Ryan T. Higgins--finished 9/26/17
Head in the Game Bonus Story--Lily Cahill--finished 9/29/17
Mason's Missing--Teresa Burrell--finished 9/30/17

I have got to recommend AT THE TABLE OF WOLVES by Kay Kenyon. I loved it. I call it a paranormal WWII era spy thriller. I was on the end of my seat as Kim, the protagonist, is trying to be a spy but not very successful at it. Germany is planning an attack on Britain but it will not be by traditional methods. She learns what they are up to but she does not know who to trust. I could understand her feelings because I was questioning others motives and could they be a turncoat. This is a keeper.

September Challenge
Begins: 01Sep17 / Ends: 30Sep17

6 / 9 completed

✔ 1. Read a book that begins with D - Death at Wentwater Court ✔ – 03Sept17

2. Read a spy thriller

3. Banned Book Week begins September 24, so read a banned book.

4. Since September 1 is National College Colors Day and September 2 is National Tailgating Day and football season starts, read a book about football.

✔ 5. As I write this list TCM is running Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello Beach Party movies so read a book set in the 1950's - Saint Monkey ✔ – 15Sep17

✔ 6. September is National Guide Dog Month and National Service Dog Month so read a book with a dog - The Zookeeper's Wife ✔ – 11Sep17

✔ 7. September's birthstone is sapphire, read a book with a blue cover - ✔ - 22Sep17

✔ 8. Read a book about a culture different from yours - Set in CHINA - Under Fishbone Clouds ✔ – 03Sept17

✔ 9. Your choice - The Invention of Hugo Cabret ✔ – 04Sep17

-J.K. Rowling 9-3-17
For the most part, my view of the Harry Potter series is that each subsequent book in this series gets longer and more interesting because the kids are getting older, and so, the situations get more intense. It's so well written and has good values. Very good fantasy. In this intense conclusion to the series, the characters continue to mature and develop along their winding journey to the battle where good, that is love, ultimately triumphs over evil.

-J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne 9-4-17
I don't often enjoy reading plays, so I went back and forth in my thoughts of whether or not I would bother to read this further Harry Potter story, and although I can't say I wish I had those hours back as it was enjoyable enough as far as the plot was concerned. However, there were some seriously aggravating issues about this book that marred my enjoyment.

Spoilers follow:

First, the entire first scene is a rewrite of the epilogue from the Deathly Hallows (DH) except that they expanded it a little, which would not have been so bad if all of the lines taken directly from DH had been attributed to the same characters who had said them in DH, but they were not; so, I was constantly saying to myself "but it was so-and-so who said that, not him/her." Second, even in the correct timeline of the story, the characters I got to know so well in the previous 7 novels weren't portrayed well at all, especially Ron who was portrayed as a total buffoon. Finally, I felt like the relationship between Harry and his son Albus both disintegrated too quickly towards the start of the book and became too quickly restored to a stable one at the end of it. I think they tried to cover too deep of a topic for such a short play. It would have been just as enjoyable a plot if it had been restrained to Albus and Scorpius traveling back in time multiple times and messing up the world in the process. Anyhow, it was okay, but I doubt I will read it again.

Wow! I just finished reading Charlotte's Web. I had forgotten it since I had it read to me in 4th grade. What an emotional roller coaster. I laughed. I sobbed. When a writer pulls you into the story so much that is good writing.

I haven't been here in a while but posted a few reviews. Some of the better books that I've read lately include "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". I loved that end to series. Very well done. I also really enjoyed "Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour bookstore". Right now I am working my way through Ken Follett's "Winter of the World", the 2nd book in the century series. He writes so much but the 2nd book is flying by. I also finished "William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back". I look forward to finishing that series as well. Happy Fall and happy reading. Looking forward to good reading weather coming soon.

Saint Monkey - Jacinda Townsend – 3***
In the late 1950s, two friends in a small town in Kentucky share big dreams. But their paths diverge and the lose one another in the process of growing up. This debut novel shows that Townsend is a talented writer, and some of the scenes she paints are very vivid, but the novel never really captured my attention. Still, I would read another book by her.
LINK to my review

-Richelle Mead 9-7-17
This was a fun fantasy romance novel with well developed characters and an entertaining plot. It was written well, and I liked the concept of high class "mail order brides" in a fantasy setting. This novel was written as a companion novel to the first book of the series, The Glittering Court. The overall story remains the same, but since it's from the point-of-view of a different character, it still contains a lot of new information. Actually, I found this novel to be even more interesting and fun than the first book of the series because she got involved in even more clandestine and dangerous activities than did the protagonist of the first book. From what I understand, there should only be one more companion novel to complete the trilogy series, and I both look forward to whenever it comes out and am disappointed that there will only be one more.

-Jan Karon 9-11-17
Even though this is considered to be the 2nd Father Tim novel rather than a Mitford novel, it is chronologically number 11 of the Mitford series except for the fact Father Tim and his wife are on "vacation" in Ireland the whole time. So, I consider this to be the eleventh book of a laid back series about an Episcopalian priest in a small town in North Carolina. The books are often funny and sweet with the occasional sad vignette mixed into the plot; however, for this particular novel, the author wrote most of the plot as a slow-paced mystery with a few humorous or romantic interludes, which also worked for the characters even though I wasn't expecting the change of plot style.

-Maggie Sefton 9-13-17
This was a good start to what should be a fun cozy mystery series. I found it to be well written for its genre with well developed characters. I also enjoyed the fact that the protagonist learning to knit was part of the plot. I look forward to reading more of this series.

-Rachel Joyce 9-18-17
This was written as the companion novel/sequel to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. The novel was written well, and the characters were well drawn, but the last few pages pretty much ruined the whole story for me. So, before I read the very end of the book, I had planned on giving it 5 stars for being so unique and enjoyable, but I hated the ending so much that I am giving it 3 stars instead.

-Fiona Buckley 9-23-17
Although this novel was slow to capture my interest, I'm really glad I stuck with it past the first few chapters because the plot became truly convoluted and interesting, and the characters were drawn fairly well. Anyway, this novel was the first book of a cozy mystery series set in Queen Elizabeth I's court. I ended up enjoying it quite a bit, and I plan to read more of the series.

Rachel wrote: "-Richelle Mead 9-7-17
This was a fun fantasy romance novel with well developed characters and an entertaining plot. It was written well, and I liked the concept o..."

I've read some of the Maggie Sefton series and enjoyed it. I also read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. I'm interested to read the sequel.

Colleen wrote: "I haven't been here in a while but posted a few reviews. Some of the better books that I've read lately include "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". I loved that end to series. Very well done. I..."

Welcome back!

Book Concierge wrote: "

Saint Monkey
- Jacinda Townsend – 3***
In the late 1950s, two friends in a small town in Kentucky share big dreams. But their paths diverge and the lose one a..."

Sounds interesting.

If you are looking for books for toddlers, I highly recommend the Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins series. They were laugh out loud funny. I loved them. I cannot wait to buy the third book and read it before giving them as a Christmas gift.