Monday, June 16, 2014

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (June 16, 2014)

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.

Well, I survived my first week of vacation. The weather here has been odd. One day it is nice and summer-like, the next day it is very spring-like. I wore a jacket and dodged raindrops as I went grocery shopping on Saturday. We've run both the furnace and the air conditioner this week.

I am enjoying being home, and being able to read at my leisure, very much.

Read Last Week
I began the week by getting two book off my adult review stack. 

First, I read Vanished by Kendra Elliot which was an excellent romantic suspense title heavy on the suspense. I got this one from the author and will be reviewing it on June 18.

Then I read Straddling the Line by Jaci Burton. I got this book from Penguin's First to Read program and suffered from eye strain to read it using Adobe Digital Editions. While it was a spicy romance, there wasn't a lot of romantic tension. That the characters would get together for their happy ending was a given. There was only internal conflict. My review will be posted on June 28 for this July 1 release.
Next, I read a review book from my young adult stack. But before I read Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne, I read Poison Dance which was a free Kindle novella prequel to the book. While it gave an interesting back story to one of the villains of Midnight Thief, it wasn't necessary to enjoy the novel. My review of Poison Dance will be posted on June 18 and my review of Midnight Thief will be posted on July 3. The book will be released on July 8.
Before starting on my summer reading stack, I decided to read a couple of books that I recently got on my Kindle. Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh is the most recent in the Psy/Changeling series of urban fantasy novels. I liked the romance and I liked the resolution to a plot arc that has been building through the last few books. My review will be posted on July 3.

I read Wild by Alex Mallory from my young adult review stack. This is a retelling of the Tarzan story in modern time as a 17-year-old boy is found living in a National Forest in Tennessee. He was raised by his parents to believe that a biological disaster occurred leaving him and his parents as some of the few survivors. His interaction with modern society and survival skills in his wilderness home make up the bulk of the story but there is also a sort of love triangle. My review will be posted on July 5.
These next two books probably best indicate the range of my reading interests as they couldn't be more different. A Shiver of Light by Laurell K. Hamilton is the latest in her Merry Gentry series. In this episode, Merry has triplets, has to do DNA testing to find out which of her lovers are the fathers, and has to protect the babies from the evil intentions of her aunt the Queen of Air and Darkness and her uncle Taranis who is also the ruler of a faerie court. My review will be posted on July 12.

A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd is a middle school story that is magical, lyrical, and amazing. A twelve year old girl has to break a magical curse in order to claim the home that she has been longing for. The book is filled with wonderful, quirky characters. My review will be posted on July 10.
I read Hounded by Kevin Hearne from my TBR mountain this week. I enjoyed this start of an urban fantasy series about the last remaining Druid. I have two more in the series on my stack and just ordered the next three. (Yes, I know. That doesn't help me read down TBR mountain, but I plan to give these to my brother with the first three books. I think he'll really like them.) The series has a sort of Dresden Files feel which is only a positive to my way of thinking. My review will be posted on July 10.

I also read The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson from my YA review stack. I got this fantasy from Macmillan with a note from Ksenia saying how much she enjoyed it. I loved it too and can't wait to talk about it with other readers. My review will be posted on July 12.

Currently

I'm still in a sort of book hangover from finishing The Kiss of Deception and haven't started anything new yet.

Next Week

Next week my choices are mostly from the summer reading stacks I brought home with me.
I am going to continue on with the Iron Druid Chronicles by reading Hexed by Kevin Hearne which I have had since June of 2011. 

I am also going to catch up on Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series by reading Angels' Flight which contains novellas. It has been on my stack since February of 2012.
I am going to throw in one review book this week too. I just got Cast in Flame by Michelle Sagara on Sunday. I have read all the books in this long-running fantasy series. This one will be released on July 29.
The two I have chosen from my YA summer reading stack are Starglass by Phoebe North and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. Starglass has been on my stack since November of 2013. Lola has been on the stack since September of 2011.

Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?
While many of my colleagues are trying to read a book a day, I have set myself a goal of reading 2000 pages a week. Some of the books on my stack are real "chunksters" that I doubt I can read in a day and none of the books on the pile are particularly short.

Do you set reading goals?

22 comments:

  1. I loved Lola. Great YA summer pick! Hope you enjoy it!

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  2. Great list! It looks like you are enjoying your summer. ;)

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  3. You've got so many great books in your reading queue...and how nice to have more time to read them all. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  4. So many books! I don't set daily reading goals, especially since I enjoy long books. But this summer I hope to double or triple my weekly reading. I need to write down some of your titles for recommendations for my students in the fall.

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  5. Such a great cover on Snicker of Magic. Very compelling!

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  6. Enjoy your time off...I remember that feeling. It's sort of like how I feel in my retirement...LOL.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog, and have a great vacation!

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  7. Lovely heavy mailbox. I hope you like them all.

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  8. The Kiss of Deception looks really good!

    I need to read A Shiver of Light! I really enjoy the Merry Gentry series, although I do skip over certain parts at times. Frost is my favorite. :)

    A student at my school told me to read A Snicker of Magic, and I did buy it for the library. It is in my stack of books to read for work this summer. :) It sounds wonderful!

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  9. Wild sounds interesting. It sort of reminds me of My Side of the Mountain, which I loved as a kid. Have an awesome week!

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  10. You got through a lot of books this week... so nice to be on summer vacation! But I know what you mean about the weather. We barely reached 60 one day, then 80s the next. Crazy.

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  11. I really need to add the Merry Gentry books to my list. I've heard so many good things about them! I loved Lola and the Boy Next Door, I hope you enjoy it too.

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  12. I've been hearing such good things about Snicker of Magic. It is one I want to read. I have done the bookaday challenge in the past, but I'm slowing down with my reading this summer. Like you, I have some longer books I want to read and some books that just invite me to think more.

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  13. So many great books you got to read and will get to read and some I will have to add to my own TBR.

    Happy reading!

    Natalie @ Natalie Hearts Books

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  14. A Snicker of Magic looks good to me. Some of the others looks too scary. :)

    ENJOY your reading week.

    The Devil in the Marshalsea Drawing

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  15. Oh nice! I loved Kevin Hearne's series! It's definitely one that took me by surprise! I love Oberon, so I keep coming back for more! But I love the series as a whole too!

    Can't wait for Kiss of Deception! I was hesitant at first, so I didn't request it because my TBR pile is already crazy, then as I ordered more and more books and got some more for review, I thought what the heck?! It's been preordered so now I just wait!

    Hope you enjoy the next Iron Druid book and Angels' Flight! I enjoyed both of those as well!

    Here's my Monday Wrapup

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

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  16. I can't wait to read Shield of Winter - soon as it arrives I'll read it. I look forward to reading your review. Enjoy those holidays, its amazing how they speed through.

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  17. Those are some crazy weather flip-flops that you're having--both the furnace and AC in one week!

    Ooh, I took a look at The Kiss of Deception on Amazon, and the plot seems satisfying (in terms of a romantic, faraway adventure). Thanks for sharing.

    Ellen @ Glamorous Book Lounge

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  18. Looks like you've got a nice list there. I'm looking forward to reading That Night, leaving to check out your review now! Thanks for stopping by my blog. Happy Reading.

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  19. I have Lola on my TBR stack and Kiss of Deception is calling my name ... gorgeous cover. Have a great week and continued happy reading :)

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  20. I'm really looking forward to Shield of Winter! Hounded is on my list, too, from a few reviews I saw around. Knowing you liked it, I'm going to bump it up on the TBR list.

    Have a good week!

    Joy's Book Blog

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  21. The Iron Druid Chronicles is one of my favourite series. I was so happy to get my hands on A Shiver of Light, it's been such a long wait, but I need up a bit disappointed.

    Have a great reading week,
    Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out

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  22. Oh how I love the Iron Druid series! I'm so excited for the new one to come out, I hope you enjoy it Kathy and thanks for stopping by my It's Monday post :)
    Have a fantastic week!
    -Kimberly @ Turning the Pages

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