Spookathon 2017

Halloween is around the corner my friends!  

Therefore, a read-a-thon is in order and this one is hosted on booktube by the lovely BooksandLala.  Click here for the original challenge video.

Duration:  October 16th - October 22nd 2017
Challenges: See below along with what I will be reading

I've read this book before, actually a few times, but
it's time to read it again for this challenge!

The first book in the Shadow House Trilogy. How
can a book with the word "shadow" in the title
not be spooky?  

I don't know about you all, but I HATED the
basement as a kid.  I would always walk back up the stairs
sideways so I could see if anyone was following me.

I know this isn't a traditionally scary book, but people have something implanted in your brain?  Yeah, no thanks.
Also my copy is much more orange so it counts.

Second book in the Shadow House Trilogy.  The main
characters are trapped in the spooky estate named
"Shadow House"


What spooky books do you plan to read?!

Booktube-A-Thon Wrap-up

Stop the presses everyone! I actually participated in a read-a-thon and got through most of it!

Though I know I am not on Booktube, I watch many channels on there and decided to take part in the annual Booktube-A-Thon.  There were seven categories to read 7 books in seven days - I managed 6 of these!

Challenge 1 - Read a book with a person on the cover

Title: If I Stay

Author: Gayle Forman

Rating 5/5

Challenge 2 - Read a hyped book

Title: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda

Author: Becky Albertalli

Rating: 5/5

Challenge fulfillment: This was so very hyped when it came out by every reviewer I know and I finally got to it - it was worth the hype

Challenge 3 - Finish a book in one day

Title: The Little Prince

Author:  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry,

Rating: 5/5

Challenge 4 - Read a book about a character that is very different from you

Title: A Long Walk to Water

Author: Linda Sue Park

Rating: 5/5

Challenge fulfillment: I do no live in a war-torn country, am free to go to school, and have fresh water on demand

Challenge 5 - Finish a book completely outdoors

Title: Wonder Woman, Volume 1: The Lies

Author: Greg Rucka

Rating: 4/5

Challenge 6 - Read a book you bought because of the cover

Title: A Thousand Pieces of You

Author: Claudia Gray

Rating: Unknown

This is the one I haven't finished, but isn't the cover beautiful? Currently buddy-reading it with Harleen from Little Bookworm Reviews

Challenge 7 - Read seven books

Title: Openly, Honestly

Author: Bill Konigsberg

Rating: 2/5

Loved the first book, but I think it's been too long since I read it so this novella just didn't do anything for me

#CRAMATHON Challenge Completed

So my last post was about participating in #CRAMATHON

I actually completed it!

As a recap the challenge was:

1. Read a book under 200 pages
2. Read 2 books in 24 hours
3. Read a book set in a different country than where you live
4. Read a book you've been putting off/have been meaning to read for forever
5. A book with pictures
6. A graphic novel/manga
7. Read seven books total

So let's break it down:

1. Read a book under 200 pages

A Heart's Danger by Colleen Coble - This book weighed in at a whopping 100 pages (as do all the books in this six book series)










2. Read 2 books in 24 hours

Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed

Congratulations, By the Way by George Saunders

3. Read a book set in a different country than where you live

And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer And Longer by Fredrik Backman - This took place in the mind of a man with Alzheimer's, but also the author is from Sweden so I assume it is set there.  Also, I cried.

4. Read a book you've been putting off/have been meaning to read for forever

Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco - I'm counting this even though I didn't finish it.  I got a decent amount through and just hated it, which is unfortunate because I love Jack the Ripper and was really looking forward to this book

5. A book with pictures

Seuss-isms! by Dr. Seuss - I got this on vacation in Universal Studios in Florida over the summer and just got it it for this challenge!

6. A graphic novel/manga


Wolf's Rain Volume 1 by Keiko Nobumoto - I actually read volume 2 as well.  I've loved this anime for so long and just recently found the manga










7. Read seven books total

- A Heart's Danger by Colleen Coble
- Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed
- Congratulations, By the Way by George Saunders
- And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer And Longer by Fredrik Backman
- Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
- Seuss-isms by Dr. Seuss
- Wolf's Rain Volume 1 by Keiko Nobumoto

Scavenger Hunt Book Tag

Hey all!  Today I found a fun new thing that has been circulating through the book blogger universe.  I originally found it on Always Me, after that I followed it back to Book Coma, then to Wonderless Reviews, then back to Ravenclaw Book Club, and finally to All The Stories Are True.  My search stopped at the last one because it then led me to a blog that wasn't in English.  So moral of this, I have no idea who started this scavenger hunt, but I'm continuing it!

Before we begin, I tag Little Bookworm Reviews to continue the chain!

Rules are simple, find the books on your personal shelves that match the criteria.  Post pictures of the books themselves (preferably over a goodreads picture) so that we know you really own it!  Now let the games begin!

1.  Find a book with the letter "z" in its title or the author's name

Six Graves to Munic by Mario Puzo

2.  Find me a classic

Good old Dracula!

3.  Find the oldest book on your shelves

 

1929 copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

4.  Find a book with a key on its cover

Love this series!

5.  Find something that isn't a book on your shelves

Jack and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas

6.  Find a book with an animal on the cover

Teeny-Tiny Elephant!

7.  Find a book with a girl on its cover

I LOVE this book!

8.  Find a non-YA book

Woo-Hoo Walking Dead!!!

9.  Find a book with stars on its cover

You can mostly see the moon, but the stars are the little dots

10.  Find a book with golden letters

Yay gold!

I liked doing this challenge!  Pick it up if you want to do it.

2016 Reading Challenge: A Book That Was Banned at Some Point

A Book That Was Banned at Some Point

This book of the challenge was just easy.  What book hasn't been banned or at least challenged at one point or another?  However, I had higher hopes for this book than what it delivered.

Forever by Judy Blume

Summary:

There's a first for everything.

When you build up something in your mind -- really imagine it, wish for it -- sometimes, when it actually happens, it doesn't live up to your expectations.

True love is nothing like that.

Especially not for Katherine and Michael, who can't get enough of each other. Their relationship is unique: sincere, intense, and fun all at the same time. Although they haven't been together all that long, they know it's serious. A whole world opens up as young passion and sexuality bloom.

But it's senior year of high school, and there are big changes ahead. Michael and Katherine are destined for another big "first": a decision. Is this the love of a lifetime, or the very beginning of a lifetime of love?

Review:

Eh, I really expected more from Judy Blume, and I've read plenty of her books in the past.  It wasn't bad per-say, but it wasn't exactly engaging either.

As for banned, Texas in it's usual controlling way hated children to learn about sex and love.  Here is a very nice post about where any why it was banned and challenged: Censorship & Judy Blume.

2016 Reading Challenge: A Book You've Been Meaning to Read

A Book You've Been Meaning to Read

There are probably over 200 books I've been meaning to read, just in the last few years.  For this specific challenge I chose I one I've been meaning to read only for a short time:

The Martian by Andy Weir

Summary:

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive — and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

Mini-Review:

I loved this book since the moment I picked it up and finished it record time (or what passes as record time for me these days).  You can see my full review of this book here.

Blind Date With A Book

Blind Date!

I've seen the concept of a blind date with a book across the internet for a while now, but until now none of the libraries in my local system did it, until now!

A blind date with a book is when the library wraps up books and gives you either a brief description or a picture of some sort on the front to give you an indication of the themes of the book.  You check them out and try not to look at the titles on your receipt until you get home and can unwrap them.  It's  like a Christmas present to yourself that doesn't cost you anything.  

In my trek to my local library today I found a table of them!  Here are the two I selected, wrapped and then unwrapped when I got home:

 

The clues for this book was a mystery guy emoji, and elephant, and two chemistry vials.  The deciding factor for me was the elephant!  Turns out it was a book I've been meaning to read:

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

 

The clues for my second pic were two emojis, a sick face and a winky face.  The deciding factor for me was actually the random space picture on the newspaper they chose to wrap it in.  This book I've never heard of and turned out to be:

The End of Eve by Ariel Gore

So I shall read both of these books (along with the nine other I borrowed today) and let you guys know the results of my blind dates!

Has anyone else ever done a blind date with a book?