Rosey's Review: 2011 1st In Series Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge

Rosey’s Review are having a 1st in Series Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge.  The rules and info for entering the challenge can be found on Rosey’s site, but if you follow the link below you should be set:

http://roseysreview.com/2011/11/2011-reading-challenge-1st-in-series.html

I am going to go all out for this challenge too! (I know I seem to be going all out for everything at the moment) I will be trying to achieve the Full Bloom level.  This means I will need to read all 59 of the books listed in the challenge list.

Now I have already read a few of books on this list which is okay and they can be counted, but I thought I might give it a go and re-read them too.  I’m not too great a writing reviews for the books I read, but I will endeavour to try and write a decent review for them.

The Books I’ve Already Read:

• Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson
• Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
• Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
• Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
• Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
• Touch the Dark by Karen Chance
• Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow
• Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
• Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughan
• Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur
• Night Shift by Lilith Saintcrow
• Undone by Rachel Caine
• The Devil Inside by Jenna Black
• The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu
• Midnight’s Daughter by Karen Chance

The Books to Go:

• What’s a Ghoul to do? by Victoria Laurie
• Summon the Keeper by Tanya Huff
• Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler
• Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk
• Ill Wind by Rachel Caine
• Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane
• Stray by Rachel Vincent
• Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
• Happy Hour at Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta
• Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep
• Storm Born by Richelle Mead
• Staying Dead by Laura Anne Gilman
• Dead until Dark by Charlaine Harris
• Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
• Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy
• A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix
• Night Rising by Chris Marie Green
• Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake
• Mind Games by Carolyn Crane
• Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells
• Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
• Greywalker by Kat Richardson
• Dying Bites by D.D. Barant
• Grave Witch by Kalayna Price
• Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding
• Heart of Stone by C.E. Murphy
• Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
• Deadtown by Nancy Holzner
• Hard Magic by Laura Anne Gilman
• Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin
• Hunted by the Others by Jess Haines
• Trick of the Light by Robyn Thurman
• Personal Demons by Stacia Kane
• The Becoming by Jeanne C. Stein
• The Sweet Scent of Blood by Suzanne McLeod
• Howling at the Moon by Karen MacInerney
• Burning Water by Mercedes Lackey & Hugh Syme
• Queen of Shadows by Dianne Sylvan
• Highborn by Yvonne Navarro
• Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between by J.A. Saare
• Blood Law by Jeannie Holmes
• Black Wings by Christine Henry
• Spiral Hunt by Margaret Ronald
• Right Hand Magic by Nancy A. Collins

Whew, what a list!  So 44 new books to read.  I can’t wait!

 

Update to come soon .

Wish I'd Read That Challenge 2011

So I was checking out blogs and such on Goodreads this morning and I came across the blog of Julie @knitting and sundries, and noticed she was taking part in the above named challenge.

I clicked on the link and it took me to a great blog called My Love Affair with Books.  I read through the guidelines and decided that I wanted to take part in this challenge as well.

I’m going to try and go all out for the Obsessed level in the challenge.  You have to read 20 books to reach this level.  Now I am already taking part in a few other challenges, some by myself and some through other sites, so I should hopefully be reading a lot this year.

I’ll be listing the books I read as I go and I’ll try to post the reviews on here as well as on Goodreads.

I’ll check back soon with updates.

P.S.   If you feel like joining the challenge too, follow the link below:

http://books-love-affair.blogspot.com/2010/12/wish-id-read-that-challenge-2011.html

The 1001 Club...

For those of you who know me well, the heading above may clue you in to what this post will be about and for those of you who don’t know me well or even at all, I will try to enlighten you.

I am a bit of a reader.  I love books.  I don’t care if they are paperback, hardback, e-book, audiobook or written on a block of stone, I just love them.  I find it a sad thing when people say they aren’t much for reading as they don’t have time or they think it’s a bit of a waste of time to be sitting down with a book.  I disagree with them.  There can be nothing better than taking a well deserved time out with a good book.
Books take you to another time and place or into another persons life.  What is not great and exciting about that?

I have many favourite authors and some of them are listed as links on my blog.  I am always on the look out for a new author or genre.  I have recently started into the more serious side of the Science Fiction genre and am surprised that I didn’t get hooked into it earlier.  What fantastic stories being told!  The most recent books I have read are Quarter Share and Half Share by Nathan Lowell.  These were originally done as free audio books from the authors website but have been released into paperback and e-book formats.  Now I’m no great authority on this genre, as I’ve stated I’ve only just gotten into it, but these stories kept me hanging on to the last word.  I am about to commence listening to the next installment, Full Share, on my iPod over the coming days.  I cannot wait to hear what else is happening with Ishmael and his progress through the ranks on board the “Lois McKendrick”.

It’s never hard to find books to read but I got to thinking about another book I received as a gift a few years back.  It’s called “1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die”, and I decided I was going to give it a go and try and read them all.  I will be honest with you and tell you that I may not finish all these books but I will attempt to.  Sometimes there are books that no mater what you do, you just can’t get into it and make it through to the end.  I have found a few books like that over the years and although it’s inevitable that you won’t like all the books you pick up, you do get that feeling that you just didn’t give them a real chance.  Here’s hoping I can persevere and make it through the list.  I will also try to give some reviews on the books I do get through, but I’m not very good at writing reviews.  I’m just not critical enough to give very concise reviews on the books I read, so be prepared for a lot of “It was really good.  Enjoyed the character’s a lot”

Now, I have read some of the books already, but I think to get into the true spirit of things I’m going to read them all again.  First up on my list is “Journey to the Centre of the Earth” by Jules Verne.  I’m only up to chapter three but so far so good. His writing is a bit circumlocutory, however it currently seems to add to the feel of the story – I figure learned men of the day did waffle a bit getting a story out, a bit like some politicians nowadays.

If anyone else is thinking of partaking in this personal challenge, I’d love to hear about it either here in my comments or if you have your own blog let me know so I can check it out.
Take care and I’ll post again soon.

“TV.  If kids are entertained by two letters, imagine the fun they’ll have with twenty-six.  Open your child’s imagination.  Open a book.”  ~Author Unknown

“We should read to give our souls a chance to luxuriate.”  ~Henry Miller

“Books are immortal sons deifying their sires.”  ~Plato