Contents of blog copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2023
I've been gone a while. I started reading fanfiction to escape and I got sucked in an abyss.

I have no idea if someone else is hosting similar challenges. I just grabbed some of what I have hosted before.

Here's to a happy year of great reading
Jan2023: Not much has changed. Writing a fanfiction now O_o as well as reading but I bought 7 new books in December and hope to get those read soon. Crossing fingers about adding challenges (late!)

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Back to School Reading Challenge

logo for the Back to School Reading ChallengeBack to School
Reading Challenge
August and September


hosted at Joy's Book Blog

Sign- up here

Joy loves back to school season (August and September) and her reading turns from purely pleasurable beach book to another kind of pleasure: learning something new. She's developed a reading challenge/book club to give structure to her reading and has invited us along.
There are four levels
Freshman: 1-2 books
Sophomore: 3-4 books
Junior: 5-6 books
Senior: 7-8 books
"Read books on one topic or eight different ones or anything in between. Fiction is fine. I’ve learned a lot of history from novels set in other times and a lot about other cultures from novels set in other places. As long as you’re reading the book to learn something new, it counts for the Back to School Reading Challenge.
A sign-up post is not required, but it does help spread the word. If you write one, link it below so we can all see who is playing. Feel free to grab the logo and to ask for suggestions for books in your categories of study.
There will be a new post each Wednesday in August and September with a link list for any discussions or reviews related to the Back to School Reading Challenge. On four Wednesdays, there will also be a Twitter Chat. More about that later. We may also do a read-along if there’s interest."

I've got a couple of books that count for this in my current reading pile but I'm going to play it safe and go for . . . Freshman!

~ Books Read ~
1. Eat and Run by Scott Jurek with Steve Friedman (health and fitness)
2. The Enemy by Lee Child (military fiction)

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2013

Sunday, July 28, 2013

High Summer Read-a-Thon Wrap-up

High Summer Read-a-Thon
Wrap-Up 
July 22 - July 28


hosted at Seasons of Reading (The True Book Addict)


Twitter hashtag is #HSreadathon
Reading time is Monday, 7/22 at 12:00am CST and finish on Sunday, 7/28 at 11:59pm CST so I'll be reading . . .

Sunday, 10 p.m. to  Sunday, 9:59 p.m.

The read-a-thon is not officially over for me but as I'm not feeling well right now and don't believe I'll finish another book I wanted to get my post up.

I really shouldn't plan what to read during these things! At the mid-week check-in, I listed six books I was currently/thinking about reading. I started two of them. I missed one that should have been on the list, finished one that wasn't on the list, started another and started/finished one. Whew.

Here's a recap
~Books Read~

The Doctor and the Bad Boy by RJ Scott
Finding Absolution by Carol Lynne
Stockholm Syndrome by Sage Marlowe
The Mystery Woman by Amanda Quick
A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare
Blood Knot by Tracy Cooper-Posey
Dragon's Bait by Vivian Vande Velde
Star Ka'at by Andre Norton but only 47 pages count
Tripwire by Lee Child

total: 1,885 and then some pages




copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2013

Friday, July 26, 2013

High Summer Mid-Week Check-in

High Summer Read-a-Thon
Mid-Week Check-in 
July 22 - July 28


hosted at Seasons of Reading (The True Book Addict)


Twitter hashtag is #HSreadathon
Reading time is Monday, 7/22 at 12:00am CST and finish on Sunday, 7/28 at 11:59pm CST so I'll be reading . . .

Sunday, 10 p.m. to  Sunday, 9:59 p.m.


~Books Read~

The Doctor and the Bad Boy by RJ Scott
Finding Absolution by Carol Lynne
Stockholm Syndrome by Sage Marlowe
The Mystery Woman by Amanda Quick
A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare
Blood Knot by Tracy Cooper-Posey
Dragon's Bait by Vivian Vande Velde

Whoa and Wow. Sure a couple were short stories and one was juvenile fiction but they all have their own isbn and total . . . . 1,495 pages!

Yikes, that's way more than I was expecting to read this week. Oh man, the week isn't over yet! Five were ebooks on my Touch so I was able to move about but that is still way more sitting than I should have been doing. Well, I'm getting up and at least changing chairs every hour I read. I don't really have the energy for anything else, see why here - if you'd like.

I have several books "waiting" for me:

at the top of my ebook reading list - 
Seven Unholy Days by Jerry Hatchett
Blackberry Summer by RaeAnne Thayne
A Week to be Wicked by Tessa Dare

review book -
What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries

library books (here) -
Man in the Empty Suit by Sean Ferrell
Posted to Death by Dean James



copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2013

Thursday, July 25, 2013

150+ Reading Challenge, part three . . . and page count


150+
Reading Challenge
AND
Let Me Count the Ways
2013

I got tired of updating two pages when the information was so much alike. The only change to the 150+ challenge info is the page count.


150+ continued from here 
Let Me Count the Ways continued from here



~ Books Read ~
starting with #101 

101. 131 - Dragon's Bait by Vivian Vande Velde
102. 102 - Star Ka'at by Andre Norton
103. 343 - Tripwire by Lee Child
104. 60 - From Pack to Pride by Amber Kell
105. 58 - Protecting His Pride by Amber Kell
106. 519 - Running Blind by Lee Child
107. 329 - Three Little Words by Susan Mallery
108. 89 - The Paramedic and the Writer by RJ Scott
109. 227 - Eat and Run by Scott Jurek with Steve Friedman
110. 148 - At First Touch by T.A. Chase and Devon Rhodes
~*~ 25,804 ~*~
111. 557 - Echo Burning by Lee Child
112. 374 - Without Fail by Lee Child
113. 82 - Ascension by Bailey Bradford
114. 240 - Dancers Among Us by Jordan Matte
115. 335 - Reflection Point by Emily March
116. ??? - Make Mine a Bad Boy by Carolina Valdez
117. ??? - The Carpenter And The Fairy by Cassandra Gold
118. ??? - Art and Snowflakes by Sean Michael
119. ??? - Going Down Hard by KyAnn Waters
120. 216 - A Soldier's Choice w/bonus chapter (Mistletoe Op) by D.L. Warner
~*~ 27,608 ~*~
121. 126 - Kentucky 98 Proof by KC Kendricks
122. 403 - The Third Gate by Lincoln Child
123. 150 - Beauty and the Blacksmith by Tessa Dare
124. 230 - Plague by H.W. "Buzz" Bernard
125. 368 - Falling Awake by Jayne Ann Krentz 
126. 131 - Set Ablaze by Morticia Knight
127. 93 - Soldier Mine by Amber Kell
128. 88 - Prince Claimed by Amber Kell
129. 87 - Politician Won by Amber Kell
130. 62 - Chalice by Amber Kell
~*~ 29,346 ~*~
131. 61 -  Orlin's Fall by Amber Kell
132. 55 -  Zall's Captain by Amber Kell
133. 93 - The Case of the Cupid Curse by Amber Kell & RJ Scott
134. 101 - The Case of the Wicked Wolf by Amber Kell & RJ Scott 
135. 90 - The Case of the Dragon's Dilemma by Amber Kell & RJ Scott
136. 119 - Before He Cheats by Kim Dare
137. 142 - Arresting Behaviour by Morticia Knight
138. 319 - A Werewolf in Manhattan by Vicki Lewis Thompson
139. 67 - Object of His Desire by Ava March
140. 268 - Without Reservations J.L. Langley
~*~ 30,661 ~*~ 
141. 87 - An Improper Holiday by K.A. Mitchell
142. 93 - With Love by J.L. Langley
143. 90 - Eros Rising by Ally Blue
144. 224 - With Caution by J.L Langley
145. 86 - The Barman and the Seal by RJ Scott
146. 145 - Lust Emergency by Morticia Knight
147. 120 - Broken by Sage Whistler
148. 342 - Persuader by Lee Child
149. 176 - Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey
150. 232 - The Strongest Shape by Tessa Cárdenas
~*~ 32,256 ~*~  

~ Challenge Complete ~
September 4


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2013

Monday, July 22, 2013

I'm late for the High Summer RaT!

High Summer Read-a-Thon
July 22 - July 28


hosted at Seasons of Reading (The True Book Addict)

Sign- up here


Twitter hashtag is #HSreadathon
Reading time is Monday, 7/22 at 12:00am CST and finish on Sunday, 7/28 at 11:59pm CST so I'll be reading . . .

Sunday, 10 p.m. to  Sunday, 9:59 p.m.


Dang, I spent the fist two hours of the RaT watching Criminal Minds! I'm off to read some before heading to bed. . .



copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2013

This is a Good News - Bad News post with some Worse News

I decided to take most of the summer off. Between house plans, running plans and vacation plans, it was less stressful just to leave the blog. Oh, I was still going to be reading and updating challenge pages. Maybe even post a review or two but was going off-line for as long as I could.

Michelle's High Summer RaT would take place along side a family reunion so I thought I wouldn't have much time to read and didn't bother to sign up.

So now it's July 22, about a month of being off-line that was mostly successful but certainly not as long as I thought. What's up? I should be making sure I have everything needed for a weekend of rafting, eating, playing and visiting but I'm not. I'm not going to the reunion this year. That's the bad news.

The worse news is why. I spent the first week of July in the hospital. My husband came home from work to find me on the bathroom floor. Every time I sat up, I got nauseous so I'd lay back down again. We thought it was food poisoning or maybe my blood sugar. When I tested at 320, we called the advice nurse. Result? A rush to the hospital. Two days in ICU then 5 days in the "step down" area. Still ICU just not as closely watched. Progress.

So the good news is that I'm home. I hardly had any endurance but I was walking. We put a twin bed in the family room so I didn't have to go up the stairs so often. The Son became the warden of my medicine, he's been fantastic. I can finally go upstairs, shower and not have to rest before getting dressed. Still not blow drying my hair - that dryer is heavy! - or driving.

Sitting so still as I got caught up in a good book wasn't the cause any but didn't help. Lesson learned? Get up and move, sitting still so long can be dangerous!

Oh, what was wrong? Massive pulmonary embolism. Basically, I've got several blood clots in both lungs.

And just why am I sharing this? Well, for one thing I'll be on the computer less and trying to read less so I'm sitting less but I'm signing up for the RaT! Not sure how "sit less" will work out when I'm starting out with a read-a-thon but that's what happening in my life.

My summer list just got shorter but changed some and will take twice as long as I try to get my stamina back. Man, so much for running. The bright side is that I am here to be disappointed about running, it was a near miss.


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2013

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Purr-sday & Cat Thursday












just a place to share the cute/funny/weird pictures I find while surfing....when I should be doing a whole range of things ;) Don't forget to head over to The True Book Addict because Michele has a meme going. With links and everything!

Found this in the book I read last week and thought you'd enjoy it (Owen is the cat)



copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2013

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

I Love eBooks! part two


eBook
Reading Challenge
2013

hosted at Workaday Reads, Sign- up here

The 2013 Ebook Challenge. Encouraging readers to expand past just physical books to embrace ebooks in all forms, whether on Kindle, Kobo, computer, or any other reader.

Challenge Guidelines:
  • This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2013 – Dec 31, 2013.
  • Anyone can join, you don’t need to be a blogger. If you don’t have a blog, feel free to sign-up in the comments. You can post reviews to any book site (i.e. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Goodreads, etc).
  • Any genre or length of book counts, as long as it is in ebook format.
  • You can plan your books in advance or as you read them.
  • When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the E-Book Reading Challenge.
  • You can move up levels, but no moving down.
  • Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2013, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.

Levels:
  • Floppy disk – 5 ebooks
  • CD – 10 ebooks
  • DVD – 25 ebooks
  • Memory stick – 50 ebooks
  • Hard drive – 75 ebooks
  • Server – 100 ebooks
  • Human brain – 150 ebooks

I think this is the only ebook challenge out there and as "any length" counts, I'm going to go for ... Human Brain ... and read 150 ebooks this year. Thank Heavens for "challenge overlap"!


~Books Read~
starting with #51
continued from here
51. Modelling Death by Amber Kell
52. Sorry, Bro by Genevieve Bergeron
53. Point of No Return by N. R. Walker
54. En Prise by Sean Michael
55. Magically His by Amber Kell
56. The Doctor and the Bad Boy by RJ Scott
57. Finding Absolution by Carol Lynne
58. Stockholm Syndrome by Sage Marlowe
59. A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare
60. Blood Knot by Tracy Cooper-Posey
61. From Pack to Pride by Amber Kell
62. The Paramedic and the Writer by RJ Scott
63. At First Touch by T.A. Chase and Devon Rhodes
64. Ascension by Bailey Bradford
65. Make Mine a Bad Boy by Carolina Valdez
66. The Carpenter And The Fairy by Cassandra Gold
67. Art and Snowflakes by Sean Michael
68. A Soldier's Choice w/bonus chapter (Mistletoe Op) by D.L. Warner
69. Kentucky 98 Proof by KC Kendricks
70. Falling Awake by Jayne Ann Krentz
71. Set Ablaze by Morticia Knight
72. Soldier Mine by Amber Kell
73. Prince Claimed by Amber Kell
74. Politician Won by Amber Kell
75. Chalice by Amber Kell
76. Orlin's Fall by Amber Kell
77. Zall's Captain by Amber Kell
78. The Case of the Cupid Curse by Amber Kell & RJ Scott 
79. The Case of the Wicked Wolf by Amber Kell & RJ Scott 
80. The Case of the Dragon's Dilemma by Amber Kell & RJ Scott
81. Before He Cheats by Kim Dare
82. Arresting Behaviour by Morticia Knight
83. Object of His Desire by Ava March
84. Without Reservations J.L. Langley
85. An Improper Holiday by K.A. Mitchell
86. With Love by J.L. Langley
87. Eros Rising by Ally Blue
88. With Caution by J.L Langley
89. The Barman and the Seal by RJ Scott
90. Lust Emergency by Morticia Knight
91. Broken by Sage Whistler
92. The Strongest Shape by Tessa Cárdenas
93. Splendid by Julia Quinn
94. Bonded Broken by Amber Kell
95. A Prideless Man by Amber Kell
96. A Prideful Mate by Amber Kell
97. 911 by Chris Owen
98. Spencer's Secret by Joyee Flynn
99. Dying Assassin by Joyee Flynn
100. The Final Addition by Joyee Flynn


copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2013
Disclaimer

In accordance to the FTC guidelines, I must state that I make no monetary gains from my reviews or endorsements here on Book Dragon's Lair. All books I review are either borrowed, purchased by me, given as a gift, won in some kind of contest, or received in exchange for an honest review.