Bout of Books 19 is Almost Here!

It's back! Bout of Books 19 starts next week on May 8th.  This will be my fourth time participating and is a great opportunity to re-focus yourself on your reading goals and have some fun!  Never joined before? Don't know what it is?  Well, here's the basic info:

Bout of Books is a week long read-a-thon, hosted by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @Reading the Paranormal. It begins at 12:01am on Monday, May 8th and runs through Sunday, May 14th. Bout of Books is low-pressure. You can make a goal to read just one book or ten!  It is completely up to you. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 19 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. 

Don't miss it! I'll be sharing my progress at both #boutofbooks and #sixtybooks. It's going to be a lot of fun!

Review: Jane Steele

Often as I finish books, I mentally classify them according to how much I like them.  One of my categories is "top books of the year" which I'm sure many other readers have as well.  It takes a lot to get into this grouping since I usually only choose a top ten.  I can say however, that this book will definitely be making it into this category.

Jane Steele hooked me from the very first sentence... 

"Of all my many murders, committed for love and for better reasons, the first was the most important." 

How can you not keep reading?

Described as a gothic retelling of Jane Eyre, this book is, in my opinion, the perfect combination of historical romance, mystery, and horror. Jane Steele, the main character, is a strong and engaging heroine who is also a murderer. We meet her when she is still a young girl and find that the joys and tragedies that she experiences during her childhood and adolescence shape who she becomes as she grows into a woman. She has few friends but truly cherishes the few people she allows to touch her heart. She doesn't tolerate those she cares about being wronged and as she ages in the story, the body count begins to rise.  I have to say that each person she ended completely deserved it and I enjoyed the anticipation as I waited for her to make her move.

Fabulous storytelling. I really enjoyed the author's style from the Jane Eyre quotes at the start of each chapter to the way she made me feel fear, loathing, anger, joy, and love right along with Jane.  I was rooting for her from the beginning until the end and I will definitely be buying a hardcover copy for my bookshelves.

This Week in Reading, April 26th

This week in books is hosted by Lipsyy Lost and Found and is meant to share what we have been reading this week and what we think we might read next.

I just finished a fabulous audiobook.  I may even buy a hard copy to keep on my shelf.  If you are a fan of the classic Jane Eyre but love a murder mystery, try Jane Steele.  I went into it hesitantly but adored it.  

I also finished Ensnared, which is a book I received from Netgalley.  This one is a unique futuristic twist on Beauty and the Beast.  It was a quick fun read and I enjoyed it.

Next up in my audiobook list is a witchy cozy mystery titled Jinx and Tonic.  It is the third in the Magic and Mixology series and I'm quite engaged by them.

And in print, I've just started reading Almost Missed You, a book I was given by the publisher for my Shereads.org book club network.  I'm really liking it so far and can't wait to figure out the origins of what happened at the start of the story.

That's it for me!  I never finish more than one or two a week because I work full time but I've picked some good ones so far this year for my #sixtybooks challenge!

What are you reading?

Top Ten Tuesday, April 25th

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's question is:

Top Ten Things That Make Me Instantly 

NOT Want to Read a Book

This is a hard question because it takes a lot for me not to want to read.  There are definitely some things however, that will deter me from picking up a book...

• If I know it is a huge tearjerker. I don't mind crying in a book but I don't like to finish a story and feel depressed or cry through the entire thing. A sad part or two is fine but if it is more than that, I stay away. 
• If an animal dies. Not just any animal but an animal that is a main focus of the story. So, there is no Old Yeller or Love That Dog for me. No thanks. 
• If the characters on the cover are half naked with their facial expressions in the throes of ecstasy. I'm no prude but this just turns me off completely, even if I have heard the book is fantastic. 
• If the print is so tiny, I can barely read it. I have decent vision but I deplore teeny tiny print. Is is hard to focus and unattractive. 
• No meaningful relationships. It doesn't have to be romance, but some sort of relationship deepens a story. I find books without them to be bland. 
• Horrible grammar. Unless it is purposeful, I have no interest in books that have a ton of grammatical errors. 
• Books about sports. Boring... 
• Books with a ton of bad reviews. I may read it eventually, but not until someone convinces me that it is worth picking up. 
• Books of poetry. Just not my cup of tea. 
• Overdone love triangles. I don't mind it for a few chapters but please don't spread it over the whole book or series. I hate that. 

How about you?

WWW Wednesday, April 5th

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme is now hosted by Taking on a World of Words. Just answer these three questions to share what is going on in your reading life and to give others some great book recommendations. 

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

I always have one print book/kindle book and one audio book going at the same time.  Right now, I'm reading The Bone Witch and I'm listening to Jane Steele.

I just finished listening to Witchy Sour.  This is book 2 in the Magic and Mixology mystery series.  I'm really enjoying this series.  It's light and fun.

I have a few books waiting in the wings. I plan to read Jinx and Tonic, which is the 3rd book in the Magic and Mixology series. I'm also planning to start Neverwhere and Almost Missed You.

What are you reading?

Stacking the Shelves: April 1st

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves. This includes books you buy in the store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!  In my case, it includes audiobooks too because I love them and listen every day on my journey to and from work.

Not too many added to the shelves this week but I do have a few:

I'm excited to read all of these.  Witchy Sour and Jane Steele are both audiobooks for my commute.  Almost Missed You was given to me to read and review for SheReads.org, and I just heard such great things about Neverwhere and The Lost Girls that I picked those up on my own.

Have a great weekend!