LOOKING BACK…AND MOVING FORWARD….

Good morning!  Today as I was creating a new blog header here, I decided to look back at what I was posting about a year ago.

Yes, I like peeking into the archives.

There it was, that midpoint check-in for Read the Books You Buy Challenge.  A year ago, of course, we were halfway through 2016, and I wrote:

In July 2016, halfway toward my goal, I have read and reviewed 38 in all.

I am thoroughly enjoying the process….and haven’t actually decided on my percentages.  I’m just reading as many books as I can.

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This year’s midpoint has not yet been posted….but so far in the Read the Books You Buy Challenge- 2017, I have completed 62 books.  So I’m doing better this year!

I like challenging myself, and the motivation of trying to do better than I did the previous year is a good one for me.

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As for the numbers of books I’ve purchased so far this year, I still went a bit crazy.  But so far in July, I’ve “only” bought 6 books; and in June, I purchased 11…four of which I’ve already read and reviewed.

The journey is challenging…but fun.  What do you do to find your motivation?  How do you curtail (or not) your purchases?

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GOODBYE TO MAY! A WRAP-UP….

Wow, another wonderful month of immersing myself in great books has ended.  Head on over to Book Date, to link up with others and their wrap-up posts.

I read more this past month than I have in a while.  What did your month look like?

Click on my titles to read the reviews.

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MAY 2017:

1.A Mother’s Confession (e-book), by Kelly Rimmer – 349 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 5/7/17

2.A Separation (e-book), by Katie Kitamura – 229 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 5/2/17

3.Breakdown, The (e-book), by B. A. Paris – 336 pages – (mystery) – 5/30/17 – (NetGalley – 6/20/17)

4.#GIRLBOSS (e-book), by Sophia Amoruso – 239 pages – (memoir) – 5/24/17

5.He Said, She Said (e-book), by Erin Kelly – 400 pages – (suspense/violence) – 5/19/17 – (NetGalley – 6/6/17)

6.Hot Milk (e-book), by Deborah Levy – 230 pages – (literary fiction) – 5/4/17

7.How It All Began (e-book), by Penelope Lively – 229 pages – (literary fiction) – 5/29/17

8.Into the Water (e-book), by Paula Hawkins – 386 pages – (mystery) – 5/23/17

9.Night the Lights Went Out, The (e-book), by Karen White – 406 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 5/13/17

10.Not a Sound (e-book), by Heather Gudenkauf – 352 pages – (suspense/murder mystery) – 5/10/17 – (NetGalley – 5/30)

11.Roanoke Girls, The (e-book), by Amy Engel – 274 pages – (family drama/suspense) – 5/1/17

12.Secrets in Summer, by Nancy Thayer – 320 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 5/20/17 – (Amazon Vine)

13.Vivian in Red (e-book), by Kristina Riggle – 352 pages – (literary fiction) – 5/6/17

14.What’s Become of Her, by Deb Caletti – 355 pages – (mystery) – 5/9/17 – (Amazon Vine)

15.Widow of Wall Street, The (e-book), by Randy Susan Meyers – 352 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 5/16/17

16.Wildling Sisters, The, by Eve Chase – 320 pages – (historical/contemporary fiction) – 5/27/17 – (Amazon Vine Review)

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NUMBER OF BOOKS READ IN MAY 2017:         16

NUMBER OF PAGES READ IN MAY 2017:       5,129

BOOKS READ YTD:                                                                    73

FAVORITE FICTION:  The Night the Lights Went Out

 

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JANUARY WRAP-UP: A GREAT READING MONTH

January was a month with so many books to love that it was hard to pick a favorite.  I also read one less book than I did in December, but I read many more pages. (4,585 in December; 5,262 in January).

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Genres:

Psychological Suspense Thrillers/Mysteries

9

Historical Fiction

3

Contemporary Fiction

4

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Female Writers – 16 (Do I have a bias here?  LOL).

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Authors New to Me:

Amanda Ortlepp

Kay Kendall

Jane Harper

Kimberly Belle

Susie Steiner

Pam Jenoff

Marcy Dermansky

Claire Seeber

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So….here are the books I read and reviewed.  Click the titles to read the reviews.  Enjoy sharing your month over at Kathryn’s Book Date.

 

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JANUARY 2017:

1.Always (e-book), by Sarah Jio – 320 pages – (historical/contemporary fiction) – 1/18/17 – (NetGalley – 2/7/17)

2.Claiming Noah, by Amanda Ortlepp (374 pages) – (contemporary fiction) – 1/12/17 (Amazon Vine)

3.Desolation Row (e-book), by Kay Kendall- 310 pages – (historical fiction) – 1/3/17

4.Dry, The (e-book), by Jane Harper – 336 pages – (suspense thriller) – 1/30/17

5.Faultlines (e-book), by Barbara Taylor Sissel – 304 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 1/28/17

6.Marriage Lie, The (e-book), by Kimberly Belle- 352 pages – (suspense thriller) – 1/25/17

7.Missing, Presumed (e-book), by Susie Steiner – 369 pages – (literary mystery) – 1/7/17

8.Never Alone (e-book), by Elizabeth Haynes – 352 pages – (psychological thriller) – 1/20/17

9.Orphan’s Tale, The, by Pam Jenoff – 342 pages – (historical fiction) – 1/1617 (Amazon Vine Review)

10.Other Widow, The (e-book), by Susan Crawford – 334 pages – (suspense thriller) – 1/11/17

11.Red Car, The (e-book), by Marcy Dermansky – 206 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 1/29/17

12.Sleeping Beauty Killer, The (e-book), by Mary Higgins Clark/Alafair Burke – 320 pages – (mystery) – 1/1/17. (First Book Read in 2017)

13.Stepmother, The (e-book), by Claire Seeber – (355 pages) – (psychological thriller) – 1/14/17

14.Sweet Lake, by Christine Nolfi – 332 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 1/23/17 (Author Review Request)

15.Twilight Wife, The (e-book), by A. J. Banner – 304 pages – (psychological thriller) – 1/26/17

16.Woman in Cabin 10, The (e-book), by Ruth Ware – 352 pages – (suspense thriller) – 1/8/17

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NUMBER OF BOOKS READ IN JANUARY 2017:         16

NUMBER OF PAGES READ IN JANUARY 2017:    5,262

BOOKS READ YTD:                                                                  16

 

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FAVORITE FICTION READ IN JANUARY:

 

 

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CURLING UP WITH TBR BOOKS: THE CHALLENGE

Restless again…and overly caffeinated, so I created several new headers for this blog…and finally settled on this one.  For now.

Now…let’s put that restlessness into something productive, like ending the year with a smashing number of books read and reviewed for the Read the Books You Buy Challenge.

My total now is 98 books!!  I must hit 100 before the end of the month.  I think I can do it…and I’ve already started the 99th book:

The Dollhouse, by Fiona Davis, which has been languishing on Pippa since October.

 

 

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A wonderful book so far, it sweeps back and forth through time, from 2016, when our protagonist, Rosie Lewin, is living in the updated version of the Old Barbizon Hotel, where an aging woman lives on the 4th floor.  The residences of those long-term tenants from the early days of the hotel were turned into rent-controlled apartments on that floor.  And the elderly woman, Darby McLaughlin, has secrets from that long-ago time, in 1952, when she lived there while attending secretarial school.  Secrets Rosie hopes to unwrap for a great story.

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Now…I also have some possibilities for my 100th book:

Scandal in Skibberdeen (County Cork Series Book 2), by Sheila Connolly. (Purchased in 4/16).

 

 

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Three to Get Deadly (Stephanie Plum #3), by Janet Evanovich (which I’ve had since 1/16!).

 

 

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She Can Kill, (She Can Series Book 6), by Melinda Leigh – (Purchased in 3/16)

 

 

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And then there are some newer titles…but to be fair, I need to clear off some of the older ones.  What do you think?  Have you read any of these?  Which should I pick first?

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SAYING GOODBYE TO OCTOBER: WRAP-UP

How did October fly by so fast?  I’m stunned that November is here….but one thing I can say about my favorite month, October:  It brought me some great titles, and I read more than I had in the previous two months.  Below, see them all, linked to my reviews.

Let’s check in at Book Date, with Kathryn, to share our reading.

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OCTOBER 2016:

1.All the Ugly & Wonderful Things (e-book), by Bryn Greenwood – 341 pages – (literary fiction) – 10/3/16

2. American Girl, The (e-book), by Kate Horsley – 432 pages – (mystery/thriller) – 10/15/16

3. Come & Find Me (e-book), by Hallie Ephron – 293 pages – (suspense thriller) – 10/6/16

4.  Commonwealth (e-book), by Ann Patchett – 322 pages – (literary fiction) – 10/15/16

5.  Confess, by Colleen Hoover – 306 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 10/26/16

6. Dinner, The (e-book), by Herman Koch – 292 pages – (literary fiction) – 10/8/16

7. Faithful (e-book), by Alice Hoffman – 272 pages – (literary fiction) – 10/10/16 (NetGalley – 11/1)

8. Family Tree (e-book), by Susan Wiggs – 368 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 10/12/16

9. Fractured, by Catherine McKenzie – 336 pages – (mystery/suspense) – 10/9/16 (Amazon Vine)

10. Kept Woman, The (e-book), by Karin Slaughter – 453 pages – (mystery/suspense) – 10/19/16

11. Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty, by Diane Keaton – 188 pages – (memoir) – 10/16/16

12. Life She Wants, The (e-book), by Robyn Carr – 352 pages – (contemporary fiction)

13.  Saturday Requiem, by Nicci French – 390 pages – (psychological thriller) – 10/30/16

14. Small Great Things (e-book), by Jodi Picoult – 480 pages – (literary fiction) – 10/5/16 (NetGalley – 10/11)

15.  Spelling It Like It Is, by Tori Spelling – 302 pages – (memoir) – 10/17/16

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NUMBER OF BOOKS READ IN OCTOBER 2016:         15

NUMBER OF PAGES READ IN OCTOBER 2016:    5,127

BOOKS READ YTD:                                                                     135

FAVORITE FICTION BOOK IN OCTOBER 2016:  Fractured, by Catherine McKenzie

 

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WRAPPING UP AUGUST

August seemed to fly by…literally.  But the month brought so many wonderful books to read and review, that I had a difficult time picking only one favorite.  Sometimes I present a tie, but this month, I would have had to choose three or four favorites.  Or even more.

I’m linking up with Kathryn at Book Date.  Check in with a few other bloggers to see what they enjoyed in August.  And have a fabulous September!

My titles (below) link to my reviews:

 

AUGUST 2016:

1. Behind Closed Doors (e-book), by B. A. Paris – 293 pages – (thriller/suspense) – 8/24/16

2. Blood Defense (e-book), by Marcia Clark – 389 pages – (legal thriller) – 8/10/16

3.  Book That Matters Most, The (e-book), by Ann Hood – 358 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 8/27/16

4. Couple Next Door, The (e-book), by Shari Lapena – 325 pages – (suspense thriller) – 8/13/16 – (NetGalley – 8/23)

5.  Excellent Lombards, The (e-book), by Jane Hamilton – 274 pages- (coming-of-age) – 8/23/16

6.  Girls of August, The (e-book), by Anne Rivers Siddons – 222 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 8/28/16

7. Girl You Lost, The (e-book), by Kathryn Croft – 318 pages – (thriller) – 8/3/16

8.  Leave Me (e-book), by Gayle Forman – 352 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 8/29/16 – (NetGalley – 9/6)

9. Melody Lingers On, The (e-book), by Mary Higgins Clark – 273 pages – (thriller) – 8/2/16

10. Mystic Summer (e-book), by Hannah McKinnon – 304 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 8/19/16

11. Siracusa (e-book), by Delia Ephron – 285 pages – (literary fiction) – 8/18/16

12. Truly Madly Guilty (e-book), by Liane Moriarty – 416 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 8/12/16

13. Truth-Teller’s Lie, The (e-book), by Sophie Hannah – 363 pages – (suspense thriller) – 8/15/16

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NUMBER OF BOOKS READ IN AUGUST 2016:     13

NUMBER OF PAGES READ IN AUGUST 2016:     4,172

BOOKS READ YTD:                                                          108

FAVORITE FICTION BOOK IN AUGUST 2016: Leave Me, by Gayle Forman

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WRAPPING UP JULY! A GREAT MONTH….

Welcome to another Monthly Wrap-Up Post!  July was a great month for me, with more books read than in recent months.  It was hard to pick a favorite read, as there were several awesome books on my list.

Let’s link up with Kathryn, at Book Date, to see how others have fared in July.

 

 

JULY 2016:

1. All Is Not Forgotten (e-book), by Wendy Walker – 319 pages – (psychological thriller) – 7/11/16 – (NetGalley Review – 7/12)

2. Beauty of the End, The, by Debbie Howells – 413 pages – (psychological thriller) – 7/8/16 – (Amazon Vine Review)

3.  Clouds in My Coffee (e-book, Book 3), by Julie Mulhern – 256 pages- (cozy mystery) – 7/7/16

4.  Damaged (e-book), by Lisa Scottoline – 416 pages – (legal thriller) – 7/30/16 (NetGalley – 8/16)

5.  Dear Carolina (e-book), by Kristy Woodson Harvey – 307 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 7/12/16

6.  Death at Breakfast (e-book), by Beth Gutcheon – 288 pages – (cozy mystery) – 7/16/16

7.  Falling, by Jane Green – 295 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 7/23/16

8.   Flight Patterns (e-book), by Karen White – 401 pages – (contemporary/historical fiction) – 7/29/16

9.  Friction (e-book), by Sandra Brown – 410 pages – (mystery) – 7/5/16

10. One True Loves (e-book), by Taylor Jenkins Reid – 352 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 7/22/16

11. Orphan Choir, The (e-book), by Sophie Hannah – 272 pages – (paranormal/thriller) – 7/24/16

12. Paris Runaway (e-book), by Paulita Kincer – 251 pages – (contemporary fiction) – 7/14/16 (Author Review)

13. River Road (e-book), by Carol Goodman – 288 pages (thriller/mystery) – 7/1/16

14.  Vinegar Girl (e-book), by Anne Tyler – 242 pages – (literary fiction) – 7/18/16

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NUMBER OF BOOKS READ IN JULY 2016:     14

NUMBER OF PAGES READ IN JULY 2016:     4,510

BOOKS READ YTD:                                                       95

FAVORITE FICTION BOOK IN JULY 2016:  Flight Patterns, by Karen White

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