Happy's Obsession

( I managed to read 30 books last year, list below the cut )

So I only managed to read 30 out of 50 last year... I'll have to do better in 2008! And I'm on my way, because I've just finished one today, and bought 8 others while on a trip to the San Juans.

Book #1 for 2008 - Chosen by a Horse, by Susan Richards, 248 pages
My Review:
Even though it made me cry at the end, it was tears of love for the special animals of my own past reflected in the love felt for Lay Me Down, both from Susan Richards and from Hot Shot. It is also a story about coming to terms with damages from your youth, how we cover it up with other distractions as young adults, but then learn and grow from it as we enter our middle years.

I'd recommend this book highly, even to non-horse people. It is transcendent.

1 / 50 (2.0%)

Maybe I'll do a Page Count, too. I saw someone over at 50bookchallenge had done that, so you get a bit more "credit" if you read a long book, not so much for a short one. So say each book should be 300 pages to count.

248 / 15,000 (1.7%)

For 50bookchallenge:

30.) Hero, by Perry Moore

ReviewWhile this is a YA book, it's still really good. It's a story of a young gay superhero coming into his own. Got great reviews, deservedly.

29.) Manhunt, by Janet Evanovitch
Review: This is from a series of books Evanovitch wrote before she did her Stephanie Plum books. It is a traditional fluffy romance fic, a very, very light beach read. Took me... 2 hours to read? Because it's only 256 pages long. I read books like this when I was a teen, but not so much since then. I prefer my romances with more of a bite (like her Plum series), or JD Robb's "Death..." series. However, it's nice to see how Evanovitch has grown, and by reading her older work? You definitely see it.

29 / 50 (58.0%)

Getting ever closer!

For the 50bookchallenge:

28.) Sharp Objects, by Gillian Flynn
Review: Well written book, keeps you going until the end. I didn't even realize what was going on until the last chapter or so, and even then, there was a twist. ( Spoilers ) So would I recommend it? Yes, if you like dark, twisty tales that wrap you in the steamy confines of a old-school, southern gothic mystery.

28 / 50 (56.0%)

I'm really hoping I can make it to 50 this year, but everything else is falling by the wayside for reading. And while it may be good to cut back on the TV (although my Comcast DV-R is complaining), I don't think having a messy house is a positive thing.

Two more for the 50bookchallenge:
(Click on title name to go to the Amazon page & read their synopsis & review)
26.) Stray, by Rachel Vincent
Review: Good werecat fantasy. Review (above link) says it's a little long, but I didn't get that feeling when reading it. Actually, I look forward to the next one, but then again, I love the vampire/werewolf thing, and love cats, so this was right up my alley - LOL!

27.) The Pinball Theory of Apocalypse, by Jonathan Selwood
Review: I had to start this book twice to finish it, but that might have been because I had a few glasses of wine the first time, and had a hard time following it. Of course, as it's set in post-earthquake, pre-apocalyptic LA (earthquakes, tar bubbling out of the ground), with a painter who does recreations of famous pictures with celebrity faces (think Madonna & Child with Britney & Sean Preston), it's not surprising that wine and this book don't go together. However, when I read it last night (and it's a fast read, only 180 pages), I did enjoy it. Would I read a sequel? Yes, I'd put on my list to get from the library. Would I buy it? Probably not.

27 / 50 (54.0%)

25.) Lean Mean Thirteen, by Janet Evanovitch
Another great Stephanie Plum novel. Love the tension in the triangle of her, Morelli, and Ranger. If you haven't read it before, I'd recommend starting at the first one, One for the Money. One of my favorite beachy reads.

25 / 50 (50.0%)

For 50bookchallenge
23.) The End of the Alphabet, by CS Richardson
I liked this, although it had a rather depressing theme. And end the way you'd expect. But it's a great description of the end of a great romance.

24.) Swim to Me, by Betsy Carter
Liked it. Great personal growth story, for all the characters.

21.) New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer

22.) Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer

I'm totally in love with this series! I can't recommend it enough. While it's a YA book, it's enthralling. Makes me want to be Bella, and I feel so bad for Jacob!

22 / 50 (44.0%)

Boy, I really, really want to make at least 50 books, but I don't know if I can. I mean, if I give up on TV, but the new season is starting, and I'm only adding to my current list, not subtracting...

Darn RL for getting in the way of hobbies!

19.) The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, by Christopher Moore
Typically fantastic work by Moore! Satirical, crazy, out of this world. If you haven't read him, I'd recommend clicking on the link, read the reviews, and you'll see!

If you can't tell, I highly recommend it.

Ooh! And I remembered one, from before, that I left off!

20.) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore
I'm a devotee of Moore, so I have to say that although this was a bit convoluted, I still recommend all his work. This one may will bother those who have a Christian religious bent, but for me? It's divine!

20 / 50 (40.0%)

I was on vacation last week, and got to read a bit. Here's my newest additions to 50bookchallenge:

15.) Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer
OMG, what can I say! Loved, LOVED it! Can tell it's a YA book when reading it, but great character development, interesting ideas, and I couldn't put it down. Click on the name to read the review at Amazon.

16.) Still Life with Elephant, by Judy Reene Singer
Great little light romance, a quick read. Really liked the interesting premise, and it developed well, if a little predictably. Still, recommend it.

17.) Horseplay, by Judy Reene Singer
After I read #16, I wanted to read this one too. If you like horses, you'll really like this, because it's a personal growth, friendship, romance story all at once - with a ton of horses (Dutch Warmbloods, mostly).

18.) How Doctors Think, by Jerome Groopman
Got this from my Dad, and found it informative. Not the funnest read, and it took me about twice as long as getting through a "regular" book. But if you (or a loved one) have a significant illness, or just want to be proactive in your care, it's a good book to read.

18 / 50 (36.0%)

In the lineup?
19) New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer
20) The Pinball Theory of the Apocalypse, by Jonathan Selwood

And I have like 9 books coming as soon as someone checks them in at one of the 2 library systems I belong to.

I may actually make this thing, yet!!