Bout of Books 11.0 | TBR

Here's what I'd hoping to read. Despite being away at camp from Monday night to Saturday afternoon. So it is fairly ambitious.

1. The Giver by Lois Lowery
2. Roost by Ali Bryan
3. Choral Society by Prue Leith
4. The Trap (The Hunt #3) by Andrew Fukuda (audiobook) - already half way through
5. Darkest Powers Bonus Pack #1 (Darkest Powers Trilogy 0.5, 1.5, 2.5) by Kelley Armstrong
6. Darkest Powers Bonus Pack #2 (Darkest Powers Trilogy #3.5, 3.6) by Kelley Armstrong

Have you read any of these? What did you think? Are you participating in this read-a-thon?

#ayearathon/7-in-7 Read-a-thon Wrap-Up - August 2014

Here's what I was able to accomplish:

#ayearathon - hosted by Alyssa, Ke-sha, Allyn J'nae, and Kristina (August 4th-10th)
theme: middle-grade

1. George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl
   length: 96 pages
   completed: August 5 (started same day)
   rated: 3/5 stars
2. Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
   length: 224 pages
   completed: August 7 (started August 6)
   rated: 3/5 stars
3. Flyte (Septimus Heap #2) by Angie Sage
   length: 521 pages
   completed: August 8 (started August 4)
   rated: 4/5 stars
4. Shadow Breakers by Daniel Blythe
   length: 256 pages
   completed: August 10 (started August 8)
   rated: 4/5 stars
5. Odin's Ravens (Blackwell Pages #2) by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr
   length: 342 pages (during RAT: 14)
   completed: not yet (started July 10)
   rated: -/5 stars
   currently on page: 78
   
   
   7-in-7 Read-a-thon - hosted by Frankie and guests (August 4th-10th)
   goal: read 7 pieces of literature in 7 days
   In addition to those books above I also read (minus the one I didn't finish):
   
6. The Little Android (Lunar Chronicles #0.6) by Marissa Meyer
   length: 35 pages
   completed: August 4 (started same day)
   rated: 4/5 stars
7. Kat (Darkest Powers #0.3) by Kelley Armstrong
   length: 20 pages
   completed: August 10 (started same day)
   rated: 3/5 stars
8. Hunting Kat (Darkest Powers #0.4) by Kelley Armstrong
   length: 54 pages
   completed: technically August 11 by a few minutes (started August 10)
   rated: 4/5 stars

Total pages read for the week: 1247

July Wrap-up

Here are the books I read in July 2014. I participated in 4 read-a-thons so I'll mention each and let you know how I made out for each.

#finishitathon - hosted by Katie (June 30th - July 6th)
theme: finish books you've already started but maybe set aside

1. The Goddess Queen (Goddess Test #2.54) by Aimee Carter
   length: 75 pages
   completed: July 2 (started April 22, 2014)
   rated: 4/5 stars
2. Bitten (Women of the Otherworld #1) by Kelley Armstrong
   length: 422 pages
   completed: July 6 (started Sept 29, 2013)
   rated: 4/5 stars
   
   
   #ayearathon - hosted by Alyssa, Ke-sha, Allyn J'nae, and Kristina (July 7th-13th)
   theme: classics
   
3. Moby Dick (graphic novel) by Lance Stahlberg (and Herman Melville)
   length: 88 pages
   completed: July 11 (started July 11)
   rated: 2/5 stars
4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
   length: 659 pages (during RAT: 491)
   completed: not yet (started July 7)
   rated: -/5 stars
   Didn't get this finished by the end of July but got to page 566.
   
   
   #booktubeathon - hosted by Ariel and guests (July 14th - July 20th)
   theme: read as much as you can and try to complete 7 reading challenges (max 2 challenges per book)
   
5. My Point...And I Do Have One by Ellen DeGeneres
   length: 211 pages
   completed: July 15 (started July 14)
   rated: 3/5 stars
   challenge(s): read a book from the genre you've read the least of this year (memoir), read a book chosen for you by someone else (mother)
6. Sgt. Frog, Vol. 1: Enter the Sergeant (Sgt. Frog, #1) by Mine Yoshizaki
   length: 188 pages
   completed: July 16 (started July 14)
   rated: 3/5 stars
   challenge(s): read a book with pictures in it
7. The City of Ember (Book of Ember, #1) by Jeanne DuPrau
   length: 270 pages
   completed: July 17 (started July 16)
   rated: 4/5 stars
   challenge(s): start and finish a series (part 1 of 4), read a book with a movie adaptation then watch the movie
8. The People of Sparks (Book of Ember, #2) by Jeanne DuPrau
   length: 338 pages
   completed: July 19 (started July 17)
   rated: 5/5 stars
   challenge(s): start and finish a series (part 2 of 4)
9. The Prophet of Yonwood (Book of Ember, #3) by Jeanne DuPrau
   length: 289 pages
   completed: July 20 (started July 19)
   rated: 3/5 stars
   challenge(s): start and finish a series (part 3 of 4), read a book with red on the cover
10. The Diamond of Darkhold (Book of Ember, #4) by Jeanne DuPrau
    length: 285 pages
    completed: July 20 (started July 20)
    rated: 5/5 stars
    challenge(s): start and finish a series (part 4 of 4)
    #booktubeathon stats:
    Total read: 1595 pages, 6 books Challenges completed: 6/7 Missed challenge: Read 7 books or an average of 300 pages a day
    
    
    #underhypedreads - hosted by Charlotte (July 21th - July 27th)
    theme: read books with under 5000 ratings on Goodreads
    
11. Peggy of the Cove: A legend brought to reality by Ivan Fraser
    length: 124 pages
    completed: July 26 (started July 21)
    rated: 2/5 stars
    Other Goodreads ratings: 5
12. Doctor Who: Martha in the Mirror by Justin Richards (narrated by Freema Agyeman
    length: 256 pages (listened to audiobook)
    completed: July 25 (started July 23)
    rated: 4/5 stars
    Other Goodreads ratings: 641
13. Witch & Wizard: The Manga, Vol. 2 by James Patterson
    length: 252 pages
    completed: July 26 (started July 26)
    rated: 4/5 stars
    Other Goodreads ratings: 314
14. Anna From Away by D.R. MacDonald
    length: 288 pages (during RAT: 77)
    completed: not yet (started July 26)
    rated: -/5 stars
    Didn't get this finished by the end of July but got to page 85.
    
    
    Others not connected to a read-a-thon:
    
15. Ghosts(Otherworld Stories, #1.1) by Kelley Armstrong
    length: 9 pages
    completed: July 6 (started July 6)
    rated: 4/5 stars
16. Bedtime Kisses by Karin Larson and Ginger Nielson
    length: 28 pages
    completed: July 30 (started July 30)
    rated: 4/5 stars

#AYearAThon - Month 1

Hey all! I'm going to attempt to participate as much as possible in the #AYearAThon a group of monthly read-a-thons, that last one week in length, until December 2014. Each month has a different theme.

Check out all the details & discussion over at the goodreads group here! Or check out the videos about it these lovely ladies made: Alyssa, Ke-sha, Kristina, Bunny, Allyn, Liz, Catriona, and many more by searching #ayearathon on Youtube or on Twitter!


This month's theme is J.K. Rowling and extends from Feb 3rd to 9th.

My goal is to read:
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (CV) - 505 pages
Harry Potter the Prequel by J.K. Rowling - 4 pages
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (audiobook) by J.K. Rowling (HP7) - 784 pages

My current progress is as follows:
DAY ONE:
Prequel - COMPLETE - 4 pages
HP7 - 77 pages
CV - 0 pages
TOTAL: 81 pages

DAY TWO: (even more lacking than the first)
HP7 - 38 pages
CV - 19 pages
TOTAL (day): 57

DAY THREE:
HP7 - 31 pages (finished listening to the rest of the audiobook cds I have, and have yet to get a complete copy from the library)
CV - 13 pages
TOTAL (day): 44

DAY FOUR:
No progress. Haven't been able to acquire more HP audios so listened to more of "The Woman in White" by Wilkie Collins during my commute/drive home from work. Also had a long day at work (where I can't read novels) and then fell asleep early after shoveling the snow (boo) from the driveway and having dinner. I am now off Fri, Sat, and Sun. so I hope to get my reading groove on then!


TOTAL SO FAR = 182 pages (I am unimpressed)

Bout of Books 8.0: DAY FOUR

  On Day Four I decided (consciously or not) to give my eyes a break and only listened to my audiobook. However this meant I was able to finish Rapture by Lauren Kate and thus add yet another series to my finished series list, which is awesome. Sad to see this one finish though (although I still have Fallen in Love the novella to read at some point). Out of the four book series, I believe my favourite was book number 3 (Passion) as I loved all the places it took place in. Today was also my last day of work for the week so Fri, Sat, and Sun possibly can be full of reading... well reading and packing my stuff to move, but we'll see. Really hoping to finish the two books I'm in the midst of and at least begin Bitten before Monday rolls around.

Here's my numbers for day four:

Thursday

Number of pages I've read today:

1. Blood Brother in Louisbourg by Philip Roy: 0 (75 pages left)
2. Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate: (audiobook) 166 (completed)
3. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova: 0 (175 pages left)

Total number of pages read today: 166 pages
Number of books I've read today: 1 book
Total number of pages I've read: 655 pages
Total number of books I've read: 2 books
Books read:

1.  Hard Run (Death Note #3) by Tsugumi Ohba (****)
2.  Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate (****)

Unstarted thus far on RAT TBR:

1. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - 422 pages

Bout of Books 8.0: DAY THREE

Today was another day of working 8.5 hours but I found a wee bit of time, during my breaks, to read some while at work. Then I was free from other commitments to read all night when I got home (minus time spent, napping, cooking and being distracted by youtube and facebook).

Here's my progress for day three:

Wednesday

Number of pages I've read today:

1. Blood Brother in Louisbourg by Philip Roy: 0 (75 pages left)
2. Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate: (audiobook) 67 (166 page equivalents left - or 5 hours approx.)
3. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova: 132 (175 pages left)

Total number of pages read today: 199 pages
Number of books I've read today: 0 books
Total number of pages I've read: 489 pages
Total number of books I've read: 1 book
Books read:

1.  Hard Run (Death Note #3) by Tsugumi Ohba (****)

Unstarted thus far on RAT TBR:

1. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - 422 pages

Participating in Bout of Books 8.0? How did you do on day three?

Bout of Books 8.0: DAY TWO

So after a fairly successful first day, my reading took a steep decline. Where I usually would listen to my audiobook both to and from work in my car, I only listened to it for one direction as I gave a co-worker a lift and didn't want to subject them to 15-ish minutes of the middle of the last book in a series they haven't read after working an 8.5 hour shift. Then I spent longer than expected in Walmart picking out a new microwave and tv for my new house/apartment. Lastly tonight was the last ceilidh of the season in my community so I went and watched that during the time I'd usually be reading. I also felt pressure to read more pages so I started another book (at 11:30pm) as Blood Brothers in Louisbourg, dispite being quite short, has a small font so it is taking me awhile to get through.

So all in all (after all my excuses) this is how I faired on day two: 

Tuesday

Number of pages I've read today:

1. Blood Brother in Louisbourg by Philip Roy: 15 (75 pages left)
2. Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate: (audiobook) 10 (233 page equivalents left)
3. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova: 16 (306 pages left)

Total number of pages read today: 41 pages (ouch)
Number of books I've read today: 0 books
Total number of pages I've read: 291 pages
Total number of books I've read: 1 book
Books read:

1.  Hard Run (Death Note #3) by Tsugumi Ohba (****)

Unstarted thus far on RAT TBR:

1. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - 422 pages

Bout of Books 8.0: DAY ONE

Day One for me is now officially over. I only managed to read 7 pages at midnight before falling asleep then worked from 8-4:30pm so this left me with the rest of the night to do my reading. So let's see how I did.

Monday

Number of pages I've read today:

1. Blood Brother in Louisbourg by Philip Roy: 31 (90 pages left)
2. Hard Run (Death Note #3) by Tsugumi Ohba: 193 (0 pages left) - completed 
3. Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate: (audiobook) 26 (243 page equivalents left)

Total number of pages read today: 250 pages
Number of books I've read today: 1 book
Total number of pages I've read: 250 pages
Total number of books I've read: 1 book
Books read:

1.  Hard Run (Death Note #3) by Tsugumi Ohba (****)

Unstarted thus far on RAT TBR:

1. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - 422 pages
2. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova - 322 pages

Bout of Books 8.0 - Reading Goals

The last read-a-thon(RAT) I participated in (The BookTube-A-Thon) challenged us to read 300 pages per day for each of the seven days. I ended up reading an average of 244 pages per day. This was a week where I could devote every moment (when I wasn't working or sleeping) to reading. This coming week I still have my work and sleep commitments but I also need to be packing for my upcoming move. So that being factored in I am making my goal to read 190 pages per day. This will hopefully give me the opportunity to complete all my planned books and, if I have extra time, choose based on mood another later on.

The Bout of Books RAT is all about reading more than you usually do and may include challenges along the way but (as far as I can tell) doesn't include a set of challenges to direct your book choosing as my previous one did. As I have so many books I want to read (all at once if I could lol) I enjoyed having the framework and structure those challenges gave to narrowing down my choices. Therefore I've looked elsewhere to give me structure, Goodreads (particularly the Nothing but Reading Challenges group).

I had already committed (at least in my own mind) to tackling the Reading University Challenge. I am currently on the Associate's degree level so I decided to choose my books for this RAT in order to work towards fulfilling that challenge's criteria (and to give myself a bit more diversity in the genres I choose) plus reading a couple books that are still left over from my TBR from the last RAT (oops).

Without further ado, here are the books I'm planning to read:
1.  Blood Brothers in Louisbourg by Philip Roy - Started prior to RAT, History (american history) - total pages left: 121
2. Bitten (Women of the Otherworld #1) by Kelley Armstrong - TBR of last RAT - total pages: 436
3. Hard Run (Death Note #3) by Tsugumi Ohba - Literature (graphic novel) - total pages: 193
4. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova - Social Studies (psychology) - total pages: 322
5. Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate - Started prior to RAT, audiobook - total pages left: 270

This totals: 1342 pages and an average of 191 pages per day or more like 150 per day from Monday to Thursday and then 247 on Fri, Sat & Sun when I'm off work. :)

Wish me luck!

Updates & Bout of Books 8.0

Hey all,

I feel like all I do is plan to post things here, tell you my plan, then I don't follow through. Then I come back here to apologia before sharing yet another plan. It's a vicious cycle. Anywho, my most recent disappearance from both here and youtube is from me having to find a new apartment on super short notice. I've been living in an apartment in a family's reno'd basement since June when I moved across the country. The plan was always to have a lease until the end of Aug. with the ability to extend the lease at that time if I chose to stay. My landlady sends me a message at the beginning of August asking me to let her know that week whether I was wanting to stay or not as she would love me to be understands if I want a bigger place. A day or two later I let her know I'd love to stay and she emails me back the next day informing me she isn't renting out the apartment to anyone and that I have until the 2nd of Sept to get out. Gee thanks lady! So since then I've been apartment hunting. Super stressful!

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Anywho, I believe I now have a new place to live come Sept, so I can start getting back to my regular routines and that means back to reading. So why not participate in a read-a-thon? No reason at all (well other than packing like crazy, but whatevs). I just found out today that the Bout of Books read-a-thon is coming back next week! From August 19-25 and I will give it my best show to participate.

But what is the Bout of Books read-a-thon, you ask?
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 19th and runs through Sunday, August 25th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 8.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I will let know what books I have planned to read probably later today. (I'm determined to follow through this time) 

Bye,
Kieli