Happy Halloween!

Here is a Halloween song for your enjoyment:

Happy Halloween from Swords for Fighting,

Swords are for fighting,

In My Mailbox (33)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where I share what books I got in the past week.

This is what I received this week:
For Review:

• Aries Rising by Bonnie Hearn Hill
• Taurus Eyes by Bonnie Hearn Hill
• Gemini Night by Bonnie Hearn Hill

Traded Using PaperBack Swap:

• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
• Crazy for Love by Victoria Dahl

Won:

• Stork by Wendy Delsol from Young Adult Books Reviewed and Wendy Delsol

Bought:

• The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From the Living Dead by Max Brooks
• The Fledgling Handbook 101 by P.C. Cast
  

Way too many books! I think I may have to go on a book buying ban until further notice.

What did you get this week?

Swords are for fighting,

Book Blogger Hop (16)

The Book Blogger Hop is here! It is hosted by Crazy For Books, and here is this week's question:

"What is the one bookish thing you would love to have, no matter the cost?"

Answer: I would love to have a room dedicated to being the library of the house. It would have built in bookshelves that would go from the floor to the ceiling. It would also have one of those cool rolling ladders so I can reach all of my books. Of course, there would have to be a bunch of comfy chairs and couches, a fireplace, and maybe a large window with a nice, comfortable window seat.

If you are participating or you found me through the Hop, please leave me a comment. Have a fun Book Blogger Hop Friday!

Swords are for fighting,

Waiting On Wednesday (32)...

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that I am eagerly anticipating.

This week's Waiting on Wednesday pick is: Entangled by Cat Clarke

Publication Date: January 6, 2011

Synopsis:
The same questions whirl round and round in my head:
What does he want from me?
How could I have let this happen?
AM I GOING TO DIE?

17-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got here.

As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unravelling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing. As hard as she's trying to remember, is there something she just can't see?

Grace must face the most important question of all. Why is she here?

A story of dark secrets, intense friendship and electrifying attraction.



This sounds intense! I am looking forward to reading it.

What is your pick this week?

Swords are for fighting,

Teaser Tuesday (32)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along, do the following:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from page 43 of Wicked (Pretty Little Liars #5) by Sara Shepard:

"But judging by the sneaky little smile Xavier had just shot in Aria's direction, maybe he didn't mind her interpretation much at all. And that made Aria very, very happy, indeed."

I have not had time to read lately. I have been super busy with school. I haven't finished a book in over a week!

Swords are for fighting,

In My Mailbox (32)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where I share what books I got in the past week.

This is what I received this week:

Nothing. I did not get any new books this week. I guess this is good because my TBR pile is out of control.

What did you get this week?

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Midnight Alley (Morganville Vampires #3) by Rachel Caine

Synopsis:
Claire Danvers's college town may be run by vampires but a truce between the living and the dead made things relatively safe. For a while. Now people are turning up dead, a psycho is stalking her, and an ancient bloodsucker has proposed private mentoring. To what end, Claire will find out. And it's giving night school a whole new meaning.

Review:
Midnight Alley was a great addition to the Morganville Vampires Series. I felt that Claire has definitely grown since the last book. She is not as shy as she used to be, which I love. She is still super smart when it comes to school, but she stands up for herself more in this book. She does have more on her plate now since she signed herself to Amelie, and she is definitely paying for that decision. Speaking of Amelie, I liked that she was in this book more. It was interesting getting to know her a little bit.

My favorite character in this book is Myrnin. Sure, he is quirky as far as vampires go, and he is definitely crazy, but there is just something about him that I really like. I hope a cure is found for him because it would be sad to see him go.

Michael and Shane fight a lot in this book because Shane is having a hard time accepting Michael as a vampire. In my opinion, Shane just needs to get over it.

Midnight Alley was a fun book. I loved every minute of reading its action packed greatness. Rachel Caine is a talented writer, and I definitely enjoy her vampires. The Morganville Vampires is probably my favorite series at the moment, so I am looking forward to reading the rest of it!

Rating: 4/5

Books in the Morganville Vampires series:

1. Glass Houses
2. The Dead Girls' Dance
3. Midnight Alley
4. Feast of Fools
5. Lord of Misrule
6. Carpe Corpus
7. Fade Out
8. Kiss of Death
9. Ghost Town
   

Swords are for fighting,

Book Blogger Hop (15)

The Book Blogger Hop is here! It is hosted by Crazy For Books.

This week's question is:

"Where is your favorite place to read? Curled up on the sofa, in bed, in the garden?"

Answer:

I love to read in bed! It is just so comfy and relaxing. I also like to read outside surrounded by trees and grass.

If you are participating or you found me through the Hop, please leave me a comment. Have a fun Book Blogger Hop Friday!

Swords are for fighting,

Review: The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle

Synopsis:
Young Tabby Aykroyd has been brought to the dusty mansion of Seldom House to be nursemaid to a foundling boy. He is a savage little creature, but the Yorkshire moors harbor far worse, as Tabby soon discovers. The ghost of the last maid will not leave Tabby in peace, yet this spirit is only one of many. Why do scores of dead maids and masters haunt Seldom House with a jealous devotion that extends beyond the grave?

As Tabby struggles to escape the evil forces rising out of the land, she watches her young charge choose a different path. He is determined to keep Seldom House as his own. Though Tabby tries to befriend the uncouth urchin, her kindness cannot alter his fate. Long before he reaches the old farmhouse of Wuthering Heights, the boy who will become Heathcliff has doomed himself and any who try to befriend him.

Review:
The first time I heard about The House of Dead Maids, I was excited because it is a prelude to Wuthering Heights. I absolutely loved Wuthering Heights. In fact, it is one of my favorite books, so when I found out about The House of Dead Maids, I was curious to read a story about Heathcliff before he became THE Heathcliff.

If you want to get into the Halloween spirit and read a truly, creepy book, this is the book for you. The story will give you the chills. It is that good. I loved the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. They contributed to the story as a whole, which was great. Some of the pictures were indeed spooky.

If I could give any warning for this book it would be to not read it at night. The ghosts in this book will freak you out. Particularly the ghost sleeping in Tabby's bed to the descriptions of their faces. I still get the chills thinking about it. If you want to get freaked out, by all means read it in the middle of the night.

Besides the creepy aspect (which I did enjoy), this book is spectacular. I loved getting to know Heathcliff as a little boy. Sure, he is a huge brat at times, but he has a sweet side. The main character, Tabby, is a strong girl. I loved that she actually had some brains in her head and how given the situation she was in, she still took care of Heathcliff even though he was not the best mannered boy.

The House of Dead Maids is an amazing prelude to Wuthering Heights. It was interesting from the beginning to end with plenty of scary moments. It is a short book (at 146 pages), and fans of Wuthering Heights will definitely enjoy it.

Rating: 4/5

Swords are for fighting,

Waiting On Wednesday (31)...

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that I am eagerly anticipating.

This week's Waiting on Wednesday pick is: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Publication Date: February 1, 2011

Synopsis:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.


This book sounds really interesting. I absolutely loved Lauren Oliver's first book, Before I Fall. (You can read my review of Before I Fall here.) Her writing is amazing, so I am excited to read her new book.

If you have a Waiting On Wednesday pick, let me know! I am always looking for more books to read.

Swords are for fighting,

Teaser Tuesday (31)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along, do the following:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from page37 of Torment by Lauren Kate:

"She felt the rush of air that meant he'd already taken off. Her heart went after him as she opened her eyes and saw the last trace of his wings disappear inside a cloud, into the dark night."

What is your teaser for this week?

Swords are for fighting,

Halloween Read-A-Thon Finish Line

Well, I did not do as well as I would have liked this Read-A-Thon. I only finished one book and started another. I did participate in most of the challenges which was fun.

I finished Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine. I really liked this book. It was a fun read. The review should be up next Monday.

I started Torment by Lauren Kate. I am 92 pages into it, and it is really good so far. I am definitely enjoying it.

That is how I did. If you participated, let me know how you did.

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Empire of Night (Vampirates #5) by Justin Somper

Synopsis:
After the surprising revelation of the Tempest family history, twins Connor and Grace face a newly-defined future marked by their Vampirate roots. Meanwhile, Sidorio's evil Vampirate Empire continues its expansion, making it tragically apparent that no ship is safe. As for the pirates, they have a new mission: wipe out the vampirates.

There's a bloody battle brewing in the seas, and each crew will need all hands on deck. And, this time, Grace and Connor may find themselves fighting for their lives-or against each other.

Review:
Empire of Night is an exciting installment in the Vampirates series. After reading the fourth book, Black Heart, many months ago, it was fun to get back into the world of Vampirates. This one does seem to be darker than the previous books with more deaths and difficult life choices to make.

Empire of Night is mainly about Grace and Connor spying on the main villian, Sidorio, by living on his ships. Since Sidorio is actually their father, the twins do lose focus at times. Grace and Connor learn more about their family and themselves and what it means to be a dhampir. Along the way, Connor and Grace both make some bad decisions and essentially lose who they are, but they find their way back in the end. Connor finally excepts who he is to some point, but he still does not like it.

In Empire of Night, we get to know Sidorio more, and he has definitely changed! I did not find him as evil as he used to be. He easily accepts Grace and Connor as his own and takes them under his wing as his heirs. He obviously cares for his children.

I definitely enjoyed this book. There was plenty of pirate action with sword fighting, of course! The ending was completely unexpected. I am curious where Somper is going to take it. This series is a fun, thrilling ride, and I am looking forward to the next book!

Rating: 4/5

Books in the Vampirates Series:

1. Demons of the Ocean
2. Tide of Terror
3. Blood Captain
4. Black Heart
   

1.5 Dead Deep

Swords are for fighting,

In My Mailbox (31)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where I share what books I got in the past week.

This is what I received this week:

Bought:

• Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
• The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
  
• Dust City by Robert Paul Weston

Traded using at PaperBackSwap.com:

• Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore
  

What did you get this week?

Swords are for fighting,

Halloween Read-A-Thon Mini Challenges

I will post all of the mini challenges I participate in here:

YA Addict's What's Your Spookiest Read? Mini Challenge:

My pick:

Synopsis:
Two young couples are on a lazy Mexican vacation--sun-drenched days, wild nights, making friends with fellow tourists. When the brother of one of those friends disappears, they decided to venture into the jungle to look for him. What started out as a fun day trip slowly spirals into a nightmare when they find an ancient ruins site ... and the terrifying presence that lurks there.

This book was just plain scary. The things that happen to the characters is horrible. For me, I could not put this book down. but it freaked me out a bit.

Oh My Books' HALLOWEEN COSTUME MINI-CHALLENGE!

My pick:
Little Red Riding Hood is what I am going to be this year....if I dress up. I am still not sure if I will do anything this Halloween.

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul II

Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul II by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Marty Becker D.V.M., Peter Vegso, Theresa Peluso, and Teresa Becker

Synopsis:
This follow-up to the surprise hit, Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul, brings to the page the adoration we have for our horses with inspiring, funny and tender stories.

Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul II is filled with inspiring stories of rescue and rehabilitation, heartbreaking losses, dedication and commitment, and positive messages of responsibility and unconditional love. Readers will enjoy uplifting and humorous stories that depict the horse's intelligence, versatility and intuitiveness; they will discover the horse's healing powers, marvel at the graceful performance of a Grand Prix Dressage winner, be awed by the stamina and strength of a working horse and the athletic prowess of a champion racer.

In exchange of our love and companionship, horses teach, heal us, protect us and guide us. Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul II is a worthy celebration of a very noble creature.

Review:

Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul II is a heart-warming book. It is full of touching stories involving horses. It is the kind of book that will make you laugh, smile, and cry. Many of the short stories are sad, but they will leave you with touched. On the other side of the spectrum, some of the stories will have you laughing.

Those of us that have had horses in your life at one time or another will feel a connection to this book. It is definitely a book for horse lovers. Having had some wonderful horses in my life, this book hit home. It made me realize how much of an inspiration horses have been in my life. Having a deep connection with a horse is an experience like no other. It was a great read and absolutely amazing.

Rating: 4/5

Swords are for fighting,

Book Blogger Hop (14)

The Book Blogger Hop is here once again! It is hosted by Crazy For Books.

This week's question is:

"When you read a book that you just can't get into, do you stick it out and keep reading or move to your next title?"

Answer: I usually stick it out, or I will set it aside and come back to it later.

If you are participating or you found me through the Hop, please leave me a comment. Have a fun Book Blogger Hop Friday!

Swords are for fighting,

Halloween Read-A-Thon

I totally forgot about the Halloween Read-A-Thon, but I thought I might as well still give it a try. I do have some plans this weekend, so I do not know how much I will be able to read. I am going to try to aim for 3 books.

Here is my potential list:

• Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine
• Torment by Lauren Kate
• Zombies Vs. Unicorns by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier
• Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Anyone else participating?

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

Synopsis:
I will howl for you, human boy, she thought. I will hunt you in my girl skin, but I'll celebrate as wolf...

Vivian relishes the change: the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves howl for her. It is time for her to find a mate.

But Vivian just feels lonely and lost, longing to be 'normal'. That's when she meets Aiden - a human - and falls in love. But can Aiden ever accept Vivian as she truly is? And will Vivian be fully satisfied with Aiden's comfortable kisses - like chocolate - when she has such a passionate need for more? For kisses with real danger in them - like blood...

Review:

I have been meaning to read Blood and Chocolate for a while now. Honestly, I first heard about it after seeing the movie version of the book. I did enjoy the movie, so I decided I wanted to read the book to see how it compared. After reading even the first chapter of Blood and Chocolate, it was obvious that the movie was loosely based on the book. Since I saw the movie first, I was expecting certain things to happen that did not. The book was barely like the movie. I think the characters' names are about the only thing that is the same in both.

Movie aside, I definitely liked this book. It was a fun book. Vivian is such a strong girl that it was easy to enjoy the story. I loved the amazing romance with all of the complications along the way. The sensual scenes were wonderfully written and thrilling to read. Some people may not like the ending because it could be considered controversial, but I loved it. I think the way Annette Curtis Klause ended Blood and Chocolate book was amazing and perfect. In my opinion, it was the right choice.

I am glad I read Blood and Chocolate because I enjoyed it so much. There were many twists and turns that made the book exciting and a definite page turner. I most certainly like it more than the movie. If you like supernatural books, I think you will like this one.

Rating: 4/5

Swords are for fighting,

Waiting On Wednesday (30)...

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that I am eagerly anticipating.

This week's Waiting on Wednesday pick is: Night Star (The Immortals #5) by Alyson Noel

Publication Date: November 16, 2010

Synopsis:
Best friends make the worst enemies—they know all your secrets, your weaknesses, and just how to hurt you most...

After fighting for centuries to be together, Ever and Damen's future hinges on one final showdown that will leave readers gasping for breath. Don't miss this explosive new installment of the number one bestselling series that's enchanted millions across the world!


The synopsis does not give much, but at least it's something! I am looking forward to seeing where this book goes.

Swords are for fighting,

Teaser Tuesday (30)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along, do the following:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from page 120 of The Morganville Vampires Volume 2: Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine:

"He looked up at them and snarled, and she saw the hard glint of fangs.

She hurried to the door at the top of the stairs."

If you have not read The Morganville Vampires Series, you should. They are just awesome!

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Jealousy (Strange Angels #3) by Lili St. Crow

Synopsis:
Dru Anderson might finally be safe. She’s at the largest Schola on the continent, and beginning to learn what it means to be svetocha–half vampire, half human, and all deadly. If she survives her training, she will be able to take her place in the Order, holding back the vampires and protecting the oblivious normal people.

But a web of lies and betrayals is still closing around her, just when she thinks she can relax a little. Her mentor Christophe is missing, her almost-boyfriend is acting weird, and the bodyguards she’s been assigned seem to know much more than they should. And then there’s the vampire attacks, the strange nightly visits, and the looks everyone keeps giving her. As if she should know something.

Or as if she’s in danger.

Someone high up in the Order is a traitor. They want Dru dead–but first, they want to know what she remembers of the night her mother died. Dru doesn’t want to remember, but it looks like she might have to–especially since once Christophe returns, he’ll be on trial for his life. The only person who can save him is Dru.

The problem is, once she remembers everything, she may not want to…

Review:
Jealousy is an amazing read! It is my favorite in the series so far. There were many twists and turns that kept me turning page after page. Of course, there is plenty of action and adventure. Dru gets in a few fights, but she never backs down. The fight scenes are great! They were definitely my favorite parts especially a certain showdown between Dru and a particularly jealous character. Dru definitely stands up for herself in this book. She is just an all around awesome character who cannot catch a break. Her snarky thoughts make me laugh. I like that she is a strong girl that can take a punch in the face but still has a vulnerable side.

There are more djamphirs present in this book. Dru actually gets to attend some classes this time around, which is great because she gets to learn more about herself. Leon and Benjamin are probably my favorite djamphirs. There is a particular shopping venture involving Leon and Benjamin that was hilarious! They seem to be devoted to protecting Dru and protection is something she needs until she blooms. I am kind of getting impatient waiting for Dru to bloom. I really hope it happens in the next book.

I loved reading Jealousy. It was a fast read, the plot was amazing, and the writing was great. If you have not picked up the Strange Angels series, I suggest that you do. The only downer was the huge cliffhanger ending. I did not want this book to end because I need to know what happens next! Besides that, this book was awesome. I loved pretty much everything about it. Many of the unanswered questions in the previous books were answered. Of course, new questions have come up.

Rating: 4.5/5

Books in the Strange Angels series:

1. Strange Angels
2. Betrayals
3. Jealousy
   

Swords are for fighting,

In My Mailbox (30)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where I share what books I got in the past week.

This is what I received this week:
(I cannot upload the picture for some reason, but I will try again later.)

Won:

• Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick from Beguile Thy Sorrow

Swapped using PaperBack Swap:

• The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneggar
• Uglies by Scott Westerfield
• Xombies: Apocalypse Blues by Walter Greatshell
  

Borrowed:

• Empire of Night (Vampirates #5) by Justin Somper
  

What did you get this week?

Swords are for fighting,

24 Hour Read-A-Thon Final Update

There are only a few more minutes left of the Read-A-Thon, but I cannot keep my eyes open to read a book any longer. I did not get much reading done, but I did participate in many challenges. I had a great time in my first 24 Hour Read-A-Thon, and I hope to do it again.

Currently Reading: The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle (I will have to finish it later)

Number of books read since you started: 1

Pages read since last update: 121

Running total of pages read since you started: 414

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 2 hours 1 minute

Running total of time spent reading since you started: 6 hours 10 minutes

Mini-challenges completed:

• Back in the Day Children's Book Challenge
  
• Six Word Celebration
  
• Indie Pride
• Show Me the Books
• Microfiction
• Book Puzzle
• Armchair Travelling
• Love to Hate
• Shake Your Pom-Poms
• Pet Pics Challenge
• Mid-Event Survey
  
• Sidekick Challenge

End of Event Meme:

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Hour 22. I was literally falling asleep.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
The House of Dead Maids was pretty creepy at times. It definitely kept me up.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Nope. It ran smoothly I thought.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
I don't have anything to compare it to since this is my first one.

5. How many books did you read?
I only finished 1 book and started another.

6. What were the names of the books you read?
Empire of Night by Justin Somper
The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle

7. Which book did you enjoy most?
Empire of Night

8. Which did you enjoy least?
I guess The House of Dead Maids, but I have yet to finish it. I like it so far.

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
N/A

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
I will definitely participate next time around if I have the time. I would be a reader again.


Swords are for fighting,

24 Hour Read-A-Thon Mid-Event Survey

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now? Empire of Night by Justin Somper
2. How many books have you read so far? 0
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? The House of Dead Maids
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? not really
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Yes, my little sister has been pestering me, but that was easy to deal with. It is my sister's birthday today, so I have to take a few large breaks.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? That I am not getting as much reading done as I thought I would have by now.
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Not really. It seems to be going pretty great.
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? I would wake up earlier.
9. Are you getting tired yet? Not yet.
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? I have been taking breaks, so I don't get burned out.

Fun survey!

Swords are for fighting,

24 Hour Read-A-Thon Update #3

Currently Reading: Empire of Night by Justin Somper (I'm soooo close to finishing!)

Number of books read since you started: 0

Pages read since last update: 110

Running total of pages read since you started: 293

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour 28 minutes

Running total of time spent reading since you started: 4 hours 9 minutes

Mini-challenges completed:

• Back in the Day Children's Book Challenge
  
• Six Word Celebration
  
• Indie Pride
• Show Me the Books
• Microfiction
• Book Puzzle
• Armchair Travelling
• Love to Hate
• Shake Your Pom-Poms
• Pet Pics Challenge
  

Swords are for fighting,

24 Hour Read-A-Thon: Shake Your Pom-Poms and Pet Pics Mini-Challenge

Here is my entry for the Shake Your Pom-Poms Challenge over at Fizzy Thoughts:

Reading is fun!
Reading is great!
Can't stop 'til you're done!
Staying up really late!

Here is my pic for Lynn's Book Reviews Pet Pic Mini-Challenge:

This is Koda smiling for the camera. He loves his picture taken!

For part 2 of this challenge, I had to write a sentence using the main character's name from my favorite animal book and only the first letter of that name.

My favorite animal book is The Blind Colt by Glen Rounds. The main character is Whitey, so here it is:

Whitey works wonders with wild water worlds.

Update coming up in the next hour or so!

Swords are for fighting,

24 Hour Read-A-Thon Update #2

Currently Reading: Empire of Night by Justin Somper

Number of books read since you started: 0

Pages read since last update: 114

Running total of pages read since you started: 183

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour 45 minutes

Running total of time spent reading since you started: 2 hours 41 minutes

Mini-challenges completed:

• Back in the Day Children's Book Challenge
  
• Six Word Celebration
  
• Indie Pride
• Show Me the Books
• Microfiction
• Book Puzzle
• Armchair Travelling
  

Swords are for fighting,

24 Hour Read-A-Thon: Book Puzzle and Armchair Travelling Mini-Challenges

There are two challenges this hour in the 24 Hour Read-A-Thon, and I decided to use the same book for both.

For the Book Puzzle challenge from One Librarian's Book Reviews, I had to use pictures to describe a title. I decided to use the book I am currently reading. Here is what I came up with:


These pictures illustrate Empire of Night by Justin Somper!

For the Armchair Travelling Challenge from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader, I had to write about some of the sites from my book. I chose Empire of Night by Justin Somper. The main site of this book is the ocean, which is pretty great. I love the ocean, so this is the perfect setting for me!
Back to reading!

Swords are for fighting,

24 Hour Read-A-Thon Update #1

Currently Reading: Empire of Night by Justin Somper is the book I am currently reading

Number of books read since you started: 0

Pages read since last update: 69

Running total of pages read since you started: 69

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 56 minutes

Running total of time spent reading since you started: 56 minutes

Mini-challenges completed:

• Back in the Day Children's Book Challenge
  
• Six Word Celebration
  
• Indie Pride
• Show Me the Books
  

Swords are for fighting,

24 Hour Read-A-Thon: Show Me the Books Challenge!

For the Show Me the Books Mini-Challenge, I took a picture of my TBR pile plus a few additional books:


This Read-A-Thon is awesome! Now back to reading :)

Swords are for fighting,

24 Hour Read-A-Thon Starting Line and Mini Challenge

Hey everyone!

I obviously got a late start (somehow I slept through my alarm). So I have not read anything today yet, but I did participate in some mini challenges.

The first one was the Back-in-the-Day Children’s Book Mini-Challenge over at miss wisabus'
This was a fun little challenge! I enjoyed remembering my favorite books as a kid (The Saddle Club series!).

The second mini challenge was Estella's Revenge's Six Word Celebration!
Here is my entry:

Read Until You Can't Read Anymore!

I also participated in the Indie Pride Mini Challenge

Now on to some actually reading! I will update every couple hours with my progress.

Swords are for fighting,

24 Hour Read-A-Thon!

I am participating in the 24 Hour Read-A-Thon! This is my first time participating, so I am excited! I hope to read ALL day, but I think that is unrealistic. My reading time has been lacking lately because of school, so I have a lot of catching up to do!

Here are the books I plan on reading:

• Finish Vampirates: Empire of Night by Justin Somper
• Finish Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine
• Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine
  
• The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle
• Wicked by Sara Shepard
• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Audiobook for anytime I can't sit down and read!
  

I hope I can get a good amount of reading done tomorrow!

Swords are for fighting,

Book Blogger Hop (13)

The Book Blogger Hop is here once again! It is hosted by Crazy For Books.

This week's question is:

What's your favorite beverage while reading or blogging, if any? Is it tea, coffee, water, a glass of wine, or something else?

My favorite beverage while reading or blogging is water, but if it is early in the morning coffee is my go to beverage.

If you are participating or you found me through the Hop, please leave me a comment. Have a fun Book Blogger Hop Friday!

Swords are for fighting,

Review: Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Synopsis:
“Benny Imura couldn’t hold a job, so he took to killing.”

In the zombie-infested world Benny has grown up in, every teenager must work once they turn fifteen—or they’ll lose their food rations. Benny isn’t interested in taking on the family business, but he reluctantly agrees to train as a zombie killer with his boring big brother, Tom. He expects a dull job, whacking zombies for cash. What he discovers is a vocation that will teach him what it really means to be human.

As Benny’s worldview is challenged again and again by the lessons he learns from Tom, he is forced to confront another horrifying reality: sometimes, the most terrible monsters are the human ones.

Critically acclaimed author Jonathan Maberry crafts a terrifying future vision of the zombie apocalypse, brought to life through the rich emotional struggles of a teenager trying to find his place in a tumultuous new world.

Review:

This book was definitely interesting. I honestly thought it was going to be a book about zombie-slaying, but I was way off. Sure, there are zombies in this book and some zombie killing, but it is not a normal zombie book by any means. It poses the question of what is morally right and wrong when it comes to zombie killing and life.

I thought the characters were well developed. I enjoyed watching the main character, Benny, grow throughout the novel. In the beginning, he is ignorant of the ways of the world and just seemed to follow the crowd. He definitely grows into a great young man after discovering how his world really operates. The antagonist of the book, Charlie, is a horrible man. Probably one of the most evil characters I have ever encountered in a book.

For me, Rot & Ruin had some slow parts in the beginning, but they were easy to get through. The rest of the book was fast-paced. I did not want to put it down. I do not know if there will be a sequel, but I would not mind if there was. This book is overall pretty great. I liked that it made me think. There were some sad parts, but I think they were necessary to the plot. I definitely recommend reading it if you have the time.

Rating: 4/5

Swords are for fighting,

Waiting On Wednesday (29)...

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that I am eagerly anticipating.

This week's Waiting on Wednesday pick is:Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Publication Date: January 11, 2011

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone—one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship—tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn’t do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there’s only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.


This book sounds interesting and exciting. I am looking forward to reading it.

Swords are for fighting,

Teaser Tuesday (29)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along, do the following:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from page 11 of Empire of Night (Vampirates #5) by Justin Somper:

"'What have you done?" Connor rasped. "Why have you done this?" He shook his head, then opened his mouth once more and let out a deep, keening wail.'"

I wonder what is going on?

Swords are for fighting,