Happy Birthday COYER Read-a-thon - August 15-21, 2015

The Happy Birthday COYER Read-a-thon is the 4th read-a-thon for this COYER, where we're going to read books whose titles contain C, O, Y, E and R. I'll be reading a couple classics for the first time during this one! - See more at: Happy B-Day COYER Read-a-thon.
 
Goals:



8/15: Journey: 1hr 27 min, J&H: 33 pgs
8/16: J&H: 61 pgs - finished
8/17: Journey 43 min (2:10 so far), Shadow: 132 pgs
8/18: Journey 42 min (2:52 so far), Shadow: 168 pgs - finished
8/19: Journey 1 hour 18 min (4:10 so far)
8/20: Journey 1 hour 39 min (5:49 so far)
8/21: Journey 2 hours 31 min (8:20 total) - finished


Finished

Subterranean by James Rollins

From Goodreads: Beneath the ice at the bottom of the Earth is a magnificent subterranean labyrinth, a place of breathtaking wonders—and terrors beyond imagining. A team of specialists led by archaeologist Ashley Carter has been hand-picked to explore this secret place and to uncover the riches it holds. But they are not the first to venture here—and those they follow did not return. There are mysteries here older than time, and revelations that could change the world. But there are also things that should not be disturbed—and a devastating truth that could doom Ashley and the expedition: they are not alone.

This was my first James Rollins and I will likely be reading more. I've long been interested in Archaeology, and caves, and dinosaurs and ancient civilizations, and this pretty much rolls all that up into one package! There's romance, intrigue, action and mystery, quite honestly it could have gotten a little out of hand, and too farfetched even for a theoretical thriller, but Rollins offers fictionally plausible theories on why his secret world under the ice developed the way it did, and it made for a fun adventure.  He did a good job of setting the scene in the different cavern environments, at once eerie and beautiful, hostile and fragile.  Too often a story suffers from being told where the setting is, rather than shown, and I felt a real sense of place and surrounding while reading this.  4/5 and a recommend from me if you're looking for an adventure thriller.  This being Rollins first novel, I'm looking forward to seeing how he developed in later books!

COYER SH #39 - Nothing living on the cover 

Snow Falling on Bluegrass (Bluegrass #3) by Molly Harper

From Goodreads: Parks and Recreation meets The Blue Collar Comedy Tour in the third book of Molly Harper's Bluegrass series of contemporary romances: A love triangle of colleagues heats up the winter lodge where they get snowed in for a week. Kentucky Tourism Commission employee and executive assistant extraordinaire Kelsey is known around the office for having everything under control. So it's not surprising that she and her boss, Sadie, have everything planned to the second for the office winter retreat. But there are things even Kelsey can't micromanage. An unprecedented snowstorm smothers half of Kentucky and knocks out the power, closes the roads, and generally shuts down the state. Luckily, the lodge has working fireplaces and enough food to keep the staff from turning on each other like something out of The Shining. Kelsey wouldn't mind being stuck inside if it wasn't for the tension with her not-so-secret crush, Charlie, the office's statistician. But handsome Ranger Luke, the lodge's only employee on hand, is there to take Kelsey’s mind off her discomfort. Even though this weekend is supposed to be a planning session for KTC, Kelsey can’t help her mind from wandering and finds herself conflicted over Luke and Charlie. Someone's love will keep her warm, but whose will it be?

I'm actually not much of a contemporary romance fan, but I'll make exceptions with a trusted author. Molly Harper quickly became a favorite of mine with her Jane Jameson and Naked Werewolf series, so even though the Kentucky Tourism Commission being the setting would not normally get my attention, I loved Harper's character building enough in her other work to give them a try. This series is just as humorously sarcastic and endearing as the others and I truly enjoyed it. Combined with Amanda Ronconi's delivery in the audiobook, I know I will be listening to these again. Harper is great at creating interesting and entertaining situations that keep your attention on how they'll be resolved as a platform for the character interactions.  From a cut throat promotional contest in the first book, to saving a historical music venue in the second, to the team being snowed in together here, there's never a dull moment!

A definite recommend from me if you're looking for some contemporary fun!

COYER SH #2 - Mostly blue cover

The Seance by Heather Graham

The Seance by Heather Graham

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a pretty quick and entertaining read that keeps you wondering.  You know there's going to be trouble when someone pulls out a Ouija Board!  Graham is also good at making several of the characters potential suspects, and I admit I changed my mind a few times before getting it right, and then cheating by skipping to the back to see if I was, because I still wasn't 100% sure.

I do wish that Adam Harrison and his group were a little more involved in the stories, in the last couple I've read, their part is actually pretty small, considering it's the Harrison Investigations series. I would enjoy a little more eerie-ness than we're getting.  The ghost in this one is more endearing than scary, and I was getting a little irritated at Christina for how she reacted to him.  He was not a very ghostly ghost, though he was very considerate. If I'm ever to be haunted, that's what I want, a polite and considerate ghost who knows how I like my coffee! lol!

This actually didn't fit into any of the COYER Scavenger Hunt Items that I hadn't already used, so it's just a Campfire Tales RAT entry.


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COYER - Campfire Tales Read-a-thon - August 1 - August 7

The Campfire Tales Read-a-thon is the 3rd read-a-thon for this COYER, where we're going to read books that we consider scary. I know I personally would be scared at a Seance, especially if something came through, so I'm set for this one! - See more at: Campfire Tales Read-a-thon.
 
Goals:  


Progress:

I finished on 8/6/15 and you can see my review HERE.

The Patriot Witch by C C Finlay

Synopsis: The year is 1775. On the surface, Proctor Brown appears to be an ordinary young man working the family farm in New England. He is a minuteman, a member of the local militia, determined to defend the rights of the colonies. Yet Proctor is so much more. Magic is in his blood, a dark secret passed down from generation to generation. But Proctor’s mother has taught him to hide his talents, lest he be labeled a witch and find himself dangling at the end of a rope. A chance encounter with an arrogant British officer bearing magic of his own catapults Proctor out of his comfortable existence and into the adventure of a lifetime, as resistance sparks rebellion and rebellion becomes revolution. Now, even as he fights alongside his fellow patriots from Lexington to Bunker Hill, Proctor finds himself enmeshed in a war of a different sort–a secret war of magic against magic, witch against witch, with the stakes not only the independence of a young nation but the future of humanity itself.

I read this during the COYER Red, White and Blue Read-a-thon, it seemed like the perfect choice, being set in the beginning of the Revolutionary War, and having a blue cover. I am intrigued by the combination of fantasy and historical fiction, since I already like both. I really wanted to love this, but I just didn't. I liked it, hence my 3/5 rating on Goodreads, but I just couldn't bond with the characters. The storyline was fine, the action was good, and the historical aspects were interesting and felt true, so the author's research background on the subject comes through. I did start to warm up to Proctor by the end, I'm a sucker for a character facing unbeatable odds, but not enough to continue with the series.

COYER Scavenger Hunt #1 - First in a series

Dragos Takes a Holiday (Elder Races #6.5) by Thea Harrison

Dragos Takes a Holiday by Thea Harrison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I actually read ahead quite a bit in the series to read this for the Beach Party Read-a-thon of the #COYER Challenge but it is not really necessary for the story to have read more than the first couple of books. There are side characters I hadn't met before, but their backstory is not part of this, so it didn't seem to me like there were many spoilers if you read this out of sequence.

What does a dragon do for a relaxing vacation? Search for treasure of course! This is a fast and fun addition to the Elder Races world in which we get to see Pia skillfully manipulate Dragos in the direction she wants to go (for his own good), and get to enjoy the antics of a magical baby discovering his powers, you know, because a human baby isn't enough of a challenge all on his own!

If you want a quick and eventful jaunt to Bermuda, try this on for size! Dragos is such a fun alpha male character who is so easily steered by Pia, and pretty predictable in his alphaness, but that's what makes him such a good read! When you're the top of the food chain, your challenges are a little different than everyone else's!

#COYER Scavenget Hunt #37 - Read a book with water/or the ocean on the cover.

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The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy

Synopsis: When Sarah Brown, daughter of abolitionist John Brown, realizes that her artistic talents may be able to help save the lives of slaves fleeing north, she becomes one of the Underground Railroad’s leading mapmakers, taking her cues from the slave code quilts and hiding her maps within her paintings. She boldly embraces this calling after being told the shocking news that she can’t bear children, but as the country steers toward bloody civil war, Sarah faces difficult sacrifices that could put all she loves in peril. Eden, a modern woman desperate to conceive a child with her husband, moves to an old house in the suburbs and discovers a porcelain head hidden in the root cellar—the remains of an Underground Railroad doll with an extraordinary past of secret messages, danger and deliverance. Ingeniously plotted to a riveting end, Sarah and Eden’s woven lives connect the past to the present, forcing each of them to define courage, family, love, and legacy in a new way.

When I originally read this synopsis, I focused in on the codes in quilts and maps hidden within paintings. I was hoping for a DaVinci-Code-esque story set in Civil War times as slaves were being assisted across enemy lines to what they hoped would be a better life. Reading the synopsis again now that I've finished the book, it was exactly what it says, with the focus on two women in different times trying to find and fulfill their purpose in life.

I've said before that I'm very character driven and that I need to be able to empathize with the characters of a story for it to be a success for me.  It took me a little while to warm up to Sarah and Eden, probably my own fault for having several books going at once and not reading more than a few pages at a time initially.  Once I got into it though, I really enjoyed getting to know these two strong women.

I was apprehensive with Eden in the present as she adjusts to New Charleston and struggles with some difficult life decisions.  I was fearful of what she would decide and how it could change her life, relieved as she begins to find her place and decide it's not so bad after all and may in fact be exactly what she needs.

Sarah is more certain in her life's purpose. She is determined to continue the work in the Underground Railroad that was so important to her father, even more so knowing that she cannot have children of her own.  She is willing to risk everything to see it through, and discovers her artistic skills are her strength in the endeavor as she is constantly kept at a distance from the true action.

They are tied together across time by the doll's head Eden discovers in their new/old house and I came to care for Cleo, the girl next door, as she takes on the case of the myserious doll head. Cleo starts out as merely a caretaker for the puppy that Eden's husband brings home and she has no interest in, but by the end, she has become an integral part of Eden's life, and is responsible for drawing Eden out of her shell and integrating her into their new town.

If you enjoy stories of individuals finding their inner strengths and place in life, with a little historical mystery thrown in, you should give The Mapmaker's Children a read. It's a great example of maybe not getting what you think you wanted in life, but getting what you needed instead.

COYER Scavenger Hunt #29 - A book with no magical or futuristic elements.

COYER - Beach Party Read-a-thon - July 18 - 24

The Beach Party is the 2nd read-a-thon for this COYER, where we're going to read books that take place on/near a beach or involve vacation. - See more at: Beach Party Read-a-thon.
 
Goals:  


Progress:

July 18: 11% DTAH
July 19: 89% DTAH
July 20: none
July 21: 7% VV
July 22:
July 23:
July 24:

 Finished:

The Hunted Bundle by Amanda Shofner - Giveaway Winners!

The Hunted Series by Amanda Shofner

And the winners are...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations to all of you! I will get the bundles sent out to the e-mails you provided me this week! Thanks so much for entering and I hope you enjoy the Hunted series as much as I did!

7/15/15 Update: I have just sent out your prizes, so please let me know if they do not show up!  Enjoy!

A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons (How to Train Your Dragon, #6) by Cressida Cowell

A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons by Cressida Cowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hiccup once again finds himself in trouble, this time on his birthday. Instead of celebrating, he's trying to break into the Meathead Public Library, which isn't open to the public, inhabited by the Hairy Scary Librarian, who really is scary, to steal a book for a burglary competition.

These stories are adorable and hilarious, but if you're finding them based on having watched the movies, be prepared that Toothless is NOTHING like he is on screen. With that huge difference in mind (because I was absolutely in love with movie Toothless and was initially disappointed to find out how different he was in the books) settle yourself in for a treat! These are so much fun, you can't help but smile while reading them. If you're listening, David Tennant does a phenomenal job of bringing Hiccup and the Vikings to life, and in that respect, it's every bit as fun as the movie was.

I know I will listen to these over and over whenever I need a pick me up, they're so darn cute!

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#6 COYER Scavenger Hunt - Book with a Cartoonish Cover

Ian Fleming's James Bond - Octopussy and the Living Daylights: And Other Stories (Bond #14)

Octopussy and the Living Daylights: And Other Stories by Ian Fleming
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm a casual James Bond fan. I'll always stop and watch a few minutes if I see one of the movies on. I came in during the Roger Moore era, so he is who I always picture first when Bond is mentioned, though I have seen some of the Sean Connery, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig movies, though none of the earlier ones than Connery. I like them all, it helps make Bond, 007 more of an idea than any one person.

This was the first time I had listened/read one of the actual Ian Fleming novels depicting Bond and he was very different from the dashing ladies man and spy I grew up with from the movies. There was no being trapped in underground lairs or jumping out of airplanes, and in fact Octopussy contained very little of Bond at all. It was more the story of a retired WWII Major whose past catches up with him. Bond is still the cool character we expect, but at times we gain more insight into his psyche and see that he is actually quite bothered by being a 00, licensed to kill, which makes him more real to me.

Hiddleston's narration was wonderful. He is expressive and enjoyable to listen to, and gives a short interview after his readings about his own Bond experience and his enjoyment of portraying different characters through their voices. Lucy Fleming, one of Ian's nieces, reads the 4th story of the collection, 007 in New York, which of the 4 was the most characteristic of my previous Bond experience, though it's a simple check in through customs, all the while we are with Bond's thoughts on the city and how things have changed over time, with the detailed observation of a trained spy on the people around him. It was nice to hear Lucy, an actual family member talk about her uncle and Bond with that reading.

Far from being disappointed with the tameness of the stories compared to the flashy and exciting movies I'm used to, I'm more intrigued to go back and watch those movies to look for the bits of the story that must be there, and to read the other novels and do the same with them. James Bond is such an icon and the embodiment of the cool, collected spy in our imaginations, few characters endure the test of time the way he has.

View all my reviews

#44 COYER Scavenger Hunt - Read a book that has been turned into a movie.  This one has technically had 2 movies in fact!  not bad for less than 100 pages, huh?

And for us Hiddles fans, here is the alternate cover to what I listened to:

COYER - Red, White, & Blue Read-a-thon - July 4 - 10, 2015

The Red, White, & Blue Read-a-thon is the first of 5 that are happening during COYER (Clean Out Your E-Reader) this Summer. We'll be reading books with Red, White, or Blue on the cover, as words or colors. For more details, check out the Red, White, & Blue Read-a-thon page!  I've picked out some suitably Red, White, & Blue titles/covers below that I'll be working on.

Goals:

Progress:

July 4: 34:37min SFoB, 54 pages TPW
July 5: 78 pages TPW
July 6: 116 pages TPW
July 7: 28 pages TPW
July 8: 51 pages TPW, 1 hour 30 min SFoB
July 9: 1 hour 16 min SFoB
July 10: 30 min SFoB

 Finished:

 

Giveaway: The Hunted Series by Amanda Shofner

The Hunted Series by Amanda Shofner

The Hunted is a riveting world in which two opposing factions of Gifted, the Memory-bringers and the Illusionists, must overcome their fear of each other and work together against their common enemy: The Northern Alliance Betterment Society. Doesn't that name just bring chills? Betterment Society? So many real world horrors have been perpetrated in order to "better" things according to skewed versions of perfection. True to form, The Society will stop at nothing until they realize their goal, the neutralization of all Gifted. Of course just killing a Gifted isn't enough, the Society must experiment in order to find a way to truly eliminate the biological elements that make someone Gifted.

I am drawn in to a book by the characters.  You can have the most interesting setting ever, but if I'm not invested in the characters, I couldn't care less.  Fully realized characters are one of the strengths of this series, I cared about what happened to all of them. I hurt with them, was afraid with them, was happy for them, and sometimes wanted to slap some of them (Janey) for being so stubborn and impatient, but that's who she was.  For me that's what makes a story I won't forget, characters who are true individuals, with realistic emotions, strengths and weaknesses.  Add to that a bit of Sci/Fi-Fantasy, a little romance, and I'm in!  You get all that here.

Synopsis from Amazon

The Northern Alliance Betterment Society rose up to declare war on the Gifted and erase them from existence. The deep division between the Gifted—the illusionists and memory-bringers—made the war successful. Now the Gifted are being hunted and eliminated, but there remain a few who choose to fight back and reclaim their lives.

ELUSIVE MEMORIES

One false move—or trusting the wrong person—can turn the Gifted into the hunted.

Sam Benson doesn’t know where she is or, more importantly, who she is. With her memories gone, she must piece together the details of her life—and figure out who to trust—before they take it from her.

THE UNEXPECTED GIFT

When Michael gave up his Gift, he was told it'd be forever. In the middle of recruiting for the new Gifted army, his Gift comes back. Unexpectedly.

But rather than celebrating the impossible, Michael’s carefully laid plans are about to come to naught... unless he can find a way to survive and make it right.

HIDDEN ILLUSIONS

Janey Jones is driven by one purpose. Will Brown has seen what blind ambition can do.

When Will and Janey are thrown together, they’re forced to put aside their differences for a greater purpose: find a way to stay alive—and salvage the mission to cut the Hunters down, once and for all.

A VEILED TRUTH

She’s about to learn life isn’t like her controlled experiments.

Edie Brown's well-ordered scientist’s life unravels when her best friend Marcus proposes a different kind of experiment—one that puts her heart at risk.

Giveaway
 

The Hunted series will be available as a bundle starting July 1st!  I'll be giving away 2 US Kindle bundles, and as many single US Kindle parts of the series as I'm in the mood for! Just tell me in your entry whether you want the bundle, or a single part of the series, and also the e-mail address you want it sent to if you win.  This contest will be open through Sunday July 12th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

COYER Scavenger Hunt June 20 - September 4, 2015

The COYER (Clean Out Your E-Reader) Scavenger hunt is under way! I am joining in the challenge a little late, but there is plenty of time left! This event run from June 20th - Sept 4th and sounds like a whole lot of fun! There 5 summer read-a-thons scheduled, along with a reading scavenger hunt, twitter parties, a facebook group and prizes to win, so come on and join the fun!

For this event we can use any book we obtained legally. That would be Kindle Freebies, ARCs, Netgalley & Edelwiess books, Audiobooks, Purchased books (any $ amount) and Physical Books. Because of the Scavenger Hunt you are not allowed to read Library books, Kindle Unlimited or Borrowed books. (This is for my own use, but also helpful if you're wondering what to use, I asked just to be sure!)

Details, Signup, and Schedule

Scavenger Hunt List

Currently Reading: 





Reviews I've visited:

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge - reviewed by Book Briefs
Heir to the Jedi by Kevin Hearne - reviewed by Book Haven 
Cat Daddy by Jackson Galaxy - reviewed by Squiggles Reviews
Sword Art Online #2: Aincrad by Reki Kawahara - reviewed by Fiction State of Mind
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter - reviewed by Trips Down Imagination Road
Horde (Razorland #3) by Ann Aguirre - reviewed by Kristen @ The Book Monsters

Books Finished:

Finished 6/30/15 Review SH #7 66 pages	Finished 7/1/15 Review SH #44 Audio/93 pages	Finished 7/3/15 Review SH #6 Audio/233 pages
Finished 7/8/15 RWB Review  SH #1 327 pages	Finished 7/13/15 Review SH #29 216 pages (started at 84)	Finished 7/14/15 Review SH #2 6 hrs 7 min
Finished 7/19/15 BP Review SH #37 95 Pages	Finished 7/24/15 Review to Come SH# 78 12:32/363 pages	Finished 7/31/15 Review SH #39 410 pages
Finished 8/6/15 Review SH #N/A 371 pages	Finished 8/13/14 Review to come SH #21 11:58/522 pages	Finished 8/16/15 Review SH #58 94 pages
Finished 8/18/15 Review SH #38 300 pages	Finished 8/21/15 Review SH #23 8:20/155 pages	Finished 8/23/15 Review SH #5 346 pages
Finished 9/2/15 Review SH #55 204 pages

The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy by Nora Roberts

The Next Always The historic hotel in Boonsboro has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. Beckett is the architect of the family, and his social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen. After losing her husband and returning to her hometown, Clare Brewster soon settles into her life as the mother of three young sons while running the town’s bookstore. Busy, with little time for romance, Clare is drawn across the street by Beckett’s transformation of the old inn, wanting to take a closer look . . . at the building and the man behind it. With the grand opening inching closer, Beckett’s happy to give Clare a private tour - one room at a time. It’s no first date, but these stolen moments are the beginning of something new - and open the door to the extraordinary adventure of what comes next . . .

I adore this trilogy. I will admit that I didn't think I'd be a Nora Roberts fan. I picked up The Next Always when it was on sale on Audible because it mentioned a haunting. I didn't expect to fall in love, with the people or the place, but I did. I want the Montgomery boys to be my brothers, and Avery, Clare and Hope to be my friends. I want to hang out and have pizza at Vesta and celebrate holidays with the whole family. I want a hug from Willy B and to catch a glimpse of Elizabeth. These were pure comfort reading for me once I got into them, and will go down in my list of favorites. The description of the places and the characterization of the people make it all seem so real that it makes me want to jump in my truck and go there, to be part of it all, to get enveloped in that world. I can smell Avery's marinara sauce and hear the brothers hammering away on their latest project. I didn't expect to get sucked in, it's not my usual thing, but I did, and I'm so grateful for it. :)