July 2013 Update

I didn't read as much in July as I wanted but probably more than expected with all that has been going on. The High Summer Read-a-Thon and July Mango Tango Just for Fun Challenge helped me  to read the 10 books. All in all 3360 pages.

List of books:

1. A Lost Witch by Debora Geary
2. To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory
3. Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
4. Moon Child by J.R. Rain
5. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
6. Daughter of Dragons by Kathleen H. Nelson 
7. A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines
8. Witch Way Bends by Olivia Hardin 
9. Cursed by Casey Odell
10. Frey by Melissa Wright 

All posts from July are HERE.

Frey by Melissa Wright

Unaware she's been bound from using magic, Frey leads a small, miserable life in the village where she's sent after the death of her mother. But a tiny spark starts a fury of changes and she finds hersef running from everything she's ever known.
Hunted by council for practicing dark magic, she is certain she's been wrongfully accused. She flees, and is forced to rely on strangers for protection. But the farther she strays from home, the more her magic and forgotten memories return and she begins to suspect all is not as it seems. From Goodreads.

I enjoyed this book. Not knowing her magic has been bound Frey thinks she has no magic and living in a elf village where everybody uses magic is miserable. As the book moves along Frey learns more and more about her background and it is not happy reading. I have already bought the next book in this series.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
NBRC Stuck in a Rut
Beat the Heat Readathon 2013
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (elves, magic)
2013 Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge (free on Amazon.uk 7th of July 2012)

Beat the Heat Readathon Sign Up

Beat the Heat Readathon hosted by Auntie Spinelli Reads & Phantasmic Reads.

Ze Rules!

• The Beat the Heat Readathon runs from July 29th through August 11th. What does this readathon entail, you ask? Well, read as much or as little as you want – the main point is to READ! You set your own goal, and for two weeks you read as many books as you can/want to reach your goal!
• There will be mini-challenges throughout the Readathon for participants, along with a grand prize giveaway at the end!
• Sign up at Auntie Spinelli Reads or Phantasmic Reads. You may join whenever you like, but to be eligible for our grand prize giveaway, you must sign up by August 5th.
• To join, all you have to do is make a sign-up post – even if it’s just a “Let’s do this!” thing - and add your post URL to the linky below! You can put your goals and progress (will be required for the final giveaway) in your sign-up post, or you can make it separate. Totally up to you! Feel free to copy and paste this handy little list for your post. We don’t mind. :)
• In order to enter for the grand prize, you must have a post to keep track of your progress so we can see that you participated.

I am quite busy at the moment so I will set myself a low goal of reading 7 books during this Readathon.

My list of books:

1. Frey by Melissa Wright (started today)
2. The weird Stone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner
3. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
4. The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
5. Riversong by Tess Thompson
6. Magnificent Devices by Shelley Adina
7. Drowning Mermaids by Nadia Scrieva
8. Infernal Devices by K.W. Jeter
9. The Cypher by Julian Rosado-Machain

As usual when I make a list for a Readathon it is only a maybe list. I might read something not on the list instead.

High Summer Read-a-Thon July 22-28 Finished

High Summer Read-a-Thon hosted by Michelle @ The True Book Addict.

My goal for this Read-a-Thon was to read 5 books. I reached my goal.

1. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
2. Daughter of Dragons by Kathleen H. Nelson
3. A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines
4. Witch Way Bends by Olivia Hardin
5. Cursed by Casey Odell 
6. Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs - I listened to 150 pages of this book over the week 

Thank you to Michelle @ The True Book Addict for hosting this Read-a-Thon. I am looking forward to take part in both Frightfall Read-a-Thon from 30th of September to 6th of October on seasons of reading and The Season of the Witch in October on Castle Macabre. Both hosted by Michelle.

Cursed by Casey Odell

The night Claire Tanith’s small village is attacked, her mother sends her alone into the cursed forest, the one she’d been forbidden to enter all her life with these mysterious words: ‘They will protect you.’
On the run from her attackers, she soon finds the forest is not as abandoned as she’d once thought.
Beautiful and elegant, the elves seem to be everything the legends said they would be. But legends sometimes forget the true history of things and Claire’s eyes are soon opened to a world she never knew. One that has been kept from her for most of her life. All Claire wants to do is return home and start looking for her mother, the only family she ever had. But the elves have different plans. The mysterious mark that appeared on her arm isn’t a curse, at least not to them anyway, and before she knows it, she is whisked away on a mission she never agreed to, unless they help her in return.
Now she is stuck on an adventure with the perverted elf, Aeron, and one with an attitude, Farron. But there is more to this adventure than she’d ever hoped for. From Goodreads

Another okay book. I am not sure I like Claire a lot but Farron is a good character. It is clear this is the 1st in a series as we are never really told what the mark on Claire's arm is apart from it being magical. I might read the next book.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
NBRC Stuck in a Rut
High Summer Read-a-Thon 2013
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (elves, magic)
2013 Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge (free on Amazon.uk 17th of June 2013)

Witch Way Bends by Olivia Hardin

Devan Stowe has only one thing on her mind when she teams up with Kent Crosby and his associates—putting an end to her father’s child trafficking business. Her determination takes her on a journey to discover her true strength and the one man she was destined to love. In his arms, she’ll learn the meaning of trust, honor, and courage. Devan will unlock an amazing gift that will free her from her past and open up a future full of magic, faeries and more things than she ever imagined possible.  From Goodreads.

This was okay and I will be reading the next 2 books in this Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy. I found the start a bit abrupt and it took me some time to figure things out. If this trilogy had only been about Devan I probably would not have continued. But as it is about 2 of the other characters we meet in this book I am curious about their stories.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
NBRC Stuck in a Rut
High Summer Read-a-Thon 2013
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (witch)
2013 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
2013 Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge (free on Amazon.uk 19th of July 2013)

A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines

Life is tough and cheerless for Billy Casper, a disillusioned teenager growing up in a small Yorkshire mining town. Violence is commonplace and he is frequently cold and hungry. Yet he is determined to be a survivor and when he finds Kes, a kestrel hawk he discovers a passion in life.
Billy identifies with her proud silence and she inspired in him the trust and love that nothing else can. Intense and raw and bitingly honest. From Goodreads.

I can't say I enjoyed this book as I found parts of it quite depressing. At the same time it showed strength and determination. A book well worth reading.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
NBRC Stuck in a Rut
High Summer Read-a-Thon 2013
2013 A-Z Reading Challenge

Daughter of Dragons by Kathleen H. Nelson

As a child, Lathwi is outcast by her own people for her magical abilities. Instead of being eaten by the dragon to which she has been sacrificed, Lathwi becomes the protege of the intellectual Taziem. As an adult, Lathwi is banished from her foster mother's nest and forced to seek her fortune in the world of men. This quest brings her face to face with sorcery; a master of swords; and an ancient evil from Dragonkind's past. The fate of the world hinges on her. Will she survive? Will the world? From Goodreads.

This book was good. I like reading stories with dragons. The heroine of this book really believes she is a dragon which does not make it easy to interact with humans. Without revealing too much I also like the fact that not all the good characters survive. I have already bought the second book and will be reading it in a few months time.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
NBRC Stuck in a Rut
2013 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (dragon)
High Summer Read-a-Thon 2013

High Summer Read-a-Thon July 22-28 Update

High Summer Read-a-Thon hosted by Michelle @ The True Book Addict.

I will post my updates here all through the week.

Monday:
# of Pages Read today:  79
# of Pages Read for week:  79
Currently Reading: Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton + Listening to Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs
Books Finished Today: 0
Total # of Books Finished: 0

Tuesday:
# of Pages Read today: 426
# of Pages Read for week: 505
Currently Reading: Listening to Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs
Books Finished Today: Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Total # of Books Finished: 1

Wednesday
# of Pages Read today: 256
# of Pages Read for week: 761
Currently Reading: Daughter of Dragons by Kathleen H. Nelson +  Listening to Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs
Books Finished Today: 0
Total # of Books Finished: 1

Thursday
# of Pages Read today: 103
# of Pages Read for week: 864
Currently Reading: Listening to Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs
Books Finished Today: Daughter of Dragons by Kathleen H. Nelson
Total # of Books Finished: 2

Friday
# of Pages Read today: 188
# of Pages Read for week: 1052
Currently Reading: A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines + Listening to Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs
Books Finished Today: 0
Total # of Books Finished: 2

Saturday
# of Pages Read today: 386
# of Pages Read for week:1438
Currently Reading: Cursed by Casey Odell + Listening to Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs
Books Finished Today: A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines + Witch Way Bends by Olivia Hardin 
Total # of Books Finished: 4

Sunday
# of Pages Read today: 288
# of Pages Read for week: 1726
Books Finished Today: Cursed by Casey Odell
Total # of Books Finished: 5

I reached my goal as I have read 5 book and listened to 150 pages of an audio book 

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

A billionaire has created a technique to clone dinosaurs. From the DNA that his crack team of scientists extract, he is able to grow the dinosaurs in his laboratories and lock them away on an island behind electric fences, creating a sort of theme park. He asks a group of scientists from several different fields to come and view the park, but something goes terribly wrong when a worker on the island turns traitor and shuts down the power. From Goodreads.

This is a really good book. Of course having seen all three films I kind of knew what was happening. There are still surprises where things are very different from the films so if you liked the films you should read the book. It is well worth it.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
NBRC Stuck in a Rut
2013 Mammoth Book Challenge
High Summer Read-a-Thon 2013

Moon Child by J.R. Rain

Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire.
Now in MOON CHILD, sequel to AMERICAN VAMPIRE, private investigator Samantha Moon is faced with an impossible decision—a decision that no mother should ever have to make. A decision that will change her life, and those she loves, forever.
And through it all, Sam finds herself in a lethal game of vampire vs. vampire as a powerful—and desperate—enemy will stop at nothing to claim what he most desires. From Goodreads.






I still don't think this book is as good as number 1 in the series but it was slightly better than expected. The books are okay and I will most likely keep reading this series over time.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
NBRC Stuck in a Rut
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (vampire)
2013 Sequel Reading Challenge

High Summer Read-a-Thon July 22-28 Start

High Summer Read-a-Thon hosted by Michelle @ The True Book Addict.

It's time to sign up for the High Summer Read-a-Thon! I hope you will join me this month for the week of July 22. We will start on Monday, 7/22 at 12:00am CST and finish on Sunday, 7/28 at 11:59pm CST (adjust times according to your time zone). Read what you like during the week. I've decided it's not about quantity, but quality (although those who rock the quantity...I salute you!). So, if you have kids and want to read children's books, go for it! As always, this is a week long read-a-thon, but you can join in and read whenever it's convenient for you. It's all about being laid back and getting some reading done.

Michelle hosts 4 Read-a-Thons a year and this year it seems I might be able to take part in all 4.

I have quite a few books I have to get through this month for another challenge and I hope this Read-a-Thon will help me achieve my goal for that.

My goal for the High Summer Read-a-Thon will be 5 books.

My list of books:

1. A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines
2. Witch Way Bends by Olivia Hardin
3. Family Magic by Patti Larsen
4. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
5. Daughter of Dragons by Kathleen H. Nelson
6. Cursed by Casey Odell 
7. Frey by Melissa Wright

Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb

Bingtown is a hub of exotic trade and home to a merchant nobility famed for its liveships —rare vessels carved from wizardwood, which ripens magically into sentient awareness. The fortunes of one of Bingtown's oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia.
For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy unjustly denied her—a legacy she will risk anything to reclaim. For Althea's young nephew Wintrow, wrenched from his religious studies and forced to serve aboard ship, Vivacia is a life sentence.
But the fate of the Vestrit family—and the ship—may ultimately lie in the hands of an outsider. The ruthless pirate Kennit seeks a way to seize power over all the denizens of the Pirate Isles...and the first step of his plan requires him to capture his own liveship and bend it to his will.... From Goodreads.




This was a really good book with a lot going on. We are following the liveship Vivacia and all that is happening on her, the girl Althea, the pirate Kinnit, the family Vestrit back in Bingtown and also a tangle of serpents.
This book is the first of a trilogy and I will definitely be reading the next two book at some point in the future and I will look into her other fantasy series.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
NBRC Stuck in a Rut
TEA & BOOKS Reading Challenge 2013
2013 Mammoth Book Challenge

To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory

The murder of a dark arts warlock.
A shape-shifting, ravenous creature on the loose.
A devilishly handsome stranger sent to investigate.
Sometimes working law enforcement for the Netherworld is a real bitch.
Dulcie O’Neil is a fairy. And not the type to frolic in gardens. She’s a Regulator—a law-enforcement agent who monitors the creatures of the Netherworld to keep them from wreaking havoc in the mortal world.
When a warlock is murdered and Dulcie was the last person to see him alive, she must uncover the truth before she’s either deported back to the Netherworld, or she becomes the next victim.
Enter Knight Vander, a sinfully attractive investigator sent from the Netherworld to work the case with Dulcie.
Between battling her attraction to her self-appointed partner, keeping a sadomasochistic demon in check, and fending off the advances of a sexy and powerful vampire, Dulcie’s got her hands full.
As the body count increases, Dulcie finds herself battling dark magic, reconnoitering in S&M clubs and suffering the greatest of all betrayals. From Goodreads

This wasn't as good as I had hoped but it was okay for a free book. It is full of paranormal creatures which I like and I hadn't guessed the "bad" guy. I have another free book lined up from this author and I might read that and then decide if I want to buy any of her books.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
NBRC Stuck in a Rut
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (witch)
2013 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
2013 Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge (free on Amazon.com 24th of May 2013)

A Lost Witch by Debora Geary

Hannah Kendrick has spent the last twelve years fighting for her sanity. And the doctor who has stood by her side has run out of options.
A small computer tracking spell will find Hannah—but can Witch Central save her? From Goodreads

There can be no doubt that this is one of my favourite authors and series and the moment. This is the seventh and last book in The Modern Witch series all of which have been about finding new witches. As I have enjoyed this series a lot I am pleased that even though this particular series about finding new witches is now finished Debora Geary is writing a new series with all the characters from this series.
I am looking forward to September when the first book is supposed to be published.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
NBRC Stuck in a Rut
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (witch)
2013 Sequel Reading Challenge
2013 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge
Finishing the Series Reading Challenge 2013

Stuck in a Rut Challenge Start

Stuck in a Rut Challenge hosted by ~Annia~Cupcake~ at Goodreads Nothing but Reading Challenges.

I have chosen to take part in yet another  reading challenge as this seems to fit well with the challenges I am already doing. My start date is July 1st 2013

Duration: 1 year from the day you start
Rules: No re-reads, you can use any media (audio, ebook, graphic novel, book, etc.)

Easy Climb - Complete any 1 task
Middle of the Road - Complete any 2 tasks
Die-Hard - Complete all 3 tasks

TASK ONE: A Mix of Old and New
* Read 1 X complete Trilogy
* Read 2 X books that have your Favorite Color on the cover
* Read 3 X books from your Favorite Author/s
* Read 4 X Different New to You Authors
* Read 5 X Different Genres

TASK TWO: Books of All Sizes
* Read 2 X Short Stories (Less than 100 pages)
* Read 2 X Novella's (Less than 200 pages)
* Read 2 X Novels (200-400 pages)
* Read 2 X Chunky books (More than 400 pages)

TASK THREE:
* Read a complete series from book 1 through to the last published book at the time of the challenge

I have chosen the Die-Hard challenge which means reading around 30 books depending on which series I end up reading for task 3.


TASK ONE: A Mix of Old and New

* Read 1 X complete Trilog: Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy by Olivia Hardin DONE

1. Witch Way Bends
2. Bitten Shame
3. Shifty Business

* Read 2 X books that have your Favorite Color on the cover (purple) DONE

1. An Imperfect Witch by Debora Geary
2. Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan

* Read 3 X books from your Favorite Author/s DONE

1. A lost Witch by Debora Geary
2. Good Husband Material by Trisha Ashley
3. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

* Read 4 X Different New to You Authors: DONE

1. Daughter of Dragons by Kathleen H. Nelson
2. Frey by Melissa Wright
3. Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs
4. Eternal Vows by Chrissy Peebles

* Read 5 X Different Genres DONE

1. Moon Child by J.R. Rain (Paranormal)
2. A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines (Classics)
3. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson (Non-fiction)
4. Magnificent Devices by Shelley Adina (Steampunk)
5. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Philosophy)

TASK TWO: Books of All Sizes

* Read 2 X Short Stories (Less than 100 pages) DONE

1. To Love a Witch by Debora Geary
2. Matchmakers 2.0 by Debora Geary

* Read 2 X Novella's (Less than 200 pages) DONE

1. To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory (198 pages)
2. Fins by Ashley L. Knight (174 pages)

* Read 2 X Novels (200-400 pages) DONE

1. Cursed by Casey Odell (334 pages)
2. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach (287 pages)

* Read 2 X Chunky books (More than 400 pages) DONE

1. Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb (834 pages)
2. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (466 pages)

TASK THREE:

* Read a complete series from book 1 through to the last published book at the time of the challenge

1. How (Not) to Kiss a Toad by Elizabeth A. Reeves 
2. How (Not) to Kiss a Prince by Elizabeth A. Reeves
3. How (Not) to Kiss a Beast by Elizabeth A. Reeves
4. How (Not) to Kiss a Ghost by Elizabeth A. Reeves 
5. How (Not) to Kiss a Gargoyle by Elizabeth A. Reeves
6. How (Not) to Kiss a Were Bear by Elizabeth A. Reeves