April 2018 Books

Again, I seem to be a little behind in my reading log...

I've continued my Tasha Alexander journey and this month found an old friend (more in a few days when I write about May books!)

1. A Poisoned Season (Tasha Alexander)
2.  A Fatal Waltz (Tasha Alexander)
3.  Tears of Pearl (Tasha Alexander)--each of these continues Lady Emily's story.  They are entertaining...that's about all I can say.  If you like historical fiction/mysteries, you might like this series (see last month for the first book/s)
4.  Shadow of the Titanic (Andrew Wilson)--interesting mini-biographies of people who survived the Titanic.  Some stories I'd read before and some were new to me. It was interesting, not super exciting, but interesting.
5.  Forever My Girl (Heidi McLaughlin)--this is the book the movie is based on--I think it was a flash in the theatres a few months ago.  Never saw the movie, but it looked interesting.  The book was very Nicholas Sparks-like--a good entertaining read, but no big surprises.

That's all...no top ten, no super exciting new authors..but some solid good reads!  Have a good month!

Books! March 2018....because its almost May?!!

1.  Uncommon Type:  Some Stories (Tom Hanks)--For lack of a better description, a really cute collection of stories, all written by Tom Hanks (yes, that Tom Hanks).  All the stories have a connection to a typewriter and there are common characters in several.  I kept putting off reading it because I don't love short stories, but when I finally sat down it was very good.
2.  The Widow (Fiona Barton)--Very similar in style to Barton's other book that I read a month or so ago (The Child).  I thought The Child was a better book, but this was entertaining.  Some mystery, some suspense, lots of interesting characters.
3.  Surface Tension (Mike Mullin)--This writer is from Indiana and I ran across his first book at the Literacy Conference a couple years ago.  He wrote a series about what could happen after Yosemite blows. This book is about a teenage boy who stumbles onto a case of domestic terrorism and his adventures escaping from the bad guys.  It was entertaining--my favorite character is his girlfriend...she should get her own book.
4.  In a Cottage in a Wood (Cass Green)-Lots of twists and turns in this mystery novel.  A woman unexpectedly inherits a cottage in a wood...creepy adventures ensue.
5.  The Wife Between Us (Gree Hendricks and Sarah Pekkahen)--another suspenseful mystery--my office mate has read and recommended a slew of these.  It was good--lots of twists and turns.
6.  A Table Before Me (Debbie Viguie)--the much anticipated next installment in the Psalm 23 Mysteries.  It was good...
7.  In This Grave Hour (Jacqueline Winspear)--I read all the Maisie Dobbs books that existed in about 2012 or 2013.  The last couple I read were just "meh", so I didn't read the latest release (2014 or so?).  I ran across this one and picked it up--it was very good--much more like the first few Maisie Dobbs books than like the last couple.  Good mystery, interesting characters, enjoyed it a lot an am on hold for the newest, just released a few weeks ago!
8.  The Great Alone (Kristin Hannah)--So very, very good.  About a family in the 1970's who move to Alaska. There is family drama, and wildlife drama, a few small mysteries, some wonderful twists--really liked it--probably a top ten contender.
9.  Not if I Save You First (Ally Carter)--Interestingly enough, also set in Alaska.  Written for a younger crowd--probably middle or high school?  About two teens who survive an adventure.  Kind of like Carter's Gallagher Girls books crossed with Hatchet.  Good book, always glad to read an Ally Carter book.
10.  And Only to Deceive (Tasha Alexander)--Those of you who actually know me (or who have followed my reading long enough) know that I LOVED Elizabeth Peters' (aka Barbara Michaels, aka Barbara Mertz) Amelia Peabody books (among others).  Ms. Mertz (her real name) passed away a couple years ago. Her last book was published last year, it was nice, but not great.  I started following her fan club on Facebook and someone suggested Tasha Alexander's books because they are a similar heroine and time period.  I'm really enjoying the series--I think I'm on the 4th or 5th book--they are good mysteries, combined with "regular life", much like Peter's books.  Worth the ready, probably not top ten, but entertaining.

So there is March...ten!  I'm at about four for April (and the month is almost over)...it must be a busy time of year!

Happy Reading!

Books I read in February 2018

It is a short list, but a couple good ones!
1.  Trials of Apollo: The Dark Prophesy (Rick Riordan)--A typical Rick Riordan book.  Entertaining, cute story.  Enjoyed it.
2.  Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (Rick Riordan)--Ditto
3.  The Child (Fiona Barton)--Very good-lots of twists and turns.  About a reporter investigating a case and what she finds out.
4.  The Couple Next Door (Shari Lapena)--Another book with lots of twists and turns.  The book was fantastic--I didn't really love the ending, she could have ended it a chapter earlier and it would have been just as good, but it was worth the read.
5.  Lightning Child (RA Hakok)--I read the first book in this series for free a few years ago and read book 2 right away...now I've been waiting impatiently for this one--and it didn't disappoint.  Follows the teenage survivors of a global pandemic.  Now I'm back to waiting again!

Well, that's it...only five, but two possible top ten, so a good month of reading!

Books I read January 2018

How is it 2018?

I read a lot in January--here we go:
1.  The Shell Game (Janet Evanovich)-I needed something fluffy and Evanovich never fails.  I saw some reviews that compared this series to the Stephanie Plum series but with a different character--yep, that describes it pretty well. 
2.  Bad Kitty:  Camp Daze (Nick Bruel)--Hey, its a chapter book, it counts.  Cute, funny...
3.  Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder (Caroline Fraser)--The author spent a lot of the book telling about Laura's issues with her daughter.  It was interesting, nothing shocking, but nothing exciting.
4.  Origin (Dan Brown)--Surprisingly good--not as good as Digital Fortress, but a decent Dan Brown book.
5.  For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood and All the Rest of Y'All, Too. (Christopher Endin)--not as good as I hoped.  A few interesting points, but mostly a former teacher telling "us" that we don't know how to teach. 
6.  Christina's Secret (Ray Golden)--Mr. IM and the kids bought it for me at the Al-Mart.  It was entertaining and set in Colorado.
7. Good Me, Bad Me (Ali Land)--Very entertaining and suspenseful! A good mystery.
8.  Hunting Prince Dracula (Kerri Maniscalco)--A young adult mystery about a girl training to be a doctor in the 1880's.  Ok, maybe not realistic, but another good mystery.
9. A Tangled Mercy (Joy Jordan Lane)-I think this was an Amazon book pick.  It was good--a bit of a historical mystery and a present-day mystery connected.
10 and 11.  Missing Person 0 and 1 (James Hunt)--I really wanted to like this book, but it is broken down into 50-page sections that Amazon gave away the first two sections and wants $2.99 for each of the next..
12.  Silent Child (Sarah A Denzil) About a boy who disappears when he is six and reappears when he is sixteen.  Lots of twists and turns, might make the top ten!
13. Laura Ingalls is Ruining My Life (Shelley Tongas)--cute young adult book about a family that moves to Walnut Gove Minnesota. 
14. Disrupting Poverty (Kathleen M. Budge)--Great book for teachers--nothing super exciting or new, but a good read and good reminder of why I teach.  Worth the read if you work with people.

What I read in December 2017

Here we go..last list of 2017:

1.  Hardcore Twenty-Four (Janet Evanovich)--Sometimes when you wait a long time for a book it ends up not being worth it...while this one probably isn't top ten material, it certainly was entertaining and worth reading.  There is a running joke about Stephanie pet sitting for a snake, the usual blown up cars...nice, trashy, December read.
2.  Dead Certain (Adam Mitzner)--An Amazon free read (or whatever they are called).  Good mystery, lots of twists and surprises.
3.  Curious Minds (Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton)--same author as the Stephanie Plum books, much shorter serious about a bookkeeper and her boss.  Similar formula, similar characters, still funny and entertaining.
4.  Woman of God (James Patterson)--The summary/description doesn't do the book justice.  Part love story, part mystery, I don't know what to say that won't give it away, but worth the read.  Very though provoking (yes, I know it was a Patterson book!)
5.  Dangerous Minds (Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton)--book two after Curious Minds.  Entertaining, quick read.
6. Before We Were Yours (Lisa Wingate)--there has been a lot of hype about this book.  It is historical fiction about how kids were kidnapped and adopted out to wealthy families in the early 1900's.  The characters were interesting, the story believable (and based on facts).  Interesting book.
7.  The Memory Box (Eva Lesko Natiello)--Some reviewers compared it to Gone Girl and I think that is fair.  It was a good story, lots of twists and turns, not super exciting or shocking.
8.  Pro and cons (Lee Goldberg and Janet Evanovich)--another Evanovich series, this one about an FBI agent and the crook she chases (and loves?)....pure entertainment. 
9.  The Heist (Lee Goldberg and Janet Evanovich)-book 2...
10.  Stalking Jack the Ripper (Kerri Marisraka)--Very entertaining.  A young readers book, but lots of twists and turns and a great story.  There is a book 2 about Dracula that is on my request list at the library!
11.  The Chase (Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg)--book 3
12. The Job (Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg)--book 4
13.  The Scam (Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg)--book 5
14.  The Pursuit (Evanovich and Goldbert)--book 6

That brings the total for the year to 116...so, yay!  Stay tuned for the top ten list in a couple days!

November 2017...What did I read?

November was a slower reading month--partially because I didn't listen to anything in the car--Mr. IM's car had a long vacation at the auto shop, so we all car-pooled, meaning I don't get to listen to books (which is fine...but means I read fewer books!)

1.  The Chemist by Stephanie Meyer--an interesting premise.  Part mystery, part James Bond...a great story, might be top ten.
2.  Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan--Set in Italy during WWII.  This book is based on true stories.  It kind of started slow but came to me highly recommended, so I powered through until I started getting into it.  Very interesting perspective on the war.
3.  Breaking Wild by Diane Les Bequests-Story starts with a woman lost in the Colorado Wilderness and focuses on her and the Forest Servicewoman who tries to find her.  It was interesting, but there was a lot of "extra" stuff to the story that distracted...just being lost in the woods and/or trying to find her is a big enough story, we don't necessarily need extra detailed backstory on both people's childhood.
4.  What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty--very good--Someone recommended it to me a couple years ago and I didn't read it, finally got around to it and wasn't disappointed.  The main character is a 39-year-old woman who loses all memory of the past ten years. Some mystery as she struggles to figure out her current life, interesting characters, and storyline.
5.  I am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll.  A mystery set in England centers on a woman who sees what she thinks is the prelude to a crime.  Some interesting ideas about what we think should be reported and what we ignore.  Good story.
6.  Promise Me, Dad by Joe Biden.  Didn't live up to the hype.  I thought it was a book about Joe Biden's relationship with his son Beau and how he and the family traveled through Beau's illness and death.  That part of the story was there, but it really was buried under Joe's stories about all the things he was doing as Vice President while Beau was ill.  It was interesting, but not great.

What I read in October 2017

I'm writing this on October 30--it seems unlikely that I'll finish the 528 page book on the top of the pile by tomorrow night since I'm only on about page 50....

Here we go:
1.  Audio CD in Car--Laughter of Dead Kings (Elizabeth Peters).  Still love it, still good, read the rest of the series first if you haven't or you'll be lost.
2. Close to Home (Robert Dugoni)--I do like this series, it hasn't failed me yet. Mystery/suspense set in the Pacific Northwest.  Female lead character.
3.  The Proving (Beverly Lewis)--probably never a top ten, but Amish romantic fiction is always entertaining. In this installment, a girl comes home from the English world to run her family's bed and breakfast.
4.  The Alice Network (Kate Quinn)--bounces between World War I and just after WWII.  Two female lead characters, lots of twists.  Good book and seems to be historically accurate for a fiction book.
5.  The Deep Dark Descending (Allen Eskins)--I was impatient to read this and was a little disappointed--it is a slightly different book than his earlier ones in the series.  I still liked it, but not as much as the others.  This one focuses on a police officer investigating his wife's death.
6.  Dead Stop (Barbar Nickless)--Set in Denver, a female railroad police officer and Iraq War Vet solves mysteries with her service dog.  This one was very good--the first was free on Amazon, I think this is the 3rd.
7.  When I'm Gone (Emily Bleeker)- Saw it recommended somewhere (the newspaper?) and thought it looked good.  Follows a man whose wife has just died of cancer and who is trying to solve a family mystery.  Pretty good story, a couple plot surprises, a few predictable.  Probably will look for other things by her.
8.  Haunted Hikes (Maren Horjus)--Recommended by Backpacker Magazine when I read a preview there.  Has the actual hikes (a few for each region of the US) and legends to go with each.  Hikes vary from "easy walk" to "expert only".  A fun, quick, read. Might pick it up used in a few months (when it isn't as new) to have for hike reference.
9.  Haunted Colorado (Charles Stanfield, Jr.)--I feel like I've probably read it before.  It was a quick read, not very exciting or spooky.  Arranged by regions, but appeared to be organized by someone who hadn't spent much time here.  Stories were mostly typical urban legends, very few facts.

Happy Reading!

July 2017 Books

1.  Unbreakable (Angela Watson)--a book for teachers to get re-inspired--it was good, nothing earth shattering (or worth the $26 on Amazon, thanks, again, public library), but a good read.  I'm  going to watch for it at used book sales and resales on Amazon, I wouldn't mind having a (cheaper) copy of it to show and share with other teachers.
2.  Voyager (Diana Gabaldon)--re-read, still good
3.  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (JK Rawling)--on CD, in the car, during road trip
4.  The Grownup (Gillian Flynn)--not her best work, but a good, quick (spooky) read.
5.  Dark Places (Gillian Flynn)--Much better than Gone Girl because the ending wasn't weird.  Very suspenseful, good book.
6.  Henry's Sisters (Cathy Lamb)--My parents' book club was reading this so they let me read and sit in.  Good book.  I've read other things by Cathy Lamb and liked them as well.  This one was about three (dysfunctional?) sisters and their brother.
7.  Around the World in 80 Days (Jules Verne)--read by Jim Dale.  I'd listen to Jim Dale read my grocery list.  A good book for the car trip through--the audio book we got from the library was well done.
8. My Sister's Grave (Robert Dugoni)--I think I got this for free through the Kindle Owners Prime Monthly book thing (got that?)  I've had it on my Kindle for a while and hadn't read it--it was very good! Looks like it is a series.  It centers around a female homicide detective in the Seattle area.  Good read.
9.  Her Final Breath (Robert Dugoni)--second in the series--just as good as the first!
10.  The Orphan's Tale (Pam Jenoff)--about a group of circus performers during World War II.  Loosely based on real people and real events.

June 2017 books

Wow, its almost August and I'm just writing about June...hmmm...

1.  Written in my Own Heart's Blood (Diana Gabaldon)--yes, I've read it before.  I'm impatiently waiting for her new book, someday...it was still a good book.
2.  Borrower of the Night (Elizabeth Peters)--borrowed the audiobook from the library and listened in the car and while I walked.  Still good.
3.  What Could Possibly Go Wrong (Jodi Taylor)--Might be the most recent in the time travel books.  It was good--trashy like the rest, but entertaining.  A good summer read.
4.  Stitches in Time (Barbara Michaels)--audio book from library--enjoyed listening to one of my favorite spooky stories.
5.  Ships and Strings and Wedding Rings (Jodi Taylor)--I was wrong--this one came next--still entertaining.
6. The Circle (Dave Eggers).  It was good but not as suspenseful as I expected.  Maybe because it has been so popular I suspected a few times what would happen next.  Worth the read, don't know if I'll see the movie.
7.  Lies, Damned Lies, and History (Jodi Taylor)--Maybe I should read my whole list before starting to write.  Another time traveling story--still trashy, still entertaining.
8.  The Great St. Mary's Day Out (Jodi Taylor)--ditto
9.  My Name is Markham (Jodi Taylor)--ditto
10.  The Scottish Prisoner (Diana Gabaldon)--I thought I had read this, but it wasn't as familiar as I expected.  Even though the author calls this a short story, it has 560 pages, so, um, not short.  It was a good story and filled in some pieces of her other stories.
11.  Treasure Hunter's Number 4 (James Patterson)--Not even sure what it is really called. We listened to it in the car, it was meh.
12.  Back Over There (Richard Rubin)--Was at a library outside our library system and saw this--looks interesting (cover says something about nonfiction time travel and WWI).  Picked it up at the library and was fascinated.  It is non-fiction--the Author wrote another book about WWI soldiers and this is actually the follow-up.  I'm reading his first book now and frankly, "Back Over There" was better--it drew me in.  Lots of pictures, stories, WWI trivia.  Very interesting book.
13.  Seven Stones to Stand or Fall (Diana Gabaldon)-a collection of short stories--5 previously published (I'd read 4) and 2 new ones.  If you're an Outlander fan, read it

May 2017 Books

Somehow it is June already--here's what I read in May!
1.  Camelot Caper (Elizabeth Peters)--Ok, I really listened to it in the car.  This is a classic and available to check out from the library to download to my car and listen to.  If you are familiar with Elizabeth Peters, this is the first book that John Tregarth appears in...and if you aren't familiar with Elizabeth Peters then you probably don't care :)
2.  After the End (Stephanie Plum)--The book begins with a young woman who realizes that everything she knows might not be true.  It is set up as a post-apocalyptic (teen) novel and has elements of science fiction.  Not top 10, but good.  I did spend several minutes trying to figure out why I know the name Stephanie Plum...I finally figured out it is the name of the main character in the numbered Janet Evanovich books. Weird, right?  Then I wondered if it is a pseudonym....
3.  Until the Beginning (Stephanie Plum)--sequel to #2
4.  The High King (Lloyd Alexander)--Again, listened to in the car. Mr IM's car has been in the shop since the 2nd week of May, so I've had some extra (alone) driving time. (And some extra driving and riding time in general). I am still not a Lloyd Alexander fan, but the reader was decent and now I know what happened...
5.  Naked Once More (Elizabeth Peters)--Listened in the car--I've read it several times before--it is about an author who is told by her publisher that books with "Naked" in the title sell better.  Of course, there is a mystery and perhaps a murder.  Read by Barbara Rosenblat, a nice story to keep me company...

What I read in April 2017

Somehow I only read five books in April and one was an audiobook.  Egads...

1.  The Tsarina's Daughter (Carolly Erickson)--a very fictionalized version of how one of the last Tsarinas (one of the older daughters) could have survived and lived a "normal" life outside of Russia.  It was a good story and would have been believable if the author hadn't written a long preface and a long epilogue telling that it couldn't possibly have happened.  I like my fiction to be fiction...
2. Belzhar (Meg Wolitzer)--So remember a couple months ago when "everyone" on Facebook was posting the fifth line of the 30th page (or whatever it was) of the book nearest to them?  A quote from this book was posted by one of my friends, and I googled the quote, then picked up the book at the library.  It is about a group of teens at a boarding school for kids suffering from grief and loss.  It was a good read--I enjoyed it, even though it was dark.  It had a little bit of science fiction/magic, which added to the story.
3.  The Very First Damned Things (Jodi Taylor)--A good short read while I wait for her new book to come out in a couple months.  This is the "pre-story" of how the organization that examines historical events in their historical context ("It's' not time travel!") began.
4. The Lost Tribe of Coney Island (Claire Prentice)--Nonfiction, set in the early 1900's about a group of Filipino tribespeople who came to the US to be exhibited at Coney Island and other places.  Their manager turned out to be corrupt and the book is about not only the exhibitions but about the subsequent court trials. An interesting read.
5.  Night Train to Memphis (Elizabeth Peters)--Always a classic--I downloaded it from the library and listened in the car.  If you're familiar with Elizabeth Peters, this is a "Vicky" book and is the one where she goes on a Nile cruise and a mystery occurs (as always).

Probably no top ten this month, but all worth the read!

Top Ten Books (that I read) of 2016

There are actually eleven here-with the links to my review from earlier this year.  I took out a couple of my favorites, because they were sequels and although I loved them, they might not be as fabulous to someone who hadn't read the others. (I left in the Stephanie Plum novel though...)  Enjoy!

January 2016
Water from My Heart (Charles Martin)
Along the Way (Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez)
The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah)
March:
13 Hours in Benghazi (Mitchell Zuckoff)
The City (Dean Koonz)
May, June, July
The Oregon Trail (Rinker Buck)
October:
Orange is the New Black
The Winter Garden
December: (no link yet, most recent post)
Hostage Taker Stephanie Pintoff
Turbo Twenty-Two Janet Evanovich

Books I read in December 2016 (There were a bunch...)

I finally read some books in December...maybe because it was cold?  Or because some weekends (when I'm at the apartment) I don't have internet?  In any case, here's the list:
1.  The Slave Dancer (Paula Fox)--This was one of The Boy's "Junior Great Books" (Middle School book club) books.  I'm not sure with this one, as with many of the others, of what makes it a "great book".  It isn't a bad book, but I didn't love it either.  It is about a young boy in America in the early 1800's who is kidnapped and pressed into service aboard a slave ship.  There is a shipwreck and he is one of only two survivors.  It is allegedly based on a true story, sort of.
2.  The City Baker's Guide to Country Living (Louise Miller)-There was a cute excerpt in Reader's Digest a couple months ago and I requested the book from the library.  It was cute. The main character is a baker who is fired from her hoity-toity baking job in the city and goes to hide out at her best friend's house in the country.  She ends up working at a B and B. There is a love story that is cute and some friendships that are nice.
3.  Hostage Taker (Stephanie Pintoff)-Another book that was featured in Reader's Digest.  A mystery/thriller about a woman who works for the FBI as a hostage negotiator.  There is a sequel (see #5) and supposedly more will be added.  Good story, not predictable.
4.  Twisted (Hannah Jayne)-Picked it up in the teen section of the library while waiting for The Boy.  About a girl whose dad is allegedly a serial killer who disappeared when she was very young.  She has a new identity and a new foster family and there is a mystery.  Good mystery.
5.  City on Edge (Stephanie Pintoff)--Sequel to #3--develops the characters more. Another good suspenseful mystery.
6.  Turbo Twenty-Two (Jane Evanovich)--I was thrilled that my hold on this book became available during break (so I could read it almost in one sitting).  Like the other Stephanie Plum books, this one is a trashy mystery, but so entertaining.  Loved reading about Stephanie and her friends and their latest adventures.
7.  It Is Well (James Shipman)-Meh.  An Amazon reader (or whatever that is called) monthly (free) choice.  About a family in the Western US during WWII.  There was just a lot going on--maybe too much.  It was based on true events in the US, in Europe, and in the Pacific and sometimes felt like the author was trying too hard to connect all the pieces.
8.  Finding Fraser (KC Dyer)-Very cute book. The main character decides that since she is fired from her job at a coffee shop that she will go to Scotland and find a husband, like the Scottish main character from Outlander (Jamie Fraser).  She has lots of misadventures.  It's cute.
9.  See Jane Run (Hannah Jayne)-By the same author as #4.  It was interesting.  The main character thinks that she might have been abducted as a child. There is a mystery, some adventure, and then a solution.  Again, there was a lot going on--it was good, but not spectacular.
10.  Who do You Love?  (Jill Weiner)-Another cute book--seemed to be a lot this month.  Follows two people from they are kids until they are in their 40's.  They live in different towns and have very different lives, but their paths keep crossing.
11. White Picket Fences (Susan Meissner)-I really like Meissner's books, but sometimes the endings have me scratching my head--this was one of those.  It is about a modern family and a World War 2 mystery, but there is also a modern mystery about something that happened to one of the modern teenagers when he was a kid.  There isn't really a connection in the end.
12. A Sound Among the Trees (Susan Meissner)--Another modern story but this one has a Civil War mystery.  The story was really good, but about a third of the book was a Civil War diary.  It was a great story, but hard to follow as a diary. Seemed like a lot of time spent "listening" to one person's point of view instead of following everyone as characters.
13.Night Road (Kristin Hannah)--Really enjoyed this book-- there are a couple twists that I didn't see coming.  It follows a set of twins, the girl twins best friend, and the parents of the twins through high school and their 20's. There is a tragedy in the middle and some resolution very late in the book.  
14.  Take the Key and Lock Her Up (Ally Carter)--Waited a long time to read this--it is the 3rd in the Embassy Row series.  I think it is the last book in the series, although maybe not (it seemed like everything was pretty resolved?).  A quick read and answered "what happened" well.


That brings the total for 2016 to :87..not as spectacular as some years, but more than a book a week, so I guess I can't complain.
Stay tuned for my top 10 list...being calculated now!

November 2016 Books

How is November over? (how has it been over for 2 weeks?!)
Here's What I read in November....

1.  Firefly Lane (Kristen Hannah)--Somehow I read the sequel first.  Knowing "what happened next" kind of ruined the story for me--this book seemed like it was supposed to end on a "high note", but since I know what happened next, it was one long bummer.  The sequel also did a good job recapping, so while there was some new material, there wasn't anything too surprising.  If you're going to read these, I'd read this first.
2.  Stars Over Sunset Boulevard (Susan Meissner)--Connects 1930's Hollywood through 1940's/50's and today.  A little about Gone With the Wind, a lot about the relationship between two life-long friends.  Good book.
3.  Building a Better Teacher:  How Teaching Works and How to Teach It To Everyone (Elizabeth Green)--It took me months to get through this.  It was good, had a lot about the research on how math in particular is taught today.  Good advice that boils down to "get into other classrooms and learn from each other".
4.  The Girl in the Glass (Susan Meissner)--Another Meissner book where she connects the past and the present, this time Medieval Florence and today.  Cute story, good read.

Apparently I was busy doing other things during November!

All good books, but none really contenders for top 10....

What I read, October 2016

Here we go....

1.  At the Water's Edge (Sara Gruen)--Like Water for Elephants, this book has a young female main character who is in a bad situation.  It is historical fiction.  The description on Amazon really doesn't tell much of what the book is about-I wasn't sure I wanted to read it after that description, but enjoyed the book.
2.  Finding Bliss (Dina Silver)--Recommended by a friend and ironically had a lot in common with At the Water's Edge.  I didn't love it, but it was a quick read.  I might have liked it more if I hadn't just read such a similar book!
3.  Orange is the New Black (Piper Kerman)--My mom kept recommending it and I was baffled...I mean, haven't all my friends told me what happens on the tv show?  Turns out the book and the tv show have little in common...same basic premise, but real life wasn't as exciting in most ways as the show is.  Book is about redemption and "finding yourself".  Good read.
4.  Blood on the Tracks (Barbara Nickless)--Intriguing book--about a female vet and her search and rescue dog who work in law enforcement in the US.  A sequel is due out next year.  I liked this book, I'm kind of curious about what "happens next" but not super curious.  Good book...waiting to see what happens next.
5.  Secrets of a Charmed Life (Susan Meissner)--I really like how Meissner weaves together historic (fictional) stories with modern (fictional) stories.  This time it revolves around two sisters, separated during World War II and a young woman interviewing a WWII survivor.
6.  The Winter Garden (Kristin Hannah)--Another story with a connection to WWII and a family secret.


Contestants for top 10 of 2016:
Orange is the New Black
Secrets of a Charmed Life
The Winter Garden

What I read in September 2016

Apparently I can't keep track of time well--since I last wrote, I participated in a yarn crawl (and won one of the grand prizes) and have been busy with life.

Here's what I was reading when I wasn't "doing":

1.  All Fall Down:  An Embassy Row Novel (Ally Carter)--I loved "I'd Tell You I Love You, But I'd Have to Kill You", Ms. Carter's series from a few years ago.  Well, at least I loved the first few books.  The last couple were strange.  So when she started this series I didn't jump and read it.  I was looking for a new series (and hanging out in the teen tower) and started reading.  It was good--probably top ten material.  About a teen girl who is the granddaughter of the ambassador to a European country,  It has some similarities to the Gallagher Girls series (spies, secrets, adventure) while staying pretty tame and PG rated.  Entertaining. likeable characters, etc.
2.  See How They Run (Ally Carter)--book two of the series--not as good as book 1, but the third book comes out in December, we'll see if it redeems the series.
3.  Fly Away (Kristin Hannah)--Another find in my search for "something good".  By the same author as The Nightingale.  Just found out it is actually the 2nd book in a mini-series, but I don't remember not understanding anything.  About an Oprah like woman who looses her best friend to cancer and how the choices she makes impact her and others.  good read.  I will probably read more that she has written.
4.  The Last Camel Died at Noon (Elizabeth Peters) on CD--always good in the car..
5.  Play Dead (Anne Frasier)-recommended by a friend and interlibrary loaned through the library.  It is a mystery/crime novel set in Savannah Georgia.  It was good, a little gory at times, but a good story.  If our library owned them, I might eventually read the others.  At this point I'll probably wait. This book centered on a detective who was sort of a voodoo priestess as well and how she solves crimes using her detective smarts and voodoo knowledge.

Only 5 and I'm not sure that any are top ten material--maybe Fly Away or collectively the Ally Carter books...but not spectacular.  I have been reading a book called How to Build A Better Teacher for about a month as well.  While it won't make the top 10, it might get its own post--it is interesting material.

What I read in May, June, and July...Boom...

I'm back...
As soon as I can carve out a few minutes (hours?) I have posts on our Alaska trip--details to follow.  For now, here's an easy post--what I've been reading while MIA...I'll be brief (because let's face it, if you care, you can look up the books at your library or on Amazon)

May:
1.  Masters of Disaster (Gary Paulsen) CD--An oldie but goodie....listened to in car during last weeks of school.  Quoted it all summer..."I'm ok!"
2.  Drums of Autumn (Diana Gabaldon)--Mindless because I've read it before...didn't have to think about it
3.  The Westing Game on CD--by The Boy's request-always a classic...got us through the end of the year

June:
1.  Dead Wake (Erik Larson)-Description says it is about the last voyage of the Lusitania, however, it has much more about how the US actually ended up in WWI.  I was a little disappointed, because I expected it to follow a few characters and their adventures, and it did, but it also had a lot about what was happening in the US and the world (which was interesting, just not what I thought it would be)
2. Wicked Appetite (Janet Evanovich) Audio--Author of the Stephanie Plum novels, good, pretty short. Listened to during the 2 weeks I actually got up early and walked.
3.  Wicked Business (Janet Evanovich) Audio
4.  Pete and the Starcatchers (Dave Barry) Audio-Listened to with The Boy while driving The Girl around the county
5.  Bless Me Ultima (Rudolfo Amaya)-The Girl's summer reading assignment for Honors English.  It was good, about a young boy and his family in the SW US right after WW II.
6. Sherlock Holmes:  Knife's Edge (Andrew Lane)-Picked it up at library in teen tower while waiting for The Boy to pick a book.  It was good, didn't realize it was book 3 or 4 of series until the middle.  Picked up book 1 later (see below) and wasn't as impressed.  This one was very traditional Sherlock Holmes.
7. If You Find Me (Emily Murdoch)-Another one picked up while waiting for The Boy.  About a teenage girl who lives in the wilderness with her mom and sister and one day while the mom has been gone for a month a social worker shows up.  Interesting perspective on what it would be like to "join the 21st century" after living years without modern conveniences.
8.  Pete and the Shadow Thieves (Dave Barry) Audio-Read by Jim Dale, continues the story of how Peter Pan became Peter Pan.  Good in the car.

July:
1.  The Oregon Trail (Rinker Buck)--About a modern day (2011?) journey following the Oregon Trail.  Good book.
2.  Sherlock Holmes:  Death Cloud (Andrew Lane)--book one of the series, not as good as I thought it would be, but a nice short mystery read
3.  Life As We Knew It (Susan Beth Pfeffer)--Picked up in teen tower.  Series of 4 books, I think I might have read them kind of out of order.  Thought it was going to be a teen/chick lit book, but on about page 20 the moon is hit by an asteroid and it becomes dystopian--All four books are pretty short and engaging.  Enjoyed the series (although it was a little horrifying at times).
4.  14 (Peter Clines)--Recommended by my friend, W.  Loved it!  Starts out as a typical mystery and becomes a sci-fi mystery.
5.  Peter and the Secret of Rundoon (Dave Barry) Audio--Continues the story...one more book to go, I think!
6. The Dead and the Gone (Susan Beth Pfeffer)--Book 2, of series (see #3)
7. This World We Live In (Susan Beth Pfeffer)--Book 3, of series (see #3)--I read this one before book 2, because I had it checked out on my kindle and we were without internet on the ship.  There were a couple confusing parts, since I missed book 2...but after reading book 2, I think they were supposed to be confusing...
8.  Laughter of Dead Kings (Elizabeth Peters) Audio--Have it on my car HD drive...listened while driving from place to place without kids...

Possible for Top 10 of 2016:
The Oregon Trail
14

What I read in March 2016

1.  13 Hours in Benghazi (Mitchell Zuckoff)--might make my top 10 of the year-it was good.  Someone recommended I see the movie, saying that "it wasn't political, it was really about some amazing human beings" and I would agree that is true about the book, too.  It was intense and a good read. Didn't want to put it down, even though I kind of knew what would happen from the news.
2.  Dragonfly in Amber (Diana Gabaldon)--Yes, I'm re-reading the series.  It is nice and mindless.
3.  The Photograph (Beverly Lewis)-Another nice mindless book--typical Beverly Lewis, predictable and cute, for lack of a better description.
4. The City (Dean Koonz)-Another that might make my "top ten"--had a lot in common with The Odd Thomas books.  A little supernatural stuff, but not over the top.  A  great story of someone's life.
5.  Outlander Novella (title?)   (Diana Gabaldon)--Can't remember which one, they are all good--this was a short novella about Jamie before he met Claire.
6. Ana of California (Andi Teran)--A modern re-telling of Anne of Green Gables, set in California.  Good story.  Kept me guessing what would happen.
7.  Innocence (Dean Koonz)-not as good as The City, but a good read.  I'm working my way through Koonz's non-Odd Thomas books.

Books I read in February 2016

I'm writing this on February, so I suppose there is a small chance that I'll have to come back and add one more book, but its not looking super likely (I mean, its been a month of Downton Abbey, Agent Carter, the X-Files, and my new favorite.....Castles of Scotland!)  Here you go...
1.  Outlander by Diana Gabalton--Yes, again.  That's all I have to say about that.
2.  House of Odd by Dean Koonz--This, and #3 are more of the graphic novels that  fill in the series, quick reads, kind of fun.
3.  In Odd We Trust by Dean Koonz
4.  The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (CD in car)--We're taking a break from Harry Potter and listening to Percy Jackson for a while.  We're finishing up book 4 and have book 5 on hold...then we either need a new series or we'll return to harry...
5. My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me by Jennifer Teege-I saw this while sitting in the Breckenridge library and was intrigued.  It was interesting, I've read lots of books by Holocaust survivors and their descendants, this was the first I remember about a Nazi descendant.  I can't say it was the best written book I've ever seen, but it wasn't the worst either.  There was a lot of first person narrative and a narrator that inserted other information that kind of interrupted the flow. It was good, but nothing earth shattering, I guess.

So there you go...now I can go read!

What I read in January 2016

So I'm more than a little behind on blogging (if being behind on something voluntary is possible), but here is my January reading post, posted in March...eesh.

1.  Water from My Heart by Charles Martin--this one may make my top 10 of 2016--I know it is early to be thinking about that, but as always, Charles Martin didn't disappoint.  I might pick it up and read it again.  There is, as always, a love story, a crisis, a twist...it was a good, good, book.  I highly recommend it!
2.  Along the Way by Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez--This one might also make the top 10--I know I might be getting ahead of myself, picking so many in January.  I've read a lot of "celebrity" autobiographies and often they are hard to follow.  This one was good--Martin and Emilio told the story of Martin's life so far, with insight from Emilio as Martin's son.  They discussed family, faith, mistakes, forgiveness. It was a good read as well.
3.  Thirteen of the Worst Break Ups in History by Jennifer Wright--picked it up at the library off their featured books table.  It was entertaining, some good history tidbits.  Probably about half of the stories were "just ok", a  couple were really sad/compelling and a couple really entertaining (in a sad way?).
4.  Captive by Aimee Carter-I really wanted this to be better--this is the 2nd book of the Blackcoat series.  It was good, but not my favorite ever. Worth the read to find out what happened,
5.  The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan--Interesting idea.  Picks up in the middle of a story, with the main character telling about the aftermath of a shipwreck.  It was a good book, worth the read, probably not a top ten-er.
6. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline--I liked this a lot more than I thought I would.  It is another dystopian society book, set about 40 years from now.  Has tons of 80's pop culture and video game references.  It was a fun book, although the irony of calling a dystopian book "fun" is not lost on me...
7.  Queen by Aimee Carter--and (see #4) the final book....same review :)
8.  Superior Secrets by Tom Hilpert-- I re-read this book to get ready for the new one (see #10)--Tom Hilpert's books are very entertaining...this one could make my top 10--unless he publishes a better one before the end of the year.  There is a mystery solving Lutheran Pastor in a small town in Northern Wisconsin...can you get more entertaining than that?  Kind of like Garrison Keiller meets Murder She Wrote....
9.  Odd is on Our Side by Dean Koonz and Fred Van Lente--This is a graphic novel, but if you enjoyed the "Odd Thomas" books by Dean Koonz, this is a good short read.  I had ignored the graphic novels for years, but started reading this while waiting for The Boy in the graphic novel section of the library.  It is a "fill in", covers part of the story not told in the regular novels--I enjoyed it, despite it being essentially a comic book for grown ups..
10.Six Months Later by Natalie Richards The Girl saw this book at school and we had the local library order it.  She hasn't read it yet, but now the library owns it, so she can read it later. It was good--I enjoyed it.  It was about a girl who falls asleep in study hall and "loses" six months. Good mystery, interesting idea/story.
11.  The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah--People kept telling me I should read this and I'm glad I did.  It is flips between "now" and World War 2, and for most of the book it isn't clear who is in the "now".  It was good, sad, as many war books are...
12.  The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian As with many Chris Bohjalian books, the title has multiple meanings.  This book is about choices and consequences and about modern day slavery.  The story felt a little contrived (as did #13) as the author tried to fit the story to an issue.  It was good, I like how Chris Bohjalian develops characters, so it was worth the read.
13.  Superior Getaway by Tom Hilpert   So I still liked the story, and Hilpert is still one of my favorite authors...but this story tried too hard to connect to the "hot" story of modern day slavery.  I agree it is an issue that needs to be addressed, but in a novel about a small town minister it didn't flow as well as it might have in other plots.