Category Archives: Take a Chance Challenge 3

I’m throwing in the towel….

Dec 6

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… on my 2011 reading challenges. And the year technically isn’t over yet. I’m really kind of bummed at how close I got on some of them. But I’m not upset at all for not finishing all of them. I’m very happy at how much reading I’ve done this year (especially since getting that positive home pregnancy test back in September and the subsequent nausea).

However, I signed up for challenges that I had to find books to fit into certain categories. 9 times out of 10, I will fail at those types of challenges. But I don’t care, I had fun with what I did read and what categories I did fulfill!

Out of the 6 reading challenges I signed up for in 2011, only 1 was completed successfully. A second was completed without my goal being 100% met.

Instead of doing a wrap up post for each individual challenge, I’m just going to do one big post.

Criminal Plots Reading Challenge 2011 (83% complete)

 I was really looking forward to this challenge; it was right up my alley. Unfortunately, I was 1 book short of completing this challenge. Here’s what I did read:

New author who’s blurbed a book you enjoyed:
Book made into a movie: The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Book with a protagonist opposite your own gender: Double Cross by James Patterson
Book set outside the country in which you live: A World I Never Made by James LePore
Book that’s the first in a new-to-you series: Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson
Book by a 2011 debut author: Lonely Deceptions by D.R. Willis

Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge 2011 (100% complete!)

 I actually finished this challenge! And I finished it early in the year. Why? Because Mystery and Suspense books are practically all I read :) I love this challenge and am seriously considering signing up for 2012′s version!

Double Cross by James Patterson (Police Procedural)
Judas Kiss by J.T. Ellison (Police Procedural)
Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark (Psychological Mystery)
Cross Country by James Patterson (Police Procedural)
Divine Justice by David Baldacci
Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson (Cozy Mystery)
Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson (Cozy Mystery)
The Cereal Murders by Diane Mott Davidson (Cozy Mystery)
The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer (Legal Thriller)
Blood of My Brother by James LePore
I, Alex Cross by James Patterson (Police Procedural)
Supreme Justice by Phillip Margolin

Take a Chance Challenge 3 (60% complete)

 I honestly did take a chance when I signed up for this challenge. I knew I would be stretching myself to fit all the categories. And honestly, this is the challenge that I did the worst on. But that’s okay :)

Staff  Member’s Choice:
Loved One’s Choice: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Blogger’s Choice:
Critic’s Choice:
Blurb Book:
Book Seer Pick: State of the Union by Brad Thor
What Should I Read Next Pick : Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson
Which Book Pick: The Blue Edge of Midnight by Jonathon King
LibraryThing Pick: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Pick A Method (Random Selection; Public Spying; Random Bestseller): The Chancellor Manuscript by Robert Ludlum

The TBR Dare (85% complete)

 So this challenge wasn’t really much of a challenge for me. All I had to do was only read my personal books for the first quarter of the year. I did great on this “challenge.” And while I didn’t meet my goal of  20 books, I was still very glad that I lasted until the end of the first quarter!

Double Cross by James Patterson
Judas Kiss by J.T. Ellison
Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark
Cross Country by James Patterson
Alex Cross’s Trial by James Patterson
Divine Justice by David Baldacci
Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson
Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson
The Cereal Murders by Diane Mott Davidson
The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer
The Sherlockian by Graham Moore
I, Alex Cross by James Patterson
Supreme Justice by Phillip Margolin
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
The Vig by John Lescroart
The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry
Killing Her Softly by Beverly Barton

TwentyEleven Challenge (85% complete)

 I knew when I signed up for this challenge that there were categories that I would have a very hard time fulfilling. But that didn’t stop me from participating anyway. And sure enough, the categories that I knew were going to give me trouble were indeed the ones I didn’t fill. Oh well. I still enjoyed finding what I could for this challenge.

To YA or not YA… Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Shelter by Harlan Coben
…With a Twist.: Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson (cozy mystery)
Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth (Vampire thriller)
Hot off the Presses. 10th Anniversary by James Patterson
Lonely Deceptions by D.R. Willis
It Wasn’t Me! (aka Bad Bloggers*) Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
Show it Who is Boss!: The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry (on shelf since 2009)
Whiskey Sour by J.A. Konrath (on shelf since 2010)
Bablefish. The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Translated by Lisa Hartford)
Will-Power? What Will-Power? (aka: The Henry Ward Beecher Memorial.) Closer than Blood by Gregg Olsen
Mind the Gap. Hell’s Corner by David Baldacci (Most recent in Camel Club series)
Hotwire by Alex Kava (Most recent in Maggie O’Dell series)
Back in the Day. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Way Back When: Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark (published 1975, 10 years before my birth)
Cop Hater by Ed McBain (published 1956, 29 years before my birth)
Slim-Pickings

What’s in a Name 4 Challenge (83% completed)

 This is the other challenge that I really wanted to complete. Bad. And I fell one book short. But honestly, when I looked over my books, I really didn’t have anything that I wanted to read that would fulfill the category properly. Oh well. Excuses :) I’m considering signing up for the 2012 version, but I haven’t decided yet. I only took a cursory glance at the categories, I need to look at my shelves with those categories in mind before I make my final decision.

Number: The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer
Jewelry/Gem: Cross Fire by James Patterson
Size: TBD
Travel/Movement: We‘re Not Leaving by Benjamin J. Luft, M.D.
Evil: Killing Her Softly by Beverly Barton
Life Stage: Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark

 

Posted in Challenge Wrap-Up, Criminal Plots Reading Challenge, Mystery & Suspense 2011, Take a Chance Challenge 3, The TBR Dare, TwentyEleven Challenge, What's in a Name 4

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2011.58 REVIEW – State of the Union by Brad Thor

Oct 5

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State of the Union
by Brad Thor

Copyright: 2004
Pages: 523
Rating: 4/5
Read: Sept. 25– Oct. 2, 2011
Challenge: Take a Chance 3 Challenge
Yearly Count: 58
Format: Print
Source: Personal Copy

Blurb: With the fragile peace between the world’s nations shattered, Harvath must unravel a brilliantly orchestrated, fiendishly timed conspiracy intent upon bringing the United States to its knees. Teamed with beautiful Russian Intelligence agent Alexandra Ivanova and a highly trained CIA paramilitary detachment, Harvath races from the corridors of power in Washington, D.C., to the streets of Berlin, the coast of Finland, and into the heart of Mother Russia herself before returning home for a final showdown with an enemy from America’s past more sinister and deadly than has even been seen before…

Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! Having liked the previous book (Path of the Assassin), but not really enjoying the whole Middle Eastern theme involved, I was really excited to read about Cold War-era Russian spies. For me, that’s more up my alley than the what the previous book dealt with. This book was definitely action packed. Scot Harvath manages to find himself in all kinds of trouble, no matter where he goes, it seems! And his sense of loyalty to those closest to him is amazing, he definitely puts himself in harm’s way for his friend, mentor  and boss, Gary Lawlor. I am definitely enjoying this series. We didn’t get to see a lot of Meg in this installment, but hopefully in the next book we will get to learn more about her and Scot and where they go to.

Posted in 4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, Scot Harvath, SERIES, T, Take a Chance Challenge 3, Thriller

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2011.54 REVIEW: The Blue Edge of Midnight by Jonathon King

Sep 14

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The Blue Edge of Midnight
by Jonathon King

Copyright: 2002
Pages: 265
Rating: 3/5
Read: Sept. 11– Sept. 13, 2011
Challenge: Take a Chance Challenge 3
Yearly Count: 54
Format: Print
Source: Personal Copy

Blurb: On a night that will haunt him forever, ex-cop Max Freeman killed a twelve-year-old child in self-defense in a Philadelphia shootout. Since then he has lived a solitary existence on the edge of the Florida Everglades, where he answers to no one save the demons tormenting his conscience. But when he finds the corpse of a child along a shadowy riverbank, he’s pulled back into the twisted maze of law and order – as a murder suspect. Now Freeman has no choice but to hunt down a killer who has committed the unthinkable – even if it takes him to the darkest places of the soul…

Review: I only picked up this book to fulfill a challenge requirement. While it would not be my favorite book, it wasn’t a bad book. There was just something about the book itself that bothered me. I don’t know if it was the (what I call) flowery dialogue. By this I mean that there were long, drawn-out descriptions in places where it (in my opinion) was unnecessary. But then again, I am not a fan of a lot of words, as I’ve said before here on my blog, I’m a “just the facts, ma’am” type of girl. Or if it was just the fact that I didn’t really get the main character, Max. He was a strange guy, there were a lot of unknowns about him and he just was … strange. That’s the only way I could describe it. Honestly, I’m not sure I will ever read any more in this series, I just didn’t get the book. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but it definitely wasn’t great. In the words of Simon Cowell, it was utterly “forgettable.”

Posted in 3/5, AUTHOR, Author Debut, Book Review, Fiction, K, Mystery, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, Take a Chance Challenge 3

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2011.37 REVIEW – The Chancellor Manuscript by Robert Ludlum

Jul 25

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The Chancellor Manuscript
by Robert Ludlum

Copyright: 1977
Pages: 438
Rating: 4/5
Read: July 21 – July 24, 2011
Challenge:  Take a Chance Challenge 3
Yearly Count: 37
Format: Print
Source: Bookmooch point

Blurb: DID J. EDGAR DIE A NATURAL DEATH? . . .  OR WAS HE MURDERED? Inver Brass-a group of high-minded and high-placed intellectuals who see a monstrous threat to the country in Hoover’s unethical use of his scandal-ridden private files.  They decide to do away with him-quietly, efficiently, with no hint of impropriety.  Until best-selling thriller writer Peter Chancellor stumbles onto information that makes his precious books like harmless fairy tales.  Now Chancellor and Inver Brass are on a deadly collision course, spiraling across the globe in an ever-widening arc of violence and terror.  Hurtling toward a showdown that will rip Washington’s intelligence community apart-leaving only one damning document to survive . . .

Review: I chose this book solely for a challenge. Honestly, it’s not even a book that I had ever heard of. But when I was looking over my choices to fulfill this section of the challenge, this book immediately stood out for me based on the blurb. This was my first time reading a Robert Ludlum book, although I have 4 or 5 of his already on my shelves. But the description of this book immediately sucked me in. I like conspiracies. I don’t necessarily believe in them, but I enjoy them immensely in books, movies and television shows. That said, this book was right up my alley. I enjoyed it, but it’s not something that I will remember a year from now. The ending was long and drawn out in my opinion. It probably could have been wrapped up in about 10 pages and yet it dragged on for a good 30 or 40 pages. I felt as if Mr. Ludlum was a little long-winded in places that weren’t really necessary. Of course, this goes back to my preferences, it’s just not something that I like in books. However, this doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the book. I actually did enjoy it quite a bit, it was a fun and interesting read. The beginning was a little slow, but the last two-thirds of the book flew by. I would definitely recommend this book and I will for sure be reading more Robert Ludlum in the future.

Posted in 4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, L, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, Take a Chance Challenge 3, Thriller

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2011.33 REVIEW – The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Jul 6

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The Help
by Kathryn Stockett

Copyright: 2009
Pages: 522
Rating: 5/5
Read: June 29 – July 5, 2011
Challenge:  Take a Chance Challenge 3
Yearly Count: 33
Format: Print

First Line: Mae Mobley was born on a early Sunday morning in August 1960.

Blurb: Aibileen is a black maid in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, raising her seventeenth white child. She’s always taken orders quietly, but lately it leaves her with a bitterness she can no longer bite back. Her friend Minny has certainly never held her tongue, or held on to a job for very long, but now she’s working for a newcomer with secrets that leave her speechless. And white socialite Skeeter has just returned from college with ambition and a degree but, to her mother’s lament, no husband. Normally Skeeter would find solace in Constantine, the beloved maid who raised her, but Constantine has inexplicably disappeared. Together, these seemingly different women join to work on a project that could forever alter their destinies and the life of a small town – to write, in secret, a tell-all book about what it’s really like to work as a black maid in the white homes of the South. Despite the terrible risks they will have to take, and the sometimes humorous boundaries they will have to cross, these three women united with one intention: hope for a better day.

Review: I must thank my grandmother for encouraging me to read this book. She bought it for me after she read one of her friends’ copies and loved it. For her she remembered some of the things described in this book. Having been a history major very interested in the Civil Rights era she figured that I would enjoy it. Well she was certainly spot-on with her assumption that I would enjoy it. This is not a book that I would have picked up otherwise, in fact I had read the blurb of this book many times and decided time after time that it would not be a good fit for me. I cannot believe how hilarious this book was in some spots. I read the last half of this while on an airplane yesterday afternoon, the people around me must have been curious as to what I was continuously laughing out loud about. I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s an eye-opening, hilarious read that should be read by everyone. Oh, and I wouldn’t recommend the chocolate pie :)

Posted in 5/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, General, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, S, Take a Chance Challenge 3

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2011.31 REVIEW – Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Jun 22

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Thirteen Reasons Why
by Jay Asher

Copyright: 2007
Pages: 288
Rating: 5/5
Read: June 21 – June 22, 2011
Challenge:  Take a Chance 3 Challenge; TwentyEleven Challenge
Yearly Count: 31
Format: Print

First Line: “Sir?” she repeats. “How soon do you want it to get there?”

Blurb: Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker – his classmate and crush – who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why. Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah’s pain, and learns the truth about himself – a truth he never wanted to face.

Review: I waited for what seemed like forever waiting on the wishlist over at PaperBackSwap for this book. To put it the best way I can think of: this book was worth the wait. For real. This book was so haunting. Some points really resonated with me. Not being that far removed from high school (okay, well, 8 years), I know what those years were like. I remember them. Vividly. I was in Hannah Baker’s shoes when I got stood up at the movies (although technically her date showed up, eventually). I was somewhat of an outcast my junior year. I lost almost all my friends that year. Over something really stupid that I still can’t really put my finger on … but boy, do I still remember the one person who was at the center of the whole debacle. Ugh. I have my own Valentine Day memory like Hannah had hers, although mine wasn’t over a survey – although we did have those surveys! So I really related to Hannah’s character. Although I myself never considered suicide, I can understand the pain that this character went through when no one else was even aware. I was there. I felt some of that pain. I think that this book should be required reading for all young adults. High school can be brutal, and people suffer. A lot of the time others aren’t even aware of the pain and suffering that some people are going through. To read this book in a classroom I think could really open up some great discussions. I wish our high school had had a Peer Communications class like this fictional high school had. That would have been a wonderful class to experience. Overall, I simply cannot say enough good things about this book. I read it as quickly as I could. It sucked me in immediately.

Posted in 5/5, A, AUTHOR, Book Review, Fiction, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, Take a Chance Challenge 3, TwentyEleven Challenge, Young Adult

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2011.8 REVIEW – Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson

Feb 16

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Dying for Chocolate
by Diane Mott Davidson

Copyright: 1992
Pages: 320
Rating: 4/5
Read: Feb. 11 – Feb. 16, 2011
Challenge: Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2011 ; Take a Chance Challenge 3; TBR Dare
Yearly Count: 8
Format: Print

First Line: Brunch is a killer.

Blurb: Meet Goldy Bear: a bright, opinionated, wildly inventive caterer whose personal life has become a recipe for disaster. She’s got an abusive ex-husband who’s into making tasteless threats, a rash of mounting bills that are taking a huge bite out of her budget, and two enticing men knocking on her door. Determined to take control of her life, Goldy moves her business and her son to the ritzy Aspen Meadow Country Club, where she accepts a job as a live-in cook. But just as she’s beginning to think she’s got it made – catering decadent dinners and posh society picnics and enjoying the favors of Philip Miller, a handsome local shrink, and Tom Schulz, her more-than-friendly neighborhood cop – the dishy doctor inexplicably drives his BMW into an oncoming bus. Convinced that Philip’s bizarre death was no accident, Goldy is soon sifting through the unpalatable secrets of the dead doc’s life. Her sleuthing will toss her into a case seasoned with unexpected danger and even more unexpected revelations – the kind that could get a caterer and the son she loves … killed.

Review: This is the second in the Goldy Schulz series. I really enjoyed this one too. Cozies are not my normal fare, but for whatever reason, I like Goldy’s character. I’m interested in seeing where she goes from here. The plot in this book was really something, I honestly had no clue as to who the bad guy really was until it was revealed. That’s always a nice feeling for me. I did have a slight issue with this Philip Miller making an unexpected appearance as a boyfriend only to be killed off within the first couple of chapters. I am a slight emetophobe (weird, I know), so I like how Ms. Davidson refers to that as “being sick” in her books, that makes it much easier than the v-word for me, which can turn my stomach just seeing the word. I know, I’m really strange. Anyways, I’m definitely looking forward to progressing with this series and see where Goldy and Tom end up, and how Arch turns out, and the “Jerk” (ex-husband) too. I love finding a new series! It’s almost like the first date all over again!

Posted in 4/5, AUTHOR, Book Review, Cozy Mystery, D, Fiction, Goldy Schulz, Mystery & Suspense 2011, RATING, Read in 2011, READING CHALLENGES 2011, SERIES, Take a Chance Challenge 3, The TBR Dare

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2011 Challenge: Take A Chance Challenge 3

Dec 19

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Oh my. I can’t stop myself. Can’t. Say. No. I came across this challenge and simply CANNOT resist! Oh well ……..

Basic Information
  • The concept of the challenge is to take chances with your reading by finding books to read in unusual or random ways. I’ve listed 10 different ways to find books below. Feel free to complete at many as you want. However, anyone completing all 10 challenges by December 31, 2011 will be entered in a prize drawing to win a book of their choice from Amazon.
  • The challenge will run from January 1, 2011 until December 31, 2011.
  • Crossover books from other challenges is fine. You can read books in any format.
  • On January 1, 2011, I will post pages for each of the 10 challenges so you can link up your completed posts.

The 2011 Challenges

1: Staff  Member’s Choice: Go to a bookstore or library that has a “Staff Picks” section. Read one of the picks from that section.

2: Loved One’s Choice: Ask a loved one to pick a book for you to read. (If you can convince them to buy it for you, that is even better!)
~The Help by Kathryn Stockett (On my grandmother’s recommendation, and she bought the book for me!)

3: Blogger’s Choice: Find a “Best Books Read” post from a favorite blogger. Read a book from their list.

4: Critic’s Choice: Find a “Best of the Year” list from a magazine, newspaper or professional critic. Read a book from their Top 10 list.

5: Blurb Book: Find a book that has a blurb on it from another author. Read a book by the author that wrote the blurb.

6: Book Seer Pick: Go to The Book Seer and follow the instructions there. Read a book from the list it generates for you.
~State of the Union by Brad Thor

7: What Should I Read Next Pick : Go to What Should I Read Next and follow the instructions there. Read a book from the list it generates for you.
~Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson

8: Which Book Pick: Go to Which Book and use the software to generate a list of books. Read a book from that list.
~The Blue Edge of Midnight by Jonathon King

9: LibraryThing Pick: Go to LibraryThing’s Zeitgeist page. Look at the lists for 25 Most Reviewed Books or Top Books and pick a book you’ve never read. Read the book. (Yes … you can click on MORE if you have to.)
~Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

10: Pick A Method: Pick a method for finding a book from the choices listed below (used in previous versions of the challenge).
~The Chancellor Manuscript by Robert Ludlum

  • Random Book Selection. Go to the library. Position yourself in a section such as Fiction, Non-Fiction, Mystery, Children (whatever section you want). Then write down random directions for yourself (for example, third row, second shelf, fifth book from right). Follow your directions and see what book you find. Check that book out of the library, read it and then write about it. (If you prefer, you can do the same at a bookstore and buy the book!)
  • Public Spying. Find someone who is reading a book in public. Find out what book they are reading and then read the same book. Write about it.
  • Random Bestseller. Go to Random.org and, using the True Random Number Generator, enter the number 1950 for the min. and 2010 for the max. and then hit generate. Then go to this site and find the year that Random.org generated for you and click on it. Then find the bestseller list for the week that would contain your birthday for that year. Choose one of the bestsellers from the list that comes up, read it and write about it.

I simply can’t resist this challenge for some reason. I know that I said I was done after five … but, really, is 6 such a bad number? I think not!

Posted in READING CHALLENGES 2011, Take a Chance Challenge 3

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