MobileRead Book Challenges discussion
Read 165 books (up from 160 in 2011) in 2012
14. Always
15. Gilgamesh (but I read it online, lol)
16. Talk Me Down
17. Needing Nita
18. The Courage to Love
19. All's Fair
20. Legend
21. Faking It
22. Getting Rid of Bradley
23. Intimate Strangers
24. Fast Women
25. Don't Look Down
26. Crazy For You
27. Incubus Hunter
28. Natural Born Charmer
29. Maybe This Time
30. Manhunting
31. Anyone But You
32. The Troll Hunter
33. Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels
34. Divorced, Desperate and Delicious
35. Dark Awakening
36. Just One of the Guys
37. Heaven and Earth
38. Devil in Winter
39. Face the Fire
40. Instant Attraction
41. All In(also: Fifty-One Shades: A Parody and Bewitching the Werewolf) * All in was novella sized but the other two are pretty short)
42. Dragons and Cicadas: The Society On Da Run (I DNF'd it so I'm adding this short to the count) The Virgin's Tutor
43. Ruling Passion
44. Santa, Baby
45. The Marrying Man
46. Spell of the Highlander
47. The Corpse King (Short story) Tessa's Ambassador (short story)
48. Beautiful No Mow Yards: 50 Amazing Lawn Alternatives
49. Midnight
50. A Little Harmless Sex
51. Black Smoke
52. Submission: A Treasury of Women who Like to Give In
53. His Voice, His Command (short so I added this short too) Pussy Picnic
54. The Cinderella Deal
55. Changing Times
56. Gatekeeper
57. A Taste of Twilight
58. Hunting Season - I've read this before in 2011 so this is a re-read. I just didn't want to mess up my 2011 stats.
Challenge ##: Read Books I Already Own Challenge
I want to challenge myself to read books I have already paid for. This is not the same as my - somewhat incomplete - TBR Decimation Challenge. ;-) I just need to read some of this dang books I have already paid for!
For this challenge any book that is purchased in 2012 does not count.
----
1. The Gods of Dream - purchased 12/28/10
2. The Vampire's Warden - won via Goodreads 07/12/11
3. Midnight Man - ??
4. Midnight Run - ??
5. Midnight Angel - ??
6. Bound for the Holidays - 12/01/11
7. Always - 11/30/11
8. Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels - 09/23/11
9. A Little Harmless Sex - 05/14/11
Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels Challenge
I've been reading Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels for a while now. It’s funny and cute but I can’t seem to get through it because she put an entire [shopping] list of different romance books that she quotes at the back of the book! Arrrgh! You can see my dilemma, right? I read for 5 pages and then I just happen to wander off to read a new book or author that she mentions… That’s how I first read Jennifer Crusie’s Agnes and the Hitman and Bet Me – both of which I loved!
I am starting the challenge with books that she directly quotes in the book – but I think I’ll also expand to include every romance book that catches my fancy and I run off to buy. ;-)
Shopping List
2. Caressed By Ice
3. Dark Needs at Night's Edge
9. Last Night's Scandal
11.Rising Tides
12.Unveiled
Extras (Books not on the "shopping list" but are still mentioned in the book)
reserved
Challenge ##: Book Review ChallengeI want to challenge myself to review at least 3 out of every 5 books I read. I started off pretty decent in 2011 but I tapered off toward the end of the year.
1.The Geek Job - reviewed 1/6/12: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
2. Dark Love - reviewed 1/7/12: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... (This is a very short story so I am not counting it toward my yearly total. I am counting it towards my review & self-pub challenges because it does fit both.)
3. Midnight Man - reviewed 01/14/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
4. Midnight Run - reviewed 01/19/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
5. The Gods of Dream - reviewed 01/19/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
6. Midnight Angel - reviewed 01/19/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
7. The Vampire's Warden - reviewed 01/22/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
8. Welcome to Temptation - reviewed 02/02/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
9. Always - reviewed 02/07/12 - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
10. Talk Me Down - reviewed 02/09/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
11. Needing Nita - reviewed 02/10/12 quickie review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
12. The Courage to Love - reviewed 02/10/12 quickie review - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
13. Legend - reviewed 02/13/12 -quickie review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
14. Faking It - reviewed 02/13/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
15. Fast Women - Reviewed 02/17/12 - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...
16. Don't Look Down - reviewed 02/20/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
17. Incubus Hunter - reviewed 02/21/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
18. Natural Born Charmer - reviewed 02/25/12 http://osgabookreviews.wordpress.com/...
19. The Troll Hunter - reviewed 02/26/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
20. Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels - reviewed 02/29/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
21. Divorced, Desperate and Delicious - reviewed 03/01/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
22. Just one of the Guys - Reviewed 03/03/12 - http://osgabookreviews.wordpress.com/...
23. Heaven and Earth - Reviewed 03/08/12 - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
24. Face the Fire - Reviewed 03/11/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
25. Instant Attraction - reviewed 03/20/12 - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
26. Dragons and Cicadas: The Society On Da Run - Review is written but needs some polishing
27. Ruling Passion - reviewed 04/13/12 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
28. Beautiful No Mow Yards: 50 Amazing Lawn Alternatives - reviewed 04/16/12 http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...
29. The Corpse King - Reviewed 04/16/12 http://osgabookreviews.wordpress.com/...
30. Spell of the Highlander - reviewed 04/17/12 - http://osgabookreviews.wordpress.com/...
31. A Little Harmless Sex - reviewed 04/24/12 - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
32. Black Smoke reviewed 04/25/12 - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
33. Submission - reviewed 04/30/12 -http://osgabookreviews.wordpress.com/...
34. The Cinderella Deal - reviewed 04/27/12 - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
35. Gatekeeper - 04/27/12 - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
36. Changing Times - reviewed 04/27/12 - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
book blog challenge reserved
1. The Geek Job
2. The Vampire's Warden
3. Welcome to Temptation
4. Always
5. Talk Me Down
6. Faking It
7. Natural Born Charmer
8. The Troll Hunter
9. Just One of the Guys
10. Dragons and Cicadas
11. Spell of the Highlander
12. The Corpse King
13. Submission
Challenge ##: Indie Book Challenge
I want to try to increase my self-published reads. I think I only read 1-2 self-published books last year (not counting Courtney Milan's Unlocked which I think doesn't count).
1. Dark Love - 01/07/12
2. The Geek Job - 01/06/12
3. The Gods of Dream - 01/19/12
4. The Vampire's Warden - 01/22/12
5. Delicate Freakn' Flower - 02/03/12
6. Always - 02/07/12
7. Needing Nita - 02/10/12
8. All's Fair - 02/10/12 *This is a super short that was great! Until the end. The end is not an ending and there is no HEA or even a freaking HFN. :-(
9. The Troll Hunter 02/26/12
10. Dragons and Cicadas: The Society On Da Run
11. The Corpse King
lol!! Posting is now allowed. :-D
I need to put in my other challenge for the top fantasy books... but I want to get my books unpacked first so that I can re-do my list making sure to notate which books I own, which I will buy and which ones I will library loan.
*goosebumps!!!*
lol! I'm all over the place, aren't I? Yeah, I can delete that for you, lol.
Christa ♥☺♥ wrote: "No need to delete it. I like that my new thread feels "lived in" already! :-)"You know Loosheesh and I like to make ourselves at home.
Christa ♥☺♥ wrote: "Yes, and that's one of the reasons I love this place. :-)":-D
Such an interesting list to look through.The Colour of Magic. Pratchett. Hmmm...might be a tough one to chew on for a starter even though chronologically it makes sense. I was instantly engaged in Pratchett's satire and wit. Perhaps something like Equal Rites might be a better starting point if you're having trouble with that one.
Wizard's First Rule. Some people like Terry Goodkind and many don't. I have read all of the 8,000+ pages in The Sword of Truth series. Definitely good in places, long-winded in others. Then again I'm a weirdo and persistent and obsessive to extremes sometimes. :)
The Magic Kingdom of Landover. I've read too much Terry Brooks as well. An enjoyable read with an entertaining storyline.
Neverwhere and American Gods. Both on my list of probable reads and one of them might usurp Galloway on my challenge list this year, but I read a lot of Gaiman last year and I really enjoyed the Galloway I read this year.
The Talisman.I think it's almost been a decade since I read a Stephen King book and this might have been the last one (prior to me keeping IRS audit suitable traces of my reading). I used to love Stephen King and I just stopped reading after a while. I think I discovered fantasy authors whose first name was Terry or something.
The Wonderful World of Oz. This was on my list for a while and it got bumped. Sorry Frank.
Perdido Street Station. I'll be watching for your review on this one. I've been contemplating it for a while.
Homeinmyshoes wrote: "Homeinmyshoes | 11 comments Such an interesting list to look through.The Colour of Magic. Pratchett. Hmmm...might be a tough one to chew on for a starter even though chronologically it makes sense. I was instantly engaged in Pratchett's satire and wit. Perhaps something like Equal Rites might be a better starting point if you're having trouble with that one.
Wizard's First Rule. Some people like Terry Goodkind and many don't. I have read all of the 8,000+ pages in The Sword of Truth series. Definitely good in places, long-winded in others. Then again I'm a weirdo and persistent and obsessive to extremes sometimes. :)
The Magic Kingdom of Landover. I've read too much Terry Brooks as well. An enjoyable read with an entertaining storyline.
Neverwhere and American Gods. Both on my list of probable reads and one of them might usurp Galloway on my challenge list this year, but I read a lot of Gaiman last year and I really enjoyed the Galloway I read this year.
The Talisman.I think it's almost been a decade since I read a Stephen King book and this might have been the last one (prior to me keeping IRS audit suitable traces of my reading). I used to love Stephen King and I just stopped reading after a while. I think I discovered fantasy authors whose first name was Terry or something.
The Wonderful World of Oz. This was on my list for a while and it got bumped. Sorry Frank.
Perdido Street Station. I'll be watching for your review on this one. I've been contemplating it for a while. "
I'm not sure I'm reading PSS - I've just read a review a friend wrote and in the review he's sworn off of all things Melville...
Although I have not been a big fan of fantasy novels, I have several from your list that I have and will attempt to read this year (as part of the spur of the moment read list).Probably start with either Wizard's First Rule or The Colour of Magic.
Ken
Loosheesh wrote: "I've been meaning to ask you and I keep forgetting - do you use FictFact.com? I use it to manage my series, and they send me weekly emails when there are new books in the series I'm following."I do use fictfact! :)
I haven't been too good about updating lately...I need to catch up with it. I'm soooo behind.
MrsJoseph wrote: I'm not sure I'm reading PSS - I've just read a review a friend wrote and in the review he's sworn off of all things Melville... You do realise that them's fighting words!
Caleb wrote: "MrsJoseph wrote: I'm not sure I'm reading PSS - I've just read a review a friend wrote and in the review he's sworn off of all things Melville... You do realise that them's fighting words!"
:-D
His review: http://osgabookreviews.wordpress.com/...
But I realize that he must have sworn off of Melville after a different book...
Thread's updated!I'm also now starting
which I bought last year sometime.
Hmmm - I have The Gods of Dream but was put off the author by a couple of misfires (in my opinion). Tell me what you think.
Caleb wrote: "Hmmm - I have The Gods of Dream but was put off the author by a couple of misfires (in my opinion). Tell me what you think."Welp. I'm 3% in and already thinking about moving on to the next book.
It's...something that I can't put my finger on that I don't like. It feels like it should be categorized as YA and not adult fantasy.
I'm only in chapter two and have been introduced to the main protagonist & his sister. I have to say his sister disgusts me a little - which kind of makes me feel bad because I can tell I'm supposed to feel sorry for her. She's suicidal but it feels very selfish to me. She's a twin and all the family he has left in the world but she tries to kill herself regularly. I don't know if it's just Daniel going wrong with writing female characters or something but it bothers me.
So far the world-building is pretty nice but the dialogue is childish. I'm for early in and the plot already feels predicable. It kind of reminds me of Narnia in a way - but not really a good way.
How's his prose? I had some big issues with that the past.
I'm...not feeling it. I have to admit to letting my eyes skim after a short period of time.
For me I read really descriptive paragraphs that evoked rich imagery/feelings followed by others that were completely unimaginative particularly in the use of verbs.It felt like an adult was writing some parts of the book and a highschool student was writing others.
Very off-putting - and it made me think that parts of the book were rushed just to get it "out the door". Not an impression I want to have.
Caleb wrote: "For me I read really descriptive paragraphs that evoked rich imagery/feelings followed by others that were completely unimaginative particularly in the use of verbs.It felt like an adult was wr..."
There is some of that going on as well...All in all...there's not too much that makes me want to keep reading this book...except the fact that I have "met" Daniel.
I liked it, but it wasn't perfect. It felt like a fairy tale, in many ways. Still, it could have benefitted from another round of edits. But then I picked it up when it was free. *grins*
Mikaela wrote: "I liked it, but it wasn't perfect. It felt like a fairy tale, in many ways. Still, it could have benefitted from another round of edits. But then I picked it up when it was free. *grins*"lol! I bought it first...then it showed up for free on Amazon. I might feel differently if it was solely free.
Updated read books and reviewed books. Still no new indies finished but I'm working on an indie novella right now.
Updated read books and reviewed books. Realized that I'd read a self-pubbed earlier.
Updated counters! I finished reading and reviewing a book I won via GR. I have one more to read/review but I'll get to that eventually.
7. Lessons in Seduction - purchased during the harlequin sale. I saw it on the DA/SBTB best seller list. I...wasn't as impressed as I expected to be, lol. But it was quick and cute.
Looks like you're really picking up the pace now.
:-DYeah, but I'm still two books behind, lol.
Exactly! I've read some pretty hot HPs so I was confused. lol
MrsJoseph wrote: "8. Bet Me 5 Stars! I loved this book and definitely felt satisfied by the end of it."Bet me is one of my favorite books. :). But my Swedish paper copy is a bit worn, so I need to replace it with.
Loosheesh wrote: "Hmm, you're supposed to report book purchases in your Decimation challenge, ma'am ;-) "...
:-D
I was hoping you'd miss that, lol!
Who, moi?*bats eyelashes*
Updated tickers and reviewed a book. I actually have another book to review but I'm thinking I liked it waaay too much to review it. Cause I'll want to read it again. And I'll gush, lol. Bet Me
Updated tickers
:-DI am not sticking to lists at all. For some reason I've been a super moody reader lately. I've been pretty impatient with my books and very unforgiving... I think I'm starting to mellow out again. Yaaay! I think it's helping that I've been reading a lot of romance lately.
^Haha. I'm finding 26 books to be rather large to keep on track with. I've done really well with the list so far, but there's just so many options for other reads. I haven't even gotten into any non-fiction stuff yet.
Homeinmyshoes wrote: "^Haha. I'm finding 26 books to be rather large to keep on track with. I've done really well with the list so far, but there's just so many options for other reads. I haven't even gotten into any no..."List? I don't need no stinking list!
LOL! I am finding this "list" thing to be a complete failure so far. I don't think I've read a single thing that I was "supposed" to.
But I'm having fun while doing it!
oh, updated lists/tickers
So, I have good news and I have bad news.The Good News:
I was at MR and was given a rec for an self-pub: The Troll Hunter. He seems to be a kindle only guy so I could not find him anywhere. PO'd, I fired off a very politely worded email to the author stating that I wanted to buy his book but I could not locate it anywhere besides Amazon. I asked him to stick me on a list and let me know when it becomes available elsewhere.
BTW, I don't own a kindle and I gave up before installing the calibre plugin for Amazon. Christa happened to be NO WHERE AROUND when I needed her to extract me from the mess I made. *pouts* :-D
Lo and behold - he sent me a free copy! Yaaaaay! I'm going to have to push this book up my TBR list. The author really made me feel good about this book. I hope I enjoy it as much as Tysonblue suggested and that I'm not let down by my SUPER excitement.
The Bad News:
I ran unto another book I just have to buy while reading Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels. I've been reading this damn book for MONTHS and can't. get. through it! This time it's not Jennifer Crusie distracting me, it's Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl. Dammit! >.< lol
So here's the issue: It's an Agency6 book (boooooo!) and I have been holding rather firm to my decision to only buy used DTB versions of Agency6 books (hey, I gotta get my fix but I don't have to support them the way they want at the same time). It's looking like Talk Me Down is only published in MMPB and/or ebook format. The used copies I've found so far are almost $5 where as the new book is the usually Agency6 price.
So what do I dooooooo? I'm tempted to buy the dang ebook so I can start reading it today. But then I've broken my own Agency6 rule. But the used book is $5! And I'm assuming shipping when I have a Prime membership.
HELP!
MobileRead Book Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Magic Burns (other topics)The War of the Flowers (other topics)
A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books (other topics)
To Ride Hell's Chasm (other topics)
Personal Demons (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Stacia Kane (other topics)David Eddings (other topics)
Jennifer Crusie (other topics)
My Fantasy Challenge List 2012
(subject to spontaneous change)