Mac Product Review: Intego Mac Premium Bundle Review

Today, I am reviewing something a little different. I am reviewing a Intego's Mac Premium Bundle. You can purchase this product here. This bundle includes everything that you would need to protect your Mac and keep it running optimally. The products in this package include: 

• Virus Barrier X8
• Net Barrier X8
• Mac Washing Machine
• Family Protector
• Personal Backup

First, I will go through my overall thoughts of the package and then I will review each of these products separately, listing my likes and dislikes of each. I used these products on my Mac mini that I purchased about two months ago. Here are the specs for my Mac mini:

• OS X Yosemite
• Processor: 2,6 GHz Intel Core i5
• Memory: 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
• Graphics: Intel Iris

*DISCLAIMER*: I was given Intego's Mac Premium Bundle in exchange for an honest review from tomoson.com. This in no way influenced my review of the product.

Overall Thoughts

My favorite thing about the bundle as a whole is the clean, user-friendly interface. All of the programs are dowloaded into a single folder on your Mac for easy access (see image on left). 

The programs are user friendly, with tips overlaid with the interface so that first time users immediately know how to use the programs (see image on left). If at any time you do not remember how to get to a certain aspect of the program, all you have to do to bring up the tips is tap the "i" icon located on the top right of the image that is shown to the left.

Virus Barrier X8

Virus Barrier X8 protects your computer against both Mac and PC viruses.  This prevents your Mac computer being a carrier to viruses that may infect your PC.  You can schedule the program to do scans at the same time every day or week.  The program can also be used to manually scan your computer. The program is very user friendly and has a nice interface (see above). The tips screen was helpful (see below).

The quick scan on Virus Barrier only took about 10 minutes for the first time on my Mac. The full scan took a bit longer (about an hour). Neither scan found anything on my Mac, but my Mac is fairly new. I had not used a virus scanner on my Mac prior to using Virus Barrier. I would give this program a 4/5 stars, tentatively since I have found no viruses so far.

Net Barrier X8

Net Barrier acts as a firewall, allowing or blocking incoming/outgoing internet and local connections. This programs asks for approval when certain apps or programs on your computer are trying to access the internet.

Net Barrier also allows you to view the apps that are using the internet.

I did not use this program too much.

Mac Washing Machine

Mac Washing Machine cleans up your Mac's unused files to increase speed and performance. It has three integrated programs: reclaim, duplicate, and organize.

Reclaim scans for files that you do not use in order to increase disk space and speed up your Mac's performance (see image above). Reclaim can remove caches, downloads, languages, logs and trash.  After reclaim scans your computer, you can choose which files to keep and which files to delete with a simple drop-down menu.

Duplicates searches your computer for duplicate files (such as documents, pictures, and music). After searching, you can choose which files you want to keep and which you want to delete (see above). For each duplicated file, Washing Machine shows you images so you can make sure the files are really duplicates before you delete them.

Organize has to be the coolest part of Washing Machine. Are you the type of person whose desktop is really messy and it is difficult to find the files and folders you need? If so, this program is for you. Organize scans your desktop and allows you to seamlessly sort all of the files. It analyzes the folders to determine if it should be moved to documents, pictures, or another folder. 

It also allows you to organize the Dock on your Mac. It will search for your most commonly used Applications and least commonly used Applications and suggest Apps that should be added or removed from your Dock. Finally, Organize can organize your files into "Smart Folders".

I really enjoyed Washing Machine. Washing Machine cleaned my computer of all the "junk" I had and to delete duplicate files (I had several). I also used it to clean up my desktop and to rearrange my Dock.  I would give this program a 5/5 stars.

Family Protector

Family Protector protects from inappropriate web content. You can block specific users on you Mac from visiting sites with selected categories (alcohol, gambling, ect.) or sites with key words that you can add. You can also block certain websites. 

Other advantages of Family Protector is that you can make the internet only available during certain time periods for certain users (see below) or block certain applications from using the internet.  This program would be great in households with young children and teenagers. Although I do recommend parental guidance while children are using the internet.

If you or someone else attempts to access a site that has been blocked by Family Protector, you get this message:

This program does work well and I did not find any problems with it.  It is easy to use and understand. I would give this program 5/5 stars. When I have children, I could see myself using this or a similar program.

Personal Backup

I did not use the personal backup program. Here is the explanation of the program from the website:

Intego Personal Backup makes copies of your files for quick and easy recovery in case of theft, data corruption, or natural disasters. Run manual backups or create an automated schedule that backs up your information for you. Whether you want control of your backups or prefer to set it and forget it, Intego Personal Backup’s got you covered.

I cannot rate this program because I did not use it. I generally manually backup files to a flash drive or to a cloud.

Summary

Overall, I would give this bundle a 4.5/5 stars. The interface was simple, easy to use, and visually pleasing. The help screens were easy to understand and greatly assisted me when I was first learning the programs. I may do another review after I have used this bundle for a longer period of time to see if my views have changed.

Do you use this program or similar programs on your Mac? If so, what are your thoughts on them? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Bout of Books 13 Day 3 Challenge: Book Haiku

Today's Bout of Books Challenge is hosted by Kristina Horner and can be found here. For today's challenge, you need to right a haiku about the book that you are currently reading.

I am currently reading Choosing by Rachelle Dekker. This is a Christian Dystopian novel written by Ted Dekker's daughter.

Here is my haiku:

Carrington. Not chosen.
Lowest rank of society.
Now she is worthless.

To understand my haiku, you must understand a little about the storyline. Carrington is in a society where females train their whole lives to be chosen for marriage. This is not what happens for Carrington. She is not chosen by anyone and instead she must be a lint, the lowest member of society, and she must never marry. Even though she tested high and there was almost no way she would not be chosen, she was not chosen and now she feels worthless.

Even though I have only read approximately 30 pages of this 500 page book, I am in love with it so far. Rachelle Dekker's writing is truly amazing and engaging.

Book Review: Pool of Echoes

Title: Pool of Echoes

Author: David G. Allen

Publish Date: October 19, 2014

Genre: Adult Christian Suspense Thriller

Why I Read this Book: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review.

 

 

 

 

About the Book (from Goodreads):  

In this Inspirational Thriller, Nothing Is Certain But The Truth 
Jordan Mitchfield is heir to a media empire worth billions. He also sees and hears things that aren’t there. 
Then someone close puts him in an insane asylum against his will. 
When it looks like there is no way out but to take his own life, he is stopped. Is it a vision? Is what he’s seeing actually real? Is it even part of this dimension? 
Whatever it is, it opens his cell door and throws him into a dangerous time-travel adventure through his memories. 
As he goes deeper into the Pool of Echoes, he is forced to confront everything he has ever known, reconstruct his own mental health, and play a role in something much larger than himself. 
Fans of Contemporary Science fiction, Action, Espionage, Christian fiction, and Fantasy with a Psychological edge will dive through each exciting moment. 
If you or anyone you know has ever questioned their own self worth, get on board this life-changing thrill-ride. You will never be the same.

Review

When I received this book for review, the author informed me that the book was an inspirational thriller and that he was inspired by Ted Dekker. I love Ted Dekker's fantasy/scifi novels (The Circle Trilogy and the Lost Books series) and I enjoyed the books that I have read from him that are thriller novels. Before I read Pool of Echoes, I had certain expectations knowing that the author was inspired by Ted Dekker.

Ted Dekker's novels often make you wonder "What in the world is going on?" and you usually don't fully understand the novel until you are finished with the series.  It is always a crazy ride. This is also true of Pools of Echoes.


Pools of Echoes stars a main character who is in the mental ward. The whole book I was asking myself "Is any of this really happening in the 'real world' or is it all just a figment of the main characters imagination?". I was expecting crazy twists in the plot and everything that seemed to be real to not be real. This excitement and curiosity made this novel incredibly interesting.

The ending was surprising and interesting.  I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good, clean thriller novel.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 12+ for intense action scenes and some foul language

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Bout of Books 13 Update Post (Complete Thread)

This week is Bout of Books 13. Bout of Books is a week long, low pressure readathon.  Here is the official blurb about the readathon:

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 11th and runs through Sunday, May 17th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 13 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

In this post, I will be keeping my daily updates about my reading. I was unable to read any on Day 1 (Monday).

Day 2

• I officially joined the readathon and wrote my TBR post for the readathon.
• I completed the Day 2 Challenge, Character Face Off.
• I completed A January Bride (approximately 86 pages)
• I completed Pools of Echoes (approximately 32 pages read)
• I read 202 pages of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, a "book told in words and pictures"

Total Pages for Day 2: 320 pages

Day 3

• I completed the Day 3 Challenge, Book Haiku
• I completed The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (read 332/534 today)
• I started Choosing by Rachelle Dekker (read 139 pages)

Day 4

• I read 19 pages of Choosing

Day 5, 6, and 7

I was unable to read any.

Totals

Total Pages: 791

Books Completed: 810

• A January Bride (started before the readathon)
• Pools of Echoes (started before the readathon)
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Books in Progress:

• Choosing (on page 158/464)

Bout of Books13 Day 2 Challenge: Character Face-Off

Today's bout of books challenge is hosted by LuLo Fangirl and can be found here. The objective of this challenge is to pick your favorite two characters and have a face off. 

As such, there may be spoilers for the Harry Potter and The Giver series.

Opponent #1: Hermione Granger

– WHO: part of the heroic trio from Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

– PROS: highly intelligent, beautiful, and caring towards friends

– CONS: puts learning before all else, and not very athletic



Opponent #2: Jonas

– WHO: main character in The Giver by Lois Lowry

– PROS: stands up against society when things do not seem right, protects those he loves, can "see" events that are occurring

– CONS: his caring nature can lead to self destruction



Winner: Jonas


Why: Jonas stands up for what is right.  He cares immensely for others and protects those that he loves. I love the growth that Jonas has in the Giver series. I love his devotion to others and to rid the world of evil. Jonas has depth to his character that is not seen in many other book characters.


Did you participate in today's challenge? Link your challenges in the comments so I can check them out :)

Bout of Books 13 Participation Announcement and TBR

This week is Bout of Books 13. Bout of Books is a week long, low pressure readathon.  Here is the official blurb about the readathon:

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 11th and runs through Sunday, May 17th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 13 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Initially, I did not think that I would be able to participate this week, but I will have more free time than I thought I would.

For readathons, I usually create what I call a TBR grab pile. My grab pile consists of books that I may pick up during the readathon. It is usually an incredibly long list of books that I may or may not be able to complete. I have a complete list of the TBR grab pile here on Goodreads. Below, I will list a few of the highlights, with descriptions from Goodreads.

A January Bride (A Year of Weddings Novella 2) by Deborah Raney

Who can work in a house that's overrun by contractors and carpenters? Not Madeleine Houser, a successful novelist who gladly accepts the help of her octogenarian friend, Ginny, to arrange for a temporary office in the charming bed and breakfast owned by Ginny's friend, Arthur. Maddie’s never met the innkeeper––but a friendship grows between them as Maddie and Arthur leave messages for each other each day. To Maddie’s alternate delight and chagrin, she seems to be falling for the inn’s owner––a man who's likely many years her senior––and who she’s never even met.

Pool of Echoes by David G. Allen

In this Inspirational Thriller, Nothing Is Certain But The Truth. Jordan Mitchfield is heir to a media empire worth billions. He also sees and hears things that aren’t there. Then someone close puts him in an insane asylum against his will. When it looks like there is no way out but to take his own life, he is stopped. Is it a vision? Is what he’s seeing actually real? Is it even part of this dimension? Whatever it is, it opens his cell door and throws him into a dangerous time-travel adventure through his memories. As he goes deeper into the Pool of Echoes, he is forced to confront everything he has ever known, reconstruct his own mental health, and play a role in something much larger than himself. 
Fans of Contemporary Science fiction, Action, Espionage, Christian fiction, and Fantasy with a Psychological edge will dive through each exciting moment. If you or anyone you know has ever questioned their own self worth, get on board this life-changing thrill-ride. You will never be the same.

The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker

“Not to be Chosen would yield a cruel fate of my own making.”

Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—would end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority. 
But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. The whispers contradict everything she’s been told; yet they resonate deep within. 
Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, but she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.

Mason Wilson and the Dead Bird Debacle by M.P. Jones

Is Mason Wilson just another wimpy kid? Wimps don't embark on an unauthorized night-time trip to a strange, old factory; he'll do anything to stop his penniless family being thrown out of their home. There's a mystery to solve to win the grand prize - if you hardly ever find dead birds lying around, why are whole flocks of them starting to fall from the sky all over the place? Does the Bible really say that it's a sign of the end of the world? Mason uncovers some gross goings-on and plans that will change the world for ever. Should he do the right thing and try and stop them? He'll lose an opportunity of a lifetime if he does; still, when his parents find out he's gone missing, that will be the least of his worries! A quirky, yet strangely educational, adventure-mystery that the whole family can enjoy.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.
Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.
A groundbreaking work from a master, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. It is a stirring, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterfly's wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark.



I have already started a four of these books listed above. I am 71% complete with A January Bride, 82% complete with Pools of Echoes, 22% complete with Mason Wilson and the Dead Bird Debacle, and 13% complete with The Ocean at the End of the Lane.  I read 43% of A January Bride today, so I am including this in my readathon progress.

Are you participating in Bout of Books?  What books are on your TBR? Leave your TBR and thoughts in the comments or tweet my (@blog_gal).

Children's Book Review Tuesdays: Spiderwick Chronicles (Books 1 and 2)

Title: The Field Guide (Book 1) and The Seeing Stone (Book 2)

Series: The Spiderwick Chronicles

Authors: Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

Publish Date: May 1, 2003

Genre: Children's Novels, Fantasy

Why I Read this Book: I re-read this book during Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon.

 

 

 

 

 About Book 1 (from Goodreads):  

When the three Grace children -- Mallory, Jared, and Simon -- and their mom move into Aunt Lucinda's old house, readers know there's magic afoot. The kids uncover a nest of assembled junk, and on a visit to the secret library via the dumbwaiter, Jared finds a note describing "my secret to all mankind." After a few mysterious pranks that get blamed on Jared, the boy finally digs up the real prize: Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You. Fortunately enough, the kids meet one of the critters listed in the guide -- a brownie named Thimbletack -- who makes it all "real" and helps provide the book's suspenseful conclusion: "'Throw the book away, toss it in a fire. If you do not heed, you will draw their ire.'"

Review

I first read this series when I was younger. I remember loving these books, but I could not remember why I loved them. After re-reading the first and second books during the Dewey's 24 Hour readathon, I fell in love with the books all over again.

The first book started to hold my attention after about page 30.  Each book is very fast paced and leaves you wanting more. The writing style reminds me of Lemony Snicket, who I also love. 

These books would be a great read for children who want to start reading chapter books. The language is great for a child; simple but enthralling. The plot is engaging. The series became even better in book 2 of the series. I hope to continue re-reading the whole series.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any

Overall Rating: 5/5

Graphic Novel Review: Amulet (Vol. 1) by Kazu Kibuishi

Title: The Stone Keeper

Series: Amulet (Vol. 1)

Authors: Kazu Kibuishi 

Publish Date: January 1, 2008

Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy

Why I Read this Book: I read this book during Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon. I found this graphic novel at my local library and loved the cover.

 

 

About Book 1 (from Goodreads):  

Graphic novel star Kazu Kibuishi creates a world of terrible, man-eating demons, a mechanical rabbit, a giant robot---and two ordinary children on a life-or-death mission.

After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.

Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves.

Review

The first thing that caught my eye about this book was the cover. I found the cover beautiful and intriguing. I immediately had high expectations from this book and I was not disappointed.

At first, I thought is strange that one of the main characters in a somewhat scary and extremely action packed graphic novel was a cute pink and white rabbit, but I fell in love with all of the characters in this book. They are all incredibly unique and quirky.

My favorite part of the first volume of this series was the action and the plot twists. I was held of the edge of my seat until the very last page. I cannot wait to read the rest of this amazing graphic novel series.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 10+ for intense action scenes

Overall Rating: 5/5

Rereadathon Challenge: What is your most read book?

As you may know, this week is the re-readathon, where you re-read some of your favorite books. I am taking a break from exams and doing a challenge for the re-readathon.

Here is the challenge (from the official post):

The thing I want to know is, do you have a book that you read over and over (or one that you collect multiple copies of)? Why do you read it so much? What is it that keeps you coming back to it? Basically I want to know whatever you want to tell me about this particular rereading experience!

 My most re-read book is probably the book of Esther from the Bible. I love that Esther stood up for her people (the Jews) even though she risked her life to do so. My husband and I collectively have about 10 or more copies of the Bible, in different translations.

My most re-read fiction book would be Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  I have read this book around 5 times (maybe more). I own 5 copies of the book now: 2 UK paperbacks, 2 US paperbacks, and 1 US hardcover.  The US hardcover is special to me because my great-grandfather gave me the book when I was young and wrote a special message inside of the cover.  Sadly, he has passed away and that is a great memory that I have from him.

One reason that I have read this book so many times is I have the hopes of re-reading to whole series. I always start there and then almost never continue reading the series because I feel guilt about my TBR growing. Another reason is because J.K. Rowling is amazing! Enough said :)

What is your most read book? Please let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@blog_gal).

Re-readathon (May 4-10) Update Complete Thread

The re-readathon, hosted by An Armchair by the Sea, is happening this week. The goal is to re-read books you have previously read. More information can be found here.

Previously, I discussed my TBR grab pile. For this post, I plan to update it daily with my reading updates. For more frequent updates, follow my on Twitter (@blog_gal) or on Goodreads.

Day 1- Monday

I was not able to read any today due to working on my take-home final exams for college.

Day 2- Tuesday

I read 47% of a novella, A December Bride by Denise Hunter (approximately 42/88 pages).

Day 3- Wednesday

I completed the challenge for the day and participated in the twitter chat (woohoo!). Here is my challenge post.

I also read from 47% to 80% in A December Bride (approximately 29 pages today and 71/88 pages total).

Day 4-Thursday

I completed A December Bride (read approximately 17 pages).

I started A January Bride and read 9% (approximately 11 pages).

That's a Wrap

I was unable to read the rest of the days. I read a total of 99 pages during the readathon. Due to the week being busy, I am proud of my progress.

Re-readathon TBR Grab Pile

This week is the re-readathon, hosted by An Armchair By the Sea. The official post about the re-readathon can be found here. In this post, I talk about my TBR grab pile and goals. I have final exams this week and family coming in, but I hope to read some this week.

TBR Pile
I have a few books that I would like to re-read are novellas. Here they are:

The next set of books that I am thinking about re-reading is some of the Harry Potter series.  I just recently got a new set of them because these new covers are gorgeous and my old set is a little worn out. Check out my instagram post about it below:

My new #hp book set with the beautiful covers my husband bought me from amazon when they were on sale :) #bookhaul

A photo posted by Jessica Bradley (@blog_gal) on Apr 15, 2015 at 3:19pm PDT

So that is my TBR pile.  Are you joining in on the readathon? What are your goals? What are you reading this week?

Dewey's April 2015 Readathon Complete Post: All the Happenings from This Wonderful Day

Opening Meme
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

I am reading from North Carolina in the awesome USA!

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

All of them of course!

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Reese's Pieces

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I am a biology graduate student that blogs about books in her free time. I am also a Christian, so I read a lot of christian fiction. I also love reading clean YA, children's novels, fantasy, and clean adult romance novels.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

I enjoyed the readathon so much last year that I think I'll do exactly the same: have fun :)

Hour 2 Mini Challenge: Classic Words of Wisdom

This hour's mini challenge is hosted by A Literary Odyssey and the challenge can be found here. Here is a quote about this hours challenge:

 So, for this challenge, you need to create a post highlighting your favorite "Classic Words of Wisdom" and then explain their meaning to you.

For this challenge, I thought of one of my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis. Here is one of my favorite quotes by him:

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. 

Hour 3 Mini Challenge: 4 Seasons 4 Books

The hour 3 mini challenge is hosted by Bart's Bookshelf and the challenge can be found here. In this challenge, you have to represent the four seasons with four books. Here is my entry:

#readathon hour 3 mini challenge. The bottom 2 are on my TBR for today :)

A photo posted by Jessica Bradley (@blog_gal) on Apr 25, 2015 at 7:20am PDT

Hour 7 Mini-Challenge

This challenge can be found here. For this challenge, I had to find 3 book covers: one with a tree, one with snow, and one with a weapon. Here is what I found:

#readathon #minichallenge Weapon: light saber from The Strange Case of Origami yoda Tree: background of The Sinners Garden Snow: cover of Son

A photo posted by Jessica Bradley (@blog_gal) on Apr 25, 2015 at 11:09am PDT

Mid-Event Survey
1. What are you reading right now?

I am currently in the middle of three books:

• The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
• The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
• Son by Lois Lowry

2. How many books have you read so far?

I have read

• Spiderwick Chronicles 1 and 2 (Children's Fiction)
• The Care and Feeding of Sprites (Part of Spiderwick Chronicles)
• Amulet, Vol. 1 (Graphic Novel)
• Fairy Tales (Graphic Novel)

So I have read 5 books all together.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

I am really looking forward to Son by Lois Lowry.

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

Yes, I have been taking breaks and spending time with my husband. It is a great time to rest the eyes and I enjoyed it.

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

I am surprised by how much people are talking on Twitter. It is the best part of the readathon!



Ongoing Reading Progress

• Completed The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide (Book 1, 107 pages)
• Completed Amulet, Vol. 1 (185 pages)
• Completed The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Seeing Stone (Book 2, 108 pages)
• Completed The Care and Feeding of Sprites from the Spiderwick Chronicles (35 pages)
• Completed Fairy Tales, Vol. 4 (174 pages)
• Completed The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger (141 pages)
• Read 42 pages of The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neal Gaiman
• Read 47 pages of Son by Lois Lowry

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon (Saturday, April 25): Reading Goals and TBR Grab Pile

Button made by: http://www.truebookaddict.com/

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon is coming up very soon! Woohoo! You can sign up for the readathon here. Did you miss my announcement of participation in the readathon, my updated book recommendations for readathons or my post about my overall goals for this readathon?

Today, I am going to talk about my reading goals for this readathon and show you my TBR grab pile. Here are my reading goals:

• Out of these 21 hours that I was awake, I read actively for 8.5 hours. For this readathon, I hope to read actively for at least 10 hours.
• Read 1000 pages. In the october readathon, I read 859 pages (including graphic novels and childrens chapter books). My average reading pace overall was 1.68 pages/minute. By this rate and the additional hours that I plan to read, I should be able to reach this goal.
• Last readathon, I finished 2 adult novellas, 1 graphic novel, and 3 children's novels, for a total of 6 books. This readathon, I hope to finish 7 books.

Now for my TBR grab pile. These are the books that I plan on choosing from during the readathon.  I may grab some other books, but these are the ones that I am particularly interested in at the moment. There are too many in my grab pile to discuss here, so I have created a shelf on Goodreads that can be found here.

Are you signed up for Dewey's 24H Readathon? If not, you can sign up here. Do you want to be a cheerleader? You can learn more about being a cheerleader and how to sign up here. Do you want to host a mini-challenge? You can sign up for hosting a mini-challenge here.

If you are signed up for the read-a-thon, what are your goals?  I would love to hear about your read-a-thon progress during and after the read-a-thon! Comment below or tweet me at @blog_gal.

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon (April 18, 2015): Overall Goals

Button made by: http://www.truebookaddict.com/

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon is coming up very soon and there is still time to sign up! You can sign up for the readathon here. Did you miss my announcement of participation in the readathon or my updated book recommendations for readathons?

Today, I am going to talk about my overall goals for the readathon. 

• For the last Dewey's readathon in October, I had a goal of participating in all 24 hours of the readathon. I ended up taking a 3 hour nap during the readathon.  For this readathon, I hope to participate in all 24 hours. 
• I want to cheer as much as possible :)
• Tweet (@blog_gal) updates about my reading progress as much as possible.
• Write a wrap-up post the day after the readathon.
• Track progress on a spreadsheet similar to the one that can be found here.

Are you signed up for Dewey's 24H Readathon? If not, you can sign up here. Do you want to be a cheerleader? You can learn more about being a cheerleader and how to sign up here. Do you want to host a mini-challenge? You can sign up for hosting a mini-challenge here.

If you are signed up for the read-a-thon, what are your goals?  I would love to hear about your read-a-thon progress during and after the read-a-thon! Comment below or tweet me at @blog_gal.

FREE BOOK: Fields of Elysium

Fields of Elysium

by A.B. Whelan

Best seller in Teen & Young Adult Fantasy

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CAN LOVE MEND A HEART FULL OF HATE?

Small town girl, Molly Bennett, moves to Los Angeles where she becomes an outsider while attending Beverly Hills High School. It seems life cannot be any more dreadful.

Then one day after school, something magical happens. On a secluded hike in the Hollywood Hills, Molly chases her disobedient mutt and only friend into a hidden cavern. She stumbles upon a strange glimmering gateway that transports her to Arkana, a planet that is the cradle of an advanced human race. There, teenagers navigate amazing flying vehicles, compete in perilous games for glory, and possess supernatural powers.

While Molly tries to wrap her mind around this unbelievable discovery, she meets the alluring and mysterious Victor Sorren. He is a Sentinel Apprentice, whose hatred toward people from Earth is beyond understanding. Yet every time Victor unpredictably saves Molly’s life, his heart draws closer to hers, no matter how much he tries to fight against it. It further complicates things that their growing friendship is strictly forbidden. Earth people are prohibited in Arkana, yet Molly continues to cross through the portal to Arkana to see Victor.

Torn between their double lives, they go down a dangerous path, from where there is no return and multiple endings.

Would you fight to be with the one you truly love? What cost would you be willing to sacrifice for that love?

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After reading this story you will find your heart racing whenever you enter a cave.