Support Your Local Library Challenge

I love, love, love, love my library so when I saw that J. Kaye was also doing a challenge to support your local library I knew I had to sign up! I challenged myself to read 50 books from the Morgan Hill Library this year.

The best thing about Santa Clara County Libraries is that if your branch doesn't have the book you're looking for you can request it. When it comes into your branch you receive an email or a phone call letting you know your book is ready. You don't have to travel all over the county looking for your book. Greatest thing ever!

After looking at this list I realize that I check a lot of books out of the library! Most of the books I've read this year have been from there, yet I still have tons of books I own that I haven't read. Better get reading! Here's my list of books I've checked out & read from my library this year:

1. Last Man Standing - David Baldacci
2. Hiding in the Shadows - Kay Hooper
3. Out of the Shadows - Kay Hooper
4. The Hunt - Allison Brennan11. The Kill - Allison Brennan
5. Change of Heart - Jodi Picoult
6. Touching Evil - Kay Hooper
7. Blood Test - Jonathan Kellerman
8. Vanishing Acts - Jodi Picoult
9. Perfect Match - Jodi Picoult
10. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
11. Whisper of Evil - Kay Hooper
12. Over the Edge - Jonathan Kellerman
13. Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
14. Second Glance - Jodi Picoult
15. Sense of Evil - Kay Hooper
16. Keeping Faith - Jodi Picoult
17. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares
18. Pretties - Scott Westerfeld
19. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Nifgenegger
20. Trust Me - Brenda Novak
21. The Second Summer of the Sisterhood - Ann Brashares
22. Specials - Scott Westerfeld
23. Cry Wolf - Tami Hoag
24. Stop Me - Brenda Novak
25. The Tenth Circle - Jodi Picoult
26. Extras - Scott Westerfeld
27. Girls in Pants - Ann Brashares
28. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
29. Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult
30. Watch Me - Brenda Novak
31. Silent Partner - Jonathan Kellerman
32. Vince & Joy - Lisa Jewell
33. Forever in Blue - Ann Brashares
34. The Pact - Jodi Picoult
35. The Ritual Bath - Faye Kellerman
36. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
37. Hunting Fear - Kay Hooper
38. My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
39. One-Hit Wonder - Lisa Jewell
40. Dead Silence - Brenda Novak
41. Dead Giveaway - Brenda Novak
42. Tithe - Holly Black
43. Time Bomb - Jonathan Kellerman
44. Mercy - Jodi Picoult
45. Chill of Fear - Kay Hooper
46. Dead Right - Brenda Novak
47. Valiant: A Modern Faerie Tale - Holly Black
48. Heat Lightning - John Sanford
49. City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare
50. Sacred & Profane - Faye Kellerman
51. Ironside - Holly Black
52. Night World, Vol. I - L.J. Smith
53. Sleeping with Fear - Kay Hooper
54. Night World, Vol. III - L.J. Smith
55. Private Eyes - Jonathan Kellerman
56. Milk & Honey - Faye Kellerman
57. City of Glass - Cassandra Clare
58. Evermore - Alyson Noel
59. Faerie Wars - Herbie Brennan
60. The Warrior Heir - Cinda Williams Chima
61. Runemarks - Joanne Harris
62. The Wizard Heir - Cinda Williams Chima
63. The Purple Emperor - Herbie Brennan
64. The Dragon Heir - Cinda Williams Chima
65. When the Emperor was Divine - Julie Otsuka
66. Devil's Waltz - Jonathan Kellerman
67. The Summoning - Kelley Armstrong
68. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
69. Blood Dreams - Kay Hooper
70. Day of Atonement - Faye Kellerman
71. Things I Want My Daughters to Know - Elizabeth Noble
72. The Dream of Water - Kyoko Mori
73. The Rain Before it Falls - Jonathan Coe
74. Frankenstein: Prodigal Son - Dean Koontz
75. Guilty Pleasures - Laurell K. Hamilton
76. The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson
77. Ruler of the Realm - Herbie Brennan
78. The Faerie Path - Ferwin Jones
79. Blue Bloods - Melissa de la Cruz
80. Faerie Lord - Herbie Brennan
81. The Lost Queen - Ferwin Jones
82. Masquerade - Melissa de la Cruz
83. The Seventh Daughter - Ferwin Jones
84. Revelations - Melissa de la Cruz
85. Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
86. Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger
87. Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane
88. The Van Alen Legacy - Melissa de la Cruz
89. Living Dead Girl - Elizabeth Scott
90. Wake - Lisa McMann
91. Blue is for Nightmares - Laurie Faria Stolarz
92. Meridian - Amber Kizer
93. Deadly Little Secret - Laurie Faria Stolarz
94. Peeps - Scott Westerfeld
95. The Weight of Silence - Heather Gudenkauf
96. The Wednesday Sisters - Meg Waite Clayton

Young Adult Reading Challenge

I decided to join a few more challenges that J. Kaye has going on right now. The Young Adult challenge I think I've already completed, but I'm looking forward to finishing Herbie Brennan's Purple Emperor series and I still have PC & Kristin Cast's books to start. Hopefully I'll have those done by the end of the year!

The challenge is to read 12 Young Adult books from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009.

1. Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
2. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares
3. Pretties - Scott Westerfeld
4. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
5. The Second Summer of the Sisterhood - Ann Brashares
6. Specials - Scott Westerfeld
7. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
8. Extras - Scott Westerfeld
9. Girls in Pants - Ann Brashares
10. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
11. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
12. Forever in Blue - Ann Brashares
13. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
14. Tithe - Holly Black
15. Valiant: A Modern Faerie Tale - Holly Black
16. Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling
17. City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare
18. Ironside - Holly Black
19. Night World, Vol. 1 - L.J. Smith
20. Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
21. Night World, Vol. 3 - L.J. Smith (yes, I read them completely out of order!)
22. Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban
23. City of Glass - Cassandra Clare
24. Evermore - Alyson Noel
25. Faerie Wars - Herbie Brennan
26. The Warrior Heir - Cinda Williams Chima
27. Runemarks - Joanne Harris
28. Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling
29. Harry potter & the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
30. The Wizard Heir - Cinda Williams Chima
31. The Purple Emperor - Herbie Brennan
32. The Dragon Heir - Cinda Williams Chima
33. The Summoning - Kelley Armstrong
34. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
35. Blue Moon - Alyson Noel
36. Ruler of the Realm - Herbie Brennan
37. The Faerie Path - Ferwin Jones
38. Blue Bloods - Melissa de la Cruz
39. Faerie Lord - Herbie Brennan
40. The Lost Queen - Ferwin Jones
41. Masquerade - Melissa de la Cruz
42. The Seventh Daughter - Ferwin Jones
43. Revelations - Melissa de la Cruz
44. The Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
45. The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening - LJ Smith
46. The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle - LJ Smith
47. The Vampire Diaries: The Fury - LJ Smith
48. The Vampire Diaries: The Reunion - LJ Smith
49. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
50. The Van Alen Legacy - Melissa de la Cruz
51. Living Dead Girl - Elizabeth Scott
52. Wake - Lisa McMann
53. Blue is for Nightmares - Laurie Faria Stolarz
54. Meridian - Amber Kizer
55. Deadly Little Secret - Laurie Faria Stolarz
56. Peeps - Scott Westerfeld

Oh Twilight, How I Love Thee So

Today I just about died when I saw the pictures of Volturi Vampires. They all look gorgeous and nearly just how I pictured them. Dakota Fanning is perfect as Jane! Every little bit more I see of New Moon the more excited I get for the movie! November cannot come soon enough!!

You can click on Jane's picture to read more about the Volturi Vamps on TwiCrack's fabulous blog.

Back in July Ray and I went to Comic Con where we were amazed at how many things there were to see and do. Alas, getting to see any of the Twilight things were not in the cards. We were only there for one day and there was just too much to see to get to everything. I was quite excited to learn there will be a convention JUST ABOUT TWILIGHT in San Francisco in February. How perfect is that?

But wait, it gets better.

The same convention will also be held in Seattle, WA. A mere 3 and a half hours from Forks, WA. Seattle is also the home of Dahlia Lounge and Lola. My sister and I spent an afternoon at my parents' house watching a marathon of The Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network. If you've never seen this show you should tune in. Celebrity chefs all talk about their favorite foods and where to find them. Dahlia Lounge has Lemon-Scallion Crab Cakes and Lola serves up some made to order donuts. Yes, Made To Order Donuts. I must eat these. And bring some home to my sister.

However, I'm not sure Ray would enjoy 3 fun filled days reveling in all that is Twilight. Emma might enjoy it. Three years old and she knows who Bella and Edward are. What can I say? My girl's got taste. I might be able to lure Ray to Seattle with the promise of delicious donuts. We will see.....

2009 100+ Reading Challenge

Last year I started keeping track of what books I was reading for the '50 Book Challenge' for Shelfari. When asked about the new Amazon Kindle product, Steve Jobs CEO of Apple computer had this to say:“It doesn’t matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don’t read anymore,” he said. “Forty percent of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year. The whole conception is flawed at the top because people don’t read anymore.” A member challenged everyone to prove Jobs wrong by trying to read 50 books in 2008. I met the challenge last year so I decided to keep a record this year as well. I also discovered a website that challenged readers to hit the 100+ goal. At http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/ you can join the reading challenge with me! Here's my completed list for the year:


Books for 2009
1. Creation in Death - JD Robb
2. Blood Brothers - Nora Roberts
3. Last Man Standing - David Baldacci
4. Hiding in the Shadows - Kay Hooper
5. Out of the Shadows - Kay Hooper
6. Dark Horse - Tami Hoag
7. Simple Genius - David Baldacci
8. The Hunt - Allison Brennan
9. The Hollow - Nora Roberts
10. The Pagan Stone - Nora Roberts
11. The Kill - Allison Brennan
12. By the Light of the Moon - Dean Koontz
13. Stone Cold - David Baldacci
14. Strangers in Death - JD Robb
15. Change of Heart - Jodi Picoult
16. Touching Evil - Kay Hooper
17. The Third Victim - Lisa Gardner
18. Blood Test - Jonathan Kellerman
19. Who Needs Cupid - Susan Floyd
20. Vanishing Acts - Jodi Picoult
21. Perfect Match - Jodi Picoult
22. Heartstone - Phillip Margolin
23. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
24. Whisper of Evil - Kay Hooper
25. Over the Edge - Jonathan Kellerman
26. Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
27. Second Glance - Jodi Picoult
28. Sense of Evil - Kay Hooper
29. Keeping Faith - Jodi Picoult
30. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares
31. Pretties - Scott Westerfeld
32. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Nifgenegger
33. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
34. Trust Me - Brenda Novak
35. The Second Summer of the Sisterhood - Ann Brashares
36. Specials - Scott Westerfeld
37. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
38. Cry Wolf - Tami Hoag
39. Stop Me - Brenda Novak
40. The Tenth Circle - Jodi Picoult
41. Extras - Scott Westerfeld
42. Girls in Pants - Ann Brashares
43. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
44. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
45. Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult
46. Watch Me - Brenda Novak
47. Silent Partner - Jonathan Kellerman
48. Vince & Joy - Lisa Jewell
49. Forever in Blue - Ann Brashares
50. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer (again)
51. The Pact - Jodi Picoult
52. The Ritual Bath - Faye Kellerman
53. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
54. Hunting Fear - Kay Hooper
55. My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
56. One-Hit Wonder - Lisa Jewell
57. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer (again)
58. Dead Silence - Brenda Novak
59. Dead Giveaway - Brenda Novak
60. Tithe - Holly Black
61. Time Bomb - Jonathan Kellerman
62. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer (again)
63. Mercy - Jodi Picoult
64. Chill of Fear - Kay Hooper
65. Dead Right - Brenda Novak
66. Valiant: A Modern Faerie Tale - Holly Black
67. Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone - JK Rowling
68. Heat Lightning - John Sanford
69. City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare
70. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer (again)
71. Sacred & Profane - Faye Kellerman
72. Ironside - Holly Black
73. Night World, Vol. I - L.J. Smith
74. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer (again)
75. Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
76. The Host - Stephenie Meyer
77. Sleeping with Fear - Kay Hooper
78. Night World, Vol. III - L.J. Smith
79. Private Eyes - Jonathan Kellerman
80. Milk & Honey - Faye Kellerman
81. Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkban - J.K. Rowling
82. City of Glass - Cassandra Clare
83. New Moon Stephenie Meyer (again)
84. Evermore - Alyson Noel
85. You've Been Warned - James Patterson
86. Faerie Wars - Herbie Brennan
87. The Warrior Heir - Cinda Williams Chima
88. Runemarks - Joanne Harris
89. Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix - JK Rowling
90. Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince - JK Rowling
91. The Wizard Heir - Cinda Williams Chima
92. The Purple Emperor - Herbie Brennan
93. The Dragon Heir - Cinda Williams Chima
94. When the Emperor was Divine - Julie Otsuka
95. Devil's Waltz - Jonathan Kellerman
96. The Summoning - Kelley Armstrong
97. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
98. Blood Dreams - Kay Hooper
99. Day of Atonement - Faye Kellerman
100. Fatal Voyage - Kathy Reichs
101. The Third Twin - Ken Follett
102. Shadowfires - Dean Koontz
103. Double Cross - James Patterson
104. Phantom Prey - John Sanford
105. Blue Moon - Alyson Noel
106. Killing Floor - Lee Child
107. Lightning - Dean Koontz
108. Grave Secrets - Kathy Reichs
109. The Other Daughter - Lisa Gardner
110. Invisible Prey - John Sandford
111. Sail - James Patterson
112. Things I Want My Daughter to Know - Elizabeth Noble
113. The Dream of Water - Kyoko Mori
114. The Rain Before The Falls - Jonathan Coe
115. Blood Sins - Kay Hooper
116. Frankenstein: Prodigal Son - Dean Koontz
117. Guilty Pleasures - Laurell K. Hamilton
118. The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson
119. Ruler of the Realm - Herbie Brennan
120. The Faerie Path - Ferwin Jones
121. Blue Bloods - Melissa de la Cruz
122. Faerie Lord - Herbie Brennan
123. The Lost Queen - Ferwin Jones
124. Masquerade - Melissa de la Cruz
125. The Seventh Daughter - Ferwin Jones
126. Revelations - Melissa de la Cruz
127. Firestorm - Iris Johansen
128. The Next Accident - Lisa Gardner
129. Odd Hours - Dean Koontz
130. Die Trying - Lee Child
131. If She Only Knew - Lisa Jackson
132. The Laughing Corpse - Laurell K. Hamilton
133. 'Salem's Lot - Stephen King
134. Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
135. A Kiss of Shadows - Laurell K. Hamilton
136. The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening - LJ Smith
137. The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle - LJ Smith
138. The Vampire Diaries: The Fury - LJ Smith
139. The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion - LJ Smith
140. Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
141. Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger
142. Circus of the Damned - Laurell K. Hamilton
143. Frankenstein: City of Night - Dean Koontz
144. Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris
145. A Caress of Twilight - Laurell K. Hamilton
146. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
147. Run for your Life - James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge
148. Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane
149. The Van Alen Legacy - Melissa de la Cruz
150. Salvation in Death - JD Robb
151. Living Dead Girl - Elizabeth Scott
152. Wake - Lisa McMann
153. Blue is for Nightmares - Laurie Faria Stolarz
154. Meridian - Amber Kizer
155. Deadly Little Secret - Lauie Faria Stolarz
156. Peeps - Scott Westerfeld
157. The Weight of Silence - Heather Gudenkauf
158. The Wednesday Sisters - Meg Waite Clayton

Sail

Today I finished Sail by James Patterson & Howard Roughan. Now I buy my books all the time. At flea markets, bookstores, garage sales, wherever I find them I'll buy them. But I also go to the library and check out 8 to 10 books at a time so I end up having lots of books on my bookshelves that I bought 6 months or a year ago and haven't read yet. That being said, I recently caught up on some books and found that I don't care for James Patterson's duo novels. I've read every adult fiction novel he's written and somewhere along the way I was buying and reading his books out of habit and not because I loved them.

Don't get me wrong, the Alex Cross novels are still one of my favorite series, but mostly because I love the characters. Lately, the books he shares authorship on are muddled and unbelievable with cutesy phrases sprinkled a little too liberaly and lots of italics.

However, Sail was a much better installation into the Patterson library. Howard Roughan also co-wrote You've Been Warned. I hated that book. It made no sense and it was so far out of the realm I couldn't imagine reading another book with Roughan's name on it, but I bought Sail before I read You've Been Warned so I was stuck.

Sail centers around Katherine Dunne, her three children and former brother-in-law as they take to the high seas for a vacation meant to bring the fractured family together. Of course nothing goes right aboard the cursed boat once they set sail and the Dunnes are forced to fight for their lives after a series of deadly 'accidents' befall them. Nothing and no one are what they seem in this fast paced thriller.

The story was still a little jumpy. Patterson's habit of starting a new chapter every 4 pages is prevalent, but the characters were fun to root for, the antagonist a delight to loathe. Because of the jumpy storyline there seemed to be a few characters I thought would have more to do with the plot than they ended up being. Since you already know who the bad guy is it isn't necessary to get the suspicions from all of the background characters. Maybe spending more time on the Dunne family surviving or developing Peter Carlyle's character beyond new husband to Katherine Dunne might have been better than getting short little backstories on the Search & Rescue Lieutenant or the DEA Agent not on the case.

All in all it was a good read. Much better than You've Been Warned and Honeymoon, but not quite as good as Patterson's older works.

Pooped

Today was the first day of the EA Sports Active 30 Day Challenge. I'm pooped.

My husband, mom, dad and I are all attempting the 30 Day Challenge on the Wii. Ray and I borrowed my sister's Wii Balance Board and took it to my parents' house, gave them a crash course in Wii usage and off we went! I started after I got a phone call from my mom today saying she had already started hers and was wondering if she could pause the game.

On top of the 20 minute workout that included running, walking, lunges, curls, squats, kickboxing and in-line skating. A little over 100 calories burned in 20 minutes. Near the end I didn't think I would make it.

It seems so futile.

To further my new 'get in shape' lifestyle I put Emma on her push tricycle and we walked to McDonald's so she could play in the indoor (air conditioned) play area and I could get my favorite salad, the Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad. Yum. 420 calories with the dressing.

While there, Emma made friends with a little boy probably about 3 years older than her. Twice her age! They ran around the play structure together and discussed subjects as only a 3 year old and a 6 year old can.

Nonsensically.

So after an hour of walking we get home and I plop myself down in front of the TV to watch a little Project Runway and play Farmville on Facebook. The most addicting game EVER. Go fitness!