A new year, a new reading goal. I'm attempting 90. Let's see how I do.
UPDATE: On Dec 22, I reached my goal! Whoo hoo!!!
January:
1. "Crystalfire" by Kate Douglas (This is the fourth book in the Demonslayers series, and I believe it ends it, too. I enjoyed reading the series and each couple continue on into the next book. Enjoyable romances.)
2. "What Chris Wants" by Lori Foster (This is a novella based on the "Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor" series, which I really loved. It was nice revisiting the characters, even if it was for a short time.)
3. "Rapture" by J.R. Ward (I love the Fallen Angels series. The first couple of books weren't as good as the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, but they are getting better now. At least, I think so. Story sucked me in right away. I wish she could write faster, but understand if she can't!)
4. "Blood Vine" by Amber Beldene (Sexy vampires, intriguing story. Held my attention. Romance was good, too. I look forward to the next book in the series)
5. "Odd Apocalypse" by Dean Koontz (I really enjoy this series. Odd is an interesting character: he sees ghosts and all sorts of weirdly events. This isn't the end of Odd, either, so that pleases me.)
6. "Too Hot to Hold" by Stephanie Tyler (It had been awhile since I read the first book of this series, but it didn't seem to matter that much. Besides the occassional head-hopping (not my favorite), the story kept me on the edge and the romance was satisfying.)
7. "Hold on Tight" by Stephanie Tyler (The romance was good. The suspense was good. And it kept me entertained. I thought there were too many unbelievable coincidences and lots of characters (more annoying head-hopping) though. Didn't stop me from reading it quickly, though. Ha ha !!)
8. "White Lies" by Jayne Ann Krentz (When I bought this book, didn't realize it was second in a series. Thankfully, that didn't matter. I liked the story (romance!!) and loved the couple, but the overall story arc did not pull me in enough to rush out and read the rest of this series.)
9. "Wolf Tales V" by Kate Douglas (I really like this series, but the sex can be too much, so I can't read them back to back. Gotta come up for air, ya know! But I really like the stories and the characters and there's lots of love and romance, not to mention frequet, hot, steamy sex.)
10. "Love Me To Death" by Allison Brennan (I loved this book. I thought maybe it might not have any romance in it (since it's labeled a suspense novel), but I was worried for nothing - it had the kind of romance I love!!! I look forward to reading more about Lucy and Sean.)
February:
11. "Swamp Magic" by Bobbi Romans (It's a series that doesn't really end, and for a book this short - 153 pages? Hard to tell with a Nook - unnecessary. I would have liked to connect with the characters better and probably could have done that in a meatier book.)
12. "Love is Murder" by Allison Brennan (It's a novella that's labeled suspense, but is more like a mystery. No romance, since it's before the first book when Lucy hooks up with Sean, but I still liked it very much and really look forward to dipping into the next one!)
13. "Kiss Me, Kill Me" by Allison Brennan (Another goodie. I'm really into this series and I like how the story brings in other characters - so while you still have Lucy and Sean, you've got them interacting with different people and in different locations.)
14. "If I Should Die" by Allison Brennan (Loved this one, too. If I shared more, it might spoil the previous books, but let's just say there's a reason it's listed as a SUSPENSE! I couldn't put the thing down!)
15. "Hers for the Holidays" by Samantha Hunter (Only read this because I judged it. I liked the book and the characters, but I'm not a fan of Harlequin books because they are just plain too short. I just start getting into it and it's over! But if you're looking for a quick read with some steamy sex scenes, then this is your book.)
16. "Unbridled and Untangled" by Elle Saint James (Another book I'm judging. For an erotic romance, it definitely delivers! One character's POV was distracting and unneeded, though.)
17. "Dangerous Shift" by Jill James (Another judged book. The story and premise were interesting, if not strange - shapeshifters that shift from male to female or female to male, but it took over 100 pages before the couple even like each other, something I'm not fond of. The story also dragged a bit - especially the end.)
18. "Silenced" by Allison Brennan (Another good one, and I ain't quittin' yet. I really love this series.)
March:
19. "Stalked" by Allison Brennan (Still no complaints. Really good series.)
20. "Unravel Me" by Tahereh Mafi (This is her second book, and it apparently will be an on-going series. I only hope that's the case, because while I loved this story, I hated the ending - it left too much stuff hanging. This YA dystopian was heartwrenching and emotional and gripped me from the beginning. I just wish the ending satisfied me.)
21. "Hangar 18: Legacy" by Jennette Marie Powell (I really enjoyed this story. Not techy at all - for a sci-fi romance. Love that it's set in an area I'm familiar with, too!)
22. "Frozen Heat" by Richard Castle (Each book in this series is better than the last, but I didn't care for the ending in this one - the same thing I complain about with a lot of series. Regardless, I loved the banter between Heat and Rook and laughed out loud numerous times. It was fun to read.)
23. "The Temperate Warrior" by Renee Vincent (I'm not a huge historical romance reader/fan, but I do love her books because they are more about the characters than the era. The couple in this book were briefly featured in her Emerald Isle Trilogy, but you do not need to read those books to understand this one. Good read. Great romance!!)
24. "Absolution" by Susannah Sandlin (Oh my God! I couldn't put this book down. When I had 50 pages left, I realized I wanted the next book and didn't have it. Yikes! Guess I'll have to wait, since I like owning the paperbacks on this series. Yep, a series I love. There is an over-arching storyline, but each book has a satisfying ending. I look forward to the next - and won't wait so long to read it, either.)
25. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen (I saw the movie first. That may be a reason I waited too long to read this. Of course, without the movie, I never would have known this book existed and that would have been unfortunate. Jacob's story is great--told in his POV--and I had trouble putting the book down.)
26. "Three Wishes" by Paula Millhouse (Cute short story.)
27. "Reckless" by Allison Brennan (Nice little novella/short story to hold me over until the next Lucy Kincaid book. I'm beginning to think Lucy and Sean will never have a quiet vacation, but then what fun would that be?)
28. "Lover at Last" by J.R. Ward (Dang, dang, dang! It's over. Man, I love Qhuinn and Blay!! And I loved just sitting down and reading without worrying about doing anything else! I think this is my favorite in the series - so far.)
April:
29. "Imortally Yours" by Angie Fox (Written in first person - not my fav - but I liked the narrator, Petra. She was funny. Galen was hot. First of a series, but the ending was satisfying. I could probably continue reading this series. Now to just find the time!)
30. "Perpetual Light" by Jordan K. Rose (Did not enjoy this one and was tempted to stop reading mid-way through, but stuck it out only to be disappointed at the end. It was written in first person, but would have probably been better in third.)
31. "Kiss of the Goblin King" by Shona Husk (This is the second book of a series in which I apparently have the first book and didn't read it first - although I was judging this one and didn't think to look until it was too late. Oh well. I enjoyed this story enough to check out the first now. I kind of expected goblins (from the title), but got lots of magic instead. Ah, but there was romance, so who cared? Not me!)
32. "The Goblin King" by Shona Husk (Read out of order, I would have understood the second book a little better if I had read this one first. I still enjoyed the story, more than I thought I would. Although the pacing is kind of slow in parts (like at the end - what's with that?), the romance is good and the ending was satisfactory.)
33. "Hunted" by Rebecca Zanetti (I still enjoy this series and I liked Conn a lot better than his brothers, too (they were a little on the mean side). I will continue reading, as soon as I get the next books - probably when I get a coupon. I just have soooo many others to read, first.)
34. "Heart-Shaped Box" by Joe Hill (Started out slow, but gained momentum. If you like whacked-out ghost stories - and who doesn't? - this book is for you. I started out not liking Jude so much in the beginning to caring about him in the end. That's gotta mean something!)
May:
35. "Vampires Gone Wild" by Kerrelyn Sparks, Pamela Palmer, Amanda Arista, and Kim Falconer (This was a fun read, even though I'm not a fan of the shorts. Couldn't let a Love at Stake story get past me, though! However, my favorite of the bunch was by Amanda Arista. I wish her other books were also written in third person, but, alas, they aren't. Too bad.)
36. "Immortal Ever After" by Lynsay Sands (I lost count which number this is in her Argeneau series, but doesn't matter. I still love them and I still have problems putting the books down -- which can be a problem when I should be writing.)
37. "Omega" by Susannah Sandlin (I really loved this series. Don't know if this is the end - it could very well be - but if not, I'll keep reading. I do love her Penton vampires!!)
38. "Storm Front" by Jim Butcher (Dang it! I was afraid of this. Yep, I liked this book enough to want to read the next. I don't even want to think how many are currently in this series!!)
39. "Dead Ever After" by Charlaine Harris (The last Sookie book. Yes, it was long over-due, but unlike a lot of other fans, I LIKED the ending. It fit.)
40. "Perfectly Matched" by Heather Webber (Book 4 of the Lucy Valentine series, a paranormal-mystery-romance. I like this series. It's a fun (funny) read.)
41. "Nerves of Steel" by C.J. Lyons (Book 1 of a 3 book series. I liked the characters and the story held my interest, even reading it on an e-reader - ugh. I have the other 2 (and they all feature the same couple) already and will tackle them after I get me some paranormal romance fix!)
June:
42. "Deliver Me From Temptation" by Tes Hilaire (A hard book to put down. I don't know how long this series will last, but I'll keep reading them.)
43. "Fool Moon" by Jim Butcher (Okay, I'll admit it, this series has piqued my interest. Damn, damn, damn! I'll be reading the next one for sure.)
44. "Blood Judgment" by Nickie Asher (Dark & gritty and even love, it held my attention. I'm curious to see how this vampire race survives.)
45. "The Destroyed" by Brett Battles (I love this series and missed these characters. Great suspenseful thriller, found it hard to put down.)
46. "How Hard Can it Be?" by Robyn Peterman (I wasn't sure how well I would enjoy a romance in first person, but this one works. I laughed. I cried. I went "awww." Well done! I'm a follower of her work, now!)
47. "Pirate Dave & His Randy Adventures" by Robyn Peterman (This is the story that was created in "How Hard Can it Be?" and man, what a hoot! Talk about bad. And funny.)
July:
48. "Dragonstone-A Kingdom of Chalvaren Romance" by Paula Millhouse (This is a short romantic fantasy. The fantasy part lost me at times, but the romance grabbed me. For a short, it hit the spot.)
49. "The Shadow Tracer" by Meg Gardiner (A fast-paced thriller, I was so glad I finished my writing project so I didn't feel guilty when I couldn't put it down! I love all her books.)
50. "Consumed" by Rebecca Zanetti (I love her shifters a lot more than her vampires. This book had it all for me--action, love, romance, and not a bit of meanness. Give me more!)
51. "Flights of Fiction" by Author Members of Western Ohio Writers Association (Collection of short stories. My favorites included those by Liz Coley, Lynda Sappington, LD Masterson, and Bill Bicknell. Overall an enjoyable read.)
52. "Gabriel's Ghost" by Linnea Sinclair (Surprised at how much I enjoyed it, since sci-fi's not my thing - bookwise. I'd much rather WATCH sci-fi than read it. It's a good story, though, with romance.)
53. "Tempted" by Rebecca Zanetti (I like Max and Sarah, but not a fan of novellas. I wish their story was longer.)
54. "Becoming Quinn" by Brett Battles (I really enjoyed this novella about how Jonathan Quinn became a cleaner. Even though I knew how it would end, I had such a hard time putting it down, but my bed kept calling...)
55. "Seeing Ghosts" by James Garcia, Jr. (I liked the story, it had a nice creepiness to it. Some scenes were a bit mundane--everyday stuff--but it held my interest throughout. A good ghost story.)
56. "Stolen" by Allison Brennan (Loved, loved, loved it. Read it in TWO days! This one was mostly all Sean, and that was fine by me. Looking forward to the next in the series.)
57. "Joyland" by Stephen King (I enjoyed the story, although it stated out kind of slow. By the end I was hooked and in tears.)
August:
58. "The Collected" by Brett Battles (Argh! I hate cliffhangers and this one has a doozie. Other than that, I loved the book--as I do the series--and read it quickly.)
59. "New Order Apocalypse" by R. Mac Wheeler (Kind of felt like I was in Stephen King's "The Stand" thirty years later! I liked the characters of this book and wish certain relations weren't skimmed over. Oh well, can't have everything I guess!)
60. "Take it Off! (The Naked Truth About Male Strippers)" by Taylor Cole & Justin Whitfield. (Little snippets of stories only confirmed what I suspected - they have sex and they have it often! Did learn a new exercise trick I will try. It was a fun, but short, read.)
61. "Tempting the Billionaire" by Jessica Lemmon (I liked the story and loved the romance, just wish I hadn't felt the need to slap the characters upside the head! That's contemporary for you, I suppose.)
62. "Mistress of the Stone" by Maria Zannini (I love paranormal, action, and love, and this book had all three. A very enjoyable read, and I really loved Xander!)
63. "Fifth Grave Past the Light" by Darynda Jones. (Oh my gosh! I want the next book and not because this left me on a cliff-hanger (it didn't). I just want MORE! I love this series so much (and Reyes is only getting hotter--didn't think THAT was possible). Maybe I should just re-read the series. I could so do that!)
64. "Blood Entangled" by Amber Belldene (I'm enjoying this series and like the characters very much. And I'm not all that biased. Really!)
65. "The Enraged" by Brett Battles (This book ended SO MUCH better than the last. I love the series and the characters.)
66. "Conquest of the Heart" by Michele Stegman (Not my typical kind of book, but I know the author and I felt I owed it to her to read it since she did such a wonderful job editing my short stories. I enjoyed this book even thought some of the names and terminology used threw me at times-my issue though. I liked the characters and the story.)
September:
67. "Sleight of Hand" by CJ Lyons (I liked the book and it passed the time well enough, but unfortunately, it was easy to put down.)
68. "Face to Face" by CJ Lyons (The end of the trilogy, I read it in one day on the trip home from Dragon*Con. I liked it okay, but the characters kind of drove me a little crazy.)
69. "Shade of Dark" by Linnea Sinclair (I loved Chaz and Sully from "Gabriel's Ghost" so I had to read more. They are the kinds of couples I love: fighting together against a common enemy while working out their differences. I might have gotten lost in all the sci-fi and strange names, but the characters kept me reading.)
70. "The Vampire with the Dragon Tattoo" by Kerrelyn Sparks (Loved, loved, loved it! Even after 14 books, I am not tired of this series. Give me more!!)
71. "Killer Instinct" by Zoe Sharp (I really liked this book and the character, Charlie Fox. Seems I found a new author to follow!)
72. "Deeply Odd" by Dean Koontz (I struggled with this book, and I've enjoyed the series up until this one. Lots of rambling.)
October:
73. "Dexter is Delicious" by Jeff Lindsay (Didn't care for the previous book in this series, but enjoyed this one. Nothing like the television show, but that's okay. I look forward to finishing up the book series now.)
74. "One Lucky Vampire" by Lynsay Sands (I really love this series, even after 19 books! They are just so much fun to read.)
75. "Wishing for a Highlander" by Jessi Gage (This was a great story. Loved the time travel. Loved the romance. Loved Darcy and Melanie!! I will read more from this author.)
76. "Danger Close" by Lindsay McKenna (I am NOT the intended audience for this book. I liked the romance and I liked the characters, but the head hopping was very distracting and a lot of the military stuff kind of dragged it down for me. This was an experiment on my case since I've never read this genre before -- and probably won't again.)
77. "Secrets of a Mayan Moon" by Paty Jager (I liked the story--an action/adventure--but didn't fall in love with the hero, Tino, so I doubt I reach for the next one in this series.)
78. “How I Met My Husband: The Real-Life Love
Stories of 25 Romance Authors” by Michele Stegman (and others) (Lots of short-short stories and plenty of excerpts of books, which I skimmed. It passed the time on a car trip.)
79. "Animal Attraction" by Lori Foster, Maisey Yates, Heidi Betts, and Jules Bennett (I loved every story in this anthology, which was quite unexpected. Maybe it's the animals! Haha!)
80. "Possession" by J.R. Ward (The Fallen Angel series might not be as good as the BDB series, but it's getting closer with each book. I wasn't sure which couple to root for, for nearly half the book, but I hated putting this story down when I was forced to. I really liked it!)
November:
81. "Double Dexter" by Jeff Lindsay (Sometimes Dexter can be dense. He's a smart guy, so he should have figured stuff out sooner than he did. Still an enjoyable read, though.)
82. "Doon" by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon (YA & 2 first person POVs knocked it down a peg, but by half-way I was into the story and came to enjoy it.)
83. "Time to Control" by Marie Pinkerton (I thought this was going to be erotica and ended up with an okay paranormal romance. I liked the time travel, though.)
84. "Dracula" by Bram Stoker (Can't believe I've never read this book before. I loved it! I understand so much more now.)
85. "Cooking up Love" by Gemma Brocato (I liked this contemporary romance with Jem and Jack. I breezed right through it.)
86. "First Frost" an Anthology by Lyrical Press Authors (I liked the two paranormal romance stories the best and the eroticas were nice and steamy.)
December:
87. "Cold Snap" by Allison Brennan (Three novellas, in a way, making one book. Got a peek at Lucy's brother, Patrick, and sister, Carina, as well as more Lucy and Sean. I look forward to seeing what their lives will be like in San Antonio. I want more!)
88. "Provoked" by Rebecca Zanetti (I still think these vampires are on the mean side, but since reading this series, I'm getting to know some of the brothers first, which helps. This was Kane's story and it was fun to see him in a different light. I'm still enjoying this series.)
89. "Born in Chains" by Caris Roane (Didn't care for the animosity between characters (yet they still managed to have sex), but got into it once the couple started liking each other. Ending kind of dragged on, though. Don't know if I'll bother with the other books in the series.)
90. "Wolf Tales VI" by Kate Douglas (More sex than story, but I kind of expected that with this series. And what a hot series it is, too! I need a break before I attempt #7. *fans self*)
91. "Beneath the Skin" by Amy Lee Burgess (Story started slow, but when I got to it, it grabbed me. I like Constance and Liam. I look forward to continuing with this series.)
92. "The Circle: Blood Gift" by Amy Lee Burgess (Another slow start, but very emotional. I cried numerous times, that's how much I felt for Claire. Thoroughly enjoyed this vampire tale.)
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