Non-Fiction Five Challenge - my final list

So now, it is April 30 and tomorrow Joy's Non-Ficton 5 Challenge will officially start. I guess it's about time I made up my mind about the 5 non-fiction books I'll be reading...










My Non-Fiction 5 choices:

• 1. Tony Buzan - Use Your Head (in German)


• 2. John de Graaf & David Wann & Thomas Naylor - Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic


• 3. Nancy Peske & Beverly West - Cinematherapy For Lovers


• 4. Geneen Roth - Breaking Free From Compulsive Eating (in German)


• 5. Hayim Halevi Klein - To Be A Jew

My one alternate:
Bill Bryson - In A Sunburned Country (in German)

I can't wait to start reading, despite all the books I have to read for university :-)

My visual DNA

I found this thanks to an acquaintance and really enjoyed doing it. :-)

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

History Meme

I just found this history meme at Literary Feline's blog and I really liked it. I was curious to learn more about my birth date, so I decided to do it even though I wasn't tagged ;-)

1. Go to Wikipedia and type in your birthdate, no year.
April 10

2. List 3 important events.
1606 - The Charter of the Virginia Company of London was established by royal charter by James I of England with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America.
1925 - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is first published in New York, New York by Charles Scribner's Sons.
1959 - Akihito, future Emperor of Japan, weds Michiko (née Michiko Shoda), a commoner.

3. List 2 births.
1847 - Joseph Pulitzer, American journalist and publisher (d. 1911)
2007 - Princess Ariane of the Netherlands

4. List 1 Death.
1954 - Auguste Lumière, French film pioneer (b. 1862)

5. List 1 Holiday or Observance.
Feast for Three Days - Third Day (Thelema) (don't ask me! LOL)

Apparantly...

... I've been gone for the last few days. Classes started again and I haven't even managed to write the review for Lee Harris' The Passover Murder. :-(

But then, at least my classes made sure I won't get out of reading material ;-) My upcoming reads for classes are:

For a class on honor (in literature):
Lope de Vega - Fuente Ovejuna (I'm actually already reading this one, I hope to read at least half of it until Monday.)
William Shakespeare - Macbeth
William Shakespeare - Othello
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing - Emilia Galotti (I already read this one for school, so I hope it will only be a fast re-read.)
Heinrich von Kleist - Die Familie Schroffenstein (I think the English title is "The feud of the Schroffensteins".)

For a class on jealousy:
James Joyce - The Dead (This one's part of Dubliners, I have to read it until Thursday!)
Marcel Proust - A Love Of Swann
Marcel Proust - The Prisoner (Additional because we have a week without that class due to a holiday.)
Marcel Proust - The Fugitive (Additional, same reason as "The Prisoner".)
Heinrich von Kleist - Letters
René Girard - Deceit, Desire, and the Novel: Self and Other in Literary Structure
Stendhal - Red and Black (A friend used to tell me about this book, it was her favorite and now I'll get to read it, yay! - Though, it is rather huge...)
Sigmund Freud - ??? (I don't know the title right now, it's on jealousy, paranoia and homosexuality?.)
Stendhal - On Love
Honoré de Balzac - The Girl With The Golden Eyes
Shoshana Felman - Rereading Feminity

Quite a bit to read, huh? And this is only the list for classes, not my personal want to read's. At least, I have about 3 months for this ;-)

And for those three months I also have a few buddy reads:
Carolyn Haines - Buried Bones
Laura Childs - Shades Of Earl Grey
Mary Daheim - Fowl Prey
Carolyn Haines - Splintered Bones
Laura Childs - English Breakfast Murder
Stephanie Barron - Jane And The Man Of Cloth

Plus 7 challenge books! I might be busy, I assume ;-)

What is a classic?

For the classics challenge, I've been asked what by my definition is a classic.

I did some research about this and decided to use part of Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve's answer to what a classic is:

A true classic is an author who has enriched the human mind, increased its treasure, and caused it to advance a step; who has discovered some moral and not equivocal truth, or revealed some eternal passion in that heart where all seemed known and discovered; who has expressed his thought, observation, or invention, in no matter what form, only provided it be broad and great, refined and sensible, sane and beautiful in itself; who has spoken to all in his own peculiar style, a style which is found to be also that of the whole world, a style new without neologism, new and old, easily contemporary with all time.

Such a classic may for a moment have been revolutionary; it may at least have seemed so, but it is not; it only lashed and subverted whatever prevented the restoration of the balance of order and beauty.

I found this at about.com

I have found a few incomplete lists and did not find them satisfying enough as I think there were quite some important authors missing, so I am not going to post a link or links to those lists.

Meg Cabot - Missing You

Lines to remember:
"What about me?" He put his arms around my waist. "Are you always going to know where to find me?"
"Oh yes," I said, grinning back at him.

Jess Mastriani comes back from working for the US government a few years after the last book, but not everything is as it used to be. She's single, she no longer has her psychic abilities, and she doesn't even know who she is.
So she goes to New York City with her best friend Ruth, where Jess attends Juillard, but one day in summer, her ex, Rob Wilkins, turns up on her door and asks for her help in finding his long-lost sister. But how should Jess be able to find anyone with her abilities gone? After thinking about it, she decides to help Rob and again gets into a new adventure.

I can't believe this was the final installment! While I at first didn't enjoy the 1-800-MISSING books too much - at least not as much as I love the Princess Diaries books - I borrowed #2-4 from a friend and came to really love them. I got this book only because I got hooked while reading the first 3-6 pages at the book shop. I had to leave, so I had to make a quick decision - and ended up buying it despite being on a strict book-buying-budget this year. I can't seem to get enough of Jess and her friends, so I guess I'll have to re-read the books again - and then there is still the TV series, which, though it isn't exactly like the books, is still fun to watch.

If you like some paranormal YA every now and then, I can sure recommend this series!

Meg Cabot - Missing: Missing You

Missing You
Cabot's 46th book
5th book featuring Jessica Mastriani, girl with psychic abilities caused by her being hit by lightning
268 pages
Simon & Schuster

Lightning girl all grown-up - the final exciting installment!

All Jessica Mastriani ever wanted was to be normal. But a walk home in a particularly stormy night changed all that. Struck by lightning, Jess suddenly developed psychic powers - and the ability to find anyone, anywhere, dead or alive.

Her newfound talent made her invaluable for the US government, but her work for them took another terrible toll. Now back home, aged nineteen, and with her powers gone, Jess is Lightning Girl no more. Starting again in a new town, intent onfinding a new life, she is less than happy when her ex, Rob Wilkins, shows up at her door,begging for her help in finding his long-lost sister. But how can Jess find anyone - let alone the sister of the man she once loved - when she can't even find herself?

I was on no-book-buying! I mean it! But when I spend some spare time at the book shop and read the first few pages I was hooked and had to get this final installment!

First sentence:
"My name is Jessica Mastriani."

Lee Harris - The Passover Murder

When Chris attends a Passover seder at her friend Melanie's, she doesn't expect to get drawn into another murder that happened long ago. But as soon as the seder is over, Chris is being asked to look into the murder of Iris Grodnik, who disappeared from a seder sixteen years ago and was found murdered only a few days later.
Though Chris is at first reluctant, she finally agrees to make one last attempt to find out the truth for Iris's family. Soon Chris discovers that not everyone is telling everything.
When Chris finds an old leather purse in a dusty hall closet, she comes closer and closer to the truth about the murder of adorable Iris Grodnik.

I thought I'd read this mystery during Passover to get a better idea of how other people celebrate this. It was truly inspiring and a wonderful experience. As usually, I was drawn right into the story as Chris and her husband are like god friends to me. This time, there was even some additional drama including Jack's family.

If you like cozy mysteries (and maybe are interested in different holidays), this will definitely be a wonderful series for you. There are, I think, 18 books out so far and I sure hope more will be coming! I already have the next one waiting for me, but I will try to take some more time for this series as I would hate to have those good friends leave me too soon, because there are no more new books (which will eventually happen, I'm afraid).

Tracy Quan - Diary Of A Manhattan Call Girl

I've tried for almost a month to get into this book, but it just didn't work for me. For some reason, the writing didn't appeal to me at all, so I decided to send it on, as it is a Bookcrossing book ring.

I'm really disappointed because I didn't even get past the first 50 pages. I got stuck somewhere in chapter 2 and whenever I had to decide what book I want to pick up, I never chose Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl. I chose each and every book I had on the small stack of current reads but this one. I assume it either wasn't the book for me or at least not the book for this time.

Stephanie Barron - Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor

When Jane Austen visits her friend Isobel Payne, Countess of Scargrave, she witnesses a tragedy set to destroy several lives. Isobel's husband, the Earl of Scargrave, dies of a mysterious and agonizing ailment, but with this the newly married Isobel's misfortune is not meant to end. Isobel receives a letter accusing her and the Earl's nephew of adultery and murder. Afraid that the letter will expose her to the worst sort of scandal, Jane is asked to help solve the mystery of both the author of the letter and the death of the Earl. Not long after agreeing to help, Jane finds herself in a dangerous investigation.

I have to admit at first I had big problems with the language, the series being set in the early 18th century. Reading was slow, exhausting and at times even annoying. But after about 2/3 I had finally gotten used to the language and flew right through the last 100 pages.
But this sure didn't diminish the mystery. Jane's snooping around was wonderful as it didn't seem overly staged. Barron set up some wonderful red herrings and clues.
I especially enjoyed the author's using Jane Austen's letters to her sister. It gave the whole book a special feeling.

Rating: B+

challenges - update

It's been a while since I stated that I wanted to do a classics challenge for myself because I wasn't able to join in the "original" one earlier this year (see here).

I finally made up my mind about the date as I didn't want to have my challenges overlap too much.

I will be reading 3-5 classics between July 1 and November 30.

For the TBR challenge I managed to finish three books within the first three month of the year and am already reading the fourth book (Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor), but this book is going rather slow, I'm afraid.

And then there's the non-fiction 5 challenge, which will start in May, so there's not much time left for me to make up my mind about the final list. So far I'm only intended to read Cinematherapy for Lovers as I really want to read this one (I read Cinematherapy for the Soul, which was just great). Otherwise it is pretty much open.

Oh, if you're interested in those challenges, click on the respective label below. There you can find my original post.

Finally some new reviews

For some reasons I didn't have enough time lately to write all the reviews for my completed reads, so I did them today.

For Shirley Damsgaard's Witch Way To Murder you can find the review here.

For Katie MacAlister's Noble Destiny, click here.

For Earlene Fowler's Fool's Puzzle, you might want to check here.

I enjoyed all three books quite a bit, but the longer back my finishing the book was, the less I remembered.

Earlene Fowler - Fool's Puzzle

Lines to remember:
A portable stereo with tiny speakers blasted Van Halen while a leak from the ceiling into a tin saucepan added a percussive zing every few seconds.
---
[My addition: Benni and her Grandma Dove about Ortiz' behind]
"Dove!" I gently slapped her shoulder. "You're seventy-five years old. You're a great-grandmother, for Pete's sake."
"Which makes me more qualified than you to judge the quality of a man's butt."

Benni Harper, a recently widowed ex-cowgirl, just moved to San Celinas, California where she started working as a folk art museum curator. She is just preparing an exhibition of ancient quilts when she finds a murdered artist at the museum - and her cousin is one of the suspects. Benni sets out to search for the real murderer, getting in the way of the police chief, Gabriel Ortiz. Ortiz thinks she is just a short, sassy cowgirl who should leave detecting to the cops, but you can't keep a cowgirl down. Instead, Benni sets out and discover family secrets, small-town lies and a shocking truth.

I enjoyed this one quite a bit and will definitely keep reading the series, but I am afraid I have to take a rather big break between the first and the following books. Since I don't really know anything about quilting or folk art I had some problems getting into the book at first, but they soon dissolved and I think I will enjoy the next books even more.
Right now it doesn't look like I can get the second book any time soon, but I'll keep this series in mind because I can't wait to meet the characters again. Miss Fowler set an enchanting scene for more murders to come and some interesting characters that leave quite some space to "play" with them.

Rating: B+

Earlene Fowler - Fool's Puzzle

Fool's Puzzle
Fowler's 1st book
1st book featuring Albenia "Benni" Harper, folk art museum curator in San Celina, California
237 pages
Berkley Prime Crime

Meet Benni Harper... a spirited ex-cowgirl, quilter, and folk art expert who's staking out her own corner of the contemporary American West. She's got an eye for murderous designs - and a talent for piecing together the most complex and cold-blooded crimes...

Leaving behind memories of her late husband, Benni's making a fresh start... Moving to the trendy California town of San Celina, she takes an exciting new job as director of a folk art museum. While setting up an exhibit of handmade quilts, she stumbles upon the body of a brutally stabbed artist - and hopes to conduct an investigation on her own. She crosses paths with the local police chief, who thinks this short and sassy cowgirl should leave detecting to the cops and join him for dinner. But it's hard to keep a country girl down, and soon Benni uncovers an alarming pattern of family secrets, small-town lies - and the shocking truth about the night her husband died...

The book was recommended to me by some wonderful friends.

First sentence:
"My day didn't start with murder, although the thought crossed my mind."

Lee Harris - The Passover Murder

The Passover Murder
Harris' 7th book
7th book featuring Christine Bennett, ex-nun and college teacher in New York
274 pages
Fawcett Gold Medal

Final Questions.
Until someone killed her, the only mystery about adorable Iris Grodnik was why she had never married. But for sixteen years, her strange disappearance and murder during a Passover seder have remained a troubling piece of family history.

Ex-nun Christine Bennett - now married to a New York City cop - reluctantly consents to make one last attempt to find out the truth for Iris's family. However, Christine soon suspects that some of the relatives are not telling her the whole truth...

Then, in the dusty depths of a hall closet, she finds an old leather purse - and her worst forebodings about Iris Grodnik's haunting murder begin to be fulfilled...

I had this book waiting for me and thought it would be fun to actually read it during Passover.

First sentence:
"What I'm really trying to say," my friend Melanie Gross said over the telephone, "is that it's going to be a slightly crazy experience, but I think you'll enjoy it."

reading for 2007 - March update

Here is an update for my TBR list for 2007, with the latest books added and the recently read books crossed off. I doubt I'll be able to read them all, but at least those are the books I haven't read so far, but hope to read some day.


key:
B got book through Bookcrossing
E book is in English
F book is in French
G book is in German
O own the book


001. Douglas Adams: Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (G, O)
002. Dante Aligheri: The Divine Comedy (G, O)
003. Catherine Alliott: The Old-Girl Network (E, O)
TBR challenge?
004. Catherine Alliott: Going Too Far (E, O)
005. Kelley Armstrong: Bitten (B, E)
006. Kelley Armstrong: Stolen (B, E)
007. Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity Digs In (G, O)
TBR challenge?
008. Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity's Christmas (G, O)
009. Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity Beats The Devil (G, O)
010. Margaret Atwood: The Blind Assassin (E, O)
011. Jane Austen: Mansfield Park (E, O)
TBR challenge?
012. Paul Auster: Moon Palace (E, O)
013. AVI: Sometimes I Think I Hear My Name (E, O)
014. Stephanie Barron: Jane & The Unpleasantness At Scargrave Manor (E, O)
TBR challenge?; buddy read in August
015. Ann Bauer: A Wild Ride Up The Cupboard (E, O)
016. Charles Baxter: The Feast Of Love (E, O)
017. Mark Billingham: Lazy Bones (B, E)
018. Ulf Blanck: Flucht In Die Zukunft (G, O)
019. Enid Blyton: Dolly Sammelband 5 (G, O)
TBR challenge?
020. Enid Blyton: Dolly Sammelband 6 (G, O)
021. Kate Borden: Death Of A Tart (E, O)
group read in March
022. Rhys Bowen: Death Of Riley (E, O)
023. Rhys Bowen: Evan Help Us (B, E)
024. Ann Brashares: The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants (E, O)
TBR challenge?
025. Lilian Jackson Braun: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards (E, O)
026. Lilian Jackson Braun: The Cat Who Talked Turkey (E, O)
027. Rita Mae Brown: Wish You Were Here (B, E)
028. Emily Bronte: Wuthering Heights (E, O)
TBR challenge?
029. Sandra Brown: Alibi (G, O)
030. Bill Bryson: A Short History Of Nearly Everything (E, O)
031. Bill Bryson: In A Sunburned Country (G, O)
TBR challenge?
032. Bill Bryson: The Lost Continent (E, O)
TBR challenge?
033. Gwendoline Butler: Coffin Underground (B, E)
034. Tony Buzan: Use Your Head (G, O)
035. A.S. Byatt: Possession - A Romance (E, O)
036. Laura Childs: Gunpowder Green (E, O)
buddy read in March
037. Laura Childs: Shades Of Earl Grey (E, O)
buddy read in May
038. Tom Clancy: Without Remorse (E, O)
TBR challenge?
039. Harlan Coben: Drop Shot (E, O)
TBR challenge?
040. Patricia Cornwell: Post Mortem (E, O)
041. Robert Crais: The Monkey's Raincoat (B, E)
buddy read in April 2008
042. Thomas D. Cyrol: Baseball (G, O)
043.Mary Daheim: Fowl Prey (E, O)
buddy read in June
044. MaryJanice Davidson: Undead And Unemployed (E, O)
045. Jeffery Deaver: Speaking In Tongues (E, O)
TBR challenge?
046. Jeffery Deaver: The Stone Monkey (E, O)
047. John de Graaf & David Wann & Thomas Naylor: Affluenza - The All-Consuming Epidemic (B, E)
BC bookring
048. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: The Complete Adventures And Memoirs Of Sherlock Holmes (E, O)
049. Eileen Dreyer: With A Vengeance (B, E)
050. Hallie Ephron: Writing And Selling Your Mystery Novel - How To Knock 'em Dead With Style (E, O)
051. Jeffrey Eugenides: Middlesex (E, O)
052. Janet Evanovich: Seven Up (E, O)
TBR challenge?
053. Janet Evanovich: Hard Eight (E, O)
054. Janet Evanovich: Visions Of Sugar Plums (E, O)
055. Nancy Fairbanks: Death A L'Orange (E, O)
TBR challenge?
056. Robert Fate: Baby Shark (E, O)
057. Robert Fate: Baby Shark's Beaumont Files (E, O)
058. Robert Ferrigno: Flinch (B, E)
059. Joanne Fluke: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (E, O)
060. Theodor Fontane: Frau Jenny Treibel (G, O)
TBR challenge?
061. Frederick Forsyth: Avenger (G, O)
062. Yasmin Galenorn: Witchling (E, O)
063. Tess Gerritson: Body Double (G, O)
064. Tess Gerritson: The Sinner (G, O)
065. Tess Gerritson: The Apprentice (G, O)
066. Rachel Gibson: Simply Irresistible (E, O)
067. Rachel Gibson: Sex, Lies, And Online Dating (E, O)
068. Rachel Gibson: Lola Carlyle Reveals All (G, O)
069. Sue Grafton: C Is For Corpse (E, O)
TBR challenge?
070. Sue Grafton: D Is For Deadbeat (E, O)
071. Sue Grafton: F Is For Fugitive (B, E)
072. Sue Grafton: L Is For Lawless (B, E)
073. John Grisham: The Brethren (E, O)
TBR challenge?
074. John Grisham: The Testament (E, O)
TBR challenge?
075. John Grisham: The Last Juror (G, O)
076. Carolyn Haines: Them Bones (E, O)
buddy read in February
077. Carolyn Haines: Buried Bones (E, O)
buddy read in April
078. Laurell K. Hamilton: The Laughing Corpse (E, O)
079. Lee Harris: The Thanksgiving Day Murder (E, O)
080. Lee Harris: The Passover Murder (E, O)
081. Josef Haslinger: Opernball (G, O)
082. Hergé: Les Cigares Du Pharaon (F, O)
083. Mary Higgins Clark: Loves Music, Loves To Dance (E, O)
084. Mary & Carol Higgins Clark: He Sees You When You're Sleeping (E, O)
085. Linda Howard: Cry No More (G, O)
086. Nicole Hunter. Waiting For The World To End (E, O)
087. India Ink: A Blush With Death (E, O)
088. Donna Kauffman: The Cinderella Rules (G, O)
089. Faye Kellerman: The Ritual Bath (E, O)
090. Harry Kemelman: Sunday The Rabbi Stayed Home (B, E)
091. Jack Kerley: The Hundredth Man (B, E)
092. P.B. Kerr: Children Of The Lamp - The Ashkenaten Adventure (G, O)
093. Jayne Anne Krentz: Hidden Talents (B, E)
094. Erik Larson: The Devil In The White City (B, E)
095. Francois Lelord: Hectors Reise oder Die Suche nach dem Glück (G, O)
096. French Language Learning Mystery: Coups de Feu à Versailles (F, O)
097. French Language Learning Mystery: L'Ombre Sur Montparnasse (F, O)
098. Paul Levine: Solomon vs. Lord (E, O)
099. Robert Ludlum: The Bourne Identity (E, O)
TBR challenge?
100. Katie MacAlister: Sex, Lies, And Vampires (E, O)
101. Katie MacAlister: Noble Destiny (E, O)
102. Anna Maclean: Louisa And The Missing Heiress (E, O)
103. Nick McDonell: Twelve (G, O)
104. Leslie Meier: Mistletoe Murder (E, O)
105. Leslie Meier: Trick Or Treat Murder (E, O)
106. Michael Moore: Dude, Where Is My Country? (E, O)
107. Tara Moss: Fetish (G, O)
108. Tamar Myers: The Ming And I (E, O)
109. Azar Nafisi: Reading Lolita In Tehran (E, O)
110. James Patterson: 1st To Die (E, O)
TBR challenge?
111. James Patterson: The Midnight Club (G, O)
112. Matthew Pearl: The Dante Club (E, O)
113. Nancy Peske and Beverly West: Cinematherapy For Lovers (E, O)
TBR challenge?
114. Jodi Picoult: Perfect Match (B, E)
BC bookring
115. Chaim Potok: The Chosen (B, E)
116. Tracy Quan: Diary Of A Manhattan Call Girl (B, E)
BC bookring
117. Jeanne Ray: Julie And Romeo (B, E)
118. Kathy Reichs: Déjà Dead (E, O)
119. Emilie Richards: Beautiful Lies (E, O)
120. Emilie Richards: Let There Be Suspects (E, O)
121. J.D. Robb: Naked In Death (B, E)
TBR challenge?
122. J.D. Robb: Purity In Death (B, E)
123. Nora Roberts: River's End (G, O)
124. Nora Roberts: Captivated (G, O)
125. Madeleine E. Robins: Point Of Honour (E, O)
126. Hillary Rodham Clinton: Living History (E, O)
TBR challenge?
127. Herbert Rosendorfer: Die Donnerstage Des Oberstaatsanwalts (G, O)
128. Geneen Roth: Breaking Free From Compulsive Eating (G, O)
129. Michele Scott: Murder Uncorked (E, O)
130. Barbara Seranella: No Human Involved (E, O)
buddy read in February
131. Robert Shapero: Wild Animus (E, O)
132. Kerrelyn Sparks: How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire (B, E)
BC bookring
133. Julia Spencer-Fleming: In The Bleak Midwinter (E, O)
TBR challenge?
134. Sarah Strohmeyer: Bubbles A Broad (B, E)
BC bookring
135. Victoria Thompson: Murder On Astor Place (E, O)
136. P.J. Tracy: Dead Run (E, O)
TBR challenge?
137. Peter Tremayne: Absolution By Murder (E, O)
138. Cameron West: First Person Plural - My Life As A Multiple (B, G)
TBR challenge?
139. Tom Wolfe: The Bonfire Of The Vanities (E, O)

March reads

01. Nora Roberts - Entranced (in German); 332 pages; rating: B+
02. Kate Borden - Death Of A Tart; 197 pages; rating: B+
03. Barbara Seranella - No Human Involved; 275 pages; rating: B+
04. Enid Blyton - Malory Towers omnibus 5 (in German); 349 pages; rating: B++
05. Laura Childs - Gunpowder Green; 244 pages; rating: A-
06. Kerrelyn Sparks - How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire; 371 pages; rating: B+
07. Rachel Gibson - Lola Carlyle Reveals All (in German); 319 pages; rating: B+
08. Tess Gerritsen - Body Double (in German); 415 pages; rating: A-
09. Shirley Damsgaard - Witch Way To Murder; 292 pages; rating: B+
10. Katie MacAlister - Noble Destiny; 366 pages; rating: B+
11. J.D. Robb - Naked In Death; 305 pages; rating: A-
12. Nora Roberts - Captivated (in German); 300 pages; rating: B+


Longest book finished:
Tess Gerritsen: Body Double (415 pages)

Shortest book finished:
Kate Borden: Death Of A Tart (197 pages)

Mystery series I've read:
Kate Borden's P.J. Turner (Cobb's Landing)
Barbara Seranella's Munch Mancini
Laura Childs' Theodosia Browning (Tea Shop)
Tess Gerritsen's Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isles
Shirley Damsgaard's Abby & Ophelia Jensen
J.D. Robb's Eve Dallas

Mystery series I started:
Kate Borden's P.J. Turner (Cobb's Landing)
Barbara Seranella's Munch Mancini
Tess Gerritsen's Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isles
Shirley Damsgaard's Abby & Ophelia Jensen

January reading - an overview:

books read in in total: 18

books started in total: 17

books finished: 12

books not finished: 0

books read in by genre:
2 non-fiction
16 fiction:
8 Mysteries
6 Romance
1 chick lit
1 YA

authors read by gender:
15 female
0 male

books read by author's gender:
18 female
0 male

new-to-me authors:
Kate Borden
Barbara Seranella
Kerrelyn Sparks
Tess Gerritsen
Shirley Damsgaard

new-to-me authors I most likely won't read again:
none

books read by rating:
3 A
9 B
0 C
0 D
0 F/DNF

book size:
short books (- 200 pages) ~ 1
intermediate books (201 - 450 pages) ~ 12
chunksters (451+ pages) ~ 0

books by type:
1 hardcover
5 trade paperback
6 mass market paperback