2009 Wrap-Up - Back Soon

This has been a wonderful year of blogging, new friendships, fun challenges and of course loads of reading. Whilst it hasn't been a good year health wise I am so grateful for the friendship and support I've received from my online friends. I was lucky enough to get a kindle for Christmas *happy dance* so in 2010 I'll be expanding my reading horizons with e-books and just a few new challenges :-)

I'm having surgery tomorrow and will be in hospital for a few days so this will be my last post for the year. I hope to be back on my blog some time in early January depending on how I'm feeling. See you all then!

In 2009 I:

• read 110 books
• reviewed 103 books
• completed 9 challenges
• bombed out on 3 challenges
• participated in Dewey's 24 hr Read-a-thon
• did 5 author interviews

Challenges completed:

100 + Reading Challenge

1st in a Series Challenge

Books into Movies Challenge

Childhood Favourites Challenge

Chunkster Challenge

Historical Fiction Challenge

Love Bites Challenge

Suspense/Thriller Challenge

YA Challenge

Challenges not completed:

TBR Challenge - 4/12

Books Vs Movies Challenge - 2/6

Royal Romance Challenge - 4/7

2009 was the year of awesome Young Adult fiction - here's review links to some of my favourites.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Graceling by Kristen Cashore

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Willow by Julia Hoban

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

My favourite reads of 2009 across all genres can be found here.

Happy New Year to everyone, hope 2010 is safe, healthy and happy for you and your loved ones.

{{Hugs}}

To celebrate blogging friendships & my birthday two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in my Dec/Jan giveaway. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

May your Merry be Very!!

Wishing everyone a joyful Christmas, stay safe over the holiday break and have bucket loads of fun!

To all my blogging friends having a winter wonderland Christmas stay warm and snug and to all those sweltering away like us in Australia ... hope you have aircon or think ice-cubes, lots of ice cubes.

Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, hope you're spending it with those you love.

{{Hugs}} Sheree

To celebrate blogging friendships & my birthday two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in my Dec/Jan giveaway. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

2010 E-Book Reading Challenge

This challenge was previously hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog and in 2010 Royal Reviews will be hosting.

I live in Australia, where E-Book Readers are not readily available, up until now that is. How exciting to discover that Kindle has been released for the Australian market. How can I resist participating in my very first E-Book Challenge, well obviously I can't. Head on over to Royal Reviews to sign up for this one.

Challenge Guidelines:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

2. There are four levels:

-- Curious – Read 3 E-Books.

-- Fascinated – Read 6 E-Books.

-- Addicted – Read 12 E-Books.

-- Obsessed – Read 20 E-Books.

3. Any genre counts.

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

To celebrate blogging friendships & my birthday two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in my Dec/Jan giveaway. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

2010 Fantasy Reading Challenge

The Fantasy Reading Challenge at Royal Reviews can include YA Fantasy or Historical Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy or any other sub genre of Fantasy. There really are no limits to this challenge as Fantasy is such a wide and varied genre.

I read quite a lot of Urban Fantasy so I'm signing up at the Fascinated level and maybe I'll make it to the Obsessed level ... we'll see. Head on over to Royal Reviews to sign up for this one

Challenge Guidelines:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

2. There are four levels:

•Curious – Read 3 Fantasy Fiction novels.

•Fascinated – Read 6 Fantasy Fiction novels.

•Addicted – Read 12 Fantasy Fiction novels.

•Obsessed – Read 20 Fantasy Fiction novels.

3. Any book format counts.

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

To celebrate blogging friendships & my birthday two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in my Dec/Jan giveaway. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

What Are Your Reading On Monday

A weekly event hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week.

Hope everyone is getting into the spirit of christmas. I've almost finished shopping for Christmas pesents, and the birthdays we have in late Dec and early Jan. I've spent hours making cards & wrapping gifts (such a fun part of christmas) and this week we have the big Christmas grocery shop to do and of course cooking all the yummy christmas treats. Marshmallow balls, Ferrero rochers, rocky road, shortbread, nuts n bolts ... drool.

I'm hoping to get a review committment up before I go in for my surgery but no pressure! I don't think there'll be any reading done this week, if we happen to have everything done for christmas early, I'd love to go to the movies with my family and see Avatar. I have listed 2 books, my current audiobook and my only christmas themed read, A Christmas Ball but these will be ongoing over the next few weeks whenever I have time to pick something up.

My bloggy friend Lea from Closetwriter, shared some pics of her gorgeous christmas tree so I thought I'd do the same. Here's our tree, pressies and all ... and each year I buy a new decoration, 2009's is the wooden reindeer below.

To all my blogging friends please stay happy, healthy and safe, and share the LOVE :-)

Reviews completed:

GRACELING by Kristen Cashore - 5 stars

MOON CALLED by Patricia Briggs - 4 stars

KITTY & THE MIDNIGHT HOUR by Carrie Vaughn - 3.5 stars

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Books Completed Last Week:

FIRE by Kristen Cashore

MIRACLE IN SUMATRA: The Story of Gutsy Gus by Jeanne McNaney

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This Week's Reading List:

A CHRISTMAS BALL by Jennifer Ashley, Emily Bryan, Alissa Johnson

THE SHOP ON BLOSSOM STREET by Debbie Macomber (audiobook) - chapter 3


And last but not least I wanted to acknowledge some blog love received, hopefully I'll have time at a later date to pass these on, but for now, thank you :-)

A big thank you to Chioma from Black and Blue Ink for the Gorgeous Blogger Award, this is an award that I didn't have and a very cute one!

Also thanks go out to Pamela @ From Barbies to Words for the One Lovely Blog Award

To celebrate blogging friendships & my birthday two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in my Dec/Jan giveaway. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

Series: Kitty Norville Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Copyright: 2005
Pages: 276
Book Source: Own purchase

Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station - and a werewolf in the closet. Sick of lame song requests, she accidentally starts "The Midnight Hour", a late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged.

After desperate vampires, werewolves, and witches across the country begin calling in to share their woes, her new show is a raging success. But it's Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew...

This book got off to a slow start, probably in part due to the radio show setting and the emphasis on dialogue as Kitty plays amateur psychologist to all the 'supes' that phone in to her talk show. But as the show's success skyrockets, the action picks up along with the pace of the novel.

I didn't like Kitty much at first. She's a pup, a wolf with lowly pack status, at the bottom of the pack hierarchy. Now I think I've read enough in the shifter genre to have a pretty good understanding of pack dynamics and Kitty is beyond submissive, she snivels and cowers and whimpers which I found rather unappealing. Her relationship with pack leader Carl, is gag-worthy. I don't think I've read a novel where I loathed the pack alpha, in truth I found him to be a truly disgusting character. Carl expects Kitty to be completely obedient, in everything, he beats her and then finishes things with sex. Not to mention that Carl has sex with whoever he wants in the pack, whenever he wants - one of the perks of his position ... Ughh!

On the upside, as Kitty's talk show grows in success so does her confidence as a woman and pack member and this personal growth brings about some pretty significant changes. Cormac, the bounty hunter, and one of the characters I liked, turns out to be one of the few people that Kitty trusts. There was certainly some chemistry happening between the two so hopefully we get to see that develop in the next installment.

Kitty grew on me as the novel progressed and as I already have book 2, I'll definitely continue with the series. With the book titled Kitty Goes To Washington, hopefully that means NO CARL.  The radio talk-show setting was refreshingly different for an urban fantasy novel and while there were a few instances that pushed the boundaries of believability, overall I found this an entertaining read.

There are six novels in the series and the seventh, Kitty's House Of Horrors, is due out January 2010.

In March 2010, Carrie's first YA novel, VOICES OF DRAGONS, will be released.

Visit Carrie Vaughn's website and blog Filling the Well to find out more.

To celebrate blogging friendships & my birthday two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in my Dec/Jan giveaway. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Graceling by Kristen Cashore

Genre: YA Fantasy
Copyright: October 2008
Pages: 471
Book Source: Borrowed from Alaine Queen of Happy Endings

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po's friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

WOW! Graceling is a completely original and entrancing fantasy, I've never read anything like it. It moved along at a slow simmer, bubbling and building until halfway through it reached boiling point and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Rich imagery, unforgettable characters and a fascinating world makes this one a must-read for all fantasy lovers.

Gracelings (those in the minority who possess a Grace) are identified by thier different coloured eyes and their special gift or ability. In many of the seven kingdoms Gracelings are feared rather than revered, so it's a lonely life. Graces are a random occurrence, some are of value to their King and kingdom, some are worthless.

Katsa's 'grace' is the ability to kill, making her one of the most feared people in the kingdom. She's a hardened young woman, with very few friends and little happiness. Whilst she has been an instrument of punishment for her uncle, King Randa, committing many acts she's ashamed of, she has also been righting other wrongs through her work in the secret Council. Watching Katsa slowly open her heart, trust and grow over the course of the novel was an absolute joy.

Kristen Cashore does a superb job developing secondary characters, I was caught up in the lives of Bitterblue, Raffin, Giddon and yes even the 'baddies', all completely fascinating characters. Po is just gorgeous, he's the Graced son of the Lienid King and I just loved him, even with his dorky name. After an auspicious meeting Katsa & Po develop a fragile friendship which blossoms over time into so much more. With Po's compassion, sensitivity & understanding Katsa determines her own personal boundaries, and develops her 'grace' and her control to a level where you can't help but love and admire her.

In every great fantasy novel there is a quest and this one is elegantly wrapped with romance, action, suspense, intrigue in a unique & imaginative world.

Captivating, enthralling, mesmerising, what more can I say ... Read it!

To celebrate blogging friendships & my birthday two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in my Dec/Jan giveaway. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Series: Mercedes Thompson Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Copyright: 2006
Pages: 288
Book Source: Own Purchase

Mercy Thompson's life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn't exactly normal herself.

Urban Fantasy fans and blogging friends have been nagging encouraging me to read a Patricia Brigg's novel for quite a while and while I may be a latecomer to the Briggs' party, I say... better late than never. Moon Called was an enjoyable introduction to the Mercy Thompson series. Briggs manages to create an interesting world with a myriad of supernatural creatures while maintaining a character-driven, well paced story. 

Narrator Mercedes, (Mercy for short) is a coyote shifter, a rare 'walker' raised by a werewolf pack. Mercy is a really likeable character; a mechanic with a thriving business, independent, capable, and comfortable in her own skin. She's kick-ass but not invinceable, she stands up to the dominant, testosterone laden men in her life but knows when to keep quiet; in other words Mercy is smart!

Adam Hauptman, alpha of the local werewolf pack and Mercy's next door neighbour, is a great character. Charismatic, menacing, adoring and protective father to daughter Jesse and although he hides behind brusqueness and sarcasm it was obvious to me that he liked Mercy. This excerpt will give you an idea of the relationship between the two and the antagonistic humour much in evidence throughout the novel.

I noticed the cat-carrier sitting on my porch as soon as I got out of the car.

My cat, Medea, gave me a plaintive yowl, but I picked up the note taped to the top of the carrier and read it before I let her out.

Ms Thompson, it said in heavy block letters, Please keep your feline off my property. If I see it again, I will eat it.

The note was unsigned.

I undid the latch and lifted the cat up and rubbed my face in her rabbit-like fur.

"Did the mean-old werewolf stick the poor kitty in the box and leave her?" I asked.

While there is only the slightest hint of romance in Moon Called (yep slightly disappointing) my hope is that things heat up between Adam and Mercy in Blood Bound. The relationship between Mercy and former lover werewolf Samuel is a complicated one, and while it seems the pair still have feelings for each other, my heart is set on Adam getting the girl in this 'claytons' love-triangle.

Pack politics, folklore, killings, kidnapping, conspiracies, intrigue, a sprinkling of magic, Moon Called was an action-packed paranormal who-dun-it. I will definitely be continuing on with the series and I'm looking forward to reading book 2, Blood Bound.

At present the author has been contracted for seven Mercy novels but it is possible the series will go longer. Visit Patricia Briggs' website HUROG to find out more about this author and her work.

To celebrate blogging friendships & my birthday two lucky readers can take their pick from a choice of 6 books in my Dec/Jan giveaway. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.

December/January Giveaway ~ 2 Winners - Your Choice!

To celebrate blogging friendships, the end of 2009 and the start of the new year, Two Lucky Readers will win the book of their choice from above. January is also my birthday month so it's the perfect excuse for presents :-) 

Once again, I've included a choice of books from favourite authors & authors I'd love to try. (I also have trouble picking just one book so my solution is to leave the decision to you *evil grin*) Good luck choosing! All books are brand new and the winners choice will be purchased by me from The Book Depository in the UK or the US specifically for the winner.

Devoured by Amanda Marrone

Megan’s twin sister Remy died in an accident nine years ago, and she’s been haunting her ever since. Knowing how crazy that sounds, Megan keeps this secret to herself and tries to lead a normal life. But when she takes a summer job at Land of Enchantment to keep an eye on her new boyfriend and his lovesick best friend, Samantha, she meets fellow employee Luke who can see Remy, too. Things get even twistier because Megan’s new friend Ari is sporting a massive crush on Luke, who seems to be developing a massive crush on Megan…making for a love triangle that’s positively possessed.

Megan wants to keep her distance from Luke, but when Remy’s visions get crazy violent; she knows she needs his help. Because someone’s definitely in danger...the only question is who?


Captivate by Carrie Jones

Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
(author of The Historian)

Psychiatrist Andrew Marlowe, devoted to his profession and the painting hobby he loves, has a solitary but ordered life. When renowned painter Robert Oliver attacks a canvas in the National Gallery of Art and becomes his patient, Marlow finds that order destroyed. Desperate to understand the secret that torments the genius, he embarks on a journey that leads him into the lives of the women closest to Oliver and a tragedy at the heart of French Impressionism.

Kostova's masterful new novel travels from American cities to the coast of Normandy, from the late 19th century to the late 20th, from young love to last love. THE SWAN THIEVES is a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope.

First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost
(Book 1 in the Night Huntress World series)

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Night Huntress series comes a breathtaking new journey to the dark side of desire.

The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows - her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield - and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness - and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who lusts for a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human - even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the nightmare together . . .

Because once the first crimson drop falls, they will both be lost.

The Endless Forest by Sara Donati
(The sixth book in the Wilderness series)

With a master storyteller's skill and a historian's precision, Sara Donati has delighted readers and critics alike with her bestselling novels of the nineteenth-century New York frontier. Now she brings us The Endless Forest, set in the remote village of Paradise, where the Bonner family that readers first met in Into the Wilderness make their home.

The spring of 1824 is a challenging one for the inhabitants of Paradise N.Y. when a flood devastates the village. But for Nathaniel and Elizabeth Bonner, it's also a time of reunion as their children return from far-off places: Lily and her husband from Italy, and Martha Kirby, the Bonners' ward, from Manhattan. Although Lily is nursing her own grief, it is Martha, fleeing a crushing humiliation, who brings with her trouble that will reverberate in all their lives.

In the sudden peace that follows the storm, as families struggle to rebuild, childhood friends Martha and Daniel, Lily's twin brother, suddenly begin to see each other in a new light. But their growing bond is threatened when Martha's mother arrives back in Paradise a decade after abandoning her daughter. Jemima Southern is a dangerous schemer who has destroyed more than one family, and her anger touches everyone, as do her secrets. Has Jemima come to claim her daughter-or does she have something else in mind? Whatever happens, Martha and Daniel and all the Bonners must stand united against the threats to both heart and home.

Painful secrets and hidden sorrows, joy, heartbreak, and passion follow the Bonners through a season of change and renewal. A rich, passionate, multilayered portrayal of family strength and endurance in a fascinating place and time, The Endless Forest will be remembered long after the last page is turned.
Here's how to enter:

• 
  
  Competition is international & only open to followers of this blog. (so if you're not a follower & you'd like to enter just click on the follow button on the right hand side of my blog - easy peasy)
  Leave a comment, with an email address telling me which book you'd like to win!
  
  

EXTRA ENTRIES

• +2 entries post about this give-away on your blog & leave a link
• +1 entry post the comp on sidebar of your blog
• +1 entry post the comp on Twitter & leave a link

This competition is International. It ends January 31st and the winner will be announced on this blog. Good luck to everyone!

Mailbox Monday

Thank you to Marcia at The Printed Page for hosting Mailbox Monday every week.

My mailbox was smiling this week and so was I, with 3 books arriving :-)
How about you?

Miracle in Sumatra: The Story of Gutsy Gus by Jeanne McNaney
- from publisher for review.
I'm really looking forward to this one, it looks like a beautiful book.

Deep in the jungles of Sumatra there lives a courageous little orangutan named Gutsy Gus. One day, when Gus is out playing, his parents are captured by animal trappers, and it's up to Gus to rescue them. With the help of a guardian angel named Gabriella and a brave little girl named Maya, Gus fights for his parents' freedom and proves that even one small orangutan can make a big difference.

I've been wanting to read this YA book for a little while now and I was lucky enough to receive it from my Secret Santa, Thanks

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has just awoken from a year-long coma—so she’s been told—and she is still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. But what happened before that? She’s been given home movies chronicling her entire life, which spark memories to surface. But are the memories really hers? And why won’t anyone in her family talk about the accident? Jenna is becoming more curious. But she is also afraid of what she might find out if she ever gets up the courage to ask her questions. What happened to Jenna Fox? And who is she really?

Wicked Game by Lisa Jackson & Nancy Bush
From J. Kaye @ J. Kaye's Book Blog for a Read-a-Long in January

Twenty years ago, wild child Jessie Brentwood vanished from St. Elizabeth's high school. Most in Jessie's tight circle of friends believed she simply ran away. Few suspected that Jessie was hiding a shocking secret - one that brought her into the crosshairs of a vicious killer...Two decades pass before a body is unearthed on school grounds and Jessie's old friends reunite to talk. Most are sure that the body is Jessie's, that the mystery of what happened to her has finally been solved. But soon, Jessie's friends each begin to die in horrible, freak accidents that defy explanation...Becca Sutcliff has been haunted for years by unsettling visions of Jessie, certain her friend met with a grisly end. Now the latest deaths have her rattled. Becca can sense that an evil force is shadowing her too, waiting for just the right moment to strike. She feels like she's going crazy. Is it all a coincidence - or has Jessie's killer finally returned to finish what was started all those years ago?

What Are You Reading On Monday

A weekly event hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week. A very disappointing reading week for me, all I managed was a few pages of Fire, couldn't seem to concentrate on anything.

On the medical front, I do want to keep you updated as many of you send emails/comments asking how things are going and your care and concern means a lot. Results are starting to come in, the haematolgist is sure that my youngest son and I have a platelet function disorder, (just not one that they know the name of) and probably my eldest son too, but he still requires further testing. As medical technology advances we may have a name for it but suffice to say, the boys will continue to be treated for bleeds and hopefully my mad keen soccer player will continue to do what he loves doing; talent, determination plus treatment and god willing. I'm having a hysterectomy on the 29th Dec which will take care of things in the cervical cancer department and hopefully my nose-diving iron but having a transplanted kidney and hypertension makes things a little more complicated and scary but at least we get to enjoy Christmas. And my eldest son's girlfriend has her cardiac surgical appointment this week so *phew* things are moving along. It's much easier to cope when you have answers.

I do have reviews done and scheduled for this week (I know don't fall off your chairs with the shock) so shouldn't be such a dull week on my blog and I hope to have my Dec/Jan competition up so come back and visit.

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Books Completed Last Week:

none, zip, nada, nil LOL

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This Week's Reading List:

FIRE by Kristen Cashore - page 205

BLUE MOON by Alyson Noel

Not too sure what else, maybe an audiobook??

THE SHOP ON BLOSSOM STREET by Debbie Macomber

Secret Santa

In November I signed up for Secret Santa with Kate at The Neverending Shelf, and in early December I sent out a gift to my friend and yippee on Friday I received my pressie!

I know it's supposed to be secret but I know who my "Santa" is (there's not too many of us in Australia lol) so I just wanted to say a big thank you to Alaine from Queen of Happy Endings. I was so excited to receive my book in the mail and I also got a lovely bookmark. Can't wait to read The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson, it's been on my wishlist for a while.

This was such fun, thanks to Kate for hosting!

100+ Reading Challenge Completed

A big, big thank you to J. Kaye for this wonderful challenge. I would never have read so many books, or reviewed so many books if it wasn't for J. Kaye, her challenges, her comments and encouragement. I enjoyed it so much I've signed up for the 100+ again in 2010 and you can too - sign up at J. Kaye's Book Blog.

It was too much work to link all the reviews to the books I've read in this post so the ones marked ** are my absolute favourites this year. Of course if you want to check out reviews for any of the other books I've read, just use the search facility in the top left hand corner of my blog.

Here's my completed list:

Romance: Paranormal/Contemporary/Historical
1. The Secret by Julie Garwood
2. Pleasuring the Pirate by Emily Bryan
3. Distracting the Duchess by Emily Bryan
4. Vexing the Viscount by Emily Bryan **
5. Silk Dreams by Diana Groe
6. A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer
7. Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh **
8. Vision of Heat by Nalini Singh
9. Pack Challenge by Shelly Laurenston
10. The Mane Event by Shelly Laurenston
11. Forbidden Magic by Cheyenne McCray
12. Dark Prince by Christine Feehan **
13.  Dark Desire by Christine Feehan
14. Magic in the Wind by Christine Feehan
15. Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon **
16. Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon
17. Night Embrace by Sherrilyn Kenyon
18. The Undead Next Door by Kerrelyn Sparks
19. Dust and Moonlight by Keta Diablo
20. Tribute by Nora Roberts
21. Vision in White by Nora Roberts **
22. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie **

Historical
23. To Dance with Kings by Rosalind Laker **
24. Garlands of Gold by Rosalind Laker
25. Royal Blood by Rona Sharon
26. The Wild Hunt by Elizabeth Chadwick
27. The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows **
28. The Last Queen by C. W. Gortner **
29. Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran **
30. The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
31. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
32. The Last Wife of Henry VIII by Carolly Erickson


Fantasy:
33. Poison Study by Maria V Synder
34. Magic Study by Maria V Synder
35. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F Scott Fitzgerald
36. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson **
37. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen **
38. Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
39. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
40. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
41. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
42. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
43. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
44. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong **
45. Stolen by Kelley Armstrong **
46. Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong
47. Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur
48. Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost **
49. One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost **
50. At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost

Young Adult:
51. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
52. Frostbite by Richelle Mead
53. Shadowkiss by Richelle Mead **
54. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
55. The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong **
56. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
57. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman **
58. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
59. Willow by Julia Hoban **
60. Kiss Me, Kill Me by Lauren Henderson
61. If I Stay by Gayle Forman **
62. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
63. Long Night Dance by Betsy James
64. Dark Heart by Betsy James
65. Wait Until Twilight by Sang Pak
66. Dancing with Ana by Nicole Barker
67. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
68. Evernight by Claudia Gray
69. Evermore by Alyson Noel
70. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
71. Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen
72. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater **
73. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins **
74. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
75. Graceling by Kristen Cashore **


Suspense/Thrillers
76. The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen **
77. The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen
78. At The Stroke of Madness by Alex Kava
79. The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz
80. The Chameleon's Shadow by Minette Walters
81. White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz
82. Hard Case by Dan Simmons
83. Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson
84. This Pen for Hire by Laura Levine
85. Frantic by Katherine Howell **
86. The Darkest Hour by Katherine Howell
87. Once Upon A Nightmare by Lee Moylan **

Non Fiction:
88. Marley and Me by John Grogan
89. A Friend Like Henry by Nuala Gardner **
90. Torn Apart by James Patterson & Hal Friedman **
91. Loving Natalee by Beth Holloway **

General Fiction:
92. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
93. A Worthy Legacy by Tomi Akinyanmi
94. The Help by Kathryn Stockett **
95. Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg

Childrens Fiction:
96. The Black Stallion by Walter Farley **
97. What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge
98. What Katy Did Next by Susan Coolidge
99.  The House At Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne
100. The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

What Are You Reading On Monday

A weekly event hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog to discuss your reading week ~ the books you've read and those you plan on reading in the coming week.

Another full week of medical appointments and still waiting on many results ... very frustrating, I didn't expect such a lengthy process. On a happier note head on over to Royal Reviews to sign up for some fantastic reading challenges, and sign up before Jan 1st 2010 and you could win your choice of book. Check out the giveaway here. I've signed up for quite a few challenges, I don't think it's any more than last year but what can I say ... I'm a sucker for gorgeous challenge buttons and if I'm reading the books anyway I figure they may as well fill a challenge!

And of course hugs and best wishes to Alaine as she recovers from surgery, I'm heading over to spend some time with her today.

Reviews completed:

DEFENDERS OF THE SCROLL by Shiraz

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Books Completed Last Week:

LIFE AFTER 187 by Wade J. Halverson

MOON CALLED by Patricia Briggs

KITTY & THE MIDNIGHT HOUR by Carrie Vaughn

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This Week's Reading List:

FIRE by Kristen Cashore - page 75

BLUE MOON by Alyson Noel

I'm not too sure what else I feel like so I'm going to leave it up in the air!

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And here's my reminder list of reviews to do :-)

Life After 187

Just Listen

The Truth About Forever

Catching Fire

Evermore

The Painted Veil