100+ Reading Challenge

100+ Reading Challenge Hosted by: My Overstuffed Bookshelf

Challenge run dates: 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2011

If you want to find out more about this challenge then head over to the My Overstuffed Bookshelf blog for all the details.

Most of the books that I read for this challenge will be featured in the Dystopia Reading Challenge as well. So I will be updating this page regularly as I dont want to list all the books just yet.

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. Blackout by Sam Mills
3. Need by Carrie Jones
   

All books featured in this challenge will be reviewed.

The Dystopia Reading Challenge

Dystopia Challemge Hosted by: BA Reading Challenges

Challenge run dates: 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2011

If you want to find out more about this challenge then head over to the BA Reading Challenge blog for all the details.

I will be attempting the Contagion, 15 dystopia themed books, challenge level. Here are the books that I will be reading to achieve this level:

1. The Hunger Games
2. Catching Fire
3. MockingJay
4. Gone
5. Hunger
6. Lies
7. Little Brother
8. The Road
9. 1984
10. The Passage
11. Blackout
12. Brave New World
13. Day of the Triffids
14. Running Man
    
15. Matched

All of the above books will be reviewed.

Lack of updates

I would like to start this post by saying that I hope everyone had a good christmas.  I would also like to apologise for the lack of updates to this blog, the reason for this is because of christmas and having the flu I haven't gotten much reading done. Now that I have fully gotten over the flu I can get back to reading.

Keep checking back on this blog as I will soon be listing the reading challenges that I will be attempting in 2011.

Teaser Tuseday 14th December

Teaser Tueday is a weekly event hosted by MizB from Should Be Reading. Anyone can participate, all you have to do is follow these simple rules:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on the page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don't want to runin the book for others!).
• Include the title and author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser:

 

She unlatched the bathroom door. What would it feel like to stab someone, she thought.  To leave them to die? Could she really go through with it?

-page 62. Soulstice by Simon Holt

Teaser Tuesday 6th December

I'm posting my teaser early as I might not be able to post it tomorrow. 

Teaser Tueday is a weekly event hosted by MizB from Should Be Reading. Anyone can participate, all you have to do is follow these simple rules:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on the page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don't want to runin the book for others!).
• Include the title and author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser. WARNING my teaser might seem a little gruesome.

She has devoured his throat and chest, and even some of his stomach. His open flesh gleams near-black, although there are varying degrees of the darkness indicating different organs. His lower intestines spill out of him, like escaping eels.

- page 58. The Radleys by Matt Haig

Library Loot 5th December

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Marg and Claire. This weekly event encourages bloggers to share the books they have checked out from the library. If you want to participate in this event just head over to Claire's blog, where you can find all the details.

Here is my Library Loot for this week:

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey. Book 2 in the Drake Chronicles.
Out For Blood by Alyxandra Harvey. Book 3 in the Drake Chronicles.
The Devouring by Simon Holt. Book 1 in the Devouring series.

Soulstice by Simon Holt. Book 2 in the Devouring series.
Evernight by Claudia Gray. Book 1 in the Evernight series.
Stargazer by Claudia Gray. Book 2 in the Evernight series.

Hourglass by Claudia Gray. Book 3 in the Evernight series.
Grace Sight by Charlaine Harris. Book 1 in the Harper Connelly series.
Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris. Book 2 in the Harper Connelly series.

An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris. Book 3 in the Harper Connelly series.
Grave Secret by CHarlaine Harris. Book 4 in the Harper Connelly series.
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce. Book 1 in the Sisters Red series.

Book Haul

Here are the books I brought today. There are 17 books in total. If you have read any please let me know what you thought to it.

Check back tomorrow to see my new Library Loot. I will be reading and reviewing all books featured in my Library Loots first, before I make a start on these.

Review: My Love Lies Bleeding by Alyxandra Harvey

Title: My Love Lies Bleeding
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Series: The Drake Chronicles - Book 1
ISBN: 9781408803400
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 248
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis from back cover:

Solange has always known she is a vampire.  And as the only female vampire ever born, not initiated, she is surrounded by danger on all sides - from other vampire tribes who want to take her blood into their lineage, and from the bounty hunters who are set on destroying her and her family.

When she is kidnapped, its up to her elder brother, Nicholas, and her best friend, Lucy, to save her.  But can Lucy save herself from Nicholas, who tempts her with every look - what will be her own fate if she surrenders her heart to a vampire.

Review:

My Love Lies Bleeding is the first book in the Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey, its also Alyxandra Harvey's debut novel, and I have to say its an awesome book.  I couldn't put this book down. As the synopsis says it tells the story of 15 year old Solange Drake, the only female vampire to be born into the Drake family. Not only does Solange have to put up with being the only female born into the Drake family, but she also has to face being the next Vampire Queen, something that she isn't interested in. Solange just whats to make it through the bloodchange alive, well so to speak.

I liked the fact that each chapter was told from both Solange and Lucy's points of view, as I feel this keep the story interesting. I am looking forward to reading more about the Drakes.  As Solange has seven brothers, this should make for an interesting series of books. One interesting thing I found whilst reading this book is that in America its known as Hearts at Stake.

My Love Lies Bleeding is a must read for anyone looking for non-stop action, romance and deadly confrontations at every turn.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This weekly event spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

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Title: Reckoning

Author: Kate Cary

Series: Bloodline - Book 2

Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd

Publication Date: Feb 2011

Synopsis from Amazon.co.uk

Mary Seward thought she had escaped the darkness of Transylvania. But now, back in England, she has terrible nightmares, fears the darkness, and sees vampires everywhere. When a strange virus weakens her father, Mary suspects that there's a far more sinister force at work. Then Mary's worst nightmare comes true: Quincey Harker, heir to Dracula's bloodline, appears in England. He declares his eternal love for her and claims he has renounced his evil heritage. But is he telling the truth? Can his lust for blood be so easily forsaken? The first temptation is never the strongest...

I hope this second book in the Bloodline series is as good as the first, which I am currently reading.

Teaser Tuesday 30th November

Teaser Tueday is a weekly event hosted by MizB from Should Be Reading. Anyone can participate, all you have to do is follow these simple rules:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on the page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don't want to runin the book for others!).
• Include the title and author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Here is my teaser. As this is from a collection of short stories I will include the title of the story and the author along with the title of the book.

 

I stiffened when the man took a step into my room, a thin hand raised placatingly. "We need to talk, child," he said, striking me cold.
Oh God. He wanted me to go with him.

-page 136, "Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper" by Kim Harrison. Taken from Prom Nights From Hell

Library Loot 30th November 2010

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Marg and Claire. This weekly event encourages bloggers to share the books they have checked out from the library. If you want to participate in this event just head over to Claire's blog, where you can find all the details.

Here is my Library Loot for the week.

The Other by Karen Kincy. This is the first book in the Other series and is also Karen Kincy's debut novel.
Prom Nights From Hell is a collection of short stories by some of the popular authors of YA fiction.
The Radleys by Matt Haig looks like a really good book.

Bloodline by Kate Cary is Kate Carey's debut novel. This is tagged as being the sequel to Bram Stoker's Dracula.
My Love Lies Bleeding by Alyxandra Harvey is a debut novel again and its the first book in the Drake Chronicles.
Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready love the cover artwork.

Hush Hush by Becca FitzPatrick. I have been waiting 6 months to read this. I am so looking forward to starting it.
Crescendo by Becca FitzPatrick the sequel to Hush Hush. Another book I can't wait to read.
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare is another book that I have been waiting to read.