Summer Reading List

Yes, the summer reading list.  I posted on Facebook in June, that I was setting a goal to read nine (9) books this summer.  I got some thumbs-up and was excited to meet and possibly even exceed my goal.  Well, it is almost mid November and I am still reading...I do have to say I did read eight books during the summer months.  I am stuck on my ninth book and I don't know why it is taking me so long.  I love to read, I guess I am in a reading funk.  Let me share the books I read this summer along with a cheers rating (5 thumbs-up is the highest rating):

1. I picked this first book up at a yard sale.  This is a romance, but I think they called it 'paranormal romance'.  I never heard of that before, but I have read Heather Graham before and enjoyed her, so I figured this would be good too.  I was right, but I put it in the beach-read category.  A woman is a performer at a Las Vegas casino when someone is murdered and falls on top of her at the craps table (think opening scene from CSI Las Vegas).  There is a PI trying to solve this murder before too much info hits the press.  Paranormal part: The woman can see dead people that are in limbo after they die.  Interesting, but hectic ending with lots of ghosts coming out in an abandoned western town for a shoot-out.  I give it 3 thumbs-up.

 2. I got this book from a friend who reads avidly.  Jennifer Weiner has written tons and I have read at least two of them, one being Good in Bed and the other being In Her Shoes.  I enjoyed both of them; so I gave this one a try.  Right off the bat, someone is murdered in her perfect Conn surburban kitchen.  The main character is new to the area and is a stay-at-home mother that is not as perfect as her neighbors.  She is the only one that seems to care who killed this woman.  The book is filled with detail, suspense, chic-lit humor and real-life emotion.  I have recommended this book to several people and will continue to.  I loved how it matched up the good parts of chic-lit with a murder mystery.  I give it 5 thumbs-up.

3. The summer before last, I finally read the Twilight saga.  I enjoyed it, but I will only read them once.  I know, what kind of Twilighter am I?  Well, I did not choose a 'team' so everyone will have to live with it!  This novella came out and I actually bought it new and read it before some of the biggest fans I know at work.  Along with it being about the short second life, it was also a very short story.  Although short, it was just as addicting as the other four books.  I don't need to sum up the book, if you are a Twilighter, but for you non-believers, it takes a minor character and tells a portion of Eclipse through her eyes.  I give it 5 thumbs-up.

4.  I bought this book at a library book sale.  This is a local author from Tampa and this book is from in a series.  I had not read any of the other books in the series, and I don't think that I will either.  This book's main character is this vigilante guy that appears dumb but goes around killing 'bad guys'.  I think this book is suppose to inject humor while killing the bad guys, but it was lost on me.  I found it too annoying to like any of the characters.  I only give this 1 thumb-up.

5. Nevada Barr is one of my favorite authors.  Her book series is about a National Park Ranger, Anna Pigeon.  This one takes place in California where a firestorm breaks out and she and several other park employees/firefighters are stranded on a mountainside.  A murder takes place and it was done by one of the people stranded alongside Anna.  She is trying to figure it out, while keeping the peace until they are rescued.  There were a few boring parts, so I give this 3.5 thumbs-up.

6. Here is another Stephanie Plum book.  In my earlier post Ten Big Ones, I wrote about the numbered series from Janet Evanovich.  I read To the Nines in July, while I wrote about Ten Big Ones in September.  So, I am backtracking a bit.  As always, this book was a funny one.  She is looking for a skip and the angle in this one is that someone is leaving her flowers with devious messages that make Morelli a bit nervous.  A great addition to the Plum family.  I give it 4 thumbs-up.

7. I borrowed this book from a co-worker.  I was very eager to read this much-anticipated novel featuring Michael Landon.  I heard some mixed reviews, but if you are a fan of The Da Vinci Code,  then you will enjoy this next adventure.  Micheal is tricked into going to Washington DC by a Free Mason poser.  The history of the monuments in the Capital are covered in this book.  This book is suspensful and keeps you guessing who is on Micheal's side.  I give this 5 thumbs-up.

8. Like I said before, I read this one in September and covered the Stephanie Plum series.  This segment of Ms. Plum's life deals with a gang in Trenton, NJ.  She has Lula helping her and in the meantime, she gets to stay in Rangers 'Bat Cave'.  This one is hilarious and has to be read in order to get the full appreciation of the situations she encounters.  I give this a 4.5 thumbs-up.

9. This book I am still reading.  It has taken me over a month to read only half the book.  It is enjoyable, but I guess I've been really busy.  The preceding book, The Friday Night Knitting Club, was an excellent read for knitters and non-knitters.  This continuation of the Club is how they are dealing without one of their close members, having babies, and I'm not sure what else because I am only half-way done!  I can say that there is not a lot of knitting going on, so that is a bit disappointing.  That could be why it is taking so long.

Well, that was my summer reading list.  I like to keep track of the books that I read so that I can: 1. Not read the same book again, 2. Try to correlate the genre of book to my mood throughout the year and 3. To try and read at least one more book each year. 

So, in looking back on 2009, I read 14 books (this included the Twilight series).  This year the total is already at 15.  Technically, I could stop stressing and take the rest of the year to read Knit Two.  I think that I am funny sometimes, where I make-up these 'rules' in my head, only to try and find a way around them.  For example, if I read more than one additional book this year than last year, then in the year 2011, I will have to read 2010's number, plus one!  If I just coast the rest of the year, then it will only be 16 books.  I don't know why I need to organize something leasurely like reading books, into a schedule and stress over it.  How do I not think like this? Does anyone else do this or something like this with leasurely hobbies?

Anyway, I enjoy reading mysteries, some chic-lit (not all, some are just too typical and unreal) and non-depressing drama.  I have read a few Oprah Book Club selection books and wanted to dig a hole and not come out, they made me feel so depressed.  So, if a book boasts the Oprah Book Club seal, I don't touch it!  I think, "thank you for already determining that I don't want to read it."  I would ask for reading recommendations, but I have two book shelves stuffed with books that are on my To-Do list.  Let me finish those, then I will ask!  

Get outside and enjoy the weather, or if the weather is not enjoyable, then curl-up inside with a good book!  Happy reading! 

Ten Big Ones

I have been hooked on this book series for years now.  It is Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels.  It is a numbered series starting with...you got it....One.  Stephanie Plum came on the scene in One for the Money, which was first published in June 1998 and her most recent publication was Sizzling Sixteen in June 2010.  To sum it up, Stephanie is a bounty hunter in Trenton, New Jersey.  She falls into this line of work because she lost her job as a lingerie buyer for a local store and her cousin is a bail bondman.  This is a crime novel series that will make you laugh out loud because Stephanie is the worst bounty hunter ever and it gets her into more trouble than one would think possible.  She gets shot at, hand-cuffed, and wrestled to the ground by naked skips (people who do not show-up for the court dates and hence, she has to go looking for them), in addition, getting her cars riddled with bullet holes and blown-up.  But you think, it's New Jersey, it probably could happen.  Her fashion sense and wacked-out priorities are things that I have come to look forward to reading in each book.

I am currently reading Ten Big Ones and the story gets better with each book.  As you read this series you come to love the characters such as Grandma Mazur, Lula, Rex and then the men in Stephanie's life, Joe Morelli and Ranger.  I have a mental picture of who these people look like, although you may not agree, I will tell you what I think, starting with Grandma Mazur:

Estelle Getty, but with a gun

I know it is a bit cliche because she is the perfect spunky old lady, but that is how Grandma Mazur is - spunky as all get out!  Okay, that now brings me to Lula.  Now Lula is an unforgettable person, who, shall we say, has "reached her full potential" on the bathroom scale.  I picture:

Mo'nique, but with a gun

But Lula only wears either animal print spandex or neon-colored spandex.  I could not locate a picture of Mo'nique with leopard print...hmmm, not looking hard enough, I guess.  Next is Rex and I don't have to go through and find a picture, because Rex is Stephanie's hamster.  He sounds really cute, but I'm not all that into hamsters, so no pic, sorry Rex!

This leaves the last three main charaters: Morelli, Ranger and Stephanie herself.  For Morelli, I envision:

Richard Grieco, but with a gun

Now, I say this because I used to watch Booker on tv in the 80's and thought he was so fine!  Yes, I said "fine" because that is how I would have said it back then!  I am reading on the internet vine that he had some plastic surgery done since those days and I am not talking about current Richard Grieco, but 1989 Richard Grieco.  Next, I go to Ranger.  Unfortunately, in my mind's eye, I never see Ranger's face.  He is always in black, he doesn't often come out in the day, and he is always shrouded by this black veil of mystery.  So, I really only have a hunky latino body image that comes to mind. 

Lastly, this brings me to Stephanie.  I always think of a short gal with large brown curly hair:

Alyssa Milano, but with a stun gun

Alyssa Milano is the perfect take-no-attitude-only-give-it type of girl. But, she has to have big hair, no flat-ironed hair will do for Stephanie.

Good news for those of you that either are into this series already or would like to dive in, there is a movie deal out for One for the Money.  I am very excited about this because it has been a long time in the making, but the actors they have chose to play the key roles are not those that I have featured above.  Now I really can only say that they chose Katherine Heigl as Stephanie, Jason O'Mara as Morelli and Daniel Sunjata as Ranger.  Now, what comes to mind when these names are read?  A tall blonde with big boobs as Stephanie? An Irishman as Morelli?  Daniel who?  Yes, those are my thoughts as well.

I would love to know who your mind's eye views these favorite characters as.

Her complete book list and novel debut dates can be found at Janet's web site.