Lifetime Quilt #1 Completed!

I finished my first quilt last night!  Grandma M. would be so proud!  I did everything but the actual quilting, not bad for my very first quilt, I'd say.  This quilt is from an Intro to Quilting class from my LQS that I took last October(ish) so it's taken me way too long to finish this.  I love the colors, it reminds me of Van Gogh's Starry Night. 

I've got a jean quilt in the works and a red/white/black one going too.  Just like my Grandma M., I can't work on just one thing at a time!

22. Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen

A really neat story, hope the movie does it justice.  I don't know that I would have enjoyed it as much if I had read it instead of listening to it.  I liked the old and young versions of Jacob Jankowski's voice.
Listened to: 16AUG11-25AUG11
-A ~ Z Reading Challenge
-TBR Lite Reading Challenge
-New 2 You Author Reading Challenge
-Audio Book Reading Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge

21. The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid

I didn't enjoy the end of this book at all!  It read as a conversation between two people in a foreign land, but with only one of the members speaking.  It was interesting to see 9/11 from a different perspective.  I guess I wasn't nearly as impressed with this book as many other people were.  I like to read a book and either enjoy spending my time reading it, or at least learning something from it.  I received neither from this one.
Finished: 13JUL11
-TBR Lite Challenge
-New 2 You Author Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge

20. Any Given Doomsday - Lori Handeland

This was an ok read, but having read LKH, I'm kind of spoiled on the whole urban fantasy deal.  The book moves very quickly and it did keep my interest, but it just seemed to be a re-run of other things I've read.  I didn't like that fact that religion was a definite and not a belief, but that's my deal.
Read: 03JUL11-04JUL11
-TBR Lite Challenge
-Sexy Reading Challenge
-New 2 You Author Challenge
-ARC Reading Challenge
-Reading From My Shelves Project

19. Code Blue - Richard Mabry

Read on Kindle, didn't really get interested in it right away.  Mystery with a little romance.
Read: 10DEC10-02JUL11
-New 2 You Author Challenge
-E-Book Reading Challenge

18. First, Break All the Rules - Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman

Not a bad book about managing.  I need to read more management/leadership books.  Taught me that America tends to promote people right out of what they are truly good at.  The military does the same thing, in case anyone was wondering!
Read: 27MAY11-13JUN11
-A ~ Z Reading Challenge
-New 2 You Author Challenge

17. Afraid - Jack Kilborn

This one is all about the gore! Descriptions of injuries to the survivors and the victims kept me on the edge of my seat. Non-stop action, things blowing up, houses on fire, people running from insane soldiers, yet trying to save their town. Nuts! I loved it!
Read: 17APR11-15MAY11
-New 2 You Author Challenge
-ARC Reading Challenge (because I got it from LibraryThing.com)
-Reading From My Shelves Project

16. Living Rich by Spending Smart: How to Get More of What You Really Want - Gregory Karp

Read on Kindle, basically the same information you get from all of the other 'how to pay off your debt' books.  It was a nice review.
Read: 17MAR11-24APR1
-New 2 You Author Challenge

-E-Book Challenge

15. Running Dark - Jamie Freveletti

First, THANK YOU to William Morrow (Publisher) for sending me this book for free!  I read and reviewed the first in the series when I recieved a free copy from LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Second in her Emma Caldridge series and a wonderful read.  Non-stop action, many players involved.  Still don't know who the 'Vulture' is, so I hope that leaves things open enough for another in the series!
Finished: 16APR11
-A ~ Z Challenge
-TBR Lite Challenge
-ARC Challenge
-Reading From My Shelves Challenge

On supervising...

Here's a post having nothing to do with my reading.  I usually enjoy being a supervisor.  I have great people under me, and they are usually wonderful to work with.  They are good at their jobs, and understand and respect my expectations of them.  Note to self - try your best to never supervise a friend if you can avoid it.  Especially if you know that friend is not a great supervisee.  I am stressing about one of my supervisees and the fact that they have a test due in June that they aren't ready to take.  They've told me, and told me that they'll be ready to test the next month and yet, no test taken yet.  This has been going on since December.  No pressure, since there are very serious ramifications of failing this test twice.  They are also in another course, which they currently see as more important than the test.  ARGH!  I have covered my bases by keeping my bosses in the loop on what's going on, but I still feel stressed about it.  The ball is in the supervisee's court, they have to deal with the consequences at this point.  I can only do so much to motivate and educate.  The final choice is not mine.  And do I REALLY want this next promotion?  I see this supervisee thing as a true test of my own supervising abilities.  Granted, I've really only been a supervisor for a little more than 2 years, and I supervise 2, soon to be 3 people.  It shouldn't be that difficult, right?  Why can't this one supervisee GET IT and get their crap together for themselves?

14. The Surgeon - Tess Gerritsen

1st in the Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles series.  I like the tv series so figured I'd go back to the original.  It worked with the tv series 'Bones' so why not?  It was a decent read, will look forward to the next in the series.  I've had the paperback version for a few years, and finally got around to listening to it from the library.
Listened to: 3MAR11-3APR11
-TBR Lite Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge
-Reading From My Shelves Challenge

13. All the Pretty Girls - J. T. Ellison

1st in the Taylor Jackson series, and it was REALLY good!  I won a free copy of her most recent release "So Close the Hand of Death" thanks to LibraryThing Early Reviewers.  I haven't gotten it in the mail yet, so I'm hoping to get through the series before I get it.  Excellent first novel!
Read: 12MAR11-28MAR11
-New 2 You Author Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge

12. Money Girl's Smart Moves to Deal With Your Debt - Laura D. Adams

Read via Kindle (free download).  Didn't really learn anything I didn't know before, but it's always good to have some review of what you really SHOULD be doing with your money.
Read: 30DEC10-22MAR11
-A ~ Z Challenge
-New 2 You Author Challenge
-E-Book Challenge

11. Cerulean Sins - Laurell K. Hamilton

11th in the series.  This one was a little over the top with the sex, more like erotica.
Listened to: 25FEB11-22MAR11
-A ~ Z Challenges
-Sexy Reading Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge

10. The Scarpetta Factor - Patricia Cornwell

The 17th in the Kay Scarpetta series and her books are still disappointing me.  They just seem so loose, and quickly written that I don't really enjoy reading them.  I keep doing it to see if she makes a comeback!  I started to read this one in book form, finally was able to push through and finish it via audio download from the library.
Listened to: 04FEB10-11MAR11
-A ~ Z Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge

9. Vision in White - Nora Roberts

First in the Bride Quartet series.  Classic Nora Roberts, always a happy ending!
Listened to: 28FEB11-10MAR11
-A ~ Z Challenge
-Sexy Reading Challenge
-Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge
-Romance Reading Challenge

8. Blood Dreams - Kay Hooper

First in the series, seemed a little slow.
Listened to: 25FEB11-6MAR11
-Audio Book Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge

7. Living Organized: Proven Steps for a Clutter-Free and Beautiful Home - Sandra Felton

This just re-confirmed that I will never be a hoarder.  The author refers to people as 'messies' or 'cleanies' and I fall much further into the 'cleanies' side of things.  Read via my Kindle for free.
Read: 23APR10-27FEB11
-A ~ Z Challenge
-TBR Challenge
-New 2 You Author Challenge
-E-Book Challenge

6. Narcissus In Chains - Laurell K. Hamilton

Book 10 in the series.  Not a bad read, still able to keep the story and characters interesting.  Will keep reading the series.
Read: 26DEC10-27FEB11
-A ~ Z Challenge
-Chunkster Challenge
-Sexy Reading Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge

5. Girl Missing - Tess Gerritsen

Previously known as 'Peggy Sue Got Murdered' and updated by the author.
Listened to: 21FEB11
-A ~ Z Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge

4. A Darkness More Than Night - Michael Connelly

Listened to: 16FEB11-17FEB11
-A ~ Z Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge

3. The Bone Garden - Tess Gerritsen

First read from this author.  Alright, but I was hoping for a few more twists and turns.  I hate knowing what happens in books before it happens.
Listened to: 12FEB11-14FEB11
-A ~ Z Challenge
-New 2 You Author Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge

2. Hangman's Daughter - Oliver Potzsch

I read this via my Kindle, and it seemed like it took forever!  I guess I was not as impressed with it as I thought I should have been.  It was on sale on Kindle, and the hype for it made it sound really good.  Guess it just wasn't my cup of tea.  The writing was good, and the story was nice, but it just wasn't what I was expecting.
Read: 24JAN11-09FEB11
-A~Z Challenge
-New 2 You Author Challenge
-E-Book Challenge

1. Angel's Flight - Michael Connelly

Harry Bosch number 6, I do enjoy this series.  Just enough to make me a little stressed for the main character, but he always gets out of it.
Listened to: 01JAN11-02JAN11
-A~Z Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge
-Support Your Local Library Challenge

2010 Reading Challenges Year in Review

Total Books Read in 2010: 41 (same as 2009)

Pending: Chunkster (ends 31JAN11)

Completed Challenges: 7
-Mystery Read-a-Thon (12/12 hours)
-Chill Baby, Chill: 6/6 (18FEB10)
-Support Your Local Library: 25/25 (15NOV10)
-Audio Book: 20/20 (31DEC10)
-TBR Lite: 6/6 (31DEC10)
-Read n Review: 41/41 (31DEC10)
-Out With a Bang Read-a-Thon: 3 (31DEC10)

Challenges Not Completed: 10
-Pages Read: 15,928/20,000
-A ~ Z: 15/26 (I'm doing this again in 2011)
-New Author: 12/15 (pretty sure I can make this in 2011)
-Awesome Author: 1/3 (probably completed this but didn't much pay attention)
-Reading From My Shelves Project: 5/20 (really need to do this in 2011!)
-Anita Blake: 9/19 (didn't realize how long her books were, and plan to finish this series anyway, challenge related or not)
-What's In a Name: 4/6 (won't do this one in 2011, I never seem to make it!)
-E-Book: 4/20 (pledge to carry my kindle with me more often in 2011)
-Finish That Series: 1/2 (finished the Amelia Peabody series, and planned to complete the Anita Blake series but again, didn't realize how long those books are)
-Pub 2010: 3/10 (too cheap to buy brand new books that I'll only read once, and won't read the newest book from an author til I've read the others in the series, will have to really consider not doing this one in 2011)

41. A Fistful of Diamonds - John B. Robinson

ARC received from LibraryThing Early Reviewers in 2008! This was the second in the 'gemstone thriller' series and I haven't read the first one, which is highly unusual for me. The book was less than 200 pages, and the plot moved very quickly. Lots of gore, so not one for the easily grossed out! Probably will not go back and read the first one, or the next one in the series, it just didn't grab me.
Finished: 31DEC10
-New Author Challenge
-Reading From My Shelves Challenge
-TBR Lite Challenge (finished with this one!)
-Out With a Bang Read-a-Thon