Reading Challenges Update: November 2014

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

Audio Book (20/25)
19. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by David Eggers
20. Junky by William S. Burroughs

100 Books in a Year (94/100)
88. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by David Eggers
89. Dragonbait by David McLain
90. The Animal Story Book by Andrew Lang
91. Junky by William S. Burroughs
92. Lark Rising by Sandra Waugh
93. Sets, Lights & Lunacy by Lloyd Burlingame
94. Find Me I'm Your by Hilary Carlip

Author Alphabet (21/26)
21. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by David Eggers

Elsewhere Online: November 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: Lark Rising
Author: Sandra Waugh

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Sets, Light, Lunacy

Author: Lloyd Burlingame

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Find Me I'm Yours

Author: Hilary Carlip

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Stacking the Shelves: 11/16-11/22

For possible review (on Bookloons):

Nature's Confession by J. L. Morin

Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

Now That You're Here by Amy K. Nichols

Renegade by Anthony John

First Reads from Goodreads:

Moral Order by Phil Pauley

The Rocking Horse by Karrie Loomis

Bought on Humble Bundle:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Divide and Conquer by Carrie Ryan

Wild Born by Brandon Mull

A Mutiny in Time by James Dashner

Revenge of the Living Dummy by R. L. Stine

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

The Scream of the Haunted Mask by R. L. Stine

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

One False Note by Gordon Korman

Junky

Title: Junky
Author: William S. Burroughs

Publisher: Recorded Books
ISBN: n/a

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

Thoughts: This semi-autobiographical narrative was a very interesting read for the fact that it deals in depth with drug culture in a time that I was not even aware there was one.  I also had absolutely no clue that Burroughs was from St. Louis.

Rating: 4 stars

The Animal Story Book

Title: The Animal Story Book
Author: Andrew Lang

Publisher: Dover0-486-42187-2
ISBN: 0-486-42187-2

Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: Lang is known for compiling the Rainbow Fairy books, and that is what I expected this volume to be like, but all stories involving animals.  Well, all the stories do involve animals, but most are true stories or even zoological observations.  Interesting, but many were too sad or too dry for me.

Rating: 2 stars

Stacking the Shelves: 11/9-11/15

First Reads from Goodreads:

A Trial in Lafayette County by Phillip D. Payne

The Day Human Prince by B. Kristin McMichael

LibraryThing Early Review:

Arkadium Rising by Glen Krisch

Dragonbait

Title: Dragonbait
Author: David McLain

Publisher: Wayman
ISBN: 978-0-9897850-0-6

Why Read?: Early Review
Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: If you love some fun with your fairytale fantasies, this is a must!  McLain's story is cute and funny and a very enjoyable read.

Rating: 5 stars

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

Title: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
Author: David Eggers

Publisher: Recorded Books
ISBN: 978-0-06-232807-6

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

Thoughts: The title of this memoir with fictionalized parts can seem misleading until you get to know the narrator who is given to hyperbole.  This is actually a very entertaining listen which surprised me.

Rating: 4 stars

Stacking the Shelves: 11/2-11/8

For possible review (here and on Bookloons):

Herald of the Flame by Sylvia Engdahl

Radiant by Karina Sumner-Smith

Stories of the Raksura by Martha Wells

Waterfall by Lauren Kate

A Courtship for Cecilia by Ruth J. Hartman

First Reads from Goodreads:

Rasputin by Frances Welch

How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon

Tantric Coconuts by Greg Kincaid

Stacking the Shelves: 10/26-11/1

For possible review (on Bookloons):

Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath

First Reads from Goodreads:

The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin

LibraryThing Early Review:

The Relief Fisher by Steve Lookner