I "signed up" on Goodreads for the 2012 challenge to make reading a regular part of my life again. I challenged myself to read 50 books this year. That's a little less than one a week. I'm already behind. Of course I didn't start right out on the first. But I thought I'd keep track of the books I read here, along with my impressions:
1. The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews. I am in awe of this talented mystery writer. I've enjoyed every one of her books, which feature a blacksmith named Meg Landslowe and her eccentric family. This was no exception. I finished the book in just three days. I need to learn a few things about writing mysteries from this lady.
2. Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr. This is another installment of the Virgin River series. It made me wish I lived in such a tight knit community like that. But I wouldn't want all that snow. And I don't think I'd want to be so far away from the cultural stuff. I'll just visit in my dreams and when I read. Fortunately I have the next Virgin River book all set to read!
3. CEOs Don't Cry by Joselyn Vaughn. Joselyn is a fellow member of the Grand Rapids Region Writers Group. She amazes me in that she manages to write and promote her writing while raising three preschoolers. And now that I've read her first novel, she amazes me even more. I've got the rest of her books on my "to be read" pile. Now that I've set my goal, I'll get to them more quickly.
4. Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke. I've read the previous books in this series about a baker who solves mysteries. But like Stephanie Plum, the quirks that made her interesting in the beginning are now starting to become annoying. As one other reviewer wrote, there have been 14 books, and all seem to take place in the winter. That means she's fourteen years older than when the series started, and she still hasn't decided which of the two guys in her life is THE one! Hmm.
5. To Urn Her Love by Elaina Lee. Elaina is the fabulously talented cover artist for two of my books. I was eager to read this novella and was thrilled when it was one of the free downloads Astraea Press offered this month. The story itself has a nice premise, but I felt the ending was rushed. The conflict was over without a lot of effort on anyone's part. Also I was distracted and disappointed by several typos and punctuation problems. But overall, it's a sweet story.
6. Sucker for a Hot Rod by Joselyn Vaughn. I was so taken by Joselyn's CEOs Don't Cry that I got her second book and read that. It has some of the same characters as her first book, but it takes place before Suckers takes place before, which confused me at first. This is another great romance. I enjoyed the local references like GVSU and the Lions. And I learned a lot about cars.
7. Blackbird Flies by Chynna Laird. This is a very dark story about a talented young musician. He has awful memories of his mother's struggles with mental illness and drugs, and now that he's been accepted into a prestigious music school he meets another young woman with the same problems. I was drawn into the story, identifying with the music he loved and horrified at the despair he faces. It's definitely not light reading.
8. Blind Date by Lori Crawford. A very entertaining short story! A very resourceful female private investigator fills in for a friend's blind date. The date turns out to be a real heel and in avoiding him she meets the man of her dreams. I've been downloading a lot of free reads lately and this is one of them, but I'm so glad I got this one. It would be well worth the full price.
9. Every Girl Does It by Rachel VanDyken. Rachel is a very prolific author at Astraea Press, and her books have gotten rave reviews and tons of sales. This is one of her first from AP and I got it during the birthday celebration. This is a contemporary, rather than the regencies that have gotten so much attention. It's filled with almost slapstick comedy and lots of attitude, but I enjoyed it. Only one line disturbed me - "I squinted until I looked like a Korean supermodel." I'm surprised that got the editor's approval.
10. The Magical Misperception of Meridian by SG Rogers. I absolutely LOVED this story! It's a very entertaining tale of Jona, a tomboy who befriends a boy who stutters. The boy happens to be the queen's nephew and Jona finds herself invited to live at the castle for a summer while they learn social graces together. At the end of the summer Jona is sent home, but they continue to communicate. The ending is wonderful, magical and totally unexpected. Great, great, storytelling.
11. From Now Until Forever by Sherry Gloag. This is another book by an Astraea Press author. I'm so glad I read this. I'll admit to a fascination with the British royal family, and Sherry, a Brit, has created a European royal family equally as fascinating. Liam and Melanie's story kept me engaged from beginning to end. Wonderful book.
12. Moonlight and Roses by Jean Joachim. This was offered as a free read on Smashwords. I'll have to admit this is great marketing by Jean. She wrote a novel called Sunny Days, Moonlit Nights, and then wrote this prequel to the story. This is a short novella, designed to make people want to buy the novel. I felt so bad for Caroline, the heroine of this story. I felt her pain of loss and cringed at her rough times. Now I have to find out what happens next.
13. A Special English Rose by Lindsay Downs. This is a very short story. The time period is World War I, and the setting is England. An American pilot who has joined the Canadian Air Force to help England's cause. He meets and falls in love with a member of English nobility. Her father doesn't approve, but her mother and housekeeper do. I thought the ending happened way too fast. There was no "fight" to win the father's approval, or anything.
14. The Boyfriend Bylaws by Susan Halter. This was a freebie on Amazon and some of the reviews weren't flattering, but I enjoyed it! Melanie keeps falling in love with the wrong guy, but her roommate agrees to help her find The One. I loved the characters, all working in a fitness place. I'd like to have seen her make amends with her step-sister, but otherwise all the loose ends were tied up. Nice.
15. Now and Forever: Callie's Story by Jean Joachim. Jean is a prolific writer and a savvy marketer. She wrote a book called Now and Forever and then wrote this prequel to offer as a freebie to introduce the characters and drum up interest in the main novel. She's since written several sequels. I am still struggling with my first novel. Ugh. The writing isn't super great, but it's good.
16. Lizzie and the Guernsey Gang by April W. Gardner. Though I have a minor in history, I never knew about the German occupation of the British island of Guernsey. This is an excellent story that kept me reading long after I needed to be asleep. The story is about kids, but they are REAL kids, not smart alecky or supernatural. This is supposed to be the first in a series. Can't wait for the next installments!
17. Clash of Wills by S.G. Rogers. This is another wonderful, magical adventure from this prolific author. I laughed aloud at some of the mishaps in the first chapter. And there was a romance, which appeals to me. Great story!
18. Switched by Diane Burton. I have never read sci-fi before, but since my fellow Michigan author asked for readers, I downloaded her book into my Nook app on my phone and ipad. I soon found myself hooked into the story of Marcus and Jessica, a very unlikely unlikely couple. Knowing how different their worlds are, they fight their attraction, especially Marcus. As the story progresses, the two discover they have more in common than they think.
19. Bluegrass State of Mind by Kathleen Brooks. This isn't a bad story, but the errors kind of bothered me. Spelling errors, punctuation errors and improbable and irrational decisions made by the heroine. The author's website says she's hired a proofreader to fix them. Um, why didn't she do this BEFORE putting the book out? Did she think she was that great a writer she didn't need them? It was free, and the second book actually sounds like it will have more meat, so I downloaded that. We'll see.
20. Risky Shot by Kathleen Brooks. After cringing through all the errors in the first book in the Bluegrass series, I was hesitant to spend the money on the second one, but I wasn't disappointed. There were still errors, but not nearly as many, and not so glaring. I did wonder why she chose to stay in New York as long as she did, and I was also puzzled as to why she was so upset at learning Mo was a prince. I would have been surprised if he weren't. Anyway, the cliffhanger at the end was enough to keep me reading.
21. Dead Heat by Kathleen Brooks. I liked the chemistry here. And Agent Cole Parker sounds yummy. But I wanted to wring Paige's neck for all the chances she took, constantly leaving her apartmtment alone, knowing there was an assassin loose! If she's such a good shot, why would her rifle be in her truck instead of at her side? Good thing I'm not writing a review. Oh wait. I need to, for the Goodreads challenge.
22. Switched, Too by Diane Burton. I enjoyed the first book so much I had to get the sequel. This one definitely didn't disappoint! In this one, the twins of the main characters from Switched take off from Earth and straight into a crisis. Scott is from earth and posing as his twin brother. And he's drawn to Veronese. I loved how the stuff is so believable.
23. His Brother's Wife by Brynn Paulin. I haven't read much erotica lately, but this is by a friend and I decided to get it since it's the first publication by a new press. It was definitely hot and steamy. The story behind is is good. The guy decides to save his sister-in-law from her abusive husband, who happens to be his twin. They get caught in an awful storm. The ending was surprising, but plausible. It's a really short read, but very entertaining. Sigh.
24. His Chosen Bride by Sherry Gloag. This was a short and sweet romance by a fellow Astraea Press author. It's also July's Book of the Month for the Astraea Press Book Club, so I got it free. Yahoo! I can read it and write a review without spending a dime. It was a nice, feel-good romance about a crown prince and a lady who helps to run a horse therapy ranch. I'm not sure I understand what they love about each other than the "instant attraction" but it is cool. There's more about the conflict of her gift - of supernatural sight. Still, it's a great story.
25. Bluegrass Undercover by Kathleen Brooks. So this is the fourth book by Kathleen that I've read. She definitely needs to find a better editor. The story itself is riveting, and would work for a television show like Miami Vice. I loved the kick-ass heroine, though she did get a little rough and self-righteous at times. I'd like to see the story lines she comes up with for the other brothers.
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