New Year coming up - Reading Challenges too!

I have seriously slacked off and can only blame fanfiction. Well, I did get depressed for a while but anyways.....

I WILL be hosting all my reading challenges for 2018. I'm not sure where the year has gone but I'll get all the challenges posted in the next couple of week. This week has some unavoidable RL stuff but I should be able to get a couple in.

Hosting Strictly Print Reading Challenge (with 2 new levels!)

Strictly Print

Reading Challenge

2018

Hosted by me, here at Book Dragon's Lair!

Twitter: #StrictlyPrintRC

Ready? I started this challenge because I read more ebooks than print books but continued to buy print books! As I was thinking about it, I wondered if I was the only one that needed this.

Guidelines are pretty simple. You'll have all year to read your books so go ahead and stretch yourself.

1. Choose a Level

• Board Books: 12  (New level)
• Picture Books: 26  (New level)
• Chapter Books: 52
• Middle Grade: 78
• Teen: 104 
• Young Adult: 156
• Adult: 208 or more 

2. You may move up a level but not down.
3. You don’t need a blog to participate. Feel free to link to a Goodreads shelf or another public profile where everyone can see your books.
4. Reviews are not necessary but a list of books you've read is. There will be a link up for reviews if you wish to post them. You can make a list of books you want to read and change them if you'd like.
5. All formats allowed as long as the book has an isbn or equivalent and can be purchased or borrowed, the book counts.
6. Individual short stories in a collection and individual books of the Bible do not count.
7. Crossovers from other challenges count
8. Books started before January 1st, 2018 don’t count.

Books Read: September

 

Main page

~ September ~

1. 
   

~ Books read in September:  ~
~ Pages read in September: ~

~ Pages read in Jan-Sep: ~

RC: R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril . . . . RIP XII

R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril XII

Reading Challenge

Sep - Oct

2017

now hosted by Heather and Andi

For more information and to sign up, click here or here

Basics:
1. Read something from the Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Gothic, Horror, and/or Dark Fantasy genres.
2. Have fun while doing it
3. and share that fun with others.

There are several levels, a group read, even one for movie watchers!
I'm going for . . . Peril of the Third . . . and hope to read at least 1 book, of any length.

~ Books Read ~

~ Books Read Previous Years ~
Water Witch finished 9-8
Fairyville finished 9-7 
 Casting Spells finished 9-20
Laced with Magic finished 9-27
The Midnight Twins finished 10-20Wake finished 10-2
Vampire Academy finished 10-3
Fade finished 10-4The Cat Who Lived High finished 10-22 (cozy, detective mystery)The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare finished 10-23 (cozy, detective mystery)
The Cat Who Played Post Office finished 10-23 (cozy, detective mystery)
Magic or Madness finished 10-24Magic Lessons finished 10-24Magic's Child finished 10-25
Yellow Moon read and reviewed, 10-8
White Sleeper read 9-8, being reviewed
Telling Lies read 9-7, review goes live 9-29
Sleight of Paw read 9-10, cozy mystery with a paranormal twist
Eyewall thriller involving a Cat 5 hurricane
Beautiful Sacrifice by Elizabeth Lowell
What a Demon Wants by Kathy Love
Any Way You Want It by Kathy Love
movie: Something Wicked This Way Comes (watched 9-26)
Alex Van Helsing Voice of the Undead Jason Henderson ~ review
Lifeline by Brynn Stein
Haunted by Brynn Stein
The 4 Phase Man by Richard Steinberg
Whiskers, Mane, and a Biter by Joyee Flynn
Southern Spirits by Angie Fox

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2017

Hosting - Banned/Challenged Books Read-a-Thon

Banned/Challenged Books

Read-a-Thon

September 24-30, 2017

Sign up to read at least one banned or challenged book and link up a review. Reviews can be posted on your blog, GoodReads, or LibraryThing. Reviews can also be of books you've read previously.

Check out all the information available at The American Library Association (ala.org).

Per ala.org:

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read.

Banned Books Week would also be a good time to check out your local library and find out what they're doing to insure your freedom to read.

I will read at least one banned/challenged book during the read-a-thon:

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2017

Two upcoming Read-a-Thons! High Summer and Christmas in July

Both read-a-thons are hosted at Seasons of Reading, more information can be found here - this is also the sign up page for one or both.

High Summer

Read-a-Thon

July 17 - July 30

#HSreadathon

Christmas in July

Read-a-Thon

July 29 - July 30

This is as far as I got before I needed to pack for vacation!

~ Books Read ~

187 - Natuto vol 1 by Masashi Kishimoto



Thank heavens I got one actual book read! I found fan-fiction and have become consumed by it. Mostly Harry Potter but some Naturo and a little Lord of the the Rings.

Some of it is quite good but a lot of it isn't finished and it's heartbreaking that we've read 20 plus chapters/postings and are left hanging! Okay, heartbreaking may be a little strong but it is still frustrating to get that invested in a story then have it not be complete, they aren't even cliff hangers!

Spotlight On . . . The Greatness of Dads

The Greatness of Dads
Author: Kirsten Matthew
Publisher: Chronicle Books
ISBN: 978-1452161624
Published: March 28, 2017
genre: non-fiction
144 pages

format available: paperback listed at Barnes&Noble and Amazon, hardcover (which I received) listed at the publisher.

Twitter 

Description:
Tell me who your father is, and I'll tell you who you are.

Profound and humorous, heartwarming and insightful, The Greatness of Dads is full of compelling quotes, poems, literary excerpt, pop-culture references, and compelling photography that highlights the unique bond between fathers and their children. With quotes from beloved cultural icons like Mark Twain, Jimmy Fallon, Georgia May Jagger, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, this delightful collection presents the universal threads of fatherhood-love, discipline, responsibility, fun, embarrassment, and heartbreak-and lets the dad in your life know how much he mean to you.



internal use:
First contact: March 2017
Library Thing



format: print
arrived: Jun 13
started review:
posted review:
post review at Library Thing:

Happy Monday

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.  ;-)

Don't forget to link up your list

~ here are the newest review books in my house ~

waiting for one

~ here are the newest books in my house ~

The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband
by Julia Quinn
Bridgertons, 2017, mass market paperback

While you were sleeping...

With her brother Thomas injured on the battlefront in the Colonies, orphaned Cecilia Harcourt has two unbearable choices: move in with a maiden aunt or marry a scheming cousin. Instead, she chooses option three and travels across the Atlantic, determined to nurse her brother back to health. But after a week of searching, she finds not her brother but his best friend, the handsome officer Edward Rokesby. He's unconscious and in desperate need of her care, and Cecilia vows that she will save this soldier's life, even if staying by his side means telling one little lie...

I told everyone I was your wife

When Edward comes to, he's more than a little confused. The blow to his head knocked out three months of his memory, but surely he would recall getting married. He knows who Cecilia Harcourt is—even if he does not recall her face—and with everyone calling her his wife, he decides it must be true, even though he'd always assumed he'd marry his neighbor back in England.

If only it were true...

Cecilia risks her entire future by giving herself—completely—to the man she loves. But when the truth comes out, Edward may have a few surprises of his own for the new Mrs. Rokesby.

Merely a Marriage by Jo Beverley
romance, 2017, mass market paperback

As England mourns the death of Princess Charlotte, Lady Ariana Boxstall has another succession in mind. Her brother, Norris, is a strapping young man, but he’s also happily unmarried and childless. Norris agrees to take a wife on one condition: that Ariana take a husband first. Although she realizes she risks a lifetime in a loveless marriage, for the sake of her family, Ariana accepts his challenge.

When the Earl of Kynaston met Ariana eight years ago, he broke her heart. Since then, his own heart has been broken, and he’s sworn off love...until he sees Ariana all grown-up and his resolve is threatened.

Could Ariana’s bargain with Norris actually lead her to happiness? With real love on the line, she must win over the one man who refuses to be had.

Stable Secrets by Aiden Bates, Austin Bates
mpreg romance, ebook, 2017

Opposites attract and this alpha and omega make the chemistry explode…

Feisty and fierce, Sam Hemingway is nothing like a typical omega. As the mayor’s son, he was raised to be strong, rugged, and in control. He knows exactly what he wants—and he doesn’t want the life his family has hand-picked for him. Loving and caring for horses in the country stables is all he needs in life.

But when his mother meddles and throws a real stable hand in to take control, Sam has no idea how quickly his life is going to change.

Charming and sexy Colton Sharp knows his way around a stable. And this alpha quickly works way into Sam’s heart. As the two grow closer and assume their roles, Colton’s true identity threatens everything they’ve built. Now, with everything on the line, will Sam and Colton discover the true meaning of family and love?

~*~*~*~*~

What I Read this Week

Shelia has passed this to Kathryn at The Book Date! There are a couple of blogs doing the meme with a kid lit bent so you may want to check them out too.

Jump on over to The Book Date and see what everyone has read recently.

Finished:
still mostly doing some comfort reading of online serials

Stable Secrets by Austin Bates, Aiden Bates


Happy Reading!

Spotlight On . . . The Buffer Zone Diet

The Buffer Zone Diet
It's not just what you eat, it's when you eat.

Author: Fred Cuellar
Publisher: Max Vera Publishing
ISBN: 978-0998909110
Published: April 27, 2017
genre: Diet, Weight Loss
352 pages

format available: hardcover, paperback, ebook

Twitter | website | Facebook

Description:
What's your life worth?

When you're drowning, the last thing you do before you go unconscious is take a breath. The carbon dioxide rises so much in your blood it overpowers the last few molecules of oxygen in your body. You reach your breaking point, then you inhale. I inhaled food my whole life and I reached my breaking point in my battle with weight loss.

Right at the moment I was ready to give up, I had some last thoughts:

What if there were things I believed that weren't true? What if calories in and calories out had exceptions? What if we don't all metabolize food the same? Why can't we successfully lose weight and keep it off? I had to find out - my life depended on it. In my quest to break my weight loss code, the Buffer Zone is the space where I found my truth.

The Buffer Zone diet is the answer to all of these questions and more.



internal use:
First contact: May 18, 2017
Rebecca at The Cadence Group



format: print
arrived: Jun 3
started review:
posted review:
email Rebecca

Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge, June

Outdo Yourself

Reading Challenge

2017

Hosted by Corinne

For more information or to sign up, click here

Challenge yourself to read more this year than last year. Any format, any genre. Re-reads and challenge cross-overs allowed. Books that are 100 pages (give or take) count.

There are several levels. You can go up but not down.

Number of Books Read out of My Goal for the Year

2012: didn't keep track of 100+ pages
2013: 168 out of 200
2014: 211 out of 174-178 (then moved up a level!)
2015: 170 out of 227 :-(
2016: 214 (as of 12-30) out of 181-185

I've got real life plans for this year that might interfere with my reading so I'm going for

. . . Out of Breath  . . . 

and hope to read 6-10 more books than my 2016 goal.
Because, really, I read 30 books in December and I've got one more day!
181-185 plus 6-10 = 187-195

~ June ~
How many books have I read so far? How many are left? How many to average a month?

1. If You're Going Through Hell Keep Going by Tinnean 
2. Things Happen That Way by Tinnean 
3. Just the Thought of You by Tinnean 
4. Best Laid Plans by Tinnean

~ Books Read this Month: ~

~ Books Read this Year: ~
~ Books Left to Read: ~

~ July ~

Before You Break by K.C. Wells, Parker Williams
Natuto vol 1 by Masashi Kishimoto

Books Read: Summer

 

Main page

~ June ~

1. 336 - If You're Going Through Hell Keep Going by Tinnean
2. 388 - Things Happen That Way by Tinnean 
3. 272 - Just the Thought of You by Tinnean 
4. 367 - Best Laid Plans by Tinnean 
5. 85 - Vendetta by Bradley Wright

~ Books read in June: 5 ~
~ Pages read in Jun: 1,448~

~ Pages read in Jan-Jun: ~

~ July ~

340 - Before You Break by K.C. Wells, Parker Williams
187 - Natuto vol 1 by Masashi Kishimoto

~ Books read in July: 2 ~
~ Pages read in Jul: 527 ~

~ Pages read in Jan-Jul: ~

~ August ~

149 - Screw Santa by Joyee Flynn
143 - Hell's Bells by Joyee Flynn
352 - The Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill
22 - The Accidental Substitute by Nathan Timmel

~ Books read in August: 4 ~
~ Pages read in Aug: 666 so far ~

~ Pages read in Jan-Aug: ~

Memorial Day (USA Holiday)

No matter what you do, on this unofficial beginning of the summer vacation season, take some time to remember ...

and thank someone.

This goes for all the women in the service as well!

Some Traditions:

Every Memorial Day, the U.S. flag is quickly raised to the tops of flagpoles, slowly lowered to half-mast, and then raised again to full height at noon. The time at half-mast is meant to honor the million-plus fallen U.S. soldiers who have died for their country over the years. Re-raising the flag is meant to symbolize the resolve of the living to carry on the fight for freedom so that the nation's heroes will not have died in vain.

Moment of Silence at 3 p.m.

Many will wear or put on display red poppies on this day as a symbol of fallen soldiers. This tradition grew out of the famous poem by Canadian John McCrae known as In Flander's Fields, which he was inspired to write upon seeing red poppies growing over the graves of World War I soldiers.



Information at the History Channel

Sci-Fi Summer Read-a-Thon

Sci-Fi Summer

Read-a-Thon

June 1-7

2017

hosted at Season's of Reading
for more info or to sign up, click here

#SciFiSummerJune

This is a midnight to midnight CDT challenge so you'll need to adjust your reading time. Spend your time reading science fiction! But, fantasy is close so if you're not comfortable with Sci-Fi, Michelle will let you count fantasy. I've got some books that I'm not sure where they fall! I also joined a science fiction reading challenge this year and haven't read any.

THERE ARE PRIZES. Michelle's got some prizes so check out the sign up page and join us for a week of Sci-Fi reading.

~ Books Read ~

~ Possibilities ~
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
1984 by George Orwell
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

Bout of Books Wrap-Up

Bout of Books

Read-a-Thon

May 2017 Wrap up

For more information or to sign up, click here

Link up to any social media as long as a direct link is possible.

#boutofbooks


I had a list of 22 books to choose from and I read none of them. That's not to say I didn't get any reading done, just not the books I was thinking about reading before I started. The fun thing is that I read all new books this time and only one wasn't an adult level book :-D

edit: 1,100 pages seems to be about what I read for a read-a-thon so I think I did pretty good considering everything.

~ Books Read ~

The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian
Unmasking Miss Appleby by Emily Larkin
Stowaway in a Sleigh by C. Roger Mader
Zac's Mulligan by Ann Lister

Number of books read: 4

Number of pages read: 1,140

Bout of Books Read-a-Thon

Bout of Books

Read-a-Thon

May 8 - May 14

For more information or to sign up, click here

Link up to any social media as long as a direct link is possible.

#boutofbooks

This is a midnight to midnight challenge, in what ever time zone you're in. It's very low key, just push yourself to read more than you might on another week.

There will be Twitter chats. Use the sign up links to visit others. Or don't ;-)

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 8th and runs through Sunday, May 14th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 19 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I've got a huge tbr pile and a backlog of books I need to review. I'm also hosting a party at the end of the month and my house (as usual) isn't ready. What's not usual, I'm still got a lot of my Mom's stuff in our family room so I've got to find a place for it (storage/family/donate) :-(

edit: to add books read

~ Books Read ~

The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian
Unmasking Miss Appleby by Emily Larkin
Stowaway in a Sleigh by C. Roger Mader
Zac's Mulligan by Ann Lister


Possibilities

A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

one of these

• Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper 
• Dune by Frank Herbert
• The Star Fox by Poul Anderson 
• All Flesh is Grass by Clifford D. Simak 
• The Man with the Golden Gun by Ian Fleming

one of these

• Lessons from Zachary
• A Dog Like Sam 
• Disaster Falls
• I Have a Voice
• Pumpkinflowers
• Caught Up in Raine
• The Study of Seduction
• The Fairy Tale Girl
• What Happens Under the Mistletoe
• Revenge of the Chili Queens 
• Ever After
• The Art of Sinning
• Before I Fall
• Tastes Like Murder
• The Right Bitch Trio

I'll come back if I think of others

Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge, May

Outdo Yourself

Reading Challenge

2017

Hosted by Corinne

For more information or to sign up, click here

Challenge yourself to read more this year than last year. Any format, any genre. Re-reads and challenge cross-overs allowed. Books that are 100 pages (give or take) count.

There are several levels. You can go up but not down.

Number of Books Read out of My Goal for the Year

2012: didn't keep track of 100+ pages
2013: 168 out of 200
2014: 211 out of 174-178 (then moved up a level!)
2015: 170 out of 227 :-(
2016: 214 (as of 12-30) out of 181-185

I've got real life plans for this year that might interfere with my reading so I'm going for

. . . Out of Breath  . . . 

and hope to read 6-10 more books than my 2016 goal.
Because, really, I read 30 books in December and I've got one more day!
181-185 plus 6-10 = 187-195

~ May ~
It's only been four months and I've read 92 books.
That's about 100 books left to read ;-) and 12/13 a month

1. Wrap It Up by Joyee Flynn
2. Exile's Honor by Mercedes Lackey 
3. The Coelura by Anne McCaffrey 
4. No One Noticed the Cat by Anne McCaffrey 
5. Exile's Valor by Mercedes Lackey
6. His Alpha's Alpha by Casey Cameron
7. I Do, or Dye Trying by Aimee Nicole Walker 
8. The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian 
9. Unmasking Miss Appleby by Emily Larkin 
10. Zac's Mulligan by Ann Lister 
11. Rescued by Felice Stevens 
12. Skin in the Game by Shea Balik 
13. Chiseled Wood by Shea Balik 
14. Here Kitty, Kitty by Joyee Flynn 
15. Stable Secrets by Austin Bates, Aiden Bates
16.  

~ Books Read this Month: ~

~ Books Read this Year: ~
~ Books Left to Read: ~

eBooks Reading Challenge, #103 . . .

eBooks

Reading Challenge

2017 

For more information or to sign up, click here


I've read over 250 books this year (yes, some were short) and only a handful were print. I'm going for . . . empty the cloud . . . with plans to read 101+ ebooks during 2017.

32 in January. 21 in February. 27 in March. And 22 in April makes 102.

~ May ~

Wrap It Up by Joyee Flynn
His Alpha's Alpha by Casey Cameron
I Do, or Dye Trying by Aimee Nicole Walker
The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian
Unmasking Miss Appleby by Emily Larkin
Zac's Mulligan by Ann Lister
Rescued by Felice Stevens
Skin in the Game by Shea Balik
Chiseled Wood by Shea Balik
Here Kitty, Kitty by Joyee Flynn
Love, Love Me Dude by J. D. Walker
Stable Secrets by Austin Bates, Aiden Bates

~ June ~

If You're Going Through Hell Keep Going by Tinnean
Things Happen That Way by Tinnean
Just the Thought of You by Tinnean
Best Laid Plans by Tinnean
Vendetta by Bradley Wright

~ July ~

Before You Break by K.C. Wells, Parker Williams

May's Books Read

 

Main page

~ May ~

1. 153 - Wrap It Up by Joyee Flynn
2. 433 - Exile's Honor by Mercedes Lackey
3. 156 - The Coelura by Anne McCaffrey
4. 124 - No One Noticed the Cat by Anne McCaffrey
5. 402 - Exile's Valor by Mercedes Lackey
6. 174 - His Alpha's Alpha by Casey Cameron
7. 242 - I Do, or Dye Trying by Aimee Nicole Walker
8. 336 - The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian;
9. 393 - Unmasking Miss Appleby by Emily Larkin
10. 32 - Stowaway in a Sleigh by C. Roger Mader
11. 379 - Zac's Mulligan by Ann Lister
12. 256 - Rescued by Felice Stevens
13. 159 - Skin in the Game by Shea Balik
14. 173 - Chiseled Wood by Shea Balik
15. 136 - Here Kitty, Kitty by Joyee Flynn (updated page count)
16. 48 - Love, Love Me Dude by J. D. Walker
17. 286 - Stable Secrets by Austin Bates, Aiden Bates

~ Books read in May: ~

~ Pages read in Jan-May: ~

Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge, April

Outdo Yourself

Reading Challenge

2017

Hosted by Corinne

For more information or to sign up, click here

Challenge yourself to read more this year than last year. Any format, any genre. Re-reads and challenge cross-overs allowed. Books that are 100 pages (give or take) count.

There are several levels. You can go up but not down.

Number of Books Read out of My Goal for the Year

2013: 168 out of 200 (Didn't keep track of 100+ pages for 2012)
2014: 211 out of 174-178 (then moved up a level!)
2015: 170 out of 227 :-(
2016: 214 (as of 12-30) out of 181-185

I've got real life plans for this year that might interfere with my reading so I'm going for

. . . Out of Breath  . . . 

and hope to read 6-10 more books than my 2016 goal.
Because, really, I read 30 books in December and I've got one more day!

~ April ~
 I've read 71 books so far, only 110-114 left for the year. That's about 13 a month.

1. Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
2. Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey
3. Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey
4. Shove Your Tree by Joyee Flynn
5. Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
6. Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh
7. Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
8. Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh
9. Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh
10. Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh 
11. Allegiance of Honor by Nalini Singh 
12. Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey 
13. Magic's Promise by Mercedes Lackey 
14. Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey 
15. Stripe My Pole by Joyee Flynn 
16. Wild Embrace by Nalini Singh 
17. Bite My Cookies by Joyee Flynn 
18. Flush the Twinkles by Joyee Flynn 
19. Morning My Angel by Sue Brown 
20. Bromantic by Harper Logan 
21. Hanging Antlers by Joyee Flynn

~ Books Read this Month: 21 ~

~ Books Read this Year: ~
~ Books Left to Read: ~

Spring into Horror Read-a-Thon

Spring into Horror

Read-a-Thon

April  18 - 24

hosted by Michelle at Seasons of Reading

for more information and to sign up, click here

#SpringHorror

Seasons of Reading Facebook group here

This is a midnight to midnight RaT and it's CDT so adjust your start/end times accordingly. I'll be starting/ending my reading at 10 p.m.

There is a whole page of guidelines so check that out but the main one for this read-a-thon is to read at least one scary-to-you book. I joined a yearly horror reading challenge so I've got to get at least one book read this year!

ebook Reading Challenge, April

eBooks

Reading Challenge

2017 

For more information or to sign up, click here


I've read over 250 books this year (yes, some were short) and only a handful were print. I'm going for . . . empty the cloud . . . with plans to read 101+ ebooks during 2017.

32 in January. 21 in February. 27 in March. 21 left to go.

~ April ~

1. Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
2. Green the Whole Year 'Round by Rowan McAllister
3. Treasure Trail by Nicole Dennis
4. Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey
5. Dragon in Distress by Mercedes Lackey, Elisabeth Waters
6. Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey
7. Shove Your Tree by Joyee Flynn
8. Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
9. Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh
10. Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
11. Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh
12. Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh
13. Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh
14. Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey 
15. Magic's Promise by Mercedes Lackey
16. Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey 
17. Stripe My Pole by Joyee Flynn 
18. Bite My Cookies by Joyee Flynn 
19. Flush the Twinkles by Joyee Flynn 
20. Morning My Angel by Sue Brown 
21. Bromantic by Harper Logan 
22. Hanging Antlers by Joyee Flynn

Happy Monday

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.  ;-)

Don't forget to link up your list

~ here are the newest review books in my house ~

nothing this week

~ here are the newest books in my house ~

~*~*~*~*~

What I Read this Week

Shelia has passed this to Kathryn at The Book Date! There are a couple of blogs doing the meme with a kid lit bent so you may want to check them out too.

Jump on over to The Book Date and see what everyone has read recently.

Finished:
still mostly doing some comfort reading of online serials or re-reads

Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey


Happy Reading!

April's Books Read

 

Main page

~ April ~

1. 320 - Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
2. 77 - Green the Whole Year 'Round by Rowan McAllister 
3. 77 - Treasure Trail by Nicole Dennis 
4. 320 - Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey 
5. 18 - Dragon in Distress by Mercedes Lackey, Elisabeth Waters 
6. 320 - Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey 
7. 142 - Shove Your Tree by Joyee Flynn 
8. 352 - Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh 
9. 352 - Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh 
10. 370 - Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh 
11. 352 - Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh 
12. 352 - Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh 
13. 368 - Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh 
14. 478 - Allegiance of Honor by Nalini Singh 
15. 349 - Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey
16. 322 - Magic's Promise by Mercedes Lackey 
17. 351 - Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey 
18. 142 - Stripe My Pole by Joyee Flynn 
19. 373 - Wild Embrace by Nalini Singh 
20. 142 - Bite My Cookies by Joyee Flynn 
21. 142 - Flush the Twinkles by Joyee Flynn 
22. 227 - Morning My Angel by Sue Brown
23. 255 - Bromantic by Harper Logan 
24. 143 - Hanging Antlers by Joyee Flynn

~ Books read in April: 24 ~

~ Pages read in Jan-Apr: ~

Happy Monday

Still going through Mom's stuff. MIL is home but isn't getting better anymore

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.  ;-)

Don't forget to link up your list

~ here are the newest review books in my house ~

nothing this week

~ here are the newest books in my house ~

Dark Prince by Christine Feehan
Dark series, 2011-extended edition, ebook

A telepathic hunter of serial killers, Raven Whitney helps catch some of the most depraved criminals. But her work keeps her from getting close to others, and has drained her body and spirit. In need of rest and rejuvenation, she embarks on a vacation far from home.

Mikhail Dubrinksy is the Prince of the Carpathians, the powerful leader of a wise and secret ancient race that thrives in the night. Engulfed by despair, fearful of never finding the mate who can save him from the encroaching darkness, his soul cries out in loneliness. Until the day a beautiful voice full of light and love responds, softly soothing his pain and yearning.

From the moment they meet, Raven and Dubrinksy are helpless to resist the desire that sparks between them. But just as fate unexpectedly brings these life mates together, malevolent forces threaten to destroy them and their fragile love. Yet even if they survive, how can these two lovers – Carpathian and human – build a future together? And how can Dubrinksy bring Raven into his dark world without extinguishing her beautiful goodness and light?

Hex on the Beach by Gina LaManna
Magic and Mixology, 2016, ebook

Lily Locke has never believed in witches and wizards, ghosts and magic, shifters and vampires—especially cute blonde vamps with blood-intolerance issues. A rising star at a hotshot marketing agency in Minneapolis, Minnesota, all Lily knows is that she’s a PowerPoint guru, an Excel ninja, and a coffee-maker extraordinaire. Not to mention she’s next in line for a huge promotion.

All that changes when Lily’s assistant delivers a strange quiz to her, one titled A Magical Assessment for Normal Folks. With it comes the promise of a land she’s never known existed. A land where Lily not only discovers her biological family for the first time, but a place where she can make a difference, change lives, and step into the role she’s destined to fulfill.

But first, Lily must admit she’s a witch. Then, she has to acknowledge that the tall, dark, and mysterious man who offers his help is strictly focused on business…at least, for now. When a body turns up dead and the next target is Lily, she must trust her powers and accept the help of her newfound friends. Otherwise, she’ll never survive the trials of the magical island tucked far, far away in the frigid waters of Lake Superior.

~*~*~*~*~

What I Read this Week

Shelia has passed this to Kathryn at The Book Date! There are a couple of blogs doing the meme with a kid lit bent so you may want to check them out too.

Jump on over to The Book Date and see what everyone has read recently.

Finished:
Finding My Forever by Michele Nataro
A Little Bit Broken by Michele Nataro
Left Behind by Michele Nataro


Happy Reading!

Review Links . . . You Read How Many Books?

You Read 

How Many Books?

2017

Sign up page to join the challenge is here

Use this page to link up reviews!

Truth from Fiction

I'm reading an online serial and came across this gem.

"We all have our advantages and challenges. What distinguishes us is how we choose to deal with them."

Happy Monday

Still helping Dad with Mom's stuff. MIL is home now and slowly getting better :-)

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.  ;-)

Don't forget to link up your list

~ here are the newest review books in my house ~

nothing this week

~ here are the newest books in my house ~

Sgt. Reckless by Robin Hutton (Facebook)
biography, 2015, paperback

A Mongolian mare who was bred to be a racehorse, Ah-Chim-Hai, or Flame-of-the-Morning, belonged to a young boy named Kim-Huk-Moon. In order to pay for a prosthetic leg for his sister, Kim made the difficult decision to sell his beloved companion. Lieutenant Eric Pedersen purchased the bodacious mare and renamed her Reckless, for the Recoilless Rifles Platoon, Anti-Tank Division, of the 5th Marines she’d be joining.

The four-legged equine braved minefields and hailing shrapnel to deliver ammunition to her division on the frontlines. In one day alone, performing fifty-one trips up and down treacherous terrain, covering a distance of over thirty-five miles, and rescuing wounded comrades-in-arms, Reckless demonstrated her steadfast devotion to the Marines who had become her herd.

Despite only measuring about thirteen hands high, this pint-sized equine became an American hero. Reckless was awarded two Purple Hearts for her valor and was officially promoted to staff sergeant twice, a distinction never bestowed upon an animal before or since.

The Secret Zoo by Bryan Chick
Secret Zoo series, 2010, paperback

Noah, his sister Megan, and their best friends, Richie and Ella, live next door to the zoo. Megan is the first to notice the puzzling behavior of some of the animals. One day Megan disappears, and her brother and their friends realize it's up to them to find her. Their only choice is to follow a series of clues and sneak into the zoo. But once inside, will they discover there's much more to the Clarksville City Zoo than they could ever have guessed?

Pancakes and Corpses by Agatha Frost
Peridale Cafe Mystery, 2017 ebook

Soon to be divorced Julia South never expected to be caught up in solving a murder, until she discovered the body of her cafe's most awkward customer. With a new smug Detective Inspector in town who underestimates her every move, Julia makes it her mission to discover the real murderer, before her village friends are dragged into the frame, and more bodies are discovered.

Note from author: A light, cozy mystery read with a cat loving and cafe owning female amateur sleuth, in a small village setting with quirky characters. No cliffhanger, swearing, gore or graphic scenes!

The Atlantis Gene by A. G. Riddle
The Origin Mystery, 2013, ebook

Dr. Kate Warner moved to Jakarta, Indonesia to escape her past. She has not recovered from what happened to her, but she has made an incredible breakthrough: a cure for autism. Or so she thinks. What she has found is far more dangerous--for her and the entire human race. Her work could be the key to the next stage of human evolution. In the hands of the Immari, it would mean the end of humanity as we know it.

Agent David Vale has spent ten years trying to stop the Immari. Now he has run out of time. His informant is dead. His organization has been infiltrated. His enemy is hunting him. But when David receives a coded message related to the Immari attack, he risks everything to save the one person that can help him solve it: Dr. Kate Warner.

Together, Kate and David must race to unravel a global conspiracy and learn the truth about the Atlantis Gene... and human origins. Their journey takes them to the far corners of the globe and into the secrets of their pasts. The Immari are close on their heels and will stop at nothing to obtain her research and force the next stage of human evolution--even if it means killing 99.9% of the entire human population. David and Kate can stop them... if they can trust each other. And stay alive.

~*~*~*~*~

What I Read this Week

Shelia has passed this to Kathryn at The Book Date! There are a couple of blogs doing the meme with a kid lit bent so you may want to check them out too.

Jump on over to The Book Date and see what everyone has read recently.

Finished:
still mostly doing some comfort reading of online serials or re-reads

Crushed by A.R. Steele


Happy Reading!

Happy Monday

Still helping Dad with Mom's stuff. MIL is home now and slowly getting better :-)

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.  ;-)

Don't forget to link up your list

~ here are the newest review books in my house ~

~ here are the newest books in my house ~

~*~*~*~*~

What I Read this Week

Shelia has passed this to Kathryn at The Book Date! There are a couple of blogs doing the meme with a kid lit bent so you may want to check them out too.

Jump on over to The Book Date and see what everyone has read recently.

Finished:
still mostly doing some comfort reading of online serials or re-reads


Together Again by Aiden Bates
Salt and Pepper by Garett Groves
Holy Stockings by Joyee Flynn
Running with Curves by Jill Angie
The Enchanted Horse by Magdalen Nabb
Frosty Melt by Joyee Flynn


Happy Reading!

Happy Monday

Still helping Dad with Mom's stuff. MIL is home now and slowly getting better :-)

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.  ;-)

Don't forget to link up your list

~ here are the newest review books in my house ~

Who Counts? by Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Sasso (publisher)
Children's book/religious, May 2017, paperback

Oh, no! The man is missing his sheep! The woman is missing her coin! The father is missing his son! Can you help them find what they are looking for?

Who Counts? is a creative retelling of three popular parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. As young readers count to help the characters find what s missing, Who Counts? teaches that every one of us counts in God s eyes and that everyone should feel counted.

~ here are the newest books in my house ~

While My Eyes Were Closed by Linda Green
suspense, 2016, ebook

One, two, three . . . Lisa Dale shuts her eyes and counts to one hundred during a game of hide-and-seek. When she opens them, her four-year-old daughter Ella is gone. Disappeared without a trace. The police, the media and Lisa's family all think they know who snatched Ella. But what if the person who took her isn't a stranger? What if they are convinced they are doing the right thing? And what if Lisa's little girl is in danger of disappearing forever?

The Halo Effect by Anne LeClaire
suspense, 2017, ebook

It was supposed to be a typical October evening for renowned portrait artist Will Light. Over dinner of lamb tagine, his wife, Sophie, would share news about chorus rehearsals for the upcoming holiday concert, and their teenage daughter, Lucy, would chatter about French club and field hockey. Only Lucy never came home. Her body was found, days later, in the woods.

The Eastern Seaboard town of Port Fortune used to be Will’s comfort. Now, there’s no safe harbor for him. Not even when Father Gervase asks Will to paint portraits of saints for the new cathedral. Using the townspeople as models, Will sees in each face only a mask of the darkness of evil. And he just might be painting his daughter’s killer.

Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline
thriller, 2016, ebook

Dr. Eric Parrish is the Chief of the Psychiatric Unit at Havemeyer General Hospital outside of Philadelphia. Recently separated from his wife, Caitlin, he is doing his best as a single dad to his seven-year-old daughter Hannah. His work seems to be going better than his home life, however. His unit at the hospital has just been named number two in the country and Eric has a devoted staff of doctors and nurses who are as caring as Eric is. But when he takes on a new patient, Eric’s entire world begins to crumble.

Seventeen-year-old Max has a terminally ill grandmother and is having trouble handling it. That, plus his OCD and violent thoughts about a girl he likes makes Max a high risk patient. Max can’t turn off the rituals he needs to perform every fifteen minutes that keep him calm. With the pressure mounting, Max just might reach the breaking point. When the girl is found murdered, Max is nowhere to be found. Worried about Max, Eric goes looking for him and puts himself in danger of being seen as a “person of interest”.

Next, one of his own staff turns on him in a trumped up charge of sexual harassment. Is this chaos all random? Or is someone systematically trying to destroy Eric’s life?

Silent Child by Sarah A. Denzil
psychological thriller, 2017, ebook

In the summer of 2006, Emma Price watched helplessly as her six-year-old son's red coat was fished out of the River Ouse. It was the tragic story of the year - a little boy, Aiden, wandered away from school during a terrible flood, fell into the river, and drowned.

His body was never recovered. Ten years later, Emma has finally rediscovered the joy in life. She's married, pregnant, and in control again...

... until Aiden returns.

Too traumatized to speak, he raises endless questions and answers none. Only his body tells the story of his decade-long disappearance. The historic broken bones and injuries cast a mere glimpse into the horrors Aiden has experienced. Aiden never drowned. Aiden was taken.

As Emma attempts to reconnect with her now teenage son, she must unmask the monster who took him away from her. But who, in their tiny village, could be capable of such a crime?

It's Aiden who has the answers, but he cannot tell the unspeakable.

Shifter's Sacrifice by Lisa Ladew
One True Mate, 2016, ebook

Trevor Burbank is a shifter cop in a world of humans who don't know the evil that wants them dead. If he does his job well, the humans will never need to know, but he feels like he's working against the clock, because his pack is about to die. The females have all been killed, and the half-breeds they make when they mate with humans aren't usually skilled or strong enough to fight.

Gabriela Carmi has lost almost everything that means anything to her way too fast and now she feels like she’s losing her mind too. On a quest to find something that won't reveal itself to her, she feels as if she’s pining for someone who may not exist. So when an evil presence begins to follow her, she isn't sure if her mind is slowly falling apart, or if the impossible is actually coming true. And when an instant attraction sparks between her and the dangerously sexy police officer sent to help her, it makes matters worse and better at the same time.

It's a race against time to find the angel/human hybrid One True Mates that the pack's spiritual leaders say truly exist. Saving the all the shifter clans is on everyone's mind, except for the chosen, the One True Mates, most of whom don’t even know who or what they really are, or why they seem to be slowly losing their minds.

Dyeing to be Loved by Aimee Nicole Walker
Curl Up and Dye Mysteries, 2016, ebook

Gabriel Wyatt is a big city Detective living in a small Ohio town. He expects a peaceful existence once he moves from Miami, Florida, but that’s the last thing he finds. Instead, Gabe discovers murder, mayhem, and one smart-mouthed stylist he can’t get out of his head.

Josh “Jazz” Roman is a small-town business owner with big dreams and an attitude to match. He finds himself in the middle of a case that brings the dreamy detective to the front door of his Curl Up and Dye salon. Josh learns that the biggest threat to him isn’t a killer; it’s a man who wants something from him that he vowed to never give again - his heart.

Both men deny that there’s something between them, even though they’re drawn together like magnets. Can Gabe convince Josh to let down his guard or will Josh let past hurts destroy his chance at a happy future?

Also the next two books in the series. Book four is coming in may

Salt and Pepper by Garett Groves
m/m romance, 2017, ebook

At age 39, professor Tim Moore has everything he thought he should have at this stage in his life: a successful career, a beautiful home, and a loving partner—until Eric, his long-term boyfriend, dumps him and moves out. Now with his 40th birthday quickly approaching, Tim feels time and a true chance at happiness slipping away.

Ryan’s own life hasn’t exactly gone according to plan since graduating from college. At 26, he didn’t anticipate losing his mother, the only person who’d ever supported and believed in him, and had no idea that she’d left her bed and breakfast to him to manage in her absence. Giving up his fledgling photography business in the city was difficult, but the thought of throwing away his mother’s passion felt impossible—despite the fact it’s treading water.

~*~*~*~*~

What I Read this Week

Thanks to Brooke, I know where this meme has gone!
Shelia has passed this to Kathryn at The Book Date! There are a couple of blogs doing the meme with a kid lit bent so you may want to check them out too.

Jump on over to The Book Date and see what everyone has read recently.

Finished:
still mostly doing some comfort reading of online serials or re-reads

The 10/60 Diet by Phil Torcivia - a super short ebook on how to lose 10% of your body weight in 60 days. Lots of common sense and a few why-didn't-I-think-of-that moments.

Who Counts? by Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg Sasso - a picture book about three parables.

Where I Found You by Parker Elliot - m/m contemporary romance. A man comes home from the Marines and needs a job but the small town isn't doing so well and he may need to go further from home. A wealthy man needs someone to maintain his landscaping and while the Marine doesn't have landscaping experience he's the first there for the job rather than a juicy bit of gossip to spread around town. There's a reason he doesn't like to leave his home.

Slander by Avery Ford - m/m contemporary romantic suspense. Did Ben's step-mother really murder her husband? Is she after Ben? Who is that man she's kissing? It's only been a week! Ben's on the run and stumbles on to the man who could become the love of his life. Will it be enough when that man tracks him down?

Wrap It Up by Joyee Flynn - m/m paranormal romance, #12 in a series. The vampires are attacking, one elf still needs to find his mate. Families are mended.

Dying to be Loved by Aimee Nicole Walker - m/m. Catfight in the hair salon leads to threats then murder. Detective must solve murder while trying to start a relationship with the hair salon owner. Secrets come out. This has a great twist and a nice ending

Something to Dye For by Aimee Nicole Walker - Someone from the past for both of them threatens the relationship. A case brings danger right to Josh's door.

Dyed and Gone to Heaven by Aimee Nicole Walker - Most of the issues from the previous books are tied neatly in a bow. Two twists and relationship issues come up. Next book in the series will be published in May.


Happy Reading!