I continued in on my Barbara Holloway series with Desperate Measures by Kate Wilhelm.

About the book: Barbara Holloway has a reputation for taking on the toughest cases in the Pacific Northwest… and winning them. But this time it looks as though she’s up against an unbeatable opponent, her father, the lawyer who taught her all she knows.
2001

My thoughts: I always like to listen to these books on Audio and I likes listening to the series in order. The characters have remained constant throughout and the book followed the same pattern as all of the others… with a twist and Barbara always prevails.

Rating 3.5/5

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

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

I finished the final book (so far),  in the Wimpy Kid series,  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney.

About the book:

Product Description

It’s summer vacation, the weather’s great, and all the kids are having fun outside. So where’s Greg Heffley? Inside his house, playing video games with the shades drawn.

Greg, a self-confessed “indoor person,” is living out his ultimate summer fantasy: no responsibilities and no rules. But Greg’s mom has a different vision for an ideal summer . . . one packed with outdoor activities and “family togetherness.”

Whose vision will win out? Or will a new addition to the Heffley family change everything?

My thoughts: Once again, I LOVE these books. I giggle like a silly kid while reading them. I love all of the characters and the cartoons as well. These books don’t translate well as a read aloud.. you really need to see the pictures with the expressions and situations to really enjoy them.  I wish there was another one out already. I  read this one as a “purse book” and used it as a filler when I had a few spare minutes.

Rating 4.5/5

Counts towards:  100 Book Challenge, Finish that Series

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,

I finally finished the second book in the Mortal Instruments series, City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare. It’s  not that the book wasn’t good, I was just very busy this month and didn’t have much time to read paper books.

About the book: A murderer is looks in New York City and the victims are Downworlder children.  Clary Fran and her fellow Shadowhunters have a strong suspicion that Valentine, Clary’s father may be behind the killings. But if he is the murderer, then what’s his true motive?

My thoughts:  While it took me awhile to carve out a chunk of time to actually sit down and read this book, I managed to read 3/4 of it in one afternoon to finish it.  I like the fantasy genre and while it is a Teen book, there are a couple of mature situations in it.  The author did not play it safe and I think it added to the book and makes me really want to read the 3rd one, City of Glass,  to see how things will play out. Are things not really what they seem?

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