41. Alone - Loren D. Estleman

I received this as an ARC and am glad to have been introduced to this author! I have the first in the series on hold at our local library. Reading the second in the series first in this case didn't leave me wondering what happened in the first one, but it did get my interest up enough to want to read the first one. The research done for this book was amazing, and I didn't have the mystery solved before it was all wrapped up in the end. I love it when I don't figure it out before the author clues me in. All of the information was there, you just have to put it together! (Finished reading this one on Christmas night)
-New 2 You Author Challenge
-Pub '09 Challenge

Special Thank You!

A very, very special THANK YOU to Minotaur Books for sending me a hardcover copy of Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain! I had received and reviewed a preview copy and I am very happy to have a full hardcover edition to add to my personal library. I am grateful to the publisher for sending me the preview copy, as I had not read any of her other books. I have now read the three installments of the trilogy, and am really hoping this will blossom into a series!

40. He Shall Thunder in the Sky - Elizabeth Peters

This was number 12 in the series, and I am still very much interested. The characters are wonderful and the story always comes together. I always enjoy a happy ending!
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

39. Dying Light - Stuart MacBride

The second in the series, and even better than the first.
-Local Library Challenge

38. 8th Confession - James Patterson

Listened: 11/22/09 - 11/27/09
Finally caught up with this series. Boxer's character delivers every time, and Patterson / Paetro always add a little something extra...the Dr!
-Pub '09 Challenge
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

37. Austenland - Shannon Hale

Listened: 11/16/09 - 11/22/09
I've heard about this one for a while but hadn't had a chance to get it read until now. I was very pleasantly surprised, and was certainly not expecting the ending.
-New 2 You Challenge
-Romance Challenge
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

36. A Falcon at the Portal - Elizabeth Peters

Listened: 10/31/09 - 11/18/09
Next in the series, and always fun to listen to in the car.
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

35. Monday Mourning - Kathy Reichs

Read: 10/31/09 - 11/16/09
The next in the series and interesting as ever. I enjoy the specific descriptions of the crime scenes, and the fact that the stories are based on real cases. It is terrible that these things happen, but nice that we can learn from what is left behind.
-Didn't qualify for any challenges!

34. Fire and Ice - Julie Garwood

Listened: 11/10/09 - 11/15/09
Another in the Buchanan series and always a great read! Can't wait for her next book to be released in December.
-Romance Challenge
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

33. Cold Granite - Stuart MacBride

Read: 09/23/09 - 11/04/09
An interesting first novel in the series featuring 'Laz' McRae. I do enjoy police procedurals from other lands. Looking forward to the next in the series.
-New 2 You Challenge
-Local Library Challenge

32. The Ape Who Guards the Balance - Elizabeth Peters

Listened: 10/07/09 - 10/30/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

31. Evil at Heart - Chelsea Cain

(ARC) Read: 09/08/09 - 10/18/09
-Pub '09 Challenge
-Trilogy Challenge

30. Seeing a Large Cat - Elizabeth Peters

Listened: 09/12/09 - 10/07/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

29. Bare Bones - Kathy Reichs

Read: Sept/Oct 09
Next in the series, but didn't count for any challenges!

28. Sweetheart - Chelsea Cain

Listened: 09/05/09 - 09/08/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Trilogy Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

27. Stiff - Mary Roach

Read: 01/03/09 - 09/06/09
-New 2 You Challenge

26. Heartsick - Chelsea Cain

Listened: 09/01/09 - 09/05/09
-New 2 You Challenge
-Local Library Challenge
-Trilogy Challenge
-What's in a Name Challenge (Medical Condition)
-Audio Book Challenge

25. UR - Stephen King

Read on Kindle: 08/01/09 - 08/20/09
-Pub '09 Challenge
-E-Book Challenge

24. Concrete Blonde - Michael Connelly

Listened: 01/23/09 - 08/20/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

23. Hippopotamus Pool - Elizabeth Peters

Listened: 07/13/09 - 07/20/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Challenge

22. Grave Secrets - Kathy Reichs

Listened: 07/03/09 - 07/13/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

21. B is for Burglar - Sue Grafton

Listened: 07/04/09 - 07/12/09
-Local Library Challenge
-What's in a Name Challenge (Profession)
-Audio Book Challenge

20. Ten Big Ones - Janet Evanovich

Listened: 06/12/09 - 07/03/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

19. The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield

Read: 05/28/09 - 06/22/09
-New 2 You Challenge
-Local Library Challenge

18. The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog - Elizabeth Peters

Listened: 05/28/09 - 06/11/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

17. Fatal Voyage - Kathy Reichs

Listened: 05/04/09 - 05/26/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

16. Deadly Decisions - Kathy Reichs

Listened: 04/05/09 - 05/15/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

15. Running Blind - Lee Child

Read on Kindle: 04/04/09 - 04/22/09
-E-Book Challenge

14. To the Nines - Janet Evanovich

Listened: 04/03/09 - 04/15/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Challenge

13. The Last Camel Died at Noon - Elizabeth Peters

Listened: 04/03/09 - 04/15/09
-Local Library Challenge
-What's in a Name Challenge (Time of Day)
-Audio Book Challenge

13. Bad Things - Michael Marshall

(ARC) Read 04/08/09 - 04/05/09
-New 2 You Challenge
-Pub '09 Challenge

11. Tripwire - Lee Child

Read on Kindle: 03/02/09 - 04/03/09
-E-Book Challenge

10. Death Du Jour - Kathy Reichs

Listened: 03/24/09 - 04/02/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

9. Deeds of the Disturber - Elizabeth Peters

Listened: 02/18/09 - 03/16/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

8. Bones of Betrayal - Jefferson Bass

Read on Kindle: 02/17/09 - 03/02/09
-Pub '09 Challenge

7. The Lion in the Valley - Elizabeth Peters

Listened: 0/26/09 - 02/18/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

6. Maus I - Art Spiegelman

Read: 02/11/09 - 02/16/09
-New 2 You Challenge
-Local Library Challenge

5. Invention of Hugo Cabret - Brian Selznick

Read: 01/09/09 - 02/09/09
-New 2 You Challenge
-Local Library Challenge

4. Beautiful Lies - Lisa Unger

Listened: 01/0609 - 01/27/09
-New 2 You Challenge
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

3. The Mummy Case - Elizabeth Peters

Listened: 12/31/08 - 01/23/09
-Local Library Challenge
-Audio Book Challenge

2. Death Message - Mark Billingham

Finished this one last night.  I love the main character-Tom Thorne.  He can really be such a jerk but it all works out for him in the end of this one.  It didn't count for any of my challenges, but I am now caught up with this series.

1. Inkheart - Cornelia Funke

My first book of the year!  I listened to this one on my computer via download from my public library.  I really love this new feature as it is really convenient for me.  For a YA book, this was fun and kept my attention throughout.  Basically, there are people who can 'read' characters out of books.  Not sure if I like this more than Harry Potter, but there are two more in the series to help me figure that out.  I was able to count this book in the following challenges:  New Authors, Support Your Library, Audio, What's In a Name (body part=heart), and Read n' Review.  An excellent start to the new year!

Excitement

I'm getting all of my challenges organized in my spreadsheet, and have my challenge books in a pile ready to go.  Can't wait to really get into these challenges this year, they all sound fun!  Thank you to all who are hosting, we couldn't have challenges without you!

Let the fun begin! 

Audiobook Challenge

Here are the guidelines: 
1) You can join anytime as long as you don’t start listening to your books prior to 2009. 
2) This challenge is for 2009 only. The last day to have all your books read is December 31, 2009. 
3) You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2009. 
4) You do not have to list your books ahead of time. If you decide to, you can change them as you go. 
5) Our goal is to listen to 12 audiobooks in 2009. No need to list your books now. You can do so as you go.

What's In a Name Challenge

*Dates: January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009
*The Challenge: Choose one book from each of the following categories.
1. A book with a "profession" in its title. 
2. A book with a "time of day" in its title. 
3. A book with a "relative" in its title. 
4. A book with a "body part" in its title. 
5. A book with a "building" in its title. 
6. A book with a "medical condition" in its title. 
*You may overlap books with other challenges, but please don't use the same book for more than one category. 
*You don't need to decide exactly which books you will be reading ahead of time, though you're certainly welcome to. 

Unshelved Reading Challenge

Unshelved Reading Challenge
host: Becky of Becky's Book Reviews
dates: February 1, 2009 - June 1, 2009
books required: 3

Audio books welcome. Blog not required. Overlaps with other challenges allowed. Lists not required. But books must come from their archives. Remember, new books/strips are being added all the time.

See the entire list here: http://www.unshelved.com/bookclub.aspx

2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge

** The first is to read 12 books from your local library in 2009. 
** The second is to read 25 books from your local library in 2009. 
** The third is to read 50 books from your local library in 2009. 
You decide which one of the three challenges is best for you. 

Here are the guidelines: 
1) You can join anytime as long as you don’t start reading your books prior to 2009. 
2) This challenge is for 2009 only. The last day to have all your books read is December 31, 2009. 
3) You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2009.  
4) Our goal is to read 12, 25, or 50 books checkout from our local library in 2009. Please decide which when you sign up and don’t change it. 
5) These can be audios, downloads, children’s, YA. As long as it’s a book, format and target age group does not matter.

Romance Reading Challenge

1. Choose at least 5 novels read them between Jan 1st though Dec 31st 2009. You can change your choices at any time. Crossovers between other challenges are fine. 
2. Read them at your own pace in 2009 then post the link to your review(s). 

New Author Challenge

Here are the guidelines:

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009.
2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels.  They can definitely be from other challenges.  However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels, but anthologies are also a great way to try someone new.
3. I want this to be an easy challenge, so you state how many new authors you want to try this year and then that’s your challenge.  For me, I’m trying another 50 new authors.  If you want a number given to you, try for either 25 or 50.
4. When you read a new author, write your review and then post a link to your review.

Pub Challenge 2009

Here are the 2009 rules: 

1.  Read a minimum of 9 books first published in 2009. You don’t have to buy these. Library books, unabridged audios, or ARCs are all acceptable. To qualify as being first published in 2009, it must be the first time that the book is published in your own country.   

2.  No children’s/YA titles allowed, since we’re at the ‘pub.’

3.  At least 5 titles must be fiction.  

4.  Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.  

5.  You can add your titles as you go, and they may be changed at any time.

Numbers Challenge

The challenge is to read 5 books whose titles have a number in them from Jan 1, 2009 to August 1, 2009. This includes written numbers like 'one' and numbers like 10th or first.

You can choose up to three that are on lists for other challenges. So two of the choices must not be on any list. You can re-read books but all books must NOT be read until January 1, 2009.