We’re a quarter of the way through the new year and I’m over half way to my goal of reading 52 books this year. Knowing that I read a lot, perhaps I should have set a more robust goal. Despite being on vacation this week, I’ve been a little lax in my reading – mostly because I’m spending quite a bit of time looking for a new job.

I’m breaking the list down into two parts. The fist list will contain paperback and hardcover books I’ve been able to find and list on Shelfari and the second list contains all the eBooks I’ve been reading that I can’t figure out how to add to Shefari yet. Their ISBN’s don’t bring up any information. If anyone knows how to get an eBook added to Shelfari, please let me in on the secret.

Hardcover/Paperback

1. A Dirty Job – Christopher Moore
2. The Last Juror – John Grisham
3. Goal Analysis – Robert F Mager
4. River’s End – Nora Roberts
5. Rebellion – Nora Roberts
6. Don’t be Afraid – Rebecca Drake
7. Who Moved My Cheese – Spenser Johnson
8. On The Run – Iris Johansen
9. Every Which Way But Dead – Kim Harrison
10. Five Point Someone – What Not to do at IIT – Chetan Bhagat
11. One Night at the Call Center: A Novel – Chetan Bhagat
12. Jack Knife – Virginia Baker
13. The Opium Clerk – Kunal Basu
14. I, Lucifer – Glen Duncan
15. Our Iceberg is Melting – John Kotter, Holger Rathgeber, Spenser Johnson
16. The Thirteenth Tale – Diane Setterfield
17. Dead Until Dark – Charlaine Harris
18. Living Dead in Dallas – Charlaine Harris
19. Club Dead – Charlaine Harris
20. Dead to the World – Charlaine Harris
21. Dead as a Doornail – Charlaine Harris
22. Definitely Dead – Charlaine Harris
23. Practical Demonkeeping – Christopher Moore

eBooks

1. Stripped – Rhonda Stapleton
2. Improper Longings – Dawn Ryder
3. High Seas Desire – Mlyn Hurn
4. Call of the Untamed – Michelle M. Pillow
5. After Sundown: Redemption – Eden Robins
6. Crime Tells: Lyric’s Cop – Jory Strong
7. Elisabeth’s Wolf – Lora Leigh
8. Malachi – Shiloh Walker

Technorati Tags: 52Books, reading, ebooks, books

It’s that time again.. updates abound. Apparently you can read a lot of books when you’re on vacation 😉

I’m breaking the list down into two parts. The fist list will contain paperback and hardcover books I’ve been able to find and list on Shelfari and the second list contains all the eBooks I’ve been reading that I can’t figure out how to add to Shefari yet. Their ISBN’s don’t bring up any information. If anyone knows how to get an eBook added to Shelfari, please let me in on the secret.

Hardcover/Paperback

1. A Dirty Job – Christopher Moore
2. The Last Juror – John Grisham
3. Goal Analysis – Robert F Mager
4. River’s End – Nora Roberts
5. Rebellion – Nora Roberts
6. Don’t be Afraid – Rebecca Drake
7. Who Moved My Cheese – Spenser Johnson
8. On The Run – Iris Johansen
9. Every Which Way But Dead – Kim Harrison
10. Five Point Someone – What Not to do at IIT – Chetan Bhagat
11. One Night at the Call Center: A Novel – Chetan Bhagat
12. Jack Knife – Virginia Baker
13. The Opium Clerk – Kunal Basu
14. I, Lucifer – Glen Duncan
15. Our Iceberg is Melting – John Kotter, Holger Rathgeber, Spenser Johnson
16. The Thirteenth Tale – Diane Setterfield
17. Dead Until Dark – Charlaine Harris
18. Living Dead in Dallas – Charlaine Harris
19. Club Dead – Charlaine Harris
20. Dead to the World – Charlaine Harris

eBooks

1. Stripped – Rhonda Stapleton
2. Improper Longings – Dawn Ryder
3. High Seas Desire – Mlyn Hurn
4. Call of the Untamed – Michelle M. Pillow
5. After Sundown: Redemption – Eden Robins
6. Crime Tells: Lyric’s Cop – Jory Strong
7. Elisabeth’s Wolf – Lora Leigh

Technorati Tags: 52Books, reading, ebooks, books

As you can see, I’m well on my way to completing the 52 books – and many more.

I’m breaking the list down into two parts. The fist list will contain paperback and hardcover books I’ve been able to find and list on Shelfari and the second list contains all the eBooks I’ve been reading that I can’t figure out how to add to Shefari yet. Their ISBN’s don’t bring up any information. If anyone knows how to get an eBook added to Shelfari, please let me in on the secret.

Hardcover/Paperback

1. A Dirty Job – Christopher Moore
2. The Last Juror – John Grisham
3. Goal Analysis – Robert F Mager
4. River’s End – Nora Roberts
5. Rebellion – Nora Roberts
6. Don’t be Afraid – Rebecca Drake – This was my book to review as part of the Debut a Debut contest. After reading everyone else’s reviews, I now know I have a lot more new authors to pick up and devour!
7. Who Moved My Cheese – Spenser Johnson
8. On The Run – Iris Johansen
9. Every Which Way But Dead – Kim Harrison
10. Five Point Someone – What Not to do at IIT – Chetan Bhagat
11. One Night at the Call Center: A Novel – Chetan Bhagat
12. Jack Knife – Virginia Baker – I’m already starting on my 2007 debut author’s list *go me*
13. The Opium Clerk – Kunal Basu
14. I, Lucifer – Glen Duncan
15. Our Iceberg is Melting – John Kotter, Holger Rathgeber, Spenser Johnson
16. The Thirteenth Tale – Diane Setterfield

eBooks

1. Stripped – Rhonda Stapleton – I won this as part of the Debut a Debut contest and it’s been an interesting read.Â
2. Improper Longings – Dawn Ryder
3. High Seas Desire – Mlyn Hurn
4. Call of the Untamed – Michelle M. Pillow
5. After Sundown: Redemption – Eden Robins
6. Crime Tells: Lyric’s Cop – Jory Strong

Technorati Tags: 52Books, reading, ebooks, books

Wheee! I’m still on track to complete the 52 books – and many more. Go me!

1. A Dirty Job – Christopher Moore
2. The Last Juror – John Grisham
3. Goal Analysis – Robert F Mager
4. River’s End – Nora Roberts
5. Rebellion – Nora Roberts
6. Don’t be Afraid – Rebecca Drake – This was my book to review as part of the Debut a Debut contest. After reading everyone else’s reviews, I now know I have a lot more new authors to pick up and devour!
7. Who Moved My Cheese – Spenser Johnson
8. On The Run – Iris Johansen
9. Every Which Way But Dead – Kim Harrison
10. Five Point Someone – What Not to do at IIT – Chetan Bhagat
11. One Night at the Call Center: A Novel – Chetan Bhagat
12. Stripped (eBook) – Rhonda Stapleton – I won this as part of the Debut a Debut contest and it’s been an interesting read. I don’t have it listed on Shelfari Reading List because it’s not on their available books to select ;(

Technorati Tags: 52 books, reading

I signed up to participate in Erica and Susan‘s Debut a Debut contest before hopping on a plane to India, so I had to find a book that met the criteria fast. Luckily for me, Susan recommended a debut book by a friend and fellow author – Rebecca Drake.

The inside cover blurbs appearing on Don’t Be Afraid promise page turning chills and thrills, and like any decent roller coaster ride, this book doesn’t let you down. If you’re not into crime thrillers, you’re probably not going to want to pick this book up – but you should.

It’s hard to write a review without giving away too much of the plot – and I really don’t want to spoil the book for anyone. It’s something to be discovered and savoured on your own.

Ms. Drake’s characters are far more than the traditional one-dimensional card board cutouts traditionally found in a good whodunnit crime novel. Painted with exquisite detail, it’s easy to become attached to Amy and her daughter Emma.

The sense of panic only increases as Amy addresses her fears for her child’s welfare, stumbles around her anger at her (soon to be ex) husband’s cheating nature, and grieves for her murdered friend Sheila. When she stumbles across some disturbing photographs of the murder victim (the bodies just keep piling up), it certainly doesn’t help any when it’s discovered that she’s a professional photographer who’s just selling real estate to make ends meet.

The side characters are nearly as interesting. There’s a lot of love, denial and dysfunction in her relationship with her mother – most of the denial is on mom’s part – and a cop with a one track mind who’s convinced Amy must be the murderer. After all, if the shoe fits…

Throw in a conflicted big city cop who’s returned home to Connecticut, running away from bad memories and a relationship he’s afraid of ,in order to help nurse an ill parent and you’ve got an excellent mix that keeps the ball rolling. In fact, one of the most interesting and satisfying segments of the novel is moving through the torment, love, and growth of Det. Juarez.

Don’t Be Afraid makes for great bed-time reading and I’ll be keeping my eyes out for Ms. Drake’s next book.

Technorati Tags: Debut a Debut, Rebecca Drake, Don’t Be Afraid, books