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2026 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


27 / 30 books. 90% done!

2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


39 / 50 books. 78% done!

2026 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona
- Arkansas (1)
- California (7)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (2)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (2)
- Maine (4)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico
- New York (4)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee
- Texas (3)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (2)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*

International:

- Australia (6)
- Austria (1)
- Canada (2)
- England (21)
- Fiji (1)
- France (1)
- Ireland (2)
- Italy (1)
- Mexico (1)
- New Zealand (1)
- Norway (1)
- Scotland (1)
- The Bahamas (1)
- Vatican City (1)

My Progress:


34 / 51 states. 67% done!

2026 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


24 / 25 books. 96% done!

2026 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

My Progress:


29 / 50 books. 58% done!

Booklist Queen's 2026 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


38 / 52 books. 73% done!

2026 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


34 / 52 books. 65% done!

2026 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


22 / 40 books. 55% done!

2026 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


24 / 51 books. 47% done!

2026 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge

2026 Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


19 / 25 books. 76% done!

2026 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


44 / 52 books. 85% done!

Shelf Reflection Candy Reading Challenge for Kids (and Adults)

My Progress:


54 / 65 books. 83% done!

2026 Countdown Reading Challenge

My Progress:


55 / 55 books. 100% done!

2026 Series Reading Challenge


23 / 36 books. 64% done!

Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo

Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo

My Progress:


70 / 125 books. 56% done!

2026 Southern Literary Reading Challenge

My Progress:


9 / 9 books. 100% done!

2026 Reading Challenge (by Linz the Bookworm)

My Progress:


36 / 60 books. 60% done!

2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge

2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge

My Progress:


10 / 40 books. 25% done!

European Reading Challenge 2026

My Progress:


7 / 50 books. 14% done!

2017 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge (retired challenge - doing old boards for fun)

My Progress:


67 / 125 books. 54% done!

2026 Reading Challenge Addict Reading Challenge

My Progress:


4 / 5 challenges. 80% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


98 / 100 names. 98% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:


76 / 80 skills. 95% done!
Saturday, February 23, 2013

An Enjoyable Book for Mothers and Daughters? Voilá! Guilt Assuaged.

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

The readers in my family constantly complain that I never take their reading recommendations.  When I open my mouth to protest these vicious accusations, I often realize they're right.  It's not that I don't respect their opinions—it's really not—it's just that I often have more pressing reading assignments to which I have to attend.  Still, I have guilt.  Lots of guilt.  So, a couple weeks ago, when my 11-year-old daughter asked me to read the first book in one of her favorite series, I saw a golden opportunity to redeem myself.  And, while The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick didn't knock my socks off or anything, I'm glad I read it, if only so my young reader knows that I do value her opinion.  Very much.

The story revolves around four 6th grade girls in Concord, Massachusetts, who are thrown together when their moms decide to organize a mother-daughter book club.  Emma Hawthorne—who comes from a bookish family and wants to be a writer when she grows up—is okay with the idea.  In theory.  In fact, if her best friend's mother hadn't traipsed off to New York City to star in a soap opera, it might even be a fun thing for her and Jess Delaney to do with their moms.  But, for now, Jess only has a father, so awkward doesn't even begin to describe the situation.  Then, there are the other girls:  Megan Wong is a middle school A-lister, whose friends delight in making life miserable for girls like Emma and Jess, and Cassidy Sloane's a mischievous tomboy who can't talk about anything but sports.  How are four such different girls supposed to get along long enough to choose a book, let alone meet every month to discuss it?

Plenty of ups and downs mark the girls' lives as the year moves on.  And the silly book club isn't making things any better.  Or is it?  As the group continues to read and talk about Little Women, they learn some surprising truths about each other—and themselves.  

First off, I have to say that I love the idea behind this series.  It's a lot of fun.  The story in this first installment reflects that because, while it does deal with things like bullying and parental criticism, it remains both upbeat and lighthearted.  Frederick provides plenty of laughs to offset the more serious parts of the plot.  I did find the characters in The Mother-Daughter Book Club a little cliche, the writing a bit bumpy, and the ending way, way, way too neatly tied up.  Overall, though, it's a cute book that teaches some good lessons about family, friendship and the power of forgiveness.  My daughter has already stacked the next four MDBC books on my desk—and I plan to read them.  If the first installment is any indication, they're fast, fun novels that can be enjoyed by mothers and daughters alike.  Voilá!  Guilt assuaged.    

(Readalikes:  Other books in The Mother-Daughter Book Club series)

Grade:  B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  PG for nothing offensive—the book is just geared toward readers aged about 9-12

To the FTC, with love:  I borrowed The Mother-Daughter Book Club from my daughter's personal library.  I believe she got it from her school librarian as a prize for reading lots of books (must be genetic :]).    
Friday, February 22, 2013

TGIF - Time to Hop!

It's Friday and that means it's time for the Book Blogger Hop.  If you haven't heard, the Hop is being revived by Billy over at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.  It works the same way it always has -- sign up on the Linky at Billy's blog, the Hop around and visit the other blogs on the list.  The point?  To find new book blogs, visit old favorites and have a good time.  It's fun, trust me!

So, the question of the week is:  Do you prefer reading printed books or using an e-reader?

- Well, not so long ago, I refused to even hold an e-reader in my hand.  I loved "real" books too much—I loved the feel of them, the smell of them, the whole bit.  Then, NetGalley came along and I needed a way to read e-galleys (I still won't read a book on my computer!).  So, I caved and bought a Kindle Fire.  And guess what?  I love it.  I didn't think I would, but I do, I really do.  These days, I still mostly read printed books, but I enjoy a fair amount of e-books (most of which are e-ARCs), too.  I'm no longer anti e-readers because I believe what Stephen Fry said:  "Books are no more threatened by [e-readers] than stairs by elevators."  Too true.

If you're new to BBB, welcome!  I'm so glad you're here.  Please take a moment to look around my blog, make a comment (or two or ten) and, most importantly, come back often.  I promise to return the favor.

Happy reading!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

...And We Have a Winner!

Susan Holly is the lucky winner of a copy of Pam Jenoff's newest historical, The Ambassador's Daughter.  I've already heard from her, so her book will be on the way shortly.  Congratulations, Susan (love that name)!

Thanks to everyone who entered.  If you didn't win this time, no worries—I'll have lots more giveaways coming up soon.  Thanks, as always, for reading and supporting BBB.  It means a lot to me :)

Happy reading!

The False Prince Is Getting Lots of Attention and It's Easy to See Why

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Sage isn't planning on living in an orphanage his whole life, but that doesn't mean he's willing to leave his home with just anybody.  Especially not a man like Bevin Conner.  A nobleman who claims to be on the king's errand, Conner obviously has ulterior motives for gathering up orphans.  And, no matter how much he's roughed up for it, 14-year-old Sage doesn't plan to stick around to see what those sinister plans might be.  He's going to escape—now.  
When Sage hears Conner's idea, though, he's intrigued.  With the country on the brink of civil war, the nobleman, who truly is one of the king's regents, has a crazy plan to reunite it.  He's searching for a boy who can pass for the king's long-lost son, a boy who can impersonate a prince well enough to fool even the most discerning royals.  A boy to rule, a boy to become the next king of Carthya.  The catch?  In order to live in the palace, to sleep in comfort, to dine on sumptuous feasts, to act the part of a spoiled royal, Sage must prove he can act the princely part better than the three other orphans Conner has nabbed.  If he loses the competition, he'll be killed.  As little as Sage likes the idea of playing prince, he likes the idea of dying even less.  So, he agrees to participate in Conner's deadly little contest.

As the competition heats up, Sage realizes he's involved in a game far more complicated than he ever realized.  He can trust no one.  One false move can mean instant death, or worse.  With his life on the line, Sage must figure out what Conner's really up to—before it's too late for them all. 

With lots of buzz in the blogosphere, a Cybil for best book in Middle Grade Fantasy & Science Fiction, and now a Whitney Award nomination (as well as lots of other honors), The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen has been getting a lot of attention lately.  It's easy to see why—the book's a fun, action-packed thriller guaranteed to pull young (and old) readers in and keep them riveted until its very last word.  It's predictable in a lot of ways and I wasn't thrilled with the "big reveal" as it felt like cheating on Nielsen's part.  Still, The False Prince has plenty of action, adventure and intrigue, which makes it a fast, exhilarating read sure to appeal to anyone who enjoys a good yarn.  And, really, who doesn't? 

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't really think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:  B

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  PG for scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of The False Prince from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.   
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