Monsterthon (#PickYourThon) Read-a-thon/Review-a-thon Wrap-Up

Read-a-thon

Books Finished

 

Books DNF:

Pages Read:  1150

Review-a-thon

I wrote reviews this week for:

I also wrote a few other blog posts that will be published this month.

 

Overall Thoughts

I really enjoyed this Monsterthon Read-a-thon/Review-a-thon.  I enjoyed the combination of reading a reviewing books.  I enjoyed interacting with others through Twitter.  I enjoyed the progress that I made in reading and shortening my TBR pile and I enjoyed all the books that I read this week.  I cannot wait for another Monsterthon and for the next read-a-thon that I will be doing this month: bout-of-books.

Monsterthon Day 7 Updates (Sunday, August 10)

This is my final update post for the Monsterthon read-a-thon/review-a-thon, but my wrap-up post for the entire week will be coming soon! 

Read-a-thon
I read another wonderful book today and clocked in at 61 pages.

Today, I read Hide and Watch by Jill Hicks Lawson.  Beautifully written, Hide and Watch is a nonfiction Christian story about a women who struggles through the pain of taking care of her mother while her health is declining.  Hide and Seek offers advice on what to do when life is difficult and hope is hard to find.  This is a great read!  This book is only a total of 61 pages, but is full of depth and great lessons!  Full review will soon be posted on my blog!

(I received Hide and Seek from the author in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way influenced my review.)
 
Review-a-thon
I actually reviewed quiet a lot of books this afternoon.  Here is a list of the reviews:

1. Hide and Watch by Jill Hicks Lawson
2. The Lost Boy by Greg Ruth (Graphic Novel)
3. Appaloosa Summer by Tudor Robins  
4. 12 Titanic Lessons for Christians by Charles C. Hagan, Jr.

Monsterthon Days 5 and 6 (Friday and Saturday, August 8-9)

Read-a-thon Updates
I read the most amazing book today (Day 6).

I read 8 pages of Appaloosa Summer by Tudor Robins on Day 5, but I re-read these pages on Day 6 and finished the book on Day 6.  I did this because I am doing a 48 hour read-a-thon this weekend.  I know; I am addicted to read-a-thons, but I was already doing a read-a-thon, so I thought, "Why Not".  Anyways, for this read-a-thon, you get points for the books that you have read and those books have to be started and finished during the read-a-thon in order to receive points for that book.  The 48 hour read-a-thon is on Goodreads as part of a group that I am involved in, Crazy for Young Adult Books.

I read Appaloosa Summer from start to finish on Day 6 giving me a total of 230 pages for Day 6!  I gave this book a 5 star rating!  First off, can we talk about the cover?  Gorgeous!  Secondly, the writing style was perfect and it was a nice, light contemporary love story that involves one of my favorite animals: horses.  I will of course discuss this book in more details when I write my full review.  As a side note, my review will also include an author interview :)

(I received this book from the author as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way influenced my review.) 

Review-a-thon Updates

On Day 5, I did some blogging.  I reviewed Fourmile by Watt Key that I read earlier this week for the read-a-thon.  I also scheduled some discussion posts that will be coming later this month that I have been working on for a while now.  I am happy that I did a little reviewing for the review-a-thon and I hope that I can do a little more tomorrow!

Monsterthon Days 3 and 4 Updates (Wednesday and Thursday, August 6-7)

Read-a-thon Updates
What a book! On days 3 and 4 I finished Fourmile by Watt Key.  I read 34 pages on day 3 and 132 pages on day 4.

Although there was some cussing at the beginning of the story, I absolutely loved this story.  At several points while reading this book, I told myself I was going to stop at the next chapter but I just could not stop reading it.  It made me laugh.  It made me cry.  It made me want to grab all the books by Watt Key and devour them all.

Review-a-thon Updates 

Again, I have not written a single review.  I plan on writing some very soon though!

Monsterthon Day 2 Update (Tuesday, August 5)

Read-a-thon Updates
Today has not been as good of a reading day as yesterday, but I am pretty proud of my progress.  I have read a total of 247 pages today.

I finished the 8th volume of the Death Note series.  I read around 177 pages of it today; I read a few more pages yesterday than I ended up reporting for yesterday.

I then started Buzz Kill by Beth Fantaskey, but I decided to DNF the book because it was not what I expected it would be.  The main character was annoying and it just was not the type of book that I felt like reading today.  I read 8 pages of this book.

I began reading Fourmile by Watt Key.  Although it had some mild cussing in the beginning of the book, this book shows some real promise to being an amazing read.  I read the first 62 pages of Fourmile and hope to finish it in the morning.

Review-a-thon Updates 

Again, I have not written a single review...

Monsterthon Day 1 Updates (Monday, August 4)

General Updates
 
The monsterthon is going great so far!  I am surprised at the progress that I have made.  I stopped at a thrift store and Goodwill today and picked up a few new books, so this is sort of a haul post also.

First, I am going to show you the books that I picked up today (all for under $1.91 each).

I picked up a middle-grade novel and an Adult graphic novel.  The Lemon Crime by Jaqueline Davies is a middle-grade novel that is the second book in the series.  I did not notice that it was the second in a series until I had finished reading it, but it was great as a standalone.  This book is about two fourth graders who are brother and sister and who are seeking revenge against someone who stole the money that was made from selling lemonade all summer.  In order to assign guilt to the person that they think stole the money, they hold their own trial using the people in their fourth grade classroom.

Orcs: Forged for War is an adult graphic novel.  I picked up this book because I am looking forward to reading it for the upcoming readathon that I am hosting.

 Next up are the adult novels that I bought today.  The first is saving max by Antoinette van Heugten.  The main character in this story is a female lawyer who has a son that has been diagnosed with a psychological disorder.  She does not believe that her son has this disorder until her son is found unconcious and bloody next to a bludgeoned body.  She then seeks to prove his innocence.

The Dress Lodger is a historical fiction novel set in England during the cholera epidemic of 1831.  The main character seeks to protect her baby boy.  There is a lot more that is said in the description on the back of the book, but you should check it out on Goodreads.  It seriously sounds amazing!

The History of Love is contemporary novel about an author and a girl who is named after a character in his book.  They are half a world away, but the namesake seeks to connect with the author.

Honestly, I bought The Sanctuary just because it was written by Ted Dekker.  I have loved all his books that I have read.  I do know this is one of his Christian fiction thriller novels, but I do not know much more about it. 

Read-a-thon Updates

Wow!  I cannot believe the progress that I have made already.  I finished two books and read 446 pages!

I started out the day by continuing the Death Note series.  I read the 7th volume which is 211 pages.  I really enjoyed this volume of the series.  Volume 6 was slower paced and was not as entertaining than the rest of the series, but I sure am glad that it picked up in the 7th volume.  I cannot tell you much about this volume because it would spoil the series, but trust me it was fantastic.

I then picked up The Lemonade Crime by Jacqueline Davies which had a total of 151 pages.  This book was fabulous and was just what I was expecting out of a middle-grade book.  I decided to go ahead and read this book during the read-a-thon because the Death Note series is dark and deep.  I wanted a nice lighthearted and quick read.  I am also trying to pace myself in finishing the last of the Death Note series.  A full review of this book will be on my blog very soon!

I also started, but have not finished, the eighth volume of Death Note.  It is good so far!  I read 84 pages of this volume today.

Review-a-thon Updates 

I was so excited about reading today that I have not written a single review.  Oh well, there is always tomorrow!

Monsterthon (#PickYourThon) Readathon/Reviewathon Goals and General Updates

It is time for another read-a-thon and review-a-thon!  In this post, I will be discussing my TBR for this week and also my goals.

First, I want to show you my TBR pile.  This pile is mostly books that I have checked out from the library and want to finish before I go back to college in a few weeks.  Also, I am trying to have a realistic TBR pile.  I am hoping that I will finish these books and maybe read a few more too.  Without further ado, here it is:

• Death Note, Volumes 7-12
• Buzz Kill by Beth Fantaskey
• Four Mile by Watt Key

Since I am also doing the Monster review-a-thon this week.  I would also like to write reviews for the following books and/or series.  This week I would like to write reviews for:

• 12 Titanic Lessons for Christians
• Death Note Graphic Novel Series Review
• The Lost Boy (graphic novel)
• Cross Game (Vol. 1-3)
• Beautiful Creatures
• Graphic Novels Based on Ted Dekker books
• Buzz Kill (if I finish the book)
• Four Mile (if I finish the book)

I also have a few goals for myself this week.  Here they are:

• Read only one book or graphic novel at a time (I have a problem with starting a bunch of books and never finishing them)
• Review books immediately after finishing them
• Finish all the reviews and books in my TBR