Challenge Update

For some reason this tends to keep me in check where I am with challenges, more than anything else. I look forward to seeing where I am each month compared to the last. I feel like it’s slow going in some aspects. My next challenge end date is February 28th. It’s a good challenge because it’s about the points more than how many books you read. So  far my points are low, and they will probably stay close to that, but at least it’s fun. I have a lot of challenges I haven’t even touched yet, so hopefully I will get something in each of them read by the end of the month.

CURRENT CHALLENGES

• Project Fill in the Gaps – 13/100 (Apr 13, 09 – Apr 13, 14)
• 2010 Chunkster Challenge – 0/3 (Feb 1, 10 – Jan 31, 11)
• Pub Challenge 2010 – 0/10 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• Flashback Reading Challenge – 1/4 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• 2010 Genre Challenge – 3/12 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• 2010 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge - 0/20 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• In Death Reading Challenge – 0/14 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• Vampire Series Challenge – 2/3 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• What’s in a Name 3 Challenge – 1/6 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• 2010 Romance Reading Challenge – 0/5 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• 2010 2nds Challenge – 4/12 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• 2010 1st in Series Challenge – 3/12 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• 30 Books to Movies Challenge – 0/30 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• 1010 Category Challenge – 14/100 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• Thriller/Suspense Challenge 2010 – 5/12 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• TwentyTen Challenge – 3/20 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• 2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge – 4/25 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• 2010 100+ Reading Challenge – 14/100 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• 2010 YA Reading Challenge – 0/12 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• Nancy Drew Challenge – 0/56 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• Colorful Reading Challenge – 0/9 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• Awesome Author Challenge 2010 – 1/6 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• TBR Challenge 2010 – 0/12 original 0/12 alternatives (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• Read Your Own Books 2010 – 9/75 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• A-Z Challenge 2010 – 9/26 titles 5/26 authors (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• New Author Challenge 2010 – 5/50 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• Books to Read Before I Die Challenge – 1/20 (Jan 1, 10 – Dec 31, 10)
• Stephanie Plum Reading Challenge – 2/15 (July 23, 09 – Dec 31, 10)
• Series IV Challenge – 3/24 (Dec 1, 09 – Nov 30, 10)
• Monthly Mixer Mele – 16/74 (Nov 1, 09 – Nov 2, 10)
• Book Awards IV – 0/10 (Feb 1, 10 – Nov 1 10)
• Countdown Challenge 2010 – 27/55 (Sept 9, 09 – Oct 10, 10)
• 345 Challenge – 2/12 (Aug 1, 09 – Aug 1, 10)
• Women’s Murder Club Challenge – 1/9 (Aug 15, 09 – Aug 15, 10)
• Random Reading Challenge – 1/12 (Aug 1, 09 – July 31, 10)
• Sookie Stackhouse Challenge – 6/10 (July 1, 09 – June 30, 10)
• Lord of the Rings Readalong – 0/4 (Jan 1, 10 – Apr 31, 10)
• The Four Month Challenge – 70/250 pts (Nov 1, 09 – Feb 28, 10)

ONGOING CHALLENGES

• 1,001 Books You Must Read – 69/1001
• EW’s New Classic Books – 15/100
• TBR Stack (Personal) – 16/132
• Operation Actually Read the Bible – 0/12 months
• Stephen King/Richard Bachman Challenge – 2/–

January 2010 – REVIEW

Well, I think January was a successful reading month. I read as many books off my shelves as I bought, so that’s a success. I would like to change that in the following months by continuing to read more books that I own and buying less. We’ll see how the month progresses but so far I am doing good.

Books Read:

1. What My Cat Has Taught Me About Life by Niki Anderson (TBR)
2. Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot
3. Dear Jane Austen by Patrice Hannon (TBR)
4. Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell (TBR)
5. Heartsick by Chelsea Cain (TBR)
6. The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
7. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (TBR)
8. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (TBR)
9. A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris (TBR)
10. 1st to Die by James Patterson (TBR)
11. Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain  (TBR)
12. The Killing Circle by Andrew Pyper (TBR)
13. Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot

Books Added:

1. The Levity Effect by Adrian Bostick
2. Heat Wave by Richard Castle
3. Free Stallion by Amber Tamblyn
4. The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall
5. Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields
6. The Soloist by Steve Lopez
7. E is for Evidence by Sue Grafton
8. F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton
9. I, Alex Cross by James Patterson
10. Twitter Power by Joel Comm

Challenges Finished: Chill Baby Chill Challenge, What an Animal II Challenge, James Patterson Challenge, Everything Austen Challenge
Challenges Joined: Pub Challenge 2010, Book Awards IV

REVIEW: Evil at Heart

Title: Evil at Heart
Author: Chelsea Cain
Finished: February 7, 2010
Pages: 308
Published: 2009
Format: First Edition

The third book in Cheslea Cain’s series is just as intriguing and questionable as the others. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, something changed. I’ve learned never to trust Cain with what she says until she tells you you can … and even then, she might be lying.

This book brings us a couple months after the latest attack, with Archie in a mental facility seeking help and hiding out. His only visitors are his family and Henry – Susan keeps trying but he just won’t let her in.

When a series of murders begin to resemble Gretchen’s previous killings, everyone becomes suspicious that her pact with Archie is no longer valid. With the help of Susan, Archie begins his own quest to find Gretchen and stop her once and for all. Much like the other books, Archie continues to put himself in peril, this time risking Susan’s life as well.

I feel like a fourth book is on the rise and can’t wait to see what happens next.

*challenges: countdown challenge, monthly mixer mele, 1010 category challenge, a-z challenge, ryob challenge, thriller & suspense challenge, 100+ challenge

REVIEW: Queen of Babble in the Big City

Title: Queen of Babble in the Big City
Author: Meg Cabot
Finished: January 31, 2010
Pages: 307
Published: 2007
Format: First Edition

The second book Meg Cabot’s Queen of Babble series does not disappoint. The first book left off with the group deciding to all move to New York and pursue their dreams. When the book opens, Lizzie is enjoying her first days in New York with her fabulous boyfriend. But things in Lizzie’s life go downhill fast when she is unable to find her dream job, her living arrangements put a strain on her friendships, the holidays are coming up, and her best friends seem to be having some problems.

Lizzie figures nothing can ever be that bad, it will all work out and is meant to be … until it isn’t.

I enjoyed this book even more than the first, the drama and even slight intrigue had me feeling for Lizzie and her troubles. All she wants is a break and she keeps getting burned.

I am definitely looking forward to book 3. I don’t know if there are plans past that but it will certainly be interesting to see what they pull off.

*challenges: four month challenge, countdown challenge, 1010 category challenge, support your local library challenge, 100+ challenge, 2nds challenge

It’s Monday. What are you reading?

This Monday meme has officially changed hands, and I will miss J. Kaye hosting this weekly event, but that won’t stop me from participating. It always keeps me in line. Bookjourney over at One Persons Journey through a world of books is now hosting this event.

Slow reading week, I keep thinking it’s picking up and then it doesn’t. I’m traveling again this week so hopefully I will get a couple books finished soon.

Read Last Week:

• Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain

Reading This Week:

• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Twitter Power by Joel Comm
• You Suck by Christopher Moore
• The Memory Collector by Meg Gardiner
• Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates