Sunday, October 16, 2011

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (Oct. 17, 2011)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

This was another slow reading week for me. I managed to finish my third book of the week on Sunday afternoon. The beginning of next week looks even worse. We have Parent-Teacher Conferences on Monday and Tuesday evenings and on Wednesday. Those 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM days are really tiring and long for me. Especially since no one wants to confer with the media specialist. I'll be spending those extra hours planning book orders and processing new books.

Then on Wednesday after conferences I will be heading up to Duluth for the long weekend. I hope the road construction isn't too bad. I haven't been back home since late August and I am looking forward to seeing my brother and just relaxing. I am hoping to get some extra reading done while I am away.

Last week I read:
The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa is in her Iron Fey universe. It was a wonderful story that follows Ash, prince of the Winter Court, as he goes on a quest to become human so that he can live with the woman he loves. Meghan is the new Iron Queen. Those of Winter die in the Iron Lands. Ash is accompanied by Puck, Grimalkin and a few others on his journey. This book comes out on Oct. 25. I will have the review and a post by Julie Kagawa on my blog Oct. 27.

Mercury Rises by Robert Kroese was a satiric fantasy with angels and evil plots. It was told from multiple points of view (each one more eccentric than the last). I think it would be beneficial to read Mercury Falls first as this is a sequel. I didn't and am sure I missed lots. Here is my review.

Touch (A Denazen Novel, Book One) by Jus Accardo is a young adult paranormal romance and thriller. I really liked the characters and the non-stop action in this one. I'll be looking forward to the sequels. My review will be posted on Oct. 20 and I have an author guest post on Oct. 30.

I am currently reading another review book - Echo Falls by Jaime McDougall. This is an adult paranormal with werewolves. Werewolves! I couldn't pass it up. I will be a stop on Jaime's blog tour on Nov. 9 and will be posting the review and have a guest post then.

Next week I have bunches more review books to read. Somehow, I signed myself up to read and review six more before Nov. 15. These are the ones that are first on the queue.

Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon will be published Nov. 8. This is a middle grade novel based on Cinderella but with a "supernatural twist." I like stories based on fairy tales and think this one sounds good.

Circus Galaticus by Deva Fagan is another middle grade novel. This one comes out Nov. 15. This one sounds like an exciting science fiction adventure. I love science fiction and am always looking for good stories to share with my students.

Fetching by Kiera Stewart is a young adult contemporary. The premise is that boys respond to the same sort of training as dogs. I think I like the humor aspect. I don't read much straight contemporary but many of my students do. This will be released on Nov. 8.

Cast in Ruin by Michelle Sagara is for me. I have been following this series and plan to fit this book in this week despite all the review books on my list. This is an epic fantasy story. I love the characters and the world that Sagara has created. 

I just found a couple that I forgot to put on my review database when I was comparing my review stack with the list. These arrived from Amazon Vine a while ago and need to be read ASAP.
Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George is a middle grade fantasy that sounded really cute. I am a big fan of her middle grade Dragon Slippers series. This one will be published on Oct. 25.

Here is the product description.
Tuesdays at Castle Glower are Princess Celie's favorite days. That's because on Tuesdays the castle adds a new room, a turret, or sometimes even an entire wing. No one ever knows what the castle will do next, and no one-other than Celie, that is-takes the time to map out the new additions. But when King and Queen Glower are ambushed and their fate is unknown, it's up to Celie, with her secret knowledge of the castle's never-ending twists and turns, to protect their home and save their kingdom. This delightful book from a fan- and bookseller-favorite kicks off a brand-new series sure to become a modern classic.
Dearly Departed by Lia Habel is a young adult book. This one will be published on Oct. 18. 

Here is the product description that made me choose it:
Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.
What do you think? Do I have any hope of getting all of these read? Stay tuned for next Sunday's report.

9 comments:

  1. I have Cinder and Ella coming up in the next few weeks as well and cannot wait to dig into it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Echo Falls, Cirder and Ella... *sigh* I want to read those! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sounds like a great selection of books. My favorite read this week is Pirate King by Laurie R. King. This week I want to finish How to Party with a Killer Vampire by Penny Warner. Please come see what else I'm reading.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the cover of TOUCH looks like Jacob. ;D

    Good book collection you got there!

    New follower. :) Here is my Monday! + 2 Awesome Giveaways! Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I LOVE the cover for the book Fetching! Stinkin' adorable!

    http://missourireadings.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I enjoyed The Iron Knight as well. Cast in Ruin looks good - I hope you enjoy it!

    Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have Echo Falls to read in the future. Looks like you've a lot of good books set up to read.

    ReplyDelete
  8. With your busy weeks I am amazed that you squeeze in more than one book.

    I am rebooting my blog at a new address http://www.escapewithdollycas.com/
    I hope you will stop by and let me know what you think.

    Have a great week!!

    Dollycas

    ReplyDelete

I love getting comments. Let me know what you think.

This blog is now officially declared an Award Free zone! I do appreciate your kindness in thinking of me and I am humbled by your generosity.

Your comments are award enough for me. Comment away!