2012 Standalone Reading Challenge

2012 Standalone Reading Challenge:

You can sign up for the challenge HERE.

So what's the challenge?
To read 15 standalone YA books in 2012!

What books count towards the 2012 Standalone Reading Challenge?
Any Young Adult standalone book that is released between December 27, 2011  and December 31, 2012. Any format (paperback, hardcover, e-book, ARC) counts, but they must be read during the year 2012.

Where can I find out which books can be read for the SARC?
There's a list for you HERE.  

 Who can participate?
Anyone with a blog or a Goodreads account where they are able to post reviews (in English) can participate. 

Standalone books read:

01. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer E. Smith

02. The Fault In Our Stars - John Green

03. Try Not To Breathe - Jennifer Hubbard

04. Bittersweet - Sarah Ockler

05. Unraveling Isobel - Eileen Cook

06. The Fine Art of Truth or Dare - Melissa Jensen

07. Wishing For Someday Soon - Tiffany King

08. Never Eighteen - Megan Bostic

09. In Honor - Jessi Kirby

10. Breaking Beautiful - Jennifer Shaw Wolf

11. My Life Next Door - Huntley Firzpatrick

12. Something Like Normal - Trish Doller

13. Flawed - Kate Avelynn

14. Decked With Holly - Marni Bates

15. A Winter Flame - Milly Johnson 

2012 Eclectic Reader Reading Challenge

2012 Eclectic Reader Reading Challenge

You can sign up for the challenge HERE.

Rules:

• The challenge will run from January 1st to December 31st 201. Participants may join at any time up until December 1st 2012

• Create a blog post committing to  your participation in this challenge

• Select, read and review a book from each genre listed below during the year for a total of 12 books. A book may be in print, electronic or audio format.

• You can choose your books as you go or create a list in advance. You may combine this challenge with others if you wish.

• Where a book is identified by more than one genre eg historical romance, it may only count for either the historical fiction or romantic fiction genres – not both.

Genres

1. Literary Fiction -
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction - The Return of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
3. Romantic Fiction - It Started With a Kiss - Miranda Dickinson
4. Historical Fiction
5. Young Adult - The Fault In Our Stars - John Green
6. Fantasy - Once Burned - Jeaniene Frost
7. Science Fiction - A Million Suns - Beth Revis
8. Non Fiction
9. Horror
10. Thriller /Suspense
11. Classic
12. Your favourite genre

2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

You can sign up for this challenge HERE.

Details:

• Runs January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012 (books read prior to 1/1/12 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
• The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2012 than you did in 2011. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
• Grab the reading challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you could track your progress on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

Levels:

     Getting my heart rate up – Read 1–5 more books
     Out of breath – Read 6–10 more books
     Breaking a sweat – Read 11–15 more books
     I’m on fire! – Read 16+ more books

I signed up for I'm on fire - Read 16+ more books:

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

This week I'm reading: 

Illuminated - Erica Orloff

“And you’re not excited the slightest bit about sleuthing with August.”

A cab pulled over to pick us up. I had August’s card in my hand. I glanced over at Uncle Harry. “Well, if I have to sleuth
this summer and play Nancy Drew . . . there’s nothing like a hot guy to make it even more interesting.”

"And there, alone, I cried. At first, it was a weird aimless crying. I cried for Miriam, for August, for Professor Sokolov, for Astrolabe and Heloise and Abelard. And then, finally, I felt the hard tears start, and I cried for me. For the motherless little girl and the woman in the picture in my room whom I never had the chance to know."

What about you? What are you reading this week? Are you enjoying it?

2012 Romance Reading Challenge

2012 Romance Reading Challenge

You can sign up HERE.

This reading challenge is for any genre of Romance with the exception of YA and Erotica.  Have fun with this one peeps!

Rules:

• Anyone can join
• You don't need a blog to participate.  For non-bloggers, please leave a comment with a link (if you review somewhere else) to the review or leave a list of the books you read on the monthly link up post.
• Audio, ebooks, and bound books are ok.
• No re-reads
• Create a sign up post and post the link in the linky below.
• Challenge goes from January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012
• Challenge Crossovers are ok.

Levels:

Level 1 - Read 4 Romance novels

Level 2 - Read 10 Romance novels

Level 3 - Read 14 Romance novels

Level 4 - Read 15+ Romance novels

I signed up for Level 4 - 15 + Books:

01. Her Sexiest Mistake - Jill Shalvis

02. Game for Anything - Bella Andre

03. Poughkeepsie - Debra Anastasia

04. Always You - Shilpa Mudiganti

05. Slow Burn (The Fitsgerald Family 01) - E.B. Walters

06. Mine Until Dawn (The Fitzgeral Family 02) - E.B. Walters

07. Kiss Me Crazy (The Fitzgerald Family 03) - E.B. Walters

08. Dangerous Love (Fitzgerald Family 04) - E.B. Walters

09. Time Out - Jill Shalvis

10. The Heat Is On - Jill Shalvis

11. Aftershock - Jill Shalvis

12. Lucky In Love (Lucky Harbor 04) - Jill Shalvis

13. At Last (Lycky Harbor 05) - Jill Shalvis

14. Forever and a Day (Lucky Harbor 06) - Jill Shalvis

15. Rescue My Heart (Animal Magnetism 03 ) - Jill Shalvis

Team Smackdown

Hello!

Thank you for voting for another Team Smackdown.

The winner of the Team Smackdown - Team Logan vs Team Zachary  from the Shade Series by Jeri Smith-Ready:

Team Zachary!

Team Zachary will face off another Team in the future! Thank you to everyone who participated and voted! :)

Now, when it comes to the giveaway. The winner of a bookmark from CreationsbyGC is Shina . Congrats!

I could still really use your help with this feature so if you are interested in being a team advocate please let me know! I'll show you the list of Teams that'll be featured. :)

What's In A Name 5 Reading Challenge

What's In A Name 5 Reading Challenge

Here's How It Works

Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title: Black Hills, Purgatory Ridge, Emily of Deep Valley
2. A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title: Moon Called, Seeing Stars, Cloud Atlas
3. A book with a creepy crawly in the title: Little Bee, Spider Bones, The Witches of Worm
4. A book with a type of house in the title: The Glass Castle, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Ape House
5. A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: Sarah's Key, The Scarlet Letter, Devlin Diary
6. A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title: Day of the Jackal, Elegy for April, Freaky Friday, Year of Magical Thinking

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know

• Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
• Books may overlap other challenges.
• Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
• Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.
• You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
• You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.

Books read:

01.Topographical Feature - 

02. Something You'd See In The Sky - The Fault In Our Stars - John Green

03. Creepy Crawly -

04. Type of House -

05. Something You'd Carry In Your Pocket, Purse or Backpack -

06. Something You'd Find On A Calendar -

Faves of TwentyEleven: The Random

It's time for another Faves of TwentyEleven.

This feature is hosted by Inkcrush.

Day Four: The Random:

1. Fave First Sentence:

"Come on, baby,” he murmured. “Give it up for me. You know you want to.” - Dell in Animal Attraction by Jill Shalvis

I think this was my favorite first sentence. It definitely made me interested!  Dell is talking to a stray kitten there by the way. :P

2. Fave Book Title:

Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan

Other Words For Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

 

3. Fave Reading Experience:

Sophie & Carter by Chelsea Fine

Animal Attraction by Jill Shalvis

4. Book With The Best Food In It:

Too Hot to Touch by Louisa Edwards

There are recipes in the end!

5. Book With The Most Sensual Weather:

Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis

Sexy, cold weather. :)

6. Most Embarassing Book Cover:

Tantric Zoo by Rob Loughran

It's not exactly an embarassing cover, I simply don't like it!

 

7. Can't Believe You Waited This Long To Read The Book:

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

I wasn't sure I would like this book so it took me a long time to actually pick it up but I'm glad I did because I ended up enjoying it a lot.

8. Book You'd Give Your Mum/Sister To Read:

Double Crossing by Meg Mims

9. Book You'd Give Your Dad To Read:

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

A good and interesting mystery. :)

10. Book You'd Like To Give Your Past Self To Read:

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

11. Book That Lived Up To The Hype:

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

12. Book You Stayed The Latest To Finish:

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I just had to know what was going to happen next!

13 Book You Were Dying To Get Your Hands On The Most:

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Going Too Far by Jenniger Echols

14. Fattest Brick Of A Book You Read:

I'll leave this one open because I really can't remember which was the "fattest" book I've read this year. :S

15. Killer Cliffhanger Award:

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Evil, evil cliffhanger! :)

We all want to promote our reviews, don't we? This is a way of letting other people know about them. Just leave a link to your review below.

Go visit the other reviews and let people know what you think about them!

This will is weekly feature posted on Thursdays. :) 

 

Review - Kevin's Point of View by Del Shannon

Title and Author: Kevin's Point of View by Del Shannon

Publisher: Kindle

Publication Date: June 4th, 2010

Paperback/Hardcover:

Genre: Young Adult

Summary:

To escape the emotional turmoil of his father’s death 12-year-old Kevin Tobin has retreated inside himself, developing his imagination into a dangerous foil and a powerful ally. While he antagonizes everyone with his superhero antics, his ability to escape inside himself becomes critical to his survival after his life is once-again turned upside down a year after his father’s death. When a mysterious package arrives in the mail, Kevin and his best friend are hunted by a ruthless villain who is determined to retrieve the package, which holds the key to his plans for world domination. After enlisting Kevin’s teenage sister and her pizza-delivery boyfriend in a battle for control over time itself, the group escapes into the mountains west of Boulder, Colorado and eventually discover that Kevin’s entire existence is because of the love of someone we never expected.

Review:

I received Kevin’s Point of View from the author in exchange of an honest review and I have to confess this is one of those different but very interesting books that keep you entertained.

Kevin is a boy who, since the death of his father, escapes inside his own mind when reality gets too tough to handle. One second he is Kevin and the other, he’s a hero who manages to find his way out of any and every difficult situation.

When a mysterious package arrives, Kevin discovers a device called influxitron and is pulled into an adventure when a man comes looking for that device. A man who’s intent is to kill Kevin and his friends.

I think Kevin is a very good main character. It is easy to like him since he is so sweet and curious. In order to overcome the pain of losing his father and dealing with his life, he withdraws into his mind. He’s very imaginative, which I really liked.

The pace of the story is fast, making it hard to put down. The plot itself makes you want to know what is going to happen next to Kevin and everyone else.

I think this is a very interesting book, with a little something for everyone. There’s mystery, action, adventure and a few good twists.

The book can become a little strange at some parts but that’s all part of the story.

All in all I enjoyed this book and would recommend it especially to middle grade readers, although I think anyone would be able to enjoy it.

Rating: Somewhere between Worth Your Time and Must Read (4 ½ Stars)

Goodreads

2012 Chick Lit Reading Challenge

Another challenge!

2012 Chick Lit Reading Challenge. You can sign up for the challenge HERE.

Rules:

Challengers will read 12 chick lit books throughout 2012. You can (obviously( read more books of other genres, but you need at least 12 chick lit to count for this challenge.

Two of the twelve books need to be from debut authors. The debuts should be released in 2012. 

Chick Lit books read:

01. Always You - Shilpa Mudiganti

02. Time Out - Jill Shalvis

03. Lucky In Love (Lucky Harbor 04) - Jill Shalvis

04. At Last (Lycky Harbor 05) - Jill Shalvis

05. Forever and a Day (Lucky Harbor 06) - Jill Shalvis

06. Rescue My Heart (Animal Magnetism 03 ) - Jill Shalvis

07. The Last Letter From Your Lover - Jojo Moyes

08. Tempting the Best Man (Gamble Brothers 01) - J. Lynn

09. Tempting the Player (Gamble Brothers 02) - J. LYnn

10. Exclusively Yours (Kowalski Family 01) - Shannon Stacey

11. It Started With a Kiss - Miranda Dickinson

12. A Winter Flame - Milly Johnson