Reading Challenged: July 2011

Sunday, July 31, 2011

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Title: The Memory Keeper's Daughter
Author: Kim Edwards
Publisher: Book Club
ISBN: 978-0-14-303714-9
Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: I liked the first couple of chapters, thinking the premise would be tense, filled with family secrets. Shortly thereafter, though, all I found were unsympathetic characters who just made me mad. The pace also dragged a lot. There were some parts I enjoyed, and I liked that the end was more positive than I thought it would be, but overall, despite Edwards's capable prose, this was just not for me.
Rating: 2 stars

Outlander

Title: Outlander
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Publisher: eBook
No ISBN
Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: E-Book, TBR Pile, Book Blogger Recommendation, Show Me the Free (Borders), Vacation Reads, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: Outlander is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and after reading it, I can see why it has lasted so long. I have never read a romantic time-travel before, but I can see that Gabaldon really knows this genre. The story as well as the characters were highly engaging, although it did drag a little in a few parts, but I honestly think that was due to the fact I was reading an ebook and couldn't really see how much of the story was left. I now what to pick up the rest of the series.
Rating: 5 stars

Vacation Reads Challenge: I have always wanted to visit the Scottish countryside. I think it would be just beautiful. I think, though, I would prefer to visit it now a days, rather than in the time of the clans.

Elsewhere Online: July 2011

As you may have guessed from my In My Mailbox posts, I review for other websites (bookloons.com and bittenbybooks.com). As I cannot post my reviews there and here, but I would still like to count the books I read for the challenges, I am going to have a post like this at the end of the every month listing the books I reviewed and what challenges the went towards.

Title: Who What Wear

Author: Olivia Bennett

Challenges: Young Adult Contemporary, 100 Books in a Year

Title: Secrets in the Attic

Author: Damian Serbu

Challenges: Horror & Urban Fantasy, 100 Books in a Year

Title: Absolutely, Positively

Author: Heather Webber

Challenges: Mystery & Suspense, Cozy Mystery, 100 Books in a Year

Title: The Paradise Prophecy

Author: Robert Browne

Challenges: Horror & Urban Fantasy, International, 100 Books in a Year

Title: The Haunted

Author: Jessica Verday

Challenges: Horror & Urban Fantasy, 100 Books in a Year

Title: OtherWorlds

Author: Thomas Kidd

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Falling for Hamlet

Author: Michelle Ray

Challenges: Debut Author, YA Contemporary, 100 Books in a Year

Title: Fire

Author: Robin McKinley & Peter Dickenson

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Saturday, July 30, 2011

In My Mailbox 7/24-7/30

For review (on bookloons.com):

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Won:

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

Original Sin by Beth McMullen

Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright

Ordered from Paperbackswap:

In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

The Help

Title: The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Publisher: Amy Einhorn
ISBN: 9780399155345
Why Read?: Book Club
Challenges: Borrowed Books, Books to Movies, Vacation Reads, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: Everyone has been talking about The Help, I can see why. This novel is phenomenal, and I cannot wait to see the movie next month (I will add a review of it to this for the Books to Movies Challenge). Stockett presents a tough topic is a charming manner, excellently capturing the voices of all three of her protagonists. This is the type of book that just begs to be discussed, making it an excellent book club pick.
Rating: 5 stars

Books to Movies Challenge: The Help movie was definitely worth it. Yes, some things had to be changed so that it could work in a movie storyline, but all that was to be loved was still there. I am so glad that Hilly's mother had a larger role - she totally cracked me up.

Vacation Reads Challenge: 1960s Mississippi is so far removed from the way that I grew up that I would love to travel back in time and down South to really experience it.

A Touch of Dead

Title: A Touch of Dead
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Ace
ISBN: 978-0-441-01783-6
Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: Horror & Urban Fantasy, iChallenge, Vampire, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: Despite their popularity, I have never read any of Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels. However, I have read some of her short stories featuring Sookie and find that they are laced with humor, making for fun reads. A Touch of Dead compiles all 5 shorts (as of 2009) - "Fairy Dust", "Dracula Night", "One Word Answer", "Lucky", and "Gift Wrapped". I have read the last three before, but this was my first time reading the first two. I enjoyed all of them immensely, but "Lucky" was by far my favorite for the excellent story and twists. The one thing you get reading these stories in A Touch of Dead rather than in the anthologies they originally appeared in is run full-page illustrations before each story that are a delight.
Rating: 5 stars

Saturday, July 23, 2011

In My Mailbox 7/17-7/23

For review (on bookloons.com):

The Magician King by Lev Grossman

Won:

Summer Breeze by Hannah Downing, Carol Oates, Susan Kaye Quinn, Nicki Elson, Sarah Glover, Jennifer Lane, & Killian McRae

Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard by Belinda Roberts

A Very Gothic Christmas by Christine Feehan & Melanie George

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

Island by Richard Laymon

Ordered from Paperbackswap:

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield

Bought at Borders:

Nightschool: The Weirn Books Vol. 1 by Svetlana Chmakova

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Into the Dark

Title: Into the Dark
Author: Gena Showalter
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 978-0-373-77451-7
Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: Horror & Urban Fantasy, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: I have never read any of Gena Showalter's novels, but I always find that short stories are a good place to start in helping me determine if I would like the longer works or not. Into the Dark contained three shorts, "The Darkest Fire", "The Amazon's Curse", and "The Darkest Prison". Of the three, I liked "The Amazon's Curse" the best, which was the one that was not a Lords of the Underworld story. What I did enjoy more than the stories, was the bonus material which comprised almost half the book. Although I have not read the series and do not know the characters, the "interviews" with the Lords of the Underworld were great - William completely cracked me up.
Rating: 3 stars

Saturday, July 16, 2011

In My Mailbox 7/10-7/16

For review elsewhere (bookloons.com):

The Magician King by Lev Grossman

Won:

The Taker by Alma Katsu

Pillow Talk by Freya North

Nightmare at Camp Forrestwood by Kelli Sue Landon

Vampyre Kisses by Elizabeth J. Kolodziej

Werewolf Descent by Elizabeth J. Kolodziej

The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette by Carolly Erickson

The Last Wife of Henry VIII by Carolly Erickson

Early Review from LibraryThing:

Q by Evan Mandery

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich

I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells

From Paperbackswap:

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

In My Mailbox 7/3-7/9

For possible review elsewhere:

Falling for Hamlet by Michelle Ray

Pirates of the Levant by Arturo Perez-Reverte

The Last Four Things by Paul Hoffman

Won:

Silas Marner by George Elliot

Irish the Demon Slayer by C. T. Markee

From Paperbackswap:

The Poisoned Crown by Amanda Hemingway

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

In My Mailbox: Summer Book Exchange

This summer, I participated in Ruby Reads' Summer Book Exchange. My sender was Pam who was overly generous and not only sent me a wonderful copy of Holes by Louis Sachar (the 10th Anniversary Edition which is really cool), she also sent the most adorable penguin book band bookmark (unfortunately, my scanner isn't working so I can't show what it looks like). Thank you so much, Pam!

Friday, July 8, 2011

Freedom WINNER!

Random.org has spoken and a big congrats go out to...

Erin L.!

An email has been sent. Winner has 48 hrs to respond before a new winner is chosen.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

In My Mailbox 6/26-7/2

For possible review elsewhere:

The Marks of Cain by Tom Knox

Won:

The Grief of Others by Leah Hager Cohen

Flowerbed of State by Dorothy St. James

The Mark by M. R. Bunderson

Cut by Patricia McCormick

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

Unspeakable by Sandra Brown

Spider by Patrick McGrath

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Freedom Giveaway Hop

Light the fireworks and get ready for another giveaway hop! Last hop, I offered 3 ARC grab bags of 3 used ARCs (may be books that came out within the last year or books that came out within the last decade), and the YA one went off to a good home. However, I still have the MG and Adult ones left, so that is what I will be offering! You can choose MG or Adult, but the books will be a surprise.

To enter:

Fill out the Form.

Extra entries for following on GFC or Goodreads.

Don't forget to check out the other great giveaways: