Thursday, July 31, 2014

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

Saturday, July 26, 2014

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

Saturday, July 19, 2014

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

Saturday, July 12, 2014

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

Thursday, July 10, 2014

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

Saturday, July 5, 2014

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