Tower Teams Read 2013 Finished

Tower Teams Read 2013 hosted by Nothing But Reading Challenges.

~Tower Teams~
                                                            First to Read 2,013 Books

Goal: The first team to reach 2013 books read, wins! Then the team challenge starts over again.
When: Starts January 1, 2013 and goes until the first team reaches 2,013 books read.
How: We will take all the people who sign up and divide them equally into groups, taking into account the number of books they read in 2012, but otherwise we will be using a "ramdomizer" to assign. When you go to the sign-up thread, PLEASE INDICATE the NUMBER of BOOKS you read in 2012. (Just to even out the teams. Thanks!)
◈ Books must be >170 pages. I found several items on the Internet that say
    200 location numbers on a Kindle are equivalent to 10 - 11 pages. When NO
    hardback or paperback editions are available for reverence, covert with the
    lower number.
◈ Audio books are allowed. (For page numbers, audiobooks should be compared
    to the paper edition.)
◈ No graphic novels. (Sorry.)
◈ Any genre counts.
◈ "Re-reads" will be allowed, if it has been a year since you have read the book.
    This includes listening to the audio version, if you've already read the book.
◈ When a team reaches 2,013, we will change the end date of the challenge. The first
    team to post - regardless of the other team eventually posting more books - wins.
    We'll check to see who places. ...

The second part of this challenge officially finished the 17th of November when one team made it to 1350 books. I think my team did really well as we got 3rd place.

Tower Teams Read ended up being in two parts as first round finished in April.
All in all I read 165 books over 160 pages for this challenge.
As a group we will continue at least for a while to see when we get to the 1350 books, as of 17th of November we had read 1017.

THIS is the bookshelf for the first part of the challenge.
And HERE is the bookshelf for the second part. (the bookshelf for the second part will have books from after the17th of November)

THIS is all my posts for this challenge.

My list of books for both parts of this challenge:

1. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi
2. Moon dance by J.R. Rain
3. Sterling by Dannika Dark
4. A Nomadic Witch by Debora Geary
5. Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang 
6. To Have and To Code by Debora Geary
7. De Novo Syndrome by Jim Buckner, David Mark Brown 
8. The Scourge by A.G. Henley
9. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller 
10. Dogs Don't Lie by Clea Simon 
11. Legend of the White Dragon: Legends by Melanie Nilles 
12. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
13. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 
14. My Familiar Stranger by Victoria Danann
15. Shadowmagic by John Lenahan 
16. Deadly Legacy by Alison Bruce
17. Vampire Moon by J.R. Rain 
18. Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stace
19. A Different Witch by Debora Geary
20. Twist by Dannika Dark 
21. Cross My Heart by Abigail Strom
22. Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder 
23. Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
24. Become by Ali Cross
25. Always the Designer, Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker
26. Old Before My Time: Hayley Okines' Life with Progeria by Hayley Okines, Kerry Okines, Alison Stokes  
27. Winging It! by Shel Delisle
28. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen 
29. Skellig by David Almond
30. The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa  
31. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
32. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
33. The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
34. Witches on Parole by Debora Geary
35. Witches under Way by Debora Geary
36. Witches in Flight by Debora Geary
37. American Vampire by J.R. Rain 
38. Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder  
39. Worm: The First Digital World War by Mark Bowden 
40. Tales of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong
41. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks 
42. Stained by Ella James 
43. Lady of Devices by Shelley Adina
44. Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs 
45. Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper 

1. A Celtic Witch by Debora Geary 
2. Wise Follies by Grace Wynne-Jones 
3. Wait For Me by Elisabeth Naughton 
4. Goddess Legacy by M.W. Muse 
5. Amy's Story by D'Elen McClain
6. Manhattan Grimoire by Sandy DeLuca
7. Hollowland by Amanda Hocking
8. Marked by Kim Richardson
9. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis  
10. Endlessly by Kiersten White
11. Every Witch Way But Wicked
12. The Hunt by Joseph Williams
13. Virtual Evil by Jana Oliver
14. WLT: A Radio Romance by Garrison Keillor 
15. Queen Of Sorcery by David Eddings 
16. Magician's Gambit by David Eddings 
17. Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings 
18. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury 
19. Enchanters' End Game by David Eddings 
20. Just Doll by Janice Daugharty
21. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
22. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
23. The Last Colony by John Scalzi
24. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
25. Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong
26. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
27. Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi
28. Sharpe's Prey by Bernard Cornwell
29. Merrick by Anne Rice
30. Guards! Guards!: by Terry Pratchett
31. The Light Within Me by Carly Fall
32. All Summer Long by Susan Mallery
33. Zombacter: Center City Contagion by Sean Bingham  
34. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch  
35. Waking Up Married by Mira Lyn Kelly  
36. Alone by Robert J. Crane
37. Chocolate Shoes And Wedding Blues by Trisha Ashley
38. Alice in Zombieland by Nickolas Cook
39. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
40. The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine
41. The Case of the Flashing Fashion Queen by Norah Wilson
42. Origins by Kristen Middleton
43. Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
44. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 
45. Her Own Devices by Shelley Adina 
46. The Long Midnight Of Barney Thomson by Douglas Lindsay
47. Amethyst by Heather Bowhay
48. A Lost Witch by Debora Geary
49. To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory
50. Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
51. Moon Child by J.R. Rain
52. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
53. Daughter of Dragons by Kathleen H. Nelson 
54. A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines
55. Witch Way Bends by Olivia Hardin 
56. Cursed by Casey Odell
57. Frey by Melissa Wright 
58. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
59. Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs
60. Magnificent Devices by Shelley Adina
61. Drowning Mermaids by Nadia Scrieva 
62. Eternal Vows by Chrissy Peebles 
63. Between the Land and the Sea by Derrolyn Anderson 
64. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach
65. The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa 
66. Fins by Ashley L. Knight 
67. I Bring the Fire: Part I Wolves by C. Gockel
68. Life of Pi by Yann Martel 
69. Unwind by Neal Shusterman
70. Dorothy: The Darker Side of Oz by Scott Stanford
71. Watership Down by Richard Adams 
72. Fathom by Ashley L. Knight
73. Everblue by Brenda Pandos
74. The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice
75. The Weirdstone Of Brisingamen by Alan Garner
76. One Glass Is Never Enough by Jane Wenham-Jones
77. The Owl Service by Alan Garner
78. Bitten Shame by Olivia Hardin
79. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
80. Shifty Business by Olivia Hardin
81. Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
82. Vegan, Virgin, Valentine by Carolyn Mackler
83. Firelight by Sophie Jordan
84. Æsel by Kristna Stoltz
85. Necrophobia by Jack Hamlyn 
86. Dreams Underfoot: The Newford Collection by Charles de Lint
87. Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey  
88. The Dragon Reborn by Kathleen H. Nelson 
89. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan 
90. Dollhouse by Anya Allyn
91. The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice
92. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan 
93. DRT by Eric Thomas
94. Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble by H.P. Mallory 
95. The Witching Hour by Anne Rice 
96. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan 
97. An Imperfect Witch by Debora Geary 
98. WitchLove by Emma Mills
99. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
100. How (Not) to Kiss a Toad by Elizabeth A. Reeves
101. XBestia by Melissa Conway
102. Good Husband Material by Trisha Ashley
103. Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett 
104. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi 
105. Wyrd Girl by Jon Jacks 
106. How (Not) to Kiss a Prince by Elizabeth A. Reeves
107. How (Not) to Kiss a Beast by Elizabeth A. Reeves
108. How (Not) to Kiss a Ghost by Elizabeth A. Reeves 
109. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
110. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan  
111. How (Not) to Kiss a Gargoyle by Elizabeth A. Reeves
112. Vampires: The Recent Undead by Paula Guran (Editor)
113. Leopard Moon by Jeanette Battista
114. The Moon Of Gomrath by Alan Garner
115. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
116. Elidor by Alan Garner
117. Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews
118. Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake 
119. Burning Chrome by William Gibson 
120. Playing for Time by Barbara Bretton

Playing for Time by Barbara Bretton

Falling in love was easy
But staying alive is a whole other story . . .
Ryder is an undercover operative for PAX, a worldwide antiterrorist agency that flies beneath the radar
Joanna is a Hollywood makeup artist whose magic turns fantasy into reality on a daily basis
He's a spy looking to come in from the cold
She's a woman who's never had a real home
Sizzling passion . . . heart-stopping danger . . . the ultimate choice . . .  From Goodreads.

This was an okay romance. A quick and lightly entertaining read.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
A Book A Day Keeps the Boredom at Bay Reading Challenge
2013 Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge (free on Amazon.uk 7th of June 2013)

Burning Chrome by William Gibson

Ten brilliant, streetwise, high-resolution stories from the man who coined the word cyberspace. Gibson's vision has become a touchstone in the emerging order of the 21st Century, from the computer-enhanced hustlers of Johnny Mnemonic to the technofetishist blues of Burning Chrome. With their vividly human characters and their remorseless, hot-wired futures, these stories are simultaneously science fiction at its sharpest and instantly recognizable Polaroids of the postmodern condition. From Goodreads.
 

This collection of short stories was okay. Cyberpunk will never become one of my favourite genres but that doesn't mean I won't read it again.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
2013 Literary Exploration Reading Challenge

Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake

Mervyn Peake's gothic masterpiece, the Gormenghast trilogy, begins with the superlative Titus Groan, a darkly humorous, stunningly complex tale of the first two years in the life of the heir to an ancient, rambling castle. The Gormenghast royal family, the castle's decidedly eccentric staff, and the peasant artisans living around the dreary, crumbling structure make up the cast of characters in this engrossing story. Peake's command of language and unique style set the tone and shape of an intricate, slow-moving world of ritual and stasis:  
The walls of the vast room which were streaming with calid moisture, were built with gray slabs of stone and were the personal concern of a company of eighteen men known as the 'Grey Scrubbers'.... On every day of the year from three hours before daybreak until about eleven o'clock, when the scaffolding and ladders became a hindrance to the cooks, the Grey Scrubbers fulfilled their hereditary calling. Peake has been compared to Dickens, Tolkien, and Peacock, but Titus Groan is truly unique. Unforgettable characters with names like Steerpike and Prunesquallor make their way through an architecturally stifling world, with lots of dark corners around to dampen any whimsy that might arise. This true classic is a feast of words unlike anything else in the world of fantasy. Those who explore Gormenghast castle will be richly rewarded.  From Goodreads.

It might be a gothic masterpiece but I thought it was long and boring with only one slightly interesting character in it. I will not be continuing this trilogy.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
2013 Literary Exploration Reading Challenge
A Book A Day Keeps the Boredom at Bay Reading Challenge

Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews

Down in Atlanta, tempers – and temperatures – are about to flare…
As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.
When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest – and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug-of-war between two gods hoping for rebirth. And if Kate can’t stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive…  From Goodreads.




Another page turner in the Kate Daniels series. There is something happening all the time and you never know what pops up next. I have the next three books ready to read and I need to read them before mid-December when I have to return them to the library.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (shapeshifter)
2013 Sequel Reading Challenge
2013 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge

Elidor by Alan Garner

Part folklore, part adventure and part fantasy, Alan Garner's Elidor is a modern children's classic. When Roland opens a door in a derelict church, he unleashes the wonders of Elidor and the grave challenges that this troubled world presents. Drawing on Welsh, Irish and English mythology, the book chronicles the trials and hardships of a group of young teenagers as they attempt to fulfill a prophecy from another world, and fight a terrible evil. From Goodreads

This is not as good as Alan Garner's Tales of Alderley series but it is still a good fantasy story and I enjoyed listening to it. And I kind of like the not so usual ending.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Audio Book Challenge
Setting Alphabet Reading Challenge

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for magic…
One moment magic dominates, and cars stall and guns fail. The next, technology takes over and the defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. Here skyscrapers topple under onslaught of magic; werebears and werehyenas prowl through the ruined streets; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst of knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds.
In this world lives Kate Daniels. Kate likes her sword a little too much and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, she must choose to do nothing and remain safe or to pursue his preternatural killer. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy… From Goodreads.





I have been looking at this series for quite a while without actually getting to it. Now I finally started and I really enjoyed it. A paranormal book with all kinds of paranormal beings, just my kind of book.
Kate is a strong heroine and I will continue this series right away.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (shapeshifters)
2013 Ebook Challenge
Author Alphabet Reading Challenge

The Moon Of Gomrath by Alan Garner

Alan Garner's exciting and atmospheric tale of magic and evil which began with "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen" continues with the "Moon of Gomrath".
It is the Eve of Gomrath – the night of the year when the Old Magic is aroused. Had Colin and Susan known this, they would never have lighted a fire on the Beacon, thereby releasing the uncontrollable ferocity of the Wild Hunt. Soon they are inextricably caught up in the struggle between their friend, the Wizard Cadellin, and the evil Morrigan.
The strength of their courage will determine whether or not they survive the awaiting ordeal …  From Goodreads.






This is a worthy sequel to The Weirdstone of Brisingamen though it is not quite as good. As in a lot of fantasy books the evil, that is thought gone, returns. I have the third book ready.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (wizard)
2013 Audio Book Challenge
2013 Sequel Reading Challenge
2013 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge

Leopard Moon by Jeanette Battista

How do you disappear when you come from a family of predators?
A wereleopard, Kess is forced to flee her home and family in Miami once her brother's obsession with her turns violent. She runs from city to city, trying to stay one step ahead of the investigators her family has dispatched to bring her home. Kess ends up in the mountains of North Carolina and attracts the attention of Cormac, a young man with a secret of his own. As she attempts to live as normal a life as her were-nature allows, her brother Sek continues to hunt for her. He believes she is the key to revitalizing their weakened clan and is driven to extreme measures to ensure their continued existence. As Kess' relationship with Cormac deepens, Sek closes in, threatening Cormac's life and Kess' freedom.
When the moon rises, the hunt is on…. From Goodreads.






This was okay and I liked Kess and Cormac. It wasn't so good that I am rushing out to buy the next books in the series but I might get back to them at a later date.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
Author Alphabet Reading Challenge
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (shapeshifter)
2013 Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge (free on Amazon.uk 28th of January 2013)

Vampires: The Recent Undead by Paula Guran (Editor)

The undead are more alive today than ever. Immortal? Indeed! Nothing has sunk its teeth into twenty-first century popular culture as pervasively as the vampire. The fangsters have the freedom to fly across all genres and all mediums - there's even apps for vamps. Whether roaming into romance, haunting horror, sneaking into science fiction, capering into humor, meandering through mystery - no icon is more versatile than the vampire.
Slack your insatiable thirst with the best sanguinary stories of the new millennium: terrifying or tender, deadly or delicious, bad-ass or beneficent, classic or cutting-edge. From Goodreads

It has taken me over a year to listen to this audio book of short stories, I think that says a lot! There are a few good stories but unfortunately most of them just weren't my cup of tea.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (vampires)
2013 Audio Book Challenge

How (Not) to Kiss a Gargoyle by Elizabeth A. Reeves

Cindy Eller just wants to get her life back. Instead of focusing her energy on her bakery and her relationship, she keeps getting distracted by the hubbub surrounding the upcoming case-- where she and her family will be put on trial for contact with Faerie.
When Cindy is condemned to have her Magic stripped-- a process that could kill her-- who should arrive to save the day but her elusive and very godlike father, Lenus.
When worlds collide, innocent people get caught in the crossfires. And sometimes love is its own worst enemy.
So much for Cindy's Fairytale ending. From Goodreads.

Still a cosy fun read, nothing ever stays good forever so there is some betrayal in this one. I am also pleased that the page count has risen even if it is just with a few pages.

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

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy - after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera - it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can't blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon figurehead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.
And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket, Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving command: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find - and close - the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?
Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader - but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side. From Goodreads.

Rick Riordan continues to write books that I just can't put down. There have been a couple of nights that I have been very tired and decided to go to bed and read for just 5 minutes. Hours later I am still reading. There is a lot going on in this book: romance, battling giants and gods, and also trying to find out why friends act like the enemy in between. This book ends in a cliffhanger, I am glad I have the next one coming from the library soon.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (demigod)
2013 Sequel Reading Challenge
2013 Mammoth Book Challenge

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.
Percy is confused. When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn't know much more than his name. His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket. Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way. But the camp doesn't ring any bells with him. The only thing he can recall from his past is another name: Annabeth
Hazel is supposed to be dead. When she lived before, she didn't do a very good job of it. Sure, she was an obedient daughter, even when her mother was possessed by greed. But that was the problem — when the Voice took over her mother and commanded Hazel to use her "gift" for an evil purpose, Hazel couldn't say no. Now because of her mistake, the future of the world is at risk. Hazel wished she could ride away from it all on the stallion that appears in her dreams.
Frank is a klutz. His grandmother says he is descended from heroes and can be anything he wants to be, but he doesn't see it. He doesn't even know who his father is. He keeps hoping Apollo will claim him, because the only thing he is good at is archery — although not good enough to win camp war games. His bulky physique makes him feel like an ox, especially infront of Hazel, his closest friend at camp. He trusts her completely — enough to share the secret he holds close to his heart.
Beginning at the "other" camp for half-bloods and extending as far as the land beyond the gods, this breathtaking second installment of the Heroes of Olympus series introduces new demigods, revives fearsome monsters, and features other remarkable creatures, all destined to play a part in the Prophesy of Seven. From Goodreads.

Another really good page-turner from Rick Riodan. As the first book in this series wasn't about Percy, this had to be.
I like meeting new characters and I am looking forward to the next book which I have ordered from my library.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (demigod)
2013 Sequel Reading Challenge
2013 Mammoth Book Challenge

How (Not) to Kiss a Ghost by Elizabeth A. Reeves

Cindy's life is just starting to quiet down. She has her Timothy back and her bakeries are doing well. Life couldn't be better until strange things start to happen.
Timothy's mother, who has been dead for sixteen years, comes to visit and Cindy's sisters are disappearing. As Cindy and Timothy start to investigate, they discover her sisters' lifeless bodies. Is it the kiss of death?
Cindy must find the demon behind these kidnappings before she loses her whole family. From Goodreads.

This is the fourth book in the Cindy Eller series. I still like the series and find it both cosy and humorous. But it annoys me that the author is writing shorter and shorter books. The first book in the series was 315 pages, the third was 208 and now we are down to 184 pages in this book. I hope this doesn't continue.

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

How (Not) to Kiss a Beast by Elizabeth A. Reeves

Cindy's Ordinary boyfriend is missing and nobody seems to know where he has gone. Cindy is convinced that something horrible has happened to him, but every attempt she has made to find him--Magical or otherwise--has offered no explanation.
Then she learns that her mysterious father is behind it all.
How can she fight against powers she doesn't even understand--especially when her own Magic is acting up worse than ever before?
And what will she do when enemies of her father start coming out of the woodwork? From Goodreads.

There is no mystery to these books. The question is where is her boyfriend? I think most readers will know quite early in the book. It is still an okay read.

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

How (Not) to Kiss a Prince by Elizabeth A. Reeves

Let the Magical Mayhem begin! Cindy Eller has not one, but two weddings to prepare for in less than two weeks when the cupcakes hit the fan-- a mysterious man has appeared claiming to be betrothed to Cindy and insisting she must marry him before her sister's nuptials can take place.
Obviously this doesn't sit well with Cindy's Ordinary boyfriend.
That's the way the cake-- and the wedding-- crumbles! From Goodreads.

A light, cosy read. I like Cindy and her room mates. Still fun enough to continue the series.

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

Wyrd Girl by Jon Jacks

She’s in an Otherworld
I’m the weird girl.
You know; the one every kid in class avoids, just in case what I’ve got is catching.
Not that I care.
See, there are worlds other than this one.
Worlds we pass on to when we die.
Worlds, even, where we exist before we’re even born.
They’re the worlds of the Nyxt.
And, if I don’t handle things right, they’re about to declare war on the living. From Goodreads.

This was just okay but not something that makes me want to read more from this author.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge (ghost/soul)
2013 Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge (free on Amazon.com 25th of September 2013)

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.
As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.
They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY. From Goodreads

This was okay. Set in the future with the usual factions of the lucky ones in some kind of cover and the unlucky battling the elements and each other outside. Aria is thrown out, meets Perry and they have to work together. There were a  few surprises in this one and I might continue this series at a later date.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
A Book A Day Keeps the Boredom at Bay Reading Challenge
Author Alphabet Reading Challenge
Dystopia Reading Challenge 2013 

Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett

One enemy spy knows the secret to the Allies' greatest deception, a brilliant aristocrat and ruthless assassin -- code name: "The Needle" -- who holds the key to ultimate Nazi victory.
Only one person stands in his way: a lonely Englishwoman on an isolated island, who is beginning to love the killer who has mysteriously entered her life.
All will come to a terrifying conclusion in Ken Follett's unsurpassed and unforgettable masterwork of suspense, intrigue, and the dangerous machinations of the human heart. From Goodreads.

I read this for my Literary Exploration challenge as my espionage book. This is not a genre I usually like to read but this was a pleasant surprise. I like us following "The Needle" for several years.

This book qualifies for:
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge
Serious Readers 2013
Tower Teams Read 2013-2
2013 Ebook Challenge
2013 Mammoth Book Challenge
2013 Literary Exploration Reading Challenge
Author Alphabet Reading Challenge
Setting Alphabet Reading Challenge

Good Husband Material by Trisha Ashley

Another warm, wise and witty offering from Sunday Times bestseller Trisha Ashley.
James is everything Tish has ever wanted in a husband – she’s married a man who even her mother approves of. He’s handsome, dependable, and will make an excellent father – unlike Tish’s first love, the disreputable Fergal. Her teenage sweetheart abandoned her for a music career and now lives a typical celebrity lifestyle. Fergal broke her heart – James helped mend it.
Now, they’ve bought a cottage in the country. The next step – kids and a lifetime of domestic bliss. Well, that’s the plan. And even if James has a slight tendency to view the village pub as a second home, their relationship is still in pretty good shape after seven years of marriage. So why is marriage to Mr Right making her long for Mr Wrong? From Goodreads.




I like books by Trisha Ashley, they are cosy and warm books. This is not one of my favourite but it is okay and I have already ordered another of her books that will be released in November. I think I might have to look for her in my library as not all her of books are available as ebooks.

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