2008 TBR Challenge

I have decided to participate in this challenge. I have to read 12 books on my TBR List. The books must be on my list for more than 6 months. I finally completed my list. So here it is.

1. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
2. The Concubine's Tattoo byLaura Joh Rowland
3. The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve
4. Cup of Clay by Carole Nelson Douglas
5. Seed Upon The Wind by Carole Nelson Douglas
6. Rebel by Bernard Cornwell
7. Queenbees and Wannabees by Rosalind Wiseman
8. Seal Island by Kate Brallier
9. Nerd In Shining Armor by Vicki Lewis Thompson
10. The Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
11. A Vision of Light by Judith Merkle Riley
12. The Courts of Love by Jean Plaidy

My alternatives

1. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
2. In Broad Daylight by Harry N. Maclean
3. Flowers in the Rain by Rosamunde Pilcher
4. East and West by Gerald Green
5. Hide and Seek by James Patterson
6. To Touch The Earth by Fran Kendall
7. The Daughter of the Pangaron by David Divine
8. Savage Sunrise by Cassie Edwards
9. Airforce Wives by Ruth Walker
10. The Seventh Stone by Nancy Freedman
11. Comeback by Dick Francis
12. The Last Chance Cafe by Linda Lael Miller

Between this and the decades challenges, I hope I can complete all the books I plan to read for 2008.

Oct Dec 2007 book list

1. The Shunning by Beverly Lewis
2. Dark Seduction by Brenda Joyce
3. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
4. 74 Seaside Ave. by Debbie Macomber
5. Dream Chasers by Anne McAllister
6. The Overland Trail by Wendi Lee
7. Night Watch by Jo Leigh
8. Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich
9. Family Blessings by Fern Michaels
10. Home for the Holidays by Debbie Macomber
11. Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
12. A Regency Christmas by Various Authors
13. A Victorian Christmas by Various Authors
14. Her Christmas Protector by Terri Reed
15. The Rancher's Christmas Baby by Cathy Gillen Thacker
16. Dream Hunter by Sherrilyn Kenyon
17. Seize the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon
18. I am Legend by Richard Matheson
    

Christmas Book reviews

A Regency Christmas contains 5 short stories related to Christmas. My favorite story was "Three Good Deeds" by Barbara Metzger. It is about 3 boys who try to do three good deeds to make up for breaking a window in church.

A Victorian Christmas is another book that contains 5short stories related to Christmas.My favorite out of this book was "The Black Beast of Belleterre" By Mary Jo Putney. It is another version of the Beauty and the beast fairy tale. James was disfigured due to a fire and he thought he was very ugly and that no one would love him. He became known as the black beast of Belleterre. He then meets the beauty Ariel. He marrys her to save her from another who is very lecherous and seen three wives die. Do they fall in love? You have to read the short story to find out.

Her Christmas Protector By Terri Reed this book is about Faith Delange. She has run away from an abusive marriage. She trys to hide from her ex husband on an isolated ranch. She helps the rancher, Luke Campbell, take care of his mom who is recovering from a heart attack. She is afraid to confide in Luke. Her ex husband does track her down with the help of Reva, who likes Luke and is afraid of losing him to Faith. It was not a bad book. It does have a religious slat to it. The Religious aspect is not hit you in the face. It is woven in the story very nicely. It is part of the characters and who they are.

Christmas challenge book reviews

Home for the Holidays by Debbie Macomber

This book contain two books that were previously published. The first one was The Forgetful Bride. I did not like this one two much. It was about Childhood friends who were married in a pretend ceremony. They met up years later and one of them teases the other claiming that they were really married. The other book When Christmas Comes I liked much better. I enjoyed the story concept of house switching. This one was a much better read.

Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

This was a murder mystery that was solved in one night. The whole town or what seems like the whole of Lake Eden attend their annual Christmas Buffet. Someone is murdered with an antique Christmas knife. Hannah Swensen and her sisters help Mike a detective with the police solved the murder. It was an ok read. If you like to cook, at the end of the book is a whole section of recipes for everyone to try. A murder mystery and cook book in one who could ask for anything more.

Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich

Thanksgiving is part of twelve romances that Evanovich wrote in the late eighties and early nineties. Nine of them were published. They are being re-released. Thanksgiving is number six in the romance series.

I like the setting in the book. It takes place in Colonial Williamsburg. One of the characters, Meagan works there on weekends selling tickets. She also makes tea pots during the week. The other character Pat is a pediatrician who just moved to Williamsburg. They are brought together by a bunny and a baby.

What follows is a hilarious series of events that bring this couple closer together. For example, when they attempt to cook different foods for Thanksgiving dinner with burning results.

This book is a nice light romance. Evanovich has a nice touch of comedy in this book. It was a quick, easy read. A nice vacation book.

Happy reading

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Between eating and visiting family read a book.

Christmas Challenge

Christmas Theme Book Challenge 2007

The rules are simple:

Read two books related to Christmas

Read them between November-December 2007

She will also have a drawing for prizes for those who have completed

there book choices.

Sponsor: Susan

http://www.myreadingadventures.blogspot.com/

I am participating in this challenge as well. It is my second challenge, but it will be my first to complete.

Book Choices:

1. Home for the Holidays by Debbie Macomber (finished)
2. Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke (finished)

Book shopping

I just got back from Borders and Salvation Army. Here is a list of books that I bought today.

Borders:

1. The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent By Esther and Jerry Hicks
2. Sugar Cookie Murder By Joanne Fluke (The Borders cashier said it was a good read. We will see)
3. Family Blessings By Fern Michaels

Salvation Army ( I did not think that they had a good selection today, but obviously I found some books)

1. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende (50 cents)
2. Dance Upon the Waters By Nora Roberts (50 cents)
3. A Victorian Christmas By Various Authors (50 cents)
4. A Regency Christmas by Various Authors (50 cents)
5. The Wedding by Danielle Steele (50 cents)
6. The Crimson Petal and the White By Michel Faber (1.00$)
7. Mr Darwin's Shooter by Roger McDonald (1.00$)

50 cents for paperbacks and a dollar for hardcover.

Happy Book Hunting

Self Conscious in Reading Choices.

As I look at other people blogs, I am beginning to feel self conscious in my reading choices. It seems that everyone is reading intellectual books not only for contest but for their own enjoyment. I read mostly light fiction. When I do the contest I want to have fun. I don't want to feel that I have to read a intellectual book for a contest. I would like to read what I like. If you look at my book shelf you will see a very eclectic taste. I have Harlequins, mysteries, history, historical fiction, science fiction, chick lit and many other genres. So don't be surprised if you see some of these books on my contest lists. I want to expand my horizons and read books that are on my shelf. So I hope that doing reading contest will accomplish both.

Now that my daycare center has finished their site visit for NAEYC (National Association for Education for Young Children) accreditation. We just have to wait for the results. And I am done with assessment and parent conferences, I can focus on deciding what reading contests I would like to do.

Happy Reading.

My First Reading Challenge

My first reading challenge will be Decade Challenge 2008. I hope I will be able to complete this challenge. My 11 year old daughter is also going to participate as well . As we were going through the list we found some books appropriate for her.

Decades ‘08

The rules are simple:
1. Read a minimum of 8 books in 8 consecutive decades in ‘08.
2. Books published in the 2000’s do not count.
3. Titles may be cross-posted with any other challenge.
4. You may change your list at any time

sponsered by 3M

My Possible List

1870: The Mysterious Island By Jules Vernes

1880: Portrait of a Lady By Henry James

1890: Captains Courageous By Rudyard Kipling

1900: The Jungle By Upton Sinclair

1910: O Pioneers By Willa Cather

1920: A Passage To India By E.M. Forster

1930: Gone With The Wind By Margaret Mitchell

1940: Methuselah's Children By Robert Heinlein

1950: Night By Elie Wiesel

1960: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich By Aleksadnr Salzhenitsyn

1970: The Chocolate War By Robert Ormer

1980: Light Penny Candle By Maeve Binchy

1990: The Doomsday Conspiracy by Sidney Sheldon

This is Subject to Change.

The Children's Book Council: Children's Book Week

The Children's Book Council: Children's Book Week

What a wonderful way to share your love of reading with a child.

Some suggested activities from the website. Donates some books to a homeless shelter, children's hospital, or a daycare center. Read a book set in the city you live in and take a tour of the city, use the book as a guide. Read a book everyday to a child. Have the child answer questions about what you read. You can also have the child retell the story to you or have them draw a picture about the book and tell you about the picture.



http://www.cbcbooks.org/cbw/promote/email.html You can also send an email to family and friends telling them about Children's Book Week.



I will probable celebrate Children's Book Week by taking my girls to Borders and letting them buy two books; one to keep and one to donate to their schools.

Who would of thought??

Who would have thought that I would start a blog. I was surfing the Internet when I came across some reading challenges. I wanted to participate in them. So here is the blog to help me keep track of the reading challenges that I will do.



Don't expect to much from this blog. I will update when I can. I hope to write about the various books that I read. I read mainly chick lit/romance books. I do read some mysteries from time to time. Don't be surprised if you see books that are considered literature.



I hope by participating in the different reading challenges; I will expand my reading horizons.



Enjoy a book today.