September & October Reading List

Greetings Humble Readers! Okay, so I'm a bit behind. I missed posting my September reading list because of our vacation, and then November just kind of snuck up on me. Over the last couple of months, I have become addicted to a new-ish teen series... and have found a couple of new authors that I'm stoked about. I'm up to 50 books towards the Book Challenge, and no where near the 100 I predicted. Oh well... still some great reads! Maybe next year I will make a better prediction on how much I will read.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (5 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) - Wow! You know how the Twilight series is getting all the press these days for teen fiction? Well, I can honestly say that Hunger Games is by far the best teen fiction I have ever read! A blend of sci-fi futuristic-ness and well crafted adventure, this series will appeal to both boys and girls. The Capitol uses the annual Hunger Games to keep the twelve districts in line. Every district must send two competitors, chosen by lottery, to battle for their lives inside the arena that the gamemakers control. Katnis and Peeta, the representatives from District 12, are the dark horses in the competition, and must work together if they want to last even one day inside the arena. Victory equals food, comfort, and ease for their families... losing equals death. Sooooo good! (And not a vampire or werewolf in sight!)

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (5 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) - Ok, so you just read what I think of Hunger Games? Well, this is the follow-up to it. I don't want to give too much away here, but let's just say that the Capitol's hold on the Districts is weakening and rebellion is brewing! Katnis and Peeta are the faces of the rebellion and the Capitol is not pleased! Very well written, engaging, and I am dying for the third book in the series (not out until next year!).
Alana... you must read these! No ifs, ands, or buts!

Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jefferies (4 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) - This book would fall into the trashy smut category. I think it's the last book in the School for Heiresses series... I think. Good time wasting reading! While all the other stories in the series are about the students and their adventures in finding husbands, this one is about the headmistress. The thing that I loved about this book is that you finally get to find out who the mysterious Cousin Michael is. Fun and a quick read!

The Eight by Katherine Neville (2 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) - I really looked forward to reading this one. The tale of Charlemagne's chess set, rumoured to destroy any one who played with it... it is a quest story a la the Davinci Code or the Labyrinth. For centuries the set was hidden by the church, but to protect it from a power-hungry archbishop, a nun separates it and scatters it across Europe. Present day power-mongers are on the hunt for it, and there is only one person who can truly bring the set back together. I had heard lots of great things about this book, but honestly I was bored to death.

The Pages In Between by Erin Einhorn ( 4 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) - I will admit that I am not quite finished this one. It's my 'break' book at work, so it't taking me a while to get through. That being said I am loving it! It's the memoir of a young woman on a search to find the Polish family that hid her mother as a child during the holocaust. Relying on just scant information she was able to get from her mother before she passed away, Erin seeks out the remaining members of her mother's foster family. But, instead of a fairy tale ending with happy reunions, she finds that her mother's memories were those of a young child, coloured by the pain of losing the only family she had ever known. She also finds a property dispute that goes back more than 60 years. It just goes to show that family stuff is never cut and dried. There are always secrets, there are always other ways to remember how things happened.

Extreme Vinyl Cafe by Stuart McLean (3 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) - I want to preface this by saying I love Stuart McLean's work... usually. For my readers south of the border, think of Garrison Keilor minus the Lutheran references. McLean is a CBC radio personality, who tells the funniest stories about Dave, Morley, their kids, and their community (a neighbourhood in Toronto). For those who haven't read or heard it, you have to check out "Dave Cooks the Turkey" sometime before Christmas. You will be crying from laughing so hard. All that said, I was greatly disappointed with his new book. There wasn't even one story that really made me chuckle. Two of the stories weren't new at all, I was familiar with them from his audio books. I bought the book soley because I was jazzed about it being a new Vinyl Cafe book. I was just very disappointed.

Valley of Horses by Jean Auel (4 out of 5 hobbit toes) - The second in the Earth's Children series (the first was Clan of the Cave Bear), I have always enjoyed this book. This is my 6th or 7th time through it, and I love it as much as I did the first time I read it. It follows the journeys of Ayla, now on her own, bannished from the Clan and Jondalar, a man of the Others. Ayla's journey is one of discovery, as she learns to live on her own and debates seeking out the people she was born to. Jondalar's journey is to follow his brother to the end of the Great Mother river. Ayla and Jondalar are destined for each other, and are brought together through tragedy. My only complaint about this book is that the author spends a lot of time in flashbacks, repeating the same elements over and over.

Love Comes Softly by Jannette Oke (4 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) - I have a soft spot for this series. It's pretty tame, very similar to Little House and other prairie stories like it. Marty, a young widow, marries Clark out of convenience. She needs a home, his daughter needs a mother. Marty must learn how to live on the prairie, with few neighbours, and fewer conveniences. Her first attempt at baking biscuits results in black lumps that even the dog won't eat. In an effort to clean their cabin, she ends up destroying the chinking between the logs. As she becomes more comfortable in her new home, she finds that she is also becoming more comfortable as Clark's wife. It's a sweet story, albeit with too happy an ending. Something fun and quick to read on a Sunday afternoon.

So, humble readers... besides blogs, what are you reading these days?

August Reading List

This month's collection is my usual mix of random fiction, with a memoir and a couple of beloved authors thrown in for good measure, and some reading to prep for our trip to New York. Another 7 books toward my Book Challenge Goal (now at 42, on my way to 100!).


Benny & Shrimp - Katarina Mazott (4 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) This little novel was a fun and unique read. Translated from its original Swedish, it can be a bit challenging at times to sort out what is meant, but it was a touching read. Chronicling the love story of a determined bachelor farmer and a young widowed librarian, it is a commentary on how opposites really do attract. Benny is a no nonsense dairy farmer, trying to eke out a humble living in a world of large corporate farms. Shrimp is a beige librarian, still mourning the death of a husband she married for convenience, not for love. Humourous and heartbreaking, it was not what I was expecting when I first read the back of the book, but I'm glad I read it. There is an interesting twist at the end that is making me wish the follow-up book had been translated too!

Julie & Julia - Julie Powell (4 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) I read this because I was planning on seeing the movie shortly after finishing it. I still haven't seen the movie, but I'm glad I read the book and am looking forward to her new book coming out in the fall. Since most everyone is fully aware of the concept behind the book I won't go into that. I will say though, she is one heck of a brave lady, cooking some of that stuff. Gelees, aspics, and other things that I think you really have to be French to appreciate. I have always thought that I was a pretty adventurous cook, but I don't anticipate spending time in Ms. Child's cookbooks.

Bride in the Bargain - Deeanne Gist (3.5 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) This author is one of my favourite fluffy authors who write for the Christian fiction market. Her books don't preach and you learn something about regional history from her stories. While not a literary heavy-weight, her style is enjoyable and eminently readable. This story, about a girl who accepts a place on Asa Mercer's bride ship heading from Boston to Seattle just after the Civil War is surrounded in historical truth. Widowed and orphaned women purchased passage to the Washington territory with the promise that they would marry one of the many single men living in that lonely frontier. Anna, determined never to marry, agrees to go to be a cook for a lumber team. Joe is going to lose his claim on his land unless he finds a wife. Thus begins a comedy of errors, misunderstandings, and ultimately a sweet little romance. It was a quick read, done in an afternoon. Fun and light.

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows - JK Rowling (6 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) I love this book. This was, surprisingly, only my second time reading it. I read it in a day and a half when it first came out, and then I never went back to it. This time through I caught so many more details and intricate weavings of the plot. I bawled at the death of one of my favourite characters and again as Harry was walking into the Forbidden Forest at the end. I love the interweaving of the Hallows with the Horcruxes, and how ultimately love triumphs over evil. I will say, though, in my mind there is one detail that could have brought the story completely full circle. Imagine, at the end, in the epilogue... when Harry is putting his sons on the Hogwarts Express, he looks up and sees Dudley (looking extremely uncomfortable) walking down the platform with his own child in Hogwarts robes. Can you imagine Uncle Vernon's reaction to discovering that his own grandchild was a witch or wizard? Priceless! Like I said, that's how it ends in my mind.

Galore - David Crummley (4 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) This is a new author for me, but I'm really glad that I came across his work. Not many people set novels in Newfoundland, and certainly hardly any of those would set it in the distant past, when the isolated island was still being settled. Irish, Welsh, and west country English all collide in this story that starts with the 'birth' of a mute albino from a beached whale. Wrapped up in medieval superstition, the life of this little community is full of characters and odd stories. A defrocked priest on the hunt for a way to exorcise the ghost of the husband of his mistress, a doctor who falls in love with one of his patients as he is pulling all her teeth out, a family curse passing from generation to generation, and an epic love story are all interwoven among tales of sunken fishing boats and feuding clans. Odd, entertaining, and thought-provoking... I am definitely going to read more from this author.

The White Queen - Philippa Gregory (4.5 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) A new Philippa Gregory book! Need I say more? Ok, I will. I love her books and this one was great. The first in a new series, this book chronicles the life of Elizabeth, wife of Edward of York in the midst of the War of the Roses. I find it interesting how different authors portray historical figures differently. Gregory focusses on Elizabeth's relationships... her relationship with her husband as opposed to her relationship with her mother, and her relationship with her "Grey" sons (from her first marraige) and the sons she has with Edward. Gregory also deals with the mystery of the Princes of the Tower with a bit of a different angle than usual. I loved it, and am now anxious for the next in the series.

New York City Day by Day - Frommers I'm not going to rate this one until after our trip, because I want to see how helpful it really is. BUT... I will say that at this point I'm really excited about some of the options that it gives. Walking tours of different neighbourhoods, attractions that are close together and how long it should ideally take to go through the different museum, etc. It's also given me some ideas for things that I want to do if we have time.

July's Reading List

Ok... only two days late, here it is! July's reading list is just as varied as usual. Cavemen, British royals, Pugs, time travelers, polygamists, and the Stones. Like I said, varied. I'm up to 35 for the Book Challenge and I'm beginning to think that I was a tad over confident. One hundred books is going to be a real stretch.

Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict - Laurie Rigler (3 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) The sequel to the bestselling Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, it was funny but just not as good as the first. The premise, that a woman from regency England has somehow miraculously traded places with a woman from present day Los Angeles, causes one to have to suspend disbelief in certain things. But the funny parts (imagine someone from the 1800s encountering our technology, our vehicles, our foundation garments!) made it a fun read.

Clan of the Cavebear - Jean Auel (4 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) I had read and re-read this series ages ago. But a while back I saw a documentary about how europeans may have come to north america as early as 17000 years ago, and it put me in mind of the series. The story of an abandoned little girl taken in by a clan of cave men, it is an interesting read. The rise of 'modern man' set against the decline of the cave man is intriguing and the storyline definitely pulls you along. My only frustration with the series as a whole is that it's not complete. I waited ten years for book 5, and it's now been 7 years since and I'm still waiting for book 6.

Stone Me: The Wit and Wisdom of Keith Richards - Mark Blake (5 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) Pardon the pun, but this book totally rocked! I will confess to not being a big fan of the Stones, but I have always been fascinated by their incredible popularity. This book is a collection of quotes from the always blunt, always irreverent, almost always high Keith Richards. His thoughts on Mick, on drugs, on faith, and even on his family... all hysterical.

The 19th Wife - David Ebershoff (4.5 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) All I can say is wow! A tremendously powerful story, based in historical fact. Two parallel stories, one present day, one set in the 1800s at the birth of the Mormon church, are entwined. Both stories deal with polygamy and the affect is has on the women and children involved... even on the men involved. One part murder mystery, two parts family drama. Historical figures become full-blooded characers, and they really make you ponder how they came to live these incredibly bizarre lives. Without going into my opinions on Mormon theology, I have to say this book was completely fascinating in that it provides a glimpse into what life might be like within the polygamst sects that stil exist. Well written and creative in style and format, I think that anyone who picks up this book will be hard pressed to put it down!


A Rose For the Crown - Anne Easter Smith (4 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) The first in a series (that I mistakenly read the second book in first) about the War of the Roses, in the 1400s. Told from the perspective of the mistress of Richard of Gloucester, who later became King Richard III. Traditionally believed to have been one of Britain's more notorious royals, it is assumed that he was responisble for the deaths of his nephews (known as the Boys in the Tower). This novel takes a different stance. He's portrayed as a man who is thrust into a position of power, who struggles to know who he can trust, and is ultimately decieved by those he relies on. It was a great read, and the author really did a great deal of research and made it really accessible. If you like British historical fiction, you've got to check this one out.

It's Not That I'm Bitter - Gina Barreca (3 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) This collection of humourous essays was a fun read, most of the time. All dealing with life as a woman in North America in the 21st century, most were funny to the point of making me laugh out loud in the lunch room. Some of my favourites had to do with swimsuit shopping and how women are hard wired to start their Christmas preparations in July... Pretty hillarious. As with all collections like this, there are a few duds, but over all, a fun read.

Barron's Dog Bible: Pugs - Dan Rice (4 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) I know that not everyone is going to be looking for a book about pugs, but I have to say that I strongly recommend this series to anyone considering getting a new dog. Written by a vet and pug owner, I felt like I was getting an honest appraisal of what it means to own and care for a pug. It didn't sugar coat some of the cons (shedding, respiratory issues, etc) and didn't over do the praises of the breed. After reading this book, I really feel like I know what I would be getting into if we decide to go that direction.

June's Reading List

You'd think that being on vacation, I would have been able to read more this month. But no, just another 5. :( My total for the book challenge is now up to 28. I've got a long long way to go if I'm going to hit 100 by the end of the year. This month's selections are fairly random... a couple trashy romances, one that was a huge disappointment, and some fun re-reading.

Virgin's Secret - Victoria Alexander (2 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) This book really bogged me down. It falls into the trashy romance category, but it was a real slog! A young woman is out to clear her brother's reputation as an archeologist by finding the relic that he died for. In the process, she teams up with an honour-driven younger son of a noble family. Honestly, I wish I was the type of person who could just toss a book aside when I get bored. It would save me a lot of time.

Shanghai Girls - Lisa See (4 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) Loved this book! Like her other books, it did have it's slow moments, but Lisa See more than makes up for that with her rich descriptive talent... she paints pictures with words that shimmer and glow with life and realism. This story follows two sisters from Shanghai, who are forced into marraiges to pay off their father's gambling debts. From the beginning of the Japanese invasion of China in 1937 to the dropping of the 'bamboo curtain' in the 1950s, it follows the struggles of sisters, Pearl and May. Their escape to America, their life in the newly developing Chinatown in Los Angeles, living under the shadow of suspicion, and trying to find where they belong in an age of communist witch hunts and great prejudice. The only thing I have against this book was that it left me wanting more!

Beware A Scot's Revenge - Sabrina Jeffries (4 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) Another for the trashy romance novel category, but this one was great! It's part of Jeffries' School for Heiresses series. Fun, funny, sexy, and well-written, this was a great read! A regency romance full of all those things that make regency romances fun. The virtuous young woman, with too much curiousity for her own good... a misunderstood rogue who only wants justice... a kidnapping run amok... and a long-standng feud between noble families. Yummy! Jeffries is probably my favourite regency romance novelist, and I lurve this series!

Last Summer of You and Me - Anne Brashares (2 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) This was the major disappointment for the month. I love Brashares teen works, but this one was just blech! Targetted to the now grown up fans of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants series, it is a peak in on the relationships between three young adults (two sisters, and the young man who lives next door) at their beach homes on Fire Island. The young man is best friends with the older sister, but in love with the younger. All through their teen years, he forces himself to deny his feelings in what he thinks is a great sacrifice for his friendship. But finally he gives in and he and the younger sister begin a covert relationship, albeit a short-lived one. When the older sister develops a terminal illness, and asks that it be kept secret, the younger sister breaks the young man's heart. OK, so it was so blah that I can't even remember the character's names. Brashare's writing style was so altered from her usual that it was distracting. I think she lived in her thesaurus for the first third of the book... the bigger, more complex a word could be the more she used it. I'm glad she went back to writing teen fiction after this one... it's obviously where she excells.

Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling (5 out of 5 hairy hobbit-toes) Of course, I am a fan of Harry Potter, and of course I had to re-read HBP in preparation for the release of the movie next month. I hadn't read this one for more than a year, so it was nice to slip back into the realms of muggles and wizards. While it's not my favourite in the series (that honour goes to Order of the Pheonix), HPB is great on so many levels. Things that have been hinted at for the past five books now become fully known, and the extent of Voldemort's evil is revealed. What exactly is Draco Malfoy up to? Where is Dumbledore going when he leaves the school for days at a time? Who is the Half-Blood Prince? Where do Snape's loyalties really lie? Heart-rending (I was bawling again this morning as I read the final chapters) and action-packed, I can't wait to see how it's interpretted for the big screen.

Of course, now I really really want to re-read Deathly Hallows, but I don't want to do that until after I see the movie because I don't want to get the storylines messed up in my head.

May's Reading List

Ok, so I'm a couple days late on this one... It was a busy weekend at work (Double Discount Days) and I have been doing a small battle with some allergies. I know, I know... that's what I get for whining about winter dragging on so long.

May was another eclectic mix of titles. Teen fiction, a classic, the fantabulous Miss Mel's book, and a great late victorian puzzler... As of the end of May, I am now at 23 titles out of 100 for the Book Challenge.

• Distant Waves - Suzanne Weyn: (3 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) Set at the beginning of the spiritualism movement in the early 20th century, the story centers around the daughters of a fraudulent medium. The family, after an unexpected encounter with an under-appreciated scientist named Tesla, moves to a community of spiritualists in upstate New York. The girls are raised surrounded by mystics (or at least those who claim to be), and the older two long to break free from their strange life. Events unfold to bring them, on separate paths, to England in the spring of 1912. One sister is destined to participate in an experiment that will change the world, another destined to find true love. I found the book a little rushed, especially in the latter half of the story. One very interesting element to the book though, was that the author included historical notes in the end... so that readers could sift through what was historically based and what was created for the story.
  

• Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen: (5 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) The epitome of regency romance... Lizzie and Mr. Darcy, falling in love despite the barbed wit of each. Who was prideful? Who was prejudiced? Will the nasty Mr. Collins ever shut up? I get goosebumps at the same point in the book every time I read it (when Lizzie receives Mr. Darcy's letter). *sigh*
  

• Great and Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray: (4 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) Hearkening back to the great gothic novels of the 1800s, the story of Gemma and her friends, who discover they can enter the magical realms, is dark and brooding. What begins as innocent exploration of their newly acquired powers soon becomes something sinister as they accidentally release a long trapped dark entity. Do the girls have the power to overcome that which now hunts them? I thought the story was great, albeit a little cliched at points. I also felt that the girls had a much more modern outlook on their lives than what would be expected for the chosen time period. Still, I can definitely see the appeal for teen girls.
  

• Navigating the Land of IF - Melissa Ford: (5 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) First and foremost I want to thank Mel for writing this book. It is a tremendous step forward to read an IF book written by someone who has been there. The format of a travel guide is fabulous, and with her natural ease and humour, the book was by far the most interesting and easiest to read of any in this genre that I have encountered. I loved all the asides and extras included in each chapter. I think, especially for those new to the world of IF, this is a must read... and a great tool for all of us to help understand what others on this road are facing.
  

• The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton: (4.5 out of 5 hairy hobbit toes) What a fascinating book! In 1913, a small girl is found on a dock in Australia, having been abandoned on board before the ship ever left England. All she has with her is a small suitcase filled with some clothes and a beautifully illustrated book of fairy tales. She's taken in by the dockmaster and his wife and raised as their own. On her 21st birthday she learns that she isn't who she thinks she is. After several decades, she finally feels that it's time to search for her true identity. The story bounces back and forth between three continents, and spans an entire century. What is the secret hiding in the maze at Blackhurst Manor? Who is the Authoress? What is the bond that holds cousins, Rose and Eliza, together? Warning: Do not read this book if you like a linear story line, or if you easily lose track of characters. Morton switches up time periods and points-of-view with each chapter, but the over all effect definitely adds to the mystery. Also interspersed are some intriging fairy tales... One other interesting aspect to this story: one of the characters struggles with infertility. There are some passages documenting her grief over her 'failure' that could be taken from the pages of my heart. There were moments as I was reading where I actually caught my breath at the understanding the author has for 'our' plight.
  

The Book Challenge - 2009

Kristin over at Dragondreamer's Lair is hosting a reading challenge for 2009. I'm a little late jumping on the bandwagon, but I have tracked the books I've read since February (check out my monthly reading lists).

I tend to read primarily fiction, and lately a lot of teen fiction. I do enjoy a good biography from time to time.

My goal for 2009 is to read 100 books. It's going to be a stretch considering I'm averaging only five books a month right now, but I'm going to work on turning the tv off and spending more time reading.

So, here's my list so far...

• Miscarriage by Henry Learner (January)
• I Can Make You Thin by Paul McKenna (January)
  
• Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir (February)
  
• Princess Diaries Collection by Meg Cabot (February)
• Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (February)
• A Harlequin novel that will remain unnamed (February)
• Sweetness At the Bottom of the Pie by Allen Bradley (February)
• Three Willows by Ann Brashares (March)
• The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein (March)
• Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (March)
• Mutiny on the Bounty by John Boyne (March)
• It Sucked and then I Cried by Heather Armstrong (March)
• Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty (April)
• Angels & Demons by Dan Brown (April)
• Shut Up, You're Fine by Andrew Hudgins (April)
• Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox (April)
• Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson (April)
• Eight Little Faces by Kate Gosselin (April)
• Distant Waves by Suzanne Weyn (May)
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (May)
• Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (May)
• Navigating the Land of If by Melissa Ford (May)

I post my monthly reading lists (with reviews) at the end of each month. My to-read list is over there to the left.

Book Challenge 2009 Update

Kristin at Dragondreamer's Lair instituted a Book Challenge for 2009. I signed up a little late (in April) and set a goal of 100 books. In ages past, 100 books in a year would not have been a challenge at all, however these days... well, let's just say I'm way behind. I will update here as I finish books. I read mostly fiction, with some biographies and teen titles thrown in for good measure. Check out my monthly reading lists for reviews.

Here's to turning off the tv and openning a good book!

1 - Miscarriage by Henry Learner
2 - I Can Make You Thin by Paul McKenna
3 - Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir
4 - Princess Diaries Collection by Meg Cabot
5 - Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
6 - A Harlequin novel that will remain unnamed
7 - Sweetness At the Bottom of the Pie by Allen Bradley
8 - Three Willows by Ann Brashares
9 - The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein
10 - Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
11 - Mutiny on the Bounty by John Boyne
12 - It Sucked and then I Cried by Heather Armstrong
13 - Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty
14 - Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
15 - Shut Up, You're Fine by Andrew Hudgins
16 - Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox
17 - Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson
18 - Eight Little Faces by Kate Gosselin
19 - Distant Waves by Suzanne Weyn
20 - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
21 - Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
22 - Navigating the Land of If by Melissa Ford
23 - Virgin's Secret by Victoria Alexander
24 - Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
25 - Beware A Scot's Revenge by Sabrina Jeffries
26 - Last Summer of You and Me by Anne Brashares
27 - Harry Potter & The Half-blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
28 - Forgotten Garden by Kate Morten
29 - Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Rigler
30 - Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
31 - Stone Me: the Wit & Wisdom of Keith Richards by Mark Blake
32 - The 19th Wife by David Ebersoff
33 - A Rose for the Crown by Anne Easter Smith
34 - It's Not That I'm Bitter by Gina Barreca
35 - Barrons Dog Bible: Pugs by Dan Rice
36 - Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti
37 - Julie & Julia by Julie Powell
38 - Bride in the Bargain by Deanne Gist
39 - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
40 - Galore by David Crummey
41 - The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
42 - New York City Day By Day from Frommers
43 - Love Comes Softly by Jannette Oke
44 - Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
45 - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
46 - Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jeffries
47 - The Eight by Katherine Neville
48 - Extreme Vinyl Cafe by Stuart Mclean
49 - The Pages In Between by Erin Einhorn
50 - Valley of Horses by Jean Auel
51 - Fire by Kristen Cashore
52 - Christmas Blizzard by Garrison Keilor
53 - New York by Edward Rutherfurd