My Life According to the Books I Read in 2011

Harvee over at Book Dilettante stopped by and left me a comment. So hopped over to check out his place. I found this great meme, so thought I'd try it out.

This is an end of year wrap up meme hosted by Christine over at Happily Ever After... titled My Life According to the Books I Read in 2011. If you want to join in, head on over to her blog to add your post to Mr. Linky.
Just enter the names of the books you have read that fit the prompts. Don't repeat the names of any books! And click on the titles if you're curious about the books.

Describe yourself:
The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

How do you feel:
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

Describe where you currently live:
Backroads by Tawni O'Dell

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Northward to the Moon - Polly Horvath

Your favorite form of transportation:
The Christmas Train by David Balacci

Your best friend is:
The Petticoat Doctor by Paige Winship Dooly


You and your friends are:
Two Old Women by Velma Wallis

What's the weather like:
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

What is life to you:
Beautiful Disaster by Laura Spinella

Favorite time of day:
Sunrise by Jacquelyn Cook

Your fear:
What the Night Knows - Dean Koontz

What is the best advice you have to give:
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thought for the day:
It Ain't All About the Cookin' by Paula Deen

How I would like to die:
If I Live To Be 100 by Neenah Ellis

My soul's present condition:
Love, Aubrey by Suzanne Lafleur

Overall I am satistified with the books I read this year. Am looking forward to finding some interesting books next year. Hope you all have an awesome bookie New Year.

REVIEW - I AM HALF-SICK OF SHADOWS

"I Am Half-Sick of Shadows" by Alan Bradley
Product Description(Amazon.com)
What better Christmas surprise for detective-in-training Flavia de Luce than a dreadful murder under Buckshaw's roof - and a snowbound house full of suspects!
It's Christmas time, and our beloved Flavia is tucked away in her laboratory whipping up a sticky concoction to trap that infamous sneak, Saint Nick, and thereby prove once and for all - despite the claims of her evil sisters - that he does exist. But she is soon distracted from her task: Colonel de Luce, in desperate need of funds, has rented the family's crumbling manor house to a film company for the holidays. When its crew arrives from London to shoot a movie starring the reclusive and renowned actress, Phyllis Wyvern, there's no end to the disruptions - and dramas - demanding Flavia's attention.
When Wyvern is convinced to perform a famous scene to help raise funds for the local church, it is decided that Buckshaw Manor is the only suitable location. Its foyer alone is bigger than the parish hall, and could fit every man, woman, and child in Bishop's Lacey, to a soul. It's almost Christmas Eve, but - to no one's surprise - all of the village inhabitants fight their way through a raging snowstorm to be in the audience that magical night.
Hardcover: 373 pages
Publisher: Thorndike Press; Lrg edition (November 2, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1410443329
ISBN-13: 978-1410443328

MY THOUGHTS: I went to the library looking for something to read to hold me over until the new year. So went to the new books shelf and this one popped out at me. One thing is the color, I'm very fond of red. Then read the synopsis and it sounded good. This is also a new author for me. Really enjoyed reading this book. Flavia is a wonderful character, did I mention Flavia is only 11 years old. Smart and funny. She still believes in Santa and is out to prove one way or another that he's real. But the movie crew that comes upsets the whole household. And on top of that half the town comes to see a play and they all get snowbound. Then the unspeakable happens. The star of the movie is murdered. She is found in her room,strangled with some old movie film. Flavia finds her and immediately starts looking for clues. All the characters in this book have some really funny names and the name of the town is even funny sounding. A very enjoyable book all about Christmas, murder and some romance.

MY RATING: 5

CHANGES

I am making several changes in 2012. I am doing some serious cleaning and de-cluttering here at Just Books. So if your looking for something and it's not there any more, check my tabs at the top, I may have moved it.

1. Reading Challenges - All info, list of books, and progress will be in my 2012 Reading Challenges tab at the top of my page.

2. Book Review Links - They won't be on my sidebar. They are already linked in My Library tab so why have it twice.

3. Book Covers - I will no longer be putting book covers on my side bar.

As I am all done with 2011 Reading Challenges, I am posting the ones I finished.

Home Town Challenge-
Back to the Classics
Just For Fun
What's in A Name 4 Challenge
War Through The Generations Challenge
The 50 States Challenge
Vintage Mystery Challenge
Immigrant Stories Challenge
Foodie's Reading Challenge
Young Readers Challenge
A-Z Challenge
Global Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge
The Color Coded Challenge
Fairy Tale Challenge
Books to Movies Challenge

I read a total of 193 books this year, which I think is pretty good. My goal next year is 200. Can't wait to get started on my 2012 challenges. Can't decide which one to start first. I'm sure I'll figure it out.

2012 READING CHALLENGE

One more reading challenge. I posted my 2011 Outdo Yourself Challenge wrap up. Was over at The Book Vixen's place and noticed she's hosting the Outdo Yourself challenge 2012. So of course I have to join up.

* Runs January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012 (books read prior to 1/1/12 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime.
* The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2012 than you did in 2011. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
* Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
* Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
* Grab the reading challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you could track your progress on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

My goal for 2011 was 200 books. I read 192 in 2011. But I've got a lot of "heavy" books to read this year. So I'm going to set 150 as my goal for 2012. I really want to make it this time. I haven't got a list of books, they will just fall into place.

2011 OUTDO YOURSELF CHALLENGE WRAP-UP

With only 2 days left to this year, I'm making this my wrap up for the 2011 Outdo Yourself Challenge. I set my goal at 200 books, I got 192 done. Which I think is pretty good. This challenge is being hosted over at The Book Vixen.

This is the list of books I read in 2011. They are all linked to my reviews in My Library tab at the top of my page.

1. Going Over All The Hurdles - John A. Belneke
2. Food - Laura K. Egendorf
3. Repairing Rainbows - Linda Fishman
4. Dismissed With Prejudice - Fletcher Cockrell
5. Mo' Dirty - Darrell King
6. Murder List - Julie Garwood
7. Elvis & Olive - Stephanie Watson
8. Remarkable Creatures - Tracy Chevalier
9. The Food Bible - Judith Wills
10. The Double Cross - Clare O' Donohue
11. Tourist Season - Carl Hiaasen
12. Naming Liberty - Jane Yolen
13. Elvis & Olive: Super Detectives - Stephanie Watson
14. Trust - Kate Veitch
15. Our Town - Cynthia Carr
16. Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
17. I Never Forget A Meal - Michael Tucker
18. City of Tranquil Light - Bo Cauldwell
19. When No One is Watching - Joseph Hayes
20. Quilts - Marie D. Webster
21. The Christmas Train - David Baldacci
22. The Grand Delusion - Heath Sommer
23. The Hound of the Baskervilles - Arthur Conan Doyle
24. Two Old Women - Velma Wallis
25. One Amazing Thing - Chitra Divakaruni
26. Th1rteen R3asons Why - Jay Asher
27. Conspiracy Game - Christine Feehan
28. Heat - Bill Buford
29. Tales From a Spanish Village - Richard A. Barrett
30. Bloodroot - Amy Greene
31. Haunted Echoes - Julie Ann Howell
32. Cake Boss - Buddy Valastro
33. Coal Black Horse - Robert Olmstead
34. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
35. Don't Sweat The Small Stuff - Don Bruns
36. At The Crossroads of Terror - Lenny Emanuelli
37. The Luxe - Anna Godbersen
38. Sunrise - Jacquelyn Cook
39. The Agency: A Spy in the House - Y.S. Lee
40. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving
41. A Pizza the Size of the Sun - Jack Prelutsky
42. Gardens of Grief - Boston Teran
43. The Awakening - Kelley Armstrong
44. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot
45. Beautiful Disaster - Laura Spinella
46. The Agency: The Body at The Tower - Y. S. Lee
47. Murder on The Orient Express - Agatha Christie
48. Delirious - Daniel Palmer
49. Miss Hildreth Wore Brown - Olivia deBelle Byrd
50. Deed So - Katherine A. Russell
51. Keeper - Kathi Appelt
52. 7 x 9 = Trouble! - Claudia Mills
53. Goodbye, Vietnam - Gloria Whelan
54. Get Real and Stop Dieting - Brett Blumenthal
55. It Ain't All About the Cookin' - Paula Deen
56. Ghost Girl: A Blue Ridge Mountain Story - Delia Ray
57. Coffee and Fate - R. J. Erbacher
58. What The Night Knows - Dean Koontz
59. Threads West - Reid Lance Rosenthal
60. Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane
61. Tick Tock - James Patterson
62. Victim's Revenge - Wade J. Halverson
63. Speak No Evil - Allison Brennan
64. The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane
65. Ruby - Lauraine Snelling
66. Table of Contents - Judy Gelman & Vicki Levy Krupp
67. The Darkest Evening - William Durbin
68. Did Not Survive - Ann Littlewood
69. Here Lies Arthur - Philip Reeve
70. Wild Bill Donovan - Douglas Waller
71. Un Lun Dun - China Mieville
72. A Murder is Announced - Agatha Christie
73. Images of America: Fairmount - Dathy Duling Shouse
74. Murder on Gallatin Street - David M. Payne
75. How to Slay a Dragon - Bill Allen
76. Dearest Enemy - Nan Ryan
77. A Time of Terror - James Cameron
78. The Double Comfort Safari Club - Alexander McCall Smith
79. Chicken A La King & The Buffalo Wing - Steven Gilbar
80. The Perfect Hamburger and other delicious stories - Alexander McCall Smith
81. Dreams in the Golden Country - Kathryn Lasky
82. Old-Time Pickling and Spicing Recipes - Florence Brobeck
83. If I Live To Be 100 - Neenah Ellis
84. Love, Aubrey - Suzanne LaFleur
85. The Branding - Micaela Wendell
86. The Dragon's Child - Laurence Yep
87. The Promises She Keeps - Erin Healy
88. Behind The Yellow Tape - Jarrett Hallcox
89. Rachael Ray: Food Entrepreneur - Dennis Abrams
90. Masterpiece - Elise Broach
91. I, Tina - Tina Turner
92. Weeping Underwater Looks A Lot Like Laughter - Michael J. White
93. Back Roads - Tawni O' Dell
94. The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Victor Hugo
95. Green Thumb - Ralph McInerny
96. The Raising - Laura Kasischke
97. Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift
98. The Inn At Eagle Point - Sherryl Woods
99. Z Car: A Legend in it's own Time - Ben Millspaugh
100. Jenna's Dilemma - Melissa J. Morgan
101. N or M? - Agatha Christie
102. The Source of All Things - Tracy Ross
103. Rapunzel - Paul O. Zelinsky
104. Persuasion - Jane Austen
105. Rachael Rays Big Orange Book - Rachael Ray
106. Fatal February - Barbara Levenson
107. Flowers on Main - Sherryl Woods
108. Jack's Black Book - Jack Gantos
109. The Trouble With Lacy Brown - Debra Clopton
110. Natural Blonde - Liz Smith
111. The Last Unicorn - Peter S. Beagle
112. The Madonnas of Echo Park - Brando Skyhorse
113. Nineteen Eighty - Four - George Orwell
114. The Reader - Bernhard Schlink
115. Winesburg, Ohio - Sherwood Anderson
116. The Map Across Time - C. S. Lakin
117. Fire From The Rock - Sharon M. Draper
118. A Thousand Acres - Jane Smiley
119. Weedflower - Cynthia Kadohata
120. Tales of an African Vet - Dr. Roy Aronson
121. The Devil Wears Plaid - Teresa Medeiros
122. Mothers & Daughters - Rae Meadows
123. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - Aimee Bender
124. In My Hands - Irene Gut Opdyke
125. The Civilized World - Susi Wyss
126. The Widower's Tale - Julia Glass
127. The True Adventures of Charley Darwin - Carolyn Meyer
128. A Study in Scarlet - Arthur Conan Doyle
129. Ambushed in Jaguar Swamp - Dave & Neta Jackson
130. Zero Day - Mark Russinovich
131. The Mysterious Affairs at Styles - Agatha Christie
132. Tales From Outer Suburbia - Shaun Tan
133. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs - Judi Barrett
134. Troubling A Star - Madeleine L'Engle
135. A Light in the Storm - Karen Hesse
136. My Fair Lazy - Jen Lancaster
137. Iron Trail - Tim Champlin
138. The Guardian Angel's Journal - Carolyn Jess-Cooke
139. The Distant Hours - Kate Morton
140. Buried Prey - John Sandord
141. Night of the Howling Dogs - Graham Salilsbury
142. Shadowed Summer - Saundra Mitchell
143. Girl in Translation - Jean Kwok
144. The Daughter of Time - Josephine Tey
145. Sprout - Dale Peck
146. How I Found the Strong - Margaret McMullan
147. Catriona - Jeanette Baker
148. Room One - Andrew Clements
149. The Dashwood Sisters Tell All - Beth Pattillo
150. Once on This Island - Gloria Whelan
151. Gabriel's Horses - Alison Hart
152. The Undomestic Goddess - Sophie Kinsella
153. The Danger Box - Blue Balliett
154. Conflict of Interest - Adam Mitzner
155. Northward to the Moon - Polly Horvath
156. Aftershock - Kelly Easton
157. The First Four Years - Laura Ingalls Wilder
158. The Beach Tree - Karen White
159. The Misfit - Nancy Rue
160. Kiss Her, Kill Her - Lisa Dewar
161. Every Secret Thing - Laura Lippman
162. The Year Money Grew on Trees - Aaron Hawkins
163. Coyote Autumn - Bill Wallace
164. Kaleidoscope Eyes - Jen Bryant
165. Jane Was Here - Sarah Kernochan
166. Red Dog - Bill Wallace
167. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
168. When The Whistle Blows - Fran Cannon Slayton
169. Bird Lake Moon - Kevin Henkes
170. Lucky Stiff - Deborah Coonts
171. A Time to Dance - Mary Pope Osborne
172. The Petticoat Doctor - Paige Winship Dooly
173. Hear The Wind Blow - Mary Downing Hahn
174. Iron Thunder - AVI
175. If This is Paradise, I Want My Money Back - Claudia Carroll
176. Wanna Get Lucky? - Deborah Coonts
177. The Jungle Adventure of Chimpoo - A. Lawati
178. Kill Me If You Can - James Patterson
179. The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong
180. Ghellow Road - T. H. Waters
181. A Pug's Tale - Alison Pace
182. Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand
183. Driftwood Cottage - Sherryl Woods
184. A Plain & Simple Christmas - Amy Clipston
185. Toys - James Patterson
186. Moonlight Cove - Sherryl Woods
187. Beach Lane - Sherryl Woods
188. Now You See Him - Eli Gottlieb
189. The Tenth Circle - Jodi Picoult
190. County Line - Bill Cameron
191. Maisie Dobbs - Jacqueline Winspear
192. Vintage Connor - Robert Baty

THEMED THURSDAY

Kayven over at Reading Between Pages is the host for Themed Thursday. The question this week is.........

OLD (worn out, torn, past etc)

My snippet

"Our furnace, too, has been baring its fangs. It's a Deacon and Bromwell, made in 1851, and shown at the Great Exhibition - a great steel octopus of a thing with the temperament of a scorpion."

Taken from "I Am Half-Sick of Shadows" by Alan Bradley

WEDNESDAY MEMES

Thought I would do 2 memes today as they kind of go together. Kathy over at Bermudaonion's Webblog is the host for Wondrous Words Wednesday. MizB over at Should Be Reading is the host for WWW Wednesday. Hop over and check them out.

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading? - I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley. This is a new author for me. So far I like it.

What did you recently finish reading? - Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear. My review is here. Really liked this book. Set during the first world war, Maisie sets up her own investigation business.

What do you think you’ll read next? - Not really sure but can't hardly wait to dig into my list of books for the 2012 reading challenges.

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Wondrous Words

My words are from the book, I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley.

remuneration
1. something that remunerates
2. the act of paying for goods or services or to recompense for losses
"In return, we shall receive, in the end, sufficient remuneration to keep our noses above water - at least until next Lady Day."
From this sentence the word is the #2 meaning.

Pantechnicon
1. a large moving van (especially one used for moving furniture)
As the pantechnicon made it's slow, stiff-jointed final turn into the forecourt, I could clearly make out the name on the side: Illum Films, it said, in bold cream and yellow letters, painted as if in three dimensions.
I thought a pantechnicon was a coach and horse. But in this sentence it's a van.

REVIEW VINTAGE CONNOR

This book is for 1 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(192/200)

"Vintage Connor" by Robert Baty
Product Description(Amazon.com)
When Connor wore a badge, he drove a Crown Vic down Oakland's meanest streets. Now he pilots a vintage Alfa Romeo and finds rare classic cars. Inevitably, he also finds trouble. In "VINTAGE CONNOR: The Blonde in the Lotus Elite," the trouble starts when Evie, an old flame who asks for his help. She wants Connor to learn the truth about her daughter Janey, who was found dead in a motel during Monterey's annual classic car weekend. The inquest said it was suicide. But Evie thinks it was murder. Unable to refuse the woman he loved and lost twenty years ago, Connor agrees to investigate. With some old-school detective work and his ex-partner's help, he discovers that Evie may be right. She also may be hiding something. And as his investigation proceeds, he finds himself caught between deception and desire, and knows that both are true.
Unfolding like a modern film noir, and pulsing with the rhythm and wit of the pulp classics that inspired it, this sun-drenched noir transports you from the gritty streets of Oakland to the pebbled beaches of Monterey, and will excite anyone who loves a crackling good yarn.
Paperback: 332 pages
Publisher: R. J. Buckley Publishing (May 7, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0981965474
ISBN-13: 978-0981965475

MY THOUGHTS: Evie, a former girl friend from Connor's early days at Oakland PD, arrives at his hose one night. Evie begs Connor to look into the officially determined suicide of her daughter Janey. I would put this book as a classic Noir containing a tough sleuth, a dame, classic cars and a corpse. It will keep you turning pages into the wee hours of the night. Does Evie get her answers about her daughters death? Do Evie and Connor get back together? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book and my own opinion.]

REVIEW - MAISIE DOBBS

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(191/200)
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.52 & Wrap Up)

"Maisie Dobbs" by Jacqueline Winspear
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Maisie Dobbs isn’t just any young housemaid. Through her own natural intelligence—and the patronage of her benevolent employers—she works her way into college at Cambridge. When World War I breaks out, Maisie goes to the front as a nurse. It is there that she learns that coincidences are meaningful and the truth elusive. After the War, Maisie sets up on her own as a private investigator. But her very first assignment, seemingly an ordinary infidelity case, soon reveals a much deeper, darker web of secrets, which will force Maisie to revisit the horrors of the Great War and the love she left behind.
Paperback: 294 pages
Publisher: Penguin Books (May 25, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0142004332
ISBN-13: 978-0142004333

MY THOUGHTS: This is a new author and series for me. I read somewhere in book blog land that this was a good book. Plus one of my book club friends said it was good. So I picked it up at the library. They were right, it is a good book. I really enjoyed reading all about Maisie Dobbs. I will be reading more in the coming year. This book starts in the spring of 1929 when Maisie sets up her own private investigation business. The book takes you back in time when Maisie served during the first world war in France. Maisie serves as a Nurse's Aide. Maisie also falls in love there. But after the war Maisie goes back to collage and on her first case. It seems to be a simple infidelity case but leads Maisie to The Retreat. A place for soldiers to go who have been horribly scared. But lots of questions arise when the men have to give up their surname and their money. A good friend has asked Maisie to investigate. And does Maisie find anything? What happens to her love life? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

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52 Books in 52 Weeks Reading Challenge Wrap Up
Hosted by Robin
I finished the whole year, yea!! Read some old favorites and some new authors as well. Robin has a few questions for us to answer.

1.Did you reach the goal of 52 books or did you manage to beat your own personal best? (I finished the whole year with 52 books read.)
2.What book are you ending the year with? (Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear)
3.Did you discover a new author or genre? Did you love them or hate them? (crime noir was a new genre to me and I really liked reading this book, County Line by Bill Cameron)
4.Did you challenge yourself to read more non fiction if prefer fiction or more fiction if you prefer non fiction? (no I just wanted to finish the 52 books.)
5.Did you read from a list or wing it? (I just winged it.)
6.How many classics did you read? What did you think of the writing style or author? (I read 4 or 5 classics. The ones I read I enjoyed, but the writing style is so different I to make myself finish the books. I guess reading classics isn't by favorite books to read.)
7.Name one book that you thought you'd never read and was pleasantly surprised you like it.(Un Lun Dun by China Mieville. To me this is a sci-fi/fantasy book and I don't usually like those, but loved this one. Really great book.)

8.What are your top ten favorite books?
1.Tourist Season - Carl Hiaasen
2.The Awakening - Kelley Armstrong
3.Keeper - Kathi Appelt
4.Threads West - Reid Lance Rosenthal
5.Un Lun Dun - China Mieville
6.Jack's Black Book - Jack Gantos
7.Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs - Judi Barrett
8.The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong
9.Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand
10.Maisie Dobbs - Jacqueline Winspear

9.What are your ten least favorite books?
1.Sunrise - Jacquelyn Cook
2.The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving
3.Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane
4.Nineteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell
5.Weedflower - Cynthia Kadohata
6.The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - Aimee Bender
7.Northward to the Moon - Polly Horvath
8.Bird Lake Moon - Kevin Henkes
9.If This is Paradise, I Want My Money Back - Claudia Carroll

10.Did you start any books that you just simply couldn't finish?(no, I finished them all, but some of them I had to force myself to finish them.)
11.What did you think of the mini challenges and did you join in or complete any? (I didn't join in on the mini challenges.)
12.Did your family join in on the fun?(no, I'm the only person in my family that likes to read.)
13.How many books have you added to your wishlist since the beginning of the year? (I'm not sure but the count is high I'm sure.)
14.What was your favorite thing about the challenge?(Finding new authors, I love reading brand new authors to me books.)
My list of 52 books. They are all linked to my reviews on my sidebar or in My Library at the top of the page.
1. Going Over All The Hurdles - John A. Belneke
2. Food - Laura K. Egendorf
3. Mo' Dirty - Darrell King
4. The Food Bible - Judith Wills
5. Tourist Season - Carl Hiaasen
6. Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
7. City of Tranquil Light - Bo Caudwell
8. When No One Is Watching - Joseph Hayes
9. The Hound of the Baskervilles - Authur Conan Doyle
10. Tales From a Spanish Village - Richard A. Barrett
11. Coal Black Horse - Robert Olmstead
12. At The Crossroads of Terror - Lenny Emanuelli
13. Sunrise - Jacquelyn Cook
14. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving
15. The Awakening - Kelley Armstrong
16. The Body at the Tower - Y. S. Lee
17. Keeper - Kathi Appelt
18. It Ain't All About the Cookin' - Paula Deen
19. Threads West - Reid Lance Rosenthal
20. Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane
21. The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane
22. Did Not Survive - Ann Littlewood
23. Un Lun Dun - China Mieville
24. Images of America: Fairmount - Cathy Duling Shouse
25. If I Live To Be 100 - Neenah Ellis
26. Rachael Ray: Food Entrepreneur - Dennis Abrams
27. Back Roads - Tawni O'Dell
28. The Inn At Eagle Point - Sherryl Woods
29. Rapunzel - Paul O. Zelinsky
30. Jack's Black Book - Jack Gantos
31. Nineteen Eight-Four - George Orwell
32. Weedflower - Cynthia Kadohata
33. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - Aimee Bender
34. The Civilized World - Susi Wyss
35. The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie
36. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs - Judi Barrett
37. The Guardian Angel's Journal - Carolyn Jess-Cooke
38. Shadowed Summer - Saundra Mitchell
39. Sprout - Dale Peck
40. Gariel's Horses - Alison Hart
41. Northward to the Moon - Polly Horvath
42. The Misfit - Nancy Rue
43. The Year Money Grew on Trees - Aaron Hawkins
44. Red Dog - Bill Wallace
45. Bird Lake Moon - Kevin Henkes
46. If This is Paradise, I Want My Money Back - Claudia Carroll
47. The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong
48. Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand
49. A Plain & Simple Christmas - Amy Clipston
50. Beach Lane - Sherryl Woods
51. County Line - Bill Cameron
52. Maisie Dobbs - Jacqueline Winspear

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season.

BOOK BEGINNINGS

Katy over at A Few More Pages is the host for Book Beginnings.

What is/are the first line(s) of your current read, and what are your thoughts so far? Please leave the link to your specific post, not just to the front page of your blog.

Even if she hadn't been the last person to walk through the turnstile at Warren Street tube station, Jack Barker would have noticed the tall, slender woman in the navy blue, thigh-length jacket with a matching pleated skirt short enough to reveal a well-turned ankle.

This first sentence is long, but it made me want to find out who this person is. Why was the guy looking at her? Where was she going? Where does this sentence come from?

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

REVIEW - THE GREAT GEESE MIGRATION

"The Great Geese Migration" by B.V. Clingan
Illustrations by Mark Anthony Pino
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Frozen Feathers is a story about four intrepid geese as they migrate for the first time. The geese encounter many obstacles and set backs along the way. They work together as a team to complete their journey and find a place of warmer winters. They are guided by their wise grizzly bear mentor to make several necessary evolutionary strides throughout their journey. It is a children's science book about evolution in a story format that reinforces many scientific disciplines.
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: AuthorHouse Publishing (August 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1463434162
ISBN-13: 978-1463434168

MY THOUGHTS: This book is for the older child. It explains how birds learned how to migrate south. The explanation is pretty good, but the older child would understand better. The illustrations are very good and colorful. If you have an older child that wants to find out about migration this would be a great book for them.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book and my own opinion.]

NEEDLEWORK TUESDAY (on Wednesday)

Heather over at Books and Quilts is the host for Needlework Tuesday. She has a beautiful crocheted apron she's showing off. Hop over and check it out.

And before you notice it, I know this is Wednesday, but.......isn't there always a but. My camera is having issues and couldn't any pictures until today. It's a long story I won't go into, but I finally got my pictures onto the computer today. So that's why I'm doing Needlework Tuesday on Wednesday.

I've been working on a Hexagon Blanket. I got this great pattern over at Lucy's place, Attic 24. Lucy has some awesome crochet at her place. She also has tutorial's that she shares. If you are a crocheter you should really check Lucy's place out. The tutorial for the hexagon blanket is here.

On to my Hexagon Blanket. I am using lots of left over scraps of yarn for my hexagon's so can't really tell you what kind of yarn it is. It is 4 ply yarn and I'm pretty sure most of it is Red Heart yarn. The lavendar yarn is Caron 1 pound yarn that I got at JoAnn Fabrics last year. Anyway here is where I'm at on my blanket.

Plus I've gotten a little pile of more hexagon's to add to the length of the blanket. Not sure how many more rows I need, I'll just lay down on the couch and see it it covers me. That's how I got the width. I know it's not a very scientific way of doing it, but it works for me.

Well, that's it from me. Hop over and check out Heather's and Lucy's places, you won't be sorry.

REVIEW - COUNTY LINE

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(190/200)
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.51)

"County Line" by Bill Cameron
Product Description(Amazon.com)
When the steadfast Ruby Jane Whittaker drops out of sight, dogged ex-cop Skin Kadash sets out to discover what drove the woman he loves to leave her life behind so suddenly and without explanation. The discovery of a dead man in her apartment followed by an attack from a mysterious stalker leads Skin first to California, then across the country on a desperate journey deep into Ruby Jane's haunted past—and toward an explosive confrontation which will determine if either has a future.
Paperback: 300 pages
Publisher: Tyrus Books; 1 edition (June 21, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935562525
ISBN-13: 978-1935562528

MY THOUGHTS: I think this book could be described as "crime noir". This book has dark tones and crimes are committed. I really like the way this author writes. I will be watching for more of his books. The book switches between present and past events. There's just enough humor, sensitivity and a lot of "what the heck is going on?" to make it gripping and suspenseful all the way to the end. Does Dash find Ruby Jane? What does the confrontation bring for their future? You'll have to read the book to find out. Pick this book up and read it, it's an awesome book.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book and my own opinion.]

2012 READING CHALLENGE

I promise this is the last one. I couldn't resist this one, I love reading books set in Ireland. Over at Books and Movies the Ireland Reading Challenge is posted for 2012.

* The challenge runs from January 1, 2012 to November 30, 2012.
* Any book written by an Irish author, set in Ireland, or involving Irish history or Irish characters, counts for the challenge – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, audiobooks, children’s books – all of these apply.

I will be doing......
Shamrock level: 4 books

1. The Fire Opal - Regina McBride
2. Nory Ryan's Song - Patricia Reilly Giff
3. Gallows Lane - Brian McGilloway
4. The Angel - Carla Neggers

2012 READING CHALLENGE

Have your read any of the Kinsey Millhone mysteries by Sue Grafton? Read them all or some of them? I unfortuntaly started in the middle of the ABC series. I've been trying to read them on my own, but I'm not doing a very good job of it. So a reading challenge will help hopefully. Darlene over at Darlene's Books Nook is hosting the Kinsey Millhone Reading Challenge.

1. This is a perpetual challenge, which means there is no end date. You will finish the challenge whenever you finish the series! Take as much time as you need.

2. You can join the challenge at any time, whether you haven't yet started the series or are already halfway through.

A is for Alibi (Kinsey Millhone, Book #1)
B is for Burglar (Kinsey Millhone, Book #2)
C is for Corpse (Kinsey Millhone, Book #3)
D is for Deadbeat (Kinsey Millhone, Book #4)
E is for Evidence (Kinsey Millhone, Book #5)
F is for Fugitive (Kinsey Millhone, Book #6)
G is for Gumshoe (Kinsey Millhone, Book #7)
H is for Homicide (Kinsey Millhone, Book #8)
I is for Innocent (Kinsey Millhone, Book #9)
J is for Judgment (Kinsey Millhone, Book #10)
K is for Killer (Kinsey Millhone, Book #11)
L is for Lawless (Kinsey Millhone, Book #12)
M is for Malice (Kinsey Millhone, Book #13)
N is for Noose (Kinsey Millhone, Book #14)
O is for Outlaw (Kinsey Millhone, Book #15)
P is for Peril (Kinsey Millhone, Book #16)
Q is for Quarry (Kinsey Millhone, Book #17)
R is for Ricochet (Kinsey Millhone, Book 18)
S is for Silence (Kinsey Millhone, Book #19)
T is for Trespass (Kinsey Millhone, Book #20)
U is for Undertow (Kinsey Millhone, Book #21)
V is for Vengeance (Kinsey Millhone, Book #22)

2012 READING CHALLENGE

Do you have children? Do you read to them? Believe it or not there is a challenge for this. I have twin grandbabies that are just starting to look at books. This is a great challenge to join. Melissa over at Mommy Wants to Read is hosting the 3660 Minutes Reading Challenge.

What is the Challenge? To spend 10 minutes every single day reading to our children. Since this year is a leap year there are 366 days hence 3660 minutes. The goal is to promote reading, increase imagination, foster a love of words, bolster comprehension skills, and spend quality time with the children in our lives.

How Long Will it Run For? From January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012

I will be putting a my progress on my sidebar. And once a month I'll be making a posting of the minutes I've read to my grandbabies, Bella and Luke.

2012 READING CHALLENGE

The Short Story Challenge is being hosted by Laura over at Library of Clean Reads.

Rules:

* Challenge runs from January 1, 2012 to December 31st, 2012. You can join anytime.
* Books from other challenges count as long as they are a collection of short stories.
* Books can be children's, middle-grade, YA and adult fiction and non-fiction.
* Write a post and link it below including the URL to that sign-up post.

My choice of level...
Tell me a Story: 1 to 3 books.

1. The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka
2. Grimm's Fairy Tales
3. The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J. K. Rowling

2012 READING CHALLENGE

Melissa over at The Betty and Boo Chronicles is hosting Memorable Memoirs Reading Challenge. I love reading about other people's lives. So this is good one for me.

The Rules:
Books, e-books, audiobooks, ARCs, NetGalley books are allowed.
Overlaps with other challenges are also allowed.
Re-reads are allowed.
No need to create a list of books in advance (but if you want to, please feel free!)
You don't need a blog to participate.
You must select a level. You can increase your level, but you can't go back down.

The Dates:
January 1 - December 31, 2012. You can sign up anytime between now and throughout 2012.

I going for level....
Diarist: read 1-4 memoirs

1. Memoirs of a Geisha - Authur Golden(been on my TBR list forever)
2. Angel in the Rubble - Genelle Guzman McMillan
3. Under A Red Sky - Haya Leah Moinar
4. From Manassas to Appomattox - James Longstreet

2012 READING CHALLENGE

I've been over to A Novel Challenge checking out the 2012 reading challenges. There are so many I want to do. So I've decided to see if I could combine them with the other challenges I'm doing. There are several I can do this with. So you will be seeing some posts on reading challenges I am joining.

Chunkster Reading Challenge being hosted by Vasilly.

The Rules
Januyary 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
* No audio books. (There are exceptions to this rule.)
* No e-books allowed. This was discussed in much detail in the 2011 challenge. The short version: a chunkster isn’t a challenge if you’re reading it on an e-reader. (There are exceptions to this rule.)
* This year for the first time, essay, poetry, and short story collections will be allowed. Collections have to be read in their entirety to count. If you’ve needed a reason to finally pick up your copy of The Collected Works Of ____ now is the time.
* Books may crossover with other challenges.
* Anyone may join. (If you don’t have a blog, just leave a comment on this post with your challenge level and your progress throughout the challenge.)
* You don’t need to list your books ahead of time.
* Once you’ve picked a level, that’s it. You’re committed to it!

The level I've chosen....

The Chubby Chunkster – this option is for the readers who want to dabble in large tomes, but really doesn't want to commit to much more than that. FOUR Chunksters is all you need to finish this challenge.

My books......

Fall of Giants - Ken Follett
Smash Cut - Sandra Brown
Ulysses - James Joyce
Outlander - Diana Gibaldon

REVIEW - THE TENTH CIRCLE

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(189/200)
Fill in the Gaps Project(69/100)

"The Tenth Circle" by Jodi Picoult
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Fourteen-year-old Trixie Stone is in love for the first time. She's also the light of her father, Daniel's life -- a straight-A student; a pretty, popular freshman in high school; a girl who's always seen her father as a hero. That is, until her world is turned upside down with a single act of violence. Suddenly everything Trixie has believed about her family -- and herself -- seems to be a lie. Could the boyfriend who once made Trixie wild with happiness have been the one to end her childhood forever? She says that he is, and that is all it takes to make Daniel, a seemingly mild-mannered comic book artist with a secret tumultuous past he has hidden even from his family, venture to hell and back to protect his daughter.
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Washington Square Press (October 24, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 074349671X
ISBN-13: 978-0743496711

MY THOUGHTS: Trixie, 14 years old, is unhappy because her boyfriend Jason broke up with her. Thinking she can win him back, Trixie lies to her parents and goes to a party with her best friend, hoping she will see Jason there. This gets Trixie in trouble in more ways than one. What happens at the party changes everything Trixie has ever known. This book failed me in the plot which veered and teetered close to soap opera material. I usually like Picoult's books but this one just didn't work for me. To me the focus should have been on Trixie, but instead it was full of melodrama about her family. And that was just a little toooo much. And the ending wasn't very clear to me. It left way too many questions. The book is readable but it didn't move me lie My Sister's Keeper did.

MY RATING: 2

REVIEW - NOW YOU SEE HIM

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(188/200)
Just For Fun Challenge(Wrap Up)
Fill in the Gaps Project(68/100)

"Now You See Him" by Eli Gottlieb
Product Description(Amazon.com)
His name was Rob Castor. Quite possibly, you've heard of him. He became a minor cult celebrity in his mid-twenties for writing a book of darkly pitch-perfect stories set in a stupid sleepy upstate New York town. Several years later, he murdered his writer girlfriend, and then committed suicide. . . .
With extraordinarily luxuriant and evocative prose, award-winning author Eli Gottlieb takes us deep into the human psyche, where the most profound of secrets are kept. Now You See Him is a wrenching and enthrallingly suspenseful story that mines the explosive terrains of love and paternity, marriage and its delicate intricacies, family secrets and how they fester over time, and ultimately the true nature of loyalty, trust, friendship, envy, deception, and manipulation.
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (February 3, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061284653
ASIN: B004JZWNGG

MY THOUGHTS: I've had this book on my book shelves for a while. Just never got around to reading it. This is also a new author for me. I'll be reading this author again. I really liked this book. The narrator of this novel is Nick Framingham. Who is telling the story of his friend Rob Castor. Nick's marriage is faltering and his sister is back in town and sparks are flying. This story is the tale of Nick's slow self-destruction. It's all there but for the "why" you have to dig a little more. And does Nick find himself? Does his marriage survive? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

************************************************
Just For Fun Reading Challenge Wrap Up

DollyCas over at Escape With Dollycas is the host for this challenge. Thank you for hosting this reading challenge.

My list of books.
January The Christmas Train - David Baldacci
February Two Old Women - Velma Wallis
March The Agency: A Spy in the House - Y. S. Lee
April The Awakening - Kelley Armstrong
May It Ain't All About the Cookin' - Paula Deen
June Un Lun Dun - China Mieville
July Back Roads - Tawni O'Dell
August The Reader - Bernhard Schlink
September Cloudy With A chance of Meatballs - Judi Barrett
October The Undomestic Goddess - Sophie Kinsella
November Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
December Now You See Him - Eli Gottleb

2012 READING CHALLENGE

I said I wasn't doing anymore reading challenges. But I can't resist this one. I've done this challenge for the last 3 years. And want to join in again. Robin over at My Two Blessings is the host for this challenge. 52 Books in 52 Weeks has it's own blog, so you can sign up there. Here are the rules.

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012.
2. Our book weeks begin on Sunday.
3. Participants may join at any time.
4. All books are acceptable except children books.
5. All forms of books are acceptable including e-books, audio books, etc.
6. Re-reads are acceptable as long as they are read after January 1, 2012.
7. Books may overlap other challenges.
8. Create an entry post linking to this blog.
9. Sign up with Mr. Linky in the "I'm participating post" below this post.
10. You don't have a blog to participate. Post your weekly book in the comments section of each weekly post.
11. Mr. Linky will be added to the bottom of the weekly post for you to link to reviews of your most current reads.

There are also mini challenges woven into the main challenge. You can do them or not. But it's fun mixing it up. The mini challenges are:

12 in 2012: Read 12 books in 12 different categories

A to Z challenge: Read books alphabetically by title and/or author.

Jane Austen: Read all things Jane Austen

Mind Voyages: Explore the hugo and nebula winners, take side trips through the different decades reading the nominees.

Well Educated Mind: Explore the classics in five categories: Fiction, Autobiography, History/Politics, Drama and Poetry.

Does this help you make up your mind? Want to join up now? Hop over and check it out.

REVIEW - BEACH LANE

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(187/200)
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.50)

"Beach Lane" by Sherryl Woods
Product Description(Amazon.com)
In the close-knit community of Chesapeake Shores, Maryland, Susie O'Brien and Mack Franklin's "not dating" claim befuddles everyone, especially since the two spend every spare minute together. Susie's thrilled when their friendship finally heats up. Then, just when happily-ever-after seems within reach, Mack loses the job he loves and Susie faces a devastating diagnosis.
But O'Briens always unite in a crisis. Even her cousin Jess, Susie's rival for most of their lives, becomes her staunchest supporter—especially when Mack's former lover comes to town. The stakes are higher than ever before, but Susie's definitely up to the challenge…as long as Mack's right there by her side.
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Mira; Original edition (May 31, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778329895
ISBN-13: 978-0778329893

MY THOUGHTS: This is the final book of the Cheseapeak sereis and it weaves a tale that grips the heart. Woven into the story are of course the O'Brian's that stick their nose into everything, but it's a good thing. Susie and Mack need lots of help. They are having lots of problems, mainly a certain someone who is determined to take Mack away from Susie. I've had a wonderful time reading all about the O'Brian's. And does Susie and Mack stay together? What is the devastating diagnose Susie gets? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book and my own opinion.]

IN MY MAILBOX

Over at The Story Siren it's time for In My Mailbox. Go check it out. You could find your next book to read.

Do you read children's books? I do. I love reading them and the graphics are so awesome. Now that I have grandbabies, I read to them. Hopefully this will help them become readers too. I recently received 2 children's review books. They both have a lesson to learn and the graphics are great. This is also my review of these books. So this may get a little long.


"Kite Tale" by Anita Joyce Skocz(Illustrated by Lowell Hildebrandt)

It's all about building a Kite, but the little boy, David, also learns a lesson from his grandpa. They gather things for the kite from different places. Paper, cloth, wood, and string. They all come from friends of grandpa and the friends are all different cultures. David gets his kite and learns that it takes more than paper, cloth, wood and string to build a kite. Wonderful storybook.
MY RATING: 8-10

"Demi and the Dolphins" by Alyssa K. Harrell(illustrations by Carol Mecum)

This is a magical fairy tale all about the see and it's creatures.
Demi is a captain of a tuna boat. It is against the law to net tuna, because it traps dolphins and they can't breath and they drown. But Demi is out for the tuna, so she doesn't care about the dolphins. Until one day she fall overboard and lands in front of Poseidon, the god of the sea. Poseidon turns Demi into a dolphin. Thinking this will teach her about why not to net tuna and dolphins. Demi learns all about a dolphins life and the hazards that happens to them. This is a wonderful story told by the author Alyssa K. Harrell. She wrote this story when she was 10 years old for a homeschool writing project.
MY RATING: 8-10

[These are free review books and my own opinion.]

REVIEW - MOONLIGHT COVE

This book is for 1 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(186/200

"Moonlight Cove" by Sherryl Woods
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Jess O'Brien has overcome a lot—the challenges of attention deficit disorder, the near bankruptcy of her beloved Inn at Eagle Point and her self-perception as a screwup in a family of overachievers. Now she's ready to share the future with a man. Her friends persuade her to join a dating service—but she gets no takers! Which is fine with her childhood friend, psychologist Will Lincoln, who's already chosen the perfect man for Jess: himself.
Will has loved Jess practically forever. He knows her faults and her strengths. But for all Will's sincerity and charm, Jess fears he views her as some psychological case study. With her family and the town of Chesapeake Shores behind him, Will finally makes his case. But is it enough to convince Jess to take the risk of a lifetime?
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Mira; Original edition (April 26, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778329798
ISBN-13: 978-0778329794

MY THOUGHTS: I have enjoyed reading about the O'Brian family. This is just as good as the others. This time it's Jess's turn to find love. Even though see thinks she can't. Will has loved her forever. But he just can't convince Jess of this. She thinks he can't love her because of her problems. There is also a second romance in this book, Connie and Thomas. Are they new to Chesapeake Shores? Does Jess accept Will's love? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book and my own opinion.]

REVIEW - TOYS

This book is for 1 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(185/200)

"Toys" by James Patterson
Product Description(Amazon.com)
James Bond and Jason Bourne have just been topped! A battle for the world is set into unstoppable motion and Hays Baker is the only one who can save it.
Hays Baker and his wife Lizbeth possess super-human strength, extraordinary intelligence, stunning looks, a sex life to die for, and two beautiful children. Of course they do--they're Elites, endowed at birth with the very best that the world can offer. The only problem in their perfect world: humans and their toys! The one with the most toys--dies
The top operative for the Agency of Change, Hays has just won the fiercest battle of his career. He has been praised by the President, and is a national hero. But before he can savor his triumph, he receives an unbelievable shock that overturns everything he thought was true. Suddenly Hays is on the other side of the gun, forced to leave his perfect family and fight for his life.
Now a hunted fugitive, Hays is thrown into a life he never dreamed possible--fighting to save humans everywhere from extinction. He enlists all of his training to uncover the truth that will save millions of lives--maybe even his own. James Patterson's Toys is a thriller on a hyper plane--with a hero who rivals both James Bond and Jason Bourne.
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1st edition (March 14, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316097365
ISBN-13: 978-0316097369

MY THOUGHTS: I'm not really a fan of sci-fi but this one was alright. Set in the year 2064 it's all about saving the human race from extinction. There are some really bad people who Hays Baker has to go against. It was a lot different from most Patterson books. Although I liked the book, I miss the old Patterson way of writing a good murder mystery. I wish he would get back to that. If your a Patterson fan you'll read this, but if your a Patterson fan of murder mysteries forget it.

MY RATING: 2

REVIEW - A PLAIN & SIMPLE CHRISTMAS

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(184/200)
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.49)

"A Plain & Simple Christmas" by Amy Clipston
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you'll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman's story unfolds, you will share in her heartaches, trials, joys, dreams ... and secrets. You'll discover how the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle can clash with the 'English' way of life---and the decisions and consequences that follow. Most importantly, you will be encouraged by the hope and faith of these women, and the importance they place on their families. In the tradition of her widely popular Kauffman Amish Bakery series, author Amy Clipston tells the tale of Anna Mae McDonough who was shunned by her family four years ago when she left her Amish community in Lancaster County, PA, to marry an 'Englisher' (non Amish) man and move with him to Baltimore. Now, eight months pregnant when her first child, she longs to return home for Christmas to reconcile with her family, especially her stern father, who is the religious leader for her former Amish church district. So Anne Mae writes a letter to Kathryn Beiler, her brother's wife, to enlist her help. Kathryn asks her husband, David, if she should arrange Anna Mae's visit. David cautions her that a visit would cause too much stress in the family and instead suggests they visit Anna Mae and her husband in the spring. However, Kathryn arranges the visit anyway, believing in her heart that it's God's will for the family to heal. When Anna Mae arrives in Lancaster for Christmas, the welcome she receives is nothing like what she had hoped for. A book filled with love, the pain of being separated from one's family, and the determination to follow God's will regardless of the outcome, A Plain and Simple Christmas is an inspiring page-turner that will keep you guessing what happens next ... right to the very last page.
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (September 13, 2010)
Language: English
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (September 13, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310327369
ISBN-13: 978-0310327363

MY THOUGHTS: This is my book club pick for December. We wanted to read something Amish and Christmas. So this book was picked. This is a new author for me. I really liked this book lots. There is no commercializing of Christmas. It is what the title implies. A plain and simple Christmas. All Anna Mae wants for Christmas is to see her family. Her sister-in-law, Kathryn sets this all up, even though her husband is against it. Anna Mae and her husband arrive and everyone is happy except for 3 of her sisters and her father. During the Christmas Eve dinner Anna Mae confronts her father and is so upset. Her husband suggests they pack up and leave to go home. Their is a raging blizzard going on at the time. Does Anna Mae make up with her sisters and father? Does she go home to have her baby? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

NEEDLEWORK TUESDAY

I love Tuesday's, because I get to show off what I'm working on, crocheting that is. Heather over at Books and Quilts is the host for Needlework Tuesday. Hop over to Heather's place, she's showing off some beautiful quilts made by her mother.

I started making Hexagon's for a blanket. Don't know how many I'll need or the size, just making hexagons and putting them together. I've measured the width and it's the right size. Don't know that either. I just laid down on the couch and put the first row of hexagon's over me to see if it was wide enough. I know, not the most scientific way of doing it, but it works for me. Anyway, I've gotten the first 2 rows of hexagon's done. Want to see??

Isn't it pretty! I think so anyway. Want to see it close up??

I was cleaning out a closet and found some granny squares left over from a project I worked on a couple years ago. I didn't need them for anything so decided to rip them apart and recycle the yarn into my hexagon blanket. Now I have a box full of little balls of yarn. I still have a few granny squares to take apart.

I've been putting the balls in a bucket under my computer desk. I thought the balls of yarn would be safe there. Why safe and from what? The twins, Bella and Luke of course. They are into everything. Well, the little balls of yarn weren't safe, Bella and Luke found them. And I caught them red handed. So now the little balls of yarn are in a box up high so Bella and Luke can't get to them. They seem to think they are balls and throw them.