75 Books...More or Less! discussion

This is where I will list what I've read for 2009

1. Dolled Up for Murder, by Deb Baker. I give it 5 of 5 stars. It has all the elements of the kinds of mysteries I like to read, including a lack of vulgarity or nasty language. It does have interesting characters, humor, an intriguing mystery, and a great setting expertly described and woven in to the fabric of the story.

2. The Christmas Thief: A Novel
by Mary Higgins Clark, Carol Higgins Clark

First book I've read by either author - loved it!

3. Goodbye Dolly, by Deb Baker. Probably 4.0 stars . . . I did like the story very well but I found this one a bit hard to follow in places. Shifting tenses tend to freak me out. But overall a very enjoyable book and I plan to continue to read more in this series.

4. Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke. 5 of 5 stars. I enjoyed this one quite a lot - really get tickled reading about Hannah's relationship with her sister and her mom. This is a cozy mystery series that for me, improves with each new book. (So far, anyway!)

5. Dolly Departed, by Deb Baker. 5 out of 5 stars. Really a good mystery and great fun to read!

wow your doing well! I need to hurry up and read some more I think!

Ellie, I've had a little extra time off . . . and I've made good use of it! At least as far as reading goes!

6. Ding Dong Dead, by Deb Baker.

Another great mystery by Deb Baker. I actually pretended to have a cold that was a bit more severe than it actually was, so that my hubby and son would leave me alone while I read it! Great story, and I love Deb's characters.

7. My FBI, by Louis Freeh. 4 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed his insights regarding his years as FBI director.

8. Dearest Dorothy, Help! I've Lost Myself!, by Charlene Baumbich. 4 out of 5 stars. I really love the character of Dorothy Westra . . an 80-something main character should be less rare!

9. Bryson City Seasons by Dr. Walt Larimore. 5/5 stars!

10. Deep Storm, by Lincoln Child

A good page turner that takes place underneath the ocean, and even below the earth's crust. Great sci-fi, in my opinion. But then I like the type of sci-fi that is half adventure and not terribly technical - like Star Trek and movies such as "The Abyss". I enjoyed it - the author left it open at the end for a sequel and I rather hope there will be one.

Kay wrote: "10. Deep Storm, by Lincoln Child

A good page turner that takes place underneath the ocean, and even below the earth's crust. Great sci-fi, in my opinion. But then I like the type of sci-fi that ..."

James Rollins has some other good books that he has written and he is coming out with a new one this year called the Doomsday Key.

Thanks Kay - I like this group a lot too! It has made me read a lot more than I normally do, since I have a goal and a group of people to which I am accountable!

You seem to enjoy mysteries - keep us updated on the best ones for this year!

Meghan, you're right - I've been on a mystery kick this year for sure!

11. Bryson City Secrets, by Walt Larimore MD. 4.5/5

This was an intensely personal and spiritual book - definitely not light reading. I cried often but also found encouragement. After reading all three in the doc's series about his first years in medical practice, I've become very interested in reading some of his nonfiction books, in particular "10 Essentials of Highly Healthy People" and "God's Design for the Highly Healthy Person".

12. "Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth", by Tamar Myers
13. "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Crime", by Tamar Myers

I read the first two books in Tamer Myer's Pennsylvania Dutch series very quickly. They are surprisingly fast-paced. I enjoyed some of the characters, but Magdalena - the main character - was not among them. Much of the humor seemed adolescent, and the mysteries were OK but not stellar in my opinion. Still, there was something about the books that kept me reading to the end . . . I might actually pick up later books in the series because there were some elements that seemed to show promise near the end of the 2nd book. I figure the series must be popular, since something like the 17th book has come out and all of them are available in two of my three area libraries. So - while I might give the series another chance at some time in the future based on its popularity, it's not on the immediate horizon for me.

Kay wrote: "10. Deep Storm, by Lincoln Child

A good page turner that takes place underneath the ocean, and even below the earth's crust. Great sci-fi, in my opinion. But then I like the type of sci-fi that ..."

Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child is coming out sometime soon. I can't wait to read it.

Thanks for the heads up on that, Nan. I'll be looking for it!

14. "A Study in Scarlet" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ****

It was great fun to read this one, and it helped me get out of a reading slump

15. "Rainbow's End", by Irene Hannon ****

A surprising read . . . would have never picked this book up but it was sent to me for free and I enjoyed it.

16. "Trouble in Spades", by Heather Webber ****

The first book I've read by this author - a funny and fast-paced cozy mystery.

17. "By Order of the President", by W.E.B. Griffin. ****

Well written, interesting characters and an engaging plot. I liked this one a lot.

Once I read some of the books I have at my house, I think I am going to try this series. Luckily my library has all the W.E.B. Griffin books.

18. "No Use Dying Over Spilled Milk" by Tamar Myers. ***

This series (PA Dutch Mysteries) is starting to grow on me.

19. "Just Plain Pickled to Death" by Tamar Myers 3 1/2 stars.

This one made me laugh so hard (twice) that I cried.

20. Digging Up Trouble by Heather Webber. 4 stars

21. The Star Dancers A Novel by Jeffrey Caminsky. 4 1/2 stars

22. Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke. Really like it! 4/5 stars is my vote.

23. Jim Thorpe, Original All-American by Joseph Bruchac. 4 stars. I enjoyed the historical aspects of this non-fictional book (for younger readers) even though I am not a huge sports fan.

24. True Light A Restoration Novel by Terri Blackstock. 4 stars. This is the third book in a series about what would happen if electricity suddenly did not work. The spiritual struggles and conflict between good and evil - along with a murder mystery - make this a most interesting read.

25. The Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook Everything I Know About Love and Marriage by Steve Doocy. 3 stars. An OK book - very funny in places so it's a great read if you need some chuckles.

26. Trouble in Bloom by Heather Webber

27. Murder, She Wrote Destination Murder by Donald Bain Jessica Fletcher

The books in this series are supposedly written by "Jessica Fletcher", who is in this case actually Donald Bain. I have to say he is a talented cozy author, and it's kind of a shame that he takes a back seat as a ghost writer. I'm sure he's making quite a good living, though, which I suppose is more of a concern. However, I would be interested in reading something of his that is aside from the Murder She Wrote series - I'm sure it would be quite good.

Thanks for that info, Lynn!

28. Home A Memoir of My Early Years byJulie Andrews Edwards

29.Half Past Nun A Sister Mary Teresa Mysteryby Monica Quill

30. Thank My Lucky Scars by Ward Foley

31. The Worst Hard Time The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan

Absolutely heartbreaking . . . an outstanding book, not only about the horrors of the dust bowl of the 1930's, but about the stalwart people who lived through the decade.

32. The Hostage by W.E.B. Griffin

33. Dying To Sell by Maggie Sefton

34. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

I throughly enjoyed this novel. I have read several Mrs. Pollifax books in the past, but I tend to dislike reading books in a series out of order. Although all the Mrs. P. books I've read have been good as stand-alone novels, I often feel as though I'm missing out on some context that could have made them more enjoyable. Thus, I'm reading this series from the beginning - which means that I'll be reading some for the 2nd time. But that's OK - I like the series an awful lot!

35. The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

36. The Elusive Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

37. A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

I love Mrs. Pollifax! However, I've only read The Elusive Mrs. Pollifax I need to pick-up another one.

Adriana, please do! I am so enjoying the series. "A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax" and "Mrs. Pollifax on Safari", (which I just re-read today) are my two favorites among those I've read.

38. Mrs. Pollifax on Safari by Dorothy Gilman

39. Between a Wok and a Hard Place by Tamar Myers

40. Eat, Drink, and Be Wary by Tamar Myers

41. The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

42. Fudge Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

5/5 stars!

43.

44.

I totally enjoyed Bill's book! 5/5

45.

Play it Again Spam, by Tamar Myers
I suppose I keep reading this author because I know what to expect. This one, I read during lunch breaks at work. Not as good as some of her previous ones - and I swear, every funny comment was a repeat of comments made in previous books, some of them in EVERY book in the series so far. I feel like telling Magdalena "move on". I'll give the series one more chance because it does hold a certain odd charm, but this particular installment gets only 2/5 stars from me.

46.

Byzantium, by Stephen Lawhead
An amazing epic. 5/5 stars! I will want to read this one again sometime.

47.


The Hand that Rocks the Ladle, by Tamar Myers
I'm glad I stuck with the series - this is my favorite in the series so far.

48.

The Crepes of Wrath, by Tamar Myers
I didn't enjoy this quite as much as The Hand that Rocks the Ladle, but still a fun, light read. I especially enjoyed Magdalena's observations on the concept of Hell . . .

49.

Gruel and Unusual Punishment, by Tamar Myers

I really liked this one!

50.

The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson. Not as good as I hoped, but still extremely interesting.

51.

Dark Horse, by Ralph Reed. Pretty darn good, although a tad long and a few loose ends.

52.

Dawn's Light, by Terri Blackstock. I seem to be in the minority as several other "Goodreaders" felt the ending to this series was very satisfying. I personally found it hollow - I was hugely disappointed.

Blackstock is one of those authors whose writings I sometimes love, and sometimes am totally annoyed by. This particular book was an example of the latter.