2011 Audio Book Challenge July-December

I just finished my last audio book of 2011. I have really enjoyed this challenge! I have grown to really love audio books. My library needs to get more audio books as I have almost gone through all of them! Here are the books I listened to July-December.

15. Lady Blue Eyes by Barbara Sinatra.

This was an autobiography by Frank Sinatra's last wife. It was a very interesting book with lots of fun stories. She did write about her husband with a little bit of rose colored glasses but that is to be expected. Good book!

16. First Family by David Baldacci

This was a good book about King and Maxwell and how they get enmeshed into a kidnapping of a member of the extended First Family.

17. The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg by Mark Twain

Great collection of short stories by Twain. I enjoyed them all. I often forget how funny he was. I wasn't crazy about the narrator of the book.

18. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

This was a great novel about the search for the real Dracula. I love these types of books that just sweep you away. Excellent, excellent book!

19. Gods of Newport by John Jakes

This is a book about Newport in the Gilded Age. It is told from the perspective of both rich and poor. It started out a little slow and quickly became really good!

20. Hot Mahogany by Stuart Woods

I always say I won't read more of his books and I always do. I swear this is the last one. They are so dumb. I don't know why my library has so many of them!

21. Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner

Terrific book about a senator who has an affair and how it affects his wife and daughters. I love how it skips between every person's point of view. It really helps you to know each character better.

22. Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner

This book is about a group of women who meet in a childbirth class and follows their lives. It made me never want to have children.

23. Little Dorritt by Charles Dickens

I have never ready this Dickens book so I was glad to finally dive into it. Very sad but at least it had a happy ending.

23. Paul Newman: A Life by Shawn Levy

Fascinating biography about Paul Newman

24. Simple Genius by David Baldacci

This was a great light read and I enjoyed it.

25. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett (Goal met!!)

Glad I finally "read" this. Such a funny book. I love Nick and Nora!

26. The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

I actually read this a little early but I was itching to get in the Christmas spirit. Cute little book about thieves on a train, weddings, lost love and Christmas.

27. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

The second book in the Millennium Trilogy. This was a great book and a perfect sequel to A Girl with A Dragon Tattoo.

28. Crossing Stones by Helen Frost

Book told from the perspective of three friends on the cusp and during WWI.

29. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith

The best book I read this year and the perfect book to finish the year on. I LOVED this book.

This was a great year reading audio books and I met and exceeded my audio book goal. Happy New Year!

What's In A Name 4 Wrap Up

Well it is New Year's Eve so I need to do finish up my What's In A Name 4 post! I did finish this challenge and these are the rest of the books I read for this challenge.

Number in the Title--

13 Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson.

This book was really good. It was about a girl whose Aunt died and left her 13 blue envelopes. Sh had to go to Europe and travel and follow the path her aunt left her through the letters. She had to finish the tasks in one letter before she moved on to the next. It is a book that captures your attention and doesn't let go.

Jewelry or Gem in the Title--

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.

I loved this book. I have wanted to read this for years and I finally sat down and read it in October. It is one of the first mystery books ever written. It is told by a variety of characters and is so witty and funny. I highly recommend this book! It is amazing.

Size in the Title--

The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett

I love the Thin Man movies so I finally decided to read the book. I listened to the audiobook. It is a very funny who dunnit set during prohibition! Nick and Nora Charles unwillingly solve a murder and get entangled with bootleggers, gangsters and wealthy people. However, the chapter on cannibalism was unnecessary and gross! But altogether a really good book.

This challenge probably would have been more interesting if I had deliberately read the books for the challenge but it just happened that I read books that fit into that category. I think for What's In a Name 5 I will pick the books at the beginning of the year that I will read. That might make it a little more challenging.

Thankfully Reading 2011: Wrap-Up

It has taken me awhile to write my wrap up post since I have been so busy with school. I happy with the reading I got done over the weekend. It wasn't as much as I had planned but I was able to read a couple of books I had been wanting to read for awhile.

I read the last half of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. This book was wonderful. I really enjoyed it. It was very suspenseful at the end and I caught myself holding my breath through some of it.

Next I read Pegasus by Robin McKinley. I bought this Nook book as soon as it came out but knew that was a book I would want to be able to read in just a few days. I am glad I waited. It was a terrific book! Once again she created this magical world that sucks you in. Love it!

Next I started on The Girl Who Played With Fire audio book. I basically just listened to this when I was driving or cooking. This is another great book. I haven't finished it yet but I am having a hard time turning it off when I have school work to do.

The next book I read was Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy. This was a good book. I always enjoy the mishaps and adventures of Ollie.

I started on The Bullpen Gospels by Dirk Hayhurt but I haven't had the chance to finish it yet.

I am happy with all the reading I got done over Thanksgiving and I am hoping when school lets out next week I will have a very Merry Reading December!