Year in Review & the 2015 Challenges

Happy New year very soon! I am just getting this post going along so I can be ready and prepared for a whole new year. I admit I did not meet all of my goals this year for reading. I do however have a very good reason why. Divorce and a cross country move will do that to you. However there is no reason to be let down and stay in the dumps about it. No 2015 is a new year with new goals.

So here is how this year shook out with the reading challenges:

On goodreads I set out to read 75 books I read 57.

I did not complete my goal of 25 historical fiction books.
I smashed my Witches and Wizards goal of 10 by reading the entire Dresden series.
I completed half of my goal of 10 vampire books by reading 5
I completed 2 of 5 of my net galley challenge
TBR goal was 21 I completed 11
Historical romance was only 3 books completed
8 letters left from the Alphabet soup challenge
5 completed for the read my freebies challenge
7 of 12 done for the British book challenge

All in all could be worse but could be much better. So here we go for the challenges for 2015

Goodreads: 60 books
Historical Fiction Challenge: Victorian reader – 5 books
Witches & Witchcraft Challenge: Maiden: Read 6 – 10 Witchy Books
Fur & Fangs Challenge: 10 books
British Book Challenge: 12 books
Read your Freebies: Coupon Clipper: read 12 ebooks
Historical Romance: 1–6 books
TBR Challenge: 1-10 A Firm Handshake
Alphabet Soup Challenge: A-Z

For links to each sign up page for the challenges please hit the Challenge page!

Here is to a great 2015!

Musing Monday 12/1/14

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

Musing Monday asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

Tis the season! While my reading has slowed down due to the whole divorce thing my question has to do with the season. Do you find yourself reading less then usually this time of year? Or maybe you read more?

Tis the season

Tis the season where my blogging can get spotty. I hope readers will forgive me for not keeping up the regular stuff as well as usually. I usually go on a hiatus but I am just going to say bottom line, it will be spotty. It is the Holiday season and I have a lot of crafts and other things to do this year for the big season.

I am still having one of these moments..

2+kinds+of+people_d97660_4888782

But I am working on it lol

Cross posted at Birth of a Notion

Teaser Tuesday 11/4/14

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

“then her ladyship, overwhelming in bronze bombazine, regally glided away. Cedric smiled”

Musing Monday 11/3/14

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

Musing Monday asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

218038

Alasdair Cynster known to his intimates as Lucifer decides to rusticate in the country before the matchmaking skills of London′s mamas become firmly focused on him, the last unwed Cynster. But an escape to Devonshire leads him straight to his destiny in the irresistible form of Phyllida Tallent, a willful, independent beauty of means who brings all his masterful Cynster instincts rioting to the fore. Lucifer isn′t about to deny his desire for Phyllida, and he′s determined to use all his seductive skills to enjoy the benefits of destiny′s choice without submitting to the parson′s noose.

Phyllida has had a bevy of suitors, her charm and wit are well known throughout the countryside, but none of them has tempted her the way Lucifer does. His offer to teach her all about the ways of love is almost too tantalising to resist. And though she′s not yet completely surrendered, she knows only a fool stands against a Cynster…and Phyllida is no one′s fool.

Book Review: Passive Aggressive Notes: Painfully Polite and Hilariously Hostile Writings by Kerry Miller

Part voyeuristic entertainment, part group therapy, Passive Aggressive Notes offers a fascinating look at the all-too-familiar frustrations of embattled office drones, apartment dwellers, parents, and pet owners everywhere.

This curated collection combines dozens of outrageous, never-before-seen notes as well as favorites from Passiveaggressivenotes.coma 2008 Webby Award Winner and the official “Best Blog” of the South by Southwest Interactive festival

This was just a short and easy read sent to me by a dear friend when I was going through some very icky stuff. I loved this little romp through passive aggressive notes and I can remember seeing ones like this back when I worked in an office environment. If you want something fast and easy that will just make you laugh while you are reading it I would recommend this one. If you are easily offended by a bit of snark it might not be for you but heck I had a lot of good fun with this one!

My Gemstone Rating:

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Book Review: Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera #1) by Jim Butcher

In the realm of Alera, where people bond with the furies-elementals of earth, air, fire, water and metal, fifteen-year-old Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. But when his homeland erupts in chaos-when rebels war with loyalists and furies clash with furies-Tavi’s simple courage will turn the tides of war.

I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. I am just kind of meh about the Furies of Calderon. I really wanted to love this one since I love the Dresden Files so much, but I felt the throw into this new realm was a bit to heavy and fast. There was no leading up into it just plunk here you go good luck. I could not connect to any of the characters either. What I did like was the sword battles and the usual fantasy fun that you can enjoy. I will try the second Codex but overall just a little meh on this one. Which makes me a sad Panda.

My Gemstone Rating:

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Teaser Tuesday 10/28/14

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

“…He palmed up the life Alert. Death Alert was more like it: Help, I haven’t fallen and I’m standing up-can you come and rectify this problem? – Isaac”
― J.R. Ward, Crave

Musing Monday 10/27/14

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

Musing Monday asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

7828882

Seven deadly sins. Seven souls that must be saved. One more no-holds- barred battle between a fallen angel with a hardened heart and a demon with everything to lose.

Isaac Rothe is a black ops soldier with a dark past and a grim future. The target of an assassin, he finds himself behind bars, his fate in the hands of his gorgeous public defender Grier Childe. His hot attraction to her can only lead to trouble-and that’s before Jim Heron tells him his soul is in danger. Caught up in a wicked game with the demon who shadows Jim, Isaac must decide whether the soldier in him can believe that true love is the ultimate weapon against evil

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