Annual Reading Challenge 2019

[OKW8297]

I finished my first of the year: Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon. The fourth book in the Outlander series and I must say that I am obsessed with this series at this point! I had finished Voyager and started this immediately. I love her attention to detail, and the characters she’s created. The books are long and I’m glad as I don’t want the series to end! I have not watched the series yet.

 

[willowsnn3]

#5/50

The Light Within Me: An Inspirational Memoir by Ainsley Earhardt

The celebrated Fox News star and #1 New York Times bestselling author offers a powerful, uplifting look at her life and her spiritual journey, reflecting on her family, her faith, and her successful career.
Filled with inspirational quotes taken from Scripture and illustrated with sixteen pages of never-before-seen photos, her memoir is infused with her spiritual beliefs and will touch the hearts of all her fans, reminding them to count the blessings God has given them every day of their lives.

OK. I don't usually read much non fiction/biographies/memoirs. I so wanted to like this one because I really like to watch Ainsley on Fox & Friends so when I saw it at the library I snapped it up.

I can't pinpoint exactly what bothered me about this book, ok, yes I can....& just my opinion y'all, I don't doubt her faith or love for her family/friends either but the book just made her seem sooo career oriented. There wasn't a lot about her first marriage but I wasn't surprised when I read later on in the book that they divorced. I mean all she did was work, talk about work, pray for job promotions and travel all over the country chasing her job. That is real dedication but good grief there was so little writing about spending time with her husband, his life/faith/hopes/dreams....like ships passing in the night. She does remarry & has a child but wants to cut her few weeks maternity leave short because she is in the running for the anchor on Fox & Friends. Lord, girl, take a breath!

Anyway, I still like her, she seems like a really nice person.

 

[Tiggerish]

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy. This is the last book she wrote before her death and it is her classic style. It intertwined the stories of the guests coming for opening week at an inn on the Atlantic coast of Ireland. The individual stories were very diverse and some were more interesting than others.

8 of 104

 

[bobbiwoz]

6/75 Date With Death by Julia Chapman
First in a mystery series set in Yorkshire Dales.

 

[sjrec]

Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, set in India in the 1920s and 50 years later when the step-granddaughter of the main character tries to solve the scandal that broke up her grandfather’s first marriage. 1/50

The 6th Lamentation by William Brodrick, a mystery going back to Paris during WWII with repercussions in the present.
Excellent! 2/50

 

[Disney_Alli]

Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, set in India in the 1920s and 50 years later when the step-granddaughter of the main character tries to solve the scandal that broke up her grandfather’s first marriage. 1/50

The 6th Lamentation by William Brodrick, a mystery going back to Paris during WWII with repercussions in the present.
Excellent! 2/50

How was the first one? The both sound fascinating to me and have made my TBR list.

 

[sjrec]

How was the first one? The both sound fascinating to me and have made my TBR list.

I liked it very much-the main character is married to a British government official and becomes fascinated by a minor Indian prince. It was a winner of the Booker Prize in the 70s when it was written.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

I'll try joining this year. 10 books? It seems maybe possible? I work full time and have 3 young kids and my husband and I try to watch an episode of a TV show in the evenings, which is really the only "downtime" I have.

1/10 - The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. I saw some have already read this. I LOVED it. Much more than The Nightingale. It makes me want to visit Alaska!

 

[Aladar2004]

4/50 Astrid Lindgren - Ronja Røverdatter
5/50 Astrid Lindgren - Brødrene Løvehjerte

 

[bobbiwoz]

7/75
Date with Malice by Julia Chapman, the second in the series and I look forward to reading more as they are written.

 

[Couchy]

I am going to try to read 35 books this year.

So far I have read

A Dog's Way Home - Bruce Cameron
A Dog's Journey - Bruce Cameron
The Brass Verdict- Michael Connelly

I am also about halfway through Alexander Hamilton - Ron Chernow

 

[Swimnoid]

5. The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz
First of the Jane Hawk series. More of a thriller than the typical Dean Koontz but good. I'll continue the series.

6. The Gunslinger by Stephen King
First of the Watchtower series. This is supposed to be King's crowning glory series. I found it muddy, vague and hard to finish. But people say the series gets better and read the second one before I give up.

7. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Adventures in small town Alaska in the 70s. I really liked it.

8. Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen
Different than the other Gruen novels I have read. Set in present time. The main character is overly dramatic and you just want to slap her! I liked it though.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Can’t wait to hear what you think!

I was happy with all three books! I am glad I saw your post.

 

[lovin'fl]

I'll join in. I used to be a big reader but haven't been into reading for the past, about, 5 years now. Just haven't been feeling it. So I will aim for 8 books. I read zero last year so 8 is a big start. I just read 1/8...The Great Alone (it was okay...easy read). I had that book sitting on my nightstand for a month before I finally cracked it open (on a cruise) and even then it took me a couple days to get back that feeling of not wanting to put the book down (that I used to have when I read). But I did get it back so I think I can do my goal of 8 books.

 

[Tiggerish]

Saving Parker by Dan Walsh. Contemporary christian fiction. A police officer finds an abused dog after a drug raid. He takes the dog to a shelter, ends up fostering and then adopting the dog. Meanwhile, he and one of the workers in the animal shelter fall in love. Also, he befriends a young boy who is being bullied and gets him martial arts training so he can take down the bullies when they attack the dog. The Parker in the title is the dog, not the little boy.

9 of 104

I also read Croissants and Corruption by Danielle Collins. This is more of a novella than a book so I am not counting it. It is one of the Cozy Mystery group of writers who have series of mystery books, usually novella length. They are mildly christian and without cussing or heavy breathing.

 

[tiggrbaby]

6/60 A Crime of Passion by Scott Pratt

7/60 Judgement Cometh: And That Right Soon by Scott Pratt

8/60 Due Process by Scott Pratt

Finished the Joe Dillard Series. Off to find something else before I read Outlander AGAIN for the third time through.

I am assuming that you read these through Kindle? If so, other series to check out:

Tracy Crosswhite series by Robert Dugoni

Forgotten Coast series by Dawn Lee McKenna

Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez series by Sheldon Siegel

Gideon and Sirius series by Alan Russell

I haven't had good luck finding one IRL, which is part of why I like this thread and Goodreads and bookworm FB groups and Tumblr bloggers. Most of the IRL clubs I've tried in my area are either social with little actual reading/book discussion happening, or have a very narrow focus that I'm not interested in (the library has one for mystery readers and one for Christian literature, but no general or nonfiction clubs).

I now spend most of the year in Florida, and have not been able to find a book group there. I still participate in the book group back in NJ, which is now made up of mostly retired teachers. We usually have pretty good discussions in addition to gossip. We found that going around asking if you liked/disliked the book and why starts better conversations than just using the provided questions for a book.

 

[tiggrbaby]

Back from a long vacation. I would like to stick with the 90 books I pledged last year. Someone last year updated once a month and I think that I will follow that format. I really like learning about other books on this thread!

 

[NJlauren]

I was happy with all three books! I am glad I saw your post.

I just started the 2nd one! Liking it so far, its a fun read!

Looking forward to see what you read next, i saw you also liked the great alone which i liked too!

 

[KevM]

Back from a long vacation. I would like to stick with the 90 books I pledged last year. Someone last year updated once a month and I think that I will follow that format. I really like learning about other books on this thread!

That’s me. I personally find it easiest to do one large update at the end of each month.

 

[tazdev3225]

I am assuming that you read these through Kindle? If so, other series to check out:

Tracy Crosswhite series by Robert Dugoni

Forgotten Coast series by Dawn Lee McKenna

Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez series by Sheldon Siegel

Gideon and Sirius series by Alan Russell

Thanks they are from Kindle Unlimited. Always looking for something new to read.