Bout of Books 10: Day three

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On day three, I finished reading The Unbound by Victoria Schwab. And it. Was. FABULOUS.

I completed by first book! Hopefully I can manage another 1-2 before the read-a-thon's end. In the meantime, I think my stride/reading are progressing nicely - albeit, a little average.

» Progress...

▫ Completed The Unbound by Victoria Schwab (total books = 1)
▫ Read for about 3.5 hours (total = 9.5)
▫ Read 119 pages (total = 357)
▫ Completed the Book Pairings challenge at My Overstuffed Shelves

» Challenges...
Book Pairings

For this challenge, we were asked to pair a book with something that compliments it; whether it be another book, a physical object, food, drink, a person, or place. I chose my current read, The Unbound. Here is my entry:

"This is the kind of book you enjoy whilst cocooned within a blanket, sipping some sort of hot drink. It is eerie and beautiful, and those are always great on a cold day (which, here in Ohio, we are still experiencing...)."

. . . . 

See you on day four!

Bout of Books 10: Day two

Author: Victoria Schwab
Series: The Archived #2
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover
Average Rating: 4.43



On day two, I continued reading The Unbound by Victoria Schwab.

Once again, a meeting kept me from getting much reading done at work. However, I did manage to almost match my progress from day one, so I would not call the beginning of this week a total fail. :D


» Progress...
 
▫ Continued reading The Unbound by Victoria Schwab
▫ Read for about 3 hours (total = 6)
▫ Read 117 pages (total = 238)
▫ Completed the Books You're Looking Forward To challenge at River City Reading

» Challenges...

Books You're Looking Forward To

This challenge was also pretty self-explanatory. You list the books you are most looking forward to reading. Here is my entry:

"After much consideration—seriously, I did not realize just how many upcoming publications I am looking forward to—I have created a (painfully) short list of my to-be-released "Must Have"s:

1. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
2. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
3. Between the Spark and the Burn by April Genevieve Tucholke
4. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
5. The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan
6. In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

And here are a few that are currently on my physical TBR shelf that I would really, really like to pick up soon:

1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
2. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
3. Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness"

. . . . 

I definitely plan on finishing my first book tomorrow, on day three. How are you guys doing? Anyone finish anything yet?

Bout of Books 10: Day one

Author: Victoria Schwab
Series: The Archived #2
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover
Average Rating: 4.43

On day one I read The Unbound by Victoria Schwab, the second book in the Archived series. 

I am pretty sure Schwab has become one of my new favorite authors, and these books a new obsession. They are breathtaking; full of beautiful characters, scenarios and scenes that are both eerie and incredible. I had to force myself to read another book while I waited for this one in the mail, and I am absolutely delighted that it will be my first read of the Bout of Books read-a-thon. Unfortunately, day one's progress was a little slow—due to lack of reading time—but I definitely plan on making it up later.

» Progress...

▫ Began reading The Unbound by Victoria Schwab
▫ Read for about 3 hours
▫ Read 121 pages
▫ Completed the If You Like X, Try Y challenge at The Book Barbies

» Challenges...

If You Like X, Try Y

This challenge is pretty self-explanatory. You choose a certain type of book and/or author and then give a few examples of works that are similar; whether they be from the same genre, author, or posses the same qualities as your original choice. Here is my entry:

"If you like John Green and Rainbow Rowell, try Robyn Schneider. Her book, The Beginning of Everything, possesses many of the qualities I adore in both Green and Rowell's books; a dry, crass sense of humor, clever wit/sarcasm, and amazing characters that you cannot help but fall in love with.

If you like Twilight, try the Beautiful Creatures series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Paranormal romance with an intense plot and mortal/other character attraction.

If you like Sarah Dessen, try Sarah Ockler. Both are contemporary authors who favor writing books that posses a little extra bit of depth that I, personally, find very refreshing.

If you like creepy, physiological thrillers with a bit of romance, try The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin."

. . . . 

I cannot believe it is already day two! These things go by way too fast. How is it going, fellow participants?

April 2014 Wrap-up [spoiler free!]

Alas, April was not a very good reading month for me... My goal to keep the completion count up has, once again, failed, and I am left with a small handful of books at the month's end.

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1. Panic by Lauren Oliver. My first read of April was, basically, a contemporary version of The Hunger Games. A very interesting and engaging version. Though the story was unbelievable at times and the characters a bit annoying, I really enjoyed how engaging the events were, and how nicely everything wrapped up in the end.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

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2. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. Oh, how I love spin-offs. This book was beautifully, gorgeously written. I never quite knew what was going on and who to trust and the action and magic scenes were some of my favorites to read. The characters were great, and despite the fact that nothing was ever really explained (easily overlooked, as it is only the first book of the series), I really, really liked this read and am looking forward to the sequel.

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3. No Place Like Oz (Dorothy Must Die #0.5) by Danielle Paige. I picked up this novella immediately after finishing Dorothy Must Die. It was very insightful and I quite enjoyed learning about Dorothy's past and her journey back to Oz.

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4. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins. Perhaps I went into this book with too much enthusiasm/excitement, because it turned out to be a bit of a let-down. It wasn't horrible. Just Okay. Most of Goodreads fell in love with the banter and humor, but I did not find the characters all that sassy or funny (there were really only two or three parts that I actually LOL'd over) and a lot of things were left unexplained and didn't make much sense. The only part I thoroughly enjoyed was the ending.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

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5. The Archived by Victoria Schwab. Why did it take me so long to read this? Why?!? Everything about this book was amazing; the flashbacks that tied into the current story, the uniqueness of the Archive and Narrows and the characters and their banter. It was all so wonderful, I had trouble putting the The Archived down. I look forward to continuing on with the story!

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

6. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Unfortunately, I only made it about a fourth of the way through this book before the month of April ended but, once I am finished, Beautiful Creatures will count towards my 2014 Personal Reading Challenge — to reread three books before the end of the year.

. . . . 

April Stats:

▫ Read 4.25 books (and 1 novella)

▫ Read 1,844

GR's 2014 Reading Challenge (Progress):

▫ Read 23 of 70 books

▫ Currently 1 book ahead of schedule

Upcoming Releases:

▫ The One (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass -- May 6, 2014

▫ The Lovely and the Lost (The Dispossessed #2) by Page Morgan -- May 13, 2014

▫ Dangerous Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl -- May 20, 2014

▫ City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare -- May 27, 2014

I have just realize that City of Heavenly Fire will be released in only a few short weeks! I AM EXCITE. Did you guys read any good books this month?