Tuesday, 18 August 2015

Bout of Books 14: Book Scavenger Hunt


It is Day 2 of the Bout of Books read-a-thon. Todays challenge is to complete the book scavenger hunt. This challenge is hosted by The Book Monsters. All the details are listed on their blog!

Book Scavenger Hunt:
1. A Book that begins with “B”  (for Bout of Books!)
Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

One of my favourite books!

2. A book you’re planning to read/currently reading for Bout of Books
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

So far this book is ruining me. It's so sad!

3. Blue Book(s)
The Selection by Kiera Cass

Loved this book! Not so fond of The Heir though.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

The ultimate guy...

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

Still have yet to read this one. I'm finishing Vampire Academy first. But I needed to include it, her name is Sydney!

4. Books from your favorite genre!
My favourite genre is fantasy (I prefer full-on fantasy).
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next!

5. A book on your TBR shelf, or your full TBR shelves
Haha! I have 700 books on TBR and if I only count the ones I own it's about 350! Instead, these are some that I hope to read this week (and later this month).
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Hope you enjoyed the challenge! Comment below and let me know where your challenge is!

Monday, 17 August 2015

Bout of Books 14 Update 1 - August 17th



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 17th and runs through Sunday, August 23rd 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 14 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

My Goals:
- Read at least 3 books
- Complete at least 3 challenges
- Read at least 1200 pages

I've never previously participated in a read-a-thon, but I hope it all goes well!

DAY 1: August 17th
Number of pages read: 392
Total pages read: 392
Finished books: N/A
Currently Reading: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

DAY 2: August 18th

DAY 3: August 19th

DAY 4: August 20th

DAY 5: August 21st

DAY 6: August 22nd

DAY 7: August 23rd


Thanks for reading! Comment below and let me know what book to read! Wish me luck!

Bout of Books 14: Fictional World Travel Challenge


It is Day 1 of the Bout of Books read-a-thon and I am so excited! Today's challenge is to find 3-6 books with countries that you don't currently reside in. It is hosted by Between Library Shelves. All the details are listed on their blog!

I am currently residing in Canada (as you can tell from my blog name).

I often read books and wish I could visit there, so here we go! 

1. Num8ers by Rachel Ward - England





My whole entire life I have always wanted to go England, London in particular. I enjoyed reading this book and being able to see some of the scenery (in my mind of course) including the big ferris wheel.



2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon - Scotland





I absolutely love the looks of Scotland and think it has the most beautiful landscapes! I am also Scottish (heritage) and have always wanted to go! The castles there are beautiful! reading this book really only intensified my desire to go there.



3. Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - Wales





I honestly had no desire to go here, but after reading the book I'd really love to go check it out. I know it is a fiction book but it's one of my favourites. So of course now I need to go there.



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Hope you enjoyed my first challenge for the read-a-thon! It was actually really fun to go back and look at my books and remember where each one was set! Comment below and let me know where you want to visit!

Bout of Books 14 Sign-Up



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 17th and runs through Sunday, August 23rd 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 14 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team
 
I will be joining the Bout of Books read-a-thon taking place between August 17th and August 23rd! Check out their blog HERE!

I am super excited because this is my first ever read-a-thon!

I hope to be able to participate in at least 3 challenges and read at least 3 books! Wish me luck!

UPDATE 08/17/15 - POPSUAGR Challenge

Update of what I've read so far for the POPSUGAR reading challenge!


  • A book with more than 500 pages
    • Blood Promise by Richelle Read
    • Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
    • Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
    • Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
    • Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
  • A classic romance
  • A book that became a movie
    • Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
  • A book published this year
    • 99 Days by Katie Cotugno
    • Undeniably Chosen by Shelly Crane
    • Awakening You by Jessica Sorensen
    • Untamed by Jessica Sorensen
    • Raveling You by Jessica Sorensen
  • A book with a number in the title
    • Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
    • 99 Days by Katie Cotugno
  • A book written by someone under 30
  • A book with nonhuman characters
    • The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
  • A funny book
  • A book with a female author
    • Richelle Mead
    • Katie Cotugno
    • Robin LaFevers
    • Diana Gabaldon
    • Megan Shepherd
    • Moriah McStay
    • Gena Showalter
    • Abbi Glines
    • Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
    • Kiera Cass 
    • Cora Carmack
    • Agatha Christie
    • Marie Rutkoski
    • Michelle Hodkin
    • Shelly Crane
    • Jessica Sorensen
    • E. Lockhart
  • A mystery or thriller
    • The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
    • Awakening You by Jessica Sorensen
    • Unbeautiful by Jessica Sorensen
    • We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
    • And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
  • A book with a one-word title
    • Unbeautiful by Jessica Sorensen
    • Untamed by Jessica Sorensen
    • Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
    • Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
    • Frostbite by Richelle Mead
    • Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
  • A book of short stories
  • A book set in a different country
    • Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
    • Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
    • Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
    • Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
    • Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
    • The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
    • Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd
    • A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd
    • Everything that Makes You by Moira McStay
    • The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
  • A nonfiction book
  • A popular author's first book
  • A book from an author you love that you haven't read
  • A book a friend recommended
    • Take a Chance by Abbi Glines
    • Losing It by Cora Carmack
  • A Pulitzer Prize-winning book
  • A book based on a true story
  • A book at the bottom of your to-read list
  • A book your mom loves
  • A book that scares you
  • A book more than 100 years old
  • A book based entirely on it's cover
    • These Broken Stars by Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman
  • A book you were supposed to read in school but didn't
  • A memoir
  • A book you can finish in a day
    • This Night So Dark by Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman
  • A book with antonyms in the title
  • A book set somewhere you always wanted to visit
    • Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
  • A book that came out the year you were born
  • A book with bad reviews
  • A trilogy
    • The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
  • A book from your childhood
  • A book with a love triangle
    • Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
    • Frostbite by Richelle Mead
    • Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
    • 99 Days by Katie Cotugno
    • The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
    • Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd
    • Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter
  • A book set in the future
    • These Broken Stars by Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman
  • A book set in high school
    • Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
    • Everything That Makes You by Moriah McStay
  • A book with a colour in the title
  • A book that made you cry
    • Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
  • A book with magic
  • A graphic novel
    • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis
  • A book by an author you've never read before
    • Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
    • Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
    • And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
  • A book you own but have never read before
    • Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
    • And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
    • Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
    • Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
    • Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter
  • A book that takes place in your hometown
  • A book that was originally written in a different language
  • A book set during Christmas
  • A book written by an author with your same initials
  • A play
  • A banned book
  • A book based on or turned into a TV show
    • Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
  • A book you started but never finished
    • Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
Wish me luck with the rest of the challenge! I have quite a few books left! :D

Let's Talk: Take a Chance by Abbi Glines

Take a Chance (Chance #1) (Rosemary Beach #7) by Abbi Glines
Let's Talk contains spoilers



2.5 stars

Synopsis (Goodreads):
When Harlow Manning's rocker father goes on tour, he sends her to Rosemary Beach, Florida, to live with her half-sister, Nan. The problem: Nan despises her. Harlow has to keep her head down if she wants to get through the next nine months, which seems easy enough. Until gorgeous Grant Carter walks out of Nan's room in nothing but his boxer briefs.

Grant made a huge mistake getting involved with a girl with venom in her veins. He'd known about Nan's reputation, but still he couldn't resist her. Nothing makes him regret the fling more than meeting Harlow, who sends his pulse racing. Yet Harlow wants nothing to do with a guy who could fall for her wicked half-sister—even if there are no strings between Grant and Nan. Grant is desperate to redeem himself in Harlow's eyes, but did he ruin his chances before he even met her?


---------------------------------------------

So I read this book not expecting much. I mean that as no offence to other people who love the series, but I previously read Fallen Too Far and didn't overly enjoy it. The only reason I read this book was because my sister kept insisting that I would love Grant.

I liked Grant in the beginning. He was trying to seduce Harlow, but not for the sake of game. He truly liked her. I loved this part. Seeing him try to get her and falling in love in the process. When they were first together sexually, I thought that it was lovely. You don't see scenes like this often in NA. It gave me serious optimism for the rest of this book.

When Harlow overheard Nan having sex and then went downstairs to make coffee, then saw Grant come around the corner, I was sad. I felt sad and I felt it through Harlow and what she had to do. That was hard.

I liked up until Grant and Harlow had sex the second time on the plane.

Sadly, after this we resume with what is NA. This made me so mad and frustrated!



I mean, what happened to the Grant I just saw make love to Harlow?

Now we just see what appears in every NA book. Sex piled on top of sex piled on top of no real love piled on top of dramatic people. This really made me sad because it really had a lot of promise.



Grant was a likeable character I guess. In the beginning I liked him a lot more than I did in the end. In the beginning he was loving and you got to see a side of him that was rare. By the end we are seeing him as the guy who likes having sex with Harlow. This is one of the things that bothers me so much about NA. They are so obsessed with having sex scenes in the book, but they can't be love making. It has to be rough and memorable.

Harlow was also likeable. But I feel like she doesn't stand up for herself properly. She kind of just lets people walk all over her and doesn't really care or cares but doesn't know what to do. This could be due to the fact that she grew up very close to her father and didn't get out much. I actually liked Harlow to be honest.

I feel like the fact that Harlow has a heart problem was very random and out of no where. And her being pregnant? Not so random. With the amount of times they were having sex (seemingly without protection of any kind) it was very predictable.

Overall, it wasn't bad. I wouldn't mind reading the other books in the series, but I still very much prefer her Sea Breeze series.

Rating: 5/10
Parental Rating: 16+

Comment below and let me know what you think!

Thursday, 13 August 2015

UPDATE 08/13/15: A-Z Reading Challenge

UPDATE 08/13/15
A-Z Reading Challenge




I have to read 26 books with authors lasts names from A-Z!

A-
B- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
C- Undeniably Chosen by Shelly Crane
D-
E-
F-
G- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
H- The Retribution of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin
I-
J-
K- These Broken Stars - Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
L- We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
M- Everything That Makes You - Moriah McStay
N-
O-
P-
Q-
R- Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
S- Unraveling You by Jessica Sorensen
T-
U-
V-
W- Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
X-
Y-
Z-

HERE is the link if you want to join! 

Comment below and please give me some suggestions for great books with authors last names I'm missing!