Kay's "Gonna Make It" Challenge - 2015 (Completed!)

[Elyse, Moderator]

Mrs. Lincoln's Rival and Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker are both in my TBR.

[Andrea, Moderator]

Kay, can you rub some of your reading mojo onto me?!?!?!?

[Karol]

Elyse wrote: "Mrs. Lincoln's Rival and Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker are both in my TBR."

Elyse, I wasnt' aware of that second one - I just looked it up and it sounds fascinating. There is a nonfiction work by the same title, by Lynda Jones. It would be interesting to read that one and Jennifer Chiaverini's fictional account also.

[Karol]

Andrea wrote: "Kay, can you rub some of your reading mojo onto me?!?!?!?"

Andrea, it's been a rich reading year so far. This may soon change as my husband and I are looking into relocating to be closer to our families. But for now, I've had some extra time and have been happy to fill it up with reading! Especially after a couple of rather unproductive reading years.

[Karol]

41. The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova, 5/5 stars (04/30/15)

It seems from reviews on Goodreads that many people either really detest or really love this book. It is lengthy, but I found the depth of historical information and the pacing deeply satisfying. It's almost like you were lulled to a place of peace just before - WHAM - a terrible fact from history or a creepy fictional event in the story hit you upside the head. I did enjoy this story and actually could have tarried with the characters a bit longer.

[Elyse, Moderator]

Karol wrote: "41. The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova, 5/5 stars (04/30/15)

It seems from reviews on Goodreads that many people either really detest or really love this book. It is le..."

I think a lot of our members have really enjoyed it. It's in my TBR.

[Karol]

42. An Open Heart, by Harry Kraus, 4/5 stars (05/17/15)

43. Gilt Trip, by Laura Childs, 4/5 stars (05/23/15)

44. A Hearth in Candlewood, by Delia Parr, 3/5 stars (05/24/15)

[Andrea, Moderator]

I have the Historian and I've picked it up s couple of times but put it back down...haha

[Karol]

45. Dead End in Norvelt, by Jack Gantos, 4/5 stars

46. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection, by Alexander McCall Smith, 5/5 stars

My favorite in the series! But I think I needed the background of the others to really appreciate this one.

47. The Singing Tree, by Kate Seredy, 5/5 stars

[Karol]

48. By the Shores of Silver Lake, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, 5/5 stars

49. The Bluebird Effect: Uncommon Bonds with Common Birds, by Julie Zickefoose, 4/5 stars

50. Boy With a Pack, by Stephen W. Meader, 5/5 stars

[Elyse, Moderator]

Karol wrote: "48. By the Shores of Silver Lake, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, 5/5 stars

49. The Bluebird Effect: Uncommon Bonds with Common Birds, by [author:Julie Zickefoos..."

Oh man, Laura Ingalls Wilder! I read all of those and their spin-offs when I was young!

[Karol]

50. Boy With a Pack, by Stephen W. Meader, 5/5 stars

51. Tough As Nails: One Woman's Journey through West Point, by Gail O'Sullivan Dwyer, 4/5 stars

[Karol]

52. Long Time Coming, by Vanessa Miller, 4/5 stars

53. Hurricanes in Paradise, by Denise Hildreth Jones, 3/5 stars

54. Deadly Aim, by Patricia H. Rushford, 3/5 stars

55. Fools Rush In, by Janice Thompson, 4/5 stars

56. Call It Courage, by Armstrong Sperry, 4/5 stars

57. Playing for Pride: Down by a run, the team needs to play its best... Can Laurie come through for her team?, by Timothy Tocher, 2/5 stars

[Karol]

58. Homespun Bride, by Jillian Hart, 3/5 stars

59. The Long Winter, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, 5/5 stars

[Karol]

60. Toured to Death, by Hy Conrad, 3/5 stars

[Karol]

61. We Shall See God: Charles Spurgeon's Classic Devotional Thoughts On Heaven, by Charles H. Spurgeon with comments by Randy Alcorn, 5/5 stars

62. A Time to Love, by Barbara Cameron, 4/5 stars

63. Blue Willow, by Doris Gates, 5/5 stars

[Karol]

64. The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan, 4/5 stars

65. Murder on the Oceanic, by Conrad Allen, 4/5 stars

[Elyse, Moderator]

Karol wrote: "64. The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan, 4/5 stars

65. Murder on the Oceanic, by Conrad Allen, 4/5 stars"

I've had the Percy Jackson series on my list for awhile! Someday! lol

[Karol]

66. Surrender the Wind, by Rita Gerlach, 2/5 stars

67. Jenna's Cowboy, by Sharon Gillenwater, 3/5 stars

68. The Witness, by Dee Henderson, 2/5 stars

[Karol]

69. The Matchlock Gun, by Walter D. Edmonds, 4/5 stars

70. Saint Anything, by Sarah Dessen, 5/5 stars

[Karol]

71. Ghost a la Mode, by Sue Ann Jaffarian, 4/5 stars

[Karol]

72. The Sea of Monsters, by Rick Riordan, 4/5 stars

[Karol]

73. The Titan's Curse, by Rick Riordan, 3/5 stars

[Karol]

74. The Highly Effective Detective Plays the Fool, by Rick Yancey, 3/5 stars

[Karol]

75. Word Gets Around, by Lisa Wingate, 5/5 stars

[Karol]

76. The Ruins of Gorlan, by John Flanagan, 4/5 stars

[Elyse, Moderator]

Congrats on reaching your goal, Karol!! With plenty of time to spare! Do I see 100 in your future?! If you keep reading the Ranger's Apprentice and companion series, you'll get there! I started reading them last year and really enjoyed them. I'm on the last of the Brotherband Chronicles, the companion series. And I've got an ARC of the prequel novel, The Tournament of Gorlan, which comes out on Tuesday. :)

[Karol]

Elyse wrote: "Congrats on reaching your goal, Karol!! With plenty of time to spare! Do I see 100 in your future?! If you keep reading the Ranger's Apprentice and companion series, you'll get there! I started rea..."

Elyse, possibly 100 - we'll see! I got off to a fast start this year and have been slowing down in my reading as other activities pick up.

My son is reading the Ranger's Apprentice series and has talked about the books so much that I decided I just had to read them. I enjoyed the first two very much and I do plan to continue on with the series.

[Karol]

77. The Burning Bridge, by John Flanagan, 4/5 stars

[Elyse, Moderator]

Karol wrote: "Elyse wrote: "Congrats on reaching your goal, Karol!! With plenty of time to spare! Do I see 100 in your future?! If you keep reading the Ranger's Apprentice and companion series, you'll get there!..."

Yeah, my husband's coworker let me borrow the whole series last year. He thought I'd be interested in them. I was! They're fun!

[Karol]

78. Martin Luther, by Sally Stepanek, 4/5 stars

[Karol]

79. Little Town on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, 5/5 stars

80. Anne Frank and the Children of the Holocaust, by Carol Ann Lee, 4/5 stars

81. Albert Einstein: The Rebel Behind Relativity, by Jacob Goldberg, 3/5 stars

[Karol]

82. George Washington's World, by Genevieve Foster, 5/5 stars

[Karol]

83. Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison, by Lois Lenski, 4/5 stars

[Karol]

84. The Boy on the Wooden Box, by Leon Leyson, 5/5 stars

I highly recommend this autobiography about the youngest person on Schindler's list.

85. The Corporal Works of Murder, by Carol Anne O'Marie, 4/5 stars

[Karol]

86. The Icebound Land, by John Flanagan, 5/5 stars

87. Trains and Lovers, by Alexander McCall Smith, 4/5 stars

[Andrea, Moderator]

Wow Kay! Can you rub my head or something and maybe I will catch your reading bug :)

[Karol]

Andrea wrote: "Wow Kay! Can you rub my head or something and maybe I will catch your reading bug :)"

A cyber head rub ensues . . .

[Karol]

88. One Small Thing, by Jessica Barksdale Inclan, 5/5 stars

[Andrea, Moderator]

hahaha!!

[Karol]

89. Inside Out & Back Again, by Thanhha Lai, 5/5 stars

90. Breaking Stalin's Nose, by Eugene Yelchin, 4/5 stars

[Karol]

91. Poison Apples, by Nancy Means Wright, 3/5 stars (11/20/15)

[Karol]

92. The Carnivorous Carnival, by Lemony Snicket, 4/5 stars

[Andrea, Moderator]

You are making me want to read some Lemony Snicket books!

[Elyse, Moderator]

I want to read them!

[Andrea, Moderator]

If you have not read a Lemony Snicket book I highly recommend you give it a go!

[Karol]

Andrea wrote: "If you have not read a Lemony Snicket book I highly recommend you give it a go!"

Andrea and Elyse, I love the series! Sometimes the humor totally gets me laughing out loud. My poor husband had to endure several paragraphs that I read out loud while I was reading #9.

[Karol]

93. Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good, by Jan Karon, 5/5 stars

Absolutely loved this return to Mitford!

[Elyse, Moderator]

Karol wrote: "Andrea wrote: "If you have not read a Lemony Snicket book I highly recommend you give it a go!"

Andrea and Elyse, I love the series! Sometimes the humor totally gets me laughing out loud. My poor ..."

I absolutely loved the movie but I still haven't gotten around to reading the books!

[Karol]

94. Adam of the Road, by Elizabeth Gray Vining, 4/5 stars