July 2012 Update

I didn't read much in the beginning of July but took revenge in the second half of the month while I was on a canoe trip. So I ended up reading 13 books all in all which I am very satisfied with.

1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
2. Always the Baker Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker
3. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
4. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
5. Fierce Dawn by Amber Scott
6. Lirael by Garth Nix
7. Abhorsen by Garth Nix
8. Algonquin Voices - Selected Stories of Canoe Lake Women by Gaye I. Clemson
9. The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi 
10. Along the Trail in Algonquin Park: With Ralph Bice by Bice Ralph 
11. Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong
12. Chalcot Crescent by Fay Weldon 
13. Awakening by Karice Bolton

July posts can be found HERE

Awakening by Karice Bolton

Alone in snowy, remote Whistler village, Ana tries to build a new life since losing her parents. With a cozy condo, a sweet-faced bulldog and an evening job to leave the days free for the slopes, life slips into a great routine. If only she could shake the guilt for not remembering anything about her parents and banish the night terrors that haunt her every dream. On a whim, Ana goes out with Athen, a guy she’s just met in the Grizzly Pub... The only problem is that she feels like she already knows him. Within 48 hours of meeting Athen and his family, Ana’s world implodes. She falls for Athen quickly and before she knows it, a past life begins to resurface. As thrilling as the revelations appear at first, she fights against the chilling information that Athen is from the underworld. Soon she begins to struggle as her own supernatural gifts are slowly unveiled, and she realizes that the nightmares she’s been having might be premonitions and not dreams at all. It is up to Ana to decipher between fact and fiction before it is too late, and her new love, Athen, follows in her same fate - one that is lost between two worlds. From Amazon.

Another good versus evil paranormal romance. A interesting book with a twist in the end. I already own the next 2 in the trilogy and I will definitely read them at some point.

This book qualifies for: 
100 books in a year Reading Challenge 2012, 
2012 Ebook Challenge,
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge,
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012,
2012 Where are you reading Challenge,
Why Buy the Cow? Reading challenge 2012 ( this book was free on Amazon.uk the 7th of July 2012)

Chalcot Crescent by Fay Weldon

Meet Frances, one-time national treasure, former famous writer... and Fay Weldon's might-have-been younger sister. It's 2013. Fay has long since emigrated (wouldn't you, if your imaginary sister stole your future?), and eighty-year-old Frances, her glory days gone, is savouring a slice of National Meat Loaf in her once-magnificent house. Communism's dead, capitalism's fallen, and now government bailiffs are banging on her door... How did it come to this? When did CiviCams and powdered egg replace gossipy dinners and chocolate mousse? As Frances tries to make sense of her story, fact and fiction begin to implode. What secrets are her family hiding? Is her skunk-smoking grandson plotting revolution upstairs? And just what makes National Meat Loaf so tasty? From Amazon. 

I have read a few other book by Fay Weldon and my favourite is The Life and Loves of a She Devil.
This book was very slow and I think I was 2/3 through the book before I started finding it interesting. I liked the last third of the book which is why I gave it 3 Polar Bears. The whole story is about a very dysfunctional family in the near future, narrated by 80 year old Frances.

This book qualifies for: 
100 books in a year Reading Challenge 2012, 
2012 Ebook Challenge,
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge,
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012,
2012 Where are you reading Challenge

Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong

13. The breath-taking, explosive finale to the Women of the Otherworld series
War is coming to the Otherworld. A sinister cult known as The Supernatural Liberation Movement is hell-bent on exposing the truth about supernaturals to the rest of the world. Their violent, ruthless plan has put everyone at risk: from werewolves to vampires, from witches to half-demons.
Savannah Levine - fiery and unpredictable - stands at the heart of the maelstrom. There is a new, dark magic inside her, granting her the power to summon spells of terrifying strength. But whether this magic is a gift or a curse, no one knows.
On the eve of battle, all the major players must come together in a last, desperate fight for survival - Elena and Clay; Adam and Savannah; Paige and Lucas; Jeremy and Jaime; Hope, Eve and more... They are fighting for lives. They are fighting for their loved ones.
They are fighting for the Otherworld.  From Amazon.

This is the last book of the series (Women of the Otherworld) and that is a pity as I really like these books. I am going to miss them. There is a lot of action in this book and lots of emotions: love, hate, happiness at seeing long lost loved ones and sadness as they have to leave again. This book is from Savannah's viewpoint, the last two have been as well.
I have read all of the books and quite a few of the short stories in this series and I wish there would be more. I would love to read more books about Elena and Clay and not least their children. As far I have heard there should be a collection of short stories being published in 2014, I am already looking forward to that and in the meantime I will enjoy the YA books she has published and also look into the new series that is said to be released next year.

This book qualifies for:
100 books in a year Reading Challenge 2012,
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge,
2012 Ebook Challenge,  
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012
2012 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge

Along the Trail in Algonquin Park: With Ralph Bice by Bice Ralph

Along the Trail in Algonquin Park has delighted thousands of readers across Canada and the United States from the time of its first publication in the summer of 1980. This is the fourth reprint of the classic work by the late legendary outdoorsman, Ralph Bice of Kearney, Ontario. The writing is vintage Ralph Bice; a combination of unequalled park knowledge, remarkable outdoor adventures and delightful rustic humour. Along the Trail was originally to have been titled "Forty Years in Algonquin Park," but by the time the book appeared, the author's lifelong love affair with the park had exceeded eighty. In 1993, the time of Algonquin Park's centennial, the "Grand Old Man of Algonquin" had entered his 94th year. He was to continue to live nearby his beloved park until his passing in 1997. Remembered not only for his writings, Ralph Bice is honoured by a fitting memorial to "Mister Algonquin" as Algonquin Park visitors will now discover when they enter the west side of the park. For here the lake he favoured over all others, Butt Lake, has been renamed Ralph Bice Lake. From Goodreads

Again, the reason for reading this book was that I was in Algonquin Park. There was a few good stories in this book and I enjoyed reading the stories especially as some of them took place happening in Lakes I was paddling on at the time. Unfortunately it referred a lot to specific people and in my opinion it would have been a lot better for me if I had know at least some of the descendants of all these people.
This was the last book I read on my canoe trip, I finished it on the train back towards Toronto.

This book qualifies for: 
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge, 
2012 Ebook Challenge,
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012,
2012 Where are you reading Challenge 

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

Anderson Lake is a company man, AgriGen's Calorie Man in Thailand. Under cover as a factory manager, Anderson combs Bangkok's street markets in search of foodstuffs thought to be extinct, hoping to reap the bounty of history's lost calories. There, he encounters Emiko...
Emiko is the Windup Girl, a strange and beautiful creature. One of the New People, Emiko is not human; instead, she is an engineered being, creche-grown and programmed to satisfy the decadent whims of a Kyoto businessman, but now abandoned to the streets of Bangkok. Regarded as soulless beings by some, devils by others, New People are slaves, soldiers, and toys of the rich in a chilling near future in which calorie companies rule the world, the oil age has passed, and the side effects of bio-engineered plagues 
run rampant across the globe.
What Happens when calories become currency? What happens when bio-terrorism becomes a tool for corporate profits, when said bio-terrorism's genetic drift forces mankind to the cusp of post-human evolution? Award-winning author Paolo Bacigalupi delivers one of the most highly acclaimed science fiction novels of the twenty-first century. From Goodreads

My husband suggested this book for me as one of the books for the 2012 Sci-Fi Challenge I am taking part in. I thought he had read it since he suggested it but it turned out that he hadn't! Well I read it anyway. It was definitely not a book I would have picked up myself. But it ended up being quite an interesting book. I found it a bit slow in the beginning but suddenly it caught me and I just wanted to know what was going to happen. It is Sci-Fi but I don't think the actual state of the world in this book is so far fetched and that makes for a chilling reading.

This book qualifies for: 
100 books in a year Reading Challenge 2012, 
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge, 
2012 Ebook Challenge,
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012,
2012 Sci-Fi Challenge,
2012 Where are you reading Challenge  

Algonquin Voices - Selected Stories of Canoe Lake Women by Gaye I. Clemson

This book shares the life experiences of over 20 women, who led very different lives but had one common frame of reference. They all lived at one time or another on Canoe Lake in Algonquin Park in the 20th Century. This book captures the stories of various aspects of their life on the lake as pioneers, business women, leaders and feminists from 1905 to the present. From Goodreads.

There was of course a reason to read this book. This summer my husband and I spent 11 days canoeing in Algonquin Park. Our start and finish of the trip was Canoe Lake.  It was interesting hearing about the hardship of the women who lived there but also how much they loved being there despite that. A very good book with lots of interesting stories and I enjoyed sitting by the side of Little Otterslide Lake reading it.

This book qualifies for:

Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge,
2012 Ebook Challenge,  
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012,
2012 Where are you reading Challenge

Abhorsen by Garth Nix

Orannis the Destroyer has been freed 
And only Lirael, newly come into her inheritance as the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, has any chance of stopping it. She and her companions—Sam, the Disreputable Dog, and Mogget—have to take that chance. If Orannis’ unspeakable powers are unleashed, it will mean the end of all Life.
With the help of her companions and a vision from the Clayr to guide her, Lirael must search in both Life and Death for some means to defeat the Destroyer—before it is too late...  From Goodreads

The third and for now the last of the Abhorsen series. I didn't put down my Kindle between finishing Lirael and starting this, I am glad I had it ready. This book takes off right after the other one finishes it is not like another book but just a continuation of Lirael. This was very gripping and it brought together all the characters from book one and two. It also told us who Mogget is and where he came from which I really liked. I would love a fourth book and have heard one is coming out next year, unfortunately it doesn't seem to be a sequel but more of a prequel. I will read it anyway.

This book qualifies for:
100 books in a year Reading Challenge 2012,
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge,
2012 Ebook Challenge,  
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012

Lirael by Garth Nix

Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Now, two years past the time when she should have received the Sight that is the Clayr’s birthright, she feels alone, abandoned, unsure of who she is. Nevertheless, the fate of the Old Kingdom lies in her hands.
With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, Lirael must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil. From Goodreads.

This is the second book in the Abhorsen series. Ever since I read the first book I have wanted to read the next and I finally got round to it. This book is full of action and a few different relationships. A very interesting one being between the Disreputable Dog and the cat Mogget. This book has a very abrupt ending so I am glad I had the 3rd book ready.

This book qualifies for:
100 books in a year Reading Challenge 2012,
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge,
2012 Ebook Challenge,  
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012 

Fierce Dawn by Amber Scott

Snarling teeth, glowing eyes. Someone--something--is after her. The man who haunts her dreams enters her reality, claiming she's transforming into a changeling--not quite immortal but no longer human.
Battle lines are drawn and blood spills as the two fight not only for her life, but for mankind's as well. Conspiracy, vampires, human changelings? From Goodreads

I read Fierce Dawn from the Yearnings box-set. I liked the idea of the changeling, from human to immortal. But it was just not to my taste. I am not going to continue this box-set at this time and I won't be actively searching for books from this author.

This book qualifies for:
100 books in a year Reading Challenge 2012,
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge,
2012 Ebook Challenge,  
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012,
Why Buy the Cow? Reading challenge 2012 ( this book was free on Amazon.uk the 16th of March 2012)

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead. 
Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.
It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains--except Katniss.
The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost.  From Goodreads

A brilliant end to this trilogy. I read this book in one sitting. There were so many twists and turns that every time I thought I knew where it was going, something completely different happened. I might at some point look into her Underland Chronicles even though it seems to be for a younger audience.

This book qualifies for:
100 books in a year Reading Challenge 2012,
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge,
2012 Ebook Challenge,  
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012,
Finishing the Series Reading Challenge 

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins continues the amazing story of Katniss Everdeen in the phenomenal Hunger Games trilogy.Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. From Goodreads

I read the first book of this series in February and enjoyed it. I knew I wanted to read the last two as well and bought them quite a while ago, but I just never got around to it. Living in a very isolated place, I never saw the film Hunger Games. This summer I flew to Canada and one of the films I could choose to watch was Hunger Games. Of course, after watching the film I was ready for the next two books.
I enjoyed this book very much. The book did not go at all as I expected and took an interesting turn of events. I always like when a book surprises me and this did.

This book qualifies for:
100 books in a year Reading Challenge 2012,
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge,
2012 Ebook Challenge,  
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012,
Finishing the Series Reading Challenge

Always the Baker Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker

Just ask Emma Rae Travis about that. She's a baker of confections who is diabetic and can't enjoy them. When Emma meets Jackson Drake, the escapee from Corporate America who is starting a wedding destination hotel to fulfill a dream that belonged to someone else, this twosome and their crazy family ties bring new meaning to the term "family circus." The Atlanta social scene will never be the same! From Goodreads

A nice cosy romance story with no surprises. Often, with this type of book, I actually like one of the side characters more than the 2 main characters. In this one it is aunt Sophie.

This book qualifies for: 
100 books in a year Reading Challenge 2012, 
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge, 
2012 Ebook Challenge,
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012,
Why Buy the Cow? Reading challenge 2012 ( this book was free on Amazon.uk the 13th of July 2012)

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

A father and his young son walk alone through burned America, heading slowly for the coast. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. They have nothing but a pistol to defend themselves against the men who stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food--and each other. From Goodreads

I knew the story as I saw the film earlier in the year. I have to say the film was very true to the book. This book is happening in a post-apocalyptic USA. Don't read this book if you need a happy book! I liked that the father keeps wanting his son to know how to be a "good" person but he himself couldn't always live up to it. Even though this is a very depressing book there is a bit of hope at the end.

This book qualifies for:
100 books in a year Reading Challenge 2012,
Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge,
2012 Ebook Challenge,  
A-Z  Book Challenge 2012,
Scavenger Hunt 2012 Reading Challenge

Challenges 2012 Update

Halfway through 2012 and it is time for a Challenge Update.

I have up 'til now joined 18 challenges and I am sure I will join a few more short ones later in the year. Of the 18 challenges, 17 are actual reading challenges and one is the Reading Challenge Addict challenge. I have completed 5 of the 18 challenges.

1. 2012 Where are you Reading Challenge: This is the Reading challenge I worry most about. I have only read books from 13 of the 50 States. I am not sure I will be able to complete this challenge but I will try.
2. 2012 Sci-Fi Challenge: Read one sci-fi book a month and read outside your comfort zone. I am on target with this. I have read one book outside my comfort zone from this genre every month. It has been quite interesting and I have liked most of them.
3. 2012 Ebook Challenge: I chose the level of Server - read 100 ebooks. As most of the books I read are ebooks I am doing well and have read 62 books. It should not be a problem to complete this challenge.
4. 2012 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge: Here I chose level III - read 15 books of the list. I have read 9 books so have only 6 to go. Should be able to do that.
5. 2012 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge: I chose the level of Mother to read 11-15 Witchy Books. I reached this level quite fast so I decided to go up to the highest level of
   Crone to Read 16-20 Witchy Books. I have read 17 books now but I will not see this challenge as completed until I have read 20 books.
6. Six Degrees of Separation Challenge: Read a book that has praise in it from other authors, then read a book from one of these authors. Now you can keep this going until you come back around to the first book's author, or until you finish one of the levels. I chose the level - Keys to the Kingdom! You've actually came back around to a book by the original author you began with! Way to go! I am on my third author. I hope to be able to finish this challenge.
7. 100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2012: I have no problems with this challenge. As I have already read 69 books I expect to complete this in good time.
8. Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge 2012: I find this a good challenge. I have loads of ebooks that I have "bought" for free both from Amazon and Smashwords. I chose the level of Coupon Clipper - read 12 books. I have read 9 books and only need to read another 3 to complete this challenge.
9. Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge: I set my personal goal to read 110 books this year. I have never before counted the books I read so had no clue to the amount. I am doing okay toward my goal as I have read 69 books. I am confident I will reach my goal.
10. Scavenger Hunt 2012 Reading Challenge: I liked the idea of this challenge. There was a list with the requirement for a book every month which had to be read during the applicable month only. This challenge was posted on Goodreads in December 2011 but unfortunately it has never been opened. I still liked the idea though so I decided to do it anyway. I have meet the requirements for all the books till now.
11. A-Z Book Challenge 2012: I only just joined this challenge in May but I am really looking forward to getting on with it. I have decided to add 3 letters from my language that does not exist in English and only add books from when I actually joined the challenge. I have covered 7 letters now.
12. Finishing the Series Reading Challenge: Another challenge I joined in May. I have chosen level 3 - complete 3 or more series. My goal is to finish at least 5 series. As I have only just joined I have not finished any series since joining but I hope it won't be long before I get started on it.
13. Reading Challenge Addict 2012: Here I chose the level of On the Roof: 6-10 Challenges (Entered & Completed) but as I already joined all in all 17 challenges and completed 5 of these I guess I will jump to the higher level of Out of This World: 16+ Challenges (Entered & Completed).
14. A Winter's Respite Read-a-Thon 2012: A week-long challenge in January. My goal for the week was to read at least 6 books, I read 7 books so I have completed this challenge.
15. All the Books of Pern Challenge 2012: I chose level blue - The original trilogy plus the Harper Hall trilogy (or any 6). I read the whole series a few years ago so it was reread for me and I enjoyed to be back in the Pern world. It did not take me more than a month to complete this challenge.
16. The Magical March Reading Challenge: A month-long challenge. I chose level Wizard’s Class:6-7 Books Read. But I really enjoyed this challenge and completely surpassed that. I finished 12 books so ended on the level Grand Merlin Class: 8+ books read. This was a brilliant challenge and easy to complete.
17. Dewey's Read-a-Thon: The Dewey's Read-a-Thon October 2011 was the start of this blog and my interest in all the different reading challenges that I had no idea existed. This Read-a-Thon April 2012 my goal was to stay awake the whole 24 hours and read 3-4 books. It all went very well and I achieved my goal.
18. Spring Into Horror Read-a-Thon: Another week-long challenge. My goal was to read 6 books and  at least 4 of these should be horror. I managed to read the 6 books and 5 of them were horror so the challenge was completed.