Bout of Books 14 – Keeping Track

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Yesterday marked the start of Bout of Books 14, and whilst I am a little late (and by that I mean a whole awful lot) in doing this I thought I’d better get started – or risk losing the window. First off I am going to start by listing my goals for this bout of books, and below that I will be keeping track of my progress as the week progresses.

I’m really happy to have the time to participate in another Bout of Books, and I’m excited to begin.

For this bout of books my goals are:

  • To read 100 pages a day
  • To finish reading THE IRON GHOST
  • To take part in 1 chat
  • To attempt 1 challenge

How I’m doing this week:

Day 1: 17/08

Number of Books Read: –
Number of Pages Read: –
Book Currently in Progress: –
Things I participated in: –

Day 2: 18/08

Number of Books Read: 0
Number of Pages Read: 183
Book Currently in Progress:The Iron Ghost by Jen Williams
Things I participated in: –

Day 3: 19/08

Number of Books Read: 0
Number of Pages Read Today: 113
Number of Pages Read Total: 296
Book Currently in Progress: The Iron Ghost by Jen Williams
Things I participated in: –

Day 4: 20/08

Number of Books Read: 1
Number of Pages Read Today: 226
Number of Pages Read Total: 522
Book Currently in Progress: None
Things I participated in: –

Day 5: 21/08

Number of Books Read: 1
Number of Pages Read Today: 0
Number of Pages Read Total: 522
Book Currently in Progress: None
Things I participated in: –

Day 6: 22/08

Number of Books Read: 1
Number of Pages Read Today: 0
Number of Pages Read Total: 522
Book Currently in Progress: None
Things I participated in: –

Day 7: 23/08

Number of Books Read: 1
Number of Pages Read Today: 0
Number of Pages Read Total: 522
Book Currently in Progress: None
Things I participated in: –

Summary of Bout of Books 14: Although I failed nearly all my goals – the only one I did complete was to finish The Iron Ghost – I really enjoyed myself. Hopefully the mostly good reading vibes will continue.

Bout of Books 14 sign-up

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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

This is a little late, but…
As you may know, I’ve been struggling with just sitting down and reading on and off through 2015. I’ve really enjoyed taking part in some of the previous Bout of Books, so I thought I’d take a chance and sign up for this one.

And just a FYI, if you haven’t signed up already and think you might want to there’s still time – sign-ups close on Tuesday 18th August at 11.59pm CST.

Review: Dead Ice by Laurell K. Hamilton

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Dead Ice by Laurell K. Hamilton (UK edition)

Title: Dead Ice (An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Novel, #24)
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Genre: Erotica, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Headlines (4th June 2015)
Blurb:

MY NAME IS ANITA BLAKE AND I HAVE THE HIGHEST KILL COUNT OF ANY VAMPIRE EXECUTIONER IN THE COUNTRY.

I’m a U.S. Marshal who can raise zombies with the best of them. But ever since master vampire Jean-Claude and I went public with out engagement, all I am to anyone and everyone is Jean-Claude’s fiancée.

It’s wreaking havoc with my reputation as a hard ass – to some extent. Luckily, in professional circles, I’m still the go-to expert for zombie issues. And right now, the FBI is having one hell of a zombie issue.

Someone is producing zombie porn. I’ve seen my share of freaky undead fetishes, so this shouldn’t bother me. But the women being victimised aren’t just mindless, rotting corpses. Their souls are trapped behind their eyes, signalling voodoo of the blackest kind.

It’s the sort of case that can leave a mark on a person. And my own soul may not survive unscathed . . .

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

DEAD ICE is the twenty-fourth instalment of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novels. Anita is dealing with the chauvinistic attitudes of those around her, since her engagement to Jean-Claude. This book also has Anita trying to track down someone who is raising zombies for porn, as well as the return of characters we haven’t seen on the page in a while.

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Review: Lover Revealed by J. R. Ward

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Cover of the fourth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood by J. R. Ward

Lover Revealed by J. R. Ward

 Title: Lover Revealed (The Black Dagger Brotherhood, 4)
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Erotica, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Piatkus (3rd February 2011)
Blurb:

In the Shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Now, an ally of the BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD will face the challenge of his life and the evil of the ages.

Butch O’Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard living ex-homicide cop, he’s the only human ever allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world – to engage in the turf war with the lessers.

Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, found by a miracle, the Brotherhood calls on the beautiful vampire Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him . . .

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

LOVER REVEALED by J. R. Ward is the fourth book in her brilliant Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This book tells the story of Butch, the only human to fit in with the Brotherhood and know their secret, and Marissa, the former shellan of the king of the vampire race.

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Review: Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward

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Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Awakened (The Black Dagger Brotherhood, 3)
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Erotica, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Piatkus (5th August 2010)
Blurb:

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And their exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD.

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage, feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion – until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her . . .

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

LOVE AWAKENED is the third book in J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood novels. The story follows Zsadist and Bella, who was involved in a storyline in the previous book. LOVER AWAKEND continues this story, answering the questions readers are left with at the end of LOVER ETERNAL.

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Review: The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy

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The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy (UK edition)

Title: The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle (The Hero’s Guide 2)
Author: Christopher Healy
Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Middle Grade
Publisher: Harper Collins (4th July 2013)
Blurb:

The League of Princes are out to prove themselves true heroes, and stop their kingdoms from falling into the wrong hands.

Magical swords, man-eating eels, evil warlords?

All in a day’s work.

And it’s going to be a looooong day . . .

Rating: ** (2 stars)
Review:

THE HERO’S GUIDE TO STORMING THE CASTLE by Christopher Healy is the second book in the series. Things have gone downhill for our heroes (princes Liam, Frederic, Gustav, and Duncan) with the Bandit King getting his revenge, but the princes soon find themselves involved in another adventure.

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Review: Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

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Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

Title: Vision in Silver (A Novel of The Others, 3)
Author: Anne Bishop
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: ROC (3rd March 2015)
Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop transports readers to a “mesmerizing”* world of magic and political unrest – where the only chance at peace requires a deadly price . . .

The Others freed the cassandra sangue to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in a greater danger than ever before – both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn’s help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.

Meg is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade temps death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon’s only hope of ending the conflict.

For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon’s doorstep . . .

*RT Book Reviews

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

VISION IN SILVER is the third book in Anne Bishop’s brilliant The Others series. In this series Bishop has moved from high fantasy to urban fantasy/paranormal romance; and she does it well. There are repercussions for the events in MURDER OF CROWS (review) which are far reaching. Meg is the only one who can help with one situation, but it means putting herself in danger something her friends oppose as it means she must put her own life at risk.

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Review: Blood Games by Chloe Neill

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Blood Games by Chloe Neill (UK edition)

Title: Blood Games (A Chicagoland Vampires Novel, 10)
Author: Chloe Neill
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Gollancz Fiction (7th August 2014)
Blurb:

While Merit didn’t choose to become a vampire or Sentinel of Cadogan House, she vowed to fight for her House and its Master, and she’s managed to forge strong alliances with powerful supernaturals across Chicago. But even though Merit has had wild adventures, this may be her deadliest yet . . .

A killer is stalking Chicago, preying on humans and leaving his victims with magical souvenirs. The CPD hadn’t been able to track the assailant, and as the body count rises, the city is running out of options. Vampires and humans aren’t on great terms, but murder makes for strange bedfellows. Can Merit find the killer before she becomes a target?

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

BLOOD GAMES is the tenth book in Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires series. Things have settled down a bit after the events of WILD THINGS (review), and vampires are once again seen as something cool by some humans. Someone is murdering people in a way that suggests there is a supernatural connection, and Merit finds herself investigating. Meanwhile, things are afoot in the vampire world.

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Review: Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

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Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs (UK edition)

Title: Dead Heat (Alpha and Omega, 4)
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Orbit (3rd March 2015)
Blurb:

THE THRILLING NEW ALPHA AND OMEGA NOVEL FROM NO. 1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER PATRICIA BRIGGS

The Alpha and Omega novels transported readers into the realm of the werewolf, where Charles Cornick and Anna Latham embody opposite sides of the shifter personality. Now, a holiday to Arizona drops them into some bad supernatural business . . .

Charles and Anna will discover that a dangerous Fae is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up – and Charles and Anna are in the crossfire.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

DEAD HEAT is the fourth book in Patricia Briggs brilliant Alpha and Omega series, a spin-off from her Mercy Thompson series. Charles and Anna decide to take a break and visit Arizona with the dual purposes of Charles visiting an old friend and Anna getting a new horse. Unfortunately, the trip isn’t quite as uneventful as either of them would like when the Fae start causing trouble.

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Review: Lover Eternal by J. R. Ward

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Lover Eternal by J. R. Ward (UK edition)

Title: Lover Eternal (A Black Dagger Brotherhood Novel, 2)
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Erotica, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Piatkus (3rd February 2011)
Blurb:

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Possessed by a deadly beat, Rhage is the most dangerous of the BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD . . .

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the best fighter, and the most voracious lover – for inside him burns a ferocious curse. Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant on Rhage’s protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. But when Rhage’s intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves . . .

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

LOVER ETERNAL is the second book in J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood. This book takes place after DARK LOVER (review), the first book in the series, and the focus of the book shifts to a new member of the brotherhood – Rhage. Rhage has been cursed; forced to unleash and possessed by his dark side he is a danger to everyone around him. Mary faces her own curse, as her world threatens to come tumbling down around her.

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