My Challenges (2013)

My Challenges

2013 Young Adult Reading Challenge

Host: The Overstuffed Bookshelf

Level: The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

Sign Up 

1. Captivate (Need, #2) by Carrie Jones
2. Dancing Queen by Erin Downing
3. Katana (Katana, #1) by Cole Gibson
4. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
5. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
6. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
7. Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton
8.  Spirit Walk by Richie Tankersley Cusick
9. Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson
10. The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams
11. Pushing the Limits by Katie Mcgarry
12. Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
13. Wildefire by Karsten Knight
14. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
15. Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt
16. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
17. Such A Rush by Jennifer Echols
18. She's So Dead to us by Kieran Scott
19. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
20. Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl
21. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
22. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
23. Corset & Clockwork: 13 Steampunk Romances by Trisha Telep
24. Getting the Girl by Markus Zusak
25. Prom Nights from Hell by Meg Cabot
26. The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
27. How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation by Simone Elkeles
28. Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens
29. So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti
30. Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook
31. Scary Mary by S.A. Hunter
32. Burning Emerald by Jaime Reed
33. The Boy Recession by Flynn Meaney
34. Faded Denim by Melody Carlson
35. Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
36. The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenburg
37. To Meet You Again by Hayley Nelson

38. Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender
39. Swiss Secrets by Carolyn Keene
40. The Beast from the East by R.L. Stine
41. Romiette and Julio by Sharon Draper
42. Someone to Love Me by Anne Schraff
43. Aurelia by Anne Osterlund
44. Take Me Now by Faith Sullivan
45. Look for me by Moonlight by Mary Downing Hahn
46. Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Read: 46/50

To-Read: 4/50

2013 Standalone Reading Challenge

Host: Icey Books & I Like These Books

Sign Up

1. Such A Rush by Jennifer Echols
2. Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl
3. Sometimes it Happens by Lauren Barnholdt
4. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
5. Dancing Queen by Erin Downing
6. Prom Nights from Hell by Meg Cabot
7. The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
8. Corset & Clockwork: 13 Steampunk Romances by Trisha Telep
9. Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook
10. Scary Mary by S. A. Hunter
11. So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti
12. Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens
13. The Boy Recession by Flynn Meaney
14. Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
15. The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenburg

Read: 15/15

To-Read: 0/15

2013 A-Z Book Challenge

Host: Megz Madd Readz

Sign Up

A: Alchemy of Forever, The by Avery Williams

B: Boy Recession, The by Flynn Meaney

C: Captivate (Need, #2) by Carrie Jones

D: Dancing Queen by Erin Downing

E: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

F: Faded Denim by Melody Carlson

G: Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl

H: How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation by Simone Elkeles

I

J

K: Katana (Katana, #1) by Cole Gibson

L

M

N: Name of the Star, The by Maureen Johnson

O: Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

P: Pushing the Limits by Katie Mcgarry

Q

R

S: Spirit Walk by Richie Tankersley Cusick

T: Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

U: Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

V

W: Wildefire by Karsten Knight

X

Y

Z

Read: 16/26

To-Read: 10/26

2013 Fairy Tales Retold Reading Challenge

Host: Debz Bookshelf

Level: Lady in Waiting: 4-6 books

Sign Up

1. Cinder by Marissa Scott
2.Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl

Read: 2/6

To-Read: 4/6

2013 Feminist Reads Challenge

Host: The Hiding Spot

Level: Hard: 10+ books

Sign Up

1. Katana (Katana, #1) by Cole Gibson
2. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
3. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
4. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
5. Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton
6.  Spirit Walk by Richie Tankersley Cusick
7. Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson
8. The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams
9. Pushing the Limits by Katie Mcgarry
10. Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
11. Wildefire by Karsten Knight
12. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
13. Such A Rush by Jennifer Echols
14. She's So Dead to us by Kieran Scott
15. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
16. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
17. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
18. Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook
19. Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens
20. The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
 Read: 20/20

To-Read: 0/20

Let Me Count the Ways Reading Challenge

Host: Avanti’s Place

Level: Mansion: 10,001+ pages

Sign Up

1. Captivate (Need, # 2) by Carrie Jones
2. Dancing Queen by Erin Downing
3. Katana (Katana, #1) by Cole Gibson
4. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
5. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
6. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
7. Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton
8.  Spirit Walk by Richie Tankersley Cusick
9. Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson
10. The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams
11. Pushing the Limits by Katie Mcgarry
12. Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
13. Wildefire by Karsten Knight
14. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
15. Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt
16. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
17. Such A Rush by Jennifer Echols
18. She's So Dead to us by Kieran Scott
19. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
20. Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl
21. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
22. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
23. Corset & Clockwork: 13 Steampunk Romances by Trisha Telep
24. Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook
25. Scary Mary by S. A. Hunter
26. So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti
27. Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens
28. Getting the Girl by Markus Zusak
29. Prom Nights from Hell by Trisha Telep
30. Scary Mary by S. A. Hunter
31. The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Read: 10,404/30,000

Review | The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent

  

In an alternate London where magical creatures are preserved in a museum, two teens find themselves caught in a web of intrigue, deception, and danger.

Vespa Nyx wants nothing more than to spend the rest of her life cataloging Unnatural creatures in her father’s museum, but as she gets older, the requirement to become a lady and find a husband is looming large. Syrus Reed’s Tinker family has always served and revered the Unnaturals from afar, but when his family is captured to be refinery slaves, he finds that his fate may be bound up with Vespa’s—and with the Unnaturals.

As the danger grows, Vespa and Syrus find themselves in a tightening web of deception and intrigue. At stake may be the fate of New London—and the world.

The Unnaturalists drew me in because of its beautiful cover. However, I kept reading for the story. I liked the characters and history that went along with the book. The main character, Vespa was very enjoyable to follow. She was headstrong and very saucy, as one of the other characters said. She was a girl stuck in a post apocalyptic future, trying to make a place for herself in a male dominated world. I love all the creatures she interacted with and their unique places in the world. Vespa and the creatures were the best parts of the book. However some parts were very lacking. 

    One was that Vespa was so eager to fall in love, despite her desire to avoid marriage and stay a scientist. Right after meeting the boy, she seems to become infatuated with him. The summary was also very misleading. I thought there would be a relationship between Vespa and Syrus. There is not. Overall, the book was very well written and as good as I expected. I don't think I will be reading the next books though.
  

Review | Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles, #1) by Kresley Cole

Series: The Arcana Chronicles, #1

Pages: 369

Date Released: October 2, 2012

    

 She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen-year-old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux. But she can't do either alone. With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him? Who can Evie trust? As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side.


     This woman is a genius. Poison Princess was a completely unique world of art. It belongs in the Louvre. First of all, the plot. Never have I ever read a book that centered around Tarot cards. In fact, I’ve never even thought about it, which is more than I can say about other books I’ve read. She completed the masterpiece by ensuring that the concept was whole-hardly explained and followed through in every wonderful page.
     I loved Evie. She was the most perfect girl for this story ever. I loved her attitude. She was straightforward, but innocent. She accepted things easily and dealt with them accordingly. It was all cut and dry with her. Except when Jack comes into the picture that is….
     Jack was another one of Kresley’s ideas that hit the nail directly on the head. He’s Cajun. Have you ever heard of such a book boyfriend? I haven’t!! Honestly, though, Jack would have totally pissed me off. He was really a jerk. Sometimes he acted like a little girl, insulting Evie when he couldn’t get his way and pointing out her flaws all the time! And there is this part in the book that really brings me to tears with how badly he hurts her feelings! But, God I loved him.
     Along with those great characters, Kresley also has perfect writing skills. The book is mostly a giant flashback with flashbacks within it. Sounds confusing, doesn’t it? It isn’t though! All the scenes happen perfectly. They all aligned in the right place and cause absolutely no confused like other books that do the same. The translations were simple, too. They added to Jackson’s appeal, by letting me hear his voice and understand at the same time, without taking away from all the action.
     In conclusion, I could spend hours talking about a book this great! Just like a beautiful painting, Poison Princess leaves you guessing along the entire journey. But makes you want to scream when understanding of how marvelous it truly is hits you.

Author Website

Goodreads

Review & Giveaway | Radiance (Riley Bloom, #1) by Alyson Noel

Series: Riley Bloom

Pages: 183

Date Released: August 31, 2010

Riley has crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. She has picked up life where she left off when she was alive, living with her parents and dog in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. When she’s summoned before The Council, she learns that the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure. She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a possibly cute, seemingly nerdy boy who’s definitely hiding something. They return to earth together for Riley’s first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley . . .

With only 183 pages, this book was the complete definition of the quick read. However, the entire ride was very enjoyable. Riley started the book as the worst little brat, honestly. She was completely ungrateful of everything being presented to her. As the book goes along, she grows incredibly quickly as she learns that she her own person. She is not defined by Ever and she will never be just Ever's little sister, but so much more. Her skills grow with her awesome guide, Bodhi, which I think will develop into a cute, little romance as the series goes on. 

For some reason, I thought this book was more young adult than it actually was. It has more of a middle grade feel, which was quite obvious with the characters being 12 and 14. For this reason, I don't think I will continue this series, regardless of how much I enjoyed Riley.

Author Website

Goodreads

The giveaway will end on December 31, 2013 at 11:59 PM.

Review | Bad Girls Don't Die (Bad Girls Don't Die, #1) by Katie Alender

Series: Bad Girls Don't Die
Pages: 352
Date Released: 2009

     When Alexis's little sister Kasey becomes obsessed with an antique doll, Alexis thinks she is just being her usual weird self. Things get weirder, though, when their house starts changing. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner blasts cold air. Kasey is changing, too. Her blue eyes go green, she starts using old-fashioned language, and she forgets chunks of time. Most disturbing of all is the dangerous new chip on Kasey's shoulder. The formerly gentle child is gone, and the new Kasey is angry. Alexis is the only one who can stop her sister -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?


     As you can tell from my blog, I have been in the worst reading slump in my entire life. This year has been an absolute fail with me only reading less than 60 books! That's unheard of for me! Anyway, Bad Girls Don't Die may have risen me from the cemetery of bad books. I liked and disliked Alexis. She was kinda hypocritical. She had opinions about everybody acting like someone they're not, when she was doing the exact same thing. I had an awesome time watching her grow though. I loved her personality of individuality. She was just too quick to judge people.
     Kasey was also a wonderful character. She was a bit....eccentric for a normal thirteen-year old, but normal is overrated anyway. She really felt like nobody liked her which is why she was so susceptible to being possesseed. Her "visitor" was very scary and creepy. I couldn't imagine being in Alexis's shoes.
     The main thing that made this book so awesome was the writing. Katie was incredibly detailed and vivid in her descriptions. She made me feel like I was a fly on the wall during every chapter, getting a firsthand view of everything going on! The action was never-ending, too. The ghost stirred up some major trouble and the plot thickens with every turn of the pages. I loved the complex back story that came out as the story went on. All in all, my expectations went out of the window with this book and I hope to have them flee again when I read the sequels!

Author Website

Goodreads