Bout of Books 21: Final Update

UPDATE!
I did it and more!  My goal was 2 books and I read three.  One audio and two print books.  I feel so accomplished! lol.  Thanks for another great read-a-thon.  Looking forward to May!

Original post...
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, January 8th and runs through Sunday, January 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 21 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog.

Don't miss it! I'm keeping my goal simple since I work full time and don't have a whole lot of reading time this week with activities, etc.  I'm going for one audiobook and one print book.

Bout of Books 21

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, January 8th and runs through Sunday, January 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 21 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog.

Don't miss it! I'm keeping my goal simple since I work full time and don't have a whole lot of reading time this week with activities, etc.  I'm going for one audiobook and one print book.

I'll be sharing my progress at both #boutofbooks and #sixtybooks. It's going to be a lot of fun!

My Challenges 2019

It's time to decide on my reading challenges for 2019.  I love participating in challenges, even if I don't make my goals.  I don't put any pressure on myself and just do my best as I move through my year of reading.  There are so many challenges out there but this year, I'm picking just a few that really seem to match my reading style.  

Want to participate in some reading challenges this year? Check out this site that has a huge list of offered challenges.  Enjoy!

I host the #Sixtybooks challenge so it is a given that I am participating also.  No pressure.  Just a goal to make reading a priority in your life daily.  If you make it to sixty... great!  If not, that's ok too.  Feel proud of your reading life and share it out on Twitter at #sixtybooks!

I participated in the Cloak and Dagger challenge last year as well and I loved participating in the Facebook group.  I fell off the wagon when it came to tracking the books that fit this challenge but I read a lot.  My goal this year is to keep up my level of active engagement with the group.  I'm going for "amateur sleuth" level.

I rocked the Audiobook challenge last year! I've been using Audible on my commute to work and I surpassed my goal easily.  I'm going for the "socially awkward" level of 15-20 audiobooks.  

Of course I'm doing the Goodreads challenge as well with a goal of #sixtybooks.  This is also where I keep track of all my reading.  Such a great website!







Happy Reading 2019!

#SixtyBooks in 2018

#Sixtybooks is now in its third year and we have had over 300 people sign up for this challenge. We are hoping to beat that number this year by spreading the word and getting even more people to make reading a part of their daily lives. 

For those who are new to our fantastic group of readers, the goal is simply to make reading a regular part of our daily lives and encourage other people to do the same. It's not a competition and it's not just about the number.

For this year’s challenge, we will mostly be sharing our #SixtyBooks updates on Twitter and our goal is to share our progress, bookish thoughts/questions, and the fabulous books we are reading. 

What do you have to do to participate?  Almost nothing except read! What CAN you do if you choose?

• Sign up for the challenge here
• Check #sixtybooks to see what other participants are posting
• Tweet about your reading life and use #sixtybooks in your post
• Keep track of your books using Goodreads or whatever method you choose.
• Enjoy reading and make time for reading every day.

We are looking forward to another great year of reading!

Laura and Melissa
@Lagnella and @mmorriswrite

Fall Reviews: Part 2

I've resigned myself to the fact that I am probably not going to make it to my goal of sixty books.  This makes me feel kind of guilty since I am the co-host of #sixtybooks but I've decided to instead be proud that by the time the year ends, I will still have read over fifty books and that is still a lot of quality reading that I really enjoyed.

This last month or so has been a tough one but I still managed to get in a few good reads.  Here are the last books I read.  All good ones!

The Magician's Diary is the 4th book in the Glass and Steele series by C.J. Archer. This series follows India Steele and Matthew Glass and they solve mysteries while on the path to discover a way to fix the magical watch that keeps Matthew alive. Fun plot, quirky characters, and mysteries to solve.

In The Trouble with Twelfth Grave, Charley Davidson does not disappoint. This latest book in the series has a great plot, the snark and sass we have grown to love, and of course the complete inappropriateness that makes us laugh out loud. Another winner in my opinion.

The Stalking Jack the Ripper series was recommended to me after I finished the published Stoker and Holmes books. I adore 1800's London mystery/horror and the supernatural so I picked these up right away to try them out. I'm so glad I did because they were a lot of fun. Audrey Rose is a strong female character going against traditional English beliefs to become something more than just a pretty face as she helps to solve one of the most famous cases in history. There is some violence and gore in both books but it isn't too extreme and there is also the beginnings of a romance but it doesn't overtake the story. Thomas is as irritating as he is charming and becomes Audrey Rose's partner and confidant. The stories is engaging from beginning to end as these two embark upon adventure after adventure.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? October 23rd

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at the Book Date and is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and are about to be reading over the week. It's also a great opportunity to visit, comment on other blog posts, and add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I read last week:

I actually just finished Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas.  It was fantastic! I have not been disappointed with any book in this series and am only sorry that I have to wait until 2018 for the next installment to see what happens next.  Loved it!

What I am reading this week:
This week, I am starting two books and hope to finish them both.  The Magician's Diary is the next book in the Glass and Steele steampunk mystery series that I have been enjoying and Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance is one I got from Netgalley a while back and just didn't get to right away.

What's coming up next?  
Not really sure.  Long Isle Iced Tea is coming out and I love this series.  Novella November is also coming up so I want to grab a few short novels to participate with.  I also have the final Jackaby novel, The Dire King waiting in the wings.  I guess it will depend on my mood once I finish the books above.  :)

What are you reading?

Review: Tower of Dawn

I have to say that when I originally found out that Tower of Dawn was going to focus on Chaol, I was not thrilled. I came to not like him much over the last couple of books and although he redeemed himself a bit, I still didn't think I would enjoy this book as much.

Wow, was I wrong.

Not only has my opinion of Chaol changed completely, but the story of his healing and the attempt to rally the Khogan's army for the war against the Vog was so engaging that I often didn't even get out of the car when I arrived home from work, instead, just listening until the end of the chapter or section.

This installment does not have as much action in it but what it does have, Chaol's journey to heal his spine, the royal family and the Torre and its history, the developing relationships between Chaol and Irene and Nesryn and Sartaq, are all so well written that they kept the pages turning as well as any fast-paced action scene. The drama that did unfold with the mystery of the Vog hiding within the palace and the spiders kept me on the edge of my seat wondering who was going to make it out alive to continue the journey to war. I also loved the ending where we were given a brief glimpse into what was happening to our other beloved characters who were not the focus of this story. It gave me just enough of a peek to make multiple theories about the path of the next book. I certainly hope I am wrong in what I think might be about to occur.

I am only sorry that this amazing story is over and that I now have to wait for the next installment which is at least six months away. What an incredible ride. :)