Reading Challenged

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Stacking the Shelves: 12/7-12/13

For possible review:

Silk by Chris Karlsen

First Reads from Goodreads:

Unhinge Me by Ann Montgomery

A Courtship for Cecilia

A Courtship for Cecilia

by Ruth J. Hartman

published by esKape

2014

ISBN n/a

Why read? Review

Challenges: Historical Fiction, 100 Books in a Year

Ruth J. Hartman’s Love Birds series is a lot of fun, and A Courtship for Cecilia is a great addition. We first met Cecilia in the previous book, An Unwanted Earl, and I was hoping she would get her own story – and she does!

After her father’s accident, Cecilia’s family is moved onto her half-brother’s estate so her father can become the new steward. Life is pretty good there for Cecilia but becomes even better when her half-brother, Conrad, suggests sponsoring her in a come-out. Her mother objects, but her father stands behind her heartily, even when he realizes she must take an assumed name to hide her humble background. The first gentlemen she meets, Barrington Radcliff, is immediately taken with her, and her with him. Barrington, however, has been lied to in the past, and is having difficulty learning to trust. What will happen when he learns Cecilia’s secret?

Cecilia is a very accessible protagonist, which makes her a lot of fun to get to know. Barrington is a nice guy, too, but his uncle Percy is the one who is the most fun. I really wish Hartman included him even more than she did – eccentric elderly relatives seem to be her forte. The build-up throughout the story leading to Barrignton discovering Cecilia’s secret was great, but the second to last chapter did not flow as well into the last, and the last chapter seemed rather rushed and too easily wrapped up in a nice neat bow. However, the rest of the story was a great read with plenty of humor and perfect pacing.

A Courtship for Cecilia is a fun addition to the Love Birds series. I am not sure if Ruth Hartman is planning this to be more than a trilogy, but whatever she writes next, I will eagerly devour.

Rating 4/5

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Stacking the Shelves: 11/23-12/6

For possible review (here and on Bookloons):

Since You've Been Gone by Mary Jennifer Payne

Moth and Spark by Anne Leonard

Little White Lies by Katie Dale

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

LibraryThing Early Review:

The Therions by Esme Autums

First Love by Denise Daniella Darcy

Requested from Paperback Swap:

Lincoln's Melancholy by Joshua Wolf Shenk

Received in Book Riot Quarterly:

Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi

No Normal by G. Willow Wilson & Adrian Alphona

Bought on Amazon:

Stonehill Downs by Sarah Remy

Happily Never After by Jack Heckel

Demon's Fury by Jocelynn Drake

Demon's Vow by Jocelynn Drake

Inner Demon by Jocelynn Drake

Blood Meridian

Title: Blood Meridian, or The Evening Redness in the West
Author: Cormac McCarthy

Publisher: Recorded Books
ISBN: n/a

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

Thoughts: The name says it all - blood. That is pretty much want every minute of this book is filled with. I am going to assume it does has some modicum of historical accuracy, and if so, I am glad that I was not around during the establishing of the West. I will say thought that Richard Poe is an excellent narrator and the only reason I finished a book that I could not figure out the plot of.

Rating: 2 stars

Sunday, November 30, 2014

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