Challenge: 50 Books discussion

Lola wants to read...
Being new to Goodreads I am getting a late start. I tried to remember what I read so far in 2009, but if I couldn't remember for sure, I didn't count it. So I will divide my list into two parts--the 2009 books I read before joining (which may not be totally accurate), and the books I read thereafter.
Read before joining group:
1. David Baldacci--The Christmas Train 1/09
2. Ruth Glover--Back Roads to Bliss 1/09
3. Ruth Glover--With Love From Bliss 1/09
4. Ruth Glover-- Seasons of Bliss 1/09
5. Ruth Glover--Back Roads to Bliss 1/09
6. Barbara Hambly--Sold Down the River 2/09
7. David Baldacci--The Christmas Train 2/09
8. Deeanne Gist--A Bride Most Begrudging 2/09
9. Khalid Husseini--A Thousand Splendid Suns 2/09
10. Nora Roberts--Heaven and Earth 3/09
11. LaVyrle Spencer--The Gamble 3/09
12. J. D. Robb--Reunion in Death 3/09
13. Amanda Quick--Don't Look Back 3/09
14. Nora Roberts--the Villa 4/09
15. Anne Stuart--Shadows at Sunset 4/09
16. Sara Davidson--Loose Change 4/09
17. Gore Vidal--Kalki 4/09
18. Harriet Frank, Jr.--Special Effects 4/09
19. Lynne Sharon Schwartz--Rough Strife 4/09
20. Bilquis Sheikh--I Dared to Call Him Father 4/09
21. Winston Groom--Forrest Gump 4/09
22. Haven Kimmel--A Girl Named Zippy 5/09
23. Sue Monk Kidd--Secret Life of Bees 5/09
24. Alice Sebold--The Lovely Bones 5/09
25. Robert Morgan--The Truest Pleasure 5/09
Read after joining group 6/09:
26. David McCullough--John Adams 6/09
27. David McCullough--1776 6/09
28. Robert Morgan--This Rock 6/09
29. D. Brian Shafer--Fire and Sword 6/09
30. Kathi Macias--My Son, John 6/09
31. Francine Rivers--Lineage of Grace 6/09
32. Tawni O'Dell--Coal Run 6/09
33. Jennifer Haight--Baker Towers 6/09
34. Tawni O'Dell--Back Roads 6/09
35. Leif Enger--Peace Like a River 6/09
36. Melanie Wells--The Soul Hunter 6/09
37. Melanie Wells--My Soul to Keep 7/09
38. James D. Jordan--Forsaken 7/09
39. Athol Dickson--River Rising 7/09
40. Bonnie Grove--Talking to the Dead 7/09
41. Angela Hunt--The Novelist 7/09
42. Grant Jeffrey and Angela Hunt--Flee the Darkness 7/09
43. Grant Jeffrey and Angela Hunt--By Dawn's Early Light 7/09
44. Grant Jeffrey and Angela Hunt--The Spear of Tyranny 7/09
45. Tosca Lee--Demon, A Memoir 7/09
46. Vicki Myron--Dewey, the Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World 7/09
47. Kitty Foth-Regner--Heaven Without Her 7/09
48. Janet Evanovich--High Five 7/09
49. J.D. Robb--Naked in Death 7/09
50. Janet Evanovich--Seven Up 7/09.
51. Janet Evanovich--Hard Eight 7/09.
52. Janet Evanovich--To the Nines 7/09.
53. Janet Evanovich--Ten Big Ones 7/09.
54. Janet Evanovich--Twelve Sharp 7/09.
55. Janet Evanovich--Three to Get Deadly 7/09.
56. Janet Evanovich--Eleven on Top 7/09
57. Janet Evanovich--Four to Score 7/09
58. Janet Evanovich--Hot Six 7/09
59. Janet Evanovich--One For the Money 7/09
60. Janet Evanovich--Two for the Dough 7/09
61. Janet Evanovich--Lean, Mean Thirteen 7/09
62. Janet Evanovich--Fearless Fourteen 7/09
63. Janet Evanovich--Plum Lovin' 7/09
64. Janet Evanovich--Plum Lucky 7/09.
65. Janet Evanovich--Motor Mouth 8/09.
66. Jennifer Haigh--Mrs. Kimble 8/09
67. Jennifer Haigh--The Condition 8/09
68. Janet Evanovich--Metro Girl 8/09.
69. J.D. Robb--Divided in Death 8/09
70. J.D. Rob--Survivor in Death 8/09
71. J.D.Robb--Origin in Death 8/09
72. J.D. Robb--Memory in Death 8/09
73. J.D. Robb--Born in Death 8/09
74. J.D. Robb--Immortal in Death 8/09
75. J.D. Robb-- Rapture in Death 8/09
76. J.D. Robb--Purity in Death 8/09.
77. J.D. Robb--Innocent in Death 8/09.
78. J.D. Robb--Strangers in Death 8/09
79. Janet Evanovich--Finger Lickin' Fifteen 8/09.
80. J.D. Robb--Salvation in Death 8/09.
81. J. D. Robb--Conspiracy in Death 8/09.
82. J. D. Robb--Betrayal in Death 8/09.
83. J. D. Robb--Promises in Death 8/09.
84. J.D. Robb--Ceremony in Death 8/09.
85. J.D. Robb--Judgment in Death 8/09.
86. J.D. Robb--Imitation in Death 9/09.
87. J.D. Robb--Creation in Death 9/09.
88. J.D. Robb--Glory in Death 9/09.
89. J.D. Robb--Loyalty in Death 9/09
90. J.D. Robb--Witness in Death 9/09
91. J. D. Robb--Seduction in Death 9/09.
92. J.D. Robb--Vengeance in Death 9/09.
93. J. D. Robb--Portrait in Death 9/09.
94. J.D. Robb--Holiday in Death 9/09
95. J. D. Robb--Visions in Death 9/09
96. J.D Robb--Reunion in Death 9/09
97. Janet Evanovich--Visions of Sugar Plums 9/09.
98. J.D. Robb--Three in Death 9/09
99. Nora Roberts--Blue Smoke 10/09
100. Nora Roberts--Remember When 10/09
101. Pat Conroy--South of Broad 10/13/09
102. Sherrilyn Kenyon--Dark Side of the Moon 10/14/09
103. Sherrilyn Kenyon--Acheron 10/17/09
104. Sherrilyn Kenyon--Devil May Cry 10/18/09
105. Tim LaHaye--Babylon Rising--10/21/09
106. Tim LaHaye--The Secret on Ararat--10/23/09
107. Tim LaHaye--The Europa Conspiracy--10/25/09
108. Tim LaHaye--The Edge of Darkness--10/26/09
109. Sue Grafton--Q is for Quarry--10/28/09
110. Karen Kingsbury--Remember--10/30/09
111. Karen Kingsbury--Reunion--10/30/09
112. Sue Grafton--S is for Silence--10/31/09
113. Patricia Cornwall--From Potter's Field--11/01/09.
114. Karen Kingsbury--Fame--11/02/09
115. Karen Kingsbury--Found--11/02/09
116. Karen Kingsbury--Family--11/03/09
117. Karen Kingsbury--Forever--11/04/09.
118. Karen Kingsbury--Sunrise--11/05/09.
119. Karen Kingsbury--Summer--11/05/09.
120. Karen Kingsbury--Someday--11/06/09.
121. Janet Evanovich--The Grand Finale--11/08/09.
122. Harlan Coben--The Woods--11/10/09.
123. Adriana Trigiani--Big Stone Gap 11/11/09.
124. Adriana Trigiani--Big Cherry Holler 11/12/09.
125. Sherrilyn Kenyon--Bad Moon Rising 11/13/09.
126. Karen Kingsbury--This Side of Heaven 11/15/09.
127. Dean Koontz--Dark Rivers of the Heart 11/18/09.
128. Robert Crais--Free Fall 11/19/09.
129. Adriana Trigiani--Milk Glass Moon 11/20/09.
130. Adriana Trigiani--Lucia, Lucia 11/21/09.
131. Adriana Trigiani--Queen of the Big Time 11/22/09.
132. Adriana Trigiani--Home to Big Stone Gap 11/23/09.

Welcome and happy reading!

James David Jordan-Forsaken, finished 7/09.

Athol Dickson--River Rising: finished 7/09.

Bonnie Grove--Talking to the Dead: [image error] finished 7/09

Angela Hunt--The Novelist finished 7/09.

Grant Jeffrey and Angela Hunt--Flee the Darkness finished 7/09.

Grant Jeffrey and Angela Hunt--By Dawn's Early Light finished 7/09

Grant Jeffrey and Angela Hunt finished 7/09.

Tosca Lee--Demon, A Memoir finished 7/09.

Vicki Myron--Dewey, the Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World finished 7/09.

Kitty Foth-Regner--Heaven Without Her [image error] finished 7/09.

J. D. Robb--Naked in Death finished 7/09.
Janet Evanovich--High Five [image error] finished 7/09.

Janet Evanovich--Seven Up [image error] finished 7/09.
Janet Evanovich--Hard Eight [image error] finished 7/09.
Janet Evanovich--To the Nines finished 7/09.
Janet Evanovich--Ten Big Ones finished 7/09.

Stephanie Plum novels are sooo addictive! I just read Finger Lickin' Fifteen last week and needed a bib to catch the drool from salivating over Ranger. You've got a lot more Evanovich to look forward to. Enjoy!

I forgot to congratulate you on reaching the half-century mark. Way to go!

Janet Evanovich--Twelve Sharp finished 7/09

Lisa wrote: "I forgot to congratulate you on reaching the half-century mark. Way to go!"

Thanks. I am having a hard time obtaining Evanovich books through my teensy local library and the used paperback store, and will soon be reduced to paying cover price. She better soon do something to keep Morelli and Ranger equally drool-worthy or the books will lose their dramatic tension. Ranger is really gaining the lead in slobber-elicitation.

Janet Evanovich--Eleven on Top finished 7/09.
Janet Evanovich--Four to Score [image error] finished 7/09.

Janet Evanovich--Hot Six [image error] finished 7/09.

Janet Evanovich--One for the Money finished 7/09.
Janet Evanovich--Two for the Dough finished7/09.

Janet Evanovich--One For the Money finished 7/09.
Janet Evanovich--Two for the Dough finished 7/09.

Janet Evanovich--Lean, Mean Thirteen finished 7/09 and Fearless Fourteen
finished 7/09.

Janet Evanovich--Plum Lovin' finished 7/09.

Janet Evanovich--Plum Lucky finished 7/09 and Motor Mouth finished 8/09.

Jennifer Haigh--Mrs. Kimble finished 8/09.

Hi Lola!

Are you plum crazy over Evanovich yet? Your stomach muscles must be hurting from all the hours of laughter you've put in with zany Stephanie and all her sidekicks this past week. Are you a Morelli, Ranger or Diesel fan?

I just bought Mrs. Kimble at Goodwill last week. Haven't heard too much about it. What did you think?

I'll give you my take on the "triangle," if you'll give me yours:
Definitely a Ranger fan, but I think she will end up with Morelli--he is warm, real, vulnerable, and obtainable--Ranger represents the forbidden fruit, like priests and married men, we can lust but we know we can never really have more than a nibble then face eternal consequences. She and Morelli have some capacity to negotiate and even hurt each other, and that indicates relationship-building. You can't dent Ranger, which means no relationship, just some distant ideal and desperate hope. Other readers complain the characters are not developing or going anywhere, but there is definitely relationship developing between Stephanie and Morelli, but only lust developing between Stephanie and Ranger.
Mrs. Kimble was a compelling read, but not a pleasant one. The psychology is complex, but there are some really excellent reviews on Goodreads that give you a lot of insight into what's going on with the characters, worth reading after you're done. I am reading all of Jennifer Haight's books since she grew up in my hometown (Barnesboro, PA) and not much else that's good ever came out of Barnesboro. I Read Baker Towers first since it was set in Barnesboro during the time I lived there, and am now starting The Condition whose make protagonist supposedly grew up there around the same time. Great writer, but heavy.

You did a great job of summing up the Stephanie, Morelli and Ranger triangle. I guess I'm as fickle as Steph, because I waffle back and forth, although I don't think I could display the willpower she has with Ranger. There is always the draw of the bad boy and the attraction to danger, which is irresistible. My head says Morelli.......he's attractive, more stable and a reformed bad boy; but my heart says Ranger.

Mrs. Kimble sounds intriguing. I also have Baker Towers, which is another Goodwill find. I already had that on my TBR after reading its reviews in Bookmarks magazine. Hopefully I'll get to them sometime before the year is up.

Lisa wrote: "You did a great job of summing up the Stephanie, Morelli and Ranger triangle. I guess I'm as fickle as Steph, because I waffle back and forth, although I don't think I could display the willpower ..."

Hope you come across The Condition in your Goodwill finds--it was my favorite of the Jennifer Haigh books.

67. Jennifer Haigh-The Condition finished 8/09.
68. Janet Evanovich-Metro Girl finished 8/09.

69. J.D. Robb--Divided in Death and 70. Survivor in Death finished 8/09.

71. J. D. Robb-- Origin in Death
72. J. D. Robb--Memory in Death and
73. J. D. Robb--Born in Death finished 8/09.

74. J. D. Robb--Immortal in Death and Rapture in Death finished 8/09.

J. D. Robb--Purity in Death and Innocent in Death finished 8/09.

J. D. Robb--Strangers in Death finished 8/09.

Janet Evanovich--Finger Lickin' Fifteen finished 8/21/09.

J. D. Robb--Salvation in Death finished 8/23/09 and Conspiracy in Death finished 8/24/09.

J. D. Robb--Betrayal in Death and Promises in Death [image error] finished 8/09.

J. D. Robb--Ceremony in Death and Judgment in Death finished 8/09.

J. D. Robb--Imitation in Death , Creation in Death, , and Glory in Death finished 9/09.

J. D. Robb--Loyalty in Death , Witness in Death , Seduction in Death , and Vengeance in Death finished 9/09.

J.D. Robb-Portrait in Death , Holiday in Death , Visions in Death , and Reunion in Death finished 9/09.
Janet Evanovich-Visions of Sugar Plums finished 9/09

J. D. Robb--Three in Death [image error] finished 9/25/09.

Nora Roberts--Blue Smoke and Remember When finished 10/09.

Pat Conroy--South of Broad finished 10/13/09.

Sherrilyn Kenyon--Dark Side of the Moon finished 10/14/09.

103. Sherrilyn Kenyon--Acheron finished 10/17/09.

104. Sherrilyn Kenyon--Devil May Cry finished 10/18/09.

105. Tim LaHaye--Babylon Rising finished 10/21/09 and 106. The Secret on Ararat finished 10/23/09.