50 Book Challenge - Update

39.  Devil Colony - James Rollins - 496 pages
Great addition to the Sigma series!  Loved the historical plot of the book.

39.1 Skeleton Key - James Rollins - 29 pages
Nice short story in the Sigma world.

40. Callsign: King - Jeremy Robinson and Sean Ellis - 188 pages
Short story featuring King. First in the Callsign series.

41. The Jungle - Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul - 416 pages
Not the best book.  Really broken up story.

42.  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs - 352 pages
Very unique book based on very unique photographs.

43.  Seven Souls a Leaping - K.F. Zuzulo, Lisa Pietsch and Heather Long - 269 pages
Interesting series of connected short stories.

44. Flip This Zombie - Jesse Petersen - 272 pages
Second book in the series.  Not as fun as the first.

45. 8 Minute Meditation: Quiet Your Mind. Change Your Life - Victor Davich - 208 pages
Good introduction into meditation.

46.  Strong at the Break - Jon Land - 352 pages
Latest Caitlin Strong novel.  Good story, but it took me a while to get into the book.

47.  Countdown - Mira Grant - 88 pages
Awesome back story for the Newsfeed trilogy.

48.  Joe Ledger: The Missing Files - Jonathan Maberry - 200? pages
Audio collection of Joe Ledger short stories.  Interesting collection of short adventures.  Fills in a few gaps.

49.  Working Stiff - Rachel Caine - 320 pages
First book in a new series.  I can't say I really enjoyed it, but there may be promise in the series.

50.  Eat Slay Love - Jesse Petersen - 288 pages
Great third tale of David and Sarah.

50.1. Shambling with the Stars - Jesse Petersen - 31 pages
Short story of zombies in Hollywood.

50.2. In the Dead - Jesse Petersen - 92 pages
Collection of stories about life in a zombie apocalypse.

50.3.  First Frost - Jennifer Estep - 50? pages
Short story introduction into a new YA series.

51. Cold Vengeance - Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child - 368 pages
Latest Pendergast novel.  Not as good a previous books.  Really felt like a middle book in a series.

52.  Horse Soldiers - Doug Stanton - 432? pages
Listened to this as a audio book.  Great tale of the heroism of the men who first went to Afghanistan after 9/11.

53.  Power of Six - Pitticus Lore - 406 pages
Continuing story of I Am Number Four.  Good cliffhanger.

54.  Canyons of Night - Jayne Castle - 325 pages
There was something incomplete about this book.  I liked it but felt like I was missing half the story.

54.  Canyons of Night - Jayne Castle - 325 pages
53.  Power of Six - Pitticus Lore - 406 pages
52.  Horse Soldiers - Doug Stanton - 432? pages
51. Cold Vengeance - Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child - 368 pages
50.3.  First Frost - Jennifer Estep - 50? pages
50.2. In the Dead - Jesse Petersen - 92 pages
50.1. Shambling with the Stars - Jesse Petersen - 31 pages
50.  Eat Slay Love - Jesse Petersen - 288 pages
49.  Working Stiff - Rachel Caine - 320 pages
48.  Joe Ledger: The Missing Files - Jonathan Maberry - 200? pages
47.  Countdown - Mira Grant - 88 pages
46.  Strong at the Break - Jon Land - 352 pages
45. 8 Minute Meditation: Quiet Your Mind. Change Your Life - Victor Davich - 208 pages
44. Flip This Zombie - Jesse Petersen - 272 pages
43.  Seven Souls a Leaping - K.F. Zuzulo, Lisa Pietsch and Heather Long - 269 pages
42.  Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs - 352 pages
41. The Jungle - Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul - 416 pages
40. Callsign: King - Jeremy Robinson and Sean Ellis - 188 pages
39.1 Skeleton Key - James Rollins - 29 pages
39.  Devil Colony - James Rollins - 496 pages
38.  Married With Zombies – Jesse Petersen – 241 pages
37.  Dragon Virus – Laura Anne Gilman – 99 pages
36.  Rot & Ruin – Jonathan Maberry – 458 pages
35.  Emerald Talisman – Brenda Pandos – 202 pages
34. The Forest of Hands and Teeth – Carrie Ryan – 308 pages
33.  Numbers – Rachel Ward – 325 pages
32.  Ashes, Ashes - Jo Treggiari – 341 pages
31.  Magic Mourns – Ilona Andrews – 66 pages
30.  Magic Slays – Ilona Andrews – 308 pages
29.  Deadline – Mira Grant – 581 pages
28.  Nightfall – Ellen Connor – 327 pages
27.  Allegra Fairweather – Janni Nell – 280 pages
26. Beautiful Darkness - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - 503 pages
25.  The Zero Dog War – Keith Melton – 203 pages
24.  The Infection – Craig DiLouie – 270 pages
23. The Goddess Test – Aimee Carter – 293 pages
22.  Paranormalcy - Kiersten White – 335 pages
21.  Badlands – Seleste DeLaney – 100 pages
20.  Enclave – Ann Aguirre – 259 pages
19.  Magic on the Hunt – Devon Monk – 346 pages
18.  King of Plagues – Jonathan Mayberry – 435 pages
17.  Threshold – Jeremy Robinson – 338 pages
16.  Unknown – Rachel  Caine – 304 pages
15. 47 Echo - Shawn Kupfer - 313 pages
14. Spirit Storm - E.J. Stevens - 189 pages
13. River Marked - Patricia Briggs - 324 pages
12. Seismic Evil - Heather Long - 244 pages
11. Desires of the Dead - Kimberly Derting - 355 pages
10. She Smells The Dead - E.J. Stevens - 168 pages
9. Halfway Hexed - Kimberly Frost - 324 pages
8. A Brush of Darkness - Allison Pang - 343 pages
7. Bloodring - Faith Hunter - 319 pages
6. Death Most Definite - Trent Jamieson - 323 pages
5. Grave Witch - Kalayna Price - 325 pages
4. Unholy Ghosts - Stacia Kane - 339 pages
3. Blood Challenge - Eileen Wilks - 443 pages
2. Ghost Country - Patrick Lee - 368 pages
1. Witch Wolf - Winter Pennington - 193 pages

54 / 50 books. 108% done!
16674 / 17500 words. 95% done!

A-Z Challenge - Update - August

A – Ashes, Ashes - Jo Treggiari

B – Beautiful Darkness – Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

C – Chosen – Jeanne C. Stein

D – Desires of the Dead - Kimberly Derting

E – Enclave – Ann Aguirre

F – First Grave on the Right - Darynda Jones

G – Green-Eyed Demon – Jaye Wells

H – Halfway Hexed – Kimberly Frost

I – Iron King – Julie Kagawa

J – Jungle, The - Clive Cussler, Jack Du Brul

K – King of Plagues, The - Jonathan Mayberry

L – Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld

M – Married With Zombies – Jesse Petersen

N – Nightfall – Ellen Connor

O – One of Our Thursdays Is Missing – Jasper Fforde

P – Paranormalcy – Kiersten White

Q - Question of Guilt, A - Carolyn Keene

R – Rot and Ruin – Jonathan Maberry

S – Shift -  Jeri Smith-Ready

T – Threshold – Jeremy Robinson

U – Unseen – Rachel Caine

V – The Violet Flash - Mike Mason

W – Working Stiff – Rachel Caine

X - Xibalba Murders - Lyn Hamilton

Y - Yellow House, The - Blake Morrison

Z  - Zoo City - Lauren Beukes 

A-Z Reading Challenge - Update - July

A – Ashes, Ashes - Jo Treggiari

B – Beautiful Darkness – Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

C – Chosen – Jeanne C. Stein

D – Desires of the Dead - Kimberly Derting

E – Enclave – Ann Aguirre

F – First Grave on the Right - Darynda Jones

G – Green-Eyed Demon – Jaye Wells

H – Halfway Hexed – Kimberly Frost

I – Iron King – Julie Kagawa

J – Jungle, The - Clive Cussler, Jack Du Brul

K – King of Plagues, The - Jonathan Mayberry

L – Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld

M – Married With Zombies – Jesse Petersen

N – Nightfall – Ellen Connor

O – One of Our Thursdays Is Missing – Jasper Fforde

P – Paranormalcy – Kiersten White

Q - Question of Guilt, A - Carolyn Keene

R – Rot and Ruin – Jonathan Maberry

S – Shift -  Jeri Smith-Ready

T – Threshold – Jeremy Robinson

U – Unseen – Rachel Caine

V – The Violet Flash - Mike Mason

W – Working Stiff – Rachel Caine

X - Xibalba Murders - Lyn Hamilton

Y - Yellow House, The - Blake Morrison

Z  - Zoo City - Lauren Beukes 

A-Z Reading Challenge - Update - June

A – Ashes, Ashes - Jo Treggiari

B – Beautiful Darkness – Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

C – Chosen – Jeanne C. Stein

D – Desires of the Dead - Kimberly Derting

E – Enclave – Ann Aguirre

F – First Grave on the Right - Darynda Jones

G – Green-Eyed Demon – Jaye Wells

H – Halfway Hexed – Kimberly Frost

I – Iron King – Julie Kagawa

J – Jungle, The - Clive Cussler, Jack Du Brul

K – King of Plagues, The - Jonathan Mayberry

L – Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld

M – Married With Zombies – Jesse Petersen

N – Nightfall – Ellen Connor

O – One of Our Thursdays Is Missing – Jasper Fforde

P – Paranormalcy – Kiersten White

Q - Question of Guilt, A - Carolyn Keene

R – Rot and Ruin – Jonathan Maberry

S – Shift -  Jeri Smith-Ready

T – Threshold – Jeremy Robinson

U – Unseen – Rachel Caine

V – The Violet Flash - Mike Mason

W – Working Stiff – Rachel Caine

X - Xibalba Murders - Lyn Hamilton

Y - Yellow House, The - Blake Morrison

Z  - Zoo City - Lauren Beukes

*************************************************

I had to make a change to the list.  I started reading Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield, but I had to "break up" with it.  The book grossed me out and then didn't make me care enough to keep reading despite my discomfort. 

So, Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari takes its place.  Since they are both a post apocalyptic books, it seems like a fair trade.  

A-Z Reading Challenge

A – Aftertime - Sophie Littlefield

B – Beautiful Darkness – Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

C – Chosen – Jeanne C. Stein

D – Desires of the Dead - Kimberly Derting

E – Enclave – Ann Aguirre

F – First Grave on the Right - Darynda Jones

G – Green-Eyed Demon – Jaye Wells

H – Halfway Hexed – Kimberly Frost

I – Iron King – Julie Kagawa

J – Jungle, The - Clive Cussler, Jack Du Brul

K – King of Plagues, The - Jonathan Mayberry

L – Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld

M – Married With Zombies – Jesse Petersen

N – Nightfall – Ellen Connor

O – One of Our Thursdays Is Missing – Jasper Fforde

P – Paranormalcy – Kiersten White

Q - Question of Guilt, A - Carolyn Keene

R – Rot and Ruin – Jonathan Maberry

S – Shift -  Jeri Smith-Ready

T – Threshold – Jeremy Robinson

U – Unseen – Rachel Caine

V – The Violet Flash - Mike Mason

W – Working Stiff – Rachel Caine

X - Xibalba Murders - Lyn Hamilton

Y - Yellow House, The - Blake Morrison

Z  - Zoo City - Lauren Beukes

A-Z Reading Challenge - Update

A – Aftertime - Sophie Littlefield

B – Beautiful Darkness – Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

C – Chosen – Jeanne C. Stein

D – Desires of the Dead - Kimberly Derting

E – Enclave – Ann Aguirre

F – First Grave on the Right - Darynda Jones

G – Green-Eyed Demon – Jaye Wells

H – Halfway Hexed – Kimberly Frost

I – Iron King – Julie Kagawa

J – Jungle, The - Clive Cussler, Jack Du Brul

K – King of Plagues, The - Jonathan Mayberry

L – Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld

M – Married With Zombies – Jesse Petersen

N – Nightfall – Ellen Connor

O – One of Our Thursdays Is Missing – Jasper Fforde

P – Paranormalcy – Kiersten White

Q - Question of Guilt, A - Carolyn Keene

R – Rot and Ruin – Jonathan Maberry

S – Shift -  Jeri Smith-Ready

T – Threshold – Jeremy Robinson

U – Unseen – Rachel Caine

V – The Violet Flash - Mike Mason

W – Working Stiff – Rachel Caine

X - Xibalba Murders - Lyn Hamilton

Y - Yellow House, The - Blake Morrison

Z  - Zoo City - Lauren Beukes

A-Z Reading Challenge - Update - March

A – Aftertime - Sophie Littlefield

B – Beautiful Darkness – Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

C – Chosen – Jeanne C. Stein

D – Desires of the Dead - Kimberly Derting

E – Enclave – Ann Aguirre

F – First Grave on the Right - Darynda Jones

G – Green-Eyed Demon – Jaye Wells

H – Halfway Hexed – Kimberly Frost

I – Iron King – Julie Kagawa

J – Jungle, The - Clive Cussler, Jack Du Brul

K – Kindling the Moon - Jenn Bennett

L – Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld

M – Married With Zombies – Jesse Petersen

N – Nightfall – Ellen Connor

O – One of Our Thursdays Is Missing – Jasper Fforde

P – Paranormalcy – Kiersten White

Q - Question of Guilt, A - Carolyn Keene

R – Rot and Ruin – Jonathan Maberry

S – Shift -  Jeri Smith-Ready

T – Threshold – Jeremy Robinson

U – Unseen – Rachel Caine

V – The Violet Flash - Mike Mason

W – Working Stiff – Rachel Caine

X - Xibalba Murders - Lyn Hamilton

Y - Yellow House, The - Blake Morrison

Z  - Zoo City - Lauren Beukes

50 Book Challenge

12.  Seismic Evil - Heather Long - 244 pages

Second book in the Chance Monroe series.  It was great to have Chance back and have her character grow. 

13.  River Marked - Patricia Briggs - 324 pages

Next book in the Mercy Thompson series.  It was a nice departure from the rest of the series.  River Marked featured Mercy and her finance, Adam, away from the pack and allowed the two characters to grow together.

14.  Spirit Storm - E.J. Stevens - 189 pages

The follow-up to She Smells the Dead.  Truthfully, She Smells the Dead and Spirit Storm should have been a single book, but were split into two.  Spirit Storm had a much more satisfying conclusion than She Smells the Dead, but both were good reads.

15.  47 Echo - Shawn Kupfer - 313 pages

47 Echo is one of the most unputdownable books I have read in a long time.  At first I was a little hesitant to start reading.  With a premise that convicts are given the option of death or being impressed into the armed forces to fill ranks being rapidly depleted by a war with China and Korea, I figured the book would be ultra violent and disturbing.  BUT 47 Echo wasn’t at all what I expected.  It ended up being a great military thriller about redemption in the face of sure death.

Singapore - February 2011 - Part II

Sorry not to have the second part of this out sooner, but I came down with food poisoning and was a little out of it for a bit.

One of the things I decided to do while in Singapore was the Night Safari.  It was super hot and I think I lost about 10 pounds of water weight, but I did have an enjoyable time.  Unfortunately, my camera is not good at night photos so I didn't get any pictures of the animals.  I wish I had been able to get photos of the bats.  They were HUGE and very cool.  Since you were able to go right into the enclosure with them, the bats were within arms length.

One thing that was highly recommended to do at the Safari was get a fish pedicure.  So I did it.  It was totally freaky.  The smaller fish felt like vibrations on the feet.  The larger fish were kind of like being tickled.  Let me tell you, having a fish pedicure is one hell of a conversation starter. 

I tried both small and large fish.  I ended up with the large.

Saturday was my sightseeing day.  To make the most of it, I took the City Sightseeing Bus Tour.  These buses are great if you don't have much time, but want to see a lot. 

One of the first stops was The Raffles Hotel.  The Raffles is Singapore's most historic sights and has been visited by tons of celebrities since it was built in 1899.

While I was there I stopped at the Long Bar.  The Long Bar is the home of the Singapore Sling.  The sling was created as a drink for women so it has a pink color, but damn do these things pack a punch.  What is in a sling? 

Here you go: 
30ml Gin
15 ml Cherry Brandy
120 ml Pineapple Juice
15 ml Lime Juice
7.5 ml Cointreau
7.5 ml Dom Benedictine
10 ml Grenadine
A Dash of Angostura Bitters
Garnish with a slice of Pineapple and Cherry

Cheers!

Off to Sri Mariamman Temple.  The temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore.  I hadn't seen a Hindu temple much less visited one so I was really surprised by the colors and elaborate decorations.

The gopuram, tower entrance, is decorated with Hindu deities and other decorations.



The central part of the shrine is also decorated with Hindu deities.

Just down the road from the Sri Mariamman Temple is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.  I had never been to a Buddhist temple and this one was amazing!!!

The main floor of the temple is surrounded by 100 Buddhas. 

The Parkview Square.  I just thought it looked cool.

The World War II Memorial honors the civilian victims of the Japanese occupation of Singapore.

The business district viewed from War Memorial Park.

That is about it for my pictures of Singapore.  The place was gorgeous and I feel really blessed to have had the chance to visit!  Due to the heat, I never would have gone without work sending me. 

Singapore - February 2011 - Part I - Marina Bay Sands

Finally, I am posting my photos from Singapore.  I wish they did the place justice, but they don't.  It is so much more gorgeous than my photos.

My customer took me out for Chinese one evening.  This was the view from the restaurant.

The three tower building behind me is the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.  The Marina Bay Sands is owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation.  Right below the hotel is the brand-new Artscience Museum with its stylized lotus flower sculpture on the far left.

A few days later I was able to go visit the hotel...

...and the Sky Park on top.

Here are a few of the views.  The Singapore Harbor

The Singapore Flyer.  I didn't go on it.  It was expensive and I decided to go to the Sky Park instead.

And the city center.

If you look at the harbor on the right, the flat blue/grey building is where I had dinner and took my original photo.

Looking down...

...And across.

The hotel's pool area is up in the Sky Park.  Non-hotel guests weren't allowed into the pool, but it was pretty cool view.  The pool is called an infinity pool and doesn't have any decking on the one side.

Obviously, this was my favorite sight in Singapore.  I took the most photos of the Marina Bay Sands.  I even got a touristy picture.

A-Z Reading Challenge - Update - February

So, I think that at the beginning of every month, I am going to update the list. 

The rest of the month, I am will just talk about the books that I have/am reading.

A – Aftertime - Sophie Littlefield

B – Beautiful Darkness – Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

C – Chosen – Jeanne C. Stein

D – Desires of the Dead - Kimberly Derting

E – Enclave – Ann Aguirre

F – First Grave on the Right - Darynda Jones

G – Green-Eyed Demon – Jaye Wells

H – Halfway Hexed – Kimberly Frost

I – Iron King – Julie Kagawa

J – Jungle, The - Clive Cussler, Jack Du Brul

K – Kindling the Moon - Jenn Bennett

L – Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld

M – Married With Zombies – Jesse Petersen

N – Nightfall – Ellen Connor

O – One of Our Thursdays Is Missing – Jasper Fforde

P – Paranormalcy – Kiersten White

Q - Question of Guilt, A - Carolyn Keene

R – Rot and Ruin – Jonathan Maberry

S – Shift -  Jeri Smith-Ready

T – Threshold – Jeremy Robinson

U – Unseen – Rachel Caine

V – The Violet Flash - Mike Mason

W – Working Stiff – Rachel Caine

X - Xibalba Murders - Lyn Hamilton

Y - Yellow House, The - Blake Morrison

Z  - Zombie’s Way, The – Ike Onsoomyu

A-Z Reading Challenge

So I am going to do A-Z Reading Challenge this year besides the 50 Book Challenge.  This one will challenge me a bit when choosing my books for the year. 

AND I GOT AN X BOOK!!!!



A – Aftertime - Sophie Littlefield

B – Beautiful Darkness – Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

C – Chosen – Jeanne C. Stein

D – Desires of the Dead - Kimberly Derting

E – Enclave – Ann Aguirre

F – First Grave on the Right - Darynda Jones

G – Green-Eyed Demon – Jaye Wells

H – Halfway Hexed – Kimberly Frost

I – Iron King – Julie Kagawa

J – Jungle, The - Clive Cussler, Jack Du Brul

K – Kindling the Moon - Jenn Bennett

L – Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld

M – Married With Zombies – Jesse Petersen

N – Nightfall – Ellen Connor

O – One of Our Thursdays Is Missing – Jasper Fforde

P – Paranormalcy – Kiersten White

Q - Question of Guilt, A - Carolyn Keene

R – Rot and Ruin – Jonathan Maberry

S – Shift -  Jeri Smith-Ready

T – Threshold – Jeremy Robinson

U – Unseen – Rachel Caine

V – The Violet Flash - Mike Mason


W – Working Stiff – Rachel Caine

X - Xibalba Murders - Lyn Hamilton

Y - Yellow House, The - Blake Morrison

Z  - Zombie’s Way, The – Ike Onsoomyu