Goals/Resolutions for 2011

Not all of these are book/reading related, but I thought it would be easier to have them all in one place. Some of these are carry-overs from this year that I didn't complete, though I did make progress.

• (Carried over from 2010) - Finish reading The Message (progress made - up to Romans) - COMPLETED June 
• (Carried over from 2010) - Memorize 2 Corinthians 4 (progress made - memorized through verse 9, though may need to refresh on those verses)
• Re-read at least 3 of my re-read books
• Read Meet the Bible by Philip Yancey (expect this to go into 2012)
• Lose 10 pounds
• Walk at least 2x a week
• Floss at least 3x a week
• Read 100 books
• Donate blood - Attempted but was denied
• Try contacts - COMPLETED JANUARY
• Read Ephesians in at least 3 different translations (part of Operation Deepen Faith)
• Go to a Chris Tomlin concert - COMPLETED MARCH
• Complete at least 2 of my Bible studies that I own

Do you have any goals or resolutions for 2011?

My Reading List for 2011

With the reading challenges I'm hoping to do for 2011, here is the list of books I'll need to read:

The 10 Dumbest Things Christians Do by Mark Atteberry

Fool’s Gold by John MacArthur

The Sister Wife by Diane Noble

If Mama Goes South, We’re All Going with Her by Lindsey O’Connor

Small Changes, Big Results by Jerry Foster

Say Goodbye to Stubborn Sin by Clark Gerhart

The Personifid Project by R.E. Bartlett

The End by Stephen Kaltenbach

Titan by Ben Bova

The Idecis by Robin Hardy

Blackout by Jason Elam

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

The White Plague by Frank Herbert

The Enclave by Karen Hancock

Delayed Diagnosis by Gwen Hunter

Code Blue by Nancy Fisher

Formula for Danger by Camy Tang

Hardball by Sara Paretsky

Shaiton's Fire by Jake Thoene

Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark

Vanish by Tom Pawlik

Menu for Romance by Kay Dacus

Seaside Letters by Denise Hunter

Searching for Spice by Megan Dimaria - gave up on; DNF

Mommy Tracked by Whitney Gaskell

The Secret Life of Becky Miller by Sharon Hinck - gave up on; DNF

Spring Broke by Melody Carlson

The Book of Jane by Ann Dayton

Nowhere, Carolina by Tamara Leigh

Pathway to Purpose for Women by Katie Brazelton

Christless Christianity by Michael Horton

The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel

The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan

The Fruitful Life by Jerry Bridges

What’s Right with the Church by Elmer Towns

God Is Closer than You Think by John Ortberg

Why You Do the Things You Do by Tim Clinton

Matched by Ally Condie

Matched by Ally Condie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Very interesting premise of a society where everything is decided for you including who you are matched with for best possible outcomes of a happy life and creating a healthy gene pool. The scary thing is seeing how this could be our future.

Well-written, beautiful prose, flowed like poetry - excellent book. Discovering emotions and what happens when you want something that is not yours to have. Dealing with not having choices to make, when your whole life is decided for you. Kinda hoping for a sequel.

Got this book through the local library.

2011 TBR Challenge

For more info about this challenge, go here.

My list:

Searching for Spice by Megan Dimaria - gave up on; DNF

The Personifid Project by Bartlett

Titan by Ben Bova

If Mama Goes South, We’re All Going with Her by Lindsey O’Connor

Pathway to Purpose for Women by Katie Brazelton

Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark

Christless Christianity by Michael Horton

The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel

The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan

The Fruitful Life by Jerry Bridges

What’s Right with the Church by Elmer Towns

God Is Closer than You Think by John Ortberg

Alternates:

Outriders by Kathryn Mackel

Inside Out by Larry Crabb

Being Christian by Stephen Arterburn

Naked Fruit by Elisa Morgan

The Road to Mars by Eric Idle

The Book of Jane by Ann Dayton

Shaiton’s Fire by Jake Thoene

Loving People by John Townsend

Happiness Is a Lifestyle by Frank Minirth

2011 Christian NonFiction - my potential list

In listing out the books that I have for the various 2011 challenges that I want to participate in, my reading list for 2011 already has 39 books on it (including the books for this challenge). As someone who likes to read more spontaneously, that's a lot of books to already have on a list. But in spite of my desire for spontaneity in reading, I also love to make lists and the books on these challenges' lists are all books on my TBR master list, so they are books I want to read at some point.

Here is the potential list for the Christian Non-Fiction challenge:

Pathway to Purpose for Women by Katie Brazelton

If Mama Goes South, We're All Going with Her by Lindsey O'Connor

Christless Christianity by Michael Horton

The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel

The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan

The Fruitful Life by Jerry Bridges

What's Right with the Church by Elmer Towns

God Is Closer than You Think by John Ortberg

Why You Do the Things You Do by Tim Clinton

The 10 Dumbest Things Christians Do by Mark Atteberry

The Influenza Bomb by Paul McCusker & Walt Larimore

The Influenza Bomb: A Novel by Paul McCusker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another great suspense novel, the 2nd in the Time Scene Investigators series. When a violent flu starts spreading in Siberia, the team discovers it is a much worse version of the 1918 Spanish flu. They begin to suspect that the flu was started deliberately by a radical terrorist group. The story unfolds with flashbacks to earlier dates and a plot by the Nazis during World War II to start a pandemic of the flu.

This was another great read! Looking forward to the next one!

I got this book through the Booksfree service.

Saturn by Ben Bova

Saturn: A Novel of the Ringed Planet by Ben Bova

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pretty good - took me a long time to read it because I kept setting it aside for other books. I don't read as much sci-fi as I used to. While this was a sci-fi book, it also turned suspenseful as it got towards the end. Interesting concept on the planet of Saturn and its rings.

2011 Chick Lit Challenge - my potential list

Subject to change but here's my potential list of chick lit books for this next year's challenge:

4. Menu for Romance by Kay Dacus - Completed June

Seaside Letters by Denise Hunter

Searching for Spice by Megan Dimaria - gave up on; DNF

Mommy Tracked by Whitney Gaskell

The Secret Life of Becky Miller by Sharon Hinck - gave up on, DNF

3. Spring Broke by Melody Carlson - Completed April

5. The Book of Jane by Ann Dayton - Completed June

Nowhere, Carolina by Tamara Leigh

1. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella - Completed Jan.

2. The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center - Completed April
6. Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah by Melody Carlson - Completed July

2011 Christian NonFiction Challenge - Sign Up Post

This challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2011. The challenge is to read at least 10 Christian non-fiction books. I am challenging myself to 12 - 1 for each month. You can make your list ahead of time or list them as you go along. Books can be used for multiple challenges. To join, leave a comment on this post.

2011 Chick Lit Challenge - sign up post

Read at least 8 books of the chick lit variety. What qualifies for chick lit? Books like Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series, Red Ink Press books, authors like Jane Green or Whitney Lyles, etc. These are the mostly fluff, fun-to-read, brain candy type of books. This challenge runs from January 1 thru December 31, 2011. You can make your list ahead of time of the books you want to read or just list them as you go along. To sign up, leave a comment on this post.

The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky

The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was my first book by Barbara Delinsky and it will not be my last. I found the writing easy to read and the characters believable and real. The subject matter dealt with difficult issues, such as infertility, adultery, friendships and teen struggles. I'm not sure what genre this is considered, perhaps women's fiction. I have several more books by Delinsky on my tbr list.

*I got this book from my local library

2011 Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge/Medical Mystery Madness List

Since I typically read a lot of mysteries/suspense anyway, the Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge seemed a logical challenge for me to join. Sign-ups can be found here - http://www.bookchickcity.com/2010/11/sign-up-mystery-suspense-reading.html. All of my medical thrillers I'll be reading for the Medical Mystery Madness will also count for this challenge.

My potential list*:

Blackout by Jason Elam - finished June (#6)

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

The White Plague by Frank Herbert (also MMM) - finished June (#7)

The Enclave by Karen Hancock (also MMM) - finished August (#12)

Delayed Diagnosis by Gwen Hunter (also MMM) - finished Feb. (#2)

The End by Stephen Kaltenbach

Code Blue by Nancy Fisher (also MMM)

Formula for Danger by Camy Tang

Hardball by Sara Paretsky - finished May (#5)

Shaiton's Fire by Jake Thoene

Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark - finished April (#3)

Vanish by Tom Pawlik - finished July (#8)

*Subject to change

1. A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer (also MMM) - completed Jan.

4. Recursion by James Cavell (also MMM) - completed April
9. Black Widow and the Sandman by L.L. Reaper - completed July
10. White Sleeper by David Fett & Stephen Langford (also MMM) - completed July
11. Body Work by Sara Paretsky  - completed July

COMPLETED AUGUST 2011

2011 Medical Mystery Madness - Sign Up Post

The goal of this challenge is to read medical mysteries/suspense/thrillers - starting January 1 thru December 31, 2011.

There will be 2 levels this time.
Level 1 - "Dip your foot into medical thrillers" - read 4-6 medical mysteries/suspense/thrillers

Level 2 - "Old hat, I read this all the time" - read 8-10 medical mysteries/suspense/thrillers

You can make a list ahead of time of the books you plan to read or list the books as you go along. Books can be used for other challenges as well. If you want to participate, please comment on this post.

Friends of Library Sale

So I'm quite enamored with the library in my new town. One of the things I discovered is that they have used books for sale in the Friends Book Cellar, open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday during the winter. I stopped off after work and came away with 14 books for $8!

Here's what I got:

Plutonium Murders by Robert Davis

Mommy by Mistake by Rowan Coleman

Veiled Threats by Deborah Donnelly

The Other Twin by Katherine Stone

Above All Things by Deborah Raney

Blessings by Anna Quindlen

Mother of the Bride by Lynn Michaels

Lethal Dose by Jeff Buick

Mom Over Miami by Annie Jones

A Time to Mend by Sally John & Gary Smalley

A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist

The Accidental Bride by Janice Harayda

Not a Sparrow Falls by Linda Nichols

Code Blue by Nancy Fisher

Life As We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The world is coming to an end type of book. Written from the perspective of a 16-year-old girl who is journaling her experiences. An asteroid hits the moon and knocks it closer to earth. This causes a lot of catastrophe as it affects the tides, which end up flooding a lot of areas. As the days go on, more and more things are affected by the moon's proximity to Earth and life becomes increasingly more difficult.

I wasn't sure how the author was going to end this one and was a bit concerned that it was going to end as a big downer. But the ending turned out to be pretty good after all, so it wasn't a depressing read, though sad at times. I ended up staying up late to finish it - great book!

2011 Challenges

So it's that time of year where the list of challenges for the next year explodes onto the blogosphere. And all the rationale and statements about not joining so many challenges next year seems to go out the window! Particularly when the challenges just look so fun! So here are the challenges that I'm considering joining for 2011.

1. What's In a Name 4:

Between January 1 and December 31, 2011, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a number in the title: First to Die, Seven Up, Thirteen Reasons Why
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Diamond Ruby, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Opal Deception
3. A book with a size in the title: Wide Sargasso Sea, Small Wars, Little Bee
4. A book with travel or movement in the title: Dead Witch Walking, Crawling with Zombies, Time Traveler's Wife
5. A book with evil in the title: Bad Marie, Fallen, Wicked Lovely
6. A book with a life stage in the title: No Country for Old Men, Brideshead Revisited, Bog Child

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

For more details - go to the dedicated blog - http://whatsinaname4.blogspot.com/

My potential list:

1. A book with a number in the title - DONE: The 10 Dumbest Things Christians Do by Mark Atteberry, 50 People Every Christian Should Know by Warren Wiersbe, 66 Love Letters by Larry Crabb, Twelve Reasons Christians Don’t Grow by Tony Green

2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: DONE: Fool’s Gold by John MacArthur

3. A book with a size in the title: Small Changes, Big Results by Jerry Foster

4. A book with travel or movement in the title: Breaking the Worry Habit…Forever by Elizabeth George, Feeding Your Soul by Jean Fleming, Heart Cry: Searching for Answers by Jill Briscoe, If Mama Goes South, We’re All Going with Her by Lindsey O’Connor

5. A book with evil in the title - DONE: Running with the Demon by Terry Brooks, Say Goodbye to Stubborn Sin by Clark Gerhart, Idols of the Heart by Elyse Fitzpatrick

6. A book with a life stage in the title - DONE: Unlocking the Secrets of Your Childhood Memories by Kevin Leman, The Sister Wife by Diane Noble, Nobody’s Mother by Lynn Van Luven

2. Futuristic/Sci-Fi:

The goal of this challenge is to read novels that take place in the future or on an alternate planet. Your books can be of any format (ie. paperback, ebook, audiobook, etc.). No short stories. Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine. You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them.

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

For bloggers: You can either list your books on your challenge post, sidebar, or a page dedicated to your challenges.

Levels:

1. Explorer: 4 futuristic/sci-fi novels
2. Pioneer: 8 futuristic/sci-fi novels
3. Dweller: 12 futuristic/sci-fi novels

For more details - go here: http://book-obsessed.blogspot.com/2010/11/2011-futuristicsci-fi-reading-challenge.html

My potential list:

At least 4 of the following -

Titan by Ben Bova

The Personifid Project by R.E. Bartlett

Mars Life by Ben Bova

Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan

The Road to Mars by Eric Idle

Mercury by Ben Bova

Anti-Ice by Stephen Baxter

Manifold Time by Stephen Baxter

The End by Stephen Kaltenbach

Eternity Falls by Kirk Outerbridge

The Idecis by Robin Hardy


Added: The Last Christian by David Gregory

3. TBR Challenge (hasn't officially been renewed for 2011, but probably will be?)

** Pick 12 books – one for each month of the year - that you’ve been wanting to read (that have been on your “To Be Read” list) for 6 months or longer, but haven’t gotten around to.

** OPTIONAL: Create a list of 12 “Alternates” (books you could substitute for your challenge books, given that a particular one doesn’t grab you at the time)

** Then, starting January 1, read one of these books from your list each month, ending December 31. )

I'm still debating on this one - I'm not sure how long I've had certain books, if they meet the 6 month criteria or not. No list yet for this.

I will also be doing my own challenges - Medical Mystery Madness, Chick Lit Challenge and Christian Non-Fiction Challenge. Sign-ups for those will be this month.