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Friday, July 22, 2016

Mid-Year FreakOUT


Hi Book-Sniffers and Librocubicularists,

The Book-Tube-a-Thon is on and I'm failing so hard that I'd rather do a tag than stew in my misery over how little I've read this July.

The Mid-Year FreakOut tag summarizes what the first half of the year has been like. I did this last year.  It's interesting to reread and still agree with most of what I had said. Let's go ahead and document this year!

Total Books Read: 37
Total Pages Read: 12,754
Go here to see my "Ultimate Reading Challenge" status.

Rereads: 2
Adult: 20
Young Adult: 17


What is the/your...

... best book you've read (so far) this year?
YA - The Paper Magician (Charlie N. Holmberg)
Adult - The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Becky Chambers)

... best sequel?
YA - Prairie Fire (E.K. Johnson) or Queen of Shadows (Sarah J. Maas)
Adult - The Fell Sword (Miles Cameron)

... new release you've not read, but want to?
YA - And I Darken (Kiersten White)
Adult - The Aeronaut's Windlass (Jim Butcher)

... most anticipated release for second half of this year?
YA - Empire of Storms (Sarah J. Maas) the fifth book in the "Throne of Glass" Series

... biggest disappointment?
Middle Grade/Children's - The Search for WondLa (Tony Diterlizzi)
YA - The Returning (Christine Hinwood)
Adult - The Seventh Miss Hatfield (Anna Caltabiano)

... biggest surprise?
YA - Newt's Emerald (Garth Nix)
Adult - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Austen/Grahame-Smith)

... favourite new author?
YA - Renewed love of Garth Nix
Adult - Agatha Christie weaves a fantastic mystery and setting

... newest fictional crush?
YA - *sigh* Magician Emery Thane upon his first description, from The Paper Magician (Holmberg)
Adult - Sissix from The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Becky Chambers)

... newest favourite character?

Adult - Sissix from The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Becky Chambers)


... book that made you cry?
YA - Queen of Shadows (Maas)
Adult - The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Chambers)
 
... book that made you happy?
YA -  Newt's Emerald (Garth Nix)
Adult - The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Chambers)
 
... most beautiful book bought or received?
YA - Witchfinder (Ruth Warburton)

... books you NEED to read by the end of the year?
1. Irenicon (Aidan Harte)
2. Empire of Storms (Maas)
 
... favourite Book Community Member?
Certainly Elizabeth from Books and Pieces. Thoughtful and insightful.
From Canada, Hailey from Hails Hearts Nyc. This girl is delightful


From many of my repeat answers, you may have figured that this year has been pretty lackluster. Not many that have stuck with me. The few that have, that bear the many repeats, please read. They are lovely. #1 recommendation "The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet" by Becky Chambers. It will take your heart and run away with it - fall in love with a book again.




Monday, July 11, 2016

Book-Tube-a-Thon 2016

Hello Book-Sniffers and Librocubicularists,

Every summer, the BookTube community is set alight with the Book-Tube-a-Thon. While this marathon centres around videos and video creators, I've always enjoyed participating in the challenges.

This year it takes place from July 18-24th. I'm out of town from the Monday to the Wednesday, but I'm hoping to take a few books with me to get a good start on the week.

The Challenges vary from interesting to standard. I look forward to attempting most of them.


Read a Book...

1. ...with a YELLOW cover.
Basket Case ~ Carl Hiaasen

2. ...only after sunset. (so cool)
Violet Eyes ~ Debbie Viguie

3. ...discovered because of BookTube (but there's so many!)
The Glass Arrow ~ Kristen Simmons
 Written in Red ~ Anne Bishop
 Looking Backward ~ Edward Bellamy 
End of Days (III) ~ Susan Ee

4. ...by a favourite author.
The Grey King (IV) ~ Susan Cooper

5. ...that's older than me! (not that old really)
Looking Backward ~ Edward Bellamy (published 1888)

6. ...and watch its movie adaptation.
Not interested. Least likely to complete this one.

7. ...SEVEN books.


 We'll see how well I actually stick to this OR if the library decides I cannot have one of these books, I will have to adapt.

Best of luck to everyone participating!!!!!!

~ Happy Marathon Reading ~





Monday, July 4, 2016

Summer Reading Challenge

Halloo Book-Sniffers and Librocubicularists,

Summer is upon us. It is that time of year where my reading is at its peak. To make it fun and push myself I've come up with my own custom reading challenge. The goal is to read a book for each challenge.


Read a Book That('s):

1. A Classic

2. A Science Fiction

3. A Romance

4. A Red Book

5. Over 600 Pages

6. Under 300 Pages

7. You've Been Meaning To Finish

8. Makes You Cry 

9. Takes Place in Summer

10. The Last in a Series

11. A Guilt Book (one that should've been read by now)

12. A Library Find (never heard of, not on TBR, found browsing the shelves)


Feel free to use or make your own!

~ Happy Summer Reading ~ 

Sunday, July 3, 2016

Month of 300 ~ Wrap Up

Hi Book-Sniffers and Librocubicularists,

Month of 300 was fairly successful! I read a number of books from my initial list and finished up others that were languishing.


The Night Dance
By Suzanne Weyn
Pages: 193

I love these little "Once Upon a Time" books. A retelling of 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses' (one of my favourite fairy tales), it weaves in Arthurian lore and puts a spin on the usual story. Began with high promise, ended with a ho-hum.

3/5 STARS


City of Fallen Angels
By Cassandra Clare
Pages: 424 (Audiobook)

Been powering through this series via audiobook. I quite liked this one as it followed two people - one being the main-main character whom I hate, and the other, Simon, I really really enjoyed. He was a fascinating character and his story had more intriguing plot points.

This series is better read as a teenager. I've been finding, it doesn't quite have the same effect as an adult.

3/5 STARS


The Seventh Miss Hatfield
By Anna Caltabiano
Pages: 292
TBR: Dragon Jar. Priority.

Bought this completely for the cover. The premise intrigued me. Miss Hatfields are immortal, when one is finished she creates a new one to carry on the work. Enter Cynthia, who is chosen, and rather abruptly turned from a teenager into a full grown woman to be the next Miss Hatfield. From here she's transported back in time to steal a painting held dear by the 6th Miss Hatfield.

Simply written. Everything Cynthia did was met with no challenge, there were no stakes, no tension. It was light and I enjoyed it, but I would not recommend it.

2/5 STARS


The Fell Sword
By Miles Cameron
Pages: 603

Carry over from May, finished this for the Book Club. We read "The Red Knight" last year and loved it. Continuing with this book two.

Miles Cameron is a master writer. Complex plot lines, he makes you read between the lines to figure out subtle plot points, and certainly keeps you on your toes. Magicians, betrayals, villains, heroes, and the characters in-between - this series will keep you busy and ruin every other fantasy you'll want to read afterward.

5/5 STARS



The Paper Magician
By Charlie N. Holmberg
Pages: 214
TBR: Dragon Jar. Priority.

FAVOURITE! I fell in love with this world by the end of chapter one. By the end of chapter two, I knew this would be a wonderful book. Lovely main character - believably struggling with being told she can't a Smelter (metal) instead a Paper magician. Her mentor is loveable, quirky, and sweet.

Review here.

5/5 STARS


A Room of One's Own
By Virginia Woolf
Pages: 125
TBR: Hero's Jar-ney.

An essay expanded from a speech given to women writers. It meanders at the beginning and finishes with a bang. Incredible insight for the time in which it was presented. Overall message: Women writers write what you want.

4/5 STARS



I Capture the Castle
By Dodie Smith
Pages: 343
TBR: Prince Jar-ming.

Carried over from May. My work-book. A reread. I've read this classic countless times. It never ceases to give me cozy, squishy feelings. Cassandra is the best narrator - she doesn't always interpret things correctly. Every character is rounded and wonderful. I recommend this to anyone looking for a delightful classic that reads easily.

5/5 STARS

Seven books. That's a pretty good month.

There's been much emphasis, I've placed on myself, to read many books. My page count is down significantly. Since I'm ahead of my book count, now I'd like to bump up page count. For July, I think, read whatever book screams at me to "read me" a la Wonderland.  (hopefully, with better results)

~ Happy Reading ~