thornton37814's Adventures in 70s Music - thread 5

Welcome to my 4th thread for 2014's "Adventures in 70s Music."

Category 1: "We've Only Just Begun" (Carpenters; 1970) - First in series or first time I've read a book by the author
Category 2: "Longer" (Dan Fogelberg; 1979) - Books over 450 pages
Category 3: "Seasons in the Sun" (Terry Jacks; 1973) - Books about the season or weather or with seasonal or weather words in the title
Category 4: "Trying to Get the Feeling Again" (Barry Manilow; 1976) - Re-reads
Category 5: "Baker Street" (Gerry Rafferty; 1978) - British Mystery
Category 6: "That's the Way (I Like It)" (K.C. and the Sunshine Band; 1975) - Mysteries
Category 7: "We Are the Champions" (Queen; 1977) - Sports
Category 8: "Rainy Days and Mondays" (Carpenters; 1971) - Comfort Reads & Children's Books
Category 9: "Hotel California" (Eagles; 1977) - Travel
Category 10: "Sharing the Night Together" (Dr. Hook; 1978) - Shared or Matched Reads
Category 11: "Old Days" (Chicago; 1975) - History
Category 12: "Because He Lives" (Gaither Trio; 1974) - Religion/Christianity
Category 13: "Cheeseburger In Paradise" (Jimmy Buffett; 1978) - Food/Culinary
Category 14: "You're the One That I Want" (John Travolta & Olivia Newton John; 1978) - What I want to read
Abandoned Reads: "Got To Give It Up" (Marvin Gaye; 1977)

I'm going to do what I did last year. No maximum in each category but a minimum of five. I suspect that the last one to be filled will be the re-reads category (just like it is this year) because I really want to read new stuff most of the time!

Category 1: "We've Only Just Begun" (Carpenters; 1970) - First in series or first time I've read a book by the author.

1. The Girl on the Cliff by Lucinda Riley - completed 4 Jan 2014
2. Lowcountry Boil by Susan M. Boyer - completed 11 Apr 2014
3. The Girl Who Came Home: A Novel of the Titanic by Hazel Gaynor - completed 12 May 2014
4. Secrets of Hallstead House by Amy Reade - completed 31 May 2014
5. The Cherry Cola Book Club by Ashton Lee - completed 6 June 2014
6. Macaron Murder by Harper Lin - completed 17 Aug 2014
7. A Fifty-Year Silence: Love, War, and a Ruined House in France by Miranda Richmond Mouillot - completed 4 Nov 2014
8. The Boston Girl by Anita Diamont - completed 18 Nov 2014

Category 2: "Longer" (Dan Fogelberg; 1979) - Books over 450 pages

1. Dear Abigail: The Intimate Lives and Revolutionary Ideas of Abigail Adams and Her Two Remarkable Sisters by Diane Jacobs - completed 10 Jan 2014
2. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco - completed 25 May 2014
3. Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink - completed 29 May 2014
4. The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings - completed 1 Sep 2014
5. Shirley by Charlotte Bronte - completed 10 Nov 2014

Category 3: "Seasons in the Sun" (Terry Jacks; 1973) - Books about the seasons or weather or with seasonal or weather words in the title. ETA: I'm going to be a little flexible with this one. If seasons play a prominent role or something is arranged seasonally, or something similar, I'm going to let it count.

1. The Best of Polish Cooking: Recipes for Entertaining and Special Occasions by Karen West - completed 18 Apr 2014
2. The Summer Wind by Mary Alice Monroe - completed 24 June 2014
3. An Event in Autumn by Henning Mankell - completed 30 June 2014
4. Torn Away by Jennifer Brown - completed 1 Aug 2014
5. A Dish Taken Cold by Anne Perry - completed 2 Sep 2014

Category 4: "Trying to Get the Feeling Again" (Barry Manilow; 1976) - Re-reads

1. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery - completed 17 Feb 2014
2. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain - completed 22 Jul 2014
3. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream by David Platt - completed 26 Oct 2014
4. Margret & H. A. Rey's Merry Christmas, Curious George by Cathy Hapka - completed 11 Nov 2014
5. Starry Night by Debbie Macomber - completed 30 Dec 2014
6. Holy Bible: New King James Version - completed 31 Dec 2014

Category 5: "Baker Street" (Gerry Rafferty; 1978) - British Mystery

1. Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear - completed 11 Jan 2014
2. Where Memories Lie by Deborah Crombie - completed 13 Feb 2014
3. Overture to Death by Ngaio Marsh - completed 21 Jun 2014
4. Dead Heading by Catherine Aird - completed 11 Aug 2014
5. Blood Lies by Marianne McDonald - completed 13 Sep 2014
6. Blood on the Water by Anne Perry - completed 7 Oct 2014

Category 6: "That's the Way (I Like It)" (K.C. and the Sunshine Band; 1975) - Mysteries

1. Murder in Ancient China by Robert Van Gulik - completed 4 Jan 2014
2. Kilmoon: A County Clare Mystery by Lisa Alber - completed 20 Feb 2014
3. The Girl of His Dreams by Donna Leon - completed 22 Feb 2014
4. The Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters - completed 28 Feb 2014
5. Destroyer Angel by Nevada Barr - completed 29 Mar 2014
6. Murder Comes Ashore by Julie Anne Lindsey - completed 3 Apr 2014
7. He Who Fears the Wolf by Karin Fossum - completed 22 Apr 2014
8. Fer-De-Lance by Rex Stout - completed 16 May 2014
9. The Palace Tiger by Barbara Cleverly - completed 23 May 2014
10. The Fourth Secret by Andrea Camilleri - completed 25 Oct 2014
11. The Forgotten Girls by Sara Blaedel - completed 9 Nov 2014
12. Twisted Threads by Lea Wait - completed 16 Dec 2014

Category 7: "We Are the Champions" (Queen; 1977) - Sports

1. March 1939: Before the Madness - The Story of the First NCAA Basketball Tournament Champions by Terry Frei - completed 28 Jan 2014
2. The Eastern Stars: How Baseball Changed the Dominican Town of San Pedro de Macoris by Mark Kurlansky - completed 17 Mar 2014
3. Rabbit, Run by John Updike - completed 6 Nov 2014
4. Peyton Manning: A Football Star Who Cares by Barry Wilner - completed 11 Nov 2014
5. Cam Jansen and the Basketball Mystery by David A. Adler - completed 11 Nov 2014

Category 8: "Rainy Days and Mondays" (Carpenters; 1971) - Comfort Reads & Children's Books

1. Out of the Blue by Colette Makray - completed 13 Jan 2014
2. The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg - completed 14 Jan 2014
3. The Mystery in the Smoky Mountains by Carole Marsh - completed 1 Mar 2014
4. The Mark on the Door by Franklin W. Dixon - completed 7 Mar 2014
5. The Mystery of Biltmore House by Carole Marsh - completed 16 Mar 2014
6. Goodnight, June by Sarah Jio - completed 18 Apr 2014
7. The Sagebrush Singers by Herb Kernecker - completed - 31 May 2014
8. Claude on the Slopes by Alex T. Smith - completed 31 May 2014
9. Psalms and Prayers for Little Ones by Allia Zobel Nolan; illustrated by Tammie Lyon - completed 4 June 2014
10. The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill - completed 23 Aug 2014
11. My Family Tree and Me by Dusan Petricic - completed 19 Nov 2014

Category 9: "Hotel California" (Eagles; 1977) - Travel

1. Booked for Murder by Tim Myers - completed 6 Feb 2014
2. A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley - completed 14 June 2014
3. Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy - completed 2 Oct 2014
4. The Mystery on the Train by Gertrude Chandler Warner - completed 11 Nov 2014
5. Killer Cruise by Laura Levine - completed 24 Nov 2014

Category 10: "Sharing the Night Together" (Dr. Hook; 1978) - Shared or Matched Reads

1. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner - completed 3 February 2014
2. Suttree by Cormac McCarthy - completed 28 Mar 2014
3. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot - completed 7 Apr 2014
4. Jazz by Toni Morrison - completed 14 Apr 2014
5. The Ponder Heart by Eudora Welty - completed 13 May 2014
6. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut - completed 27 June 2014
7. The Plot Against America by Philip Roth - completed 6 Aug 2014
8. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - completed 22 Aug 2014
9. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton - completed 21 Oct 2014
10. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand - completed 29 Nov 2014
11. Montana 1948 by Larry Watson - completed 18 Dec 2014

Category 11: "Old Days" (Chicago; 1975) - History

1. The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh - completed 9 Jan 2014
2. American Passage: The History of Ellis Island by Vincent J. Cannato - completed 18 Jan 2014
3. Georgia Courthouse Disasters by Paul K. Graham - completed 3 Apr 2014
4. The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman - completed 10 Apr 2014
5. Biography for Beginners by E. C. Bentley; illustrations by G. K. Chesterton - completed 4 June 2014
6. A Family Secret, A Rabble Rouser, and the Unmarked Grave by Beverley Prideaux - completed 12 Aug 2014
7. Victorian Murderesses by Mary S. Hartman - completed 13 Oct 2014

Category 12: "Because He Lives" (Gaither Trio; 1974) - Religion/Christianity

1. Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather - completed 13 Jan 2014
2. And Then There Were Nuns: Adventures in a Cloistered Life by Jane Christmas - completed 21 Jan 2014
3. Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O'Brien - completed 6 Mar 2014
4. Beginning with the Word: Modern Literature and the Question of Belief by Roger Lundin - completed 4 June 2014
5. Go Tell It On the Mountain by James Baldwin - completed 4 Sep 2014
6. Love So Amazing by Pam Rhodes - completed 29 Sep 2014
7. The Last Song by Eva Wiseman - completed 18 Oct 2014
8. The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller and Kathy Keller - completed 25 Oct 2014
9. Prepare: Living Your Faith in an Increasingly Hostile Culture by J. Paul Nyquist - completed 29 Nov 2014
10. Vanishing Grace: What Ever Happened to the Good News? by Philip Yancey - completed 9 Dec 2014
11. The Names of Jesus by Warren Wiersbe - completed 28 Dec 2014

Category 13: "Cheeseburger In Paradise" (Jimmy Buffett; 1978) - Food/Culinary

1. The Best of Coffee: A Cookbook by Sandra Gluck - completed 4 Jan 2014
2. Murder Simply Brewed by Vannetta Chapman - completed 25 Jan 2014
3. The Land of the Five Flavors: A Cultural History of Chinese Cuisine by Thomas O. Hollmann - completed 27 Jan 2014
4. Blackberry Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke - completed 30 Jan 2014
5. The Tastemakers: Why We're Crazy for Cupcakes But Fed Up With Fondue by David Sax - completed 6 Feb 2014
6. Hail to the Chef by Julie Hyzy - completed 10 Feb 2014
7. The Homesick Texan's Family Table: Lone Star Cooking from My Kitchen to Yours by Lisa Fain - completed 14 Feb 2014
8. Small Plates: Short Fiction by Katherine Hall Page - completed 21 Feb 2014
9. Ratio: The Simples Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking by Michael Ruhlman - completed 5 Apr 2014
10. The Greek Yogurt Kitchen by Toby Amidor - completed 4 June 2014
11. Tacolicious: Festive Recipes for Tacos, Snacks, Cocktails, and More by Sara Deseran and others - completed 29 June 2014
12. Knish: In Search of the Jewish Soul Food by Laura Silver - completed 4 July 2014

Category 14: "You're the One That I Want" (John Travolta & Olivia Newton John; 1978) - What I want to read

1. The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett - completed 27 Jan 2014
2. Under Magnolia: A Southern Memoir by Frances Mayes - completed 29 Mar 2014
3. The Late Starters Orchestra by Ari L. Goldman - completed 25 Apr 2014
4. Nora Webster by Colm Toibin - completed 17 Jul 2014
5. Inheritance: How Our Genes Change Our Lives and Our Lives Change Our Genes by Sharon Moalem - completed 26 Jul 2014
6. The Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes - completed 23 Sep 2014
7. November Boughs by Walt Whitman - completed 9 Oct 2014
8. Guide to DNA Testing: How to Identify Ancestors, Confirm Relationships, and Measure Ethnic Ancestry through DNA Testing by Richard Hill - completed 22 Oct 2014
9. Who's Picking Me Up from the Airport?: And Other Questions Single Girls Ask by Cindy Johnson - completed 18 Nov 2014
10. The Christmas Light by Donna VanLiere - completed 18 Dec 2014

Abandoned Reads: "Got To Give It Up" (Marvin Gaye; 1977)

1. If You Follow Me by Pam Rhodes - abandoned 27 Oct 2014
2. Slowing Time: Seeing the Sacred Outside Your Kitchen Door by Barbara Mahany - abandoned 11 Nov 2014

102. The Boston Girl by Anita Diamont

Date Completed: 17 Nov 2014

Category: We've Only Just Begun

CAT Challenge: None

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Addie Baum was born to immigrant Russian Jews. She grew up in Boston. The book is a chronicle of her growing up years, her early adulthood, and her courtship. It offers a glimpse of what life was like for Jews in Boston in the early 20th century. Addie is a likeable character, and readers can empathize with her and enjoy the way that she always seems to land her feet when adversity occurs. I enjoyed the book tremendously, but it did not hold me completely captive. The story is written from the perspective of Addie as grandmother relating the story to her granddaughter. I received an advance reader's copy through NetGalley for review purposes.

103. Who's Picking Me Up from the Airport?: And Other Questions Single Girls Ask by Cindy Johnson

Date Completed: 18 Nov 2014

Category: You're the One that I Want

CAT Challenge: None

Rating: 2 stars

Review: Cindy Johnson offers advice for single women in their late twenties and early thirties through a series of letters and commentary based on experiences of her single friends. I suspect that I might have enjoyed the book a bit more if I had been twenty years younger. The title was catchy for me, and I really expected the book to be more of humorous look at singleness. Instead the book was more focused on dating experiences. The format just didn't work well for me, and to be honest, I am probably about twenty years over the anticipated target audience. It probably would work better for those in that generation. This review is based on an advance readers copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Happy new thread, Lori! Sorry to see the Johnson book format didn't work for you. The concept of the book sounds interesting.

>19 lkernagh: I think I'm just "too old" to really appreciate it. It's also one of those that wasn't quite what I expected. That's a dangerous combination when reviewing the book.

104. My Family Tree and Me by Dusan Petricic

Date Completed: 19 Nov 2014

Category: Rainy Days and Mondays

CAT Challenge: None

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This nicely illustrated volume provides good explanations of family relationships, such as aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc. in a format that younger children will enjoy. The family depicted is a mutli-ethnic family. It is a book which may create interest in family history. Parents may wish to pre-screen the book for their children if they have objections to some of the more complicated modern-day relationships. This review is based on an advance review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Happy new thread!

>22 -Eva-: Thank you!

105. Killer Cruise by Laura Levine

Date Completed: 24 Nov 2014

Category: Hotel California

CAT Challenge: None

Rating: 2 stars

Review: Jaine Austen is offering a course on writing as part of the cruise activities for Holiday Cruise Lines. She is more interested in the 24 hour buffet than the cruise itself. Her cat Prozac invites himself along, and Jaine is forced to try to hide him aboard ship so he won't be quarantined. The ice sculptor's ice picks come up missing, and it isn't long until a murder has taken place. The captain and his crew detain a suspect, but Jaine is convinced of her innocence and begins to investigate. I'm simply not a fan of Levine's writing style. I dislike the e-mail exchanges at the end of some chapters. I find most of the situations rather absurd. I'm afraid the intended humor is lost on me. I think part of the problem is that Levine tries to make these novels fit too many genres--mystery, romance, and humor. She simply doesn't pull it off for those of us who are primarily interested in the mystery element.

>24 thornton37814: Oh no! That definitely sounds like one to avoid. I hate that the heroine's name is Jaine Austen!

>25 christina_reads: It just tries to be too "cute-sy."

This morning I went to the little Walmart here in my brother's town. It's one of the older smaller stores. My main purpose in going was to get Christmas Cards for my Dad since he kept nagging us to get them. (We really wanted to avoid Black Friday.) I was surprised to get a parking place near the front door, and it wasn't too crowded. However, they had NO CHRISTMAS CARDS. I have nicknamed them the "Ebenezer Scrooge Store." Bah Humbug!

I went to my Walmart this morning to take advantage of the sale of Rubbermaid containers and was pleased to find so few people shopping and no lines at the registers. I guess everyone went last night.

>28 mamzel: That's what we decided. They really didn't have very much on sale just for the 6 a.m. event today.

106. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Date Completed: 29 Nov 2014

Category: Sharing the Night Together

CAT Challenge: RandomCAT - Disasters

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Louis Zamperini, former Olympian, was in the Army Air Corps during World War II. When the plane he was in went down in the middle of the Pacific, he and other survivors drifted for days before two of them finally reached the Marshall Islands which were held by the Japanese and became POWs. Their treatment was often inhumane, particularly under one man called 'The Bird." The book also shows how the war affected him after his return to the United States, nearly destroying his marriage. Fortunately for Zamperini, his life was forever changed when he attended a Billy Graham Crusade.

I felt that the narrative bogged down in some places, but the story was fascinating. I would love to read more about Zamperini's later life. The book provides the reader with a new appreciation for former POWs and their plights.

I've seen the movie promo for Unbroken and now I am interested in seeing it. I have moved up to number 37 on the library wait list, but that still will be long after the New Year. This might be a case where I see the movie before I read the book!

>31 DeltaQueen50: I know what you mean. It's a shame public libraries don't acquire more copies.

I saw the trailer for unbroken in the theater today. While I thoroughly enjoyed the book I don't think I want to live through all his travails again. What did look really interesting was a new movie about the whaling ship, the Essex.

There's a book about that one too. I got it for my husband a year or so ago.

>33 mamzel: The other movie sounds interesting too. I'll have to remember to check into it.

>34 dudes22: What is the name of the book, Betty?

It took me longer than normal to drive home today. Traffic was at a complete standstill on I-24 right before I entered the little corner of Georgia that I have to go through. I was pretty sure that there was an accident ahead when an ambulance and 3 troopers passed on the service lane. Then when I got into the Knoxville area, I had to repeat the sitting on the interstate routine on I-40/I-75. I thought I was going to get to be at home over an hour before having to go to church to work with the youth choir. Turns out I was a few minutes late for it after all the sitting. Jeff reminded me that what was important was that I got home safely.

107. Prepare: Living Your Faith in an Increasingly Hostile Culture by J. Paul Nyquist

Date Completed: 29 Nov 2014

Category: Because He Lives

CAT Challenge: None

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Nyquist writes about some of the cultural trends that are increasingly hostile toward Christians. He shows how Christians in other parts of the world have been facing persecution for centuries and warns American Christians that we may begin to face this same type of persecution as we stand up for our beliefs. He cites several recent events as evidence of the beginnings of such persecution and believes that it will grow worse. However, he also offers advice to Christians in dealing with these attacks on our faith and also offers hope, showing how revival and a return to God has turned the tide in American church history previously and can do so again. I found this to be a very timely book and was quite astonished to find references to the recent situation in Houston where the mayor made demands on area pastors included. It's a topic that will likely appeal to a lot of Christians and would probably provide good material for small group studies as most of the advice in dealing with the cultural threats is rooted in the Word of God. This review is based on an advance reading e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation that a review would be written.

>35 thornton37814: We have a book in our library for young readers called Revenge of the Whale by Nathaniel Philbrick. I have laid eyes on it many times and passed it over. I'll have to give it a go now.

The book is called In the Heart of the Sea: the Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick.

>38 mamzel: If it is by Philbrick, I'm sure it is great!

>39 dudes22: Oh, wow - the adult book is by Philbrick too! I guess I can take my pick of the adult or children's version.

A lot of nonfiction authors are doing that. They recently came out with a young version of Unbroken.

>41 mamzel: That's kind of neat.

My 2015 Challenge is posted.

I've been ignoring the 2015 challenge until today. It seems like it must be time to think ahead. See you there Lori.

>44 VivienneR: I really couldn't decide what to do. I'm probably going to be bored with it because they are "boring categories." That's why I reserved the right to create new ones when I hit 15 in all 5 categories.

Being able to create new categories mid-year sounds like an excellent plan to me.

>46 VivienneR: I only hope that with everything I have going on next year that I'm able to do that!

108. Vanishing Grace: What Ever Happened to the Good News? by Philip Yancey

Date Completed: 9 Dec 2014

Category: Because He Lives

CAT Challenge: None

Rating: 4 stars

Review: In this book, Yancey takes a look at the way Christianity interacts with culture, specifically Evangelical Christianity. He makes a number of good points that will make Evangelicals consider the way they have been reacting to moral issues. He draws from the Bible and from church history to show how some of the greatest moments of the church were in times when Christians were not in political authority. The book will make a great discussion starter for small group discussions, Christian university courses dealing with society, and for Christian book clubs. While I may not agree with every point the author made, his work will make me consider why I think the way I do. I am not a fan of the hidden end note style which appears to be what this book will have, but since this was an advance e-galley provided by the publisher for review through NetGalley, that may have changed before it reached the final printing.

109. Twisted Threads by Lea Wait

Date Completed: 16 Dec 2014

Category: That's the Way (I Like It)

CAT Challenge: MysteryCAT - Cozy Mysteries

Rating: 4 stars

Review Angie Curtis returns to Maine when her Mom's corpse is discovered in a neighbor's storage freezer. She discoverers that her grandmother and others in her Haven Harbor needlepoint business have been ripped off by a man they had trusted to get them more work. Angie uses skills learned while working for a private investigator in Arizona to locate the man. It's not long until there is a murder and the needlepointers all become suspects. Angie uses her skills to help the state police investigate. I really enjoyed the setting, the characters, and the needlepoint themes in this book; however, I was very much put off by the use of Ouija boards, particularly when it involved the town's minister. There was really nothing that they added to the plot. Even though I loved most of the book, I am concerned that the Occultic element will be present in future installments. If it is, I do not wish to read them. This review is based on an advance e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Note: This book is being released 6 Jan 2015.

Carrie and I met up tonight to exchange Christmas gifts and enjoy a meal together. As usual, there were books in our packages. The books in my package were:

Sleeping the Churchyard Sleep by Rett MacPherson
and
Jesus' Family Tree: Seeing God's Faithfulness in the Genealogy of Christ (Rose Publishing)

I guess I'll see how much more of the Larry Watson book I finish tonight. I'd love to finish it tomorrow so I don't have to take it with me to Mississippi for the holidays. (It also means that I could return it to the library before I leave town.) I have a couple of Christmas books that I plan to take, and then I have several things on my iPad to read.

For those of you who are curious what a Living Christmas Tree is or just want to see me, here is the link to the edited version which cuts out some of the "downtime" when moving people on and off stage. http://vimeo.com/114777905

That is really impressive, Lori.

>52 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. I hope you enjoyed it.

110. Montana 1948 by Larry Watson

Date Completed: 18 Dec 2014

Category: Sharing the Night Together

CAT Challenge: None

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: This beautifully written novel tells the story of a year in the life of a Montana sheriff's family that would forever change their life and their relationships with their own family. The story is told through the eyes of the sheriff's son as he remembers events later in life. The topic dealt with in this novel is not an easy one, but Watson successfully relates the story to his readers and keeps them interested in it. The reader could almost feel the situation in which the sheriff found himself -- between a rock and a hard place. The novel is not overly long, but the author's care in choosing the right words makes the story the right length. Highly recommended; one of the best reads of the year for me.

No BB for me here as I already took one from Judy for this one .

Any "one of the best reads of the year" makes a BB.

>55 dudes22: I'm sure you will enjoy it.

>56 mysterymax: I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Max.

111. The Christmas Light by Donna VanLiere

Date Completed: 18 Dec 2014

Category: You're The One That I Want

CAT Challenge: None

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: Jennifer and Avery have lost their husband and father. Avery is having difficulty coping and is seeing a therapist. Ryan comes to Grandon to visit his aunt. He has custody of his daughter Sophia. An unwed mother and a couple seeking adoption are also residents of Grandon. All of their lives are brought together by a Christmas Pageant at the Grandon Community Church that Ryan's aunt and her friend Miriam are organizing. A major theme in the book is how darkness can turn to light. It also shows how God can use each of us in spite of our flaws. Donna Van Liere writes nearly perfect Christmas stories. This may be among her finest. If you need to experience a Christmas miracle, this book is for you!

I will say that sentimentally this is a 5 star read because I loved and enjoyed it so much although I know it probably deserves a 4 star rating. I compromised and split the difference.

>58 thornton37814: I feel like that with the Miss Read books. I would give them all a 5 star rating simply for sentimental reasons!

>59 DeltaQueen50: I just really love her Christmas stories. I love the Miss Read books too.

All the best for the holidays, Lori. It's been a great year and I've enjoyed following your thread. I look forward to catching up with you in 2015.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Just wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful year ahead. I'm looking forward to all those book bullets!

Merry Christmas Lori and a Happy reading New Year!

Merry Christmas Lori!

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Merry Christmas, Lori!

Merry Christmas!

>61 DeltaQueen50: Me too, Judy.

>62 rabbitprincess: Thanks for the wishes.

>63 VivienneR: You are optimistic about the book bullets in 2015. I'm just hoping I actually find time to read.

>64 dudes22: Thanks, Betty. You too!

>65 lsh63: Thank you, Lisa.

>66 majkia: You too, Jean.

>67 RidgewayGirl: Hope you had a great one over in Germany.

>68 inge87: You too. What a gorgeous stained glass window!

112. The Names of Jesus by Warren Wiersbe

Date Completed: 28 Dec 2014

Category: Because He Lives

CAT Challenge: None

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Wiersbe's insights into some of the names of Jesus in Scripture make great daily devotional reads for approximately a two week period. It would be perfect for reading during the Advent season. The book does not contain a comprehensive list of names used for Jesus in the Bible. In fact, it ignores some of the more obvious ones such as Messiah or Redeemer. Instead, the book is divided into two sections. The first section are names drawn from Isaiah 9. This section was published in an earlier book. The second section are names from the New Testament and are mostly drawn from his sermons. This means that the two sections are a bit uneven in writing style as the second portion retained more of a sermon style. Wiersbe's insights are helpful for the type of use that this book is likely to receive from the average lay reader. Those seeking a more in depth treatment of the subject may wish to look to other resources which are more academic in nature.

113. Starry Night by Debbie Macomber

Date Completed: 30 Dec 2014

Category: Trying to Get the Feeling Again

CAT Challenge: None

Last Year's Rating: 3.5 stars

This Year's Rating: 4 stars

Last Year's Review: When her editor tells her she can cover any story she wishes if she can get an interview with a sensational Alaskan reclusive author, Carrie heads off to Alaska to try to find him. She finds a friend of the author, Finn Dalton, who flies her to his cabin. What happens under the stars is magical. Finn urges her not to publish her story. Will she give up her dream job or her man? This is a nice Christmas story that includes some reconciliation. It may not be my favorite Christmas story by Macomber, but I did love the Alaskan setting.

This Year's Review: I loved it! I suspect that being in love myself made me enjoy it more this time. I picked this up at the library thinking that I had this year's book. When I began reading it, I remembered parts of it, but I couldn't figure out why parts seemed familiar and parts did not so I decided that the old one had just been similar. Then when I went to enter my review, I discovered I already had one -- and that it was only from last year. I think it is bad when I don't remember a plot better than that after only a year and a month or two.

Sometimes author like Macomber are just what one needs.

Happy New Year!

>74 hailelib: Exactly! I love Macomber's Christmas books. Happy New Year to you also!

114. Holy Bible: New King James Version

Date Completed: 31 Dec 2014

Category: Trying to Get the Feeling Again

CAT Challenge: None

Rating: 5 stars

Comments: I'm not going to review this one. This was a year-long read using the YouVersion Bible app on my iPad. I used the plan, "The Bible in a Year." It's not my favorite Bible reading plan so I'll probably switch to the One Year Bible next year to give it a try. This is the one I knew would finish off my re-reads category, but I actually finished it off a day early with the Macomber book (by accident, since I thought I had the current year's book instead of last year's).

This concludes my 2014 reading! Join me over on my 2015 thread.

See you next year, Lori!

>78 thornton37814: Thanks!

Happy New Year, Lori. See you on your 2015 thread.

>79 VivienneR: Thanks!