Its been a long time :)

I have been reading this summer... A variety of different books!  I cant believe its been so long since I have updated, but Im happy to report I am over half way to my goal of 52 books this year and I am hoping to be able to exceed.  If I were keeping track of audio books I would probably be even closer.  Getting done at 230 in the afternoon and boycotting a bunch of TV has allowed me to finish quicker and lately Im averaging a book every 2 days.
Here is my list so far and a description of the books I have read lately :)

1.   The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
2.   Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay (so far my favorite book of the year)
3.   A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay
4.   Last Night At Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger
5.   Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
6.   Lock And Key by Sara Dessen
7.   Violets Are Blue by James Patterson
8.   Four Blind Mice by James Patterson
9.   Big Bad Wolf by James Patterson
10. London Bridges by James Patterson
11. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson
12. Mary, Mary by James Patterson
13. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
14. Rescue by Anita Shreeve
15. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
16. Cross by James Patterson
17. Stuck In The Middle - Virginia Smith
18 The Conviction of Nixon by James Reston
19. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larrson
20. Running The Books by Avi Steinberg
21. Double Cross by James Patterson
22. Cross Country by James Patterson
23. The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest by Stieg Larrson
24. I, Alex Cross by James Patterson
25. 10th Anniversary by James Patterson
26. The Abortionists Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde
27. Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani
28. American Wife by Curtis Stittenfield
29. Brava Valentine by Adriana Trigiani
30. My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares
31. Beach Combers by Nancy Thayers


32. Smokin Seventeen by Janet Evanovich
In her usual hilarious prose, Janet Evanovich does not disappoint with her 17th installment of the Stephanie Plum series, Smokin Seventeen.  Here we find Stephanie being pseudostalked by a crazy man wanting to cook for her and the brother of a man she killed trying to kill her.  Vinny is plastering "enhanced" photos on the side of a bus for business promotion and Morellis grandma Bella is putting the Vordo curse on her.  Her interactions with Ranger are great and with Morelli... eh.
Im still secretly pulling for her to end up with Ranger - but I do love a Bad Boy.
As an aside, Im very disappointed with the cast selections for the upcoming movie One For The Money. Seriously... Katherine Heigl as Stephanie?!?!?! Although I do love the choice for Grandma Mazur

33. We All Fall Down by Nic Sheff
I first came across Nic Sheff in his father, David Sheff's book Beautiful Boy.  I followed that with Tweak by Nic Sheff at which time he writes of his own experiences with Meth addiction.  As I read this third installment of his life - I am actually pretty pissed.  It comes out in this book that Nic was lying about his sobriety in Tweak (which he explains in this book he was trying to write).  It comes out he lied about some of the rehab experiences and I overall find him to have typical addict behavior.  He is a whiney, over entitled little brat who swears his life was so horrible... Really Mr. Sheff - GROW UP!  Your life was not nearly that bad (based on your own writings and that of your father).  You are a typical addict who blames the world and expects everyone to bend over backwards to help you, to want to fix you, but when the tough love kicks in, its all everyone elses fault.  I got so sick of the justification of smoking pot and drinking (hey douche, your an addict - its never ok to drink or smoke pot when your "recovering").  I wont be surprised if he lied in this last book as a way to make more money for more drugs.  I feel duped.  I feel like I took his story in, aligned it with my own, trying to understand how an addict really operates (given my own experience with my biological father) and I feel like both them are the same.  They are both liars and addicts who refuse to put their big boy pants on and get the help they know they need.  I understand addiction - I understand its an illness - well if you know you need help - get it. (Okay Im off my soapbox).

34.  Honeymoon by James Patterson
This woman Nora/Olivia is CRAZY!  Bat Shit Crazy!  But I do love some James Patterson and again I am not disappointed.  His books are wonderful summer reads.  Nora is a serial killer and she thinks she is a good one.  The FBI is on to her... But will she be caught??? You'll have to read to find out :)

35. 16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber
This is the first book of the Cedar Cove series.  It follows a judge, her mother, her best friend, their children, and a married couple the judge sees in a divorce case.  The book follows love, loss and recovery and moving on with ones life after tragedy.  It was a sweet book and I do think I will read more of the series.

So this is where I am for the year so far.  I only have 17 books left to make my goal for the year.  If I can keep averaging 4-6 per month I will make it :)  I am having fun exploring other genres of writing besides my usual war/police drama books (although there have been a lot of those).  I thank the library.  I have been downloading books for my Nook from the library and when what I want is not available I try something new.  I have discovered good stories and great writers while keeping up with my favorites.  What is better than getting lost in a good book?!