Books read in July

I have been doing great on my reading this year with 111 books under my belt but July woud have to be considered a below average month with 11 books read and almost all were audiobooks. I'm still happy with my take since I have already surpassed the total books read for the whole of 2008, so every thing over that is really just topping on the cake.

My favorites this month was the Harper Connelly series by Charlain Harris and biggest disappointment was Anne Stuart's third installment in her Ice series (My only ebook this month and most likely because it took me the whole month to read it).

Discovered Percy Jackson and his gang of misfit Olympians in Riordan's YA title The Lightning Thief which I read for my Thief Challenge. I sent an audiobook copy of it to my nephew so he could prepare for the movie that is coming out next year. I'm looking forward to the next few titles in that series.

Also finally attacked Lover Avenged! I love love love this series. I wish Ward would get them out faster (maybe one every other month would be nice! LOL!) but I'm willing to wait because the quality of her work is fabulous and her world is just getting more and more interesting.

Anyway, I'll update with links as I review them but I've been a bit slow on the reviews to I thought I'd just post my reads for the month.

Simple Genius by David Baldacci (B-)
Ice Blue by Anne Stuart (C-)
Delicious by Sherry Thomas (B)
Keegan's Lady by Catherine Anderson (B)
Summer Breeze by Catherine Anderson (B)
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (B)
Lover Avenged by J. R. Ward (A)
Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris (B)
Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris (B+)
Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris (A)
Burn by Linda Howard (B)

Did you read anything interesting this month?

Counting Down to 100 +

For my 100+ Reading Challenge I need to post my reads to date. Since I really don't get around to reviewing ALL my books I thought I would post my reads per month.

This will help keep a tally of how things are going toward my Challenge Goals and will let you all know my reading for the month.

I'll then have a chance to go back and add the links to the books that I review. I will post the grade the book received even though I haven't posted the review.





January: Great month with 23 books read. Started a new series (Psy-Changeling by Nalini Singh) and had some closure on another (Merry Gentry)

Club Dead	Charlaine Harris	B
Over the Edge	Suzanne Brockmann	C+
Tech Support	Jet Mykles	B
Feels So Right	Carol Lyne	D
Snagged	Jet Mykles	B
The Strength of Three	Annmarie McKenna	DNF
Swallowing Darkness	Laurell K. Hamilton	A+
Out of Control	Suzanne Brockmann	B+
Slave to Sensation	Nalini Singh	A
Inkheart	Cornelia Funke	B+
Lost Duke of Wyndham	Julia Quinn	B
Back From Hell	Shiloh Walker	B
Fragile	Shiloh Walker	B-
Mr Cavendish, I Presume	Julia Quinn	B-
Menange	Emma Holly	B-
BodyGuard	Suzanne Brockmann	B
Visions of Heat	Nalini Singh	A
Into the Night	Suzanne Brockmann	B
Baby, I'm Yours	Catherine Mann	B
3 Brides for 3 Bad Boys	Lucy Monroe	B
Irresistable	Mary Balogh	C
My Darling Caroline	Adele Ashworth	B-
Bacchus	Jordan Summer	C-

February: Keeping the momentum going with 16 more added to the list. Loved the last installment to the Camel Club series by Baldacci. This is a great suspense series and is highly recommended across the board. Also continued with my Dark hunter and Troubleshooters re-reads. I’m trying to catch up to the series at some point so I can read the newest additions.

March: Adding 16 more to my total. I’m finally caught up with the Troubleshooter’s series. – from this point on they are new books for me. It was a great reading month but the quality of the reading was not up to snuff.

April: Can you believe I added 21 books to my books read list? Yup. Discovered Megan Whalen Turner this month and I'm in love!!


May: Just 8 books read but that in itself is a miracle! My baby graduated!! Yup crazy month but very happy and proud.

June: Back on my game with 16 books read. None that jump out as winners but good titles none the less.

July: I discovered that Charlaine Harris can write more than just vampire books. Started reading another series by her that is just fabulous. Haper Conelly is a unique character that gets herself into just terrible scraps. I also read the latest J.R. Ward book!! I LOVE my Brotherhood boys!! Got 11 books under my belt.

August: Out of the 13 books read this month 4 were re-reads. I'm trying to catch upto my daughter in her Dark Hunter reading. We met with Sherrilyn Kenyon in Dallas so I had to get into the mood. I also opened the door to another new author, Robyn Carr. Her Virgin River series is just wonderful!

September: Excellent reading month in quantity (19 books read) but not so much in quality. Best of the bunch was Scott Westerfelds Uglies Series. Tally and her Pretties kept me engaged.

October: Yup! October is here and the best reading was done. Read 16 books so it's not about the numbers but quality was regained. Discovered authors like Patricia Briggs, Carrie Vaughn, Meljean Brooks, etc. I also started another Charlaine Harris series, Lily Bard kicks a**

November: November only brought 7 books to the finish line but all were A's with exception of one B+ and a B-, so that was not too shabby!!

December:

Challenges for 2009 Part 5 - 100+ Reading 09

Last but not least I’m joining the 100+ Reading challenge. Last year I read 110 books and was very happy so I expect to hit that number w/o a problem – although you never know when life can get in the way of your reading.

Here is the info on this one:

100+ Reading Challenge

http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/

The 100+ Reading Challenge will be hosted here this year. Here are the guidelines:

1) You can join anytime as long as you don’t start reading your books prior to 2009.
2) This challenge is for 2009 only. The last day to have all your books read is December 31, 2009.
3) You can join anytime until December 31, 2009.
4) If you don’t have a blog, please join our Yahoo Groups.

5) When you sign up under Mr. Linky, list the direct link to your post where your 100+ books will be listed. If you list just your blog’s URL, it will be removed.

6) All books count: children’s, YA, adults, fiction, non-fiction, how-tos, etc.
7) Feel free to post in the comment section or on Yahoo Groups your monthly progress as well as your favorite books that month.


I'm keeping track of the books on a separate list here:
Count Down to 100+


Okay, so those are my challenges for this year. There were so many great ones out there… audiobook, ebook, etc but I felt like I was cheating by signing up since they would have been so easy and then they wouldn’t be much of a challenge!

Good Luck on your reading Challenges in 2009!!