2016 Goals:
Read 100 books FAILED! Hard to make up for 2 bad months
Read 15 magazines TOTALLY FAILED
Keep purchases under $300 for year. FAILED (but better than last year).
Complete 5 series already started in 2015 FAILED - got 3 done!
Complete all ebooks/audiobooks purchased 2010 and earlier (30) FAILED
Series Completed
3
Magazines TBR: 13
Read: 4
2016 Purchases TBR: 113
Read: 6 Total: $360.86
Ebooks/Audiobooks 2010 & earlier Total Done: 8
January
1. 3/5
When Elves Attack - Tim Dorsey (audio)
Funny, I would call it a guy beach read
2. 5/5
The Adventurers - William Stuart Long
It's amazing that Australia flourished with the crooks vying for dominance.
3. 5/5
Fatally Flaky - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)
4. 2/5
The Big Kitty - Claire Donally
Cozy, So so for me. I think others would like this.
5. 5/5
Dark Corners - Ruth Rendell (audio)
Very good, but Carl needed to be knocked upside the head.
6. 3/5
Cat in Alphabet Soup - Carol Nelson Douglas
Anthromorphed cat. Strong women characters in this cozy.
7. 2/5
Gods of War - Christopher Stasheff, ed.
Some stories were good. Multiple authors writing from central theme.
8. 4/5
Murder To Go - Chloe Kendrick
Cozy murder mystery featuring food truck.
9. 5/5
His Majesty's Dragon - Naomi Novik (audio)
Excellent story! Love it. Will listen to more in this series.
10. 3/5
Crunch Time - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)
Good story, but not phenomenal.
11. 3/5
Dragon's Eye - Christopher Stasheff ed.
Good stories. Some excellent. Dragon theme stories written by different authors.
12. 5/5
Hero's Guide To Saving Your Kingdom - Christopher Healey (audio)
This is HILARIOUS! I hope the next audio is as good!
13. 3/5
Eyeshine - Cy Wyss
Paranormal cozy - woman turns into cat at night. Investigates local crime.
14. 3/5
Honeysuckle Hotel - Rose Pressey (audio)
Good, but a little padded.
15. 5/5
The Colonists - William Stuart Long (Vivian Stuart)
Another excellent historical fiction adventure.
16. 5/5
The Whole Enchilada - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)
Good mystery. Doesn't have the padding that was in prior book.
17. 4/5
Dark Holidays - John Kendrick Bangs ed. (audio)
Ghost stories - good, but some were very excellent!
18. 4/5
The Mummer's Curse - Gillian Roberts
Good mystery featuring Mummer's parade details. ALMOST a 5.
19. 4/5
The Bluest Blood - Gillian Roberts
Another good mystery, with fraud and ID switch going on.
20. 3/5
Helen Hath No Fury - Gillian Roberts
Good mystery, but lacks spark of her earlier books.
21. 3/5
See Jane Score - Rachel Gibson (audio)
Read decade ago. Good romance, I'm just not into romance anymore.
22. 4/5
Rogue - J.T. Vaydensen
New Author, Great introductory book!
23. 4/5 The Big Dolores - Michael Avallone
What's a private eye to do when even his clients are trying to kill him?
24. 5/5
Hero's Guide to Storming The Castle - Christopher Healy
Another great story - search for a sword
25. 4/5
Diabetes For Dummies (4th ed)- Alan L. Rubin MD
Great book for someone newly diagnosed or family member.
26. 4/5
To Your Scattered Bodies Go - Philip Jose Farmer (audio)
Excellent. First book of series.
27. 5/5
Starship: Mutiny - Michael Resnick (audio)
Relisten before listening to remaining series. Great military scifi with humor
28. 4/5
Free Range Knitter - Stephanie Pearl-Mcfee
29. 5/5
The Gallant - William Stuart Long
Book 8 of the Australians. Fabulous! Can't believe this series is still strong!
30. 4/5
Star Soldier - Vaughn Heppner
1st book of series involving human superbeings vs. strangulating politicians.
31. 3/5
The Toaster Oven Mocks Me - Steve Margolis
Autobiography of a man who has synesthesia - sees letters with colors.
32. 4/5
Claire and Present Danger - Gillian Roberts
Amanda & McKenzie's first PI case.
33. 5/5
Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw - Christopher Healy (audio)
3rd book - hilarious. I'm sad it's over!!
34. 5/5
The Gold Seekers - William Stuart Long
Australia Gold rush and the damage it did.
35. 4/5
Loose 200 Pounds This Weekend - Don Aslett
Not as good as his 1st 3 books, but inspiring to declutter!
36. 2/5
Dragon Lords World - Michelle Pillow
Really poor showing. Last that I will read from this author.
37. 4/5
The Cat Who Played Brahms - Lilian Jackson Braun (audio)
Another wonderful story. A vacation in the country is fraught with death!
38. 4/5
Murder in Moscow - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain
Good story, but some parts annoying.
39. 5/5
Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie (audio)
40. 5/5
Uprooted - Naomi Novik
Well paced fantasy story; completely different from Temaraire series.
41. 5/5
The Empire Builders - William Stuart Long (Vivian Stuart)
Another riveting story - this time set during the beginning of the Maori Wars in NZ.
42. 3/5
What An Earl Wants - Shirley Karr
Regency romance - implausible but rather funny.
43. 4/5
Til The End of Tom - Gillian Roberts
Was he murdered or was it just an accident?
44. 3/5
A Hole in Juan - Gillian Roberts
A teacher is a victim of pranks.
45. 4/5
All's Well That Ends - Gillian Roberts
Sasha's step-mother dies by her hand or someone else's?
46. 5/5
Murder She Did - Gillian Roberts
Series of short stories; loved all but one.
47. 5/5
The Seafarers - William Stuart Long
Lots of ocean going in this story. Lot of action going on too!
48. 4/5
The Vampire's Mail Order Bride - Kristen Painter (audio)
49. 3/5
The Nationalists - William Stuart Long
Boer War in Africa. This book dragged.
50. 4/5
Flight of the Ferryman - William Rice
Good book in desperate need of a good editor.
51. 4/5
Bite Me If You Can - Lyndsay Sands (audio)
Funny vampire romance. Series getting a bit formulaic.
52. 3/5
The Accidental Vampire - Lyndsay Sands (audio)
It was a good, but not a great story. Uncle Lucien romance.
53. 4/5
The Imperialists - William Stuart Long
Last book in series. Boer Wars; New Guinea
54. 3/5
Star Born - Andre Norton (audio)
I had trouble warming up to this book, although it picked up later.
55. 3/5
The Werewolf Meets His Match - Kristen Painter (audio)
It was an ok story; some humor -not as snappy as the first book
56. 5/5
Under Wraps - Hannah Jayne
Funny, funny, funny. Loved this offbeat paranormal
57. 2/5
Mew is for Murder - Clea Simpson
Cats, music, journalist all come together when an old cat woman is found dead.
58. 5/5
Aeronaut's Windlass - Jim Butcher (audio)
Fabulous story. Loved it! Can hardly wait for the next book!
59. 5/5
Thrillers: Stories to Keep You Up At Night - James Patterson, ed. (audio)
60. 1/5
How to Live on 24 Hours a Day - Arnold Bennett
I read half the book. What a waste.
61. 2/5
Disengaged - Beth Orsoff (audio)
Billed as a funny romance. Romance yes, humor no
62. 1/5
Fellowship of the Frog - Edgar Wallace
Detective Noir - gave up halfway through.
63. 3/5
Grand Finale - Janet Evanovich (audio)
Funny implausible romance.
64. 3/5
Soul Music - Terry Pratchett (audio)
Plot too convoluted for me.
65. 4/5
Below Stairs - Margaret Powell (audio)
Memoir of a 1920 cook in England
66. 2/5
Alien Sex - Ellen Datlow ed.
Only 3 of the stories were good IMHO. A couple lukewarm, the rest, eh.
67. 4/5
Florida Straits - Laurence Shames (audio)
Investigator is a former New York gangster. Slightly humorous.
68. 2/5
Sweet Talk - Susan Mallory (audio)
The romance was fine. Unrealistic sister reunion. Lack of law knowledge.
69. 4/5
Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off - Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (audio)
Funny book on knitting and knitters
70. 3/5
The End of The Affair - Graham Greene (audio)
Colin Firth's narration makes this book tolerable (not a fan of non-action books).
71. 4/5
Desperate Housedogs - Sparkle Abbey (audio)
Funny and didn't go to the dogs.
72. 5/5 Interesting Times - Terry Pratchett (audio)
Loved it. Rincewind survives again!
73. 3/5 Vampires Are Forever - Lynsay Sands (audio)
Kindof a filler book. I was a bit disappointed.
74. 5/5 Good News, Bad News - Maggie Groff (audio)
Loved this mystery set in Australia.
75. 4/5
The Time Machine - H G Wells (audio)
76. 5/5
The Forgotten - David Baldacci
Top notch thriller. I'll read more from author!
77. 4/5
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary - M R James (audio)
Some ghost stories were excellent, some were just so so. Published 1904.
78. 2/5
Die Snow White, Die Damn You - Yuri Rasovsky
Funny, but kindof in a mean way. Fortunately, short.
79. 1/5
The Long Quiche Goodbye - Avery Aames
80. 5/5
The Island - Michael Stark
Apocolyptic - the cover is misleading. Yes, there is a dragon. Briefly.
81. 3/5
Charming - Elliot James (audiobook)
Urban fantasy. It was an ok book.
82. 5/5
Maskerade - Terry Pratchett (audiobook)
So very funny. Witches and Opera.
83. 4/5
Vampire, Interrupted - Lynsay Sands (audiobook)
Marguarite's story. Some humor.
84. 2/5 Cricket on the Hearth - Charles Dickens (audiobook)
85. 2/5 Christmas Classics - O Henry (audio)
I didn't follow this story well. Better second time
86. 5/5
Pilgrimage to Hell - James Axler (audio)
87. 5/5
All You Need is Kill - Hiroshi Sakurazaka (audio)
Another military scifi winner for me!
Book Rating/Comments:
1: Awful, or did not finish
2: So, so, or not to my taste
3: Good book
4: Very good book; possible reread.
5: Wonderful book! A keeper.