2007 Summer Mystery Reading Challenge

I just couldn't resist signing up for this challenge as there is nothing better than reading a good mystery in the Summertime.

The challenge which is being hosted by Reviewed By Liz is to read six mysteries between June 1st and August 31st, 2007 by authors whose works you haven’t read before. Book choices are also allowed to overlap with other challenges.

There will be some prizes - a book drawing every week of the challenge for ALL participants, and a drawing for a $25.00 Amazon gift certificate at the end of the challenge for those who complete the challenge.

My proposed book list is as follows:

Harvest by Tess Gerritsen (overlaps with the Medical Mystery Madness Challenge)

Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Whispers and Lies by Joy Fielding

A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

The Black Echo by Michael Connelly

1984

1984 by George Orwell

Finished May 18th, 2007

Rating: 8/10

Dystopian Challenge Book #2



I know a lot of people were required to read this book in school but this was not required reading at my school so this was the first time I had read this book. This book had less dialogue than I typically like but despite the little dialogue I still really enjoyed this book.

What a very sad and hopeless place Oceania is which is where the book takes place. How sad is it that books/magazines/newspapers are updated and changed and therefore the only thing that you can trust about the past is your memory and in the end even that could be taken away.

I was a bit confused about the fact that some citizens called proles did not have the same rules applied to them as "the Party Members" and found myself wondering how is it decided whether you are a Party Member or a prole, I never did figure it out.

I found this to be a very good book but was a little disappointed that there wasn't a happier ending, I guess I am just a sucker for happy endings.

Rage

Rage by Jonathan Kellerman

Finished May 10th, 2007

Rating: 5/10




This book is part of the Dr. Alex Delaware series who is a psychologist that works with the LAPD. The book focuses on a past crime where Alex was the psychologist and 7.5 years later the criminal involved in the crime tries to reach out to Alex. The LAPD and Alex realize that things weren't as they seemed as a series of events reveal secrets about this crime.

It started out very good however halfway through it seemed to just get bogged down with dialogue between Delaware and Milo (from the LAPD) about different theories on who was behind the crime.

This book was not suspenseful and the ending was very anti-climatic for me. I really enjoy this series however the last few books in this series I have found to be disappointing. I will still read more from this author but am hoping they start to get better like his earlier works.

Medical Mystery Madness Challenge

A Medical Mystery Madness Challenge is being hosted over at Caught Between Worlds and I have decided to join which makes this my 4th ongoing challenge.

WHAT: Pick anywhere from 2 or more medical mysteries/thrillers to read and discuss with fellow medical thriller fans.

WHEN: June 1st, 2007 to November 1st, 2007

I have decided to read 4 books for this challenge which are:

At Risk by Patricia Cornwell
Shock by Robin Cook [completed June 14th, 2007]
Seizure by Robin Cook
Harvest by Tess Gerritsen

Something More: Excavating Your Authentic Self

Something More: Excavating Your Authentic Self
Sarah Ban Breathnach

Finished May 5th, 2007

Rating: 2/10

Non-Fiction Five Challenge Book #1




This is the first book I have finished for the Non-Fiction Five Challenge and I am asking myself why on earth did I put this book on my list other than the fact that it has been sitting on my bookshelf for many years. There are so many great Non-Fiction books out there that I can't believe I wasted my time reading this book.

The book is a self-help book for women to help them find their "authentic self". I didn't find it helpful at all and found it confusing as I was unable to decipher at times the message the author was trying to get across.

I was not really open to this book which is part of the reason as to why I didn't enjoy it along with the fact that I don't think it was very well written. I struggled to finish this book and I almost did not finish it so I do not recommend this book to others.

April Reads

18. Open House by Elizabeth Berg - Rating: 7

19. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Rating: 6 [Decades Challenge]

20. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - Rating: 8

21. Shopaholic & Baby by Sophie Kinsella - Rating: 6

22. The Giver by Lois Lowry - Rating: 9 [Dystopian Challenge]

New Authors Read = 2
Male Authors = 1
Female Authors = 4