Wishlist Wednesday #3 - Night Shift (Midnight, Texas #3) by Charlaine Harris

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves. It is hosted by Pen to Paper, just click on the button to the left if you'd like to join us!

From Goodreads: At Midnight’s local pawnshop, weapons are flying off the shelves—only to be used in sudden and dramatic suicides right at the main crossroads in town. Who better to figure out why blood is being spilled than the vampire Lemuel, who, while translating mysterious texts, discovers what makes Midnight the town it is. There’s a reason why witches and werewolves, killers and psychics, have been drawn to this place. And now they must come together to stop the bloodshed in the heart of Midnight. For if all hell breaks loose—which just might happen—it will put the secretive town on the map, where no one wants it to be...

Things are starting to get really interesting in Midnight, Texas!

This is due out May 3rd, next year, so I'll be trying to get on the library list for it as soon as they have one.  I really enjoyed Charlaine's Harper Connolly series, have read most of Aurora Teagarden, and a few of her Sookie Stackhouse books so far.  I'm looking forward to seeing where this one goes!

What books are on your wishlist?

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon October 17th 2015 - It's Here! It's Here!

What's this? What's this? The books are everywhere! What's this? There's pages in the air!

It's time once again for Dewey's Read-a-thon! Yay! I'm a reader and a cheerleader this year, so I can't wait to go visit my Dogwood team and see what everyone is up to, encouraging them on to reading greatness!

I'll be out for a few hours around lunch time to go see Crimson Peak, but other than that, it's reading, reading, cheering and reading some more!

I'll post all my updates in this thread.  Here are a few of the books I may work on.  I think I'm going to focus on pages read, rather than books finished, because I like to skip around, and I am in the middle of a lot of books right now that I really need to finish!

As a seasoned read-a-thoner, here is some advice: don't put so much pressure on yourself to perform and reach goals that you don't have fun, or lose sight of the awesome thing you are a part of.  You're taking part in an event that includes people all over the world, and we're all in it because we love to read!  It doesn't matter if you read 1 page, or 1,000, you're still wonderful! Also, don't get too comfy, because you'll fall asleep! ;)  Take care of yourself today, your health comes first, it's okay to take that nap, and enjoy every minute of it!


Updates:

7:00 am - starting with Doctor Who #3: The Spear of Destiny to get a quick one under the belt!

8:23 am - just finished with The Spear of Destiny and now starting on Aunt Dimity Digs In.

10:00 am - 18 pages into Aunt Dimity and heading out the door to go see Crimson Peak (Tom Hiddleston *squee*) I'm taking The Door in the Hedge with me that I've already started, since it's on my Kindle and easier to pack in the purse. See you all later for more reading and cheering!

2:24 pm - I'm back from Crimson Peak!  It was beautiful and deliciously creepy, just the right amount of scary without being over the top for me, I highly recommend it! Now it's time to hit the books again!  I want to get a few more pages down and then I'll be out cheering some of you on to victory! :D

4:00 pm - Up to page 80 of Aunt Dimity and got in some steps on the treadmill at the same time!

5:00 pm - I've been doing some cheering and really enjoying visiting different blogs and seeing what others are reading today! Now back to my own reading and contemplating what to have for dinner!  I think I'll focus on The Door in the Hedge for awhile and see if I can get that finished up!

6:00 pn - 35 pages of The Door in the Hedge, no decision on dinner yet! lol!

8:35 pm - Dinner is a BBQ feast!  I have about 6 pages left of The Door in the Hedge, and then I think it's time for a computer game break!

9:30 pm - Done with dinner, done with The Door in the Hedge, done with computer games and ready to get back to it!

10:23 pm - After a bit more cheering, I'd best get to reading some more before I get too sleepy!  I'll hang out with Aunt Dimity some more for awhile, then maybe get into my next Doctor Who short story.

12:00 am - Up to pg 132 on Aunt Dimity, not quite halfway.  I'm probably off for a few hours sleep, and I'll try to make it up a couple hours before the finish line, but we'll see!

11:35 am Sunday - Well, I didn't make it back up in time for the finish line, but I did get 22 more pages read before I fell asleep!  Thanks to everyone for another great read-a-thon!  

Total Pages: 321

Books Finished:
Doctor Who #3: The Spear of Destiny
The Door in the Hedge

Wishlist Wednesday #2: Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #3) by Ransom Riggs

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves. It is hosted by Pen to Paper, just click on the button to the left if you'd like to join us!

From Goodreads: The adventures that began with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and continued with Hollow City comes to a thrilling conclusion with Library of Souls. As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children. They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all. Like its predecessors, Library of Souls blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography.

This is such a different series, combined with the vintage style photography.  I'm on the audiobook list for this one at the library, so I hope I'll be listening to it soon!  I recommend them, and also taking a look at the hard copy if you can for the photos, so strange, and intriguing!

What books are on your wishlist?

Wishlist Wednesday #1: Heir to the Jedi by Kevin Hearne

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves. It is hosted by Pen to Paper, just click on the button to the left if you'd like to join us!

I'm excited to join up on this meme, I've been looking for some easy ones to do, and I'm pretty sure that I have enough wishlist material to last several lifetimes, so this is perfect!  Without further ado, here is my first installment!

From Goodreads: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. . . . A thrilling new adventure set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, and—for the first time ever—written entirely from Luke Skywalker’s first-person point of view. Luke Skywalker’s game-changing destruction of the Death Star has made him not only a hero of the Rebel Alliance but a valuable asset in the ongoing battle against the Empire. Though he’s a long way from mastering the power of the Force, there’s no denying his phenomenal skills as a pilot—and in the eyes of Rebel leaders Princess Leia Organa and Admiral Ackbar, there’s no one better qualified to carry out a daring rescue mission crucial to the Alliance cause. A brilliant alien cryptographer renowned for her ability to breach even the most advanced communications systems is being detained by Imperial agents determined to exploit her exceptional talents for the Empire’s purposes. But the prospective spy’s sympathies lie with the Rebels, and she’s willing to join their effort in exchange for being reunited with her family. It’s an opportunity to gain a critical edge against the Empire that’s too precious to pass up. It’s also a job that demands the element of surprise. So Luke and the ever-resourceful droid R2-D2 swap their trusty X-wing fighter for a sleek space yacht piloted by brash recruit Nakari Kelen, daughter of a biotech mogul, who’s got a score of her own to settle with the Empire. Challenged by ruthless Imperial bodyguards, death-dealing enemy battleships, merciless bounty hunters, and monstrous brain-eating parasites, Luke plunges head-on into a high-stakes espionage operation that will push his abilities as a Rebel fighter and would-be Jedi to the limit. If ever he needed the wisdom of Obi-Wan Kenobi to shepherd him through danger, it’s now. But Luke will have to rely on himself, his friends, and his own burgeoning relationship with the Force to survive.

So far this has not gotten great reviews.  I really love Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series, and most are saying not to expect that level of greatness.  I'm going into it with an open mind and not many expectations except for a fun Star Wars adventure by an author that I like.  We can't hit home runs all the time and I'm sure even Kevin's worst is better than many other things I've read!  I'm within a few spots on the library audio list, so I should find out soon!

What books are on your wishlist?  

My To Be Read List - October 2015 - Ghosts

Updated 10/31/15: I gave up 125 pages in, a gripping page turner it is not and I found myself just not being insterested any more.  I liked the characters, but it seemed like mostly unexplained political intrigue with characters who all had a history with each other, but that we didn't really know.  So I'm giving it a pass.  Better luck next month!

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 Updated: My October poll is closed, and the winner is Living with Ghosts by Keri Sperring, with 50% of the votes!  I was surprised, I thought Odd Thomas would win hands down, but it was actually the lowest with only 1/8 votes! Check back on 10/24 to see what it's like Living with Ghosts!

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Welcome to the October 2015 edition of My To Be Read List, hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading. This is a monthly meme where we offer up 3 choices from our TBR pile for our readers to pick from to help us make the super hard decision of "what do I read next?" a little easier and to whittle away at the ever growing TBR Mountain! 

Theme: Ghosts -- It is October after all! ;)  Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me what you chose and why.

The poll will stay open through Friday 10/9.  I'll update this post with the winning book on Saturday 10/10, then post a review on Saturday 10/24.

If you think this sounds fun and would like to join (the more the merrier, because we love voting!) please head on over to Because Reading where Michelle lays out the rules for us!

And the choices are...

From Goodreads: "The dead don't talk. I don't know why." But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn. Maybe he has a gift, maybe it's a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and Odd's otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo's sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter, can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time it's different. A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd's deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15. Today is August 14. In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares, and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.

From Goodreads: Penelope Thornton-McClure manages a Rhode Island bookshop rumored to be haunted. When a bestselling author drops dead signing books, the first clue of foul play comes from the store's full-time ghost - a PI murdered on the very spot more than fifty years ago.

From Goodreads: This highly original, darkly atmospheric fantasy novel immerses readers in a world where ghosts and other malevolent spirits seek entry into mortal realms—invisible to all but those who are not entirely human themselves. Drawn into the ancient city of Merafi, yet barred from entering by an ancient pact sealed in blood, these hungry haunts await their opportunity to break through the magical border and wreak havoc on the city’s innocent denizens. And as a priestess and prince weave a sorcerous plot to shatter the pact and bring ruin on Merafi, only a failed assassin-priest who is now a courtesan, a noble lord married into the ruling family of Merafi, an officer of the city guard, a woman warrior who was the former lover of a now-dead lord, and the ghost of that lord himself stand between Merafi and the tidal wave of magic that may soon bring ruin flooding down upon the city.

#MyTBRL

Haunted Kansas City, Missouri by Angie Cox

Haunted Kansas City, Missouri by Angie Cox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was interested to read some local ghost stories, and this book names many places that I've heard of in the area, though most I haven't been to. I have to say I was hoping for a few more specifics, there were a lot of "could it be this? We'll never know..." and many of the stories were vague and generalized. There were a lot of photos of places and historical tidbits, I think my favorite stories were those for Plattsburgh, MO which I have never been to but may have to visit! Overall an enjoyable read if not a very chilling one, it's still fun to read about places that you know!

View all my reviews

FrightFall Read-a-thon - October 5th - 11th, 2015

It's getting to be that time of year! Why do we like to be scared so much? If you're looking for another read-a-thon, join us for FrightFall hosted by Michelle at Seasons of Reading! New this time is a Facebook Group, and we'll be using #Frightfall on Twitter.  Come join the fun, and get your scary on!

I'm all set for my official scary book this time, I will be reading Haunted Kansas by Lisa Hefner Heitz:

Additional Goals:




I won't get anywhere near finishing all that, but those are what's up next for me, so we'll see how far I get!

10/11/15 - Final Well I didn't get very far!  I did finish reading Soulless which I think I had already started, and I got to pg 78 of Haunted Kansas, but found myself reading for speed and not taking in very much, so I decided to stop!  I did enjoy my reading this week though, glad to be a part of another Frightfall Read-a-thon!  Thanks Michelle!

Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn

From Goodreads: Celebrity werewolf and late-night radio host Kitty Norville prefers to be heard and not seen. So when she's invited to testify at a Senate hearing on behalf of supernaturals, and her face gets plastered on national TV, she inherits a new set of friends, and enemies, including the vampire mistress of the city; an über-hot Brazilian were-jaguar; and a Bible-thumping senator who wants to expose Kitty as a monster. Kitty quickly learns that in this city of dirty politicians and backstabbing pundits, everyone's itching for a fight.

Kitty and I are back from our trip to Washington DC and we had an awesome time! We did some sight seeing, we got to watch a senate hearing in session, we met some good vampires and some not so good vampires, we fought bad guys... Fun was had by all! Okay, well, by me anyway, Kitty might have something to say about how much fun she had, but Luis was pretty hot...

Kitty Goes to Washington is the second in the Kitty Norville series. I had to look back and see how long ago I read #1, and it was in 2008, so 7 years ago, my how time flies! The good thing is that I remembered enough of the first one, or had in story reminders that I had no trouble keeping up. I really like Kitty herself, her intrepid nature, and also her cast of supporting characters, her lawyer Ben, Cormac the bounty hunter, and some of the new friends she meets, Alette and Luis. She may believe herself to be without a pack, but she's formed her own band of loyal people. There were also plenty of baddies of different types and levels of vileness. I enjoy Carrie Vaughn's writing style, it's easy to fall into the story and run along with Kitty.  The pace is good, the action is action-y, but not too much.  I admire Kitty's ability to talk herself down in terrifying circumstances and turn the tables on those taking advantage of her.  This is one wolf who isn't going down without a fight, though her weapon of choice is a microphone rather than teeth and claws.

This story is very pertinent to our current political climate, replace supernaturals with any of today's minority groups seeking to be recognized and given the same rights as everyone else, and it feels just like what I've seen on the news of issues that divide the country in half for various reasons. I'd love to say that Senator Duke is an overblown caricature, but honestly, we have real politicians who are pretty darn close to him in their zeal to stamp out the "others" they are afraid of.

My copy of the book also included a short story called Kitty Meets the Band that was cute and funny.  The band is a little unconventional, with a very interesting bass player who has turned them into a sensation. A fun little addition to Kitty's world.

I definitely recommend this series and am looking forward to more of them, hopefully it won't take me another 7 years to get to #3!  

Blog Ahead - October 2015

I'm taking the plunge and joining the Blog Ahead October 2015 Challenge! This Challenge is hosted by Herding Cats & Burning Soup and Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Blog Ahead 2015

• Purpose: Increase the number of scheduled blog posts you have ready to publish by 31 posts during the month of October. All post will be scheduled from November 1st or later.
• Who Can Join: Any blogger or author can join. Brand new, been around for years.Blogger, WordPress or other platform. Any heat level, genre or theme, etc. If you blog…you’re welcome to join!
• Types of Posts that Count: Any finished posts count! Meme, review, guest post, interview, discussion. Top Ten Posts, Favorites posts, Shopping Guide Posts, Cooking posts, pet posts, photo posts, etc. Posts do NOT have to be book related.
• Required: The post must be complete and scheduled from November 1, 2015 onward. (So not just blurb, buy links, etc for a review post. The review needs to be complete for the post to count.)

If this sounds like something you'd like to join in on, head on over to the sign up post and check it out!

My Goals:

2016 TBR List Meme posts x 12
Find some other Memes to rejoin or join for the first time x ??
Book reviews x ??

My Progress:

10/9/15:  6 posts

I've prepped 3 of the 2016 My TBR List Meme's
I've joined a Wishlist Wednesday Meme that I've done 1 post for after October
2 book reviews done and scheduled so far

10/22/15:  4 posts = 10 total

2 more book reviews done and scheduled
1 more Wishlist Wednesday post for after October
1 Judging by the Cover - Cover Artist Spotlight scheduled for November

10/31/15: 2 posts = 12 total

1 book review
1 wishlist wednesday

Wrap up: 12 posts ahead, I've never had that much ready to go before!  I'm definitely in for the next one!  Thanks everyone!

My To Be Read List - September 2015 - Series #2's

Updated: My September poll is closed, and the winner is Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn, with 60% of the votes!  Check back on 9/26 to see how our trip to Washington went!

 

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I'm taking part in a new to me Meme! It's called My To Be Read List and is hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading. This is a monthly meme where we offer up 3 choices from our TBR pile for our readers to pick from to help us make the super hard decision of "what do I read next?" a little easier and to whittle away at the ever growing TBR Mountain!  I saw some other participants liked to choose a theme for themselves each month and I think that was a great idea, so I'll do the same!

Theme: My choices are all #2's of a series that I really liked #1, but just never got back to yet.  Please help me decide!  Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me what you chose and why.

The poll will stay open through Friday, and I'll update this post with the winning book on Saturday 9/12, then post a review on the last Saturday of the month, 9/26.

If you think this sounds fun and would like to join (the more the merrier, because we love voting!) please head on over to Because Reading where Michelle lays out the rules for us!

And the choices are...

From Goodreads: Celebrity werewolf and late-night radio host Kitty Norville prefers to be heard and not seen. So when she's invited to testify at a Senate hearing on behalf of supernaturals, and her face gets plastered on national TV, she inherits a new set of friends, and enemies, including the vampire mistress of the city; an über-hot Brazilian were-jaguar; and a Bible-thumping senator who wants to expose Kitty as a monster. Kitty quickly learns that in this city of dirty politicians and backstabbing pundits, everyone's itching for a fight.

From Goodreads: Persephone Alcmedi has been persuaded to compete for the position of High Priestess of the Cleveland, Ohio, coven — now that the former priestess, Vivian Diamond, has strangely gone missing. Unfortunately, there are a few small problems with the idea. Not only does Seph know rather more about Vivian's disappearance than the other witches realize, but the epic struggle she's just survived has left her with some highly unusual powers — ones that could be dangerous to reveal. Despite her reluctance, she agrees to participate, if only to prevent snooty Hunter Hopewell, an obnoxious but talented witch, from ending up in the winner's circle. Can Seph hide her secrets — including her connection to the master vampire-wizard Menessos — from the terrifyingly wise judges? Plus, there's her rock 'n' roll werewolf boyfriend, Johnny, and some angry fairies to deal with.... Once the competition begins, a finalist turns up dead. It looks as if one of the contestants is willing to do anything — including murder — to win. Suddenly Seph has even more on her plate than she thought: from solving a murder to working out what her new powers really are...and exactly why they're creating so much havoc in her love life.

From Goodreads: My name is Raine Benares. Until last week I was a seeker—a finder of things lost and people missing. Now I’m psychic roommates with the Saghred, an ancient stone with cataclysmic powers. Just me, the stone, and all the souls it’s ingested over the centuries. Crowded doesn’t even begin to describe it. All I want is my life back—which means getting rid of the stone and the power it possesses. To sort things out, I head for the Isle of Mid, home to the most prestigious sorcery school, as well as the Conclave, the governing body for all magic users. It’s also home to power- grubbing mages who want me dead and goblins who see me as a thief. As if that’s not enough, Mid’s best student spellsingers are disappearing left and right, and I’m expected to find them. Lives are at stake, goblins are threatening to sue, mages are getting greedier, and the stone’s power is getting stronger by the hour. This could get ugly.

Poll is closed #MyTBRL

The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Art of Purring by David Michie

The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Art of Purring by David Michie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really love the Dalai Lama's Cat books, they'll definitely be considered as repeat comfort reading at some point in the future. They are gently humorous and thoughtful, bringing to light concepts that we all struggle with and offering insight into how to deal with feelings in perhaps a different way than we normally would. It makes me want to visit McLeod Ganj, and the Himalayan Book Cafe, and spend time with all the endearing characters that are a part of HHC's life. It's also stirred an interest in learning more about Buddhism for me, it seems like such a peaceful and caring life philosophy, that even if you don't adopt it as a religion, you can still learn so much about human nature from it's teachings. I'm definitely looking forward to The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Power of Meow and may look into other of David Michie's books on meditation, which is a complete mystery to me. I wouldn't even know where to start.

A strong recommend to cat lovers, because regardless of whose cat she is, HHC is still A CAT, and her contemplation of the wisdom imparted by His Holiness and the other teachers which is often at odds with her nature is both entertaining and thought provoking, but in an easy way. These are light, but meaningful in content, and for me definitely comfort reading.

COYER SH #55 - features an animal prominently in the story.

View all my reviews

Rogue Angel: Destiny by Alex Archer (Mel Odom)

From Goodreads: An ancient order tied to the Vatican . . . A blood fortune buried in the caves of France . . . A conspiracy of power, greed and darkest evil . . . Archaeologist and explorer Annja Creed's fascination with the myths and mysteries of the past leads her to a crypt in the caves of France, where the terrifying legend of the Beast of Gevaudin hints at the unimaginable. What she discovers is shattering: an artifact that will seal her destiny: a brotherhood of monks willing to murder to protect their secret; and a powerful black-market occultist desperate to put his own claim to centuries-old blood money. Annja embarks on a high-tension race across Europe and history itself, intent on linking the unholy treachery of the ages with the staggering revelations of the present. But she must survive the shadow figures determined to silence her threat to their existence.

I've been meaning to start this series for awhile and Bout of Books 14 and the COYER Scavenger Hunt gave me the perfect opportunity! I love Archaeology themed reads, especially combined with adventure, so this fit the bill perfectly. It was equal parts interesting and fun as our intrepid heroine works to fund what she considers her real work by doing pieces for a History's Monsters show, without losing her top! She's not the only one looking for the Beast of Gevaudin, but she is the one destined to solve the mystery, and gain a whole new set of responsibilities for herself in the process. There are bad guys, there are maybe good guys, who may also be bad guys, or not, time will tell. Annja is a no-nonsense lady, and she's going to do everything on her own terms. There are actually two historical mysteries intertwined in this story, I'm not sure I really understand why the connection between them happened, if I missed some explanation or if it was just a coincidence but it was still intriguing enough I'm ready for more. Roux is a good supporting character, especially now that his life's quest appears to have been resolved, he's kind of along for the ride and a wild card, with his long time motivation no longer driving him, will he stay with Annja or go his own way?

The next book leads Annja and Roux after a Biblical artifact, always a controversial theme and guaranteed to bring out the bad guys! I do recommend this for fans of the archeological thriller looking for a fun and fast read.

COYER Scavenger Hunt #5 - Weapon on the cover

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I cried through the last 60 pages of this one, it got to me. There are some great passages in here that just grab your heart and twist.

Jean Perdu is a reserved middle aged man when we first meet him, very set in his ways, and very spare in his lifestyle. We soon learn it is because he was hurt 20 years before when the great love of his life left him, leaving only a sealed letter behind, which he could never bring himself to read. He believed he already knew why. He was very, very wrong, and must come to terms with that knowledge and what he cheated himself out of by not reading it until many years later.

This is a story of reconnecting with the parts of oneself that get sacrificed when we try to avoid being hurt again. It is a story of coming to terms with death, and learning to live again. It was poignant and sometimes humorous, often sad, and even tragic, but leaves us with love and beauty through the pain of loss. It also brings Southern France to life in beautiful colors and descriptions.

I did love the idea of the Literary Apothecary, prescribing books for what ails you and enjoyed the list of recommendations for different symptoms, with possible side effects from having read them. A fun idea!

Received from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

COYER - Dog Days of Summer Read-a-thon - August 29th - September 4th, 2015

The COYER Dog Days of Summer Read-a-thon is the 5th and last read-a-thon for this COYER. We're going to read books with animals on the cover, I've chosen 3 cats (for my 3 fur babies) and a dog (for my Mom's very large Bernese girl).  If there is one thing I have, it's animal themed books! There's no way I'll get through all 4 of these, but we'll see what I'm in the mood for! See more at: Dog Days of Summer Read-a-thon.
 
Goals:



8/29: HotD 32 pages, TAoP 19 pages = 51 pages total
8/30: HotD 16 pages, TAoP 21 pages = 37 pages total
8/31: HotD 14 pages, TAoP 35 pages = 49 pages total
9/1: TAoP  9 pages = 9 pages total
9/2: TAoP 120 pages = 120 pages
9/3:
9/4:

Total: 266 pages

Finished:

Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne, Performed by Tim Curry

Journey to the Center of the Earth: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry by Jules Verne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I probably wouldn't have gotten through this very quickly had I been reading it on my own rather than listening to Tim Curry's masterful performance. He was able to infuse so much character into it, and it truly helped me to appreciate how well done this story really is. There really is a lot of character there. There is also A LOT of detailed geological and instrumental description that probably would have bogged me down, even though I understand it, it's not always the most exciting reading, but definitely added realism to the story. Axel and his uncle Otto, and their guide Hans, really have very distinct personalities that add humor to the story which I believe I would have missed without having the assistance of Tim's reading.

I highly recommend listening to this version, as we like to say Tim Curry could read the phone book and it would be a 5 star performance. He brings this classic adventure story to life and I'm happy to have experienced it!

View all my reviews

COYER SH #23 - A book that takes place in a foreign country, Germany, Iceland, Italy.

The Shadow Revolution (Crown & Key #1) by Clay and Susan Griffith

From Goodreads: They are the realm’s last, best defense against supernatural evil. But they’re going to need a lot more silver. As fog descends, obscuring the gas lamps of Victorian London, werewolves prowl the shadows of back alleys. But they have infiltrated the inner circles of upper-crust society as well. Only a handful of specially gifted practitioners are equipped to battle the beasts. Among them are the roguish Simon Archer, who conceals his powers as a spell-casting scribe behind the smooth veneer of a dashing playboy; his layabout mentor, Nick Barker, who prefers a good pub to thrilling heroics; and the self-possessed alchemist Kate Anstruther, who is equally at home in a ballroom as she is on a battlefield. After a lycanthrope targets Kate’s vulnerable younger sister, the three join forces with fierce Scottish monster-hunter Malcolm MacFarlane—but quickly discover they’re dealing with a threat far greater than anything they ever imagined.

I really enjoyed the Griffith’s Vampire Empire Trilogy with Greyfriar and Adele, so was looking forward to this new trilogy and meeting some new characters. Simon and Nick are quite the magical team, but they soon get in over their heads. Nick is ready to cut and run, but Simon, disturbed by indications from a past love that he may not be living up to his potential, feels that he needs to do more, to be more. Reluctantly Nick stays with him as he teams up with Kate Anstruther in the fight to save her sister and the gruff and skeptical Malcolm, but werewolves really are the least of their problems.

The Griffiths are excellent at creating flawed but endearing characters who want to be more than they are and strive to become so. I liked their interpretation of Simon’s magical abilities as a scribe and also the strong female characters of Kate and Penny. I’m looking forward to the rest of this trilogy and can’t wait to see where they take us next! I would also recommend the Vampire Empire trilogy, I’m glad to have discovered this husband and wife team!

COYER SH#38 - Man fully clothed on the cover

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first time I've ever read the original Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I'll admit I had no idea it was written by the same author as Treasure Island, which I also have not read yet. I would not have put those two ideas to the same author, so it's been enlightening all around! It's also amazing to me what a short story this really was, only 94 pages, to have inspired so many adaptations, interpretations and movies.

It was an interesting dark fantasy tale with an important lesson about giving in to our baser natures. The more we indulge them, the more it becomes who we are until we're no longer able to hide or control those tendencies.

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COYER Scavenger Hunt #58 - Read a book by an author with three names 

Bout of Books 14 - August 17-23, 2015

*Flails* *\o/* *Flails again* *Flails some more* *\o/* *Flaily-flail-flail*

 It's Bout of Books 14! Come *flail* with us!

What is flailing you ask?    It's a Bout of Books thing, it's sort of our secret hand-shake, but we'll let you in on it!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 17th and runs through Sunday, August 23rd in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 14 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

TBR:

Progress:

8/17: TSR 132 pages
8/18: TSR 168 pages - finished
8/19: RA 76 pages
8/20: RA 68 pages
8/21: RA 68 pages
8/22: RA 78 pages
8/23: RA 56 pages - finished

Finished:

Wrap up:

I didn't get as far as I'd hoped, but I'm still happy with my results. Read a new book I've been looking forward to and an older series I've wanted to start for a long time, and I enjoyed them both! 646 pages total for me this week! Thank you to our hostesses and everyone that assists them to make this a fun event!