Doctor Dolittle's Garden (Book #7) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: Doctor Dolittle's Garden

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #7)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 269 pages

Published: 1927 (original) 1966 (version I read)

Publisher: Dell (version I read)

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Tommy Stubbins, Dolittle's assistant, reports on Professor Quetch, curator of the Dog Museum. Meanwhile, the doctor has learned insect languages and hears ancient tales of a giant race of insects. Fascinated, the doctor plans a voyage to find them - but before he does so, one arrives in his garden.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5.

A great addition to the series, Doctor Dolittle's Garden tells first about the Dog Museum, and finally leads into how the Doctor is spending his days with trying to learn the languages of the insects. As so happens in all of the Doctor Dolittle books, by a string of odd events, the group ends up learning that there are animals on the moon that need the Doctor's help. 

This is a great setup to the next book in the series, Doctor Dolittle in the Moon. I can't wait to get reading to find out what happens next!

You can purchase Doctor Dolittle's Garden from Amazon in Kindle format!

Have you read Doctor Dolittle's Garden? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Doctor Dolittle's Caravan (Book #6) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: Doctor Dolittle's Caravan

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #6)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 342 pages

Published: 1926

Publisher: J.B. Lippincott Company

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) John Dolittle takes his circus to London, where with the help of the canary Pippinella he stages a bird opera.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Earlier in the series, Doctor Dolittle traveled with a circus for some time, eventually taking over management of it. This is the rest of the circus adventure, telling what happens after he begins managing the circus. Definitely an amusing addition to the Doctor Dolittle series and worth looking for at your local library or your favorite used bookshop.

Doctor Dolittle's Caravan is currently out of print. Check your local library for a copy!

Have you read Doctor Dolittle's Caravan? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Merry Christmas Rabbi by Paul O'Neill

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Title: Merry Christmas Rabbi

Author: Paul O'Neill

Genre: Short Stories

Length: 48 pages

Published: 2013

Publisher: Amazon

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) “Merry Christmas Rabbi” tells the story of a fateful Christmas Eve and how one of the craziest gambles in human history leads to a second chance for a troubled youth who finds himself beyond the point of no return. 

In this novella, Trans-Siberian Orchestra creator Paul O'Neill spans generations, from WWII Germany to the modern inner-city, and fearlessly dives into the darkest places of the human condition to spin a modern parable about how, even in the grip of great evil, redemption is possible and the spark of hope can burn brightly.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Along with my purchase of Trans-Siberian Orchestra tickets, I got a free copy of this short story. I finally got around to reading it the other day and was blown away at the powerful message it sends the reader. I was not sure exactly what to expect, but I am really glad I claimed my free copy and finally got around to reading it. It's all about second chances and why some people do deserve them. Definitely a must read if you enjoy a feel-good story.

You can purchase Merry Christmas Rabbi through Amazon in Kindle format. 

Have you read Merry Christmas Rabbi? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Mile 81 by Stephen King

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Title: Mile 81

Author: Stephen King

Genre: Horror

Length: 80 pages

Published: 2011

Publisher: Scribner

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) At Mile 81 on the Maine Turnpike is a boarded up rest stop on a highway in Maine. It's a place where high school kids drink and get into the kind of trouble high school kids have always gotten into. It's the place where Pete Simmons goes when his older brother, who's supposed to be looking out for him, heads off to the gravel pit to play "paratroopers over the side." Pete, armed only with the magnifying glass he got for his tenth birthday, finds a discarded bottle of vodka in the boarded up burger shack and drinks enough to pass out.

Not much later, a mud-covered station wagon (which is strange because there hadn't been any rain in New England for over a week) veers into the Mile 81 rest area, ignoring the sign that says "closed, no services." The driver's door opens but nobody gets out.

Doug Clayton, an insurance man from Bangor, is driving his Prius to a conference in Portland. On the backseat are his briefcase and suitcase and in the passenger bucket is a King James Bible, what Doug calls "the ultimate insurance manual," but it isn't going to save Doug when he decides to be the Good Samaritan and help the guy in the broken down wagon. He pulls up behind it, puts on his four-ways, and then notices that the wagon has no plates.

Ten minutes later, Julianne Vernon, pulling a horse trailer, spots the Prius and the wagon, and pulls over. Julianne finds Doug Clayton's cracked cell phone near the wagon door — and gets too close herself. By the time Pete Simmons wakes up from his vodka nap, there are a half a dozen cars at the Mile 81 rest stop. Two kids — Rachel and Blake Lussier — and one horse named Deedee are the only living left. Unless you maybe count the wagon...

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This is available as a Kindle Single. It's roughly 80 pages long. Each chapter follows a different character. I read it in about an hour and got chills down my spine the first time someone came across the abandoned station wagon at the closed Mile 81 rest area. Fans of Stephen King will definitely enjoy this short story!

You can purchase Mile 81 through Amazon in Kindle format. 

Have you read Mile 81? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Cyanide and Happiness by Kris Wilson, Matt Melvin, Rob DenBleyker, Dave McElfatric

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Title: Cyanide and Happiness

Author: Kris Wilson, Matt Melvin, Rob DenBleyker, Dave McElfatric

Genre: Humor

Length: 160 pages

Published: 2005

Publisher: It Books

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Introducing the first real, tangible, ignitable collection of the hit online comic Cyanide & Happiness, featuring a selection of your favorite comics and thirty brand-new strips.

From the minds of Kris, Rob, Matt, and Dave comes a barrage of irreverent entertainment sure to keep you amused until the day you die. Just see what their mothers have to say!

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This was hilarious. I read it on my kindle and some strips were hard to read because of the size of them on the page (there was no way to zoom in at all), I couldn't stop laughing. (In fact I had to keep my laughter in check as much as I could because my son was in the same room with me trying to fall asleep.) It was a super quick read. 

Be forewarned though (as they warn you in the introduction) that some people will be offended by some of the strips. If you are a fan of the comic, definitely check this printed edition out.

You can purchase Cyanide and Happiness through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Cyanide and Happiness? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Doctor Dolittle's Zoo (Book #5) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: Doctor Dolittle's Zoo

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #5)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 271 pages

Published: 1928 (original), 1936 (version I read)

Publisher: Frederick A. Stokes (version I read)

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) "A Zoo," said Doctor John Dolittle, "should be an animal home, not an animal prison." So with the help of all his faithful animal family and Tommy Stubbins, he planned and carried out, in the great garden of the old house at Puddlegy, the most wonderful Zoo that has ever been dreamed of. It became truly a complet Animal Town, with special accommodations for all sorts of animals--a Squirrel Hotel, a Mouse and Rat Club, a Library, restaurants, markets and a well-organized police force, (regrettably necessary because some of the dogs would chase the squirrels.)

And in the Zoo things happen in a thrilling succession--animal dramas, comedies, tragedies and mysteries. No one can remain unmoved by the story of Leery the Outcast Rat's heroic sacrifice for friendship's sake, or the devotion of the mother mouse, Sarsaprilla, to her little ones in the face of danger. Indeed, as the Doctor himself observes to the Hotel Rat, "You know, you rats and mice really lead more thrilling and exciting lives than we humans do."

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Another exciting installment in the life of Doctor Dolittle, naturalist extraordinaire. In this story, Doctor Dolittle has Tommy Stubbins create a new zoo to replace the zoo he has for cross-breed dogs, rats, mice, and other native creatures. The rats and mice create a society and eventually tell stories to Dolittle and Stubbins about exciting adventures in their lives. Stubbins dutifully records these. The final chapters center around a mystery that comes about when they save a very rich man's home from fire. Definitely an exciting addition to this classic children's series!

Currently Doctor Dolittle's Zoo is not in print. So go use your local library to check this one out!

Have you read Doctor Dolittle's Zoo? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Doctor Dolittle's Circus (Book #4) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: Doctor Dolittle's Circus

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #4)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 379 pages

Published: 1924 (original), 1952 (version I read)

Publisher: J.B. Lippincott Company (version I read)

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Although at first he plans only to exhibit the Pushmi-pullyu, John Dolittle soon becomes manager of a very special circus.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This was a great addition to the Doctor Dolittle series, and I thoroughly enjoyed the humorous situations Doctor Dolittle found himself in as he started out showing off the pushmi-pullyu in the Blossom Circus. Eventually the Doctor ends up taking on management of the entire circus and is finally able to run things his own way. A must read for kids and adults alike!
You can purchase Doctor Dolittle's Circus through Amazon in Kindle format.

Have you read Doctor Dolittle's Circus? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Doctor Dolittle's Post Office (Book #3) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: Doctor Dolittle's Post Office

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #3)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 271 pages

Published: 1923 (original), 1988 (version I read)

Publisher: Yearling (version I read)

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Doctor Dolittle establishes a swallow mail service for the animals when he discovers that they have their own way of writing.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

I admit I found this one a little dull. Doctor Dolittle's adventures in Africa were not as exciting as in the previous two books. There was a lot of great information on post offices, but it sort of bored me. It was still a great tale so definitely worth reading at some point, especially if you're going through and tackling the series anyway. 

Currently Doctor Dolittle's Post Office is not in print. So go use your local library to check this one out!

Have you read Doctor Dolittle's Post Office? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (Book #2) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle 

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #2)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 400 pages

Published: 1922 (original), 2005 (version I read)

Publisher: Harper Collins (version I read)

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Doctor Dolittle, the veterinarian who can actually talk to animals, sets sail on the high seas for new adventures with Polynesia the parrot, Jip the dog, Chee-Chee the monkey, and young Tommy Stubbins. Together they travel to Spider Monkey Island, brave a shipwreck, and meet the incredible Great Glass Sea Snail.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Narrated by Tommy Stubbins, Doctor Dolittle's apprentice, the reader is taken on a long voyage to find Long Arrow, a naturalist that Doctor Dolittle has always wanted to meet. Through mishap after mishap, they finally find Long Arrow and Doctor Dolittle finds himself king of Spider Monkey Island.

An excellent adventure, one the whole family will enjoy! 

You can purchase The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Story of Doctor Dolittle (Book #1) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: The Story of Doctor Dolittle 

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #1)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 172 pages

Published: 1920 (original), 2005 (version I read)

Publisher: Harper Collins (version I read)

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Doctor John Dolittle loves animals. He loves them so much that his home and office overflow with animals of every description. When Polynesia the parrot teaches him the language of the animals, Doctor Dolittle becomes a world-famous doctor, traveling even as far away as Africa to help his friends.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This was a nice, short, fun way to get back to my childhood. I don't remember ever reading the Doctor Dolittle series as a child, but I know I always knew the general gist of the series. It was great to be able to read something so short (I literally read it in less than two hours) after reading much longer, much heavier books. Definitely recommend for any children in your life, as well as even for yourself. 

You can purchase The Story of Doctor Dolittle through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Story of Doctor Dolittle? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

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Title: The Eye of the World

Author: Robert Jordan
Series: Wheel of Time (Book #1)

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Length: 810 pages

Published: 1990

Publisher: Tor Books

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

The first time I read this book I was in high school. I heard about it from the one girl in the world that I hated above all others - and who incidentally hated me as well. For no reason that either of us can discern, either, by the way. She was reading it. And she told me all about it during English class one day. I gained not only a best friend (to this day!) that day but also a favorite fantasy series. 

In spite of coming into the book knowing everything that happens during it as well as most of the things that come after, I still found my heart racing as the group runs from one danger and into another. I still find myself saddened by something Rand witnesses towards the end of the novel. I have read this book at least a dozen times, and it still excites me. 

Rand al'Thor, Matrim Cauthon, and Perrin Aybara are just three youths in a small village that does not even know it is part of a Queen's realm. Not only does a gleeman come to their village for the Bel Tine festival, but two strangers as well: one a high-born lady and the other a dangerous warrior. To make events even stranger, all three youths have seen a man in black on a black horse watching them. That man strikes dread into their hearts. 

After a horrible attack on the village on Winternight, as well as at Rand's farm, the three youths end up leaving with the high born lady (who they learn is an Aes Sedai) and her Warder with the gleeman, and the innkeeper's daughter.

After that, it's a roller coaster of danger as they flee the Trollocs and Halfmen in an attempt to make it to Tar Valon - the seat of Aes Sedai power. The Dark One wants one of those three boys, or perhaps all of them, and it is a race to get to Tar Valon before the Dark One takes them all. 

An exciting first novel in an excellent epic fantasy series. Enough questions are answered and most of the plot is wrapped up at the end, but you are left wondering about enough that you want to keep reading. Next in the series is The Great Hunt.

You can purchase The Eye of the World through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Eye of the World? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

z2 by Sherrie Cronin

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Title: z2

Author: Sherrie Cronin
Series: 46. Ascending (Book #3) 

Genre: Science Fiction

Length: 350 pages

Published: 2013

Publisher: Cinnabar Press

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Alex once walked away from a rare ability to warp time, thinking it was only a young man’s trick to play basketball better. Now, as a father and teacher, he needs to relearn the skill quickly before the past begins to destroy his own future. To protect his daughter and his most promising student, he must stop the school at which he teaches from turning the clock backwards to an era of white supremacy. He wants desperately to use his unique gifts to help an old high school friend solve an ancient Maya mystery that offers a rare chance to bridge the past and the future. Both are possible, but only if Alex can learn to control his temporal talents before he runs out of time.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

In 1993 a precious Mayan artifact is stolen the night that Stan Drexler uncovered it. In present day, the box is mysteriously returned to him. Enlisting the help of Alex Zeitman, among others (namely his previous students who were there at the time of the discovery), they work to uncover the mystery of this oddly shaped box and try to find the missing two pieces of the puzzle. Alex, meanwhile, also has problems of his own as he watches his school become part of a racist regime. 

Using facts about immigration law and history, the author brings together a story about how one woman in the late 1600s sent her two sons away from her to protect a secret that could change the world and how that secret comes to light in the present day. I really enjoyed how she wove bits and pieces from the past into the story to really bring everything together. Each chapter ends with a little more of the ancient story, following Nimah and her two sons. 

I really loved this book and showed how things work realistically in a world where racism and hatred run rampant. Definitely recommend this!

You can purchase z2 through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read z2? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

y1 by Sherrie Cronin

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Title: y1

Author: Sherrie Cronin
Series: 46. Ascending (Book #2)

Genre: Science Fiction

Length: 339 pages

Published: 2012

Publisher: Cinnabar Press

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Zane swore as a child to protect all the odd people of the world, studying chameleons and muscle groups to teach himself to alter his own appearance. No longer a young boy too smart and too different to fit in, Zane starts his first job at a pharmaceutical company where he uncovers layers of corporate secrets that hide surprisingly vile plans. Once he is sent on a sales trip to the South Pacific, it becomes clear that there are those who would kill to protect the mysteries that the company has worked so hard to keep hidden. 

Charged with murder and hunted by an unsavory boot camp manager, he finds himself sailing to remote islands with a shadowy group known as y1. Fantasy, reality and a bit of speculative science come together as Zane uses all his unique abilities to resist turning from a murder suspect into a murder victim. He still wants to find a way to keep his childhood promise, if he can only live long enough to do so.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Once again, Sherrie Cronin shows off her amazing research skills! Like the first novel in the series, x0, she weaves real facts and controversial, sensitive topics in with the fictional Zeitman family. This time we follow Lola's son, Zane, as he learns at a young age that he can adjust his appearance to better blend in, much like a chameleon. 

When he gets older, he ends up working for a pharmaceutical company called Penthes. While interning in the lab, he keeps his head down as he realizes what a toxic environment the lab is. Eventually he spends time interning in marketing and finds himself adjusting his appearance to better fit in up there. There he catches the eye of the CEO himself, who is looking for a proper replacement. Forced to keep a huge secret, Zane begins to do research in the way the company is running, among other darker things, for the CEO. His job as spy gets more and more dangerous as he begins looking into not only the disappearance of the CEO's son, but also the death of his boss while in Samoa. 

Other key players are Afi, Joy and Toby, who Zane befriends while verifying the route a huge conference his company is hosting will take in the Pacific from Samoa to a school for troubled youth and finally to Fiji. Toby has a mysterious past and prefers to be a loner, but ends up helping first Afi and then Joy. Afi has run away from a school for troubled youth where horrific abuse is occurring, and Joy is running from her overbearing and controlling father. 

Throughout the story, Ms. Cronin weaves her research, using real facts and real stories of corruption to strengthen the novel. Unlike x0, where I had a hard time getting into the actual story because the factual information was so in-your-face, once I started y1 I could not stop. The factual information was present, but it was not overwhelming and blended extremely well into the story. I've already started Book 3 (z2), and can't wait to finish that one out as well!

You can purchase y1 through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read y1? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

New Spring: The Novel by Robert Jordan

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Title: New Spring: The Novel

Author: Robert Jordan
Series: Wheel of Time Prequel

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Published: 2004

Publisher: Tor Fantasy

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) For three days battle has raged in the snow around the great city of Tar Valon. In the city, a Foretelling of the future is uttered. On the slopes of Dragonmount, the immense mountain that looms over the city, is born an infant prophesied to change the world. That child must be found before the forces of the Shadow have an opportunity to kill him. Moiraine Damodred, a young Accepted soon to be raised to Aes Sedai, and Lan Mandragoran, a soldier fighting in the battle, are set on paths that will bind their lives together. But those paths are filled with complications and dangers, for Moiraine, of the Royal House of Cairhien, whose king has just died, and Lan, considered the uncrowned king of a nation long dead, find their lives threatened by the plots of those seeking power. "New Spring" related some of these events, in compressed form; New Spring: The Novel tells the whole story.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Robert Jordan originally printed a shorter version of this story in the fantasy anthology Legends: Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy. This was published nine years after the first novel in the Wheel of Time series, The Eye of the World, was published. In 2004, Jordan released New Spring as a full length novel, expanding on the short story previously published. The events in this story take place roughly twenty years before The Eye of the World. 

It is not necessary to read New Spring prior to reading the series. In fact I read it originally after reading several other books in the series. While the story does explain many of the world specific things (a week is 10 days, what Aes Sedai are, etc.), it might not be prudent for a newcomer to the series to start with New Spring. But you definitely can start here to get a taste of the world and see if it intrigues you.

The story follows Moiraine Damodred as she starts out as an Accepted in the White Tower, close to becoming Aes Sedai. Aes Sedai are able to channel the One Power (the Wheel of Time's version of magic to put it simply). Intermixed with Moiraine's story, we see glimpses of Lan Mandragoran, who does become very important later on in the story.

Moiraine and her closest friend, Siuan, are attending the Amyrlin Seat, ruler of the Aes Sedai, when the Keeper (the Amyrlin's assistant basically) Foretells something extremely dire and falls over dead from the shock of it. From there Moiraine and Siuan decide to try to find the Dragon Reborn, whom the Keeper Foretold was going to be reborn. 

Once Moiraine and Siuan become Aes Sedai, Moiraine is forced to flee the Tower after learning that an assassin is after her and that the Tower is plotting to place her on her uncle's throne. She begins the search for the Dragon Reborn alone, as Siuan must stay behind. 

Intricate plots and danger abound throughout the whole story. What Moiraine thinks she knows, she later learns is not the truth. With Siuan's and Lan's help, Moiraine is able to overcome the obstacles and danger placed in her path and continue on with her search for the Dragon Reborn. 

Fans of the series will definitely want to read this prequel. And if you're looking for a new series to delve into, I highly recommend the Wheel of the Time. 

You can purchase New Spring: The Novel through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read New Spring: The Novel? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Monthly Update - January 2014

Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone has had a great holiday season and that next year brings a lot of good fortune to all!

I'm so proud that I managed to finish Anna Karenina by the end of the year. That was my major goal and with some serious buckling down I managed to do it! 

I finally broke down and bought the final Wheel of Time book (so horribly sad that it's over, I think that's why I've put off picking it up for so long), so I'm planning to re-read the entire series, starting with New Spring, the prequel that Robert Jordan had published. I'm going to review them all for you as I finish them. It's going to be a challenge for me to be unbiased, as I've read many of these books several times and I love the series so much. I'm going to try to approach the series from the point of view of someone who has never read it and try to ignore that I know everything that happens up until the last book. 

I am planning to take my time with them and read some other stuff during the re-reads. 

Currently Reading: 

• New Spring: The Novel (WoT Prequel) by Robert Jordan
• y1 by Sherrie Cronin

Coming Up:

• z2 by Sherrie Cronin
• The Eye of the World (WoT #1) by Robert Jordan 
• The Great Hunt (WoT #2) by Robert Jordan
• The Dragon Reborn (WoT #3) by Robert Jordan
• The Shadow Rising (WoT #4) by Robert Jordan
• The Fires of Heaven (WoT #5) by Robert Jordan
• Lord of Chaos (WoT #6) by Robert Jordan
• A Crown of Swords (WoT #7) by Robert Jordan
• The Path of Daggers (WoT #8) by Robert Jordan
• Winter's Heart (WoT #9) by Robert Jordan
• Crossroads of Twilight (WoT #10) by Robert Jordan
• Knife of Dreams (WoT #11) by Robert Jordan
• The Gathering Storm (WoT #12) by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
• Towers of Midnight (WoT #13) by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
• A Memory of Light (WoT #14) by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
• The Story of Doctor Dolittle (Doctor Dolittle #1) by Hugh Lofting
• The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (Doctor Dolittle #2) by Hugh Lofting
• Doctor Dolittle's Post Office (Doctor Dolittle #3) by Hugh Lofting
• Doctor Dolittle's Circus (Doctor Dolittle #4) by Hugh Lofting
• Doctor Dolittle's Zoo (Doctor Dolittle #5) by Hugh Lofting
• Doctor Dolittle's Caravan (Doctor Dolittle #6) by Hugh Lofting
• Doctor Dolittle's Garden (Doctor Dolittle #7) by Hugh Lofting
• Doctor Dolittle in the Moon (Doctor Dolittle #8) by Hugh Lofting
• Doctor Dolittle's Return (Doctor Dolittle #9) by Hugh Lofting
• Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake (Doctor Dolittle #10) by Hugh Lofting
• Doctor Dolittle and the Green Canary (Doctor Dolittle #11) by Hugh Lofting
• Doctor Dolittle's Puddleby Adventures (Doctor Dolittle #12) by Hugh Lofting

I definitely won't finish the Wheel of Time series by the end of January, but I should be able to squeeze in all of the Doctor Dolittle series, and hopefully most of y1 and z2 as well.