Books of 2007

It getting to the end of 2007, and we will have to say goodbye to the old year and hello to the new one. I want to thanks many people for their friendship and enjoyment of their company that you've bring to this blog. Thanks for the laugh and fun. I pray and wish everyone good health, money, luck and happiness.

I also want to thank my friend Darla, for your help and being my great friend *hugs* :)

With that said, the 50 Challenge Books have really taught me lot of things about me. It help me to discover myself, redo and make amend. I've always been open with books of different genres. Even though Romance Suspense is my favorite genres, am always open for other genres. And even though there are books that...just not my cup of teas, I appreciate all the hard work authors have done to write the book(s). I know it is a hard work to write it (Thanks authors for writing many wonderful books)! It been a very hardship for me to keep up with my reading for each months. Some months I can read 4 books but other months I managed 2. But to reach the 50 book goal is the one thing I'm so glad I have accomplished before the end of this year. YAY ME! *grin* But by the end of 2007 I have read 54 books totals :)

Below, is all the book titles I've read in 2007. If you're interest, click on the title and read my reviews. There are few that have no link, and that is because I didn't write a review for it. Enjoy!

- Born In Death by JDRobb
- Thrill Me to Death by Roxanne St. Claire
- Tropical Getaway by Roxanne St. Claire
- Conspiracy Game by Christine Feehan
- Only Human (from "Lover Beware") by Eileen Wilks
- Tempting Danger by Eileen Wilks
- Angels Fall by Nora Roberts
- Killer Curves by Roxanne St. Claire
- Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh
- Mouth to Mouth by Erin McCarthy
- Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
- Innocent In Death by JDRobb
- French Twist by Roxanne St. Claire
- Montana Skies by Kay Stockham
- Hot Night by Shannon McKenna
- Match Game by Beverly Brandt
- Term Limits Vince Flynn
- Ice Blue by Anne Stuart
- Ain't She Sweet Susan Elizabeth Phillips
- Megan's Mark by Lora Leigh
- Shadows at Sunset by Anne Stuart
- Breed Next Door by Lora Leigh
- The Last Spymaster by Gayle Lynds
- French Kiss by Susan Johnson
- Dark Seduction by Brenda Joyce
- Convincing Alex by Nora Roberts
- Waiting For Nick by Nora Roberts
- Night Shift by Nora Roberts
- Considering Kate by Nora Roberts
- Squeeze Play by Kate Angell
- The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockmann
- The Defiant Hero by Suzanne Brockmann
- Curveball by Kate Angell
- Over the Edge by Suzanne Brockmann
- The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes by Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart and Eileen Dreyer
- Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann
- Take Me Tonight by Roxanne St. Claire
- Into the Night by Suzanne Brockmann
- Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare
- Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann
- Good Girls Do by Cathie Linz
- American Diva by Julia London
- Hidden Agendas by Lora Leigh
- Hard Evidence by Pamela Clare
- Forbidden by Suzanne Brockmann
- Holiday Heroes ("A Soldier for All Season") by Rachel Lee
- Holiday Heroes ("Christmas as His Command") by Catherine Mann
- Ice Storm by Anne Stuart
- Force of Nature by Suzanne Brockmann
- Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling
- Fallen Angel by Anne Stuart
- Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie

50 TBR Challenge: December

In one of my Yahoo reading group, members participates in a challenge call 50 Challenge Books. Our goal was to see if we can read and reach 50 books by the end of the year. So at the end of each months we post a list of books that we have read. We wrote down the titles of the book, the authors name, a tidbit (or reviews) about each books and grade them. It is challenge to our self to see how many books can we read by the end of the year. Some get pass the 50 books and then proceed to continue to read until they reach 100 or just see what numbers they land on. It is lot of fun, cause it help members to find "new to me authors" and learn who have common taste in books that you do. Or just talk about your favorite authors and books. I think we been doing this for 3yrs running now. But now that the 2007 is ending, than this mean it has been 4yrs.

Below, is the list of books I read in November (click each titles book to read my reviews). This month, I have read 4 book. But since January, I have read total of 54 books so far. WOW 54 books isn't bad, yay me :)

P.S. My good friend Darla (please click name to see her blog) is the list owner of that group and she is participating in 50 Challenge Books as well. I think the idea came from her. Please visit her blog and see her book reviews. :)

Click the book titles below, to read my reviews

51. Ice Storm by Anne Stuart
52. Force of Nature by Suzanne Brockmann (no review)
53. Fallen Angel by Anne Stuart
54. Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie

TBR Challenge: For December

TBR Challenge of the Month

For December, read a book with a beverage on the cover. Examples from Darla shelves:

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams (tea)

Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn, ed. by Robert Lynn Asprin (mugs of ale)

Dearly Depotted by Kate Collins (flutes of champagne)

As always, let us know what you read, how you liked it, how it fits the challenge, and how long it had been in your TBR pile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My pick for this challenge is Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie. I've been reading some of her older books more and her recent books too. I plan to get more of her books when ever I can :)


Contemporary Romance
Jennifer Cruie's website
4 1/2 stars

Nell Dysart end up finding herself a job, working as office manager for Gabe at the McKenna Investigation in the German Village section of Columbus, Ohio. She need it to pay up for the bills since her divorce 18 months earlier. Upon seeing Gabe office, she decided she going to changes the interior of his family 50 years building. And put his life in order. However Gabe didn't like the idea of new changes.

Gabe have been dumped by his ex-wife for the second time, and is in constant argument with his cousin/partner, Riley, about the same tired cases. And his detective agency is wasting time on a blackmail. The only insanity thing that going his way is his new secretary, Nell who helped him see that new changes can make his life better.

Nell discover herself and her abilities as a woman to take a stand. And eventually discover her soul-mate as well.

Fast Women is a second chance of fallen in love again. It is wonderful delightful story that make you giggle and laugh out loud. It also a sexy and fun read - great for the beach :)

Fallen Angel by Anne Stuart

(Contemporary Romance)
Anne Stuart website
5/5





Emerson Wyatt MacVey was a ruthless, demanding, greedy and cold heartless man who is uncared about things around him. 17 months later, after he died of a massive heart attack, he was given a second chance to redeem himself or he will be doomed on the other place - hell. He is to return to earth to amends to 3 people whose lives he has destroyed, within a month. And one of the person he has to amends is Carrie Alexander, who was his secretary for 3 months before he fired her on Christmas Eve. The catch is, he return back to earth in another body and he can't tell anyone who he is and why he there. He get 3 miracles and he have to be done amending the right within a month. And there will be someone there to keep eyes on him.

In Angel Falls - Carrie Alexander was having a dinner with her family when a stranger came upon her doorstep to ask to use her phone. She invited him in the house, then decided to get him warm up by sitting him to dinner with her family. Later, he end up staying in Angel Falls when it seem his car would need to be fix. She never thought she would fall in love with the stranger, when she see the "good" in Emerson's cold attitude. And because the hometown's industry was collapsing, she manage to only take care of everyone else need and not herself. And she set to help Emerson too, despite whether he want it or not. But while Emerson trying to right his wrong and redeem himself, he never thought that he want to claim the one woman he should have loved.

Fallen Angel is sweet story of fallen in love and second chance. It a "feeling good" story, that you would want to read all over again. A nice touch to read over the holidays (Thanksgiving/Christmas). And the characters are real enough to be likable :)

This is one of Anne Stuart older book, written in 1993. And it won the 1994 RITA award for Best Futuristic/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance. It is more lighter than her normal dark side (The ICE series) of her books. I normally love the darker side of Anne's writing but this book was not bad. I'm trying to collect her older books and read them as I get them. Anne Stuart is one of my favorite author, and I can't wait to read many more of her books!

Highlights

Booking Through Thursday

It’s an old question, but a good one . . . What were your favorite books this year?

List as many as you like … fiction, non-fiction, mystery, romance, science-fiction, business, travel, cookbooks … whatever the category. But, really, we’re all dying to know. What books were the highlight of your reading year in 2007?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

I wonder if the questions mean favorite books that I read in the year 2007 or only books that published in 2007. So I'm going to lists all the books that was published in 2007 plus the books that I've read that was published in different years, but I just got around to reading it this year too. I have read about 50 books in 2007 ( book #51 is not done reading). Some I've read with my friend Melody and Alice , which was fun :)

Below are the lists of my favorite books. Click on each titles if you would like to read my reviews :)

Books I read that published in 2007

1. Ice Storm by Anne Stuart
2. Ice Blue by Anne Stuartby Anne Stuart
3. Force of Nature by Suzanne Brockmann
4. Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
5. Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh
6. The Last Spymaster by Gayle Lynds
7. Take Me Tonight by Roxanne St. Claire
8. Innocent in Death by JDRobb
9. Curveball by Kate Angell

Books that I read this year but published in previous years

1. Conspiracy Game by Christine Feehan
2. Thrill Me to Death by Roxanne St. Claire
3. Born in Death by JDRobb
4. Term Limits by Vince Flynn
5. Megan's Mark by Lora Leigh
6. Squeeze Play by Kate Angell

What about you? What were your favorite books this year?

I Won !!!!

Today I found out that I won Kite Running by Khaled Hosseini (click link to site) from The Way I See It blog. I enter the contest and than just didn't think I win. Luck must be on my side this time *grin*...

I just read lot of good reviews on Kite Runner and getting excited. I can't wait to start reading it :) Thanks to Zeek for the prize!

P.S. - I'm trying to relax from all the Christmas season. But I will be posting my blog, whenever I can :)

My Christmas Tree/ Merry Christmas EVERYONE!

I promise Darla , that I would blog my Christmas Tree. Here are few favorite pictures I took of the ornaments on the tree, especially the Bear in the ski when it dark. I will be pretty much busy on Monday and Tuesday (USA times) but will check my blog if given the times. But I be back, maybe in two days :) I want to wish all my blog friends and all blogger a very MERRY CHRISTMAS (those who celebrate it) and Happy New Year! Warmest wishes to you and your family! :)

P.S. THANK YOU Darla, for the unexpected but WONDERFUL surprise package you sent me! *smooches* and *HUGS* :)

And, The Nominees Are...

Booking Through Thursday


I was late in posting my Booking Through Thursday on 12-20-07, so I decided to just go ahead and post it anyway.


What fiction book (or books) would you nominate to be the best new book published in 2007?
(Older books that you read for the first time in 2007 don’t count.)
What non-fiction book (or books) would you nominate to be the best new book published in 2007?
(Older books that you read for the first time in 2007 don’t count.)
And, do “best of” lists influence your reading?

I'm going by memory and the blog, of the books that was the best new books of 2007. However I can list the titles of the fiction books that I think is the best but I can't list the non-fiction books, because I don't read lot of them. The following below is my nominees of the BEST new books of 2007.

1. Ice Storm by Anne Stuart
2. Ice Blue by Anne Stuart
3. Force of Nature by Suzanne Brockmann
4. Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
5. Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh
6. The Last Spymaster by Gayle Lynds
7. Take Me Tonight by Roxanne St. Claire
8. Innocent in Death by JDRobb

What about you? What your answers to the questions above?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

12 Days of Christmas : Straight No Chaser

I thought this would be a fun Christmas video to watch. And the Cappella men voices are great and excellent! It awesome! I even laugh through out the whole video too! It made me want to dance and sing along with them. I already share with all my friends and Yahoo Group too....Enjoy!

Thursday Thirteen: Edition # 27

13 Christmas gifts

The following items are the gifts I'm giving this year. There are lot more than in this list but I'm not going to list it here. To safe guard myself and to not ruin the surprises. Since Tuesday is the BIG day, I want to wish everyone (those who celebrate it) a very Merry Christmas from my home to your......

1. 2 Christmas Morning Doll, 2 Disney cup and a book "In a Heartbeat" by Rita Herron
2. A gift certs to American Eagle store
3. A gift certs to Abercrombie & Fitch store
4. A gift card to restaurant at: Ruby Tuesday, Famouse Dave's and Applebee's
5. toaster oven
6. SmackDown 2008 Wrestling video game for PSP
7. 2 mystery Eggs Hatch Dinosaur and a Movie "Meet the Robinstons"
8. A 5 set of toy trucks in different model
9. A gift to Turn the Page and Cafe Bookstore (Nora Roberts bookstore)
10. A book "A Christmas to Remember" by Kay Stockham
11. Disney : Winnie the Pooh "Eeyore" Mug with home-made Peppermint Bark treat
12. 3 Disney dinnerware ( 1 princess plate and 1 "Tigger" Winnie the Pooh plate) and 1 Disney "Tigger" Winnie the Pooh spoon
13. Photo Coaster with home-made Peppermint Bark treat, a pair of slipper, two shirt from American Eagle and pack of beers with gift cert to Best Buy store....and MORE books, books, books, books!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. Working at Home Mom
2. Kat: Things Love About Christmas
3. Darla: Reasons to Commemorate December 20
4. Julia: Christmas Cookies Tradition
5. Robin: Favorite Pizza Topping
6. Susan: Wired
7. Dane: Christmas Carols
8. Melanie: Places I visit or Live
9. Melody: Happy Birthday
10. Dragonheart: Things About Christmas This Year

(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Ice Storm by Anne Stuart

Romantic Suspense
Anne Stuart's website
4.5 Stars








Isobel Lambert is the powerful and the head of the covert mercenary organization "The Committee". She is sleek and sophisticated professional who come in contact with the dangerous people in the world. She is said to be very cold person. but beneath herself, lay a past that haunted her with memories she couldn't forget. In another life...where she was the innocence girl who fell in love and shot him..... leaving him dead.

Serafin, the most wanted, dangerous mercenary and assassin in the world make a deal with "The Committee" to help get him safe passage out of Morocco for trade in information about all the major players in the world of terrorism. Isobel is sent to rescue him and do the job. She has the uncomfortable feeling about Serafin until she discover who he really is. She believe he want revenge, but she know that look can be deceiving and she want to keep her cover masquerade from murder.

Two most dangerous and strong main characters came together and try to finish off what they have came for -- to kill each other. But than they had to work together when it turn out the enemies is set to have them both killed. They're are more focus when it come to work but when they're together, their feeling for each other are stronger and make them more aware around each other .

The story is told by Isobel POV instead of the usual male POV. And I think that is a nice switch. I love that Isobel is shown to be cold and uncaring person. But inside she is a different person - an innocence woman who feel in love. And she hide herself really well. I thought it was a nice that she play the role of what the heroes usually are put in to do in dangerous situation. I love that Killian "Serafin" play the same role as all the previous heroes in the book does BUT it was a nice twist to what role he play in the story -- he wasn't the person people think he seem to be. So you can never assumed of what you hear....but I knew.

Ice Storm is the 4th book to the ICE series. And I think this one is more darker than the previous books. The story had me on edge and make me want to know what happen next. But there was more "telling" than the "showing" when it come to the love scenes. Unlike Black Ice and Ice Blue (I believe this is Taka's story?) there were a lot of "showing"!. I just love to read a good suspense books with good romance thrown in. It just romantic in me :) Other than that, this book did have an intense love scene that just hot! You will get to see previous characters (Bastien, Peter and Taka) again. And it look like Reno story is next!

I have been fan of Anne Stuart and have enjoy the series. Her writing are always intense and dark. And the plot are never boring. The characters are interesting and easily to be likable and fall in love with. And you never quite know what the hero's agenda or feelings are --- but when they have met the heroine -- everything changed. LOVE that! I'm looking forward to read more ICE series and hope to read her backlist too.

Here are the order the ICE series is to be read:
(click the title to read my review)

1. Black Ice
2. Cold As Ice
3. Ice Blue
4. Ice Storm


Notes: It always a pleasure to read books together with my friend, Melody. Especially the "darn book" from our favorite authors *grin*. And I'm looking forward to read more books together with her (and Alice) ANYTIME!

Catalog

Booking Through Thursday

Do you use any of the online book-cataloguing sites, like Library Thing or Shelfari? Why or why not? (Or . . . do you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking to?? (grin))

If not an online catalog, do you use any other method to catalog your book collection? Excel spreadsheets, index cards, a notebook, anything?

- I use to catalog my books in spreadsheet and than the notebooks, but now I use the "Microsoft Word" from my computer to post all the books that I have read through the years. I have been using this method for nearly 2-3 years now. Unfortunately my old computer broke recently and I lost my access to get on my old computer. So I couldn't get into my old computer to get my 2-3 years worth of saving my book-catalog from my "Microsoft Word". With this new computer I have now, I have to start all over again. But between the time when I was using the "Microsoft Word" from my old record, my friend Darla gotten me into Blog. She show me to do book's reviews on this blog. And than I realized that I could use this blog as my way of catalog my books I've read through the years. It help me to remember what books I've read and which I didn't.

Months ago, another friend invited me to Shelfari, and I use that one too. It been a long while since I updated it though. But many of my friends (both blogger and non blogger) are using it and some updated them often. I have heard of Library Thing, but I don't use it. And I don't know why. But many of my blogger friends are using it too. I wonder...which method is more better useful tools - Shelfari or Library Thing?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

Thursday Thirteen: Edition #26

Next Movies from Netflix

The following movies are next to watch from Netflix. Some are probably the one you already have seen and the others may seem new. But some of the movies seem new to me, (since I didn't go to Cinema to watch it the first time it was release). Except for Sylvester Stallone's Rambo movie is just re-watch...just because it was an old favorite :) Is there a movies you're looking forward to see or is there an old favorite you want to share with me?

1. Uptown Girl - Brittany Murphy, Dakota Fanning
2. Knock Up - Katherine Heigl, Judd Apatow
3. Rambo: First Blood - Sylvester Stallone
4. Vacancy - Kate Beckinsale, Luke Wilson, Frank Whaley
5. Rambo: First Blood part 2 - Sylvester Stallone
6. Spider-Man 3 - Tobey Maguire, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Kirsten Dunst
7. Rambo 3: Ultimate Edition - Sylvester Stallone
8. Rise: Blood Hunter - Lucy Liu, Michael Chiklis, Carla Gugino, James D'ARCY
9. Win a Date with Tad Hamilton - Jsoh Duhamel, Kate Bosworth, Topher Grace
10. Live Free or Die Hard - Bruce Willis, Justin Long
11. The Paper - Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei, Robert Duvall
12. Ocean's Thirteen - George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Ellen Barkin...etc.
13. Shrek the Third - Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. Darla: Books with a Beverage on the Cover
2. The Love Scene.
3. Tickled Pink: Top Favorite Christmas Holidays Goodies
4. Malcolm: Little Richard Quotes
5. Melody: 5 Things Meme
6. Monday Through Sunday
7. Jan Parrish: What to Get Your Wife for Xmas
8. Jennifer: “Cheesy” Movies I Love
9. Nicholas: Favorite Xmas Songs & Book w/Women's Names Titles

(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

TBR Challenge for December

This TBR Challenge will be up on my blog side bar until December 31, 2007

Darla have been posting this at her blog (click her name below to her blog) every months and I just got around to participated on this. I've been lacking to post it monthly but I'll try my best to post mine. We've have been doing this in one of our Yahoo group since the past a year or two now (Darla correct me please, if wrong!). The idea was to help us bring down our TBR pile or pick a book that we normally don't pick up to read right away. It help our group a lot. You can post it anytime, any days until the end of this month and the next month we have new challenge :) I will post mine later. Here is TBR Challenge for this month....

For December, read a book with a beverage on the cover.

Examples from Darla shelves:

1. The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams (tea)
2. Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn, ed. by Robert Lynn Asprin (mugs of ale)
3. Dearly Depotted by Kate Collins (flutes of champagne)

Let us know what you read, how it fit the challenge, how you liked it, and how long it had been in your TBR pile. You can post your here (or at Darla's blog) in the comment box or direct us to your blog and I read it from there :)