Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

About the book (from her website)

At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance: a former student who has lost the will to live: Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.

As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition–its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.

My thoughts: I listened to this book via audio book and I think the reader’s accent definitely added to it. At first I felt that the story was more about Henry  and I immediately loved him. It took me a little while to “get it” and realize that the book was really individual stories that intertwined with Olive being the thread woven between them.  It wasn’t my favorite book of the year but I did like it.

Rating 3.5/5

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge, Audio Book Challenge,

Recommended by the ladies in my Booklovers online group, I read  Book 1 of the Trilogy,  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

About the book: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capital surrounded by twelve outlying districts.  The Capital is harsh and cruel and keeps the other districts in line by forcing them to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the death on live TV. One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play.  The winner brings riches and favor to his or her district.  But that is nothing compared to what the Capital wins: one more year of fearful compliance with its rules. MORE HERE

My thoughts: I LOVED this book!!  It reminded me of the same feel as The Giver and I recommended it to the school librarian when I was just a few chapters in.  I can’t wait for the next installment.  This is one of those kinds of books that I found myself thinking about when I wasn’t even reading… (in fact, had lots of dreams about it last night.)  This story has a lot of moral discussion points and I can see it being used in a classroom to spark student thinking and examination of one’s moral compass.

Rating 5/5

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge, Audio Book Challenge, Finish that Series Challenge,,

Jumping right in to the next Stephanie Plum installment, Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich.

About the book:   Fugitive Apprehension Agent Stephanie Plum has a big problem on her hands: Seven-year-old Annie Soder and her mother, Evelyn, have disappeared.

Evelyn’s estranged husband, Steven, a shady owner of a seedy bar, is not at all happy. During the divorce proceedings, he and Evelyn signed a child custody bond, and Steven is demanding the money guaranteed by the bond to find Annie. The money was secured by a mortgage on Evelyn’s grandmother’s house, and the True Blue Bonds Bail Agency wants to take possession of the house. MORE HERE

My thoughts: I listened to this one while getting things done around the house today. I need to move away from my wish that the reader was Lori Petty and just accept that it isn’t. I did have some LOL moments as I usually do reading this series. Sister Valerie took a bigger role and things heat up with the love triangle.

Rating 3.5/5

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge, Audio Book Challenge, Finish that Series Challenge,, Stephanie Plum Challenge

Continuing on my Stephanie Plum series reading, Seven Up, by Janet Evanovich finally came in at the library. It was on hold for quite awhile and as soon as I got it, it moved to the top of my queue.

About the book: Semi-retired mob guy, Eddie DeChooch, is caught trafficking contraband cigarettes through Trenton, New Jersey. When DeChooch fails to show for a court appearance, bond enforcement agent Stephanie Plum is assigned the task of finding DeChooch and dragging his decrepit ass back to jail. Not such an easy job, it turns out, since DeChooch has learned a lot of tricks over the years and isn’t afraid to use his gun. He’s already shot Loretta Ricci and left her for worm food in his shed. He wouldn’t mind shooting Stephanie next. MORE HERE.

My thoughts:  I love the comical Stephanie and my favorite character, Grandma Mazur. This book introduces Steph’s sister Valerie and stoner, Moonie into the mix.  Once again, I was not happy that the “reader” changed.  Of all of them, this one was really off for me, (actually resulting in a lower rating of the book because it was annoying.)  It never sold me as being Stephanie… no Jersey accent and sounding too old. (My favorite was by far Lori Petty.  Next was  Debbie Mazur.)  I just looked ahead and I guess I’ll need to get used to this reader, Lorelei King though,  since she’s reading the remainder of the series.. Either that or just read them via paper book and still hear Lori Petty’s voice in my head.

Rating 3/5

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge, Audio Book Challenge, Finish that Series Challenge,, Stephanie Plum Challenge

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini has been on my TBR list for a long, long time. i finally got to it.

About the book: Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to the present, The Kite Runner is the unforgettable, beautifully told story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan nonetheless grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan, the son of Amir’s father’s servant, is a Hazara, member of a shunned ethnic minority. MORE HERE.

My thoughts:  I had planned on reading the book before seeing the movie, as I always like to do but it didn’t work out that way.  I loved this book, read by the author and I must say the movie was very much like the book (although the book was more detailed and extended beyond the movie. I usually  like to read books set in different countries via audio book because I feel that the accents and dialect add to it. I’m glad to see that the movie version did the book justice and didn’t change the plot like some other book/movie adaptations that I’ve seen.

Rating 5/5

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge, Audio Book Challenge, Finish that Series Challenge

As always, I’m always ready for the next in the Cedar Cove series and read the fifth one,  50 Harbor Street by Debbie Macomber via audio book.

About the book: Roy McAfee, Cedar Cove’s resident private investigator, and his wife, Corrie, have been receiving anonymous postcards and messages, asking if they regret the past, and what they mean is a mystery to them! On a more positive note, Roy and Corrie are delighted that their daughter, Linette, has moved back to Cedar Cove to work at the new medical clinic. Linette isn’t too enthusiastic that her mom has set her up with Cal Washburn, who works at Cliff Harding’s horse farm. Corrie bought Linette a date with Cal at the humane society’s “Dog and Bachelor Auction.” The romance between Cliff and Grace Sherman is back, but that’s just one of the many interesting stories you’ll read about in 50 Harbor Street. More here.

My thoughts: I’m really enjoying this series and the characters are like old friends. I’m so glad that I’m reading it in order because of the relationships of the characters. I don’t think I would enjoy it as much if I didn’t because the characters’ stories carry through from book to book.  As all of her books are,  Cedar Cove novels are rated PG.

Rating 3.5/5

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge, Audio Book Challenge, Finish that Series Challenge,

I’ve been waiting for 44 Cranberry Point to come in for weeks and it finally was available. It was the next book in Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series.  I listened via audio book.

About the book:

Judge Olivia and her husband, Jack, are back from their honeymoon to find her mother, Charlotte, who’s at least seventy-five, has a man in her life. But the big buzz is about the man who died in the Beldon’s bed and breakfast. Turns out, his name was Max Russell, and Bob knew him briefly in Vietnam. But who poisoned him and why?

In happier news, Jon Bowman and Maryellen Sherman have seen the light—they’re getting married. Maryellen’s mom, Grace, has more than her share of interested men, but which one will she choose? All grist for the gossip mill in Cedar Cove, the town you’d love to call home. More here!

My thoughts: The more I read the series, the more the characters seem like old friends. I always look forward to the next installment and usually listen via audio book. I like that the reader has been consistent thus far so my schema for characters and voices has remained constant. I look forward to the next one which I’m jumping right into.

Rating 3.5/5

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge, Audio Book Challenge, Finish that Series Challenge,

Hot Six by Janet Evanovich

About the book: (from the website)

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum and Trenton vice cop Joe Morelli join forces to find the madman killer who shot and barbecued the youngest son of international black-market arms dealer Alexander Ramos.

Carlos Manoso, street name Ranger, is caught on video just minutes before the crime occurs. He’s at the scene, he’s with the victim, and he’s the number one suspect. Manoso is former Special Forces turned soldier of fortune. He has a blue-chip stock portfolio and no known address. He moves in mysterious circles. He’s Stephanie’s mentor– the man who taught her everything she knows about fugitive apprehension. And he’s more than her friend. More here!

My thoughts: Once again, I listened to this one on audio book.  I especially love to read “fun” books that way. Once again though, the reader has changed and I get annoyed with that!  I develop a schema for the character and changing Stephanie’s voice messes with that… (This one was the toughest adjustment since I think it was the same person who read the Alex Barnaby series and I kept picturing that character.. grrrr!) As for the story, it was typical Stephanie Plum and featured a lot of Grandma Mazur whom I really get a kick out of. With each book the stories are beginning to involve more focus on Steph’s attraction to both Ranger and Joe Morelli.  It will be interesting to see how things continue to develop.

Rating 3.5/5

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge, Audio Book Challenge, Finish that Series Challenge,, Stephanie Plum Challenge

Making my way through the Cedar Cove series, 311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber was my first book completed in 2010.

About the book:

311 Pelican Court
Book Three
September 2003

Now divorced, Zach and Rosie Cox are struggling to adjust to Judge Olivia’s unusual custody agreement—and to the fact they’re thrown together more than they would have wished. The kids are staying in the family home, and it’s Rosie and Zach who have to do the coming and going. Having discovered the tragic fate of her husband, Grace tries to adjust to single living and to the attentions of another man.

But the really big gossip comes when a guest dies at Bob and Peggy Beldon’s Thyme and Tide Bed and Breakfast. Roy McAfee, the local private investigator, wants to know who the guy was, and why he showed up there, of all places, in the middle of the night. More here.

My thoughts: Once again, I listened to this book on my mp3 player and downloaded it from my library.  I’m really getting a warm, comfy feeling reading this series. I like the way each book thus far has mainly focused on the resident at the address in the title but there are multiple stories woven in and throughout. Naturally, Macomber’s books are very tame and easy reads but I’m hooked! I’m really looking forward to the entire series.

Rating 3.5/5

Counts towards: Library Challenge, 100 Book Challenge, Audio Book Challenge, Finish that Series Challenge

Since I just started reading Janet Evanovich and am reading the Stephanie Plum novels in order, there’s no better time to join a challenge. It’s being sponsored by J.Kaye’s Book Blog.

Guidelines:

1) The goal is to get caught up on the Stephanie Plum series, so create a list of the books you haven’t read yet. You have between now and December 31, 2010. Don’t include books you’ve read prior to or started before 7/23/09.

2) This reading challenge is for participants with a blog. If you decide to participate in the 2009/2010 Stephanie Plum Reading Challenge, create a post on your blog telling others about this event. In your post, be sure to include the link to this post on your blog. That way others can find their way here and join in the fun.

3) If you want to have your reading list on your blog’s right sidebar, then please include a link to this post.

4) Audio and eBooks count.

5) You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

6) When you sign up under Mr. Linky, list the direct link to your post where your library books will be listed. If you list just your blog’s URL, it will be removed. If you don’t have a blog, leave the URL blank.

7) Books to be published after signing up do not have to be listed. This is optional.

There will be a place for you to link your reviews, but this is optional.

9) When you have completed your number of the Stephanie Plum books, link your completed list to the completed page. One will be set up.

10)If you have any questions, feel free to ask below or email me at jkayeoldner@yahoo.com. Comments usually get a quicker response.

**Since I read my FIRST book just last month they all qualify for the challenge. I’ve got two down, one on hold at the library,  and lots to go!

Stephanie Plum Series

1. One for the Money (1994)  finished 10/12/09
2. Two for the Dough (1995) finished 10/24/09
3. Three to Get Deadly (1997) started and finished 11/23/09
4. Four to Score (1998) started and finished 12/17/09
5. High Five (1999) started 12/18/09, finished 12/23/09
6. Hot Six (2000)started 1/05/10, finished 01/08/10
7. Seven Up (2001) started 2/5/10, finished 2/6/10
8. Hard Eight (2002) started 2/6/10, finished 2/6/10
9. To the Nines (2003) library request
10. Ten Big Ones (2004)
11. Eleven on Top (2005)
12. Twelve Sharp (2006)
13. Lean Mean Thirteen (2007)
14. Fearless Fourteen (2008)
15. Finger Lickin’ Fifteen (2009)

Stephanie Plum Between-the-Numbers Novels

Visions of Sugar Plums (2002)
Plum Lovin’ (2007)
Plum Lucky (2008)
Plum Spooky (2009)