Bout of Books 16 – Days 5 & 6

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I’ve just noticed I’m really bad at doing daily updates. Oh well, just one more post to go after this one and then it’s back to normal folks.

I’m going to start off talking about my Friday reading. It started off real slow – I don’t think I started really reading until like 6pm.  As it was Friday 13th the challenge was “Freaky Friday Photo Challenge” which I didn’t take part in. I did however manage to read 124 pages.

Saturday was much more fun on the reading front. The challenge was to “Share Your Favourite Bout of Books Moment” and mine was (for both this, and previous Bout of Books) taking part in a Twitter chat (yes, I made it to today’s one). They are such fun, and I highly recommend that you take part in at least one if you sign up for a Bout of Books. I definitely managed to smash my 100 pages reading goal, I actually managed 248 pages which I am so pleased with. 24 of those pages were from the illustrated HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE which is such a gorgeous book.

Tomorrow will be my final update of Bout of Books 16. I’m sort of sad that things are coming to an end, but I have had a great week. Please let me know how your week has gone in the comments, and I’ll see you tomorrow.

Bout of Books 16 – Day 4

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Thursday was a good reading day, I read 137 pages. The most I’ve read this week so far. This brings my total up to 472 pages in 4 days which I’m really happy with. Today’s challenge was the ‘If you Like This, Try This Challenge’ and you can find my picks by clicking here or by watching the video below.

I hope you had a good Thursday.

 

Bout of Books 16 – Days 2 & 3

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So you may have noticed that I didn’t post yesterday about my progress… There were various reasons for that, so I’ll simply say sorry and here’s two updates in one to make up for that.

On Tuesday I managed to read 100 pages, my goal exactly. And the challenge was to do a shelfie which I did and you can find it here or alternatively it does appear in the vlog.

On Wednesday I managed to read 123 pages which I was very pleased with. And the challenge was to share my 5 favourite books – I picked my 5 favourite vampire books. You can find a photo of my picks here or alternatively watch the vlog and see why I picked them too.

That means, this week so far I have read 335 pages which I am very pleased with. I have also completed my goal of taking part in 2 challenges.

If you’re taking part let me know in the comments how your Bout of Books 16 is going.

And finally for some shameless self promotion, I had a review for Dreams of Distant Shores by Patricia A. McKillip go up today. It’s a short story collection and if it is something you might be interested in you can check out my thoughts here. The collection isn’t out yet, but I do recommend it if you’re a fantasy fan.

Review: Dreams of Distant Shores by Patricia A. McKillip

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Dreams of Distant Shores by Patricia A. McKillip

Title: Dreams of Distant Shores
Author: Patricia A. McKillip
Genre: Fantasy, Short Story
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Tachyon Publications (June 2016)
Blurb:

Featuring three brand-new stories and an original introduction by Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn.

Bestselling author Patricia A. McKillip (The Riddle-Master of Hed) is one of the most lyrical writers gracing the fantasy genre. With the debut of her newest work, Dreams of Distant Shores is a true ode to her many talents. Within these pages you will find a youthful artist possessed by both his painting and his muse and seductive travelers from the sea enrapturing distant lovers. The statue of a mermaid comes suddenly to life, and two friends are transfixed by a haunted estate.

Fans of McKillip’s ethereal fiction will find much to delight them; those lucky enough to be discovering her work will find much to enchant them.

(blurb from here)

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

DREAMS OF DISTANT SHORES by Patricia A. McKillip is a collection of seven short stories. All seven of the stories have a fantastical element to them, but some have more of a horror of science fiction twist. None of the stories are connected, and they all vary in length from quite short to fairly long.

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Bout of Books 16 – Day One

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Monday was the first day of Bout of Books 16, and I think overall I had a good day: I managed my 100 pages reading goal, and I completed the daily challenge. I did miss the Twitter chat, but it was at 2am my time.

The daily challenge was to introduce myself #insixwords: Avid story reader & fandom reveller!

Today I read 112 pages of Truthwitch by Susan Dennard.

And finally, if you’re thinking about taking part in Bout of Books 16 there is still time (just). Just head on over to the Bout of Books blog. I hope everyone taking part had a good first day.

See you tomorrow!

Bout of Books 16

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Lookie, I decided to sign-up for another bout of books! This year is a little different as I’m going to not only update this blog but I’m also going to try and do mini-vlogs of my daily progress.

And for those of you who are new to my blog, here’s what Bout of Books is:

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, May 9th and runs through Sunday, May 15th 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 16 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

If you want to find out how I did in Bout of Books 15 you can find how I did here.

And for those of you who are curious about what my goals are, and didn’t watch the video, here they are:

  • Read 700 pages
  • Take part in 1 Twitter chat
  • Complete 2 challenges

2 of the 3 books I’m planning to read during the read-a-thon

They’re relatively simple, but I just want to use this as a chance to have fun. Please let me know in the comments if you are participating.

Good luck to everyone who is.

Review: A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab

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A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab

Title: A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic, 2)
Author: V. E. Schwab
Genre: Alternative Universes, Fantasy
Publisher: Titan Books (23rd February 2016)
Blurb:

Kell is one of the last magicians with the ability to travel between parallel universes, linked by the magical city of London. It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into his possession and he met Delilah Bard. Four months since the Dane twins of White London fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body back into Black London.

Now Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila. And as Red London prepares for the Element Games – an international competition of magic – a certain pirate ship draws closer. But another London is coming back to life. The balance of magic is perilous, and for one city to flourish, another must fall . . .

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

A GATHERING OF SHADOWS is the second book in V. E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic series. It continues the stories of Kell and Delilah Bard, and takes place several months after the events of A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC (review). Whilst Delilah is seeking adventure, Kell is facing the consequences of the choices he made, and another London is coming back to life.

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Review: Lover Mine by J. R. Ward

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Lover Mine by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Mine (A Black Dagger Brotherhood Novel, 8)
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Piatkus (3rd February 2011)
Blurb:

In the darkest corners of the night in Caldwell, New York, a conflict like no other rages. The city is home to a band of brothers born to defend their race – the warrior vampires of the BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD.

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him, and taken in by the Brotherhood. No one could have guessed his true history – or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face and a very different destiny.

Xhex, a symphath assassin, has long steeled herself against the attraction between her and John. Having already lost one lover to madness, she will not allow a male of worth to fall prey to the darkness of her twisted life. When fate intervenes, however, the two discover that love, like destiny, is inevitable between soul mates.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

LOVER MINE by J. R. Ward is the eighth book in her Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This time the story focuses on John Matthew and Xhex, who have both appeared as minor characters in previous books. John Matthew struggles to deal with the repercussions of the events at the end of the previous book, and also to gain justice for Xhex.

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Review: Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs

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Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs

Title: Fire Touched (Mercy Thompson, 9)
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Orbit (8th March 2016)
Blurb:

MECHANIC. SHAPESHIFTER. FIGHTER.

Mercy Thompson is back, and she’ll soon discover that when the fae stalk the human world, it’s the children who suffer . . .

Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could help avert out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans and the fae, Mercy, Adam and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

FIRE TOUCHED is the ninth book in the fantastic Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Tension between the fae and humans risk coming to a head in this book when the pack are called upon to stop a rampaging troll from wreaking havoc in the Tri-Cities. Mercy and her husband Adam, the pack’s Alpha, find themselves caught in the middle of something that could cause in a war.

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Review: The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

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The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Copper Gauntlet (Magisterium, 2)
Authors: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Corgi Books (3rd September 2015)
Blurb:

WHAT IF YOUR SOUL WAS NOT YOUR OWN?
WHAT IF YOU KNEW YOU WERE DESTINED FOR EVIL?

Callum Hunt has returned from the Magisterium victorious. He is now a mage in his own right – a Copper Year student. He has friends; feels at home in the winding tunnels of the mysterious magical school.

But Call hides a terrible secret.

His soul is not his own. His body is a vessel for a powerful evil mage, wielder of chaos magic . . . murderer.

Salvation would like in the Alkahest, a mysterious copper gauntlet. But it is a dangerous object, with a violent history. It could destory everything Call knows and loves . . .

And release the evil within him.

THINK YOU  KNOW MAGIC? THINK AGAIN.
ENTER THE BREATHTAKING WORLD OF THE MAGISTERIUM.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

THE COPPER GAUNTLET is the second book in The Magisterium series by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. The book continues the story of Callum Hunt who having completed his first year at the Magisterium, is about to start his second but this time he knows a terrible secret that could have terrible consequences. Despite this Call wants to return to the Magisterium and his friends.

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