My 2012 Reading Challenges Wrap-Up

For all of you who laughed at me in good nature, of course, for joining so many Reading Challenges, Read-Alongs and Book Clubs, here's a review of what I set out to do last year and how I actually did.

[X] Book Pilgrimage 2012 
This was a little travel challenge hosted by Libby at Libby's Book Blog. The idea is to read a book and then take a pilgrimage to the setting of the book or a specific place associated with the author. I read Gold by Chris Cleave which is a novel about two female Olympic track cyclists and their professional and personal relationships. The book takes place over the course of several years, leading up to the London 2012 Olympics, which I attended with my family over the summer. Great book.. even better vacation. ;)

[X] R.I.P. VII 
Hosted by Carl V. at Stainless Steel Droppings in the fall [Northern Hemisphere], this reading event focuses on mysteries, thrillers, dark fantasy, horror, etc.. I joined a few of the challenges and met all of the requirements--including a Group Read-Along of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. It was a great way to get into the spooky mood for Halloween with this one. I plan to join again this year. You can read more about what I read and watched for this event HERE.

[ ] Once Upon A Time VI 
Hosted by Carl V. at Stainless Steel Droppings in the spring [Northern Hemisphere], this reading event focuses on reading fantasy, folklore, mythology and fairy tales. I didn't quite meet two the three challenges I set out to do with this one. I read Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere for the Group Read-Along, which counted as my fantasy read and I read a folklore and mythology based book, but didn't read a fairy-tale nor did I get around to Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. Maybe I'll finally follow through with this one in 2013.

[ ] In Death Series by J.D. Robb Reading Challenge [ongoing]
This is an ongoing reading challenge that I have been hosting since January 2010 as I read the entire 34 book and counting crime fiction series by the very prolific J.D. Robb [Nora Roberts]. I fell off schedule with this one, having read only 5 full length novels and 2 novellas. I'm hoping to be completely caught up to the author in 2013.

[ ] A-Z Mystery Challenge [ongoing]
Michelle at Red-Headed Book Child came up with this mystery reading challenge a few years ago for anyone who wanted to try to read their way through the alphabet of author last names. I haven't gotten far, but added one to my list in 2012. I need to work on this one some more.

[ ] Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge 2012
I didn't complete this one. I borrowed Sputnik Sweetheart in late December, but I didn't get around to picking it up. Maybe I'll pay penance and read TWO Murakami books in 2013.

[X] TBR Challenge
This romance-focused challenge is hosted by Wendy The Super Librarian and is aimed at helping reduce that TBR pile by reading one book per month from your shelf. I read all 12 books for this one, although I didn't get around to reviewing two of them. I'm still saying I finished this challenge because I did comment on them on twitter which is an allowed form of reporting in your book read. Here's a list of what I read for this challenge and links to my reviews, if you're interested.

January:       The Longest Night by Kathleen O'Reilly
February:     Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt
March:         Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione
                    Sin Undone by Larissa Ione
April:           A Dangerous Beauty by Sophia Nash
May:           Saving Grace by Julie Garwood
June:           Caine's Reckoning by Sarah McCarty
July:            Danger's Kiss by Sarah McKerrigan
August:       Deeper by Megan Hart
September:  Riftwalker by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
October:      Demon From the Dark by Kresley Cole
November:  The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook
December:  Holiday Kisses by Shannon Stacey et al.

[X] The Big Book Challenge 2012
Hosted by orannia from Walkabout, this challenge encourages readers to read that BIG book [over 500 pages] that you have been intimidated to read because it is so long. I chose to read Eon and Eona by Alison Goodman as my Big Book Challenge and completed it in March 7, 2012. Great YA fantasy books, by the way. I ended up reading a handful of other books over 500 pages, too.

[X] Year of the Fantasy Classic 
Hosted my KMont at Lurv a la Mode, this challenge was designed to encourage readers to read more classic fantasy novels. I made a list of fantasy novels I'd read in 2012, and only read TWO books from my original list. I ended up reading other fantasy novels, though, and surpassed my goal of reading six fantasy novels. Here's a list of the fantasy novels I read in 2012:

     1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien [graphic novel]

     2. Eon by Alison Goodman

     3. Eona by Alison Goodman

     4. The Amulet Series, Books 1-4 by Kazu Kibuishi

     5. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

     6. Cold Magic by Kate Elliot

     7. The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

     8. The Riftwalker by Clay & Susan Griffith

     9. Cold Fire by Kate Elliot

   10. Fever Moon by Karen Marie Moning [graphic novel]

[X] What's In a Name 5 
This fun challenge is hosted by Beth F at Beth Fish Reads and is an annual favorite of mine. The goal is to read six books--titles of which match each of the preset categories. I usually just read what I want and end up filling in the requirements, but this year I actually had to hunt down a book that would work for one of them--the type of house. But I did it! Here's what I read for this one:

1. A book with a topographical feature in the title.
                 The Riftwalker by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
2. A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title.
                 Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones
3. A book with a creepy crawly in the title.
                 Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep
4. A book with a type of house in the title.
                The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
5. A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse or backpack in the title.
                Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh
6. A book with something you'd find on a calendar in the title.
                The Arrival by Shaun Tan

[X] E-Book Challenge 2012 
Hosted by Sarah from Workday Reads, this challenge encourages readers to read a set number of ebooks during the year. I chose the 25 ebook level and barely managed to finish this one on time! Finished it on December 30, 2012. Phew!

[X] OutDo Yourself Reading Challenge 2012
This challenge was hosted by The Book Vixen and challenged readers to read more books in 2012 than you read in 2011. I needed to read 101 books and managed to finish with 102! Not all were full length novels--some were novellas and graphic novels, but I still count those. I did count books that I re-read in 2012, but I did not count the online short fiction stories I read for the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep, although they are in my 100+ Books List.

[X] 100+ Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2012
Hosted by Book Chick City. I made it! I listed all the books [except cookbooks] in my original post HERE. I included short online fiction that I read in the list, but I'm not counting them towards my actual total. My list also doesn't match up to my 2012 goodreads challenge because not all of the books I re-read in 2012 were included on goodreads since they were already documented in a prior year. This is how I read a total of 101 books:

109 books/stories read - 8 online super short stories = 101 TOTAL Books Read in 2012

How did you do with your 2012 Reading Challenges?

Are you joining any Reading Challenges in 2013? 

I'll be joining a few. But you're not surprised about that, are you? ; )

Last Call to Join The 'In Death' Series by J.D. Robb Reading Challenge

Interested in joining the Challenge? Anyone is welcome to join in at any time of the year at wherever in the series you currently are. See the post below and join the fun!

Did you read any In Death series books this month?
I still have Promises In Death on my nightstand bookmarked somewhere in the first several chapters. I fell off track with this challenge in 2012, but I'm determined to fix that in 2013.

I first announced this 'In Death' Series Reading Challenge in November 2009 and here I am, hopefully at the cusp of meeting that challenge in 2013. There are currently 35 full length novels and 9 novellas published in this series, with the thirty-sixth book due out sometime next year. Despite the fact that I fell off schedule in 2012 having read only 5 novels and 2 novellas, I plan to get back on track in January and read at least one book per month, starting with Promises In Death, the 28th book. If I manage to stay on track this time, I'll finally be caught up in this series by the end of 2013, at which point, I'm going to end the Reading Challenge. So... if you've been wanting to catch up in the In Death Series, too, now is your chance to do it with some friendly camaraderie. Recommit yourself to catching up and join or re-join my 'In Death' Series Reading Challenge for 2013. 

If you'd like to join or re-join (continue) with the challenge, please add your name and a link to your blog or goodreads page in the Mr.Linky below. You can also join if you don't have a blog or goodreads page. Just leave your name in the comment section below.

By linking up below, maybe it will help you be accountable to yourself to read an In Death book every month in 2013. I sure am counting on it helping me!

I post an In Death Series Reading Challenge post in the last several days of the month so participants can link up any reviews, commentary or general progress they've made that month. I also post a spoiler free series discussion post since most readers are at different stages of the series at this point.

I hope you decide to join [or re-join]!  

To help you find your way, here's a list of the currently published books in the In Death series by J.D. Robb:

1. Naked In Death
2. Glory In Death
3. Immortal In Death
4. Rapture In Death
5. Ceremony In Death
6. Vengeance In Death
7. Holiday In Death
7.5. "Midnight in Death" (in the Silent Night anthology or the Three in Death anthology)
8. Conspiracy In Death
9. Loyalty in Death
10. Witness In Death
11. Judgment in Death
12. Betrayal in Death
12.5. "Interlude in Death" (in the Out of this World anthology or the Three in Death anthology)
13. Seduction in Death
14. Reunion in Death
15. Purity in Death
16. Portrait in Death
17. Imitation in Death
17.5. "Big Jack" (in Remember When novel)
18. Divided in Death
19. Visions in Death
20. Survivor in Death
21. Origin in Death
22. Memory In Death
22.5. "Haunted in Death" (in the Bump in the Night anthology or the Three in Death anthology)
23. Born In Death
24. Innocent in Death
24.5. "Eternity in Death" (in the Dead of Night anthology)
25. Creation in Death
26. Strangers In Death.
27. Salvation In Death
27.5. "Ritual in Death" (in the Suite 606 anthology)
28. Promises in Death
29. Kindred in Death
29.5. "Missing in Death" (in The Lost anthology)
30. Fantasy in Death
31. Indulgence in Death
31.5. "Possession in Death" (in The Other Side anthology)
32. Treachery in Death
33. New York to Dallas
33.5. "Chaos in Death" (in The Unquiet anthology)
34. Celebrity in Death
35. Delusion in Death
36. Calculated in Death [2013]
.
.
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JOIN HERE!

REVIEW: Holiday Kisses by Shannon Stacey, Jaci Burton, HelenKay Dimon & Alison Kent

"Published by Carina Press [2011]

The suggested theme for the December TBR Challenge hosted by Wendy The Super Librarian is holiday romance and I chose to read the anthology Holiday Kisses. Holiday Kisses is collection of contemporary romance novellas that came out at Christmastime last year. I bought this one for myself last year but never got around to reading it, then waited a whole year to go by so that I could read it this December. Yes, I am a stickler about reading Christmas romances only near Christmas. Well, I finally read this one last week and really enjoyed it! So much so that I'm reading a sequel to one of these stories now.

"This Time Next Year" by Alison Kent

Brenna Keating is on her annual trek to her beloved Grandmother's house in the mountains for Christmas before she leaves for her new job abroad in Africa when her car swerves into a snow bank right in the middle of storm. The local physician, Dillon Craig, who is also the most eligible bachelor of the mountain, finds her and brings her to his cabin to wait out the storm. As you might guess, these two get really close over several days, talking and getting busy, if you know what I mean. They talk a lot and learn about each other and themselves. Both characters have some obstacles in their lives--Brenna's hesitancy about leaving her grandmother and Dillon's struggle to accept the military tragedies from his past that haunt him. Together, and in the spirit of Christmas, they learn from each other and get a realistic happily ever after. A very sweet love story that captures the essence of the holiday season and is sure to melt your heart.
   GRADE: B+

"A Rare Gift" by Jaci Burton

Wyatt Kent gets a job building an addition onto the local child care center-- the one owned and run by his ex-wife's little sister, Calliope Andrews. This arrangement makes Wyatt super uncomfortable for several reasons. One, he and his ex, Cassandra, ended their marriage on bad terms, so he would prefer to avoid her and anyone associated with her. Two, Calliope is pretty, sweet, upbeat and stirs something in Wyatt he tries to stifle -- desire. Fortunately, Calliope is nothing like Wyatt's ex and she's got enough confidence, sass and good humor to handle Wyatt's cranky nature and eventually these two hit it off. It also helps that she's had a crush on Wyatt for a long time. They've got a few things to overcome, but that's part of the fun. I loved Calliope's positive spirit and it was great to see Wyatt come to terms with his failed marriage and recognize that he deserves true love even if it is a little awkward that he's found it with his ex's little sister.
   GRADE: C+

"It's Not Christmas Without You" by HelenKay Dimon

Carrie Anders is finally chasing her dream of working in a prominent Washington, D.C. museum and has settled into her new city life. Unfortunately, she had to break it off once and for all with her on and off again boyfriend, Austin Thomas, who just couldn't accept her dream to seek a career in a big city. Austin insists Carrie just needs to get her grand ideas of a city career out of her system before she realizes she belongs back in their small rural West Virginia hometown with him. When he finds out Carrie doesn't plan on coming home for the holidays, he puts a plan in motion to make sure she gives up her crazy ideas and is home before Christmas. How does he do that? He sets up a tree lot right across the street from her apartment! Sounds romantic, right? Well, Austin needs a few lessons in respecting and accepting Carrie's dreams and ambitions before he learns the meaning of true love.

I loved the set up of this story. I found Austin's determination to win back Carrie heartwarming and his methods very charming, but boy did it take him long enough to realize her life dreams are just as important as his. I think Carrie could have been more upfront with why she was so exasperated with Austin's treatment of her ambitions and at the same time, I think Austin should have figured how important Carrie's career is to her after she got up and moved to D.C. Even then, it took him a couple of weeks in D.C. before he finally figured it out? It was a bit exasperating how they just danced around the issue and didn't just talk about it right from the start. Thankfully, their love for each other made them stick it out and finally figure out how to make their relationship work.

Interestingly, the conflict between these two drove me a little by their simple lack of communication, but at the same time, Carrie and Austin were two of my favorite characters in this anthology. Austin's brother Spence was also a great addition to this story--so much so that I'm reading his story right now. His story is "We'll Be Home For Christmas" in the Romancing the Holidays anthology published by Carina Press (2012), which can also be bought alone.
    GRADE: C+

"Mistletoe and Margaritas" by Shannon Stacey

This story is a beautiful, sexy friends to lovers romance. Claire Rutledge was widowed two years ago when Brendan--her husband of only two years, died. Since Brendan's been gone, Claire become closer friends with her deceased husband's best friend, Justin McCormack. Justin has loved Claire for a while now, having been interested in her before Brendan ever made a move for Claire. He's been reluctant to ever make a move on her, though, out of respect for Brendan. Claire is finally ready to put herself out there in the dating world, but can't seem to think of anyone else but Justin. With the help of some mistletoe and margaritas, Claire makes the first move and sparks finally fly between these two. Their love and affection for each other--and their passion--was totally believable and very sweet. This story is a very heart warming, feel good Christmas romance. What's not to love?
    GRADE: B+

I think it's pretty tough to pull off a convincing contemporary love story in just 100 pages, but these stories come pretty close. Of course it helps that they're Christmas love stories. Who can resist a good ole sappy Christmas story! These stories are all about delivering a believable love story doused with Christmas spirit. Holiday Kisses will certainly warm your heart this Christmas season. :)

For the anthology as a whole ... GRADE: B


Have you read any good Christmas romances lately?

In Death Series Reading Challenge: November 2012

Interested in joining the Challenge? Anyone is welcome to join in at any time of the year at wherever in the series you currently are. See the sign up post HERE and join the fun!

Did you read any In Death series books this month?

I started reading Promises In Death very early in the month and was LOVING it. It's the one in which one of the NYPSD's own female detectives is murdered in the basement of her apartment building, likely by someone she knows. She also happens to be a recent serious love interest of one of the long term characters on Eve's team. So there's a strong personal component to this one, which is making the mystery shrouding her murder even more compelling. I put it down only because I had some other books that I really wanted to read to fulfill book clubs, read alongs on reading challenges, but hope to pick it back up in December!

CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS: Link up any In Death posts you made this month here. If you made a post on your blog, whether it be a review or commentary, please grab the link to your post and leave it in the comments below so we can find each other's latest In Death posts easily. You can also just use the link to your goodreads or other virtual bookshelf as well.

BOOK REVIEW:
None this month.

SERIES DISCUSSION:

The five most popular genre shelf labels for the In Death series on goodreads are mystery, romance, crime, suspense and romantic suspense. I've often been conflicted about under what genre this series falls. Originally thinking it was romantic suspense, I've finally decided on crime fiction. Mystery would work, too, since each book focuses on a murder mystery, but I think crime fiction is more indicative of the police procedural aspects that dominate a large part of the books.

Under what genre (or subgenre) do YOU classify the In Death series?

R.I.P. VII The End.

I'm very pleased to report that I met all the challenges I imposed on myself through Carl's R.eaders I.mbibing on P.eril VII or R.I.P. VII reading event. Here's an overview of what I signed up to do and what I accomplished. I'm so proud of myself. ha!

Peril the First - Read four or more books that fulfill the categories of R.eaders I.mbibing on P.eril such as mystery, suspense, thriller, dark fantasy, gothic, horror, supernatural, etc.

1. Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb
2. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
3. Prince of the Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafrón
4. Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Death and Dementia illustrated by Gris Grimly

I "double dipped" by listing The Graveyard Book as one of my reads for the Peril the First when it was also the read along book, but in my defense, I also read a few other dark books that may or may not satisfy the R.I.P. categories:

5. Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep
6. Cold Fire by Kate Elliot
7. Demon From the Dark by Kresley Cole

Peril of the Short Story - Read some short stories that fit the above R.I.P. categories

1. "Ritual in Death" by J.D. Robb in the Suite 606 anthology.

Peril on the Screen - Watch something scary or eerie on film.
I watched not one, not two, but THREE scary movies! Not bad for someone who doesn't like scary movies, eh?

1. Red Lights [2012]
2. Prometheus [2012]
3. Carrie [2002]

Peril of the Group Read

I participated in the group read of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book [2008].

Adorable book written by one heck of a story teller. You can read my review HERE.

I have to admit I'm pleasantly surprised I managed to pull this off! Looking forward to participating in R.I.P. VIII next year and already have one book on my list... A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness which I ran out of time to read this time. Now that I spent most of the last month reading all spooktacular books, it's time for this girl to stick her nose in a romance novel. ;)

In Death Series Reading Challenge: October 2012

Interested in joining the Challenge? Anyone is welcome to join in at any time of the year at wherever in the series you currently are. See the sign up post HERE and join the fun!

Did you read any In Death series books this month?

It's been several months since I read an In Death book so I'm particularly happy that I finally managed one this month. I had a couple of false starts with Salvation in Death, having started it in August, but once I read passed the first 50 pages, I became more invested in the story and I was able to stick with it. I'm so glad I did--I feel a renewed interest in the series again! Let's see if I can catch up to Nora over the next couple of months. I think I might be gaining on her!

CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS: Link up any In Death posts you made this month here. If you made a post on your blog, whether it be a review or commentary, please grab the link to your post and leave it in the comment section below so we can find each other's latest In Death posts easily. You can also just use the link to your goodreads or other virtual bookshelf as well.

BOOK REVIEW: 

Salvation In Death by J.D. Robb
Book #27

I thought this story had a slow start, but maybe that's just me. There's not a lot of action in this one, but there's definitely a lot of details to work out in order to get to the bottom of this crime. Eve is called to St. Cristobal's Catholic Church in Spanish Harlem when the well-loved Father Miguel Flores collapses and dies in the middle of conducting a funeral mass for one of the community's most prominent families and business owners. It's quickly deduced that Father Flores was poisoned, but why would a priest be the target of murder? The victim has very few possessions, but upon searching his room, a religious medal is found hidden in his room with an unusual inscription on the back and to complicate things more, the autopsy reveals that Father Flores had a gang tattoo removed from his arm a few years ago. Eve and Peabody try learn more about this priest and his past in hopes that it would help them identify his killer, but all it does is complicate things even more.

The murder of Father Flores ends up being a really interesting case with many layers of people and secret pasts. I enjoyed watching Eve and her team unravel the mysteries in this one, more so than I expected given I thought the first 50-100 pages were pretty slow. It's always fun watching Eve stumble through situations in which she's not comfortable, and in this case it was her knowledge of and comfort level with religion and religious figures. Likewise with Roarke! There was a second murder investigation mixed in with that of Father Flores that I wasn't very interesting and frankly didn't add anything to the story, but perhaps Robb needed to bump up her page count. Overall, another great installment to this series.

I give Salvation in Death 4 out of 5 stars on goodreads.

GRADE: B 

"Ritual in Death" by J.D. Robb
Book #27.5

This novella can be found in the Suite 606 anthology. The last short story I read was a disappointment for me, but I really enjoyed this one. Readers who skip this story don't miss anything vital to the series arc or the character development, but it was a fun one, nonetheless.

Eve and Roarke are at a formal party in a hotel ballroom when a naked, bloody and delirious man stumbles into the party with a knife in his hand. Eve disarms him and once the situation is secure, she follows the bloody trail back to Suite 606 where a woman is found murdered in what looks like a Satanic ritual sacrifice. Unfortunately the only suspect is one who is severely overdosed on a deadly mix of drugs and he can't even remember his own name. There's evidence at the scene of the crime that indicates additional suspects, but Eve and her team have to be very clever, persistent and perhaps rely on psychological instincts, so to speak, to pinpoint the killer or killers.

This police procedural rolled at a quick pace and unfolded pretty logically. I liked the way Eve had to rely a little on the undeniable psychological power she felt pouring off one particular suspect. It's good to see her put a little faith into things that can't be seen or touched.

I give Ritual in Death 4 out of 5 stars on goodreads.

GRADE: B


SERIES DISCUSSION:
One of the things I admire most about Eve is that she steadfastly stands up for the dead even when the victim is a far cry from being a model citizen or even has a crime sheet of their own. She acknowledges her role in solving the crimes and bringing in the perpetrators so that the system metes out justice. This isn't always easy on her conscience, but she's nothing if not consistent in her role as homicide detective. Part of her role as homicide detective is questioning suspects and sometimes Eve resorts to some pretty bad ass tactics to "break" her suspects into confessing. It's pretty entertaining to the reader when Eve gets her prime suspect into interrogation, but sometimes she can be excessively harsh.

What do you think of Eve's interrogation tactics? Do you ever think she goes overboard and is perhaps out of line?

In Death Series Reading Challenge: September 2012

Interested in joining the Challenge? Anyone is welcome to join in at any time of the year at wherever in the series you currently are. See the sign up post HERE and join the fun!

Did you read any In Death series books this month?

CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS:
Link up any In Death posts you made this month here. If you made a post on your blog, whether it be a review or commentary, please grab the link to your post and enter in the comments below along with your name so we can find each other's latest In Death posts easily. You can also just use the link to your goodreads or other virtual bookshelf as well.

BOOK REVIEW: 
I still have Salvation in Death on the nightstand bookmarked to page twenty something and haven't picked it up in several weeks. So no review from me this month.. :(

SERIES DISCUSSION:
This month's series discussion is extremely self-serving.

How do I get out of this In Death reading slump I'm in? 

I'm stuck and I can't move forward! Help!

If anyone has series discussion suggestions, please drop me an email. I have shiny new social media icons up at the top of my sidebar. Just click on the little mail icon and zip me an email.

R.I.P VII

This year marks the 7th annual R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril or R.I.P. reading event created and hosted by Carl V. of Stainless Steel Droppings. I have participated in Carl's springtime Once Upon a Time Challenge in the last three years {although I'm really terrible at writing and linking up reviews..}, but this year will be my first year participating in R.I.P.

The R.I.P. group reading event takes place from September 1 through October 31, 2012.

The purpose of R.I.P., and I quote, is to enjoy books and movies/television that would be classified (by you) as:

Mystery. 
Suspense. 
Thriller. 
Dark Fantasy. 
Gothic. 
Horror. 
Supernatural. 
Or anything sufficiently moody that shares a kinship with the above.

As usual, Carl has established very relaxed and fun rules for this challenge. Basically have fun reading and share your experience with others.

There are several levels of peril to which you can subject yourself. I'm going to do 'em all! Bahahahaha! Evil laughter turns to giggling. The ever ambitious reading challenge person am I.

Peril the First. This peril requires reading FOUR books that fit the loose classifying categories above. I like loose.

Peril the Short Story. Read some short stories that fit the challenge categories. I can do that.

Peril on the Screen. Watch something scary or eerie or dark during the challenge. I used to love watching scary movies up until a few years ago, but not anymore. My husband is always trying to get me to watch something spooky with him and I decline every time. I'm such a chicken. I will indulge him just this once. O_0

Peril of the Group Read. An October group read for The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. This book has been on my TBR list since it was published in 2008. It's about time I read it!

{There's also a September Group Read of The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters going on right now!}

Want to join R.I.P. ? You can join and just read ONE book or ONE short story or watch ONE scary thing on the screen. Come on! Let's get spooked! Let's get our hearts racing!

Check it out HERE.

Go ahead. . . I dare you!

I'd love to hear your book or movie recommendations for R.I.P.! 

In Death Series Reading Challenge August 2012

Interested in joining the Challenge? Anyone is welcome to join in at any time of the year at wherever in the series you currently are. See the sign up post HERE and join the fun!

Did you read any In Death series books this month?

CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS:
Link up any In Death posts you made this month here. If you made a post on your blog, whether it be a review or commentary, please grab the link to your post and enter in the comments below along with your name so we can find each other's latest In Death posts easily. You can also just use the link to your goodreads or other virtual bookshelf as well.

BOOK REVIEW: 

Strangers In Death by J.D. Robb
Book #26

I finished this one early in the month and gave it four stars on goodreads. Yet when I sat down just now to write up a short synopsis and review, I practically forgot everything about it! I had to pull the book out to refresh my memory. Not a good sign, but I guess after a while, it's difficult to remember all the crimes and their book titles in this series.

In case your memory needs refreshing, in this book, Eve and her team are investigating the murder of a rich, successful, happy and very well liked businessman, Thomas Anders, who is found naked and tied to his bed with velvet cords and murdered without any signs of a struggle. The public and Anders' family and friends are shocked at the nature of the crime, but as always, Eve doesn't let "what it looks like" interfere with her quest for the truth. She thoroughly investigates every possible angle until she solves the crime and brings down the murderer.

Overall this is another solid installment in the series. There were actually a few things that happened in the personal subplots with some of the secondary characters that I just LOVED. For fear of spoiling it for anyone who hasn't gotten this far yet, I'm not going to mention it, but I will admit I got teary eyed in a few scenes. Even if I thought the case was drawn out and boring at times, these little pockets of awesomeness among the characters pulls the rating up to "very good." I can't help it! These characters are like friends at this point.

GRADE: B

SERIES DISCUSSION:
I'm slowly but surely plugging along in this series. I had hoped to finish reading Salvation in Death this week, but I was overcome with the impulse to catch up with Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series and decided to first go back to the beginning to re-read the first five books that I read back in 2007-08! Who does that?! Anyway, it got me thinking that I should get just as determined to catch up with the In Death series once and for all. No more slacking! One book per month at a minimum until I'm caught up.

This month's series discussion is very easy: I want to know where you are in the series.

All caught up? Or still plugging along like me?

REVIEW: Deeper by Megan Hart

Published July 1, 2009 by Spice Books 
TBR Challenge Review: August

The theme for August's TBR Challenge hosted by Wendy The Super Librarian was "steamy reads." Without any hesitation, I knew I would chose a book from my TBR pile by author Megan Hart. I've read several of Hart's novels in the past, have a few on my TBR bookshelf and yet more on my wish list. Obviously I'm a fan of her work.

Megan Hart writes erotic fiction--but really unlike anything you'd imagine a book of this genre would be like. Although there are romantic elements to her books, and they are love stories at their core, the books are not what most readers would classify as a romance novel. The endings are not always happily ever after type endings, but they do end with a satisfactory level of closure. The stories simultaneously revolve around the lives and love stories of two or more characters. Hart's stories are a unique form of women's fiction. Women's fiction with honest, natural eroticism that shows the multitude of ways people are bound together by sex and love.

Deeper is not my first book by Megan Hart and it certainly won't be my last. Despite the fact that her stories often tend to leave me a little broken hearted, I still go back for more. Her stories are not easy on your heart and will likely challenge your personal moral compass. They're emotionally complicated and the conflict resolution is never easy or obvious. The stories sometimes make you uncomfortable, but they make you think, empathize and learn about human nature. And because of that, the characters and their stories are unforgettable. I end up thinking about them for a very long time after I've read the book. Weeks, months and even years.

Deeper is the story of Bess Walsh and Nick Hamilton through alternating glimpses into their lives at different time periods--Then and Now. Then is the summer Bess and Nick met when she was 20 and he was 21 at Bethany Beach. Bess was the college girl, working a summer job in the beach town while living at her grandparents beach house. Nick was the local bad boy. Bess' relationship with her long time boyfriend at home was falling apart and what she thought was love was nothing compared to the depth of passion and longing that she felt with Nick. They were undeniably drawn to each other in ways neither one of them had ever felt before. An attraction so deep that they'd be forever etched on each other's souls. Sadly, their love for each other was limited by how far they could break through their insecurities and vulnerabilities and they never saw each other again after that summer.

Until twenty years later, that is. Bess' marriage has failed and she finds herself back at her grandparent's beach house once again, still grieving for the lover she never got over--Nick. Standing at the ocean's edge with nothing but love and longing on her mind and in her heart, she cries for him and his name falls from her lips. Suddenly his mouth is on hers and his hands are on her body. A gift or a curse, neither one is sure, but a second chance is what they've been given and a second chance is what they're going to take.

One of the most compelling aspects of Hart's characters is that they are so very real and flawed. They have real problems, make life altering decisions, make real mistakes and have to deal with the consequences. The mistakes they make aren't easy to fix and sometimes they continue to make the same mistakes over and over again. There are several crucial secondary characters who contribute to Bess and Nick's story, such as Bess' husband, her two teenage sons, and her friend Eddie from that summer long ago who is now a business owner in Bethany Beach, but what goes on between Bess and Nick--and their personal issues-- is what's at the heart of Deeper.

Nick is the charming, sexy, aloof bad boy. He has the reputation of being a player and not sticking around. He admits he's an asshole and absolutely doesn't talk about he feels. He has issues trusting others--even those who promise to be there for him. Deep down, he's pretty insecure when it comes to emotional relationships. Not when it comes to sex, though. He's definitely uninhibited there. But when it comes to expressing how he feels, what he wants or any emotional intimacy--that's a tremendous obstacle for him and he just closes up. Eventually he drops hints of how he feels about Bess here and there, but because of HER issues with self doubt, it never really sinks in with her and what little does sink in, she doesn't believe him.

Then there's Bess. Every man she's ever loved has never been fully open and honest with her. He's either been a cheater or has the reputation of being a cheater or a player. Naturally this makes her even more susceptible to self doubt than she already is by her very nature. The men she is drawn to only fuel her self doubt and it's no wonder she feels unworthy of a faithful, long time lover. All of this inhibits her from being honest with herself and from speaking up for herself, her needs and wants in her relationships. As the story progresses, though, she starts to learn to be honest and upfront with how she feels in her relationships and to make healthy decisions in her life.

Deeper is one of those books that's just so darned hard to review. There's so many facets to this story to discuss, but near impossible to tell about in a review because it's the readers journey that's just as important as the character's journey. The reader gets jumbled up and tossed about as easily as the characters. It's so much better to experience it yourself than through another reader's eyes. So go read it.

I give Deeper 4 out of 5 stars on goodreads, but if I could give half stars, I would give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Why not 5 stars? Something about the supernatural aspects of this story just pull me out of the story. It's not quite paranormal and definitely not realistic, but somewhere in between, a place I have trouble with. While I feel this book is mostly Bess' story, it is also Nick's, yet it was difficult to find his personal growth in the Now. I'm not sure what he learned from his second chance. [I think you should read the book so we can discuss this]. Overall, though, this was a wonderful, unforgettable read that will stay in my thoughts for a long time.

GRADE: A-


Other books I've read and loved by Megan Hart:

Tempted
This Is What I Want
Taking Care of Business [co-written with Lauren Dane]
Stranger
Everything Changes
Naked 

I also have Broken and Dirty by Megan Hart on my shelf, but haven't them read yet.

Have you read any of Megan Hart's books yet? Which ones? 

And if not, what are you waiting for?!

In Death Series Reading Challenge July 2012

Interested in joining the Challenge? Anyone is welcome to join in at any time of the year at wherever in the series you currently are. See the sign up post HERE and join the fun!

Did you read any In Death series books this month? 

CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS: Link up any In Death posts you made this month here. If you made a post on your blog, whether it be a review or commentary, please grab the link to your post and enter it in the comments below so we can find each other's latest In Death posts easily. I'm too lazy to grab Mr. Linky. You can also just use the link to your goodreads or other virtual bookshelf as well. 

BOOK REVIEW:

None for me this month. I hoped I would get to Strangers in Death this month--I even brought it with me on vacation to read next but I probably won't get to it by the end of the month. 

SERIES DISCUSSION: Keeping in the spirit of the Olympic Games, let's imagine Eve and her gang competing in the games. In which events do you imagine them competing? 

How about Eve and Roarke both competing in shooting. Maybe even against each other? USA vs. UK? Ha! Perhaps Summerset in some equestrian event? What do you think? 

Book Pilgrimage 2012

The 2012 Book Pilgrimage is a readers challenge hosted by Libby who blogs at Libby's Book Blog. The idea of the challenge is to read a book and then take a pilgrimage to the setting of the book or the author's home or grave and then blog about it. I read about Libby's challenge several months ago and started wracking my brain with ideas of what books to read for a book pilgrimage of my own. I'll be visiting Iceland, Scotland and England this summer and came up with many book ideas-- An Icelandic murder mystery, a Scottish Highlander romance, a Victorian England romance!... so romantic... I decided instead, however, on a book about the Olympics!

I decided to [hopefully!!!] read Gold by Chris Cleave over the next couple of weeks. Gold is a fictional novel about two female cyclists training for the 2012 London Olympics. Yes! Female cyclists.. like me! Okay, I'm waaaay far from that caliber athlete, but at least I've got some cycling experience so that adds to the appeal of this book for me.

Here's the book blurb from goodreads:

Gold is the story of Zoe and Kate, world-class athletes who have been friends and rivals since their first day of Elite training. They’ve loved, fought, betrayed, forgiven, consoled, gloried, and grown up together. Now on the eve of London 2012, their last Olympics, both women will be tested to their physical and emotional limits. They must confront each other and their own mortality to decide, when lives are at stake: What would you sacrifice for the people you love, if it meant giving up the thing that was most important to you in the world?

Have you read this book or any other book by Chris Cleave? 

For more information about the Book Pilgrimage, be sure to visit Libby's blog HERE.

In Death Series Reading Challenge May 2012

Interested in joining the Challenge? Anyone is welcome to join in at any time of the year at wherever in the series you currently are. See the sign up post HERE and join the fun!

Did you read any In Death series books this month?

CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS:
Link up any In Death posts you made this month here. If you made a post on your blog, whether it be a review or commentary, please grab the link to your post and enter in the Mr. Linky below along with your name so we can find each other's latest In Death posts easily. You can also just use the link to your goodreads or other virtual bookshelf.

BOOK REVIEW: 

Creation in Death by J.D. Robb
In Death series, Book #25

This story opens with Lt. Eve Dallas called to the scene of a murder that's all too familiar: The body of a young brunette woman with wounds on her body indicative of horrific torture and carved in her belly is the time it took for her to die. Nine years ago, the department investigated a series of murders just like this one, the case never solved. Now this vicious, elusive murderer known as "The Groom" is back in NYC, targeting women who work for Eve's multimillionaire husband Roarke. Eve and her team are literally racing the clock with a vengeance to catch "The Groom" once and for all and before more women die.

I have to admit that it took me almost half the book before I got pulled into this one. The case was interesting enough, but there was a lot of fact gathering going on and very little criminal suspense or personal drama to the story at that point to keep me absorbed. Plus I have to admit being somewhat annoyed that once again, expert civilian Roarke is working around the clock with the NYSPD on this case and even present at meetings with the commissioner. Really?

Thankfully, around half way through the book the pace finally picked up. In fact, it got so intense that I didn't want to put it down! The reader is exposed to the murderer's disturbing torture methods throughout the story, which definitely raises the creep-factor several notches. His motives are slowly revealed as the investigation progresses, which in turn makes it all the more disturbing. Not only are the physical acts horrific, but so are the psychological aspects.

There are some great scenes between Eve and Feeney, both heated and emotional, as they rehash the investigation from nine years ago and discover that neither one of them have ever gotten over the frustration and guilt from having never solved "The Groom" murders long ago. These several scenes and the last couple of chapters turned this book from an okay read into one I thoroughly enjoyed. I even choked up a bit there at the end!

I gave Creation in Death 4 out of 5 stars on goodreads.

GRADE: B 

SERIES DISCUSSION:


Broadly speaking, it seems that many of the In Death crime investigations can be categorized in one of two ways. Personal homicides or serial murders. By personal homicides I mean cases in which the  murderer kills people he or she personally knows; domestic or professional type relationships. By serial murders I mean homicides in which the murderer is selecting strangers as his victims who fit some specific criteria, usually tied to his or her past.

Do you prefer one or the other above type of crime investigation in this series? 


Or do you like to read this series primarily for the personal interactions with the characters? 


I don't prefer one crime investigation or the other, although I have to admit the serial murders usually end up being super creepy. The kind that make me nibble on my fingers and shudder and cringe at the horror. I do prefer, however, when the crime investigation gets entangled with the personal lives of our favorite characters, whether it be Eve, Roarke, Peabody or any one else in Eve's circle of friends. Those stories seem to be the biggest page turners for me.

REVIEW: Saving Grace by Julie Garwood

[Published 1993]
TBR Challenge May 2012

The suggested theme for this month's TBR Challenge [hosted by Wendy the Super Librarian] is to read an old-school romance, published prior to 2000, from your TBR pile. Since I only started reading romance in 2006, I don't have many books that fit the 'old-school' criteria. However, thanks to some romance reading friends who have passed old school romances on to me [Mariana, Hilcia and Phyl], I do have a small handful. I believe I can thank Hilcia for this one? Anyway, when I saw Saving Grace by Julie Garwood among my TBR books, I knew right away it was just what I was in the mood for --a classic medieval romance and that's just what I got.

Saving Grace takes place in early 13th century England and Scotland--but mostly in Scotland. Lady Johanna was married off to the ruthless and greedy Baron Raulf when she was just a young girl. A favorite pawn of the wicked King John, her husband abused her in this loveless marriage, leaving Johanna wishing never to marry again upon his death when she is widowed at just sixteen years old. A few years later her adoptive brother, Baron Nicholas, convinces her to marry his friend, Gabriel MacBain, the Scottish warrior who is laird of the MacBain and Maclaurin clans. Not only is MacBain her only chance of safety, but perhaps even a morsel of happiness. More than that, the marriage also serves as a political move to keep the lands Johanna inherited from going to the evil English Barons under King John's rule and saves her from being married off by the King to another wicked Baron. It also puts Johanna under the protection of this strong Scottish clan since she happens to know of some incriminating evidence against the King.

So Johanna marries Gabriel MacBain and lives in this castle nestled in the Scottish Highlands, where the language and customs are so different from that of England--including her duties as wife to the larger-than-life Laird MacBain. He wishes for her to stay put in the castle and sew in front of the fire. She wishes to work the land, ride horses, practice her bow and arrow and make friends with the men and women of the MacBain and Maclaurin clans. It's a rocky road for this couple, and a lot is going on between them and the extensive but manageable cast of secondary characters, but in between exasperating discussions a few arguments and plenty of humorous missteps--usually on Johanna's part, they manage to make it work. Not only do they make their marriage work, but they both end up surprised to have found true love along the way. On this path to true love, Johanna learns that her new husband is fiercely loyal to and protective of those in his care and underneath his gruff exterior, he is a tender, patient man. As bits of Johanna's previous marriage to Baron Raulf and the absurd teachings of the Baron's Priest are revealed, Gabriel learns why Johanna is so timid and even a bit fearful of him. He also comes to know and respect the strong, independent woman who's breaking out of her shell and trying to live true to herself. So a lot of individual character growth going on amidst the growth of their love for each other.

Saving Grace is the third medieval romance I've read by Julie Garwood and I have to say each one has been an absolute delight to read. Garwood's writing is solid, the true history and politics of the time period are realistically woven into the story line ... and the love stories? Utterly romantic.

Saving Grace gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

In the past year, I have read Garwood's The Bride, The Wedding and now Saving Grace. I can't wait to read more!

What's your favorite medieval romance by Julie Garwood?


Favorite medieval romance by another author?




You can visit author Julie Garwood at her website http://www.juliegarwood.com/.

Once Upon A Time UPDATE

And Neverwhere [by Neil Gaiman] Read Along 

Once upon a time I used to blog more often than once every 10 days! Seriously, it has been over a week since my last post and even longer since I've visited most of your blogs. I just hate when that happens. A little speed bump in the life of a blogger, I suppose. Needless to say I'm so sorry!!!! Let's catch up this week! On the bright side, at least I've been reading! So far this month I've read four books and am nearly finished with the fifth, so I can't complain there. It's about halfway through the time period set aside for the Once Upon A Time VI Reading Challenge that I joined over at Carl's blog Stainless Steel Droppings and I thought I'd do a little update on my progress. Let you know what I've been reading and remind me what I still need to read by the end of June.

I decided to participate in Quest the Third which requires me to read one book in each of the following four sub genres: fantasy, fairy tale, folklore, and mythology and read Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.

So far I have read If I Die by Rachel Vincent for the folklore requirement. If I Die is the fifth book in the young adult Soul Screamers series that deals with bean sidhes, reapers, maras, syphons, hellions and other beings from folklore about death, spirits and the after life. The author seamlessly melds very realistic, modern teenage drama with fantasy elements in fast paced, suspenseful stories. The author never takes the easy road with her characters, which I appreciate. They make some bold--and sometimes poor-- decisions, but that's part of what makes them so realistic. Teens sometimes mess up. They take risks, get in trouble, they argue, they hurt each other's feelings, and sometimes they really care about each other more than anything else in the world and often do the right thing.

Right now I'm reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman for the fantasy element of the challenge. It's also one of the books that Carl has chosen for a group read along. I don't think you have to be participating in Once Upon A Time to join in. So if you've always wanted to read Neverwhere or a book by Neil Gaiman or if you'd just like to do a read along, why not check it out? Visit Stainless Steel Droppings at The Nevewhere Read Along and join in. This week is week one for which we're reading the Prologue through Chapter Five, posting our discussion Q&A on Monday, May 21, so you're not even late!

I feel obligated to tell you, however, that the book is so good that you might just have trouble stopping at Chapter Five. You might start reading it and then all of a sudden discover you're on Chapter Thirteen with less than 100 pages to go to the end and you just can't stop reading!!! I happen to know this from personal experience. ; )

After Neverwhere, I'll be looking to read a fairy tale, a mythological book and Midsummer Night's Dream. I'm pretty sure I'm going to read either Cat's Tale or Ember by Bettie Sharpe for the fairy tale. I'm still thinking to read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, but I'm not sure if I want to read it just now.

Do you have any recommendations for a mythological story?

REVIEW: A Dangerous Beauty by Sophia Nash

Widows Club, Book One

TBR Challenge April 2012

Four months in a row meeting this challenge. I'm floored. The theme for this month's TBR Challenge [hosted by Wendy the Super Librarian HERE] is to read a book that's been languishing in your TBR pile by a 'new-to-you' author--an author whose works you haven't read yet. I sort of had it in my mind to read The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley, but decided to look through my box of unread historical romances just to see what other books I had on hand that were written by authors I haven't yet read. I came upon A Dangerous Beauty by Sophia Nash and had one of those "oh yeah.. I remember getting this" moments. I bought A Dangerous Beauty at the NJ RWA literacy signing back in 2007, before I even started blogging! I met Sophia Nash that day and so my copy is even author signed! I flipped open the book and read what Ms. Nash wrote to me:

"To beautiful Christine - I hope you enjoy the first in the series! Best, Sophia Nash" 

How nice is that? Of course I new right away that THIS was the book I ought to read for this month's challenge. I'm so glad I did! It was great fun.

Rosamunde Baird grew up the apple of her father's eye and adored by her older brothers and her younger sister Sylvia. Raised by her father the Earl with the manners of a proper lady, Rosamunde's spontaneous sense of adventure lands her in great scandal when she is seen unchaperoned on a private stretch of beach giving the heir apparent Duke Henry a kiss. She refuses his marriage proposal because he admits he loves someone else and Rosamunde is then cast out by her family and banished from the parish by the local vicar, only to charge heedlessly into a marriage of convenience to a Scottish squire who is nothing but cruel to her. She's eventually widowed and forced to flee her home yet again in fear of her husband's brother and heir to the estate. Rosamunde and her ever loyal sister Sylvia are now without a home and practically penniless and have no choice but to accept the unusual invitation from the now deceased Duke's grandmother, the Dowager Duchess Merceditas 'Ata' St. Aubyn to join her secret Widow's Club.

Luc St. Aubyn is the mysterious grandson of the dowager duchess and current Duke of Helston, also known as Lord Fire & Ice for "exuding blistering passion at night and frost the morning after." He supports his grandmother's endeavor with her secret Widow's Club to help young widows find happiness again either through placement as a companion or governess or by introducing the young women to potential new husbands. The Duke normally avoids the widows altogether, but there's something special about Rosamunde that captures his attention--perhaps it's that she meets his sarcasm and wit with some of her own or perhaps he senses the dim spark that used to dance in her now sad eyes. Whatever it is, he's mesmerized by this young woman and finds himself wanting to re-ignite her verve for life.

Rosamunde's spirit has been stamped out by the betrayal, loss and abuse she has experienced from her father and then her late husband. She's lost a lot of the confidence she used to have, but she's still very courageous. She does her best to hold her head up high, which is challenging given the bleak time in her life.

Luc keeps to himself and minds his own business, which supports his mysteriousness, but part of his secrecy is also that he's writing a book under a pen name. Like Rosamunde, he's also harboring guilt over some family secrets of his own. Luc has a fantastic and intelligent sense of humor laced heavily with wit and sarcasm and a big heart, although he tries to hide the latter. He shares his sense of humor with his grandmother who is equally charming. The relationship between the duke and his grandmother is based on obvious love and respect for one another and is a wonderful bonus in this story. In fact, the dowager herself is a great character who truly added much needed kindness and compassion to Rosamunde's and the other widows' lives.

It was a joy to watch Luc rekindle Rosamunde's sense of adventure and bring a spark to her eyes again as it was likewise really nice to see Luc opening up and actually talking to someone about the sadness in his family. Luc gives Rosamunde the wonderful gift of passion and confidence--things she never thought she'd feel again in her lifetime. In return, Rosamunde shows Luc joy and wonder that depth of friendship and love can bring into one's life because for the first time in his life, he craves the company of one woman beyond just one night.

A Dangerous Beauty is a sweet story of courage and love written with an unusual but winsome combination of heartbreak and humor. The dialogue is witty, the passion sweet and sexy and the characters very likable.

A Dangerous Beauty is well written and gets 3.5 out of 5 stars from me as it could have benefitted from a bit more depth into the Helston family problems--Luc's past, Ata's past, Luc's financial problems and his need to marry an heiress. I definitely plan on reading more from Sophia Nash and in fact, Book One in her most recent The Royal Entourage series titled Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea sounds very appealing.. You can read a passage from Chapter One on the author's website that will leave you dangling--literally--for more!

GRADE: B

Visit author Sophia Nash at her website www.sophianash.com.

Once Upon A Time VI

Artist: Melissa Nucera

Once Upon A Time is an annual reading challenge event hosted by Carl from Stainless Steel Droppings that is held starting on the vernal equinox [March 20] through the end of June every year. This year marks the 6th anniversary of this challenge and the 3rd year that I'll be participating. There are various levels of participation from which readers can chose, but the overall goal of the challenge is the same and that is to encourage readers to read more fantasy, folklore, mythology and fairy tales, share their journey with each other and have fun!

The first year in which I participated in this challenge, I did the first level quest, which was to read at least five books from any the four categories and I succeeded. The second year [just last year], I chose to do the third level quest which was to read a book from each category as well as a June reading or viewing of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. I failed. I blame my failure partly because I signed up for the challenge late [in May] and therefore didn't have enough time to finish two of the books, but also partly because I procrastinated reading Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. So I'll repeat this the challenge at this level again in hopes of meeting the challenge this time.

Below is a list of the books I'm considering for this year:

Fantasy:       The Bell at Sealey Head by Patricia A. McKillip [fantasy]
Fairy Tale:   Cat's Tale: A Fairy Tale Retold by Bettie Sharpe [Puss in Boots retelling]
Folklore:      If I Die by Rachel Vincent [banshees and reapers]
Mythology:  The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller  [Greek mythology]
Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream

Artist: Melissa Nucera

Artist: Melissa Nucera

Be sure to visit the once upon a time review site for links to reviews from participants. It's also a great place to visit for some reading inspiration!

The stunning artwork for this year's event is by artist Melissa Nucera, whose artwork was also used for the Once Upon A Time IV in 2010, which I absolutely adored. Be sure to check out Melissa's beautiful artwork at her Etsy store, This Years Girl.

Are you in? 


What are some of your favorite fantasy novels? 

Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge 2012

I forgot to post this one in January! I joined this challenge last year and barely met the challenge, having read After the Quake in the last days of December. After the Quake is a collection of four short stories by Haruki Murakami which I did enjoy. This year, I'd like to read one of Murakami's full length novels. I'm leaning towards Sputnik Sweetheart, although the year is young and I may change my mind a few times before I finally decide.

The Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge 2012 is hosted yet again by tanabata.

To learn more about this challenge and the works of Haruki Murakami, visit the Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge blog.

You can also browse Murakami's books and reader reviews for said books on goodreads

Have you read a Haruki Murakami novel before? If yes, which one(s)? 

Do you think you might be interested in reading one of his novels? 

TBR Challenge 2012

Host: Wendy the Super Librarian

Challenge: Read one book per month from your TBR pile in 2012 and post commentary on it somewhere by the third Wednesday of the month. There are optional monthly themes as well.

Time frame: January to December 2012

The TBR Challenge was one of the first reading challenges I ever signed up for back in 2008 when Keishon was the host. I was never able to keep up with the scheduled dates and didn't do well with the pressure of having to write reviews as part of the requirement. I kind of missed the challenge, though. There's something extra satisfactory about pulling a book off your own shelf that has been there for so long and finally reading it. So I'm going to give this challenge a go again.

For more information about this challenge, including the monthly review days and theme suggestions and to sign up for this challenge, visit Wendy HERE.

Wish me luck on this one! January's read is due in 10 days!

I'll keep a list of the books I read for this challenge and links to their reviews and or commentary here in this post:

January:      a category romance 
February:    a recommended read
March:        series catch-up
April:          new-to-you author
May:           old school [published prior to 2000]
June:           western
July:            how did this get here?
August:       steamy reads
September:  genre other than romance
October:      paranormal or romantic suspense
November:  all about the hype 
December:   holiday themes  


January:       The Longest Night by Kathleen O'Reilly
February:     Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt
March:         Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione
                    Sin Undone by Larissa Ione
April:           A Dangerous Beauty by Sophia Nash
May:           Saving Grace by Julie Garwood
June:           Caine's Reckoning by Sarah McCarty
July:            Danger's Kiss by Sarah McKerrigan
August:       Deeper by Megan Hart
September:  Riftwalker by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
October:      Demon From the Dark by Kresley Cole
November:  The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook
December:  Holiday Kisses by Shannon Stacey et al.

The Big Book Challenge 2012

Host: orannia from Walkabout

Challenge: Read one big book before the end of 2012 that is over 400 pages, preferably one you have been putting off reading because of its length.

Time frame: January 1 to December 31, 2012

My goal: Read TWO big books in 2012.
[Since I failed to read ONE last year... ]

I will read Eon and Eona by Allison Goodman.

For more information and to sign up for this challenge yourself, go HERE.

1. Eon by Alison Goodman
2. Eona by Alison Goodman

******* CHALLENGE MET MARCH 7, 2012 *********


 Other 'big books' read in 2012:

1. Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward