Wicked Valentine's Read-a-Thon: Saturday (#WWReadathon)

Whenever I do a read-a-thon, I like to post daily updates which end up forming a kind of journal for that time. I'm keeping this tradition with the Wicked Valentine's Read-a-Thon. Each update will include something about my day and what I've been up to along with my thoughts on the books I've been reading and any challenge entries.

My Day

I had to go into the city today so I took a quick walk through Chinatown as a lot of the performers were practicing for the Chinese New Year celebrations tomorrow. It also gave me a chance to pick up a few oriental snacks for while reading :)

Unfortunately I get really travel sick so I got barely any reading time at all - even reading at the station was out because it was raining! I'm hoping to get much more reading done tomorrow though.

The Books

I'm still reading Deja Dead and I'm a little further in. I've been kind of lacking in reading time over the last couple of days which means I'm having to put the book down a lot :(

The storyline has deepened more and I'm really intrigued to see what happens next. Tempe's quest for answers about the murders and her friend is now putting her in danger, and the case is becoming more complex.

Total pages read: 67

The Challenges

Today's reading challenge is an awesome crossword hosted by Kathy @ I Read, I Write, I Review and you can still enter here :) It's an email entry so no more here but I have entered and it was a ton of fun!

Wicked Valentine's Read-a-Thon: Friday (#WWReadathon)

Whenever I do a read-a-thon, I like to post daily updates which end up forming a kind of journal for that time. I'm keeping this tradition with the Wicked Valentine's Read-a-Thon. Each update will include something about my day and what I've been up to along with my thoughts on the books I've been reading and any challenge entries.

My Day

I've had a not hugely restful day as my sister stopped by after her mother and baby group with my niece and nephew. I'm entirely biased but I think they are the cutest kids on the planet. My niece got me to sit down before putting on her pretend glasses and reading my book to me (well, the two year old translation of my book at least lol). My nephew is 10 weeks old today and has the cutest little smile with dimples.

 

When they left I realised that a) I'm going out tomorrow and b) there's barely any music on my new MP3 which would be waaaay easier if I had any music on my laptop :( So now I'm ripping CDs and trying to remember where on earth I put some.

The Books

I'm still reading Deja Dead and I'm enjoying it more as I go. I'm getting used to the writing style and I'm finding the forensics fascinating. There's also more tension coming into the storyline which is awesome and making the book hard to put down. There's even been some action :)

I've kinda come to the conclusion that the books are very different to the show (Bones), although a friend told me today that show Tempe is supposed to be the younger book Tempe. Either way I'm thinking of them as two separate entities which means I'm not ending up confused about the differences.

Total pages read: 23

The Challenges

Today's challenge is hosted by Beckie @ Bittersweet Enchantment, and you can still enter here. Beckie's challenge is:

This challenge is called The Dating Game. The idea is to choose two different book characters to go on a date. Although each character must be from two totally different books or series. Example: Edward Cullen (Twilight series) and Kaylee Cavanaugh (Soul Screamers series). Once you know who you are going to choose then your next step is to tell me where they will being going on the date. Your welcome to post a image of a certain place as well. Example:

Next, I need to know what they will be doing on their date and why you think both characters would make a great couple. You are welcome to use pictures if you'd like.
Once you are completely finished you may either leave a comment below or make a blog post. Whichever works for you but be sure to leave a link to where I can find your entry.

My answer is to send Jace Wayland from the Mortal Instruments series on a date with Eve Rosser. I think they'd make a great couple because they are both really snarky and sarcastic so sparks would definitely fly. For their date I'd send them to San Francisco because the diversity of the city means that Jace's tattoos and Eve's goth style will immediately fit in.

Their date would be a session fencing. It definitely should have been covered by Jace's Shadowhunter training but Eve's fencing hobby has left her with some serious skills which would leave them evenly matched, allowing them to see how much they have in common and form a bond through their shared skills. After they could tour the city, each picking out landmarks to visit to show each other their differences and sample the culture.

Wicked Valentine's Read-a-thon: Thursday (#WWReadathon)

Whenever I do a read-a-thon, I like to post daily updates which end up forming a kind of journal for that time. I'm keeping this tradition with the Wicked Valentine's Read-a-Thon. Each update will include something about my day and what I've been up to along with my thoughts on the books I've been reading and any challenge entries.

My Day

I've not read that much today as my ME has flared up and I'm feeling exhausted all the time. Add that to accompanying my Mum to her hospital appointment and I'm totally wiped. I did manage to get a little reading done though, and I'm hoping to get some rest tomorrow as I know I have to go out on Saturday.

The Books

Although I said in my goals post I was 2 chapters into The Golden Lily, I decided to start fresh with Deja Dead. I was supposed to start this on the 2nd for a buddy read so I decided to bump it up and get reading.

Honestly, I'm not sure what I think so far. I'm a big fan of Bones and the book is very different (Tempe stays, everyone else is gone). It's different, and it turns out watching the forensic scenes is a lot less gross than reading them. At this point I'm around 1/3 in so this could be because I've not read in a while, or that I've been reading a lot of YA, or even that I don't read much crime. Either way I'm going to keep reading before I form an opinion.

Total pages read: 142

The Challenges

April @ My Shelf Confessions is hosting the Love 'Ship Challenge today and you can still take part here. The challenge is:

Your mission should you choose to accept it is to pick an established relationship (get it, “‘ship” LOL) from any book or series and then tell me what sort of cruise they would go on – we all know there are SO many themed cruise ships, and you can make up a theme too! Where would the travel destination stops be? What fun things would they do together during the week? And best of all, explain why you chose what you chose! Essentially you are their cruise ship travel agent trying to give them the trip of a lifetime that they’ll love! OH and what’s the cruise ship named?

I'm going to steal Sam and Grace from Shiver and send them on a cruise around French Polynesia on the SS Paradiso. The cruise will tour the gorgeous, warm islands providing ample opportunities for some alone time in some of the most beautiful natural hideaways on earth. Stopping at Tahiti, Bora Bora and the Tuamoto Islands there are romantic beaches galore and a host hidden islands to explore. The lovebirds can enjoy hiking up volcanoes, scuba diving and even hunting for elusive black pearls.

For a couple torn apart by seasonal changes, the crystal clear waters and outstanding scenery will give Sam and Grace some time away from the stress of their pasts to enjoy some time as a couple while the perma-summer setting will keep those worries far away.

Wicked Valentine's Read-a-Thon: Goals (#WWReadathon)

The Wicked Valentines Read-a-Thon has just started and I've finally decided what my goals for this week will be. I just recently lost my grandfather and as a result I haven't been reading or blogging, and I've been pretty much avoiding the internet. I'm looking forward to getting back into reading and blogging, so my goals are pretty much just to read as and when I can taking whatever breaks I need.

I'm keeping my goals pretty small to ease myself back into reading. I've been 2 chapters in to The Golden Lily for over a week so that is first on my goals list, and Deja Dead is for a buddy read that started on the 2nd. I've also been super excited to read The Archived :)


I'm also hoping to take part in the twitter chat on Saturday (4-6pm EST/9-11pm GMT), although not the Tuesday chat as that works out as the early hours of Wednesday for me. I'm hoping to take part in as many challenges as possible and chat with other bloggers wherever I can. I'll also be doing my usual daily updates :)

Bite Me If You Can by Lynsay Sands

Title: Bite Me If You Can
Author: Lynsay Sands

Publisher: Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-077412-7
Pages: 356
Series: Argeneau/Rogue Hunter #6
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Leigh Gerard is walking home from work in the early hours when she is suddenly attacked by a vampire. Turns out it was a rogue vampire marked for termination but that doesn't help Leigh because she's already becoming a vampire. Lucian Argeneau is over two thousand years old and the only pleasure remaining in his life is hunting down rogues, but when he ends up forced to care for Leigh through her transition and welcome her into her new life he finds himself torn between the hunt and his heart.

This is the sixth book in the awesome Argeneau/Rogue Hunter series (after A Quick Bite, Love Bites, Single White Vampire, Tall, Dark and Hungry and A Bite to Remember) and features the grumpy Uncle Lucian. He's always been very brusque and bad-tempered in the previous books, but occasionally he has shown glimmers of being a nice guy underneath it all so it was interesting to find out more about him.

The plot is as densely plotted as usual with a good mix of tension and humour that kept me glued to the page. Whenever I pick up a Lynsay Sands book I know I'm in for a fun action-packed read and this is no exception. This follows in the slightly darker tone of the previous book and shows the reader for the first time what it's like to hunt rogue vampires. Lucian and Leigh's romance is also distinct from the previous ones, building on each of their lives.

Rogue vampires have been mentioned a few times, particularly in the most recent installments but there hasn't been a huge focus on why vampires go rogue or what happens after they do. This book changes that. It manages to show the reasons why some vampires go rogue while others don't and it gives insight into how and why they are hunted. Having someone like Lucian who has been hunting rogues for a long time to guide the reader through means info-dumping doesn't occur at all.

Lucian is the oldest character featured so far and at over two thousand years he definitely shows his age at times. He also hasn't eaten in decades so it is hilarious to see him trying various types of food. It's great to see why he's been such a jerk in the past (a certain scene with Greg in A Quick Bite comes to mind) and get to understand him better. Leigh is a brilliant match for Lucian. She's mature enough to be confident her relationship with Lucian, but young enough to make him realise that life can be really fun. Leigh very much has her own life that she's worked hard to build so becoming a vampire is a massive adjustment for her as it means losing a lot.

All in all, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to The Accidental Vampire.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50

January Wrap-Up/February TBR

My Monthly Wrap-Up posts are a place for me to talk about what I've read during the month as well as everything that has been going on at Project to be Read (including my reviews). It also provides a space for me to share this month's Best of the Bunch book and look forward to next month with my TBR pile :)

Looking back...

In January I read 15 full books which came to a total of 5948 pages, giving me an awesome start on my 2013 reading challenges!

I reviewed:
Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh
Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh
Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh
Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh
Archangel's Storm by Nalini Singh
White Cat by Holly Black
Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
Montana Sky by Nora Roberts
Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Frostbite by Richelle Mead
Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates
A Bite to Remember by Lynsay Sands

I also took part in the Bout of Books read-a-thon which was a ton of fun, as well as hosting my first Cooking the Books post and signing up for the Classic Double Challenge. I've even taken part in two memes: Showcase Sunday and Cover Characteristic.

I've even been debuting some gorgeous banners designed for me by Faye over at A Daydreamer's Thoughts. She is an awesome blogger and is now branching out into design :)

Best of the Bunch

Best of the Bunch is an awesome end-of-month meme created at Lyrical Reviews and now hosted by Sally at Always Lost in Stories. All you have to do is pick your favourite book of all the books you've read that month and share it with everyone.

My favourite book for January is Renegade by J.A. Souders.

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.



But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.

Her memories have been altered.

Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.

And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

 

Just before Christmas I joined in with a Secret Santa book recommendation exchange on Goodreads. One of the recommendations I got was for Renegade and when I spotted a cheap copy on Amazon, I decided to snatch it up and give it a go.

 

Renegade is hands down one of the creepiest dystopians I've read and the underwater setting makes it incredibly unique. I adored Evie and Gavin and was glued to the page throughout - I only stopped reading when my nine week old nephew visited, and even then as soon as he dozed off for a nap I was back reading!

 

My review for Renegade is coming soon.

Looking forward...

In February, I'm hoping to read:

...as well as The Indigo Spell which I have on preorder!

A Bite to Remember by Lynsay Sands

Title: A Bite to Remember
Author: Lynsay Sands

Publisher: Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-077407-3
Pages: 362
Series: Argeneau/Rogue Hunter #5
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Vincent Argeneau is in trouble. His production company has been struggling with plays closing down due to freak accidents, random bad luck and at the latest - contagious anaemia. Before people start pointing the finger at his fanged self he asks his family for help and gets PI Jackie Morrisey on his doorstep. Jackie is determined to track down the culprit but she is uncomfortable near Vincent having sworn off vampires years ago. This culprit will need her full attention though as the attacks are about to become much more personal...and deadly.

This is the fifth book in the outstanding Argeneau/Rogue Hunter series (after A Quick Bite, Love Bites, Single White Vampire and Tall, Dark and Hungry) and is a little darker than those before it. The added darkness is a welcome change as it keeps the series fresh, and it also works better with the characters than a lighter tone would have. That said there are still some laugh out loud moments here.

The storyline is cleverly written with a gradual build of tension throughout as the events escalate. There are twists and turns galore as the storyline progresses and I found it hard to predict what would happen next, let alone try and figure out who was behind the attacks. It was also interesting to see more about what happens behind the scenes when people put plays on and it adds another dimension to the storyline.

Vincent was featured in the previous book and I found him fascinating then so it was great to see this book continuing his story on by picking up the plot threads from his introduction. He has worked incredibly hard to build his company so to have someone sabotage is deeply upsetting to him. Add that to the fact he feels isolated from other vampires as he is incapable of drinking from blood bags and you have a character who I rooted for from page one.

Jackie is very determined and headstrong but still carries scars from an abusive relationship with a vampire when she was still a teenager. This makes her biased against Vincent so it is hilarious to watch them fight their feelings for one another. Naturally Marguerite finds a reason to visit L.A. and "help" Vincent out with his romance. On the whole the romance is sweet and well written, but a little less head over heels than in previous installments which is a refreshing change.

Jackie's partner Tiny is a total scene stealer. He helps with the case and cooks up a storm, leading to some delicious descriptions of the various types of food he creates to tempt Vincent with. He is sweet and supportive and almost like a big brother to Jackie so their dynamic is fun to read.

All in all, this was a great read and I'm really looking forward to Bite Me If You Can.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 100
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50