100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge

Hosted by Book Chick City

Challenge Details
Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011
Rules - Read 100 or more books in 2011
All books can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.
Only print books and ebooks count (no audiobooks).
You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

Review-The Liar's Club

The Liar's Club by Layla Jordan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Great book! Very entertaining and lots of unpredictable twists and turns. My favorite couple was Brijetta and Trey.

This story follows the lives of 5 people in Hollywood. The first couple is Sinclair and Omar. Omar is a famous movie producer and Sinclair is his trophy wife who loves spending his money, but is unhappy with their love life. So she starts having an affair, which Omar finds out about and he starts beating her and becomes very controlling and demanding. Sinclair's ex-husband Kwame comes back into the picture to cause even more problems.

Next there is Jaleesa Love, an actress who is desperate for publicity and roles. She blackmails her way into a role in Omar's new movie.

The third couple is Brijetta (I love that name, btw) and Trey Hamilton. Trey is a famous movie star who has a starring role in Omar's film. He is also a drug addict which upsets Brijetta because she always has to save him and cover up for him. She soons becomes suspicious that he is having an affair with Jaleesa, since he invited Jaleesa into his trailer one day to do drugs. Jaleesa finds out that Trey isn't having an affair with her, but there is definitely someone else that he has been fooling around with.

I liked all the characters, especially Trey and Brijetta. I felt that they did really love each other and that Trey was just very confused. I didn't like Jaleesa as much and was kind of glad she got what was coming to her at the end. Sinclair started off as my favorite character, but I became kinda bored with all the back and forth between her and Omar. Plus I thought that it was kinda silly at the end that she would mistake he husband Kwame for his cousin Mike.

All in all, great book, I give it 4 stars.



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Waiting on Wednesdays (1)

Waiting on Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. This is what I'm waiting on for January:

The Choir Director by Carl Weber.

New York Times bestselling author Carl Weber takes readers back to church, where preaching isn't always enough, nothing goes better with the Word than a song--and it's time for some hard-earned lessons in love, brotherhood, and betrayal.
Bishop T.K. Wilson has done all he can to make First Jamaica Ministries a success. But with his last choir director getting caught in a scandal, attendance and cash flow are down. To fill the pews and collection plates, the Bishop is counting on a new choir director, the charismatic Anthony Mackie, to revive the church.

Anthony Mackie has been waiting his entire life for the opportunity to prove he has what it takes to be a big-time choir director like Kirk Franklin. But while Anthony is more than up to the challenge, his ways around women, both past and present, could cost him more than his job.

Savannah Dickens is just one of the women who's caught Anthony's attention. The choir needs a soloist, and Savannah, a beautiful singer who once topped the charts, also needs the church. She has a voice that could break any man's heart, but now she just wants to be left alone to reclaim her faith.

First Lady Monique Wilson is far from being the typical first lady. She does and says what she wants, and doesn't subscribe to church politics. Despite her shortcomings and a past rumored to include a long list of men, she's willing to do just about anything to protect the Bishop.

The members of First Jamaica Ministries are also keeping the Bishop busy with choir in-fighting, romantic jealousies, and personal vendettas. You'd think the Bishop was being tested enough, but a final piece of the puzzle has yet to be revealed: Someone has been robbing the church blind. Someone whose connection to the Bishop is far too close for comfort. . . .

Also...
Treachery in Death by JD Robb.

In the latest from the #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon, Eve Dallas tracks down those who break the law-including the ones sworn to uphold it.

Detective Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a senseless crime-an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. This is Peabody's first case as primary detective-good thing she learned from the master.

But Peabody soon stumbles upon a trickier situation. After a hard workout, she's all alone in the locker room when the gym door clatters open; and-while hiding inside a shower stall trying not to make a sound-she overhears two fellow officers, Garnet and Oberman, arguing. It doesn't take long to realize they're both crooked-guilty not just of corruption but of murder. Now Peabody, Eve, and Eve's husband, Roarke, are trying to get the hard evidence they need to bring the dirty cops down-knowing all the while that the two are willing to kill to keep their secret.

I LOVE those In Death books, but I've fallen behind on the last few in the series. Hopefully by the time this one comes out (in February), I'll be all caught up.

Irresistible Forces-Brenda Jackson

Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Good book, very sexy. Very predictable.



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It's Monday, What Are You Reading (1)

This is my first It's Monday, What Are You Reading meme, hosted by BookJourney



Books I Read Last Week: I started Skipping Christmas by John Grisham, have not finished it yet.

Books I'm Reading this Week: Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson. My first free e-book!



One week of mind-blowing sex on a beautiful Caribbean island. Of all the business proposals financial tycoon Dominic Saxon has heard, Taylor Steele's is definitely the most tempting. All Taylor wants in return is for Dominic to father her baby. No strings, no commitments…just a mutually satisfying arrangement. Make that very satisfying. For a man with no intention of marrying again, it sounds ideal.
Taylor wants a baby, not a relationship. And sexy, intelligent Dominic seems like a man with perfect genes. Turns out, Dominic has perfect everything. Their "procreation vacation" is a whirlwind of sensual ecstasy. But when it's over, will either of them be able to say goodbye?

Books I Want to Read this Week: I'm not sure what I'll read when I finish the one I'm reading now. I might download Be Careful What You Pray for by Kimberla Lawson Roby. I might also try and read one of the book club books I gave to my students, either Ramona and Beezus, The Jacket, or Frindle.

Contemporary Romance Challenge

And yet another one!



RomanceBookMaven is hosting the Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge 2011.

The goal: Read at least 10 contemporaries between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011.

Sounds easy enough.

1. Harvest Moon-Rochelle Alers (June 25, 2011)
2. Summer at Willow Lake-Susan Wiggs (July 16, 2011)
3. Fools Rush In-Janice Thompson (July 24, 2011)
4. The Winter Lodge-Susan Wiggs
5. Last Night's Kiss-Shirley Hailstock
6. Seduced on the Red Carpet-Ann Christopher
7. Queen of His Heart-Adrianne Byrd
8. In Between Lies-Shawna Hill

Read Me Baby One More Time Challenge

And another one!

MidnightBookGirl is hosting the Read Me Baby, 1 More Time Challenge.

Read Me Baby, 1 More Time is for those of you who love to re-read your favorite books or those of you who want to re-visit a book from your past. The rules are simple, for a book to qualify you simply have to have read it at least once before, and the re-read has to be complete.

Books Read:
1. Broken Hearts (Fear Street Super Chiller)-R.L. Stine (February 14, 2011)
2. Remember Me-Christopher Pike (July 4, 2011)
3. Halloween Night-RL Stine (October 31, 2011)
4. Halloween Party-RL Stine
5. Silent Night 2-RL Stine

YA Books of the '80s and '90s Challenge

The Book Vixen is hosting the YA Books of the '80s and '90s Challenge.



The goal: Read as many YA books that were originally published in the 80s and 90s as your heart desires. The only requirement is that the book(s) have to have been first published sometime between 1980 – 1999.

Time to dig out those Sweet Valley High and Fear Street books

Books Read:
1. Broken Hearts (Fear Street Super Chiller)-R.L. Stine (February 14, 2011)
2. Remember Me-Christopher Pike (July 4, 2011)
3. Halloween Night-RL Stine (October 31, 2011)
4. Halloween Party-RL Stine
5. Silent Night 2-RL Stine

Show Me the Free Challenge

Show Me the Free Challenge from The Unread Reader:



The goal: to read at least twelve (12) legally obtained e-books which you got for FREE for your e-reading device.

Levels:
Coupon Clipper: 12 Books
Penny Pincher: 24 Books
Super Saver: 30+ Books

I am going for the Penny Pincher (24 books) level.

Books Read:
1. Deadly Sanctuary-Sylvia Nobel
2. Big Girls Don't Die-Claudia Jordan
3. Summer at Willow Lake-Susan Wiggs
4. Fools Rush In-Janice Thompson
5. Last Night's Kiss-Shirley Hailstock
6. In Between Lies-Shawna Hill
7. I Loved You First-Reena Jacobs
8. The Bite Before Christmas-Heidi Betts

To Be Read-2011

Deleted, see my TBR page.

Reading Surveys, cont'd

Another one I found:

Do you remember how you developed a love of reading?
no, but I remember when I first began reading "for real." My third or fourth grade class was going on a trip to the library and all the other kids were picking out chapter books. Up until this point, I had only read picture books. So I wanted to get a chapter book, too. The book I checked out was Sweet Valley Twins #21: Left Behind, which began my love of reading and the Sweet Valley twins, which then led to my love of Baby-sitters club books.

What are some books you loved as a child?
Sweet Valley twins
Sweet Valley High
Baby Sitters Club
Fear Street
Christopher Pike
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Chocolate Touch
Polk Street Kids series

What is your favorite genre?
African-american contemporary fiction

Do you have a favorite novel?
I have a ton! These are the ones I can think of off the top:
Flyy Girl-Omar Tyree
The Coldest Winter Ever-Sister Souljah
One for the Money-Janet Evanovich
Conspiracy in Death-JD Robb
Casting the First Stone-Kimberla Lawson Roby

Where do you usually read? in bed

When do you usually read? usually at night before I go to bed

Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time? no

Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction?
see previous survey

Do you buy most of the books you read, or borrow them, or check them out of the library? buy them

Do you keep most of the books you buy? yes, mostly because I'm too lazy to sell them. I have sold a few on Amazon

If you have children, what are some of the favorite books you have shared with them?
I don't have kids, but some of the books I've shared with my students are the Polk Street Series, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books, the Scary Stories books, BSC books, and the Chocolate Touch

What are you reading now?
Skipping Christmas-John Grisham (might abandon it, though, as I was only reading if for Christmas and I've already read it before) and Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson, my first free Nook book

Do you keep a To Be Read list?
no, but I'm going to start

What’s next? I dunno

What books would you like to reread?
Eric Jerome Dickey's first few books: Friends and Lovers, Sister Sister, Milk in My Coffee, and my favorite Liar's Game

Who are your favorite authors?
Janet Evanovich, JD Robb, Eric Jerome Dickey, Kimberla Lawson Roby

Reading Surveys

Here are some reading surveys I found around the web that will better describe me as a reader:

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
No. I usually read at night while I'm in bed, so no snacking

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you?
only in text books or in professional books. I never write in chapter or picture books.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?
I will sometimes do dog-ears. Usually I just lay the book flat open on the floor by my bed.

Laying the book flat open?
see above

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Mostly fiction. I will get some non-fiction books, like weight loss or teaching books, but I rarely read them all the way through, I just pick and choose parts to read

Hard copy or audiobooks? Hard copy and now, e-books. I've never had an audiobook before.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you
able to put a book down at any point? I used to read to any point, but now I like to read to the end of chapters.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away? not usually

What are you currently reading? Skipping Christmas by John Grisham and Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson

What is the last book you bought? hmm, can't remember although it wasn't too long ago. I think a book by Zane.

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can
you read more than one at a time? I usually only read one book at a time. I'm reading two now because I wanted to try out my new Nook.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read? at night while in bed

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books? either is fine

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over? Kimberla Lawson Roby, Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum), JD Robb

How do you organize your books? ummm...ORGANIZE???? what's that????

Mystery and Suspense Challenge 2011

My first challenge will be the Mystery and Suspense challenge hosted by BookChickCity.

The rules:
*Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011

*Rules: To read TWELVE (12) mystery & suspense novels in 2011 (12 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)

*You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.



Books Read:
1. Promises in Death-JD Robb
2. Deadly Sanctuary-Sylvia Nobel
3. Kindred in Death-JD Robb
4. Deal Breaker-Harlan Coben
5. Sizzling Sixteen-Janet Evanovich
6. Drop Shot-Harlan Coben
7. Remember Me-Christopher Pike
8. Fantasy in Death-JD Robb
9. Visions of Sugar Plums-Janet Evanovich
10. Indulgence in Death-JD Robb

Introduction

Hello. My name is Shelley and I am a fourth grade teacher from Maryland. This blog is for keeping track of all the books I read. I will do book reviews and participate in reading challenges.