Bout of Books Read-a-thon 6.0: My Goals!

Well, this is pretty last minute (but isn't everything?) but here we go anyway! I've signed up for the Bout of Books Read-a-thon 6.0 after seeing a post for it over on Ramblings of a Daydreamer. (Thanks, Marie!) In this post I'll be sharing my goals for the read-a-thon, the books I hope to get read and my updates. I've been down with a cold and need to take it easy anyway, so this should actually work out rather well for me.

Official Blurb: 

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 6.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. -From the Bout of Books 6.0 team

My Goals For This Week: 

1. Read at least three books. Yeah, I know it's a weak number. I know I'm listing more then that. But I've been (and still am) under the weather so I don't want to really push myself too hard. Ideally I'd like to read 5 books, but we'll see how life interferes and how I'm feeling. 

2. Visit and comment on at least 5 blogs per day. This number may seem small, but it focuses on actually commenting. The reason it's tiny is that when I comment on a blog it's to actually say something. "Nice review" or "Cool books" doesn't actually mean anything; I like to open a conversation. I'm sure I'll be reading posts from a much larger number of people, and as always this is a minimum. 

3. Take part in at least one Twitter party, and update my twitter with thoughts or quotes relating to my chosen books. (These may or may not come from GoodReads. I still haven't gotten totally use to it after almost two years. Eh.) 

4. Take part in at least three challenges. This will likely have a lot to do with what time they are on at and what they entail. Challenges are one of the things I love best about online read-a-thons. They kinda serve as a way to take a pause from the reading for a few minutes, which can be useful. 

My Reading List: 

GoodReads

GoodReads

GoodReads

GoodReads

GoodReads

GoodReads

GoodReads

GoodReads

GoodReads

From My January TBR: 

-- The Mephisto Kiss by Trinity Faegen (448 pgs.)

-- A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger (298 pgs.)

-- Falling For You by Lisa Schroeder (368 pgs.)

-- Through The Ever Night by Veronica Rossi (352 pgs.)

-- Tempted By Your Touch by Jen Holling (400 pgs.)

-- Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (368 pgs.) 

Bonus Books: 

-- Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally (288 pgs.)

-- The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines (288 pgs.) 

-- Thumped by Megan McCafferty (304 pgs.)

Total Pages For Everything: 3,104

What's The Difference?: 

January TBR books are things I already had planned to read this month. These are my main focus and I'd love to zip through a bunch of them. 

Bonus Books are things I've wanted to read for a while that did not make this month's TBR. But since this is a read-a-thon and my mood has to be taken into account, these seem like they should be safe to fall back on if something on the main list isn't working for me. 

Update Schedule: 

Monday's Updates:

What I'm Reading: The Mephisto Kiss by Trinity Faegen 

My Thoughts So Far: This book is awesome! I really liked the first one, but felt that there were some things about it that could have been better. The Mephisto Kiss addresses my every issue with The Mephisto Covenant. The plot, characters and overall story are just way more my thing this time around. I'm glad that I decided to keep going with this series and am dying to see how this book will end. 

Monday's Page Count: 366 pages / 448 pages

Monday's Challenge(s):

Scientific Discovery
Hosted by: The Book Barbies

Challenge Info:

You have made a scientific discovery (who knew you were so good at science?!) on how to bring fictional characters to life. The problem? The method still isn't *perfect,* so you can only bring two people to life, and they must return to the land of fiction in 30 days. Who will you choose as your bestie and your love interest for that one splendid month? (Feel free to add pictures if you like, but they are not necessary.)

My Best Friend Would Be...

...Katy from Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Why not? She's bright, she loves books, she obviously has great taste in guys (and the common sense not to just randomly go zomg and start chasing one blindly...), she is adventurous, courageous and loyal... Yet any good quality is in a proportion that is real and honest and human. I guess I'd need to hide my physical copies of Obsidian and Onyx, though, or she might really freak out and wonder what on earth had actually happened.

My Boyfriend Would Be...

...Cas from Anna Dressed In Blood. I think what I said about him in my review sums it up well:

"Cas has one of the most fun, readable and refreshing voices I've come across this year. He sounds real. Like someone I would actually want to sit down and have a conversation with. Like one of my gaming buddies, or my brothers or any of the many great guys I've known. His humor, courage insight, compassion and (yet again) realness allowed him to draw me in like a magnet. There is something extremely refreshing and honest about reading a story from Cas point of view..."

Benefits of picking Cas would likely include: (1) He probably wouldn't freak out about being pulled from a book. (With all he's seen? Yeah, right!) (2) Because of what I said in my review quote, he'd likely fit in well around here (the sense of humor, the honesty, etc. are major important.) and (3) Considering the Cas x Anna interest, Cas x someone from a 'non-book' world doesn't seem all that far fetched. *laughs* 

Did you take part in the Scientific Discovery Challenge? I'd love to see your picks, so feel free to link me! 

Tuesday's Updates:

What I'm Reading: The Mephisto Kiss (finished), The Vincent Boys (finished) 

My Thoughts So Far: The Mephisto Kiss was totally awesome and my review is already up. As for The Vincent Boys, I did ultimately enjoy it but it was a pretty emotional read for me which caused it to take longer then it should have. I hope to have my review up on Friday. 

Tuesday's Page Count: 370 pages. (367-448 of The Mephisto Kiss, and 288 for The Vincent Boys.) 

Tuesday's Challenge(s):

Cover Love
Hosted by: Ms. Buff

Challenge Info:

The goal of this challenge is to share our favorite cover(s) and / or ones we find funny.

I'm going to stick with covers I love, because covers that don't work for me tend to be quickly forgotten. I think I'll go with listing three books I haven't read yet and why their covers compel me to do so.

There is so much that I love about the cover for Meant To Be. The fact that the characters themselves look very real, and that they are dressed in this style that is semi-dressed up / semi-casual makes me think of the fact that Julia is suppose to be very put together where Jason is suppose to be fun-loving and a bit of a joker. The grass grounds them to reality, since this is a contemporary novel, while the backdrop of London, with all the prism colors that make it look more like its from an abstract painting then a real backdrop, match the whimsy of the writing found on the back cover, the idea that this is a love story and there may well be a bit of idealism and romance in here. Finish this with writing for the title that is clear and strong, yet also casual and 'real', rather then stylized or scripted, and I am truly intrigued.

The most powerful thing about the cover for The Art Of Wishing is the blending of fantasy and reality. As you start looking at the cover from the bottom, you see a girl and a boy lying together, their feet touching, and a guitar beside them. They look pretty tranquil and relaxed. But as your eyes scroll up you realize the bed is floating in the sky, full of puffy clouds and--even more interesting, and I'm dying to know if it ties to the story--divided between night and day. The faunt, which looks like it could be frosting or clouds with its thick swirling font, enhances the effect. This all ties into the way the back blurb is done--it feels like 1/2 contemporary issues, like getting into a play and absentee parents, and 1/2 paranormal--only Margo can save this genie, Oliver? Well, I'm dying to see how and to learn the mythology of this story. (Can you tell I'm big on covers and blurbs working together?) I'd never heard of this three weeks ago, but one peek at the cover and blurb have made it my most anticipated book of 2013.

It's not very often that a cover like this catches my attention, but the more I look at the cover for Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea, the more I love it. The swirling font makes me think of smoke or mist, as though the actual mist on the cover has conspired to solidify and allow the letters to form. The subtle imagery behind the lettering--the girl and guy on a cliff, the texture of the water and the rocks, the fact that its all done in shades of gray--totally fit the kind of mood that the back blurb is trying to bring forth. And the fact that the word devil is done in red, drawing the eye immediately to it, is both visually striking and plays on a subconscious imagery filter that many of us have: think of how often a monster under the bed has red eyes? Red means "Stop!" when we travel a road. Dark Jedi wield red lightsabers and magic in a lot of old movies is depicted in red for villains. Red is naturally a passionate, intense and potentially aggressive color and it's played to great and sinister effect here.

So, now that I've shown you some of my favorite covers, I'd love to see yours! Link up to your post for this challenge, or link to the cover(s) you love and I'll gladly take a look. 

Wednesday's Updates:

What I'm Reading: Shadow And Bone by Leigh Bardugo.

My Thoughts So Far: I'm totally loving this book, but I just reached a part where I'm totally screaming "No!" and want to rip my own hair out. Excuse me while I take a moment to be Mordichai from Borderlands and scream "WHY?!" like he does when a party member is downed. I feel BETRAYED. Grrr!!! 

Wednesday's Page Count: 244 pages. I took too long reading The Vincent Boys yesterday and it cut into my start today. Still, having a blast with this and I did the twitter chat and visited my grandma so it's alright. :) 

Wednesday's Challenge(s): 

The Page 48 Challenge
Hosted by: Booking In Heels

Challenge Info: 

Here's how to join in:

1. Turn to page 48 of your current book, or 48% if you're using an e-reader.

2. Take the first complete sentence on that page and copy it.

3. Now you're going to continue the story! Ignoring the real plot or anything else you know about that book, add four new sentences of your very own. You can morph the plot completely, kill everybody off or go off on a huge tangent - anything goes!

I would find the link for this just as I'm starting a new book! Ah well, let's do it anyway. :) Here's the first full sentence from pg. 48 of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. What will I do with this...? *ponders*

"So you didn't see where the light was coming from?" Raevsky asked. 

I stared at him in shock, still holding the key I had stolen between my sweaty palm and my chest. A sick feeling coated my stomach as I took in his hallowed eyes and skin grayed with dirt. I tried not to gag at the sour smell of him.

"Raevsky..." I feared the word would be lodged forever in my throat, but it came out as a weak croak instead. "There is no light."

At last I had said it. But now I could not let him catch me. Not now, when he knew I knew the truth.

So I did the only thing left to do: I turned and ran.

Thursday's Updates: 

What I'm Reading: 

My Thoughts So Far: 

Thursday's Page Count: 

Thursday's Challenge(s): 

Friday's Updates: 

What I'm Reading:

My Thoughts So Far: 

Friday's Page Count: 

Friday's Challenge(s):

Saturday's Updates: 

What I'm Reading: 

My Thoughts So Far: 

Saturday's Page Count: 

Saturday's Challenge(s): 

Sunday's Updates: 

What I'm Reading: 

My Thoughts So Far: 

Sunday's Page Count: 

Sunday's Challenge(s): 

Summing It All Up: 

Number of Books Started: 

Number of Books Read: 

Number of Pages Read: 

Favorite Book Read: 

My Thoughts On Bout of Books 6.0: 

So, are you taking part in Bout of Books 6.0? Have you read (and want to recommend) any of the books on my list? Is there a book here you'd especially like to see read and reviewed? Feel free to leave a comment about this or anything else. I love talking books with fellow readers! 

Review: Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

I've wanted to read this for ages, and after I saw the trailer for the book, that went from "I really want to read that book." to "I am downloading it to my kindle and reading it NOW." You see, Under the Never Sky and I have a little history, and I wanted to make sure that was not going to interfere with my views on the book when I read it. Waiting seemed like the most classy way to address that.

Well let me tell you, my initial thoughts about the book were dead on. It was an absolute joy to read and I loved it. Veronica Rossi has written an extremely compelling story with characters I adored and a world that I eagerly look forward to visiting again.

But enough preamble, let's get to the goods, shall we?

The Plot: (Summary from GoodReads)

Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

I loved the way that the two cultures in this book -- those who inside domed cities and those who survived outside, dealing with Aether storms, food shortages, etc. are handled. The problems each society faced made sense for their circumstances and felt very real, and the customs, values and ideals of each society seemed to be well thought out, too. Neither was shown to be better then the other; both had their own quirks that made me understand why someone would want to live there (under the circumstances the book is set in) and I could understand why characters would wish for something else.

I love how we got to see each character in their natural environment before they were both thrown into the full forward adventure they were meant to undertake in this book. It helped tremendously in the building I just talked about and it showed what each character had to lose -- and to gain -- by ending up traveling together.

I also really liked how slowly the characters trust in each other built, and how characters could change how they were thinking throughout the story, both for the good and for the bad. It made me really question "What does this person really want? Really mean?" etc. which is important. If a reader is considering what's going on and is thinking about it, you've succeeded in making them a participant in the story, they are actually taking part. This is always a huge plus.

The last thing I will say is that I like how the overall mood and tension of the book shifted as characters came and went. The tension between Perry and his brother v.s. the joy between Perry and Talon; the behavior of those Aria lived with v.s. the way that she and Perry's attitudes changed toward each other. People were often just as, or even more, dangerous then the environment. And they were not above trying to fool me into thinking otherwise.

The Characters: 

Aria was a heroine I quickly came to admire. Her quest, to find her mother, is noble. Despite being niave and afraid she meets each challenge she faces throughout the story head on and to the best of her ability. While she has faults, such as her prejudice against the outsiders, she is willing to admit (if through actions rather then words) that she is wrong and to take any necessary actions to make that right. 

Perry is a fantastic hero and I totally loved him. I liked how much he wanted to take care of everybody and how, despite how much he discredited himself, his actions spoke of someone else entirely that he just didn't seem to see in himself. As well as being compassionate (to his own, at least!) he was also decisive, thoughtful, brave and kind. I think that Veronica Rossi was really walking a fine line trying to show both the feral nature of being an outsider and showing that Perry was a decent and honourable man, and I think she really succeeded with this. 

Roar was hilarious and instantly likable. I think that the timing used to bring him in was clever and he was one of the characters who could change the entire dynamic of a scene just by being in it. 

The Romance: 

I love the fact that the romance was, in its way, a journey that paralleled the journey the characters took physically. While they were wandering father from their homes and letting go of the ideas they had been raised with, they were also equally journeying toward one another. The romance in Under the Never Sky was satisfying and interesting, but it was never rushed. Between the prejudices between the various people living 'under the never sky', the ideals of each society and the situation the characters found themselves in, I think the romance highlighted many of the book's strongest and most interesting themes and that they, in turn, enriched the love story. 

In General: 

Under the Never Sky did not just meet my expectations, it totally exceeded them. Adventure, romance, memorable characters -- at times touching, terrifying or even funny -- what more could you possibly want? If you've been waiting to read this book like I was, wait no longer. 

In My Mailbox (Apr. 1st)

In My Mailbox is a weekly feature created by Kristi at The Story Siren where bloggers get together to share the lovely books we received, bought or borrowed. Curious what I've been up to? Scroll down for a peek at some of the lovely things I've had arrive.

So, how's everyone been? Yes, if you hadn't noticed the increased activity in the past week, you can take this as confirmation that I am still here, and I Write, I Read, I Review does still exist. I've been many things: sick, busy, half insane from editing, and very fortunate to have both received and purchased some very awesome books. For the most part, let's stick to the last one. :)

First off, what do you think of the new IMM banner? I'm not a genius with art programs, but I've noticed a lot of people have their own unique ones, so I finally sat down and gave that a shot. I think its cute and suits the (increasingly nice) spring weather. Next job: finding a background that I like as much as my winter one. That'll be tough.

But enough about me or the actual blog. Let's get to the books...

For Review:

Entangled
by Nikki Jefford

Twin witches Graylee and Charlene Perez agree on one rule: No dating warlocks.

Not so easy when a certain rogue warlock is convinced he and Graylee belong together and will use anything, including magic, to try and impress Gray. When Charlene’s boyfriend dumps her, she threatens to kill either herself or the girl who stole Blake. Somehow, Gray ends up dead.

A Resurrection Spell Gone Wrong:

Two months after dying, Gray wakes up in Charlene’s body. As a witch, can anyone blame her mother for attempting to bring her daughter back to life? Only now Gray’s stuck sharing her sister’s body 50/50 in twenty-four hour shifts.

The race is on for Gray to find a way back inside her own body before Charlene purges her from existence. Raj McKenna is rumored to meddle in the black arts, not to mention he’s after Gray’s invisibility spell and worse – her heart. But Raj might be the only one powerful enough to save Gray from fading away forever.

I got this request about a week ago and I just knew I had to read it. I haven't read anything that went quite like this before, but I know I like stories involving magic and love so hopefully it will be right up my alley. If all goes well, I should get to it and have a review out soon. 

BZRK

by Michael Grant

Time is running out for the good guys. But what happens when you don’t know who the good guys really are?

Noah and Sadie: newly initiated into an underground cell so covert they don’t even know each other’s real names. Trained for combat on the nano level, they are thrust into a war they can barely grasp.

Vincent: feels nothing and cares for no one. Fighting a personal battle with Bug Man, the greatest nano warrior alive.

The Armstrong Twins: wealthy, privileged, fanatical. Are they the saviors of humanity or authors of the darkest conspiracy in history?

On one side: Charles and Benjamin Armstrong’s Nexus Humanus. On the other: a group of teen hackers who call themselves BZRK.

Twenty-first-century warfare that takes place on the macro and nano level for the highest stakes: humanity’s free will.

It’s time to choose sides.

I reviewed this a couple weeks ago. It was the one book I zipped through for the majority of March, between being sick, editing my manuscript, being in the singing contest and probably just needing a bit of a breather. What I can tell you about BZRK is that it is totally awesome, it hooked me from start to finish, and I loved it. Once again, many thanks to the lovely people at Random House. I love being a part of Blog It Forward and this book is just another of the many reasons why. 

I Won:

I was both shocked and amazed a few weeks ago when I discovered that I had won these books from June at Writing Is A Blessing. Once again, thanks so much! :) I have wanted to read this series for ages and to have won all three books totally made my night. Even better? They are signed. :) Here's the message in the third one (the first two have signatures) :

I Bought: (Physical)

Fever

by Lauren DeStefano

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

I really enjoyed Wither, even though I initially purchased it because the premise rubbed me the wrong way. I think Lauren has totally beautiful writing and I found the story she chose to tell extremely compelling. (Also, I am quite fond of Linden, a fact that actually made me have to re-evaluate my review because I was so impressed with the fact that I grew so strongly attached to a character I had been convinced I would despise. That's. Not. Easy.) So, am I totally dying to read Fever? Absolutely. Do I hope we get to see something compelling about Gabriel? Sure. And am I just plain curious to find out what happens next, no matter what? You bet. When I saw this, I just had to grab it.

The Way We Fall
by Megan Crewe

It starts with an itch you just can’t shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you’ll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you’re dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn’t?

I remember having this as a Waiting on Wednesday post a while being and being really fanatically hyped about the premise, so when I saw it sitting next to Fever at Shoppers Drugmart, I just couldn't resist grabbing it, too. I don't tend to put something up as a Waiting on Wednesday selection unless it really does make my hair stand on end with that strong gut feeling that means, "I must read this NOW!" So I would wager I will be reading this soon. I know, I've said that a lot tonight, but I've ended up with some totally amazing books so I guess it cannot be helped.

I Bought: (for my Kindle)

Wicked As They Come
by Delilah S. Dawson

Have you ever heard of a Bludman? They’re rather like you and me—only more fabulous, immortal, and mostly indestructible. (They’re also very good kissers.)

Delilah S. Dawson’s darkly tempting debut drops her unsuspecting heroine into a strange faraway land for a romantic adventure that’s part paranormal, part steampunk . . . and completely irresistible.

When Tish Everett forces open the ruby locket she finds at an estate sale, she has no idea that a deliciously rakish Bludman has cast a spell just for her. She wakes up in a surreal world, where Criminy Stain, the dashing proprietor of a magical traveling circus, curiously awaits. At Criminy’s electric touch, Tish glimpses a tantalizing future, but she also foresees her ultimate doom. Before she can decide whether to risk her fate with the charming daredevil, the locket disappears, and with it, her only chance to return home. Tish and Criminy battle roaring sea monsters and thundering bludmares, vengeful ghosts and crooked Coppers in a treacherous race to recover the necklace from the evil Blud-hating Magistrate. But if they succeed, will Tish forsake her fanged suitor and return to her normal life, or will she take a chance on an unpredictable but dangerous destiny with the Bludman she’s coming to love?

From the moment I first saw the description, I knew I had to read this. I can tell you right now: it did not disappoint. I totally devoured this book, and I also gave it the Kat's Meow Award, which is the highest honor my blog has. If you're anxious to hear my thoughts, my review is already up on GoodReads. If you're patient, it will be over here on Thursday if you'd like to share your thoughts. If you love paranormal, fantasy, steampunk or romance you need to run to your nearest bookstore and grab Wicked As They Come *now* because it's out of this world! (To the point that I want a physical copy even though I have a Kindle one.) 

Under the Never Sky

by Veronica Rossi

Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

I've wanted to read this book for ages. I was holding out to buy a physical copy the next time I went to Chapters, but after seeing the trailer (which I thought was great) I broke down last night and grabbed it for Kindle instead. I am over halfway through and I am having a great time. My review for this should be up in the near future. Current thoughts? I love the dynamic between Aria and Perry, but the world building could have been a bit richer. Overall, I'm having a good time with it.

I feel very fortunate right now. I have received (one way or another) some extremely awesome books that I am very anxious to read. Anything here catch your eye? Feel free to share your thoughts. :)

So, what did you get this week? Feel free to link your post and I'll drop by and have a look. (I'm stuck on a scene in Moon Dance right now. Can you tell? :p )

Have a great week, guys!