Reading Challenges Update - September

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

Graphic Novels (3/3) - COMPLETED!

3. Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery by Graphic Classics

100 Books in a Year (94/100)

83. Honolulu by Alan Brennert

84. Impeding Justice by Mel Comley

85. City of Thieves by David Benioff

86. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

87. Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

88. Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery by Graphic Classics

89. Gandhi by Kazuni Ebine

90. Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet by Kirk Scroggs

91. Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle

92. The Buddha at Culver by Richard Gwyn Davies

93. Freshman by Corinne Mucha

94. The Magician King by Lev Grossman

Young Adult Contemporary (12/13)

11. Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle

12. Freshman by Corinne Mucha

Chick Lit (3/8)

3. Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

Eastern European (1/4)

1. City of Thieves by David Benioff

Horror & Urban Fantasy (18/24)

17. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

18. Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery by Graphic Classics

Classics (3/5)

3. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washinton Irving

Show Me the Free (3/12)

3. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

Vacation Reads (6/6) - COMPLETED!

6. Honolulu by Alan Brennert

Elsewhere Online: September 2011

As you may have guessed from my In My Mailbox 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: Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

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

Title: Gandhi

Author: Kazuki Ebine

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet

Author: Kirk Scroggs

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Reasons to Be Happy

Author: Katrina Kittle

Challenges: Young Adult Contemporary, 100 Books in a Year

Title: The Buddha at Culver

Author: Richard Gwyn Davies

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Title: Freshman

Author: Corinne Mucha

Challenges: Young Adult Contemporary, 100 Books in a Year

Title: The Magician King

Author: Lev Grossman

Challenges: 100 Books in a Year

Bond Girl

Title: Bond Girl

Author: Erin Duffy
Publisher: William Morrow
ISBN: 978-0-06-206589-6
Why Read?: Book Reporter
Challenges: Chick Lit, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: It is hard not to try to categorize Bond Girl with The Devil Wears Prada, but it really is such a better story. Duffy's writing is hip and fresh and creates a fresh, youthful "new adult" chick lit novel. And surprisingly, especially for this genre, Bond Girl is rather informative about the way Wall Street works, which just gives it a highly realistic edge.
Rating: 5 stars

In My Mailbox 9/18-9/24

For possible review (on bookloons.com):

Conquer the Dark by L. A. Banks

Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep

Down These Strange Streets edited by George R. R. Martin & Gardner Dozois

The Death Cure by James Dashner

Won:

The Last Seal by Richard Denning

All These Things I've Done (audiobook) by Gabrielle Zevon

The Half Life (audiobook) by Jennifer Weiner

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons

Step on a Crack by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

In My Mailbox 9/11-9/17

For review (on Bookloons and Bitten by Books):

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

The End of the World Club by J & P Voelkel

Won:

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

Chasing Lilacs by Carla Stewart

Swaps on Swap-Bot:

The Midnight Club by Christopher Pike

Requested from Paperbackswap:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Cup of the World by John Dickinson

This fun weekly meme comes from The Story Siren.

All images come from Goodreads.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Title: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Author: Washington Irving
Publisher: eBook
ISBN: n/a
Why Read?: Book Club
Challenges: Horror & Urban Fantasy, Classics, Show Me the Free, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: I was excited when my book club picked this because I am directing a play version right now. I have to say, I was rather disappointed. As there is no dialogue and Irving goes into such detail about everything, which is too much for a novella, the story drags and seems like nothing but exposition. The climax was lost in excess description.
Rating: 2 stars

City of Thieves

Title: City of Thieves

Author: David Benioff
Publisher: Plume
ISBN: 978-0-452-29529-2
Why Read?: For Fun
Challenges: Eastern European, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: I really had no clue what I would think of this book when I started, but I ended up loving it (despite the one chapter where I had to put the book down and give my dog a ton of hugs and kisses). Benioff writes a wonderful period piece with an amazing mixture of humor and raw emotion. Definitely a must-read.
Rating: 5 stars