2014 BOOKS



2014 READING GOALS.

First, a recap of the previous year. Since 2010, I have set a goal of 100 books per year and for four years actually exceeded that goal by one to six books. Such was not the case for 2013—I just barely made my Goodreads Challenge goal of 100 books. I honestly thought I would fall one or two books short of my goal when December started, and was both pleased and relieved to meet the goal.

Though I was intent upon finishing the "Read the USA" mystery challenge, I am still eight books short. I have books planned for five states, but as with last year, there are a couple for which I still have not found a book suited to my tastes. For example, if anyone knows of a mystery set in Delaware NOT connected to auto racing, please let me know. Utah and North Dakota have also proven difficult.

As with last year, I need to do better at reading borrowed books, as well as books from Mount TBR. I managed to read and return a few last year, but still have a stack borrowed from a friend and one sister. I also need to make more of an effort to catch up on favorite authors and series. And, of course, I will make an attempt at twelve classics this year (I read fifteen in 2013).


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READ THE USA MYSTERY CHALLENGE

I have only eight six states remaining in this challenge, and have books for all. You can check out the 2012/2013 Books Pages to see what I have already read for this challenge. Here are the states I need to travel to yet in my reading:

Alabama
Delaware
Hawaii
Nebraska
North Dakota: Dakota by Martha Grimes
Oklahoma: I'm the Vampire, That's Why by Michele Bardsley
Tennessee
Utah



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CLASSICS
Challenge goal: 20/12 -- Exceeded expectations!


01. A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
02. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
03. The Beast in the Jungle by Henry James
04. Ragged Dick: Or Street Life in New York With the Book Blacks by Horatio Alger Jr
05. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
06. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
07. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
08. Rascal by Sterling North (re-read)
09. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
10. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

11. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
12. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
13. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
14. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
15. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
16. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
17. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
18. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
19. Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie
20. Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales by HCA





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NEW TO ME AUTHORS

01. Debra Webb
02. Mallory Kane
03. Michele Bardsley
04. Horatio Alger Jr
05. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
06. RT Wolfe
07. Tawny Weber
08. Robert Barclay
09. Leslie Meier
10. Brian McGilloway

11. Gabriel Garcia Marquez
12. Darynda Jones
13. Jade Lee
14. Johann David Wyss
15. Jodi Picoult
16. Hy Conrad
17. Sylvia Plath
18. Wilkie Collins
19. Anne Perry
20. Robert Cormier

21. Jenn McKinlay
22. Vladimir Nabokov
23. Gaston Leroux
24. Vivien Arend
25. John J. Lamb
26. W. Somerset Maugham
27. Martha Grimes
28. Norton Juster
29. Eliza Gayle
30. Brenda Novak

31. Barbara Allan
32. Felicity Heaton
33. Tawny Weber
34. Buffy Andrews
35. Fiona Gibson
36. Aaron Shepherd





2013 READING GOAL: 100

01. Epiphany by Rita Herron / Debra Webb / Mallory Kane (Christmas/Romance)
02. A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Classic/Mystery)
03. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Classic/Mystery)
04. Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts (Romance; Three Sisters Island #1)
05. Task Force Bride by Julie Miller (Rom-suspense; The Precint: Task Force #5)
06. Yuletide Protector by Julie Miller (Rom-suspense; The Precint: Task Force #6)
07. The Widow by Carla Neggers (Rom-suspense; Boston Police/FBI #1)
08. I'm the Vampire, That's Why by Michele Bardsley (Urban Fantasy/Para-romance; Broken Heart #1)
09. The Beast in the Jungle by Henry James (Classic novella)
10. The Next Always by Nora Roberts (Romance; Inn Boonsboro #1)

11. Up From the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (Paranormal romance/Urban Fantasy; Night Huntress #7)
12. Ragged Dick: Or Street Life in New York With the Book Blacks by Horatio Alger Jr (Classic)
13. Heaven and Earth by Nora Roberts (Romance; Three Sisters Island #2)
14. The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts (Romance; Inn Boonsboro #2)
15. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (YA fantasy, Casters #1)
16. The Begonia Bribe by Alyse Carlson (Mystery, Garden Society #1)
17. Drip Dead by Christy Evans (Mystery, Georgianna Neverall #3)
18. Dark Passage by Ridley Pearson (YA fantasy, Kingdom Keepers #6)
19. Home for the Homicide by Jennie Bentley (Mystery, Do-It-Yourself #7)
20. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (YA Fantasy, Heroes of Olympus #3)

21. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (Children's classic/Group read)
22. Face the Fire by Nora Roberts (Paranormal romance; Three Sisters Island #3)
23. Night Broken by Patricia Briggs (Urban Fantasy/Paranormal romance; Mercy Thompson #8)
24. Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday by Nancy Atherton (Cozy mystery; Aunt Dimity #8)
25. Aunt Dimity: Snowbound by Nancy Atherton (Cozy mystery; Aunt Dimity #9)
26. The Heart Won't Lie by Vicki Lewis Thompson (Romance; Sons of Chance #12)
27. Throw in the Trowel by Kate Collins (Cozy Mystery; Flower Shop #15)
28. The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts (Romance; Inn BoonsBoro #3)
29. Savage Echoes by RT Wolfe (Rom-suspense novella; Nickie Savage 0.5)
30. Sugar & Spice by Tawny Weber (Romance novella)

31. The Widow's Walk by Robert Barclay
32. The Cat, The Mill, and The Murder by Leann Sweeney (Cozy mystery; Cats in Trouble #5)
33. Beyond Control by Bronwyn Jameson (Romance)
34. Nerd in Shining Armor by Vicki Lewis Thompson (Romantic comedy; Nerds #1)
35. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (Suspense; Robert Langdon #3)
36. The Witness by Nora Roberts (Rom-suspense; Single title)
37. The Stolen Child by Brian McGilloway (Short story)
38. Mistletoe Murder by Leslie Meier (Mystery; Lucy Stone #1)
39. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Classic group read)
40. Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts (Sign of Seven #1)

41. Grace Interrupted by Julie Hyzy (Mystery; Manor House #2)
42. If Fried Chicken Could Fly by Paige Shelton (Mystery; Gram's Country Cooking School #1)
43. Night Diver by Elizabeth Lowell (Rom-suspense)
44. Beauty and the Best Man by Maureen Child (Romance short; Dynasties: The Lassiter's 0.5)
45. You Send Me by Toni Blake (Romance short)
46. Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie (Psychic Eye Mystery #2)
47. A Vision of Murder by Victoria Laurie (Psychic Eye Mystery #3)
48. First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones (Urban Fantasy/PR; Charlie Davidson #1)
49. East of Eden by John Steinbeck (Classic group read)
50. The Hollow by Nora Roberts (Paranormal romance; Sign of Seven #2)

51. Rascal by Sterling North (Children's Classic; Re-read)
52. The Groom's Gamble by Jade Lee (Historical Romance novella)
53. Lost and Fondue by Avery Aames (Cheese Shop Mystery #2)
54. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss (Classic group read)
55. Clobbered by Camembert by Avery Aames (Cheese Shop Mystery #3)
56. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (Classic)
57. Where There's Smoke by Jodi Picoult (Novella)
58. Daring to Dream by Nora Roberts (Romance, Dream trilogy #1)
59. Holding the Dream by Nora Roberts (Romance, Dream trilogy #2)
60. Scoop to Kill by Wendy Lyn Watson (Mystery a la Mode #2)

61. A Parfait Murder by Wendy Lyn Watson (Mystery a la Mode #3)
62. The Pagan Stone by Nora Roberts (Paranormal romance; Sign of Seven #3)
63. A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold (Nonfiction/Nature essays)
64. Mr. Monk Gets on Board by Hy Conrad (Cozy mystery; Mr. Monk #17)
65. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (Classic group read)
66. Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin by Nancy Atherton (Cozy mystery; Aunt Dimity #10)
67. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (Classic group read)
68. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (Reread; Young Adult, Newbery Medal winner)
69. Hot Rocks by Nora Roberts (ST Romance)
70. Finding the Dream by Nora Roberts (Romance, Dream trilogy #3)

71. No Graves As Yet by Anne Perry (Mystery; WWI #1)
72. Exotic Indulgence by Vivien Arend (Romance; Bandicoot Cove #1)
73. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (YA; Chocolate War #1)
74. Paradise Found by Vivien Arend (Romance; Bandicoot Cove #2)
75. Gunpowder Green by Laura Childs (Tea Shop Mystery #1)
76. Urban Sensation by Debra Webb (rom-suspense)
77. A Rancher's Brand of Justice by Ann Voss Peterson (Rom-suspense)
78. Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay (Library Lover's Mystery #1)
79. Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs (Anthology; urban fantasy)
80. Due or Die by Jenn McKinlay (Library Lover's Mystery #2)


81. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (Classic)
82. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (Classic mystery; Hercule Poirot #1)
83. A Fatal Stain by Elise Hyatt (Cozy Mystery; A Daring Finds #3)
84. A Killer Crop by Sheila Connolly (Cozy mystery; An Orchard Mystery #4)
85. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (Classic group read)
86. Dead Man Talking by Casey Daniels (Cozy mystery; Pepper Martin #5)
87. Tomb With a View by Casey Daniels (Cozy mystery; Pepper Martin #6)
88. The Aristocrat by Catherine Coulter (Contemporary romance)
89. The Mournful Teddy by John J. Lamb (Cozy mystery; A Bear Collectors #1)
90. Undercover Encounter by Rebecca York (Rom-suspense; New Orleans Confidential #1)

91. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham (Classic)
92. Biting the Moon by Martha Grimes (Mystery; Andi Oliver #1)
93. Dakota by Martha Grimes (Mystery; Andi Oliver #2)
94. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (Classic children's book)
95. A White Cougar Christmas by Eliza Gayle (Romance novella; Southern Shifters #3.5)
96. Under the Hill by Sheila Connolly (Mystery short)
97. Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline (Legal Thriller; Rosato & Associates #11)
98. The Heart of Christmas by Brenda Novak (Romance; Whiskey River #7)
99. Antiques Slay Ride by Barbara Allan (Novella; Trash & Treasures Mystery #7.5)
100. A Last Chance Christmas by Vicki Lewis Thompson (Romance; Sons of Chance #17)

101. Vampire for Christmas by Felicity Heaton (Romance novella)
102. Naughty Christmas Nights by Tawny Weber (Romance)
103. The Collector by Nora Roberts (Rom-suspense)
104. Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie (Classic Mystery)
105. Christmas in High Heels by Gemma Halliday (Christmas Romance/Novella)
106. Christmas Truce by Aaron Shepherd (Children's/Christmas)
107. The Christmas Violin by Buffy Andrews Christmas romance/Novella)
108. Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Aandersen (Children's/Classic)
109. How the In-Laws Wrecked Christmas by Fiona Gibson (Women's Fiction/Novella)



Another Goodreads Challenge met exceeded!




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