I have been in a little bit of a funk lately. Not really sure why, but most of the books I read aren't really exciting me. Do you know that satisfied feeling you get after you read a great book that has just sucked you in, showed you beautiful things, making you relaxed and content? Or a book that made you the world in a new way, surprising you? Well, it has been a while since I have read a book like that. Don't get me wrong, I have read many perfectly adequate books that have amused me for the moment, but nothing that has sparked deep feeling. I even re-read The Night Circus but it wasn't as enchanting the second time (which I am really hoping is because I am in a mood because that book is awesome). Finding a slump buster is hard though. I have tired light comedies but the character's naiveté was grating. I have tried a sequel to a favorite book but it was disappointing. Maybe I will just take a break from books for a while and see if that works.
Oh, and on a different note, I have officially given up on Atonement. That book was just awful.
For some reason I've never been the greatest on following up on projects. I start with all the greatest intentions, but then I get bored or find something else fun to do. But, I have been trying to be better about that starting with this challenge. And yes, I know it isn't quite the end of June but I don't really care.
Rating: 4 stars
This is the second book in the Matched series, and I was a little hesitant about reading it. I did enjoy the first one but YA series tend to get boring for me. Thankfully, this one doesn't.
Things I enjoyed: It didn't wait the entire book getting Cassia and Ky back together. I really hate when authors do that just to keep the tension because it really just makes the book boring. You can still bring them together and have some conflict.
Things I didn't like: Nothing really. Looking forward to the next one.
I read this for the Semi-Charmed Life Summer Challenge and got 15 points for the Read a book in one day challenge. I am now at 20 points!
It has been a month since the Semi-Charmed Life Summer Challenge has started, and I have made terrible progress so far. 5 points. That is all I have earned so far. I am in the middle of a couple of other books but haven't made much headway. Here are the categories again and how I am doing.
5 points: Read a book chosen for the U.S. 2012 World Book Night.-Done only one that I have managed to do.
10: Read a book you were supposed to read in school, but either bailed on or Cliff-Noted. (If you were super studious and never did this, then read a book most people were assigned to read in high school but you weren’t.)-Still haven't picked a book yet.
10: Read a memoir or narrative nonfiction book. (Examples: Friday Night Lights, When the Game Stands Tall, The Devil in the White City, etc.)-I have this one ready to go, just need to start it.
15: Read a book in one calendar day. (Must be at least 150 pages long.)-This one isn't a problem, I just need to get it done.
15: Read a book that you've always wanted to read but haven't gotten around to yet.-my to-be-read list is super long so I haven't picked one yet.
20: Read a pair of books that have antonyms in the titles. (For example: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Boy in the Suitcase, or The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Heart of Darkness, etc..)-I have this one half done.
20: Read a book that is set in a place you've never been but want to visit.-Still need to pick one.
25: Find a book written the year you were born that was later made into a movie. Read the book and watch the movie; compare. Or find a movie released the year you were born that was based on a book. Do the same thing.-Have this one on my Kindle.
25: Go into a bookstore or library. Pick any bookshelf. Read the third book from the left on the fourth shelf from the top. (If it's not at least 200 pages, pick the next book to the right.)-Picked this one out the other day.
25: Read a book about which you’ve heard bad things. (Hey, you can’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it, right? And I’m upping the points to make it worth your while.)-Atonement is slowly killing me.
30: Read a trilogy (or any three consecutive books in a series). Total page count for all three books together must be at least 500 pages.-You would think that I would do this one first since it is the hardest but most of the series I read, I am caught up and I haven't picked one I want to start yet.
By: Ann Patchett
Summary from Goodreads: Somewhere in South America at the home of the country's vice president, a lavish birthday party is being held in honor of Mr. Hosokawa, a powerful Japanese businessman. Roxanne Coss, opera's most revered soprano, has mesmerized the guests with her singing. It is a perfect evening until a band of terrorists breaks in, taking the entire party hostage.
But what begins as a life-threatening scenario slowly evolves into something quite different. Friendship, compassion, and the chance for great love lead the characters to forget the real danger that has been set in motion and cannot be stopped.
Review: The blurbs on the jacket of this book describe the writing as having a lyrical style and I would completely agree. There is just something about it that draws you in and makes you want more. Even though it deals with a hostage situation, which never end well, I kept hoping everything would turn out okay. Spoiler alert: I doesn't.
I read this for The Semi-Charmed Life Summer Challenge and got 5 points for it!
Atonement: I am halfway through this book for the Semi-Charmed Life Summer Reading Challenge, book that you've heard bad things about. I have to say that so far I absolutely hate it! This book is really pissing me off. More about it if I work up the patience to finish it.
Bel Canto: Also reading for the challenge, on the World Book Night list. It is pretty good so far.
Elizabeth the Queen: A biography about the Queen that I just got the urge to read.
The Semi-Charmed Kind of Life Summer Challenge starts tomorrow! Not 100% sure of what I will be reading, but here is an idea.
5 points: Read a book chosen for the 2012 World Book Night.
-Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
10: Read a book you were supposed to read in school, but either bailed on or Cliff-Noted. (If you were super studious and never did this, then read a book most people were assigned to read in high school but you weren’t.)
-Haven't picked yet
10: Read a memoir or narrative nonfiction book. (Examples: Friday Night Lights, When the Game Stands Tall, The Devil in the White City, etc.)
-A Jane Austen Education by William Deresiewicz or
London Under
15: Read a book in one day. (Must be at least 150 pages long.)
-will pick this one probably spur of the moment
15: Read a book that you've always wanted to read but haven't gotten around to yet.
-I have lots of things on my to-do list so I will pick one of those
20: Read a pair of books that have antonyms in the titles.
-A Grown-up Kind of Pretty and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
20: Read a book that is set in a place you've never been but want to visit.
-Haven't picked actual book but will be in Ireland or the UK
25: Find a book written the year you were born that was later made into a movie. Read the book and watch the movie; compare. Or find a movie released the year you were born that was based on a book. Do the same thing.
-Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. Book was published the year I was born, 1987
25: Go into a bookstore or library. Pick any bookshelf. Read the third book from the left on the fourth shelf from the top. (If it's not at least 200 pages, pick the next book to the right.)
-will get this one later
25: Read a book about which you’ve heard bad things. (Hey, you can’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it, right? And I’m upping the points to make it worth your while.)
-I'm thinking Atonement
30: Read a trilogy. Total page count for all three books together must be at least 500 pages. (Remember, you can’t have read any of the books before! Suggestions: The Robert Langdon series, The Hunger Games, Twilight...)
-lots of choices for this one. I will read a bunch of books in the start of the series and see which one I want to continue with.
I decided to give the whole reading challenges thing another go. I know in the past I was never good on following through but this challenge seems like tons of fun and it's only a few months. A nice start before I try a year-long one. To the details!
Rules:
The challenge will run from May 1, 2012, to September 1, 2012. No books that are started before May 1 or finished after September 1 will count. (That's why I'm posting this early, so you can plan your next books!)
No re-reads! I want you to experience new books with this challenge.
Each book must be at least 200 pages long, unless otherwise noted.
A book can only be used for one category. If you want to switch the category later, that's fine, just be sure to account for that in your point total.
Each category may only be completed once, so the highest possible total is 200 points.
The first three people who finish the challenge will win a featured/guest post on my blog. If less than three people finish, the participants with the three highest scores will "win." Good luck!
The Challenge:
5 points: Read a book chosen for the 2012 World Book Night.
10: Read a book you were supposed to read in school, but either bailed on or Cliff-Noted. (If you were super studious and never did this, then read a book most people were assigned to read in high school but you weren’t.)
10: Read a memoir or narrative nonfiction book. (Examples: Friday Night Lights, When the Game Stands Tall, The Devil in the White City, etc.)
15: Read a book in one day. (Must be at least 150 pages long.)
15: Read a book that you've always wanted to read but haven't gotten around to yet.
20: Read a pair of books that have antonyms in the titles. (For example: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Boy in the Suitcase, or The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Heart of Darkness, etc..)
20: Read a book that is set in a place you've never been but want to visit.
25: Find a book written the year you were born that was later made into a movie. Read the book and watch the movie; compare. Or find a movie released the year you were born that was based on a book. Do the same thing.
25: Go into a bookstore or library. Pick any bookshelf. Read the third book from the left on the fourth shelf from the top. (If it's not at least 200 pages, pick the next book to the right.)
25: Read a book about which you’ve heard bad things. (Hey, you can’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it, right? And I’m upping the points to make it worth your while.)
30: Read a trilogy. Total page count for all three books together must be at least 500 pages. (Remember, you can’t have read any of the books before! Suggestions: The Robert Langdon series, The Hunger Games, Twilight...)
Now I have to work on the list of books. Always the hardest part.
Do you read lots of series and forget which book comes next? Have you heard of FictFact? Well, you should try it! I heard about on this blog that I read and I love it.
It's a great website that help you track what series you read and which book in the series you are currently on. You just follow the specific series, mark which books you read and it makes a list for you. How cool is that? It also emails you when a book in the series you follow is being released. Which I find fantastic because I tend to forget exactly when stuff is coming out. Of course, there is also a social function where you can add friends and see what they are reading. And if you need another excuse to go check it out, they have monthly contests.
So, what are you waiting for? Go check it out!
*And if you are wondering, no they don't pay me for this. I just love it! And like anyone would pay to write things that's just silly.*
For 140 years, Nathaniel Cade has been the President's Vampire, sworn to protect and serve his country. Cade's existence is the most closely guarded of White House secrets: a superhuman covert agent who is the last line of defense against nightmare scenarios that ordinary citizens only dream of.
When a new outbreak of an ancient evil-one that he has seen before- comes to light, Cade and his human handler, Zach Barrows, must track down its source. To "protect and serve" often means settling old scores and confronting new betrayals . . . as only a centuries-old predator can.-Goodreads
Rating: 4 stars
This is the second book in the series and an interesting premise, take a vampire and make him a tool of the White House. It's fun to see how normal Washington politicians deal when there is a vampire in the room. As you would think since this series takes place in present time, Nathaniel does occasionally fight terrorists (Osama Bin Laden makes an appearance in the first chapter), but most of the book is spent trying to stop the "ancient evil one" and find out who is controlling it.
The only complaint I have is Zach and Nathaniel were separated for a while so I missed their banter back and forth. One of the funniest scenes is when Nathaniel uses some out of date slang and Zach calls him out on it.
I would say that if you still enjoy the occasional vampire book or maybe some politics, give this series a go. The third one just came out last week. (Perfect timing!)
After a valiant effort, I am off to dreamland. I was thinking about trying to make it all the way to the end but the words keep blurring on the page, so I feel I must stop. I feel that this read-a-thon was a success. I read way more than I did last time and participated in a few mini-challenges.
Stats:
Books read: 3
Books started but not finished:2
Pages read: about 1141
Goals for next read-a-thon: Look into audio books since they let you do other things while reading. Try to comment on more blogs.
Good Night everyone!
To take a much needed break before I start a new book, I decided to try this fun mini-challenge. I am about to start The Sisters by Nancy Jensen. I'm not entirely sure what it's about at the moment, but the title alone reminds me of a song. The Sisters song from White Christmas!
Yes, it is the goofy version of the guys singing it while the real sisters escape to Vermont. (If you have never seen the movie, shame on you.)
Book 3...Complete!! My goal for the rest of the read-a-thon is finish one more book.
Stats:
Books read:3
Pages read:1041
Hours read:I don't even pretend to know
Favorite Snack: French fries!
It is after midnight here, but I am going strong. I was always more of a night person anyway, so I'm anticipating I get more reading done soon.
Stats:
I am a huge fan of rereading books. There is always something you missed the first time around. Every time you read a book again, it reminds you of the time in your life when you first fell in love with it. Honestly, of all the books I own, if I've read it once I've probably read it at least twice. 
Top five books I reread:
1) The Weird Sisters-I won this on Goodreads and within the first month, I had read it twice
2)How to Buy the Love of Reading
3)Anything by Jasper Fforde- ok so this isn't a book but I absolutely love everything he writes
4)Dealing with Dragons-a favorite from when I was really into fantasy
5)Harry Potter- I know, I know but Harry Potter always hold a special place in my heart.
Book #2 finished! I have officially beat my previous read-a-thon total, which I guess really isn't that impressive yet.
Mid-Event Survey:
1) How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired?-a little sleepy but the Pepsi helps
2) What have you finished reading?-Matched and The President's Vampire
3) What is your favorite read so far?-The President's Vampire just because it had a more satisfying ending
4) What about your favorite snacks?-nothing yet but I'm making hot dogs as we speak. I eat only the finest cuisine.
5) Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love!-no new blogs yet
After a brief trip to the library where I resisted the temptation to stop by their book sale, I am going strong and am about halfway through my second book. Hurray!
Stats:
Currently reading: The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth
Books read: 1
Number of Hours: not keeping exact count but somewhere around 5 and a half
Number of Pages: 557
Song I'm listening to right now: Okay so I don't actually like to listen to music while I read, I find it too distracting. But, I can hear my sister watching The Muppets so here is something for your listening pleasure
*note this is just the audio but you should go see the movie it is awesome*
P.S. seriously though, I really had to fight not to go by some books. But, I have so many books, I have a bookcase in my closet. No joke.
Stats:
Books read: 1! Matched by Ally Condie
Number of pages: not sure since I read this on my Kindle but Amazon says its 400 pages so we will stick to that
Number of hours read: about 3
Well, I'm off to a little bit of a late start, but here I am. I think the hardest thing right now is going to pick which book I want to start with. To get into the game, introduction meme!
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?-The lovely state of Ohio
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?-all of them. I've been saving up my library books for a week now and it's been killing me.
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?-hmm, I didn't really plan anything out so we'll see
4) Tell us a little something about yourself!-I work in retail, which isn't my favorite thing in the world. I'm toying with the idea of maybe becoming a librarian.
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?- this is my second read-a-thon so I definitely plan on reading more than one book at a time. I used to be really against this and then ended up only reading a book and a half last time.
It's that time of year again. It's read-a-thon time! It has been a while since I was actually able to participate since I usually get stuck working weekends, but thankfully this time I lucked out and am free. Yay!! Awesome timing too because my TBR list is getting out of control!
Books I'm hoping to read:
Happy Reading!
I started writing in this blog to talk about books that I liked because no one I know actually reads the same things I do. Then I realized, I am terrible at following through on a project. I always have the best intentions, but nothing ever gets done. So, here I am once again trying to be better at writing. Maybe I will write about other things since this is called Random Thoughts. Just something to think about.
