Crazy4reading (Monica) ROOTs in 2021

Hello! And thank you for stopping by my thread! My goal is 30 ROOTs this year. Here is a little about me. My name is Monica, 52 years of age from Pennsylvania. I have 2 grown children, my daughter Samantha married to her husband Rob and my son Brandon who lives with is partner Christian.

Samantha and Rob live in Pennsylvania and graced me with a granddaughter May 2020! Yes something positive happened in 2020! Brandon and Christian moved to Chicago in June of 2020. Christian was making a job change and my son was out of work so it was the perfect opportunity to move. Now my son works in University of Chicago Medical Center, and he has received the vaccine and had no side effects.

I live alone. I used to own a beagle named Samantha but she has been gone for just over a year. I miss her and wish she was still here.

My ROOTs rules:

1. Any book on my TBR list before Dec. 2020
2. Physical book or e-book

75 Books Ticker:


ROOTS 2021:

Here is the list of books I have read so far in 2021:

A Loving Scoundrel by Johanna Lindsey
I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
Captive of My Desires by Johanna Lindsey
Five Total Strangers by Natalie Richards
Escape by Lisa Harris
Cross her Hear by Melinda Leigh
The Pineville Heist by Lee Chambers
Fudge-A-Mania by Judy Blume
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
America for Beginners by Leah Franqui
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling
Splintered by A. G. Howard
Theirs to Protect by Stasia Black
Their Honeymoon by Stasia Black
Unhinged by A. G. Howard
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline
Ensnared by A. G. Howard
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling
Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky
Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
Killer Blonde by Laura Levine
The Monster at the end of this book by Jon Stone
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Pumpkin Eye by Denise Fleming
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling
Where's the Ladybug by Ingela Arrhenius
There's Someone inside your house by Stephanie Perkins

So far a total of 29 books as of 11/23/2021. Now I have to figure out which ones were on my TBR pile and add them here and also update my tracker.

sa

mine

Hi Monica, Good to see you back for another year. Happy ROOTing.

Good luck for your 2021 reading!

So I finished a book already! Well, I did start it in November of 2020... Here is my review:

1. A Loving Scoundrel by Johanna Lindsey

I love Johanna Lindsey's Malory Family, and A Loving Scoundrel did not disappoint! A Loving Scoundrel is the story of Jeremy Malory, confirmed bachelor. He hires Danny as his upstairs maid and that is when things start getting interesting.

Danny is an ex -thief who has masqueraded as a boy for 15 years. She wants to change her life from street urchin to a respectable lady. Jeremy wants her as his mistress. I love the interactions that Danny and Jeremy have.

Johanna does it again of growing the relationship and drawing you in to wanting to learn all about Danny and who she really is. I love this series and will be continue reading the next book

5 stars

I am still reading the following:

Captive of my Desires by Johnna Lindsey
Everything is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee
Killer Blonde by Laura Levine

Glad you're back!

Welcome back, Monica!

>8 crazy4reading: "masqueraded as a boy" is one of my Catnip Tropes, so my ears perked right up. Glad you enjoyed it!

>9 cyderry: Happy to be back!

>10 MissWatson: Thank you! Happy to be back!

>11 Caramellunacy: I have read a few of Johanna Lindsey books where the girl masquerades as a boy. Gentle Rogue was the first book I read by Johanna Lindsey and the Georgina masqueraded as a cabin boy to get back to America. That is when I got hooked on to her books!

My boss has a Final Jeopardy daily calendar and the question for Sunday was about books. I took a guess and I was correct. The category is BOOKS OF THE 1940s Here is the Answer:

IN CHAPER 1 OF THIS BETTY SMITH MOVEL, WE'RE TOLD THAT THE ONE IN FRANCIE NOLAN'S YARD "WAS NEITHER A PINE NOR A HEMLOCK"

Anyone want to take a guess?

>13 crazy4reading:
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn?

>14 Caramellunacy: Yes!!

I am slowly making through my books. Life has been a roller coaster this past month. I did finish a book but it wasn't a ROOT. Here are my ROOTs that I am still reading:

Captive of my Desires by Johanna Lindsey
Cross Her Heart by Melinda Leigh
Daring the Demigod by Maria Shield

I finished another book. My reading has slowed down. I am now selling Pampered Chef, Avon and working my full time job. I have also started working the games again, as things start opening up again.

#2. Captive of My Desires by Johanna Lindsey

I love Johanna Lindsey's Malory Novels, and this one I enjoyed. Captive of My Desires was not my favorite of the Malory-Anderson series, but I did still enjoyed it. This book is about Drew Anderson and Gabrielle Brooks.

Gabrielle Brooks is the daughter of a pirate! When she finds her father and sailing with him for 3 years, he decides it is time for Gabby to look for a respectable husband in London, because that is what her mother would want. Gabby's father is old friends with James Malory.

James and his wife are put to the task of finding a husband for Gabby. I enjoyed the balls and the interaction between Drew and Gabby from the beginning. I got a little bored with how they both would think after spending time together about how they felt and would deny it.

The ending was nice but a little of a let down. I felt that the book spent most of the time trying to convince Gabby and Drew that they loved each other, but couldn't figure it out until both were in danger of being killed. I did laugh a lot and I enjoyed the interaction of all the characters. I will continue with this series.

3 stars

I am now reading:

Five total Strangers by Natalie Richards
Cross her Heart: Bree Taggert #1 by Melinda Leigh
Daring the Demigod by Maria Shield
Killer Blonde by Laura Levine
Everything Here is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee

I have finished 2 books.

3. The Escape (US Marshals) by Lisa Harris

I received this book as an Early Reviewer book from LibraryThing. I enjoy Mystery, suspense and thriller books. This book delivered on the suspense part.

US Marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn are tasked with a prison transport across the country to Denver. The pilots make a crash landing in the sprawling Salmon-Challis National Forest. Once the marshals regain consciousness they discover the pilots and one prisoner dead and one has escaped. This is the start of the chase.

Madison and Jonas start tracking the fugitive. This fugitive is charming and able to evade the marshals. As the story progresses you start to also see Madison and Jonas growing closer to each other.

I enjoyed this book and I will look to read the next book in this series.

4 stars

4. Cross her Heart (Bree Taggert #1) by Melinda Leigh

I really enjoyed this book. I picked it up as a Prime Reading and it didn't disappoint. Now I have added another series to my ever growing list of series to read.

This is the first book in the Bree Taggert series. Bree is a Philadelphia Homicide Detective with a family history of violence that she has kept tucked away until she received a call from her younger sister Erin.

The Taggert family's history is that Bree, Erin and Adam's father abused and shot and killed their mother before killing himself. Bree was the oldest at the time. Adam was just a baby. I really enjoyed the characters as I met them in the book.

Bree her police partner Dana, ex deputy Matt, Adam, Erin's children Luke and Kayla are just some of the characters we meet. I fell in love with all of them and they way they interacted with each other.

Bree receives a phone call from her sister Erin and decides that she has to go back to her home town when her sister doesn't answer her phone. Bree knows something is wrong and learns that her sister has been murdered also brings up her childhood memories that her sister's death is similar to that of their mother's.

I loved how Matt and Bree work together to find Justin and who murdered Erin. Are they both after the same thing or is Bree really wanting to find Justin thinking that he is the one who murdered Erin?

I couldn't put this book down! I wanted to find out who did it and why!! I love books like that! I will be reading the next book in this series.

5 stars

I am still reading the books listed above.

I finished another book today! I love being off from work because then I take the time to read. I still need to do some chores but I plan to read some more today. I just need to find a book to read.

#5. The Pineville Heist by Lee Chambers

I received this book from Lee Chambers. I am late on reading this book and doing my review. I really wish I had read it earlier!

The Pineville Heist was a very quick and fun read! Aaron Stevens is the son of the man that is going to destroy Pineville. Bank robbers decide to hit the local bank and steal 5 million dollars. Aaron, Mike and Steve discover a campsite and then hear gun shots in the woods. This is when things get interesting.

Aaron, Mike and Steve all hide once they hear the gun shot. Mike and Steve leave their hiding spot after the one robber is shot. Aaron is still hiding and finds the duffel bag filled with money. Aaron goes to the one place he feels is the safest, school.

This book just kept moving and I didn't want to put it down. I love when a book keeps me interested and not wanting to stop reading. The Pineville Heist did not disappoint.

5 stars

I need to to finish these books still:

Everything here is beautiful by Mira T. Lee
Killer Blonde by Laura Levine
Daring the Demigod by Maria Shield

Good job, Monica! I know you can finish those 3 books on the list!

Happy Easter to you and yours.

> 19 I need to find two of those books. I don't know where I put them. I hope you had a nice Easter!

Another book down!

#6. Fudge.A.Mania by Judy Blume

I loved Judy Blume growing up! I enjoyed this story about Fudge Hatcher and his brother Peter. These are timeless books even now.

Fudge is back and being his usual exuberant child. I would say many of us know or have known a child just like Fudge at some point in their life. I cannot wait to read these books to my granddaughter and to share them with her.

4 stars

I am reading the following:

Everything here is beautiful by Mira T. Lee
Killer Blonde by Laura Levine (need to find this book)
Daring the Demigod by Maria Shield
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

#7. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

I believe I started this book once before but never finished it. I enjoyed this story.

There are Mae, her husband Tuck and their boys Jesse and Miles who are either doomed or blessed with eternal life after drinking water from a spring. Winnie is a 10 year old girl who learns the Tuck family secret.

Winnie learns the secret when she spies Jesse drinking from the ground in the woods her family owns. She wants a drink because she is parched. This is when Jesse's mother and brother show up. Winnie is taken to their home so Tuck can explain why the spring must be kept secret.

This story was an easy read and I enjoyed it and did tear up out at the end.

5 stars

I am still reading

Everything here is beautiful by Mira T. Lee
Killer Blonde by Laura Levine (need to find this book)
Daring the Demigod by Maria Shield
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Hi Monica. De jongen in de gestreepte pyjama is such a good story. Did you forget where you left the Killer Blonde book? LOL.

>22 connie53: Yes! I think it is in one of the bags I usually take to work. I just need to go through them.

>23 crazy4reading: I'm sure you will find it!

>24 connie53: I should look tomorrow!

I received a bag of books today! There were a total of 16 books in the bag! Out of 16 I only read one of them and possibly own another one. I will post a list of the books tomorrow!

>25 crazy4reading: Ooh, those are the best gift bags! :D

#8 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

I enjoyed this story. I love to read books based on historical events and this was one of those books. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is the story of two boys that meet at a fence and become friends.

Bruno moves from Berlin to a new town that he calls Outs With. He is only 9 years old and doesn't understand why he has to move. He also doesn't understand what is going on in the world. Bruno does some exploring and meets another boy who lives on the other side of the fence. His name is Shmuel.

Bruno and Shmuel almost talk on a daily basis. They learn about each other. Bruno doesn't always understand what Shmuel is talking about. Bruno thinks that the people in the fence are happy and have fun while he has no friends on his side of the fence.

The ending of the book was something I thought could happen but didn't think it would.

5 stars

Still reading the books listed above.

Looking forward to seeing your list, Monica!

Here is the list of books:

1. Hounded (Andy Carpenter #12) by David Rosenfelt
2. Play Dead (Andy Carpenter #6) by David Rosenfelt
3. Woman of God by James Patterson
4. A Match Made in Bed (Spinster Heiresses #2) by Cathy Maxwell
5. Dead Center (Andy Carpenter #5) by David Rosenfelt
6. Oliver Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
7. Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella
8. Demon from the Dark (Immortals After Dark #9) by Kresley Cole
9. The Duke that I Marry (Spinster Heiresses #3) by Cathy Maxwell
10. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
11. The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander Newfoundland by Jim DeFede
12. The House of Tides by Hannah Richell
13. New Tricks by David Rosenfelt
14. A Husband's Wicked Ways (Cavendish Square #3)

Nice list. And almost all of the authors are unknown to me. I know Patterson, Strout and Kinsella, that's all.

>30 connie53: I only knew of Kinsella, Cole and Patterson and have heard of the book Olive Kitteridge but didn't know who the author was. They will be added to my ROOTS for next year!

I am behind on my books. I hope to post some this week.

So I have read a total of 29 books and now I just have to decide which ones were my own ROOTS. I will have to update my tracker when I am at home tonight or this weekend.

These are the books I need to add to my tracker:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Killer Blonde by Laura Levine

Look for reviews soon.

#9. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling

I listened to this book this year while reading along with the physical book. I enjoyed listening to it while reading. It was a different experience. Just re-reading this series was interesting to remember things from the books that were not in the movies. That made me think about how different the movies would have been if they had added some of the missing things. I don't know if I will ever stop re-reading this series.

#10. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

When this book was first release and I read it I loved it and it was my fave. Since then I have fallen in love with each book for different reasons. My one love of this book is the dragons, the danger and just seeing how awkward the characters are with each other. They are growing up in this book and I love it!

I will post more later.

Hi Monica. Just trying to get to all ROOTers threads today, but that seems almost impossible to do in one day. I hope you are doing fine! Waving at you!

>36 connie53: Hi Connie! I creep in the threads any more. Waving back at you!

So my total number of books read is 33 this year. I know I have some books that I read but I haven't added them to my list yet. I have a few more books that I am reading. Now the question is will I reach my goal of 75 books for the year?

I have to figure out which of the 33 books are actual roots! I know I finished 2 this week to add to my ROOTS!!

I will be posting some books tomorrow.

#11. Killer Blonde by Laura Levine

I enjoyed this story. It was a cute fun story. I will look into reading some more of this series. I enjoy a few laughs when I read a book.

4 stars

#12 The Monster at the end of this book by Jon Stone

I bought this book for my granddaughter and learned that she already had this book. I read the book and passed it on to my co-worker for her granddaughter. I enjoyed this book and hope to read the book to my granddaughter soon. I did read the book to my granddaughter and I love that I get to spend time with her doing this.

5 stars

#13. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

I love HP and enjoy doing a re-read every few years. This also helps me to remember things that were left out of the movies and cherish the books for how they were written and not just by the movies

5 stars

#14. Pumpkin Eye by Denise Fleming

I read this book to my granddaughter on Halloween for her bedtime story. I love getting this time with her when I visit.

5 stars

#15. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling

No matter how many times I read or listen to these books I just discover new things and loose myself in them. This is the start of the good versus evil. This is one of my most favorite books of the series. The characters grow and you start to see the strength they have in themselves.

I love this book because Snape has such an integeral part in this story. Draco also plays a huge part in this book. The turmoil Draco goes through. His father in Azkaban. The life of his family in his hands.

Now I can't wait to read the last book in the series.

5 stars

#16. Where's The Ladybug by Nosy Crow

Cute book that I read to my granddaughter.

5 stars

I hope you have a good time and some nice reading done.

I feel bad that I never updated my reads the last few months.

Here are the rest:

#17 Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
#18 The Hope Spring by Wanda E Brunstetter
#19 When Moo Met Floral by Natalie Condello
#20 Deep in the Jungle of Doom by R. L. Stine
#21 Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children Sampler by Ransom Riggs