2008 Wrap-up

As 2008 draws to a close, I thought I would do a wrap-up post of my reading experience. This was my first full year of blogging and posting reviews of the books I read. I really enjoyed blogging more than I thought I would. The Book Blogging Community is awesome - newbies are made to feel welcome and everyone is willing to help with both review questions and blogging questions. I've made a lot of new friends and increased my TBR mountain ten-fold.

The other concept I was introduced to this year was Book Challenges. WOW...what an addiction I have to those. After joining one and having so much fun with it...it snowballed from there!! I was able to complete 19 challenges this year. There were some I wasn't able to finish due to running out of time, mood reading, and new books recommended.

Here are the challenges I was able to complete:

1. 1st in a Series
2. 2nds Challenge
3. 2NEW2U
4. Bloghopping
5. Book-a-Week
6. Book Binge
7. Book Blowout
8. Fall Into Reading
9. A Ghostly Challenge
10. Harlequin/Silhouette
11. Heard it Through the Grapevine
12. Here Be Dragons
13. Naming Conventions
14. Novella
15. Pub Challenge
16. Romance Reading Challenge
17. Spring Reading
18. Spring Reading Thing
19. Summer Reading

I've joined a bunch of new challenges in 2009 - but I'll list those in a different post.

Here are some fun facts about my reading in 2008:

1. I read 80 books
2. I read 26,895 pages
3. I read 21 new authors

To see the entire list of my reads for 2008 you can go to my Book List Blog.

To see the reviews that I have written you can either look at my Books by Author or Books by Title page.

Some of my favorite books this year are:

1. Summer Light by Luanne Rice
2. The Healer by Sharon Sala
3. Line of Scrimmage by Marie Force
4. Taming the Highlander by Terri Brisbin
5. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
6. Light of the Moon by Luanne Rice

Click on the link to see all my Rated 5 books.

That about sums up my 2008 Year of Reading. What a wonderful world of books we have.

2008 Wrap-up

http://worldaccordingtobooks.blogspot.com/2008/12/2008-wrap-up.html

I've Received an Award!

J.Kaye has bestowed on me yet another award...the Lemonade Award. Thank you so much J.Kaye it is a wonderful feeling to be thought of in such a way.

The Lemonade Award is given to those people showing great attitude and gratitude. I am so grateful to all those who comment on my blog. It is so much fun hearing from you and reading your thoughts on what I write. I am also grateful for all the friends I have made online through this blog, reading challenges, and memes.

I would like to pass this award on to:

1. J. Kaye - back atcha - :-)
2. Naida
3. Jezebelsk
4. Samantha
5. Lezlie
6. Joy
7. Carrie
8. Bethany

I know I've forgotten and few and when my mind kicks into gear, I'll add you to the list.

I enjoy all of your blogs and look forward to reading about your adventures with my morning coffee.

Take care everyone and have a safe and happy holiday.

I've Received an Award!

http://worldaccordingtobooks.blogspot.com/2008/12/ive-received-award.html

Praise for Our Library

I am a big library supporter. I love to go to our library and browse the shelves looking for the perfect book. Our main library downtown is beautiful and I could just spend hours there. I am a Friends supporter of the library and go to every book sale they have (hence the huge TBR stack that I have - LOL).

I just received this in my email:

Cincinnati's Main Library Was the #1 Busiest in the U.S.! In circulating more than 4 million items in 2007, our Main Library was the busiest public library building in the country for the fourth year in a row. This is a remarkable accomplishment given Cincinnati’s downtown library loaned more items than the central libraries of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and all other cities across the country.

The Library Again Ranked Among Best in the Country! For the third consecutive year our Library has been ranked among the 10 best public libraries in our size category in the Hennen American Public Library Ratings (HAPLR). Compiled each year, these ratings compare data reported by more than 9,000 libraries across the country.

Our Library 10th Highest Circulating Library in U.S. By loaning nearly 14.9 million books and other items in 2007, our Library once again remained among the top 10 circulating libraries in the country, ranking 10th in overall circulation.

I can't believe this - I just think this is fantastic - and to think I was a part of all this just by checking out my books every few weeks.

WAY TO GO Cincinnati!!!

Praise for Our Library

http://worldaccordingtobooks.blogspot.com/2008/12/praise-for-our-library.html

Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband - Melissa Mayhue

Title: Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband
Author: Melissa Mayhue
Publisher: Pocket
Published: 2007
Pages: 356
Genre: Romance/Medieval

This was a fun and entertaining read. All of my favorite elements were present - time travel, magic, medieval Scotland, valiant knights, delicious highlanders, passion, romance, and an adventure filled with suspense all wrapped up into one great story. Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband is Melissa Mayhue's debut novel and the first in The Daughters of the Glen series.

It is 1272 in Scotland and Connor MacKiernan is a warrior who is dedicated to upholding his honor and duty to the king. After being deceived by a woman, he has vowed never to marry. However, that is exactly what he needs to do in order to save his sister.

Denver, 2007, finds Caitlyn Coryell discovering her fiance with another woman. Unable to handle the situation, she goes home, takes a bath, and slips into some sexy lingerie. Little did she know that by putting on an antique pendant Connor would appear in her bedroom begging for her help. His plan involves Caitlyn traveling through time, marrying him, and then returning home.

Find out what happens when Caitlyn is trapped in the thirteenth century because the wedding is delayed, when she finds out that someone is trying to kill her, and when she realizes she is falling in love with a man sworn never to love again and one she will have to leave behind in thirty days.

When I read a romance book, I want to be taken on an adventure, fall in love with a "handsome prince," and have a happily ever after ending - this book accomplishes that for me. Melissa Mayhue does a wonderful job weaving a tale of magic and passion that also includes fantastic main characters that you'll fall in love with and a wonderful array of secondary characters. The suspense in the story has a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming.

Well done Melissa - and I can't wait to read the second in the series.

Rating: 3.75/5
Pages: 356
Completed: 12/7/08

Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband - Melissa Mayhue

http://worldaccordingtobooks.blogspot.com/2008/12/thirty-nights-with-highland-husband.html

My Lord's Desire - Margaret Moore

Title: My Lord's Desire
Author: Margaret Moore
Published: 2007
Publisher: HQN
Pages: 376
Genre: Historical/Medieval
Series: King John #1

I recently discovered Margaret Moore by receiving one of her books in a box of historicals that I purchased on eBay. After reading the book, The Notorious Knight, I realized that it was the second book in a series. So, of course, I had to go to the library and get the first book, My Lord's Desire.

I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. Reading historicals is something that I have just recently started to do again. And this one didn't disappoint. Margaret Moore has captured the details of the time, wove them into a tale of intrigue and passion, and made this story a must read for medieval romance lovers.

After suffering at the hands of an abusive father, Lady Adelaide swore she would never marry and allow any man to claim her lands. To protect her two sisters, she became King John's ward. Spending most days fending off fortune hunters and the advances of King John, she couldn't believe it when she landed in the arms of a valiant knight seeking a wife.

Armand de Boisbaston is in great need of a wealthy wife. He needs money to ransom his captive brother. Unfortunately, fate sends him Lady Adelaide. After listening in on a conspiracy to overthrow King John, Armand and Adelaide trap themselves in a betrothal neither of them wants. However, as the intrigue grows more dangerous, the beautiful heiress begins to rethink her solemn vow.

I loved Armand, he was always doing things before thinking them through and wound up getting more than he bargained for. He was a loyal knight, true to his word, and very patient with Adelaide's antics. Romance Junkies says, "...Margaret Moore delivers a captivating historical tale filled with passion and intrigue." I couldn't agree more. Her story entails conspiracy, betrayal, and a great fight scene in the end with knights battling to win the fair maiden's hand.

Rating: 3.75/5
Pages: 376
Completed: 11/30/08

My Lord's Desire - Margaret Moore

http://worldaccordingtobooks.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-lords-desire-margaret-moore.html