Reading Challenges Update: July 2014

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

Audio Book (12/25)
11. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
12. The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

100 Books in a Year (63/100)
60. The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
61. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
62. The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain
63. Blood of the Lamb by Sam Cabot

Historical Fiction (8/15)
8. The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

European (2/3)
2. Blood of the Lamb by Sam Cabot

Free Reads (26/30)
24. The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
25. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
26. The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

Author Alphabet (17/26)
16. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
17. The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

Elsewhere Online: July 2014

As you know from my Stacking the Shelves posts, I review for another website (bookloons.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: Blood of the Lamb
Author: Sam Cabot

Challenges: European, 100 Books in a Year

The Prince and the Pauper

Title: The Prince and the Pauper
Author: Mark Twain

Publisher: Blackstone Audio
ISBN: 9781441795991

Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: Audio Book, Historical Fiction, Free Reads, Author Alphabet, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts:  I think I just did not like the style, or maybe it is because I knew the concept of the story, but I had a very hard time pay attention to this one even though I liked the narrator's voice and he did an great job narrating.  I tried reading it when I was younger, and could not get into it then, either.

Rating: 2 stars

Stacking the Shelves: 7/20-7/26

For possible review (on Bookloons):

The Purity of Vengeance by Jussi Alder-Olsen

Requested from Paperback Swap:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Silken Prey by John Sandford

Bought at Barnes & Noble:

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Stacking the Shelves: 7/13-7/19

For possible review (on Bookloons):

The Fire Wish by Amber Lough

The Year of Chasing Dreams by Lurlene McDaniel

Visions by Kelley Armstrong

Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little

First Reads from Goodreads:

Zandra's Journey by Darron Contryman

Requested from Paperback Swap:

Look What God Is Doing! by Dick Eastman

Stacking the Shelves: 7/6-7/12

For possible review (on Bookloons):

The Graveyard Book Volume 1 by  Neil Gaiman & P. Craig Russell

Extremities by David Lubar

Won:

Variant by Robinson Wells

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Havoc by Jeff Sampson

Bought on Amazon:

The Chill of Night by James Hayman

Cold Sacrifice by Leigh Russell

The False Prince

Title: The False Prince
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen

Publisher: Scholastic Audio
ISBN: 978054577222

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

Thoughts:  While, as usual, I was able to pick out the twist almost from the start, I loved this.  The intrigue makes for a highly entertaining listen, and Sage's personality keeps the reader coming back.

Rating: 5 stars

Stacking the Shelves: 6/29-7/5

For possible review (on Bookloons):

The Heart Does Not Grow Back by Fred Venturini

Skin of the Wolf by Sam Cabot

Bought on Amazon:

Nothing Real Vol. 2 by Claire Needell

The Emperor's Soul

Title: The Emperor's Soul
Author: Brandon Sanderson

Publisher: Tachyon
ISBN: 978-1-61696-092-6

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

Thoughts:  This is a perfect novella.  The characters are all complete, the story is well-paced, and the end is satisfying but really makes you think. 

Rating: 5 stars