Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon Final Update

     I really enjoyed the past couple of weeks and realize that I need to make extra effort in the future to fit more reading into my days. This may require starting up a petition to add at least 4 extra hours to each and every day so I can find some spare time. Please sign it if it comes across your desk! While I didn't finish all of my intended list of books to tackle, I am happy to say that I did, in fact, reach both of my goals for this read-a-thon! Not only did I catch up on my 2015 reading challenge I am FIVE books ahead now! *happy dance* My second goal was for my "read" shelf to exceed my "to-read" shelf, which it does! Even if only by one book, that still counts. Without further ado my final review for the read-a-thon...

Day 12 of the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

     Sadly, real life is intervening again and I haven't had much time for reading. I did manage to finish Historical Mysteries, a nonfiction account of real life mysteries which turned out to be a bit dry.

Historical Mysteries by Andrew Lang
311pp
I give it 2 stars.

Not what I expected. The mysteries may be historical and are well researched, but hardly important or much of interest.

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Total Books Finished: 15
Total Pages Read: 2921

Day 11 of the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

     Today I'm going to cover not only my update for the day but my findings for today's challenge: A Scavenger hunt! Fun, fun! Princessica of Books posted this challenge. Here are my findings for it...

Day 10 of the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

     I finished two books and reached one of my goals! Woot! YAY ME! I am now back on track for my 2015 reading challenge. Now to stay that way :-s

Day 9 of the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

Waiting For Nick by Nora Roberts
Book 5 in The Stanislaskis: Those Wild Ukrainians series
251pp
I give it 4 stars!

It was cute, plenty of laugh out loud humor and very little garbage drama usually found in romances.

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Total Books Finished: 11
Total Pages Read: 1949

Day 8 of the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

     Yeah, I know, I didn't update yesterday, but I had nothing to update as Sunday ended up being a very slow day for reading and I didn't finish any books at all. But I am back on track and finished a paranormal fantasy that every time I'd see it on my Kindle would think "Ooh, I wanna read that soon!"

Day 6 of the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

A Little Bit of Déjà Vu by Laurie Kellogg
Book 1 of Redemption series
Genre: Romance
246pp
I give it 4 stars!

Excellent, and only ONE eye roll!

Day 5 of the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

Another Fine Myth
by Robert Asprin
208pp

I give it 4 stars!

This was really good, better than I'd expected, to be honest. Was surprised to find the author lives in my home state - which is always a nice surprise. Only bad thing about this book is that I'd love to read more and not sure how many books of this series that I have. Fairly sure that I don't have all of it, sadly.

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Total Books Finished: 7
Total Pages Read: 1088

Day 4 of the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

by Shirley Jackson
146pp

     People can be so cruel even if they may eventually regret their cruelty.

I give it 4 stars!

The Book of Dragons

by E. Nesbit
150pp

     Nice compilation of classic fantasy short stories that involve dragons in one way or another.

I give it 3 stars.

What America Was Really Like in 1776

by Thomas J. Fleming
22pp

     I had expected just a brief history mainly regarding political atmosphere but it also includes info about economy, population, diet, and other common everyday things that aren't normally mentioned in history.

I give it 4 stars!

Total Books Finished: 6
Total Pages Read: 880

Day 3 of the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

Falling for Nick

by Joleen James 217 pp

     There's no way this book is only 217 pages, the way that it dragged on and on. With this book, I started a new rating system that I've been toying with. I made a note every time that I rolled my eyes at the dialogue or story line. This book netted 22 eye rolls.

Day 2 of the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

     I started off slow yesterday, having had to go back to work as half expected, and only got about 2/3 of the way through my first book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I finished it this morning, plowed through my second book - Haunted by Willow Cross which is shortish but has been on my TBR since I read her Birthright series back in 2011, and started my third book Falling for Nick by Joleen James.

Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

     Yes, the real world has gotten in the way of my reading once again. I have gotten out of the habit of reviewing and blogging since the majority of he books that I read these days are beta/ARC versions and not published yet. I have actually been reading, and have on occasion actually emailed some assorted thoughts and perceptions to myself to turn into a rview at some point, but sadly never found the time to do so - not yet at any rate. But, I visited goodreads one day and saw that a fiend had joined a group for a read-a-thon and thought hey, maybe that is precisely what I need to motivate me to read more than I have been. So I'm going to give this a whirl.

Happy Holidays!

     First off, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year. I would also like to thank those who have stuck with me over this past year while I have been virtually absent from my blog posts.

     I have suspected for quite some time that I was burnt out, but this morning I realized that it goes beyond just being burnt out. I have been reading the Maze Runner series, and when I finished The Scorch Trials just moments ago, my first thought was that I'm so tired of reaching the last page of a book and finding no conclusion. Once again I was faced with a storyline that was leading into the next book instead of concluding the current book. Instead of that sense of accomplishment that I completed a book, I felt - well, annoyed. It is early Christmas morning and I won't be able to get my hands on the next book in the series for several days most likely. I'm just going to be stuck in limbo waiting until I can read the next book - IF that book even gives a conclusion and not just a lead in for the next book. It is all so very frustrating.

Why Adults Don’t Read Fiction - Featured Author Guest Post

   by Jeff Gunhus

     More likely than not, if you are reading this on a blog about books and reading, you’re immediately wondering what I’m talking about. Chances are that you’re an adult and that you are not only a reader of fiction, but perhaps a devourer of fiction. That, my friend, puts you squarely into the minority.

     A recent poll showed that 41% of Americans had not read a book of fiction in the last year. Another 25% had only read between 1-5 books. Making a (very mathematically convenient) 66% of Americans having read less than 5 books last year. Ouch.

Jack Templar Monster Hunter - Featured Author Review

Jack Templar Monster Hunter by Jeff Gunhus The Templar Chronicles #1 Genres: Fantasy, Children,    Action Adventure

     Jack comes from a long line of monster hunters. Unfortunately, he is unaware of this fact as he is an orphan and doesn't remember his parents at all. There is even more bad news for Jack, on the eve of his 14th birthday he learns that monsters will come crawling out of the woodwork with one goal in mind: targeting the powerful monster hunter. But they don't want to kill him, oh no, that would be too easy. They want to torture him until he begs to die and be put out of his misery.

Night Terror by Jeff Gunhus - Book Review

Night Terror by Jeff Gunhus Book 2 Night Chill Series Genres: Thriller, Horror, Paranormal

     It is ten years later and the local newspaper marks the anniversary with a memorial article of those lost in what the town views as a simple cave in. Not only are emotions and memories stirred up within the family of those lost and affected by what really happened in the underground caves, but we find that an evil paranormal entity has just been waiting for Sarah to grow stronger and is now stirring as well.

Killer Within by Jeff Gunhus - Featured Author Book Review

Killer Within by Jeff Gunhus Genres: Suspense, Thriller

     Arnie Milhouse is a wimp. Brow beaten by his wife and resigned to a dead end job, Arnie has accepted his mediocre role in life with little resistance. Until one day when Arnie has a life changing experience, which wasn't necessarily a change for the better.

The Big Wide Calm - Fun Read Friday Book Review

The Big Wide Calm by Rich Marcello Genre: Drama

     The big wide calm can mean different things to different people. Basically it is that place in life where you are completely relaxed and happy with where you are in life. As with most things in life, it isn't always about the destination but with the journey to get there. Singer/songwriter, Paige Plant is working on her first album. She believes she is destined to be famous. But not just famous, she is striving to be one of those artists that cross generations and whose music is cherished for years to come. Her songs are based on her definition of the big wide calm and what she feels is required to reach it.

Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus - Featured Author Book Review

Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus Book 1 in Night Chill series Genres: Horror, Paranormal,    Suspense, Fantasy

     I see a lot of book synopses that claim works by lesser known authors are King-like or that their writing style is similar to Koontz. I always take these with a grain of salt. But in this case, it is very true. The plot was so deeply layered and well thought out I was half expecting a scene where someone spots Pennywise while driving through Derry, or of someone eating a bologna and Bermuda onion sandwich (has anyone else noticed King's character's obsession with this sandwich?), or that Jack was committed to Juniper Hill Asylum because this book does have that amazing degree of creepiness that Stephen King has perfected. Then again, there IS a yellow lab, which reminds me of the golden retriever which Koontz often has traipsing through his plots.

Jeff Gunhus - Featured Author September 2014

     

Jeff Gunhus Main genres:   Horror, Fantasy

     Jeff Gunhus lives in Maryland with his wife and five children. He began work on the Jack Templar series in an effort to get his reluctant reader interested in books. As a person who loves to read, and mother to children who needed a bit of encouragement to enjoy this pastime, I am always interested and supportive of quality stories targeted at this incredibly important age group.