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FINISHED -
CURRENTLY READING -
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO -
Last Edited on: 7/1/14 12:43 AM ET - Total times edited: 51 |
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Enter Whining by Fran Drescher - audio - memoir. Not too deep, just gives the basics. Doesn't go into anything personal, like how her husband came out as gay. A bit of showbiz fluff. I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron - audio - A collection of commentaries about a variety of subjects. She's always so witty and interesting, it really doesn't matter what the subject is. The last chapter was a little hard because it was about death, and the things she's going to miss. She wrote it not all that long before she died, 2 years maybe. I wonder if she was starting to feel sick or something. I think it was cancer, I don't know how long she knew she had it though. The Downhill Lie by Carl Hiaasen - audio - Story of returning to golf as a middle aged man. Carl is a master story teller and he even made golf interesting. It Aint All About The Cooking by Paula Deen - audio - memoir, but it doesn't include any of the scandal or negativity that has plagued her which was a bit disappointing. I didn't really learn anything new, most everything she said I have heard in her press before. A long term affair with a married man was the closest she got to divulging anything interesting. Anteater of Death by Betty Webb - Cozy with a female zookeeper as MC. It has the obligatory man issues and the mystery isn't very well developed but the characters are likeable and it has potential. It's not terribly well written but it is first in a series, it might get better. Britty Britty Bang Bang by Hugh Dennis - audio - Kind of a British history lesson by comedian Hugh Dennis. He covers what it means to be British, and why things are considered British. Hugh is pretty funny and he inhects plenty of humor but it can get a bit dry anyway. Flawed Dogs by Berke Breathed - Short novel from the Bloom County writer. It was a bit weird and quite fantastical as you would expect but it's really a statement on how we treat dogs as disposable, and how bad their plight can be. As you would expect. It's a bit horrific and also very humorous, very recognizable as Breathed. Watchdog by Laurien Berenson - Cozy, set in the dog show world. Being a lifelong dog enthusiast, professional groomer and former dog show devotee I really felt talked down to a lot but I guess if you don't know anything about dogs or shows you might need to know those explanations. At least everything was correct. And yes, the show world is that competitive. The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe by Douglas Adams - audio - Book 2 in the series, more zaniness in outer space. Not sure if these really have a plot....but don't forget your towel! The Shepherd, The Angel and Walter The Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Berry - Story of a loss and a found. Childhood Christmas, an old dog and a school nativity play. Very funny but also made me cry. Life The Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams - audio - Book 3 in the series. The F Word: How To Survive Your Family by Louie Anderson - Too much new-agey advice and too little funny. Louie is a messed up dude, I think he's closeted gay, and he seems to think everyone else is as messed up as he is. He's kinda whiny and martyr-y. There are a few good bits of wisdom in there but it's hard to take advice seriously in the given context. You Suck: A Love Story by Christopher Moore - audio - sequel to Bloodsucking Fiends. Continuing story of our 2 main vampires and a few extras. Good story, pretty funny, not real vampire-y, even though it's full of vampires. No schtick or silliness, just fun. Bite Me: A Love Story by Christopher Moore - Last book in the trilogy. Love the vampyre cats. Kind of a predictable ending but the journey is fun. Trains And Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith - audio - several stories of relationships that had something to do with trains or the station. I liked this one. The stories were complex and not too sweet and not too sad. It's Not Me, It's You by Jon Richardson - Memoir from the neurotic British comic. It was about how messed up he is and how the ways he is messed up have kept him from finding a long-term relationship. He is a bit funny but for the most part I just kept thinking how sorry I felt for any woman he ends up with. What a pain in the rear this guy's mind is. Goodnight Opus by Berke Breathed - Short book, kind of a children's bedtime tale but with an adult spin. About losing yourself in books. Qyuite cute. Beyond Uhura by Nichelle Nichols - audio - Memoir by the Star Trek actress, It didn't make me a fan, she seems very self-centered and egotistical. Every man she runs into wants her and she is just so perfect and poised at everything. She doesn't say too much about it but it seems her parents raised her son most of his life. And it's obvious she thinks she's very attractive. I couldn't stand the reader, she sucked big time. She paused before big words and complex names like she had never seen the words before. That didn't help. The book was informative but didn't make me a fan. Coreyography by Corey Feldman - audio - Memoir, the story of his life and his friend Corey Haim. It was pretty good, a few things stretch to the incredible but he seems t be mostly honest. He certainly admits to his screw ups, which there are many. It hasn't been an easy life but he seems to be on a good track at the time of writing. The Son by Jo Nesbo - stand alone novel, it lacked the complexity and twists of Nesbo's usual work. It wa sa good story, I just expect more than good from him. I hear it's a;ready been optioned for a movie and that may be why it's not quite as twisty. Wahoo Rhapsody by Shaun Morey - audio - Crime drama with a humorous bend. Very, very reminiscent of Carl Hiaasen, in fact there was a scene involving a couple of jerks racing around the water that was nearly identical to a passage from one of Carl's books. It was an enjoyable story, it just sounded so much like Hiaasen that I listened to it as if it were one of his. Four stars for the story, 1 star for originality. Everything But Money by Sam Levenson - The first 2/3 was great, a memoir about growing up poor. Very funny and I enjoyed it quite a biut. Then towards the end it changed into an unfunny rant about how you should raise your kids and what s wrong with the world. I eventually started skimming then abandoned the last part altogether. El Dorado Blues by Shaun Morey - audio - Pretty much a redux of Wahoo Rhapsody. Kidnapping, murder, treasure. It was ok, just not terribly original. Life Death and Vanilla Slices by Jenny Eclair - I've read one of her books before so I know better than to expect comedy. There are funny moments but it's not a funny book. It's a look back at how lives get messed up as a matriarch is dying. This family has some pretty big secrets and it was compelling enough that I had to find out what they were. Last Edited on: 6/30/14 8:28 PM ET - Total times edited: 24 |
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Finished
Currently Reading
Listening To Last Edited on: 6/29/14 11:33 AM ET - Total times edited: 5 |
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The Directive by Matthew Quirk - a sequel to The 500 The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl, a big critical success when it came out and also a popular book club choice. I only finished it for my book club. Every time I picked it up I nodded off. I would have stopped at page 50. Didn't even enjoy the ending. And The Dark Sacred Night by Julia Glass - includes some characters from her other books. A Place Of Execution by Val McDermid - an excellent mystery, I had never read anything by her but have already ordered more. Last Edited on: 6/24/14 8:43 AM ET - Total times edited: 2 |
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Finished: Suspect by Jasmine Cresswell -- 2nd in the Raven series, this is a REALLY good book, as was Missing [the 1st one]. Liam Raven is a divorce lawyer in Denver and has been hired by the wife of the murdered Denver mayor to defend her against the charge she killed her husband. Lots of twists and turns going on, some relating back to what happened in Missing , This is a real page-turner, so good in fact that I'm starting the 3rd in the series now, Payback, to find out what happens next. Payback by Jasmine Cresswell --- Final book in the Raven series. Kate Fairfax, daughter of missing Ron Raven, teams up with Luke Savarini, to find out the truth about her father. It all comes down to whether Ron Raven is really dead or in hiding and if he's hiding, why? A plot full of twists that has the reader wondering who to believe and a surprise ending. Very good series. His Touch by Mary Lynn Baxter --- A quick, easy read. Jessica Kincaid is the mayor of Dallas, TX and when she starts receiving threatening e-mails and phone calls, she is forced to hire a body guard. That body guard is Brandt Harding, a form Secret Service agent, who doesn't want the job, but is forced to take it by his former co-worker, now head of a security company. With two strong willed people tempers and passions flare. The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank --- What everyone hopes for, the perfect Christmas. But for 93 year-old Theodora that seems an improbability with her contentious family. When an old friend unexpectedly appears magical things begin to happen. Theodora is spry, feisty lady who, along with her friend, take matters in hand and this makes for a charming story that reads very quickly. Lots of delicious recipes included. Compelling Evidence by Steve Martini --- A really good courtroom novel by Martini. Paul Madriani is asked to defend a former lover accused of killing her husband. All the evidence is circumstantial, but the police are convinced she's guilty and haven't looked beyond her for any other suspects. Paul has to convince the jury that there is no compelling evidence to convict. As always, Martini has the reader turning the pages to see what's coming next and he doesn't disappoint. A surprise ending tops it off. Final Jeopardy by Linda Fairstein --- This is an older series, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Alexandra Cooper is an Assistant DA prosecuting sex offenders in New York City. Since this is what Linda Fairstein did, it makes for interesting reading in that she certainly knows what she's writing about. In this first in the series, Alex Cooper becomes involved in the murder investigation of a movie star, murdered at Alex's vacation home on Martha's Vineyard, not because it's related to any sex crimes, but because it involves people she knows. An engrossing plot that takes the reader right up to the last few pages trying to figure out who the murderer is. Looking forward to reading more of this series. She Walks These Hills by Sharyn McCrumb --- McCrumb writes beautiful stories about Appalachia, specifically the areas of Tenn. & North Carolina. In this one she tells the story of Harm Sorley, a 63-year-old escaped convict, trying to get back to his home, wife and baby girl. Except he's living in the past with no memory of why, who or where. Along with Harm's story Jeremy Cobb is tracing the path taken by Katie Wyler, captured by Shawnee Indians 200 years earlier and trying to get back home, Martha Ayers wants to be a sheriff's deputy and their stories all connect and intersect in amazing ways. If you haven't ever read any of McCrumb's books, you should. Highly recommended! Lavender Lies by Susan Wittig Albert --- 8th in the China Bayles series. China is preparing for her upcoming wedding when a local real estate developer is murdered and China's soon-to-be husband, acting chief of police, Mike McQuaid, is working day and night to find the murderer. In order for them to get married on time, China and her friend Ruby "help out" by doing some investigating of their own. As always, a fun read. Firestorm by Nevada Barr --- Each one of the Anna Pigeon series just gets better. #4 finds Anna working a forest fire in California with a group of firefighters. When it seems like the fire is under control the team is ordered to pull out. But one of the men has been hurt and as they are carrying him out, the fire sweeps back and threatens to engulf them all. What happens next is a riveting story as only Nevada Barr can tell it. A real page-turner! Dance With Me by Luanne Rice--- Jane Porter has waited 15 years to see her daughter again, a daughter she gave up at birth. A beautiful story about mothers' love, facing the past and looking to the future. This is a feel-good story that will make the reader appreciate families and forgiving each others' mistakes, and the mistakes they made themselves. Shattered by Karen Robards --- While Lisa Grant is filing cold-case files for the DAs office, she comes across one about a family that's been missing for 28 years. The woman in the picture looks enough like Lisa to be her twin and because of that, Lisa begins to try to find out more about the family. What she finds could cost her her life. A really good book, couldn't put it down.
Currently reading: Dark Horse by Tami Hoag Up next: Just choosing at random
Books read in 2014: Jan. -- 8, Feb. -- 7, Mar. -- 7, April -- 4, May -- 9 Last Edited on: 6/28/14 4:50 PM ET - Total times edited: 13 |
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Finished - First Phone Call from Heaven, okay but not Mitch Albom's best. Shelved listening to Mists of Avon for now, just wasn't in the mood. I started listening to Turn of Mind. Started The Binding Chair in print. Last Edited on: 6/10/14 9:53 AM ET - Total times edited: 1 |
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Pursuit of a Woman on the Hinge of History by Hans Koning. never heard of this book or author. I have just barely started but it seems interesting so far. I have had some luck lately. I have read several books that I really enjoyed. Finished Pursuit of a Woman. very strange book. chaotic series of events and characters. There is a kind of puzzle in the heart of the book so I kept reading to see where things would go. I found out the author is Dutch. not sure if I would recommend the book. Last Edited on: 6/9/14 2:17 PM ET - Total times edited: 1 |
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CURRENTLY READING
Kindle Book
FINISHED
Last Edited on: 6/23/14 9:52 PM ET - Total times edited: 4 |
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I was checking my list to see if my estimate of 10-12 books per month was accurate. Right on target - for June - 12.
Judye / maysied
Reading: 1. Dead in the Family 2. Devil's Labyrinth 3. Flashback 4. Swan Song 5. Ocean at the End of the Lane 6. Darkness Falls
Finished Esperanza, Hammered, Magic Kingdom for Sale, Two Ravens and One Crow, From Dead to Worse, Trapped, Dead Witch Walking, Game of Thrones, Ender's Game, Hunted.
Judye/maysied
Last Edited on: 7/1/14 12:30 PM ET - Total times edited: 8 |
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Finished: Rainwater by Sandra Brown. 3.5 * Reading: Tell the Wolves I'm Home and A Land More Kind than Home by Wiley Cash |
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She Sins at Midnight by Whitney Dineen - Dineen is new author and was recommended to me by a friend. It's a really fun and easy story with quirky characters who get into over the top situations The story line is well done and there is book within book concept that really comes together well. Found the book on Amazon When I Found You by Cathrine Ryan Hyde - very memorable book that makes you think about promises made and promises kept - Free Kindle download The Hit - David Baldacci - part 2 in Will Robie series - decent spy/government thriller yet nothing memorable - received via paperback swap |
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reading The Long Home by William Gay. so far it is moonshine and murder in the back woods. |
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I have discovered Repairman Jack, I have begun reading "The Tomb" by F. Paul Wilson. Only a few chapters in, but I am hooked. Gonna start looking for the other books in the series here! Last Edited on: 6/10/14 11:57 AM ET - Total times edited: 1 |
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CURRENTLY READING: Tell the Wolves I'm Home - Carol Rifka Brunt FINISHED: The Star Garden - Nancy E. Turner - 4 Stars Always Watching - Chevy Stevens - 4.2 Stars Last Edited on: 6/17/14 12:41 PM ET - Total times edited: 2 |
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FINISHED The Long Earth (Long Earth, Bk 1):
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Last Edited on: 6/13/14 4:57 PM ET - Total times edited: 1 |
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Mary K. The Elephant Keeper is going on my RL. |
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Just finished Gone by Michael Grant. Sorry, no hidden gem here. This was YA which I normally like, but also science fiction, which I normally don't like. And this time, the science fiction/don't like won out. Basically, the premise is that one day---poof---everyone over the age of 15 disappears: teachers, parents, cops, doctors, etc. Kids rule, but of course there is then a divide of kids against kids all leading to a huge battle for supremacy. Then some of the kids start to mutate and gain special powers, which of course some use for good and some for evil. Gah. Oh, and coyotes talk. Double gah. The book was too long, it needed an editor desperately. Also, it was written in a style that made me think the author was dreaming of it being a big explosive special effects driven movie rather than a novel that would stand on its own. I get why young kids of 10-14 would enjoy it, but it was just a thumbs down for me. So sorry to say. |
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Just finished Gone by Michael Grant. Sorry, no hidden gem here. This was YA which I normally like, but also science fiction, which I normally don't like. And this time, the science fiction/don't like won out. Basically, the premise is that one day---poof---everyone over the age of 15 disappears: teachers, parents, cops, doctors, etc. Kids rule, but of course there is then a divide of kids against kids all leading to a huge battle for supremacy. Then some of the kids start to mutate and gain special powers, which of course some use for good and some for evil. Gah. Oh, and coyotes talk. Double gah. The book was too long, it needed an editor desperately. Also, it was written in a style that made me think the author was dreaming of it being a big explosive special effects driven movie rather than a novel that would stand on its own. I get why young kids of 10-14 would enjoy it, but it was just a thumbs down for me. So sorry to say. |
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I read Elephant Keeper and really enjoyed it, I still remember it which means something for me, so many books I read and enjoy but can't tell you the plot two months later! I had too many books come up on kindle, and audio at the library this week and I am having to rearrange what I am reading right now and fight my daughter for the iPad/kindle. Most importantly I want to read the novella "the Space Between" by Diane Gabaldon that I just downloaded before it expires! ** Finished that - it was good quick read!*** But I did finish The Binding Chair, it was really good and I enjoyed it while reading it but the ending left me conflicted. *** I just downloaded "Written in my Own Hearts Blood" and I have done little else since!*** Last Edited on: 6/19/14 11:24 AM ET - Total times edited: 3 |
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FINISHED
2nd in the series and now waiting on The Long Mars.
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Lisa, what did you think of the Long War? I loved the Long Earth. |
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I actually liked it a little more than Long Earth. |
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This book was a quick read by a new author. I enjoyed the book. |
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