The 2015 Annual Reading Challenge List Thread (2024)

To read 100 novellas & short stories, and to read books bought in 2014 and earlier

Goal Read 100 books DONE
Goal Focus on books purchased in 2014 or earlier
Goal Finish 100 novellas & short stories
Goal Finish 15 magazines

Novellas & Short Stories Read: 26

Spoiler:

Magazines Read: 4

Spoiler:

Baen Books TBR: 157 Read: 1

Spoiler:

Kobo Books TBR: 147 Read: 3

Spoiler:

Barnes & Noble TBR: 29 Read: 1

Spoiler:

Audiobooks TBR: 303 Listened: 29
Includes short stories and novellas

Spoiler:

Amazon TBR: HUGE Read: 8

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Other Publishers TBR: 32? Read:

Spoiler:

Books Read

January
001. 4/5 Tall, Dark & Hungry - Lyndsay Sands (audio)

My favorite of the paranormal romances. Audiobook had good reader!

002. 5/5 Fellowship of the Ring - J R R Tolkein (audio)

Just as good decades later!

003. 4/5 Love Bites - Lyndsay Sands (audio)

Good, but it doesn't grab as well as the other books in the early series.

004. 5/5 Single White Vampire - Lyndsay Sands (audio)

Love this one. Better in audio for the humor.

005. 2/5 Guidebook to Murder - Lynn Cahoon

Didn't interest me.

006. 5/5 Dune - Frank Herbert (audio)

Just as good as when I read it decades ago.

007. 1/5 All the Windwracked Stars - Elizabeth Bear [abandoned] (audio)

To grim. Couldn't get into it. Abandoned 1/3 way through.

008. 5/5 Starship Grifters - Robert Kroese (eread + audio)

So very funny.

009. 5/5 Reaper Man - Terry Pratchett (audio)

This was great! Loved it. Death has his challenges.

010. 5/5 Nearly Departed in Deadwood - by Ann Charles (audio)

I really enjoyed this cozy and looking forward to next installment.

011. 3/5 Solaris - Stanislaw Law (audio)

This was an 'ideas' book. The plot was great, but I got bored.

February
012. 5/5 Optical Delusions in Deadwood - Ann Charles

Still loving this series. Great mystery cozy.

013. 2/5 The Dreadful Debutante - M C Beaton

Dreadful. Hard to believe this well-known author wrote this bad.

014. 1/5 Murder in Miniature - Margaret Grace [abandoned]

Didn't finish. Didn't like the writing style.

015. 4/5 How I Spent My Summer Vacation - Gillian Roberts

Fast, to the point and funny.

016. 5/5 The Two Towers - J R R Tolkien (audio)

Great action in this novel. Audio is supurb.

017. 2/5 I Could Chew On This - Francesco Marciuliano

I might be biased, but I preferred the cat one.

018. 5/5 Her Royal Spyness - Rhys Bowen (audio)

Loved this mystery cozy. I'll be listening to more.

019. 5/5 Tough Cookie - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

Another good mystery. Fast pace. Recipes I'm going to try!

020. 5/5 This World Is Taboo - Murray Leinster (audio)

021. 4/5 The Secret Life of Bletchley Park - Sinclair McKay

Very good history. Lively.

022. 5/5 A Royal Pain - Rhys Bowen (audio)

Another enjoyable cozy

023. 2/5 Darkness Dawns - Diane Duvall [abandoned]

Story was ok, but the immortals are unrealistically modern.

March
024. 4/5 Sticks & Scones - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

Another great story. Some issues with it but good.

025. 5/5 Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter - Jutta Profijt (audio)

Love, love, love this series. An unusual mystery cozy with a ghost.

026. 3/5 Murder in Merino - Sally Goldenbaum

I liked this series, but it's getting stale.

027. 3/5 To Marry an English Lord - Gail MacColl & Carold McD. Wallace

Lively history of the wealthy in turn of the 19th century.

028. 1/5 Bite Me Your Grace - Brooklyn Ann [abandoned]

Book sucked on several levels. No more freebee vampire novels.

029. 5/5 Gin & Daggers - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

As delightful as the TV show on which it is based. Sensible cozy.

030. 5/5 The Chase - Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg (audio)

Great story. Cross between cozy and thriller

031. 5/5 1632 - Eric Flint (audio)

This was a great story, even if far fetched.

032. 5/5 Manhattans & Murder - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

I thought this had a great plot. Loved it!

033. 1/5 Karen Memery - Elizabeth Bear [abandoned]

Not my cup of tea. I don't plan to read any more by this author.

April
034. 4/5 Hard Magic (book 1 Grimnoir Chronicles) - Larry Correia (audio)

NOT a detective story. More an alternative universe thriller with magic.

035. 4/5 Rum and Razors - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

Very good cozy!

036. 5/5 Witches Abroad - Terry Pratchett (audio)

Totally hilarious.

037. 4/5 Triplanetary - E E Doc Smith (audio)

Great pulp fiction

038. 4/5 A Bite To Remember - Lyndsay Sands (audio)

Another winning paranormal romance. Lots of humor.

039. 3/5 Help Fund My Robot Army - John Joseph Adams ed.

Funny in parts.

040. 5/5 The Cat Who Saw Red - Lilian Jackson Braun (audio)

Lots of cat antics drawn out into great humor. Good murder mystery.

May
041. 5/5 Small Gods - Terry Pratchett (audio)

It's tough to be a god. Even with a devout believer.

042. 4/5 Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham

This was a very good apocalyptic story

043. 5/5 From Doon With Death - Ruth Rendell (audio)

Great story. Happened to start the same day I heard the author had passed.

044. 3/5 The Last Little Blue Envelope - Maureen Johnson (audio)

This sequel I didn't enjoy as much, although it had merit.

045. 4/5 Brandy & Bullets (Murder She Wrote) - Donald Bain

I really enjoyed but it lacked a certain spark.

046. 5/5 Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card (audio)

Totally loved this. Can see why it is popular.

047. 5/5 Martinis & Mayhem (Murder She Wrote) - Donald Bain

Fast plot; a little too much left to the end, but the getting there was good.

June
048. 5/5 Wasp - Eric Frank Russell

I still love this story.

049. 4/5 Sentinals From Space - Eric Frank Russell

A bit dated, but still loved it.

050. 5/5 Three To Conquer - Eric Frank Russell

This reads almost like detective noir.

051. 5/5 Next of Kin - Eric Frank Russell

Love this story every time I read it!

052. 4/5 Sinister Barrier - Eric Frank Russell

More of a thriller than science fiction.

053. 5/5 Entities - Eric Frank Russell

Includes all his main books. I included in listing since there were 3 novellas.

July
054. 5/5 A Deadly Judgement - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

Another great mystery!

055. 4/5 A Palette For Murder - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

Good story. Not as gripping.

056. 5/5 Lords & Ladies - Terry Pratchett (audio)

Hilarious.

057. 3/5 Dragon Actually - G. A. Aiken

Read this a long time ago. Funny. Still!

August
058. 4/5 Silvertip - Max Brand

Good ole western, where the good guy gets beaten...for awhile.

059. 5/5 The Exiles - William Stuart Long

Australian historical fiction. Not a stodgy history.

060. 5/5 The Settlers - William Stuart Long

Gripping. Had a hard time putting it down.

061. 4/5 Victoire -Clare Darcy

Another enjoyable Regency romance.

062. 4/5 Chopping Spree - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

Didn't hold my attention as much as her other cozies.

063. 4/5 Eugenia - Clare Darcy

Regency romance.

064. 5/5 Double Shot - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

Lots of action in this one and Goldy is a suspect.

September
065. 4/5 Cecily - Clare Darcy

Regency romance

066. 5/5 Allegra - Clare Darcy

Funny Regency romance

067. 5/5 Dark Torte - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

Loved this one. Couldn't put it down.

068. 4/5 Silence of the Loons - Minnesota Crime Wave

Anthology. Some of these stories are OUTSTANDING!

069. 4/5 The Traitors - William Stuart Long

Really good, but a little compared to the previous 2.

070. 4/5 Gwendolen - Clare Darcy

Regency romance. Pretty good.

071. 2/5 Silver Metal Lover - Tanith Lee

I liked this in my 20s. Could barely finish in my 50s. What happened?

072. 4/5 Georgiana - Clare Darcy

Regency romance. Pretty good.

073. 5/5 Lydia - Clare Darcy

Regency romance - pretty funny. Completed all author's books.

074. 5/5 Midnight Riot (Rivers of London) - Ben Aaronovich (audio)

Fabulous book. Narrator adds to the humor.

075. 4/5 15 Tales of Murder, Mayhem & Malice - MN Crime Wave

Some great stories in here. Anthology of MN mystery/crime writers

076. 1/5 War Cry #1 - Jim Butcher

Clearly, my enjoyment of comic books ended decades ago.

October
077. 4/5 Soothsayer - Mike Resnick

Sortof of a galactic gunslinger western.

078. 3/5 Outlander - Diane Gabaldon (audio)

Mostly a historical romance with a little fantasy thrown in.

079. 1/5 Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead [abandoned]

I gave it up. Not my type of book.

080. 3/5 The Highland Fling Murders - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

Good mystery, but not supurb.

081. 4/5 On Basilisk Station - David Weber

Slow beginning, but great story! Military Sci-fi

082. 5/5 Vigilante - Stephen J Cannell (audio)

GREAT detective novel! I look forward to reading the earlier ones.

083. 5/5 The Murder of Roger Akroyd - Agatha Christie (audio)

Fabulous murder mystery. I recommend it!

084. 4/5 Murder on the QE2 - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

Good murder mystery; Enjoyed a new temporary main character too!

085. 2/5 The Huddlers - William Campbell Gault

Lukewarm science fiction by a good detective novel writer.

November
086. 5/5 The Martian - Andy Weir (audio)

Loved this book! Lots of trials but a lot of humor too!

087. 2/5 Dragons Queen - Michelle Pillow

Could have been way better. What a shame - great ideas, poor result.

088. 4/5 Manhunt - Janet Evanovich

Nonsensical scene, but funny romance

089. 5/5 Glazed Murder - Jessica Beck

This was fun! I enjoyed this cozy!

090. 2/5 Encounter With Venus - Elizabeth Mansfield

Too many unlikely scenes for a Regency novel.

091. 5/5 A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - George R R Martin (audio)

Absolutely delightful. Recommend it to anybody. Lots of humor.

December
092. 5/5 Men at Arms - Terry Pratchett (audio)

This is so funny. Features Carrot. He is more than he lets on.

093. 5/5 Coma - Robin Cook (audio)

Great suspenseful book!

094. 2/5 The Earl's Inconvenient Wife - Ruth Ann Nordin

Good romance writer, bad historical romance writer.

095. 3/5 Something From The Nightside - Simon Green (audio)

Great story, sucks you in. Constant repeat of "the Nightside" irritates.

096. 4/5 In the Dead of Summer - Gillian Roberts

Another interesting mystery in this series.

097. 5/5 Sweet Revenge - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

A fast paced mystery that involves all main characters so far!

098. 2/5 The Snow Queen - Hans Christian Anderson (audio)

Didn't much care for it.

099. 5/5 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (audio)

3 different audio versions. Loved them all.

100. 5/5 Ghost - Peter Straub (audio)

Wonderful story! Different basis from movie.

101. 5/5 A Christmas Story - Jean Shephard

ok, movie was much better, more polished

102. 5/5 Time Traders - Andre Norton (audio)

Excellent story - not even dated.

103. 5/5 The Explorers - William Stuart Long

Outstanding story!

Legend:
1 No interest, didn't finish or hated.
2 It didn't completely suck. Enjoyed some of it.
3 Average. Enjoyed reading.
4 Really enjoyed. Might read again.
5 Among the best read this year. Keeper. Would read again.

Series

In Death

Spoiler:

Vorkosigan Saga

Spoiler:

The 2015 Annual Reading Challenge List Thread (2024)

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