What I've Read in the Past Two Years

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Had a little fun on Goodreads.com today looking back at the books I've read in the past two years. They have a unique feature that allows you to see what you've read by book covers. I put together the three pages that constitute the past two years of my reading. What a colorful bunch of books! I might not read as much as some, but I've had fun reading what I have.

 

Have fun with Goodreads!

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Calling all readers! If you haven't checked out the site Goodreads.com yet, it's a fun stop on your literary road trip. Users can share what they're currently reading (there are plenty of widgets to add to your blogs and websites too), rate books, write reviews, and more. I'm enjoying the ability it gives me to go back and see what I read this year, and what I thought of those books. Like its counterpart Shelfari, you can add friends and favorite authors. I used to visit Shelfari regularly but was disappointed with their latest website update that made it harder (I thought) to do things quickly. Then I found Goodreads. So if you're curious what I'm reading on any given day, you can visit my author page and then make a page of your own.

Four Novels I Can't Wait to Read

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My to-be-read pile can sometimes overwhelm me. And then I take a step back and realize how blessed I am to even have these books! What a wonderful place to be, having so many books you don't know which one to start. That's heaven for a reader.

I am a reader before I'm a writer. I guess that's why I became a writer. I remember one of my favorite things to do as a kid was visit the library. I came home with literally bags of books I planned to read. I never got to them all, but having so many to choose from was part of the joy. Having so much good material right at my fingertips was probably what it was like for some kids in a candy store.

I still love to read. I don't have the same time available for reading like I did as a kid, but you can never stop a reader from reading... even if it's the back of the cereal box!

Four novels I'm particularly excited to read and can't wait until they arrive on my doorstep are as follows.

The Rivers Run Dry
by Sibella Giorello

Sibella wowed me with her first novel The Stones Cry Out, and I can't wait to see what her character Raleigh Harmon gets into this time. Apparently the locale is now the Pacific Northwest rather than Richmond, and I'm intrigued.

Summary:

When Raleigh Harmon, geologist and special agent for the FBI, is suddenly transferred from the Richmond field office to Seattle, she finds herself in strange territory. The Pacific Northwest has a whole different pace than the South does, her new boss seems determined to prove she can't handle the work, and she's desperately trying to keep her mother's sanity from crumbling altogether. But a missing hiker, a ransom note, an underground card game, and a "friend" with deadly intentions all ensure that there's no time for an easy transition. Raleigh will need all her skills and a little help-to keep the missing girl and herself alive.


Deceived
by James Scott Bell

Jim always creates a great page-turner, and this one grabs me right from the get-go. There's probably going to be a ton of twists and turns, like almost every Bell novel. Great stuff.

Summary:

Two bodies in an isolated canyon on the edge of L.A. One with saddlebags filled with diamonds. That's how it begins for Liz Towne, a stunning blonde with a devout husband who has given up a prime job for reasons Liz cannot understand-for "Mac" MacDonald, a Gulf War vet who's done time in prison and is just now finding his way back to normal life-and for Roxanne "Rocky" Towne, Liz's sister-in-law, who suspects things she cannot prove. All three are thrown together after a tragedy in Pack Canyon. After stumbling upon the stolen diamonds, Liz is faced with an escalating set of choices: Truth or lies? Love or money? Saint or sinner? Liz thinks she knows who she is and what she wants, but when the web gets terribly tangled, is her game of deception a clever lie or a deadly trap?


According to Their Deeds
by Paul Robertson

This will be my first Robertson novel, but the rare books in the premise certainly have my interest! Wonder how it will compare to Matt Bronleewe's novels...

Summary:

Charles Beale lives happily in the shadows of Washington, D.C., as a respectable rare-books dealer. Or mostly respectable. He has a streak of the gambler in him and when a devoted client dies-a man deeply connected to the Justice Department-Beale eagerly regains the man's book collection.and soon finds himself with more than he bid on. In one volume, Beale discovers documents incriminating a host of major political figures-blackmail material that might have led to murder. Weighing questions of justice and mercy-and with a bull's-eye on his back-Beale must untangle a complicated knot of deadly lies and dangerous secrets.


The Face
by Angela Hunt

Ms. Hunt's novels are always solid, and we can count on her coming up with a unique premise. This one has my attention! It's just too interesting to pass up. And I truly am a sucker for a great thriller.

Summary:

Born to parents who died shortly after her birth, twenty-year-old genius Sarah Sims has been hidden in a secure CIA facility where she works to help her handlers achieve their goals. Yet her days of anonymity are limited because her aunt has discovered her existence and is determined to lead Sarah out of exile. But before she can leave the only world she's ever known, Sarah needs what most people take for granted . . . a functioning face and the skills to use it. Will she remain in her secluded fortress or summon the courage to follow her heart?

The TBR Pile

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I don't know about you, but my TBR pile (aka the "To-Be-Read-Pile") is constantly growing these days. There are just so many amazing books out there! Christian fiction used to mostly be made up of prairie romances and Biblical epics. Not anymore. There's something for just about anyone, and the quality continues to rise. This is a wonderful thing for a book maven like me who loves great fiction but doesn't want to fill my mind with some of the junk out there in secular fiction. This isn't to say there isn't some great stuff out there in the mainstream, but I think you know what I mean.

Above is a picture of my actual TBR pile. Several of these are books I'm reading to review, others are for pure enjoyment. Notice the top book. Perhaps if I read it first I might actually get to the others quicker? :)

So what about you? What's in your TBR pile these days?

Can you guess these 13 first lines?

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I just had to pass this along. Angie Hunt blogged about it, and it was fun. Test your reading prowess and come back here and let me know how you did. I got 9 out of 13. I haven't read a single one (I'm sorry to admit) but you know how writing how-to books often give great first lines as examples? I've read a LOT of those! Check the quiz out here.