Bout of Books 12.0 - Start

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, May 12th and runs through Sunday, May 18th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 10 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. 

~From the Bout of Books team

It's here you guys! Bout of Books 12.0! First, I have to say that I don't know who thought of the No Goals linky, but I am not a big fan of the idea. I love setting goals and trying to achieve them. Also, I love seeing other people's goal posts, they are so inspiring. So, as you may have guessed I will set some goals for this read-a-thon.

My Goals
For Bout of Books 12.0 I am not going to set a page count goal, but instead a time spend reading one. Here it is:
 I want to read at least 3 hours per day. 

As simple as that! The amount of pages read will depend on the book. Since I can sometimes finish a book in 3 hours or I can just read 90 pages of it. It doesn't really matter. I just want to spend more time reading. 

 Also, I will try to do 3 one-hour reading sprints on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday early afternoon, from 16:00 to 17:00. 

TBR Books

I need to finish the last 90 pages or so of Old Man's War. I don't know if I will pick the sequel Ghost Brigades during the read-a-thon, maybe I won't be able to stop myself. But another book I want to read is Two For the Dough.
After I am finished with either all three of them or two of them I would probably pick something for the list below. They are all books I really want to read before I leave my hometown of the 12th because I won't be able to take them with me.

Finally, I will be reading some of my current manga reads: Aphorism vol.10 and Attack on Titan vol.4. These will be good for the reading sprints.

Challenges/Giveaways

Monday 1/5
Bookshelf Scavenger Hunt -- Caught Read Handed
New Year's Resolutions -- The Book That...


Tuesday 1/6
Top 10 Recommendations -- Trees of Reverie


Wednesday 1/7
Character Coupling -- Writing My Own Fairy Tale


Thursday 1/8
The Synopsis Challenge -- LuLo Fangirl
Create a Playlist -- Daring Damsels


Friday 1/9
Describe Your Book in Pictures -- The Book Monsters


Saturday 1/10
Literary Quote Challenge -- Gone with the Words
Rewrite the Story -- A Daydreamer's Thoughts


Sunday 1/11
My (dysfunctional) Book Family -- Auggie Talk
#insixwords Challenge -- Falling Down the Book Hole

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Twitter Chats
(chats last approximately one hour)
TZC = Time Zone Conversion

Monday: 1pm CST (TZC)
Wednesday: 8pm CST (TZC)
Saturday: 10am CST (TZC) 

Showcase Sunday #43 - December 2014

Inspired by Pop Culture Junkie and the Story Siren, the aim of Showcase Sunday is to highlight our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders each week. For more information about how this feature works and how to join in, click here.

~Vicky @ Books Biscuits and Tea

Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay in December's book haul, but as it was expected, last month was crazy. On Dec. 10th I came back to my hometown for Xmas (a little early, I know) and I am still here. I will be traveling back to my Uni City in a week or so, but unfortunately most of my books are currently back at my hometown. I will miss them so much...

Anyways, now let's talk new books. I was a very nice kid the last month. I managed to only buy a few books, and most of them were manga which I read already. So my TBR pile didn't receive a big hit. Here are the books I got this December.

3:59 | The Snow Queen

D.Gray-Man Vol.22 | Vol.23 | Vol.24

A Few Words:

I am so sad that there are no more D.Gray-Man volumes (and there probably will never be). It's one of those stories that really stucks with the reader and it's killing me that it's unfinished. But anyways, I'll try not to rant, again, about it.

Audible happily surprised its users this Christmas with a free copy of The Snow Queen. I loved the movie back in the day and I wonder how similar the book is to it.

Finally, I got 3:59. This is the only Gretchen McNeil book I haven't read. I love her writing and I am sure I will love this book too. I can't wait to pick it up.

Book Blitz: Shadow Fire (The Light Chronicles #1) by Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Shadow Fire (The Light Chronicles #1)

by Kimber Leigh Wheaton 

Release Date: 02/24/14

Astraea Press

310 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power.
All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire - adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power? 

Buy Links:
Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

The sound of metal clashing echoes through the air on deck. In the center of the ship Zane and Taranis are sparring while the crew watches from a safe distance. Neither man seems to be holding back. Skirting around the fighting men, I reach the stairs up to the helm and scale them. Several pirates are leaning up against the railing overlooking the deck. When I appear they move aside to make a space for me in the middle.

“How long have they been at it?” I ask the group of men.

“Half an hour or so,” a red-haired pirate replies. “You want in on the betting pool? It's not too late.”

“I'll pass thanks.”

Only a moron would bet against Zane. Although I have to admit, it appears Taranis is putting up a good fight. He rushes at Zane with a series of furious swings, which are all parried with ease. When he leaps away, Zane charges him. Taranis manages to parry all but one swing. This one he blocks with the large silver gauntlet on his left forearm. Zane takes a step back and lowers his sword.

“Had enough yet, pirate?” he asks laughing.

Taranis is staring at him in cool silence, but his breathing is a bit labored. When the captain rushes him, Zane drops to the ground and knocks him down with a leg sweep. Taranis sprawls on the deck but doesn't lose his sword. Zane leaps to his feet and moves to place his sword at the rogue's throat. Taranis manages to block the strike with his gauntlet before leaping back to his feet.

“I guess not,” Zane observes.

Taranis gazes up at me with a leer and a wicked smirk. I don't even have time to gulp before he vaults over the rail to seize me around the waist. My shriek is somewhere between a cry of surprise and a laugh when Taranis pulls me against his side, pointing his sword at Zane.

“Drop your sword, mercenary,” he commands.

“Why would I do that?” Zane asks scowling. He's obviously not happy with the direction of the fight. For my part, I lean against Taranis, trying hard not to laugh.

“I have your woman,” Taranis declares. “I'm sure you wouldn't want to see her harmed.”

“I know you won't hurt her, pirate,” Zane says, exasperation apparent in his eyes and his voice.

With a smirk, I glance up at the pirate's jubilant face. I have to agree with Zane. Taranis is as harmless as a puppy.

“Now either get back down here or surrender,” Zane yells.

“What if I do this?” Taranis asks, pulling on my braid and baring my neck to him.

His lips start trailing feather light kisses up my neck. I'm too shocked to do anything but stand in his embrace.

“Oh, that's it!” Zane shouts, running toward us. “You're a dead man!”

“Sorry, my gorgeous beauty,” Taranis says laughing, “gotta go!” He leaps off the railing just as Zane reaches my side.

“Are you all right?” Zane asks, cupping my cheek. I try to keep it in but to no avail. My laughter rings out, and I'm doubled over by the force of it. “I'll take that as a yes,” he mumbles before he takes off running after Taranis. “You may as well surrender, pirate! Where are you going to run? This is a ship!”

******

About the Author
Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a bestselling YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance. She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs, four cats, and lots of dragons. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!) She currently lives in San Antonio, TX but has been somewhat a rolling stone in life, having resided in several different cities and states.

Author Links:

   

Book Blitz Organized by:

M9B: Friday Reveal

Hello everyone! Welcome to Month9Books 2014 Books you may have Missed Blitz!

Check out all M9B 2014 titles below and enter for a chance to win 1 of 3 prize packs of eBooks! International

Click on the cover for book information.

Tantrum Titles

(3) winners will receive eBook prize packs of 5 Month9Books of your choice! International

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2015 Resolutions

It's 2015!!! Well, it's actually still 2014, now that I am writing this post, but you will be reading this in 2015, so it doesn't count. Anyways, this a new year and what comes with a new year? New meaningful (or meaningless in my case) resolutions. I am focusing on my reading resolutions, since my real-life resolutions are kind of confusing even for me, right now...

IN 2015:

I want to reduce my physical TBR pile to 150 books. Currently it's at 207, so that means more reading and less buying books.

I want to finish at least 5 series. I have a bad habbit of starting series but never finishing them, so I think 2015 is the perfect year to wrap up some series.

I want to read at least on pick from my TBR jar each month. This year, I decided that instead of all my unread titles, I will put some more general reading goals in my TBR jar and pick one each month. I was mostly inspired by this list: http://media3.popsugar-assets.com/files/docs/Love%26Sex-Love%26Sex-2015ReadingChallenge-print.pdf and some BookTube videos. Some examples that I will be adding in my TBR jar are: Read a 2015 debut novel, read a stand-alone, finish a series, read a prize/award winning book etc.

I want to read, if not all, most of my Top 15 of 2015 books.

I want to start new manga. In the last month of 2014 I got into searching for new manga and I was so excited to find that there are so many great ones I still haven't read. So, for 2015 I want to find at least 5 new manga series to follow.