Highlights: June 2012

I seriously cannot believe June is gone already! Seriously, where did time go?!?!?


Books:
This month I read the following:


June 2012
7th Heaven by James Patterson
Rating: 4/5          Pages: 353           Page Goal: 9,697/15,000
Watch Me by Lauren Barnholdt
Rating: 2/5          Pages: 270           Page Goal: 9,967/15,000
The 8th Confession by James Patterson
Rating: 3/5          Pages: 342           Page Goal: 10,309/15,000
Dart by Phil Rustad
Rating: 3/5          Pages: 295           Page Goal: 10,604/15,000
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
Rating: 5/5          Pages: 373           Page Goal: 10,977/15,000
These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf
Rating: 5/5          Pages: 337           Page Goal: 11,314/15,000
Body Count by P.D. Martin
Rating: 4/5          Pages: 393           Page Goal: 11,707/15,000
Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James
Rating: 4/5          Pages: 546           Page Goal: 12,243/15,000
One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf
Rating: 5/5          Pages: 400           Page Goal: 12,643/15,000

These nine books total 2,946 pages; the most I've read in one month so far this year.

To be honest, I'm so surprised I read this much throughout June! June is never a big month for me to be reading, but somehow it was this year! I felt like the majority of these books were super, super amazing, so they were done in no time!

My favorite book this month is a tie between The Weight of Silence and These Things Hidden. Seriously, if you have not yet read them, get to your local bookstore or download them to your e-reader now! :)


School:
I really only have four assignments left and an exam. Ideally, I would be working ahead...yet my motivation seems to have run away recently. My class is over July 26th, which is good because August in higher ed is the month from hell. It'll be nice to be able to focus on work for a month before classes start again.


Crafts:
I haven't done a lot of crafts lately, as I've obviously spent all my time reading. However, I did cut out fabric for a pattern this past weekend. Hopefully I'll get to sewing on it soon!


Travel:
June was a slower month for travel. The only trip I made was to the Capital city, Bismarck, for a pre-marriage seminar for the Church. It was nice to have some time at home to relax. June's travel plans are crazy, though! I will be going to B-town (hometown) to do some wedding planning around the 4th. The next weekend, I'll be in Wisconsin with Matt's family. The weekend after that, I visit Cleveland for a work conference. I get back from that on a Sunday, and on Monday at 6:30 I leave for Chicago for another work conference. Crazy, huh? I feel like I'm getting to see the entire midwest in one summer...

Personal:
Wedding planning is underway! We're working on our website, and have ordered Save the Dates. Woo hoo!

Future:
Ugh, I'm not really looking forward to the busy month of July, but I'll make the best of it, as it's fast approaching!

Picture:

One of our engagement photos, as taken by Photos by Crystal
If you're in the area, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! :)

So, readers, what were your June 2012 highlights?

Book Review: These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

I promise I did not mean to read quite so much this month. This kind of just...happened. I'm not complaining, but it's certainly unexpected. For example, the other night, I went to wash some fabric. I planned to cut the pattern for a beautiful dress. However, my plans were ruined when I found the washer in use. (I share an apartment with 3 other people, so this happens from time to time). So, I decided to sit down and read "just for a little bit" until the other person was done with the washer.

HA.

Read "just for a little bit"? This was simply not possible after one chapter in Heather Gudenkauf's These Things Hidden. You'll understand; here's the Goodreads summary:

When teenager Allison Glenn is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces whispered rumors every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn--shy, quiet Brynn--who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her. But then Allison is released to a halfway house, and is more determined than ever to speak with her estranged sister. Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.

 

After just two hours reading, I was almost halfway through and completely hooked. This story, much like Gudenkauf's other novel, is told from several points of view. In this case, the readers experience the perceptions of Allison, her sister Brynn, Claire (a local bookstore manager) and Charm (you have to read the novel to discover her role). Chapter after chapter, the horrible past of Allison and her sister Brynn spill out of the pages. The secret held between these sisters and another family in the community is too much for them to bear, especially when the past comes back to haunt them. 

I finished this novel in under 6 hours and was so entranced by it, I pre-ordered Heather Gudenkauf's One Breath Away, in stores June 26th. I highly recommend this for anyone who likes an enticing, exciting read.

Here's where this book has gotten me so far this year:

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

Rating: 5/5

Pages: 337

2012 Reading Goal: 11,314/15,000 (75%!)

Seriously, readers, pick up one of her books. They're incredible! I can't wait to curl up with my Kindle and read One Breath Away. SO. EXCITED! Gudenkauf is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors...

Book Review: The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

You know those books that you read that rocked your world? And how you just want to run around to all of your bookish friends telling them how awesome these books are? And how you look like a nerdish maniac doing so?

I'm going to be that nerdish maniac in these next two posts, because I just read AMAZING books and feel it is my obligation to tell the world about them.

The first one I read has been on my bookshelf for a little under a year now. Based on its description, I figured I would like it, but did not realize I would love it as much as I did. The novel is The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf. Here's the Goodreads summary:

It happens quietly one August morning. As dawn's shimmering light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing in the night. Seven-year-old Calli Clark is sweet, gentle, a dreamer who suffers from selective mutism brought on by tragedy that pulled her deep into silence as a toddler. Calli's mother, Antonia, tried to be the best mother she could within the confines of marriage to a mostly absent, often angry husband. Now, though she denies that her husband could be involved in the possible abductions, she fears her decision to stay in her marriage has cost her more than her daughter's voice.Petra Gregory is Calli's best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli has been heard from since their disappearance was discovered. Desperate to find his child, Martin Gregory is forced to confront a side of himself he did not know existed beneath his intellectual, professorial demeanor. Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets.

 

It sound great, right? It is. The novel is told from several points of view:  Calli, Calli's mother, Deputy Sheriff Louis (who once had a "thing" with Calli's mother), Calli's brother, and Martin Gregory, who is the father of Calli's best friend Petra. The first half of the book is really the back story: what is happening, and what relationships these people have with each other. Memories are spotted throughout. Then, just as that gets a little old, some other events come up and the novel picks up it's pace. The next thing you know, it's done, and you're salivating for more. The plot was addicting and unique. The whole novel you're wondering what is going on and who is responsible. SO. GOOD. It's a little Jodi Picoult-esque, so if you enjoy her writing, give this one a chance. Even if you don't, I'd encourage you to give this one a chance.

Here's where I'm at after this book (which was super fast-paced, BTW):

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

Rating: 5/5

Pages: 373

2012 Reading Goal: 10,977/15,000

Happy Monday, readers!

Book Review: Dart by Phil Rustad

Hello again, readers!

Just playing catch-up on my reviews! You all remember my autographed Christmas goodies? Six months later, I'm just now getting around to them...which is more than I can say for the rest of my book collection...

Anyway, I began reading Dart by Phil Rustad. Here's the Goodreads summary:

Nearing the end of a successful career, Minneapolis homicide detective Dan Neumann was looking forward to retirement and a relaxing summer riding his Harley, woodworking, and writing another textbook on ballistics. But Neumann's leisure plans go up in smoke when law enforcement calls on his expertise to investigate a murder involving a weapon so sophisticated, so lethal, it's never been seen before. Realizing he is up against intelligence and formidable skills equal to his own, Dan pursues the Shooter around the country, determined to crack his last case. Always one step behind the killer, Dan follows an ever-bloodier trail from Alaska to Arizona, murder to murder, enlisting the help of a particularly interesting deputy sheriff along the way. The chase leads to the shores of Lake Superior, whisper-close to the murderer. But is it close enough? And where is the "real justice"?

Rustad is a self-published author who has a strong passion for guns, which is very apparent in this work. I felt as though the talk of guns and ammunition often was more detailed than anything else in the novel. It was a reasonably quick read, but I will admit I had a hard time picking it up after having put it down for a bit. The character development is lacking, but the plot is extremely exciting and fast-paced. For a first, self-published novel, it isn't so bad. I believe I'll be continuing the Dan Neumann mystery series.

Here's where I sit after this novel:
Dart by Phil Rustad
Rating: 3/5
Pages: 295
2012 Reading Goal: 10,604/15,000

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend, readers! :)

Book Review: The 8th Confession by James Patterson

Hi readers!

I apologize for my long absence. Lately I've felt like I'm on a treadmill in life--I'm running and running and really not going anywhere. Hopefully I'll be able to get caught up within the next few weeks, particularly on book reviews.

Somehow, I've found enough time to read, in spite of my busyness. I haven't figured out just how, but I think it has something to do with the bags and bags of coffee grounds I've gone through within the past month or so...

After reading James Patterson's 7th Heaven, I was so excited to continue the Women's Murder Club series. So, I picked up the next book in the series, The 8th Confession. Here's the Goodreads summary:

Someone is killing the richest people in the city - and the Women's Murder Club will pay a high price for hunting him. At the party of the year, San Francisco's most glamorous couple is targeted by a killer - and it's the perfect murder. While Detective Lindsay Boxer investigates the high-profile killings, a saintly street preacher is brutally executed. Reporter Cindy Thomas inquires into this neglected case and discovers the victim may have had very dark secrets.

As the search for two criminals tests the limits of the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay sees sparks fly between Cindy and Lindsay's partner, Detective Rich Conklin. The Club now faces its toughest challenge: Will love destroy all that the four friends have built?

As with all of Patterson's books, this was an extremely quick-moving novel. It captured me from the get-go and didn't let go until the end. With that said, there was some element missing. I wasn't as excited by the story line as I was in 7th Heaven. The choice of weapon, while intriguing, wasn't executed in the story line as I would have liked. To summarize, this one was just "okay," but not near the caliber I've come to expect from Patterson. In fact, this is the first of this series that I am not giving a 4/5 rating to. *sigh* Here's to hoping the 9th one will resume the excitement.


Here's where this book has put me for the year:


The 8th Confession by James Patterson
Rating: 3/5
Pages: 342
2012 Reading Goal: 10,309/15,000 (69% of the way done already. Woot woot!)


Has anyone else read this series? Did anyone else find the 8th novel to be lacking?

Book Review: 7th Heaven by James Patterson

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all having a great week! I'm still working to get caught up on my blog, schoolwork, and work. *sigh* One step at a time, right? I feel like my to-do lists are growing exponentially but my time and motivation are shrinking.

You probably can't tell, either, because this isn't a vlog, but I'm green. With envy. No, seriously. Many of the bloggers I follow went to the BEA conference in New York and they're coming back with tens (some are coming back with 100+) books. I want some! Then I look at my bookshelf and realize I currently have 170 books in my possession that I have yet to read. I feel like a child again--I don't want the books I have, I want to play with someone else's!

Aside from my envy, I'm taking these reviews bit by bit to get caught up. And trying not to read too much. Unfortunately, that's all I'm actually motivated to do.

I recently finished another book in the Women's Murder Club series: 7th Heaven. Here's the summary, courtesy of Goodreads:

The Women's Murder Club faces not one-but two-terrifying cases that may tear it apart. The teenage son of California's ex-governor has mysteriously vanished-and the pressure on Detective Lindsay Boxer to find him is overwhelming. When she finally does get a lead, it's devastating. At the same time, Lindsay and her partner, Rich Conklin, must investigate mysterious fires that are destroying some of San Francisco's most beautiful homes-and leaving their owners dead in the debris. But when Lindsay enlists her friends in the Women's Murder Club to help uncover the arsonist, the blazes suddenly rage much too close to home . . . and the detective's life may go up in flames.

 I'm not a huge series person, but Patterson has me hooked. This novel in particular was extremely juicy. The suspects and victims were intriguing, the drama in Lindsay's life is exciting, and the murders were original. I couldn't put this book down, and devoured it in one morning. For those of you who have started the series, this definitely gives you something to look forward to.


Here are my stats:
7th Heaven by James Patterson
Rating: 4/5
Pages: 353
2012 Reading Goal: 9,697/15,000


Patterson just recently released the 11th novel in the Women's Murder Club series. I'm almost caught up on the series, and hope to be by the release of the 12th one.


Happy Thursday, readers!

Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

Hello readers!

So, you all know that I have this book. It's no secret. And that I've read it. I was originally not going to review it, as it didn't receive super high marks from me and isn't exactly a genre I normally review. However, I've received a significant amount of feedback from friends, coworkers, and readers that they would love to hear my review, so here it is...

The book, of course, is EL James' Fifty Shades of Grey. Here's the Goodreads description:


When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

As many of you know, this erotic romance came about as Twilight fanfiction...which leaves me, as a non-Twilight fan, wondering What the hell happens in Twilight that a BDSM erotic romance is a spin-off?!?!?! Aside from that weird connection for me, this is my review:

There's definitely a buzz about this work. Is it warranted? Women from all over the nation are dying to get their hands on a novel about a young romance involving punishment and torture of a young woman for the sheer pleasure of both parties. Needless to say, this isn't my type of novel. I think what most women are finding is that this doesn't fall into their regular genre. For some of them, it excites them--maybe they've never read an erotic romance or Harlequin before and are deeply intrigued. Some of them, instead, are finding they hated it and this isn't their genre.


I don't believe the author is too in-depth with her descriptions, so it isn't an awfully scary erotic romance if you're looking to start reading the genre. However, some of the events are beyond unrealistic, both in the bedroom and out. James does a fabulous job, though, with creating her characters, and that's where the interest from most readers lies. Her character development is wonderful, albeit a little YA-inspired. Bottom line? Would I recommend it? Yeah, if it's something you've been dying to read. I will be continuing the trilogy (I'm terrible about needing to finish something I start), but do not find it necessary to pay full price again for the rest of the books.


Here's my stats for this novel:
Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James
Rating: 3/5
Pages: 514
2012 Reading Goal: 9,344/15,000


Happy Tuesday, readers!