75 Books...More or Less! discussion
Archive (2019 RYS)
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Jenn's Mt TBR summit climb
Mod
This I was planning to do buuut I've already acquired 52 books and it's the second week of January...lol. At least only one of them was full price! haha. Good luck!
Books Read:1.
The Dealth Factory by Greg Iles
4 of 5 stars. I did read this one out of order. Luckily it doesn't give away the ending to Devil's Punchbowl, which I will be reading sometime this year. I love the Penn Cage series. Considering this is a long novella I think it was wise as a mid series book. The characters are ones that we are already familiar with so there wasn't a lot of character development. Instead the books provides some background information on why the Penn made the career change and move the Natchez.
Mod
Elyse wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "attempt to read all book purchased this year as I acquire them. ..."This I was planning to do buuut I've already acquired 52 books and it's the second week of January...lol. At l..."
I know it's such a wonderful problem to have! Too many books :)
Mod
Absolutely!!
2.
The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah
5 of 5 stars.
LOVED this book. It is my first Kristen Hannah book (I have many more that have been languishing on my book shelves). I will have to say I cried for the last 80 or so pages. Not a good public read if you know what I mean. Can't wait to get into another one of her books.
Mod
The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah
5 of 5 stars.
LOVED this book. It is my first Kristen Hannah book (I have many more that have been languishing on my book ..."
Oh me too I have at least 5 Kristin Hannah books and the one I have read was an audiobook. lol. I picked up The Great Alone at a library book sale last year and added it to my collection. lol. Hoping to read it this year!
Yes Elyse, I didn't even realize how many of her books I had collected until I was reading The Great Alone. The Nightingale comes highly recommended so I think I will get to that one in February. Just got to keep chipping away at all these unread books.
Mod
Oh I bought that one on Black Friday! It was like $3 for the paperback. Want to do a buddy read of it in Feb?
Elyse wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Yes Elyse, I didn't even realize how many of her books I had collected until I was reading The Great Alone. The Nightingale comes highly recommended so I think I will get to that o..."Great idea! Lets do it
Mod
When do you want to start it? Feb 1? Mid-Feb? I'm not picky.
Elyse wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Great idea! Lets do it..."When do you want to start it? Feb 1? Mid-Feb? I'm not picky."
Let do feb 1st. Nice easy date to remember. I have never done a buddy read before this will be fun.
Mod
Whoa 885+ .... Life goals!
Juli wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "The trek ahead is daunting but the adventure is full of possibilities. As I continue to catalog my library the heights of Mt TBR have soared to a staggering 885+ books. To make my ..."I know I have book collecting problems. I am trying to read as many off my shelves before the library book sale in April. I have no self control; obviously. Much of my yearly progress is way laid at $4.00 per bag of books. :)
Mod
I have yet to come across one of those library sales!!!!
Mod
Oh gosh library sales cause me so much trouble! And joy! :D I definitely bought over 100 books last year at library sales.
Mod
oh juli, my library has two a year. So dangerous! I go to great books for family friend that can't get out anymore. Unfortunately that gets my foot in the door and I have no will power.
Mod
I would be in trouble!
3.
Rapid Falls by Amber Cowie
3 of 5 stars.
Not a bad read. However the twist at the end was clearly seen coming from the start of the book.
Mod
Rapid Falls by Amber Cowie
3 of 5 stars.
Not a bad read. However the twist at the end was clearly seen coming from the start of the book."
That would annoy me so much!
Mod
Rapid Falls by Amber Cowie
3 of 5 stars.
Not a bad read. However the twist at the end was clearly seen coming from the start of the book."
Ugh boooo. Then it's no twist! lol.
If only they could all be 5 star reads!
Mod
I dunno ... then I probably would think my rating system is too lax
Book 4
The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian
3.5 stars of 5 stars
(better than okay but didn't make it to really liked it)
Parasomnia- I feel that the author chose an interesting topic to base the plot of the book. However the start is really slow and I didn't really connect with the characters (possibly because you get the distinct impression you don't know who to trust). The ending was not one I had imaged so it was an at that point absolute page turner.
Mod
The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian
3.5 stars of 5 stars
(better than okay but didn't make it to really liked it)
Parasomnia- I feel that the author cho..."
I still haven't read a Bohjalian book! Guess I won't start with this one! Have you read any of his others?
Elyse wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Book 4The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian
3.5 stars of 5 stars
(better than okay but didn't make it to really liked it)
Parasomnia- I feel th..."
Elyse I started reading The Midwives and made it about half way. It was recommended to me by a friend. However I started to get so frustrated with the characters situation I had to put it down. It wasn't good for my blood pressure. I would one day like to finish the book. I don't know.
Mod
Oh bummer! I can't fit him in this year anyway. lol. Are you ready to start reading The Nightingale tomorrow?!
Elyse wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Elyse I started reading The Midwives and made it about half way. It was recommended to me by a friend. However I started to get so frustrated with the characters situation I had to..."I have my copy on the bed side table ready to go!
Mod
Woot me too!
Mod
The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian
3.5 stars of 5 stars
(better than okay but didn't make it to really liked it)
Parasomnia- I feel that the author cho..."
Chris Bohjalian is one of my all time fav authors! I loved the Midwives. In my opinion, he writes the kind of books that always makes you do a lot of reflection on what you would do, how you would react, what is right, what is wrong, etc. sometimes I finish one of his books feeling exhausted...lol
Book 5
The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah
5 of 5 stars
Another great read from Kristin Hannah. Why it took me so long to read I don't know. Thank you Elyse for the buddy read! My poor eyes are so puffy today from the midnight crying session. How I suffer for my reading habit.
Amazon
France, 1939 - In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn't believe that the Nazis will invade France … but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne's home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.
Vianne's sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can … completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.
With courage, grace, and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of World War II and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women's war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France―a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime
Mod
I hit a bit of lull in February so I am glad to have the first book of March completed.Book 6
The Pharaoh's Secret by Clive Cussler
4 of 5 stars
I always pick up a Cussler when I am looking for an action packed adventure.
Description:
The dazzling new novel in the #1 New York Times–bestselling NUMA Files series from the grand master of adventure.
Kurt and Joe tangle with the most determined enemy they’ve ever encountered when a ruthless powerbroker schemes to build a new Egyptian empire as glorious as those of the Pharaohs.
Part of his plan rests on the manipulation of a newly discovered aquifer beneath the Sahara, but an even more devastating weapon at his disposal may threaten the entire world: a plant extract known as the Black Mist, discovered in the City of the Dead and rumored to have the power to take life from the living and restore it to the dead.
With the balance of power in Africa and Europe on the verge of tipping, Kurt, Joe, and the rest of the NUMA team will have to fight to discover the truth behind the legends—but to do that, they have to confront in person the greatest legend of them all: Osiris, the ruler of the Egyptian underworld.
Book 7
Immortal Sins by Amanda Ashley
2 of 5 stars
It was okay. Quick read but nothing special.
Amazon Description:
In a moment of madness, Jason Rourke indulged in a brief, torrid affair with a wizard’s daughter. That one night of unbridled desire brought with it a powerful curse. For three hundred years he has been trapped inside a painting, helpless to ease a thirst that grows stronger with every passing day. Resigned to his fate, he’s given up all hope of ever being free again until Karinna Adams buys the painting and inadvertently sets him free.
Jason has no designs on Karinna other than to use her knowledge to help him find his way in a world he no longer recognizes. But her beauty and her kindness are a constant temptation, firing his both his desire and his insatiable thirst. But an old enemy lurks in the shadows, threatening to destroy them both
A little behind posting books. Book 8
Hidden Secrets
4 of 5 stars
LOVED! What a great story involving 4 generations of women in one family. Story about secrets you keep and how they change your life and also the relationships within a family. Carolyn Brown is one of my favorite feel book novelist.
Amazon Description:
Kim Brewster’s ill-fated marriage was annulled so quickly that she thought she could keep the whole thing a secret…until she found out she was pregnant. But before her confession can blow a hole in the seemingly perfect lives of the Brewster women, her great-grandmother, Hannah, drops a bomb of her own. She’s selling her hotel and moving to a farm in Oklahoma—and all the Brewsters are coming with her. Kim is sure her grandmother, Karen, and mother, Sue, won’t go along with the plan, but Hannah can be very convincing. Soon the women are working the farm, selling their wares from a roadside stand, and finally feeling like a family.
And as the Brewster women’s lives take shape in ways they never expected, Kim may have found another shot at love. Luke thought he’d washed his hands of women, but when he stops by the vegetable stand and meets Kim, he’s instantly smitten. To find love, though, they’ll both have to dig past their hidden secrets.
Book 9
Daring the Moon
4 of 5 stars
This was actually technically a re-read. However it has been on my bookshelves since it came out in 2001 and I didn't remember anything about the story. To me that counts as another TBR.
Amazon Description:
Sexy. Primal. Irresistibly male. It takes a lot to ruffle Taite Gibson. But the enormous, snarling werewolf that's stalking her through the streets of Tucson? Yeah, that oughta do it. Those terrifying attacks convince Taite to seek out Ryder Merrick, a reclusive British horror writer reputed to know everything about werewolves, including how to kill them. Turns out he also knows how to leave her shaking with desire… On his remote private island, Ryder can live safely with the beast inside him, unable to harm others or himself. Then Taite arrives, her lush, sweet scent and gorgeous curves tempting him to give in to every wicked hunger. And as a full moon rises, the only way to keep Taite safe from the evil that's followed her here is to convince her to trust in an attraction that's deeply dangerous, and wilder than she ever guessed….
Book 10
Vostok by Steve Alten
2 of 5 stars
Really wanted to like this book or even finish it. I have thrown in the towel after 4 months. I normally really enjoy Steven Alten books. The first book in the series
The Loch was great so I was anticipating the 2nd book in the series. Not ready to donate this yet I really wanted to like this one. Amazon Description:
East Antarctica: The coldest, most desolate location on Earth. Two-and-a-half miles below the ice cap is Vostok, a six thousand square mile liquid lake, over a thousand feet deep, left untouched for more than 15 million years. Now, marine biologist Zachary Wallace and two other scientists aboard a submersible tethered to a laser will journey 13,000 feet beneath the ice into this unexplored realm to discover Mesozoic life forms long believed extinct and an object of immense power responsible for the evolution of modern man.
Mod
Vostok by Steve Alten
2 of 5 stars
Really wanted to like this book or even finish it. I have thrown in the towel after 4 months. I normally really enjoy Stev..."
I've had that same letdown experience with 2 sequels recently and I'm almost done another one with the same letdown. :( So disappointing!
I loved Hidden Secrets so much I had to read another Carolyn Brown book.book 11.
4 of 5 stars
A great spring or summer read, light, and heart warming. I always love her characters!
Amazon:
Leaving one widow behind is unfortunate. Leaving three widows behind is just plain despicable. Oil heiress Kate Steele knew her not-so-dearly departed husband was a con man, but she’s shocked that Conrad racked up two more wives without divorcing her first. The only remnant of their miserable marriage she plans to keep is their lakeside cabin in Bootleg, Texas. Unfortunately, she’s not the only woman with that idea.
Fiery, strong-willed Jamie wishes Conrad were still alive—so she could kill the scoundrel herself. But for their daughter’s sake, she needs that property. As does Amanda—twenty-eight, pregnant, and still weeping over the loss of her true love. On a broiling July day, all three arrive in Bootleg…with a dogged detective right behind who’s convinced that at least one of them conspired to commit murder. One momentous summer filled with revelations, quirky neighbors, and barefoot evenings on the porch offers three women the chance to make the journey from enemies to friends, and claim a bright, new beginning.
Book 12
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
4 of 5 stars
So I re- read the beginning of the novel a couple of times certain I missed the narrators name. Finally I googled it and she is never identified beyond the 2nd Mrs de Winter. Otherwise great read. I am looking at adding Jamaica Inn to my collection next.
Amazon Description:
With these words, the reader is ushered into an isolated gray stone mansion on the windswept Cornish coast, as the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter recalls the chilling events that transpired as she began her new life as the young bride of a husband she barely knew. For in every corner of every room were phantoms of a time dead but not forgotten—a past devotedly preserved by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers: a suite immaculate and untouched, clothing laid out and ready to be worn, but not by any of the great house's current occupants. With an eerie presentiment of evil tightening her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter walked in the shadow of her mysterious predecessor, determined to uncover the darkest secrets and shattering truths about Maxim's first wife—the late and hauntingly beautiful Rebecca.
Mod
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
4 of 5 stars
So I re- read the beginning of the novel a couple of times certain I missed the narrators name. Finally I googled it a..."
We did a buddy read of this a few months ago. Such a great book. I listened to the audiobook but I will definitely be reading the book at some point.
I didn't realize how far behind I was in posted and reading books from my own shelves. 13.
Reconstructing Jackson by Holly Bush
3 of 5 stars
Not the best romance read. Didn't really connect to the characters. I like to laugh and cry and with the characters.
Amazon Description:
1867 . . . Southern lawyer and Civil War veteran, Reed Jackson, returns to his family’s plantation in a wheelchair. His father deems him unfit, and deeds the Jackson holdings, including his intended bride, to a younger brother. Angry and bitter, Reed moves west to Fenton, Missouri, home to a cousin with a successful business, intending to start over.
Belle Richards, a dirt poor farm girl aching to learn how to read, cleans, cooks and holds together her family’s meager property. A violent brother and a drunken father plot to marry her off, and gain a new horse in the bargain. But Belle’s got other plans, and risks her life to reach them.
Reed is captivated by Belle from their first meeting, but wheelchair bound, is unable to protect her from violence. Bleak times will challenge Reed and Belle's courage and dreams as they forge a new beginning from the ashes of war and ignorance
Book 14
Dragon's Moon by Lucy Monroe
4 of 5 stars
I believe this is book 4 in the series. Some very steamy moments between the two lead characters.
Amazon Description:
He’s a dragon intent on saving his people from destruction by the Fearghall and she is a wolf who blames the dragon for the deaths of her brother and mother. They’re true mates, but will that be enough to overcome ancient prophecies, debilitating visions and a dragon’s fire?
When Erik, the only living dragon shifter, and prince of the Ean, killed her brother, Ciara was left alone to face her prophetic dreams. Now, in order to find the wolves’ sacred stone and save all the Chrechte from destruction, she needs her enemy’s help.
Erik was only protecting the children of his people, but that day in the forest left a mark on him as well. Controlling his dragon’s fire is the most difficult thing he’s ever done—until he and Ciara are forced to face not only their shared tumultuous past, but a hallowed bond stronger than they realize. As avowed enemies and predestined mates, their quest ushers them into a world of great danger, and a passion hotter than the dragon’s fire.
Book 15
What's Left of Me
5 of 5 stars.
GREAT READ! You better have a box of tissues and some time because you won't want to put it down.
Amazon description:
Life works in mysterious ways.
Four years ago I became known as the girl with cancer.
I refuse to cry.
And I refuse to give in.
A relationship with a man is the last thing I’m looking for right now, but one night with Parker changes everything. He is persistent, and he knows what he wants. Me.
He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile.
But he doesn’t know, and I’m not ready to tell him.
What if it changes everything?
Tragedy found me when I was seventeen.
Love found me when I was twenty-one.
My name is Aundrea McCall, and this is my journey.
Mod
Thank you for the bump Andrea! I have not been posting in some time. Book 16
True Believer by Nicholas Sparks
My least favorite Nicholas Sparks novel. I just didn't have much interest in these characters. It was a real push to finish the book. I will be donating this one to make more room on my shelves.
Good Reads description:
Jeremy Marsh is the ultimate New Yorker: handsome, almost always dressed in black, and part of the media elite. An expert on debunking the supernatural with a regular column in Scientific American, he's just made his first appearance on national TV. When he receives a letter from the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, about ghostly lights that appear in a legend-shrouded cemetery, he can't resist driving down to investigate. Here, in this tightly knit community, Lexie Darnell runs the town's library, just as her mother did before the accident that left Lexie an orphan. Disappointed by past relationships, including one that lured her away from home, she is sure of one thing: her future is in Boone Creek, close to her grandmother and all the other people she loves. Jeremy expects to spend a quick week in "the sticks" before speeding back to the city. But from the moment he sets eyes on Lexie, he is intrigued and attracted to this beautiful woman who speaks with a soft drawl and confounding honesty. And Lexie, while hesitating to trust this outsider, finds herself thinking of Jeremy more than she cares to admit. Now, if they are to be together, Jeremy Marsh must make a difficult choice: return to the life he knows, or do something he's never done before--take a giant leap of faith. A story about taking chances and following your heart, True Believer will make you, too, believe in the miracle of love
Book 17
What's Left of Us by Amanda Maxlyn
5 of 5 stars
Book 2 was just as amazing as book 1 (What's Left of Me). My recommendations: 1. READ THIS BOOK. 2. Don't start unless you have nothing important to do. You will not put it down. 3. Have access to box of tissues.
Good Reads Description:
I love Aundrea and Parker. They make me believe in a love that withstands absolutely anything." - Willow Aster, USA Today Best Selling Author
The heartwarming conclusion to What's Left of Me.
Love found me three years ago.
I’m cancer free, happily married to the love of my life, and working toward my dream career.
Our life is complete. Perfect, really.
Or is it?
I’ve always wanted a family of my own, but never dreamed I could have one. Now Parker’s ready to make my dream our reality.
But sometimes our dreams are haunted by our deepest fears. Fears of failure, having a child, and in our case … death. How do I help the person I love get over his fear when I’m still trying to overcome that same fear myself?
Together we must learn What’s Left of Us.
**What's Left of Us is book two in a powerful, emotional, and steamy love story.**
75 Books...More or Less!
Books mentioned in this topic
Lullaby (other topics)My Perfect Fiancé (other topics)
Lover Eternal (other topics)
Craveable Keto: Your Low-Carb, High-Fat Roadmap to Weight Loss and Wellness (other topics)
Lover Awakened (other topics)
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Happy reading everyone!
Currently Reading:
Books Completed:
January:
1. The Death Factory
2. The Great Alone
3. Rapid Falls
4. The Sleepwalker
February:
5. The Nightingale
March:
6. The Pharaoh's Secret6]
7. Immortal Sins
8. Hidden Secrets
9. Daring The Moon
10. Vostok
April
11. The Barefoot Summer
12. Rebecca
May:
13. Reconstructing Jackson
14. Dragon's Moon
15. What's Left of Me
June/ July:Hush
16. True Believer
17. What's Left of Us
18. The Keto Diet Cookbook
19. Thornwood House
20. For Better and Worse
August
21. Hush
22. Montana 1948
23. Malinche
September
24. The Devil's Elixir
26. The Silver Star
27. The Kill Switch
October- December
28. Lover Eternal
29. Lover Awakened
30. Craveable Keto: Your Low-Carb, High-Fat Roadmap to Weight Loss and Wellness
31. My Perfect Fiancé
32. My Perfect Ex-Boyfriend
33. Lover Unbound
34. Love is Blind
35. Baby Crazy
36. To Each Her Own
37. To Scotland, With Love
38. Batch: Over 200 Recipes, Tips and Techniques for a Well Preserved Kitchen
39. This Man
40. Beneath This Man
41. The Girl I Didn't Marry
42. The Girl I Didn't Kill For
43.Harvard Hottie
44. Lullaby