2013 Reading Challenge Round-Up -- Completed Edition

Look at all these finished challenges!  I did good this year...

Goal: 35/35 books   DONE!!!!!

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (9/28/13)
2. The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (10/20/13)
3. The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman (10/9/13)
4. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (12/6/13)
5. Witches 101 by Melissa de la Cruz (10/1/13)
6. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (11/16/13)
7. Gulliver’s Travel’s by Jonathan Swift (10/3/13)
8. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (11/22/13)
9. The Billionaire Wins the Game by Melody Anne (11/3/13)
10. Her Ladyships Companion by Evangeline Collins (10/9/13)
11. The Sandman Vol. 11 (9/27/13)
12. The Sandman Vol. 12 (9/27/13)
13. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (10/7/13)
14. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (9/29/13)
15. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (12/14/13)
16. Tanglefoot by Cherie Priest (12/15/13)
17. Cape Storm by Rachel Caine (10/1/13)
18. Total Eclipse by Rachel Caine (10/5/13)
19. Iron’s Prophecy by Julie Kagawa (10/10/13)
20. Rose of Fire by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (10/21/13)
21. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (10/27/13)
22. Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith (11/7/13)
23. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh (11/26/13)
24. San Diego 2014 by Mira Grant (10/1/13)
25. 100 Days in Deadland by Rachel Aukes (11/11/13)
26. Lady Susan by Jane Austen (10/10/13)
27. Love and Friendship by Jane Austen (11/11/13)
28. The Watsons by Jane Austen (11/13/13)
29. Jane Austen and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron(11/20/13)
30. Vanity Fair by Thackeray (12/18/13)
31. Inside the Creative Studio by Cate Coulacos Prato (12/11/13)
32. B is for Baby by Suzonne Stirling (12/11/13)
33. Universal Rights Down to Earth by Richard Thompson Ford (12/13/13)
34. Final Jeopardy by Stephen Baker (12/13/13)
35. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (12/3/13)

Goal: 10/10 books  DONE!!!!!!

The Required Categories:

1. 19th Century Classic — Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray (12/18/13)
2. 20th Century Classic — The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (1/24/13)
3. Pre-18th or 18th Century Classic — Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (10/3/13)
4. Classic that relates to the African-American Experience – The Color Purple by Alice Walker (6/24/13)
5. Classic Adventure — The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (11/22/13)
6. Classic that prominently features an Animal - Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne(9/10/13)

Optional Categories:

1. Re-read a Classic — Emma by Jane Austen (5/22/13)
2. Classic Non-Fiction title –The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (9/8/13)
3. Classic Children’s/Young Adult title — The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (4/30/13)
4. Classic Short Stories – The Selected Stories of O. Henry (8/18/13)

Goal: 10/10 books DONE!!!!!

1. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (2/3/13)
2. Persuasion by Jane Austen (1/21/13)
3. Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris (6/6/13)
4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (8/28/13)
5. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer (9/14/13)
6. Lady Susan by Jane Austen (10/10/13)
7. Love and Friendship by Jane Austen (11/11/13)
8. The Watsons by Jane Austen (11/13/13)
9. Jane Austen and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron(11/20/13)
10. Sandition by Jane Austen (12/18/13)

Goal: 5/5 books  DONE!!!!!!

1. The Doomsday Vault by Steven Harper (3/20/13)
2. The Impossible Cube by Steven Harper (5/4/13)
3. The Dragon Men by Steven Harper (9/2/13)
4. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (12/14/13)
5. Tanglefoot by Cherie Priest (12/15/13)

Goal: 60/60 Books   DONE!!!!!!!!

1. Wanted by Mark Millar (1/2/13)
2. Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi (1/2/13)
3. Ill Wind by Rachel Caine (1/12/13)
4. Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine (1/12/13)
5. Valley of Silence by Nora Roberts (3/17/13)
6. Morrigan’s Cross by Nora Roberts (3/3/13)
7. Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts (3/9/13)
8. Chill Factor by Rachel Caine (1/13/13)
9. Firestorm by Rachel Caine (2/16/13)
10. The Hostage by Susan Wiggs (5/22/13)
11. The Mistress by Susan Wiggs (6/4/13)
12. Thin Air by Rachel Caine (2/22/13)
13. Windfall by Rachel Caine (2/11/13)
14. Change of Fortune by Jen Turano (1/3/13)
15. One Day by David Nicholls (1/29/13)
16. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (1/9/13)
17. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (1/24/13)
18. Almost America by Steve Tally (1/14/13)
19. Locke and Key Vol 1: Welcome to Lovecraft (1/4/13)
20. Locke and Key Vol 2: Head Games (1/4/13)
21. Locke and Key Vol 3: Crown of Shadows (1/5/13)
22. Locke and Key Vol 4: Keys to the Kingdom (1/6/13)
23. MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche (5/31/13)
24. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain (6/23/13)
25. The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs (6/13/13)
26. The Color Purple by Alice Walker (6/24/13)
27. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin (7/26/13)
28. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (8/17/13)
29. The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason (7/13/13)
30. Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason (7/15/13)
31. When Twilight Burns by Colleen Gleason (8/5/13)
32. The Bleeding Dusk by Colleen Gleason (8/1/13)
33. As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason (9/5/13)
34. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (9/8/13)
35. Gale Force by Rachel Caine (9/9/13)
36. Bachelor Girl by Betsy Israel (9/10/13)
37. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer (9/14/13)
38. Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder (9/17/13)
39. Cape Storm by Rachel Caine (10/1/13)
40. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (10/3/13)
41. Total Eclipse by Rachel Caine (10/5/13)
42. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (10/7/13)
43. Her Ladyship’s Companion by Evangeline Collins (10/9/13)
44. The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman (10/9/13)
45. Iron’s Prophecy by Julie Kagawa (10/10/13)
46. The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (10/20/13)
47. Rose of Fire by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (10/21/13)
48. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (10/27/13)
49. The Billionaire Wins the Game by Melody Anne (11/3/13)
50. Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith (11/7/13)
51. 100 Days in Deadland by Rachel Aukes (11/11/13)
52. Love and Friendship by Jane Austen (11/11/13)
53. The Watsons by Jane Austen (11/13/13)
54. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (11/16/13)
55. Jane Austen and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron(11/20/13)
56. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (11/22/13)
57. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh (11/26/13)
58. Boneshaler by Cherie Priest (12/14/13)
59. Tanglefoot by Cherie Priest (12/15/13)
60. Vanity Fair by Thackeray (12/18/13)

Goal: 52/52 books DONE!!!!!

1. Wanted by Mark Millar (1/2/13)
2. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (1/10/13)
3. Almost America by Steve Tally (1/14/13)
4. A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah (1/21/13)
5. Thomas Paine by Craig Nelson (1/28/13)
6. Chicks Dig Time Lords by Lynne Thomas and Tara O’Shea (2/3/13)
7. Windfall by Rachel Caine (2/11/13)
8. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (2/18/13)
9. The Complete Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales (2/26/13)
10. Death: At Death’s Door by Jill Thompson (3/4/13)
11. Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake (3/11/13)
12. The Doomsday Vault by Steven Harper (3/20/13)
13. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (3/30/13)
14. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain (4/5/13)
15. P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern (4/13/13)
16. Zom-B by Darren Shan (4/13/14)
17. Birth by Tina Cassidy (4/20/13)
18. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (4/28/13)
19. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (5/11/13)
20. Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson (5/12/13)
21. The Hostage by Susan Wiggs (5/22/13)
22. The Postman by David Brin (5/27/13)
23. The Mistress by Susan Wiggs (6/4/13)
24. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (6/13/13)
25. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain (6/22/13)
26. Fables 18: Cubs in Toyland (6/23/13)
27. The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (7/7/13)
28. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (7/7/13)
29. Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason (7/15/13)
30. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (7/24/13)
31. The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Robert Kirkman (7/27/13)
32. When Twilight Burns by Colleen Gleason (8/5/13)
33. Wedding of the Century (8/14/13)
34. Selected Stories of O. Henry (8/18/13)
35. The Sandman Vol. 8 (8/29/13)
36. M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman (9/1/13)
37. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (9/8/13)
38. Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder (9/17/13)
39. The Sandman Vol. 11: The Dream Hunters (9/27/13)
40. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (9/28/13)
41. Her Ladyship’s Companion by Evangeline Collins (10/9/13)
42. The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (10/20/13)
43. Rose of Fire by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (10/21/13)
44. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (10/27/13)
45. The Billionaire Wins the Game by Melody Anne (11/3/13)
46. 100 Days in Deadland by Rachel Aukes (11/11/13)
47. Jane Austen and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron(11/20/13)
48. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh (11/26/13)
49. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (12/3/13)
50. Inside the Creative Studio by Cate Coulacos Prato (12/11/13)
51. Tanglefoot by Cherie Priest (12/15/13)
52. Sandition by Jane Austen  (12/18/13)

Goal: 15/15 books  DONE!!!!!!

1. History- US, World, European – Almost America by Steve Tally (1/14/13)
2. Autobiography, Biography, Memoir – A Long Way Gone by Ishamel Beah (1/21/13)
3. Food – Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain (4/5/13)
4. Family, Relationships, Parenting, Dating, Love – MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche (5/31/13)
5. Music, Film, TV – Chicks Dig Time Lords by Lynne Thomas and Tara O’Shea (2/3/13)
6. Health, Medicine – Birth by Tina Cassidy (4/20/13)
7. Religion, Spirituality, Philosophy – The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (7/7/13)
8. Anthropology, Archaeology – Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond (8/12/13)
9. How To – A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book by Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman (9/10/13)
10. Cultural Studies – Bachelor Girl by Betsy Israel (9/10/13)
11. Business, Finance, Management – The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman (10/9/13)
12. Home – Inside the Creative Studio by Cate Coulacos Prato (12/11/13)
13. Crafts – B is for Baby by Suzonne Stirling (12/11/13)
14. Technology – Final Jeopardy by Stephen Baker (12/13/13)
15. Government – Universal Rights Down to Earth by Richard Thompson Ford (12/13/13)

Goal: 12/12 Books  DONE!!!!!

• January (cold) – Chill Factor by Rachel Caine (1/13/13)
• February (family) – The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein (2/7/13)
• March (valley) – Valley of Silence by Nora Roberts (3/17/13)
• April (garden) – The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (4/30/13)
• May (name) – Emma by Jane Austen (5/22/13)
• June (never) – Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (6/20/13)
• July  – Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason (7/15/13)
• August – The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (8/17/13)
• September (shadow) – As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason (9/5/13)
• October (witch) – Witches 101 by Melissa de la Cruz (10/1/13)
• November (number) – The Billionaire Wins the Game by Melody Anne (11/3/13)
• December – The Road by Cormac McCarthy (12/6/13)

Goal: 20/20 movies/books  DONE!!!!

1. The Reader (1/24/13)
2. Mansfield Park (2/3/13)
3. A Game of Thrones (1/9/13)
4. One Day (1/29/13)
5. The Secret Garden (4/30/13)
6. Emma (5/22/13)
7. Never Let Me Go (6/20/13)
8. Coraline (3/21/13)
9. Stardust (4/11/13)
10. Cowboys vs. Aliens (2/9/13)
11. 300 (2/12/13)
12. Warm Bodies (6/13/13)
13. The Color Purple (6/24/13)
14. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (6/26/13)
15. Guns, Germs, and Steel (8/12/13)
16. The Host (8/24/13)
17. Pride and Prejudice (8/28/13)
18. The Count of Monte Cristo (11/22/13)
19. Gulliver’s Travels (10/3/13)
20. The Road (12/6/13)

Goal: 10/10 books  DONE!!!!!

1. Morrigan’s Cross by Nora Roberts (3/3/13)
2. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (10/7/13)
3. MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche (5/31/13)
4. Stardust by Neil Gaiman (4/11/13)
5. Matched by Ally Condie (2/21/13)
6. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (11/22/13)
7. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2/9/13)
8. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain (4/5/13)
9. Storm Glass by Maria Snyder (9/17/13)
10. Every Day by David Levithan (8/15/13)

Goal: 20/20 books   DONE!!!!

1. 300 (2/12/13)
2. Cowboys and Aliens (2/9/13)
3. The Walking Dead Book 5 (5/14/13)
4. Fables Vol 17 Inherit the Wind (2/4/13)
5. Wanted (1/2/13)
6. Chicken with Plums (1/2/13)
7. Locke and Key Vol. 1 (1/4/13)
8. Locke and Key Vol. 2 (1/4/13)
9. Locke and Key Vol. 3 (1/5/13)
10. Locke and Key Vol. 4 (1/6/13)
11. Locke and Key Vol. 5 (3/1/13)
12. A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel (3/1/13)
13. Death: At Death’s Door by Jill Thompson (3/4/13)
14. The Walking Dead Book Six (5/14/13)
15. The Walking Dead Book Seven (5/17/13)
16. The Walking Dead Volume 17 (5/17/13)
17. Fables 18: Cubs in Toyland (6/23/13)
18. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (8/19/13)
19. American Vampire Vol. 1 (8/21/13)
20. Hyperbole and Half by Allie Brosh (11/26/13)

Goal: 5/5 books  DONE!!!!

1. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (2/18/13)
2. Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts (3/9/13)
3. Storm Glass by Maria Snyder (9/17/13)
4. Witches 101 by Melissa de la Cruz (10/1/13)
5. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (11/16/13)

Goal: 6/6 books  DONE!!!!!

1. Zom-B by Darren Shan (4/14/13)
2. The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Robert Kirkman (7/27/13)
3. The New Deadwardians (8/19/13)
4. Apocalypse Z by Manel Loureiro (9/1/13)
5. San Diego 2014 by Mira Grant (10/1/13)
6. 100 Days in Deadland by Rachel Aukes (11/11/13)

Goal: 12/12 books  DONE!!!!!

1. Translated fiction – The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (1/24/13)
2. Historical mystery – The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie King (2/26/13)
3. Romantic suspense – As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason (9/5/13)
4. Made into a movie – P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern (4/13/13)
5. New Adult – Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker Smith (11/7/13)
6. Urban Fantasy –London Eye by Tim Lebbon (3/15/13)
7. Dystopian – Crossed by Ally Condie (3/1/13)
8. Memoir – Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (3/15/13)
9. LGBT – Every Day by David Levithan (8/15/13)
10. Action Adventure –The Doomsday Vault by Steven Harper (3/20/13)
11. Humour– Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (1/10/13)
12. Published in 2013 – And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (8/8/13)

Goal: 5/5 books  DONE!!!!

1. The Wedding Gift by Lucy Kevin (1/24/13)
2. The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs (6/13/13)
3. The Billionaire Wins the Game by Melody Anne (11/3/13)
4. Her Ladyship’s Companion by Evangeline Collins (10/9/13)
5. Wedding of the Century (8/14/13)

Goal: 15/15 books DONE!!!!!

1. Almost America by Steve Tally (1/14/13)
2. Thomas Paine by Craig Nelson (1/28/13)
3. Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine (1/12/13)
4. The Passage by Justin Cronin (1/20/13)
5. Thin Air by Rachel Caine (2/22/13)
6. The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (7/7/13)
7. When Twilight Burns by Colleen Gleason (8/5/13)
8. Selected Stories of O. Henry (8/18/13)
9. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (8/20/13)
10. The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (10/20/13)
11. Gulliver’s Travel by Jonathan Swift (10/3/13)
12. Bachelor Girl by Betsy Israel (9/10/13)
13. Gale Force by Rachel Caine (9/9/13)
14. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer (9/14/13)
15. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (9/8/13)

Goal: 15/15 books  DONE!!!!!!!

ROMANCE

1. Contemporary – P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern (4/13/13)
2. Historical – Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson (5/12/13)
3. Paranormal – Vampire for Christmas by Felicity Heaton (7/12/13)

HORROR

1. Science Fiction – London Eye by Tim Lebbon (3/15/13)
2. Psychological – Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2/9/13)
3. Young Adult – Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake (3/11/13)

THRILLER/SUSPENSE

1. Historical – A Foreign Affair by Caro Peacock (1/22/13)
2. Action – Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine (1/12/13)
3. Supernatural – Chill Factor by Rachel Caine (1/13/13)

SCIENCE/FANTASY

1. Vampire – Morrigan’s Cross by Nora Roberts (3/3/13)
2. Dystopian – Crossed by Ally Condie (3/1/13)
3. Epic Fantasy – A Game of Thrones by George Martin (1/9/13)

MYSTERY/CRIME

1. Historical – The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (10/20/13)
2. Romantic – Change of Fortune by Jen Turano (1/3/13)
3. Classic Whodunit – The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R. King (2/26/13)

Goal: 25/25 Ebooks  DONE!!!!!

1. The Wedding Gift by Lucy Kevin (1/24/13)
2. The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Anderson (2/26/13)
3. Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein (2/7/13)
4. Beauty or the Bitch by Jasmine Haynes (1/9/13)
5. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (2/3/13)
6. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (3/21/13)
7. 300 (2/12/13)
8. Persuasion by Jane Austen (1/21/13)
9. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (1/10/13)
10. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (3/30/13)
11. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain (4/5/13)
12. Stardust by Neil Gaiman (4/11/13)
13. The Postman by David Brin (5/27/13)
14. The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (7/7/13)
15. Vampire for Christmas by Felicity Heaton (7/12/13)
16. Lost by Gregory Maguire (7/12/13)
17. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (8/8/13)
18. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (8/28/13)
19. Max Stops the Presses by Colleen Gleason (9/5/13)
20. Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne (9/10/13)
21. Witches 101 by Melissa de la Cruz (10/1/13)
22. Lady Susan by Jane Austen (10/10/13)
23. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (9/20/13)
24. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (9/28/13)
25. San Diego 2014 by Mira Grant (10/1/13)

Goal: 8/8 series DONE!!!!

Started in 2012

1. Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series (6,7,8,9,10,11,12) (9/27/13)
2. Rick Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus series (3) (7/24/13)
3. Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood series (2) (3/11/13)

Started in 2013

1. Rachel Caine’s Weather Warden series (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9) (10/5/13)
2. Jennifer Armintrout’s Lightworld/Darkworld series (1,2,3) – DNF’d
3. Nora Robert’s Morrigan’s Cross series (1,2,3) (3/17/13)
4. Ally Condie’s Matched series (1,2,3) (7/12/13)
5. Susan Wiggs’ Chicago Fire series (1,2,3) (6/13/13)
6. Colleen Gleason’s Gardella Vampire Chronicles (1,2,3,4,5) (9/5/13)

Goal: 15/15 books  DONE!!!!!

1. Neverwhere (3/30/13)
2. Good Omens (1/10/13)
3. Coraline (3/21/13)
4. Stardust (4/11/13)
5. M is for Magic (9/1/13)
6. Sandman Vol 6 (8/19/13)
7. Sandman Vol 7 (8/19/13)
8. Sandman Vol 8 (8/29/13)
9. Sandman Vol 9 (8/29/13)
10. Sandman Vol 10 (8/29/13)
11. Sandman Vol 11 (9/27/13)
12. Sandman Vol 12 (9/27/13)
13. Anansi Boys (10/7/13)
14. The Graveyard Book (9/20/13)
15. The Ocean at the End of the Lane (9/29/13)

Goal: 30/30 books  DONE!!!!!

1. Matched by Ally Condie (2/21/13)
2. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (2/18/13)
3. The Passage by Justin Cronin (1/20/13)
4. Crossed by Ally Condie (3/1/13)
5. A Foreign Affair by Caro Peacock (1/22/13)
6. Thomas Paine by Craig Nelson (1/28/13)
7. Terror by Night by Ambrose Bierce (2/14/13)
8. Chicks Dig Time Lords by Lynne Thomas and Tara O’Shea (2/3/13)
9. Fables Vol 17 Inherit the Wind (2/4/13)
10. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2/9/13)
11. Cowboys vs. Aliens (2/9/13)
12. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (2/14/13)
13. Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (3/15/13)
14. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (4/28/13)
15. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (6/20/13)
16. Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris (6/6/13)
17. Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond (8/12/13)
18. Wedding of the Century (8/14/13)
19. The Sandman Vol 6 (8/19/13)
20. The Sandman Vol 7 (8/19/13)
21. Selected Stories of O. Henry (8/18/13)
22. The New Deadwardians (8/19/13)
23. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (8/20/13)
24. The Host by Stephenie Meyer (8/24/13)
25. The Sandman Vol. 8 (8/29/13)
26. The Sandman Vol. 9 (8/29/13)
27. The Sandman Vol. 10 (8/29/13)
28. M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman (9/1/13)
29. Apocalypse Z by Manel Loureiro (9/1/13)
30. The Dragon Men by Steven Harper (9/2/13)

Goal: 6/6 Books  DONE!!!!!!

1. Up or Down: Windfall by Rachel Caine (2/11/13)
2. Kitchen Find: The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (8/20/13)
3. Party or Celebration: The Wedding Gift by Lucy Kevin (1/24/13)
4. Fire: Firestorm by Rachel Caine (2/16/13)
5. Emotion: Terror by Night by Ambrose Bierce (2/14/13)
6. Lost or Found: Lost by Gregory Maguire (7/12/13)

Goal: 18/18 Books  DONE!!!!!!

1. Contemporary – One Day by David Nicholls (1/29/13)
2. Historical – The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (7/7/13)
3. Paranormal – Windfall by Rachel Caine (2/11/13)
4. Fantasy – A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin (7/26/13)
5. Romance – The Mistress by Susan Wiggs (6/4/13)
6. Thriller – The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason (7/13/12)
7. Nonfiction – The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill by Mark Bittner (6/26/13)
8. Women’s Fiction – The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (2/14/13)
9. Chick Lit – The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (8/1713)
10. Dystopian – Matched by Ally Condie (2/21/13)
11. Horror – Terror by Night by Ambrose Bierce (2/14/13)
12. Biography – Thomas Paine by Craig Nelson (1/28/13)
13. Fairy Tales – The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (8/20/13)
14. Classics – A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain (6/23/13)
15. SciFi – The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein (2/7/13)
16. Short Stories – The Complete Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales (2/26/13)
17. Erotica – Beauty or the Bitch by Jasmine Haynes (1/9/13)
18. Epic Fantasy – A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (4/28/13)

Goal: 25/25 authors  DONE!!!!!

1. Jane Austen (1/21/13)
2. Carrie Bebris (6/6/13)
3. Alison Bechdel (8/19/13)
4. Rachel Bertsche (5/31/13)
5. Kendare Blake (3/11/13)
6. Rachel Caine (1/12/13)
7. Tina Cassidy (4/20/13)
8. Ally Condie (3/1/13)
9. Gillian Flynn (2/9/13)
10. Jessica Day George (3/2/13)
11. Colleen Gleason (8/1/13)
12. Jasmine Haynes (1/9/13)
13. Felicity Heaton (7/12/13)
14. Laura Hillenbrand (5/11/13)
15. Stacey Kade (3/8/13)
16. Jenny Lawson (3/15/13)
17. Paula McLain (7/7/13)
18. Kate Morton (2/14/13)
19. Nora Roberts (3/9/13)
20. Marjane Satrapi (1/2/13)
21. Lynne Thomas (2/3/13)
22. Jill Thompson (3/4/13)
23. Alice Walker (6/24/13)
24. Stephanie Grace Whitson (5/12/13)
25. Susan Wiggs (5/22/13)

Goal: 25/25 authors   DONE!!!!!!

1. Cecelia Ahern (4/13/13)
2. Sarah Addison Allen (2/18/13)
3. Ishmael Beah (1/21/13)
4. Mark Bittner (6/26/13)
5. David Brin (5/27/13)
6. Ally Condie (2/21/13)
7. Justin Cronin (1/20/13)
8. Jared Diamond (8/12/13)
9. Jessica Day George (3/2/13)
10. Colleen Gleason (7/13/13)
11. Steven Harper (5/4/13)
12. Joe Hill (1/4/13)
13. Stacey Kade (3/6/13)
14. Laurie King (2/26/13)
15. Tim Lebbon (3/15/13)
16. David Levithan (8/15/13)
17. George R.R. Martin (1/9/13)
18. Craig Nelson (1/28/13)
19. David Nicholls (1/29/13)
20. Caro Peacock (1/22/13)
21. Nora Roberts (3/3/13)
22. Bernhard Schlink (1/24/13)
23. Darren Shan (4/14/13)
24. Steve Tally (1/14/13)
25. Jen Turano (1/3/13)

Goal: 24/24 books  DONE!!!!!

1. Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake (3/11/13)
2. Locke and Key Vol. 5 (3/1/13)
3. A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah (1/21/13)
4. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie King (2/26/13)
5. A Game of Thrones: Graphic Novel Vol. 1 (3/1/13)
6. Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George (3/2/13)
7. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (3/2/13)
8. Death: At Death’s Door by Jill Thompson (3/4/13)
9. The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade (3/6/13)
10. Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade (3/8/13)
11. London Eye by Time Lebbon (3/15/13)
12. The Doomsday Vault by Steven Harper (3/20/13)
13. Zom-B by Darren Shan (4/14/13)
14. Birth by Tina Cassidy (4/20/13)
15. The Impossible Cube by Steven Harper (5/4/13)
16. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (5/11/13)
17. Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson (5/12/13)
18. The Walking Dead Book Five (5/14/13)
19. The Walking Dead Book Six (5/14/13)
20. The Walking Dead Book Seven (5/17/13)
21. The Walking Dead Volume 17 (5/17/13)
22. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (6/113/13)
23. Fables 18: Cubs in Toyland (6/23/13)
24. Reached by Ally Condie (7/12/13)

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Title: The Angel's Game (Cemetery of Forgotten Books #2)

Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Publisher: Anchor 2010

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 544

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Sub-Genre -- Historical Mystery; Mount TBR; Dusty Bookshelf; Fall into Reading; 52 Books -- W42

How I Got It: I own it!

In this powerful, labyrinthian thriller, David Martín is a pulp fiction writer struggling to stay afloat. Holed up in a haunting abandoned mansion in the heart of Barcelona, he furiously taps out story after story, becoming increasingly desperate and frustrated. Thus, when he is approached by a mysterious publisher offering a book deal that seems almost too good to be real, David leaps at the chance. But as he begins the work, and after a visit to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, he realizes that there is a connection between his book and the shadows that surround his dilapidated home and that the publisher may be hiding a few troubling secrets of his own. Once again, Ruiz Zafón takes us into a dark, gothic Barcelona and creates a breathtaking tale of intrigue, romance, and tragedy

The next amazing book in Zafon's series focusing on his love of literature.  Just like the first book, this one starts out normal.  We assume that the story will progress and the main character will continue on his journey to write the great pieces of literature he has always wanted. And then things start to get weird.  I love the little bits of weird.  Zafon crafts an intriguing mystery that you don't even realize until you're halfway through the book.  It's a great mystery, full of deceitful characters and a city that seems like a character unto itself.  It took me forever to read this book due to have a baby in the middle of it, but I enjoyed every page of it.  I can't wait to pick up the third book in the series, but first I am going to read the prequel.

Cemetery of Forgotten Books

• 0.5 The Rose of Fire
• 1. The Shadow of the Wind
• 2. The Angel's Game
• 3. The Prisoner of Heaven

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Title: A Game of Thrones (Song of Fire and Ice #1)

Author: George R.R. Martin

Publisher: Bantam 1996

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Pages: 835

Rating:  5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC -- Fantasy/Scifi/Steampunk; Genre -- Epic Fantasy; Mount TBR; New Authors; Page to Screen

How I Got It: I own it

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

I've been meaning to get around to reading this for awhile, but somehow I kept putting it off.  Well, I finally starting reading while traveling home to California.  And I'm so glad I did.  It was unbelievably amazing.  Martin has created such an intricate world with a variety of peoples and histories.  I wept with Daenerys and raged against the Lannisters (except for Tyrion).  I feared with Jon Snow and the Night's Watch and delighted in Arya's swordplay.  I speed through all 835 pages in a few days.  I couldn't wait to see what happened next.  Even the changing points of view didn't bother me like they usually do.  I have no idea how Martin will wrap any of this up, but I'm definitely reading them all.

Television Series:

I watched the series before reading the book, but no matter.  The creators changed little things here and there, but mostly kept right to the storyline.  I love the actors, but Peter Dinklage is my absolutely favorite.  He is amazing as Tyrion Lannister.  And Kit Harrington has an amazing strength as Jon Snow.  And Emilia Clarke as Daenerys is just gorgeous.  I can't wait to see what happens in season 2.

A Song of Fire and Ice:

1. A Game of Thrones
2. A Clash of Kings
3. A Storm of Swords
4. A Feast for Crows
5. A Dance with Dragons
6. The Winds of Winter

Change of Fortune by Jen Turano

Title: Change of Fortune (Ladies of Distinction #1)

Author: Jen Turano

Publisher: Bethany House 2012

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 202

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Sub Genre -- Mystery, Romance; New Authors; Mount TBR; Book Bingo -- 1 from TBR Pile; T4MC -- J Author (5 points)

How I Got It: I won it!  An ARC

Lady Eliza Sumner is on a mission. Her fortune was the last thing she had left after losing her father, her fiance, and her faith. Now, masquerading as Miss Eliza Sumner governess-at-large, she's determined to find the man who ran off with her fortune, reclaim the money, and head straight back to London.

Mr. Hamilton Beckett, much to his chagrin, is the catch of the season, and all the eyes of New York society--all the female ones, at least--are on him. He has no plans to marry again, especially since his hands are full keeping his business afloat while raising his two children alone.

Eliza's hapless attempts to regain her fortune unexpectedly put her right in Hamilton's path. The discovery of a common nemesis causes them to join forces and, before she knows it, Eliza has a whole retinue of people helping her. Eliza's determination not to trust anyone weakens when everyone's antics and bumbling efforts to assist her make her wonder if there might be more important things than her fortune and independence.

When all of Hamilton's and Eliza's best-laid plans fall by the wayside, it will take a riot of complications for them to realize that God just might have had a better plan in mind all along.

A good choice to help kick off my new's reads.  I won this ARC a few weeks back and decided to throw it in my suitcase for reading on the plane.  I didn't read it on the plane but devoured it in just two days before my trip back.  The romane, the adventure, and the mystery were all great elements.  I loved Eliza's spunk and Hamilton's devotion.  The rest of the characters were fun and useful.  Zayne and Agatha were by far my favorites.  Piper and Ben were the cutest children ever.  I really enjoyed read this book.  However, I have one issue: the Christian angle.  Suddenly about half way through the book more and more characters are bringing up their faith.  It felt a bit after the fact to me.  I didn't see it as an apparent main theme.  In that way, it seemed just a bit disingenuous.  If that's the angle taken, I would like to see it incorporated at the start of the book.  But even that little issue didn't keep me from enjoying the book.  Plus, I started my year off right with a good read.

Ladies of Distinction

• #0.5 Gentleman of Her Dreams
• #1 A Change of Fortune
• #2 A Most Peculiar Circumstance
• #3 A Talent for Trouble
• #4 A Match of Wits