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

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,

Continuing with the the Barbara Holloway series, I read book number 5, No Defense by Kate Wilhelm.

About the book :No Defense
Vinny and Lara Jessup’s wonderful marriage comes to a tragic end and Lara is accused of staging the accident that killed her husband. With only the word of an accused woman and a mysterious box of papers about the unsolved murder of Vinny’s son, Barbara Holloway takes on the widow’s case.
2000

My thoughts: This book continues in the series about Bobby and her father Frank along with the other workers in the law agency.  As in all the others, Barbara has a difficult case and has some digging to do. Frank took a much smaller role in this book and we continue to see the development of Barbara’s personal life.  I read it via audio book.

Rating 3/5

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

I’ve read all of Dan Brown’s books and was eager to read the newest one, The Lost Symbol. I listened via audio book and it was similiar to his other Robert Langdon adventures, but this one was set in Washington, DC.

About the book: (From Amazon) After scores of Da Vinci Code knockoffs, spinoffs, copies and caricatures, Brown has had the stroke of brilliance to set his breakneck new thriller not in some far-off exotic locale, but right here in our own backyard. Everyone off the bus, and welcome to a Washington, D.C., they never told you about on your school trip when you were a kid, a place steeped in Masonic history that, once revealed, points to a dark, ancient conspiracy that threatens not only America but the world itself. Returning hero Robert Langdon comes to Washington to give a lecture at the behest of his old mentor, Peter Solomon. When he arrives at the U.S. Capitol for his lecture, he finds, instead of an audience, Peter’s severed hand mounted on a wooden base, fingers pointing skyward to the Rotunda ceiling fresco of George Washington dressed in white robes, ascending to heaven. More here..

My thoughts… while this book was not as action packed as the previous Langdon novels, it hooked be right away.  I’m always intrigued when reading books that reference actual locations and landmarks and brings in true historical events situations.  I think Dan Brown is brilliant in his ability to peel back layers on the fictional “secrets” that he uncovers and dream them up in the first place. I found that there was a lot of time spent talking rather than doing  though and on the audio version, Sato’s voice was tough to listen to.. (albeit it was supposed to be that way.)

Not for everyone but I liked it..

Rating 4/5

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