Reading Challenged: May 2013

Friday, May 31, 2013

Reading Challenge Update: May 2013

Here is where I stand with the challenges I have joined after the month of May (only challenges that I read books for this month are featured here):

Audio Book (5/12)
5. Cold Colors by Neil Gaiman

100 Books in a Year (55/100)
49. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
50. 24 Bones by Michael F. Stewart
51. The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer by Lisa Orchard
52. Cold Colors by Neil Gaiman
53. City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte
54. Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris
55. Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris

Sophomore (3/10)
3. Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris

European (2/2) - COMPLETED!
2. City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte

British Books (5/12)
5. Cold Colors by Neil Gaiman

Free Reads (13/15)
12. The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer by Lisa Orchard
13. Cold Colors by Neil Gaiman

Elsewhere Online: May 2013

As you know from my Stacking the Shelves posts, I review for two 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: City of Dark Magic
Author: Magnus Flyte

Challenges: European, 100 Books in a Year

Title: Unraveling

Author: Elizabeth Norris

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Unbreakable

Author: Elizabeth Norris

Challenges: Sophomore, 100 Books in a Year

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Stacking the Shelves: 5/19-5/25

Downloaded from Audible:

Cold Colors by Neil Gaiman

Shoggoth's Old Peculiar by Neil Gaiman

Friday, May 24, 2013

Cold Colors

Title: Cold Colors
Author: Neil Gaiman

Publisher: Harper Audio
ISBN: n/a

Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: Audio Book, British Books, Free Reads, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: This is a very bizarre short story. Gaiman imagines a world where technology has grown beyond its station becoming commerce and religion. And pigeons play a very interesting part. I listened to the audio version narrated by Gaiman himself, which was a treat.

Rating: 4 stars

The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer

Title: The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer
Author: Lisa Orchard

Publisher: Astraea
ISBN: 978-1-62135-016-3

Why Read?: Book Club
Challenges: Free Reads, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: This reminded me of the mysteries I used to read when I was younger, but updated for today's younger adults. The mystery was perfect, and Orchard's writing was excellent. The only part that confused me was when exactly this took place over the summer and over how long it took place, because in some spots it seems fast, but then they would talk like it had been weeks.

Rating: 4 stars

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Stacking the Shelves: 5/12-5/18

For possible review (here and on Bookloons):

Warpworld by Kristene Perron & Joshua Simpson

The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

Lexicon by Max Barry

Won:

The Black Stiletto by Raymond Benson

Black & White by Raymond Benson

Stars & Stripes by Raymond Benson

Friday, May 17, 2013

24 Bones

by Michael F. Stewart

published by author

2013

No ISBN

Why Read?: Review

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Michael F. Stewart bring ancient Egyptian religion to the present in 24 Bones, creating a wild and thrilling ride of secret cults and powerful magic.

It has been years since David was sent from Egypt as a small child, leaving behind his father’s religious sect, the Shemsu Hor, and the Sisters of Isis who raised him. Now he is back to translate a prophecy about the spine of Osiris, which consist of twenty-four vertebrae guarded by the Shemsu Hor, the Shemsu Seth, and the Sisters of Isis. However, the Shemsu Seth have been killing the Shemsu Hor in order to obtain their pieces of the spine. One of these Shemsu Seth members is Sam, who had a brief encounter with David as a young girl. Little do David or Sam know how important they are to the struggle between light and dark.

Stewart presents a lot of intrigue and action in 24 Bones, which is what keeps the story moving. Unfortunately, there are some parts that are rather confusing, which can slow the pace. The twist in the story, though, is excellent and definitely worth the read.

Fans of ancient Egypt and modern intrigue will enjoy 24 Bones. Michael F. Stewart has talent for this sort of story which will develop over time.

Rating 3/5

Sunday, May 12, 2013

The Glass Castle

Title: The Glass Castle
Author: Jeannette Walls

Publisher: Scribner
ISBN: 978-0-7432-4754-2

Why Read?: Book Club
Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: Walls's childhood is quite frankly unbelievable . Hers is a story that will tug at your heart-strings and make you cheer for her every step of the way. The whole time I was reading it, I kept wondering if her life would have been different is she grew up now instead of when she did.

Rating: 5 stars