Out with the Old and In with the NEW...

Happy New Year all!  Yes, yes.  I know that today is the THIRD and this post should have been published on the FIRST. But, hey, this is how I roll.  Always a day late and...well, I can't say that I'm a dollar short.  More like 68,471 dollars short.  Why that amount? Hell, I don't know!  Now, you're just asking way too much of me for a Monday morning.

Anywho, I've gone way off base with that rant.  Now, I shall regale you all with how I fared on making my 2010 wishes/dreams/resolutions come true.  Yay!!

1.  Finish the first draft of BROKEN.  Many of you minions may remember that little old novel.  And, YES, I did finish the first draft of BROKEN.  Sadly though, that's all I did with it.  Once done, the novel was thrown into a drawer and forgotten.  *shrugs* It happens sometimes :)

2.  Nab an agent.  Well, that didn't work out, now did it? LOL  But, never fear, minions.  I'm working hard on rectifying that situation. And, yes, when I finally do nab an agent, he/she will definitely have a fiery personality, hence the cautionary signage :)

3.  Post to my shiny (not so new anymore) blog once a week.  YES!!!!! I have been rambling so much to you fine folks this past year that I'm sure some of you are sick of me.  Well, I hope not ;)  This year has seen my blog grow and evolve from just posting Teaser Tuesdays to include book reviews, contests, book club posts, Monday Fundays, Road-Trip Wednesdays, Theme Thursdays, Friday Fives, and even a joint writing venture with one of my Twitter pals.  Yes, friends.  I've been a busy blogger.

4.  Obtain championship level on Wii Ski Jump.  Hell, I've well surpassed that.  LONG LONG time ago.  I've since plowed through the entire Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus, Just Dance, and have now gotten Just Dance TWO!!  So excited for that!

5.  Write two more novels after finishing BROKEN.  BROKEN's first draft was completed mid-January.  After that, I began A SLIVER OF HOPE in mid-April and finished it mid-May.  Next, I commenced work on ALWAYS AND FOREVER in September and completed it late November. 

6.  Read 100 books this year.  Okay, here's the run-down of my year's reading:
January: 5   February: 14  March: 10  April: 6  May: 10  June: 10  July: 5  August: 5  September: 10  October: 9  November: 4 (sad, I know)  December: 5    
That's 93 printed books for the year.  A little short.  HOWEVER.  I did "read" 3 audiobooks and I beta read 7 full manuscripts (and 3 partials).  So, if you count all that, I actually completed 103 books!  Yeah, I'm a cheater.  I know.  But, what are you going to do? *shrugs*

So, that's it for status of my 2010 goals, folks.  Did you obtain yours, or are they going to flow over to this year's list?  Yeah, I know, I haven't regaled you all with my 2011 list, but I haven't made one yet.  Maybe work on my procrastinating should be one?  Eh...I'll think about it tomorrow :)

October, Where Did You Go?

It seems like only yesterday, we were celebrating Labor Day and the beginning of the autumnal season.  Now, everywhere I look, I see ghosts, ghouls, and jack-o-lanterns...oh my :) 

Thus, another month comes to a close, and we all know what that means.  Yes, folks.  Here is my reading list for the tenth month of 2010. 

• BEAUTIFUL CREATURES by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl...Eh, I wasn't all that impressed with this novel.  Normally, I love YA books with a male protag.  They are so few and far between...and rarely done well.  This tale had a decent premise, a supernatural spin on the whole Romeo & Juliet love story, but I just couldn't get behind Ethan.  He just wasn't manly enough.  For me, it felt like he thought and acted how a girl thought a boy should think and act.  But, you might feel differently.  If you love paranormal romance and male POV, this would be something for you.
• BEAUTY by Robin McKinley....Book Hungry's October pick.  A retelling of the age-old tale of Beauty and the Beast. 
• VAMPIRE TRINITY by Joey W. Hill...I have to say it.  I started reading Ms. Hill's books only because I found one in the bargain bin at B&N.  Her books are probably the filthiest, most explicit romances I've ever read.  It really says something if I blush while reading a love scene.  (I'm not that easily embarrassed)  That said, I am obsessed with her stories.  I love them.  If you can look past the graphic (and at times, pretty out there) romances, the story lines are unique and compelling.  Or, if you're just looking for a raunchy, smut book, check her out ;)
• BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver...THE BEST BOOK OF OCTOBER.  Did you hear that?  Should I say it again?  THE BEST BOOK OF OCTOBER.  Enough said
• ADIOS, NIRVANA by Conrad Wesselhoeft...Nicely done tale of teen tragedy and transcendence.  (yay for alliteration)  A must-read for any YA-er
• KILLER HEAT by Brenda Novak...The third in her Dept. 6 series.  A good mystery despite a few flaws
• WICKED APPETITE by Janet Evanovich....The first in her Unmentionables series, but this is not the first time we've seen some of the characters in this book.  The LI (if you could call him that) is Diesel, super-hot supernatural bounty hunter first introduced in the Stephanie Plum between-the-numbers books.  Also, Carl, the middle-finger-flipping monkey reemerges from wherever he went off to after PLUM SPOOKY ended.  Like all of Evanovich's books, there is the laugh factor, and this had it in spades...mostly because of Glo and her big book of spells.  Fast, fun, fabulous read :)
• HANDCUFFS by Bethany Griffin...For some reason lately, I'm reading a lot of books where I really don't like the MC at first.  With HANDCUFFS, I found myself irritated with Parker on more than one occasion, and I just wanted to shake her and say, "Snap out of it, girl.  Use some common sense here!"  Still, I loved this book.  She learned her lessons in the end, and as she grew from her mistakes, I liked her more and more.
• PUCKER by Melanie Gideon...I like to tell people that I read everything, which if you go by my reading lists is entirely true.  Hello? Literary, paranormal, comedy...and now fantasy.  Yes, peeps.  Fantasy.  Not my most favorite genre, but this book just pulled me in.  Hello.  The first chapter ended with Pucker's mom telling him that she was going to die unless he went back to the world they originated from and got her skin.  HER SKIN!!!

That's it for me this month, folks.  How about all of you?  Have you read any of the books on this list?  What did you think of them?  Or, do you have any suggestions for me for next month?  I'd love to hear from you.  I'll be over here, making my library list :)

A Relaxed Month of Reading...

Happy end of September, friends! Yes, it is that time again. Where I present to you my book tally for the month. I'm sure you've been wondering about me, and my list, as I read just about everything under the sun. This month has leaned decidedly toward the young adult category as only one book on my list is adult, and with the YA category, most of my reading this month has been paranormal/zombie apocalypse. Go figure :)

Oh, and before I present my list, I'd like to remind all you fun friends about my first ever contest. If you haven't entered yet, click here. You will be so glad you did...well, if you win you'll be glad ;)

Now, on with the list!!!

CRAZY by Han Nolan...I have to say that this is my pick for #1 book of the month. (I didn't Road-Trip yesterday like I was supposed to, but whatever) If you haven't read this book, you must, and if you're interested in finding out more about it, you can read my review here.

GODS IN ALABAMA by Joshilyn Jackson...September's Book Hungry Book Club pick. Not a book I'd pick up on my own, but it was a stellar read that had me at "redneck ninjas" I still giggle a little when I think of that! LOL

IT STARTED WITH A DARE by Lindsay Faith Rech...Another ARC that I had the incredible luck to read. Great book, even if the ending was a little preachy for my tastes.

THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan...A bit of a disappointment. From the blurb, I expected something a little different. Still, it was very interesting. Just not what I'd imagined.

BREAK by Hannah Moskowitz...This was actually the second time I'd read this. If you haven't enjoyed BREAK at least once, you must run right out to your library and get a copy. It is fan-freaking-tastic!!

THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES by Carrie Ryan...Admittedly, I wasn't going to read this companion to FOREST, but I'm quite glad I did. It had a lot more action and kept me on the edge of my seat. HOWEVER, it ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger, which really pissed me off :)

FALLEN by Lauren Kate...I may be getting tired of the whole paranormal thing, but I didn't really care for this. The last 60-70 pages gripped me, but the rest was just ho-hum for me. Even so, it left off in such a way that I am very interested in finding out what happens in the next installment, so I will most probably read TORMENT sometime in the near future.

WAKE, FADE, and GONE by Lisa McMann...This trilogy was not what I expected. In a good way. I picked up all three books a few months ago and for various reasons just never got around to reading them. Boy am I glad I did. This wasn't really paranormal so much as a contemporary teen novel in which the MC has the peculiar ability to jump into other people's dreams. WAKE and FADE both had great plots in which the MC uses her ability to help the police, but GONE takes a more internal path where she figures a few things out about herself and her ability only to have to make some decisions that will affect not only her life but also those who love her most.

So, that's it for me folks. What have you been reading? I'd love to hear about it!!

Summer Reading...Happened So Fast

Why yes, I am channeling my inner Olivia Newton John. Now, where, oh where, is my John Travolta look-alike singing partner? *sigh* Guess, I'm going to just have to fly solo for this song :(

This summer has rocketed by so fast that I didn't realize until just this weekend as I was finishing up the last book on my August list that I didn't post my July reading list. Gasp! The horror! How could I be so neglectful of my followers?!?! I know you all balance precariously on pins and needles each month just so you can find out what I read to fill the empty spaces in my world ;)

Admit it. You live for these lists. Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me! Ahem. Alright. Enough fooling around. Down to business.


July:

• SIZZLING SIXTEEN by Janet Evanovich
• BREATHLESS by Dean Koontz...Okay. I am admittedly a Koontz fangirl, but there have been some of his books that I haven't cared for in the past. While this is not his worst work, I can't say as it's his best. A decent enough plot line that kept my interest piqued, but it was more staid than his usual nail-biters. If you haven't read anything by Mr. Koontz before, this is not the one to use as your introduction into his world.


• HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins...Sheer genius!! I won't say any more here as I've already ranted...well, more like RAVED about this book in an earlier blog post.


• CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins...Same as the above. LOVED this book. Just as brilliant as HG but I have to say that HG was my favorite of the trilogy.


• THE SOCIETY OF S by Susan Hubbard...The cover said that fans of TWILIGHT will love this. NOT TRUE! Decent enough storyline with a unique take on vampires but a little slow and dry in spots. Not something I would recommend if you are only a Twi-fan but if you enjoy variety in your TBR list, you might be interested.

August:

• THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin...see earlier blog post for review


• MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins...My least favorite of the HUNGER GAMES trilogy. That said, it made me think for a long time after the final sentence. There were many things that I did not like about it, but there were also many things that I did. While not a completely satisfying end to the HG series, it was real and true to life.


• HEART OF A WARRIOR by Johanna Lindsey...Decent romance....a somewhat sci-fi take on the tried and true historical category. Stellar world-building and just a fun read!


• NUMB by Sean Ferrell...see earlier blog post where I threaten to stalk the author and beat him up just so I can steal his amazing writing skills ;)


• THE OTHER TWIN by Hunter Morgan...A fast-paced suspense. I figured out who the killer was right off the bat, but other than the obviousness of the villain, it was still a decent plot.

Look Ma! I Can Read!

Jeesh, this year is spinning past me so quickly that I'm feeling a little dazed and confused. :) No worries, though. Now, before I present you all with this month's reading list, I'd like to take a moment or two to talk to you fine friends about romance. Yes peeps. Summer love is in the air and I am not immune. I, too, have caught the lovebug...well, in my writing that is.

So, any of you who have been following me for any length of time know that I am not huge on romance. Yes, I like to have a little love mixed in with my stories. Don't we all? But, I'm not a huge fan of romance for the sake of romance. I will read them and all the while think, "this is good, but when are the aliens going to invade? who's going to be viciously murdered, thus pushing the couple even closer together?" You see where I'm going? Romance is an essential part of any good story.

Then, I was assaulted by a shiny new idea that was (gasp!) all romance. Of course, being the writer that I am, I said to myself "Self, you must immerse yourself in romance if you are going to give these characters the story they deserve." And, so I did.

And, do you know what I learned? Every book you read can essentially be called a romance. But, the "romances" out there have really good stories behind the love story portion...as you will see by my list.

As always, I hope you find something on this list that you will enjoy!

THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher...Not only was this the first book I read this month, it was also my favorite! I already talked about this in an earlier post, so I will just say that if you haven't read it, you MUST!!

WILL GRAYSON WILL GRAYSON by John Green and David Levithan...Another awesome effort by Mr. Green, and although I've never read anything by Mr. Levithan, this book alone makes me want to go out and find all the other books he's written.

10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU by Julia Quinn...Historical romance at its finest. Smart, witty characters and a style of writing that had me comparing Ms. Quinn to Jane Austen (who I love, btw). I finished this in a handful of hours and am eager to read more by her

THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER by Stephenie Meyer...Eh. That about sums up my feelings on this novella. Maybe I'm a little sick of the whole vampire thing...at least the sparkly good-hearted vegetarian vamps because I really can't find anything I liked about this story. And, I feel a little let-down by the fight scene at the end. I guess I just expected more.

GO ASK ALICE by Anonymous...This is a very old book (published in the early 70s) that I found while rummaging though the bargain bin at B&N. And, let me tell you! Whew! I loved it. It's a very candid account of teenage drug abuse. Plus, it's completely in diary format.

NOT ON HER OWN by Cynthia Reese...This is the first time I've read anything pubbed by someone I "know". Yes, Cynthia and I banter back and forth on Twitter with a few other fun peeps, so when I decided to read romance, I thought of her first. I actually found this book of hers at the library, but you can purchase any of her books on Amazon. I finished this book in one sitting and by the end I was as in love with Deputy Brandon Wilkes as the heroine, Penelope. GO FIND HER BOOKS NOW!

WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson...Death, eating disorders, and the bonds of friendship. An achingly beautiful story. A must read for any YA-er

LOVE YOU HATE YOU MISS YOU by Elizabeth Scott...Ugh! This one just killed me. Hopping back and forth between letters to Julia (the dead girl in the book) and Amy's POV as she moves through life without her beautiful and fierce BFF. This one will send you on an emotional roller coaster that you will never want to get off.

THAT PERFECT SOMEONE by Johanna Lindsey...another historical romance with the beautiful lords and ladies of the ton and of course, a pirate thrown in for good measure. Plus, Ms. Lindsey uses characters from previous books, so the reader feels as though they are getting a peak into that elusive 'happily ever after moment'.

VAMPIRE MISTRESS by Joey W. Hill...Did I say I was over the whole vampire thing? Well, I must have lied a little bit ;) Anywho, this is a great story about a human vampire hunter who falls for a human who is in love with a vampire who happens to be a vampire hunter as well. Confused yet? Well, hold onto your panties cuz that's just the first little bit. Heads really fly when the human who is in love with the vampire-hunting vampire is brutally attacked and then turned into a vampire. Now, the vampire-hunting/vampire-hating human (Did I forget to tell you that his brother is a vampire as well?) must join forces with the vampire-hunting vampire to help the girl they both love through the rough transition of becoming a vampire. And, of course, this is only the first in the story of these three, so now, I am left wondering what is going to become of this vampire love triangle. WARNING for my fellow YA writing crowd: I found this in the romance section and it is labeled as "paranormal romance" but what they neglected to tell you is that it should also have the word erotic in that label. Very explicit sex scenes, but a pretty good story line.

May Reading List...

Another month gone by **sigh** This year is flying along at super sonic speed!

If you have been following along with my reading lists, you know that my goal for 2010 is to read 100 books, which equates to roughly 8.3 books a month. And, so far so good! Some months have been less and others have been more. **shrugs** We'll keep our fingers crossed that I will realize this goal!

Here is May's reading list. I hope you find something that piques your interest.

1. THE AWAKENING by Kelley Armstrong (see my comments on book #2 of this list)

2. THE RECKONING by Kelley Armstrong (Yes, I read THE SUMMONING during April, and it was awesome) My favorite part about this series was that Chloe's love interest was not the sexy, smooth, and approachable type of guy. He was dark, brooding, and not at all cute, but I wanted her to be with him from the very first moment he entered in THE SUMMONING. Great series, but note: these three books are like one big story. Read them all together, and in order.

3. BURNED by PC and Kristin Cast This is book number 7 in the House of Night series. Yes, vampires. I have to admit that I have ALWAYS loved the vampire, but even I am getting a little tired of the vampire craze. There are only a few exceptions. One being the HON series and the Sookie Stackhouse series, which leads me to the next book on my list...

4. DEAD IN THE FAMILY by Charlaine Harris **sigh** I love Eric. I've loved Eric since book one when he was this dark, mysterious, ofttimes sinister figure hovering in the background. And, this installment (book #10) shows his more sensitive side. **double sigh**

5. IF I STAY by Gayle Forman Man, there are no words to describe how truly amazing this book is. A hauntingly beautiful tale of life and death and music. If you have not read this book, you MUST go out and pick it right up! You will be so glad you did.

6. THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE by Mary Higgins Clark MHC is the queen of the modern mystery. Enough said.

7. SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson I picked this book up because I have read a few books from the publishing house also named Speak and I just loved them all. So, I didn't even consult the blurb on the back. As soon as I opened it up, I was transported. This was a gorgeously written novel...very moving and memorable.

8. PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky Okay, so I admit, I was a little ambivalent about reading this book. For months, my girl Liz kept harping on me to read it. "It'll change your life," she said. And...she was right. The first few 'chapters' were a little eh, not so much in content but in writing style, but I was transported by the MC's voice and I was hooked. A very fast read that stayed with me long after the last sentence. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!

9. AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES by Mr. Awesome himself...John Green We all know that I LOVE John Green. So, I really don't need to go off on a tangent about how great this book is, but I will give you my favorite line in the book (although there were many more than just this one!). "Katherines like their ex-boyfriends like they like their coffee: bitter."

10. LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green Okay, I'm cheating a little here. I am not officially done with this book, BUT I will be before the weekend is out as I only have like 50 pages left, so it's getting added to the May list now. So, there!

That's it for May, people. What have you read? Any suggestions?

A Look Back on the Month That Was Full of YA...

Yes, another month has come and gone. **sigh** Goodbye, April. Month of fools, spring showers (anywhere but in the Seventh Circle of Hell where I make my home, that is), the world becoming green again and full of life, and for me a full month dedicated to reading YA.

This is where I usually just list my books and maybe write a little something about one or two of them. Well, first I only read six books this month. Slacker, I know. But, it's not my fault I was hijacked by a Shiny New Idea (I've reached the halfway mark on that btw). So, I will actually say a little something something about each of them. For a detailed ranting about my two favorites this month see my Road Trip Wednesday post!

So, here we are! Hope you find something that interests you!

1. EPITAPH ROAD by David Patneaude If you've read my RTW post, you know that this was one of my top two this month. A FREAKING AWESOME read, fast-paced and beautifully written. Each chapter opens with an epitaph for a victim of Elisha's Bear. Most are heart-breaking; others show how little the men will be missed, but ALL of them strike a chord. Again, this is a MUST read!

2. HUSH, HUSH by Becca Fitzpatrick (This is where I may lose a few followers. No help for that. I am nothing if not honest.) I'd heard such amazing things about this tale, an epic love story about a human girl who meets and falls for a fallen angel. The problem: For the first 100 or so pages of this book, I alternated between two thoughts, neither of them good. TWILIGHT reduex only with angels and I want to slap this girl for being such an idiot! I mean, really this girl makes some pretty stupid decisions and what's worse is that she says that she knows better even as she's doing it. Does not inspire sympathy or confidence. HOWEVER, if you can look past all that and get about halfway through the book without throwing it out the window, there is a great storyline here. It's well-written and the little details about the whole fallen angel storyline are new and compelling. The last 200-250 pages really had me gripped.

3. JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta Okay, so I admit that after reading book #2 on this list, I may have been hypercritical but I did not care for this. The reason is one of those abstract things that only voracious readers and aspiring authors usually understand. The plot was fine. The setting was cool. I just didn't care for the writing itself. It just didn't draw me in. This, of course, is why so many form rejections state that this is a 'subjective business'. Because it is! I may not care for one novel, but you may feel differently. :) To each his own, I say!

4. PAPER TOWNS by John Green The second of my top two. AWESOME SQUARED!! Enough said! Of course, LOOKING FOR ALASKA and WILL GRAYSON WILL GRAYSON are both on my TBR list for May.

5. SILVER PHOENIX by Cindy Pon This book was suggested to me by the fun and fabulous Kirsten Lesko. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not usually one for straight fantasy, BUT this is a stellar read. The world-building and imagery were amazing and the story line was brilliant. Anyone who has trouble creating unforgettable scenes and vivid pictures must read this just to see how it's done. Plus, you'll get the added bonus of reading a wonderful tale! Thanks again, Kirsten. I look forward to more book suggestions(I'm already looking into FLORENCE OF ARABIA on your say so)!

6. THE SUMMONING by Kelley Armstrong A girl who can see dead people. What more can you ask for? When Chloe sees a melted custodian at her school, she has a major freakout and is sent to live at a group home for 'kids with problems'. The problem is that Chloe isn't mental. This is real, and worse, there's something really wonky going on at Lyle House. Highly recommended!

Okay, that's it for this month. Like I said, I was a bit of a slacker. Hopefully, I will have more of a list for you all to peruse. :)

As always, book suggestions are welcome and encouraged!

Goodbye March, Hello Month of Fools...

Leprechauns, Irish Car Bombs, and Green Beer...I'm sad (yet a little relieved) to see you go. Really, I love me some Irish men, but pretending to be Irish one day a year is so much more than I can handle. Yes, I'm a light-weight, and yes, I'm comfortable admitting that!

Okay, so let's get serious here. This is where I release yet another month's worth of reading for your viewing pleasure. But, in looking over March's list, I'm seeing that I did not read a single YA title.

Hello?!?! YA writer here. Not reading YA is...well, it's sacrilege. You know what this means, don't you? YEP. April will henceforth not only be known as the month of fools, but it will be a YA reading extravaganza. I will read NOTHING but YA, starting with EPITAPH ROAD by David Patneaude which I started last night.

So...if you have any suggestions as to what I should read, please let me know! I love to get book reccomendations :)

Here's my reading list for March. As you can see, my tastes are vast and varied. I hope you find something that interests you!

• FANTASY IN DEATH by JD Robb
• ON WRITING by Stephen King (non-fiction)
• FOUL PLAY by Janet Evanovich...okay I must say something here. If you all haven't read anything by the amazing Ms. Evanovich, you are so missing out. Her Stephanie Plum series is a riot a minute (I have a secret crush on Ranger) and her other books are just as hilarious! This one is all about a chicken. Enough said!
• IF I AM MISSING OR DEAD by Janine Latus (non-fiction)
• THINNER THAN THOU by Kit Reed...Holy Guacamole! this book was nuts! but I couldnt put it down. It was strange but compelling...
• DIARY by Chuck Palahniuk...talk about weirdness...but I expect it from him. If you haven't experienced the sheer insanity that is the Palahniuk universe, you must read CHOKE or HAUNTED.
• DRY by Augusten Burroughs (non-fiction) a memoir by the author of RUNNING WITH SCISSORS. not bad as far as memoirs goes but not on the same level as his first trip down memory lane.
• BODY RIDES by Richard Laymon....When I think of Richard Laymon, I think of the somewhat delusional love-child of Stephen King and Dean Koontz. (EWW...that didnt give me a very nice mental image) But, seriously...Laymon is a not a well-known as he should be for all the terrifying tales he weaves. Check out ENDLESS NIGHT or really any of the slew of other titles by him...especially if you are a King or Koontz fangirl (like me!)
• DEEP FREEZE by Lisa Jackson
• BLOOD VINES by Erica Spindler...okay, I have to hand it to my girl Erica. I have read EVERY one of her books and I can always tell you who the killer is after a few chapters...NOT so with this one. I was ping-ponging until the very end. Great mystery AND it was all about wine. What is there not to love?

So that's my list for March. Ten books is not to shabby. If I keep this up, I will have no problem making it to my goal of 100 read for the year!

February Reading List

It is that time again. Yes, another month has come and gone. My how time flies when you're riding the query train!

Why, hello March! And so, I must say goodbye to February. Month of love, groundhogs, black history, presidents, Fat Tues, Ash Weds (and of course Lent for all you fellow Catholics out there), and the Olympics (Yay!!). Surprisingly enough, somewhere in the midst of all this, I actually found time to read. My characters did suffer a little because of it, but I digress.

Here is the list for February. Hope you find something on there that catches your interest!

• Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris
• Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
• An Ice Cold Grave by (who else?) Charlaine Harris....okay. I love the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Not so much the Lily Bard or Aurora Teagarden mysteries. So, I have been hemming and hawing for the past year on whether to read these. One word: GREAT! Admittedly not as wonderful as Sookie, but what is cooler than a woman who was hit by lightning as a teen only to now possess the ability to find dead bodies AND relive their last moments? Cool concept + weird characters = rousing good mystery. Sidenote: there is a slight ick factor in An Ice Cold Grave that will undoubtably carry over to Grave Secret so beware.
• Cold-Hearted by Beverly Barton
• Crisis by Robin Cook
• Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard...don't let the title fool you. This is a great novel with a little romance, a little mystery, and a whole lot of the whole 'Secrets & Lies' small town mojo. Beautifully written, and I definitely did not guess the 'Virgin's' identity. Always a plus!
• The Good Children by Kate Wilhelm...a tearjerker. More YA literary than adult which is what it was marketed as, this is a very quick read. You will have it done in a handful of hours and end it shaking your head and wondering if you'd have done the same as these very 'good children'.
• Kindred in Death by JD Robb...Can you tell yet that I love me some series books? This is like the 30th in her 'In Death' series, and it's just as riveting as the first. If you love a good mystery with lots of romance peppered in, you must go out and get Naked In Death (the first) and work your way up from there. You'll be so glad you did!
• The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice....Yes, I have read this before. And, yes, I will most likely read it again. This happens to be one of my top 5 all time faves. Anne Rice is the undisputed queen of vamp lit. I dare anyone to disagree!!
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen...Yes, another all-time fave. And again, yes, it will be read again. The greatest romance of all time, in my humble opinion. I used to picture myself as Miss Elizabeth and dream of winning the dashing Mr. Darcy....sigh...Need I say more?
• The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall by LJ Smith...not as great as the first books that I'd read back in the day (like high school...more than a decade ago), but not too bad either.
• Retribution by Jilliane Hoffman
• Last Witness by Jilliane Hoffman
• Plea of Insanity by Jilliane Hoffman....these three are quite possibly the best legal thrillers I've read since I read The Client by John Grisham. If you love courtroom drama, you must read them! Sidenote: they should be read in the order that I have them listed. Each contains spoilers about the previous one. Don't make the same mistake I did! lol

Okay, so how is it that the shortest month (and the busiest, what with the Olympics going on and my discovering twitter) has me reading SOOOO much more than Januray? No wonder my characters have suffered so greatly! lol

So, how about you all? Any good reads you want to share? I'm always interested in expanding my reading horizon!

Month in Review

January is officially over. So, I thought I'd ring in February properly with a review of my 2010 goals, just to torment myself with how I'm doing so far!

1. My first goal for the new year had been a relatively simple one: Finish the first draft of my novel Broken and send it on to my Beta for shredding. Mission accomplished! Yes, I finished the first draft Broken on January 18, 2010. Yay!!! Since then, my lovely Beta has knocked it down and it has been added to the Query-Go-Round. Now, the real torture begins.

2. Next goal? Get an agent...Sadly, I am still all by my lonesome...Ahh well. I am determined not to have a pity party...Yet.

3. Post to my blog at least once a week...So far so good! Fingers crossed that I can keep this up!

4. Obtain Champion status on my Wii Fit Ski Jump...Not only have I done that, but I have gotten there on the Table Tilt, Tight Rope Walk and the Ski Slalom. I am now working my way up the ranks on the Snowboard Slalom...hmmm, maybe I should head to Vancouver in a couple weeks...

5. Write a minimum of two more novels...Slow down! I maybe be good, but I'm not THAT good!! lol....But, I have begun my next WIP...a cute little YA fantasy that is tragic but funny at the same time...one of the characters (who is fast becoming my favorite) has an air of the ridiculous about him.

6. Read 100 books this year...okay, so I figured it out and that means, I have to read an average of 8.3 books a month. Here's the rundown for January:

• House of Reckoning by John Saul
• Candor by Pam Bachorz
• A Mermaid's Ransom by Joey W. Hill
• In the Woods by Tana French
• Atlas of Unknowns by Tania James

Okay...so, I only read 5...all in all not bad, but I can do better! I blame Tana French...a bit of a dry read and the ending...well, the ending did not give me closure. Oh, well...no excuses! That just means that I have to work harder to catch up!

7. Eat right, get in shape...blah, blah, blah....I could be doing better....ah well, it's still early yet...

So, that's it for me. How about the rest of you fine folks? How are your 2010 goals coming along?