Seducing the Heiress by Olivia Drake

Title: Seducing the Heiress (Heiress in London #1)

Author: Olivia Drake

Publisher: St. Martin's Press 2009

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 312

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; What's in a Name - Ing; Seriously Series; 52 Books - W6; New Authors

Her wealth and beauty have made Miss Portia Crompton the catch of the season. Secretly determined to wed the maharajah’s son she left behind in India, Portia ignores the money-hungry bucks who ply her with bouquets and bonbons. But one suitor will not be deterred: Colin Byrd, Viscount Ratcliffe. He is persistent and presumptuous—and wickedly tempting.
Colin has no delusions about romance. He’s a rogue, a womanizer, and a murderer, and seduction comes as easily to him as breathing. Portia’s fortune is an irresistible lure until Colin’s mercenary scheme hits a snag. Winning her dowry is no longer enough—he wants her heart and her passion. The more adamant she is in her refusal, the more determined he is to seduce her…

Every once in awhile, I love a good mindless historical romance. This one fulfilled that desire. I read in two sittings. Portia and Colin were great characters. The storyline was a bit predictable, but I still loved falling into the world for a little while. I'm definitely going to be grabbing the next book in the series to read this weekend at the retreat.

Heiress in London:

#1 Seducing the Heiress
#2 Never Trust a Rogue
#3 Scandal of the Year

2015 A to Z Titles and What's in a Name Reading Challenge

For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic. I am going to read women authors. I feel like I've been neglecting all those wonderful female authors sitting on my shelves. I will be tailoring my challenge participation to account for this overall goal. I do have a few exceptions. I may read a male author if 1) I've already started the series and desperately want to finish it (i.e. Song of Ice and Fire) 2) It is a book club selection (out of my hands) or 3) If it is a male author writing nonfiction specifically about a women subject (e.g. a biography of Kate Chopin). Other than those three exceptions, I want to discover some wonderful women authors.

From Escape with Dollycas:

This challenge will run from January 1st, 2014 until December 31st, 2014.
You can join anytime. You do not have to review the book. Books can come from any genre.
You do not need to link up each spoonful.
Make a page or a post or a GoodReads shelf where you will keep track of your spoonfuls. I keep track of mine on my Challenge Page.
Crossovers to other challenges are allowed and encouraged!
It’s an alphabet challenge!!! The challenge is to read one book that has a title starting with every letter of the alphabet.
You can drop the A’s and The’s from the book titles as shown below. For those pesky Q, X AND Z titles the word with the challenge letter can be anywhere in the title.
So there are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z Reading Challenge.
A – How I plan to do it: Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.
OR
B – Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet. For example:A – All the President’s Menus by Julie Hyzy B- Bushel Full of Murder by Paige Shelton C – Criminal Confections by Collette London D – Dark Chocolate Demise by Jenn McKinlayetc.
Books can be read in any order and all formats – print – e-book – audio – are acceptable for this challenge!

After a year off, I'm rejoining this challenge. I don't have my list yet, but I imagine it will start to be compiled soon...

From The Worm Hole:

The basics
The challenge runs from January to December. During this time you choose a book to read from each of the following categories (examples of books you could choose are in brackets):
A word including ‘ing’ in it (The Time Of Singing, Dancing To The Flute, Lex Trent Fighting With Fire) My examples are verbs but you can of course use other words.
A colour (The Red Queen, White Truffles In Winter, On Gold Mountain)
A familial relation (Daughter Of Smoke And Bone, Dombey And Son, My Cousin Rachel) By all means include in-laws, step, and halves.
A body of water (The River Of No Return, Black Lake, Beside The Sea)
A city (Barcelona Shadows, Shanghai Girls, Under The Tripoli Sky)
An animal (Black Swan Rising, The Leopard Unleashed, The Horse And His Boy)
Extra information

Books can be any format (print, audio, ebook).
It’s preferred that the books don’t overlap with other challenges, but not a requirement at all.
Books cannot overlap categories (for instance my example of Black Swan Rising for ‘an animal’ could be used for the ‘colour’ category or ‘animal’ category, but not both).
Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed, it’s encouraged!
You don’t have to make your list of books beforehand, you can choose them as you go.
You don’t have to read your chosen books in any particular order.

I'm definitely in for this one again. Can't wait to shop my shelves for books that fulfill each category!

Love Finds You in Hershey Pennsylvania by Cerella D. Sechrist

Title: Love Finds You in Hershey Pennsylvania

Author: Cerella D. Sechrist

Publisher: Summerside Press 2010

Genre: Christian Romance

Pages: 347

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; A to Z - L; What's in a Name - City; 52 Books - W2; New Author

Chef Sadie Spencer is living the sweet life, running a successful eatery in the charming town of Hershey. That is, until a handsome stranger arrives with plans to open a competing restaurant. Will Sadie melt under the pressure…or find a love that's simply icing on the cake?

Not impressed by this one. I enjoyed the first half of the book. Sadie and Jaspar were an interesting couple and I love them getting together. And then the book took a huge turn and I just wanted to slap Sadie. Ugh! Not a fan of that character at all. Her obsession with the dessert competition wasn't an interesting challenge, it was neglectful. I just couldn't stand her at all. My major dislike of the main character permeated my reading experience for the rest of the novel. I finished it, but wasn't excited at all.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Title: An Abundance of Katherines

Author: John Green

Publisher: Speak 2006

Genre: YA Contemporary

Pages: 228

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Teen; Top 100 YA; Mount TBR; 52 Books - W39; What's in a Name - Names

Colin Singleton believes he is a washed-up child prodigy. A graduating valedictorian with a talent for creating anagrams, he fears he'll never do anything to classify him as a genius. To make matters worse, he has just been dumped by his most recent girlfriend (all of them have been named Katherine), and he's inconsolable. What better time for a road trip! He and his buddy Hassan load up the gray Olds (Satan's Hearse) and leave Chicago. They make it as far as Gutshot, Tennessee, where they stop to tour the gravesite of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and meet a girl who isn't named Katherine. It's this girl, Lindsey, who helps Colin work on a mathematical theorem to predict the duration of romantic relationships.

It took me awhile to get into this book, but once I did, I was right there with the characters. Green has a way with characters that's for sure. I love the quirkiness of all the characters, especially Lindsey. The storyline wasn't the best thing, but worked well with the characters. I even loved reading about the math behind Colin's theorem. It may not be my area, but it was a great nerdy addition. Not quite as good overall as The Fault in Our Stars, but I still really loved this one.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Title: The Little Prince

Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Publisher: Reynal & Hitchcock 1943

Genre: Children's Literature

Pages: 112

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fantasy Project; 1001 Books; New Author; Monthly Key - July; What's in a Name - Position of Royalty

Few stories are as widely read and as universally cherished by children and adults alike as The Little Prince. Richard Howard's new translation of the beloved classic--published to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's birth--beautifully reflects Saint-Exupéry's unique and gifted style. Howard has excelled in bringing the English text as close as possible to the French, in language, style, and most important, spirit.

Somehow I have gone 32 years without reading The Little Prince. This is the year I rectify that slight. And I'm so glad that I did. This is a delightful little story that appeals to all ages. It's usually shelved in the children's section, but really it could be shelved anywhere. The nuggets of wisdom sprinkled throughout make it a classic. I love that this story has some many different layers. I feel like this is a volume that once read again would yield an entirely different outcome.

Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews

Title: Summer Rental

Author: Mary Kay Andrews

Publisher: Whodunnit 2011

Genre: Women's Fiction

Pages: 402

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Well-Rounded Reader; What's in a Name -- Weather; TBR Pile; 52 Books -- W22; Women Authors

Ellis, Julia, and Dorie. Best friends since Catholic grade school, they now find themselves, in their mid-thirties, at the crossroads of life and love. Ellis, recently fired from a job she gave everything to, is rudderless and now beginning to question the choices she's made over the past decade of her life. Julia--whose caustic wit covers up her wounds--has a man who loves her and is offering her the world, but she can't hide from how deeply insecure she feels about her looks, her brains, her life. And Dorie has just been shockingly betrayed by the man she loved and trusted the most in the world…though this is just the tip of the iceberg of her problems and secrets. A month in North Carolina's Outer Banks is just what they each of them needs.
Ty Bazemore is their landlord, though he's hanging on to the rambling old beach house by a thin thread. After an inauspicious first meeting with Ellis, the two find themselves disturbingly attracted to one another, even as Ty is about to lose everything he's ever cared about.
Maryn Shackleford is a stranger, and a woman on the run. Maryn needs just a few things in life: no questions, a good hiding place, and a new identity. Ellis, Julia, and Dorie can provide what Maryn wants; can they also provide what she needs?

A light breezy beach bag book. Thank goodness! This hit the spot! I needed a little levity to get me back on track. I'm excited about the coming summer reading season. While this novel was fairly predictable, I enjoyed taking the journey with the four main characters.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Title: The Thirteenth Tale

Author: Diane Setterfield

Publisher: Washington Square Press 2006

Genre: Literary fiction

Pages: 406

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 21st Century Women Authors; Mount TBR; Women Authors; 52 Books -- W16; What's in a Name -- Number written in letters

All children mythologize their birth...So begins the prologue of reclusive author Vida Winter's collection of stories, which are as famous for the mystery of the missing thirteenth tale as they are for the delight and enchantment of the twelve that do exist.
The enigmatic Winter has spent six decades creating various outlandish life histories for herself -- all of them inventions that have brought her fame and fortune but have kept her violent and tragic past a secret. Now old and ailing, she at last wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. She summons biographer Margaret Lea, a young woman for whom the secret of her own birth, hidden by those who loved her most, remains an ever-present pain. Struck by a curious parallel between Miss Winter's story and her own, Margaret takes on the commission.
As Vida disinters the life she meant to bury for good, Margaret is mesmerized. It is a tale of gothic strangeness featuring the Angelfield family, including the beautiful and willful Isabelle, the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline, a ghost, a governess, a topiary garden and a devastating fire.
Margaret succumbs to the power of Vida's storytelling but remains suspicious of the author's sincerity. She demands the truth from Vida, and together they confront the ghosts that have haunted them while becoming, finally, transformed by the truth themselves.

The first chapter, I was wary. By the second chapter, I was intrigued. By the third chapter, I couldn't put it down. This book and storytelling style reminded me of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's books. And I absolutely adore his book. They and this novel are great stories, but also amazing love letters to books and storytelling. I immediately connected with Margaret and her love of books. My dream would be to own a book store (unfortunately there's not much money in it). I would love to surround myself with dusty tomes containing amazing worlds and people. Back to The Thirteenth Tale... I enjoyed the slow unraveling of the story. I loved Miss Winter's "no questions, telling it in order" approach. Sure, we all wanted to know everything up front. But the story itself needed to be told in order so that the reader (and Margaret) could truly understand Miss Winter and her life. At times, I had to slow myself down. Instead of rushing to find out the next secret, I wanted to savor the story. Setterfield has a way with words. They just seemed to melt off the page, slow and luxuriously. If I could write like that, I would be perfectly happy. I won't give away anything, but the secrets revealed were definitely the icing on the cake. Now I feel like I need to pick up Setterfield's new book...

Roaring Midnight by Colleen Gleason

Title: Roaring Midnight

Author: Colleen Gleason

Publisher: Avid Press 2013

Genre: Paranormal (Vampires)

Pages: 232

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Women Authors; Well-Rounded Reader -- Paranormal Romance; What's in a Name -- Reference to time

Macey Gardella is a typical young woman of the Roaring Twenties: she works a job, has her own flat, and loves to dance the Charleston. But when a mysterious man named Sebastian Vioget informs her she belongs to a family of vampire hunters, Macey is stunned and disbelieving.
Yet, strange and frightening things begin to happen, and when Macey comes face-to-face with one of the fanged creatures, she has no choice but to believe Sebastian. And when she learns his own soul depends on her willingness to carry forth the family legacy and hunt the undead, Macey capitulates and joins the fight.
As she begins to learn about her new life, Macey meets the handsome newspaper reporter known as Grady--who seems to know more about vampires than he should. When he begins to ask too many questions, she has to juggle her strong attraction to him with the need for secrecy.

I picked this up because of the strength of the first Gardella series. I loved reading about Victoria, Max, and Sebastian's adventures. This volume doesn't quite live up to the first ones, but I did enjoy reading it. I loved the setting: 1920s Chicago. The gangsters, the speakeasies, and the flappers all added a lovely atmosphere for the novel. I loved the Sebastian and Wayren as they were great characters from the first series. However, I an not completely sold on Macey and the other newcomers. Macey is a bit too childish, at least in this first book. I would like her have a bit more sense of the world. I mean she lives in gangster era Chicago. You would think she would know not to wander the streets alone after dark. I am also not a huge fan of Chas and Grady. They just seem to be very flat characters right now. I hope that as the series progresses the character also grow and change. Otherwise, I might just have to give this series up...

Gardella Vampire Chronicles:

2014 What's in a Name? Reading Challenge

From The Worm Hole:

The challenge runs from January to December. During this time you choose a book to read from each of the following categories (examples of books you could choose are in brackets):
A reference to time (Eleven Minutes, Before Ever After)
A position of royalty (The People’s Queen, The Last Empress, The Curse Of The Pharaoh)
A number written in letters (The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, A Tale Of Two Cities)
A forename or names (Rebecca, Eleanor & Park, The Unfinished Work Of Elizabeth D.)
A type or element of weather (Gone With The Wind, Red Earth Pouring Rain)
Extra information
Books can be any format (print, audio, ebook).
It’s preferred that the books don’t overlap with other challenges, but not a requirement at all.
Books cannot overlap categories (for instance my first example, Eleven Minutes, could be used for category 1 or 3 but not both).
Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed, it’s encouraged!
You don’t have to make your list of books beforehand, you can choose them as you go.
You don’t have to read your chosen books in any particular order.
Everything else
On January 1 I’ll publish 7 posts, one for each category and one for your wrap-up post. These posts will be published as WordPress pages and linked to from one main post on the blog. You will be able to post your links to your reviews or leave comments, depending on whether you’re a blogging reader or a non-blogger reader. You’ll be able to find this main post through a link I’ll be adding to the navigation section of my sidebar.
If you have trouble finding a book for a category, have a look at the corresponding page for it here – readers who’ve already completed the category will have linked to their reviews and added titles that you can look through.
To join the challenge, sign up using the Mr Linky if you’re a blogger, and if you’re not a blogger simply leave a comment below. If at any time you have difficulties adding your link, email me at the address on my contact page with your information, and I’ll add it myself.

This will be my third year joining the challenge. I always love to find books to fill the fun categories.

A reference to time -- Roaring Midnight
A position of royalty -- Little Prince
A number written in letters -- The Second Sex
A forename or names -- Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
A type or element of weather -- Summer Rental

2013 Reading Challenge Round-Up -- Completed Edition

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

Goal: 35/35 books DONE!!!!!

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

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

The Required Categories:

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

Optional Categories:

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

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

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

Goal: 5/5 books DONE!!!!!!

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

Goal: 60/60 Books DONE!!!!!!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Goal: 20/20 books DONE!!!!

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

Goal: 5/5 books DONE!!!!

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

Goal: 6/6 books DONE!!!!!

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

Goal: 12/12 books DONE!!!!!

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

Goal: 5/5 books DONE!!!!

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

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

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

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

ROMANCE

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

HORROR

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

THRILLER/SUSPENSE

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

SCIENCE/FANTASY

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

MYSTERY/CRIME

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

Goal: 25/25 Ebooks DONE!!!!!

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

Goal: 8/8 series DONE!!!!

Started in 2012

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

Started in 2013

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

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

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

Goal: 30/30 books DONE!!!!!

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

What's in a Name 6 hosted by www.BethFishReads.com

Goal: 6/6 Books DONE!!!!!!

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

Goal: 18/18 Books DONE!!!!!!

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

Goal: 25/25 authors DONE!!!!!

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

Goal: 25/25 authors DONE!!!!!!

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

Goal: 24/24 books DONE!!!!!

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

2013 What's in a Name 6 Reading Challenge

From Beth Fish Reads:

Welcome to the sixth What's in a Name challenge This challenge was originated by a young blogger named Annie, who hosted it for two years. When she decided to give up on being the host, I took over the challenge.
I credit this challenge with being one of the prime reasons for my becoming a blogger, so I am thrilled to be its new host.
Here's How It Works
Between January 1 and December 31, 2013, read one book in each of the following categories:
A book with up or down (or equivalent) in the title: Deep down True, The Girl Below, The Diva Digs up the Dirt
A book with something you'd find in your kitchen in the title: Loose Lips Sink Ships, The Knife of Never Letting Go, Breadcrumbs
A book with a party or celebration in the title: A Feast for Crows, A Wedding in Haiti, Cocktail Hour under the Tree of Forgetfulness
A book with fire (or equivalent) in the title: Burning for Revenge, Fireworks over Toccoa, Catching Fire
A book with an emotion in the title: Baltimore Blues, Say You're Sorry, Dreams of Joy
A book with lost or found (or equivalent) in the title: The Book of Lost Fragrances, The World We Found, A Discovery of Witches
Other Things to Know
Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
Books may overlap other challenges.
Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.
You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.

My TBR List:

Up or Down: Windfall by Rachel Caine
Kitchen Find: The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
Party or Celebration: The Wedding Gift by Lucy Kevin
Fire: Firestorm by Rachel Caine
Emotion: Terror by Night by Ambrose Bierce
Lost or Found: Lost by Gregory Maguire

2012 Reading Challenge Round-Up -- Completed Edition

I hear 2013 calling my name. I think it's time to call 2012 quits and start my end of the year posts. In total I entered 27 reading challenges this year. Let's see how I did... Completed challenges edition.

I went for the highest goal on this one, 16 books, 16 categories. It really wasn't a hugely difficult challenge as I read nonfiction all the time. But it did encourage me to pick up different types of books. My favorite book from this challenge was the Science Fiction and Fantasy pick of The Magicians by Lev Grossman.

Classics – Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (11/8/12)
Biography – Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun by Gita May (9/21/12)
Cookery, Food, and Wine – Chocolate by Shara Aaron and Monica Bearden (12/4/12)
History – The Lost Millennium by Florin Diacu (9/12/12)
Modern Fiction – Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin (5/22/12)
Graphic Novel and Manga – Bad Doings and Big Ideas by Bill Willingham (4/23/12)
Crime and Mystery – Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (5/17/12)
Horror – The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan (3/1/12)
Romance – An Offer You Can’t Refuse by Jill Mansell (11/14/12)
Science Fiction and Fantasy – The Magicians by Lev Grossman (1/21/12)
Travel – Paris in Love by Eloisa James (5/16/12)
Poetry – Poems of Emily Dickinson (11/23/12)
Journalism and Humor – The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs (2/26/12)
Science and Natural History – The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (4/18/12)
Children’s and Young Adult – The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (6/27/12)
Social Sciences and Philosophy – This Book is Overdue by Marilyn Johnson (9/1/12)

I had been meaning to read more classics. After reading only classics back in high school, I haven't really gotten around to any for a few years. This was my chance. My favorite read from this challenge was The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (a once very few years reread for me, but still awesome). I'm joining this one again next year.

19th Century – The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (8/6/12)
20th Century – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1/26/12)
Reread Classic – Persuasion by Jane Austen (10/3/12)
Classic Play – The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (8/29/12)
Classic Mystery/Horror/Crime – The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (4/26/12)
Classic Romance – Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (8/23/12)
Translated Classic – Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes (12/3/12)
Classic Award Winner – A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (11/21/12)
International Classic – Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson (11/16/12)

An odd challenge for me. I struggled to find books that I was already going to read to fit the topics. Once I did I really loved my choices. My favorite read was The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman, part of His Dark Materials trilogy.

Topographical Feature – The Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristin McMorris (12/2/12)
Something in the Sky – Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (1/13/12)
Creepy Crawly – You are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay (2/27/12)
Type of House – Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean (3/8/12)
Something from Your Pocket – The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (8/16/12)
Something on a Calendar – The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees (12/1/12)

I always love reading books and then see the movie. It's even better when I have read the book before seeing the movie, but sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. My favorite combo was Do Androids... and Blade Runner. While the movie doesn't exactly follow the books it does have the same feel. Loved them!

Something Borrowed (Emily Giffin) (5/22/12)
Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep — Philip K. Dick) (11/27/12)
The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) (1/11/12)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare) (1/27/12)
Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare) (8/28/12)
The Dark Compass (Philip Pullman) (8/12/12)
Richard III (Shakespeare) (8/28/12)
Persuasion (Jane Austen) (10/3/12)
Dorian Gray (The Picture of Dorian Gray — Oscar Wilde) (4/26/12)
Beastly (Alex Flinn) (4/15/12)
Kick-Ass (Mark Millar and John Romita Jr) (5/23/12)
Starship Troopers (Robert Heinlein) (6/1/12)
Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter (Seth Grahame-Smith) (5/25/12)
The Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum) (8/6/12)
Tin Man (The Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum) (8/6/12)
Northanger Abbey (Jane Austen) (8/23/12)
The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde) (8/29/12)
Twelfth Night (Shakespeare) (9/1/12)
Ran (King Lear – Shakespeare) (9/4/12)
Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) (11/8/12)

J has been trying to get me to read more science fiction for years now. And I finally warming up to the genre, although I tend to go for softer scifi. My favorite read was Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein.

The Martian Chronicles — Ray Bradbury (11/23/12)
Snow Crash — Neal Stephenson (10/30/12)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – Philip K. Dick (11/27/12)
Stranger in a Strange Land – Robert Heinlein (1/8/12)
Starship Troopers — Robert Heinlein (6/1/12)

I super hard challenge to finish. I think I just picked a ton of mediocre books and it made it really difficult to finish. As it stands, I want to try to again next year, but with only 5 reads and hopefully better books. From this year, my favorite read was The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale.

The Goose Girl — Shannon Hale (11/7/12)
Mythology — Edith Hamilton (11/27/12)
Beauty — Robin McKinley (6/5/12)
Beastly — Alex Flinn (4/15/12)
The Frog Prince — Stephen Mitchell (5/14/12)
Sirena — Donna Jo Napoli (6/1/12)
Adrianna’s Fairy Tales by Adrianna White (7/5/12)
The Princess and the Hound — Mette Ivie Harrison (10/22/12)
The Princess and the Bear — Mette Ivie Harrison (10/24/12)
Flower Fables — Louisa May Alcott (11/16/12)

This was quite an interesting challenge. Out of the 12 we read, I had already read only four. So I got a ton more Shakespeare. My favorite is still A Midsummer Night's Dream, followed closely by Much Ado About Nothing.

January – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1/27/12)
February – Macbeth (2/22/12)
March – Henry V (3/25/12)
April – Much Ado About Nothing (8/28/12)
May – Antony and Cleopatra (8/30/12)
June – Richard III (8/28/12)
July – As You Like It (11/18/12)
August – King Lear (9/4/12)
September – Cymbeline (11/19/12)
October – Twelfth Night (9/1/12)
November – Othello (11/19/12)
December – Pericles (11/19/12)

I adore zombies! Reading 24 zombie books was not difficult, but picking my favorite definitely is. I think I will have to choose the Newsflesh trilogy (Feed, Deadline, and Blackout), but only if you make me choose.

You are So Undead to Me — Stacey Jay (2/27/12)
Undead Much — Stacey Jay (2/29/12)
Allison Hewitt is Trapped — Madeleine Roux (4/26/12)
Night of the Necromancer — Kyle West (2/3/12)
Feed — Mira Grant (10/8/12)
Deadline — Mira Grant (10/14/12)
Blackout — Mira Grant (10/17/12)
Zombie Blondes — Brian James (2/4/12)
Sadie Walker is Stranded — Madeleine Roux (10/2/12)
The Dark and Hollow Places — Carrie Ryan (1/8/12)
The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks — Max Brooks (1/7/12)
Brains: A Zombie Memoir – Robin Becker (1/9/12)
Autumn: Purification – David Moody (1/24/12)
Autumn: Disintegration – David Moody (1/27/12)
The Stupidest Angel – Christopher Moore (2/11/12)
Rise Again — Ben Tripp (3/15/12)
The First Days — Rhiannon Frater (10/4/12)
As the World Dies — Rhiannon Frater (10/5/12)
Siege — Rhiannon Frater (10/6/12)
Eat, Slay, Love — Jesse Petersen (3/16/12)
Aftertime — Sophie Littlefield (4/5/12)
Hater — David Moody (7/19/12)
Dog Blood — David Moody (7/25/12)
Them or Us — David Moody (7/28/12)

This was a great chance to reread all seven HP books and rewatch the movies. I haven't read these in a few years, so lots of great fun.

HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1/7/12)
HP and the Chamber of Secrets (2/22/12)
HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban (3/29/12)
HP and the Goblet of Fire (5/13/12)
HP and the Order of the Phoenix (5/29/12)
HP and the Half-Blood Prince (6/22/12)
HP and the Deathly Hallows (9/28/12)

This was one of the easier challenges to complete. I turn to romance novels when I need a break from the heavy. I love predictable romances. My favorites were the 2nd and 3rd books of the Tudor Rose trilogy (The Maiden's Hand and At the Queen's Summons).

At the Queen’s Summons — Susan Wiggs (9/11/12)
Regency Romance (3/23/12)
A Lady Never Tells — Candace Camp (1/23/12)
A Gentleman Always Remembers – Candace Camp (2/7/12)
An Affair Without End – Candace Camp (2/10/11)
Definitely Not Mr. Darcy — Karen Doornebos (4/12/12)
Intentions of the Earl — Rose Gordon (6/29/12)
Twelfth Night (anthology) (7/11/12)
Carole’s Christmas by Anne Glynn (7/11/12)
The Maiden’s Hand by Susan Wiggs (9/8/12)

This was my own challenge. I started reading the Fables series in 2011 and fell completely in love with it. My goal this year was to finish the back catalog. Next year I'm definitely going to finish catching up with the published titles. My favorite was definitely Vol. 14 Wtiches. Amazing read!

Vol. 14 Witches (1/6/12)
Vol. 15 Rose Red (1/10/12)
Vol. 16 Super Group (2/2/12)
JF: Vol. 9 The End (1/6/12)
Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love (9/2/12)

Another easy challenge for me. My favorite was The Hunger Games trilogy, but I also really loved Anna Dressed in Blood.

The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins(1/11/12)
Catching Fire — Suzanne Collins (1/12/12)
Mockingjay — Suzanne Collins (1/13/12)
A Great and Terrible Beauty — Libba Bray (5/15/12)
Rebel Angels — Libba Bray (7/6/12)
The Sweet Far Thing — Libba Bray (7/12/12)
The Golden Compass — Philip Pullman (8/12/12)
The View from Saturday — E.L. Konigsburg (4/20/12)
Anna Dressed in Blood –Kendare Blake (6/5/12)
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher — Bruce Coville (7/7/12)
Ashfall — Mike Mullin (7/30/12)
Ashen Winter — Mike Mullin (8/2/12)

I also do love vampires. This challenge was dominated by my reading of the Vampire Academy series, but it was a good one. For my favorite, it was easily Sunshine by Robin McKinley. That one is going into my reread pile.

American Vampire — Jennifer Armintrout (2/2/12)
The Radleys — Matt Haig (4/27/12)
Sunshine — Robin McKinley (2/17/12)
Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter — Seth Grahame-Smith (5/25/12)
Vampire Academy — Richelle Mead (6/11/12)
Frostbite — Richelle Mead (6/22/12)
Shadow Kiss — Richelle Mead (6/27/12)
Blood Promise — Richelle Mead (7/14/12)
Spirit Bound — Richelle Mead (7/15/12)
Last Sacrifice — Richelle Mead (7/19/12)

With J's influence, I really got into some comics this year. While I stay away from the big Marvel vs. DC debate, I found some great titles out there. My favorite was the first five volumes of The Sandman series. I will be finishing that series next year with my Neil Gaiman RC.

Hatter M Vol. 1 (1/15/12)
Hatter M Vol. 2 (1/17/12
Hatter M Vol. 3 (1/18/12)
The Boys: The Big Ride (1/8/12)
The Walking Dead Book 4 (4/22/12)
Manga Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1/27/12)
Doctor Who: Through Time and Space (2/22/12)
The Boys Vol. 10: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker (6/7/12)
Doctor Who: The Forgotten (3/26/12)
Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew (5/23/12)
Kick-Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. (5/23/12)
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910 (5/30/12)
The Sandman: Volume 1 Preludes and Nocturnes (6/4/12)
The Sandman: Volume 2 The Doll’s House (6/6/12)
The Boys Vol. 11: Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men (6/12/12)
The Sandman: Volume 3 Dream Country (6/30/12)
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (7/2/12)
The Sandman: Volume 4 Season of Mists (7/2/12)
Persepolis: The Story of a Return (7/4/12)
The Sandman: Volume 5 A Game of You (7/5/12)

Easy peasy. Although next year, I am putting myself on a library ban for at least the first four months (except for my book club selections).

Jack of Fables: The End(1/6/12)
Fables: Witches (1/6/12)
The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (1/8/12)
The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks (1/7/12)
Brains: A Zombie Memoir by Robin Becker (1/9/12)
Fables: Rose Red (1/10/12)
Autumn: Purification by David Moody (1/24/12)
Autumn: Disintegration by David Moody (1/27/12)
Undead Much by Stacey Jay (2/29/12)
The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore (2/11/12)
Rise Again by Ben Tripp (3/15/12)
You are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay (2/27/12)
Manga Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1/27/12)
Fables: Supre Group (2/2/12)
Doctor Who: Through Time and Space (2/22/12)
Macbeth by Shakespeare (2/22/12)
Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield (4/5/12)
Eat, Slay, Love by Jesse Petersen (3/16/12)
Doctor Who: The Forgotten (3/26/12)
Everneath by Brodie Ashton (4/1/12)
Definitely Not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos (4/12/12)
The Walking Dead: Book Four (4/22/12)
Bad Doings and Big Ideas by Bill Willingham (4/23/12)
The Frog Prince by Stephen Mitchell (5/14/12)
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (5/17/12)
Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew (5/23/12)
Kick-Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. (5/23/12)
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910 (5/30/12)
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (6/11/12)
Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli (6/1/12)
Beauty by Robin McKinley (6/5/12)
The Sandman Volume 1 Preludes and Nocturnes (6/4/12)
The Sandman Volume 2 The Doll’s House (6/6/12)
Frostbite by Richelle Mead (6/22/12)
Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (6/27/12)
The Sandman Volume 3 Dream Country (6/30/12)
The Sandman Volume Season of Mists (7/2/12)

Another fairly easy challenge. Although those Es gave me some difficulty.

T – Rise Again by Ben Tripp (3/15/12)
O – The Boys Vol. 11: Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men (6/12/12)
B – The Zombie Surivival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks (1/7/12)
E – Jack of Fables: The End (1/6/12)
F – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1/26/12)
R – HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (1/7/12)
A – Autumn: Purification by David Moody (1/24/12)
N – Night of the Necromancer by Kyle West (2/3/12)
C – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (1/11/12)
E – Evermore by Alyson Noel (3/2/12)
S – Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley (1/29/12)
B – The Boys: The Big Ride (1/8/12)
U – Undead Much by Stacey Jay (2/29/12)
F – Doctor Who: The Forgotten (2/26/12)
F – Beastly by Alex Flinn (4/15/12)
E – Eat, Slay, Love by Jesse Petersen (3/16/12)
N – Blue Moon by Alyson Noel (3/4/12)
B – Brains: A Zombie Memoir by Robin Becker (1/9/12)
A – Autumn: Disintegration by David Moody (1/27/12)
R – The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (1/8/12)
G – The Magicians by Lev Grossman (1/21/12)
E – Everneath by Brodie Ashton (4/1/12)
R – Fables: Rose Red (1/10/12)

2012 What's in a Name? 5 Reading Challenge

From Beth Fish Reads:

Here's How It Works
Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories:
A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title: Black Hills, Purgatory Ridge, Emily of Deep Valley
A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title: Moon Called, Seeing Stars, Cloud Atlas
A book with a creepy crawly in the title: Little Bee, Spider Bones, The Witches of Worm
A book with a type of house in the title: The Glass Castle, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Ape House
A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: Sarah's Key, The Scarlet Letter, Devlin Diary
A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title: Day of the Jackal, Elegy for April, Freaky Friday, Year of Magical Thinking
The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.
Other Things to Know
Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
Books may overlap other challenges.
Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.
You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.

I thought I would try something a little different. I like the idea of interesting title pieces. My tentative TBR:

Topographical Feature -- Valley of Silence by Nora Roberts
Something in the Sky -- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Creepy Crawly -- Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
Type of House -- Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean
Something from Your Pocket -- The Dark Compass by Philip Pullman
Something on a Calendar -- The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees