Dark Fire - Christine Feehan

With Book 6 of the Dark Series, Christine Feehan has penned another winner. I absolutely love this series. She was my first introduction into the world of paranormal romance and I have been and avid reader since. Her world of the Carpathians is captivating, evocative, and intense. The characters are strong-willed and capture the heart of the reader. Dark Fire is the story of a dangerous, virile man willing to risk it all, even his immortality, for the woman he loves.

This can be crossed off my 888, A~Z, TBR and Romance Reading Challenges.

You can read my reveiw here.

Rating: 4.5/5

Pages: 390

Completed: 1/25/08

A Painted House - John Grisham

I just finished reading A Painted House by John Grisham and absolutely loved this book. It is so different from his legal thrillers. The story was narrated by a seven-year-old boy. Being able to experience his thoughts and emotions and seeing the world through the eyes of a young boy made this book a great read.

This can be crossed off my 888, Whitcoulls, On the Porch Swing, A~Z, and Book Around the States challenges.

My review can be read here.

Rating: 5

Pages: 465

Completed: 01/21/08

Here Be Dragons

COMPLETED 6/30/08

I found another challenge that I think will be extremely fun. I love dragons, but have not read any books that have featured them. In reading some of my favorite blogs, I came across one that told of a Dragon challenge. So, with further investigation, I found that Love was hosting the challenge at Stray Talk.



The rules are simple - Read 3-5 books about dragons between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2008.

Here is my tentative list:

1. HP and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling 02/08/08; Review
2. The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe 04/15/08; Review
3. The Dream Thief by Shana Abe 06/28/08; Review

On the Porch Swing Challenge

I think I have found another thing that I like just as much as challenges and reading - and that is reader's groups. I have joined about just as many groups as I have challenges - I love them!!

Today I joined the Mystery Reader Cafe and I also joined On the Porch Swing. I hope to make many new friends on these groups. Not only did Mystery Reader have a book challenge but On the Porch Swing has a challenge also. And, yes, I am joining.

The rules are as follows...

1. Read a book with a color in EITHER the title or the author's name.
2. Read a book with a person's name in the title.
3. Read a book with the word house, or home, or cottage in the title (only one book with either of those words in the title).
4. Read a book with the word family, brother, or sister in the title (again, only one book with either of those words in the title).
5. Read a book with some type of water in the title -this could be ocean, lake, pond, river, rain, etc.

Here are my choices:

Color: White Lies - Jayne Ann Krentz 3/6/08; Review

Name: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - JK Rowling 02/08/08; Review

House: A Painted House - John Grisham 01/21/08; Review

Brother: Three Weeks with my Brother - Nicholas Sparks

Water: Lake News - Barbara Delinsky 8/7/08; Review

Amateur Sleuth Challenge 2008

I found another challenge that I just had to join. I discovered the group Mystery Reader Cafe and Kari (who runs the group with Linda) is sponsoring this challenge at Another Book on the Shelf. The rules are simple:

1. Read 6 or more books featuring an amateur sleuth.
2. Each sleuth must have a different vocation or hobby (ex. innkeeping, cooking, writing an advice column, owning a craft store, school psychologist, etc.).
3. These can be the first in the series or anywhere else.

Here are my choices:

1. Track the Cat by Nevada Barr (Anna Pigeon - Park Ranger)
2. Silhouette in Scarlet by Elizabeth Peters (Vicky Bliss - Art Historian)
3. Real Murders by Charlaine Harris (Aurora Teagarden - Librarian)
4. Fool's Puzzle by Earlene Fowler (Benni Harper) 2/1/08; Review
5. Aunt Dimity's Good Deed by Nancy Atherton (Ghost) 6/1/08; Review
6. The Unlucky Collie Caper by Georgette Livingston (Jennifer Gray - Veterinarian)
7. Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton (Agatha Raisin) 3/14/08; Review

I think I am really going to enjoy this challenge. I just love cozy mysteries. In fact, someone in the group suggested this site, Cozy Mystery, to find out all the authors that write them. This is an excellent site and a big Thank You to Mystery Reader Cafe for suggesting it!!!

Under the Lake - Stuart Woods

I have just finished reading Under the Lake by Stuart Woods. I liked the paranormal aspect of the book - healing abilities, ghosts, and happenings out on the lake. Stuart Woods really knows how to weave a tale of intrigue and suspense.

This can be crossed off my Celebrate the Author, TBR, and A~Z challenges.

My review can be read here.

Rating: 3.75/5
Pages: 348
Completed: 01/15/08

Jacob - Jacquelyn Frank

Another challenge book completed - Jacob: The Nightwalkers by Jacquelyn Frank. This is book one in the series and I absolutely loved it!! For all you paranormal romance readers out there - this one is a winner!

This can be crossed off my 1st in a Series, 888, Romance, and A~Z challenges.

You can read my full review here.

Pages: 320

Rating: 5/5

Completed: 01/12/08

Romance Reading Challenge 2008

COMPLETED 12/31/08

Being a consummate reader of romance, I can't believe this challenge got by me. Naida at The Bookworm is hosting this romance challenge. Read 5 romance novels before December 31, 2008. Any kind of romance, even unrequited love. So, I have chosen 7 and put 10 on an alternate list. To be fair to myself - I thought that 5 was too easy for me to accomplish so I am planning on reading both my list and my alternate in order to complete this challenge.

Here are my lists:

1. Delicious - Susan Mallery 9/9/08; Review
2. Jewels of the Sun - Nora Roberts 04/24/08; Review
3. Dark Fire - Christine Feehan 01/25/08; Review
4. High Noon - Nora Roberts 02/19/08; Review
5. Light of the Moon - Luanne Rice 4/2/08; Review
6. Lakeside Cottage - Susan Wiggs 02/10/08; Review
7. The Choice - Nicholas Sparks 05/08/08; Review

Alternate List:

8. The Smoke Thief 04/15/08; Review
9. Never Change - Elizabeth Berg 04/13/08; Review
10. Dead Perfect - Amanda Ashley 03/12/08; Review
11. Jacob: The Nightwalkers - Jacquelyn Frank 1/12/08; Review
12. Someone to Love - Jude Deveraux 4/16/08; Review
13. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer 4/9/08; Review
14. Annie's Song - Catherine Anderson 9/1/08; Review
15. The Spaniard's Baby Bargain - Helen Bianchin 02/28/08; Review
16. The Greek Bridegroom - Helen Bianchin 02/29/08; Review
17. Summer at Willow Lake - Susan Wiggs 5/20/08; Review

What's In A Name 2008

I came across this challenge the other day and thought...why not? I have all 6 books already on other challenges and crossovers are okay.

This challenge is being hosted by Annie at Words by Annie. The rules of the challenge are simple - choose 6 books from 6 different categories:

1. A book with a color in its title.
2. A book with an animal in its title.
3. A book with a first name in its title.
4. A book with a place in its title.
5. A book with a weather event in its title.
6. A book with a plant in its title.

That's it - and the challenge runs from January 1, 2008 thru December 31, 2008.

Here is my list:

Color: White Lies (Krentz) 3/6/08; Review
Animal: To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper)
Name: Sam's Letters to Jennifer (Patterson) 7/21/08; Review
Place: Summer at Willow Lake (Wiggs) 5/20/08; Review
Weather: October Wind (Wiggs)
Plant: Blue Dahlia (Roberts) 6/16/08; Review

Pub Challenge 2008

COMPLETED 12/31/08

The Pub Challenge is all about reading current books published in 2008. The simple rules are to read 8 books that were published in 2008 with 4 of them having to be fiction. Crossovers to other challenges allowed and so is the ability to change books at anytime.

This great challenge is being hosted by 3M.

I am going to wait a bit and see what books I am going to add to this list - and then try to fit them into other challenges.

EDITED: Here is the start of my list:

1. Dead Perfect - Amanda Ashley 03/12/08; Review
2. Light of the Moon - Luanne Rice 4/2/08; Review
3. Blue-Eyed Devil - Lisa Kleypas 8/22/08; Review
4. Cutting Loose - Susan Andersen 9/19/08; Review
5. Line of Scrimmage - Marie Force 10/5/08; Review
6. The Healer - Sharon Sala 10/20/08; Review
7. The Lady Flees Her Lord - Michele Ann Young 11/20/08; Review
8. Call of the Highland Moon - Kendra Leigh Castle 11/25/08; Review

Midnight Bayou - Nora Roberts

I completed my first challenge book - Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts. This can be crossed off my TBR, 888, Around the States, A~Z, and Book a Week lists.



My review can be read here.

Pages: 352
Rating: 4/5
Completed: 01/03/08

I am going to try to keep a running tab of all the pages that I read this year - should prove quite interesting.

Chunkster Challenge 2008

I am joining this challenge because I have a couple of "chunky" books on my challenge lists. This challenge is being hosted by Dana over at So many books, so little time.

The rules of the challenge are to read 4 books that are over 450 pages. They can be read one a quarter or whenever you can fit them in. The dates run January 7th through December 2oth, 2008. Although, any book started in January (before the 7th) counts. There will also be one prize per quarter (prizes to be determined at a later time).

I haven't made a definite list yet, but I know that one of them will be Outlander because it is on my Alternate List for the TBR Challenge.

I will update this post when I have a definite list.

1. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
2. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer 04/09/08; Review
3. The Winter Rose - Jennifer Donnelly
4. Dracula - Bram Stoker 02/12/08; Review
5. High Noon - Nora Roberts 02/19/08; Review