A Woman Worth Loving

Number: 60
Title: A Woman Worth Loving
Author: Jackie Braun
Started: June 24, 2007
Finished: June 25, 2007
Pages: 156
Genre: romance

Language: German

First Sentence: [translated by: me] Of course it was obvious to regret the own life style when someone crushed one's throat.

Cover Blurb: [translated by: me] Far off the glamorous world of Hollywood, actress Audra wants to relax close to her family at Lake Michigan. But during her vacation at Trillium Island, she meets Seth Ridley, the love of her life. Hand in hand, they walk along the sea, listen to the rippling of the waves - and kiss passionately in a deep red sunset. Still, Audra does not suspect that Seth believes she is responsible for the acident of his family - and wants to take revenge...

Reason For Reading: Oh well, I didn't believe I could finish Splintered Bones in one more sitting and didn't want to put the book down 40 pages to the end, so I started this one - only to finish this one AND Splintered Bones that night ;)

Comments: Oh well, since you kind of know what to expect I rate those books with the expectation in mind. I can't help it.

With this one I have to say it portrays something many of us have experienced at one point in our lives. You make a mistake and try to change your life, but this is not always easy - which the author showed pretty well.

Actually, when thinking about the characters more carefully, I'd be able to understand them all to a degree. They were not really eccentric, but acted in ways I can imagine many people around me (including me, most certainly!).

Rating: B+

By The Decade Challenge

It's not as if I didn't have enough challenges going for me already, but this one sounded like a lot of fun, so I'm joinin gin somewhat late on the By The Decade Challenge

And I also already made up my list.

1920s Agatha Christie: The Mysterious Affair At Styles (1920)
1930s Agatha Christie: Murder At The Vicarage (1930)
1940s Enid Blyton: The Twins At St. Clares (1941) (read: June 07)
1950s Agatha Christie: 4:50 From Paddington (1957)
1960s Agatha Christie: The Mirror Crack'd (1963)
1970s Charlotte MacLeod: The Family Vault (1979)
1980s Charlotte MacLeod: The Withdrawing Room (1980)
1990s Stephanie Barron: Jane And The Unpleasantness At Scargrave Manor (1996) (read: April 07)
2000s Shirley Damsgaard: Witch Way To Murder (2005) (read: March 07)

Series Challenge (?!?)

As I already announced, I intend to host a challenge for all those of us book addicts who keep starting new series, but hardly ever finish (or at least get up to date) with them. The first post about the challenge is here.

Right now I have at least 63 (rather more, because I'm sure I forgot a series or two) series going and there's no real end for many of those in sight (other than Harry Potter, that is). Be it series with the same characters, the same topic, by the same author...

I was thinking about doing this challenge over 6 months - but with the option for an extension (like another 6 months or so), as I know that 6 months will never be enough for me to finish even a fourth of my series - and I assume I'm not the only one who is in such a situation ;)

I thought about doing the first 6 month (Yes, it sounds as if I'm already planning the extension, huh? LOL) between December 1, 2007 and May 31, 2008.

The basic rules would be:

1. There is no set number of books you have to read, you just have to read the books in order to be all up-to-date with the series.

2. Post your review of the books on your blog, no matter how long.

3. Post a comment here when you have finished a series and when you have finished all the series you wanted to finish for the challenge.

4. Always remember this is for fun!

So, the basic things appear to be set (? if not let me know) - with one big exception, the name! Does anyone have an idea for a name?
I only come up with weird or stupid names (see the title for this post - or "All Those Series Challenge"), but I'd prefer a better one ;)
I'm open for suggestions!

Also, here is an incomplete list of all the series I have going right now...

~~~~~~~~~~

I have been asked whether trilogies and the like would also be okay for this challenge. The Garden Trilogy was mentioned as an example...

Of course they are okay. As long as the books are linked in some way (I know the Garden trilogy - I already read the first two and will maybe read the 3rd for the challenge, actually), I'd consider it a series :-)

my final list for the Classics Challenge

I finally made up my mind about my reading list for the Classics Challenge. It took me a while, but I think I now have it :)

The goal for the Classics Challenge is to read 3-5 classics between July 1 and November 30.

My intended reads are:
Honoré de Balzac - The Girl With The Golden Eyes
Emily Bronte - Wuthering Heights
Theodor Fontane - Frau Jenny Treibel

And my alternates:
Jane Austen - Mansfield Park
Paul Auster - Moon Palace
Victor Hugo - Les Misérables
William Shakespeare - Macbeth

Kitty and The Midnight Hour

Number: 59
Title: Kitty and The Midnight Hour
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Started: June 20, 2007
Finished: June 22, 2007
Pages: 259
Genre: paranormal
ISBN: 0-446-61641-9

Language: English

Where The Book Came From: Ordered it through Amazon.de on one of my book buying sprees (I've had too many lately, I admit it, at least I'm getting a few through Tauschticket now...).

First Sentence: I tossed my backpack in the corner of the studio and high-fived Rodney on his way out.

Cover Blurb: Vampires. Werewolves. Talk Radio.

Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station - and a werewolf in the closet. Sick of lame song requests, she accidentally starts "The Midnight Hour", a late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged.

After desperate vampires, werewolves, and witches across the country begin calling in to share their woes, her new show is a raging success. But it's Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may havebitten off more than she can chew...

Reason For Reading: It was recommended to me and I thought I could use some paranormal. Especially because I can't even remember whether I ever read something about were-animals before...

Comments: I couldn't put this book down, it was so exciting and full of suspense!

Kitty is a DJ and radio show host for the public - and in secrecy, she's also a werewolf, part of a pack. And she is trying her best to keep it secret until one night she gets a call from a listener on air asking her specific questions about life as a supernatural being. While trying to give advice (all without revealing her true identity), her ratings go up and both the alpha male of her pack and Arture, the local vampire Master are not too happy about her popularity.

When on top of that a hired assassin and werewolf hunter is after her, she gets involved with the police. The same cops now ask her for help in a series of unsolved murders, because now that the public is aware of the existence of werewolves and vampired, they think it might have been a werewolf who commited the murders.

I'm still trying to figure out whether it could be considered a (paranormal) mystery series, with this first one simply being dedicated to character development rather than the mystery per se - which added a lot to my rating! - or whether it is a paranormal series.

Favorite Part: The conversation on air about (and later with) Cormac (the werewolf hunter) whether he ever had a relationship with a werewolf.

Miscellaneous: I couldn't put it down even though I was tired last night. I have a sleeping disorder and so I'd normally cherish each and any chance I could get to sleep, but it was just so exciting!

Rating: A-

Shades Of Earl Grey

Number: 58
Title: Shades Of Earl Grey
Author: Laura Childs
Started: June 18, 2007
Finished: June 20, 2007
Pages: 234
Genre: mystery

Where The Book Came From: My TBR stack - now left at XXX books

First Sentence: Scurrying across the Italian marble floor of the Lady Goodwood Inn, Theodosia Browning glanced up at the gleaming painting of the inn's venerable founder and matriarch.

Cover Blurb: Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is finally invited to a social event that she doesn't have to cater - but there's more than champagne bubbling...

Theo is mingling with the cream of Charleston society at the engagemnt soiree of the season. But as they eagerly await the dazzling young couple's arrival, the groom meets with a freak accident. The exquisite wedding ring - a family heirloom from the crown of Marie Antoinette - is mysteriously missing. Theodosia suspects that trouble is brewing. But when she goes to the authorities, they treat her like she's been reading tea leaves - and that's the sures way to put Theodosia's kettle on the boil...

Reason For Reading: It was actually a buddy read in early May, but I didn't get around to read the book until now due to university. Now I have only about 2 - 3 weeks left until the buddy read on the next book in series starts, so I better get this done now!

Comments: Oh my, I should have read this a lot earlier, but with classes I just didn't have the time. Would have been a good idea if I had used this one to relax a bit, though as it was awesome!

I like to see how the characters develop and I also enjoy all the changes that go on with Theodosia's tea shop. This time, she actually has an entirely new line of products going, which sounds intriguing. I have to say - I'd try it as well, if it was available.

Theo's independence is a wonderful aspect. She can do things for the investigation on her own, yet she doesn't strictly refrain from asking people she knows for help in certain things. You can't do it all on your own, I think. Sometimes you need a different point of view in order to see something - maybe an important hint!

Also, I really loved that Jory was back in this book. I missed him in the last one, and this time his appearance satisfied me again :)

I can only say I will read the next one - The English Breakfast Murder - as soon as I can!

Favorite Part: My favorite part was the super-glue attack - and no, I'm not going in depth here, as I would only spoil this scene in case you'd like to read it (and if you already read it you'll most likely remember it).

Miscellaneous: This was supposed to be a buddy read in early May - and I ended up reading it in late June. Umm yes... At least I could finish it before we're going to read the next in series in early July!

Rating: A-

Sister Swap

Number: 57
Title: Sister Swap
Author: Lilian Darcy
Started: June 19, 2007
Finished: June 20, 2007
Pages/Time: 114
Genre: romance

Language: German

Where The Book Came From: it ended up in my family, probably when my Grandma was ill

First Sentence: "Did I understand you right, Mom?" Roxanna asked.

Cover Blurb: [translated be: me] Since Roxanna works at the wonderful country estate in the Toscana, her life is turned upside down. The fascinating Italian Gino di Bartoli courts her so much, she can't resist. But Gino is only looking for an affair - and Roxanna says No...

Reason For Reading: I was in desperate need for some fluff!

Comments: Well, as the English title already says, this book is about a sister swap. Roxanna's twin sister has a problem and can't get back to work in the Toscana, so Roxanna, currently out of a job, goes there in her place.

I usually enjoy those stories set in Italy because the atmosphere there is pretty much unique. You can't find a place like Italy anywhere else on this planet - or that's at least how it seems to me :)

Predictable as romance novels are I had quite some fun reading it and once more didn't get to sleep until I was done (well, maybe it is a good thing I have troubles sleeping at normal times right now ;) ).

Rating: B+