1st Quarter of 2014 Reading Update

I cannot believe that the first quarter of 2014 has come to an end already. Boy, this year has gone by so swiftly already!! 

This year has been a good one for me in terms of reading books. I've finished reading twenty-four books this quarter for an average of eight books a month, which is a lot of books for me to read so far this year. I'm hoping to continue reading a minimum of eight books a month for the rest of the year as I try to continue whittling down my overflowing 'to be read' pile. I'd love to read over one hundred books this year, so I'll see if I can squeeze in slightly more than eight books in a month to achieve this goal... Now, if I could only stop myself from buying more used books to add to my ever growing 'to be read' pile, along with reaching my reading goals, I'd be super thrilled.

Here's an interesting little factoid about my reading habits this year. Fifteen of the twenty-four books I've enjoyed reading this year, have actually been audiobooks! I've managed to listen to more books verses read them, which is definitely a first for me. Whether or not I keep listening to more audiobooks this year verses reading books remains to be seen. Only time will tell. I'll be interested to find out if I do listen to more audiobooks this year then reading books because I've never been a big audiobook fan much in the past... But in the past two to three years, I've really grown to love audiobooks. 

All I know for sure, is that last year I listened to a total of twenty-six audiobooks and that was the most audiobooks I'd ever listened to in a given year. This year, I'm actually trying to surpass the number of audiobooks I listened to last year. Ideally, I'd like to listen to thirty audiobooks this year. If I end up listening to more than thirty audiobooks, that would be great, but I'll be happy with thirty audiobooks.

I'm selecting the following three books as my favorite reads for the first quarter of 2014:

1. Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert 
2. True Believer by Nicholas Sparks
3. Steinbeck's Ghost by Lewis Buzbee

I also attended a fabulous author signing & discussion at The Sacred Space with authors, Dr. Gay Hendricks and Tinker Lindsay, which is my favorite event so far this year.

Which books have you enjoyed reading during the first quarter of 2014? Have you attended any interesting author signing events or book festivals?

Ties That Bind by Phillip Margolin

I finished listening to the abridged audio version of Ties That Bind by Phillip Margolin and read by Margaret Whitton this evening. Ties That Bind is my first experience with something written by Phillip Margolin.

I enjoy reading or listening to thrillers. Overall, I enjoyed the plot for Ties That Bind, however I did not enjoy listening to the reader, Margaret Whitton, nor did I care for the abridgement for this novel. Margaret Whitton's voice/reading didn't enhance my listening experience and I felt that some of the voices she portrayed of certain men was really awful. As far as the abridgment goes, I felt that the abridgement of this novel wasn't very fluid. I felt that scenes changed quickly, essentially ruining the broke the flow of the storyline.

Additionally, there are a wide variety of characters in this novel, with different back stories that tie into together and with the abridgment, it was difficult to initially know who was who and how each character and their back story all fit together. This made it difficult to tune in and follow the storyline and of course, the reader for this novel didn't help ease matters, nor did the abridgment.

About halfway through my listening experience with the Ties That Bind, I had the characters squared away as to who was who and was able to follow and enjoy the storyline from there forward. Ties That Bind offers a lot of plot twists and turns that I found refreshing in away as I hadn't anticipated there would be that many in this novel. On the other hand, some of these plot twists weren't all that believable.

The following is a book description for the Ties That Bind from Amazon's website:

On the outside, Amanda Jaffe has healed from the traumatic events that concluded the sensational New York Times bestseller Wild Justice -- but inside, she's struggling to regain her self-assurance. When she is forced to represent a pimp accused of murder (a case no other lawyer will touch), her client threatens her, stirring up the trauma to such an extent that she must finally seek the help of a psychiatrist. Her opponent on the murder case, ADA Tom McCorkle, is a local hero -- he won the Heisman Trophy and secured for University Oregon its only victory in the Rose Bowl 15 years earlier -- who is embroiled in his own crisis of confidence, because his popularity is based on a lie. When two people involved in Amanda's case also wind up murdered, Amanda's investigation reveals strange links between a powerful group of men and a drug-related bloodbath many years before. They're called "The Courthouse Athletic Club" -- but who are they? -- why are they interested in a small-time pimp? -- and is it possible that their power and influence reaches all the way to the Presidency?

 I'm giving Ties That Bind a rating of 6 stars out of 10 stars. I think the reader, abridgment, and the rocky start of my listening experience is the reason for the low rating.
 
Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

Checkout These Beautiful Hotels Inspired By Literature

Okay, it's been a stressful couple of weeks for me and I'm ready for a vacation getaway to just about anywhere!! 

While I was on the internet today I came across an article titled Book here! 14 beautiful hotels inspired by literature by Mridu Khullar Relph, for CNN. These literary inspired hotels look/sound awesome and would love to visit anyone of them.

Until my next post, happy ready!!

Statue of Limitations by Tamar Myers

11th Novel in the Series

Statue of Limitations by Tamar Myers is the 11th novel in the Den of Antiquity cozy mystery series. There are sixteen novels in the Den of Antiquity Series and at the present moment and I've now read thirteen of the sixteen novels in the series!! Three more novels left for me to read and I'll have finished reading the entire Den of Antiquity Series!! I have not read any of the books in order, except for the first novel in the Den of Antiquity Series, titled Larceny and Old Lace.

So, what did I think of Statue of Limitations?? Well, Statue of Limitations is kicked into high gear almost immediately with the murder of Marina Webbfingers occurring only a few chapters into the start of this cozy mystery novel. Abigail Timberlake Washburn's closest friend Wynnell Crawford is being charged with the murder of Marina Webbfingers. So, Abigail sets out to exonerate her best friend of this heinous crime. 

I enjoyed reading about how Abigail Timberlake Washburn goes about solving this crime and exonerating her best friend Wynnell Crawford. Tamar Myers is a witty writer that captivates her readers with her humor, fun characters, writing style and storyline. I did enjoy reading Statue of Limitations quite a bit... I did find that the ending of this novel ended rather abruptly or at least things were wrapped up to quickly for my tastes. So, my only two complaints about this particular novel is that the beginning started off to quickly and ending of it ended to quickly.

The following is a product review of Statue of Limitations I found on Barnes & Noble's website:

Abigail Timberlake Washburn, petite but feisty proprietor of Charleston's Den of Antiquity antiques shop, stopped speaking to best friend and temporary decorating partner Wynnell Crawford a month ago -- after questioning her choice of a cheap, three-foot-high replica of Michaelangelo's David to adorn the garden of a local bed-and-breakfast. But now Wynnell has broken the silence with one phone call ... from prison! It seems the b&b owner has been fatally beaned -- allegedly by the same tacky statue -- and Wynnell's been fingered by the cops for the bashing. But Abby suspects there's more to this well-sculpted slaying than initially meets the eye, and she wants to take a closer look at the not-so-bereaved widower and the two very odd couples presently guesting at the hostelry. Because if bad taste was a capital crime, Wynnell would be guilty as sin -- but she's certainly no killer!

I'm giving Statue of Limitations an 7 stars out 10 stars rating.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert

Unabridged Audiobook Read by the Author.

I will admit that I wasn't a fan of Elizabeth Gilbert's book Eat, Pray, Love... I wanted to love Eat, Pray, Love because I'd kept hearing how fabulous it was. However, while reading it a few years ago, I found that it wasn't the book for me. I felt like Elizabeth Gilbert did a lot of whining/complaining throughout the book... Especially, during the first one third of the book. 

Believe it or not though, I actually enjoyed the movie version of Eat, Pray, Love, more than I enjoyed reading the book itself, which is a first ever for me. I usually always like the book so much more than the movie adaptation of the book.

So, if I didn't enjoy reading Eat, Pray, Love, why did I decide to listen to the unabridged audio version of Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert? 

Well, there were two reasons that I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert. The first reason being that a fellow Bookcrosser was actually offering to share her copy of Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage with me, so I decided to take the opportunity to listen to this unabridged memoir and then pass it on to another listener. The second reason I chose to listen to the unabridged audio version of Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert was because I was curious to learn a how a skeptic makes peace with marriage. 

I'm actually really glad that I didn't let my intense dislike of Eat, Pray, Love dissuade me from listening to Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage, because I really enjoyed listening to it.

Below is the book overview on the Barnes & Noble website of Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage:

At the end of her bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert fell in love with Felipe, a Brazilian-born man of Australian citizenship who'd been living in Indonesia when they met. Resettling in America, the couple swore eternal fidelity to each other, but also swore to never, ever, under any circumstances get legally married. (Both were survivors of previous horrific divorces. Enough said.) But providence intervened one day in the form of the United States government, which—after unexpectedly detaining Felipe at an American border crossing—gave the couple a choice: they could either get married, or Felipe would never be allowed to enter the country again. Having been effectively sentenced to wed, Gilbert tackled her fears of marriage by delving into this topic completely, trying with all her might to discover through historical research, interviews, and much personal reflection what this stubbornly enduring old institution actually is. Told with Gilbert's trademark wit, intelligence and compassion, Committed attempts to "turn on all the lights" when it comes to matrimony, frankly examining questions of compatibility, infatuation, fidelity, family tradition, social expectations, divorce risks and humbling responsibilities. Gilbert's memoir is ultimately a clear-eyed celebration of love with all the complexity and consequence that real love, in the real world, actually entails.

What I enjoyed about Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage is how it is the way in which this memoir unfolds. I felt that Elizabeth Gilbert does a great job of sharing her thoughts about marriage. Ms. Gilbert also does a great job of sharing her personal history of marriage and that of Felipe's history of marriage with us as well as how they both came to the idea of marrying one another.  

Ms. Gilbert also does a wonderful job of writing about the history of marriage in western culture. Along with sharing the history of some of her family members' marriages.

I also enjoyed reading about Elizabeth Gilbert and Felipe's experience living overseas while waiting to be able to return to the USA. During their life abroad, Gilbert speaks with other women from Asian cultures about their marriages/married lives, which I found interesting.

I'm giving Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert a rating of 9 stars out of 10 stars. I may even be inspired to read more books written by Elizabeth Gilbert in the future after reading Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage. I was really impressed with this entire memoir of marriage and love.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Press One For Yes by Falafel Jones

eBook Edition

I recently finished reading an eighty-six page novella titled Press One For Yes by Falafel Jones. This novella marks the third published work I've read by Falafel Jones and I'm eagerly looking forward to reading more books by Falafel Jones in the future! 

I was actually able to download Press One For Yes for Free to my Kindle from Amazon!! Free books are always a plus in my book!! Just because I receive a book for free though, it doesn't affect my thoughts/views about the content. :-)

Press One For Yes is a quick read and can be easily read in a single day. I enjoyed the storyline, characters, and the fast pace of Press One For Yes. It had me guessing how the storyline would end. I love engaging reads like this one! 

My only minor complaint is that some of the scenarios the lead character of Jake finds himself in seem a little far fetched. Otherwise Press One For Yes is an excellent read.

The following is a book description from Amazon's website for Press One For Yes:

Now, something different from Falafel Jones, a near future, suspense novella (22,000 words).  

Reality TV exploded in the year 2000. Soon after, interactive TV let viewers control the action. No one even blinked in 2016 when the USA closed conventional polls in favor of TV remote controls, computers and smartphones.  

When college student, Jake Gillespie, scores an internship in the agency that runs the elections, he’s thrilled. Then, he discovers that someone inside is actually running the elections.  

After he learns the secret, Jake fixes a local vote. He hopes the outcome will keep his girlfriend from leaving town. He’s wrong.   

Now that the Tobacco lobby is putting in the fix on the next presidential election, Jake wants to clear the air but if he does then his own crime will be exposed.

I'm giving Press One For Yes a rating of 7 stars out of 10 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Worth the Wait by Cindy A. Christiansen

eBook Novella

I recently read the eBook version of Worth the Wait by Cindy A. Christiansen, which is a short novella under a hundred pages in length. 

Worth the Wait, is a prequel to the "A Merchant Street Mystery" series. I felt that it was an okay read. Not great a read, nor an atrocious one either... Just the middle of the road as far as story lines go....

The following is the basic synopsis for Worth the Wait, which I found on the author's website:

Dependable Adele Abberley is tired of seeing to everyone else’s responsibilities, including running the family antique store, taking care of her dad, and tending her brother’s two boys. When idealistic Kipp Waterbury drops by her antique store, will his romantic nature help her to view the world in a brand new light? Will the secrets they find hidden in an antique Victorian chair encourage her to stop trying to please everyone and please herself instead?

I felt that the characters of both Adele Abberley & Kipp Waterbury were nicely developed along with the rest of the characters presented in Worth the Wait. I also liked the romantic tension between Adele & Kipp and also the drama and minor mystery that unfolded and was solved during this storyline. 

What, I didn't like was the ending of Worth the Wait as it left you hanging as to what happens next. Now, as the reader, you're forced to buy the next installment of the "A Merchant Street Mystery" series to find out how things will turn how between Adele & Kipp. I dislike it when authors leave readers hanging on like that at the end of a storyline... Essentially, the author is forcing you to buy the next installment to find out what happens next. I felt like Worth the Wait was written as a 'teaser' to suck readers into "A Merchant Street Mystery" series. Worth the Wait was (maybe still is) a free download on Amazon, but the rest of the books in the series are not free.

*** Spoiler Alert *** for the next paragraph:

I also didn't like how Adele is suckered into babysitting her brother & sister-in-law's children all the time and taking care of the family antique business because her brother is always flaking out all the time. She has essentially given up her dreams of becoming a nurse because she is always taking care of everyone else's needs and not her own needs or dreams. Then her family makes her feel guilty if she wants go back to school to become a nurse or date whomever she wants to date. I'm hoping she grows a spine and learns some balance. Yes, be there for your family, but don't let them ruin your life in the process. Find the balance in helping your family and yourself. 

I'm giving Worth the Wait a rating of 5 stars out of 10 stars. I'm not interested in reading any further books in the "A Merchant Street Mystery" series by Cindy A. Christiansen.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Friday Finds # 31

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list...

Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!

This week I've added four used book titles to my ever growing 'to be read' pile!

1) The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart (Hardback) was given to me by another Bookcrosser as I had it on my reading wishlist. I've read Wicked Bugs & also Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart. Both were good books, so I am looking forward to reading The Drunken Botanist.

2) Death of a Rug Lord by Tamar Myers (Paperback)

3) Gilt by Association by Tamar Myers (Paperback)

4) Baroque and Desperate by Tamar Myers (Paperback)

All three cozy mystery novels mentioned above, by Tamar Myers, are part of her 'A Den of Antiquity Mystery'. They are the last three remaining novels I have left to read in this series before I've read the entire series. Yay!!

So, which books have to added to either your reading wishlist or reading pile this week??

Read Books About Banned & Dangerous Books

Hmmm,  I found an intriguing article on Flavorwire titled Books About Banned and Dangerous Books by Alison Nastasi. I love reading banned books! So, when it comes to reading books about banned and dangerous books, I'd say that I'm game to the idea of reading one. What about you??